Converting 8mm tape to DVD via FCP (AJA IoLA TBC??)

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Converting 8mm tape to DVD via FCP (AJA IoLA TBC??)

I am playing old home video 8mm tapes out of a Handycam S-Video out (audio from the a/v jack), into an AJA IoLA. I am having a problem with dropped frames, they are happening all over the place. And although I have it set to not abort on dropped frames, when I view the captured video, there are hideous audio spikes and the audio and video are completely out of sync by several seconds after these spikes occur. I've tried different tapes and had the same problem.

I have combed the discussions a bit and found that I need a Time Based Corrector. Does my AJA IoLA take care of TBC in some setting somewhere? Or do I need to purchase something else?

Power Mac G5, Mac OS X (10.4.3), 2GHz, 2GB RAM

Posted on Dec 23, 2008 1:40 PM

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Answer 1

Studio X

Level 7

27,229 points

Dec 23, 2008 1:50 PM in response to BethanyVideo

A TBC will not help with dropped frames.

What format are you capturing the material (is should be some variant of DV - NOT uncompressed SD) and to which drive are you capturing (a non system drive-NOT the one with your OS installed.)

What version of FCP, OSX and QT?

x

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Answer 2

BethanyVideo Author

Level 1

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Dec 23, 2008 2:15 PM in response to Studio X

FCP 4.5
Mac OS 10.4.10
Quicktime 7.2.0

I'm not completely sure that the AJA allows me to capture to some form of DV. It only gives me a list of specified presets, and it looks like all of them are uncompressed.

This is copied and pasted from my Audio/Video Settings Capture Presets Summary when "AJA Io LA: S-Video 10-bit NTSC US 48KHz" is selected:

+Use this preset when capturing NTSC US material for Uncompressed 10-bit using+
+S-Video input via AJA Io LA+
*Using ProIO Uncompressed 10 bit 422 Video for video input*
*ProIO 10-bit S-Video 29.97Hz US using NTSC*
*29.97 frames per second*
*Uncompressed 10-bit 4:2:2 at Best quality.*
*24 bits per pixel*
*720 by 486*
*Using ProIO In for audio input*
*Input: Analog - 4 channels*
*Rate: 48.000 kHz*
*Speaker: off*
*Volume: 100, Gain: 0*

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Answer 3

BethanyVideo Author

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Dec 23, 2008 2:21 PM in response to Studio X

and to which drive are you capturing (a non system drive-NOT the one with your OS installed?)

sorry i missed that question, my scratch disk and FCP files are all on an external. (MacGurus Burly 5 bay via eSATA)

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Answer 4

Studio X

Level 7

27,229 points

Dec 23, 2008 2:28 PM in response to BethanyVideo

Most likely your hard drive can't keep up. 10 bit uncompressed requires a very fast disk/ raid array.

Search through the presets. You want DV/NTSC as the capture format.

x

edit:

FCP 4.5
Mac OS 10.4.10
Quicktime 7.2.0

This is a totally non supported configuration. FCP4.5 was written to work with OSX 10.3 and QT 6. You've moved WAY outside the performance envelope of the FCP software.

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Answer 5

BethanyVideo Author

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Dec 23, 2008 2:41 PM in response to Studio X

The AJA Io LA does not have a DV option that I know of.

Here are my preset options for the AJA Io LA:

*AJA Io LA: Composite 10-bit NTSC US 48 KHz*
*AJA Io LA: Composite 8-bit NTSC US 48 KHz*
*AJA Io LA: RGB 10-bit NTSC US 48 KHz*
*AJA Io LA: RGB 8-bit NTSC US 48 KHz*
*AJA Io LA: S-Video 10-bit NTSC US 48 KHz*
*AJA Io LA: S-Video 8-bit NTSC US 48 KHz*
*AJA Io LA: YPbPr Betacam 10-bit NTSC US 48 KHz*
*AJA Io LA: YPbPR Betacam 8-bit NTSC US 48 KHz*
*AJA Io LA: YPbPr SMPTE/N10 10-bit NTSC US 48 KHz*
*AJA Io LA: YPbPr SMPTE/N10 8-bit NTSC US 48 KHz*

I suppose I should maybe wander over to AJA support...?

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Answer 6

BethanyVideo Author

Level 1

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Dec 23, 2008 2:48 PM in response to Studio X

This is a totally non supported configuration. FCP4.5 was written to work with OSX 10.3 and QT 6. You've moved WAY outside the performance envelope of the FCP software.

I do remember upgrading to QT 7 last year and seeing a discussion on not upgrading QT beyond 7.3.X...
I had done that and had some really bad problems. But once I downgraded back to 7.2, I was fine.

I capture (legal) personal DVD clips through the AJA using the same preset (10-bit uncompressed S-video) and have no problems. But this 8mm project seems to be causing problems.

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