Workflow for Live Video Feed to External Hard Drive?

My goal is to eliminate the "import from tape playback" step when filming a video blog for a medical client. Would this workflow work?
Sony DSR-PD170 video camera "live feed" Firewire output to
MacBookPro Firewire400 port input to
iMovie project capture output via Firewire 800 port to
LaCie 500GB d2 Quadra Hard Drive FireWire800 port
In other words, is the MacBook Pro capable of simultaneously importing through the Firewire 400 port and exporting to the Firewire 800 port? I've done something similar with the two Firewire 400 ports on my iMac, a DV tape deck, and a Lacie Firewire external hard drive.
Thanks for your feedback!
---j

hey there RI,
if you've tried something similar on your iMac & had no problems it's reasonable to think/believe it will work on your MBP, w/ this caveat: the 400 & 800 ports are actually on the same buss, so the 800 port will handle it's data at the lower(400) rate if there is a device on each port. shouldn't affect any editing w/ the drive once the cam is removed from the MBP. it should the run @ the higher rate.
good luck.

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Hi!
I am a Macbook user, but I plan to purchase a Macbook Pro since I am now doing a lot of HD (not HDV) video editing. I live outside of the U.S. and cannot call the Apple Store, so was wondering if anyone can provide advice on the forum.
I'm interested in either the 15-inch: 2.53GHz or 15-inch: 2.66GHz. is there a big difference in speed between these?
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I looked at the 15inch and 17inch but chose the 17inch - and I am a filmmaker. I too travel on location extensively and usually carry a 15inch due to size-weight - but the 17inch is much better for HD. The video card and screen resolution in the 17inch is much better than than the 15inch but what clinched it for me was the 17inch has a CF reader and the 15inch only has a small SD card reader.
Most video HD cams are shooting straight to CF cards now.
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I have copied videos onto an external hard drive. to free memory on my macbook. When I try to delete these I am woarned that I will not be able to use this video in existing projects
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Hi
You can do this - by not doing it the way You describe as it will not work.
a. the external hard disk - MUST BE - Mac OS extended (hfs) formatted -
UNIX/DOS/FAT32/Mac OS Exchange - will work for most things - BUT NOT FOR VIDEO (iMovie, iDVD or FinalCut doesn't matter)
b. Do not alter or move any folder named
• iMovie Event's - or -
• iMovie Project's
on DeskTop/Finder - at all
All moving's of Events and Projects must be done within the iMovie Application - then connections will not break.
(move them back and see if iMovie remembers them - then do move as described above)
Yours Bengt W

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I am running out of space on my Macbook and would like to move all my photos and videos to an external hard drive to free up disk space. How do I designate those drives as the destination drive when running the application (iPhoto, iMovie) on the Macbook.

Moving your iTunes Music folder   http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1449
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Is there a way to watch videos from an external hard drive on my iPad?

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Do you have a desktop machine running iTunes?
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It works good.

When I download videos (from an external hard drive), they appear to be downloaded (file sizes look correct) but they all stop playing a few minutes in!

When I download videos (from an external hard drive), they appear to be downloaded (file sizes look correct) but they all stop playing a few minutes in!

Try the following in the terminal
ls -alh filename
du -chs filename
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I loaded video from an external hard drive to my desktop. How do I import the video into iMovie 09? I tried "Import Camera Archive". Didn't work.

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Help please! imac is completely full, FPC wont let me render! I'm a video editor and have over 70 gb worth of videos on the imac which all need to be kept but now beloved imac is full, only had it for 5 months! need external hard drive every 5 months??

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My video files are massive, converting them to a different format doesn't reduce the size of them it just turns them into mp4 or apple pro res ect
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Have a look at this: http://grandperspectiv.sourceforge.net/
It will show you exactly what is taking up all of your space.
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Using FCP for live video feed

Hi,
I'm currently shooting with the new HVX200 Panasonic camera. We're using a small, 7" hand-held HD monitor to use for focus-pulling, but I'd like to be able to use a computer monitor or laptop for a live video feed. (director's monitor)
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Anyone have any experience doing a computer-monitor setup for use with these kinds of cameras?
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Everything Mac OS X (10.4.6)

hey there RI,
if you've tried something similar on your iMac & had no problems it's reasonable to think/believe it will work on your MBP, w/ this caveat: the 400 & 800 ports are actually on the same buss, so the 800 port will handle it's data at the lower(400) rate if there is a device on each port. shouldn't affect any editing w/ the drive once the cam is removed from the MBP. it should the run @ the higher rate.
good luck.

Cannot Access video clips from external hard drive

I have been using PE9 for six to nine months. My normal workflow has been to create a separate project file on a 500g external HD. This file includes all video clips (.mov files) and the Project.PREL file.
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The image above is from a project where I am having this problem. The clips that have images in them are uploaded from my laptop hard drive. Other others are from my external hard drive - and those are the ones that the program cannot "locate". This is what I am trying to understand how to fix. Again, this just suddenly started happening - so somehow I have changed something, I would think.
The same clips can be imported when they are stored on my hard drive. When I try to import them when stored on a video card, the PRE Video Importer opens and I can bring them into the program this way. However, these are not viable work-arounds for me.
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Also, some past projects open correctly and some cannot find the files – even though they are all stored on the same 500g HD.
Please Help.

For instructions on how to do things in Windows, search http://search.microsoft.com/search.aspx?mkt=en-US&setlang=en-US
I don't know the exact search words you should use... maybe something like
removeable drive letter
or
set drive letter
or
set usb drive letter
Set it to a letter that you are sure is otherwise NOT used... ie, something other than a camera and/or memory stick you connect via USB

ITunes 11 won't import .mov video files from external hard drive but will from internal.

Hi Everyone
I'm having a problem with iTunes 11.0.1. I can't import .mov video files stored on an external hard drive. I can however import .m4v files from the same external drive. Using either the add to library option or dragging files from the finder.
I can add .mov files from the internal though. Strange I know.
The reason behind this posting is that I'm using iFlicks to convert my TV and movies from my external drive for Apple TV and add all relevent meta data, keeping the files on the external drive and having iTunes link to them.
I would like to be able to simply create a general iTune compatiable file using iFlicks which only takes a minute or two per file to convert. I'm currently converting them to .m4v just for the sack of being able to import them into iTunes from an external drive takes 45 minutes per file.
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Many Thanks
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This might be worth a shot - basically seeing if Vista permissions could be the culprit.
Give yourself FULL control and ownership of the exHD, let's call it M:
How to Take Ownership and Grant Permissions in Windows Vista
Take control of the top level folder and ALL subfolders.
Try creating a new blank ITL file on M: by pressing *and holding* the shift key while itunes starts. See if you can add everything again.

How to move huge HD video files between external hard drives and defrag ext drive?

I have huge high definition video files on a 2TB external hard drive (and its clone). The external hard drive is maxed out. I would like to move many of the video files to a new 3TB external hard drive (G-drive, and a clone) and leave a sub-group of video files (1+ TB) on the original external hard drive (and its clone).
I am copying files from original external drive ("ext drive A") to new external drive ("ext drive B") via Carbon Copy Cloner (selecting iMovie event by event that I want to transfer). Just a note: I do not know how to partition or make bootable drives, I see suggestions with these steps in them.
My questions:
1.) I assume this transfer of files will create extreme fragmentation on drive A. Should I reformat/re-initialize ext drive A after moving the files I want? If so, how best to do this? Do I use "Erase" within Disk Utilities? Do I need to do anything else before transfering files back onto ext drive A from its clone?
2.) Do I also need to defrag if I reformat ext drive A? Do I defrag instead of or in addition to reformating? If so, how to do this? I've read on these forums so many warnings and heard too many stories of this going awry. Which 3rd party software to use?
Thank you in advance for any suggestions, tips, advice. This whole process makes me SO nervous.

Here is a very good writeup on de-fragging in the OS environment that I borrowed
From Klaus1:
Defragmentation in OS X:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1375 which states:
You probably won't need to optimize at all if you use Mac OS X. Here's why:
Hard disk capacity is generally much greater now than a few years ago. With more free space available, the file system doesn't need to fill up every "nook and cranny." Mac OS Extended formatting (HFS Plus) avoids reusing space from deleted files as much as possible, to avoid prematurely filling small areas of recently-freed space.
Mac OS X 10.2 and later includes delayed allocation for Mac OS X Extended-formatted volumes. This allows a number of small allocations to be combined into a single large allocation in one area of the disk.
Fragmentation was often caused by continually appending data to existing files, especially with resource forks. With faster hard drives and better caching, as well as the new application packaging format, many applications simply rewrite the entire file each time. Mac OS X 10.3 onwards can also automatically defragment such slow-growing files. This process is sometimes known as "Hot-File-Adaptive-Clustering."
Aggressive read-ahead and write-behind caching means that minor fragmentation has less effect on perceived system performance.
Whilst 'defragging' OS X is rarely necessary, Rod Hagen has produced this excellent analysis of the situation which is worth reading:
Most users, as long as they leave plenty of free space available , and don't work regularly in situations where very large files are written and rewritten, are unlikely to notice the effects of fragmentation on either their files or on the drives free space much.
As the drive fills the situations becomes progressively more significant, however.
Some people will tell you that "OSX defrags your files anyway". This is only partly true. It defrags files that are less than 20 MB in size. It doesn't defrag larger files and it doesn't defrag the free space on the drive. In fact the method it uses to defrag the smaller files actually increases the extent of free space fragmentation. Eventually, in fact, once the largest free space fragments are down to less than 20 MB (not uncommon on a drive that has , say only 10% free space left) it begins to give up trying to defrag altogether. Despite this, the system copes very well without defragging as long as you have plenty of room.
Again, this doesn't matter much when the drive is half empty or better, but it does when it gets fullish, and it does especially when it gets fullish if you are regularly dealing with large files , like video or serious audio stuff.
If you look through this discussion board you will see quite a few complaints from people who find that their drive gets "slow". Often you will see that say that "still have 10 or 20 gigs free" or the like. On modern large drives by this stage they are usually in fact down to the point where the internal defragmentation routines can no longer operate , where their drives are working like navvies to keep up with finding space for any larger files, together with room for "scratch files", virtual memory, directories etc etc etc. Such users are operating in a zone where they put a lot more stress on their drives as a result, often start complaining of increased "heat", etc etc. Most obviously, though, the computer slows down to a speed not much better than that of molasses. Eventually the directories and other related files may collapse altogether and they find themselves with a next to unrecoverable disk problems.
By this time, of course, defragging itself has already become just about impossible. The amount of work required to shift the data into contiguous blocks is immense, puts additional stress on the drive, takes forever, etc etc. The extent of fragmentation of free space at this stage can be simply staggering, and any large files you subsequently write are likely to be divided into many , many tens of thousands of fragments scattered across the drive. Not only this, but things like the "extents files", which record where all the bits are located, will begin to grow astronomically as a result, putting even more pressure on your already stressed drive, and increasing the risk of major failures.
Ultimately this adds up to a situation where you can identify maybe three "phases" of mac life when it comes to the need for defragmentation.
In the "first phase" (with your drive less than half full), it doesn't matter much at all - probably not enough to even make it worth doing.
In the "second phase" (between , say 50% free space and 20% free space remaining) it becomes progressively more useful, but , depending on the use you put your computer to you won't see much difference at the higher levels of free space unless you are serious video buff who needs to keep their drives operating as efficiently and fast as possible - chances are they will be using fast external drives over FW800 or eSata to compliment their internal HD anyway.
At the lower end though (when boot drives get down around the 20% mark on , say, a 250 or 500 Gig drive) I certainly begin to see an impact on performance and stability when working with large image files, mapping software, and the like, especially those which rely on the use of their own "scratch" files, and especially in situations where I am using multiple applications simultaneously, if I haven't defragmented the drive for a while. For me, defragmenting (I use iDefrag too - it is the only third party app I trust for this after seeing people with problems using TechToolPro and Drive Genius for such things) gives a substantial performance boost in this sort of situation and improves operational stability. I usually try to get in first these days and defrag more regularly (about once a month) when the drive is down to 30% free space or lower.
Between 20% and 10% free space is a bit of a "doubtful region". Most people will still be able to defrag successfully in this sort of area, though the time taken and the risks associated increase as the free space declines. My own advice to people in this sort of area is that they start choosing their new , bigger HD, because they obviously are going to need one very soon, and try to "clear the decks" so that they maintain that 20% free buffer until they do. Defragging regularly (perhaps even once a fortnight) will actually benefit them substantially during this "phase", but maybe doing so will lull them into a false sense of security and keep them from seriously recognising that they need to be moving to a bigger HD!
Once they are down to that last ten per cent of free space, though, they are treading on glass. Free space fragmentation at least will already be a serious issue on their computers but if they try to defrag with a utility without first making substantially more space available then they may find it runs into problems or is so slow that they give up half way through and do the damage themselves, especially if they are using one of the less "forgiving" utilities!
In this case I think the best way to proceed is to clone the internal drive to a larger external with SuperDuper, replace the internal drive with a larger one and then clone back to it. No-one down to the last ten percent of their drive really has enough room to move. Defragging it will certainly speed it up, and may even save them from major problems briefly, but we all know that before too long they are going to be in the same situation again. Better to deal with the matter properly and replace the drive with something more akin to their real needs once this point is reached. Heck, big HDs are as cheap as chips these days! It is mad to struggle on with sluggish performance, instability, and the possible risk of losing the lot, in such a situation.

Having trouble importing mpeg videos from an external hard drive to iMovie or iPhoto. Keeps saying unrecognizable format. How do I get it to work?????

I have always had a dell computer. But after the 3rd crash, we decided to throw it out and get a mac. We bought this computer a week ago. I was able to save all our family pics and videos from the dell to an external hard drive. So when I got the new Mac set up, I plugged the hard drive in and had no problem importing all our pictures. But when I tried to import our videos, I ran into some problems. We have had 3 different cameras with each having a different video format. All our videos are either avi, mpeg, or mov. All the avi videos imported successfully but the others will not. I tried importing them into imovie and iphoto and neither one will recognize the format. iphoto says unrecognizable format and imovie just completely freezes and I have to force quit. Here is what is funny. I took the hard drive to my local store and when they hooked it up to their computer, they imported beautifully. Why won't it do the same for my brand new computer? Thanks!

I have always had a dell computer. But after the 3rd crash, we decided to throw it out and get a mac. We bought this computer a week ago. I was able to save all our family pics and videos from the dell to an external hard drive. So when I got the new Mac set up, I plugged the hard drive in and had no problem importing all our pictures. But when I tried to import our videos, I ran into some problems. We have had 3 different cameras with each having a different video format. All our videos are either avi, mpeg, or mov. All the avi videos imported successfully but the others will not. I tried importing them into imovie and iphoto and neither one will recognize the format. iphoto says unrecognizable format and imovie just completely freezes and I have to force quit. Here is what is funny. I took the hard drive to my local store and when they hooked it up to their computer, they imported beautifully. Why won't it do the same for my brand new computer? Thanks!

Help, I need to search for duplicate photos in my external hard drive

Hi Mr. Toad and others who have been answering questions in these forums:
Thank you very much for all your help so far. I have been using a mac for the last few years and LOVE IT! I was wondering if I could pick your brain for a moment. I have backed up my iphoto library onto my external hard drive...a few times...once or twice before I really knew what I was doing. There are a couple of folders that I fear have duplicates and I wasn't diligent about naming pics after having a baby (and now I know the errors of my ways). Now I have lots of folders like 01, 02, 03, etc and within each, there are the different days of the month. So, my question to you is do you know of a program that can seek on my external hard drive and show me duplicates and ask me if I want to remove them? I am trying a program right now called DupeGuru, but it has been running for abot 6 hours already and is only 1/4 done!!! It isn't even showing me that it's found any dupes yet. I've looked at iphoto diet and duplicate annihilator and both seem to only work with iphoto.
I really need an application or workflow to search my iomega 80g usb drive. if you have any thoughts, I'd love to hear them. My brain hurts trying to figure all of this out. Thanks again for your help!!!
ibook G4 Mac OS X (10.4.8)

well PhillyPhan, I can't tell that you're better looking just by your iphoto icon, now can I? Although it is a lovely sunset you've got there.
Thanks for your response to my question, I see your point and will do that, however, I have another folder that was created before I had a Mac, which has all sorts of lovely titles and labels and some of those pictures I brought over to my ibook when I first started. So there are some duplicates in my iphoto library that I already have backed up in that other folder. I guess I shouldn't really obsess about those. I guess I am just nervous about deleting all my prior iphoto library, but I should have faith that it will all be there in my pictures library. Just trying to clean up the virtual mess.
I'll hold my breath and take the plunge.
Thanks!
ibook G4

How to import video files from external hard drive?

I receive an error "You're trying to import a file from a DVD or Removable Media. Please use Video Importer for importing Videos..." however when I try this I still cannot import video files. This is extremely frustrating as we have 32 copies of this software and this is sarting to become a common issue. Please help and many thanks.
Attached is a screenshot...

jasonkmtr
Premiere Elements 12 Mac
A few more questions for now.
Taking your particular .avi files out of the equation, can you import any other format from Add Media/Files and Folders pointed to this external hard drive? What is the format of the external hard drive? NTFS or FAT32?
It is my recollection that AVCHD.avi has always been reported as highly problematic. Yet you seem to be saying that you have no problem importing them in to the project from the desktop with the program's Add Media/Files and Folders/Project Assets to Expert workspace Timeline.
Did you purchase your Premiere Elements 12 from the Mac App Store or from Adobe? If Mac Store, what do you have Adobe Premiere Elements Editor or Adobe Premiere Elements Quick Editor or some variation thereof?
You wrote
A number of users are experiencing this issue - they connect their hard drive, load Elements, start a new project and go to add media (from the ext hard drive) using the files and folders option.
Could you supply more information on this via link(s) which have reported this issue.
Thanks.
ATR

Workflow for Live Video Feed to External Hard Drive?

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