If when you select #3 edge crop it works...then avid is not expecting a wide screen video and will only appear correct with 4/3 material.   Check the format tab in your bin window.....make sure it set for 1080i.    Try opening a previous project.....see if you can capture properly.      

 II went into the format Tab...

My 3 options are

1) 30i NTSC

2) 1080i/59.94

3) 1080i/59.94 HDV

The ONLY one that works correctly is the 30i NTSC...When I use either of the 2 options, the capture will not work.....it either gives me a "No input signal" present message, or it simply won't capture...it will say:

Exception: DIO Producer -- digital I/O device malfunction, DIO Error; Expected DVC Pro HD 1080/59.94 but received DV25 NTSC..

Man this is frustrating....

AFAIK your HDV playback devices need to be set up to either send HDV (HD) or DV (SD) over their FireWire output. If your device is setup for HDV, you will not be able to capture it into a 30i project, and if your device is setup for DV (SD), you will not be able to capture it into an HDV project.

Now, as for the image aspect ratio, what ratio was the material shot in, and in what aspect ratio is your setup displaying the incoming signal?

If your camcorder was sent away for cleaning, it might have been reset, and for all you know you might have accidently been shooting in 4x3 rather than 16x9 or vice versa, you might even have been shooting HDV rather than DV or vice versa, without knowing it.

Hook up your camcorder to a display directly, and find out what type of footage is on the tape. How is the footage being displayed on the camcorder's viewfinder?

 It appears as though the Playback on both the camera and the Deck are set to send in HDV...on the camera...it's set on 1081i, and on the deck as well...Also, there's an option on the deck for 4:3 vs. 16:9, and I want it set on 4:3 right? Either way...I've tried it both ways and it exports incorrectly either way...

The Material is being shot in HDV/1080i...and right next to that in the upper right hand corner of the screen it says 60i....for some reason, I don't remember that being there before...what is that?

As far as the viewfinder itself...the footage is good...on both the deck and the camera, the footage is NOT SQUISHED AT ALL...and looks just fine...it's when I try to get it into AVID, that it does it...

Thanks again...hopefully we'll solve this...lol.

 If I understand this correctly it was shot 1080i HDV (it would be 16x9) To go into a 30i 4x3 project it would have to be cropped to fit a 4x3 frame without distorting. I would just bring it in and crop the size according to whats in the frame

Ed S

Are your S/R monitors set to 16 x 9 or 4 x 3?

 BLKDOG,

Forgive me for being a novice, but where do I go to change the S/R Monitors from either 16:9 or 4:3....I don't know if I've checked that cause I don't know where to go to do so...

Thanks in advance....

 esavedge,

I can get it to work when I crop it...BUT...I didn't use to have to do that...it used to bring it in un-squeezed....

Also....another note to pass along I just found out....When I sent my camera in recently to get it cleaned...they reset it to the factory settings....which I know was an issue when I first got the camera as well..

And a sidebar to that...upon ingest now, I seem to be losing some of the "CRISPNESS" to the picture...it's capturing in focus, and all of that....it's just lacking some of POPPING colors that it's had in the past...to the untrained eye...you wouldn't notice it....but a video person like me does....

Any thoughts on why it would lose a touch of the clarity?

 Sounds like they left a setting in the camera different from your original. I have not used that one before so I'm not sure what the options are.

EdS

 esavedge,

I've re-set ALL of my original settings, and it's still doing it...PLUS PLUS PLUS...

The Deck (Sony GV-HD700) is doing the EXACT same thing...which makes me think it's an AVID issue...but I don't know where else to look to change anything...

DirtonDirt.com:

where do I go to change the S/R Monitors from either 16:9 or 4:3

Hi,

Right-click in the Composer window (the one with the source & record monitors) and the pop-up menu will have options for 4:3 or 16:9 windows.

good luck,
Carl

 Carl,

I can set that monitor to 16:9, and the video looks fine....the issue is, I then have to export the video in 4:3...this video is posted to a website, and the upload ONLY allows 4:3 video....

So I guess to respond to your post...I definitely know how to, and can switch it over to 16:9....and it looks OK...but I need 4:3...has to be 4:3...no if's, and's, or butt's...

The Crux of the whole thing is....on my camera, I can always choose "EDGE CROP"...and at least have a solution....on the deck, however...(GV-HD700), there is NO OPTION for edge cropping of any sort...so am I to believe that this deck ONLY exports in 16:9???

Let me know...

DirtonDirt.com:

I can set that monitor to 16:9, and the video looks fine....the issue is, I then have to export the video in 4:3...this video is posted to a website, and the upload ONLY allows 4:3 video....

Hi,

Well, what it sounds like is everything is working as it should.  If I've read all of this correctly, you're shooting in 16:9 (1080i HDV) and when the composer windows are set to 16:9 the image looks correct, so nothing I've read points to malfunctioning equipment.

I found the manual for your deck on the internet, and you might have some luck changing the settings under TV TYPE on page 56, but it looks like the deck selects an aspect ratio automatically if you're connected via firewire, and you can't change it.

So assuming I'm right (and I'm not 100% certain that I am; only about 70%), if I were in your shoes, I'd start looking for a workflow to export your 16:9 timeline as a 4:3 file.

good luck,
Carl

 Carl,

Thanks for all the great legwork and information...you're doing an AMAZING JOB...

I have a couple of questions/points...

1) I've tried changing the TV Type, and had no luck there...

2) You mentioned Firewire, and it automatically selecting an aspect ratio....the deck also has USB, etc....would that possibly work?

I think you're right on things....now I have what I hope is getting to be a final question for you...you said...."I'd start looking for a workflow to export your 16:9 timeline as a 4:3 file"....how on Earth do I do that??....lol...

Any ideas at all? You've been so great, I was hoping you had an idea here....

DirtonDirt.com:

the deck also has USB, etc....would that possibly work?

Hi,

Unfortunately, USB isn't fast enough to use for video capture, and there's no choice for USB in the Capture Tool, so I doubt it'd work.  (If you've got some free time, feel free to give it a shot, but I wouldn't spend too much time on it.)

As for exporting a 4:3 file, hopefully somebody who has done this and already has a workflow will see this thread and respond, because I haven't done it recently enough to give you a good road map. 

The first thing I'd try is exporting a Quicktime movie.  Click Options in the export dialog box, and in your export settings, select 720x480 as the width and height, and select Crop/Pad instead of Size to Fit.

You'll probably have to do some experimenting with your export settings, so rather than exporting a whole timeline, I'd try exporting short clips (10 seconds or less) until you get the settings that work.

DirtonDirt.com:

Thanks for all the great legwork and information...you're doing an AMAZING JOB...

No problem, although I can't take all the credit, as I'm just following the logic in the postings from Andrew, Job, Todd/BLKDOG, Ed S and newz54.  Hopefully we're getting close to getting this solved so you can do what you need to do. 

good luck,
Carl