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We Got Dodson

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jan 11, 2012
8
0
I'm using Final Cut 6.06 with a Sony HVR-1500 deck. I need to use it to digitize Mini DV tapes, and though the Log & Capture window allows me to control the deck remotely (pause, play, rewind, etc), and though it says "VTR OK" underneath, it still says "Preview Disabled" on the screen and whenever I attempt to capture, it says that there is no video. I have all the Audio & Video settings set on DV NTSC and Firewire NTSC.

On the HVR-1500 deck, I have it set to iLink. Is this correct? Is this what is needed? There's a blinking orange light above the letters "IN" rather than HDV or DVCAM, should I have that set above DVCAM instead? How to I switch it over? To be honest I know nothing about what I need to do with the deck to get it to work.

I've got to digitize 40 hours of footage in the next three days. Help!
 

LethalWolfe

macrumors G3
Jan 11, 2002
9,370
124
Los Angeles
Assuming you want to capture DV go into FCP and select the DV - NTSC option from the Easy Setup menu. I know you said you think you have everything setup correctly but using the Easy Setup makes sure it's fool proof. Next you need to switch the deck over from HDV to DV. IIRC there are three options someplace that are Auto Detect, HDV and DV (possibly DVCAM). Make sure it's set on DV. Turn off FCP, then with the deck on launch FCP.


Lethal
 

cgbier

macrumors 6502a
Jun 6, 2011
933
2
I only have the 700, but have it on Auto Sensing. Works fine. I just had to change the Easy Setup in FCP to get the right format.

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The 1500 has a small monitor, right? Does it say DVin? It should switch to Out, once a tape is in, and the right resolution was chosen.
 

LethalWolfe

macrumors G3
Jan 11, 2002
9,370
124
Los Angeles
On more the one occasion I've had issue w/FCP properly seeing the deck when in "auto" mode so I just always recommend not to use it. It is a pain to switch on the smaller decks if they aren't hooked up to a monitor since they don't have an on-board screen.


Lethal
 

We Got Dodson

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jan 11, 2012
8
0
Still no luck. I went into the deck menus and set the iLink output to DVCAM and set numerous other settings to DVCAM, also tried DV. Not sure if there's something I'm missing.
 

We Got Dodson

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jan 11, 2012
8
0
Just swapped out firewire cables, no change. I don't know anything about 12/16 bits unfortunately.
 

LethalWolfe

macrumors G3
Jan 11, 2002
9,370
124
Los Angeles
12 vs 16 refers to audio. If the audio was recorded at 12-bit that can cause problems.

When you pop a tape into the deck can you see it playing back on the little screen?
 

We Got Dodson

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jan 11, 2012
8
0
Yup, it plays fine on the deck screen, and when you use the play/ff/rewind/stop buttons on the Log & Capture window, they can control the video on the deck screen.
 

LethalWolfe

macrumors G3
Jan 11, 2002
9,370
124
Los Angeles
When it plays on the deck what format does it show up as (you might have to cycle through the screen's display settings to get the info to show up)? Since you have deck control via FW we can rule out a bad FW cable or some other type of connectivity issue.

For the heck of it try power cycling both the deck and the Mac (but turn the deck on first then boot up the Mac).


Lethal
 

We Got Dodson

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jan 11, 2012
8
0
Hey LW before I turn everything off, what should I be looking for in the format? I'm assuming you don't mean aspect ratio, do most of these decks list certain formatting specs I should keep my eyes peeled for?
 

cgbier

macrumors 6502a
Jun 6, 2011
933
2
Look out for audio settings 12/16bits and the aspect ratio your video was shot in. Make sure that both the deck's settings and your FCP settings match.

You might also look into the Device Control parameters. Try Sony Deck Control (or so... I'm sitting at home, no access to FCS) or Basic Firewire.

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When you start up FCP, do you get the message that the app couldn't find a deck?

Make sure you don't mix up NTSC and PAL.
 

We Got Dodson

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jan 11, 2012
8
0
I didn't see any information on the audio when going through the various deck menus - mentions of the 48k, and basic 4:3 aspect ratio. Nothing about bits or 12/16. It didn't like using the Sony Deck device control setting in conjunction with the matching format settings, wouldn't open up Log & Capture. Otherwise, no messages about no communication with the deck. Definitely not using PAL, that would have been embarrassing!
 

Keebler

macrumors 68030
Jun 20, 2005
2,960
207
Canada
I use a Canopus 300 and my settings are:
sequence preset: DV NTSC
Capture preset: same
Device control preset: non-controllable device
Video playback: apple firewire NTSC 720x480
audio: default

Any issues I previously had with no seeing the preview were fixed using these settings.

Hope that helps.
Keebler
 

We Got Dodson

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jan 11, 2012
8
0
So, an update: after trying more of the tapes, several of them worked perfectly in Log & Capture on Final Cut. Going through the tapes systematically, it turns out that exactly half of the tapes worked, and half didn't. All the tapes that worked have been digitized. Of the remainder, virtually all of them, when sorted, turned out to glob together in perfect numeric order (tapes 1-8, 37-45, etc). One guess another editor made is that whoever filmed all this Mini DV, did so on two separate cameras over a long period of time, and the remainder not working on the Sony deck is due to them being shot progressive instead of interlaced.

What do you guys think? Are there specific Sony decks for progressive footage, and other decks for interlaced? Now that we know that the reason for the problem is because a large number of tapes have some kind of different setting, whatever it may be, what might be the solution to getting them to show up on Log & Capture?
 

cgbier

macrumors 6502a
Jun 6, 2011
933
2
IIRC, DV was always interlaced. You had a "frame" setting on Canon XL. I never had an issue to capture that footage with my HDV700 deck.
We have an older Sony deck that had a lot of trouble capturing the Canon footage.
Only help would to find out what camera the footage was shot with and try to find one (rent, borrow or steal).
 
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