[Bouncing Account needs new email address]

[mpxxxxx] “There’s no timecode on the tape, that’s the problem, so I can’t just recapture, as I don’t have it set to know exactly where it all begins.”

I’m going to save this thread to use as an good example of why its important to capture non-timecoded video sources to tape(s) first and then capture from the tape(s).

This has been an issue since the earliest NLEs.

[Bouncing Account needs new email address]

FCEx is a fine editing program for those who don’t “worry about” TC issues.

When you capture, you could “name” your clip as the TC of the in-point, I suppose.

Why don’t we just decide that, as soon as you can, you might want to find a way to get back to using Final Cut PRO and all these little FCEx limitations won’t matter.

😉

[Bouncing Account needs new email address]

In FCEx, TC is “there” but it really doesn’t matter to your edit.
So I imagine that the display is not “activated” during Capture Now.

Here’s a quote from the Kens Stone website.

https://www.kenstone.net/fcp_homepage/review_fc_express_martin.html

“…considering that Apple is targeting consumers who will be outputting their projects
right back onto dv tape, timecode is largely irrelevant. Here’s the good news; when you capture your clips from a dv camcorder, timecode is still being captured even though Final Cut Express will not display it anywhere. This means you can open a Final Cut Express project in Final Cut Pro and all timecode will “magically” appear in the viewer.”

[Bouncing Account needs new email address]

Photo JPEG works great for off-line (its the only way to off-line in FCP).

What does NOT work so well is the Slo-Mo. That was my point.

Just do your cuts and most standard effects in off-line but don’t spend much time working with the sol-mo in off-line.

THEN, after you recapture to ON-line quality, do the slo-mo effects.

[Bouncing Account needs new email address]

[joshua] “the majority of my problems occurred on clips i’d slowed down. halfway through these slow-mo clips, the the speed increased dramatically, all at once, for no reason at all.”

Sorry to report that slo-mo anomalies have been a problem (and complaint) with Off-line to On-line in FCP ever since Photo JPEG has been available.

[Bouncing Account needs new email address]

[Kevin C.] “Maybe I’ll go used and hope it’s in clean condition…”

In my car, I always carry a DV tape that was recorded on one of my camcorders.

If I happen to pass a pawn shop and can stop, I look for used gear.
If there’s a “bargain price” on a DV camcorder, I’ll bring in my DV tape and play it just to see if the heads are aligned to my “known-good” master.

I always ask for a “better price” because you never know how “eager” the shop is to “turn” thier merchandise. Sometimes I hit on a great deal!

I’ve paid as little as $90 for a little Sharp DV camcorder with the LCD on the back. A “spare deck” for only $90 is not a bad deal. Plus, I could even use it as an “extra” shooting cam under “dangerous conditions” and not worry about damaging my better gear.

The most versatile camcorders and decks are from SONY and PANASONIC.
With these brands (but NOT most other brands), the home video units will PLAYBACK tapes recorded on “pro” camcorders at DVCAM speed.
They will, of course, not RECORD in DVCAM speed, but they are designed to play this format perfectly so you can use them to dub to other units or Capture from DVCAM tapes.

A couple of months ago at a pawn shop I “frequent”, I found a Sony GV-D1000 miniDECK. The kind with the 4″ LCD screen in the clam-shell flip-top.
It was in mint condition with cables and the MANUAL.
(Current Sony unit with a list price of $1400 USD, street price of about $1000.)
The asking-price was $250(!)
The manager said he had just put it on display, so he wouldn’t cut the asking-price, but, since he didn’t expect many customers would have use for a DV unit that didn’t “take pictures” he would discount the unit by the amount of the sales tax and sell it to me for exactly the marked price of $250.
Well, the GV-D1000 is now sitting in the edit bay next to me as I type this.
These kind of “finds” are not common, but they happen with enough frequency that I tend to “stop and browse” if I’m near a pawn shop.

Where to buy…
There is a national chain of pawn shops here that offers a MONEY-BACK guarantee on electronic items. Some local owners do this as well.
So, if I get a unit home and find any unseen important flaws, I have 30 days to return it for cash. Very nice policy. (Although I’ve never actually needed it on a DV item, I did take back a DVD player that was prone to “skipping”. They just took it back and handed me the cash!)
It would make sense to ask about return policies when shopping.

I’ve bought brand new items for full price with flaws. It happens.
I’ve bought used items for twenty-cents-on-the-dollar with flaws.

But when I can find a “lightly-used” item for 20%-40% the price of new, and it performs perfectly… it just makes it all the sweeter.

[Bouncing Account needs new email address]

[gbellnz] “I should be able to have a single track and be able to pan it to 0 and have it come out of both speakers!”

Be patient. This process needs to be a dialog.

My guess is that you have the audio outputs set incorrectly.

Click once on the Timeline window.
Hit Command (apple) and 0 (zero) to open the “Sequence Settings” window.
Choose “Audio Outputs” tab.
Click on “Load Audio Outputs Preset”
Choose “Default Stero Preset”.

This should give you the settings

Outputs: 2
Grouping: Stereo

Give that a try and please post back. We’ll get there.

[Bouncing Account needs new email address]

[Kevin C.] “So If I fill up a 60 min mini DV tape of footage, and hook up two mini DV, with firewire, original in one and a blank in another. hit play on original and record on other, bam I have perfect copy.

And it sounds actually, like the copy, might even have “better”‘ timecode if the original had breaks or dropouts, correct?”

Yes.

[Kevin C.] “I bought a Canon ZR 45 for like $360 or so a year ago to use as a deck, but if I need to make a lot of backup copies down the road, as I think I will, once my projects start to really roll, I’m thinking then, just get another cheap camcorder, and not put the wear and tear on my GL1 which is $2000 camera, smart no?”

Smart.

[Kevin C.] “and don’t you think buying new is wiser? With used camera you risk, worn heads no — which could make poor copies? You never know the wear and tear on them.”

Up to you.

I ALWAYS buy used or demo gear when possible.
Equipment goes obsolete too quickly.
I have professional Reel-to-reel audio decks, 3/4″ Umatic VCRs, Piles of S-VHS and VHS decks, Turntables, Audio cassette decks…
You know, they all still work perfectly, cost me a lot of money and they are now USELESS “boat anchors”.

If you buy one “New” home-vid camcorder for $450 or THREE used ones for a total of $375, which will have worn-out heads the sooner?
I have never had one with worn-out heads anyway.

In a couple of years the miniDV format will be just like Reel-to-reel is now, I’m afraid… still works, but why bother with it?

[Bouncing Account needs new email address]

[Dave Felder] ”
We’re doing a conference call with the network tommorrow.”

Its “tomorrow”.

What did the network say about the TC on audio 3?

Inquiring COWS want to know.

[Bouncing Account needs new email address]

Just to make SURE your audio is working from both speakers,
DUPLICATE the Channel 1 audio and put it on Channel 2 as well.

To do this, click on the ch. 1 clip and hold down both “shift” and “option” and drag the clip to ch.2 (you’ll end up with identical clips on both tracks).

See how that plays.
Adjust the pan controls on either clip and test again.