Avid vs Final Cut HDV Ingesting from Z1 Camera

Avid Media Composer

Avid vs Final Cut HDV Ingesting from Z1 Camera

Posted by Will Fiennes on September 4, 2012 at 3:01 pm

Can someone help me with a little confusion.

So some self shooting PD styles have shot DVCAMS on a Z1, but shooting 1080/50i. Something that I did not think was possible but they swear there is some kind of upgrade in resolution. I am not convinced.

The Z1’s recognise the tapes in VCR mode as HDV.

In Avid if I setup a Pal 1080i project it gives me two options to capture via firewire HDV and DV PRO 1080i.

It will not however actually let me capture. It stutters around and then fails.

I then switch my settings to DV in the camera and turn the Ilink on and switch my project to 25i. I now have all sorts of options to capture which all work except DV50.

If I do the same in Final Cut however, i.e setup and HDV project, 1080i HDV Capture mode , and spit out the footage at HDV from the Z1 it captures fine. And at DV aswell If i change capture settings to suit.

I can understand the limitations of firewire, hence why I think DV50 does not work, but why can Final Cut ingest it at HDV and and not Avid.

Stumped.

Pat Horridge replied 14 years ago 2 Members · 3 Replies
3 Replies

Pat Horridge
September 5, 2012 at 9:38 am

Avid can capture HDV done it loads of times.
however firewire capture has always been its weaker side. We tend to use HDSDI and 9pin deck control ir an easier life.
The Z1 can shoot DV or HDV but at 25mbps is pretty grim. Also HDV long GOP is no fun to edit with.

Pat Horridge
Technical Director, Trainer, Avid Certified Instructor
VET
Production Editing Digital Media Design DVD
T +44 (0)20 7505 4701 | F +44 (0)20 7505 4800 | E pat@vet.co.uk |
http://www.vet.co.uk | Lux Building 2-4 Hoxton Square London N1 6US
Will Fiennes
September 5, 2012 at 4:54 pm

Hi Pat,

thanks for your reply.
Yeap I have captured HDV many a time into Avid as well but normally from and deck such as the HVR-1500A via SDI and something like an Adrenaline

Unfortunately where I am does a lot of development jobs where there is minimal budget so renting equipment is often not an option.

It just seems odd to me that when using firewire from the Z1 camera, FCP seems to handle it fine but Avid can not.

Also if you have time, can you elaborate on Long GOP!

thanks

Will
Pat Horridge
September 5, 2012 at 5:32 pm

To record HD (well actually it’s not 1920X1080 but 1440X1080) at the same datarate as SD DV (25mbps) The content is compressed in groups of pictures. And for HDV that is 12 Frames for PAL and 15 for NTSC (yes I know it’s not PAL and NTSC unless it’s composite SD,,)
So the data you capture will be in packets of 12 frames and your edit system will have to unpack those on the fly to create the frame based media you need to edit with. Many post houses will transcode to a frame based reslution on capture or after to avoid those issues.
What ever you do don’t export out an HDV stream or layback to HDV tape!

Pat Horridge
Technical Director, Trainer, Avid Certified Instructor
VET
Production Editing Digital Media Design DVD
T +44 (0)20 7505 4701 | F +44 (0)20 7505 4800 | E pat@vet.co.uk |
http://www.vet.co.uk | Lux Building 2-4 Hoxton Square London N1 6US

Reply to this Discussion! Login or Sign Up

Creative Communities of the World Forums