Sony HDD problem

[Jeff Rhode]

I just unpacked our new HDD from Sony. It looks straight forward to use, but I am having a problem at the computer end. The drive mounts fine but each time I start and stop goes to a different folder (100HDVF, 101HDVF, etc...) Each folder contains 3 files that have the extensions .IDX, .M2T, and .TS which is what the instructions say. The M2T file is the large one....but I can't figure what to do with it. I expect I am missing a file that I should be seeing, but I was under the impression that this was going to be a drag & drop to my hard drive and edit. I am set at RawDV and using a V1U. I am using a mac with 10.4 and Final Cut 5.

The manual does not even touch on this...anyone have any experience with this ?

[Bob Grant]

Originally Posted by Jeff Rhode

I just unpacked our new HDD from Sony. It looks straight forward to use, but I am having a problem at the computer end. The drive mounts fine but each time I start and stop goes to a different folder (100HDVF, 101HDVF, etc...) Each folder contains 3 files that have the extensions .IDX, .M2T, and .TS which is what the instructions say. The M2T file is the large one....but I can't figure what to do with it. I expect I am missing a file that I should be seeing, but I was under the impression that this was going to be a drag & drop to my hard drive and edit. I am set at RawDV and using a V1U. I am using a mac with 10.4 and Final Cut 5.

The manual does not even touch on this...anyone have any experience with this ?

Yes,
each folder is for one recording session. If the file size exceeds 4GB the recorder needs to split the file in which case two .m2t files will appear in the folder. You need to join them on the T/L.

The .m2t files are the ones with the media in them, the other two are only for the units playback, you can delete them once you've copied the m2t files to your local HD.
As for getting the .m2t files into FCP, good question. Works seemlessly with Vegas. I think you need to copy the .m2t files to you HD and then run them through Slipstream but I'm no FCP guru.

[Jeff Rhode]

Thanks Bob. I will investigate Slipstream.
So each time the camera is paused the clip goes into a new folder ?

[Bob Grant]

Originally Posted by Jeff Rhode

Thanks Bob. I will investigate Slipstream.
So each time the camera is paused the clip goes into a new folder ?

Everytime you stop recording yes. This is so that if the recording session needs to create a file over 4GB then the parts that makeup the one session are obvious.

There's a manual on the enclosed CD, I'd really suggest reading it as the quick start guide doesn't contain enough info.
I didn't have enough time playing with the unit to get to the bottom of one problem we noticed. Running off battery and hooked up to a PC or Mac the unit seems to disconnect and reconnect, possibly it's a power saving thing powering the disk down. Whatever it is it drives both OSX and WinXP nuts.