P2

Here's something interesting. An app that gives you native MXF in all QuickTime applications including FCP. Calibrated Software's unique solution successfully joins the separate video and audio P2 MXF files so that Final Cut Pro sees them all as ONE file - complete with TimeCode and Reel Name. PullDown can also be removed or added for select frame rates. And you're not just limited to Final Cut Pro, you can also natively import files in Compressor, Motion and Sound Track Pro.

Not only that but they have also unveiled a DVCPROHD decoder for Windows. This is something our friends across the aisle have been requesting for a long time. Calibrated{Q} DVCProHD Decode is a multi-threaded DVCProHD QuickTime Codec(Decode Only) that enables you to view QuickTime DVCProHD Movies in QuickTime Player and other 3rd party applications that support QuickTime. Check out both at Calibrated:

http://www.calibratedsoftware.com/welcome.html

My producer from The Mexican American War and Andrew Jackson is teaching a 4 week workshop. Time permitting I might see if I can pitch in when it comes to the editing phase. Anyway, here is the press release for this event:

HISTORY/DISCOVERY Channel Producer to conduct summer HVX-200/Final Cut Pro workshop at LA's Citrus College

Here's a tool for anyone working with the solid-state and tapeless workflow, for example the Panasonic HVX200 and Sony EX1. If you've been dragging and dropping footage from your folders to your hard drive you could be a bit more at risk than you realize.

ChronoSync is a data management tool that allows you to efficiently synchronize files and folders from one disk location to another with full verification and resume capabilities. In other words, it's perfect for copying footage from your SxS card or P2 card onto your hard drive.

About the only real drawback with ChronoSync is that it doesnt generate a checksum for the files. So verifying can be a a bit slow.

For more information and to order, visit econtechnologies. Here's the link:

There has been a lot of fuss over the use of the Duel Systems Duel Adapter (PC-express to PCMCIA card adapter) in conjunction with the Mac Book Pro. New users and others migrating up from their older PowerBooks with a built-in PCMCIA slot have posted many entries expressing frustration with the integration of the Duel Adapter with the Mac Book Pro. Mostly this comes from failure of P2 cards to mount on the desktop after a previous card has been ejected. Users experience this problem whether or not they are using a program like HD Log or P2 CMS, or just plain old drag and drop for offloading. This might lead one to believe that the problem lies with the adapter itself and not with the P2 workflow, but my experience is that this is probably not the case.

Panasonic has quietly slipped a new tool for Mac users into the latest P2 driver download.
https://eww.pavc.panasonic.co.jp/pro-av/support/cs/csregistp2m/ep2main/p...

The tool, called P2 Mac Formatter, allows P2 cards to be erased and named. This means an end to the NO NAME cards all over my desktop!

I have discovered a few caveats to using this software. It seems to work only with the PCD-20 on firewire, or the Dual Systems adapter.

One other note. If you format a card in the camera or other device, the card name goes back to NO NAME.

I have used this on multi-camera shoots and it does wonders for organization and speeds up the offload process by not having to name volumes.

The original workflow I had when working with P2 was pretty slick. Shoot to P2, offload onto a Powerbook with a PCMCIA slot (or now to a MacBook Pro with the Duel Systems Adapter), erase the card (or simply trash the contents on the card), and return it to the field. They'd put it back into the camera and recording would continue.

ok, so as I stated previously, I am working with the RED a lot recently and though I'm exhausted after a 20 hour day I just had to talk about how pissed I am.

See here is why I love film. when you shoot your mag, you tape it off in say red tape or ape that says exposed etc. and some loader sees that and says "hey this was shot" not to mention you pick up a 5lbs (is that the right weight?) mag and you know your holding a TON of money in your hands of painstakingly exposed film. You don't f@#$ up and tossed a used mag back on a camera and say WOOP i lost the shot.

So what happened tonight? Well we are in THE most crucial shots of the night, the nightclub our heroes have visited is falling apart, we shoot a slow mow 2k sequence, which requires a card swap. I grab that card, go DL it, Bring it back. it was very quick as it was 1 2k 60fps sequence, so it took all of 35 seconds to dl the card.

Let me first point you to the target Apple Discussion thread that prompted this discovery. Full credit goes to ILMSTMF...whoever that is (real name not given, location unknown).

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1290928&tstart=0

There was an issue that cropped up when many of us upgraded FCP 6 to 6.0.2.  Suddenly the LOG AND TRANSFER option for P2 didn't work.  Initially I solved this by zapping PRAM, running Disk First Aid and repairing permissions and trashing FCP prefs. This unfortunately only worked ONCE. When I restarted, this didn't work at all. And this didn't work for everyone. I started a threat on <a href=http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1252296&tstart=0 target=_blank>the Apple forums</a> to track this issue.

I saved posting the airdate until the time was close.  Well, it is close.  And it will air THREE times very close to one another...so you will be sure to catch it.

<a href=http://www.history.com/shows.do?episodeId=251189&action=detail target=_blank>Andrew Jackson.</a>

Sunday, November 18  08:00 PM
Monday, November 19 12:00 AM (that's right...MIDNIGHT)
Saturday, November 24 05:00 PM

Not sure if these are Eastern or Pacific times...there have been times when it was set to air at 8PM and I find that it is on a 5PM...so 8PM eastern, 5PM Pacific.  But then it re-aired later that night.

DevilDodo here on the Creative Cow has done some research on this topic:

While I was in the middle of trying to finish my third pass at Act 2 on the current show I am working on, I was given a really interesting challenge.   And while I needed to get this Act finished, and move on to Act 3...I did need a little break from the creative process, and I do enjoy a technical challenge

The company I work for needed some DVCPRO HD 720p60 footage converted into slow motion.  From 59.94 fps to 29.97fps...a frame by frame transfer that makes for very smooth slow motion.  That's doable....no problem.

The following is a republished blog entry from my own company website.