best workflow for Canon HV30 and FCP Studio 2

[Kit Laughlin]

Please excuse this long post, but I have searched here and cannot see a clear solution to what I want to do. First, the gear: I use a Canon HV30 and BeachTek to get decent radio mic sound into the camera. I have a MacBook with FireWire 400 connector, and a LaCie Rugged 7,200rpm drive for on-the-road use; and a MacPro in the studio, with lots of RAM and fast internal drives, and a DSR-11 for SD tapes. I am trying to get the best-possible quality sound and vision in a truly portable package---the entire kit (minus tripod, which goes into checked luggage) fits easily into a carry-on bag; essential as most of what I shoot is overseas. I have the PAL version of the camera.

I am trying to work out the best methods for when I am on-location, as well as when I am at home, shooting in my studio, for both YouTube and DVD output. Two different work flows is no problem---I would like to be able to upload YT clips when I am on location, and bring back the files (whether on mini-DV or HDD) for editing into programs for DVD output.

So, I am considering two workflows: one with the portable kit and the MacBook (with fast output of YouTube clips the objective while on-locartion); the other studio-based, with best-possible DVD5 or DVD9 output when I get back home.

To this point, I have been downconverting the HD to SD in-camera, and recording wide-screen standard def. (SD). I assume that this footage will be simple to ingest in FCP, via the DSR-11, as with ordinary SD tapes. This workflow presents no problems, as far as I can see.

But I would like to take advantage of the HDV quality in future shoots---so am considering these options:

1. Shoot HDV, and record onto tape.

When on-location, play out HDV clips, but downconvert to SD in camera and use Capture Now in FCP to capture SD wide-screen clips onto the FW drive; select sequences; top and tail with the necessary graphics, and upload at whatever the best resolution YouTube can handle that week.

2. It's when I get back to the studio that I am not sure the best way to go. I have read that FCP Studio 2 can handle HDV natively, but am wondering if there is another, better, way to go (like a BlackMagic card, connecting the HV30 to this and ingesting via HDMI interface). Or does anyone have any other suggestions? TIA, kl

[Andy Olson]

The Hv20/Hv30 can record out uncompressed hd through the hdmi port so that if you want to record to a better codec than the HDV 4:2:0 that is recorded to tape. You would need a fast computer with a RAID harddrive setup plus an hdmi card like the Blackmagic card as well as a program like Adobe Onlocation to be able to record through HDMI like that. This is a tedious process but you can record an uncompressed image and utilize the camera to the full potential.

For ingesting/transferring to computer from tape the normal firewire port will be all you need since the video has already been compressed on tape. FCP can handle the hdv files once you get them on you computer. They will be m2t files and FCP may need to convert them to quicktime files.

Best Regards,
Andy

[Derek Shantz]

For ultimate quality you will need a new MBP with Matrox MXO2 and a Gtech mini raid hard drive.

[M. Paul El-Darwish]

Originally Posted by Derek Shantz

For ultimate quality you will need a new MBP with Matrox MXO2 and a Gtech mini raid hard drive.

Can you tell us how that all hooks up? Workflow?