HDV and DV tape on FCP-X

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Ian Morris
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I am quite serious about buying a high specification iMac (2.8GHz, i7 processor, 8Gb RAM), plus external 2TB 7200rpm video drive (Firewire connected) and acquiring FCP-X, although a bit nervous about its reputation for crashing and losing hours of edited footage!
Any knowledge from forum members on its effectiveness at importing HDV and DV tapes from camera via the Firewire connector? Once imported as a 'stream' (there is no tape 'batch capture' as Apple consider we should now all be using card-based cameras) can you 'cut' the file into a series of short files i.e. shots so they can individually be placed on the timeline - exactly what you do on for example Premiere Pro, and I believe also FCP-7?
kind regards
Ian
Premiere Pro 1.5, PC user currently

Ron Jackson
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You will be able to edit HDV and DV with iMovie which comes pre-installed with your iMac.
Maybe try this out before investing in FCP X when hopefully de-bugged. You can move iMovie files into FCP X.
When I import HDV or DV into iMovie each clip is given its own thumbnail in the clips browser. These can be trimmed/cut w.h.y. before being dragged and dropped into the timeline in whichever order you want. Quite simple, like FCP X, but iMovie a bit more reliable!

FCP X gives more export options when you've finished editing.

Ron

Ron Jackson

Ian Morris
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Many thanks Ron, this is great reassurance! In fact iMovie looks pretty impressive considering it is effectively a 'one track' NLE! The most important aspect of your response is that each clip i.e. shot is 'discrete' in iMovie and hopefully (now/future) in FCP-X. For my documentaries and training movies I rely greatly on putting shots into different labelled 'bins' in Premiere Pro prior to dropping onto the timeline, and would not want to lose that capability in moving to a Mac!
Ian

Ron Jackson
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For FCP X, I can't speak for iMovie, I first upload clips off the CF card directly into a Folder, sorted with sub folders as appropriate. Stuff you don't want can of course be deleted. These Folders are stored on my Hard Drive(s).
Then the folder or sub folders can be imported into a FCP "Events Folder", dedicated to a particular project or to ? a series of related topics.
Click on the Folder name in "Events" and it will open with a display of thumbnails based on the first frame of each clip. Click on this and hit "play" and you see the whole of the clip.

Ron

Ron Jackson

Ian Morris
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Joined: Oct 31 2004

Thanks Ron for this. Any other DV Doctor forum member experience on editing HDV or DV tape-sourced files on FCP-X most welcome!
Ian

Maxwell
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Joined: Jan 13 2007

Now that FCP X has settled in and has moved up to 10.0.2 updates. I have one question.
Is it possible to import tape base material into the new software or is it a question of importing tape material into iMovie and then transferring the material into FCP X.
This is an issue which i'm not certain on.
I still have a large collection of DV tapes. On paper and the glossy presentation of FCP-X has Apple made any strides in persuading us to convert.

Ian Morris
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Joined: Oct 31 2004
Re: HDV and DV tape on FCP-X

I just found the following on Creative Cow which is from a professional editor - proving you can import DV and HDV direct into FCP-X via Firewire. A firiend also successfully tried this a few days ago! Here is the quote:

For what it is worth, I've done a fair amount of capture in FCP X, mostly HDV footage, and some older SD DV footage. I find that although the options appeared dummed down, I was surprised that it works far better than my workflow in FCP 7. In FCP 7 I found that my work went faster if I captured an entire tape and then did my logging and notes after the fact. This sometimes became complicated as I had to rewind the tape, and do a "capture now" and hope I didn't get timecode breaks, especially the first take on a tape.

With FCP X, rather than use the transport controls and import for a tape, I just choose "create archive" and it will take care of rewinding the tape and capture in the background while I do other work. If I need to edit, I just use my MacMini reserved for clients to capture to an external drive. Even on tapes that perviously had timecode breaks, the Create Archive function just captures the whole tape without trouble. This also moves tape be on the same "level", i.e. file based, as solid state media. Capturing a tape is now something even an untrained assistant can do.

Once the Camera Archives are created they behave just like solid state media which each take is timestamped and broken up into individual clips and edited as if mastered on solid state e.g. card media

Ian Morris
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Re: HDV and DV tape on FCP-X
I have now successfully loaded a mini DV tape onto FCP-X, so can personally dispel any rumours that this NLE program is not 'tape friendly! 
 
What also impressed me is that the program automatically created separate clips for each shot in the tape i.e. new clip each time the camera had re-started.
 
Has anyone else got any recent experience importing or editing tape-originated media on FCP-X?
mooblie
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Re: HDV and DV tape on FCP-X

Ian, can I ask - where it says above that "each clip is automatically timestamped": is that with:
(a) the real time of day shot, or
(b) the camera timecode?
Thanks.

Martin - DVdoctor in moderation. Everyone is entitled to my opinion.

tom hardwick
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Re: HDV and DV tape on FCP-X
What's the image stabilising like in FCP-X, anyone know?
tariqmc
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Joined: Jul 30 2012
Re: HDV and DV tape on FCP-X
I can confirm the above tape workflow.  I'm currently going through about 100 dv tapes and importing them into FCPX.  I'm importing them into an archive first then importing into events.  It appears to work fairly well.  My only concern is the format of these archives.  It looks to be propriety and I'm slightly concerned about this.  I have already gone through this import process once before on my PC so am ware of doing it too many times especially as my DV camcorder is on its last legs and I don't want to have to buy another one.  Anyone else going through a similar process?  I upgraded from iMovie to Final Cut Pro mainly because I wanted to keep my video archive in a stable media library and preferred FCPX for this.