[Tom Galli]

I certainly could do it in Premiere, or FCP. But part of what I’m hoping is to grow into these more powerful sound-specific applications, learn what they have to offer that my video editors lack. I mean, there’s a reason Audition and Soundtrack exist, right?

On the way to that greater learning, though, I just keep pounding my head against the wall, saying “but WHY???” I assume that the software engineers who developed these programs, and the recording engineers who use them, made the choice to cripple the functionality of the basic mode deliberately. I really, really would like to understand their reasoning. Maybe then I could let it go and just move on.

The difference between theory and reality is that, in theory, there is no difference between theory and reality.

[Tom Galli]

Aloha Don,

First, thanks for your continued efforts!

1. When I start editing, the system defaults to NTSC DV settings. When i drag the first clip onto the Timeline, FCP offers to change my settings, which I allow it to do. What it chooses is:

Again, I’ve changes most of the sequences to a Field Dominance of “none” because it smooths jaggies that appear when keyframing still images.

2. Coincidentally, this particular project includes some HDV footage and some SD NTSC analog footage. Nothing progressive, though. My JVC cams do have the capability to shoot progressive, so I can put that on the list of things to try.

3. Yeah, changing the output codec is having little effect.

4. This is brand new. However, let me qualify that, this is also the first paying project I’ve cut using all HD. I’ve done a few training projects, and graded dozens of projects from my students using this same equipment, but it is really distinctly possible that I’m only noticing the artifact now because A> I am screening this one for paying clients, and B> if I noticed it in a student project, I would comment on it but not really THINK about it, assuming student error.

5. Simply playing the footage immediately after import, the artifact is present. Even in the Viewer window, now that I am looking for it, I can see it.

6. Nope. I’ll stick that on the “to do” list as well!

Mahalo,
Tom G

The difference between theory and reality is that, in theory, there is no difference between theory and reality.

[Tom Galli]

Aloha Don,

I think you’re barking up the wrong tree here, although I will give trashing preferences a try. It’s been a while since I did that.

I keep the computers here well-maintained. They run 5 days a week, get shut down for weekends, and I use MacHelpMate on them monthly to repair preferences and run the UNIX housekeeping chores.

I have moved this project across several systems. The oldest is a white Intel iMac 5.1, the most powerful is the Mac Pro I mentioned, the newest is a 2.3 GHz Mac Mini, and there are several in-between. I’ve done tests now on 4 different computers, each a different hardware configuration. The OS involved runs from 10.6 – 10.8, depending on the system.

With such a consistent problem across such a range of hardware and OS combinations, I’m pretty certain the issue is internal to FCP. I just don’t know what it is, yet.

I’m leaning towards it being some form of interlace issue, though. In the project, I have some still images of assorted formats (.tiff, .jpg, .psd, etc). I use keyframing to apply motion. SOme of them develop jagged edges. That, I can correct by setting the Sequence Settings Field Preference to “none.” However, it seems to me that the artidct I’m complaining about is slightly worse after re-rendering the sequence following that change.

The difference between theory and reality is that, in theory, there is no difference between theory and reality.

[Tom Galli]

Aloha Neil,

Sorry, but that’s not the issue. The camera records QuickTime files direct to SDHC cards. No Log & Capture, no Log & Transfer, just importing files.

Thanks for trying!

Mahalo,
Tom G

The difference between theory and reality is that, in theory, there is no difference between theory and reality.

[Tom Galli]

[Walter Soyka] “This is not the case: the product doesn’t actually run in the cloud. You install the software on your desktop and the Creative Cloud subscription replaces your serial numbers”

I wasn’t thinking that it runs on the cloud; rather, that it requires you to download the software individually for each machine. Looking at the FAQ you linked to, and knowing the enforced limitations of our IT infrastructure, let’s say it takes an hour per app to download. Times 8 apps that we’ll actually use. Times 25 computers. That’s a lot of time to get up and running!

Now, if I can download it to one machine, then use that as a master drive to transfer to other machines (the same way I do disc-based installs) then it’s MUCH less of an issue.

The difference between theory and reality is that, in theory, there is no difference between theory and reality.

[Tom Galli]

Well, at present, I am still running OS 10.6.x. I’ve not made the move to Lion.

However, FS2 on 10.6.8, installed by using the Migration Assistant from a master disk, definitely demonstrates a little more personality than it did running on OS 10.5.x under the same conditions.

The difference between theory and reality is that, in theory, there is no difference between theory and reality.

[Tom Galli]

Ok, let’s pretend (for a moment) that I am sold.

I buy MC at the educational price of $295/license.

I like the idea of ProTools, but that’s $700, with no mention of an educational discount. The MP version requires me to buy an audio interface, and the SE version only does 2 tracks, so those aren’t contenders. So maybe all my future sound editing gets done in Garage Band?

But this leaves me without a DVD authoring package. And I do enjoy authoring a good DVD. Where does a Mac user who has been abandoned by DVDSP turn?

The difference between theory and reality is that, in theory, there is no difference between theory and reality.

[Tom Galli]

Aloha Jerry,

1. Copying the card’s contents to the hard drive prior to Log & Transferring doesn’t change anything. The computer still sits there for about 2 minutes, acting as if you never told it to do anything before suddenly discovering the clips. However, if you change out cards while the L&T window is still open, it finds the next set quickly. If you close the window then re-open it, even without changing anything else, you once again have a 2 minute wait. This behavior is the same on 3 generations of iMacs and a brand new 8-core PowerMac.

3. These are 3 1/2″ 7200 rpm drives.

4. We’ll give that a try!

The difference between theory and reality is that, in theory, there is no difference between theory and reality.

[Tom Galli]

For the class-issue cameras, we use Log & Transfer to transcode. We’ve tried both the Apple Intermediate Codec and Apple ProRes 422.

Issue 1: There’s a weirdness to the Log & Transfer process, which I posted about before. It takes the computer about 2 honest minutes to “see” the clips on the SDHC card. During that 2 minutes, though, it gives no indication that it is doing anything. No progress indicator, no beach ball, nothing.

Issue 2: Usually the transcoding goes smoothly, but about 5% of the time, some portion of the created files will not play. When I look at their properties, the data rates are different from the other, properly-functioning clips. Re-transcoding usually solves this.

Issue 3: Often, clips that play smoothly in the Viewer will stutter and choke after being placed on the Timeline. This happens when the settings for the sequence are identical to the settings of the clips. I’ll even start a new sequence, drag the clip onto it, and click “Yes” to the dialog box that warns of different setting and offers to change them for me. The results are always the same, a clip that plays in the Viewer, but not on the Timeline. We have discovered that by changing the Sequence to a lower resolution, usually the NTSC DV settings, that we can achieve smooth playback after rendering. Not ideal, but it gets us through the class.

Issue 4: the two students who are using their own cameras end up with clips that show as .mp4. FCP accepts these without transcoding, but once again, plays them smoothly in the Viewer but chokes and stutters when they are placed on the Timeline. In this case, changing the sequence settings to lower resolution does not help. The only way we’ve been able to get a full-motion playback of the edited projects are to export them as Quicktime movies and watch them in the Quicktime Player.

Our drives are Lacie Rugged FW drives. (which, I must say, I have had rotten luck with. Out of an order of 40, I have had to return 25 for service already).

The difference between theory and reality is that, in theory, there is no difference between theory and reality.

[Tom Galli]

Richard, that is an excellent point.

Honestly, my “concept-to-completion” desire is based on what I do with the systems besides teach classes. But, curriculum-wise, my goal is to prepare students for the professional workplace.

My dream, actually, would be to teach 4 semesters of editing, each one on a different platform. See me in 20 years for a status update on that dream. But for now…

Our students get a total of 3 semesters’ worth of ENG classes: beginning, intermediate, and advanced. The focus is on the “tripod” of preproduction, production, and postproduction with increasingly complex tools and elevating expectations. DVD authoring isn’t even featured, just acknowledged as a way to provide a demo reel.

So, with that realization, I’m back on the “maybe Avid” wagon.

The difference between theory and reality is that, in theory, there is no difference between theory and reality.