Workflow: Record from HVX to OnLocation as .MOV files, then drop into MacPro FCP for editing
Problem: Everything works until the final stage - cannot export my sequence from FCP as a Quicktime movie without crashing my Mac
I recorded several hours of footage from my HVX to my Windows XP laptop running Adobe OnLocation. Clips were recorded as .MOV (Quicktime) files to a firewire drive in 720 24P time base. I then took the drive home, hooked it up to my Mac and was able to drag and drop all the .MOV files onto my FCP timeline. I did get some strange warning about some files not being recognized and that they were not optimized for "multistreaming". I ended up ignoring those warnings, as all the clips showed up in my timeline without any apparent hiccups. I was able to edit my sequences without any problem. In fact, I spent a couple of days editing to my heart's content.
The problem occurred at the end, when I went to export my sequence as a self-contained Quicktime movie, as per my customer's request. The Mac keeps crashing in the middle of the export, and demands a restart. If I chop the sequence down from 11 minutes to under 5, I am able to export. But anything longer and it's crash time. Sometimes, just attempting to open the FCP project that contains those files in the timeline will cause the computer to crash.
I immediately started troubleshooting. I found that all my other footage shot over the past months on P2 cards (not using OnLocation) is fine - I can grab thirty-minute sequences of those in FCP and export successfully as self-contained QT movies. I have Sony HDV footage in my Mac as well, and I am also able to export those sequences as QT movies from within FCP. The only sequences that don't export are the ones recorded via OnLocation as MOV files.
Is anyone else seeing this problem? Is it related to the infamous QT 7.3.1 bug? I also tried installing QT 7.4 on my MacPro but get the same results.
Would recording in OnLocation as .AVI instead of .MOV solve this problem? I should be able to easily drop AVI files into my FCP timeline and then hopefully export it as a QT movie. Or do you think that won't work because it's some kind of more general OnLocation problem?
I would go out and test AVI recording right now, but I rented out my camera for a few days, so it will be a bit before I can test again. In the meantime, anyone know the correct workflow for this?!?
Re: Problems with OnLocation QT files and Final Cut by Dave Wise on Jan 24, 2008 at 4:37:54 am
I don't have or have ever used on location. But I did have a similar problem a long time ago in FCP 4.5 HD. I don't recall anything specific about the footage I ingested and edited as anything uncommon. They were QT DV files. But when I went to export and sometimes render a sequence, crash city! For some strange reason, when I nested my edited sequence into another new sequence it allowed me to export the "nested" sequence to a final QT mov file. Though I have no idea why it worked. Again, this was in FCP 4.5. Nothing similar has happened since then or now in Studio 2 version.
Re: Problems with OnLocation QT files and Final Cut by Adrian Makai on Jan 24, 2008 at 4:42:44 am
I might try that. Though even if it works I would be nervous that some other type of bug is present in the data that could rear its ugly head when least expected.
And thanks for the input. I have posted this problem on several boards over the past month and you are the first (and so far only) person to respond on this weird problem!
Re: Problems with OnLocation QT files and Final Cut by Dave Wise on Jan 24, 2008 at 10:46:56 pm
I'm surprised Im a lone responder, but I only came across it by looking into On Location because I am considering it. Curious if it is something you would recommend or not. Please let me know if the nesting works for you and if you recommend On Location since a lot of my upcoming work may benefit from that kind of set up.
Re: Problems with OnLocation QT files and Final Cut by Adrian Makai on Jan 24, 2008 at 10:54:40 pm
Even if nesting works (will try it soon) I would not feel safe in using OnLocation cross-platform. In addition to the QT export problem, there have been a few instances were simply opening a FCP project with OnLocation-originated files within it - causes a crash.
If you are staying within Windows (e.g. going from OnLocation to PremierPro) then it's a great product. Going from Windows to Mac OS seems very dicey.
I have an email in to Adobe and I hope they can shed more light into this problem.
Re: Problems with OnLocation QT files and Final Cut by Tim Kolb on Jan 31, 2008 at 1:40:12 pm
Adrian,
If you look at the properties of the OnLocation captured QT files and look at the properties of the P2 footage, are there any differences?
I use OnLocation and haven't had much problem on the PC side...it's pretty solid.
I can't help but wonder if the pulldown removal is somehow different between the P2 method and OnLocation...goofy framerate interpretations can crash almost any NLE under the right circumstances.
Re: Problems with OnLocation QT files and Final Cut by Adrian Makai on Jan 31, 2008 at 4:14:34 pm
As far as I can tell, the framerates and pulldown look similar. But of course one format is QT and the other MXF, so who knows what other hidden differences are in there.
I continue to go back and forth with Adobe support. Will post here if there is a resolution to this...
Re: Problems with OnLocation QT files and Final Cut by Jon Cowling on Mar 27, 2008 at 5:51:21 am
Adrian,
I've had the exact same problems that you are having.
I get that error message on import into FCP.
I've had some success by bringing the clips into Cinema Tools and clicking Conform.
But, the Quicktime MOV files still have odd behavior. When I play them in Quicktime on PC or Mac, if I use the scrub bar, the video freezes, even though the audio continues to play.
Have you had any success solving the problem?
I'm going to try the record in AVI option, but I don't want to have to render all my clips.
Re: Problems with OnLocation QT files and Final Cut by Adrian Makai on Mar 27, 2008 at 7:16:48 pm
I did not solve the problem yet. But someone recently gave me another idea to try. There is a shareware that allows Windows to write to a Mac drive. So I will try using a Mac formatted drive with my Windows laptop and OnLocation instead of a Windows drive. That stands a chance of working. I won't get a chance to try that for another couple of weeks but if anyone else does in the meantime, please post here!
Re: Problems with OnLocation QT files and Final Cut by Jon Cowling on Mar 27, 2008 at 7:52:08 pm
Adrian,
Thanks for the update. Good luck.
I tried the AVI settings and had the same problem in FCP.
I've tried 30P, 60i, and 24P. All have the same problem. I'm trying a different camera next.
