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SONY HVR-Z7U is Compatible with FCP X

I've seen compatibility questions raised about a several cameras. I thought I'd just report that FCP X has no problem importing native directly from the HVR-Z7U's tape or its card based recorder, the HVR-MRC1. No transcoding needed, but it might be recommended in some situations.


As Apple said, if it has Firewire, it should work. It also has HDMI output, but my Mac Pro doesn't.

Mac Pro, Mac OS X (10.6)

Posted on Jul 6, 2011 3:38 PM

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21 replies

Jul 6, 2011 9:11 PM in response to Thumper Lee

When I purchased the HVR-Z7U, the MRCI came with it. The package also included a cradle that the MRCI (detached from the camera) clips on to. You clip the HVR-Z7U's battery on to the other side of the cradle, powering the MRCI. The cradle also has a Firewire connector. When you attach a Firewire cable between the cradle and the computer, the MRCI shows up in FCP X as a camera. You just import from there.

Jul 7, 2011 5:58 PM in response to corcoraniii

I imported footage from the MRC1 again today. When it is attached by the Firewire cable from the cradle, it shows up under "Cameras" in the upper left of the screen. I am not in FCP X now (it is on a separate start-up disk), but it had a name something like "HDV-HDD". Clicking on the "Import" button imports the clips.


I assume that you had no difficulty importing from the unit in FCP Studio (FCP 7). The plug-in I downloaded from SONY seems to work in both FCP 7 and FCP X. In the event you don't have the plug-in, you can download it at:


http://pro.sony.com/bbsc/ssr/micro-hdvsite/resource.solutions.bbsccms-assets-cat -cambroprod-solutions-HDVfinalcutproTC.shtml


Also, I have made the mistake before of setting both the camera and MRC1 to synchronous and thought all would be OK. However, when I went to import from the MRC1, the MRC1 would show up in FCP X as something like HDV-HDD, but there would be no files to import. This is because I forgot to press the "Cam Link" button on the MRC1 to turn the linking on. Turning the unit on and setting both units to Syncro isn't enough. You also have to press the Cam Link button on the MRC1 to get a little lightning bolt to display on that practically unreadable postage stamp screen, that turns the sync function on. Even if both are set correctly, you still have to do that to "enable" the settings. If you ever capture with the lightning bolt off, the MRC1 will show "No Files" in its little display window and still show up as an attached "camera" in FCP X, but there will be no files to import.


I apologize if some of this information is basic, but I have occasionally neglected to take a step in the sequence and found myself with nothing to import. Thank goodness for the redundancy of tape and a file based card unit.


JC

Aug 2, 2011 1:00 PM in response to corcoraniii

I'm having a similar issue. I copy a card onto my HD and now I can't get FCP X to import those files. I could do it in FCP 7 using the log and transfer window but it doesn't read them in X?


I'm using an HVR-MRC1K memory recording unit and a CF card reader. My card reader can copy the entire contents of the 64GB card onto the Harddrive in about 30 min so to be able to import these files AND edit them while the transferring is happening in the background is important. If X can't do it, Im returning it as that's the only reason I bought it.

Aug 2, 2011 2:54 PM in response to FSPjon

FSPJon... I agree. Why those files can't be treated as "camera archives" (which is in fact what they are), is beyond me. I mean if FCP7, Clipwrap, and MPEG Streamclip can handle them, why not integrate the simple feature into FCPX? "Files" are supposed to be what this program does best. I shoot TONS of footage and to load in realtime is a real deal-breaker. Seems a real dumb step backwards in this version - hoping for an update!

Aug 6, 2011 10:24 PM in response to corcoraniii

Just an update on the Sony HVR-Z5U, the successor to the Z7U, ... I can Import from Camera for the tape only. I also have the MRC1. The Z5U, however, mounts the MRC1 on the back of the camera which was designed to accommodate it. When mounted in it's home, the MRC1 locks out the Firewire connection for a cable so no connection is possible to the computer. Thus, I am stuck with importing from tape only and have to remove the MRC1 to get access to the camera's Firewire connector. If I want to avoid the potential problem of dropped frames from the tape, I have to take the CF card out of the MRC1 and use a card reader to read it into the computer then convert the files. Maybe I could also use the cradle attachment that other cameras use for the MRC1. Then the iLink (Firewire) connector would not be blocked off. Anyway, just some info for Z5U owners.

stephen

Aug 7, 2011 8:33 AM in response to corcoraniii

The Z7U is the successor to the Z5U and comes with a firewire cradle for the MCR1. Just attach the cradle and MCR1 to the computer by a Firewire cable. No card reader is needed. You don't have to import from the tape (and camera) at all, although you can. You can just save the tape as an archive and only use the MRC1 and cradle for importing into FCP X. At least, that is what I do.

Oct 4, 2011 12:46 AM in response to corcoraniii

Firstly the Z7 came first. The Z5 followed as the non-interchangeable lens cut down version of the Z7. They are not successors. Both work with the MRC1 docked directly on the back OR can release the firewire connection by using the independently-powered cradle that comes with the MRC1.


Do I read it correctly from this thread that

1) in FCP X it can NOT import/transfer from the MRC1 in anything but real time?

2) in FCP X it can NOT import at all from a CF card in a USB card reader?


Have Apple acknowledged if this is a planned patch or bug fix?

Oct 12, 2011 8:17 PM in response to corcoraniii

I have a similar issue; however, I have the HVR Z5U.


After reading this thread I contacted sony and requested a solution. This is how it went...


1. I called sony tech support at 800-883-6817 and entered 252 as soon as the welcome message came on. This takes you directly to the department that handles the issue with sony mcr1.


2. The tech asked me to visit.. http://support.d-imaging.sony.co.jp/www/pro_hdv/fcp_plugin/ and download the plugin for Final Cut Pro 7. However, after an hour of trying to have the capture footage from the MRC1 appear on my Mac Pro 10.7.1 (lion) we gave up. The tech assured me that sony is working on the plugin for FCP X.


3. I then asked if the plugin would appear on http://support.d-imaging.sony.co.jp/www/pro_hdv/fcp_plugin/ once the plugin was available. However he stated that it would appear on... https://www.servicesplus.sel.sony.com/ , which did not make sense to me, I guess I will wait and revisit both URLs in about a month.


side note: I purchased my equipmemt from B&H and when I contacted them for a solution they were clueless and were not able to help.



Further, I connected the sony MCR1 via firewire to see if the files were viewable, but all I was able to see are the exec. files. (grey icons with an upper green text that read.."exec.") The same exec files were viewed when using a USB device to try to files. I am able to take the compact flash card and view the footage on the camera, but cannot import the footage via the camera with firewire because the firewire connection is covered up with a flap when the MCR1 is attached to the camera.


Bottom line, the tech asked me to give them about a month before they release the plugin. That means ... sometime in mid November 2011.


It would be nice if Sony included a CD in the packaging of the MCR1 that was compatible with apple computers. The CD/plugins that come with the unit are designed for PC.


Message was edited by: caesaryanez

SONY HVR-Z7U is Compatible with FCP X

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