[niccam]

Hi I've got a couple of questions and I hope someone can help me.
1. I've got two hard drives and all my opperating software is on one [a] and I want to save video on the other [b] but my PINNACLE DC10 capture card keeps saving to a . I can save aux files to b but it all so saves to a How can I stop it from saving to drive a? Ive been through the help files and it tells you how to save the aux files to a different location . Can anyone point me in the right direction Thank you

2. At the moment I'm using PINNACLE STUDIO 9 and DC10 PLUS capture card and capturing svhs avi video and well pleased with it but I now want to change to DV, Can I just add a firewire card to my present system and capture via that and keep the DC10 and use it as well for other projects or would I have get a AV/DV capture card to replace the DC10.
At the moment the firewire would cost £30 and to change to AV/DV would be £120 plus Pinnacle studio 9 which I dont want as I have it already
Whats your advice Thank you

[MarkE19]

The drive that all the project files are saved to is normally set in the project settings within the software. As I don't use Studio I can't tell you exactly where. The default area would normally be the boot drive until the software is told otherwise.

I see no reason why you can't just adda cheap firewire card to your PC and keep the DC-10. The software should just detect the additional capture device and give you a choice of which to use at the start of a project.
I think that £30 for a firewire card is very expensive. I see that you are in N Ireland so should have no problems getting the likes of Ebuyer to deliver to you. They have firewire cards for around £8 that will include the firewire cable for connecting up your camcorder.

Mark.

[laser]

Hi

I also use two hards drives, drive c: for the OS and drive d: for capturing and editing video footage with Studio 8 & 9.

To change the drive designation:

1. From the Setup Menu click Edit.
2. Select the Edit tab.
3. You will see a file location for auxiliary file in the lower left corner of the tabbed box. Click the file icon and then select the second hard drive.

Also remeber to change the location of the drive for testing the HDD write and read capability:

1. From the Setup Menu click Edit.
2. Select the Capture Source tab.
3. You will see a file location for Data Rate in the lower right corner of the tabbed box. Click the file icon and then select the second hard drive.

When you capture footage also make sure you change the location to the second HDD by clicking the file location in the capture screen near the pie chart which shows how much space you have available.

Iain

[niccam]

Thanks guys have the Hard Drives sorted now just going back to the FIREWIRE question have read where you should use a video card when editing to help and quicken your PC and take the strain off your processor. Because I have a video card the DC10 does that count? and will the capture DV via the firewire card still come through the DC10? and when outputting can you choose which way out DC10 or FIREWIRE? Thanks again niccam

[niccam]

Hi Its me again as said before have two hard drives could I put a third one in? I have room for it plus connections Would there be any problems? and will it slow the computer down or speed it up. Thanks again for any info .

[MarkE19]

A PC can as standard have any 4 IDE devices. These can all be HDD, or a mix of the following:

HDD
CD-ROM, RW
DVD-ROM, +/-RW
plus zip drives etc etc.

The reason for the limit of 4 IDE devices has nothing to do with performance of the PC (well not on fairly modern PC's), but the fact that a MoBo only has 2 IDE channels and a single IDE channel can only control 2 devices. If additional IDE devices are required you can add a PCI IDE controller card.

Adding a third HDD should have no affect on performance unless the existing drives are fairly full and so with the new drive you spread the load across the third. This should help access speeds and help to reduce fragmentation.

Mark.

[niccam]

Thanks Mark at the moment I have 1x cd writer, 1 x dvdrom, 1 x dvd writer and 2 hdd I do have a PCI IDE Controller card installed so I should be alright.
While I'm here want an answer to these questions have the CANON XM2 DV camcorder and need to buy a back up around the £400 mark any ideas ? and while I have recorded on the Canon XM2, if I use the back up camera for play back [ save wear and tear ] will there be any difference in quaility on play back ? Thank you niccam

[MarkE19]

TBH if all you are useing the backup cam for is as a DV deck when capturing to the PC then you could get just about any DV cam for around £400. I would think that most of the cost of the cam will be the features onboard and the optics - none of which will be used in this case. A DV cam with DV-in and if any requirement is likely AV-in as well are about the only features I can see you needing to have on the backup cam. At £400 you are getting a fairly reasonable cam, so playback should be fine - although I have never compared the playback between different cams so can't really say for sure.

Mark.

[niccam]

Thanks Mark just to finish has all DV camcorders got 16 bit & 12 bit audio as my Canon XM2 has because what if I recorded in 16 bit and the play back camcorder could only handle 12 bit and is there many standalone dv recorders out there Thanks again.

[MarkE19]

All the DV cams I have looked at closely have had both 12 & 16 bit sound, but I would never guarentee that they all have.
Standalone DV decks will set you back a couple of grand and IMO are a waiste of money unless it is your job and you can claw back the cost. Sony did do a deck a few years back for around £900, but that has AFAIK been discontinued, but you may still be able to get the deck with a built in screen, but obviously this adds to the cost. Other than that I have seen a DV VCR from either Panasonic or JVC but that cost somewhere around £2k.

Mark.