Capture software with timer for Mac?

[CEichhorn]

I'm new at this, especially on the Mac side... Just bought an ADVC 110. I have a current iMac with OS X 10.5x.

I want to take analog taped stuff through the ADVC 110 into the iMac to edit it and burn it to DVD.

So far, so good! Basically, it worked right out of the box with zero problems!

Here's my question:

Is there Mac capture software that will let me start the tape of a 44 minute film segment and set the capture software to start manually, capture for 44 minutes and 10 seconds (or whatever setting I choose), and then stop capturing automatically when the time's up?

As it stands, I have to be there after 44 minutes to manually Stop the recording. (iMovie.)

I don't need a batch of captures. I don't need to catch something in real time from live television. I just want to say "Record for 44 minutes and 10 seconds from when I hit Start, then Stop recording."

This "timed capture" is implemented in the ADSTech DVD Xpress DX2 software called CapWiz, but that SW is tied to that converter only and is for Windows only.

Is there similar software for a "timed" capture on the Mac?

[GrassValley_CP]

Even though you're not performing a true batch capture, I would use the batch capture utility in your editing program, assuming it has one. (Final Cut Pro/Express certainly does, but I can't speak for iMovie...)

Batch capture functions allow you to specify a specific capture start and stop timecode location on the tape in your camera/deck. Even though you're only adding a single capture to your batch list, this will still be the easiest way to do it without adding another software utility to the mix.

[Frederick Joswick]

Macro software might help

Aloha,

Hey I have an idea for you.

Download a script program like EZMacro or something like that. All you would have to do is record your actions once then save it. Then you could set EZMacro to run daily or when ever you want using the macro actions you have recorded.

Tip.
Position your windows in a certain position you will remember. If your play, pause or record buttons are not in the exact location that they were when you recorded the script the first time then it will not click any of the buttons properly. The click is based on a X Y location on your screen and not an actual button.

Second Tip
After hitting record in the script program the first thing you should do is click the window of the video program to make it active. Then do all your clicking etc. in that program. I usually click the software's window bar up top to make the window active.

Blessings to you,
Frederick Joswick

[CEichhorn]

Chris - I don't think FC Express has batch capture; only FC Pro. ($$$)

Frederick - (AlooooHA!) - Different files have different time (lengths) so I would have to make a series of macros, one for each time span. Possible, I suppose.

As a new Mac user, I am stunned to learn that this is so difficult in OS X and so easy in Win XP! Looks like I have made a big (and expensive!) mistake switching to Macs to do this. The ADVC 110 works fine; there just isn't the right Mac software. (Can't say I wasn't warned about Macs having limited software...)

I guess I can install Boot Camp and XP and just use the hardware as a PC!

Thanks for trying to help.

[GrassValley_BH]

There's probably an AppleScript someone's written to do this... but I wouldn't know where to look because it's been a long time since I owned a Mac.

[dwboston]

Capture video using Quicktime Pro

I've also been searching for a software solution to unattended video capture and have a relatively simple solution. You need to have the upgraded Pro version of Quicktime ($29.99) but once you do, you can use automator (Mac only) to create a nifty little script for iCal that sets and stops Quicktime recordings. Once Quicktime creates a .mov file for you, you can import the file into another video program, or even do simple edits within Quicktime pro.

Basically you create an Automator script and then use the "set alarm" option within an iCal event to open a script file. Once you've created the script in automator you can set as many recordings as you want. You can also create an automator script that works without iCal if you just want a script that sets a specific timed recording that you can start on your own - the script will finish the recording for you. If you are interested I can post the instructions for the Automator script as a text file on my mac.com public folder.

However, I'm still looking for a good software solution for Final Cut Pro. Considering the package cost me $1000 + you would think Apple could include an automated capture option in the "Log and Capture" window, but they don't. My problem with using Quicktime is that to use any video in FCP that's created in quicktime, it has to be exported as a .dv file and then the audio has to rendered --- which for a 30 minute video program takes about an extra hour to process. If anyone has seen a script or plugin for FCP, please let me know.