transfer footage from miniDV tapes to DVDs or CDs

Since i upgrade my computer to Tiger 10.4.9, I can't capture without dropped frames any more with FCPro 4.5. According to Apple, I have to have FCPro 5. I wonder if you guys know a way /software that allows me to transfer footage from miniDV tapes to DVD or CDs. Thank you all.

Hi!

I am having the same nightmare with my fcp hd4.5 and os10.4.9. All the footage is out of sync, and the image stutters and stops while the audio continues. It drives me crazy!! I found this link from apple about it. Maybe it's possible to downgrade to 10.4.8 - I have not tried it and know almost nothing - so this is only one cent's worth of info!

Take a look:

[docs.info.apple.com]

If you get it to work please let me know!! I will have to buy tiger as in the apple store they put it on my g4 powerbook by mistake but thus I have no install disks.

Good luck!!!
Best regards,
Robert

RobertoHP2001@yahoo.com

Guys-

The prevailing wisdom:

FCP 4.5 works with Panther (10.3.x) and QuickTime 6.x.
FCP 5 works with Tiger (10.4.x) and QuickTime 7.x.

The latest nirvana seems to be:

FCP 5.1.4 and QuickTime 7.1.5.

- Loren
Today's FCP 4 / 5 keytip:
Fast scan your clips or timeline with Control-F12 !
Go slower with lower F keys.
Go reverse with F6 down to F2

The FCP KeyGuide?: your power placemat.
Now available at KeyGuide Central.
www.neotrondesign.com

There's an article and workaround on this in the FAQ. FCP 4.5 (and older) problems with 10.4.9

Thanks Jude,

I will try this and let you know. You're cool.

I had the same problem and the workaround worked perfectly for me. I've since captured 3 tapes - no more dropped frames.

Good luck!
Lys

Hey Lys!

The workaround is now working for me too with all new tapes I am digitizing. But it won't solve the problem for the old tapes I already digitized. Were you able to get it to work for stuff you digitized before doing the workaround??? Or are you having to re-digitze everything??

Thanks and good luck to us all!
Robert

I'm guessing that you'll need to recapture, Robert, because the damage occured during the capture process. While the files were being created the process was interrupted by spotlight trying to figure out what and where everything was, and this caused the dropped frames.

Best bet - dump the old files and recapture from scratch.

I have tried and it didn't work for me. Don't know why. One question though. The capture scratch folder is supposed to be empty or not?

Thank you Jude.

Hey one question - do I need to use new clip filenames or can I reuse the same ones after deleting the old media and the old clip filenames?

It is safe to reuse the same tape number/names I assume?

Thanks again,
Robert

Hey John T.

As I am NO expert at all on any of this I hope it is not dangerous for me to reply and dont take any of this very seriously. But I know how stressful this all is so if my 2 cents can help then great.

The workaround worked for me. The capture scratch folder has stuff in it. Anything I captured before doing the workaround is still not working but all new files captured after performing the workaround function perfectly. Did you restart the machine after hiding the folder from spotlight?

Good luck!
Robert

Hi Robert,
I did exactly all the steps as instructed. Just curious and also to make sure: How do you find the final cut pro documents folder and how do you set up the audio/video, and system settings? Thanks.

Hi John,

the files you need are located in the folders that you had set to be your scratch disk. When you go into log and capture you tell FCP where to send the footage you are capturing. (Under "capture settings" - "Scratch disks". I usually create a folder for this before starting the FCP project (I dont know if that is how the experts do it).

So for the workaround you simply go into the folder you had designated as your scratch disk. There you will find the "capture scratch" folder, which FCP created on its own, after you had designated a scratch disk. This "capture scratch" folder is the one you hide from spotlight using the workaround procedure.

Let me know how it goes - I know this kind of stuff drives me bonkers.
Good luck,
Robert

Boy, I'll tell you...I've been experiencing this problem for two months and no one's been able to help me. If this solution works, you guys are gods!

Thanks for the tips.

Hi:

I want to transfer my miniDV library (120) tapes+-, shot on a Panasonic DVX100 in SP mode, via firewire/Final Cut Pro capture, to hard disk and then ultimately optical storage via volume spanning or, BluRay or the like.

My question is: will a camera that records and plays mini DV tapes in SD, which is listed as compatible with FCP and connected via firewire to Final Cut Pro, regardless of the playback camera's NATIVE RECORDING resolution, transfer the DVX100 tapes at their full resolution?

If there's a specification about resolution apropos to the output of a given mini DV camera that relates to this question I'd appreciate knowing what it is.

Thanks.

It's a good idea to start a new thread if you have a new question, riff, because most people won't see this old question has been added to if they don't have the 'float to top' function on in the forum.

Anyway, to answer your question, the point when you recorded the footage with the better camera and lens is the point where the quality of the video was set. All the tape holds is digits - 0s and 1s. So when you transfer them by capturing them via firewire into a computer, all you are doing is sending a stream of ones and zeros, not an actual picture.

That means two things - 1. You can't adjust the quality of the picture, like the saturation or brightness during capture and 2. It doesn't matter what device you use to capture with. Unless the heads are damaged or dirty, of course, which can destroy your tape.