HDVxDV problems

[Andrew Young]

I’m posting this here because HDVxDV is one of the few ways to get 720p24 HDV into Final Cut, so it is particularly relevant to HD100 users.

I’ve used HDVxDV casually for a while with fine results, but now that I’m using it on a real project I’m running into some serious issues. I’m curious to know if other users are having them or have found workarounds.

1) Batch export isn’t working when exporting multiple segments from one m2t file. It goes through the motions but at the end I only have the last clip of the batch. The others are gone.

2) Timecode does not work. Well, there is timecode there – it just doesn’t have anything to do with the TC on my tapes. (And timecode was the main reason I chose HDVxDV over the DVHScap Mpeg Streamclip route.)

3) Sync drifts over long takes. This is the worst problem of all. Because I could not get Batch export to work on selex and I had enough disk space, I captured and transcoded long sections of tape – up to 30 mins (to AIC 720p). Sync is fine on the m2t files, but drifts out on the AIC Quicktimes. It’s out of sync about a half a second by the end of the loger clips. I don’t know why this is happening, but it will cause a lot of tedious work to fix. Also tried going to DVCProHD 720p and still had sync issues. Changing the files from 24 to 23.98 in Cinema Tools did not help. Anyone else seen this?

Based on my early results I had recommended this software to other HD100 users, but now I am wondering if a capture card is really the only solid way to go (until FCP 6).

[Tim Dashwood]

A few other people have been reporting some sync issues as well with 720P24. I haven't noticed anything out of the ordinary on the short takes I've been capturing, but I'd imagine sync gets worse as the clips get longer.
I'm convinced this has something to do with the fact that the output frame rate is 24fps instead of 23.98, but the audio clock stays 'true' to real time.

The TC hasn't quite worked correctly with 720P24 since HDVxDV v1.024 was released. The first clip captured is sometimes bang on, and then the rest of the clips have seemingly random TC. I emailed Brad Wright about this months ago. He told me mid-November that he was investigating the problem.

I haven't had problems batch exporting, but I have always been very careful not to capture over start/stop breaks (based on past experience with Lumiere HD.)

[Efrain Gomez]

Okay, so we shot half of a short film this past weekend and as we're planning for the next shoot, we'd like to capture/edit the footage.

We were thinking of purchasing a mac mini and using iMovieHD and/or HDVxDV with Final Cut Pro.

Do we need HDVxDV if we have iMovieHD?

What do you think?

:: efrain

[Stephen L. Noe]

The audio will drift at perfect 24. It must be 23.98 in order to keep the audio synced for long captures. I was so relieved when they (Avid Liquid) fixed the capture problem and now the entire tape capture is synced with audio end to end and the TC is read correctly as 23.98

FCP needs to step up to the plate pretty soon with ProHD. They're falling behind. I know this doesn't help your problem Andrew. We spoke briefly about it in Chicago (sync and TC). Man Sung has the same issues with FCP and resorted to an Aja card for capture. I don't like the method because it's second generation right off the bat. Even though it can be 10 bit it's still second generation and the native solution gives fine results without all the extra effort.

Whatever the factor of .02 over time is you sync issue and the way I overcame it last year was to cut the file and resync the audio by hand. Once again when they fixed the program to capture properly at 23.98 all the sync and timecode issues went away and now the offline matches the online TC wise and the audio stays in sync throughout the run.

good luck amigo...

BTW: I listed DuArt and I³ as the main source of ProHD film transfer East of the Mississippi for our Chicago ProHD user group. I know there are some films working on pre-production now. Have you tried another transfer?

[Dave Coulter]

I was just about to post about this tonight before I saw this thread. Thanks in advance to everyone for the great information in the forum. I'm borrowing a brand new HD100 from a friend to make sure quality and work flow are going to work for me before buying.

I'm working strictly in 30p and have a lot of sync slippage in HDVxDV. By the end of a tape it's several seconds. The m2t created by HDVxDV is perfect, so it came off the tape fine. The problem is the exported QT file.

Is anyone else having problems at 30p?

[Tim Dashwood]

Originally Posted by Dave Coulter

I was just about to post about this tonight before I saw this thread. Thanks in advance to everyone for the great information in the forum. I'm borrowing a brand new HD100 from a friend to make sure quality and work flow are going to work for me before buying.

I'm working strictly in 30p and have a lot of sync slippage in HDVxDV. By the end of a tape it's several seconds. The m2t created by HDVxDV is perfect, so it came off the tape fine. The problem is the exported QT file.

Is anyone else having problems at 30p?

Dave, if you are using 720P30, then you don't need HDVxDV. Final Cut Pro 5 fully supports HDV 720P30. You can log, digitize, maintain TC and even output back to HDV tape.

[Dave Coulter]

I know. At the moment I'm using 4.5. I wasn't going to upgrade until I was sold on the format, as 4.5 has been fine for my previous SD work. And I'm checking out HDVxDV for future 24p. I'm sure I'll upgrade to 5 sooner than later, but it is still bothersome that the program is giving me problems even at 30p. If 6 debuts next month or soon thereafter it will be two upgrades!

Dave

[Tim Dashwood]

Originally Posted by Dave Coulter

I know. At the moment I'm using 4.5. I wasn't going to upgrade until I was sold on the format, as 4.5 has been fine for my previous SD work. And I'm checking out HDVxDV for future 24p. I'm sure I'll upgrade to 5 sooner than later, but it is still bothersome that the program is giving me problems even at 30p. If 6 debuts next month or soon thereafter it will be two upgrades!

Dave

Now might be a good time to upgrade to FCP 5 Studio. It will only cost you $199.
http://www.apple.com/universal/crossgrade/

[Efrain Gomez]

On friday we purchased a Mac Mini (intel duo core) with intent on editing some HD100 footage.

We downloaded the trial version of HDVxDV on the computer and it worked fine. it installed, opened, captured, and exported water-marked footage.

Now, yesterday we purchased HDVxDV online, and they sent us the link to download the full version and a keycode for activation. The download was fine, it installed correctly. And now I double click the program. And nothing happens....nothing. i've triple-clicked, etc. and nothing happens.

I even tried restarting, closing all programs, uninstalling the trial version, etc. and still nothing.

i paid $80 for this program, it's not a crack version or anything. i've already emailed the HDVxdv people, but they'ven't yet responded.

i was wondering if anyone had any ideas of what could be wrong.....anything i'ven't thought of.

:: efrain ::

[Tim Dashwood]

Originally Posted by Efrain Gomez

On friday we purchased a Mac Mini (intel duo core) with intent on editing some HD100 footage.

We downloaded the trial version of HDVxDV on the computer and it worked fine. it installed, opened, captured, and exported water-marked footage.

Now, yesterday we purchased HDVxDV online, and they sent us the link to download the full version and a keycode for activation. The download was fine, it installed correctly. And now I double click the program. And nothing happens....nothing. i've triple-clicked, etc. and nothing happens.

I even tried restarting, closing all programs, uninstalling the trial version, etc. and still nothing.

i paid $80 for this program, it's not a crack version or anything. i've already emailed the HDVxdv people, but they'ven't yet responded.

i was wondering if anyone had any ideas of what could be wrong.....anything i'ven't thought of.

:: efrain ::

You should probably remove the preference files for the trial version. Look for HDVxDV.plist in Library-->Preferences and trash it.

[Efrain Gomez]

i can't find that file in my computer anywhere. that's friggin weird. i wonder if it's because this computer is the new Mac Mini (intel duo core)? we bought it on friday....

the hdvxdv people still haven't responded :(
:: efrain