Help understanding 24p in AVID Xpress Pro

[editpredator]

Hey all...I've seen a similar posting on this issue but haven't quite resolved it in my head. Here's the deal:
I am shooting in 24p on the DVX100a (which I just bought last weekend) and trying to edit on Xpress Pro. I'm not sure wether or not to begin a 23.97 or 29.97 project in AVID? When I attempted both, I was told that I was using a "drop-frame" tape and needed to switch to a "non-drop" tape? Also the video didn't match up to the audio, but when I played back what I had digitized, they were in sync?!? I don't have a mojo and am looking for a guided solution to fixing this problem. I have a project to be edited within the next 3 weeks...so if anyone has a detailed description of how to go about this, I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks in advance.

[grinner]

29.97 is your friend.
if it's asking for a drop frame or non-drop, create a new tape name with it already in. You can name it samenameA or something like that.
I assume it's possible to turn deck control off with Xpress Pro. (I don't use it) If you don't need tc numbers later this will fix much that makes your day long. You can control the DVX in vtr mode on the camera itself or use the remote.

[goettler]

EP: don't worry about your sync issue while digitizing. because Pro is performing the 3:2:2:3 pulldown on the footage, you'll notice that it's actually way behind what's coming off the tape. after the clip is in, it syncs all back up, hence your ability to cleanly play your digitized clip.

Grinner is correct regarding the drop vs non-drop issue. just rename the tape and carry on. typically what happens (i think) is that after shooting a tape and fully rewinding it, you go back further than where you started recording. in other words, you end up with no control track. Avid seems to see this as non-drop, and then when you hit your active control track, it changes to drop. this tends to piss Avid off. i've found that if you put a tape in that is already in your drop track, there's no problem.

i disagree w/ Grinner regarding deck control and timecode, but i live in a world of shooting a hell of a lot of footage, so i batch at 15:1s, and then online the finished piece. impossible without timecode. to each his own.

and finally, 24 or 30 project setting. if you have a Mojo, go w/ 24. if not, go with 30 or you can't get it back out to tape. i use Pros with and without Mojos at work. i paid the $1550 to put one on my machine at home. it's worth it.

[editpredator]

GEG,
Thank you for the response...
I actually went ahead and picked up the Mojo. It works like a charm. I do have one other question though? When I shoot 24p, start a new 24p project and edit my piece, then go to do a digital cut...I'm running into a lot of problems. What should the settings look like on the digital cut? 24p, 23.97, 30? Outputting at 23.97 makes the footage look jagged. When I output it at 24 or 30 the playback on the audio is very high pitched and out of sync. Have you experienced any of this? Please help...thanks bud,
EP

[MichaelP]

You should be in a 23.976p project if you want to edit at native 24 frames (23.976). There is an audio delay feature in the Capture window for delating audio anywhere from 1-5 frames during capture eliminating any post processing or resyncing.

DIgital Cut via Mojo is done by selecting the 23.976 output rate.

Michael