Am I screwed?
 

Using the DR-HD100 my guys shot 24pA (DV) but set the Firestore to Quicktime not Quicktime 24p. Now I can't open the files... They do play back on my camera. Is there any way to get these back or will I have to use the take. Thanks.

M-

The file should be a 30-Frame Quicktime File that has a 2:3:3:2 (Advanced) pulldown embedded in it. The file should import into Final Cut Pro as a 29.97 file. There is a option in one of the Pulldown Menu's of FCP that says, "Remove Advanced Pulldown." That should turn all those clips into 23.98.

Why can't the computer "Just do it" or "Make it so"?

Because the Firestore did the right thing. He set it to Quicktime, not Quicktime 24. The computer feels he wants a 30 Fps with Advanced Pulldown.

Before the latest generation of HD digital video decks, the previous generations of both analog video decks and even digital video decks would automatically recognize the video format that had been shot and play it back properly, no prompting or menu selection was necessary.

Suddenly, the HD manufacturers have decided to purposely limit the playback capability of their HD decks. Perhaps everyone is so used to computers not knowing what it is we are feeding them that the manufacturers decided to get into the act to, and now we accept it as normal.

Well, it's NOT normal for any video machine or video playback unit to NOT know what format it is playing back, nor at what speed it was shot at, and by extension, it's kind of ridiculous that the computer must be prompted when it is being sent a video signal.

VHS had three recording speeds, all vhs playback/record decks ever made can immediately and automatically recognize what speed the vhs was originally recorded at. Is instant recognition of a videotape record format become something so complex that what worked so well 20 years ago is no longer possible?