Dropped frames when capturing DVCAM video to MacBook Pro

[Uli Plank]

With all due respect, Shane, but I think Emma is on the right track.

I’ve even found capturing to the internal drives (starting with my old trusted Titanium up to a current MB and MBP) to be more reliable than capturing from one FW device (the camera/recorder) to another one (the disk) on the same FW bus. That’s why so many folks bought FW cards for the PCMCIA slot only to separate FW buses.

I’d also suppose Spotlight to be the culprit, one should set the video folder to ‘private’.

Regards,

Uli

Author of “DVDs gestalten und produzieren”, a book on professional DVD-authoring in German.

[Walter Biscardi]

[Plunder Hallow] “Computers are not temperamental, if it’s not working then there is a reason for it, better to solve the issue then perpetuate the myth that you ‘shouldn’t’ do it.”

There’s no “myth” to perpetuate. From day one of FCP, it has NEVER been recommended by pros to use the internal system drive of any machine, desktop or laptop.

Why? Because that drive is running the OS, the application and trying to play back the media all at the same time. This is bad media management practice and you will more often than not get dropped frames.

All media, from DV to HD, should be stored on it’s own media drive that has nothing but video, audio and graphics. Use the internal system drive and you take your own chances which I’m not willing to do and neither should anyone else.

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

[Emma Mcneill]

The ‘myth’ that is perpetuated is that you ‘shouldn’t’ or ‘can’t’ capture DV or other video onto the system drive of a laptop. You perpetuate that myth when you repeat that the OS is to blame (maybe/maybe not) when it could be a dozen other factors.

I’m a professional shooter and editor, have been for 9 years and not once did I ever recommend to someone don’t capture to the internal drive. Instead of living with the problem that your machine can’t do it, try and discover the source of the problem. You don’t have to dig into the OS to do, Activity Monitor provides most of the information you need.

Like I said before, there is no technical or practical reason why any Powerbook from the last 6-7 years cannot capture DV to an internal drive. iMovies DV Streams are much more data intensive (at least they were haven’t used iMovie in a long time) than DV-Pal/NTSC. If what is written above were true then Apple’s prime time video editor for consumers wouldn’t be reliable at all, yet apparently it is.

Let’s just say your in a fix, your out on a shoot, need to capture some footage straight off your camera but your Firewire drive was trodden on by an elephant, then what?

Better to resolve the issue before that happens.

[Walter Biscardi]

[Plunder Hallow] “The ‘myth’ that is perpetuated is that you ‘shouldn’t’ or ‘can’t’ capture DV or other video onto the system drive of a laptop. You perpetuate that myth when you repeat that the OS is to blame (maybe/maybe not) when it could be a dozen other factors.”

We have [Plunder Hallow] “Like I said before, there is no technical or practical reason why any Powerbook from the last 6-7 years cannot capture DV to an internal drive.”

We have a quad G5 that was dropping frames this week running DV video when the editor trashed the prefs and forgot to reset his scratch disk to the external drive. FCP was the only thing running at the time.

It’s not a myth, it’s good media practice NOT to put your media on the internal system drive. What you want to do with your system is your business. as a forum host, it’s my responsibility to give the best advice as we know it to all users of this forum. The best advice for anyone editing is to have a dedicated media drive.

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

[Andy Mees]

hi Emma

there’s no myth here, honestly. the advice that is meted out in this regard is based on best practices for the vast majority of users, in order to ensure the best possible user experience.
to suggest that a Final Cut Pro editor should need to check for and necessarily quit system processes if and when they drop frames when capturing to their system disc is far from realistic.
what is far more realistic is that the editor get themselves a good, fast and reliable media drive. this obviates the need for such alternative measures. plus brings a number of key advantages for overall media managemnt.

no one doubts your experience, professionalism, or indeed, the truth in what you’re saying. but it’s not good “general” advice. now, if you’re in the business of laptop news gathering or similar, where an external media drive may not be practical (or is otherwise unavailable due to problems of an elephantine nature) then the points you’ve brought up have a lot of merit. but other than that, your suggestion that the usual advice is somehow the needless peretuation of a myth is a little unfair.

don’t be discouraged if you run up against opposition on this or any other viewpoint though. your point is very well made, and any and all experience and knowledge is very welcome here

cheers
Andy

[Peterpez]

Thank you everyone,
I appreciate your advice, I have been shooting underwater video and editing it, on my laptop on a boat for five years. Space is limited on a boat and not having to rely on external devices is definitely a plus. Now, if I was to get an external hard drive, does anybody have any suggestions on a good drive that is rugged, large in capacity, and small in physical size. and up to the job of editing?
Thank you again for sharing your experiences and knowledge.

[Emma Mcneill]

https://www.coffeysound.com/product.php?productid=377&cat=0&page=1

can’t be waterproof because of the heat but it should survive some knocks on the boat without too much hassle and it’s bus powered.

;o)

Emma

[Dave Martin]

Nine Years? WOW!

Shane…Walter…can you beat that?

Tim 😎

[Gary Adcock]

[Plunder Hallow] “Like I said before, there is no technical or practical reason why any Powerbook from the last 6-7 years cannot capture DV to an internal drive.”

Yes there is,
the only difference being the status of the individual system, ie: the point in time when the capture fails do to some reason is inevitable. A newer computer with faster ( yet empty) drives will take longer to fail than an 3 yr old machine with 5 yr old software and the internal driver maxed out.

Capturing video to the internal drive is risky. Capturing long form clips to the drive your system is on in not recommended for a reason. The better your gear the longer you can capture. The OS – especially with OS 9 – it was incapable of capture of more than 18 minutes of DV to an internal drive.

Could you do it, yes,
but you had to be prepared to have it fail.

gary adcock
Studio37
HD & Film Consultation
Post and Production Workflows

[Rachel Anne]

In terms of performance, yes it is ideal to digitize to external drives, but that is not the main problem here. The direct answer to your question is that its dropping frames because it is 5200. 5200 rpm drives were known for dropping frames, that’s why you’ll notice all the external drives sold for media use are 7200rpm.