FCP Exporting to Camera Problem

[Peter Newsom]

I just bought a Mac Book Pro with FCP and I am running into a problem exporting back to my F350.
I am cutting news footage shot at 35mbs, but when I try to export it fails and the message says that XDCamHD 35VBR is not supported and only gives a limited number of format options, the best of which is the HDV 25CBR. This exports
fine, though the footage seems to look a little darker on playback.
Can anybody help me with this?

Thanks, Peter

[Alister Chapman]

Have you made sure you have all the software updates installed by using the System software update option. It could be that you don't have all the codecs installed.

I have always had the 35Mb VBR option so I don't know why that isn't being shown. I assume you are using the export - xdcam option and not the export to quicktime option.

[Peter Newsom]

Thanks Alister, I will check for updates tomorrow.

[Mike Watson]

Sounds like you have the old version of the sony transfer software.

Uninstall the old version, trash your FCP prefs, and install the new version. You will have to trash prefs for every user on the machine.

Also, the deck (I use the F70, I'm sure the camera is the same) needs to have the EXACT same settings as the sequence, or it won't work.

Best of luck!

[Greg Boston]

Originally Posted by Peter Newsom

I just bought a Mac Book Pro with FCP and I am running into a problem exporting back to my F350.
I am cutting news footage shot at 35mbs, but when I try to export it fails and the message says that XDCamHD 35VBR is not supported and only gives a limited number of format options, the best of which is the HDV 25CBR. This exports
fine, though the footage seems to look a little darker on playback.
Can anybody help me with this?

What version of FCP? Sounds like you are still running 5.0.1 and that won't support anything other than 25 mb mode.

You have to be running 5.1 or above to get full codec support. Also, you need to set the level of UNDO to 99 in the preferences. I think this caused an export failure in some situations, but not a limited codec choice type of thing.

For some time, Apple was offering the crossgrade to 5.1 for $49 when you mailed in your original FCP disc. That offer may have expired by now. This was the first version of FCP in Universal Binary for those running Intel based Macs, but it also expanded the XDCAM support to all codecs.

-gb-

[Peter Newsom]

Greg,

I'm running 6.0.0.(bought the suite) I have seen a 6.0.1, but oddly enough Software Update isn't showing an upgrade. I am running OSX 10.4.10, if that makes any difference. The XDCam Transfer is version 1.1.0

Tried it again this afternoon and got the same immediate failure notice saying the the format wasn't supported.

My camera has the most recent firmware.

I will try the 99 undoes thing.

Aside from the format issue, the exporting back to the camera is great. Just got to get a grip on FCP now.

Thanks for the thoughts, Peter

[Mike Watson]

So, just trying to clarify... you can edit XDCam 35Mbit -- without rendering, but you can't export 35 Mbit?

[Peter Newsom]

Hi Mike,
Yes that's the situation, it won't export in the format that I'm editing with.

[Tim Durham]

From Sony:

The basic problem is that Apple renamed their sequence presets in FCP 6 and our export plug-in can no longer find the correct preset to use as a result of this change.

To workaround this, you need to create a copy of the relevant sequence preset and rename it to match the old (FCP 5) name:

(1) Open the FCP 'Audio/Video Settings' window.
(2) Select the 'Sequence Presets' tab.
(3) Find the sequence preset which is being used for editing (new name).
(4) Duplicate this preset.
(5) Rename the new preset according to the old name (they are listed in
section 8.1 of the XDT user guide - the text must match exactly).

"XDCAM HD 1080i50 (35 Mb/s VBR)"

*do not change anything else - just the preset name*
(6) Relaunch FCP.
(7) Use the new preset for the sequence.

When 'Export Sony XDCAM' is now used, the new preset should be found and exporting should work as normal.

[Peter Newsom]

Thanks Tim, I'll give that a shot.

This morning when I checked Software Update I now find the uprades to FCP 6.0.1, so I'll down load that later today. Strange that they weren't there yesterday.

Thanks to everyone for all the help.

Peter

[Peter Newsom]

Well I'm still unable to export at 35Mb/s VBR. I have followed Tim suggestions and I still get the Export Failed message stating that " The preset 'XDCAM HD - 1080i60 (35 Mb/s VBR)' is not installed on this system.

The Sony XDCAM Export window only offers:

DV NTSC 48
DV PAL 48
MPEG IMX 8-bit NTSC
MPEG IMX PAL
HDV - 1080i50
HDV - 1080i60
HDV - 1080p24
HDV - 1080p25

There are no XDCAM formats offered. Am I missing something.
Thanks, Peter

[Andy Mees]

Peter

Did you create a new XDCAM HD preset as Tim suggested. It has to be named exactly or you'll continue to get that message.

Here's the rub. Sony XDCAM Transfer is not yet "officially" supported (by Sony) with FCP6. XDCAM Transfer version 2.0 will be the first officially supported version for use with FCP6.

In the meantime, the only thing that actually stops it from working is that the XDCAM presets were renamed by Apple in FCP6 ... and it is specifically those preset names which Sony's XDCAM Transfer uses. Once you rename them EXACTLY (see below) then the presets will be found and everything should get back to normal ... or wait for XDCAM Transfer 2.0 to be released!



Here is the list of applicable Sequence Presets from FCP 6.0.1 and their old FCP 5.1.4 names (that XDCAM Transfer 1.1 expects to find):

FCP6 --------------------------- FCP5

DV NTSC 48 kHz -------------- (no change)
DV PAL 48 kHz ---------------- (no change)
IMX NTSC (30 Mb/s) ---------- MPEG IMX 8-bit NTSC – 30 Mb/s – 48 kHz
IMX NTSC (40 Mb/s) ---------- MPEG IMX 8-bit NTSC – 40 Mb/s – 48 kHz
IMX NTSC (50 Mb/s) ---------- MPEG IMX 8-bit NTSC – 50 Mb/s – 48 kHz
IMX PAL (30 Mb/s) ------------ MPEG IMX 8-bit PAL – 30 Mb/s – 48 kHz
IMX PAL (40 Mb/s) ------------ MPEG IMX 8-bit PAL – 40 Mb/s – 48 kHz
IMX PAL (50 Mb/s) ------------ MPEG IMX 8-bit PAL – 50 Mb/s – 48 kHz
XDCAM HD 1080i50 (VBR) ---- XDCAM HD – 1080i50 (35 Mb/s VBR)
XDCAM HD 1080i60 (VBR) ---- XDCAM HD – 1080i60 (35 Mb/s VBR)
XDCAM HD 1080p24 (VBR) --- XDCAM HD – 1080p24 (35 Mb/s VBR)
XDCAM HD 1080p25 (VBR) --- XDCAM HD – 1080p25 (35 Mb/s VBR)
XDCAM HD 1080p30 (VBR) --- XDCAM HD – 1080p30 (35 Mb/s VBR)
HDV – 1080i50 ---------------- (no change)
HDV – 1080i60 ---------------- (no change)
HDV – 1080p24 --------------- (no change)
HDV – 1080p25 --------------- (no change)

[Peter Newsom]

Andy, as far as I can tell I have done everything suggested. I duplicated the preset and named it to the old FCP name, saved and rebooted FCP.

To make sure that my sequence is set correctly I go to the Sequence Settings window, and hit the Load Sequence button and select my new preset - XDCAM HD – 1080i60 (35 Mb/s VBR).

Give it another go and still I get the same failure message.

[Peter Newsom]

One thing that is curious to me is that XDCAM Transfer identifies my clips as having a frame rate of 59.94i but the FCP sequences show 29.97 fps. Could this have anything to do with my export problem?