[Thaxter Clavemarlton]

Its never been possible to “work backward” in past versions.

You might be able to export an EDL and do work based on that, but the FCP 5 timeline/project should not open in 4x.

[Thaxter Clavemarlton]

Questions like this are posted very frequently. And many (most?) of the problems are solved by a simple procedure.

There is a function in FCP that is often overlooked… and it can help with many audio and video “skipping”, “sticking” and “missing” problems.

You should “Mixdown” the Audio for playback before you dub out of FCP, or during the edit, if you have audio/video stuttering, drop-outs or freezes.

NOTE: Mixdown has even been demonstrated to help with slipping, skipping problems (or “missing” audio clips) for files being EXPORTED as QT (or similar) files out of FCP.

First, SELECT ALL of your audio tracks (highlight them) on the timeline, then:

Sequence Menu > Render Only > Mixdown.

You should see a dialog box telling you its rendering.

It might seem to make little sense that “Mixing down” even simple audio tracks will “fix” complex video “freezes” or random audio dropouts to tape or export, but it CAN.

NOTE: It does not matter of you only have one audio track, if there are random freezes during output, you should try the Mixdown.

[Thaxter Clavemarlton]

Ditto to Jeff’s post.

Use iTunes to convert AIFF to mp3.

iTunes (menu) > Prerences… > Importing > “Import Using:” > MP3 Encoder “Setting:” > (choose “High” or “Higher” for best quality) > “OK” (closes preferences).

Drop your AIFF clip into an iTunes open window, click once on your clip to select it, and choose:
Advanced (menu) > Convert Selection to MP3.

Works VERY fast and stores new MP3 file in the iTunes library.

You can do a “search” (apple f) to locate the new MP3 file on the hard drive and then just drop it into an email.

[Thaxter Clavemarlton]

You should try to recapture the clip(s) that cause the problem.
Then replace it (them) in the problem area(s).

Could be a tape problem, a disk problem, or just an odd problem during capture.

[Thaxter Clavemarlton]

There is a function in FCP that is often overlooked… and it can help with many audio and video “skipping”, “sticking” and “missing” problems.

You should “Mixdown” the Audio for playback before you dub out of FCP, or during the edit, if you have audio/video stuttering, drop-outs or freezes.

NOTE: Mixdown has even been demonstrated to help with slipping, skipping problems (or “missing” audio clips) for files being EXPORTED as QT (or similar) files out of FCP.

First, SELECT ALL of your audio tracks (highlight them) on the timeline, then:

Sequence Menu > Render Only > Mixdown.

You should see a dialog box telling you its rendering.

It might seem to make little sense that “Mixing down” even simple audio tracks will “fix” complex video “freezes” or random audio dropouts to tape or export, but it CAN.

NOTE: It does not matter of you only have one audio track, if there are random freezes during output, you should try the Mixdown.

[Thaxter Clavemarlton]

There is a function in FCP that is often overlooked… and it can help with many audio and video “skipping”, “sticking” and “missing” problems.

You should “Mixdown” the Audio for playback before you dub out of FCP, or during the edit, if you have audio/video stuttering, drop-outs or freezes.

NOTE: Mixdown has even been demonstrated to help with slipping, skipping problems (or “missing” audio clips) for files being EXPORTED as QT (or similar) files out of FCP.

First, SELECT ALL of your audio tracks (highlight them) on the timeline, then:

Sequence Menu > Render Only > Mixdown.

You should see a dialog box telling you its rendering.

It might seem to make little sense that “Mixing down” even simple audio tracks will “fix” complex video “freezes” or random audio dropouts to tape or export, but it CAN.

NOTE: It does not matter of you only have one audio track, if there are random freezes during output, you should try the Mixdown.

[Thaxter Clavemarlton]

[John the Video Man] “My buddy Bogie says that service for the XL-1 might be prohibitively expensive. He also suggests that my 1998 XL-1 may have ancient firewire drivers and that just some driver updates may fix the problem.”

Service would not be cheap.

I see no reason that you would NEED a FW connection on the camera (unless you wanted to use a FireStore HD for recording).

Your workaround would be to use an inexpensive camcorder if you wanted to input/output DV tapes for an NLE via FW.

See my response to Cookiemonsterette a couple of threads above this one.

[Thaxter Clavemarlton]

You get this big covered truck.

Put all your gear in the back and close the doors.

Then just drive it through at the border portal.

Its obvious that they never check in the back of big covered trucks at the Mexican border.

Sorry, it was too tempting.

[Thaxter Clavemarlton]

To expand on the last part of Todd’s post:

Finding an inexpensive used camcorder is a pretty good way to do this.
I have had GREAT luck buying used miniDV “home video” camcorders and using them as spare “decks” and A-to-D-to-A video/audio converter “boxes”.
I have bought MANY of these little gems at local PawnShops for UNDER $200 each (eBay has ’em too). The transfer quality in and out matches any deck available, and the video/audio output (they all have S-Video outs) works great on video monitors.
A DV “signal” consists of a set of numbers (in the basic form of a “computer file”). The transfer of these files can be successfully accomplished with any properly-operating FireWire camera or deck… certainly the “image pick-up” on the camera is not a part of this transfer once it is on tape.
It also comes in handy to own an “extra” (cheap) one-chip camcorder if you ever need to shoot something that might be too “risky” to put your GOOD camera in the way of danger. (I’ve strapped a $200 Pawnshop camera to the bumper of my car and shot some great “in-traffic” footage.)

The important thing to consider is the “compatibility” of YOUR camcorder’s heads to any other unit’s.
Sorry to say that Canon is rather notorious for (sometimes) creating a camcorder that has a “unique” head-alignment compared to another camcorder. (This shows up as blocky video dropouts and sporadic audio silences as you attempt to play one camera’s tape on another unit.)

When shopping for a used “player/recorder” camcorder, I always bring along a miniDV that was recorded on my own camera. I can then play MY tape on any other unit I’m considering and see if the video/audio plays well. If so, I will then RECORD some footage shooting with the new/used little camera and see how THAT footage looks.
Maybe I’ve been “lucky”, but I have yet to find a non-working non-compatible “cheapy” camcorder… and if the price is “too good to pass up”… I offer it a new home.

[Thaxter Clavemarlton]

Tablets are the GUI-input choice of many editors.

I first learned the Mac on a Trackball.

After that, I thought I’d never get used to a mouse, but now the mouse is all I use.

I’ve used some tablets as well.

It’s like driving an auto transmission car and then buying one with a manual trannie.
It foreign and difficult at first, but once you get used to it, you can eventually “intermix” as needed.