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General discussion

Final Cut Pro HD with JVC GZ-MG30U (non-FireWire camera)

Feb 2, 2009 3:14AM PST

I have a JVC GZ-MG30U hard drive based video camera, and it has done everything just fine when using Nero Vision Express on my PC. I have a mixed environment of Macs and PCs, and I was given Final Cut Pro HD (version 4.5) and wanted to use it for my video editing. (For VERY obvious reasons!) My camera has a USB Port, S-video, and those red, yellow, and white plugs. (What are they called anyway?!?) Anyway, anytime I start Final Cut I get this error. (Part of it is quoted below.)

?Unable to locate the following external devices:

Apple FireWire NTSC (720 x 480)

?your deck/camera may be disconnected.?


I?m assuming that that translates to: ?Connect a FireWire camera-and make sure it?s turned on!? I then click ?Continue? button and can use the program. I tried to import a video file from my camera. (My Mac connects it as if it were a USB hard drive.) Final Cut does not support the version of MPEG 2 that JVC uses. (.MOD files) OK, so I use Nero to encode it a to a MPEG2 file (.MPG) and when Final Cut imports it and is dragged to the timeline, it show an ?Unrenderd? screen in the Canvas. (When I try to play the file.)

Here are my ideas to fix this problem.

1. Get a plug-in for Final Cut.
2. Get a FireWire capture card. (FYW plugs or s-video input converted to FireWire. ?is that possible?)
3. Get a genie in a bottle/lamp.

I REALLY need HELP!!

Thank you!

Laptoplover46 Happy

Discussion is locked

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That Camera and its problems
Feb 2, 2009 3:46AM PST

Unfortunately, FCP cannot deal with .mod files so you will have to convert them first.
I suggest that you use an application called MPEG StreamClip, it's free, and will export your .mod files as MP4 or DV. FCP can read both these formats easily.
You should be able to convert them directly from the camera HD by using the mounted camera HD as the source in Streamclip. You will want to store the DV on the Mac's HD before importing into FCP.

Apple states that iMovie and FCP cannot read .mod files unless the camera is on the supported list. However, even if the camera is listed, the software does not convert the .mod file, it just wraps it in a mov.

Those red, white and yellow connectors? They are Left and Right Audio and composite Analog video, respectively.

Hope this helps

P

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Yea!
Feb 6, 2009 7:24AM PST

It worked! I convert my clips to .Mov files and they work PERFECT! The weird thing is that if I try to convert them to .DV Final Cut Doesn't like them. The video works, but the audio just beeps... But that's OK, .Mov works! Thanks for your help!

Laptoplover46 Happy

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(NT) Way to go!!!!!
Feb 6, 2009 8:50AM PST