[Tom Meegan]

H.264 is a good delivery format, however there are better choices for editing.

In FCP 5.X, good choices for editing SD video include:

DV
DV50
8-Bit Uncompressed
10-Bit Uncompressed.

If you are on FCP 6, include:

ProRes.

If you are on an older laptop, DV would be a good choice.

If you are on a newer laptop or an older G4 or G5 without speedy drives, DV50 would be better.

If you have new hardware with very fast, large, empty drives, 8 bit or 10 bit might be worth the overhead.

Without details of your situation it is hard to make a specific recommendation. How much footage, what was the acquisition format? How are you delivering? Do you have a lot of graphics work?

ProRes has promise, however it is so new that recommended workflows are still being shaken out.

https://forums.creativecow.net/readpost/200/874600?

Good luck.

Tom

[Tom Meegan]

A work around might be to place a video slug (from the generator menu) above the video, and ramp the opacity of the black from 0 to 100 then back down again.

Go here:

https://www.rippletraining.com/free_tutorials_final_cut_pro.html

and scroll down to The Black Art of Slug Fading.

Sorry I can only treat the symptom, not the cause.

Tom

[Tom Meegan]

A work around might be to place a video slug (from the generator menu) above the video, and ramp the opacity of the black from 0 to 100 then back down again.

Go here:

https://www.rippletraining.com/free_tutorials_final_cut_pro.html

and scroll down to The Black Art of Slug Fading.

Sorry I can only treat the symptom, not the cause.

Tom

[Tom Meegan]

The grain was likely introduced when you were shooting. In this case, the grain is recorded on the tape.

Compare the direct out from the tape deck to the output of FCP after capture on the same external monitor. They will very likely be the same, meaning that FCP’s capture is not adding grain.

If you still need to remove the grain, there are expensive plug-ins to do this from Boris FX and Sapphire. There is also a remove grain filter in After Effects.

Best,

Tom

[Tom Meegan]

If you need multiple component outputs, you could pick up a distribution amplifier like this one:

https://www.markertek.com/SearchProduct.asp?item=KR%2DVM100CB&off=158&sort=prod

Good luck with your transiton over to FCP.

Tom

[Tom Meegan]

A couple things to try:

1. Make sure you don’t have any anti-virus software installed. If you do sniff it all out

[Tom Meegan]

I saw the iphone ad you refer to while working in a TV truck Sunday with some fairly media jaded folks.

We were just as fascinated by the interface as you, David.

Wow. I’ll wait a year to buy as well, but now I can’t wait to go play with one!

Tom

[Tom Meegan]

https://www.blackmagic-design.com/products/multibridge/

https://www.aja.com/html/products_macintosh_kona_3.html

I own the AJA Kona LHe and had a month of editing with the Kona 3. They have been rock solid. If you go this route spring for the K-Box so your inputs and outputs will be housed in a more robust frame. Scroll down to the bottom of the AJA page above to see what I’m talking about.

I’ve used the BMD Decklink cards on several jobs, and they also have been rock solid. I don’t have experience with the Multibridge product.

I suggest you make a detailed list of your technical needs and then do a product comparison.

If price is not an issue, go with the Kona solution

[Tom Meegan]

https://www.aja.com/html/products_macintosh.html

https://www.blackmagic-design.com/products/

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/338796-REG/Aurora_PIPEPRO_Pipe_Pro_10_Bit_SDI.html

I have used and like AJA and Black Magic Design. You pay a bit more for AJA, but I’ve gotten that back in very good support.

I don’t know the Aurora product, but have heard good things.

Good luck.

Tom M

[Tom Meegan]

Question on sequence settings:

Work in a DVCPro HD 720p24 timeline (use the sequence preset.) If you have a very fast and large hard drive, work in Uncompressed HD 720p24.

I’m assuming your don’t need to reframe or zoom and pan around on the stills.

If you do need to scale and move the stils, import the those stills at a resolution two to four times as wide and tall as the resolution of your timeline.

The above are general recommendations based on the information in your post. More information about the delivery of your project, and your financial and time constraints might yield different advice.

Since you mention stop motion:

How long does each still needs to be for your motion to be smooth? Lets say two frames for this example.

Go Final Cut Pro > User Preferences

Click the Editing Tab.

Change Still Freeze/Duration to 2.

Now when your still are imported they will be the proper length for your edit.

Question on upgrade:

Not sure. Sorry.

Tom