Log/Transfer... help

J

JonRocks62

Member
Hey,

I have had the same log & transfer problem that has been brought up so many other times... FCP6 ingests my footage, but goes idle on the transfer. I have tried all possible fixes and it still will not work.

So, now I am breaking down and buying an outside program to log & transfer the footage for me. What I need to know is, what do you guys recommend?

-- Raylight
-- P2 Log Pro
-- Shotput Pro

What are the pros/cons of each? Are there any programs I should consider other than those listed?

I need to start editing this week, and so far only have my footage as mxf files, so any and all help would be appreciated. Thanks!

-- Jon Rocks
 
Please explain your entire process of transfering files from your cards all the way through your log and transfer process. Also, what is your computer set up & hard drives. If you are doing things properly you really should not be experiencing any problems. Let's see if we can diagnose where things are falling apart.
Jim
 
Please give your full system specifications, what computer, what drives, what settings are on the media, what settings you're using in Final Cut, and finally what version of the software, of the OS, and of QuickTime you are using.
 
Okay...

I shot interviews last week. On the scene, I dumped the files (and the lastclip.txt) to both my MacBook and an external HD.

When I got home, I was going to bring them into FCP6 to set up a workflow for a rough edit.

So, I open FCP6, created a new bin (named "Interviews") and made it a logging bin. I then went to "Log and Transfer", and directed it to the folder that contained my first interview. When I selected which interview I wished to transfer, I dragged it to the transfer window. It appeared in the window and, after a moment, stopped before transferring the file to my bin. It says "Idle" and when I click on the file to be transferred, a red icon appears with a "!" inside.

Now, I've consulted this and many other websites for fixes (such as removing the check mark from the 3:2 pulldown menu, and dumping FCP preferences) and it seems like I have done everything humanly possible to get it to work, to no avail.

Here is a screenshot:

I'm shooting 720P/24PN.

Any help would be appreciated..... Thanks!
 
Camera: HVX200A

Settings: 720P/24PN

Computer: MacBook (This is not the machine I will be using to do the full edit.)

FCP: Version 6.0

Hard Drive: LaCie 1 TB. (Would it help to do all work from this drive? Set it as my scratch disk?)

Do you need more info?

I am able to edit and manipulate my footage, but only AFTER I use one of the other options to log and transfer it (i.e.-- Shotput, P2 Log Pro).

Is the problem that my MacBook doesn't have the memory or power (2GB/2 GHz?)
 
Last edited:
Yes, you should always use your external hard drive as your media/scratch disk.

A Macbook is generally considered underpowered to work with HD material. However I will say my Macbook Pro is a first generation 2.16GHz/2GB ram machine and I edit with out a problem. Again, always with an external drive as media/scratch disk.

Instead of bringing a particular video clip into FCS- what happens when you Log & Transfer the entire contents file?

Jim
 
A Macbook is generally considered underpowered to work with HD material.
Click to expand...
it may be considered so, but thats not been my experience. i do simple cuts and dissolve editing of dvcproHD on my WAY OLD 1.0ghz G4 POWERBOOK without a problem.
 
Hard Drive: LaCie 1 TB
Click to expand...
i hate to always harp on lacie products. but ive had NOTHING but trouble with their products. do you have another brand of external drive to try? if not, you could try just moving one card to your internal drive. it wont choke the system. and would help to eliminate the variable...

if you want to try this, dont copy the files from the lacie. transfer a P2 card directly to another drive or internal drive. as one of my problems with lacie is that the content was corrupted upon contact with the lacie drive
 
After I finish shooting I go from P2 > Internal Hard Drive (MacBook) > External drive.

And I use the LaCie because I've had nothing but trouble with Western Digital products...
 
@Jim Carswell

I usually do open the entire contents (& lastclip.txt) in Log & Transfer, not single MXF files.

But even so, the files that I attempt to transfer stop and go idle... :angry:
 
Okay...

So I switched my media/scratch disk to the 1TB external. Retried everything from the beginning, and once again, I get the "idle" status at the log & transfer screen.

Any opinions on P2 Log Pro, Raylight or Shotput?
 
have you tried bypassing the new bin part and just L&T directly into the project window?

and as a last ditch, id reformat my computer and reinstall FCP just to make sure there is nothing gone corrupt...
 
I've tried not using the bin. Seems the only way I can get usable footage is to repackage it through P2 Log Pro. I am thinking that it is my MacBook. Though from the way it sounds, I should be able to, at the very least, log and transfer these files. I mean, I'm using the newest MacBook out there running Snow Leopard.

Yet, here I am, "idle"...
 
Have you tried to L&T direct from your camera connected via firewire? Not really the recommended way, but I do it a lot when importing non-critical test footage. Just wondering if your data is getting corrupted in the file transfer process to your Mac.

Also, have you tried P2CMS program. That would rule out any FCP issue if you can import the clips that way.
 
I've been having this same exact problem w/ FCP 6 in my year-old Mac Pro. I posted awhile ago in the FCP section but noone could really help. I've tried everything mentioned here earlier. The weird thing to me is that I'm using the same copy of FCP 6 on my macbook as well as an old powermac G5, and they log and transfer my P2 footage fine. Unfortunately, I got the Mac Pro to replace my old desktop and to do the bulk of my editing, not the laptop. Needless to say, I'm still stumped and at a loss.
 
funny you say that. about every 5th time my log and transfer window wont play back audio. usually a couple of restarts solves the problem...
 
That's happened to me before...whenever it does I just remove those things from the queue, sometimes you have to eject the folder, and then just readd them and it works.
 
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