Major intermittent audio capture problems

[Nils Hoover]

I am using Final Cut Pro 7.0.2 on [some one else's] imac//core2duo//4gigs of ram//mac os 10.5.8

Two things:

First:
I can't seem to get control over whether FCP captures the video and audio into two separate files or one interleaved file (what I want). The checkbox in system settings to "capture video and audio separately" is OFF, yet FCP seems to want to randomly create both a -a and -v versions of random captures (separate audio and video).

Second, and MORE of a problem:
Intermittently, when using capture now, part way through a tape the audio gets dropped entirely. The audio will all be there, and then at a certain point the audio file no longer exists (dropped onto a timeline the audio ends way before the video).

I am working for some one else, and working on their computer, which has Norton Anti Virus, which I read can cause capturing problems, so I am going to check that out, and any other programs which might be doing things while it captures.

What we think might be the culprit is the little sony handycam that we use to capture the footage, but it is very hard to test because these problems seem to happen frequently but randomly and intermittently.

The woman I am working for is planning on getting a new camera to capture with, but I thought I would post to see if any one had seen these problems before and had any insight.

Thanks

[Shaun Roemich]

Originally Posted by Nils Hoover

First:
I can't seem to get control over whether FCP captures the video and audio into two separate files or one interleaved file (what I want). The checkbox in system settings to "capture video and audio separately" is OFF, yet FCP seems to want to randomly create both a -a and -v versions of random captures (separate audio and video).

Hi Nils. Unless FCP's dialog box has changed since 6.0.6, there is a check box under the Scratch Disk targets that says "Capture Audio & Video to separate files" - sounds like her system is set with the box checked. See attached screen capture. This dialog is under Final Cut Pro =>System Settings

Hope this helps.

[Nils Hoover]

Thanks shaun, but like I said (even within what you quoted from me), that is and always is unchecked.

This first problem seems to happen mainly when batch capturing previously logged files. Doing capture now, I never have that problem. Sometimes when I select one file and chose batch capture, it then goes on to capture "2 files" and captures the video and the audio separately, which to me is really very bazaar (captures video then goes back and captures audio).

[Shaun Roemich]

Oops... sorry about that. STRESSFUL edit today. Guess I just scanned your post.

Wow... that problem IS bizarre. Good luck and let us know.

[Chris Soucy]

Not familiar with either Mac OS or FCP, so please treat this with the large pinch of salt it deserves.

Given the random nature of these events, you may well be correct in that it is a background app causing the chaos.

On a Win system I would simply dive into MSconfig and terminate with extreme prejudice all unrequired background loads and even network access, which is kinda important if you've just shut down the firewall and virus detect.

Not a clue how you do it on a Mac tho'.

The other possibility I can see is Vegas failing to correctly handle dropouts from the camera (should it be a tape based system, you didn't say) and disappearing up it's own exhaust pipe as a result.

If the camera being used for the ingest is not the same as it was shot on, there is a possibility there is an alignment problem leading to random dropouts, or one or both cams need a good seeing to with a cleaning tape.

Try the same capture with the shooting camera (after a good clean) and see if you get the same problems in the same places.

Other candidates are dodgy power connection to the camera, ditto Firewire connection, both of which can play havoc. Check to see if the Mac system power is running through a spike killer UPS system, dodgy mains power is always a possibility.

Oh, and if you have one of the new, all singing, all dancing "even makes the coffee" mobile devices, ban it from the room, just in case (spurious RF can get into the most unlikely places!).

Best I can do with my degree of ignorance.


CS