Fcp 5.1.2/ Xdcam Hd Issues

[Steve Connor]

Are you sure you can't export via HD SDI, I can do it from my BMD Extreme card and they have no easy setup for XDCam HD too. I simply create an XDCam timeline then change the easy setup to anything with 1080i output and I get output in real time.

[Dan Brazda]

You make a good point Steve. I'm working in 24p so I guess i could import via XDCam Transfer in "35mbps 1080p24 VBR", make sure my sequence settings match then when I'm ready to export, choose a Kona 3 output that has 1080p24. Hmmm, seems too simple but I'll try it. Am I taking a quality hit by transcoding the native XDCam HD codec to the Kona HD-SDI output?

[Nate Weaver]

Originally Posted by Dan Brazda

You make a good point Steve. I'm working in 24p so I guess i could import via XDCam Transfer in "35mbps 1080p24 VBR", make sure my sequence settings match then when I'm ready to export, choose a Kona 3 output that has 1080p24.

1080p24 export on the Kona can mean one of two things. It can be a preset where the Kona is adding pulldown to bring the timeline up to 1080i60 on the fly, OR it could be switching the HD-SDI output to 23.98PsF. Check the manual.

Originally Posted by Dan Brazda

Hmmm, seems too simple but I'll try it. Am I taking a quality hit by transcoding the native XDCam HD codec to the Kona HD-SDI output?

Going from any timeline to any flavor of SDI (HD-SDI included) is a lossless conduit. Remember, HD-SDI is uncompressed. Of course your signal is recompressed to the codec in the deck you're going to (DVCPRO HD or HDCAM or XDCAM HD)

[Dan Brazda]

Originally Posted by Nate Weaver

1080p24 export on the Kona can mean one of two things. It can be a preset where the Kona is adding pulldown to bring the timeline up to 1080i60 on the fly, OR it could be switching the HD-SDI output to 23.98PsF. Check the manual.

Actually, come to think of it, it's not adding the pulldown. Before FCP 5.1.2 we worked with Sony XDCam HD at 35mbps/ 24p and imported it into FCP via Kona 3 using Kona 1080p/24 Easy Setup (created huge files but worked). Exported finished product via same Kona Easy Setup in FCP to Sony F-70 deck via HD-SDI in real time and all worked flawlessly (except of course for the massive file sizes resulting from the "Uncompressed" material. Good thing we had a big ol' XServe Raid). Sony deck was in 24p mode frequency and accepted the signal from the 24p timeline (If it was in 24p system mode and I was trying to feed it 60i material, I assume it would have rejected it just like it does when you try to put a 60i disk into it when it is in 24p system mode). If logic holds here, we should be able to export Kona 1080p/24 material (regardless of its original codec) from a Sony XDCam HD 24p timeline without a problem... Famous last words... More to come tomorrow...

[Rob Stiff]

Greg,
Are you saying the F-70 Deck allows for faster
input for an Apple then going thru the Camera's firewire port
into the Apple?

Is there a chart out there that shows typical transfer/conversion
times between the XDCAM and a Mac Pro Tower, Etc?
thanks, rob

[Alister Chapman]

My experience with the F70 is that the transfers are just a little faster than direct from the camera, but not by a huge amount. That said the F70 is more responsive when navigating through the proxies.