Capturing

There is several methods to capture your video footage using firewire. With HDV cameras, even though you shoot in HDV 1440/1080/50i, you can down-convert to normal mini DV in the camera as it is fed into your computer. You can then just edit like any normal DV footage.

The other method is capturing in HDV format so you end up with m2t files, or you can convert to the Canopus HQ codec as it comes in, in real time and then edit that. Once again, editing the raw m2t HDV files is very difficult, which is why it's best to convert it to an easier codec to edit. The Canopus HQ codec is wonderful and I would say it's better than Cineform's Aspect HD when you add real time colour correction to it. I have arrived at this opinion following extensive testing with my underwater footage. But don't just take my opinion, I highly recommend that you try for yourself and let me know what you come up with!

The 3 GIG PC could only just keep up converting on the fly, keeping the CPU at about 85 - 100%, however I sucked in full 60 minute tapes and batch captured no problems. I found by shutting down the extra screens it gave the CPU a bit more power and hence the reason a 3 GIG PC would be the minimum required if trying to convert on the fly. If not on the fly, just import as m2t and then convert later to the Canopus HQ codec with the procoder that comes with Edius. You can just set up a 'watch' folder and dump all the m2t files in there and go to bed. Next morning they will all be converted to the Canopus HQ codec!