FCP 5.0.2 Stops Capture before Out Point

[Ben Insler]

Hey Jason,

I’ve run into many problems, but never one like that. The only thing I can think of is that maybe your backup ate up enough HDD space so that your HDD is now not running optimally for SD capture, either because it is too full or has become too partitioned. What disk setup are you running and how much data did you backup last night (and, I guess, did you back it up to your media drive?).

Ben Insler
Editor
Telemark Films

[Jason Connolly]

Hey, Ben-

I don’t think space is an issue, as I backed up my 60GB MacHD to my XRaid(5Terra Bytes). I’m not sure what you mean by disc set-up though. Can you clarify?

Thanks,
Jason

[Ben Insler]

I just meant what type of hard drive setup you’re using, and how much space you have (so you answered it with the XServe RAID) We have an XServe RAID here too, and have run into problems with it as well, but it’s pretty solid right now. Granted you said this was working yesterday, so the only thing that I can think of is that the backup broke the balance in some way. What do you have your RAID set up as. And also, is at least 35-40 % of your RAID free? Finally, does the capture just end, or does FCP give you an error?

Ben Insler
Editor
Telemark Films

[Jason Connolly]

Ben-

The XRaid is set-up as one big media drive, 4.6TB, and currently has 4.0TB free. When capturing, FCP will just stop mid capture, and throw up the “Insert Reel” window and ask to capture the same clip again. If I press CONTINUE, FCP will capture the same truncated clip again and again as long as I press CONTINUE…if I press CANCEL, then the truncated clip appears in the project window, but now FCP has changed the length settings to the shorter, truncated version, INSTEAD of my originally logged settings.

Here’s what I’ve done: I’ve tried multiple tapes, get the same error. I trashed preferences, started new project, same issue. I’ve tried digitizing to different drives, same issue. I’ve tried different decks, same issue. I’ve tried digitizing NDF and DF, same issue. I re-installed FCP 5 and 5.0.2 upgrade, same issue. I updated Retrospect so it was compatible with Tiger OS X, same issue. I veryfied disk permissions, same issue. I’ve re-booted multiple times, same issue. I’ve also duplicated an Easy set-up, same issue, created new easy set-up, same issue. I’m out of ideas. Thoughts?

Thanks,
Jason

[Ben Insler]

Go to the FCP menu and open User Prefrences. On the right side of the window, make sure that you []Abort capture on dropped frames is turned off and that your action On Timecode Break is set to “Warn After Capture.” This may have NOTHING to do with this problem at all, but it has helped us out with capturing 24p footage – sometimes FCP flips out when there are little timecode issues that it can actually deal with, but it gets angry about them anyway – this could alleviate some stress…

It’s the only thing I can think of right now.

Ben Insler
Editor
Telemark Films

[Andy Mees]

it sounds like either an inconsistent timecode or an unstable signal from the deck. have you tried changing cables?
have you tried capturing using just LTC or VITC or CNTRL track only

Andy

[Jason Connolly]

Hey, Andy-

I’ll give that a shot, but I’m not sure that’s the issue, as I was able to capture clips easily with the utility that is bundled with the BlackMagic card. Since the migration to FCP 5 and Tiger has been SO flawed, I’m banking on a FCP bug. But, at this stage, who knows??

Cheers,
Jason

[Jason Connolly]

OK, for what it’s worth, here’s what I did, in the sequence I did it, to get back full Batch Capture functionality:

1. Deleted FCP 5.0.2 and FCP Plug-ins
2. Repaired Disc Permissions
3. Re-Installed MAC OS X 10.4 (Archive Install option)
4. Updated to MAC OS X 10.4.1
5. Updated to MAC OS 10.4.2
6. Installed FCP 5.0
7. Updated Quicktime to 7.0.1
8. Repaired Disc Permissions
9. Updated FCP to 5.0.2
10. Uninstalled all 5.0 BlackMagic software, codecs and drivers
11. Re-Installed 5.0 BlackMagic software, codecs and drivers
12. Repaired Disc permissions

I have yet to re-install my FCP Automatic Duck plug-ins as I fear they may screw up what I just fixed. So, when I need them again, I will re-install, but until then, they will remain quacking in my drawer.

Tired but not defeated…
Jason