Processing 1.0 - Processing Discourse - Capturing HDV with Processing/Quicktime?

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Index › Programming Questions & Help › Video Capture, Movie Playback, Vision Libraries › Capturing HDV with Processing/Quicktime

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Capturing HDV with Processing/Quicktime? (Read 1231 times)

r3ptile

Capturing HDV with Processing/Quicktime?
Sep 11^th, 2007, 12:14am

Hi everybody,

Has anybody ever been able to get Processing/Quicktime to import HDV-resolution video (1280 x 720 or even higher) using a regular Firewire cable? I'm going for a very low framerate since it should be more of a hires-snapshot function. The Sony HD camera is set to HDV 1080i, capture is initialised using

myCapture = new Capture(this, 1280, 720, "DVCPRO HD (720p60)", 10);

The image ratio looks good, but it is utterly pixelated. What am I overlooking (not aware of)?

jaylfk

Re: Capturing HDV with Processing/Quicktime?
Reply #1 - Sep 11^th, 2007, 12:17pm

Hi r3ptile,

I'm having the same problem as you, and i know why

Your HDV cam (FX1 or Z1 ?) has the downconvert setting turned on and so your supposed to be HDV capture is in fact DV stream (720x576 anamorphic) displayed and stretched in processing as 1280x720.

Quote:

Menu > IN/OUT REC > MENU I.LINK CONV > ON (HDV->DV)

If you turn this option OFF, the camera will act as a HDV (named DV-VCR) in Quicktime Video Recording.
Unfortunately Quicktime for Java can't import/access HDV natively, so you'll get stuck at maximum 1024x756 (pal 16:9) by keeping the downconvert option ON.

It is the maximum i can get (you can try to change the settings with the example sketch below).

Good luck

Quote:

import processing.video.*;

Capture camera1;

void setup()
{
size(1024, 576, P3D); // P3D gives a less pixelated video rendering.
println(Capture.list());
camera1 = new Capture(this, 1024, 576, "DVCPRO HD (1080i50)", 10);
camera1.settings();
}

void captureEvent(Capture camera1)
{
camera1.read();
}

void draw()
{
image(camera1, 0, 0);
}

r3ptile

Re: Capturing HDV with Processing/Quicktime?
Reply #2 - Sep 11^th, 2007, 3:27pm

Thank you for the extensive info jaylfk! The cam is a Sony HVR-A1E. The problem I have now: I used your example code and switched DV conversion OFF. However, this results in Processing giving me the following error:

java.lang.RuntimeException: Couldn't find any capture devices, read the video reference for more info.
at processing.video.Capture.list(Capture.java:515)

So switching DV conversion off seems to prevent Quicktime from using the cam at all. Maybe you have any more ideas on that?

jaylfk

Re: Capturing HDV with Processing/Quicktime?
Reply #3 - Sep 11^th, 2007, 3:36pm

Quote:

Unfortunately Quicktime for Java can't import/access HDV natively, so you'll get stuck at maximum 1024x756 (pal 16:9) by keeping the downconvert option ON.

I've been told that Quicktime.framework in Leopard will support native import of any video source in any app uses QT.
I'm gonna give a try on Leopard.
Keep you in touch soon.

r3ptile YaBB Newbies Offline Posts: 13	Re: Capturing HDV with Processing/Quicktime? Reply #4 - Sep 11^th, 2007, 3:50pm Oh, OK, sorry, you were saying that in principle it should be possible with the right camera setting but in actuality I'm stuck with DV conversion ON and 1024x576 (which is still better than regular DV) – for now. Unless it works with higher resolutions in Leopard. Correct?

jaylfk

Re: Capturing HDV with Processing/Quicktime?
Reply #5 - Sep 11^th, 2007, 6:08pm

Ok,

Trying everything on Leo gives the same result.

I just found that if you turn OFF the I.LINK CONV and switch the REC FORMAT to DV, the camera is recognized as HDV-VCR in the Quicktime settings "Source" window that appear after you start the processing sketch.

If you setup the compression type to none, slide the quality to best, you'll reach the limit in quality.

Anyway, the Sony Built-in Downconvert mode is more efficient in term of quality than a software solution.

I'm trying now to search in QTJava if it is possible to add HDV support in it.

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