Before You Batch Capture
Batch capturing is an automated process, so make sure your settings and preferences
are correct before you start. Keep in mind the following:
 Timecode breaks: Make sure that you account for any timecode breaks when you log
your tapes. If you’re capturing from DV tapes, you should have separate reel numbers
for each section of tape where timecode reset was to 00:00:00:00 as a result of a
timecode break. For more information about logging tapes with timecode breaks,
see “
Logging Tapes with Duplicate Timecode Numbers
” on page 268.
 Capture preset: Make sure the capture preset you’ve specified is correct. You won’t be
able to change it once you start the batch capture. For more information, see
Volume IV, Chapter 26, “Device Control Settings and Presets.”
 Scratch disk settings: Anticipate the amount of scratch disk space all of the batch
captured media requires, so you can properly set up your scratch disks. In the Log
and Capture window, click the Capture Settings tab and check the free space listed
next to the Scratch Disks button. You can compare this to the space needed in the
Batch Capture dialog.
 If you’re capturing a lot of clips and the first specified scratch disk is getting full,
make sure you have selected additional scratch disks. This way Final Cut Pro can
automatically start writing media files to another disk and the batch capture
process won’t be interrupted.
 If you only have one scratch disk selected, make sure that it has enough room for
the batch capture operation.
For details on specifying scratch disks, see “
Specifying Scratch Disks
” on page 165.
 Clip and media filenames: When you log clips, it’s possible to accidentally create two
or more clips with the same name. However, when you batch capture, all clips in the
same folder on the same scratch disk must have unique filenames. Since clip names
are used as filenames, you’ll need to change any duplicate clip names before you
capture, or there will be a media filename conflict during capture. Final Cut Pro
handles media filename conflicts in the following ways:
 If you set up a batch capture that includes two clips with the same name, a dialog
appears to let you change the name of one of the clips.
 If a filename used by a clip that is about to be captured is already used by another
media file on one of the selected scratch disks, a dialog appears where you can
rename the new clip, skip capturing it, or replace the old media file with the new
one with the same name.
Note: When you create clip names while capturing, make sure you avoid certain
special characters that could cause trouble later. See “
Filenaming Considerations
” on
page 37 for details.
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Part IV
Logging, Capturing, and Importing