DR60 and Vegas workflow

[Piotr Wozniacki]

OK, so a new sub-forum has been assigned to the HVR-DR60-related threads. I've mixed feelings about it, as I'm afraid the threads will not be getting as much attention as they would if posted in the V1 (the main DR60's companion), or Vegas (the only NLE specifically supporting the DR60) forums...

Anyway, while I really enjoy the DR60's advantages, I still have 2 very rudimentary problems unsolved, nor oven addressed:

1. Using the Vegas 7.0e 'Import->Hard Disk Recording Unit' option produces corrupted clips if Vegas finds several m2t files in a DR60 folder (due to cache being used or file size exceeding the FAT-32 4GB limit). Apparently, Vegas concatenates them in a wrong way, messing up indexes or something like that - neither the DR-60's Prime Support, nor Sony CreativeSoftware's Vegas' support has answered my questions on this. Of course, you can copy all the m2t's to your computer HDD manually, but this can be very tedious.

2. I still am uncertain on how to make best use of one of the main advantages of recording simultaneously to the DR-60 and tape - i.e. having the material ready for editing in the fastest possible way (from the DR-60) while getting it archived automatically (tapes). What my workflow should be, if I'd like to trash the HDD copy after editing, but still have an automated access to the source material for re-capture in the future without a pain-in-you-know-where process of searching tapes for what I happen to need? Using tapes only in the old manner, it's easy to keep track for automated re-captures, but with the first 'capture' actually consisting in the file copy from the DR-60, just how do you do it?

I wonder if anyone answers my questions, as many people aren't even aware of this new forum:)

[Arnt Mollan]

Hi Piotr
I have not had any problems with corrupt files while importing m2t from the DR-60. And I have had several looong timelaps recordings, and used the DR-60 alot. I use Vegas 7d. After import I put all m2t files i one folder, and convert them to Cineform. No m2t copy. I always use the buffer, because of my outdoor/wildlife filming, so I must arcive the files from the DR-60. I put everything on the Vegas timeline, and removes everything I know I'll never miss, and renders it back to tape (camera). I then put a red mark on the tape that is recorded along with the DR60, so I dont need to look on everything twice later. I also render a mpg2 for my register. I can easy edit the mpg2, on the road on my laptop, and excange the files when ready for colorcorrecting. And if the local television wants some files very fast for their news, they are happy to get mpg2 uploaded to their ftp.
This is howe I work with the files, time consuming, but no problems.
I hope this helps.

[Piotr Wozniacki]

Thanks Arnt
You didn't however explicitely stated wheter you're using the Vegas 7.0 'Import->Hard Disk Recording Unit' option; it's only when using this that I'm getting corrupted files.

[Arnt Mollan]

Hi again Piotr.
I use the Vegas import for DR60 in 7d. Never tried the 7e. I dont know any other way to glue the files seamlessly together. Have you tried to reinstall Vegas?

[Piotr Wozniacki]

Originally Posted by Arnt Mollan

Hi again Piotr.
I use the Vegas import for DR60 in 7d. Never tried the 7e. I dont know any other way to glue the files seamlessly together. Have you tried to reinstall Vegas?

Thank you again, Arnt - good to know it can be done! Even though I'm not the only one with this problem (see http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showpost....&postcount=17),

- I still cannot get an answer to this from Sony!
Also, the DR-60 manual (page 20 at the very bottom, under 'Notes") reads:

"Some computer applications cannot play back the transitions between segmented files properly. If this happens, join the files using the "M2T File Connection Tool (available soon from the Sony support page)".

I understand they're talking about the concatenated files - so, apparently there CAN be a problem. I searched the Sony pages but didn't find the tool. Besides, the idea is to have Vegas do it automatically (and properly) for you!

EDIT: I found this link:
http://www.sony.ca/hdv/HVR-DR60_60i/...DR60/soft.html
- and am trying it out now... Will keep you posted!

[Piotr Wozniacki]

OK - so the utility only works on the 4GB chunks, imposed by the FAT-32 limitation. It wan't concatenate any other m2t files. Also, on the Sony webpage, it's said that:

"Some NLEs, such as Sony Vegas 7 (version 7.0c and later) and GrassValley EDIUS Pro4.5, have an import module that lets you import files directly from the HVR-DR60 to your PC’s hard drive. During the import process, these software will merge all divided .M2T files into a single, seamless .M2T file. "

- which basically brings us to the starting point, as the Vegas 7.0e functionality is buggy...

[Piotr Wozniacki]

Just to update those interested/affected by the same problem:

- even though the Prime Support fot Dr60 couldn't recreate my problems, they send a loan unit and I used it the exactly the same way as my own; when importing to Vegas the result was the same (i.e. the large file produced by Vegas merging the partial clips was corrupt)

- also, the Vegas SCS support admitted at last that the problem has now the full attention of developers, and will hopefully be solved in the nearest VP8.0 update!

Let's cross the fingers:)