DV Info Net - Focus Enhancements FS-5 Working Well These Days

At one point last year, Apple's update of QuickTime threw a monkey wrench into the way Final Cut sees and uses .mov files. At least the .mov files generated by the FS-5. Focus Enhancements (now part of VITEC) tried to get Apple to work its side but it's hard to move an 800 pound gorilla. The Focus Enhancements solution is to create an application that converted the .mov files that the FS-5 creates into a useable form again. I believe it's just a simple rewrap.

The Focus Enhancements works elegantly, simply and so fast that when I first used it, I thought there was something wrong. The best way to use the program, HD File Converter Pro - Updater v1.3b1, is to create an icon of the application in your dock. Open the folder in which the FS-5 generated .mov files are stored. You can do this while the files are still in the FS-5 but Focus suggests you make a copy of them somewhere else. Select the file or files and drag them to the application icon in the dock. Within seconds your files are updated and ready to be dragged into your timeline or imported into an event folder. A dialogue box tells you your files have been successfully converted. Also, if you inadvertently selected other, non .mov files, the box will tell you it ignored those files. You can tell your files are updated because they have the current date and time in the file information.

Not sure if the XML files still link but I can't see why they wouldn't be. I know most of you don't even use the files.

After buying a Atomos Ninja, I had thought of selling mine and I still may but just as I'm headed down that line, I get a request for .mxf files from a client so, the FS-5, which can capture files thusly, is going to be valuable because I'll be able to transfer directly while on-site after the shoot.

Dave Burckhard
PicturePoint On-line