If you want to achieve the best quality for HDV with Print to Video, here is a list of things you should do or note before you start:
- In System Preferences, configure Energy Saver to never "sleep" and ensure that the "Put hard disks to sleep whenever possible" option is unchecked.
- Close all applications except Final Cut Pro, including applications running in the background (Mail, Safari, iChat, desktop toys, etc.).
- Do not interrupt the Print to Video operation in any way (mouse clicking or keyboard typing).
- Do not connect devices to the FireWire drivers. For example, you should not connect an iPod to the FireWire port during Print to Video.
- Do not use a FireWire 800 cable to connect your camera.
- In System Preferences, configure the screen saver not to start in Desktop & Screen Saver (close any other third-party screen savers as well).
- Stop any active server version.
- Ensure that the camera is ready before starting the Print to Video process.
- Print to Video may not produce the same frame accuracy as HDV, as it does with other formats. To ensure that all of your frames are exported to tape, when using Print to Video, allow an extra second of black space before your program material.