Capturing 1080i footage from V1E to FCP

[Michael Gissing]

Most HDV cameras have the default set to downconvert to DV codec which in PAL is 720 x 576.You don’t want that.

Both the camera and FCP must be set to HDV 1080 50i. Although the camera is set to progressive, HDV carries that signal as psf which means progressive but segmented in an interlaced frame. So it behaves like progressive but it is actually interlaced.

As Dave said, it is possible to convert to ProRes 422 via firewire, but a word of caution about this approach. You lose timecode info so recapture is a problem if a drive crashes. I have done many projects with HDV codec and mt preference is to capture and edit in HDV and then convert to ProRes 422 from Color after grading and then finish in a ProRes 422 timeline.

Lots of differing opinions but I have done post on over 40 docos done with this workflow and despite all the naysayers claiming HDV is a nightmare, neither I nor the editors who have cut these programs agree with that opinion. You keep timelines simple and it works. If you are talking about a multi layered timeline with lots of other elements like animations, fancy titles and stills, then an HDV timeline can be a problem. Simple cuts doco style without trying to do lots of plugin effects or grading – no problem.

[Michelle Orpe]

Hi Michael, well this does seem to be the problem, I have the ilink convert set to ‘on, I have now turned it off and I can’t capture, it says on the log and capture window ‘no communication’ is this because I am using the white apple ilink wire. Should I be using a firewire. I don’t know much about cables, if I go to the shop to get one what firewire should I be asking for, I have the Sony V1E and I have a Mac OS X version 10.6.7 processor 3.2 GHz intel core i3

Michelle Orpe
http://www.michelleorpe.com

[Michelle Orpe]

I can answer my own question here lol I changed the easy set up to Apple Intermediate Codec, 1080i and it is currently capturing woohoo hopefully when it is done it will be in sparkly HD…well HDV I will be adding titles and stills to the video I am making so should I use different sequence settings than the HDV because of this?

Michelle Orpe
http://www.michelleorpe.com

[Michael Gissing]

AIC is an old legacy codec. Much better to capture as HDV.

You need the easy setup to be on 1080 50i HDV. Change to that setup, reboot and re-power the camera. It should capture with that setting.