new computer DV problem

[Dan Plonsker]

Whenever I run DV captured files on my new computer the image stutter.
This happens in Premiere or even with Windows Media Player. Other media files work ok. It never happened in my old computer. I'm using the same Firewire card.
New: Intel P4 3 GHz (775) processor
Intel Avalon 915 motherboard with 1 GHz ram
On board video GMA900
Old: Intel P4 1.5 GHz
Intel 845 motherboard with 512Mb ram
ATI AIW Radeon video card
I guess it has to do with the graphic card (have the latest drivers)
but the Intel's should be better than the 3.5 years old Radeon.
I'll appreciate Any idea as I'm going nuts by now...
Thanks

[Rob Lohman]

I'm a bit puzzled. Does this stuttering happen while you are capturing (and
looking at the capture preview) or when you play back the captured file?

Does it tell you it has dropped frames?

If this happens during playback, what are you using to play the file?

Did you built this system yourself or did you buy a complete system? Two
important things to check are:

1. make sure (if not using SATA) there is no other device on the same cable as your harddisk

2. make sure DMA mode is enabled on your IDE controller (check device manager in Windows) where the harddisk is attached to

[Dan Plonsker]

Thanks Rob for the quick response.
The stutter is in capture and when playing.
no dropped frames. I'm using Premiere for capture and video work.
The system was built according to my specification.
I'm using 2 Sata drives.

[Rob Lohman]

As long as there are no dropped frames during capture everything should be
fine with your footage. It's just the playback that seems messy.

If you right-click on an empty spot on your desktop and go to properties,
go to the final tab (settings) and click on advanced and go to the troubleshoot
tab. Is hardware acceleration set to full?

Make sure you have the latest and correct display drivers installed for your
video card!

Does the playback in stutter also happen outside of Premiere? For example
when you play back the captured file with Windows Media Player?

Are you running any tasks that may be interferring like anti virus or anti
spyware tools that are running at that moment?

[Dan Plonsker]

Hardware acceleration set to full, I have the latest display drivers.
Playback is stuttering outside Premiere too. even in Windows Media Player.
I've stopped all anti virus etc in the background.
It seems that when exporting to tape, the playback from the tape is ok
also when I make DVD.
I've just found that In WMP options, when I cancel Video acceleration totaly it stops stuttering, but than I get blocks and other problems with picture.

[Rob Lohman]

This starts to sound like a problem with your video card (as in the card is
not good) or a problem in the combination of video card and mainboard. If
you can I would try another graphics card, see what that does.

[Dan Plonsker]

Yes, this is what I'm stating to figure out.
The thing is that the video engine is on board the motherboard and it is difficult to convince the people I bought the computer from (although they tried to help) to change the motherboard. I'm planning to install a separate video card and see what happens. It might be an Intel problem.
Just thought someone had a similar problem and have any conclusions by now.
Thanks.

[Rob Lohman]

Did you install the correct chipset drivers as well?

Indeed, I would first try out an extra card. In the end you should be able to
play those files. So if they don't believe you just bring in the system, have
a DV file on the desktop and tell them to get that file to playback smooth
with WMP for example.

[Dan Plonsker]

The strange thing is that this happens only with DV files.
All other files play ok (mpg, divx, other avi).

[Rob Lohman]

Do keep in mind that DV files require a larger datarate than most other files
you mentioned. DVD is max around 10 mbit/s, whereas DV is around 35 mbit/s.

But this does sound it might not be a problem with the graphics card... now
it sounds more like it can't read the data fast enough for some reason.

Do a google search on "HDTach" and download it. Run the read tests (the
write tests will DESTROY data on your harddisk(s)!!!!) and see what kind of
datarates you are getting from your harddisk(s).

[Dan Plonsker]

What do you mean by "the write tests will DESTROY data on your harddisks"???

[Rob Lohman]

The "HDTach" program (used to measure harddisk performance) also has
write tests (to test the write speed of your harddisk). Since it needs to
actually write some data to do write tests this will destroy any data on it.

However, since you are having problems with playback the read tests are
sufficient. These just read data/sectors of the disk and tell you how fast
it did this, without any data destruction (of course).

HDTach is used by a lot of people for serious performance testing of harddisks.

[Ron Evans]

Dan it is unlikely that the Intel on board is better than the 3 year old ATI. On board video shares the main memory and although I don't know your motherboard it probably only uses 64M of memory maximum, probably half what the ATI has on board. In the bios see if you can increase the amount of memory the video uses as the default may only be 32M. IF this doesn't work buy a video card. Most of the Intel boards with on board memory also have a video slot, probably PCIe for the 915 chip set. Find a video baord with at least 128M or 256M if you can afford one. On board video is not recommended for video work.

Ron Evans

[Dan Plonsker]

Thanks Ron.
The on board Intel's video has up to 224MB shared memory.
(my old ATI had 32....) In all other aspects it works fine (the only "game" I play sometimes is Microsoft Flight Simulator and the performance is far better than I had with the ATI). Unfortunately I can't put my old ATI even just to test, as it is AGP and the 915 doesn't have that slot anymore...
In the bios the amount of memory the video uses is 32M.
The frustrating idea that it all work perfect on my old computer...
Eventually I will test a separate video card.


Now to Rob:
I've tested the drive and the average read is: 51.6 MB/s

[Rob Lohman]

Your drive and the connection etc. should be fine then! Very strange this
just happens with DV files...