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HDV timcode breaksFCP
I know there have be a number of post regarding phantom TC breaks in HDV tapes. As a test we output an HDV tape, but set the output to DV, and there were no breaks (1 full hr). The same tape digitized in HDV had breaks in the middle of sceens, at random points, there was no apparent logic to the break points. In addition we digitized the same tape several times and it broke in different places each time.
We always roll 10 second before and after take, and set to regen if we even turn off the camera. We are using MacBookPro 2.33GHz, 2GB RAM, FC 5.14 & 6, eSATA drives attached to the Express34 slot and the camera to the FW port. This is could really be a format killing drawback.
I know we were running into similar problems with 422 Betacam and a Kona 3 box. AJA had created a script to help alleviate the problem. The tech told me it had somthing to do with the speed with which the machine reports back its position to the computer; if it doesn’t do it fast enough there is a timecode break.
Any insights would be appreciated.
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1 Reply
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Jim- After a lot of trial and error here is a step by step approach for stable machine control with HDV in FCP;
Let’s start at ground zero.
Boot down the computer
Make sure camera settings are correct;
HDV mode (iLink down conversion off)
HDV picture in viewfinderPower down camera
Connect firewire cable
Boot up the computer (do not launch FCP)
Power up camera
On Mac launch>about this Mac>More Info
Select Firewire
Is your camera/deck there?… If yes then you are on the right track… if not then you have a communication issue between the deck and the computer.
Solve it before you move on.
Now, even more important are OTHER firewire devices listed. If yes then unmount them now (if you can’t unmount them because they are your media drives- then go buy a $20 firewire PCI card and establish a new firewire bus and plug the drive into that). Your digitizing deck must be on its own discrete firewire bus.
OK, now launch FCP.
Grab the best HDV easy setup that matches ALL of your parameters.
Now (real important) verify that the source footage and the FCP project are set with matching time code (50i/60i/drop/non-drop).
OK, launch log and capture.
Test digitize footage. Are you still getting time-code breaks? If so you are down to machine control. FROM THE LOG AND CAPTURE WINDOW select the machine control tab and test other machine control settings.
Strange as it may sound our most stable machine control for our Sony Z-1, V-1 and M-10 is DVCProHD firewire. It rarely misses a beat. Sometimes we’ll batch dig 75 clips and get only on or two aborts. But a FCP workaround is that you have to select this from the machine control tab in the LOG AND CAPTURE window (if you try to set this in your FCP Audio/Video settings FCP will not allow it because of the HDV/DVCPro HD mismatch).
Once you have a setup that works PLEASE make your own custom Easy Setup.
Hope this helps.
Jerry
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