[Keith Sonstegard]

If you have a Nitris DX or Mojo DX you could digitize via the HD SDI input/output and then select an Avid codec that’s not HDV which should improve your computer processing.

If you want to down-rez. Have the HVR Z7U do it and capture via Firewire using Avid’s DV25 codec. In the iLink menu, you can change your VTRs output to 16×9 or 4:3 SD. One word of caution…batch capturing (for up-rez) may be difficult. I haven’t had much luck finding timecode sync while tying to batch capture with DVcam or HDV footage.

Hope that helps.
Keith

[Keith Sonstegard]

When I have problems with my MXF files, I open the MXF media folder and delete the “msm” files (there’s two of them). This makes Avid look for all of it’s media again…and it rewrites the “msm” files in the folder. It works most of the time for me.

Keith

[Keith Sonstegard]

With the Mojo you may only have one output at a time. In Avid, open video output settings and select component out and see if that does it for you.
Keith

[Keith Sonstegard]

Here’s just a few ideas:
Try cleaning the PD170’s tape heads..if it’s glitches you’re seeing.

The look you’re describing sounds like the camera’s digital effect “Trail”…but, I believe that can only be recorded to tape and not assigned to firewire output.

What format is your video footage? is it PAL? and are you working in NTSC mode? The PD170 will playback in a “quasi” PAL mode and will look fine on the camera’s LCD monitor. But if your Avid set-up is for NTSC, you may get some crazy effects…
Hope this helps.
Keith

[Keith Sonstegard]

Way to go Romel!
Just be careful and backup your media, re-digitizing from tape w/out tc can be a nightmare to re-sync if you ever have to bring the edit project back.

Happy editing 🙂

[Keith Sonstegard]

I’m not sure about Avid Log Exchange.
You could try down converting your HDV footage to Standard NTSC footage through your camera.

Keith

[Keith Sonstegard]

Your camera’s conversion is weird to me because 24p should be 24p. I’m not an expert with formats but I have a feeling that it’s the HDV format…maybe HDV can only be1080i / 59.94 fps? Sorry I don’t have an answer for you. A lot of people like the progressive frame look of video. I’ve always liked interlaced video with its smoother look during shots with action. Full frame/progressive video is great for compositing and keying but, as I’ve mentioned earlier, in your version of Avid, you can’t mix frame rates in a project…and therefore you can’t mix NTSC/SD video with it.

I know this doesn’t help with your current footage, but I would shoot some HDV 1080i / 59.94 fps footage (do not shoot 24P or 30P) and start a new Avid project with those same settings and just test it out. I don’t know what demands you have with the earlier footage you shot, you could have it converted to another format at a post house if you have to use it.

Your earlier note about purchasing the Avid and Sony camera…I believe that Avid’s Media Composer is the best editing application out there. FCP is fine. But if I have a choice, I’d go with Avid. Unfortunately, you ran into a problem off of the top. I know editing is an art form, but it’s also about problem solving (both artistically and technically). Sony also makes some great products and I use their cameras all of the time. You’ve been doing the right steps and checking and testing all of the possible settings. Keep at it and good luck.

[Keith Sonstegard]

I took a quick look at the manual for your camera. Take a look at page 66 where it describes the 24p and 30p settings. At the bottom of that section it mentions that captured images are converted to 60i format and recorded on tape. That’s kind of weird but, it might have something to do with the HDV format.

Here’s what I’d do. Start a new project in Avid. Use the 1080i/59.94 settings with the raster dimensions of 1440 x 1080. Then do a test capture via firewire.

Those are the settings I use when I edit HDV. But, when I shoot HDV I use 1080i / 59.94 fps. Avid doesn’t have a 24fps 1080i setting (I’m not sure that’s even possible) only a 24fps 1080p setting, which might be why your having troubles.

I’m not sure if this helps.
Best of luck.

[Keith Sonstegard]

Make sure your footage settings match your Avid project settings.
i.e. if you shot footage at 24 frames per second at 1080i, make sure your project settings are 24fps at 1080i. It will keep things simple and more straight forward. If you’re running the 3.XX version of Avid, I believe you have to keep the frame rate the same…or… you can’t mix different frame rates like 29.97 and 24. If you’re running the latest version of Avid 4.XX, I believe you can mix frame rates in a project (but I haven’t tried it yet).

Keith

[Keith Sonstegard]

I found a work-a-round to make things work in iDVD.

Export all codec types out of Avid as QT reference clips. If your source was recorded at DV25, make sure your Display Aspect Ratio is “Native Dimensions” and do NOT use the Avid DV Codec on export, just use QuickTime Reference. The exported clips will be 720×486.

Open the exported reference clip in Quicktime Pro and under the clips Properties, change the clips Scaled Size to 720×480. Save the clip with it’s new properties. If there are small black bars on top and bottom of the clip, the export from Avid wasn’t done correctly and it won’t work. The entire raster should have an image.

Import the clip in iDVD and it’ll work.