XFR Video 8 analog via canopus to fcp10.. HELP

yes. same problem. I am thinking fcpX is not compatible with this camcorder.

The camcorder is pretty much irrelevant because it is outputting analog, AV, signal to the Canopus box.

We don't know which Canopus box you are using. I presume ADVC55 or ADVC110.
http://www.grassvalley.com/products/advc55
http://www.grassvalley.com/products/advc110

If you are having the same problems with iMovie *and* FCP X, perhaps contacting Grass Valley (I believe they acquired Canopus a while back) is in order. I was poking around the https://discussions.apple.com area (searched using "canopus advc"). I did not find much related to FCP X, but there were some import setting prefs for other versions of FCP that looked like they had potential.

We assume the import preferences for FCP X are appropriate for standard definition, DV format, video importing. The rolling tells me there's a sync issue. If the camcorder playback heads were the problem, I would expect playback in the camcorder to be problematic - but you say that is OK...

Just for grins, I presume when the camcorder is connected to a TV (rather than the Canopus analog/digital converter), that the image is OK, too...

Having someone else transfer the material is not a reasonable prospect.
With FCPX, I cannot see any sub directories regarding import settings. It simple sees the sources, an ext hd, the canopus, the onboard hd... and that's it.

You describe it correctly. It's a rolling. Yes- a sync issue. It worked fine with an older version of FCP. Caveat, I cannot load the older vers of FCP onto my macbook because it is not supported. It requires that I download something called 'rosetta'and it's not the typical rosetta stone. Any experience with this?

Yes, the canopus is an ADVC110.

https://discussions.apple.com/message/18069058#18069058#18069058

Apparently, there are others in a similar boat. I installed Final Cut Express ver 4.0.1 on my new iMac running OSX ver 10.8.3 and it works great for "not supported". I don't recall specially installing Rosetta (normally used when dealing with PPC CPU based apps to Intel CPU). Have you tried to load the older version of FCP and got an error message? I remember reading that the older Final Cut versions were "not supported", but after reading through some of the apple.com support areas, it seems nothing exactly breaks, rather, the older app versions don't take *efficient* advantage of the multi-core processing that FCP X does. But FCE 4 installed just fine from the original disc (glad I did not lose the serial #).

what requires Rosetta - not the actual older version of FCP. At least, that is what I got out of the link you supplied. Do you have the old Mac(s) that ran Final Cut Pro older versions? Assuming you do, if you network the Macs, assuming they are running on Intel CPU, you can connect the Macs, copy the various directories over that support the older versions of FCP... you might need to re-register with the serial number in the new computer, so have the serial number available. That *might* work (Rosetta not needed because you are doing the job of the installer - the trick is getting ALL the subdirectories in the right places)...

analog video source available?

For instance, if there is a DVD player or VHS deck around... instead of connecting the camcorder to the ADVC110, connect this other video source and see if FCP X has an issue or not. If there is no rolling, then you're right, it is somehow the camera - I still can't figure out how this would happen with the step through analog land). If there is rolling, then it is either the ADVC110 or the Mac - but since it happens with FCP X and iMovie, I don't think it is either of those applications... It is something they both use. In this case, maybe a shared codec library or the ADVC110.

It must be the tapes themselves... so they need a little help getting stabilized.
We are writing to each other on another forum thread.... I'll follow up on one or both.... boya84

Susan

So here's the update.

I am still having a problem. At this point:
-all cables and drives have been checked.
-I have messed with input settings on fcp- I cannot seem to find the ones that will solve this.
-the camera has been checked and swapped out.

The image is stable in cam.
I spoke with Grass Valley and picked their brains for a bit.
The upshot at this point is that they recommend a canopus with an image stabilizer, like the advc300, which came out appx 6 years ago and DOES have an image stabilizer in it.

I would do this, but I am not sure this will solve the problem... so I am afraid to spend the $ until I can be assured that I should get that canopus, rather than a tbc, you know?

By this point, I will not make my deadline regarding these old videos for my project. HOWEVER, I would like it solved so that I can access these tapes. As long as the sync issue can be resolved with this kind of purchase, I will do it, if it is less expensive than going out of house.

$1K on transfer house, or less on hardware purchase. I'd rather buy the item... then I can shoot with this unit if I want.

Ideas???

Susan

directly to a TV with the AV cables, how is the image? I read through your posts and have not seen this addressed.

I will try this- but I decided to just go ahead and solve the problem and get something that can help stabilize the image. Discussions most effectively have led to transferring analog 8mm to a dvd recorder, then put the disc into the computer and rip it then load into imovie or fcpx....

am currently suffering with cumbersome imovie. I am a pro editor that has been a mom for the last 18 years... even fcp has changed.

I appreciate your help.

In the meantime, i went ahead and ordered a dvd recorder with rca inputs. Someone here on the boards, it seems someone who really knows his stuff, says that this works really well to stabilize analog images. It was less expensive than the rare and elusive canopus advc330. It is no longer made, but is available- no less than $400 I'm pretty sure.

I did speak with grass valley.

The other idea was to use a tbc... but I've never managed them myself- I don't have support staff anymore...

How does this sound to you?

Susan

will persist into the DVD burner. I hope you prove me wrong.

For what it is worth... thinking positively, after the DVD is burned, you'll want to rip it. The video and audio will come together in the ripped file.

I like HandBrake from www.handbrake.fr - there are a few others. Use the presets for output. Normal to MP4 gets you a file that will drag/drop to iMovie or Final Cut.

Excellent. I will move ahead and report how it works. UNfortunately, this will almost certainly come after my deadline...
In any case, I will do something else with this footage.

Do you know about Ripit for Mac? If you still prefer Handbrake, and can tell me why... I'd like to know.

THANK YOU boya84

Susan

no experience with RipIt. As such, I have no opinion. HandBrake has always worked for me. I generally don't fix things when they are not broken.

I like HandBrake because (1) it has been around for a while and has always worked for me (2) it is cross platform and (3) it is free and no watermark.

Sold!

yes, the image is still unstable.

is unstable plugging the camcorder's AV cables into a TV, then it is the camera.

Not much to do about the other cables, hard drive, computer or FCPX - My opinion, there is nothing wrong with anything past the camera.

The camcorder is sending out a bad signal. Either repair or replace the camera (or have someone else do the job). I expect the the external DVD burner suggestion - while a good one - will fail, too. The camcorder will continue sending out the unstable picture to anything downstream of the AV out port...

That may be, but the person who gave me that tip says it really helps stabilize the image. We'll see. If it doesn't work, then I'll keep trying.

I really appreciate your thoughts on this.

I'm getting the unit on Tuesday. Unfortunately my deadline for a finished product is Thurs. So most likely I won't even mess with it until next weekend. I'll keep in touch!

Susan

I have the loan of another camera, same make, one model younger. Virtually the same machine.
Get this, same problem with that camera. The fella who loaned it to me had a tape inside. I ran HIS tape, and it was the same problem with HIS tape. I tried his tape in my camera, and visa versa (how the heck do you spell that?). The tapes played better in my camera.

I tried his camera with my system and canopus, same problem. Same exact problem. It HAS to be the tapes.... so some kind of image stabilizer was (is) required. A different canopus, a tbs, or to transfer via dvd recorder. I know it's a crazy idea, but I have been working very intensively on this... there are many different ways to skin this cat (pardon the horrible imagery), but I knew this guy really knew what he was talking about. I got the feeling that he works (or has worked) in some kind of machine room, and that he has effectively done this with 8mm tapes with stability issues. He also made it clear that viewfinders and tv's both have a way of stabilizing the image- so it was possible that the camera viewfinder was helping to stabilize the image.

Anyway- enough writing for me, here, now. Back to work with me! Too many hours. Eh.

The new unit arrives on Tuesday, sometime mid-morning. I won't have a chance to give this a go until eary afternoon. I'll post soon if it doesn't work, or if I need help making it work. If it works, I'll be off the board because I'm working feverishly.

Thanks again, for your help.

Susan

Here's the news.

I got the unit. I read the directions. I hooked it up as follows:

Camera TO DVD Recorder
DVD Recorder to TV (just for monitoring)
I put in the new disc. I hit record. I played back the tape, and it played beautifully.

When it was done, I stopped the recording.
Removed the disc.
Placed it into my MacBook
The Macbook says there is nothing on the disc.

????????????????????????

The ONLY thing I can think of is that maybe I had the wrong side of the disc in?
These are fancy pantsy discs, naturally with no writing on either side!

I'll run a quick little test now with just a min or two of footage and see what happens....

Susan

I hope the 2nd time's a charm... Can you share any information on the manufacturer and model of the DVD recorder you got?