Importing BetaSP/P2 to FCP

[Cuz]

I am about to begin working with a Panasonic HVX200 recording HD to P2 cards. I have a legacy of analog formats (primarily BetaSP) that I also need to edit in FCP. Is there a card for the analog from Black Magic or AJA? I have seen the AJA Io but hear there is a simpler card solution for the A/D. Can anyone help?
I'd also appreciate any help with a solid system configuration for FCP to handle the above - also any storage and archiving ideas. Been editing with Immix/Accom products for 14 years and could use a little help easing into the 21st century.
Thanks for any advise.

 

[VaricamLife]

I'd say use a capture card to upconvert the footage for you. Upconvert it to DVCPro HD and then cut it right in there with your P2 footage. There will be pillarboxing, but you can deal with how you want to address that later. I believe also there is just a a touch of cropping along the top and bottom. Do a couple of test captures to see how much you're losing and if its of concern to you or not. If it is, then you might want to capture SD and do a software upconversion. But from my recollection, its pretty minimal cropping.

The software option is to just digitize it as is and let FCP upconvert it for you. Either by making everything requiring rendering (in FCP 5) or using a mixformat timeline (in FCP 6). We've done a few in FCP uprez's and they've turned out okay. I'm still a bit partial to hardware upconversion though myself. Oh also, you could bring it in as SD and use Compressor to batch convert it to DVCPro HD as well.

As for the cards, I like the AJA Kona series. The Kona 3 being your best choice, but maybe too pricey. You can come down a bit to the Kona LHe. Its a fairly strong card as well. Both have HDSDI in so can handle upconversions for you. I haven't looked at the BMD lineup in a while, so can't really comment on a specific card from them. But I would imagine one of their HD solutions would work for you. Just make sure it can do the upconversion. But again, I'm simply partial to this solution, at the end of the day you could just go to a software solution to do it all.

As for the FCP system, decide now for FCP 5 or 6 and stick with it for at least the current project. Don't upgrade inbetween. There are umm "fun" quirks potentially to happen. Not everyone has run into them, but we surely have.

Otherwise, hard drives, hard drives, hard drives. If you're going to take everything to DVCPro HD and cut at that, you're going to need some space. Get some hard drives for your cutting and some for backing up the P2 footage. Also throw a bunch of RAM at FCP (I'd do 4GB at least).

As for easing into the Final Cut Pro world, Apple Pro Training Series books. Available at most major retailers. The Final Cut Pro 5 and Optimizing your Final Cut Pro System books might be of immediate interest to you. That and just keep using the forum. Good luck.

cheers.