NLE Mac / Final Cut questions from 2006
 

I'm involved in a project where we plan to mix footage from a DVX @24P and DV PAL. The DVX footage will be edited using AVID and then exported to Final Cut Studio for the rest. Final output will be 24P DVD

I have purchased nattress film effects which I'm looking forward to testing it out.

I have read articles on ken stone's website as well what the manuals have to say. It can get pretty confusing. Advanced pulldown removal seems to be an issue with final cut, anyone finding this?

Are there pitfalls/tricks that I should watch out for when mixing codecs?

thanks for the help

G Film and FX1 1080i60 footage in FCP 5.0.4
 

I've been attempting to de-interlace a 10 second 1080i60 clip using Nattress G Film plugin. I still see interlacing in the clip after its completed rendering. I have Film Frames per Second set to 24p, Media Field set on upper... Blending type 2 field... Pulldown Pattern WWSSW. I'm wondering where I could be going wrong in the setting. Any help on previous successful settings with HDV content in FCP would be appreciated. Been googling and searching through the forums... but haven't seen anything related to detailed HDV settings for this plugin.

Can I edit HD on my Powerbook G4?
 

I just bought a Sony HDR-HC1E videocamera and am not sure if I am going to use my Windows or Macintosh for editing.

I know that none of my setups are ideal for HD, but they will have to do for know. Otherwise I am going to convert down to SD.

I have a Powerbook G4 with the following specifications:

Power PC G4 1,5 Ghz
12" version with 19" external Samsung Syncmaster 930
1,25 GB DDR SD-RAM (maximum amount)
60GB 5400rpm Harddisk
nVidia GO 5200 64MB with DVI
Western Digital Extreme II 320GB USB/Firewire disk
Western Digital Dual-Option 160GB USB disk

I am planning to use Final Cut Express HD to start, and the move on to Final Cut Pro when I am getting the hang of it.

My question is, is my system good enough for HD editing? For now, the minimum I expect is that I can capture my HD footage to my computer and transfer it back, do some basic editing and rendering. I do not plan to do all kinds of advanced special effects for now.

I will buy a new computer (PowerMac or PC equilivant) in April or something, when I have the money I want to spend on it (like $1400).

Thanks for your feedback.

Final Cut Extreme
 

10K with support for 4520x2540 rez images? Anyone heard anything?

Codec not found
 

If someone could help me with this I will be deeply grateful. I just changed scratch disks, put my material on a bigger one, and now when I try to open my project I get the error message " Codes not found. You may be using a compression type without the corresponding hardware card. "
The sequence only opens about 50% and then nothing.
Thanks for you help
dkane

Where to take HD Masters for DVD Encoding...
 

I'm working in FCP 5 on a dual 2.7 powermac,...I will be onlining a project with 4 1 hour segments to HDCAM...The client is looking for some recommendations on some DVD Encoding Facilities to achieve the most ideal encoding...while I'm pretty sure compressor can do a good job, I figure a professional facility can get the most out of the encoding process...

Any recommendations on facilities that will take an HD Master and do this?

PSP Video
 

Does anyone know what settings to use to export video from FCP that would work on the PSP?

Does Anyone Use and Know Commotion Pro?
 

I use Commotion Pro as one of my applications and I'm having an odd, or seemingly odd, thing occur when I create simple animations. I import frames as layers from PS at 852x480 to be used in a 16:9 clip. They look fine, clear and smooth, but sometimes when I perform a function, say: make a duplicate layer of the figure, the dupe looks a little jagged. I'm not sure why this is happening since the layers come in looking fine.

I've never had this happen before, but then I worked in 4:3 before. Last Summer I got an XL2, so I'm working in 16:9 now. This might have something to do with my issue.

If anyone knows about this or where I should search on this Forum, I'd greatly appreciate the help.

Lucinda Luvaas

720P DVCProHD Performance on G4 1.67 PB?
 

What kind of performance can I expect with 720P DVCProHD on a G4 1.67 Powerbook? I mostly do cuts and dissolves with some CCing. No major effects or anything like that. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Batch capture problemos
 

From my pal fx-1 I can capture clips as I go but if I log them all at once as FCP recommends then batch capture them at the end, I get an error message. Does this happen to anyone else? Is there something simple that's tripping things up?

Intel-based iMacs are fast, but gains don’t match Apple’s claims
 

http://www.macworld.com/2006/01/feat...est1/index.php

dual g4 or powerbook
 

Ok I have a dual 1.25 g4 and I'm thinking of getting rid of that and getting a 1.67 15" powerbook or the 1.5 12". My friend had the 1.25 g4 12" and said it lacked alot as far as speed goes when editing. He was very dissapointed in it and got rid of it. What im wondering is if I should expect the 1.5 and the 1.67 to be noticeably slower then my dual 1.25?

Eyetv 200 converter box
 

Hi, I was wondering if anyone knew of any hacks for the eyetv 200 firewire converter box. I would really like to be able to make FCP see it as a capture device even if I had to be running a program and FCP together. Currently to capture anything for use in FCP I have to use the included program, capture in real time to its own special format, and then export it to DV stream to be imported into FCP. Sometimes a one hour tape will take 3.5-4 hours to get into FCP. Any help would be greatly appreciated. John

FCE to Soundtrack Pro workflow?
 

I'm a novice trying to move up in the world. I'm working on my first real short. I imported and edited in iMovie HD. I wanted to then move to FCE to do CC and convert to 24p with Nattress filters. FCE wouldn't open my complex iMovie project so I exported as full DV, created a new project in FCE and imported the DV.

One of the many problems I've had is that about 30% of my footage has 60hz hum. So, I upgraded from Soundtrack (included in FCE HD) to Soundtrack Pro to fix the hum.

I was manually exporting audio, one clip at a time, from iMovie to then fixing in Soundtrack Pro, then replacing the original clip. Now that I'm done with iMovie I'm looking for a better workflow.

It seems to me that from FCE I can only go directly to Soundtrack. Is this correct? Is there any way that I can either export small audio clips to STPro? In iMovie I could just select one clip and then export only that clip as a quicktime movie, AIFF, WAV, etc. Can I do this in FCE?

Or better yet can I open my entire FCE project in STPro? Or does STPro only work with FCP projects?

Sorry if these are in the manual. I've been trying different methods and not getting anywhere.

weird 24p problem in FCP
 

okay, when i go scrub frame by frame i dont get interlacing but when i pla in real time, i get really bad interlacing...whats going ON?

24pA rendering in FCP
 

is it different than other formats? im asking cuz my options for Unlimited RT, Dynamic, etc... are all gone, now i have to render every clip.

Anybody using Eizo S2410W monitor with FCP?
 

Hello,

Is there anybody out here using the Eizo S2410W or S2410WK monitor with Final Cut Pro and Macintosh?
How does it stand up compared to Dell 24" or Apple 23"?
Is the color and picture quality that much better to justify the cost?
Is there any issue with the vertical frequency of only 60 Hz as it could be with the Dell 24"? (Updating less than 75 Hz could slow down the playback according to Apple as written in another thread here.)

Thankful if you have any information! / Johan

2:3 24p on FCP
 

why does my 2:3 24p showing up as a interlaced in FCP? i have my sequence at 23.98 and turned off "fields" but im getting nasty interleaved images on my videos. whats wrong?

Apple has announced Universal Crossgrade pricing
 

Soundtrack Pro Loops vs. GarageBand Loops
 

i didnt know if this was the right place for this or not. But I was wondering how do the included loops in Soundtrack Pro relate to the Jam Packs available for Garageband? I was looking into buying a jam pack, but I dont want to buy something for loops that I already have with SoundTrack Pro.

Anyone know? Or know a better forum to ask in?

FCP 24P emulation compared to others + Film
 

Is there any huge advantage to using an expensive 24P software package compared to doing a blend de-interlace in post, and exporting/re-importing as 24p? I just did this to some footage I shot today with my Sony A1U, and really like the way it looks. Also, for future reference, I don't really know what this is doing to my frames, but would that output work well for film? I've read that some in camera progressive modes are horrible to to use since they're so film unfriendly. I bought my A1 because I've read HD resolution is close to 16mm, and might some day want to put my better projects on film.

FCP - uncompressed to DVD and as master
 

Hello,

This question has been asked many times, and I know there is a debate wether or not one should use uncompressed if the material originated on regular dv. However, I don't want to go back to dv at the end (which would be indeed a waste of time), but to DVD, and to possibly save my short projects on a digibeta tape as masters. So maybe it would make sense.

OK, my very quick questions:

- I shot on minidv. I captured as minidv, editied in minidv, and my picture is locked. I only have to do the titles (simple 3d titles in FCP) and color correction. Now: before I encode, should I render out an uncompressed version of the project? BOTH to get a better mpeg2 file, and to have an uncompressed master for future use (one on the drive, one as a backup on a digibeta tape). I have heard that if you plan to finish on DVD, going uncompressed would be better than straight minidv.

- which uncompressed mode should I choose from the FCP export output? I also just bought a Blackmagic HD dual link card, so I also get Blackmagic Uncompressed in the options, besides the regular FCP ones.

- and finally, is it worth the trouble?

Thanks.

Resizing issue
 

I just have started using the HD100 and when I capture footage (shot at 720/30P) into FCP (Easy Set Up - HDV 720 30p), the clips come in smaller than the frame and I have to zoom in to fill the screen, losing information. Otherwise, I have the black bars above & below. I've set the sequence settings in FCP at - aspect ratio HDTV 720P (16:9), 1280 x 720 frame size, Pixel Aspect Ratio NTSC - CCIR 601, Field Dominance Lower. I've played around with different variations with no improvement. I'm obviously doing something wrong and I hope obvious. Any ideas?

Thanks.

Monitor hue flashing
 

My NTSC video monitor's hue changes from normal to greenish and back - rhythmically about every 3/4 of a second... anyone have any ideas as to what's going on?

This monitor is a Sony Trinitron (set up for clients to view). Here is how it's run: G4 firewire > breakout box > VCR (again, only for the client) > Monitor.

Here's what I've tried:
- When playing footage from the computer, the hue changes rhythmically.
- When I record this footage on the inline VCR and play it right back over the same monitor, it looks fine (doesn't flash).
- When hooking up another monitor at the end of that chain, it looks fine (doesn't flash).
- When I reset the breakout box, it comes back on and flashes faster for a while... and settles back into the slower rhythm.

Thanks in advance!

Automator
 

Hi, Just a quick question, anyone using Automator to help speed up their editing process, and if you are would you mind sharing some of that info with me? I've never really been able to take advantage of it like Apple says you can. TIA Nate

24p editing
 

I am using Final Cut Pro and am trying to capture footage shot in 24p ( not advanced) for editing in a 24p timeline. Apparently advanced mode must be used or it will be captured at 29.97. My question is how can I convert to use this footage with all my other 24pa (23.98) footage in my 24p timeline? Thanks.

Closed Captioning
 

Can someone point me in the right direction of a product that can capture CC info and digitize it? For example, when I use my mini DV camera to capture video form the TV or a VCR, I know the analog video has CC in it, but I don't think it is part of the Mini DV format.
Nevertheless, I would like to capture the CC info and add it as a feature in a DVD (strictly for home use). Does DVD Pro support captioning?

thanks,

Ron J.
Portland, OR

5th Annual FCPUG Supermeet at NAB06
 

http://www.lafcpug.org/nab_2006.html

I'll be there. Anyone else?

Soundtrack Pro not seeing a .mov as a video file?
 

Hi all,

I'm doing a tutorial for FCP studio. it's my first time using a Mac and FCP and it's studio programs. So far I love it and it is a lot more easy to use than my Avid. However, I'm doing a tutorial now for Soundtrack Pro. I'm trying to have a video track in it, and for some reason it's not seeing the video track as a video. It says my video is "offline". I've tried to "reconnect media files" but when I steer it to the .mov file, it's giving me this error message - "The file you have chosen cannot be used because it does not contain a video track."

Any ideas why this would be happening? I've updated Soundtrack Pro to the latest version as well.

DVD burner/player problem
 

Hi there,

My ibook G4 doesn't want to play or burn dvd's anymore. Has anyone else had this problem and if so, what should I do?

Thanks

Can FCP Pro Online Edit DVCPRO-HD for BROADCAST?? (i.e. Professiona TV series?)
 

Question, if I shoot in DVCAM or DVCPRO-HD (the latter is the format of choice, with the new DVX200 out), will I be able to do my online edit (and yes, my offline edit as well, haaa) on the latest FCP and have it output for broadcast?

The workflow seems straight forward. I would like to shoot and edit in 1080 24p, is this possible?

And if I'm importing diffferent types of clips, perhaps at different variable frame rates even, can I put them all in to one show and output in 1080 24p fine, or will there be problems? I know this is all theortetical, but if anyone has experience, love to hear it!!

How do I convert my 24pA film to 30fps?
 

I'm working on a 30min. short film for which I intend on ultimately putting on DVD for viewing. I decided to shoot it in 24p Advanced (2:3:3:2 pulldown) instead of 24p (2:3 pulldown), knowing full well that it would probably be more challenging to get it to look right at 30fps. The reason was, though, that we're actually doing some animation onto the film and other special effects where if the film would've had the "24fps look" in the technically 30fps (2:3 pulldown), then the animation and effects would have a "30fps look" on top of the "24fps look" footage - very distracting.

Anyways, we're editing in an Avid Adrenaline and we'll be doing our cgi in After Effects. Any suggestions as to the best way of converting the 24fps to 30fps so it can be played off a DVD correctly?

Thanks a ton!!
Doug
www.freshcreations.com

Soundtrack Pro -blem
 

Anyone run in to this... In the Actions/Analysis section while in the audio editor, the program will analyze the clip fine highlighting all the problems, but the fix and fix all buttons are grayed out. I've checked around in prefrences to see if something is amiss, and searched through the manual but can't figure out what's going on... Thanks for your time.

Compressor/qmaster, REAL distributed processing?
 

We just got a second mac and put the FCP suite on it and set up a cluster with our 2 macs using the qmaster stuff. We set up something to render and it works, however... not in an ideal way.

When it renders, one computer renders the video and the other renders the audio. That's fine, but when one computer finishes the audio, which only takes about 5 minutes, then it's not doing anything. The computer that was rendering the video is left to do it by itself.

I was under the impression that it would almost treat the cluster as one multi-processor system, where it would split the job using both computers until the job is done. Am I mistaken? Is there some option I'm missing?

FCP 5 Rendering Problem
 

Each time I'm done working on a project and when I go to re-open it I have to render almost everytime. I don't recall moving any files offline and when I try to reconnect media using locate or search I get nothing. I'm working on a project where everything is stored on an external disc drive. I have checked my settings and everything seems to be correct. Whenever I had this problem in FCP 4 I could just reconnect media and everything would re-render. Any solutions?

Thanks,
Reggie

shooting at 24pa capturing at 30 or shoot at 30/capture at 30
 

I have read a ton of info about 24p(a) and would like to know what people advise about my specific issue.

I shot about 12hrs of footage on a documentary so far on a xl1. So I have been editing in a 29.97 timeline. Now I am shooting with the dvx-100a (i am aware they will look way different and that is what I want). I plan on staying in a 29.97 timeline. I am unsure of what to shoot at on the dvx. I have no realistic plans to put this to film. I am a poor student.

So my question is if I want to keep and 29.97 timeline should/can I shoot at 24pa and capture at 30. Or should I just shoot at 30?

paul.

trouble with FCP to Cinema Tools
 

I am conforming a clip from 60 to 23.98 fps. I export the uncommpressed clip into QT, open in Cinema Tools, conform. Then import back to FCP. It is an anamorphic clip. When i import back to FCP it is not 16:9, but a streched 4:3. What is causing it to change? How do I keep it 16:9? Thanks for any info.
Mason

mixing 24pn & 60I footage
 

I might be shooting a project where some footage will be 24pn & other footage will be 60I. The 24pn footage will be shot with my xl2, the other with a Sony Digital 8 camera. If I'm going to be throwing both footage on the same 29.97 timeline in Final Cut Pro 4 or 5, will that become a issue with output back to DVD or tape? Or would that only be a issue if the XL2 footage was shot in 24pa?
Any help would be appreciated.

Joe

Need help--widescreen quicktime, FX1
 

I've run into a problem that I've spent all day trying to figure out but no luck.

I use FCP Express HD--I just bought after moving up from iMovie. My goal is a web-based quicktime. My camera is a Sony FX-1, shot in HDV, downconverted in-camera to DV. Running on a Mac with Quicktime Pro 7.

What I get in FCP is a widescreen image (not letterboxed). Great. Editing, no problem.

But when I export to Quicktime I get an image with black bars at top and bottom...sometimes. Sometimes I get a proper "widescreen" conversion with no black bars. I am not aware that I changed any settings.

I am very new to FCP so no doubt the fix is very easy (fingers crossed).

Any clues?

Thanks,

--Darin

HVX200 and FCP 4.5
 

Just wondering if anyone has tried to ues 24/720p footage from a HVX200 P2 with FCP 4.5.? From hat I understand, it does work as long as you import from the desktop card store and not from the camera. Granted, you will see a downconverted signal on your monitor but... just wondering of anyone has any experience with this?

Thanks!