FCP 5 and Toast 9 Workflow - So Confused!

[tbanucci]

I shot a recent video (one of my first) with my HMC150 using 720 30p with the F3 settings. Now, I'm starting to edit, and this whole workflow is not working out for me, so I was wondering if anyone could shed some light on their workflow steps.

Here is what I am doing:
Open Toast 9, drag in my AVCHD folder. Save as QuickTime file with DVCPro HD 720p60 format (I assumed this since there is no 720p30 available). Resized to 1280x720, since that is (what I thought) these files were taken in. Also, not sure of what the proper audio encoder to use is. AAC? Or should I be using something else? Exported to a folder which took freaking hours! :(

So, when the final files came out, they were 960x720, according to the info in the finder, which strikes me as odd considering I converted to the specific dimensions stated above.

Opened FCP 5 (with all latest updates in it and on OS side) and went to Easy Setup, where I selected DVCPro HD 720p30. When I import a clip, not only does it play back at twice the speed, but I need to render everything. And the audio does not match up. I tried changing the sequence to 720p60 and that did not help either.

Can anyone help me with a step by step for this so I (and others) can finally start doing this right while we wait for FCP 7 to be native AVCHD? I don't want to spend $1000 to upgrade for FCP 6 right now....

Thanks!
Ted

[matt s.]

AFAIK 720 30p footage converted with toast to any format you will get the double speed and audio thing to happen. It has been a known problem here on the boards. I have only shot with 720/24p and no problems. I did run a test and I was able to convert 1080/30p to various foramts with success. I am running the same software as you FCP 5 and Toast 9. The 960X720 is the resolution frame size of DVCPROHD. Personally I like transcoding to AIC better as it will allow you to stay with the same resolution of 1280X720.

[tbanucci]

Crap, I did not know about the 720 30p problem. Is there any way to make this footage work correctly, besides buying FCP 6? What about if I converted to DV?

[matt s.]

I tried a 720/30p convert to DV but no go still the same issues. I do know people are shooting 720/30p and using pro-ress with no problems so that may be your only option.

Do you have Final Cut Studio 1? if so the upgrade to FCS2 is $500 and not a grand. If this was a paying job that may be your only option at this point.

[tbanucci]

Is there any way to convert to ProRes with Toast? I suppose that is one of the new features in FCS 2....

What about using iMovie? Will that convert correctly to ProRes or AIC?

[matt s.]

Imovie may work never tried it or used it. Pro-Res is a feature of FCP 6 you could transcode to it with toast but you need the codec on your system and that codec is included with FCS2.

[tbanucci]

Just to update everyone, ended up "testing" a copy of FCP 6 and worked wonderfully. Hope that there are some alternatives to the problem in the future, but until then I'll be shooting in 1080....

[sagedrummer]

AFAIK 720 30p footage converted with toast to any format you will get the double speed and audio thing to happen. It has been a known problem here on the boards. I have only shot with 720/24p and no problems. I did run a test and I was able to convert 1080/30p to various foramts with success. I am running the same software as you FCP 5 and Toast 9. The 960X720 is the resolution frame size of DVCPROHD. Personally I like transcoding to AIC better as it will allow you to stay with the same resolution of 1280X720.
Are AIC file sizes as large as ProRes? I am trying to figure out if there are any settings out of toast that won't compromise the footage but won't take up half of my harddrive.