Transferring Betacam SP tapes to AVI files using Final Cut Pro?

What would be the most cost effective way to transfer Betacam SP tapes to AVI files?
I have a Betacam SP deck, Final Cut, and a Mac Pro.
I just need to connect the Betacam SP deck to the Mac Pro.
Thank you in advance for any thoughts.

Pretty much, yes.
As I noted above it will capture via FireWire to the DV codec as well as the other usual outputs.
If DV is good enough, go for it.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/325525-REG/SonyJ30SDI_J_30SDI_Compact_BetacamSeries.html#specifications

Similar Messages

Editing .AVI files in Final Cut Pro 5

I am trying to edit .AVI files on Final Cut Pro 5 on a volunteer basis.
I have converted the files to .MOV files with Quicktime Player.
I am able to import one of these files into Final Cut Pro 5, and can even watch it in the viewer.
But when I place it in the Sequence tab to edit it, I get a screen that says "UNRENDERED" for the whole clip.
Based on past experience, the video would be harder to edit in a rendered state.
Any advice on how to edit .AVI files would be much appreciated.

AVI files are quite similar to some .mov files, but the devil is in the details (so to speak.)
You don't give any particulars, so I'm going to assume you're working with standard definition NTSC video. Additionally, I'll assume that your system is PowerPC Mac since only FCP 5.1 and higher supports Intel processors.
FCP uses sequence presets that spell out the parameters for the timeline. If a clip is dissimilar or acquires enough filters to be functionally dissimilar,the timeline will become red for that portion of the timeline. The same is true for the audio portion of the clip.
The terms "QuickTime" and ".mov" (and probably ".AVI" for that matter) are kicked around as if they are specific but in fact they are quite vague. It's like saying you have a Ford; without any additional info like model and year, it's hard to get down to cases.
Use Compressor or QuickTime Pro to convert your footage to DV/DVCPRO-NTSC (if it's SD and you're in North America) and make sure the audio is converted to 48KHz/16-bit. This should match the NTSC presets and your timeline should a "cool" color (dark blue to light green) and playback nicely.
Depending on the amount of processor power your system has, you may be able to play back clips with filters or even two or more layers of video without rendering. To be frank, don't count on it because someone has had well over 5 years to upgrade the system and hasn't so it may be "peaked out" already. You can usually step through the timeline using the arrow keys or by rendering short segments if you practice good "timeline hygiene" i.e., keep the timeline as clean as possible, don't strew clips over many video layers and let them stack up.
That should get you going, I strongly recommend you take a little time to read the help docs/// they actually can help.
Good luck!

.avi files and Final Cut Pro/Express

A friend of mine, a PC users, has a Cinemate film to video converter <http://www.moviestuff.tv/c_15.html>, and has digitized some footage for me. He saved it using three different systems: Scenalyzer, Vegas and Pinnacle. Each outputs a .avi file, which he put an a portable USB drive.
The files import into Final Cut (Express), but with this 'warning':
'The following media files are not optimized for Final Cut Express HD.
It is highly recommend that you recapture the media to create new copies of the files to improve their performance for multi-stream playback.'
They seem to playback, and the images 'appear' bring and sharp, so I don't really know what the warning means.
He does have the choice, when he captures, to save the files not as .avi -- his systems default -- but as NTSC DV files.
Would that be the preferred option? Or, put another way, what would be the best format for import into Final Cut Pro or Express?
Thanks,
Hal

<<You may want to invest in a software converter (flip4mac, for example) that will ingest your avi files into FCP.>>
This may turn out to be an option, but it isn't that FCPro won't accept the avi files; it's just that it gave me this warning that I didn't understand. If, as a previous posting said, it's just telling me that this wasn't imported via Final Cut, then 'no big deal'. If it's telling me something else, that's yet to be discovered.
<<If your friend saves the files as DV NTSC, they will still give you that warning when you bring them into FCP. DV NTSC may mean DV stream, which will have to be demuxed (the audio & video are mixed together) and is not easily editable. However, QT pro can demux these files for you.>>
It'll be an interesting 'experiment', and I'll be sure and post the results.
Curiously enough, iMovie imports these same files without blinking, and seems to convert them on the fly as it were to .dv files, with no apparently loss of quality. These can then be imported into FCPro/Express.
<<About the only thing that doesn't give a warning are files captured using FCP ....>>
If that's all it's tell me, that I didn't capture these using FCP, then I guess I could say it's telling me something I already knew. <grin>
Thanks for the input.
Hal

Best way to transfer Betacam SP tapes to AVI files?

What would be the most cost effective way to transfer Betacam SP tapes to AVI files?
I have a Betacam SP deck, Final Cut, and a Mac Pro.
I just need to connect the Betacam SP deck to the Mac Pro.
Thank you in advance for any thoughts.

+" ... I need to convert these tapes into the best possible, broadcast quality file format ... "+
If you are doing it yourself, DV is about the only way you can go. There are no A-D converters that I know of that save to Apple Intermediate Codec or ProRes (and you would need FCStudio to do ProRes, anyway - are you using FCExpress or FCPro?).
Canopus does have a (more expensive) HD series converters - the ADVC-HD50 runs about $650 and converts analog to HDV, but that in turn would need to be converted to Apple Intermediate Codec in order to use it in FCExpress.
+" ... Everyone (PC heads) has been telling me to go AVI. What would you suggest then? ..."+
Even pc heads should know better than AVI.
But what is your intended purpose? Burn to DVD, provide to a TV broadcast, put on a website, upload to YouTube? That would really determine the 'best format'.

I'm going to save my old Hi8 tapes on a hard disk using final cut pro x, to save it for the future. But how shall I export it, and in what will be the best quality to save it in?

I'm going to save my old Hi8 tapes on a hard disk using final cut pro x, to save it for the future. But how shall I export it, and in what will be the best quality to save it in?

Hi Carsten...good luck with your project.. I had just about as many Video8 & Hi8 tapes as
you that I digitized and eventually brought into FCPX..took me many months not weeks
to do so,BTW, as each tape was 60-90 minutes in lenght...and many hundreds of
gigab ytes of storage ( uncompressed AVI files)..it's tedious work unless you plan to farm
it out to a processing house...also regarding eventual storage format...remember
Hi8 is 400 lines or about 540X480 in todays resoultion metrics..you can't make hi-def out
of source that starts out as 400 lines...in my case I rewrapped the avi files into .mov
containers and imported the mov files into FCPX where I got rid of the hundreds of
minutes of Colorado mountain landscapes to get to that one minute shot of the kids
on horseback ( late 80's for most of my archives)..so its a job..scouring thru 30X90 min
of source to not miss those precious memories takes diligence and hard work but its worth
it; eventually I encode the uncompressed video I want to save in H.264 format Staandard
Def not HiDef

My files from final cut pro trial aren't transferring to final cut pro x - how do I fix this?

I had been making a video in the final cut pro trial and didn't realize my trial was going to run out as soon as it did that day. I downloaded final cut pro x and was planning on finishing up editing tonight, but none of my files from final cut pro trial transferred over to final cut pro x. Everywhere I have read online said they should transfer automatically, but that's not happening. Is there a fix?

you're tried using the 'Open Library' command?
http://help.apple.com/finalcutpro/mac/10.1/?lang=en#ver217d6e77d
Where are your Projects & Events located?

Importing AVI files into Final cut creates a pop

How can I stop getting a popping sound when I import AVI files into Final Cut. I figured it must be the type of file itself but I cant seem to find a free converter to convert my AVIs into what ever is need (which is what? .mov files?)
Please help

The very basics of non-linear editing is to know what video and audio codecs your particular NLE works with natively. FCP works with many video codecs but only a few audio codecs. Typically it works best with AIFF at 48khz, 16 bit.
You can find out all the various native codecs and formats in the User's Manual, Help Files or by looking through the Easy Setup list.
FWIW, both AVI and MOV are not really codecs at all; they are both merely containers that could contain video and audio made from any number of codecs. So saying you have an AVI file or a MOV file is kind of like saying you have a car ... it doesn't really tell anyone much at all.
Both QuickTime Pro and Compressor (which you most likely already have installed) should be able to convert to a native codec for use in FCP.
-DH

How can I convert avi file to mov file for final cut pro?

Hi
I have source files which are captured by Canous Edious system.
I want to edit these files on final cut pro 5.1, However, I got the audio but no image at all. Although I tired to use Discreet Cleaner 6.5 in my apple computer, it did not work. What sall I do with this problem?
Someone told me that it should work with Cleaner, so I purchased.
Is there any special setting for Cleaner?
If anyone knows about this, plseae let me know.
thanks you .
system G5 2.3/4.5GB Final cut ST 5.1
Discreet Cleaner 6.5

This may assist:
http://www.divx.com/divx/mac/?hp3macmoreinfo

How using mp4 files on final cut pro x

a can't impot any mp4 (I don't want converter to mov) file in to fcp x.
how using mp4 files on final cut pro x?

MPEG-4 is delivery framework and should never be used in production. At the very leasgt you should optimize the media when you import it.

How to import MXF files to Final Cut Pro with smooth editing

Summary: Follow this tutorial to learn how to import and edit MXF files in Final Cut Pro by converting MTS to FCP native format.
If you have a Panasonic P2, Canon XF or Sony XDCAM series camcorder,
you may be familiar with Material eXchange Format (MXF). Though MXF is a
great video format to record high-definition videos, it is not easy to
use in that they are not natively supported by most NLE systems like
Final Cut Pro. In order to import MXF to FCP for editing, the easy workaround is to transcode MXF files to FCP compatible video formats.
Along with some help from a top MXF Converter, it can be done. To
help those who wanna edit MXF files in FCP without problems, here I
share with you a simple guide on how to convert MXF files to edit in
Final Cut Pro 6/7 or FCP X.
First of all, downloading the App- Brorsoft MXF Converter for Mac
Overall, the program is a professional yet easy-to-use MXF Converter
on Mac (Mavericks included) which can not only convert XF100, Canon
C300, XF105 and XF305, Panasonic P2 recorded MXF files, but also provide
simple video editing functions for you. The MXF to FCP Converter not
only can convert MXF to ProRes for FCP, but also can transcode MXF
videos for editing in Avid MC, Adobe Premiere Pro, iMovie, FCE, etc.
Just download it and follow the tutorial below to get the work done.
Transcoding (P2) MXF files to ProRes for Final Cut Pro 6/7/X
1. Import MXF files to the converter
Launch the best MXF to FCP Converter, and then click the “add files” button to browse and import MXF videos from your camcorder or hard drive.
2. Select FCP editable format
Click the Format bar, and move mouse cursor to choose “Final Cut Pro > Apple ProRes 422 (*.mov)” as output format.
Tips:
a. Settings- click to set video
resolution(1920×1080/1440×1080/1280×720/720×480), bitrate (from 1Mbps to
20Mbps), frame rate (24p/30p)
b. Editor (next to “Add” icon)- click to set deinterlace, trim, crop, add effect, attach subtitles, etc
3. Start transcoding MXF video to FCP
Click “Convert” button to start converting MXF files to Apple ProRes
MOV for FCP 6/7/X under Mac OS. Once the MXF to ProRes 422 conversion
is done, you can transfer MXF footage into Final Cut Pro (X) for editing
smoothly on Mac with ease.
Source:How to import MXF files to Final Cut Pro with smooth editing
[quote] jacknjchn.tumblr.com/post/76914947404/cant-import-mxf-footage-to-fcp-transcoding-mxf-to-fcp [/quote]

You may refer to this step by step guide on how to convert MXF to Final Cut Pro more supported Apple ProRes or DV at http://www.idealshare.net/imovie-fcp/mxf-final-cut-pro.html
It also applies to convert MXF to other video or audio format. It even applies to convert other videos like AVCHD, MOD, TOD, AVI, and MPEG etc to FCP format.

How to work with .XML files with FINAL CUT PRO HD

Ok so I am a newby, kind of. We filmed a feature using the SONY XDCAM 350. uses the optical 23.3GB disc. I used the camera to copy all the HD files ( .XML ) to an 1TB external drive. Now the drive is readable, everything looks fine, when I select a .XML file. Final Cut Pro HD opens, but then asks to choose a TRANSLATION file. Where do I go from here. I do not understand that command of action it is asking. Newby here, so pity me for awhile.
Thanks

my instinct is "No" but thats no (because the app is expecting th efiles to be located on an mounted XDCAM disc that is formated as such) ... but in your situation I'd be inclined to download the XDCAM Transfer app and try for myself
what you may need to do though is get hold of the discs and a deck and import using the method above
failing that you have the option of using Flip4Mac's MXF quicktime components ... not cheap.
this will allow you to select the local XDCAM source media that you've alreday transfered in the native MXF format, and rewrap as Quicktime for editing in FCP
(a trial version is available for download)
... and if thats out of budget, or for whatever reason not an option, you can sit it out and see if the next FCP revision helps you out any with its direct Log and Transfer support for XDCAM. may have the same restrictions though (ie need a properly attached formatted device)
... and other than that, you're looking at switching to an NLE with native MXF support (Avid, Edius, Vegas etc)

Comparing video quality of AVCHD BluRay discs using Final Cut Pro Share vs Compressor

Up front, I will admit to being a newbie when it comes to using Final Cut Studio 3 and would appreciate some feedback from the Apple forum experts.
I have spent a lot of time trying to determine how to achieve an optimum group of Compressor 3.5.2 settings so that the playback video quality of an AVCHD BluRay disc is equal to or better than one created by using the simpler auto settings of FCPro Share, version 7.0.2.
When using Compressor’s auto/default maximum settings, I experienced the same error message reported in:
Error MessageDuring Creation of Blu-ray Disc in FCP and Compressor 3.5
https://discussions.apple.com/message/12073794#12073794
I have since made some Compressor AVCHD Discs with smaller bit rate settings and compared video quality with a single FCP Share AVCHD disc. Both seem to be equal in providing a very good video when viewed on my new Panasonic DMP BDT 310 BluRay player. However, the Compressor AVCHD discs show some motion artifacts not present with the FCPro Share version, especially when scrolling text or when objects are moving through the field of view, and visible artifacts are seen from a stationary chain link fence and other lattice work in the background of the video sample.
My sample video used for the comparisons between Compressor and FCP Share discs is a 21 minute duration home movie, originally captured from a mini DV, Canon HV30 1080i camcorder using ProRes HQ encoding(1440x1080), and dragged into FC Pro 7.0.2 timeline where 10 chapter markers have been inserted.
To create an AVCHD disc using FCPro Share, Markers are used to set the IN and OUT points, Select IN to OUT from the timeline, pull down File Menu Share, Select Create BluRay from options in pop out Share pane, and designate output device along with picture files for Background, Logo, and Title options. When these are completed, click on Export. My 21-minute video required almost two hours for encoding including about 10 minutes for burning. This accomplished on an iMac 3.06 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo.
To prepare this same 21-minute video for use with Compressor, I again Select IN to Out from the FCPro timeline, but this time use File Export as a QuickTime Self Contained movie including Chapter markers. Then Open Compressor, choose Create BluRay from Template pane, right click on the down arrow in the Batch window and load the QT self contained movie file. From there I went to the Inspector window and tried various combinations of bit rate settings along with Frame Encoder options such as Better or Best motion parameter controls.
I have tried the following combinations of Bit rate settings along with varying Frame Encoder controls and burned an AVCHD disc for each example:
Example A
Compressor set to 6 Mbps Average and 8Mbps Maximum, Frame Encoder settings OFF. Approximately 4 hours to encode although the time remaining estimator indicated a larger value of ~7 hours; not an accurate estimator at all.
Example B
Compressor set to 6 Mbps Average and 8Mbps Maximum, Frame Encoder settings ON, using “Better (Linear Filter) and Better (Motionadaptive)” settings. Approximately 4 hours to encode, not the 13 hours that were estimated.
Conclusion: Comparing A & B Compressor versions, Disc B showed some improvements in reducing motion artifacts over Disc A.
Example C
Compressor set to 13 Mbps Average and 15 Mbps Maximum, Frame Encoder settings ON, using “Better (Linear Filter) and Better (Motion adaptive)” settings. Multipass checked. DeInterlace was checked. Unknown hours to encode; about 8 hours done overnight..
Conclusion: Disc C showed some minor improvements reducing motion artifacts over Disc B
Example D
Compressor Auto settings,i.e., 15 Mbps Average and 17 Mbps Maximum, Frame Encoder settings ON, using “Better (Linear Filter) and Better (Motion adaptive)” settings. Multipass checked. Approximately 12 hours to encode, done overnight. Inserted disc next morning after the overnight encoding was completed, and a few minutes later an error message pane appeared that the maximum bit rate had been exceeded. This message was consistent with the Apple posted thread referenced above. Unfortunately the long overnight encoding was wasted.
It seemed to me that the best Compressor settings for suppressing the motion artifacts were displayed by the disc burned in Example C, i.e., 13/15 Ave/Max Mbps with“Better” Motion settings in the Frame Encoder.
However, when this disc was compared to the AVCHD Disc burned using the FCPro Share, the latter still seemed much better. I do not know what the auto bit rate values are as set in FC Pro, but for me, the quality is quite good AND the motion artifacts are significantly reduced, especially evident with the scrolling text.
Sorry about this long post, but I thought the detail would be necessary for the experts, and maybe helpful to others trying to get started in this BluRay arena. Did I misuse Compressor? I think the sample video exported as a self contained QT movie was the right thing to do? Not sure where I went wrong.
Thanks in advance for Feedback and Recommendations. For now, I’m going to stay with the simpler process using Final Cut Pro Share function.
BoBo

Thank You, Brad, for responding; glad to hear I'm not the only one having similar Compressor issues.
You may have hit on something. Perhaps Compressor's use of H.264 encoding was the reason for my motion artifacts? And perhaps Final Cut Pro Share retains the 1440x1080 quality as it burns the AVCHD BluRay disc?
I had Toast 10 for less than 30 days a couple of years ago, and was lucky to get a refund.
What version of Toast do you have? Wondering if new Toast 11 has improved previous bugs, especially upgrading its Chapter text, pictures, music. I would go back to Toast if it came close to mirroring DVD Studio Pro, or even iDVD capabilities.
Thanks,
BoBo

How to use Final Cut Pro

How do you use Final Cut Pro which I might start using on my Mac Mini

Step 1: Read through the manual/help files. Pay particular attention to system requirements and set up.
Step 2: Install the application.
Step 3: Do some tutorials.
Step 4: Refer to the manual/help files when you run into questions while working on the tutorials.
Step 5: Capture or import footage into your first real project.
Step 6: Use what you learned from the manual/help files and tutorials to edit your video.
-DH

How to use Final Cut pro with external hard drive?

I have too little space on my computer so I have to use final cut pro x with an external hard drive, but whenever I have the hard drive plugged in and Final cut going, my computer goes very slow. I just upgraded to 16gb ram... but can't seem to run FCP x while an external hard drive is plugged in. FCP just freezes up and I have to force quit.

craigbuckley wrote:
all the files and events in final cut are still on my internal, so my internal drive is still full.... Do I have to go and delete everything off my internal?
In addition to the excellent advice to keep your media on an external HDD, you need to make sure that your system (boot) drive has a decent amount of free space if you want to have a satisfactory editing experience. Many people recommend not going below 20% free space. That's especially so for the boot drive, but as you fill up the external, its performance will also slow. Ideally, we would have separate media and backup drives,
You don't need to "delete everything". Rather, you first figure out what needs to be moved. You copy those files to the other drive and then verify that all the files you copied are in two locations. At that point you can delete those files from your boot drive.
Good luck.
Russ

How do I open my Final Cut Express 4.0 files in Final Cut Pro 10.1.3?

Hello,
I used Final Cut Pro when I was in college and when I graduated in 2010, I bought Final Cut Express 4.0. I recently bought Final Cut Pro 10.1.3 two days ago and I am having trouble opening up my old Final Cut Express 4.0 files. When I do go to open up these files they only open up with Final Cut Express and I always get the message: file's format is too new for this version of the application.
How do I open these Final Cut Express 4.0 files in Final Cut Pro 10.1.3?
Thank you!
Anna

TThere is no way to go directly from FCE to FCPX. If you know somehow who has FCP7, they can open the FCE projects and export XML files. These can be converted to FCPX XML format using the 7toX utility.

Transferring Betacam SP tapes to AVI files using Final Cut Pro?

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