Final Cut Pro has renamed or scrambled my video files

Question

Hello, after several years of using FCP, a new problem. I've digitized footage from my camera, successfully, and named the files according to the tape. For example, the first ten minutes of tape 1 would be WHIT 1-1. The next 10 minutes of tape one would be WHIT 1-2 etc. or for tape 2, WHIT 2-1, 2-2, 2-3 etc. Normally it produces an identical Quicktime file. However, I have returned to my computer after digitizing (sometimes days after I've done it successfully), and all of a sudden the files are renamed with 'v's thus:
WHIT 1-1-v
WHIT 1-1-v-1
WHIT 1-1-v-2
It usually splits each of my files into 3 or 4 extra files. I can open the files ending in 'v' in Quicktime and they look normal, the othre ones ie. WHIT 1-1-v-1 I can't open. If I get rid of those files, I can't open the functioning WHIT 1-1-v file either. When I check the clip and reveal it in the finder, it only references the first 'v' file. Obviously they are linked; FCP seems to have arbitrarily chopped each file into some sort of components. I've seen this behaviour before but only when there was an error in the digitizing process; usually you just throw out all those files and start again. However these files were digitized correctly; it was only afterwards (sometimes DAYS after) that they are all of a sudden separated and renamed. Is there any way I can reunite them? In the FCP browser the files still have the original names. I dread when I have to reconnect WHIT 1-1 and my only options are all named something else, therefore can't be connected. The ony thing I'm doing different is digitizing to a smaller external (portable) drive, and using a friend's MacBook instead of my older Powerbook. Any ideas? I've redigitized 5 tapes twice now and fear the wear and tear on my camera, not to mention my wasted time!

Answer 1

A FAT32 drive is limited to 4GB files (a FAT16 drive is limited to 2GB files).
DV runs at 3.6MB/sec or ~13GB per hour. 20 min is more than the 4GB file size limit for FAT32.
Assuming you have a disk formatted as FAT32, if you capture in 15 minute increments, you won't have the spanning file issue. (If the file size being created is 2GB, you need to limit the capture to 7 min or less to stay under the spanning threshold.)
I'd suggest using log and capture based on sequential time code for each clip. This will enable you to:
a. quickly link the continuous clips
b. control the capturing in a very reasonable way
c. cease worrying about one of the intermediate files going missing and needing a long recapture.
Use the log and capture window to set up the batch file then let the machine have at it. You can set up the batch capture something like this: (assuming a 4GB file size limit)
Clip 1: start: with enough tape for reasonable preroll > end 15:00;00
Clip 2: start 15:00:01 > end 30:00:00
Clip 3: start 30:00;01 > end 45:00;00
rinse and repeat as required till you reach the end of your material.
You don't really need to review the tape, you just need the ending TC.
good luck.
x