FX1 turns into DVCAM !
 

I have a 60 min project on the Premiere timeline. On exporting to tape via i-link to the FX1 all looks to be well BUT the 60min tape runs out after only 41 mins of the project have been recorded. And the FX1 - unlike the Z1- is supposed to be DV not DVCAM ! Any answers to this baffling turn of events ?

Mike.

I think you may find, the FX1 may support DVCAM playback though it won't be said anywhere. I have had one happily play back a PD150 cassette. The GY-D1000?? VTR MiniDV deck will also play back DVCAM and capture to Premiere but you may find a bit of audio slip and audio catchup dropouts on long captures.

If you recorded on a used tape which has previously been used for DVCAM, I suspect the FX1 may have found old work on the tape, auto-selected for DVCAM playback and then gone to record in that same mode and chased the timecode at DVCAM tape speed if you have had the timecode setting on a happy selection in the menu.

The codec? may however be MiniDV on DVCAM tracking and not true DVCAM codec? (somebody else had better correct my definitions here as I am blighted with technical ignorance in this area.)

Things may get interesting if you try to export the fotage back to tape from your computer.

(An older JVC S/VHS-MiniDV deck will not playback DVCAM but will record it from the computer via firewire. What it records, it will also not playback but if the signal is ported into a PD150 via the analogue A/V sockets, then it appears perfectly in the PD150 LCD screen and the letterbox function works too.)

Just a wild wayout theory on my part with probably little real credibility.

Hi Bob,
Thanks for giving it some thought. The FX1 took it upon itself to record a Premiere project via Export to Tape at DVCAM speed. Is this down to the FX1 or to some setting in Premiere ? I'm baffled.
I hasten to add that the FX1 records at the normal DV speed when filming.
The tape used in the FX1 had previously been recorded in DV.
I hope it's not going to persist in this behaviour. If it does all projects destined to tape will have to be less than 41 mins....
Cheers

Curiouser and curiouser. The FX1 and ZI share some firmware. It may be that the FX1 could be re-programmed to be a DVCAM machine but that is way too high a science for me to contemplate.

Your timeline in Premiere? Does this have any DVCAM origination and MiniDV origination mixed together on it on it?

I wonder if the Premiere capture preference has remained on a DVCAM camera and whether the FX1 has simply obeyed the NLE for capture and been seen by the export function as a DVCAM and has behaved accordingly.

I have been using an FX1 into Premiere 6.1 and Premiere Pro 1.0 for AGUS35 HDV tests. I have not changed the capture settings. I did not think to do so as it worked and I have only just thought about it, prompted by this post.

Previously, I have been capturing from a PD150 which was set to DVCAM. I shall follow this up myself as it could be a handy feature.

There is a Sony generic capture preference setting. Maybe that has something to do with it, or maybe the PD150 setting has something to do with it.

It would be interesting to bring the menu up in the LCD screen and see what the camera is set to in VTR mode whilst it is still connected to Premiere via the firewire connection.

What would really please me would be if the FX1 has a sleeping "allscan" mode for the LCD display hidden away somewhere in its entrails.