FCP to XDCAM EXPORT
 

Hi there,

We're trying to export from FCP to XDCAM camera via the XDCAM Transfer software. We're not having any luck. Everytime we select the export feature from FCP, FCP crashes. Anyone else have this happen or have any luck working around this problem?

We're exporting 24p 25cbr footage that has been edited in the corresponding XDCAM sequence.

Thanks!
Max

A follow up to the first message:

We moved the transfer utility to a different machine - a dual 2ghz, as opposed to a Quad, and we got a bit further.

This time we were able to bring up the export screen of the xdcam transfer utility, made all the settings, FCP did a render bar, and then it (the xdcam transfer software) failed. No real explanation as to why. It just said to make sure that we were set for 2 ch x 16bit audio (which as far as I can tell we are, it says 2ch in the display).

Any ideas?

Thanks,
Max

Sounds like you may have the sequence audio output set to stereo when it needs to be set as "dual mono". You can set this in the sequence audio output menu. This is a common error.

Thanks, yes we made sure of that - actually, it won't let you output unless you've set your audio to dual mono.

Thanks,
Max

What version of FCP are you using? You really should have 5.1.1. Are you exporting direct to a deck or camera? Is the disk you are exporting to blank/formatted, if not are the existing files on it the same format as the file you are writting to it.

Yes, we're using 5.1.1. Actually, we finally got it to work when we changed the audio to dual mono on AND added an extra channel. Somehow, it wanted four channel output, even though I'd swear the camera was set to 2.

Now, we're just trying to figure out how to output letterbox SD, rather than what looks like Pan and Scan. We've tried all of the output settings, but all we get in SD is stretched - not letterbox like the FX1 SD output. We're trying to connect via component to a BetaSP deck for sending some commercials to Comcast. Any more ideas? Sorry for taking up all of your time, and thank you for these responses.

Max

Sorry, I should clarify. We're now trying to output SD letterbox from the camera - not FCP.

Thanks!
Max

If you got FCP to output a 4:3 letterbox to the camera, then you have a 4:3 image. You need to go into the menu page U08 and try setting HD->SD playback to 4:3 instead of 16:9. This affects the way the image is output via firewire. With 4:3 output, your 4:3 source (16:9 letterboxed image) should come out correctly. It may also help to put the camera in DVCAM mode and set the DVCAM aspect ratio to 4:3 (menu option in format menu only available in DVCAM mode).

Just a couple things to try, I haven't actually tested your exact scenario myself.

-gb-

Actually, when using the 4x3 SD Out menu option, it takes the 16x9 HD source and crops the sides. No letterboxing.

I'm not sure you're going to be able to do what you want to do, Max. I think you're going to have to go the traditional route via BM or Kona card and FCP to deck.

Nate, I think you're right. I don't understand why the XDCAM would do that. Who wants that type of footage. The FX1 does such a nice job of this, I just assumed the XDCAM would handle it no problem.

Since I don't actually have a BetaSP deck the Kona option is out for me.

What I did do is renest the sequence in a NTSC 48khz 23.8 sequence and aside from some aliasing on the finer image elements, it looked pretty good. Then I just wrote out to my DHR1000 from there.

Bummer, because I'd love to not have had to go down to DV when transferring to BetaSP. If anyone thinks of another way to do this, I'd be all ears.

One idea I had was: what is the correct codec in FCP to re-nest the sequence to so that I could export to the XDCAM in SD/letterbox? Would it be DV50? This way, at least maybe I could save SOME quality.

Thanks!
Max

If you shoot 16:9 HD, and you need to go to SD broadcast, the 4:3 output which crops the sides as Nate said, will give you exactly that.

Since you said you had gotten a letterboxed image back to the camera, you need the output of the camera to be a true 4:3 cause that's what your letterboxed 16:9 stuff is now. It needs to stay in the 4:3 realm all the way to the end at this point. Even though you have a 4:3 image, the camera apparently thinks you still have anamorphic and is stretching it on output.

But yeah, it makes sense. Since the camera crops the 16:9 to 4:3 as Nate said, all you'll get back is your 4:3 letterboxed image stretched to 16:9 and then cropped back to 4:3 rather than squished to 4:3. That's why I thought it might help to put the camera in DVCAM mode and force it to 4:3.

If the BetaSP deck can do pixel aspect ratio correction, then you could send it the 4:3 letterbox that's stretched to 16:9 and then tell the deck that it is NOT anamorphic and it should squeeze it back to normal. But I don't have access to a BetaSP deck to verify this.

-gb-