Please excuse the double post here, but I am sort of in an emergency situation and wasn't sure which section was the most appropriate to post in.

Am having similar troubles with getting my HDV footage (shot 720p24 on the HD 100) to play via HDVxDV in FCP properly.*

I followed Tim Dashwood's instructions to a T (http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=56015) But seem to not be able to follow the steps as he suggested at this point:

"29. Create a new sequence using the 720P30 HDV sequence preset"

--cant find that preset 720P30 HDV preset...where do i find that/set that?

here are my sequence settings when i right click on my sequence in the browser:

1280 x 720 HDTV 720p (16:9)
Pixel Aspect Ratio: DVC PRO HD (720p60)
23.98
AIC

The clip plays fine in the viewer, but when i move it to the timeline, the bottom half of the pic is vertically stretched (I cant do a screen grab tho, because it only shows the stretch when playing).

**Also, as an addendum to the post in the JVC HD-100 section, I should say that when I try to "Load Sequence Preset" I get the error message: Video Compressor DVCPRO HD (720p60) was not found. Please check that the hardware is present and enabled for this compressor. Setting the video compressor to Animation."

Thanks in advance for any and all help.

Dan

*

Hi Dan,

Don't bother with the DVCPROHD codec or its pixel aspect ratio. The problem with DVCPROHD is that it expects the frame size to be 960x720 (Panasonic Varicam) instead of 1280 x 720 with its own proprietary pixel aspect ratio, and it also may add some compression artifacts.

Instead, use APPLE INTERMEDIATE CODEC and SQUARE PIXEL aspect ratio at 1280 x 720.


Also, are you using FCP 5 or 4.5HD? If you are using 4.5 HD you won't see any presets for HDV. That's not a problem though with the APPLE INTERMEDIATE CODEC, since it is simply a quicktime codec.

Here's how to create a AIC 720P24 sequence preset in either FCP4.5 or 5.


Select Final Cut Pro menu and then Audio/Video Settings
Click the "Sequence Presets" tab
Click any sequence preset in the list (preferably "Apple Intermediate Codec 720p30") and click Duplicate
Change the Name to something like JVC HD100 24P AIC codec 1280x720 or whatever you want
Change the description to something like "use this sequence preset with material converted with HDVxDV or LumiereHD in the AIC codec at 1280x720 24P (23.98fps)"
Set the frame size to 1280 x 720
Set the Aspect Ratio to HDTV 720p (16:9)
Set the Pixel Aspect Ratio to Square
DO NOT CHECKMARK "Anamorphic 16:9" - HDV is not anamorphically sqeezed, it is native 16x9
Set field dominance to "None" because 720P is progressive
Set Editing Timebase to 23.98
Set Timecode Rate to "Same As Editing Timebase"
Set Compressor to "Apple Intermediate Codec" Quality 100%
Click "advanced" and set the Preset to HDV 720p and fps to 23.98
Set audio to 48Khz, 16 bit
Click "OK"


Now you can just use this preset for any new sequences.

Once I've made those changes...can you guide me throught the next steps?

How do I get that setting into the sequence?
Dan

Just make a new sequence the way you would normally. CMD+N

If you have "Prompt for Settings on New Sequence" checkmarked in your user preferences, then FCP will ask you to choose a sequence preset from the list. Just the select the new 720P24 preset you made.

If you don't have "Prompt for Settings on New Sequence" checkmarked, then just select your new sequence, choose settings (CMD+0) from the Sequence menu and then click "Load Sequence Preset" and select your new 720P24 preset.

It gives me the error message:

"Video compressor DVCPRO HD was not found. Please check that the hardware is present and enabled for this compressor. Setthing the video compressor to Animation."

Dan

Hmmm...

Question1: Why are you missing a codec? Maybe you should re-install from the original disks, or update quicktime.

Question2: Why would FCP care about the DVCPROHD codec if you correctly followed the steps of using the AIC codec? Try invoking the "easy Setup" for 720p30 first, then reset your default sequence preset back to 720p24.

1. The copy I have of FCP was from a friend on a disk. I dragged the icon of FCP from the disk onto my hardrive and it copied it over, but how do I reinstall precisely?

When I open FCP it says:

"Unable to locate the following external devices:

DVCPRO HD (720p60) (1280 x 720)
DVCPRO HD Out

Your system configuration may have changed, or your deck/camera may be disconnected or turrned off.

Please check your connections and click 'Check Again". or click "Continue" to set external device selection to None."

2. I'm not sure why FCP would care about that, but I did correctly follow the steps of using the AIC codec.

How do I invoke the easy setup for 720p30?

Thanks Tim,
Dan

It gives me the same error message as mentioned above.

How do I get that codec back?

How could it have dissappeared?

Dan

1. The copy I have of FCP was from a friend on a disk. I dragged the icon of FCP from the disk onto my hardrive and it copied it over, but how do I reinstall precisely?

This is why you need the original installer disk. The installer installs codecs in their right place, along with other support files. You can't just drag and drop a sophisticated app like FCP into the applications folder and expect it to work properly.

I guess you could call this "copy protection."

How do I invoke the easy setup for 720p30?

Just go to the Final Cut Pro menu and select Easy Setup.

If you shot 720p24, then you cannot capture that footage...not even with the 720p30 setting. 720p24 is not supported by FCP...nor ANY NLE at this time, unless you use a capture card:

#33 Kona HDV workflow

Shane's Stock Answer #33: Working with HDV non-natively successfully:

John Thorne wrote this great article, and is the best way I can think of for working with HDV:

http://www.aja.com/pdfs/AJA_whitepaper_HDV.pdf

Shane, I have been importing footage through HDVxDV ...

So there is no other way to get that original DVCPRO Codec back?

I wussed out and converted my HDV footage to DV. I can hardly tell a difference. What's the big fuckin deal with HDV and 24p anyway if all your going to is Web and DVD?

I dont get it.

Dan

HDV is not DVCPRO HD...it is completely different. HDV is MPEG-2 encoded, and doesn't really have "frames" but GOP which contains an I-frame every 15 frames, then a bunch of intermediate pictures in between.

HDV was announced last year, and only FCP 5, and now Avid Express Pro HD, handles it. the 24p setting is ONLY available on the JVC, and no one has written code that can decifer it.

Either shoot 30P, or use HDVxDV an know that you won't keep timecode.

Or do what you did and capture DV.

Because I am missing the codec, will I not be able to uload regular DV footage?

I am currently trying to import the HDV footage I mentioned above which I converted to DV and the error message I get when I open log and capture is:

"Unable to initialize video deck... "

THE DISK MENTIONED ABOVE WAS THE DISC USED TO INSTALL MY FCP. WHAT IS THE PROPER WAY TO RE-INSTALL?

OR IS THERE A SIMPLER WAY TO GET THE CODEC BACK?

Thanks,
Dan

So there is no other way to get that original DVCPRO Codec back?

I don't know why the codec would have disappeared, it was probably never installed. I think it should be included in the Quicktime 7 upgrade, but I'm not sure. Can you confirm that you are running QT7?

Either way, when you get the error message can you still work in FCP, or does it shut you down? I would stay away from the DVCPROHD codec because it is more trouble than its worth with 960x720 default frame size and non-square pixels.
Stick with Apple Intermediate Codec and square pixels at 1280 x 720 and you should be fine.

THE DISK MENTIONED ABOVE WAS THE DISC USED TO INSTALL MY FCP. WHAT IS THE PROPER WAY TO RE-INSTALL?

There is no improper way to install FCP from the original DVD. Just double click on the orange/yellow box that says "Install Final Cut Studio," click "continue" and "agree" and then make sure that everything is checkmarked (FCP, Livetype, Cinema Tools, etc.)
The install disk will check to make sure that you have quicktime 7 and install it if you don't.

Since you originally "dragged the icon of FCP from the disk onto my hardrive" then you must have a CD copy of the application that was already installed on someone else's system. This means you are missing all of the extras (codecs, drivers & presets) needed to run FCP properly. FCP is not self-contained like other apps because of its dependency on Quicktime.


Have you tried iMovieHD? It works with HD AIC codec. It will even digitize 720P30.