[Don Greening]

[Jared Cicon] “So, were I to execute the process the alternate way you describe (within final cut) it is the same .mov files that I would be ending up with correct?”

Yes, exactly the same. Also, the nice thing about FCP version 6 is that you have the luxury of creating any old sequence and now whatever you drag into the sequence FCP will “conform” the sequence to match the clip settings. If you don’t want this to happen, i.e. you want to create a standard def sequence from the high def footage then just choose no in the dialogue box. This is great for when you want to edit more than one video format in the same sequence. If you have 80 % HDV 1440X1080 Anamorphic footage and 20 % XDCAM EX footage you’d choose the HDV sequence and just drag the EX footage into it. It will play back just fine without dropping frames if you have the Sequence settings set to “Dynamic” in the RT menu. Also, in FCP User Preferences uncheck the box for “Warn on dropped frames on playback”. Now everything will play back smoothly (relatively) but blurry until you stop playback, then the picture will sharpen up. This is normal with dynamic RT. FCP will keep dropping the playback quality to retain an uninterrupted playback until the final render and output.

– Don

[Don Greening]

[Jared Cicon] ” I don’t know why they never went to the bin I assigned in preferences.”

When you open up preferences in XDCAM Transfer you’re presented with 3 tabs:

• general
• cache
• import

Choose “Import” and in the text field for “Import Location” type in the name of the folder on your external hard drive you want your XDCAM EX .mov files to reside. After you’ve typed the location in then click on “choose.”

Now every time you import from the cards the converted files will go to that folder. Then it’s just a simple matter of starting FCP and importing those clips into the program. They’ll appear in the Browser window.

You can also use XDCAM Transfer within FCP. To do this Start FCP and from the File menu choose: Import>Sony XDCAM. The XDCAM Transfer Tool will start automatically and you can use it the same way as you do when it’s a stand-alone app. The difference here is that once you’ve gotten to the point where you choose “Import” in the XDCAM Window the files will be converted, imported into the perviously chosen XDCAM folder but will also appear on FCP’s Browser automatically.

BTW, you’re welcome for the help.

Cheers;

– Don

[Don Greening]

I will be able to answer the first two of your questions. The rest I will answer when I get home.
Yes, your clips will be exported into the folder you selected in preferances. This is the last step in preparing the clips for use in FCP.

– Don

[Don Greening]

Within XDCAM Transfer there will be a preferences command in one of the drop down menus at the top. Just start clicking on the menus until you find it. In the window that appears there should be a tab that allows you to select where you want the converted clips to be stored. Once that’s done just note where that is and then highlight a clip and click on import at the bottom of the main window.

– Don

[Don Greening]

With snow leopard there’s a dowload folder in dock. Click on it and the folder will pop open to reveal the contents. You’ll find the Sony transfer tool .dmg there. Just drag to the desktop and double click to mount the .dmg.

– Don

[Don Greening]

[Jared Cicon] “Does Snow Leopard require a special one to operate optimally and if so could you give me a heads up on a LINK? “

Not a special one but just the latest one. You can find it on this page at the Canadian Sony site:

https://support.sonybiz.ca/esupport/eSupportHome.asp

You’re looking for this file: XDCAM Transfer for Final Cut Pro PDZK-P1 V2.11

Install that and you should be good to go. Speaking of which, I also have to go out for awhile but I’ll be keeping tabs on you with my iPhone and the COW MOBI.

Good luck,

– Don

[Don Greening]

OK good. Now you can actually use XDCAM Transfer as a stand alone app. Start the program and go to preferences, specifically you want to select a folder where you want the converted video clips to reside. Once that’s done then at the bottom of the XDCAM Transfer page click on the ADD button. Within the window that pops up navigate to the card icon on your desktop. Once the program “sees” the card it will automatically show all the clips in the main window. You can select all the clips (Cmd A) and click “Import”. The rest is all automatic.

Start FCP, navigate to the import folder you created and choose to import all the converted MOV files. They’ll appear in FCP’s browser window.

– Don

[Don Greening]

https://forums.creativecow.net/readpost/142/870052

After you’ve read the link above then come back to this thread and we’ll work from here.

– Don

[Don Greening]

[Jared Cicon] ” I also enabled the safety lock on the memory stick to protect my video data. May I keep the lock on since I am only reading from the stick and importing to my MAC. “

Yes.

[Jared Cicon] ” I am sitting here with FCP/Log & Transfer open and wondering what my next move should be.”

I was trying to find one of my earlier posts that explained basic workflow but I’m not having much luck. So……

If you want to import and convert right from the card media you have to use the camera to do it. Connect the camera via USB first then turn it on. Look in the camera’s viewfinder and wait for the prompt to execute/ complete the connection to the Mac via USB. Once that’s done then your SXS Pro card(s) will show up on the desktop as attached devices. Get that done first then post back.

– Don

[Don Greening]

The post at the link below should help:

https://forums.creativecow.net/readpost/142/864398

– Don