Camcorder Question/ Final Cut Express 2

Hello All,
I am looking to buy a new camcorder as my old one (Sony DCR-PC100e) has died on me. Am thinking of the Canon. Like the look of the XM2 but notice that on this board a lot of people talking about the HV20 and HV30.
I need mini-DV, am not bothered about HD necessarily cos I don't have an HD tv or anything else that's HD. Obviously am using a Mac, and need it to be compatible with Final Cut Express ( iahve version 2.0.3...old, I know, but suits me fine for now).
Any strong opinions on which one of these is better? XM2 or HV30.
The semi-pro version that Sony has, the DCR-VX2100-E is way too expensive....looks like the Canon XM2 is around £1500 or so?
Would appreciate any feedback, Thanks.

I have got the HV20 but cannot comment in depth on how good it is as I have only shot about 5 minutes of footage!
However, it received excellent reviews last year and is available for well under £600 new.
There are some 10 huge web pages to this review but they are worth wading through. The other reviews are shorter:-
http://www.camcorderinfo.com/content/Canon-HV20-Camcorder-Review.htm#
http://www.pcpro.co.uk/macuser/reviews/115215/canon-hv20.html
http://www.simplydv.co.uk/reviews/camcorders/canon/hdv/canon-hv30-review.html
Ian.

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I just purchased FCE 4 with a new iMac but haven't used it yet. But I do know that iMovie '09 has an Archive feature that will do what you are looking for. It copies the contents of the camera in it's original Full HD format to the hard drive. I do this then import the video to iMovie using the compressed file type. With the original on the hard drive, you can always re-import to iMovie '09 (and FCE 4, I presume) if you want to use the Full HD original format at a later date.
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The Vixia HF M52 is an AVCHD camcorder and should work perfectly fine with Final Cut Express 4 (4.0.1).
The published "camcorder support list" has never been up to date and I would not take it to be a definitive list of compatible camcorders.
One note, however, the Vixia HF M52 supports a number of different shooting modes. I suggest sticking with the AVCHD 1920 x 1080i / 60 fps mode for use with FCE. FCE does not support progressive modes except in 720p25/30 (which the M52 does not seem to shoot anyway); nor does FCE support any 24 fps modes.

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Hi
I have a new IMAC 27 in, intel dual processor (which I love) and its running the lastest version of snow leopard. I got it for video editing (dec 09) and I'm fairly new to macs and the firewire 800.
I have a panasonic 3ccd camera nNV-GS500 and after finally figuring it out I got a new cable - a brand new firewire 800/400 cable. However nothing can be seen when I start up Final Cut pro express or imovie.
I have tried turning off mac, unplugging it, then turning on camera before turning on imac.
Looking at some of the threads it seems there are some issues for seeing camcorders with firewire 800 and that a firmware? (is this a download for hardware update) is an update is due - can anyone confirm what i should do.
thanks in advance

Cathy, welcome to the Discussions group.
Here is the list of camcorders supported by iMovie and Final Cut Express. Your camera is not in the lists but may still work.
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3290
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2948
When you are using the camera are you running it from its battery power or is it plugged into its own power source (same question would apply to your external drive which may have a problem if its not using its own power supply depending upon how much power it would draw from the computer and how much power it needs to be reliable). You should be running the camera from its own power supply.
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Hello all -
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You will find all the details on the Streamclip page :-
http://www.squared5.com/svideo/mpeg-streamclip-mac.html
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2. Drag the files into the Streamclip window.
3. Select File>Export to QuickTime.
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Message was edited by: Ian R. Brown

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Does anyone know how this can be done? And how to do it.
Thanks,
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see if this helps
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=301852
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When capturing video from my "Sony TRV 18" digital camcorder and a Canon ZR500 digital camcorder
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When I move a captured clip from the browser to the viewer and time line, the video shows up, but (1) there is no accompanying audio shown in the audio time line, (2) no audio can be heard and (3) the audio meters show no action.
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Hi Sid
I get the video in my browser but it has no accompanying audio.
YES - This is the way FinalCut Express AND Pro works !
If You need the audio - Then You connect a small set of speakers to Your miniDV Camera
(headphone out)
alt. if no phono-out on Camera is to connect a small TV to the Camera analog way
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§5-10,000 or even more) is a Very good way of keeping Quality control during
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ref monitor are well compared to my final DVDs.)
There are NO WAY that You can monitor audio during Capture in any FinalCut versions !
Yours (been there and done that - or as said in Sweden "butted Your head at it") Bengt W

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Hello! I am new with mac, so...
In order to transfer videos from a HDD camcorder into final cut express or imovie, can I only do it through a fire wire cable? or does a simple usb do?
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Does anyone know a camcorder that will definitely do with FCE?
Thank you very much in advance!

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Hy!
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Al

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As far as I know, there should be no difference. If the cam is read by one version, it should be read by the other. This has been my experience. Perhaps others have found differently

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A big thanks to the forum for patience and direction. You all have helped me get an older digital camcorder hooked up to the Mac to date.
I'm now able to capture video from the camcorder to FinalCut Express.
So, on to today's question...
I have a Sony Digital Handycam DCR-TRV140. I know that it's NTSC (mainly because it says so right on the side of the camcorder). But I don't know what capture settings to use in Final Cut Express to get the best quality video onto the Mac, and ultimately onto DVD's or digital files I publish to my family over the net.
So when I go to the menu path Final Cut Express -> Easy Setup, I have a number of options to choose from... I (think) that I know that the best format option to choose from the dropdown is NTSC... But I don't know what to choose from the drop down list.
Here's a picture of the drop down list:
https://wu20hg.blu.livefilestore.com/y1pNUoJrOOSdf-4NJq3OjEIyrt38TEU64-Pid2LRNbw kG9grywxFV1qA2NshK8uSxl6eiTlYiq4uNbG86CJRUantQ/FinalCutExpressTim1.tiff
Specifications for the Sony camcorder can be found here:
http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=1055 1&storeId=10151&langId=-1&productId=11027762
or here
http://www.amazon.com/Sony-DCRTRV140-Digital8-Camcorder-Streaming/dp/B0000634T4/ ref=cmcr_pr_producttop
Can you help me decide what is the best option to choose? If it depends, maybe you could explain what it depends on...?
Many thanks!
Tim

The differences among the Easy Setups have to do with audio sample rate, device control, and widescreen shooting.
The Anamorphic setups are for widescreen. If your camera doesn't shoot widescreen (16:9), you can ignore them.
DV media is generally recorded with audio at 48kHz or 32kHz. Choose according to the audio recorded by your camera (some offer different record options). If you capture with the wrong audio selected in your FCE Easy Seutp, you'll get a warning message at the end of the capture.
What FCE Setup are you using at present? I'm guessing it's either DV-NTSC Firewire Basic or DV-NTSC DV Converter. If that's working for you, stick with it.

Final Cut Express HD and Camcorder compatibility HELP Ughhhhhhhh!!!!

I just don't get it. Appple has a section that shows which camcorders are compatible with Final Cut HD Express, but there mostly old camcorders and not many HD ones at that. Then you do read some of these review sites on camcorders and they tell you they have been using Final Cut express with such and such a camcorder that is not on the APPLE list!! Whats more frustrating are these long discussions/threads/message boards on the net in terms of whats compatible and what isn't with HD express. Can we have a comprehensive list somewhere. Their's obviusly a huge problem and disconnnect here since there are literally thousands of pages and threads and messages dealing with this, and I'm adding to it. Any help will be appreciatiated. Thank you

OIC my mistake...
You only wanted a list of the cameras YOU were interested in...
I forgot you (and HD cameras) should be the only importance to Apple.
Yeah forget about alllllllllll the other SD mini-dv cams, etc.
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Camcorder Question/ Final Cut Express 2

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