[Richard Sanchez]

HDV is an extremely compressed format, so if you are constantly editing, printing to tape. Recapturing, and then sending back to tape, you will probably start experiencing quite a bit of quality loss and pixilation. Also, titles and graphics will not hold up well at all in HDV.

As far as which one captures better looking video, theoretically it’s all the same if you’re capturing native.

Richard Sanchez
North Hollywood, CA

“We are the facilitators of our own creative evolution.” – Bill Hicks

[Richard Sanchez]

If you capture Apple Intermediate, you can’t share it at all. Even in native HDV format, I don’t know if you can share media, and you certainly can’t share project files. I know Automatic Duck used to support Premiere, but I don’t believe it does anymore.

You’re better off either having your buddy use somebody else’s Final Cut system, or you use somebody else’s Premiere system. It just isn’t very easy hoping from NLE to NLE.

Richard Sanchez
North Hollywood, CA

“We are the facilitators of our own creative evolution.” – Bill Hicks

[Richard Sanchez]

I’d recommend you read up a bit on RAIDs for exactly that reason, backup. A RAID 5 configuration is an excellent combination of speed and safety, because if one drive fails, you can replace it and it will rebuild itself with no data loss. However, you need a RAID card for this. Cal Digit makes a nice one, I use it myself.

The other issue you’ll run into is, if you take 3 hard drives and use them as you will and then decide you want to raid them together later, you will have to obliterate all the data on those drives. If you have ample space when you decide to do so, you’ll be fine, but if not, you could be up a creek. Just food for thought.

Also, while I know migration causes issues with pro apps, I’m not sure if Time Machine does or not, but I typically use Super Duper to create disk backups.

Richard Sanchez
North Hollywood, CA

“We are the facilitators of our own creative evolution.” – Bill Hicks

[Richard Sanchez]

No worries, it always throws me for a loop especially jumping between after effects and FCP.

Richard Sanchez
North Hollywood, CA

“We are the facilitators of our own creative evolution.” – Bill Hicks

[Richard Sanchez]

You actually want to apply the Travel Matte – Luma composite mode to the fill on Layer 3. Matte on Layer 2. Plate on Layer 1.

Richard Sanchez
North Hollywood, CA

“We are the facilitators of our own creative evolution.” – Bill Hicks

[Richard Sanchez]

I believe the Matrox MXO will do what you were trying to do. You won’t be able to capture with it, but output should be fine.

Richard Sanchez
North Hollywood, CA

“We are the facilitators of our own creative evolution.” – Bill Hicks

[Richard Sanchez]

There really isn’t a quick fix. There is a plugin called Captain’s Blowout Fixer (https://pistolerapost.com/pluginz/) that might help. It’s not terribly tricky to use, but will take a little getting used to.

Richard Sanchez
North Hollywood, CA

“We are the facilitators of our own creative evolution.” – Bill Hicks

[Richard Sanchez]

Right on, I certainly use them enough to justify the upgrade. Thanks!

Richard Sanchez
North Hollywood, CA

“We are the facilitators of our own creative evolution.” – Bill Hicks

[Richard Sanchez]

I don’t believe so. Digibeta stores the caption data on Line 21 of the VBI, but HD tapes use VANC.

Richard Sanchez
North Hollywood, CA

“We are the facilitators of our own creative evolution.” – Bill Hicks

[Richard Sanchez]

I bought my memory upgrades from a place called Timeline Digital Inc (https://www.timelinedigitalinc.com/) along with a Cal Digit HD Element. I bought my Mac Pro used in the classifieds section of this page, but Power Max (https://www.powermax.com) sells used Macs.

Richard Sanchez
North Hollywood, CA

“We are the facilitators of our own creative evolution.” – Bill Hicks