Tired of Blurry Video

[Hardcore 0]

Ok, this is the scoop. I have a sony pc-5 digital video camera, Hp Pavillion pc with a maxtor 1394 IEEE Firewire card. I can capture my video in Adobe Premiere 6, Videowave, Video Create software ect... but when I save the file for web(compress the file) the image quality is blurry.
In Premiere I am using cleaner 5, save for web and using the wizard. My card will only allow me to use the capture format DV/IEEE 1394 capture and the only compressor available is microsoft DV NTSC. When I try selecting Quicktime (CinePak Codec or Cinepak Code for radius) I receive an error unable to connect to capture driver and no picture shows up in the capture window. I can save as a mpeg and quality is good but the file size is too large. I tried looking for the drivers for the firewire card on the Quicktime web site and Maxtor and was unsuccessful. I also have a Toshiba Laptop with a Margi firewire card and the same problem occurs.
I was also thinking of purchasing Final Cut Pro but dont want to spend any more money if the software does not provide me with the proper codecs that my capture driver can connect to.
I have looked at other peoples videos for the web after compression eg. Sony Vaio Laptop running DVGate motion to capture which I presume the CinePak codecs are already built in to the software. (Not sure what type of firewire card they are using)The videos seem very clear.
Any suggestions?
JO
"Fight the Good Fight, Give and Take the best you can"

[quade 3]

First things first; Firewire is not the source of your problems. Firewire is pure digital and you wouldn't want to capture video any other way. As a matter of fact, you -shouldn't- be "capturing" the video at all -- Firewire is just a digital transfer, straight from the miniDV itself. There's NO compression going on through the Firewire port.
That out of the way . . . let's talk shop.
Video compression is a bitch. There's just no two ways about it.
Do you have the -current- version of QuickTime Pro installed? Not the "free" version, but the one that you'll pay $30 for or so for a key code to open up the program and have full access to all the compression features.
If so . . . then.
Go ahead and do you capture/edit in Premiere and export to DV NTSC.
Then quit Premiere and open that file with QuickTime Pro.
Export from there.
Now . . . don't expect miracles. You've only paid $30 bucks so you're not going to get a whole lot interface wizardry, but if you take the time to learn a bit about it, you can get some pretty decent results out of the Sorenson compressor built into it.
Alternatively, you could also do the compression in that VERY wiz-bang program you say you already own -- Cleaner 5. If you have the full Cleaner 5, then you should be able to get some very impressive results. Of course, the number crunching can be quite painful if you don't have a fairly fast machine.
That said, if you're trying to make a full screen version of your edited piece, then something -has- to give. If you want the screen size to be large, then the image will degrade (blur or pixelate). Try making the image size a bit smaller and see what you can live with.
Paul
futurecam.com/skydive.html

[Hardcore 0]

I think you're right, Quicktime Pro is the way to go but I am wondering if after installing if it will give me the codecs necessary for the clear image i want in video for the web and quick to download. I mean be compatable with my cards. I can capture in Mpeg very clear no problem but the files are too too big for the web. My system has 319 mb of ram pentium 100 with 10. 5 gig or hard drive space. I think the problem lies with the codecs. Just learned that indeo video is in ties with Microsoft video for windows (VFW) and uses a variety of codecs such as cinepak and indeo video. NO money for imac or sony vaoi system so must persistantly try locating vendor info for indeo video and see what I get.
I am not going with pro until I know they will be compatable with my maxtor and margi firewire capture cards for video. My videos are small 240 X 180.
I checked out the apple.com/ trailers website, videos look crystal clear. I spent enough money on my cards no way will I make a move until I see the quality I expect. Until then more research less video and more time to get more experience.
Stubborn Jo
"Fight the Good Fight, Give and Take the best you can"

[quade 3]

Okey Dokey.
240 x 180 is the same size I save my clips at.
What kind of file size you trying to get?
For me a 60 second movie w/ sound is coming in at a little less than 3 meg.
Check out; http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/gallery/imageFolio.cgi?direct=Video_Vault/Paul_Quade
and see if these are acceptable resolutions.
They're not crustal clear, but that's about as small as I can make them and have them be acceptable to -me-.
Paul
futurecam.com/skydive.html