HDV capture settings

Hi,

I'm new to HDV editing. I am working on some travel videos and was given about 2 hours of HDV from A Sony HDV-FX1. My question is in a couple parts. What settings should I use for capturing footage? And also what sequence settings should I set for my project? Also, when I go to edit will the entire project have to constantly be re-rendering or if the setting are right will that not be necesaary?

Thanks

Capture as HDV and edit as HDV. You won't have to render.

If you don't have a lot of filter and effects work, then this will work okay for you.

But if you're going to do a lot of effects, then you should consider a couple of alternatives. One is to convert to DVCPRO. The other is convert to SD.

Let us know a bit more about the final result you're shooting for.

Have a Merry Christmas, but don't eat too much or drink too much; you won't be able to edit well on Dec. 26th when you get back to work. LOL

Hello, I have just became a mac final cut pro user. I have imported HDV footage, however, when i place the footage on the timeline it needs to be rendered? Are there and what is the correct setting for an HDV project so that I will not have to render every time? Thank you.

filman is at it again...

The format you may want to consider is DVCPRO-HD (NOT DVCPRO). filman also neglected to mention HOW you are to do this conversion from HDV. Converting to SD is not an option - the Editor is asking how to edit in HDV (nowhere did the poster mention down conversion).

filman = PLEASE KNOW WHAT YOU ARE POSTING before posting ANY advice.

brimar,

You "were given" ftg? What are you capturing from (camera or deck) & how are you doing it? Your question depends on what version of FCP you have. There is an HDV Easy Set-up in 5.1.2.

- Joey

When life gives you dilemmas...make dilemmanade.

Yes, how to edit HDV footage without rendering is to choose an EASY SETUP that matches the footage you are capturing, and creating a NEW SEQUENCE before you start cutting.

The original sequence will have the previous settings.


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Hi everyone,

Thanks for the posts. I appreciate them as I am still learning this whole process. For the most part they seem to be working as I have been able to capture 7 of 8 tapes. As for the specific info on my work project, I used the Easy Set-Up. Sequence Preset: HDV - 1080i Capture Preset: HDV Device Control: Sony HDV Firewire Playback Output Video: None Audio: None

But I cannot get my final tape to be recognized with the Log and Capture. It's the same kind of tape as the rest but since I didn't shoot the footage it's hard to say exactly HOW it was recorded. I am doing some work for a local travel agency who want their footage from abroad edited into various 2 - 3 minute videos as well as 20 minutes for internet use. But the person who shot the footage admitted not knowing a lot about filming.

Another question. Now when I am able to capture it's all being pre-edited into clips based on the cuts on the tape. Is this normal? Can I switch back to just capturing all in one piece or is this way better?

Thanks again,

brimar

"Another question. Now when I am able to capture it's all being pre-edited into clips based on the cuts on the tape. Is this normal? Can I switch back to just capturing all in one piece or is this way better?"

In your "User Preference's" there is checkbox that says "abort capture on dropped frames" which you will find is checked, then a pulldown menu which says "On Timecode Break"
after which are three selections:
-Make new clip
-Abort Capture
-Warn after capture

which no doubt says "make new clip". Just uncheck the "abort capture..." checkbox and capture as much as you want at one time if you don't want each stop/start to be a seperate clip.

With the Sony HDV cameras, every time you hit the roll button to stop record, it skips a frame in the timecode stream so that when you start recording again, there is a dropped frame.

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With the Sony HDV cameras, every time you hit the roll button to stop record, it skips a frame in the timecode stream so that when you start recording again, there is a dropped frame.

Really? I dont use HDV, but if that is so, then great tip Tim. Thanks

Michael Horton
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Quote

With the Sony HDV cameras, every time you hit the roll button to stop record, it skips a frame in the timecode stream so that when you start recording again, there is a dropped frame.

Nope - not on my Sony HDR-HC1 HDV camera (at least I have never come across anything like what you are speaking of). After shooting / stopping, I click the "end search" button on the touch screen monitor and the transport goes to the end of the recorded timecode and goes into standby mode and starts from there.

- Joey

When life gives you dilemmas...make dilemmanade.

"Nope - not on my Sony HDR-HC1 HDV camera (at least I have never come across anything like what you are speaking of). After shooting / stopping, I click the "end search" button on the touch screen monitor and the transport goes to the end of the recorded timecode and goes into standby mode and starts from there."

Yes, you can defeat this frame dropping tendency if you know about it and/or use regen TC setting and are sprupulous about your method. However, if you're running and gunning and have no time for the steps involved in laying down continuous TC, it (well, the Z1u) does do skip frame thing.

It actually works to your advantage if you like each take to be a seperate clip and are using "capture now" which I know you guys shun but I use all the time. It can screw you if you are trying to do batch capture and unwittingly have the "abort capture..." checkbox checked. It's not like it's a disaster or anything. Just one more little detail to trip you up.

Quote

Yes, you can defeat this frame dropping tendency if you know about it and/or use regen TC setting and are sprupulous about your method. However, if you're running and gunning and have no time for the steps involved in laying down continuous TC, it (well, the Z1u) does do skip frame thing.

In that case, EVERY camera does that... not just HDV CAMERAS. I just wanted to be clear that what you are referring to is not an HDV camera flaw... because it's not.

I am not sure what "sprupulous" means (I even looked that one up - dictionary.com said "...what?", but I also "run & gun" (who doesn't these days) and that does not interfere with the millisecond it takes me to press the "end search" button and keep the timecode running consistant numbers. I think I can speak for a lot of shooter / editors when I say that timecodes breaks should be avoided if possible for a smoother Post Production experience.

Happy New Year!

- Joey

When life gives you dilemmas...make dilemmanade.

"I am not sure what "sprupulous" means..."

Sorry, that was scrupulous.

Every other camera I've shot with has recorded continuous TC (in record-run) across start/stop/starts without having to press anything other than the roll button. And as I said, it's not really a "problem".

But I don't want to get atop the fence here so I'll say that the Z1u was the only camera I've captured from where FCP started a new clip at every start/stop point. I only wanted to point out that it happens under certain circumstances. MY assessment of WHY is hardly definitive.