Mark Maness
Forum Replies Created
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Let me jump in here…
[Francois Stark] “In the file FCP_XDCAMHD_whitepaper.pdf, I see a FCP plugin that allows you to do your logging from the low-res proxy of each clip, and it also imports to FCP in the background. You can supposedly continue logging or working in the FCP project while it imports in the background.”
Sony has this already with the newest version of their Sony Transfer Software (1.1), will do exactly what you are looking for and in the background.
[Francois Stark] “Why are you not using this? Is this workflow only available for the HD versions? Or is the plugin not stable yet? Why is TOD faster than standard timecode? “
The plugin is fine. It uses and accepts all version of XDCAM SD and HD. It also allows for selecting audio channels to import and making sub-clips.
[Francois Stark] “We are doing post for TWO seperate daily half-hour soapies now… (one is still on AVID). Sourcing on beta SP currently and editing in DV format. We do a lot of subtitles (about 400 titles per 22 minute program), using inscriber and TGA files… So we mainly do some grading and subtitles – will the native IMX be better, or do we stay with DVCAM? We need a format that is rock solid and without surprises, with good RT performance. Delivery will still be on BetaSP for a while.”
I’ve been using XDCAM for little more than a year now without any surprises at all. Its been a long time coming from FCP to offer full XDCAM support, but now they have with version 5.1.2. IMX is a much better format than DVCAM. If you use the IMX50, your data rate is 50 mb/s, whereas DVCAM is still 25 mb/s. IMX50 has twice the data of DVCAM. Its rock solid and very stable. It even handles graphics pretty well.
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Wayne Carey
Schazam Productions
http://www.schazamproductions.com -
[WideWorld HD] “What do I need to do in terms of FCP setups to enable me to capture as DVCPROHD via firewire input?”
Again….
There is NO way for you to capture HDV as DVCProHD thru your firewire port UNLESS you purchase a converter box like the AJA HD10AVA or the Convergent Designs converter.
Please listen to us…. There is NO WAY to capture to DVCProHD thru firewire EXCEPT if you are using a Panasonic DVCProHD deck and DVCProHD recorded tapes.
Once you purchase a converter box, you hook it up to your Kona 2 via the HD-SDI input and select the Easy Setup for DVCProHD 1080i29.97.
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Wayne Carey
Schazam Productions
http://www.schazamproductions.com -
[WideWorld HD] “Right now Im assuming that you need to use some kind of a convertor like the one from Convergent Design to turn the HDV signal into an HDSDI signal first.”
At the moment, this is correct. The ONLY way to capture HDV into DVCProHD is thru a box such as the Convergent Designs converter or the AJA HD10AVA (such as I use).
I use a mixture of HDV and XDCAM HD all of the time but since both are a flavor of Long GOP MPEG, I capture these using DVCProHD and then edit all my material in a DVCProHD sequence.
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Wayne Carey
Schazam Productions
http://www.schazamproductions.com -
[mactrix] “You CANNOT capture into HDV nor XDCAM HD via a capture card.”
Yes… I am fully aware of what you are talking about BUT this is the last piece of the puzzle for AJA to have a complete product.
Th reason I bring this up is the fact that our main camera is XDCAM HD and our secondary cameras are HDV. I need a way to get HDV into XDCAM HD and I can capture directly into XDCAM SD from HDV but not into XDCAM HD. And please, let’s not get into the quality difference discussion. I am aware and for our budget, the qualities are extremely similar for money.
Currently, I have to work in the DVCProHD codec and this makes using the Sony Transfer software difficult to use. My point is to perfect my workflow into the best possible for the quality and file sizes. XDCAM HD has smaller file sizes with quality that rivals HDCAM. I need a way to conserve space.
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Wayne Carey
Schazam Productions
http://www.schazamproductions.com -
[mactrix] “I just rendered out a XDCAM HD 35 Mbit clip out of After Effects.
Composition is set to 1920 x 1080 with 25 fps.
Render Settings: Best Settings
Output Module -> Format Options: XDCAM HD 1080p25 (35 Mb/s VBR)Like this it worked on my setup. In Compressor I would create a similar
preset …”Now, you’re on the smae page as I am. BUT in FCP if I want to capture something into the XDCAM HD codec such as HDV, upconverted Digibeta, or any signal that I wish… it comes out really bad. It skips frames, looses sync and overall poor picture quality.
That is my question that I have been asking. Has anybody gotten this to work?
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Wayne Carey
Schazam Productions
http://www.schazamproductions.com -
[mactrix] “It’s is and was never a feature of FCP or AJA to capture into XDCAM HD.
XDCAM HD with variable frame rate and GOP structure is no capture
codec …”I understand its capabilities completely… I preach on here about the misgivings of HDV all of the time.
BUT, what you are missing is the fact that I can create files in HDV in Compressor and After Effects all day long. I understand that the nature of XDCAM HD is still a form of HDV but why is it that I can create 25 mb/s HDV files but not XDCAM HD files. That is my whole quandry.
When support for XDCAM SD came out last year, I was having similar problems with it in FCP until an update came out to help with this issue.
[mactrix] “It’s not possible.”
Then explain how I can create files in After Effects and Compressor in HDV. FCP looks at HDV as something completely and totally different than anything on the market. Why is that?
Don’t get me wrong… I love FCP and will continue to use it BUT its behind on current technologies that should be working.
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Wayne Carey
Schazam Productions
http://www.schazamproductions.com -
[mactrix] “If you are using the Kona card than you will input a transparent signal via HD-SDI.
It’s not recommended to use analog inputs. A Convergent Design cross-converter
can convert HDV to HD-SDI resulting thru a pure digital transfer. Also 1440 x 1080
subsampling from HDV is upscaled to 1920 x 1080 full res. You can use the Kona
than to capture to uncompressed or DVCPRO HD.”I’ve already been doing this for the past year… The problem is you can’t digitize ANYTHING into XDCAM HD at any rate. I’ve even tried to render out animations from After Effects with no success of stable video.
[mactrix] “You can use the Kona
than to capture to uncompressed or DVCPRO HD.”YES… I’m very well aware of that and have been doing this already. BUT I’d like to capture into XDCAM HD so that I can use the transfer software to import and export. At the current moment, I have to edit in DVCPro HD and make a new sequence of XDCAM HD and render it out for about 6 hours for a 35 minute program (bars, tone, slate, and black after the show).
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Wayne Carey
Schazam Productions
http://www.schazamproductions.com -
[Jay Chance] “I almost had it working using the analog component out of an HDV deck into a Kona LHe card…but I was dropping frames on the capture….I’ve got an email into AJA support on this issue.”
Yeah, I’m sure it has something to do with the aspect ratio conversions – converting from 1440×1080 to 1920×1080. I’m not too sure that FCP really has full support for XDCAM HD just yet. This is similar to what was going on when XDCAM came out last year in FCP.
But I’m glad to see that someone else is working on this issue.
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Wayne Carey
Schazam Productions
http://www.schazamproductions.com -
[mactrix] “It’s not possible … HDV and XDCAM HD are using the same 25 Mbit Codec
and the 35 Mbit version is only available with XDCAM HD.”While I fully understand that XDCAM HD is totally different from XDCAM, I did use HDV captured thru my Kona 2 into the XDCAM IMX50 codec. It works superbly.
[mactrix] “Due to the MPEG-2 GOP structure you can’t capture HDV as 35 Mbit XDCAM HD.
You can only transcode it after capturing …”To answer this…. I can digitize into ANY codec except the XDCAM HD codec. At the moment, I’m haing to capture everything in the DVCPro HD codec because its the most compatible codec I can use at this time.
My problem seems to be where FCP and the Kona meet. Nowhere in FCP settings is there a scene aspect ratio of 1440×1080 except with HDV and I don’t want to work in HDV.
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Wayne Carey
Schazam Productions
http://www.schazamproductions.com -
Do you have the latest driver from AJA?
That will help. And Zap your PRAM when you restart.
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Wayne Carey
Schazam Productions
http://www.schazamproductions.com