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Best workflow and configuration for Z1 HDV with FCP
Basic questions from a very much a newcomer. I’m presently using a MacPro fitted with 2 x 2.66GHz dual core xeons, 3GB Ram and 2 x 500GB disks in a striped array in addition to the disk carrying the OS
What is the the best way to import Z1 HDV footage; I’m presently using firewire and either native or Apple intermediate codec, but are there other ways that will give me better real time performance in editing?
I seem to be getting similar PiP performance using either of the above methods, with up to 4 PiPs before having to render, is this the normal level of performance to be expected and how may it be improved?
Will an external RAID array provide better performance than the internal configuration that I now have?
Thanks in advance for any advice,
Geoff
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5 Replies
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[Geoff Addis] “, but are there other ways that will give me better real time performance in editing?”
You’ll get the most realtime converting the HDV footage to DVCPro HD during capture. We use the AJA Kona 3 on our systems to do this.
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
https://www.biscardicreative.com
HD Editorial & Animation for Food Network’s “Good Eats”
HD Editorial for “Assignment Earth”“I reject your reality and substitute my own!” – Adam Savage, Mythbusters
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[walter biscardi] “ou’ll get the most realtime converting the HDV footage to DVCPro HD during capture. We use the AJA Kona 3 on our systems to do this.”
100 percent absolutely agree – it’s like a different workflow to terrible, horrible HDV. Pics will look better too. You’ll need the HDV deck to do this, capturing via the component connections, so it’s an expensive upgrade with the Kona 3. Depends what your budgets/workload are like. DVCPro HD also requires a faster drive speed – Don’y think 2 striped drives (assuming they’re internal) will do it – having all 4 bays filled and striped should do it, but a faster external array will always help – with reliability and access speed as well as RT streams of playback (always a rather bogus comparison IMHO).
Ben
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Thanks Ben and Walter.
A Kona card is my ultimate aim, but ’till I can afford it I’m having to live with using the direct HDV input via the firewire port. Apple claim that native HDV brought into the timeline does not suffer any loss if it is not processed in any way, but I assume that there will be losses if any filters or transitions are used. I have also read that native HDV is not ideally suited to any colour correction process so these two facts would appear to suggest that using the intermediate codec is the preferred method, am I correct?
What improvements in sustained data transfer rate will I get by using an external RAID in comparrison to internal drives in a RAID?
Appologies for the basic nature of the questions, but I’ve just emigrated from the PC!
Geoff
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First of all, Geoff… I hope your OS isn’t on your RAIDed 500 gig volume. If so, that’s you first mistake. Purchase a 250 drive just for OS X and you can then RAID the 500 gig together. You first post made me think you only have 500 gig of RAID with your OS on it.
Secondly, as far as the RAID is concerned… As long as your drives are SATAII drives, you can do just about anything with them internally but I would suggest you find a backup medium for your projects. Mac Pro system are SATAII interface. That means you can add drives directly into your box without the need of adding external SATA RAIDs. If you want to look at some numbers on the internal RAID, look at http://www.barefeats.com. They have the numbers you want.
The problem with HDV is that if you have to re-capture your footage, timecodes and cut frames may not match as they once did. This is because of the nature of Long GOP video. That is why all of us who use HDV in a professional setting ALWAYS convert it to DVCProHD.
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Wayne Carey
Schazam Productions
http://www.schazamproductions.com -
Thanks for the direction to the barefacts site Wayne, I’ll have a look. To answer you first point, the OS is on a separate 250GB drive.
Geoff
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