Just got HV20, problem capturing.

[Adler]

Hi,
I just got my HV20 today and i filmed 5 minutes of test footage. I own a macbook pro, 2.4 GZ, 2gb ram so it should be able to handle the needs of this camera. I have both Adobe Premiere Pro CS3 and Final Cut studio 2. I tried to capture my footage through firewire in Premiere pro and all I got on screen was a purple background saying "preview on camera" i was still able to control my camera via the controls on screen. I recorded some footage in 24 P mode, and in normal 1080i mode, but for some reason I can't see it on screen.

I'm sorry if this a repetitive post, but does anyone know whats the dealio?

My project setting were HDV 1080i (60i) is that correct? i'm really not used to this as it is my first HD camera. And does this camera record in Mpeg2, or HDV format, i'm slightly confused.

Thanks

-Adler

[Eugenia Loli-Queru]

HDV is mpeg2.

Try capturing with FCP and iMovie too and see what's up.

[Adler]

I've tried but it didn't work either. I'm sure theres just some settings that I haven't figured out yet. Does anyone know what to do?

[CJDaniels]

I use a MacBook Pro as well, with less specs than you have so it should be fine. I know to get it going originally, it took me a few attempts but it works everytime now. Are you capturing directly to the internal hd?

[Adler]

Yea, i haven't even hit the capture button yet. When I open the capturing window, instead of where the video is all i see is a purple background in different languages saying, "preview on camera". It's like one of those screens that come up in editing, when Adobe can't find the source file. The control in the capture menu control my camera, but there is not image.

[CJDaniels]

plug the firewire into the mac first, plug the camera into the firewire with the camera off. turn on the camera and wait a few secs and then open up fcp. I have not yet installed my premiere as i just got adobe master collection, so try tis in FCP Choose capture presets under audio/video settings "Summary" Capture Preset: DVCPROHD - 1080i60 48khz

Device Control Preset: Firewire NTSC Basic

[Adler]

I did that and it now says instead of "unable to locate Firewire 720 x 480" it says " unable to locate the following external devices: DCVPROHD 1080i60 (1920 x 1080), DVCPRO HD out"

[CJDaniels]

I did that and it says before FCP even loads," unable to located firewire NTSC 720 x 480". hmm, could it be that my firewire needs to be HD? is there such thing? I'm transferring 4 pin cam to 6 pin computer. Do I need a different firewire, perhaps a firewire 800?

i never heard of an HD firewire, people make a big deal on here about the firewire and I have a bunch of cheapies and have not had a problem. hmm I transfer from 4 to 6 also, I think most people do. there is a chance that maybe yours is damaged. I buy tons o cables at monprice.com, they are dirt cheap and high quality. hmm go ahead and hit continue and then change settings in fcp, it doesnt matter it cant find it right away in that first screen. go into fcp change the settings, set your cam on play and then go to file capture and see if it can contrl ur camera...

[Adler]

I'm also not very used to FCP yet, so there could be something i'm not seeing. See i just made the switch to mac 3-4 months ago, and before that I was a total Premiere Pro guy, So now I have both programs, but feel more comfortable dealing with PP3. In Premiere Pro in the capture screen I can control the camera, but the video does not show up, there is a purple vid saying "preview on camera" that same screen as if it can't find the source of a file. There are probably some settings that i still have yet to figure out.

[CJDaniels]

I did that. I can control my camera there is no picture, but when i press play it plays on the camera screen but not the monitor.

You press play and then you need to hit capture on the other screen, you knew that already, I think. Not the other screen but the other window to the left. But ur right, you should see the play on the vtr screen. hmm

[Adler]

Yea, it finally worked, but i still can't see the picture on the monitor. I was able to capture, but i had to do it almost blindly, and i had to click "tape" and i couldn't set in and out points. The quality was also very grainy, but that is prob some settings to be worked with. Thanks for the help.

[CJDaniels]

it appears very grainy when you are capturing, but it is not that bad, I think it is a compressed version, it also shows choppier than it actually is.

I moved from Avid to FCPS2 two months ago, and I really feel much more comfortable in FCPS2. What resolution is your monitor set to? maybe that is it, move to the highest setting.

[wolferic]

so try tis in FCP Choose capture presets under audio/video settings "Summary" Capture Preset: DVCPROHD - 1080i60 48khz

Device Control Preset: Firewire NTSC Basic


Why are you converting to DVCPROHD? Why not keep it simple and use HDV (which is of course the native format on the tape) or the Apple Intermediate Codec? Seems like changing to DVCPRO will just confuse things if all the original poster wanted was to capture his footage...

[Dutchwolves]

G5 dual 2.0
2 gigs ram
800 firewire la cie
FCP 6.02
Hv20
well... I just captured 24 seconds of 1080i using Apple intermediate codec and it took about 24 minutes to finally provide me with a nice 24 seconds... but is this an inordinate amount of time to convert to this format? Painful.

Also, rather than provide me with the typical log and capture box with capture now, batch, log clip.... when I select log and capture.. a capture box comes up called HDV Capture. It gives me the ability to name the file and then cancel or capture. Is this normal?
thanks and at this rate I expect to finish my four minute project sometime in the fourth quarter of 08