HMC40 - Help a total Newb for good karma!

D

drose

Member
I am brand new to video and am having some issues. I recently purchased the HMC40 and am using Final Cut Express 4 for editing. I've recently shot some footage in PH 720/30P. When I load it into FCE using the Log and Transfer, the video is out of sync and moving at nearly twice the speed of the audio. When I look at the Item Properties for the clip, the frame rate is listed at 59.94. I'm assuming this is part of the problem?

Can anyone help me sync this up or determine how to load it into FCE correctly? Finally, what is the best format to shoot on the HMC40 for eventual use on the web? Thanks for any help in advance!
 
Hi Drose,
I experienced the exact same thing using the same camera and software. I was told by Tom Wolsky on the apple FCE discussion group that our camera uses AVCCAM which is not supported by FCE. I ended up importing into imovie then importing the files into FCE from the imovie event folder. THis corrected the problem with no visual loss. This also allows you to archive easily using the import function of imovie. This has worked well for me with no problems. Hope this helps.
PS Don't let the poor image quality in the imovie viewer fool you. As long as you grab the clips from the event folder they will remain pristine.
 
Scott,

Thanks for the tip. I did try what you mentioned but unfortunately it did not work. The frames are still moving twice as fast. I'm using iMovie 08, I wonder if that has something to do with it.

I imported the video from the camera into iMovie. The video was still fast in the iMovie viewer. I then opened FCE and selected import, and then picked the clip from the iMovie events folder. Is this right?

D
 
Yes that's the way I do it drose. With me, when I did log and transfer I had your problem. Then when I tried importing into imovie, it wouldn't even recognize the clips. So I haven't been able to replicate that part of your problem. Perhaps you could try with new clips going straight to imovie? I'm using imovie version 8.0.5, Leopard version 10.5.7
 
Cranky said:
Yeah, right. And Sony's new cameras use NXCAM, a totally different format.
Click to expand...

Well, yeah.. some people haven't caught on to the current fad of renaming things. But at least, I think NXCAM is supposed to be the name of the camera/line, not really a new name for the AVCHD format. The same way Panasonic intends one to construe AVCCAM.

Plus, they each get to trademark these things, and the new names help assure pros that they're not showhow settling for consumer tech. Even though neither of these is actually changing AVCHD, including the fairly arbitrary limits, in any way.

Of course, if you so use your own word, you can make it mean anything you like. Right now, both of these are AVCHD compliant. But going forward, do the 1080p models still use the AVCHD packaging and all, or, like the TM700, do they jump to an MP4 wrapper.

Kind of surprised Sony didn't drop AVC into an MXF wrapper.. they usually like to change something. But I guess they're kind of responsible for AVCHD, no reason to necessarily oppose your own stuff. And, well they did use Memory Sticks... yuk!
 
I've had the same challenge getting 720 30P and 60p clips into FCE 4. The conversion in iMovie '09 works well, but it takes a few steps to get there (and iM just seems to me to be counterintuitive in terms of working with it).

An alternative is to use Clipwrap to convert AVCHD into the Apple Intermediate Codec, then import into FCE. Just rewrapping doesn't take as long on the front end, but you'll have to render once you put rewrapped clips into a 720 30P FCE timeline - and that can take significantly longer than simply converting to AIC in the first place. It's not a perfect solution yet, but I'm hopeful Apple will recognize AVCHD has a broader base, and will address AVCHD in future versions of FCE.
 
Mark Whalen said:
Just rewrapping doesn't take as long on the front end, but you'll have to render once you put rewrapped clips into a 720 30P FCE timeline - and that can take significantly longer than simply converting to AIC in the first place. It's not a perfect solution yet, but I'm hopeful Apple will recognize AVCHD has a broader base, and will address AVCHD in future versions of FCE.
Click to expand...

I think Apple's been a bit behind on several HD-related issues (Blu-Ray, anyone?) . It's kind of surprising they're not doing AVCHD better, given [a] they own the OS, too, and they were one of the first major supporters of the format.

But some it's growing pains, and not specifically Apple's doings, either. Despite AVC, AVCHD, MP4, and AC-3 all being standards, there have been mismatches between NLEs, cameras, and other tools. I started on AVCHD in 2007, more as an experiment than anything terribly useful, and there was some pain. Today, it's better... tomorrow, better still.
 
Wow, what a pain in the A$@. Clipwrap seems to work. My production will almost exclusively go to the web. It seems that 720/60p will log and transfer into FCE without any problems. Is that what I should shoot in for my purposes? Is there a more desirable format for ease of workflow? Does this mean there is a duplicate frame when it transfers?

D
 
drose said:
Wow, what a pain in the A$@. Clipwrap seems to work. My production will almost exclusively go to the web. It seems that 720/60p will log and transfer into FCE without any problems. Is that what I should shoot in for my purposes? Is there a more desirable format for ease of workflow? Does this mean there is a duplicate frame when it transfers?

D
Click to expand...

Depends what look you're going for. When I shoot for online stuff or PowerPoint shows, I typically shoot in 720/30P. On the HMC40, that's recorded as 720/30P over 60P. Converting via Clipwrap then importing into FCE seems to work for me, but again, it's an added step that I wish could be alleviated by Apple better supporting AVCHD.

FWIW, I was doing some transcode comparisons of various AVCHD formats and modes yesterday (mostly to be outside in the spring weather), and noticed Clipwrap provides full vertical resolution whereas importing via iM '09 somewhat reduces vertical resolution. Both the rewrapped and transcoded Clipwrap clips were sharper than the iM '09 imported clips when played through FCE.
 
Mark,

Clipwrap seems like the way to go. When you are finished editing the video in FCE are you exporting under Quicktime Conversion? Is there a place or a thread where I can research how to correctly export the 720/30P files to internet manageable media?

Sorry for being such a newb! If we were talking photography I'd be all over it! Thanks again!

D
 
drose said:
Mark,

Clipwrap seems like the way to go. When you are finished editing the video in FCE are you exporting under Quicktime Conversion? Is there a place or a thread where I can research how to correctly export the 720/30P files to internet manageable media?
Click to expand...

D,

Just out of habit I export a reference file onto my desktop, then open it in Quicktime (ver. 7) to make the appropriate video file for what's needed. Specific presets are a good place to start, then try variations on different settings to get the right combination of quality and performace for your purposes.

HTH,
Mark
 
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