How to transffer Digibeta to FCP via AJA express

[Shane Ross]

Dude….OK, let me explain….

When you capture footage via firewire from a camera, or deck…be it HDV, DV or DVCPRO HD…the Firewire cable gives you audio, video, and DECK CONTROL…the ability to control the deck with FCP. And capture timecode that exists on the tape.

SDI only does Audio and Video…NO DECK CONTROL. So, in order to control the deck, you need ANOTHER cable…a different cable, called an RS-422 cable. This is a 9-pin cable that you connect SEPARATELY from the SDI cable. Look here:

https://www.aja.com/products/io/io-express.php

In the CONNECTIVITY picture…the top right. RS-422 Machine Control. You need a cable to connect there, and to the back of the Digibeta deck. This:

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/93399-REG/Comprehensive_CVC_5G_6_RS_422_9_pin_Male_to.html

Without that, you will not get deck control.

Shane
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Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def

[Vihang Walve]

Well explained.. thanks a lot..
I ll get the cable now… Just want to confirm that this is not a software or format issue..
thanks a lot for ur help..

vihang

[Shane Ross]

Well, as I said, I highly recommend NOT doing it this way…NOT doing it as Uncontrolled Device. Because if you do that, you don’t capture the TIMECODE. And if you lose the footage for any reason…erased, hard drive crashes…then you need to re-edit everything from scratch. Delete the media and want to go back at a later date and make changes? Nope, gotta re-edit everything. With timecode, you can simply recapture the tapes and it will remember what was where due to TIMECODE. And your sequence will be rebuilt.

If you want to do this, in the CAPTURE window, click on the CAPTURE SETTINGS tab. That’s where you’ll see DEVICE CONTROL. Switch that to UNCONTROLLED DEVICE. Again, at your own risk….I advise against it.

Your Easy Setup should be “AJA IO Express NTSC 29.97 Apple ProRes 422”.

If this is complicated, you need to get educated quick. This is all basic stuff editors should know.

Shane
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Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def

[Vihang Walve]

Also.. I tried firewire too. but its showing the same message.. unable to initialize.. so am I making some mistake in input or output format??

vihang

[Shane Ross]

If you choose the proper Easy Setup for NTSC (not HD)…and you have deck control turned to UNCONTROLLED DEVICE, and the AJA Control Panel shows that you are getting a signal from SDI…then you should see a picture in the Log and Capture interface. If you don’t, then something isn’t right.

Shane
Little Frog Post
Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def

[Steve Eisen]

[vihang walve] “so where can i find the Uncontrolled device option.. its certainly not on the deck..”

Listen to Shane. DO NOT USE UNCONTROLLABLE DEVICE. If you really want to find it, read the $@#*&! Manual. That would be under the Help Tab.

Make sure your settings are for NTSC and not the 1080 23.98 you think you want. You are just asking for trouble.

All this information is also in the manual. Read, read, read. Like Shane said, this is basic stuff.

Steve Eisen
Eisen Video Productions
Vice President
Chicago Final Cut Pro Users Group

[Graham Fox]

Hi Steve,

Just been reading your conversation about DigiBeta capturing. I am wanting to capture from Digibeta to my edit suite from a DVW-790WSP camcorder via its SDI output. I have installed a BM decklink SDI card in my suite and discovered it won’t read the Sony SDI signals – BM Designs confirm their cards have problems reading Sony SD signals. So I’m looking at purchasing a AJA Io express, but I need to know it will work with DigiBeta, is it the same box you folks are referring to as the Aja ‘express’ and will it work ok with SD signals from Digibeta decks??

thanks,

Graham