Ok. So I've captured, and diddled with a bunch of footage. All ok, no troubles and I've had a good time putting it all together. But I haven't been able to view output on an external monitor (my tv...).

Starting from the top... I'm running a Mac (OS 10.4.2 - Final Cut Pro 4) connected to my camera (Panasonic NV-GS75) with a firewire cable (6 to 4 pin). From my camera I'm connected through the AV output to the SCART socket of my tv.

I'm in the UK so it's a PAL monitor (I don't know if that makes any difference).

In Final Cut Pro I have I've enabled the external video feed by hitting View> External Video> All Frames.

Cool. This cuts out any audio, obviously so I can use the monitor to check the audio without my mac's audio output interfering. That's all ok.

This is where I get confused. (More so than usual.)

When I come to play a sequence and check how it looks on the monitor, it runs fine (without sound, which is to be expected), only nothing happens on the camera's LCD screen or the monitor. Great.

This leads me to believe that either there's no signal running through the firewire cable and I'm missing something somewhere, or that my camera just doesn't support this kind of action.

I don't want to have to spring for an AV card for my system. (I haven't even begun to look into it)

Surely my camera can be used to output data from Final Cut to a monitor? I find it really hard to believe that a camera like the Panasonic NV-GS75 doesn't support firewire input but does for output.

I greased through capturing and logging clips without any hassle, I thought it would have been just as easy to monitor and record to tape. Really struggling on this one.

Can anyone help me? I'd really appreciate some guidance.

Thanks

[DigiStuff]

Hi,

Just looked at the Panasonic UK web site and the tech spec shows there is NO DV INPUT on this model. Back to the drawing board chap ! Look at getting a Digital to Analogue convertor. Either Canopus at http://www.canopus.com/products/videoconversion.php or Miglia at http://www.miglia.com/products/video...or2/index.html.

Hope this helps

DigiStuff

Digistuff,

Thanks for replying.

I was slowly, and reluctantly coming to realise the obvious. That my camera didn't support DV in.

I've been looking into DV converters, and had only really found Pinnacle. I'm not really happy with the options they're offering. So I really appreciate your input.

Thinking I'll go for either the Miglia Director's Cut 'Take 2' or the Canopus ADVC 110. With a slight leaning to the Canopus.

Again, thanks for the guidance.

[DigiStuff]

Hi James,

Glad I could help! I have used both Miglia and Canopus Convertors in the past and both are very good at what they do. Canopus do have the range available now to get the one right for your needs.

Have fun

DigiStuff