Capture Problem - XH-A1

Martin Trotter · March 27th, 2009, 12:37 PM

Have recorded HDV with my XH-A1 for the first time (have always recorded SD up until now) and again for the first time I was importing the footage back into FCP 6.0.4.
Any other time, using the 'Capture Now' setting, It would capture it as one file, and then I could do a 'DV Start/Stop Detect' on it to find the splits in the footage - but on this occasion it has split a one hour tape into lots or random clips!

These are interviews that i've recorded and most of the clips have split in the middle of the interviews; and the gaps between the clips vary too, with some having a few frames missing and some a few seconds.

I did a search on the Apple forum about the problem and a few people have mentioned similar issues, but with JVC and Sony HDV cameras, and there's also people suggesting Final Cut 6.04 could be the problem - with no fix being apparent.

Does anyone know anything of this, and more importantly how I can fix it? Do I have to re-import from a different tape deck? Here's what I'm using:

Macbook Pro
Mac System Tiger 10.4.11
Hard Drive – 1TB Firewire800
FCP 6.0.4
XH-A1 Camera
Footage Shot in 1080 50i

thanks

Martin Trotter · March 27th, 2009, 12:41 PM

right, did a lot better this time, but still had a problem. The capture stopped after 23 minutes and a message saying 'STREAM PROBLEM' came up with the following message:

"Capture was stopped due to a problem with the incoming stream. this might be a problem with the tape. All media up to this point has been preserved."

I rewound the tape before the point where it cutout just to see if there was any difference or drop-outs, but it played through on the camera fine.

The Drive i am using as scratch disc is an External 1TB drive going through a Firewire 800 cable, and also capturing through a Firewire 400 connected to the camera. Don't know if it could be the MacBook speed but wouldn't have thought so, and I used brand new tapes too.

Very confused!

Nick Gordon · March 28th, 2009, 06:28 AM

I think that MBPs only have one FW channel, albeit 2 ports, and it might be that having the external drive and camcorder connected together is interfering with the data stream. You could try capturing to the internal disk (or a USB drive) to see if that helps.

Bill Pryor · March 29th, 2009, 07:25 PM

I might be wrong here but I thought you had to be up to 10.5 to run FCP6.x.

Martin Trotter · April 4th, 2009, 10:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nick Gordon

I think that MBPs only have one FW channel, albeit 2 ports, and it might be that having the external drive and camcorder connected together is interfering with the data stream. You could try capturing to the internal disk (or a USB drive) to see if that helps.

Point taken, and for this reason I got a friend with a lightning quick system to try importing footage for me - he got the same.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill Pryor

I might be wrong here but I thought you had to be up to 10.5 to run FCP6.x.

No, I've not upgraded to 10.5, but friend who tried importing tape for me and had the same issue has the same version of FCP.

Before anyone says it, I'm really not convinced this is a tape problem either, or directly a camcorder problem now (tapes were recorded on 2 x Canon XHA1 cameras, and getting the same thing on import.)

I think this has to be FCP version problem, and one which I HAVE to solve and solve quickly, as i have quite a few more tapes to import, and a project to get done for next week.

Has anyone else encountered this issue?

Les Wilson · April 4th, 2009, 03:16 PM

I have had the problem in the past but it was related to a bad Firewire port on an external Firewire Hub or on the drive enclosure. When I captured to the internal hard disk, I had no problem. You may want to experiment capturing to the MB internal drive. Otherwise, it's sounding like the A1. Did you try capturing live from the camera without the tape transport in the picture?

March 27th, 2009, 12:37 PM	#1
Martin Trotter Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: UK Posts: 62	Capture Problem - XH-A1 - Final Cut Pro Have recorded HDV with my XH-A1 for the first time (have always recorded SD up until now) and again for the first time I was importing the footage back into FCP 6.0.4. Any other time, using the 'Capture Now' setting, It would capture it as one file, and then I could do a 'DV Start/Stop Detect' on it to find the splits in the footage - but on this occasion it has split a one hour tape into lots or random clips! These are interviews that i've recorded and most of the clips have split in the middle of the interviews; and the gaps between the clips vary too, with some having a few frames missing and some a few seconds. I did a search on the Apple forum about the problem and a few people have mentioned similar issues, but with JVC and Sony HDV cameras, and there's also people suggesting Final Cut 6.04 could be the problem - with no fix being apparent. Does anyone know anything of this, and more importantly how I can fix it? Do I have to re-import from a different tape deck? Here's what I'm using: Macbook Pro Mac System Tiger 10.4.11 Hard Drive – 1TB Firewire800 FCP 6.0.4 XH-A1 Camera Footage Shot in 1080 50i thanks

April 4th, 2009, 03:16 PM	#6
Les Wilson Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Boca Raton, FL Posts: 3,014	I have had the problem in the past but it was related to a bad Firewire port on an external Firewire Hub or on the drive enclosure. When I captured to the internal hard disk, I had no problem. You may want to experiment capturing to the MB internal drive. Otherwise, it's sounding like the A1. Did you try capturing live from the camera without the tape transport in the picture? Last edited by Les Wilson; April 4th, 2009 at 03:17 PM. Reason: should a previewed it!

March 27th, 2009, 12:41 PM	#2
Martin Trotter Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: UK Posts: 62	right, did a lot better this time, but still had a problem. The capture stopped after 23 minutes and a message saying 'STREAM PROBLEM' came up with the following message: "Capture was stopped due to a problem with the incoming stream. this might be a problem with the tape. All media up to this point has been preserved." I rewound the tape before the point where it cutout just to see if there was any difference or drop-outs, but it played through on the camera fine. The Drive i am using as scratch disc is an External 1TB drive going through a Firewire 800 cable, and also capturing through a Firewire 400 connected to the camera. Don't know if it could be the MacBook speed but wouldn't have thought so, and I used brand new tapes too. Very confused!

March 28th, 2009, 06:28 AM	#3
Nick Gordon Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Milton Keynes, UK Posts: 166	I think that MBPs only have one FW channel, albeit 2 ports, and it might be that having the external drive and camcorder connected together is interfering with the data stream. You could try capturing to the internal disk (or a USB drive) to see if that helps.

March 29th, 2009, 07:25 PM	#4
Bill Pryor Contributor Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Kansas City, MO Posts: 4,449	I might be wrong here but I thought you had to be up to 10.5 to run FCP6.x.