help with capturing Firestore FS-100 into Avid Express Pro

[Accountneedsrealnameupdate]

I have only used the FS-100’s in HD MXF, and have never tried using OMF files, but I’m guessing the process is the same. It sounds like you are trying to import them, when you need to just directly read them. Connect the FS and put it into DD as you’ve been doing, but open the media tool, (from the ‘tools’ menu), in avid and point to it’s drive letter. Your clips should show up in the media tool. Now you can consolidate them and drag them to a new bin. (if you’re new to Avid, consolidate is Avids way of copying clips to your main media drive).

Hope this helps.

[Steve Voyk]

Hi “Rumpy”…
Many thanks for the info… yes, it really helped. I got the Express Pro system to import the files without any issue.
If you have time, can you explain why Avid uses a ‘media tool’ rather than going straight to a normal BIN with these kind of files. I can’t work out the difference between the two…
Regards and thanks again,
Steve

[Accountneedsrealnameupdate]

Hi Steve,

I cannot really claim to be an expert here, so hopefully someone else will jump in if I’ve got this wrong, but I believe the issue here is more semantics than anything else. My understanding is that ‘import’ is Avid speak for convert. If you have an mpeg or QuickTime movie or whatever, you ‘import’ it, which converts it into native Avid files, (MXF or OMF), just like the capture tool does with tape. If your files are already native Avid, they do not need to be ‘imported’, (converted), you just need to point Avid at them. Panasonic P2 files are native Avid MXF format, and are treated just like an Avid media drive. The Avid media tool pre-dates P2 by like a million years or something, and can be used for moving media files between two Avids, i.e. you can ‘consolidate’, (again, Avid speak for copy), the contents of a bin to an external drive, then take it to another Avid and use the Media tool to read it. You can also use the media tool to directly read a P2 card in a PCMCIA slot or even in the camera via the firewire or USB cable, and then edit directly from there without ever copying anything to the Avid media drive. I’ve never had the need, but it saves the ENG guys a lot of time to do it that way.

One thing I find a little annoying about the process is that the ‘Contents’ folder of the P2 card must be in the root of the drive directory. This means if you are out shooting on P2 cards and want to copy them to another drive, like a portable hooked to a laptop, you cannot make separate folders for each card because the media tool will not see them. This is why the P2 Store makes different drive partitions each time you copy a card. I really wish Avid would allow you to browse a normal file structure instead of just pointing at the drive but I’m guessing it might have to do with Mac compatibility. not sure.

I’ll spare you all of my opinions of the Firestore drives, (fortunately I’ve taken my turrets medicine), but I will tell you the way I prefer to use them in the field. If I’m doing fairly short gun and run takes, I shoot to the P2 cards, then set the camera to 1394 host, put the FS-100 in DD mode, and copy the files in between takes. This method is kind of a waste of an FS-100 because it’s really just acting as an over priced battery powered firewire drive, but I have lost WAY too many shots to flakey firewire cables. I still use them as intended when the camera’s on sticks or any time I need a long continuous shot, like a seated interview, but the little four-pin firewire connector on the camera is just a raging disaster waiting to happen. Even on a tripod you really need to tape down the cables and be really careful when panning, and always keep your eye on the red recording dot in the viewfinder. If the cable jiggles during a shot, the FS-100 just quietly stops recording. If you’re foolish enough to be watching your talent/action instead of your gear, you can easily end up with half a shot. But that’s enough ranting for now. My kingdom for a Cineporter!!

Hope this helps.