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QuickTime Recording Problems
This is primarily a QuickTime question (no dedicated forum) but it affects me in FCP so I’m posting it here.
Workflow / Background
My workflow is that I have to digitize video from DVcam tape in one room, transfer it on a portable hard drive, and edit on a FCP in another room. Yes, I know it makes no sense to go through these extra steps and physically walk digital footage down the hall but that’s all besides the point.
The footage begins as SD NTSC video. It is played back on a DSR-50 DVcam deck. The signal enters a PowerMac via FireWire where I digitize it using QuickTime X (I’ve tried QuickTime 7 Pro and get the similar results to what I’ll soon explain). I transfer the video files from the PowerMac to a portable USB drive and then to an iMac in another location where I can finally edit on FCP.
The Problem
I digitize the footage in QuickTime X using the “Maximum” setting. This seems to be the same as the “Device Native” setting in QTP7 and results are similar. I sit there and digitize clip after clip after clip from the exact same tape during the exact same session, but for some completely unknown reason my saved files are not always the same settings.
This happens every time, but here’s an example of my most recent digitizing session:
- Moving Recording – 720×480 (correct for the DV source)
- Moving Recording 1 – 720×480 (correct)
- Moving Recording 2 – 720×480 (correct)
- Moving Recording 3 – 720×480 (correct)
- Moving Recording 4 – 1280×480 (WRONG)
- Moving Recording 5 – 654×480 (WRONG)
- Moving Recording 6 – 720×480 (correct)
- Moving Recording 7 – 720×480 (correct)
- Moving Recording 8 – 654×480 (WRONG)
- Moving Recording 9 – 1280×480 (WRONG)
- Moving Recording 10 – 720×480 (correct)
- Moving Recording 11 – 720×480 (correct)
- Moving Recording 12 – 720×480 (correct)
- Moving Recording 13 – 720×480 (correct)
- Moving Recording 14 – 720×480 (correct)
25% of the time it digitized at incorrect dimensions. WTF? 2 out of 15 times it digitized the DV footage at 1280×480 and 2 other times it digitized the DV footage at 654×480 – both odd and incorrect dimensions.
The Effects
When I attempt to edit with this footage, all the 720×480 footage looks nice and sharp. For some reason the 1280×480 footage looks fine too and shows as being at 100% when brought into a NTSC DV sequence. But the 654×480 footage comes in to the sequence at 109.92% and looks like total blurry and proportionally distorted crap. Trying to fiddle with it within FCP does not help.
Now What?
So what the heck is the deal with this? Why does QuickTime randomly digitize footage at different canvas dimensions even though it’s the exact same settings, and all of these were digitized in a row at the same time so nothing at all should have changed from one to another. WTF? Has anybody else had similar issues, know why it digitizes incorrectly so randomly, or what to do about it?
Thanks.
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14 Replies
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This seems an FCPX question.
[Mike Sussman] “I digitize the footage in QuickTime X using the “Maximum” setting. This seems to be the same as the “Device Native” setting in QTP7 and results are similar. “
“Seems to be” means nothing.
Have you checked what kind of codec are your “captures”?
rafael -
No, it has nothing to do with FCPX. I don’t even have that application.
Like most Apple products that drastically limit options and customization, neither version of Quicktime actually tells you exactly what “Maximum” or “Device Native” means (not in depth). The only way to see what these settings do are to test it out and then analyze the resulting files. After doing so I can tell you that the under normal circumstances both the “Maximum” setting in Quicktime X and the “Device Native” setting in Quicktime 7 Pro will produce video that is…
Video Canvas: 720 x 480 9:10 PAR(640 x 480 1:1 PAR)
– (*But this is the part that sometimes comes out different for no logical reason.)
Video Codec: DV/DVCPRO – NTSC
Color Depth: Millions
Color Profile: SD (6-1-1)
FPS: 29.97
Time Code: Yes
Audio Codec: Linear PCM
Audio Data Type: 16-bit Integer (Little Endian)
Audio Frequency: 48 kHz
Total Bit Rate: 30.3 Mb/sSo when I said the “Maximum” setting in Quicktime X seems to be the same as the “Device Native” setting in Quicktime 7 Pro, I meant exactly what I said. The only difference at all is that Quicktime X under “Maximum” setting produces stereo audio channels while Quicktime 7 Pro under “Device Native” setting produces Dual Mono audio channels. That’s the only difference.
But that is all completely beyond the point of my question. I’m not trying to compare QTX to QTP7. I was just pointing out that I’ve already tried both versions of QT so that nobody would say “just try Quicktime Pro 7 and it should work”, because I’ve already tried it does the same fluxuating-canvas-size thing too.
So still, does anybody know why my digitized files would vary like this even when digitized with the exact same settings?
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[Mike Sussman] “No, it has nothing to do with FCPX. I don’t even have that application.”
Sorry; I meant o write QT-X[Mike Sussman] “Like most Apple products that drastically limit options and customization”
QT is a Player with few added functions. Is not intended for any profesional capture.
You have FC to do that.[Mike Sussman] “what “Maximum” or “Device Native” means (not in depth)”
If you are capturing DV by FW, “Native” is your option.
QT will pack the DV stream as a file, keeping all the original video and audio data (size, time-base, aspect,..). That was implemented for FW capable formats (DVs and HDV).
The H264 options are basically for recording something like a web-cam.
rafael
rafael -
Thanks.
Regarding QTX as a recording device, I know it’s an odd situation I have but the problem stems from the fact that my FCP is in a different physical location than where I need to digitize my footage. That’s why I’ve been forced to use QTX and QT7P to digitize my footage. Do you have any suggestions for another Mac application that I should perhaps try avoiding QT in the first place. The end result is that it will be imported in to FCP but I need to digitize it someplace else first and literally walk it over.
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Choose native always. Will bring in DVNTSC as DV NTSC
bit for bit.Chris Tompkins
Video Atlanta LLC -
But that’s the problem. It absolutely should do that but for me it gives me odd alternate sizes about 25% of the time. I can’t figure out how to prevent it from staying in NTSC (720×480 sq px)
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[Mike Sussman] ” That’s why I’ve been forced to use QTX and QT.7 to digitize my footage.”
I’ve used many times QT.7 (is like FC but without desk control) but never tried QTX.
But, do you have QT PRO installed?
rafael -
It’s 720×480 video if it’s SD & FireWire (in NTSC) – iMovie might be easier to capture than QuickTime – which really wasn’t really meant as a capture device..
All NTSC SD is 720×480 – when it’s widescreen, it’s merely stretched. If it’s wrong, you can fix it in FCP.
Best,
Jeff G
Apple Master Trainer | Avid Cert. Instructor DS/MC | Adobe Cert. Instructor
————
You should follow me (filmgeek) on twitter. I promise to be nice.
New- my book (with Richard Harrington and Robbie Carman)- An Editor’s Guide to Adobe Premiere Pro
Compressor Essentials from Lynda.com
(older but still good) Marquee, Media Composer (3.5) and Basic/Advanced Color DVDs (1.0) from Vasst.com
Contact me through my Website -
Yes I have Quicktime 7 Pro installed and I’ve already tried it with the exact same results.
The only footage I’m every trying to import is SD NTSC (no widescreen) imported via FireWire which should always be 720×480. But that’s the problem! 25% of the time it’s coming out with the wrong canvas dimensions. And I can’t really fix it in FCP because even if I make it fit the screen (which FCP does automatically) it just looks horrible, unsharp and distorted.
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I’d suggest capturing with anything other than QuickTime 7 Pro. Have you tried iMovie?
Best,
Jeff G
Apple Master Trainer | Avid Cert. Instructor DS/MC | Adobe Cert. Instructor
————
You should follow me (filmgeek) on twitter. I promise to be nice.
New- my book (with Richard Harrington and Robbie Carman)- An Editor’s Guide to Adobe Premiere Pro
Compressor Essentials from Lynda.com
(older but still good) Marquee, Media Composer (3.5) and Basic/Advanced Color DVDs (1.0) from Vasst.com
Contact me through my Website
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