FCP 6.0.4 Sony Log and Capture, XD Transfer Crashing App.

[Don Greening]

[Tony Gordon] “Has anyone had success with Calibrated Q >??”

There’s no mention of the XDCAM EX codec being supported by Calibrated Q. There’s mention of 3 flavours of XDCAM HD there but no EX codec. There is a difference, otherwise Final Cut Pro wouldn’t have all those XDCAM capture presets in there, including the separate EX codec

Until you figure out why the Sony Transfer app and the log and capture plugin is crashing FCP just use the Sony Transfer Tool as a stand alone app, since you say it’s working properly by itself. Import and transfer your footage via your camera’s USB connection, shut down the transfer app and start FCP. Use the regular Import command within FCP to navigate to your transferred clips and do it that way.

When you get back to civilization you can fix the problem but right now you’re in the field and need to get your footage into FCP in whatever way works for you. This is my workaround suggestion.

– Don

[Tony Gordon]

Thanks Don – I am actually Based in the Jungle here..I have tried Log and Capture and XD Transfer, Both Crash FCP – So I am just wondering if the FCP installation is to blame, I have removed the FCP app and Pref folders and Reloading the FCP software..

I have transferred my SxS cards in an Express card slot on a Vista based Laptop the files work fine through the SONY Brouser and I can Copy them in that Application..I have studied the file structures and data they all seem to be intact..and they work in the Mac Pro Brouser ?

It is probably some small preference issue but to have Both Sony Products Crash FCP is unuslay right ? Ill have to keep trying things until I get something to work will try your suggestion though..

-jungle boy

[Don Greening]

[Tony Gordon] “It is probably some small preference issue but to have Both Sony Products Crash FCP is unuslay right ?”

Yes, it’s unusual unless there’s something common to both such as the Sony FAM driver that detects either the camera hooked up to the computer via USB or detects an SxS Pro memory card in an Express 34 slot. If there’s something wrong there then it could conceivably crash FCP.

I actually use Sony’s Transfer app all the time just by itself. It’s after the EX clips get imported and re-wrapped to the Quicktime MOV format that I finally start FCP and navigate to the folder where the MOV’s are located just by using FCP’s regular Import File Command.

– Don

[Tony Gordon]

Hello Don, I have RELOADED the Entire FCP and gone through the same process of trying to Log and Capture — but I get the same problem..

I can’t Log and Capture – I can’t use XDCam Transfer –

My only alternative is to do an SDI Capture Batch Capture style…

So I am giving up today after 10 hrs of frustration…

Tomorrow I will try and capture OLD style..if you have any other ideas where I might be going wrong please let me know

I have loaded my sequence presets for xdcam and done everything I can think of but SONY Log and Capture & XDCam Transfer BOTH CRASH Repeatedly…???

I’m loosing my mind on this one and thinking of returning to my PC environ…

[Michael Palmer]

Hang in there Tony, You mentioned using the Log and Capture and you need to use Log and Transfer or the stand alone XD Cam Transfer program to rewrap the raw EX series files to .mov Quicktime files.
https://www.sony.co.uk/biz/view/ShowContent.action?product=PDW-700&site=biz_en_GB&category=XDCAMCamcorders&contentId=1203501581812&sectiontype=Product&preserveContext=true
Make sure you have the latest Clip Browser program too.
https://www.sony.co.uk/biz/view/ShowContent.action?site=biz_en_GB&category=BC&contentId=1193315622075&sectiontype=BC&preserveContext=true

Good Luck
Michael Palmer

[Don Greening]

Hi Tony,

If I had just spent 10 plus hours trying to get everything to work without success I’d be wiping my Macbook Pro’s startup drive and re-installing everything from scratch, including the Mac OS. It would probably be faster than trying to figure out why things aren’t working. I don’t suppose you brought your Mac installation disks along, did you?

Things I need to ask:

Have you checked to see if there are multiple copies of the Sony FAM driver on your laptop? If there are then that may be part of the problem, as having more than one will be a conflict.

Did you do a test before you left for the shoot to make sure you were able to transfer EX clips successfully?

Are you transferring your clips to an external hard drive or are your trying to use the laptop’s startup drive to store the clips?

I’ve been using my Macbook Pro for almost a year now to transfer EX clips but I don’t use the Sony Transfer Tool or the Clip Browser software to do it. I don’t use my laptop to edit with but just as a way to get the clips off the SxS Pro cards and then empty them.

Since you’re in the field and can’t wipe your startup drive you can still copy the contents of each SxS Pro card and then erase them afterwards. You won’t be able to do any editing if the Transfer Tool keeps crashing but at least you’ll have your raw clips:

Insert SxS Pro card into your laptop’s Express 34 slot.
If the card icon appears on your desktop open it and drag the BPAV folder to wherever you’re trying to store your transferred clips. Your destination folder should have a unique name such as card 1 > offload 1. Drag the BPAV folder into that folder. Don’t alter the BPAV folder name in any way, otherwise Sony’s Transfer Tool or Clip Browser software will not see it. Don’t alter anything inside the BPAV folder, either.

Start Sony’s Clip Browser and navigate to the BPAV folder you just copied and view all the clips making sure they’re good. You’ll also be able to hear the clip audio if you turn up the sound on your laptop.
Once everything checks out drag the BPAV folder from the SxS Pro card to the trash and then empty the trash.

Each time you copy a card’s BPAV folder you must create a new folder on your destination drive with a unique name. If you try and drag it into the the same folder where you copied the first BPAV folder you will over-write it because they both have the same name. You don’t want that. Afterwards, you can even lock each folder so they don’t unintentionally get overwritten. Highlight each folder icon and hit “Cmd- I” or Get Info from the Finder’s File menu. in the window that appears put a check mark beside the word “locked”.

See how that goes.

– Don

[Tony Gordon]

Don Genius Information – I am SOOO Grateful to hear from u, Thanks so to all who assist people like me !!!

FAM DRIVER – None show up in spotlight…it does indicate there is a file in application/utilities BUT when I open the directory it says “Status” not loaded…??

I am in TEST Mode now –

I am transferring to External HDD and Internal using the brousing software on an ACRE PC – WD 320G HDD…
(The Folders update in Mac Pro and PLAY full screen in the brouser in Mac Pro – no problem) JUST CANT USE THE TRANSFER TO RE-WRAP THE FILES TO MOV…???

I am following the same Transfer protocol you suggest –
Opening a NEW directory on the Internal Drive and Copying the ENTIRE BPAV to the new directory – as mentioned the files play on the Mac pro Brouser BUT do NOT work in XDCAM Transfer so I can IMPORT them into FCP !!! wierd…Could it be the FAM Driver missing ?

IS there a seperate DRIVER download for the FAM driver – incidentially when I have my EX1 connected with USB the Transfer App crashed —IS THERE a SET PROCEDURE for Connecting the EX using the APP ???

Still working on this !!!! IF I can’t Crack IT I will Re-load back to my SxS cards and do a SD transfer back to the DPS Velocity I have in the corner and use that as a Last resort…TONIGHT Maybe…

Thanks for the support Don REALLY Appreciate the HELP !!!

Jungle Boy @ whitelightfilm.com

[Tony Gordon]

Don Here’s the Thing – I have just removed all traces of SONY from my prefrences and Applications – Then Downloaded the XDCAM Transfer V2.1 again – Got the same issue

ERROR INITALISING DATABASE
The application does not support this version of the offline database. The application supports version 7 databases but THIS A VERSION 8 DATABASE ??????

Do you know where this Database File may be residing ????

Tony

[Don Greening]

[Tony Gordon] “FAM DRIVER – None show up in spotlight…it does indicate there is a file in application/utilities BUT when I open the directory it says “Status” not loaded…??”

I just started my FAM driver tool app. on my Mackbook Pro and the status there says “not loaded” as well. I’m assuming it’s because the FAM driver is inactive unless there’s an EX (with a card) connected, or if there’s an SxS Pro card in the Express 34 slot. I can assure you that my FAM driver works just fine. Actually, this is the very first time I’ve ever gone to the Utilities folder and actually started up the FAM driver Tool.

[Tony Gordon] “Could it be the FAM Driver missing ? “

I don’t think so. If your laptop can see your EX when connected and view clips directly from the cards using Clip Browser then the FAM driver is working. Must be something else.

[Tony Gordon] “IS there a seperate DRIVER download for the FAM driver “

I think when you download either the Transfer Tool or the Clip Browser the FAM driver is part of the download. Not sure. But there’s only one driver you need and that’s the FAM driver.

[Tony Gordon] “IS THERE a SET PROCEDURE for Connecting the EX using the APP ???”

Nothing special, really. Hook up the camera via USB. Then turn on the camera. Look in the camera’s viewfinder for the prompt “Connecting via USB.” Hit “execute”. Now at least one card icon should appear on the desktop. If it does the FAM driver is working. Sometimes only one card icon will appear even though there’s 2 loaded in the EX. If that happens then eject the card icon from your desktop and shut the camera off. Turn the camera back on and repeat the connection procedure. This time there should be 2 card icons on your desktop.

[Tony Gordon] “as mentioned the files play on the Mac pro Brouser BUT do NOT work in XDCAM Transfer so I can IMPORT them into FCP”

It’s normal for the Clip Browser to be able to play back EX clips without having FCP or the Transfer Tool installed. That’s how I preview clips on site to make sure the BPAV folders were copied without issue to my attached hard drive.

Sony’s Transfer Tool app. is different in that it needs FCP v.6.0.2 or later in order to display clips. This is because the EX codec resides within FCP and not QT or Sony’s Transfer Tool. You also need Quicktime v.7.3.1 or later as well, or it’s not going to work. But you already have everything you need so I can’t figure out why you’re having so much trouble. There has to be a file corruption somewhere or something is not loading properly and is causing a crash. I wish I could get you a copy of DiskWarrior to rebuild the main directory on your startup drive. More often than not a directory rebuild will solve a lot of issues such as yours: specifically you’ve got all you need but something is stopping it all from working.

Try using Apple’s Disk Utility app. to repair permissions on your startup drive and see if that does anything. I have to stress that my Macbook Pro, Mac Pro and all my other Mac computers are rock solid and hardly ever crash.

– Don

[Craig Seeman]

Try installing version 2.7 not 2.1.

I vaguely remember when updating to XDCAM Transfer2.7 of getting a message to remove a database file.

I still have it on my desktop. It’s called
Database.sqlite3

I don’t remember what folder it came from but probably someplace in Macintosh HD/Library