need help importing Hi8 footage into FCE4

[droliff]

Hi all,

I have a Sony Digital 8 TRV310 camcorder. I'd like to be able to import the Sony footage directly into FCE 4 but am having trouble.

I've successfully imported Hi8 footage from the TRV310 into FCE 4 in the past (it's been a couple years) but for the life of me I cannot remember how I did it (it had something to do with Easy Setup and choosing 'device control = none' or something like that. I can't seem to find that option anymore and the only 'device control none' is 'DV-NTSC DV Converter' and that selection doesn't work for the import).

Here is the process that I am going through:

1. I hook my Sony TRV310 up to my Mac Pro via a firewire 400 cable, turn the camera on and switch it to VTR (play) mode. I manually cue to the beginning of the footage I want to capture.

2. Before attempting to import Sony footage into FCE 4 I go to 'easy setup' and dial in format=NTSC and use=DV-NTSC then click the setup button. I then go to file-->capture and a small window pops up indicating that capture is being initialized.

3. The the 'capture window' pops up with preview screen indicating that 'preview has been disabled'


4. I then hit the 'play' button in the capture window and then hit the 'capture now' button.

A black window with 'Final Cut Express and Apple logo' pops up for a few seconds, then a warning window pops up which states 'this operation could not be completed as there is no video'.

Any help with this will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

Dennis

 

[Moseph]

The device control options are in the A/V settings. You can still completely shut it off.

 

[droliff]

Thanks. Where are the A/V settings located?

 

[Moseph]

Under the Final Cut Pro menu in the toolbar. Or Command+Alt+Q.

 

[droliff]

Here is my dropdown menu under Final Cut Express. Which category is A/V settings under? Thanks.

 

[Moseph]

Oh, I thought you were now on FCP for some reason. In there, it's right between Easy Setup and Provide Feedback. Sorry, but now that you've cleared that up, I have no idea.

 

[Justyn]

Yes.. I don't know where it would be on express either, but on final cut you want non-controllable device and then it's all manual but that should work as well in Express.... As long as you are getting a signal into the system, that is...

 

[Moseph]

Might it also be possible to go firewire out of the Hi8 camera into a DV camera, recording the stream from the firewire in VTR mode? From there, you could just capture the DV tape as you normally would.
You can definitely do this with S-video or RCA from the Hi8 camera into a DV camera, but you'll lose some quality.