Better capture with FCP than iMovie?

Hi,
I have an ADVC-100 and wish to archive some old VHS and S-VHS tapes. I'm planning to to that in iMovie HD. However, would I be getting bettter quality if I used FCP instead?
Any input on how to get the best quality out of old VHS tapes would be greatly appreciated. The tapes are in PAL, and as they are only intended for the computer screen, I'm keeping them in PAL. Also, what about de-interlacing? Is that something I should be concerned with during capture? What's the deal there?
Thanks,
Patrick

Since the ADVC-300 is relatively new product, you might not be able to find much of a deal yet. I have seen several stand alone TBCs on ebay though ... and they seem to be going fairly cheap these days.
I can't say much about iMovie. I've never used it, but from what I understand, it captures DV video as a "DV Stream." I don't know if any additional compression is added during that process.
I do know that capturing DV footage in FCP is basically just a data transfer and no additional compression is added.
-DH

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Camera won't communicate with FCP or Imovie

I apologise if this has been asked a million times before, but I'm on a very tight time crunch, and I think each case is different.
I'm making a montage/video to be shown at a friend's wedding on thursday, and I can't get the freakin camera to communicate with FCP!
I also tried Imovie, and the only thing it recognizes is the built in Isight camera.
I'm running:
OSX 10.4.9
FCP 5.1.9
QuickT 7.1.5
and the camera's a small sony consumer cam (DCR0PC101E PAL)
I've got all my settings right, i've done this before a million times, but for some reason, something is off today.
I haven't used this particular camera on this computer before, I used to use it on my old powerbook (i don't know if it matters, but I'm wondering if this is an intel issue)
Is there a way to check if the computer itself can read my camera... Like if I go to system profiler, should I look under firewire and find the name of my camera or?
Any help you can send my way is deeply appreciated.

From time to time similiar questions pop up here. But, most indicate everything works just fine in iMovie but not FCP. Since iMovie also does not recognize the camcorder, you might have any number of problems.
Do you have access to another camcorder? If another camcorder works just fine with FCP or iMovie, that would narrow your troubleshooting to the DCR0PC101E.
If another camcorder doesn't work, it could be the firewire cable. I'm guessing the cable to the external drive is a 6/6 and the camera cable is a 4/6, so you might also need to try a different cable.

Quality capturing with FCP & an analog converter?

i am making VHS(PAL) -> DVD transfers using a Canopus ADVC110 analog converter with iBook G4 with Tiger. previously i was using iMovie HD in capturing which worked fine and gave me good quality DV files, but since i needed more editing possibilities i turned to FCP. i was surprised to find out that it looks like i cannot maintain the quality nowhere near where i've used to since FCP (i have FCP 4 only unfortuntely) only produces me small-sized Quicktime Movie files with mediocre quality compared to the huge but good-looking DV files i got with iMovie. the quality of these is simply way too low for me. and i cannot use iMovie HD for capturing and then import the files to FCP because FCP 4 doesn't understand iMovie HD projects. now am i just being stupid and missing something with the FCP settings here? or is updating my FCP a solution?
i don't need to work with DV cameras, just with VHS->converter->iBook combination.
i'd be very grateful for quick tips/solutions.

A few points: [cliff notes version: get a monitor]
1. Without a TV (aka NTSC/PAL Video Monitor) to see your footage sent out via Firewire, you have no way of know what your footage looks like. QT may do a better job of representing DV stream files, but it in no way means they are of higher quality.
2. Capturing in Final Cut Pro IS computationally intensive. Here's why. DV stream, (the stuff iMovie uses) is a direct write out of the muxed (mixed audio & video) as it is written on the tape by your camera. FCP (or more accurately Quicktime) takes that Muxed stream and separates the audio and video into individual streams IN REAL TIME. If the computer can not keep up, dropped frames or corrupted files are the result.
3. This demuxing does not change the QUALITY of the video. The file started as ones and zeros and remains as ones and zeros. There is nothing to convert at this point - it still is a direct digital transfer - just pulling apart the strings.
4. Playing these more complex Quicktime files places greater demands on your system than iMovie's DV stream.
5. The people who wrote FCP recognized that displaying a high data rate file on a limited computing platform may overwhelm that platform. So, in response, they designed FCP to create a low resolution proxy for the display.
6. Why do this? Now listen closely .... because FCP is designed as a Professional application and professionals (or serious dilettantes) will invest in the proper equipment to monitor the audio and video components of their work This is how a SOFTWARE based editing solution can compete with very, very expensive hardware based systems. FCP is quite scalable. It will run on the minimum configurations but really works much better with more horsepower.
Now, the limited ram, video speed, hard drive capacity and frontside bus speed of your computer is being tested by this process and is not holding up well. A second hard drive to be a dedicated media drive will help. More RAM will help. A faster CPU will help. A machine that is configured from the beginning to run these kind of applications will help.
I'm not trying to be mean here, just trying to explain the complexity of the situation. I really do hold the Apple marketing people responsible for over selling the program. It is NOT rocket science, but does demand a much greater understanding of technology than most people I know to able to actually grasp.
good luck,
x
[cliff notes version redoux: get a monitor]

Anyone have a script or program allowing timed Capture for FCP or iMovie?

I work with a broadcaster who wants to automatically record programs in FCP or iMovie in the DV mode either in FCP or iMovie. EyeTV 2 has a great system for setting up any mac to automatically record programs direct from a satellite feed or cable box, but unfortunately it compresses the video as it captures it to its own proprietary format. (30 minutes = about 3 GB) I really need to capture without any compression, and ideally that should be in FCP. Anyone seen a script or a plug in that would launch Log and Capture and begin capturing for a specific time, UNATTENDED? (The unattended part is key since we need to capture a number of satellite programs in the wee hours of the morning when we have not staff on hand).

Might.
Try over in their forum. You just may get lucky.
I do remember the good Capt Mench posted something like this a while back but my feeble brain seems leaky today.
something about using iCal scheduling & alerts along with apple scripts might be able to get you what you want ...
x

Capture with FCP - Edit on Avid

I have been asked by a friend if I can digitise (via FCP) 6 hours of DVCam for them to edit in Avid - they have asked for me to supply it as OMFI files. Now the only reference I can find in the 'Export' option is for Audio export as OMF. Surely OMFI is a file exchange format and not a video file. Can anyone fill in the blank spaces for me please?

You cannot capture footage as OMFI with FCP. FCP captures as Quicktime. You cannot convert the footage to OMFI...only Avid can do that. Well, now Automatic Duck does that too, as mentioned:
http://automaticduck.com/products/pefcp/
"New in this release you can export Avid MXF media that connects to your exported AAF file, write media that is external to the OMF or AAF file avoiding file size limits as well as translate many effects from Final Cut Pro to your Avid or Quantel Generation Q system."
Is this true Wes?
Shane

Using Digital Beta deck with FCP 4

Can one use a digibeta deck with FCP via a firewire? What should the settings be if I want to keep everything uncompressed? Space is not an issue. I ask since I've only used minidv and DVcam.
thanks so much!

You need a capture card (Aurora, AJA, Decklink) and drives capable of uncompressed playback.
The only card that captures and sends the signal thru a firewire cable is the AJA I/O, but the Aurora and Decklink solutions are cheaper. Aurora being my favorite.
Shane

SONY HC1 CANNOT CAPTURE WITH FCP 6.0

HELP PLEASE!!
This problem is driving me mental.
I have a Sony HDR HC1. I've been shooting in DV PAL 4:3 before and had no problems at all.
It's well past time when i should be shooting in HDV 16:9. I have changed the settings on the video camera to HDV, 16:9, including in playback mode.
No matter what settings i put in FCP i cannot get it to capture??? I just always get the message that says "Device is not connected or capture preset is not set up correctly. You may still log offline clips. This might also happen if you play DV footage in an HDV device."
Please can someone in the know come up with some suggestions? I'd be so grateful.
TIA! Regards.

I think you have to change a setting in your camera (I have an HC7 which is just a later version of yours). It's still playing back in DV so final cut isn't recognizing it as HDV. set your camera in playback mode>hit p menu>menu> scroll through to VCR HDV/DV. Unplug your fire wire cable. On your screen you'll have 3 choices: Auto, HDV, DV. Push HDV. (auto doesn't seem to work) Get out of the menus. Camera will now play back in HDV mode. Hook up your firewire cable again. Make sure your Easy set up in FCP matches the camera (I'm not sure what pal setting are). Hopefully, you'll be good to go.
Steve

Red interference during capture with FCP 5.1.4

I have FCP version 5.1.4 . I am using OSX 10.6 snow leopard (Macbook Pro). Have captured and edited without any problems. All of a sudden I am getting an interference during capture. This interference comes in the form of a bright red color which suddenly fills half my screen from corner to corner forming a right angled triangle and hiding half of my picture triangularly. it flashes and then remains. Anyone know what the **** this is and how I can rectify it?
I would be EXTREMELY for any help anyone can give me. Thanks in advance.

This is happening to me today as well. Has it got something to do with 10.6.7 I have just updated and now I seem to be having the same problem
Pleasa Help

Video files captured with FCP 7 appear to be text files in the finder!

I've recently updated to FCP Studio 3 and am having a strange problem with HDV video that I have captured. The video shows up in the browser and plays in the timeline just fine, but I am unable to send any footage to Motion. I get an error saying that the file is missing. I cant even import directly from within Motion because the video files aren't even visible to the program! I am also unable to use any of the video files in drop zones in Master Templates in FCP. If I navigate to my footage in the finder, the files appear as text files. Yet if i double click on one, it opens in Quicktime and plays. This happens whether I capture video with the apple intermediate codec or any of the new Pro Res codecs.
I should mention that I had no problems before i updated. Help!
Jerry

See this link:http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2108336&tstart=90
Another work around: after capturing in Pro Res, when you look at your clips in the browser, when you label them add .mov to the end of the label. Then modify>rename>file to match clip. This will convert file on your scratch disc from tesxt file to .mov QT file which you can then use in other applications.
Steve

Capture with FCP - Use in Avid?

I absolutely could not get my Avid software to capture the 30F footage I shot with my Canon XH-A1. FCP can capture it, however. I am hoping that I can import (or export) the FCP-captured media for use by Avid Media Composer 2.8.
Is this possible? Do I have to transcode or something?
Any help/tips appreciated!

Yeah, I believe importing like that into an Avid doesn't carry over time code nor reel information. This is why it is very important to capture footage with the system you intend to edit it on.
Shane

Will FCP capture with this?

will a Sony GV-D300 Video walkman capture with FCP on leopard?
http://www.freetradephoto.com/SonyGV-D300Videowalkman.htm

I've had similar problems with short duration (less than 10 mins) DVDs from HDV from a JVC camera and H264 from Canon HD DSLR edited in Apple ProRes SQ.
After much mucking about with settings, and I'm not absolutely sure why this works I found the best results were obtained by first of Exporting a Quicktime from FCP with same settings.
Bring this version into Compressor, use the "DVD Best Quality 90 mins" setting but change the settings to "One Pass VBR Best". You can raise the "Average bit rate" slightly but don't play with the maximum bit rate, this can cause problems with some DVD players, and not necessarily the one you are using for testing.
Get yourself some re-writeable DVD-RWs for testing.
For me the results of using these settings on short duration DVD productions are enormous, the 2 Pass created results comparable to VHS quality. It was more like cooking and trying different herbs and spices to flavour the meal. Don't get me started on compression and delivery for the web...

Format Hard Drive for Capture w/ FCP and use on PC?

Can someone tell me how I can format a hard drive that will ultimately be used by a client with only PC's -- so that I can capture video on my Mac using FCP?
In the past, I thought FCP broke up captured video into 2 GB segments when a hard drive was formatted for MS-DOS. But tonight I formatted my client's external hd using Disk Utility and the drive wasn't even available under system settings on FCP.
I'm really not at all PC-savvy anymore...can someone tell me if there is way to do this?
If it matters, I'm capturing home video from several sources: Canopus ADVC-300, and mini-DV tapes using a Sony camcorder.
Thanks!
Jenny

Thank you so much. The NTFS-3G did the trick. I have one more dumb question (again...I'm completely PC-illiterate). Would .dv be the best format for me to capture video again for a client who is a home user of a PC? I was planning to capture with FCP (in .mov format) -- but perhaps for ease of use for the client, I should use Toast or iMovie and capture in .dv?
Again...thanks for your help. This is the first time I've encountered this situation!
Jenny

Looking for HD camcorder that works well with FCP. I'm fed up!

Hello Cutters!
I have the JVC GZ-HD7. This cam is a complete total nightmare. I have tried everything and the kitchen sink to get it to capture or to playback its files on my Mac Pro! It works on my PC but I want to use my Mac.
I have renamed the .TOD files to everything you can think of...and nothing.
I paid $20 to Apple and downloaded the mpeg2 update... and nothing.
I have tried capturing video with FCP and iMovie. You just see a Blue screen.
I have download the QuickTime update from Panasonic and it doesn't work either because it's outdated.
I have also tried other wild and crazy things. I GIVE UP. I'm not stupid, i've done my research and I'm about to post this cam on eBay.
I also herd that the new Panasonic HD cams are difficult to work with on Macs to?
So what are you guys using??? What is working for you? Does anything work?
-Mark

HI, I know nothing about your camera.
But, months ago someone at the COW was having problems
playing .TOD files from his camera.
He put a sample to download on his iDIsk.
Bring the curious type I found the QuickTime TOD plugin
that comes on the software disk included with the camera.
I also found easy setups for FCP and the Everio cam.
**You can get an updater for your installed QuickTime Component for Everio
released last April here:
http://www2.cli.co.jp/products/ne/updateqtc_for_gzhd7/qtc3eupdate.htm
and FCP easy setups here:
http://www.everydayvideo.com/eng/GZHD7/indexqc.php
The aforementioned TOD clip then opens instantly in QuickTime player
ready to export in the format of your choosing.
This on Leopard 10.5.4 and QuickTime 7.5
This may or may not help.
NB, You must have the the +QuickTime Component for Everio+ from your software disk installed for the updater to work.
This updater specifically mentions your camera.

Partitioning a MyBook to use with fcp... can it be Mac Extended and FAT32?

Hi, I'm a film student and a little while ago I just bought a MyBook 1T external hard drive (USB only).
I'm looking into reformatting my hard drive because when capturing with fcp (straight to the hard drive) I keep getting an error at around 9 minutes.
I did some research and found out that its because its formatted to FAT32 instead of Mac Extended.
However, I do a lot of work with PC's and transferring files on my hard drive and I read that once formatted to Mac Extended my hard drive would not work on a PC.
I was wondering if I partitioned my MyBook would I be able to make one part Mac Extended (for my capture scratch files) and one part FAT32 (that I could use like a regular hard drive for files between Mac and PC)?
Also just to be clear once the hard drive is Mac Extended I can still keep other files besides capture scratch files in that portion of the hard drive, it's just I can't transfer those particular files to PC. (Some of the website forums I read made me more confused haha)
Any help would be greatly appreciated,
Kyle

@ nick would that let me capture my footage to my hard drive without having to babysit
NTFS does not have the file size limit silliness that FAT has so you should be OK in theory.
Run a couple of test captures and see what you think.
USB is generally not a good interface for video as it delivers data in bursts. You need a constant stream as provided by FireWire or SATA drives. If you are working with low bandwidth video codecs such as DV, you might get away with it for a while.

Publish to .mac gallery with FCP

Hi with imovie 08 you can publish directly to the .mac gallery. i find this very useful because i can put movies online for my clients to review. But I work with FCP not imovie, does anyone know if there is a plug-in or something for fcp to export yout timeline directly to the .mac gallery?
thanx
jochem

Yes fcp7 has it build in nowadays.

Better capture with FCP than iMovie?

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