Hi. Can anyone out there tell me please!! Which of the many numerous editing software packages available, will allow me to download 4 channel DV and HDDV audio on to my pc easy as peeling spuds like plain old simple 2 channel DV?

I have a new XLH1 with, judging by some of the DVi postings an apparently inherent old prob with audio. It records all 4 or 2 audio channels to tape brilliantly, but to then get it on to my hard drive is a different matter. Premiere 1.5 with HD updates does not do it. Scenealyzer just records the two extra audio channels as wave files that annoyingly get lost then need to be synced and is not high def compatible.
I do simple weddings and scratch my head in frustration. All I want to do is use the camera mic to capture the congregation and radio mic to to get the vows without having to constantly swap the cables at the front mic socket. The Canon with it's xlr connections allows me to capture all four with no problem as other cameras probably do to. Is adobe not aware of this ability? I love my Canon! It does what it says on the box. Yet when it comes to downloading, the manual just states refer to pc instructions. (ie someone elses problem) Adobe didn't do it for DV I doubt they will have anything in the pipeline for HDDV so I probably won't go there. Can anyone help? Many thanks!

There is no good solution for this... you have to do 2 pass capture. People say the latest Scenalyzer rips all 4 at once (the version I used before just did the second pass for audio only) so in THEORY FCP or PPro should be able to do it. I am still not convinced that Scenalyzer is ACTUALLY ripping all 4 at ONCE.

My solution in FCP is to go into the audio capture properties and do a mix-down of the 4 channels. Then, when My edit is done, I recapture just the sections that are in the timeline, 2 channels at a time. AFAIK, there is no workaround...


ash =o)

I have yet to use Scenalyzer to capture footage from my XL2 or GL1, but everyone seems to swear that its extra WAV file process is the only way. It really seems strange that not one single NLE can handle capturing 4 audio tracks properly. Regular capture is already slow enough--do we really need to be forced to capture at 50% of real time?

I guess this is another point in the case for tapeless shooting.

While we're on this topic, I also find it really annoying that the Canon stock mics can only be used to record to two tracks. Would it really be too much to ask of Canon to hope that they'd allow you to pan stereo mics to one channel if you want to? The audio controls are otherwise pretty good for what they are, but this just seems like such a no-brainer.

Thanks for your replies. I have tried scenalyser a couple of times and now given up. It's easier to cable swap. I have downloaded the latest version of scenalyser and it will capture all four channels in one pass, converting 2 of the channels in DV to wave files but not if you are down converting with the camera from HDDV to DV. As if High def wasn't problamatic enough. The only option I seem to have here is to record as a seperate audio source. If NLE's dont allow us the ability to get the four channels off the tape and on to our hard drives it really makes the extra xlr options and audio channels a complete waste of space as far as I'm concerned. An old cassette deck would be of more use and a fraction of the cost. HELLO ALL THE NLE WRITERS OUT THERE!! WE WANT TO CAPTURE FOUR CHANNEL AUDIO! Please make a freebie plug in someone. Hours of editing has left my eyes square, body withered and of no donateable value. Selling my body for a mere pittance is possible but improbable. I am a lone camera man of meagre earnings and with an overpriced camera to support, unable and unwilling to purchase another upgrade or latest all singinging and dancing NLE version that doesn't really do any more than the last one.

In FCP you can capture 8 channels... just not with DV... you can SEE the 4 channels and mix them down to two. I believe it is a problem with the DV spec...



ash =o)