Just as a follow up to this question: I found a free tool that runs on OS X and converts ASF to DV. It's called ffmpegx and can be found here: http://homepage.mac.com/major4/download.html

Screenshot of it in action here:
http://www.ftmyers.com/ffmpegx.JPG

external HD's....what now?
 

I purchased an external Hard Drive (40 Gigs) so I can use iMovie 3 on OS X on an iMac DV, 400 mhz drive with 512 ram. However, is it best to move files from the HD to the external to create more HD space for iMovie editing? OR should I (or can I) use the external for editing....? Stupid question I know....

Your going to have to experiment. That is a relatively slow iMac, but should do OK with iMovie. I would try capturing to the external FireWire drive.

imovie captures to wherever the project file is saved
save it to your hd and try that
just make sure your external hd has some speed to it.

This sounds like a permissions problem. If you're running OS X, try repairing permissions on your hard drive. (Other problems may go away also)

Motion is programmed not to install if it doesn't detect one of these cards.

Theoretically, Motion could run on other cards (with a hack, let's say), but since it relies upon OpenGL, what you see in realtime with an untested card may not be what you actually get.

Best to stick with a G5 with a 9800 Mac Special Edition 256 MB card.

If the filter is not working you can bring in a simple black and white matte image, place in timeline under the clip you want to matte, then set the top clip's composite mode to "Travel Matte - Luma".

<<<-- Originally posted by Josh Mellicker : This sounds like a permissions problem. If you're running OS X, try repairing permissions on your hard drive. (Other problems may go away also) -->>>

Yeah, that's actually the first thing I tried. That and the permissions workaround that involves deleting the three FCP permissions, etc.

Sometimes it's there, sometimes it's not. Very strange, but it doesn't seem to affect anything. If I have any time, I can try recapturing, but that's another few hour of work that I'm trying to avoid now if I don't have to do it.

You could go to the offending clips in the timeline and do a match frame and replace edit if there aren't too many of them- perhaps if the browser clips are working fine this would fix whatever weirdness the timeline clips are exhibiting...

Mono to stereo?
 

Hi all

I've recorder an interview using a single mic so I have the left channel of a stereo channel with dialogue. I've deleted the right channel becuase there is notihng on it. Obviously when played back it's on the left channel only.

This is FCP 4.5 HD I'm usign by the way...

Question is how do I convert this to a stereo track? Is there a magic way, do I jsut copy and paste the left to the right? Would that cause problem with phase?

Any help appreciated, I'm reading the manual but it doesn't appear to cover this particular problem or I just havn't found it.

Many thanks
Donie

I think you already identified the easiest way, just copy the audio you have into the other track.

To copy one track to another (video or audio) in the timeline, select the track while holding down the option key, then drag the clip to the target track. To make sure the copy stays in sync, hold down the the shift key before releasing the mouse button.

Donnie,

When you bring a clip with one channel of audio into the timeline, make sure you only have one audio track in the timeline targeted. This will automatically get rid of the dead audio track and when played back, the audio will play in both left and right channels as indicated by the VU meters.

Another option is to process your audio separately. This typically what I do. When I've finishde a project, I export the audio alone then process it in Bias Peak and tweak the EQ, add compression, and sometimes some reverb.

If you have a mono track you can give it a psuedo stereo effect that gives it a slightly different ambience. Be careful not to over do it or it will sound fake and processed.

Thanks for that guys, I will have a go using Dave's method and see how that goes. Appreciate the help.

Donie

16:9 problem
 

I tried adding Barry's 16:9 XL-2 footage to a an FCP 4.5 sequence set to Anamorphic but FCP still insists on rendering it. I removed the 16:9 function while in QuickTime and re-saved the movie. After importing it to FCP I made sure the clip was set to Anamorphic just like the sequence was.

It displays correctly in the Canvas but there is a single red bar above the clip in the timeline. The FCP manual says no rendering is required.

Anyone know what I am doing wrong?

Greg

reducing reflection in Post
 

In an interview I recently shot indoors, The subject was wearing glasses and the result was that in the the left hand side of his eye glasses there is a large bright reflection of a window and outside.

I am now looking to minimalise this mistake in post is there any way to do this?

Any suggestions welcomed.

Thank you.