Editing 8mm video in FCE

I've got a bunch of 8mm video from years ago. A few years later I moved up to a Digital 8 with the idea that that would convert the regular 8 to digital 8 when I played them back in the camera. FCE says it's looking for a timecode for the regular 8 coming out of the digital 8 camera. Looks like I'm still analog, I missed something here, any suggestions?
Thanks,
kjr55

interesting,
I'm sure the clock was set on most of the original footage of the 8mm, I'm just starting Tom's FCE for 3.5 and I got the not about making sure the clock is on on, the imovie idea could be my solution. thanks!

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I am attempting to convert 8mm video cassettes to dvd using a video cassette player, elgato video capture with rca/usb connections to the mac, editing in imovie and burning on idvd. The picture quality is awful. What can I do?????

I am attempting to convert 8mm video cassettes to dvd using a video cassette player, elgato video capture with rca/usb connections to the mac then editing in imovie and burning dvd-r using idvd. The picture quality is awful. What can I do??????

At what point is the video quality bad? Is it bad on capture? I would recommend using an s-video 1394 firewire converter instead. They capture the video at a higher bit rate. If you have a lot of 8mm tapes to capture, invest in a stand alone DVD recorder. They capture and compress in one shot. If you need to rip it back from the DVD into iMovie again, I would recommend using DVDxDV.

Cannot edit video! FCE keeps freezing video track, running audio only

I am enormously frustrated. My FCE has stopped working smoothly! It is freezing in arbitrary places during clips, sometimes for a bit & then starting at a later point, or just freezing while the audio continues to play. I have reinstalled Snow Leopard and updates, reinstalled FCE 4 and updates. I have installed smcFanControl to make sure nothing is overheating. I have vacuumed air vents. I have prayed, yelled, cried.
My video camera is a Canon Vixia S100 HD, and only the updated version of FCE can read the files. I know that. I've been editing with FCE for a year now. I think it may be a graphics reader incompatibility or bug, or perhaps even related to Flash since the problem began when Apple announced it would not be going forward with Adobe Flash.
I am a videopoet and frankly can't take my iMac in for servicing at this point.
What is most interesting about this problem is that I can edit "blind" -by guess work- and upload to YouTube or Facebook and the videos are absolutely fine. No freezing, no dislocate of video and audio synch.
Also, I tried to watch my latest clip in Picasa, which is on my desktop, and it began freezing in the same odd way during playback.
Since the videos upload fine, it's not the video itself, but the player in the iMac. It feels like a bug to me, a kink, something between OS X 10.6.4 -it didn't happen before that upgrade- and whatever video player the iMac uses... since freezing of raw video clips occurs across two programs, FCE & Picasa.
Because I can no longer edit my videos properly I am quite fairly rabidly mad, as you can imagine, struggling with these issues for many many hours, and today spending the afternoon re-installing my OS and FCE and upgrades to no avail.
I am hoping someone can enlighten me on what is going on, or if there is a patch for this particular issue.
Thanks!
Brenda

Check the item properties of the clips in your FCE project and let us know their specs. Also, if you have any still images in the Timeline, make sure they are in RGB Color Mode - NOT Grayscale, Indexed or CMYK.
Also let us know where the media is stored (hard drive type and formatting and how it is connected to your Mac).
-DH

Question About Using Sony Digital 8mm Video Walkman?

I want transfer old 8mm video to my Mac Pro for editing in Final Cut Express. I'm really new at this and am a bit confused, the Sony says it has a Firewire port on it for "lossless digital transfer to your computer".....so what will this mean when I hook it up to the Mac? Will I play the tapes back while Final Cut Express is open and FCE will capture the video into it's bin? Just trying to get this straight...
Thanks
Tom

Yes.
You will need to select an Easy Setup>DV Converter option before capturing.
There are two flavors, PAL or NTSC.
Use the one that matches your cameras video standard.
Start the camera manually as there will be no device control.
Al

Exporting HD video from FCE to iDVD

I'm finishing my first project with Final Cut Express and want to be sure I'm exporting my video correctly for iDVD.
I imported my NTSC 1080i video to FCE using the Apple Intermediate Codec 60-frame interlaced setting. Edited the video and it looks good.
I've rendered the video and mixed down the audio. I then exported a QuickTime reference .mov file and added that to my iDVD project.
When I look at the preview of the movie in iDVD I'm seeing a lot of interlacing lines. Ouch! Will this burn OK or am I in trouble? When I watch the reference movie on my computer it looks fine with no interlacing problem. I'll be making a test burn this evening but the suspense is killing me!
Every reference I've found says to do this just as I've done. Did I miss a step? Is there something else I should do for HD material? Should I use QuickTime Conversion in FCE to make a standard def 16x9 movie and use that for iDVD?
I've made lots of DVDs from HD material in iMovie and never had a problem.
Thanks for your help!

Not sure about what settings to use, but wanted to remind you that iDVD has a Save As Disc Image option which creates a virtual DVD on your desktop. You can mount and play this on your Mac just like an actual DVD (using DVD Player). So it's a cheap and precise way of previewing your video in standard DVD format.
You'd Copy the disc image to actual media using Roxio Toast or Apple's Disk Utility. The only differences between the two videos would be the result of viewing on a different monitor/TV, or errors introduced during the copy/burn process (typically bad disks or bad quality disks).
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How do I get analog hi 8 video into FCE?

I am trying to get hi 8 video into FCE (or iMovie HD). I have the hi 8 tape in a Hitachi D.S.P. III (digital signal processor) camcorder. This is connected to my Sony mini-DV digital camcorder. My camcorder has A/V>DV option. I have my camera connected to the computer via Firewire. Should I use the A/V>DV option to do this? I am not getting the sound from the hi 8 tape and the video looks bad. What am I doing wrong?
Barbara

Well, I read everything in the manual and think I've done exactly what it says. When I connected to my computer, as I mentioned, the video was poor (perhaps tracking needed to be adjusted on the Hi 8 camcorder), but I don't understand why I didn't get any audio.
I also tried to connect the hi 8 camcorder directly to my DVR thinking I could burn it to a DVD and then extract from that to do more editing although I know the quality would not be as good. Again, when I tried to record, I got poor video quality and no sound. When I just play the hi 8 tape connected to my DVR, there definitely is sound and the video looks fine. I am at a loss--this is beyond my knowledge.
Thank you for your assistance, and if you have other suggestions, I would try them. However, the hi 8 camcorder and tape will not be available to me after tomorrow as my brother will be taking them back to Florida when he leaves Saturday. My only other thought is to record to a VHS tape and then I'm sure I can get that into my Sony camcorder because I've done that before. But, I sure would like to know how to make the other work right.
Thanks very much!
Barbara

8mm video tape to DVD conversion

I have a stack of old 8mm video tapes from 5-15 years ago that I wish to convert to DVD and eventually edit. Is there a device for converting these tapes? I do have a working 8mm camcorder that I borrowed from a friend that can play these tapes.

To record an analogue signal onto a (digital) PC/Mac calls for a player, a converter, a recorder and a re-purposer.
Ignoring the player (you're sorted there) conversion can be done either by using an external recorder (typically a digicam c/w analogue-in recording), an external converter (see pinnacle, canopus or miglia) or an internal converter (vince1327's idea of using the new generation TV devices is an inspired one).
You'll then need software to record the signal. Apple suggestions include QT-Pro, iMovie or Final Cut Express. Traditionally there was a challenge with dropped-frames and other failures so, especially if your using an external converter, use something simple to record with (QTP?) and something like Tiger Cache Cleaner (or OnyX) to keep the keep your machine "clean" throughout the process.
You'll need to re-puropse the result; this can be done in any of a number of ways depending upon whether DVD, PSP, iPod, etc will be the final viewing medium. QT-Pro/Flip4MacStudio and iDVD are all good, but in truth the world's not short of widgets, freeware, shareware and mainstream applications (for example the previously Popwire applications now at Flip4Mac/Telestream) for re-purposing results.
ffmpegX being a good, free choice.
Cheapest - borrowing a mate's digicam is free and the results are guarateed; Second cheapest? Try vince1327's idea TV idea; at least you'll be able to use that hardware after you're finished recording.
pBook 12/1.5mhz Mac OS X (10.4.7)

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I am using Final Cut Express and are editing avchd video. When I export this video at Quicktime Compressor, it comes out "not running Smooth". It is running choppyly. It is also choppyly when I burn it on a DVD.

Please give us more information.
Have you rendered everything in your sequence (timeline)?
*Sequence > Render All > Both* and
*Sequence > Render Only > Mixdown*
Does the video play correctly in the *FCE Canvas?*
If you plan to burn a DVD, you must export to *QuickTime Movie,* not to Quicktime Conversion.
What camcorder (make & model) did you use when you shot the video?
What *FCE Easy Setup* did you use when you used Log & Transfer to import your video from the camcorder to FCE?
What version of FCE and QuickTime do you have on your iMac? What iMac model do you have? How much free space is on your system HD? Are you using an external hard drive and if so is it connected to your iMac via USB or FireWire? Are you running any other programs the same time you are exporting from FCE?

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I transfer AVCHD material from the Panasonic HDC-SD300 camcorder to Final Cut Express to edit the video. After editing in HD I would like to export the finished HD video (including audio) in AVCHD Codec to a SDHC card. The content of the SDHC card could be transfered with an AVCHD compatible SDHC tool (BD player with SDHC card reader or directly HD TV set with SDHC reader) to a HD TV set.
Any proposal, how to get the edited HD exported in AVCHD codec/format ?

Hello skalicki,
thank you for your answer. May the difficulty is AIC. To transcode AIC to AVCHD is surely not the best way. As long as Apple is using AIC for FCE, it will be certainly not easy to get an AVCHD export option. I understand you have also an AVCHD camcorder. I think it will make sense to get after editing the option to export the video material in AVCHD. You could load the video material to a SDHC card and than you are able to transfer the AVCHD material via a SDHC reader (BD player with card slot or even directly a LCD TV set with card slot from Panasonic) to the HD TV set.
I am still hoping, somebody has a solution..............

Help Transferring Old 8mm Videos into Final Cut Xpress

Like a lot of people, I have a bunch old 8mm tapes.
I'm trying to find out what camera I should be looking for in order to use a Firewire connection to my Mac Pro to get this footage into FCE, but I don't want to make a mistake and buy something that doesn't work.
Are there any proven winners out there I should be looking for to accomplish this? I'm not sure anything is even currently made anymore that will play these tapes.
Thanks
Tom

A Digital 8 camera will do the trick, IF, you can track one down.
Alternatively if you still have an 8mm video player/camera you can lace that into an A/D (Analogue to Digital) Converter box.
Note: Most mini DV cameras with audio and video inputs can act as an A/D Converter. This is called "Pass Through".
Al

Edited AVCHD video export in AVCHD codec

I transfer AVCHD material from the Panasonic HDC-SD300 camcorder to Final Cut Express to edit the video. After editing in HD I would like to export the finished HD video (including audio) in AVCHD Codec to a SDHC card. The content of the SDHC card could be transfered with an AVCHD compatible SDHC tool (BD player with SDHC reader or directly HD TV set with SDHC reader) to a HD TV set.
Any proposal, how to get the edited HD exported in AVCHD codec/format ?

Hi gamapa.
iMovie 6 does not support the AVCHD codec.
See this link: http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1807243&tstart=0
If you are using Final Cut Express, you should post in that forum for a more complete response to your question. FCE 4 does support AVCHD while FCE 3.5.x does not.
Carl

Transferring 8mm videos to dvd using imovie

I have several 8mm videos that I'm wanting to transfer to dvd. I have an old Sony ccd-trv212 that I can use, but don't know how to plug it into my Macbook. I've read that I need a FireWire transfer box, but some people have used only USB converters. Anyone know what I need?

I've read that I need a FireWire transfer box
Yes, that is true, USB is not to good with video.
All analog to digital video converters use firewire.
To get your 8mm video into iMovie, look at the Canopus ADVC300. Audio and Video go in, FireWire comes out. It also comes with a nice Macintosh application that works flawlessly with iMovie 06 and iDVD 08 (not sure about iMovie 08).
The program that comes with the ADVC300 has some nice filters that can improve video and audio of the source material. The ADVC300 will take Audio and Video from any source and convert it to FireWire (iMovie will treat it like a camera).
http://www.canopus.com/products/ADVC300/index.php
If you like to make DVDs, give iMovie 06 a try.
I use both iMovie 08 and iMovie 06, if I want to make a DVD I prefer iMovie 06. iMovie 08 is not as DVD friendly as iMovie 06.
iMovie 08 has replaced "Share to iDVD" with "Share to media browser". Also iMovie 08 cannot set chapter markers, this has to be done with another program.
When using iMovie 06, one mouse click will set a chapter marker EXACTLY where you specify. In just a few seconds set all your chapter markers. When you are done editing just "share to iDVD 08" and all of your chapter markers will be there!
iMovie 06 and iDVD 08 is a terrific combination.
Apple includes iMovie 06 as a free download to iLife 08 owners. (THEY WANT YOU TO HAVE IT!)
http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/imovieHD6.html
The Web site below has a good comparison of iMovie 08 and iMovie 06.
http://www.geethree.com/slick/imovie8.html

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Can FCP6 edit avi files? FCE 3.5 does. I have Quicktime 7.6.2. If I go to more recent Quicktine will Final Cut Pro6 edit avi clips? Thanks for any help. It's confusing because my Final Cut Express does edit avi.

Thanks for the reply. Yes, FCE 3.5 does handle .AVI without rendering, the same as if it was a .mov. I just tried it to make sure I wasn't imagining it. I don't understand how you would render it in FCP before working with it. An AVI just shows up as black frames. And once you work with it wouldn't it become surrendered? I've been using QuickTime to convert from AVI to mov. Is that the bet way. I'm using 1080p video. I wonder why dcs will do AVI, but not fcp?? Thanks again.

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If I'm using FCE:
1) How much external disk space is needed for editing HD video:
if I downloaded 150mins of HD video? and
do editing with it which will have an output of 120mins.
Now PC, going to a MAC user soon Windows XP

Hi(bonjour)!
As a rule of thumb for HDV editing, use those numbers:
12 to 15 meg/second for capturing ( your project is 150 minutes long, so 780 meg/minute, or 117 to 125 Gig).
If you do any editing, add transition, video effect, add 12 to 15 meg /second to the total.
As your project will have to be rendered for the print to tape operation, calculate 12 to 15 meg/second for all the length of your final movie. Add this amount to the total. (example: a 60 minutes movie : 49 Gig).
If you want to burn a DVD on your Mac, calculate 3 to 4 meg/second for downconversion to DV material if you check "self-contained" in quicktime export dialog. (example: your finished project is 60 minutes long : 10.8 Gig)
iDVD itself needs 3 to 4 times this amount if you want flawless operation.
Finally, if you use your internal hard disk for all this storage (it's not a good idea to capture on the same drive where Mac OS X belongs), your Mac OS needs some spare room to breath (doing caching, etc), and your hard drive must have a least 25% of free space to avoid file's fragmentation.
As hard drive's price drop, get the maximum size you can afford. 250 Gig is a good choice if you want to do just one project of 90 to 150 minutes at the time.
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What is the best way to sync (shift to match) audio with video in FCE 1.01?
Step by step in simple wording please, since I am new at this.
Thank you so much.
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As you probably know by now, DVD camcorders are not compatible with FCE or pretty well any other DV based editing system.
Possibly the simplest (though not cheapest) route would be by using an Analogue-Digital converter.
Streamclip and other similar programs are supposed to work but I have had no experience with them.
In the long run probably the best (but costly) solution would be to buy a Mini-DV camcorder - it doesn't have to be a top of the range model - even the cheapest ones can produce high quality video. Then you would not have to mess around converting DVD files with the inevitable loss of quality it entails.
A cheap DV camera need be not much more expensive than an A/D converter.
Ian.

Editing 8mm video in FCE

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