Problem loading DVCPro HD from AJ-HD1200a

[Wayne Franklin]

We have now tried this on three different systems — two of those were running FCP 5, the other FCP 4.5. We are getting video when we switch our capture preset to DV, but nothing in DVCPro HD. Device control continues to function normally either way.

When loading the DVCPro HD easy setups, we get an error message saying “Unable to locate the following external devices: DVCPro HD (720p60)…”

Is it likely that this is a problem with the Firewire card in the rented deck?

Any help would be great!

-w-

The cheese stands alone.

[Steven Rushworth]

I suspect its a menu setting on the 1200. I haven’t got the manual handy but from memory you can select what is outputed over firewire, so it sounds to me like its set to DV and down converting your footage

[Walter Biscardi]

[Wayne Franklin] “He tried three different firewire cables and both the front and rear firewire ports. His system is a Dual 2.5 G5 with 2.5GB RAM and a Blackmagic Decklink HD card using FCP 5, Tiger and the latest Blackmagic driver.”

First off, make sure they’re connecting / disconnecting those cables with the 1200A OFF. You can fry the firewire ports on the Mac if the machine is on.

I’m cutting a broadcast series using the Firewire workflow and I have my 1200A FW connected via the rear port on my G5 Dual 2.0. Machine control / FW Capture is working fine in both FCP 4.5 and FCP 5.0. On one occasion I did not see the deck properly so I simply restarted the machine and it came up just fine. Make sure the deck is on before launching FCP, though that shouldn’t matter.

When you say DVCPro HD Easy Setup, is he using a BlackMagic easy setup or the Apple Easy Setup? I run the Kona 2 here but always use Apple’s DVCPro 720/60 preset for my capture via Firewire.

As for the Firewire Out, I don’t believe there’s a downconvert option for that, downconvert only works on SD-SDI so I don’t think you could be sending out a standard DV signal via Firewire.

Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Creative Genius, Biscardi Creative Media
https://www.biscardicreative.com

Now in Production, “The Rough Cut,” https://www.theroughcutmovie.com

“I reject your reality and substitute my own!” – Adam Savage, Mythbusters

[Wayne Franklin]

We finally solved this late last night. The other editor had spoked to the owner of the rental company, and they had gone through the menus with no luck. We went through the menus again last night and Menu Item 020, SYS FORMAT, was set to 720p. When we switched it to 1080i, FCP recognized the deck. Is this normal? The footage was from a 720p Varicam.

Either way, it worked.

Thank for all the advice!

[Walter Biscardi]

[Wayne Franklin] “When we switched it to 1080i, FCP recognized the deck. Is this normal? The footage was from a 720p Varicam.”

No, that’s not normal. That means that the HD-SDI output will be cross converted from 720p to 1080i. You only want to use that if you’re working with 1080i originated material.

Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Creative Genius, Biscardi Creative Media
https://www.biscardicreative.com

Now in Production, “The Rough Cut,” https://www.theroughcutmovie.com

“I reject your reality and substitute my own!” – Adam Savage, Mythbusters

[Wayne Franklin]

Walter,

Any advice on how to handle this? He has five spots to knock out by Friday, so I don’t think he has any choice but to use the signal he’s getting with SYS FORMAT set to 1080i. Have you ever heard of one of these decks losing its output signal this way?

Thanks,

Wayne

[Wayne Franklin]

Walter,
Another note: he is loading using the Apple DVCPro HD 720p24 codec. The clips are 720×960, using the 720p60 codec. Would there be any problem with the clips because of the SYS FORMAT issue? Because we’re not seeing any. We’re not using the HD-SDI output, but Firewire. For whatever reason, it wouldn’t work with the 720 setting.

-w-

[Wayne Franklin]

Walter,
Another note: he is loading using the Apple DVCPro HD 720p24 codec. The clips are 720×960, using the 720p60 codec. Would there be any problem with the clips because of the SYS FORMAT issue? Because we’re not seeing any. In our tests, we were not using the HD-SDI output, but Firewire. For whatever reason, it (the Firewire out) wouldn’t work with the 720 setting.

-w-

[Walter Biscardi]

[Wayne Franklin] “Another note: he is loading using the Apple DVCPro HD 720p24 codec. The clips are 720×960, using the 720p60 codec. Would there be any problem with the clips because of the SYS FORMAT issue?”

720×960 is correct with the DVCPro HD Codec. It’s a type of anamorphic where FCP stretches it back out to 720×1280 on the way out.

I’ve never heard of the Sys Format causing any issues like you describe, but the deck is pretty new and I own my own so I leave mine set to 720 all the time. Now if he’s capturing Firewire, I don’t think there’s much the Sys Format does for playback via Firewire, but I’ll have to look that up.

Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Creative Genius, Biscardi Creative Media
https://www.biscardicreative.com

Now in Production, “The Rough Cut,” https://www.theroughcutmovie.com

“I reject your reality and substitute my own!” – Adam Savage, Mythbusters

[Steven Rushworth]

My understanding is that menu 894 controls what is sent down the firewire when a DVCROHD tape is played back
0000: DVCPRO HD (default)
0001: DVCPRO50
0002: DV
Also I find it safest when playing round with menu setting, to reset the machine to factory default and use that as a starting point, easier than working out which menus the previous user has been tampering with.