FCPX sees my Sony HDR-HC3 as Sony DV-VCR but refuses to import from it

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Level 1

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FCPX sees my Sony HDR-HC3 as Sony DV-VCR but refuses to import from it

Hello, I have an old HDV camera - a Sony HDR-HC3. On my MacBook Pro, FCPX 10.4.8 sees it as Sony DV-VCR - through a Firewire to Thunderbolt adaptor - but refuses to import from it. I could be mistaken but I seem to remember it did work before. On the other hand import works with iMovie - sort of, because it divides the data in chunks with no apparent reason. I don't want to use iMovie. Please help ! Thanks.

MacBook Pro 15", macOS 10.14

Posted on Apr 20, 2020 10:02 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

Luis Sequeira1

Level 9

64,616 points

Apr 20, 2020 1:15 PM in response to Mbelekete

You do not import DV or HDV video with iTunes. Maybe you meant iMovie?

The advantage is that it does not break it up in small pieces for every break in timecode.

You get one video per tape, if that is what you want.

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Answer 2

Mbelekete Author

Level 1

4 points

Apr 20, 2020 1:12 PM in response to Tom Wolsky

Thank you. I didn't know that you could import video using QT Player. What is the advantage over iTunes ?

Do you have any confirmation that importing video through FW isn't possible with FCPX any more and won't be possible in the future either ? Do you know why ?

All the best

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Answer 3

Mbelekete Author

Level 1

4 points

Apr 22, 2020 12:09 PM in response to Mbelekete

OK, QuickTime accepts to import DV PAL tapes from FW through a FW to TB adaptor, though the files seem much bigger than I recall : over 18 gb for one hour. On the other hand I got no luck with QuickTime and HDV : I do see the movie in the computer screen but as soon as I stop recording I get a green screen, then hiitting play let me hear the audio but not see the video. This is the case whether the movie is long or short space. I did import a lot of HDV tapes in the past using FCPX with the same computer (a Macbook Pro 2012) and same adapter, so the problem lies with the current version of FCPX. iMovie does import HDV but with audio drops when I put it in the background.

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Answer 4

Mbelekete Author

Level 1

4 points

May 1, 2020 1:36 PM in response to Alchroma

Earlier versions of FCPX did recognize my camera, with same FW>TB adapter and same cable - and iTunes and QT still do (although sometimes QT catches audio but shows video as a green screen). So I suppose I do have that codec. How can I check that ?

And how can one explain that earlier versions of FCPX would be less finicky with adapters than last version ?

I really would like to keep all my archives in the same library and on the same format

Thanks

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Answer 5

Mbelekete Author

Level 1

4 points

May 3, 2020 3:27 PM in response to Alchroma

Thank you. I've done that and it opened System Preferences which suggested me to update security update + safari, which I did to no avail, and upgrade to Catalina, which I'd rather avoid doing until I'm done with the big Logic+Ableton Live project I'm working on currently. Could it be that upgrading to Catalina would allow FCPX to interact normally with my camera through FW<>TB like it used to before I switched to 10.4.8 ? Everything else is unchanged, same computer, same camera, same cables, same adaptor. Unfortunately I can't say on which version of MacOS I was last time it worked flawlessly. Using iMovie or QuickTime is really unpractical, and very flakey too.

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Answer 6

Alchroma

Level 7

23,809 points

May 4, 2020 12:47 AM in response to Mbelekete

Mbelekete wrote:

Could it be that upgrading to Catalina would allow FCPX to interact normally with my camera through FW<>TB like it used to before I switched to 10.4.8 ?

Wisdom of the Final Cut ages relates, "do not upgrade your OS during an important Project".

As far Catalina is concerned, that will not change your issue, because every version of FCP X in multiple OS versions have had this ability.

There will be something on your Mac that is causing the issue.

I would suggest you create a Catalina boot disc on an external drive and download a fresh copy of FCP X to that.

Then hold the Option key during your normal boot up and you can select the External disc as your boot drive.

Try capturing on the Clean system.

This keeps your existing system in tact.

BTW: Always have a backup of your system before doing anything so you can revert if something goes amiss.

Al

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