S-video in to GL-2 from laptop is in 16:9? at DVinfo.net

Steve Crutchfield · July 21st, 2003, 11:02 AM

Greetings all,

I can't seem to work around this problem and am in desperate need of help. I am capturing the desktop of my laptop (Powerbook G4) via the s-video cable and the camera (GL-2) is changing the image to a 16:9 ratio.
I have tried everything I know (made sure 16:9 is off in camera mode, turned the 16:9 guides off ... both which shouldn't matter since I'm working in VCR mode) and I must be missing something simple.
I called the canon tech helpline and a tech suggested that the problem with with the software I was running in my powerbook. I am running Mac OSX (Jaguar). I don't understand why that would matter.
I have a Sony TRV-730 that captures the desktop via S-video fine and dandy. Why won't my GL-2 do this?
If anyone has experienced this or is able to run a test with the same equipment and get similar or, preferably successful result with a work around please let me know!

Thanks in advance!

Steve

Peter Moore · July 21st, 2003, 11:46 AM

What do you mean it's capturing in 16x9? Is it chopping off the top and bottom of the image? If not, then it doesn't matter, because you can always use any NLE to reinterpret the footage back to 4x3 pixels. The GL2 shouldn't care what aspect ratio the analog input is in. It should just record 720 x 480 and let you worry about the aspect ratio. That's probably what it's doing.

Ken Tanaka · July 21st, 2003, 12:05 PM

Steve,

(a) I am curious about why you aren't using Firewire to capture your footage? What software are you using to facilitate the capture?

(b) Depending on what you're using to view your captured footage, Peter may have hit the mark with his 4x3 remark. Is it possible that the footage just -looks- stretched?

Please tell us more about your set-up.

Steve Crutchfield · July 21st, 2003, 12:30 PM

Thanks for the replies,

Here's my setup: I am trying to record my laptop screen. I have a computer to video scan converter that I am testing for quality. I am setting the laptop screen to various resolutions to determine better legibility and am resizing the image to fit a TV safe area.

The 16:9 indicator came on and the image was stretched when receiving a video signal from the scan converter (laptop to scan converter to GL-2) and just from the laptop.

Peter, By "capturing in 16:9" I mean the 16:9 indicator shows up on screen and the image is compressed (stretched image). Sure, I can probably reinterpret the footage, it just threw me off when I saw it change to 16:9 after connecting to the laptop or the scan converter. I would rather see it in uncompressed 4:3 on my lcd screen. Maybe it doesn't matter?

Ken, the scan converter does not have a firewire device, it only has composite and s-video connections. I'm not sure footage just looks stretched because the 16:9 indicator comes on when I connect the s-video cable.

Do you either of you have a G4 laptop and GL2 to connect via S-video? Maybe you could see what I am experiencing. Maybe it will be fine in 16:9. It's just weird to me that it appears to be reading a signal input in 16:9.

Quite a funny little thing, huh?

Thank you kindly,

Steve

Steve Crutchfield · July 21st, 2003, 01:38 PM

Did i say composite? I meant component on the scan converter.

Steve

Ken Tanaka · July 21st, 2003, 05:14 PM

Steve,
Ah, so you're not working with DV or video footage, per se. You're capturing a stream of screen images.

Sorry, I don't know anything about such utilities. But it seems logical that it would be capturing in a 16x9 format: the TiBook G4's screen is 16x9. Sounds like the utility's smart enough to recognize that.

Steve Crutchfield · July 21st, 2003, 05:51 PM

Ken,

Thanks for the reply. That's correct, I'm capturing screen images.

I hooked up the same set up to a G4 desktop and got the same results. I ran out of the video card to the scan converter to the GL-2... 16:9 indicator still comes on and the video is still stretched!

Thanks for lending a hand, hope to get this figured out soon!

Steve

Will Fastie · July 22nd, 2003, 09:12 AM

Steve:

Once you've overcome your problem, I would be very interested in knowing more about your particular scan converter solution.

One thing I'm curious about is the difference between a scan converter's output and output directly from the video card. My video card has an S-Video out connector and I tried recording directly from it. The result, not unexpected, was a somewhat fuzzy image because of the difference in resolution between the PC and DV. It would be useful to know if the scan converter gave a better result.

I am very hesitant to buy a scan converter. I got very little information when I queried the vendors. Your experiences could be a big help.

Thanks.
Will

Steve Crutchfield · July 22nd, 2003, 10:10 AM

Will,

I'd love to share our findings! It's been a month long process of using screen capture programs, direct s-video captures, and testing two scan converters (costing a bit). Once we decide what to do, I'll share what I can. Keep posted!

Steve

Steve Crutchfield · July 22nd, 2003, 06:24 PM

Hello all,

Well, it seems that the weird quirk may not be an issue. We decided to capture some footage and import it into final cut express. Although it looked stretched and said 16:9 on the GL-2 lcd, it imported into final cut express like a charm in reg 4:3. Didn't have to change any settings in fce or anything.

Still, I would like to know why the GL-2 does that.

We are getting to the point where we are pleased with the screen capture. The scan converters we have tested (2 so far) cost $1500 and up. We plan to test two more. The model we just tested had flicker control settings and zoom functions. We saw flicker eliminated the most in the more expensive model.

Honestly, I don't know much about scan converters. Just doing a crash course in first hand learning.

We are definitely going with a scan converter. Software programs (very inexpensive programs, by the way) we tested showed lag time in mouse movements and the mouse sort of skipped across the screen. One and two pixel lines in menus and such displayed a lot of flicker.

Try to give more info later!

Steve

Rob Lohman · July 25th, 2003, 07:18 AM

I'm pretty sure the scanconverter is sending out a 16:9 signal
that the GL2 is picking up. Either it displays the computer resolution
wider (which is probably more correct anyway) or it is a setting
you can change on the device.

July 21st, 2003, 11:02 AM	#1
Steve Crutchfield New Boot Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Oakhurst, CA Posts: 6	S-video in to GL-2 from laptop is in 16:9? Greetings all, I can't seem to work around this problem and am in desperate need of help. I am capturing the desktop of my laptop (Powerbook G4) via the s-video cable and the camera (GL-2) is changing the image to a 16:9 ratio. I have tried everything I know (made sure 16:9 is off in camera mode, turned the 16:9 guides off ... both which shouldn't matter since I'm working in VCR mode) and I must be missing something simple. I called the canon tech helpline and a tech suggested that the problem with with the software I was running in my powerbook. I am running Mac OSX (Jaguar). I don't understand why that would matter. I have a Sony TRV-730 that captures the desktop via S-video fine and dandy. Why won't my GL-2 do this? If anyone has experienced this or is able to run a test with the same equipment and get similar or, preferably successful result with a work around please let me know! Thanks in advance! Steve

July 21st, 2003, 12:05 PM	#3
Ken Tanaka Retired DV Info Net Almunus Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 6,943	Steve, (a) I am curious about why you aren't using Firewire to capture your footage? What software are you using to facilitate the capture? (b) Depending on what you're using to view your captured footage, Peter may have hit the mark with his 4x3 remark. Is it possible that the footage just -looks- stretched? Please tell us more about your set-up. __________________ Lady X Films: A lady with a boring wardrobe...and a global mission. Hey, you don't have enough stuff! Buy with confidence from our sponsors. Hand-picked as the best in the business...Really! See some of my work one frame at a time: www.KenTanaka.com

July 21st, 2003, 05:14 PM	#6
Ken Tanaka Retired DV Info Net Almunus Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 6,943	Steve, Ah, so you're not working with DV or video footage, per se. You're capturing a stream of screen images. Sorry, I don't know anything about such utilities. But it seems logical that it would be capturing in a 16x9 format: the TiBook G4's screen is 16x9. Sounds like the utility's smart enough to recognize that. __________________ Lady X Films: A lady with a boring wardrobe...and a global mission. Hey, you don't have enough stuff! Buy with confidence from our sponsors. Hand-picked as the best in the business...Really! See some of my work one frame at a time: www.KenTanaka.com

July 25th, 2003, 07:18 AM	#11
Rob Lohman RED Code Chef Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Holland Posts: 12,514	I'm pretty sure the scanconverter is sending out a 16:9 signal that the GL2 is picking up. Either it displays the computer resolution wider (which is probably more correct anyway) or it is a setting you can change on the device. __________________ Rob Lohman, visuar@iname.com DV Info Wrangler & RED Code Chef Join the DV Challenge \| Lady X Search DVinfo.net for quick answers \| Buy from the best: DVinfo.net sponsors

July 21st, 2003, 11:46 AM	#2
Peter Moore Trustee Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Arlington VA Posts: 1,034	What do you mean it's capturing in 16x9? Is it chopping off the top and bottom of the image? If not, then it doesn't matter, because you can always use any NLE to reinterpret the footage back to 4x3 pixels. The GL2 shouldn't care what aspect ratio the analog input is in. It should just record 720 x 480 and let you worry about the aspect ratio. That's probably what it's doing.

July 21st, 2003, 12:30 PM	#4
Steve Crutchfield New Boot Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Oakhurst, CA Posts: 6	Thanks for the replies, Here's my setup: I am trying to record my laptop screen. I have a computer to video scan converter that I am testing for quality. I am setting the laptop screen to various resolutions to determine better legibility and am resizing the image to fit a TV safe area. The 16:9 indicator came on and the image was stretched when receiving a video signal from the scan converter (laptop to scan converter to GL-2) and just from the laptop. Peter, By "capturing in 16:9" I mean the 16:9 indicator shows up on screen and the image is compressed (stretched image). Sure, I can probably reinterpret the footage, it just threw me off when I saw it change to 16:9 after connecting to the laptop or the scan converter. I would rather see it in uncompressed 4:3 on my lcd screen. Maybe it doesn't matter? Ken, the scan converter does not have a firewire device, it only has composite and s-video connections. I'm not sure footage just looks stretched because the 16:9 indicator comes on when I connect the s-video cable. Do you either of you have a G4 laptop and GL2 to connect via S-video? Maybe you could see what I am experiencing. Maybe it will be fine in 16:9. It's just weird to me that it appears to be reading a signal input in 16:9. Quite a funny little thing, huh? Thank you kindly, Steve

July 21st, 2003, 01:38 PM	#5
Steve Crutchfield New Boot Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Oakhurst, CA Posts: 6	Did i say composite? I meant component on the scan converter. Steve

July 21st, 2003, 05:51 PM	#7
Steve Crutchfield New Boot Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Oakhurst, CA Posts: 6	Ken, Thanks for the reply. That's correct, I'm capturing screen images. I hooked up the same set up to a G4 desktop and got the same results. I ran out of the video card to the scan converter to the GL-2... 16:9 indicator still comes on and the video is still stretched! Thanks for lending a hand, hope to get this figured out soon! Steve

July 22nd, 2003, 09:12 AM	#8
Will Fastie Major Player Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Jarrettsville, MD Posts: 353	Steve: Once you've overcome your problem, I would be very interested in knowing more about your particular scan converter solution. One thing I'm curious about is the difference between a scan converter's output and output directly from the video card. My video card has an S-Video out connector and I tried recording directly from it. The result, not unexpected, was a somewhat fuzzy image because of the difference in resolution between the PC and DV. It would be useful to know if the scan converter gave a better result. I am very hesitant to buy a scan converter. I got very little information when I queried the vendors. Your experiences could be a big help. Thanks. Will

July 22nd, 2003, 10:10 AM	#9
Steve Crutchfield New Boot Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Oakhurst, CA Posts: 6	Will, I'd love to share our findings! It's been a month long process of using screen capture programs, direct s-video captures, and testing two scan converters (costing a bit). Once we decide what to do, I'll share what I can. Keep posted! Steve

July 22nd, 2003, 06:24 PM	#10
Steve Crutchfield New Boot Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Oakhurst, CA Posts: 6	Hello all, Well, it seems that the weird quirk may not be an issue. We decided to capture some footage and import it into final cut express. Although it looked stretched and said 16:9 on the GL-2 lcd, it imported into final cut express like a charm in reg 4:3. Didn't have to change any settings in fce or anything. Still, I would like to know why the GL-2 does that. We are getting to the point where we are pleased with the screen capture. The scan converters we have tested (2 so far) cost $1500 and up. We plan to test two more. The model we just tested had flicker control settings and zoom functions. We saw flicker eliminated the most in the more expensive model. Honestly, I don't know much about scan converters. Just doing a crash course in first hand learning. We are definitely going with a scan converter. Software programs (very inexpensive programs, by the way) we tested showed lag time in mouse movements and the mouse sort of skipped across the screen. One and two pixel lines in menus and such displayed a lot of flicker. Try to give more info later! Steve