[Craig Alan]

Was wondering why everyone now recommends backing up libraries and all linked folders. In the pre-X days the advice was always back up project files (very small file) and original media. Much less space needed in these days of massive amount of media.

I do know that if I clone a library and any linked folders, and if I open the project using the clone, the media will need to be re-linked if the original raid is off line. FC is pointing to the original location not the clone’s.

Seems like a giant step backwards in terms of media organization.

That said I have always been able to manually relink if FC does not find the storage location on its own.

I will test this but I’m surprised it isn’t a more common discussion. I am not the only one who is trying to back up safely but am challenged by the sheer amount of space that the new codecs/workflows require.

Mac Pro, macbook pro, Imacs (i7); Canon 5D Mark III/70D, Panasonic AG-HPX170/AG-HPX250P, Canon HV40, Sony Z7U/VX2000/PD170; FCP 6 certified; FCP X write professionally for a variety of media; teach video production in L.A.

[Craig Alan]

“B – It’s super easy to go from tape into X. Just get a digitizer. I’ve used the simple Black Magic Video Recorder unit that costs under $200 and have gotten great results inside FCP X directlly to h-264.”

Even if you did not mean to edit using this transcode, I don’t get the point. If all you are doing is storing the original media then hard drives are a lot less reliable long term than tape. And why would you want to do two transcodes instead of none? X has no problem with SD DV. If the tapes are HDV, or a a mix of different codecs, then pro res 422 would be a better choice than h-264.

To follow your advice above, just get one of these: https://www.apple.com/shop/product/MD464LL/A/apple-thunderbolt-to-firewire-adapter. (assuming you have one of the newer Macs that does not have a firewire port.

Instead of asking Adam if it’s true that you won’t see much difference between h-264 and DV videos, you should have asked him how best to archive DV tapes, assuming you want another copy of them. The tapes themselves will outlast hard drives.

Mac Pro, macbook pro, Imacs (i7); Canon 5D Mark III/70D, Panasonic AG-HPX170/AG-HPX250P, Canon HV40, Sony Z7U/VX2000/PD170; FCP 6 certified; FCP X write professionally for a variety of media; teach video production in L.A.

[Craig Alan]

nice link!

Mac Pro, macbook pro, Imacs (i7); Canon 5D Mark III/70D, Panasonic AG-HPX170/AG-HPX250P, Canon HV40, Sony Z7U/VX2000/PD170; FCP 6 certified; FCP X write professionally for a variety of media; teach video production in L.A.

[Craig Alan]

Bill, unless I missed something in his answer, the question is not whether you can see much of a difference between DV and H-264 when played back, but rather would he suggest ingesting DV footage into a NLE for editing.

Mac Pro, macbook pro, Imacs (i7); Canon 5D Mark III/70D, Panasonic AG-HPX170/AG-HPX250P, Canon HV40, Sony Z7U/VX2000/PD170; FCP 6 certified; FCP X write professionally for a variety of media; teach video production in L.A.

[Craig Alan]

While his answer should be informative, I highly doubt he’d recommend not leaving it in its original codec. That was the beauty of the SD DV days – shoot and edit in the same codec. Compared to any HD codec it takes up very little space so not sure why you’d do this.

My other thought is that the original DV tapes make a great way to archive them. Just play them once in a while and keep them in a temperature controlled place. even make a copy if they are valuable.

All media creators need a better way to archive this stuff. Cheaper/faster/long shelf life.

How ironic that film has longer shelf life.

I also don’t get why SSDs haven’t become way cheaper. Cheaper than they were yes but any where near HHDs, no. Just looking at them it would seem after the initial R&D of their form that they should be cheaper – no moving parts.

Mac Pro, macbook pro, Imacs (i7); Canon 5D Mark III/70D, Panasonic AG-HPX170/AG-HPX250P, Canon HV40, Sony Z7U/VX2000/PD170; FCP 6 certified; FCP X write professionally for a variety of media; teach video production in L.A.

[Craig Alan]

[Bill Davis] “B – It’s super easy to go from tape into X. Just get a digitizer. I’ve used the simple Black Magic Video Recorder unit that costs under $200 and have gotten great results inside FCP X directlly to h-264. “

Do you really want to ingest SD DV to H264? I understand that for export if that is the requested codec on a site.

Mac Pro, macbook pro, Imacs (i7); Canon 5D Mark III/70D, Panasonic AG-HPX170/AG-HPX250P, Canon HV40, Sony Z7U/VX2000/PD170; FCP 6 certified; FCP X write professionally for a variety of media; teach video production in L.A.

[Craig Alan]

I recently got a SD 603 and use 302 mixers every day. I was asking for the OP. There are good recorders for lower budgets. You do get what you pay for. But the small audio recorders will get the job done for low budget video. and can be more practical for one man crews.

Mac Pro, macbook pro, Imacs (i7); Canon 5D Mark III/70D, Panasonic AG-HPX170/AG-HPX250P, Canon HV40, Sony Z7U/VX2000/PD170; FCP 6 certified; FCP X write professionally for a variety of media; teach video production in L.A.

[Craig Alan]

I’ve never done anything on the scale that you are tackling. But I’ve had good luck using a KI PRO to copy the tapes onto hard drives which records in ProRes. I do loose clip devisions since it records them as a single capture. I began the practice because our canon cams (at the time) were hit or miss in terms of the Macs seeing them using firewire 800.

One advantage is u can continue to use the computer since the capture now is done with a different device and is completely ready for the NLE when finished.

Mac Pro, macbook pro, Imacs (i7); Canon 5D Mark III/70D, Panasonic AG-HPX170/AG-HPX250P, Canon HV40, Sony Z7U/VX2000/PD170; FCP 6 certified; FCP X write professionally for a variety of media; teach video production in L.A.

[Craig Alan]

so which recorder would you recommend?

Mac Pro, macbook pro, Imacs (i7); Canon 5D Mark III/70D, Panasonic AG-HPX170/AG-HPX250P, Canon HV40, Sony Z7U/VX2000/PD170; FCP 6 certified; FCP X write professionally for a variety of media; teach video production in L.A.

[Craig Alan]

Is the entire mixer as good as SD?

meters
limiter
battery power longevity
ergonomics
headphone amp
quality of recording
media card options

etc

at $1000? that’s a major shift in price point.

hell the SD mixer without recorder is close to $2000.

the 663 is $3300

I can eyeball the zoom and the the meters are not as good but 1/3rd the price…

Mac Pro, macbook pro, Imacs (i7); Canon 5D Mark III/70D, Panasonic AG-HPX170/AG-HPX250P, Canon HV40, Sony Z7U/VX2000/PD170; FCP 6 certified; FCP X write professionally for a variety of media; teach video production in L.A.