Tape versus hard drive HD camera

I know this subject has been beaten to death, but I just wanted to make sure of my decision. I've heard that tape is better because various editions of FCS may or may not have problems dealing with video recorded on a hard drive video camera. I've also heard that the quality is better with tape. And that you also might lose your footage if the hard drive goes kaput before you download the footage. I've decided to repair my 2 year old camera (over $560) because I love it to death. By the dealership is giving me flack about it because I can buy a hard drive camera for a lot cheaper. Am I right in keeping my tape based camera?

I've recently sold my tape based camera and have moved to cameras that use P2 cards. I love it! I can either log each clip with in and out points, or just dump everything onto the hard drive. The workflow is much faster for me.
It feels good to not be "consuming" plastic and everything else that comes with tape. In fact--there is a "green your film production" movement within our micro-industry of wildlife filmmaking. One of the suggestions is to get rid of tape based systems.
Which reminds me--anyone want a Sony DSR DV tape deck?
But honestly I jumped from a DV camera (Canon XL2) to a Panasonic HD camera...so the quality jump helped lessen the sting of nostalgia . Kind of like going from film SLR to digital SLR. I kinda miss the dark room.
I certainly understand, though--if you were like me it wasn't just the camera--it was all the lenses that went with that tape based camera, the (once) expensive tape deck that connected to the computer, etc. etc.
I'll tell you though--ten years ago I was spending almost $50 per tape for HD CAM. It feels good to not incur that expense any more. You certainly second guess pushing the trigger when tape is not cheap--and then there's film... We won't go there...
Really, it just depends on your projects, who your intended audience is and what makes sense for your film budget. We could all drown in debt trying to keep up with this technology. The problem is, it's all so cool! Good luck!

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Solutions for using jvc's new hard drive video cam

does anyone have any experience using jvc's new hard drive video camera (GZ-MG50U) with usb in puts on OS 10.3.9? any suggestions on software soltuions to edit captured video?

Just to give you a quick run down on what MPEG-2 is... it is a highly compressed format, meaning that the moment your footage was saved as an MPEG-2 file, information was thrown away. That's what compressors do, throw away redundant information such as color information. So technically, the image in MPEG-2 is not as good as if it were captured in DV... on the flipside of that, converting that DV footage into MPEG-2 would reduce the quality of the DV footage, so technically, you would be even at this point.
Where things get ugly is when you take that compressed footage and convert it into another format for editing. This process is lossless, but the file size bloats immensely in the process. Which means when you take that converted and edited footage and run it through the compressor again to convert it back into MPEG-2 so that you can burn it onto a DVD, it has lost still more information than the original footage that you shot. If you take any footage and run it through a compressor several times, it's like re-recording over the same VHS tape... each recompression reduces quality.
This is why you don't want a device to goes directly to MPEG-2, whether it be directly to a DVD disc or a hard drive. DV and HDV are both editable formats... yes you have to capture the footage and then convert it to MPEG-2, but you also have the opportunity to edit it along the way. Cameras that go straight to MPEG-2 assume that you don't intend to edit anything, just burn it to a disc and call it good... sort of like owning a disposable camera... you're buying the convenience of not having to do anything with it.

Tape or Hard drive?

My teacher today, totally messed up my head.
He seas that camcorders who record on tape are better than hard drive.
Than I thought: "How the heck can you get HD on tape?"
He showed some HD tapes. OK.
I remembered that using hard drive cam I had to convert to start edit in FCP.
So my questions are:
Which is better tape or hard drive?
Does someone even makes tape camcorders? (Mostly home use t.i.)
Which hard drive camcorders have the format so you don't have to convert it to use FCP, because converting messes up the quality.
Hope you get the idea!

HD to tape is QUITE normal. HD was shot on tape far before tapeless HD came along. DVCPRO HD, HDCAM, HDCAM SR...then HDV. Tapeless is a NEW format.
Which is better? Depends on the format. There are roughly two dozen or so HD formats. Some tape, some tapeless. Some tape formats are better than tapeless formats, and some tapeless formats are better than tape formats. HDCAM SR, great tape format that blows away AVCHD and DVCPRO HD. But then AVCIntra (tapeless) rivals it, and RED (tapeless) kills it.
HDV is the only consumer, and even PROSUMER, HD tape format. DVCPRO HD would be the next step, but those cameras go for $45,000-$85,000. But DVCPRO HD tapeless starts at $5300.
Which hard drive camcorders have the format so you don't have to convert it to use FCP, because converting messes up the quality.
Where did you hear that? Your teachers? If so...they stink. Converting does nothing of the sort. But the tapeless formats that require no conversion are XDCAM EX, DVCPRO HD, AVCIntra (arguable)... JVC is the only camera to offer direct to QT recording for drag and drop into FCP.
Shane

Hard-Drive video camera compatability

Hi all,
On the Final Cut studio page there is a hardware compatibility utility...is there something similar for Final Cut Express? If not, can anyone tell me about hard-drive-based video cameras which can work with FCE?
Thanks

The only hard drive based cameras that FCE works with without third party support are cameras that shoot AVCHD.

FCE, tape vs hard drive and SLR cameras

i believe I am correct in stating that in the past FCE would not accept video from a video camera that recorded on to a hard drive, only mini DV tape. I have recently read that there has been a change, does anyone know about this? Also is there a distinction in video cameras as there is in still cameras between point and shoots and SLR's thank you joanl

The only hard drive camcorder that FCP supports is the P2 system by Panasonic. I can't say anything for FCE though.
If you are looking for a professional camcorder, look for 3 CCD camcorders. Then look for a manual focus ring. Those two things will probably lead you to some professional camcorders. Some of Panasonic's camcorders have 3 CCDs but are small and don't "look" professional, but the image quality is excellent. It's better to have good image quality than a cool looking camera (although the latter never hurts.)

Importing - tape vs. hard drives; do drives remove a lot of problems??

I admit I am an infrequent user of FCE (current version 3.5.1) and I think the reason is the difficulties in importing. I have Tom's books, I follow the instructions and suggestions from this forum, but for the life of me, I normally have problems. Using Canon ZR40.
So I am wondering, what is the experience of people that have imported from tape and who have also imported from the newer hard drive cameras? Assuming proper settings for both camera and FCE, do you find that importing from a hard drive camera is: Easier; Without Problems; Just as Prone to Problems?? Would I have a better experience and get off to a better start if I had a drive camera?
(..and am I missing the forum search link? I don't see it; or am I having a bad day?)

I can only repeat that there must be something wrong with your computer or technique as FCE should work perfectly.
As you have not given any details about any of your equipments specs or even FCE it is almost impossible to tell where you are going wrong.
Trash the preferences exactly as described in the link below.
If that doesn't work, completely uninstall FCE as described in the other link and reinstall it.
http://www.fcpbook.com/Misc1.html
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=301182

Mac video hard drive and camera advice needed

My newspaper has agreed to switch to a Mac and Final Cut Express video editing setup and I need to make some recommendations to them as to what to get, since they are willing to buy two MacBook Pro laptops, a video camera and a couple copies of Final Cut Express. Help needed:
1/ What configuration of a MacBook Pro is suggested? The regular hard drive that comes with the computer and an added SATA hard drive for the Final Cut Express scratch disk and file storage? How big should the drives be?
2/ A Mac and Final Cut Express compatible AVCHD video camera with an external microphone shoe, costing about $1000 to 1,2000. Any model suggestions?
Thanks,
Douglas
[email protected]

Goodness, Studio X, what an aggressive response from someone who knows nothing of the background to my request for advice. I am no expert as perhaps you may be, but from that school of mid-size and smaller daily newspapers whose staff has had to teach themselves video with a lot of self-learning, little funding, trial by error and forums such as this.
For what it's worth, I trained under our former multimedia editor for a couple years and have since published perhaps 50 video features and audio slideshows to our paper's website, using a tottering system of Premium Elements 4.0, lousy PCs and inadequate cameras. But we've made do while arguing repeatedly for more investment - which is why I finally just used my personal MacBook Pro and Final Cut Express to file a half-dozen deadline video features recently for the paper from a PGA-tour event in our area.
After them being pleased with the speed and results of that, the beancounters are now willing to make a small investment in a better video set-up, which will be for two MacBook Pros with 500 GB external Firewire drives for video storage and scratch disks, Final Cut and a Canon Vixia HF s21. Now, I have a question for you: Do you always come six guns blazing into forums like this and shoot at people who are just trying to up their game a bit with advice from the otherwise other helpful people here? It is to those folks that I now return my attention and my thanks for their aid.
Douglas

Copying VHS tapes to Hard Drive for editing in iMovie

OK, so I have old home videos on VHS tapes; I was going to burn them all to DVD, but found that they cannot be edited and I understand ripping them will degrade the quality (and we're working with VHS -- not the best quality to begin with!) So, I learned there is a way "analog digital capture" where I can transfer the VHS tapes onto a hard drive, then edit in iMovie.
I know I could pay for a transfer house to do it, but I think it would be wiser financially to invest in the device I need to do it myself.
I don't entirely understand what I need to buy, or how to do it, does anyone know what I am asking and what to do? Thank you so much!

I am using a JVC DR MV-150 VHS DVD recorder which dubs directly.
The results look better than the originals.
Some problems with "finalizing" the DVDs, but I managed to push a series of buttons and got there. It is not what JVC says in their manual and found something on line which was wrong as well, but a combination got me there.
It is one touch, load in tape, load in blank DVD and push dubbing. Machine initializes the DVD and then transfers, at the end you go through a process to "finalize" the DVD and done.
Cost me $200 at Sma's Club.
You can also take semi full tapes and pause the dubbing and put in a new VHS tape and record a "New" chapter.
All in all I like it. It has better quality than going from VHS to computer, I assume they have some sort of a chip in the machine to make this better.
my 2 cents

Thermal (?) tape for hard drive cover

I'm trying to replace the HDD on a mid 2010 Mac Mini with a SSD. I followed the video guide on Other World Computing (http://eshop.macsales.com/installvideos/mac_mini2010) but forgot to put the spacer on the back of the SSD to make up for the difference in depth from the original HDD. When I tried to put it back together, it wasn't fitting together properly, so the thermal (?) tape keeping the plastic cover and heat sensor on the hard drive (the "tape" seen in this Apple part: http://www.amazon.com/Apple-OEM-Original-Part-076-1369/dp/B007BZYY0Y?tag=ifixita m-20) and the top pad to the optical drive flex cable (the cable for illustrative purposes http://www.powerbookmedic.com/Mac-Mini-Unibody-Optical-Drive-Flex-Cable-p-24104. html) lost all of their adhesiveness.
Is there any way to buy new pieces of tape without having to buy another heat sensor? Or something else I can use in its place? And what kind of adhesive could I use to re-adhere the top pad to the optical drive connector?
Please let me know,
Thanks

http://www.ebay.com/bhp/thermal-adhesive-tape
http://www.amazon.com/Akasa-ak-tt12-80-Thermal-Adhesive-Tape/dp/B001GIM9V8
Google thermal tape for more

Adobe Premiere Pro CS3 - JVC 20GB Hard Drive Video Camera Difficulties

I am currently using Adobe Premiere Pro CS3. I have a JVC 20 gb hard drive video camcorder that I have currently recorded footage on. I need to either find a way to capture that footage somehow or convert the videos from .MOD files to a supported format for Adobe without the blurry pixelated quality of the video and the lack of sound on certain formats. If anyone can steer me in the right direction, your help would be appreciated! Thanks!

Read Hunt on Using MOD/TOD files http://forums.adobe.com/thread/699990

Problem Capturing Cannon XL2 tape to Hard Drive

I am using a Cannon XL2 Camera with a firewire connection to my MacBookPro.
Normally I record directly to the HDD and use the cassette tape as a backup.
This has been working fine up unitl the .7 version.
I needed to use the backup tape version so I attempted to download it to the computer.
It did connect, and I had full control of the VCR functions of the camera. But FCPX
Captured the footage in very short clips ranging from 3 frames to 20 frame duration.
When I watch the tape in in viewer without anttempting to capture it, it plays fine.
But somewhere in the capture process it is getting messed up.
Can anyone point me in the direction to finding a solution. I don't even know where to start.
Thank you
jac

There are lots of similar reports. I've encountered this at times with earlier versions, but not recently. For any tapes that I couldn't capture I ended up by capturing in legacy FCP. Many people have successfully used iMovie for capture, and edited in FCPX.
Good luck.
Russ

Can you use a Sony DCR-SR60E hard drive video camera with FC-Express?

Friend of mine in OZ has just bought this camera and I am trying to help her out from the UK! LOL. The camera only has USB and does NOT have firewire. Am I right in thinking that she is not going to be able to use this camera with Final Cut Express, or is there a way round this? The shop she bought it from is useless when it comes to support. Any help would be great. At the moment I have said she would be better off taking it back and changing it for a mini DV camera with firewire.
Powerbook 15 G4 Mac OS X (10.4.7)

You can't use the camera with FCE because it shoots in a format not supported by digital video systems on the Mac. FCE edits only DV or HDV material. This camera doesn't shoot one of those.

VCR to Mac Did this with DV; now I own Hard drive camera; methods?

Hello,
I previously owned a DV, tape-based, video camera. It was good but it broke. I regularly used it to transfer VHS tapes to the DV camera, then from the DV camera to the PC (now a Mac!...yeah!).
I've replaced that camera with the Canon HF100, a hard-drive based camera that requires me to use imovie-08. I have more VHS tapes that I'd like to transfer to the MAC so I may ultimately make DVDs out of the material.
As best I can tell, the Canon camera does not allow for input from external devices...output only. Correct me if I'm wrong.
So I'm wondering if there is a way to use Imovie 08 or a previous version, to transfer VHS tapes using a VCR, or the Canon camera, directly to the Mac. Is there a piece of hardware that does this?
Thanks for your time.

Several options:
Canopus makes Digital Analog Converters that will convert VHS output to DV.
ElGato EyeTV makes the EyeTV Hybrid that will convert VHS output to MPEG2, which can be further processed in the EyeTV software to DV or h.264 for editing in iMovie.

Suggestion for a new Hard Drive?

I'm thinking about replacing the 250GB hard drive that came with my G5 with a larger one. I'll relegate the old one to backup duties and the new one will end up being my new media drive. (Currently, I'm running my OS off a 150GB Raptor via a SATA card.)
I'd like to know what you'd suggest as a good 500MB-750MB drive to replace the existing one? I'm plan on using as a media / backup drive (for when the new OS comes out). I'd like one that's not too noisy, however. At one point I got a 320MB Western Digital that I ended up relegating to offline backup due to the whining noise it made when operating. It was noisy enough I could easily hear it above my computer's fans. I'd like something that isn't particularly noisy since it will be operating at all times.

WD would be my choice. Either 500GB or 750GB. And by the looks of it, the 750 is an excellent drive for replacing the (loud) 10K Raptor. I've noticed that Raptor bought couple months ago is much quieter than one from a year ago.
I have 3 x Caviar SE16 500GB, 2 x 320GB RE series, and 2 x 160GB RE as well. Along with a couple 10K Raptors and 3 x MaxLine Pro. The ML Pro run warm-ish and make more noise than Caviar.
Samsung 500GB would be quiet too.

How large of a hard drive can I upgrade to on my late 2009 MacBook?

I currently have a 250GB 5400 rpm hard drive that cam standard in my MacBook. I would like to upgrade to a 750 GB. Can I do this? and can I move to a 7200 rpm drive instead?

Yes you can http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=100007605%2060003059 9%20600003340&IsNodeId=1&name=7200%20RPM
Here's a video on replacing it http://eshop.macsales.com/installvideos/macbook_13_09_unibody_hd/

Tape versus hard drive HD camera

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