[Andrew Commiskey]

FCP sounds confused, try deleting you preferences and re-starting the program.

Best Drew

Chaos is the beginning of everything.

[Andrew Commiskey]

Do you have a TV that has a 16:9 setting? Do the characters look tall and skinny? (if they do then this is normal anamaphoric footage)
If you want a leterbox output create a 4:3 sequence and drop ypur 16:9 sequence into it and render.
Hope this helps,
Drew

Chaos is the beginning of everything.

[Andrew Commiskey]

I agree, the software is no big deal, but setting up a mixing a room (which can be difficult with just stereo) for surround may leave you wondering why you are in this business or at least wondering what happened to the hair you had before you started this process. 🙂
Drew

Chaos is the beginning of everything.

[Andrew Commiskey]

You will be OK just check the meters on the camera to make sure they are doing the same as the ones on your mixer.
(this sounds simplistic but because of different ballistic settings, peak vs VU, and set-ups I always periodically check the camera’s meters just to make sure)

Drew

Chaos is the beginning of everything.

[Andrew Commiskey]

I cannot figure any way to use firewire but a basic Decklink card will down convert (great if you can find it used) Standard Definition works.
Drew

Chaos is the beginning of everything.

[Andrew Commiskey]

I agree, There is always the zaxxon (sp) stereolink but they cost as much as the camera. For ease I would shoot time of day or “free run” (they can be locked together with the remote) and record the primary audio on a Stand alone recorder with the time code set to “Time of Day” (Sound devices 700 series?). For editing ease get a sennheiser evolution G2 transmitter with 3 receivers one on each camera for a temp guide track and also run a “camera mic” shotgun on the 2nd channel, or if one of the cameras can have wires run to it then use it as a primary recorder instead of the stand alone recorder. The Senn wireless are inexpensive, small, freQ agile and work pretty well but I would not trust them for failsafe audio. Hdv compresses audio so I prefer a stand alone recorder (don’t get me wrong the sound works but a stand alone recorder seems to have more definition and balls). The camera mic gives you an alternative (pespective) audio track and when you input hdv into a edit system it comes in as a separate file for each take so the TC breaks are no big deal. This is the system I wished for on a documentary trip to Africa where we only had 2 hdv cameras. It would have been nice to not to be tethered (and safer) and lock up would have been much easier.
Hope this didn’t add too much confusion,
Drew

Chaos is the beginning of everything.

[Andrew Commiskey]

That sounds perfect, You may not need character stuff now but the net render, Thinking Particles, Advanced render, etc. will be welcome after you get through the basics. Welcome to the insanity.
Drew

Chaos is the beginning of everything.

[Andrew Commiskey]

First some basics, Trash the FCP preferences, Fix your permissions, and if you are up to it – start up in safe mode, (Reboot and hold the shift key down as it restarts-this cleans out alot of cashes) then restart. Open FCP go to Audio/Video Settings and go to r”Device Control” preset. Here there are a few options HDV Firewire, HDV Firewire Basic, Sony HDV Forewire, Try different ones, I settled on Firewire Basic – but you might need a different one. When you find one that works click on the edit button to adjust pre-roll and other settings,
If none of this works Try standing on your left foot hopping up and down with your right arm out at a 90 degree angle while shouting obscenities at your computer (throwing in the phrase “Power Surge” occasionally) and it should straighten up. wearing a gorilla suit greatly enhances this process. 🙂
Seriously, I understand your frustration, let us know if the first half helped and if you try the 2nd part send pictures.
Drew

Chaos is the beginning of everything.

[Andrew Commiskey]

Try trashing the FCP Preferences. Make sure everything is DV (sequences, output, etc) and change out the firewire cable because they do go bad, not very often but it happens.

Drew

Chaos is the beginning of everything.

[Andrew Commiskey]

I had ti uninstall and re-install to get my MBPro to work with the new Flash. (seems more of an Adobe problem than a mac)
Macs seem to have less problems but they are not flawless.

Drew

Chaos is the beginning of everything.