Question Low frame-rate when connecting camcorder to PC.

[Dave Thompson]

Hi

I have an old HD camcorder, but it still gives me excellent video (Sony HDR-XR500VE). I wanted to hook it up to my computer for some real-time green-screen experiments, but any software I use is showing low frame-rate, frame-drops, and also occasional tearing. The card I bought was "SOOMFON HDMI Camera Capture Card 4K30fps Input, USB3.0 Type C Capture 4K30fps,1080P60fps".

The camcorder is 1080i which seems to give me 50fps, and when it's plugged into the TV via HDMI, the picture quality and frame-rate is superb. However, when going through the capture card to PC, the quality is far less, and the frame-rate looks halved. I am new to this, and bought the capture device based on it's ability to capture 1080p at 60fps.

I have used OBS studio, but even Sony Vegas capture tool shows a poor framerate.

What does it take to get the same quality picture through a video capture device to USB, as I get from a direct HDMI to TV? What am I doing wrong? This is only for live use, no streaming or recording.

Thanks for any advice.

Oh, I have an Intel i7 and Radeon RX 580.

 

[4745454b]

What Is the Difference Between 1080p and 1080i?

HDTV displays and HD media content are labeled with the designation 1080p and 1080i, but what exactly does that designation mean and how does it impact your purchasing and watching decisions?Today’s Question & Answer session comes to us courtesy of SuperUser—a subdivision of Stack Exchange, a...

www.howtogeek.com

A random link I found. Explaining the issue between i and p.

1080i at 50 fields per second: Imagine that you are shooting 50 pictures per second but storing only half of the bitmaps every time – sometimes you store the odd lines and sometimes the even lines...Every field is a half of a full picture from the given instant. Every pixel in that field was captured at the same time...interlaced video at 50 Hz does not mean that 25 full pictures per second are shown. It means that 50 halves of pictures are shown but those are halves of 50 different pictures that were shot at 50 distinct moments of time in every second. You not only don’t have 50 full pictures per second – you don’t have any full pictures at all.

Find a way to shoot at the largest progressive format. Drop interlaced when dealing with a PC.

Edit: Another issue might be the USB. The card might be USB 3.0, but if the camera is 2.0 that's the transfer rate that will happen. I haven't done the math to see USB 2.0 is fast enough to handle 1080 capture. But I'm pretty sure you want progressive. Even if it's 480P or 720P.

 

[Dave Thompson]

What Is the Difference Between 1080p and 1080i?

HDTV displays and HD media content are labeled with the designation 1080p and 1080i, but what exactly does that designation mean and how does it impact your purchasing and watching decisions?Today’s Question & Answer session comes to us courtesy of SuperUser—a subdivision of Stack Exchange, a...

www.howtogeek.com

A random link I found. Explaining the issue between i and p.



Find a way to shoot at the largest progressive format. Drop interlaced when dealing with a PC.

Edit: Another issue might be the USB. The card might be USB 3.0, but if the camera is 2.0 that's the transfer rate that will happen. I haven't done the math to see USB 2.0 is fast enough to handle 1080 capture. But I'm pretty sure you want progressive. Even if it's 480P or 720P.

Thanks for your reply. The capture card has one HDMI and one USB socket on it, and it's plugged into a USB 3 port. I gave up a while ago trying to understand and remember all the fine details, but I do see a big difference in direct HDMI to TV, to going through the capture device. Some of those devices are very expensive, and I did not see a reason why I needed to spend over £100. There must be a way to get a nice output through the PC, unless there are other gadgets that do the same as OBS studio, minus the recording and streaming. Maybe the Elgato or other devices would give me a superior result.

 

[Dave Thompson]

Thanks for reminding me that my camcorder isn't actually 50fps. I have another camera that does output HDMI at 60fps, and the cheap Soomfon capture card showed it in 60fps. Quite surprised.

The DSLR type camera is not suitable for indoors though due to it's zoom lens, so I am now realising I need to buy a new camcorder. Good that I have solved the puzzle, but bad to have to spend money when my camcorder shows such smooth motion when plugged into TV. I don't know why the capture card cannot show it at the same "frame-rate/fields".

Do I have to buy a new camcorder that does 60fps clean HDMI out, or is there another option to make use of my 12 year old Sony camcorder? Lasted me so long, and such a shame to be forced to upgrade.

 

[Dave Thompson]

What Is the Difference Between 1080p and 1080i?

HDTV displays and HD media content are labeled with the designation 1080p and 1080i, but what exactly does that designation mean and how does it impact your purchasing and watching decisions?Today’s Question & Answer session comes to us courtesy of SuperUser—a subdivision of Stack Exchange, a...

www.howtogeek.com

A random link I found. Explaining the issue between i and p.



Find a way to shoot at the largest progressive format. Drop interlaced when dealing with a PC.

Edit: Another issue might be the USB. The card might be USB 3.0, but if the camera is 2.0 that's the transfer rate that will happen. I haven't done the math to see USB 2.0 is fast enough to handle 1080 capture. But I'm pretty sure you want progressive. Even if it's 480P or 720P.

I really should have paid more attention to your answer. I take my hat off to you for your great knowledge. I dived into the camcorder settings, and lo and behold, I was able to change it from 1080i to 720p. So very confusing. I guess 1080p was still a big deal in 2010 when I bought it.

Anyway, thanks alot and sorry for the multiple posts. Correct me if I am wrong....as the camcorder settings goes from 1080i to 720p, that means I either enjoy 720p display and 50 fps (which I can after changing system refresh rate to 50hz), or I buy the AX53 4K camcorder that will give me full HD as well. Is that right?

Still strange that direct HDMI gives me 1080 TV display with smooth motion. (I am in UK hence the PAL rates). Still learning!

 

[4745454b]

To stay current and looking good, upgrades have to be done. It's no different than upgrading your GPU. And I cry when people come on here upset their new system doesn't work with their 20+yo 17" CRT monitor. As standards improve and get better you need to upgrade the equipment. There isn't really a way around this.

as the camcorder settings goes from 1080i to 720p, that means I either enjoy 720p display and 50 fps (which I can after changing system refresh rate to 50hz), or I buy the AX53 4K camcorder that will give me full HD as well. Is that right?

I haven't looked up that camera, so I'm not sure. If it does 1080i at 50"FPS", it can probably do more at 720. If it's 720P, I would think you would get 60. Though I don't have experience with PAL so maybe not. If you want Full HD at 60FPS you'll need a better camera.

Still strange that direct HDMI gives me 1080 TV display with smooth motion. (I am in UK hence the PAL rates).

Pure guess, I think it relates to a TV and not a monitor/PC system. The TV is setup to handle PAL and the rates "match". The system/PC is setup to handle a progressive input so it won't look smooth. There may be a way to change this in the input or display drivers. But again, I don't know PAL.

 

[Dave Thompson]

I've had my eye on the AX53 for a long time, so I think now is the time to buy it. They have been hard to find as of late, but a decent online store has them right now, and they were ticking down from 8 in stock, so I went for it. £699 seems to be the lowest price I have seen. It will be 1080P with 50 full frames per second, and hopefully an upgraded picture quality from the XR500VE. I will be sad to sell it, as it's still relevant 12 years later, and they seem to be going for about £150 on ebay. Not a bad return, but that's my pocket money gone this year!

Oh... as I will be using it through the £36 pound "Soomfon" capture card from Amazon on my PC, will it downgrade the picture quality? Will a far more expensive capture device give me better HDMI display quality? Hmm

Thanks for your replies...appreciated it.

 

[4745454b]

Having not used those capture cards this is where I can't help as much anymore. Maybe they have a forum? I'd guess the quality between them would be the same/similar. But the more expensive ones can handle more formats and just has more features.

 

[Dave Thompson]

Having not used those capture cards this is where I can't help as much anymore. Maybe they have a forum? I'd guess the quality between them would be the same/similar. But the more expensive ones can handle more formats and just has more features.

From what I have gathered, the picture quality is unchanged as it's claimed to be uncompressed. I guess I will find out soon anyway. Will be getting the AX53 in a few days. I hear it's a good picture, but amazingly doesn't come with a remote. Thanks for your assistance once again.