hd7 firewire

[Martin Patterson]

i'm trying to capture on to my pc and am having trouble, any tips????

[Matt Headley]

I don't have this camera, but I've read much of the manual and reviews and such, but I think maybe there are two possibilities:

I think I've read there is a menu setting you have to switch for dv firewire output.

I also think I've read that to get a hdv like compatible dv output you can't shoot in the highest quality mode but the next one down?

But I don't know for sure. Maybe someone who has one of these can give a more definitive answer?

[Ian Broadbent]

How are you trying to capture the footage?

The way I do it is to use the USB lead and the software provided to back up the cameras HDD to the PCs HDD. I then change the extension of the file from .MOD to .m2t and import into my NLE - Avid Liquid.

Now herein lies a problem for some, I tried several other NLEs to read the m2t files but failed miserably. However Liquid reads them natively and I can mix the 1080i with my main cams 720p on the same timeline.

Hope it helps

Ian

[Alan Warren]

I had been avoiding the Everio cameras because of their lack of firewire - no good to me unless I could batch capture with FCP. When the HD7 came out with its promises of [i.Link --> FCP] compatibility I jumped in and forked out the cash. Unfortunately, it was within a few hours of taking delivery that I found out batch capture wasn't as easy as I had first surmised.

After a seemingly interminable time spent on the phone with Hagemeyer/JVC Australia I found out the secret (and it is a secret - nothing about it in the user manual) to capturing over firewire and I'm going to share it with you now.

STEP 1: Set your HD7's video quality setting to [1440CBR].

STEP 2: Record some shizzle. When you're done recording, go to STEP 3.

STEP 3: In your HD7's output menu, set the i.LINK OUTPUT to [1440CBR] then exit the menu.

STEP 4: Put your HD7 into PLAYBACK mode. Once you see the screen with your clip thumbnails, hit the [F] for function button. Select EDIT PLAYLIST with the joystick thing and click it.

STEP 5: In the EDIT PLAYLIST menu, select NEW LIST and click it. In the next menu you may choose to select scenes by EVENT, DATE or ALL SCENES. Let's choose ALL SCENES for the purpose of this exercise.

STEP 6: You are now in the "making-a-playlist screen". Remembering you can only batch capture the [1440CBR] clips, select some of your recorded shizzle and put it into the playlist on the right-hand side of the screen by clicking the joystick thing indiscriminately.

STEP 7: When you're satisfied with the content and order of your new playlist, move the joystick thing back to the left until you are queried "Save edited contents?" Select SAVE AND QUIT and you'll be transported back to the screen with your clip thumbnails.

STEP 8: This is where things get tricky. Hit the [F] for function button. Select PLAYBACK PLAYLIST with your joystick thing and click it. Select the playlist you have just created (more than likely the most recent one but there's a handy thumbnail displayed for each playlist in case you become confused and disoriented). DO NOT PRESS THE JOYSTICK THING!

STEP 9: Move the joystick thing to the RIGHT - DO NOT PRESS THE JOYSTICK THING. A new "secret" menu will appear - DUBBING PLAYBACK. This really is the crux of the matter. Playing a playlist by clicking the joystick thing will NOT output to firewire. Sure, iMovieHD will pick up the camera and tell you what it is doing, but it won't receive any data. FCP won't even detect the stoopid camera. Remember, the "secret" is to move the joystick thing to the RIGHT and get into the DUBBING PLAYBACK menu. Once you know that you can figure the rest out easily enough. In case you can't, I'll go on.

STEP 10: Connect your HD7 to your computer with a Firewire/i.Link cable. Open FCP or iMovieHD (or whatever passes for editing software on PCs these days). If you have FC6 then good for bloody you, go to the next step. If you're also a hero and still using FC5 then make a custom setup a bit like this:
Sequence preset --> HD7 - 1440x1080i50 - AIC
Capture preset --> HDV - Apple Intermediate Codec
Device Control preset --> Non-controllable device

STEP 11: Create a new Project using the new Custom Setup then select LOG AND CAPTURE. You'll have to enter a title for the new Sequence. Go back to the other end of the firewire cable (to the HD7) and click your way through the HD7's menus until it starts to dub the playlist to FCP. The [1440CBR] footage is now being captured by your trusty Mac.

STEP 12: My OCD wouldn't let me end on an odd number so for this step, go and have a nice espresso and a cigarette while you wait for the capture to end. What? You don't smoke? What kind of an editor are you? Kids these days...

Once the footage has been transferred, FCP will automatically reframe/render the capture so when you come back from your break it will be ready go.

Cheers :)

[Steve Mullen]

"After a seemingly interminable time spent on the phone with Hagemeyer/JVC Australia I found out the secret (and it is a secret - nothing about it in the user manual) to capturing over firewire and I'm going to share it with you now."

Not REALLY a secret -- the User Manual tells you what to do and JVC offers Presets for FCP. :)

The problem with the manual is it's very poorly written.

[Bryan Pechacek]

Originally Posted by Alan Warren

I had been avoiding the Everio cameras because of their lack of firewire - no good to me unless I could batch capture with FCP. When the HD7 came out with its promises of [i.Link --> FCP] compatibility I jumped in and forked out the cash. Unfortunately, it was within a few hours of taking delivery that I found out batch capture wasn't as easy as I had first surmised.

After a seemingly interminable time spent on the phone with Hagemeyer/JVC Australia I found out the secret (and it is a secret - nothing about it in the user manual) to capturing over firewire and I'm going to share it with you now.

STEP 1: Set your HD7's video quality setting to [1440CBR].

STEP 2: Record some shizzle. When you're done recording, go to STEP 3.

STEP 3: In your HD7's output menu, set the i.LINK OUTPUT to [1440CBR] then exit the menu.

STEP 4: Put your HD7 into PLAYBACK mode. Once you see the screen with your clip thumbnails, hit the [F] for function button. Select EDIT PLAYLIST with the joystick thing and click it.

STEP 5: In the EDIT PLAYLIST menu, select NEW LIST and click it. In the next menu you may choose to select scenes by EVENT, DATE or ALL SCENES. Let's choose ALL SCENES for the purpose of this exercise.

STEP 6: You are now in the "making-a-playlist screen". Remembering you can only batch capture the [1440CBR] clips, select some of your recorded shizzle and put it into the playlist on the right-hand side of the screen by clicking the joystick thing indiscriminately.

STEP 7: When you're satisfied with the content and order of your new playlist, move the joystick thing back to the left until you are queried "Save edited contents?" Select SAVE AND QUIT and you'll be transported back to the screen with your clip thumbnails.

STEP 8: This is where things get tricky. Hit the [F] for function button. Select PLAYBACK PLAYLIST with your joystick thing and click it. Select the playlist you have just created (more than likely the most recent one but there's a handy thumbnail displayed for each playlist in case you become confused and disoriented). DO NOT PRESS THE JOYSTICK THING!

STEP 9: Move the joystick thing to the RIGHT - DO NOT PRESS THE JOYSTICK THING. A new "secret" menu will appear - DUBBING PLAYBACK. This really is the crux of the matter. Playing a playlist by clicking the joystick thing will NOT output to firewire. Sure, iMovieHD will pick up the camera and tell you what it is doing, but it won't receive any data. FCP won't even detect the stoopid camera. Remember, the "secret" is to move the joystick thing to the RIGHT and get into the DUBBING PLAYBACK menu. Once you know that you can figure the rest out easily enough. In case you can't, I'll go on.

STEP 10: Connect your HD7 to your computer with a Firewire/i.Link cable. Open FCP or iMovieHD (or whatever passes for editing software on PCs these days). If you have FC6 then good for bloody you, go to the next step. If you're also a hero and still using FC5 then make a custom setup a bit like this:
Sequence preset --> HD7 - 1440x1080i50 - AIC
Capture preset --> HDV - Apple Intermediate Codec
Device Control preset --> Non-controllable device

STEP 11: Create a new Project using the new Custom Setup then select LOG AND CAPTURE. You'll have to enter a title for the new Sequence. Go back to the other end of the firewire cable (to the HD7) and click your way through the HD7's menus until it starts to dub the playlist to FCP. The [1440CBR] footage is now being captured by your trusty Mac.

STEP 12: My OCD wouldn't let me end on an odd number so for this step, go and have a nice espresso and a cigarette while you wait for the capture to end. What? You don't smoke? What kind of an editor are you? Kids these days...

Once the footage has been transferred, FCP will automatically reframe/render the capture so when you come back from your break it will be ready go.

Cheers :)

Dear Alan and Steve,

These steps work great until I get to the lo and capure part. I am working in Final Cut Pro 5 and I did the custom set up like you said and then go and select Log and Capture. But then a message pops up saying "Unable to initialize HDV deck. Please make sure a deck is connected and try again. But I am using the JVC HDD GZ-HD7, how can I get past this. Here are the settings I am doing:

Audio/Video Settings:

Sequence Preset-Apple Intermediate Codec 1080i50

Capture Preset HDV-Apple Intermediate Codec

Device Control Preset-Non-Controllable Device.

Video Playback- says either NONE or Digital Cinema Desktop Preview - Main

I dont know what to select there.

Any help would be great!

Thanks,

Bryan