Log and Capture with FCS2(FCP) + XHA1
 

I am using Final Cut Pro inside the Final Cut studio with a XHA1. I connect my macbookpro to the camera through the FW800 port. I have some HDV footage that I am trying to capture, but it just keeps hanging. I am able to log the clips by pressing "i" and "o". But when I press batch capture, it first brings up a window showing the clips and displays READY. Then when I press "continue", it just doesn't do anything. I have set the capture setting to Firewire NTSC and HDV108060i I think. Should I be playing with that setting or use some other technique altogether?

Another problem I face is that I can play the tape from FCP and also fast forward or rewind. But the fast forward and rewind don't show the preview and I had to keep stopping and playing in order to log the clips. Also the logged clips in the browser show "in time" (or was it "in mark", I don't remember the names correctly) and "out time" not set, but the "media start time" and "media end time" correspond to the the times I selected with "i" and "o".

No one has any clues?? Any help appreciated!!

BTW, I had 2 clips in my logging window, the first one from 0 to 5 min and the next from 5 to 10 min on the tape. The capture worked successfully on the second clip. The first one is the one that keeps hanging. I though it might have something to do with starting right at time 0. So I changed the in time to 1 sec, but it still didn't help. Is there any limitation on capturing right at the beginning of a tape?

I noticed the message again ad it says "CUEING source material" and tries to seek to the start time of the clip. But it doesn't go forward with the capturing (with the first clip).

It's no limitation in the beginning of the tape, but it's usually vice to record colorbars (or just black) for the first 20-30 seconds of the tape!

BTW are you sure that there is no drop-out of the beginning of the tape. Happen sometimes for me in the beginning of a new tape, that's why I always record bars or black in the first 30 sec.

I am a total newbie, so forgive my ignorance. What is a drop-out? Does it mean that a specific portion of the tape got erased or contains no data for some reason? I am able to play back right from the beginning and see the video playing both on my XHA1 LCD as well as the FCP log and capture preview.

Aside, as I mentioned in my first post, I am not able to fast-forward or rewind with a preview, both work without preview.

Srinivas: you should be using one of the HDV device control presets, not the NTSC one.

Drop-out is a read/write error when the camcorder is recording to the tape. This happens from time to time.
There is no way to recover an error like this. If you're recording in HDV this is very noticable from the fact that due to high compression and long-GOP, you'll lose up to 12 frames of data.

If you're unfamiliar with things like drop-out, long-gop etc. take a search in this forum (use the google search function at the bottom of this pages!). You'll find tons of information regarding this subject.

Shaun, I am actually using HDV preset, not the firewire NTSC (my mistake, I thought of using it, but then actually used the HDV one). I tried both the firewire and firewire basic, no difference.

Thanks for the explanation Per Johan. Since I am able to playback, it definitely is on the tape and that means no drop-out.

I am also considering playing the tape from the camera and using "capture now" instead of using the log and batch capture. I may have little control over the clip/shot naming, but it might hopefully work. I'll give it a try and report here.

FWIW, I have the same setup and the same problem. I've been using capture now, but I'm not happy about it...

Yes, give it a try.
BTW one note: If you trying to capture something on your tape only 1 second from the beginning of the tape, I don't believe you're able to get it! The reason: the caption device if it's your camcorder or another device always need a "handle" before the capture process can start. This means the tape has to start rolling and and get the proper speed on the video-drum, before it starts to read/write data. Just look at the timecode in your camcorder when it going to stop after being in the pause position. It's rolling backwards for a couple of seconds/frames
English is not my native langauage, but I hope you understand my explanation, or maybe someone else can describe it in a better english...?

No problems Per, I understood what you are trying to say. From next time I am going to record some dummy stuff for the first minute or so and create a stop/start transition there so that hopefully that can serve as a point where a clip can begin.

Jonathan, are you facing the problem only with the starting of the tape or everywhere?

Good question, I'm going to test that as soon as I get a chance. Thanks for the suggestion...

what speed hard drive do you have in your macbook pro? is it a 5400 RPM, or a 7200 RPM hard drive ?

Final Cut Pro needs a hard drive with a 7200 RPM speed to log and capture.

you can use quicktime pro to capture the footage, or imovie hd as well as a workaround for this problem with final cut pro

Sorry for the late reply Felipe. I believe I have the 7200 rpm drive. I am going to be shooting more soon. I'll report if any of my planned workarounds work.

I dont understand if Apple can make I-movie capture from these cameras why not the more expensive versions? FC and FCEX

final cut pro studio 2 giving me greif
 

I have tried everything i cant capture any hd video the capture window comes up but it stays black screen i have tried every setting under easy set up trust me there is nothing easy about this. I have even stood on one leg facing east during a full moon with a live chicken in my left hand while eating a boiled egg in the shower on a even numbered day. the capturing screen stays black and as it goes from one cut to anther i can see the clips being places in the project window ..... now if i try and use quicktime i get sound and a black screen and yet if i take the video i captured in QT and play it with VLC the picture is fine. i dont have any probs in imovie so what the hell is going on