xdcam dropped frames on transfer to tape...

Hello people,

I'm trying to lay off a documentary shot in xdcam 720p25 to HDV but I keep getting dropped frames on the tape at exactly the same spots. There doesn't seem to be a pattern in the drops and on the time-line there are no visible issues.

My workflow was: I exported the edited XDcam film and transcoded to HDV 1080i50 using compressor then put it on an HDV timeline. I'm transferring through firewire using the print to video option.
(fcp 6.06, macpro 10.4.11)

Could the drops be caused by corrupt digital data manifesting on transfer to tape??

As a test I tried down converting through a multibridge pro and just laying off to tape during playback using a composite signal. The drops weren't there (but obviously the video quality was destroyed!) Unfortunately I don't have an SDI recorder to try....

Any ideas on what could be causing the drops and how it can be fixed would be greatly appreciated.

thanx

regards

eyad hamam
www.eyadhh.com