[Dunwoody Lampton]

(David – could you please clarify the difference between journaling and not journaling?
Thanks.)

[Dunwoody Lampton]

What do you mean by “are in” HD?

Does this mean that these tapes are specially designed at the manufacturer’s
for optimized recording with HD camcorders and decks?

Does this mean that there is HD material recorded onto a standard, MiniDV tape?

A quick check through Google (and several years of experience recording onto these tapes
myself) shows that the tapes in question are merely standard MiniDV recording stock,
with absolutely no designation for optimized HD recording.

Good luck.

[Dunwoody Lampton]

Check the archives for information on adding compression markers to the time line that are adjacent to complex effects wherever they appear in the project.

[Dunwoody Lampton]

Is your camera listed as an approved device:

https://www.apple.com/finalcutstudio/resources/supportdevices.php

You didn’t mention which version of FCP you are using.

[Dunwoody Lampton]

We need to know which Easy Setup setting(s) you are using.

If you are using DV-NTSC Firewire Basic, then it won’t work, because your TV is not a Firewire device. It is being recognized as an ANALOG device.

As I suggested previously, you must use DV-NTSC DV Converter and remove the tape from your camera. The camera should work as a “pass through” device. I’ve done what you are doing dozens of times with success utilizing a Canon XL2 as a “pass through” device between the Mac and the TV.

I assume your camera has basic RCA connectors for the TV.

[Dunwoody Lampton]

Is your camera compatible with your version of Final Cut:

https://www.apple.com/finalcutstudio/resources/supportdevices.php

Try capturing with the manual/DV Converter setting instead of controlling through Firewire.

[Dunwoody Lampton]

Select the destination tracks to the far left of the timeline.
Each video and audio line has a selection button there.

[Dunwoody Lampton]

You didn’t mention which version of what software you are capturing with, so I can’t tell you if your camera is compatible. Try yourself:

https://www.apple.com/finalcutstudio/resources/supportdevices.php

[Dunwoody Lampton]

How much material is on your external hard drive? The more loaded your hard drive is, the longer it takes for certain processes to complete.

Have your previous render files been moved or relocated?
Your application may not be able to find them if they have been moved, and force you to re-render upon new startups.

What format are you using to export? Self-contained QT movie, or conversion to another format?

[Dunwoody Lampton]

What kind of shot are you coming from?

What kind of shot are you going to?

Are all of your clips from the same angle?

Do you have cutaways to go to during the transition
from Clip A to Clip B?

Are you trying to match-frame from Clip A to Clip B?

Is there sound involved or just video?

What is your subject(s)?

Without more information it’s hard to offer suggestions.
Offhand, it sounds like you are trying to match-frame
between two nearly identical clips, which is a challenge
whether you’re editing tape-to-tape or non-linear.
If this is the case, then 94% of the work for the desired effect
should have been done when setting up your shots in the field, in order to facilitate easier match-frame editing later. If this is, indeed, what you are trying to accomplish, then be aware that neither Final Cut nor any other NLE application offer magic solutions to match-frame editing. The “magic” is applied in the field, not the edit suite.