HELP. CF Clips in FCP some not going in. at DVinfo.net

David Venturini · July 20th, 2008, 09:22 PM

Hi everyone. I have shot a few videos with the compact flash cards and have had no problems with clips not going into FCP. I now just transfered over about 600 shots and about 10% of my clips are showing up in the log and capture window but when I try to transfer them they just wont go in. I see the little still image, I see all the metadata, if I use mpeg stream it works just fine but when I am in FCP it tells me no data. ONLY on import. Is there something I am missing. I am all up to date on FCP and I have SonyRecordingUnit101 software installed. I am in a real time crunch anyone have suggestions? thanks

Michael Power · July 22nd, 2008, 08:13 PM

Similarly, a small number of clips out of 25 total won't transfer for me in FCP 6.0.2. This is with the Transcend 32gb (x133) card newly purchased. I tested it when I got it and it was fine. Now, nothing I can do will bring the specific clips over. The red exclamation mark says Error: No data. When I check in Mpeg Streamclip, the clips play fine. (Durations of these vary from 50sec to 21min.)

So, is there another way to extract the footage and put into an HDV wrapper, anyone?

I have a one hour talk to film and edit straight after tomorrow at a client's office and the CF recorder was a factor in doing this.

Mickey

Ed Plamondon · July 23rd, 2008, 09:37 PM

Hi there.

I've had the same thing happen, and it's not predictable at all.

I started a thread last week basically stating the same thing - the red exclamation point - and the responses fizzled fast.

To be honest, no matter how often I've seen this topic come up - I've never seen anyone post some type of resolution to it. Not sure if it's a bug that will be fixed in a newer version of the Sony plug in or what. Incidentally, I've read where some Panasonic folks had issues as well importing some P2 stuff.

So if someone is having similar results or knows a solution - let us know.
I know some folks suggest taking those clips into Mpeg Streamclip - but the whole point is to not have to do this.

I should point out - when this happens, it's not as if the clip is corrupt. It plays back on the camera, will open and play in streamclip - the detail is visible in Log and Transfer.... but it just won't ingest.

Happy to hear from more folks on this problem.

Jason LeFrense · July 23rd, 2008, 10:14 PM

I can't even import one clip. It works great with FCP 6.0.3 on my mac book. I can't get a thing to work with my mac pro and fcp 6.0.4. I'm also running 10.5.4 on my mac pro and 10.5.3 on my mac book pro, so I don't if its FCP or the OS.

David Venturini · July 23rd, 2008, 10:32 PM

i think I might call apple and see what is going on. It's a shame they can't get this working 100% cause I love the CF. If I hear anything I will post back. If you guys get a chance also call so we can start an uproar.

Ed Plamondon · July 23rd, 2008, 10:47 PM

Yes, I've heard people saying that they can't do jack with 6.0.4 as it pertains to log & transfer. I've held off on the update because of that. I'm at 6.0.3.

Currently - I have mostly successful results.
When I first started testing - I was having troubles with anything shot in the progressive HDV mode (not the 24p over 60i). Anything native 24p would just hang there. Now, unexplainable to me, they work almost all the time. I do get the pesky file or two that hang though. That's better than 0%. But still, you want that faith that it's going to work correctly.

Aside from these initial troubles, I'm sure I'm not the only one bugged by the fact that we can't see the preview on any HDV clips. The DV clips work beautifully - you can watch the clips clearly - mark IN and OUTs etc. It makes you miss it when you bring in the HDV clips.

hoping that is also something that comes with an update....

Jason LeFrense · July 24th, 2008, 12:43 PM

Hey Folks, I have 3 mac's . Now The mac Pro is running OS 10.5.4 with fcp 6.0.4 and it doesn't work. Now my mac book is running os 10.5.3 with fcp 6.0.4 and it transfers everything fine. Now I have a new imac that is running FCP 6.0.4 but with the OS 10.5.3 and it works. Which tells me its not FCP but it might be the OS. any ideas on how I can reinstall 10.5.3 on my Mac Pro.

Ed Plamondon · July 24th, 2008, 01:14 PM

Hmmm.

I'm on a macbook pro - I have FCP 6.0.3 and OSX 10.5.4

For the most part - my clips import fine with the unpredictable few that don't.
I've been reading where some folks have had zero success with 6.0.4 - so maybe you're right - perhaps there is an OSX problem mixed in there somewhere as well.

But I did want to point out that I have the most current OS and having mostly good success. Of course, I'm too afraid to update FCP for fear of pressing my luck.

I'm surprised there's been no official comment on this anywhere - just user speculation. And even that is hard to find.

Some folks at the P2 forums experiencing similar issues say to shorten the cryptic file names on trouble clips. Thought I've not heard a slew of success stories.

Hoping for a fix soon so we can count on 100% transfer rates (and maybe even some clip previews to boot!)

Michael Power · July 25th, 2008, 12:59 AM

This is annoying since clips do play back in camera. For me the clips that won't transfer in FCP all show green bars/artifacting in first couple of frames. This is when I checked them in MPEG streamclip. (I have exported them from this app and the contrast is much lower and the picture noisier.)

A couple of posters on this or another forum had already complained of green bars with the Transcend 32gb card (x133) while others have not had a problem.

Yesterday was the 2nd time in a row there have been 'corrupted' clips. I shot a talk last night knowing it would go for over an hour. I set the CF recorder to record independently of the tape so I could swap tapes and not lose any of the talk.

I was wondering what would happen with the timecode stopping and starting the tape while CF was still recording since I cannot see how to generate tc independently on the recorder. Sure enough there were breaks in the clips.

Gary Nattrass · July 25th, 2008, 01:11 AM

I still cant get this to work at all with FCP 6.0.4 and osx 10.5.4 I have had sony looking into this for three months and still no compact flash with FCP so I am using avid media composer for any jobs that are quick turnaround.

I have even re-installed all my software and the latest sony plug in but still no joy.

Michael Liebergot · July 25th, 2008, 07:41 AM

I wonder if the problem might be the SOny plugin.
As there were many I know who had no issues with the 2nd Sony plugin update.

That is UNTIL the latest MAC updates for FCP and OSX. Whihc leds me to believe that Sony needs to update their plugin.

I have to side a bit with Sony here, in that Apple has been posting a lot of updates with Quicktime, FCP, and OSX lately. I don't see any way that Sony can keep up with the constant updates.

I think it's about time that Apple gets off their bums and do an update for FCP and QT to work with M2t HDV files. I mean for heavens sake, this encoding format has been around for 4 years now, and is used as a main capture codec for most hard dive recorders on the market.

ProRes is great, but screw Apple and their native (m2v) only codecs.
Enough is enough, let's make these things universal already. Or at least give Quicktime and FCP the option of reading both.

Jason LeFrense · July 25th, 2008, 10:11 AM

I can get the reader to transfer on both computers that are running OS 10.5.3. One of them is running FCP 6.0.4 and the other is 6.0.3. Now my Mac Pro is running OS 10.5.4 and no luck I'm going to try to reinstall 10.5.3 on my MAc Pro and see how that works.

Jamie Kehoe · July 25th, 2008, 06:46 PM

Hi All.
I am running 10.5.4 on a dual G5, with the latest Final Cut Pro version 6.0.4 with latest version Sony plugin - 1.01. I have been having the same problem with clips that are imported from the Sony Memory Recording Unit. I have only been using the Sony Cards that come with the unit, I have two Z7's which came with two 306x 8GB cards in the kit as a promotion. I am shooting on PAL in Australia.

Seems as though this is not an isolated case, and my thoughts would lie with Sony's plugin not being completely compatible with Final Cut Pro or the way that the camera handles the files. I am offering the following information as a workaround, but this is by no means an ideal situation as it takes a lot longer and the audio is not contained in the quicktime file.

I get the same exclamation mark in the Log and Transfer window when importing some files. In this following example, you know that you have only recorded one file, as during recording the card was recorded to continuously without stopping, until I stopped it manually. I use the card as a changeover from tape to card and then back to tape, but in this case, I left the card go and keep recording until done, as it was only about 10 minutes of footage. On second camera the operator put in a new tape, so this is the one which is having the issues. From that card, one file shows up correctly in the Log and Transfer window. But when you look at the folder structure there are 3 M2T files on the card (could be more, but this is a real life example).

I know this is because of the 4GB file limit (Fat 32, yukky), but when changing tapes it generates another M2T file and most often loses a few frames or even seconds from the recording.

I then opened this footage in MPEG Streamclip and exported using HDV 1080i50 unscaled with no sound. Why not import the sound? The sound I was recording was from two distinct channels, as I needed it to be separated audio - one from the mixing console and one from live sound. I then export the audio using File>Demux>Demux to AIFF... Once this is exported I open the sound in Quicktime and export again as a .aif file, but making sure that I check the settings that requires two distinct channels otherwise I end up with a stereo interleaved or one mono mixed channel sound, which is not desirable at all. Once I have this one .aif, I simply place it in the correct folder or export to the folder I need (I put it in the capture scratch) and then drag into Final Cut Pro. Line it up on the timeline and there you have it, perfect vision and perfect audio. Only one problem is that with this apparent drop of files occurring on tape change, it sometimes loses a couple of frames or even a few seconds from between the sequential M2T files. This is really annoying and I cannot find a fix for this, I can only assume that one of the Sony cards I have is not working correctly or not keeping up and has to lose information occasionally. I think this may be an issue as to why the software can't handle the ingestion as well.

I have bought another 300x 16GB card, so I will test this as well and make another post. Has anyone had this issue before with regards to split clips and losing a few frames? Normally I would think this was only because it reached it's 4GB file limit, now I think it is because it fails when you put in the second tape and either the firmware on the camera or the software plugin for Final Cut cannot recognise this changeover properly. I am definitely getting a section of a few seconds where the card craps out and won't record anything until the tape gets going again. If I don't change tapes, it seems to work fine. But I still need to do more live testing to ensure it is only one card, as I usually record live events in tandem, I need to mark the cards to find out which one is failing on changeover or if they both are. Currently I have 3 cameras running, so I am not worried, as there is a fail-safe off to another camera, but it is still time consuming and annoying. Sorry for the long post, but I hope this was beneficial for some.

Ed Plamondon · July 28th, 2008, 12:21 PM

So when you DO use Mpeg Streamclip as a workaround for files that don't import - are you able to maintain the timecode information. I'm transferring a clip now using MPEG Streamclip - but it looks like it resets the timecode to zero.

I'm shooting in 1080p24, and I'd say of 25-30 clips, 4 of them would not transfer.
There's no consistency over which clips transfer and which don't. They range from 30 seconds to 4 minutes long. I shortened the file name (saw that in another forum).

It would appear there is no rhyme or reason why some clips will not import. If it were consistent, that'd be one thing. At least I could try to avoid pitfalls during shooting. But the randomness is frustrating. I'm going to try batch capturing from tape in a moment.

Are we the only folks who have issues? You'd think more people would be vocal about this as it's a major selling point of the camera. As it is, any discussion I've seen on the topic dwindles away. Hoping a fix is on the horizon.

Jason LeFrense · July 29th, 2008, 06:21 PM

I found the problem. I think its the OS and not FCP. I have the latest version of FCP 6.0.4 and when I had OS 10.5.4 it wouldn't work. I just installed 10.5.2 and it worked perfectly I had to reinstall the Sony software but it worked. It works on every mac I have and they all are running 10.5.3 or 10.5.2. The only Mac that had problems was the Mac Pro it was running 10.5.4. Now that I have installed 10.5.2 it's working great. And every Mac is running the latest FCP.

July 20th, 2008, 09:22 PM	#1
David Venturini New Boot Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: new york Posts: 8	HELP. CF Clips in FCP some not going in. Hi everyone. I have shot a few videos with the compact flash cards and have had no problems with clips not going into FCP. I now just transfered over about 600 shots and about 10% of my clips are showing up in the log and capture window but when I try to transfer them they just wont go in. I see the little still image, I see all the metadata, if I use mpeg stream it works just fine but when I am in FCP it tells me no data. ONLY on import. Is there something I am missing. I am all up to date on FCP and I have SonyRecordingUnit101 software installed. I am in a real time crunch anyone have suggestions? thanks

July 22nd, 2008, 08:13 PM	#2
Michael Power Regular Crew Join Date: May 2008 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 47	Same problem, no answer yet Similarly, a small number of clips out of 25 total won't transfer for me in FCP 6.0.2. This is with the Transcend 32gb (x133) card newly purchased. I tested it when I got it and it was fine. Now, nothing I can do will bring the specific clips over. The red exclamation mark says Error: No data. When I check in Mpeg Streamclip, the clips play fine. (Durations of these vary from 50sec to 21min.) So, is there another way to extract the footage and put into an HDV wrapper, anyone? I have a one hour talk to film and edit straight after tomorrow at a client's office and the CF recorder was a factor in doing this. Mickey

July 23rd, 2008, 09:37 PM	#3
Ed Plamondon New Boot Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: USA Posts: 23	Hi there. I've had the same thing happen, and it's not predictable at all. I started a thread last week basically stating the same thing - the red exclamation point - and the responses fizzled fast. To be honest, no matter how often I've seen this topic come up - I've never seen anyone post some type of resolution to it. Not sure if it's a bug that will be fixed in a newer version of the Sony plug in or what. Incidentally, I've read where some Panasonic folks had issues as well importing some P2 stuff. So if someone is having similar results or knows a solution - let us know. I know some folks suggest taking those clips into Mpeg Streamclip - but the whole point is to not have to do this. I should point out - when this happens, it's not as if the clip is corrupt. It plays back on the camera, will open and play in streamclip - the detail is visible in Log and Transfer.... but it just won't ingest. Happy to hear from more folks on this problem. Last edited by Ed Plamondon; July 23rd, 2008 at 10:07 PM. Reason: added thought

July 25th, 2008, 12:59 AM	#9
Michael Power Regular Crew Join Date: May 2008 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 47	Clips damaged at beginning This is annoying since clips do play back in camera. For me the clips that won't transfer in FCP all show green bars/artifacting in first couple of frames. This is when I checked them in MPEG streamclip. (I have exported them from this app and the contrast is much lower and the picture noisier.) A couple of posters on this or another forum had already complained of green bars with the Transcend 32gb card (x133) while others have not had a problem. Yesterday was the 2nd time in a row there have been 'corrupted' clips. I shot a talk last night knowing it would go for over an hour. I set the CF recorder to record independently of the tape so I could swap tapes and not lose any of the talk. I was wondering what would happen with the timecode stopping and starting the tape while CF was still recording since I cannot see how to generate tc independently on the recorder. Sure enough there were breaks in the clips.

July 25th, 2008, 01:11 AM	#10
Gary Nattrass Trustee Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Cornsay Durham UK Posts: 1,992	I still cant get this to work at all with FCP 6.0.4 and osx 10.5.4 I have had sony looking into this for three months and still no compact flash with FCP so I am using avid media composer for any jobs that are quick turnaround. I have even re-installed all my software and the latest sony plug in but still no joy. __________________ Over 15 minutes in Broadcast Film and TV production: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1044352/

July 23rd, 2008, 10:14 PM	#4
Jason LeFrense Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Sydney Canada Posts: 126	I can't even import one clip. It works great with FCP 6.0.3 on my mac book. I can't get a thing to work with my mac pro and fcp 6.0.4. I'm also running 10.5.4 on my mac pro and 10.5.3 on my mac book pro, so I don't if its FCP or the OS.

July 23rd, 2008, 10:32 PM	#5
David Venturini New Boot Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: new york Posts: 8	i think I might call apple and see what is going on. It's a shame they can't get this working 100% cause I love the CF. If I hear anything I will post back. If you guys get a chance also call so we can start an uproar.

July 23rd, 2008, 10:47 PM	#6
Ed Plamondon New Boot Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: USA Posts: 23	Yes, I've heard people saying that they can't do jack with 6.0.4 as it pertains to log & transfer. I've held off on the update because of that. I'm at 6.0.3. Currently - I have mostly successful results. When I first started testing - I was having troubles with anything shot in the progressive HDV mode (not the 24p over 60i). Anything native 24p would just hang there. Now, unexplainable to me, they work almost all the time. I do get the pesky file or two that hang though. That's better than 0%. But still, you want that faith that it's going to work correctly. Aside from these initial troubles, I'm sure I'm not the only one bugged by the fact that we can't see the preview on any HDV clips. The DV clips work beautifully - you can watch the clips clearly - mark IN and OUTs etc. It makes you miss it when you bring in the HDV clips. hoping that is also something that comes with an update....

July 24th, 2008, 12:43 PM	#7
Jason LeFrense Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Sydney Canada Posts: 126	Hey Folks, I have 3 mac's . Now The mac Pro is running OS 10.5.4 with fcp 6.0.4 and it doesn't work. Now my mac book is running os 10.5.3 with fcp 6.0.4 and it transfers everything fine. Now I have a new imac that is running FCP 6.0.4 but with the OS 10.5.3 and it works. Which tells me its not FCP but it might be the OS. any ideas on how I can reinstall 10.5.3 on my Mac Pro.

July 24th, 2008, 01:14 PM	#8
Ed Plamondon New Boot Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: USA Posts: 23	Hmmm. I'm on a macbook pro - I have FCP 6.0.3 and OSX 10.5.4 For the most part - my clips import fine with the unpredictable few that don't. I've been reading where some folks have had zero success with 6.0.4 - so maybe you're right - perhaps there is an OSX problem mixed in there somewhere as well. But I did want to point out that I have the most current OS and having mostly good success. Of course, I'm too afraid to update FCP for fear of pressing my luck. I'm surprised there's been no official comment on this anywhere - just user speculation. And even that is hard to find. Some folks at the P2 forums experiencing similar issues say to shorten the cryptic file names on trouble clips. Thought I've not heard a slew of success stories. Hoping for a fix soon so we can count on 100% transfer rates (and maybe even some clip previews to boot!)

July 25th, 2008, 07:41 AM	#11
Michael Liebergot Trustee Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Maryland Posts: 1,505	I wonder if the problem might be the SOny plugin. As there were many I know who had no issues with the 2nd Sony plugin update. That is UNTIL the latest MAC updates for FCP and OSX. Whihc leds me to believe that Sony needs to update their plugin. I have to side a bit with Sony here, in that Apple has been posting a lot of updates with Quicktime, FCP, and OSX lately. I don't see any way that Sony can keep up with the constant updates. I think it's about time that Apple gets off their bums and do an update for FCP and QT to work with M2t HDV files. I mean for heavens sake, this encoding format has been around for 4 years now, and is used as a main capture codec for most hard dive recorders on the market. ProRes is great, but screw Apple and their native (m2v) only codecs. Enough is enough, let's make these things universal already. Or at least give Quicktime and FCP the option of reading both. __________________ Michael www.lvpvideo.com

July 25th, 2008, 10:11 AM	#12
Jason LeFrense Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Sydney Canada Posts: 126	I can get the reader to transfer on both computers that are running OS 10.5.3. One of them is running FCP 6.0.4 and the other is 6.0.3. Now my Mac Pro is running OS 10.5.4 and no luck I'm going to try to reinstall 10.5.3 on my MAc Pro and see how that works.

July 25th, 2008, 06:46 PM	#13
Jamie Kehoe Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 28	Ingesting Footage to Final Cut Pro Hi All. I am running 10.5.4 on a dual G5, with the latest Final Cut Pro version 6.0.4 with latest version Sony plugin - 1.01. I have been having the same problem with clips that are imported from the Sony Memory Recording Unit. I have only been using the Sony Cards that come with the unit, I have two Z7's which came with two 306x 8GB cards in the kit as a promotion. I am shooting on PAL in Australia. Seems as though this is not an isolated case, and my thoughts would lie with Sony's plugin not being completely compatible with Final Cut Pro or the way that the camera handles the files. I am offering the following information as a workaround, but this is by no means an ideal situation as it takes a lot longer and the audio is not contained in the quicktime file. I get the same exclamation mark in the Log and Transfer window when importing some files. In this following example, you know that you have only recorded one file, as during recording the card was recorded to continuously without stopping, until I stopped it manually. I use the card as a changeover from tape to card and then back to tape, but in this case, I left the card go and keep recording until done, as it was only about 10 minutes of footage. On second camera the operator put in a new tape, so this is the one which is having the issues. From that card, one file shows up correctly in the Log and Transfer window. But when you look at the folder structure there are 3 M2T files on the card (could be more, but this is a real life example). I know this is because of the 4GB file limit (Fat 32, yukky), but when changing tapes it generates another M2T file and most often loses a few frames or even seconds from the recording. I then opened this footage in MPEG Streamclip and exported using HDV 1080i50 unscaled with no sound. Why not import the sound? The sound I was recording was from two distinct channels, as I needed it to be separated audio - one from the mixing console and one from live sound. I then export the audio using File>Demux>Demux to AIFF... Once this is exported I open the sound in Quicktime and export again as a .aif file, but making sure that I check the settings that requires two distinct channels otherwise I end up with a stereo interleaved or one mono mixed channel sound, which is not desirable at all. Once I have this one .aif, I simply place it in the correct folder or export to the folder I need (I put it in the capture scratch) and then drag into Final Cut Pro. Line it up on the timeline and there you have it, perfect vision and perfect audio. Only one problem is that with this apparent drop of files occurring on tape change, it sometimes loses a couple of frames or even a few seconds from between the sequential M2T files. This is really annoying and I cannot find a fix for this, I can only assume that one of the Sony cards I have is not working correctly or not keeping up and has to lose information occasionally. I think this may be an issue as to why the software can't handle the ingestion as well. I have bought another 300x 16GB card, so I will test this as well and make another post. Has anyone had this issue before with regards to split clips and losing a few frames? Normally I would think this was only because it reached it's 4GB file limit, now I think it is because it fails when you put in the second tape and either the firmware on the camera or the software plugin for Final Cut cannot recognise this changeover properly. I am definitely getting a section of a few seconds where the card craps out and won't record anything until the tape gets going again. If I don't change tapes, it seems to work fine. But I still need to do more live testing to ensure it is only one card, as I usually record live events in tandem, I need to mark the cards to find out which one is failing on changeover or if they both are. Currently I have 3 cameras running, so I am not worried, as there is a fail-safe off to another camera, but it is still time consuming and annoying. Sorry for the long post, but I hope this was beneficial for some. Attached Thumbnails

July 28th, 2008, 12:21 PM	#14
Ed Plamondon New Boot Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: USA Posts: 23	So when you DO use Mpeg Streamclip as a workaround for files that don't import - are you able to maintain the timecode information. I'm transferring a clip now using MPEG Streamclip - but it looks like it resets the timecode to zero. I'm shooting in 1080p24, and I'd say of 25-30 clips, 4 of them would not transfer. There's no consistency over which clips transfer and which don't. They range from 30 seconds to 4 minutes long. I shortened the file name (saw that in another forum). It would appear there is no rhyme or reason why some clips will not import. If it were consistent, that'd be one thing. At least I could try to avoid pitfalls during shooting. But the randomness is frustrating. I'm going to try batch capturing from tape in a moment. Are we the only folks who have issues? You'd think more people would be vocal about this as it's a major selling point of the camera. As it is, any discussion I've seen on the topic dwindles away. Hoping a fix is on the horizon.

July 29th, 2008, 06:21 PM	#15
Jason LeFrense Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Sydney Canada Posts: 126	I found the problem. I think its the OS and not FCP. I have the latest version of FCP 6.0.4 and when I had OS 10.5.4 it wouldn't work. I just installed 10.5.2 and it worked perfectly I had to reinstall the Sony software but it worked. It works on every mac I have and they all are running 10.5.3 or 10.5.2. The only Mac that had problems was the Mac Pro it was running 10.5.4. Now that I have installed 10.5.2 it's working great. And every Mac is running the latest FCP.