Cannon GL2 - FCE 2 and iMovie Capture Problems

Hello Hello
I've read here that folks are having a tough time capturing with thier Cannon GL2. The device goes from NO problem to 'Can't intiate a capture because the device looses connectivity.
I tried to find a common denominator to this problem, and it seems this post regarding Quick Time Files can help? Yes?
Is this the main problem?
Anyway I'm also having connectivity issues with both iMovie 6 HD, and FCE 2
Just wondering if I should also follow the directions on this post and have my capture problems solved?
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=301852
BTW - I currently have Quicktime 7.0.4
Thanx

Hi Tom - Thanx for your reply!
Well, yes I have (as my profile indicates), a G5 1.8 Gig, currently with an external Lacie HD plugged in. I also have a Cannon GL2.
But before I go any further, and before I try those directions for cleansing certain Quick Time 7 Library Files, I think I figured out the dilemma.
This problem of GL2 recognition (from what I've read), is common for folks who have similar equipment, and a similar set-up as mine:
It seems (as I've also read here), that my G5 does NOT like 2 devices which require the same connection speed plugged into the 1394 Firewire Port at the same time - trying to share the same bus.
I confirmed this by disconnecting the Lacie FIRST - then booting back up - and WALLAH - the GL2 was certainly receoginzed both in iMovie 6 HD, and FCE 2!
I also further resolved the issue by buying a 'cheaper' Cannon Camcorder - the ZR500.
Now I can actually share the Lacie HD in the Fire Wire Port with this slower connection speed camcorder. And a further benefit is giving my GL2 a rest when it comes to 'capture only'
Does all this make sense?
If so, perhaps I've already discovered stuff that other folks already know ...
Thanx
Mike

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I just bought a brand new Cannon GL2 camcorder and I am trying to import...

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... is there any reason to capture the video using Final Cut instead of iMovie?
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Anthony,
while I fully agree with Al answer, let me add one note in favor of iMovie in answering your original specific question (note: I'm a quite happy user of FCE for all its advantages over iMovie, but for the point I'm going to make).
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Should be more straightforward than that.
I don't know your camcorder. But the problem seems that you cannot use firewire connection to capture directly into FCE (or iMovie): any DVD or hard disk camcorder usually compresses into MPEG2, and this is not the input format for FCE and iMovie. You have to convert it, as you did, and this both takes time and loses quality.
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I have some AVCHD files (.MTS) on a hard disk. No camera. And no, the directory format has not been preserved. The files were just copied, and renamed for backup purposes. "Log and Transfer..." in FCE gives me an error about the directory structure. And I can't import with iMovie (just won't let me select the files.)
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Why can't it just read the file? Like how any program can read a JPEG without having to plug-in a camera or create a folder called "PRIVATE" or whatever?
I've wasted several hours on this problem today, and the the only conclusion i can come up with is that Apple has some seriously incompetent or just plain lazy engineers.
There must be a proper technical reason... right?

Hi -
Jason Moore3 wrote:
It's just so weird that all FCE and iMovie can read the files - they just require you to "connect the camera". Why is the camera so important to reading the file?
It's not. It's just an easy way to insure that when FCE or iMovie are looking at the file storage directory, FCE or iMovie will see all the files, the metadata, the media, etc.. It also makes for an easier work flow- just plug in the camera, no need to off-load files and remember where the are stored, etc.. And, it helps develop a workflow where people are not just copying the media files to another disk without the metadata, as in your case, or make a mistake and copy the metadata without the media.
Imagine this: three big tractor trailers pull up outside your house loaded with stuff. As you go out to meet them a driver hands you a small package. You open it up, and inside is a complete description of what is packed, how each item is packed, where each item is in the container, and how best to unpack the containers for the easiest installation in your house. That is what the metadata does. Could you unpack the containers without it? Yes. Is it the optimal way? No.
Many threads discuss how it's possible to backup the whole directory and making a disk image and then "tricking" iMovie/FCE into reading the files, which leads me to think that this stupidity is intentional.
This is not a trick. iMovie has the "Archive All" button on the import window. To later access those files you would use the menu File > Import > Camera Archive. In FCE, where one would expect a slightly more computer savvy user, you can use Disk Utility to create a disk image of the contents of the camcorder files, then later, use Log and Transfer from within FCE to import the footage from that disk image.
Someone doesn't want people to actually have a HD video format that is easy to work with (OMG pirates!!) and so it's been crippled to make it a PITA to work with.
Hmmm, well, all you have to do is follow the recommended workflow - connect the camera, import the footage, and edit. FCE and iMovie take care of the footage conversion from AVCHD which is a format incredibly difficult to edit in to a format that allows easy editing, all without user intervention.
The end result is, I can't view my own content.
The system Apple developed of converting AVCHD to either AIC or Pro Res is probably the best way to make the editing process as painless as possible for the end user.
Having said that, Sony Vegas, a windows application, will natively edit AVCHD files, without any conversion. I don't have any experience with it so can't say what the experience is like, but it might be an alternative for you if the iMovie/FCE workflow is not working for you.
Hope this helps.
Message was edited by: Meg The Dog to fix typo

Widescreen from FCE to iMovie

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Thanks

What are the sequence settings & clip settings in your FCE sequence? You can check these in the FCE Browser.
How are you exporting from FCE? To QuickTime Movie ... or to QuickTime Conversion?
What versions of FCE and iMovie are you using?

I have the new macbook pro from late 2011. when i try plugging my cannon gl2 into the mac via firewire 800 it does not show up in iMovie as an option to import from. i even have gone into my settings on the camera and changed it to vcr.

I have the new MacBook Pro from late 2011. "the one before the new ritina display" i have a cannon gl2 video camera which is mini dv. when i plug it into my mac via firwire 800 it does not show up in the iMovie. i have set the settings on the camera to vcr mode and changed it to av->dv out. when i click on the import from camera on imovie it doesnt even show my camera in it. it just gives me the option to import video from my facetime camera. the camera is turned on the wires are connected i know for fact that its a firewire and not a usb. i know what they each look like. i bought the firewire cable and it was marked down cause it was an opened and used item. would it be possible that it could be deffected and if that is not the reason what other options do i have?

I would say that odds are high that you have a bad cable. Maybe that is why they returned it.
I would suggest trying a different firewire cable.
You can find Firewire cables inexpensively at monoprice.com. You need a 4 pin to 9 pin firewire cable.
Here is a link.
http://www.monoprice.com/products/subdepartment.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10301
Other things to check:
Is your camera plugged in to wall power (not to batteries only). Must be hooked to an AC power source to import.

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I'm editing footage I shot in DV standard on my Canon HV30 in Final Cut Express. I originally imported with iMovie HD and then dragged the files over to final cut later. I rendered all the audio, but when I went back to play it, the audio was strangely looped over itself and repeating. It's hard to explain, and even harder to understand because the audio is of a crowd at a sporting event and therefore not predictable. After listening for a few seconds, and inexplicably loud tone started blaring. It sounded like it was about 300 Hz (by ear, not any real method of measurement). I checked out the audio waveform and nothing looks out of the ordinary, and I can play audio from other programs without any problem. My question is, what the heck is wrong with final cut? An explanation can't really do this justice; I practically had a heart attack, the tone was so loud and unexpected. Does anyone have any idea what this could be from?
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The underlying issue is that iMovie and FCE capture DV video differently. You can import an iMovie DV clip into FCE but it will always require rendering of the audio in FCE ... but even then the results are not always predictable.
iMovie captures DV video as *QuickTime DVstream,* essentially as-is from the tape; this means that +the audio & video are interleaved,+ which actually makes editing the audio difficult. (on a miniDV tape, the recording is made up of 10 slanted tracks per NTSC frame, each track containing video, audio & control data for its portion of the frame ... giving you some idea of the complexity of the interleaving).
FCE captures DV video as *QuickTime DV-NTSC (.mov)*, (in North America) putting the audio & video into +separate, parallel, linked tracks+ in the QuickTime file; as a result the audio does not require rendering and it is much easier to edit.
Rendering the audio of a .dv clip in FCE only creates an audio render file that is associated with the original clip; it does not convert the clip to QuickTime DV-NTSC (.mov).
MPEG Streamclip is the utility you should use if you want to convert files from QuickTime DV (.dv) to QuickTime DV-NTSC (.mov).

Strange capture problem and work around

I have a Sony DCR-TRV33E camcorder and imovie has no problems capturing nor does FCE 4 unless I capture a clip. When I capture a clip it captures the stereo audio track as 2 separate mono tracks. I can get it stereo by panning a1 left and a2 right but it should be a single stereo track. To sort the audio out the following procedure works:
1. Go into the folder that contains the captured clip and rename it. This causes the clip to be disconnected.
2. Delete the disconnected clip from the browser.
3. Import the clip (renamed file) back into the project. It now has a single stereo track as it should.
This looks like a bug to me. It's a bit strange.
Has anybody else experienced this behavior.
I was capturing DV PAL Anamorphic.
Cheers,
Gareth

Sure.
You will see little green inward facing triangles (stereo pair) on the audio tracks to identify the status.
Just reverse the process to switch back.
Option-L is the keyboard method.
Any tracks can be modified as long as they are next door to each other.
Al

Cannon GL2 - FCE 2 and iMovie Capture Problems

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