Pro Tools and Final Cut Express HD Problems

Hi Guys,

I have a few quick questions regarding my Dual 2.5 Gig G5 Power Mac running Tiger OS with 2 gigs of RAM and Pro Tools HD 3 as well as Final Cut Express HD.

Problem 1: When I start up Final Cut Express, it takes literally one hour "Locating Audio Filters" as it loads all of my Waves folder filled with Pro Tools Plug-Ins. I don't need to use them in Final Cut Express, is there any way to prevent this? As well, is this a normal load time for such a fast machine? It literally took an entire hour to load.

Problem 2: Essentially, what I am trying to do is take an Analog VHS Tape of a film, and bring it in as a digital file into Pro Tools HD 3 to compose to. Although Pro Tools will import many different file formats, I want to shoot out this video to an external monitor while in Pro Tools, and the only file format that Pro Tools HD 3 will spit out to an external monitor is DV Stream. So I am capturing my video using a Canopus anlaog to digital converter into Final Cut Express, and then exporting the video from Final Cut as a DV Stream, so that I can import it into Pro Tools HD 3. Although this works, it is taking me about a half an hour to encode for every 15 minutes of video when I try to export. Does anyone know of a simpler way to accomplish this task, keeping in mind that I need to be able to view my video in an external monitor in Pro Tools?

Thanks You Very Much,

Sean Kearney

i cant help with the plugins issue.

but i import plain old DV, not DVStream into ProTools.

capture your VHS as DV, then just bring that file into PT.

if that doesn't work, then you should, try capturing into iMovie, if possilbe.
that uses DVStream as it's format.


nick

Thanks Nick,

I have one more question though. How can I change what File Format I import as?

Sean Kearney

sorry,i don't understand the question..

importing into which app?

iMovie capture as DVStream, but i haven't used it with a Canopus box

FCP captures as DV.

i;ve imported all sorts of video into PT, and have played simple DV files out to external monitors, via FW into a canopus box.

at the school i was teaching at last year, they coudn't get a constant sync offset using the DV out from PT, so ditched their Canopus boxes in favour of just using a second computer monitor.
(however, my sound designer freind has no such issues)


nick

OK,

Problem 1:-

This is strange - I have a 002 Protools rig on the same G5 as my Final Cut rig. You must have installed the AU or VST versions of Waves as well as the RTAS. Just in case you are unaware, RTAS is ProTools, the others are for Garageband/Logic etc etc. Just remove the AU and VST versions of your Waves plugins and you will be away. As long as you don't need them in Garageband/Logic etc (why would anyone?)

Problem 2:-

I have never used a Canopus, although I have seen footage captured through them, and it DOES look good.

When you capture through the Canopus and drag the file into the timeline, does it need to be rendered? If it doesn't need to be rendered, just grab the capture file from the Finder and dump it into ProTools. I have done this with some of my VHS conversions (even though I just use a VHS player into my miniDV camera) and it works every time.

Good to know someone else using protools and final cut - I'm sure we can help each other out every now and again.

I am still to conquer getting core audio to work while using Final Cut with stability.

In any case, I reckon my solutions should work.

Good luck....Justin.

Hi:

What jusrus said about plug-ins should be correct. Just leave the PT RTAS and TDM plug-ins installed, and you're gold.

You should capture using the DV codec in FCE and use the resulting file directly in PT, as mentioned above.

If you're having trouble capturing with the Canopus, a good work around is copying the VHS directly into a consumer dv camera, then capture digitally from the cam via firewire to FCE. This works pretty well.

DV stream is not what you want, even though it might seem to be workable.

Depending on which Mac you're using, you'll need to set a sync offset in PT(in the Movie Menu). My 2.5 Dual G5 is 24 quarter-frames. YMMV. It can also act a bit goofy in terms of sync and editorial, but a nice re-start can work wonders.

But then, you might know all that already...

Good luck.

tc