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HDCAM footage is incomplete in FCP
Hi, I am hoping someone might be able to help, I have captured some HDCAM 1080 50i footage through FCP with the Sequence Setting Apple Pro Res 422 1920 x 1080 (HQ) setting, via a Blackmagic card, the Capture Preset is Blackmagic HDTV 1080i – Apple ProRes (HQ).
Now a really strange thing is happening, the mov files look fine when you watch the raw footage in QT, but when you open the clip in FCP it’s black after about a third of the time – and this happens regardless of how long the clip actually is. So a 48 minute clip is showing up all black from about the 31 minute mark, and a 3 minute clip is black from about 2 minutes. I’ve tried deleting and re-importing the clip, also restarting and no luck.
I’ve also tried setting the project up in different ways but the clips just look the same – am i using the wrong capture setting? We can’t capture in full HD.
I’m using Final Cut Pro 6.06.
If anyone has any ideas that would be great!
Thanks
Olive -
5 Replies
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Odd for sure. So challenging!
Are the decklink drivers all up to date? Post the OS, and version of QuickTime the machine is running.
Jerry
Apple Certified Trainer, Producer, Writer, Director Editor, Gun for Hire and other things. I ski.
8-Core 3.0 Intel Mac Pro, Dual 2 gig G5, AJA Kona SD, AJA Kona 2, Huge Systems Array UL3D, AJA Io HD, 17″ MBP, Matrox MXO2 with MAX Cinema Displays
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Hi Jerry – thanks for your response. The OS is 10.5.7, and the DeckLink driver is 7.2 – I just checked the Blackmagic site and it looks like with this OS we can’t install the latest the DeckLink 7.6.3 driver.
Have you seen this kind of thing before, do you suspect this is the problem?
Olive
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QT is 7.6.2 by the way .. I forgot you asked that as well.
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Might try software update to get to a later version of QuickTime.
HOw much RAM in the machine?
Might also try capture now instead of logging an in and out if that’s possible. I’ve not seen the problem before BTW.
Check that the file size limitation parameter is not causing this. You’ll find this setting in the System Settings for FCP. (Scratch disk settings).
The other thing that could be the problem is the machine you’re using is tracking the tape a bit off or the camera used recorded a funky signal. It’s as if the TC or video information isn’t quite right, so FCP is more or less aborting things.
That’s another thing that could stop the capture early. Dropping frames… how fast is the drive you’re using to capture to? AJA has a dandy free app called “AJA System test” you can download from here: https://www.aja.com/support/konaNEW/kona-3-3x.php to test the speed of the drive. Might turn off the option to stop the captures if the system detects dropped frames… you might be able to live with where they happen to be dropping. or not… if not just recapture the shot if need be.
Jerry
Apple Certified Trainer, Producer, Writer, Director Editor, Gun for Hire and other things. I ski.
8-Core 3.0 Intel Mac Pro, Dual 2 gig G5, AJA Kona SD, AJA Kona 2, Huge Systems Array UL3D, AJA Io HD, 17″ MBP, Matrox MXO2 with MAX Cinema Displays
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I tried both the capture now and in and out clip capture, no luck there, and also checked the capture size didn’t specify a file size limitation – the box isn’t checked so it shouldn’t be that. For now we’ve just decided to capture all the footage in SD so we can send back the deck and we will try again down the track when it comes to the online stage – and just capture then whatever we need in HD.
A speed test was done already and seemed okay. But I will try doing some footage without the option turned on to stop capture if frames are dropping, a good idea.
If I find a solution to this I’ll post it!
Thanks for all the great suggestions, very helpful.
Olive
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