DV Backup from AVIO to S4000

[ShadowVision]

Okay, I've talked with you guys about backup issues in the past, but this one has a new ripple: the S4000 Pro.

I backed up on my Avio my project storyboard in the DV format to a firewire drive. I've been doing this for sometime about once a week. It is a very large project.

Then I powered everything down and unhooked the firewire drive and while powered down, I then hooked that drive to the S4000 Pro (also while powered down). Then I turned on the S4000 Pro followed by a power up of the drive.

I then restored onto the S4000 Pro the DV backup of my project.

The image was fine but the sound was no longer synced. I've had this problem before and the suggestion was to add a certain amount of black before the film starts on the storyboard. The black is supposed to be added before doing the initial DV backup (which as I understand it makes a scene of your storyboard).

Right now, I've got three seconds of black before the project. Should I increase that.

Also, there is trash on the audio track too. Like an occasional beep. It is the same as if the audio was too loud and distorting. I've spent a couple weeks on the sound so I know the levels are good. What is the beeping sound?

Finally, and this is a little off topic, but is there a loss of generation when just taking the film off a DVD? I think the obvious answer is yes since the format of a dvd is highly compressed or a lower quality version of the storyboard. This is why I want to restore from the backup.

Thanks!

[BobNaughton]

Jonathan:

I think the problem you are having with the syncing of your audio, is because your Avio is based on the original Smart Edit Operating System and the S4000 is based on the bogart O.S. which is radically different in nature. Sort of like taking a word file from a PC and downloading it into a Mac. It just wont be the same. Thats just my 2 cents worth though, there are other guys on the board who can correct me and give you a more consice answer. You could transfer between an Avio and a Prestige because they are in the same family. Or between The S4000 and the next Bogart model that comes out, but I wouldn"t think you could transfer between the Avio and the S4000 without some problems like you have experienced.

I believe the reason for adding 2 or 3 seconds of black to the front and rear of your video clips was because sometimes when retrieving the video back from the Hard Drive it had a tendency to clip a couple of seconds off the front or rear of what you saved. This way it only wont save the useless black you put in front of it. I dont think It had anything to do with syncing or other such issues.

I believe you are right about the transfer from a DVD being slightly less quality than your original DV file because of the cmpression, but unless you intended to try to re-edit it by splitting ETC, You probably wont notice much difference.

[TimKennelly]

Jonathan,

I would not call it a generation loss, but you certainly have resolution loss and added artifacting taking video off the MPEG-2 compressed DVD format.

I have not used the external hard drive method to transfer footage as I just live transferred it via firewire from my Solitaire to the S4P.

I don't think the black would help regarding audio sync issues,

I do believe you want some leader and post footage in case there is any frames dropped which has been an issue in the past with the Lacie drives on the SE systems.

I don't know if the backup system is truly compatible for transferring between such differing platforms as an Avio on Smart Edit and the S4P on Bogart.

Have you tried restoring the back up on the Avio to see if it has remained in sync there?

Is the out of sync consistent, as in x amount of frames off throughout?

If so, that would be a fairly straightforward work around (not saying the out of sync is acceptable, but to get you up and running . . .).

[HansJoachimKoenig]

Jonathan & Tim,
all projects which were saved on firewire HD from my SolitairePlus can be restored perfectly on my S-4000Pro.
There is no sync problem with audio at all.
Hans-Joachim

[ShadowVision]

Thanks guys!

I tried firewire and there appeared to be a little hickup here and there. And it was real time, which is time consuming. That's when I went with the DV backup idea. And I was concerned about the difference in the editing systems.

I'm going to try firewire again.

Will let you know how the firewire works when I try it again tonight. Seems like firewire capture into the S4P ought to be pretty straightforward.

[TimKennelly]

Yes and no on the straightforwardness.

Some units don't work directly connected as you would usually do them and require that you start the Playback on the sending machine BEFORE entering the Record menu.

So if this is the case with your set up place a bit of non-essential lead footage to give you time to switch into the Record menu and hit Record after engaging Play on the Avio.

Also, what do you mean by "hiccups"?

Do not assume what you see/hear live during the transfer is what you are getting.

I have noticed obviouls audio glitches, stumbles, frame drop type of sounding things during transmission that are not actually there upon playing back the completed transfer on the S4P.

The transfers from my Solitaire to the S4P have been fine, in fact, I have transferred the same footage back again to the Solitaire without any issue.

[ShadowVision]

Right about the hiccups, I noticed them during capture. So I stopped the capture but wondered whether it was not going to be present on the replay. But this is difficult to check, because the film is so long.

So, I'm firewiring it over to the S4P right now and will stay with it.

[ShadowVision]

Firewired the 112 minute project over and seemed to be fine. Audio was in sync.

I'm doing some image processing now in the S4P. Much faster than the AVIO.

Can't wait to have the ability to convert to Quicktime or WMA. And the additional audio settings would be helpful. And FS2 would be terrific!