Guys,

I just got my camera hooked up to my PC and started downloading video to my machine. I'm using a DCR-TRV19 with Pinnacle 9. My question is, what level of graininess should I expect with this setup? I know it's not top of the line, but I imagined a sharper picture. I am brand new to all of this so please excuse the newbie question. Is there anything I can do within the software to clean this up? Is there something I should be doing when filming to avoid this result?

Many thanks in advance,
Jawinn

Graininess is typically as a result of the camera auto-adjusting it's "noise" level to compensate for low light conditions. Was this footage taken in low-light? Perhaps indoors? Was you perhaps shooting into shadow?

If the answer to the above is no and in fact you was shooting in good light then get your camcorder's manual and ensure that you haven't set the "noise" level inadvertently, or enabled some low light setting on an auto-programme.

I am afraid there really isn't a whole lot you can do regarding footage you have taken. I would look in your software and see if you have any video clean up filters. Failing that, perhaps take a look on the net for some "clean video" "plugin. You could also perhaps try adjusting the brightness, contrast, saturation settings, but I wouldn't expect a dramatic improvement.

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Lloyd

That's my opinion. If you don't like it I have others

System: Apple Macbook Pro 17, and an external Freecom 500GB eSATA drive.
Software: Final Cut Studio 2 (FCP 6, Motion 3, Soundtrack Pro 2, Color, DVD Studio Pro 4, Compressor 3), Sonicfire Pro 4.5
Favourite Resources: Findsounds.com, Free DVD menus, Ken Stone's FCP Page, Wikivid

I ran down to the hardware store and picked up some 500 watt flood lights. I couldn't believe they were only $10! Anyway after some testing my spare bedroom/office/TV studio is now good to go. Thanks for the help.