[Don Greening]

[Tony Gordon] “FAM DRIVER – None show up in spotlight…it does indicate there is a file in application/utilities BUT when I open the directory it says “Status” not loaded…??”

I just started my FAM driver tool app. on my Mackbook Pro and the status there says “not loaded” as well. I’m assuming it’s because the FAM driver is inactive unless there’s an EX (with a card) connected, or if there’s an SxS Pro card in the Express 34 slot. I can assure you that my FAM driver works just fine. Actually, this is the very first time I’ve ever gone to the Utilities folder and actually started up the FAM driver Tool.

[Tony Gordon] “Could it be the FAM Driver missing ? “

I don’t think so. If your laptop can see your EX when connected and view clips directly from the cards using Clip Browser then the FAM driver is working. Must be something else.

[Tony Gordon] “IS there a seperate DRIVER download for the FAM driver “

I think when you download either the Transfer Tool or the Clip Browser the FAM driver is part of the download. Not sure. But there’s only one driver you need and that’s the FAM driver.

[Tony Gordon] “IS THERE a SET PROCEDURE for Connecting the EX using the APP ???”

Nothing special, really. Hook up the camera via USB. Then turn on the camera. Look in the camera’s viewfinder for the prompt “Connecting via USB.” Hit “execute”. Now at least one card icon should appear on the desktop. If it does the FAM driver is working. Sometimes only one card icon will appear even though there’s 2 loaded in the EX. If that happens then eject the card icon from your desktop and shut the camera off. Turn the camera back on and repeat the connection procedure. This time there should be 2 card icons on your desktop.

[Tony Gordon] “as mentioned the files play on the Mac pro Brouser BUT do NOT work in XDCAM Transfer so I can IMPORT them into FCP”

It’s normal for the Clip Browser to be able to play back EX clips without having FCP or the Transfer Tool installed. That’s how I preview clips on site to make sure the BPAV folders were copied without issue to my attached hard drive.

Sony’s Transfer Tool app. is different in that it needs FCP v.6.0.2 or later in order to display clips. This is because the EX codec resides within FCP and not QT or Sony’s Transfer Tool. You also need Quicktime v.7.3.1 or later as well, or it’s not going to work. But you already have everything you need so I can’t figure out why you’re having so much trouble. There has to be a file corruption somewhere or something is not loading properly and is causing a crash. I wish I could get you a copy of DiskWarrior to rebuild the main directory on your startup drive. More often than not a directory rebuild will solve a lot of issues such as yours: specifically you’ve got all you need but something is stopping it all from working.

Try using Apple’s Disk Utility app. to repair permissions on your startup drive and see if that does anything. I have to stress that my Macbook Pro, Mac Pro and all my other Mac computers are rock solid and hardly ever crash.

– Don

[Don Greening]

Hi Tony,

If I had just spent 10 plus hours trying to get everything to work without success I’d be wiping my Macbook Pro’s startup drive and re-installing everything from scratch, including the Mac OS. It would probably be faster than trying to figure out why things aren’t working. I don’t suppose you brought your Mac installation disks along, did you?

Things I need to ask:

Have you checked to see if there are multiple copies of the Sony FAM driver on your laptop? If there are then that may be part of the problem, as having more than one will be a conflict.

Did you do a test before you left for the shoot to make sure you were able to transfer EX clips successfully?

Are you transferring your clips to an external hard drive or are your trying to use the laptop’s startup drive to store the clips?

I’ve been using my Macbook Pro for almost a year now to transfer EX clips but I don’t use the Sony Transfer Tool or the Clip Browser software to do it. I don’t use my laptop to edit with but just as a way to get the clips off the SxS Pro cards and then empty them.

Since you’re in the field and can’t wipe your startup drive you can still copy the contents of each SxS Pro card and then erase them afterwards. You won’t be able to do any editing if the Transfer Tool keeps crashing but at least you’ll have your raw clips:

Insert SxS Pro card into your laptop’s Express 34 slot.
If the card icon appears on your desktop open it and drag the BPAV folder to wherever you’re trying to store your transferred clips. Your destination folder should have a unique name such as card 1 > offload 1. Drag the BPAV folder into that folder. Don’t alter the BPAV folder name in any way, otherwise Sony’s Transfer Tool or Clip Browser software will not see it. Don’t alter anything inside the BPAV folder, either.

Start Sony’s Clip Browser and navigate to the BPAV folder you just copied and view all the clips making sure they’re good. You’ll also be able to hear the clip audio if you turn up the sound on your laptop.
Once everything checks out drag the BPAV folder from the SxS Pro card to the trash and then empty the trash.

Each time you copy a card’s BPAV folder you must create a new folder on your destination drive with a unique name. If you try and drag it into the the same folder where you copied the first BPAV folder you will over-write it because they both have the same name. You don’t want that. Afterwards, you can even lock each folder so they don’t unintentionally get overwritten. Highlight each folder icon and hit “Cmd- I” or Get Info from the Finder’s File menu. in the window that appears put a check mark beside the word “locked”.

See how that goes.

– Don

[Don Greening]

[Tony Gordon] “It is probably some small preference issue but to have Both Sony Products Crash FCP is unuslay right ?”

Yes, it’s unusual unless there’s something common to both such as the Sony FAM driver that detects either the camera hooked up to the computer via USB or detects an SxS Pro memory card in an Express 34 slot. If there’s something wrong there then it could conceivably crash FCP.

I actually use Sony’s Transfer app all the time just by itself. It’s after the EX clips get imported and re-wrapped to the Quicktime MOV format that I finally start FCP and navigate to the folder where the MOV’s are located just by using FCP’s regular Import File Command.

– Don

[Don Greening]

[Tony Gordon] “Has anyone had success with Calibrated Q >??”

There’s no mention of the XDCAM EX codec being supported by Calibrated Q. There’s mention of 3 flavours of XDCAM HD there but no EX codec. There is a difference, otherwise Final Cut Pro wouldn’t have all those XDCAM capture presets in there, including the separate EX codec

Until you figure out why the Sony Transfer app and the log and capture plugin is crashing FCP just use the Sony Transfer Tool as a stand alone app, since you say it’s working properly by itself. Import and transfer your footage via your camera’s USB connection, shut down the transfer app and start FCP. Use the regular Import command within FCP to navigate to your transferred clips and do it that way.

When you get back to civilization you can fix the problem but right now you’re in the field and need to get your footage into FCP in whatever way works for you. This is my workaround suggestion.

– Don

[Don Greening]

Probably the biggest change between FCP 4 and 5 is the ability to edit multiclips. The biggest change from 5 to 6 was the Pro Rez codec which allowed those previously editing in uncompressed to have virtually the same quality but at much smaller file sizes. The smooth cam filter in FCP6 is also a great tool for toning down shaky footage. There are other improvements too numerous to mention (some newer codecs to handle the newer cameras), stability enhancements, etc. But if you’re just shooting and editing with one camera and don’t plan on hardware upgrades in the near future then stick with what you’ve got.

[andy shnikes] “and what is the difference from final cut studio form final cut pro? “

You need to go to the Apple web site and see for yourself. Final Cut Pro is a stand alone app and Final Cut Studio is a suite of pro apps:

Final Cut Pro
Compressor
DVD Studio Pro
LiveType
Motion
Cinema Tools
Soundtrack Pro
Color – a professional grading tool developed by Silicon Color and purchased by Apple. What used to cost 5000.00 USD for the HD version is now included in FCS2.

– Don

[Don Greening]

[David Wheeler] “Anyone else with a similar problem? “

No. The Express slot in my Macbook Pro works flawlessly. It’s the FW400 port that’s a bit flakey and won’t hold the cable tightly enough. Been that way since day one but only on certain cables.

I can’t imagine you trying to hold an Express card past the click-in point while you transfer files. That sucks. If your Macbook Pro is under warranty take it in for service. They’ll most likely do a simple adjustment to move the inner connection closer the the actual Express holder. If your machine is out of warranty take it in anyway to save your on-location sanity.

– Don

[Don Greening]

Compressor has a noise reduction filter, too. It can be used as part of pre-processing prior to encoding to MPEG2. Or you can use Compressor to reduce the picture noise and simply re-import the clip(s) back into your sequence. OR do it directly from the timeline using the Media Manager selection when you right or control click on a clip.

– Don

[Don Greening]

Here’s how to do do the initial 32k capture. The answer was originally for capturing 4 channels of 32k audio from an XL-H1 but the setup process will be the same for you.

https://forums.creativecow.net/readpost/8/1006608

If you drag your 32k audio into a 48k timeline FCP will play it back just fine as long as you have the audio playback preferences set to lower quality. You can change this setting by going to the Final Cut Pro menu and clicking on “User Preferences”. Set the audio playback quality to “Lower (faster)”.

When it’s time to render your project prior to export FCP will automatically upconvert the audio to 48k. Hit “Cmd -R” to render all. FCP will render the audio after it’s done the video.

– Don

[Don Greening]

[wil drake] “Do you know of any sub-$10k cameras that have the ability to shoot faster shutter speeds?”

Faster than the cameras on your list? Not in the under 10k class, that’s for sure. But if you’re thinking that shooting faster than 1/2000 sec. is going to be beneficial for shooting sports, I’m not so sure. After a certain point the picture starts to take on a real stroby, stuttery look some folks refer to as the “Private Ryan” look. You probably don’t want that either. It’s okay for special effects but not for realistic day in day out looking video.

[wil drake] ” I’m looking to buy something for this upcoming season to be the Main Camera shooting in FULL HD 1080p. “

There’s nothing made in the handheld class that’s shoots full raster 1080p other than the EX series cameras. But you may end up being happy with a Panny HPX170 even though it’s a a pixel shifted 720p camera. I’ve seen some very nice footage from an HVX 200 and I can only assume that the 170 picture will be equally as good or better with the improved signal processing. It’s also light enough to packpack around in the bush.

It’s only about 40 miles from downtown Bellingham to my doorstep. Next time you’re up in the great white north you’re more than welcome to try out my EX1 for a couple of hours. At least then you’ll be able to cross one camera candidate off your wish list.

– Don

[Don Greening]

[Drew Kimball] “I guess this is what I get for being an early adopter… 🙂 “

I heard that. Last year I got the first EX1 in my neck of the woods and it had issues, so I know what it’s like to need advice and have nowhere to turn. It’s not surprising to know that Sony is interested in your issue. With so many FCP users out there and when there’s a problem with a new iteration of Mac hardware that will directly affect their software, Sony will be all ears.

– Don