EX1 output to??

[Tom Wolsky]

“Tried converting 1080i HQ timeline to HDV but cannot print that to HDV tape.”

Why not?

All the best,

Tom

Class on Demand DVDs “Complete Training for FCP6,” “Basic Training for FCS2” and “Final Cut Express Made Easy”
Author: “Final Cut Pro 5 Editing Essentials” and “Final Cut Express 3.5 HD Editing Workshop”

[Jeremy Loftus-hills]

Hi Tom

Probably because I don’t know what I am doing.

Placed full frame XDCAM (1920 x 1080) on timeline, with initial codec to match. Then change codec via render settings to frame size HD 1440 x 1080 and compressor HDV1080i50. Render sequence.

Then when I ask FCP (6.0.2) to print to video (via firewire onto my little M15 deck set to 50/HDV) it starts to complain: ilink device may not match…then when I ask it to print to video regardlessit says ‘not compatible with HDV’, and won’t proceed.

I guess the FCP settings are the problem, but what should they be?

Thanks
Jeremy

[Patrick Kofler]

Hi Jeremy,

I’ve got no specific experience with xdcam, but my logic says: copy the whole edited sequence (not the sequence as a sequence, but all the clips in the sequence) and paste them into an hdv sequence. Best and safest way to achieve this is (after the edit) to switch fcp to a hdv easy setting (which matches your camera or deck) and then create the new empty sequence which your are going to paste the clips into.
That is for HDV! But this workflow works for ohter settings also.

Cheers
Patrick

[Jeremy Loftus-hills]

Hi Patrick

Yes. Thank you. Quite a nice looking picture even if it is playing on a Sony SD monitor. Thanks again.

Jeremy

[Zak Mussig]

Jeremy,

I would follow your last instinct and export with Compressor. FCP won’t print XDCAM in an HDV sequence to tape, you’ll need HDV footage.

Just export your edited sequence with Compressor and use Apple’s preset for whatever flavor of HDV you use. Drop that file into an HDV timeline and you’ll be good to go.

FYI, you will be adding compression to the footage this way. If HDV is what you have to output to, then its what you have. However, depending on your workflow and delivery requirements, you may want to explore another master/archive format.

Zak

[Chris Babbitt]

I’m new to this camera and also to HDV, but if I had to deliver in HDV, I would import the footage from the camera using the firewire output (HDV) from the camera and then edit the project in HDV. That way, you are in HDV all the way through the process.

[Zak Mussig]

If you’re trying to shoot HDV compatible footage, I’d shoot with the SP 1080i60 mode, but still transfer over USB as usual. I haven’t tried moving footage over the firewire, but I’d assume it would behave as a typical HDV device, and half of the appeal is transferring files vs. capturing real-time.

Files shot at that setting and transferred with the software play nicely with other Sony HDV footage in an HDV timeline.

Zak

[Chris Babbitt]

That’s certainly the best solution, but my impression is that he has already shot the footage.

[Jeremy Loftus-hills]

The footage exists in best quality (HQ 1080i). I am looking for the most cost effective way to output it. I need to output it efficiently for the client as the project progresses. I would normally supply several rough cuts near the end of a project for client feedback. Then I need to get the final cut out for screening (usually at conferences).

Once you have installed the Sony Software a new export option become available in FCP – export to XDCAM. The exported file is wrapped in the MP4 wrapper, which needs unwrapping at the other end somehow.

The exort to XDCAM may in the end provide a lossless path, creating a computer file of manageable size that can be played off a hard drive at conference venues (supposing they have a computer that will play at fullframe). But we will need to work out some other path for distribution. I guess some kind of HD DVD which is where Blu Ray comes in, but that is in the future hence the toying with HDV.

Output to HDV tape is a bit of a distraction I guess. But I want to know if FCP will do that and it will, provided you set up the HDV timeline first then copy and paste the clips. Of course the first thing to reach for is a long black, because the dreaded CONFORM process precedes print to tape.

Regards
Jeremy