Mind-bogglingly simple question
 

How do you switch off the "HDV/DV In" function when trying to capture video in FC HD?

"HDV/DV In" isn't a function that can be switched off -- there's a menu option for it, but all it does it let you choose to preserve incoming TimeCode or regenerate new TimeCode. What's wrong, can't you capture from the XH A1 into Final Cut using the camera's VCR playback mode?

No, I can't. Any ideas?

I'd close out of FCP, turn on the camera, then start FCP. Make sure you click the refresh AV devices in the View menu.

If you're trying to do 24p, you have to be running at least 5.1.2.

I did all that, and it crashed when I selected Capture.

Which capture preset and device control preset are you using?

(Try HDV and HDV Firewire Basic)

I often forget to switch to the right one (I have both SD and HDV camcorders) and get some sort of surprise when I try the wrong one...

I changed the Easy Setup to HDV, and the camera signal setup to HDV. Now I can capture HDV in FC HD, but only for ten seconds at a time (!) I have no idea what's going on.

If you want to switch back to DV, you have to tell your camera to output DV,not HDV, and you have to change your settings in FCP from HDV back to a DV mode.

I know that, and I've tried it. It doesn't work. When Easy Setup is set to DV-NTSC or DV-Firewire Basic, and the camera is set to DV Signal Setup, the program crashes when I try to capture.
The computer won't recognize the camera as an external device, and I think it has something to do with the LCD displaying "HDV/DV In". How can something export when it has an "in" function displayed?

I think all systems will say AV in with a camcorder plugged in and it is in play/edit mode. If I click on a video file I have captured it stops AV in and the program switches to edit mode.
Why you can't capture over 10 seconds is interesting...Computer full, not enough ram ..??

Make sure the playback signal is also DV and not HDV.

Vince, I think you're on to something. I've got a big project on my hard drive that might not make it possible to capture anymore.
Still, I can't even get to the place where I want to capture standard DV, even for a few seconds. And yes, Bill, I did set the playback standard to DV first.

Have you switch off your down conver in the Camera when you are capturing HD? Are you having SD and HD footage in one tape? I have my setting to easy set up but use HDV 50i firewire .Because I work in PAL.

The tape I am trying to import has both HDV and DV footage. I've tried to import both formats (changing the appropriate settings in FC HD and the camera's Signal Setup) but no luck.
I was able to capture DV before, but I can't recreate it. I've searched the manuals for FC HD and the XH-A1 but I guess I'll keep looking. It's quite possible my 512MB of ram and 6 remaining GB of space can't handle it.

That couid be the problem--mixing formats on the same tape.