Long-form recording options?
 

In another thread, Robert Lane said "The only other long-form recording options are either being tethered to a Powerbook/MacBook Pro or waiting until the spring when 16gb P2 cards become available."

I've only had my 200 for about a month and still learning the ropes. How do you do this? (I requested the Barry book, but haven't received it yet.) I will be acquiring a Mac/FCP for HD editing, but for now I have an XP laptop. I haven't been able to figure out how to connect for real-time recording. I can download P2 via USB in PC mode, but can't get anything out in P2 camera mode.

Is there a short answer, or can someone please point me to a thread/tutorial. I'm usually pretty good about figuring these things out, but I'm beyond my expertise here. Thanks.

I am not positive about this but I believe you have to record to Final Cut Pro via firewire to do long form recording. Also, with going through firewire, you would not be able to record 720p Native variable framerates.

I am not sure if there is a PC alternative to do long term recording through the firewire stream.

You have more options (do a search), the most common being Firestore FS-100. With it you can do vari-frames as well, but you'll have to use the FrameRate Converter to get rid ofd unwanted frames (They are flagged).

The FS - and soon to come CinePorter are much more flexible than the FCP route and both accomodate moving/crane/dolly/handheld situations.

Gunleik

In FCP 5.1.2, I set the cam to the exact sequence settings in FCP.

Native formats will not work.

Log and capture window is set to non controllable device.

Then hit capture now.

If your XP laptop meets the minimum specs, run (don't walk) to get Serious Magic DV Rack 2.0HD. That is a capture application, monitor, waveform, vectorscope, digital disk recorder, audio quality monitor, and everything else program that is the best capture/monitor app available for either platform.

It also saves the files in either Quicktime movies or AVI files, and includes a DVCPRO-HD codec so that if you use Premiere or Vegas you can edit the stuff right away.

And if you do end up going with a Mac, as long as you get an Intel mac you can still use it, by using BootCamp. It saves the quicktime files in Mac-compatible format. And it strips out duplicate frames upon capture so you get all the space efficiency of 720pN format.

Other options for live capture on a PC laptop include EDIUS Broadcast, and Avid XPress Pro HD. Either one can be used to capture live camera streaming footage.

Barry,

just to confirm:
It records DVCPRO HD files that can be edited directly in FCP after capture?

Gunleik

Correct.

You'd just have to either be recording directly to a FAT32 partition, or use a utility such as MacDrive.

just wondering if you can record straight from the camera to a dv-cam deck?

In DV mode, yes. Obviously not in HD mode or DVCPRO50, but the DV data stream would be compatible with a DVCAM deck.

Barry, thanks. That's the key point I was missing.

cheers barry. Thats dissapointing though, I was hoping to record straight to a deck for some long interviews for my doco. Now it sounds like we will keep having to hot swap P2 cards... or look into the Firestore which Im really apprehensive about using. Going straight to a laptop Ive read can be problematic too, I thought going straight to tape would be the best solid option.

Does anyone have any suggestions for me please?

You can, it just has to be the right kind of deck. A DVCAM deck can only record DV or DVCAM, it doesn't know about any other type of format. If you want to record DVCPRO50, you need a DVCPRO50 deck. If you want to record DVCPRO-HD, you need a DVCPRO-HD deck. That's all possible, just rent a deck that has a firewire input and you can record straight to the deck.

thought so... sorry man I should read your posts more carefully. You are a great help Barry thank you :)