Distortion in FCP

Daniel Corcoran · Member Joined: 19 Jun 2008 Location: Ireland

Hi'ya

I'm working a project at moment and just wanted some clarification on a issue I'm having. As I capture all my footage and view it there are horizontal lines and slight distortion on the footage, but when I'm watching the footage through the camera it's 100% clear, only when I'm finished capturing it the problem occurs, I've also watched the footage in QT files on the external HD and it seems to be fine! Is this a simple capture setting problem, or will it be ok after rendering all the footage together, I'm sure its a simple problem, the footage is DVCAM. I just haven't come across it in the past, any help would be greatly appreciated.

I've tried DVPal, DVPal Anamorphic, I've also tried de-interlacing the footage- doesn't get rid of the problem! To describe the problem a little bit more detailed- its like a few waves of lines flash across the viewer every few secs and I've noticed that it happens at exactly the same time on the time code! So it’s a capture problem.

Cheers
Daniel

Herve · Member Joined: 11 Nov 2006 Location: France

do you have screenshot?

bye
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Daniel Corcoran · Member Joined: 19 Jun 2008 Location: Ireland

Hi, no I cant get a screenshot because it doesn't show up when I go through it frame by frame, only when its being played back in realtime,

Thanks

terryj · Posted: Jun 26, 2008 11:21

since it occurs at the same spot on the DVCAM tape everytime,
it could actually be a burr in the DVCAM tape itself.

Easy way to test: try importing another DVCAM tape's footage.

IF the other tape's footage comes in fine,then it's the tape.
heck, for that matter, if the original's tape only has one bad spot,
and the rest imports fine, then it IS the tape.

To get a screen shot of the footage as it captures in FCP, use
Capture Me. (google it, or search versiontracker.com)
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Daniel Corcoran · Member Joined: 19 Jun 2008 Location: Ireland

Its definitely not a tape issue- I've played it back on other monitors and no problem, it only shows up on my Mac!! And as mentioned a screenshot wouldn't help as I cant stop the footage on the right frame where the lines are running through it!

terryj · Posted: Jun 27, 2008 08:49

ok, let's go through this again:

1. You say you preview on the camera and it is fine.
2. You say you convert to QT files on an external disc and it is fine.
3. You say you capture it to the (please clarify here) and it isn't fine.

IF you are capturing to the INTERNAL HD, which is the same as your boot HD
( in the MBP in your computer details) then yes, this would be a problem.
Try capturing it to the external FW drive, and see if the results are the same.

However, if you ARE capturing to an EXTERNAL DRIVE and the files
are distorted there, take it in steps.
1. Try replacing the FW cable to the drive
( sometimes it really is that simple)

2. Run Disc Utility and try Repairing the External Drive
( could be after several captures, the Volume bitmap needs repair)

3. Use another Firewire drive to try a capture and see if the issue persists ( this will rule out the FW bus mechanism on the external drive)

post back and let us know how things go....
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Daniel Corcoran · Member Joined: 19 Jun 2008 Location: Ireland

I know its not a capture problem as I've noticed the same problems when I play back video files that I ripped off other DVD's, again once on the timeline the distorted lines appear. I'm going to trash my preferences and hopefully this will help

edDV · Posted: Jun 27, 2008 14:58