Question / Help DV cameras are not supported?

hugdrug

New Member
Hey guys!

I want to use a DV camera (using FireWire/iLINK) with OBS Studio. The camera is working fine in any other software. Even in the original OBS, VLC Media Player, Sony Vegas, etc.

In OBS Studio i got nothing. It shows the device as "Microsoft DV Camera and VCR", so it's recognized, but i got a 0x0 px image. It doesn't list any resolutions. Even if i set it manually (720x576, we use PAL), i can't get picture. The "FPS" and "Video format" labels have red fore color, and the lists are empty (only get Match Output FPS and Any in the video format).

The 2 configuration (Video/Crossbar config) button also doesn't work, so i can't change any device-related option.

I click OK, i set the camera's image to full screen, i got nothing. Even after restarting the software.

Checked on my desktop computer: everything is the same.

I checked with different cameras: an old Samsung VP-D105i and even a Sony HD422 PMW-300 Broadcast XDCAM. VLC, original OBS, any other software shows the stream from the camera, but the OBS Studio doesn't.


I appreciate any help. Thank you!
 

hugdrug

New Member
yes, that is the method i used last time.. but it's not too fast: sometimes i got fps drops. (I havent tested with VLC + D3D renderer. If the Game Capture will support it, it will be faster. I check this out next time.)
So.. seriously no support for DV cam in OBS Studio?
 

Guido Visser

New Member
I have exactly the same problem. I have 2 camcorders connected with FireWire. I can use it in OBS Classic with no problem, But OBS Studio behaves like described by hugdrug.

It'd be weird if it was a driver issue, because it's working fine in OBS Classic, VidBlaster (trial) and Wirecast (trial), so it seems like it's an OBS Studio problem, right?

I'm using it in a church and it would be great if I don't need to use all kinds of workarounds. This because other people need to be able to record services/sermons without to much technical knowledge.

I hope this issue can be resolved.

Sincerely,
Guido Visser

P.s. I'm using 2 Sony DCR-HC90E Handycams
 

Stas Fomin

New Member
Any news?

I am really astonished because, I have a lot DV (Panasonic GS400/500/...) and HDV cams (Canon HV20-30-40) and the facts are (on Windows):
* VLC captures (dshow:// both) DV and HDV cams.
* DV cams works OK with OBS classic as "Video Capture Device".
* DV cams not work with OBS studio as "Video Capture Device". :( (red pixel-square, zero width)
* HDV cams also not works with OBS stuoio as "Video Capture Device". :( (red pixel-square, zero width)
* HDV cams captured OK by OBS studio as "VLC Video Source"
* DV cams NOT CAPTURED by OBS studio as "VLC Video Source" — "green square with right dimensions"

I think there is some small bug or may be there exists a workaround....
How to debug it?

I put
* https://obsproject.com/mantis/view.php?id=1089
* https://obsproject.com/mantis/view.php?id=1090
 
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zardoz

New Member
I can replicate the same issue here. Using a Panasonic GS5 camcorder. Using these as analog capture sources for retro video game consoles. They work with other software, too including VLC, but the latency introduced by capturing the app is unacceptable for my use case.

There are some cheap USB capture solutions for my use case, but they don't do >30fps and would result in more e-waste (I'd prefer to re-purpose devices I already have that work perfectly fine as they are).
 

breead

New Member
I have the exact same issue. Works in classic, doesn't in studio. Using a Sony DCR-TRV50E DV Camcorder. I've seen many people say studio doesn't have DV support, but I wonder what would have to be done to get it working again.
 

Phyllis98

New Member
Hey guys!

I want to use a DV camera (using FireWire/iLINK) with OBS Studio. The camera is working fine in any other software. Even in the original OBS, VLC Media Player, Sony Vegas, etc.

In OBS Studio i got nothing. It shows the device as "Microsoft DV Camera and VCR", so it's recognized, but i got a 0x0 px image. It doesn't list any resolutions. Even if i set it manually (720x576, we use PAL), i can't get picture. The "FPS" and "Video format" labels have red fore color, and the lists are empty (only get Match Output FPS and Any in the video format).

The 2 configuration (Video/Crossbar config) button also doesn't work, so i can't change any device-related option.

I click OK, i set the camera's image to full screen, i got nothing. Even after restarting the software.

Checked on my desktop computer: everything is the same. TTRockStars

I checked with different cameras: an old Samsung VP-D105i and even a Sony HD422 PMW-300 Broadcast XDCAM. VLC, original OBS, any other software shows the stream from the camera, but the OBS Studio doesn't.


I appreciate any help. Thank you!

Thank goodness i have found someone else experiencing the same problem..
 

markalnimri

New Member
I tried the same thing by using my DSR PD170, same issue. Could not even capture the VLC when using it as a capture source. I plugged the camera to Onboard Firewire and to an added card, still the same result. Does not appear as a capture option. Even after installing the latest Ver. of OBS
 

Supermario

New Member
There is a way to get old DV Cams (Panasonic Firewire) working in OBS Studio: Connect the Cam within XSplit Broadcaster! This works in the free Version. XSplit Broadcaster has a virtual camera output that can be opened in OBS as a camera source. There is a small watermark in a corner, which could be cropped away. Camera resolution is PAL video, Picture quality of these camcorders is quite good and better than many usb webcams.
Xsplit Broadcaster virtual cam output can also be used in Skype, Zoom and many other progs.
Works with Xsplit 3.9 and OBS Studio 25.0.8 / Windows 10
Hope this helps - Supermario :)
 
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You guys are wasting your time ...the only best way to convert DV camera footage via firewire or usb is as follows :

I use linux:

1. install DVGRAB and use this to record your DV video via firewire or usb onto your hard drive which will be in .dv format which is raw.

2. Because a 60 min sp tape the size of the recording will be between 13-15 gigabytes ....large isn't it !

3. Using the program FFMPEG convert the .dv file to the format of your choice .mp4 .mkv.....

I have managed to compress a 13.5gig .dv video to 1.5gig .mp4 and .mkv with very little loss....you just need a good cpu or even better render it through your GPU if you have a good graphics card ..I use a NVIDIA card and used it with 264_nvenc encoder I installed via ffmpeg .....you will have to learn how to use both dvgrab and ffmpeg and install the 264_nvenc encoder, it's not difficult at all
 
I tried the same thing by using my DSR PD170, same issue. Could not even capture the VLC when using it as a capture source. I plugged the camera to Onboard Firewire and to an added card, still the same result. Does not appear as a capture option. Even after installing the latest Ver. of OBS
Yeah I have the same camera: with the same results. I'm playing on upgrading to a one of the newer Sony Camcorders, but until then...
 
You guys are wasting your time ...the only best way to convert DV camera footage via firewire or usb is as follows :

I use linux:

1. install DVGRAB and use this to record your DV video via firewire or usb onto your hard drive which will be in .dv format which is raw.

2. Because a 60 min sp tape the size of the recording will be between 13-15 gigabytes ....large isn't it !

3. Using the program FFMPEG convert the .dv file to the format of your choice .mp4 .mkv.....

I have managed to compress a 13.5gig .dv video to 1.5gig .mp4 and .mkv with very little loss....you just need a good cpu or even better render it through your GPU if you have a good graphics card ..I use a NVIDIA card and used it with 264_nvenc encoder I installed via ffmpeg .....you will have to learn how to use both dvgrab and ffmpeg and install the 264_nvenc encoder, it's not difficult at all
I just wondering if that will work for live-streaming. Have you tried it for that purpose?
 

wociscz

New Member
Hi, just realised another (more elegant) option how to use DV/firewire camera in obs - with help of NDI plugin/tools.

1: install ndi plugin into obs https://obsproject.com/forum/resources/obs-ndi-newtek-ndi™-integration-into-obs-studio.528/
2: install ndi tools pack/plugin for vlc https://www.newtek.com/blog/tips/vlc-media-player-and-newtek-ndi-vlc-plugin/

In the second link/blogpost there is also screenshots - how to configure vlc to output into NDI stream (not needed if you'll use commandline below). After that, you should only add new NDI source into obs and you have "clean" camera picture without borders - vlc could be minimalised.

As a bonus - you should use commandline options to fire it up:
"c:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\vlc.exe" dshow:// :dshow-vdev="Microsoft DV Camera and VCR" :live-caching=30 --vout=NDI --intf=rc

I'm using interface (--intf) rc in this case - only text interface will be started. You can ommit this parameter.
This will start up vlc with directshow input and dv camera and sends output to NDI.

I'm not using microphone from DV camera - if you do - consider adding also :dshow-adev="xxx" and --aout=NDI (also you have to add second NDI input in obs).
:live-caching is like delay between live and the picture - lowest I can go is 30(ms) - values below not working for me (default is 300ms which is imho pretty high value). This small delay is pretty acceptable (you can add delay 30ms for your primary mic in obs and have perfect lip-sync)

This setup is not optimal tho (better to have it directly in obs), but looks to me like better option than capture vlc window. Also you can "send" NDI stream/output via local network in this setup - so the camera should be connected to any computer in network not necessarilly to the "stream" computer.

(tested on windows10 - but should work somehow similar in linux)

Snímek obrazovky (11).png
 

VyacheslavB

New Member
On my Debian Buster system this solution works for me. Install vlc and libraw1394-11. In OBS add vlc video source with url dv:///dev/fw1. Set network cache to minimum (eg. 50ms).
 

JohannesM

New Member
I am using a IMac Pro laptop Catalina OS vers. 10.15.7 Hardware is National DV GS55 Camera, Elgato Video Capture into the USB socket. I get no result, no capture, no picture, no video as it seems with others that are in the same position. Unfortunately the Elgato Video Capture software is very, very basic. I need a proven software where I can also 'pause' input of the capture recording rather than starting a new file option. I use IMovie but it has no capture option. I also have 'Video Pad' and 'Avidemux' as well as 'Debut' in Debut 'no valid capture device can be found' message appears. So I too am at loss to find that this OBS OS is also not working. Any other ideas how to make this work in a simplified way is appreciated.
 
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