Colin: Be it known that I am not a computer person, so excuse me if I seem dense.. I'm an old-school filmmaker who was still editing on a Moviola 12 years ago and didn't even own a computer...

I am working with an agency on a series of commercials and they have specifically requested a 24p look (they wanted film originally, but the client wouldn't spring for the extra budget).

I want to shoot 24f, record to an FS-C, and edit in FCP... I don't even know what "MT2 mode" is when it's home, or how to use Streamclip effectively (I just looked at their website, but am reluctant to download it unless I really need it).. what advice can you offer, and what additional software do I need?

Sorry if this is redundant and has been discussed elsewhere, but this forum is getting so dense that it's difficult to find specific useful info... One of you should write a book, although it would probably be obsolete before the ink dries... Steve Rosen

First let me say that I have only recorded 2 each 20 sec. test files using the Synchro-Slave mode in 60i HDV.

(Steve - all HDV files have the file extension .m2t just like quicktime files have an .mov file extension - .m2t is the raw HDV file - it stands for Mpeg2 transport stream for the HDV standard).

I set the Firestore to record HDV (m2t) and then set the Firestore to HDD>DD mode, connected to computer, pressed Enable and the computer saw the Firestore as another drive. I dragged the files from the Firestore to a drive on the computer. I opened up and Edius 1080/60i project and brought the 2 HDV/m2t files into the Edius bin and then to the timeline. Due to the 15 GroupOfPictures (GOP) of the m2t files, they are not the easiest to edit with in their native form but can be done - I don't recommend it though.

I then opened up Procoder 2 (a transcoding program from Canopus/Grass Valley). The latest patch version allows Procoder to transcode the HDV/m2t file in CanopusHQ. HQ takes the raw HDV file with it's clunky GOP structure and makes them into single intraframe files which edit easily (complete with filters and compositing, etc) with beautiful results.

Procoder can be set up to make a "Watch Folder" that can be used to automatically convert any HDV/m2t files that are sent to it.

As I said earlier, I will have to do a lot more recording to the Firestore before I can report it's stability and freedom from problems. I've only just now begun. But the results are very promising as far as being a huge time saver.

Now if they would just come out with a portable HD-SDI solution ;>}

John,

Thanks for the workflow. I'll be very interested to hear what you run into will more files, longer files, etc. The files recorded as synchro-slave seem to be the most stable, but I still don't put them at 100%.

Additionally, in SD mode I like to put the firestore in a local/free-run mode - so it just does a global recording around an event (like a long tape recorder) - then I punch record in/out whenever something critical is happening, recording those sections to tape, P2, etc. Works very well in SD - however, it's very problematic in the FS4 HD mode. Edius really balks at some of the files, hangs up, etc. Even in version 4 (I have Edius 4.03 with the SP card)

Would like to see what your experiences are overall as you continue to test.

I think I'm going to experiment a bit, and put the raw .m2t files on the computer (as always), and then try to transcode them to HQ using procoder - bypassing Edius/timeline, etc. If that works, hopefully there is a stable HQ copy of each file that I can load up into an Edius timline, and whiz away at it like everything else. I'd be interested to see if that works for you as well.

Last I heard, Focus was working on things - but no timeframe, etc. Still hard to trust the HD mode, although the interaction with H1 is much better with firmware updates on both DTE & the camera. FS4 SD has been very reliable. Seems like the FS100 has been quite good as well - so I think this is all a GOP/timecode issue.