For a year now, we've been using XDCam Transfer to bump our finished 30 minute shows back to disc for archiving with no problems whatsoever. All of a sudden we are experiencing occasional dropped audio frames on export to disc. The problem is not on the FCP timeline nor is it on Quicktime export only on XDCam Transfer to Disc. It is hard to hear but is definitely there about every 60-90 seconds. Happens on export/playback of 2 separate decks and happens whether exporting to a deck or a camera. Any ideas?

Dan, is the problem prevalent regardless of the length of clip exported, is this happening only on the longer exports?

Is it alleviated by using the "Recompress All Frames" option? Is it alleviated by choosing "Current Settings" from the Using Settings export format popup (as opposed to accepting the default and/or choosing an alternative?)

You know what, I had this problem too on a 60 minute layback to disc.

Since I'm keeping a full length QT of the program as well I didn't freak, but it definitely is disconcerting.

It only just started happening after we have been doing the same thing for over a year. They are all 30 minute shows and our procedure has not changed. After further investigation, I found that it happens every 42 seconds. If it was every 32 seconds I would suspect some sort of DF/NDF issue but 42? I'll keep troubleshooting but this is bizarre to say the least. We save our stuff both on disc and as a Quicktime so it's not a huge deal (it doesn't do it on the Quicktime). I'll figure it out and post the results but if anyone else has run into this and found the solution, by all means post away...

It only just started happening after we have been doing the same thing for over a year. They are all 30 minute shows and our procedure has not changed. After further investigation, I found that it happens every 42 seconds. If it was every 32 seconds I would suspect some sort of DF/NDF issue but 42? I'll keep troubleshooting but this is bizarre to say the least. We save our stuff both on disc and as a Quicktime so it's not a huge deal (it doesn't do it on the Quicktime). I'll figure it out and post the results but if anyone else has run into this and found the solution, by all means post away...

Any chance that your source drive has filled up to the point of having slower throughput like RAID systems do? This is out there, I know, but something that shows up after a year of use points to some aspect of the chain that has reached its breaking point, so to speak. Just food for thought.

-gb-

Good thought Greg. This has happened both on our XServe and on a Firewire 800 drive. Both are less than 50% full. I'm going to try a crash record to our F70 deck from our Kona 3 card straight from the timeline tomorrow. If that works, it seems to me I can narrow it down to software settings (XDCam Transfer or FCP). To be continued...

Well, wish I could say I found the definitive solution but I didn't. My workaround works just fine (crash record finished XDCam HD show via HD-SDI, Kona 3 to F70) so we delivered the shows on time. I'd really like to know what this audio hiccup is all about when using XDCam Transfer via firewire on longer shows. Anyone know when XDCam Transfer 2 is available?

Don't know why I didn't notice it before but it seems it only does it on 35mbps stuff- not 25mbps. Anyone else seen this?