Update to help native capturing into FCP?

[Joachim Hoge]

I´m working in a prodiction company that have 3 JVC cameras. I have no idea as to how many times they have been to service this last year. We get a lot of dropped frames and other artifacts. I think some of the problems are due to the use of cheap tapes, I have now got the head of tech department to change to "proper" tapes.

After seeing lots of digital squares all over my footage, I changed to a new tape of the same brand (Maxell) I tried to shoot some more and when checking this tape had no damage to it at all. I´ve kept shooting with the same camera for 3 days now with out problems.

Tapes are not the culprit of all the problems we have had though. Last week I was in Tallinn, Estonia shooting. At the end of our last day I was filming a theater premier and had to change battery just before the end. The camera died right there and then. Luckily I could borrow a pd150 and pull of the last interview. It´s sent off to JVC, I haven´t heard back yet.

I want to like this camera, I was thinking of getting one for myself, but seeing all the problems we have had I have decided to look elsewhere. Problem is that I want a "proper" lend like the JVC has.

[Jonathan Nelson]

Originally Posted by Joachim Hoge

I´m working in a prodiction company that have 3 JVC cameras. I have no idea as to how many times they have been to service this last year. We get a lot of dropped frames and other artifacts. I think some of the problems are due to the use of cheap tapes, I have now got the head of tech department to change to "proper" tapes.

After seeing lots of digital squares all over my footage, I changed to a new tape of the same brand (Maxell) I tried to shoot some more and when checking this tape had no damage to it at all. I´ve kept shooting with the same camera for 3 days now with out problems.

Tapes are not the culprit of all the problems we have had though. Last week I was in Tallinn, Estonia shooting. At the end of our last day I was filming a theater premier and had to change battery just before the end. The camera died right there and then. Luckily I could borrow a pd150 and pull of the last interview. It´s sent off to JVC, I haven´t heard back yet.

I want to like this camera, I was thinking of getting one for myself, but seeing all the problems we have had I have decided to look elsewhere. Problem is that I want a "proper" lend like the JVC has.

Sorry to hear about the death,

That is kind of surprising to me because I have seen one these guys fall off of tripods before and it didn't even phase it. It was most likely an isolated incident and I wouldn't include it in the list of hdxxx problems.

About the tape issue:

I have never used Maxell stock. I will have to give them a try if you have had great success with them.

The common advice is to "use only ProHD tapes". Well, I have been using ProHD tapes and they have not alleviated the problem. Even after getting the heads checked and cleaned, my problem still exists. I never get tapes that capture without at least 20 breaks.

I find it really hard to recommend the hdxxx to people I talk to, especially those who use FCP. The DR-HD100 is pretty much the only work around unless your hdxxx captures perfect footage for some strange reason.

If this is a tape issue: Why do only the HD tapes have breaks?

When I capture in SD(not hdv) , the whole tape will capture without a hitch. I sometimes get one break but it's extremely rare.

I think the problem is %100 JVC. The canons and sonys don't suffer from this problem.

[Scott Shuster]

So there's a fix, eh? Better late than never. I'd really like to know what took so long. Still, who doesn't love a happy ending?

In our case, we made our own happy ending but only after a long, sad beginning. Bought a JVC GY-HD100UA just when the "A" was released, hoping that the "A" solved the scene-splitting and content loss problems. No such luck.

We used only their finest tape...had the scene-splitting and content loss problems into FCP right from the start...did a few workarounds...did a few 720p30 projects that way...gorgeous results, but it was hell, HELL!

Staff rebelled at the hassle. Basically gave up and put the camera on the shelf for months and months...figured "they'll fix it soon, right?..." They didn't. It was so sad to see the camera gathering dust like that for so long while we continued shooting with Z1Us...

Then heard about the Firestore from Focus Enhancements...raced over to B&H and bought one...FABULOUS results in 720p24...all the problems: GONE! And (added bonus!) workflow is much, much faster with the Firestore. With no import from tape to sit through we dive right into the NLE same-day! I think we do a better job editing because everything is so utterly fresh-in-our-minds. It's hard to believe the joy of DTE until you start living with it. Focus Enhancements has done us all an enormous favor creating this spectacular little machine.

I'm glad to know there's a fix but the truth is, with two Firestores spinning merrily on every shoot, I don't care whether there's a fix or not. And if the fix costs money to get, fuhgeddabouddit: They're not getting a nickel for it from me: I'd rather spend my money at Focus Enhancements: They "fixed" the problem months ago.

[Tim Dashwood]

Originally Posted by Tim Dashwood

Unconfirmed rumours and speculation of software or firmware updates belong in Area 51. The thread will be moved back to the JVC forum if/when the magical fix is released.

It looks like the firmware update for the HD200 can be confirmed.

http://pro.jvc.com/pro/attributes/HD...ade/index.html

The white paper claims:
This firmware will eliminate or minimize the number of clips that Final Cut Pro generates for a continuously re corded HDV section of tape.

This thread will be moved back to the ProHD forum soon.

[Matthew Groff]

This looks great -- but what about us HD100 owners? Any word on that firmware update?

[Scott Shuster]

Wow: Area 51 was totally the right place for this thread, no question about it.

First of all the fix is for HD200s and HD250s -- not for HD100s and HD110s.

What a disappointment.

It's the smaller operators with HD100s and HD110s who really needed this fix: Wealthier users with 200s and 250s are much more likely to have Firestore DR-HD100 DTEs (which eliminate the problem) anyway.

And then there is the cryptic phrase "eliminate or minimize." HA HA HA! That is actually funny! So instead of breaking my taped take into, say, 5 pieces, the new improved firmware may "minimize" the problem -- by continuing to break my take into say, just two or three pieces? With a five second loss of content each time? And that's only if I bought the $8000 or $9000 or $11,000 camera -- not the $4700 camera.

A great moment in the history of video technology compatibility this most certainly is not.

If you own a GY-HD100 or HD110 it is now completely clear that the Firestore DR-HD100 DTE - a $1400 investment at minimum -- is required in order to make your camera behave normally with Final Cut Pro.

The good news is that once you spend that money, you will be so happy with your improved workflow with the DTE that you will THANK JVC for having made it impossible for you NOT to buy one.

I'm not sure about all clouds, but this one definitely has that proverbial silver lining.

[Dave Beaty]

I have a few Focus DR-HD100's and I have had lots of problems with clips being corrupt. I considered if this is related to the breaks on ingest from tape but never correlated the two. This is using the HD250. It seemed random, if I had 50 clips on the disk, 4 would be corrupt and unreadable by any app. Others were reporting this too.

But Focus just released an update to fix this problem that, according to READ ME : version 2.2.1.04032307:
- Resolved occasional corrupt QT HDV files with non-continuous stream from the GY-HD camera."

Doesn't say much or even if it's a stream problem in the HD or coming from the camera.

Dave B

[Alex Humphrey]

Originally Posted by Scott Shuster

Wow: Area 51 was totally the right place for this thread, no question about it.

First of all the fix is for HD200s and HD250s -- not for HD100s and HD110s.

What a disappointment.

It's the smaller operators with HD100s and HD110s who really needed this fix: Wealthier users with 200s and 250s are much more likely to have Firestore DR-HD100 DTEs (which eliminate the problem) anyway.

And then there is the cryptic phrase "eliminate or minimize." HA HA HA! That is actually funny! So instead of breaking my taped take into, say, 5 pieces, the new improved firmware may "minimize" the problem -- by continuing to break my take into say, just two or three pieces? With a five second loss of content each time? And that's only if I bought the $8000 or $9000 or $11,000 camera -- not the $4700 camera.

A great moment in the history of video technology compatibility this most certainly is not.

If you own a GY-HD100 or HD110 it is now completely clear that the Firestore DR-HD100 DTE - a $1400 investment at minimum -- is required in order to make your camera behave normally with Final Cut Pro.

The good news is that once you spend that money, you will be so happy with your improved workflow with the DTE that you will THANK JVC for having made it impossible for you NOT to buy one.

I'm not sure about all clouds, but this one definitely has that proverbial silver lining.

well, that's all well and good, and I do want one.. another option is to pick up Adobe Premier Pro CS3. Has anyone tried Adobe since they have come back to the mac platform? At this point, I'm thinking of picking up a PC WinTell just to do my editing. Need a 3rd computer anyway.