Question / Help Getting DV Cameras to Work in OBS Studio

[David Carlstrom]

While the aspect ratio is not correctly handled, DV cameras do work in OBS Classic.

But DV cameras do not work at all in OBS Studio 0.16.2 or 0.16.4.

Will it be possible to get DV cameras to work in Studio?

 

[dodgepong]

How were you adding them in Classic? As a video capture device?

 

[David Carlstrom]

Yes.

 

[dodgepong]

If it's just a DirectShow input, it should work the same in OBS Studio as it did in OBS Classic.

What happens when you try to add it to Studio? Please post a log.

 

[David Carlstrom]

Add the Video Capture Device. Properties box comes up. FPS and Video Format row names are red and no image in the preview canvas. If I close and re-open the properties, they are not red. I can set them to the correct values, but there still is no image on the preview canvas. The Configure Video and Configure Crossbar buttons do nothing.

 

[Lain]

What camera?

 

[David Carlstrom]

Sony HDR-FX1. It is set to output DV, which is 720x480 with a pixel aspect ratio of 1.2 which should make 16x9. Remember it works in OBS Classic except for the aspect ratio issue. I believe all DV cameras send the same signal.

 

[dodgepong]

Can you post a log from it working in OBS Classic?

 

[David Carlstrom]

There are four of them working in this example. This is a different PC, but that seems to have no effect. They work on the other PC too.

 

[David Carlstrom]

Here is a log on the i7 machine of all four Sony cameras not showing picture (or sound) in Studio.

There is an additional bug in 0.16.5: The hotkeys work at first, but if the mouse is used to select a scene, the hot keys stop working. Not as important as the cameras!

Thanks for making this software available! I am eager to see it working. Wish there was something I could do to help. I haven't written a line of code in eons, but would do something if pointed at what to do.

 

[northkozar]

I am having a similar issue. I use a capture device that connects via firewire and in OBS Classic, I was able to similarly run it using the Video Capture Device option. I'd click on configure and have access to play/stop controls. After clicking play in those, the video would appear in OBS Classic and work just fine. (screenshot of controls from Classic attached).

In OBS Studio however, while I can select the device, I have the same problem as David where clicking configure video does nothing. I was wondering if there had been any development on this issue.

 

[Guido Visser]

I opened a ticket in Mantis for this issue: https://obsproject.com/mantis/view.php?id=709

 

[David Carlstrom]

Added logs to Mantis showing the 4 cameras working in OBS Classic and not working in OBS Studio 17.0.2.

Is there a plan to fix this? I would really appreciate it and will help in any way I can. I'm serious. Tell me what to do.

 

[dodgepong]

Do you know how to program in C++, or have friends who can, or can find someone you can pay to fix it and PR the fix?

 

[David Carlstrom]

Terminology? PR the fix? I programmed in machine language and assembly language for an IBM 1620, so I imagine I can work up to C++, but I'd need some sort of guide to the structure of OBS Studio. I'm serious but you may be laughing, I am game to try! But I do wonder how it is that none of the OBS experts have seen how to fix this apparently simple defect.

 

[dodgepong]

PR = pull request. OBS Studio's source code is on Github, and the way that fixes and patches are submitted from outside people is by forking the repository, making the change on the forked repository, and submitting the changes as a pull request. I recommend reading this if you want to know more about helping contribute to OBS: https://obsproject.com/forum/threads/getting-started-with-obs-development.21326/

But I do wonder how it is that none of the OBS experts have seen how to fix this apparently simple defect.

Chances are no one has looked at it yet. It's easy to presume that something should be an easy fix, but when there is a mountain of issues that all need similar attention, a small team can only get to so much. This issue is further complicated by the need to physically own the affected hardware to even reproduce the issue.

 

[Suslik V]

Even if you set in accordance to

...The 'dvsd' stream handler FOURCC specifies that the DV data is as defined in Part 2 of the Specification of Consumer-use Digital VCRs. Video is in the format of 525 lines at 29.97 Hz (525-60) or 625 lines at 25.00 Hz (625-50)...

the 720x480 and 29.97 fps manually as custom settings in 'Video Capture Device' source properties, the cam still doesn't work, yeah?

If custom settings, access rights (run as admin), 32-bit OBS Studio exe doesn't work, then look at the code. The libdshowcapture for example last was changed ~6 month ago. If the cam was working for you before, then you could try (outdated) OBS Multiplatform 0.12.4 or so...

 

[dodgepong]

They said it was working in OBS Classic. They never said it ever worked in OBS Studio/Multiplatform. OBS Classic does not use libdshowcapture.

 

[David Carlstrom]

"the 720x480 and 29.97 fps manually as custom settings in 'Video Capture Device' source properties, the cam still doesn't work, yeah?"

Correct, the manual settings do not make OBS Studio work.

"Video is in the format of 525 lines at 29.97 Hz (525-60) or 625 lines at 25.00 Hz (625-50)"

DV can be either 4x3 or 16x9. Both are 720x480 with pixel aspect ratio 0.9 for 4x3 and 1.2 for 16x9.

"...a small team can only get to so much. This issue is further complicated by the need to physically own the affected hardware to even reproduce the issue."

Completely understand the team limitations. All DV cameras send the same signal, so there should be plenty of them out there. I will test any trial fix of the software if one appears.

I am most interested in 16x9 29.97. My cameras also do HDV 1440x1080 with 1.33 pixel aspect ratio. I don't need that presently, but it would be nice. I won't ever need need 4x3.

 

[Jason Sayler]

Seems to be still unresolved???
WTF