WinDV A small Windows utility for DV (FireWire digital video) input/output.
About
WinDV is a small and easy to use Windows application for capturing videos from DV device (camcorder) into AVI-files and for recording AVI-files into DV device via FireWire (IEEE 1394) interface. Capturing is very reliable thanks to use of large buffer queue.
Main features
  • small & handy <100kB one-file WinDV.exe
  • input / output - capturing from DV device to AVI files (both type-1 and type-2 supported) and recording vice versa
  • no dropped frames - memory buffering
  • automatic AVI splitting according to the timestamps on DV recordings - every video sequence can be saved into unique file
  • easy AVI joining - record multiple files joined to the DV device just using wildcards
  • preview of transmitted video in the window
  • free - you can download it and use it as you like at no cost
Timestamps recorded on DV tape by camcorder can be used to automatically split captured video into multiple files. During transmitting to DV, several AVI-files can be joined together to form final video recording.

Internals: DirectShow "filters" are used for communication with DV devices, video-preview and for reading/writing AVI. Additional code handles memory buffering, timestamp decoding and simple user interface.

Requirements:

  • Windows 98SE/ME/2000/XP
  • DirectX 8.1+
  • FireWire (IEEE 1394) controller (OHCI)
  • DV camcorder (with DV-in for recording)
    or DV-videorecorder
Contact
Author:  Petr Mourek
Czech Republic
WinDV home:  http://windv.mourek.cz
Please feel free to send me any comments, questions and/or requests.


Discontinued

Development of WinDV has been stopped. DV format is getting superceded by MPEG4 HD video, so further development of WinDV makes no sense for me.

Download
Latest version: ChangeLog
 WinDV-1.2.3.zip - 38kB [2003-05-29]

Compiled with VC++ 6.0.

Source code

Source code available - very rough and unfinished, absolutely no comments...

WinDV-src-1.2.3.zip - 40kB [2010-01-25]

Needs MS Platform SDK for compilation.

You can use the code without any restrictions. It would be nice if you mention the origin...

Screenshot (interactive)
>
Usage
Use the interactive screenshot above - simply point mouse to the control you want to discover and the description appears.

Well, it's really simple and intuitive...

Links
  • VirtualDub - video capture/processing utility for Win32 platforms (98/NT/2000/XP)
  • dvgrab/Kino - Digital Video for Linux
ChangeLog
TODO:
  • Error checking - many parts of code do not test for I/O errors.
  • Free disk space checking - no warnings/errors when disk goes out of space now.
  • End-of-signal autodetection - optional auto-stop of the capturing
    when there is no DV-input signal present (e.g. end of the tape).
1.2.4 - never finished - bugfixes, small changes, compiled with DirectX SDK
Compiled with DirectX SDK instead of old Platform SDK
Directories containing dots should be handled properly now.
Only DV-video devices listed in device selection.

1.2.3 - 2003-05-29 - minor bugfixes and changes
Windows XP look support (on XP systems only).
Bugfix in AVI type-1/2 autodetection.
Little bug causing crash when trying to move the window from one monitor to another on dualhead desktops fixed.

1.2.2 - 2003-02-14 - Windows XP supported
Little bug which caused error when trying to record video back to tape under Windows XP fixed.
Both capturing and recording back should work properly now.

1.2.1 - 2003-02-12 - new features, minor bugfix
Added option for DV device control - useful for output to camcorder without "record" button.
Fixed small bug in "Open File" dialog.

1.2.0 - 2002-12-13 - new features
Capturing file-naming scheme extended; filename can contain
configurable date-time stamp and/or indexing number.
Added command-line handling; capturing/recording can be started from the command-line.
Counter format changed to H:MI:SS.s (tenth of second instead of frames).
Capturing discontinuity detection can be disabled setting the treshold to zero.
Compiled using new version of Microsoft Platform SDK.

1.1.3 - 2002-09-22 - more code cleanup, new features
File selection dialog in record mode now supports multiple selection.
Changed file separator from ";" to "|" in the recording "Source file" field.
Video-preview code rewritten - should skip more frames on slower machine.
AVI-joining code cleanup.
Record configuration fields renamed to be more comprehensible. File selection dialogs added.
Added H:MI:SS:FF counter.
If ".avi" extension not specified, automatically adding it to the capturing filename.
Removed forgotten debug information from the executable.
Interactive screenshot with detailed description created.

1.1.2 - 2002-09-20 - code cleanup, bugfixes, new option
Video-preview code simplified. An option for enabling/disabling preview during recording to DV device added - this should improve reliability on slower systems.
Possible deadlock during cancelling of recording and some other race-conditions fixed.
Reprogrammed some multithreading code from polling to use of synchronization objects.
Added code preventing screensaver during video transmitting.

1.1.1 - 2002-09-17 - minor bugfixes
Fixed small bug in capture-pausing and autosplitting logic.
Distinction between PAL and NTSC video - NTSC could be functional now, but still untested.

1.1.0 - 2002-09-15 - first published version
WinDV works good on my Win2k Duron 750Mhz system with Canon's PAL DV camcorder.
Capturing from DV device works very reliably. Recording to DV acceptable.
NTSC not tested and probably non functional.
Win98SE tested OK for capturing; in some cases recording back works for type-1 only.