Break in timecode turning 24pa into 60i (!!!)

E

Edber

Member
I'm noticing a very sad pattern in my footage; often after I've turned my camera off during the shoot, then turned it back on, not only is there a break in the time code, my programmed setting SCENE FILE F3 with 24pa changes into 60i!!!!!!!!!!

This has become a horror to edit in FCP as parts of the same scene are in two different formats!

Has this happened to anyone else?

Do I have a lemon of a camera?

When I render it out in my 24pa timeline, do I lose quality? Our plan it to blow up to film - what are the consequences here?

Grateful for any advice,

Edber
 
Re: Break in timecode turning 24pa into 60i (!!!)

Are you saving your scene file? Sorry for an obvious question, just the first thing that came to mind.
 
Re: Break in timecode turning 24pa into 60i (!!!)

I'm going to guess that the scene file wasn't saved. :-/

You have two choices -- you can edit everything 60i, or you can convert the 60i to 24p. If you convert to 24p, there will be a resolution loss. If you edit 60i, the 24pA footage may appear a little bit choppy.

You could also take the 24pA footage into a 24p timeline then render out with standard 2:3 pulldown, to get rid of that slight chopplness.
 
Re: Break in timecode turning 24pa into 60i (!!!)

I did save the scene file. Actually, I created it from parameters from our forum and saved it1 as 'DVXUSER'! I reliable brought it up throughout our 50 day shoot.

So I CAN'T stay in my 24pa (23.98) without a loss of quality? Based on what I've read,24pa is the best way to go if you're planning on blow up to film. What am I missing here?

Thanks,

Edber
 
Re: Break in timecode turning 24pa into 60i (!!!)

Your 60i footage, when deinterlaced, will lose half its vertical resolution.

IF you have 60i footage.

Are you CERTAIN the footage is 60i? Thinking about this more, I'm pretty sure you have to do something in FCP to remove pulldown, whereas in, say, Vegas, it's automatic when dropping the footage into a 24p timeline.

ALL footage is recorded to tape in 60i, whether it's 24p, 24pA, 30p, 60i -- that's the point of pulldown. That means that straight off the tape, it's at 29.976. When the pulldown is removed, it becomes 23.976.

Are you sure you captured correctly?
 
Re: Break in timecode turning 24pa into 60i (!!!)

Maybe I DIDN'T capture it correctly... When the camera goes from 24p to 60i, it's very obvious to me on the lcd... I think I would have caught it...

...I just rechecked some of my footage, specifically a scene that I captured as:

1. Captured scene as capture now (on 24pa timeline)
2. Time code breaks (stopped capture)
3. Advance play head to where 'new' time code begins
4. Capture now again until completion of scene
5. When I drag both clips into my timeline, the first one looks fine, but the clip captured AFTER the time code break has a red line above it. I look into its properties and see this 29.97 whereas the first clip was 23.98.

- I'm CERTAIN both clips are shot at 24pa. This was the SAME scene shot at the SAME TIME with the SAME SETTINGS. They even LOOK the same. The second segment doesn't have that 'ultra reel' feel of 60i. It must be something with the capture...

I think you're on to something...

What can I try? I'd hate to lose half my vertical resolution!!!

Ultra Thankful,

Edber
 
Re: Break in timecode turning 24pa into 60i (!!!)

I've had this problem. Clean heads, free up space on your hd, capture CAREFULLY, and defrag your HD or get a faster one. If you still have problems, you can manipulate the .mov files individually then sort of splice them back together, but it's an imperfect science and a HUGE pain.
 
Re: Break in timecode turning 24pa into 60i (!!!)

Clean heads? Could you please elaborate?

Defrag? Now is the time for me to look very stupid... I don't know how to defrag on Mac... I searched defrag in the Mac Help and go nothing... doesn't the osX do it in the background somehow... :-/

Hard drives, I have two internal 250 gb serial ata drives and one external 200 maxtor running through firewire. Both my serial are FULL with only about 5 gig free each. My external has just over 100g free. Maybe these drives are too full? I put the majority of my capture on the serials to get the extra speed, maybe I'm shooting myself in the foot? What kind of fullness to emptiness ration would you recommend for the drives? Heirarchy?

Manipulating the .mov files? What steps have you found to be the best for your workflow.

This advice is DEEPLY APPRECIATED,

Thank you,

Edber
 
Re: Break in timecode turning 24pa into 60i (!!!)

Pollcar? Somebody... Anybody...

help... :-/

Edber :)
 
Re: Break in timecode turning 24pa into 60i (!!!)

For anyone who may have this problem in the future, here is the solution;

1. Cinema Tools - open problem file (which is the 23.98 file that FCP is reading as 29.97) and click conform to 23.98. If there are many files, use Batch Conform- choose first file in the folder and Cinema Tools can select the rest by the relative path :)

2. Open your project in FCP. It will say ask if you want to reconnect media. Yes, choose relative path, ALL DONE!!! You're entire project is now in the proper 23.98!!!!! No more rendering blues!!!!

Thank you for all your help :)
 
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