Hi,
I've logged all my clips in FCP 4.5, but when I go to Batch capture it, the tape forwards and rewinds all the way, but does not stop at right start time for the clip. Then I get a message saying "Timecode Error". But my tape does not have any timecode breaks, so I dont know why it is doing this. Also, I'm only capturing from about 14 minutes worth of tape.
What's going on?!

Either:

your first clip on the tape does not have enough pre-roll (usually 5 seconds) for Final Cut to capture it and so it errors

OR

you named your files in a way that is confusing to Final Cut. please show us how you named your files.

Capture in iMovie (Since its much easier and no hassels). Then export that as a Full Quality DV format (That way FCP doesn't have to render the video, just the audio). Then just do all your editing in FCP with no problems.

Are you serious, Ryan? Is that how you do all your capturing? That's ridiculous. Batch Capture is a million times faster and more convenient and Capture Now is the same exact thing as iMovie, without the exporting and the hours and hours waiting for that.

It sounds to me like you have a timecode break right at the beginning, or the first thing that RFranco said.

yeah, FCP batch capture rocks when it works! you can even make excel spreadsheets and import them as capture logs. i can try to find the place that tells how if you want.

its a pain having iMovie files, the audio is never rendered, and it sometimes develops weird volume drifts.

batch capture occasionally "forgets" either your in or out points on random clips. so go to the media bin, control-click the uncaptured clips and check the timing tab.

I used to do Batch Capturing. It totally didn't work for me. It keeps freezing final cut pro when it hit the first frame of the video footage. Then it creates a huge 1 GB file on my hard drive for nothing. So I have to Force Quit FCP and delete the huge file wherever FCP put it. That's just for me JW. Batch Capturing doesn't work for me. So obviously I had to find a way around it. So I did the iMovie thing and it beearly takes more than a 5 minute to export it's not like I can't wait for it.

I'm just saying. If something doesn't work out for you, then oh well. You just have to find a way around it. If something just craps out on you, then oh well. FIND A WAY AROUND IT.

I've had problems importing footage from iMovie. It's video bitrate is off and forces randering. But that may just be me.

I few months ago, I posted a way to automatically log clips from one big capture. Doing a quick search will give you that thread. That may work well for you.

quote:

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Originally posted by Ryan Gordon:
I used to do Batch Capturing. It totally didn't work for me. It keeps freezing final cut pro when it hit the first frame of the video footage. Then it creates a huge 1 GB file on my hard drive for nothing. So I have to Force Quit FCP and delete the huge file wherever FCP put it. That's just for me JW. Batch Capturing doesn't work for me. So obviously I had to find a way around it. So I did the iMovie thing and it beearly takes more than a 5 minute to export it's not like I can't wait for it.

I'm just saying. If something doesn't work out for you, then oh well. You just have to find a way around it. If something just craps out on you, then oh well. FIND A WAY AROUND IT.

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Okay, so what about Capture Now? That's the same as iMovie, more or less. And it's a lot less time-consuming.

Okay...well, I seem to have got it to work now... I'm not sure exactly how, but I suspect it might just have been that 5 second issue... Still, FCP does seem to freeze sometimes when I try capturing with Batch... I wish it would just work like it should.
I'm running FCP Pro 4.5 on a 1.25Ghz Emac with 512RAM and 80gb HD.
Anyways, thanks alot for everyone's help with this!
Merry Christmas to all!