Exporting Files

Transcription

Exporting Files

Avid® NewsCutter® Products
Input and Output Guide
m a k e m a n a g e m ove | m e d i a ™
Avid
®
Copyright and Disclaimer
Product specifications are subject to change without notice and do not represent a commitment on the part
of Avid Technology, Inc.
The software described in this document is furnished under a license agreement. You can obtain a copy of
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software on any medium except as specifically allowed in the license agreement.
Avid products or portions thereof are protected by one or more of the following United States patents:
4,746,994; 4,970,663; 5,045,940; 5,267,351; 5,309,528; 5,355,450; 5,396,594; 5,440,348; 5,452,378;
5,467,288; 5,513,375; 5,528,310; 5,557,423; 5,568,275; 5,577,190; 5,584,006; 5,640,601; 5,644,364;
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6,473,094; 6,477,271; 6,489,969; 6,512,522; 6,532,043; 6,539,163; D396,853; D398,912. Additional U.S.
and foreign patents pending.
No part of this document may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or
mechanical, including photocopying and recording, for any purpose without the express written permission
of Avid Technology, Inc.
Copyright © 2003 Avid Technology, Inc. and its licensors. All rights reserved.
The following disclaimer is required by Apple Computer, Inc.
APPLE COMPUTER, INC. MAKES NO WARRANTIES WHATSOEVER, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED,
REGARDING THIS PRODUCT, INCLUDING WARRANTIES WITH RESPECT TO ITS
MERCHANTABILITY OR ITS FITNESS FOR ANY PARTICULAR PURPOSE. THE EXCLUSION OF
IMPLIED WARRANTIES IS NOT PERMITTED BY SOME STATES. THE ABOVE EXCLUSION MAY NOT
APPLY TO YOU. THIS WARRANTY PROVIDES YOU WITH SPECIFIC LEGAL RIGHTS. THERE MAY BE
OTHER RIGHTS THAT YOU MAY HAVE WHICH VARY FROM STATE TO STATE.
The following disclaimer is required by Sam Leffler and Silicon Graphics, Inc. for the use of
their TIFF library:
Copyright © 1988–1997 Sam Leffler
Copyright © 1991–1997 Silicon Graphics, Inc.
Permission to use, copy, modify, distribute, and sell this software [i.e., the TIFF library] and its
documentation for any purpose is hereby granted without fee, provided that (i) the above copyright notices
and this permission notice appear in all copies of the software and related documentation, and (ii) the
names of Sam Leffler and Silicon Graphics may not be used in any advertising or publicity relating to the
software without the specific, prior written permission of Sam Leffler and Silicon Graphics.
THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED “AS-IS” AND WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS,
IMPLIED OR OTHERWISE, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, ANY WARRANTY OF
MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
IN NO EVENT SHALL SAM LEFFLER OR SILICON GRAPHICS BE LIABLE FOR ANY SPECIAL,
INCIDENTAL, INDIRECT OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OF ANY KIND, OR ANY DAMAGES
WHATSOEVER RESULTING FROM LOSS OF USE, DATA OR PROFITS, WHETHER OR NOT ADVISED
OF THE POSSIBILITY OF DAMAGE, AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, ARISING OUT OF OR IN
CONNECTION WITH THE USE OR PERFORMANCE OF THIS SOFTWARE.
The following disclaimer is required by the Independent JPEG Group:
Portions of this software are based on work of the Independent JPEG Group.
The following disclaimer is required by Paradigm Matrix:
Portions of this software licensed from Paradigm Matrix.
The following disclaimer is required by Ray Sauers Associates, Inc.:
“Install-It” is licensed from Ray Sauers Associates, Inc. End-User is prohibited from taking any action to
derive a source code equivalent of “Install-It,” including by reverse assembly or reverse compilation, Ray
Sauers Associates, Inc. shall in no event be liable for any damages resulting from reseller’s failure to
perform reseller’s obligation; or any damages arising from use or operation of reseller’s products or the
software; or any other damages, including but not limited to, incidental, direct, indirect, special or
consequential Damages including lost profits, or damages resulting from loss of use or inability to use
reseller’s products or the software for any reason including copyright or patent infringement, or lost data,
even if Ray Sauers Associates has been advised, knew or should have known of the possibility of such
damages.
The following disclaimer is required by Videomedia, Inc.:
“Videomedia, Inc. makes no warranties whatsoever, either express or implied, regarding this product,
including warranties with respect to its merchantability or its fitness for any particular purpose.”
“This software contains V-LAN ver. 3.0 Command Protocols which communicate with V-LAN ver. 3.0
products developed by Videomedia, Inc. and V-LAN ver. 3.0 compatible products developed by third parties
under license from Videomedia, Inc. Use of this software will allow “frame accurate” editing control of
applicable videotape recorder decks, videodisc recorders/players and the like.”
The following disclaimer is required by Altura Software, Inc. for the use of its Mac2Win
software and Sample Source Code:
©1993–1998 Altura Software, Inc.
The following disclaimer is required by Ultimatte Corporation:
Certain real-time compositing capabilities are provided under a license of such technology from Ultimatte
Corporation and are subject to copyright protection.
The following disclaimer is required by 3Prong.com Inc.:
Certain waveform and vector monitoring capabilities are provided under a license from 3Prong.com Inc.
Attn. Government User(s). Restricted Rights Legend
U.S. GOVERNMENT RESTRICTED RIGHTS. This Software and its documentation are “commercial
computer software” or “commercial computer software documentation.” In the event that such Software or
documentation is acquired by or on behalf of a unit or agency of the U.S. Government, all rights with
respect to this Software and documentation are subject to the terms of the License Agreement, pursuant to
FAR §12.212(a) and/or DFARS §227.7202-1(a), as applicable.
Trademarks
888 I/O, AirPlay, AirSPACE, AirSPACE HD, AniMatte, AudioSuite, AudioVision, AutoSync, Avid, AVIDdrive,
AVIDdrive Towers, AvidNet, AvidNetwork, AVIDstripe, Avid Unity, Avid Xpress, AVoption, AVX, CamCutter,
ChromaCurve, ChromaWheel, DAE, D-Fi, D-fx, Digidesign, Digidesign Audio Engine, Digidesign Intelligent
Noise Reduction, DigiDrive, DigiTranslator, DINR, D-Verb, Equinox, ExpertRender, FieldPak,
Film Composer, FilmScribe, FluidMotion, HIIP, HyperSPACE, HyperSPACE HDCAM, IllusionFX,
Image Independence, Intraframe, iS9, iS18, iS23, iS36, Lo-Fi, Magic Mask, make manage move | media,
Marquee, Matador, Maxim, MCXpress, Media Composer, MediaDock, MediaDock Shuttle, Media Fusion,
Media Illusion, MediaLog, Media Reader, Media Recorder, MEDIArray, MediaShare, Meridien, MetaSync,
NaturalMatch, Nearchive, NetReview, NewsCutter, OMF, OMF Interchange, OMM,
Open Media Framework, Open Media Management, ProEncode, Pro Tools, QuietDrive, Recti-Fi,
RetroLoop, rS9, rS18, Sci-Fi, Softimage, Sound Designer II, SPACE, SPACEShift, Symphony, the Avid|DS
logo, Trilligent, UnityRAID, Vari-Fi, Video Slave Driver, VideoSPACE, and Xdeck are either registered
trademarks or trademarks of Avid Technology, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries.
iNEWS, iNEWS ControlAir, and Media Browse are trademarks of iNews, LLC.
Aaton is a registered trademark of Aaton S.A. Abekas is a registered trademark of Accom, Inc. Acrobat,
Acrobat Reader, Adobe, After Effects, and Photoshop are either registered trademarks or trademarks of
Adobe Systems, Incorporated in the United States and/or other countries. Alias is a registered trademark
and Alias|Wavefront and Wavefront are trademarks of Alias|Wavefront, a division of Silicon Graphics
Limited. Amiga is a registered trademark of Amiga, Inc. Apple, Bento, FireWire, Macintosh, and QuickDraw
are trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. Betacam, Betacam SP,
Hi8, I-LINK, and Sony are trademarks and/or service marks of Sony Corporation. Chyron is a registered
trademark of Chyron Corporation. Cineon, Keykode, and Photo CD are trademarks of Eastman Kodak
Company. cleaner and media cleaner are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Discreet Logic
Inc./Autodesk, Inc. in the USA and/or other countries. DVDit! is a trademark of Sonic Solutions. Express,
V-LAN, and VLXi are registered trademark of Videomedia, Inc. FaderMaster Pro is a trademark of JL
Cooper, a division of Sound Technology. Focusrite is a registered trademark of Focusrite Audio Engineering
Ltd. GIF is a Service Mark property of CompuServe Incorporated. IBM and OS/2 are registered trademarks
of International Business Machines Corporation. IEEE is a registered trademark of the Institute of Electrical
and Electronics Engineers, Inc. Ikegami is a registered trademark and Editcam is a trademark of Ikegami
Tsushinki Co., LTD. Jaz and Zip are registered trademarks of Iomega Corporation. Microsoft, Windows, and
Windows Media, are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United
States and/or other countries. Norton AntiVirus is a registered trademark of Symantec Corporation.
Paintbrush is a trademark of Zsoft Corporation. Panasonic is a registered trademark of Matsushita Electric
Industrial Company, Limited. Pixar is a registered trademark of Pixar Animation Studios. QuickTime and the
QuickTime logo are trademarks used under license from Apple Computer, Inc. RealSystem is either a
registered trademark or trademark of Real Networks, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries.
Silicon Graphics is a registered trademark of Silicon Graphics, Inc. Sound Forge is a registered trademark
of Sonic Foundry, Inc. Sun is a registered trademark and Sun Raster is a trademark of Sun Microsystems,
Inc. in the United States or other countries. TARGA is a trademark of Pinnacle Systems, Inc., registered in
the U.S. and other countries. Video Toaster is a trademark of NewTek. X Window System is trademark of X
Consortium, Inc. Yamaha is a registered trademark of Yamaha Corporation of America. All other
trademarks contained herein are the property of their respective owners.
Footage
Arizona Images — KNTV Production — Courtesy of Granite Broadcasting, Inc.,
Editor/Producer Bryan Foote.
Canyonlands — Courtesy of the National Park Service/Department of the Interior.
Tornadoes + Belle Isle footage - Courtesy of KWTV News 9
WCAU Fire Story — Courtesy of NBC-10, Philadelphia, PA.
Women in Sports – Paragliding — Courtesy of Legendary Entertainment, Inc.
GOT FOOTAGE?
Editors — Filmmakers — Special Effects Artists — Game Developers — Animators — Educators —
Broadcasters — Content creators of every genre — Just finished an incredible project and want to
share it with the world?
Send us your reels and we may use your footage in our show reel or demo!*
For a copy of our release and Avid’s mailing address, go to www.avid.com/footage.
*Note: Avid cannot guarantee the use of materials submitted.
Avid NewsCutter Products Input and Output Guide • 0130-05728-01 • May 2003
Contents
Using This Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Who Should Use This Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
About This Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Symbols and Conventions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
If You Need Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Accessing the Online Library . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
If You Have Documentation Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
How to Order Documentation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Avid Educational Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Chapter 1
Planning a Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Types of Projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Project Resolutions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Working with Mixed-Resolution Projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
NTSC and PAL Image Sizes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Software-Only Avid Editing Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Sample Workflow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Video and Film Projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Chapter 2
Logging. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Logging Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Logging Preroll. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Logging Timecode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Naming Tapes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Double-Checking the Logs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Adding a Memory Mark . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Preparing Logs for Import . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Creating Avid Logs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Importing Shot Log Files. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Setting the Pulldown Phase . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Converting Log Files with Avid Log Exchange . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Converting a Log File to an ALE File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Using Drag-and-Drop Conversion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Logging Directly to a Bin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Logging with an Avid-Controlled Camera or Deck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Pausing a Deck While Logging. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Logging with a Non-Avid-Controlled Camera or Deck . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Logging Film Information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Displaying Film Columns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Entering Pulldown Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Determining the Pulldown Phase . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Modifying the Pulldown Phase Before Capturing. . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Entering Frames-per-Second Rates for PAL Transfers . . . . . . . . . . 65
Entering Key Numbers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Entering Additional Timecodes (Option) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Entering the Ink Number (Option). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Entering Additional Film Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Modifying Clip Information Before Capturing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
The Modify Command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Using the Modify Command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Options for Modifying Bin Information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Modifying in the Bin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Exporting Shot Log Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Chapter 3
Preparing to Capture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Understanding Digital Video (DV) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Preparing the Hardware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Selecting Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Using General Settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Transfer Settings for Film Projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Selecting Capture Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
6
Creating a GPI Trigger. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Deleting a GPI Setting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Editing an Existing GPI Setting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Configuring Decks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Deck Settings Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Deleting Deck Configurations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Setting Deck Preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Understanding Drop-Frame and Non-Drop-Frame Timecodes . . . . . . . 93
Setting Up the Capture Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Opening the Capture Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Setting the Video and Audio Input . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Selecting Video Input. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
Selecting Audio Input. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
Selecting a Deck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Selecting a Tape . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Selecting Source Tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Setting the Video and Audio Input . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Setting the Pulldown Switch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Film Project Pulldown and Transfer Settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Selecting a Resolution in the Capture Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Selecting a Format in the Capture Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Selecting a Draft Resolution for DV Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Selecting a Target Bin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Selecting the Target Drives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Targeting a Single Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Targeting Separate Drives for Audio and Video . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Interpreting the Time Remaining Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Capturing to Multiple Media Files. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Selecting the Preroll Method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Capturing Across Timecode Breaks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
Preparing for Audio Input . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Selecting the Audio File Format. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Establishing Sync for Audio-Only Input . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
Checking for a Valid Digital Sync Signal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
Adjusting Audio Project Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
7
Configuring the Sound Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Using the Audio Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Resizing the Audio Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Adjusting the Reference Level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Selecting a Peak Hold Option . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Adjusting Audio Input Levels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Creating Tone Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
Calibrating Input Channels for the Audio I/O Device . . . . . . . . 126
Calibrating Output Channels for the Audio I/O Device. . . . . . . 127
Using the Passthrough Mix Tool. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Resizing the Passthrough Mix Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
Monitoring Audio with the Passthrough Mix Tool . . . . . . . . . . . 129
Changing an Audio Level in the Passthrough Mix Tool . . . . . . 130
Adjusting Pan Values in the Passthrough Mix Tool . . . . . . . . . 131
Audio Meters in the Timeline. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Using the Meter Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Adjusting Volume Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Using the Console Window to Check Audio Levels . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Calibrating for Video Input. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Manually Calibrating for Video Input. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
Limitation When Using Consumer Decks or Decks Without
Time-Base Correctors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
Capturing from Unstable Time-Base Sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
Green Line in VHS Video . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
Saving Video Input Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
Saving a Custom Default Setting for the Video Input Tool . . . . . . . 145
Adjusting Video Levels Without Color Bars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Compression Resolutions and Storage Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Screen Resolution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Digital Video Resolutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
JFIF Compression and Resolutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
Compression Groups and Image Quality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
Video Streams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
8
Compression Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
Mixing Resolutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Setting Media Creation Resolutions and Selecting Drives. . . . . . . 152
Chapter 4
Capturing Media. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Before You Begin Capturing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
Adding Clip Names and Comments On-the-Fly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Adding Extra Text Fields in the Capture Tool. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Adding Locators On-the-Fly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
Creating Subclips On-the-Fly. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
DV Capture Offset . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
Capturing and Logging at the Same Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Capturing from One Point to Another. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
Capturing from an IN Point to an OUT Point . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
Setting Both Marks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Setting Only One Mark . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Capturing On-the-Fly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Autocapture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Capturing with Time-of-Day Timecode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Capturing in Satellite Mode or No Device Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Setting a Timed Capture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
Capturing Audio from a Music CD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Capturing to the Timeline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
Patching When Capturing to the Timeline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Batch Capturing from Logged Clips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Preparing to Batch Capture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Batch Capturing Clips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Modifying the Pulldown Phase After Capturing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
DV Scene Extraction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Setting Up DV Scene Extraction Before Capturing . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Setting Up DV Scene Extraction After Capturing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Recapturing Your Material . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Recapturing Master Clips and Subclips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
9
Recapturing Sequences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Saving Two Versions of a Sequence When Recapturing . . . . 194
Recapturing the Sequence. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Other Capture Functions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Working in Quick Record Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Controlling Decks from the Keyboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
Naming a New Tape from the Keyboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Ejecting Tapes with a Button or Key. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Returning to the Previous Place in the Select Tape Dialog Box. . . 200
Chapter 5
Importing Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Preparing to Import Files. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Working with Mixed-Resolution Projects. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Creating and Using Import Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Importing Files. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
Using the Drag-and-Drop Method to Import Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Importing Photoshop Graphics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Importing Single-Layer Photoshop Graphics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Importing Multilayered Photoshop Graphics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
Understanding Multilayered Graphics Import. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
Importing Multilayered Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Importing Editcam Files. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Reimporting Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
The Batch Import Dialog Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
Selected Clips Section . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Import Target Section. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Import Options Section. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Starting the Reimport Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Chapter 6
Output Options. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
Preparing for Output . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Selecting Video Output . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Establishing Sync for Output . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
Calibrating for Video Output . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
Using the Factory Preset Buttons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
10
Basic Video Output Calibration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
Using Test Patterns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Adjusting Phase Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
Calibrating the System with Passthrough Signals . . . . . . . . . . 234
Calibrating for Audio Output. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
Setting the Calibration Tone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
Calibrating Global Output Levels. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Adjusting Audio Output . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Preparing Record Tapes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
Frame-Accurate Capture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
Manual Recording . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Recording Bars and Tone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Enabling Assemble-Edit Recording . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
Using the Digital Cut Tool. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244
Selecting a Deck in the Digital Cut Tool. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
Previewing a Digital Cut . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
Outputting Directly to a DV Device . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Performing a Digital Cut to Tape (Remote Mode) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
Performing a Digital Cut to Tape (Local Mode) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
DV Digital Cut Delay. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257
Understanding Passthrough . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
Using EDL Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
Chapter 7
Exporting and Exchanging Material. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
Exporting Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260
Preparing to Export a Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Mixing Down Video Tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
Exporting Frames, Clips, or Sequences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
Using the Drag-and-Drop Method for Export . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
Using ProEncode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
Using AvidLinks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
Creating Files for a DVD. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
Exporting Video in DV Stream Format . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
11
Customizing Export Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 276
Preset Export Templates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 276
Creating a New Export Setting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277
Exporting OMFI and AAF Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
Exporting Through OMF Interchange . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279
Exporting Through AAF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
Selecting an OMFI or an AAF Transfer Method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
Exporting OMFI or AAF Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281
Exchanging Titles in OMFI Format . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
QuickTime Reference Movies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284
Exporting as a QuickTime Reference Movie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284
Exporting as a QuickTime Movie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 286
Selecting QuickTime Codecs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 289
Exporting As an AVI File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291
Avid Codecs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 296
Using the Avid Codecs for QuickTime . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 296
Exporting with the Avid DV Codec or an
Avid Meridien Codec. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297
Exporting with the Avid ABVB NuVista Codec
for QuickTime . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300
Installing an Avid Codec on Other Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303
Copying an Avid Codec for QuickTime to a
Windows System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303
Downloading Avid Codecs for QuickTime . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 304
Exporting from a Third-Party Application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 305
Exporting Tracks As Audio Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 305
Exporting As a Graphics File. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 307
Transferring a Project Between Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 309
Methods for Transferring Files Between Avid Editing Systems . . . 309
Compatibility Requirements for Transfer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 310
Transferring a Project and Associated Media Files . . . . . . . . . . . . 310
Transferring Projects, User Profiles, and Site Settings. . . . . . . . . . 312
Transferring Projects and Bins Using AFE Files. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 313
Transferring Media to and from a Video Server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 315
Setting Up a Video Server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 316
12
Configuring the Video Server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 316
Configuring the Video Server As a Deck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 316
Transferring from the Avid Editing System to the Video Server. . . 317
Transferring from the Video Server to the Avid Editing System. . . 319
Chapter 8
Using the NRCS Tool. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 321
Configuring the NRCS Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 322
Configuring the ENPS Server for Avid Clients . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 322
Configuring the NRCS Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 325
Starting the NRCS Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 328
Understanding the NRCS Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 329
Using the Directory Panel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 332
Opening a Story . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 333
Creating a Shortcut to a Directory (iNEWS Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 334
Removing a Shortcut to a Directory (iNEWS Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . 334
Deleting a Story (iNEWS Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 334
Changing the Text Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335
Editing Story Text (iNEWS Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335
Rearranging Text in a Story (iNEWS Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 336
Marking Text As Presenter Instructions (iNEWS Only) . . . . . . . . . 336
Marking Text As Closed Caption (iNEWS Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 337
Adding a Production Cue (iNEWS Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 338
Deleting a Production Cue (iNEWS Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 339
Marking Text As Machine Control (iNEWS Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 339
Formatting Text (iNEWS Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 339
Marking Text As Normal (iNEWS Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340
Adding a Loaded Cue (iNEWS Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340
Using a Loaded Cue (iNEWS Only). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 341
Deleting a Loaded Cue (iNEWS Only). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 342
Finding the Read Time of a Story. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 342
Building a Sequence from a Story . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 344
Script-Based IN and OUT Points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 347
Setting Timeline IN and OUT Points Based on Story Timing. . . . . 347
13
Adjusting the Story Timing (iNEWS Only). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 349
Adjusting the Story Timing with a Time Marker (iNEWS Only). . . . 350
Adjusting the Story Timing with a Time Pad (iNEWS Only) . . . . . . 350
Using Associated Sequences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 352
Saving Changes to a Story (iNEWS Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 354
Using the Post to Web Feature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 355
Processing the Script . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 355
Creating a Web Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 355
Linking Clips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 357
Using Templates. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 360
The Story Tag . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 361
The Text Tag . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 361
The Clip Tag. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 363
Using a Template with Post to Web . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 365
Posting a Story to the Web . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 367
Sending and Receiving NRCS Mail (iNEWS Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 370
Sending NRCS Tool Mail (iNEWS only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 370
Receiving NRCS Tool Mail (iNEWS only). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 371
Disconnecting from Your NRCS Server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 372
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 373
14
Tables
Table 1
Supported Resolutions and Field Dimensions . . . . . . . . . .26
Table 2
Line Endings Options. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45
Table 3
Options for Modifying Bin Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .70
Table 4
GPI Settings Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .82
Table 5
GPI Node Settings Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .83
Table 6
Deck Settings Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .90
Table 7
Film Project Pulldown and Transfer Settings . . . . . . . . . .102
Table 8
Audio Tool Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .120
Table 9
Audio Meter Menu Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .132
Table 10
Luminance Settings for Video Input. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .139
Table 11
Video Level Adjustment Criteria . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .146
Table 12
Compression Resolution Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . .150
Table 13
Scheduled Record Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .176
Table 14
Quick Record Condition Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .196
Table 15
Support for Photoshop Layer Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .214
Table 16
Support for Photoshop Special Layer Types . . . . . . . . . .215
Table 17
Video Format Output Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .230
Table 18
Luminance Settings for Video Output . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .232
Table 19
Available Avid Applications for AvidLinks Export . . . . . . .270
Table 20
DVD Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .273
Table 21
Devices for Transferring Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .310
Table 22
Default Folder and File Locations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .312
Table 23
NRCS Tool Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .331
15
16
Using This Guide
The Avid® NewsCutter® products help editors, journalists, Web authors,
and other professionals create broadcast-quality output. Users can
incorporate production elements from full-speed, high-resolution footage,
to multimedia artwork and animation, to computer-generated effects and
titling.
n
The documentation describes the features and hardware of all the
NewsCutter models. Therefore, your system might not contain certain
features and hardware that are covered in the documentation.
Who Should Use This Guide
This guide is intended for all Avid editors, from beginning to advanced.
You should be familiar with your Windows® XP operating system, and
with recording and producing news broadcasts.
About This Guide
This guide is designed to consolidate all the information you will need to
take advantage of the many options that Avid offers. This guide will lead
you through even the most complex procedures with task-oriented
instructions.
The Contents lists all topics included in the book. They are presented with
the following overall structure:
•
Chapter 1 through Chapter 8 include conceptual information and stepby-step procedures for all aspects of input and output.
•
A detailed Index helps you quickly locate specific topics.
Using This Guide
Symbols and Conventions
Unless noted otherwise, the material in this document applies to the
Windows XP operating system.
Avid documentation uses the following symbols and conventions:
Symbol or Convention Meaning or Action
18
n
A note provides important related information,
reminders, recommendations, and strong
suggestions.
c
A caution means that a specific action you take could
cause harm to your computer or cause you to lose
data.
w
A warning describes an action that could cause you
physical harm. Follow the guidelines in this
document or on the unit itself when handling
electrical equipment.
>
This symbol indicates menu commands (and
subcommands) in the order you select them. For
example, File > Import means to open the File menu
and then select the Import command.
t
This symbol indicates a single-step procedure.
Multiple arrows in a list indicate that you perform
one of the actions listed.
Margin tips
In the margin, you will find tips that help you
perform tasks more easily and efficiently.
Italic font
Italic font is used to emphasize certain words and to
indicate variables.
Courier Bold font
Courier Bold font identifies text that you type.
Click
Quickly press and release the left mouse button.
Double-click
Click the left mouse button twice rapidly.
If You Need Help
Symbol or Convention Meaning or Action
Right-click
Quickly press and release the right mouse button.
Drag
Press and hold the left mouse button while you move
the mouse.
Ctrl+key
Press and hold the first key while you press the
second key.
If You Need Help
If you are having trouble using NewsCutter, you should:
1. Retry the action, carefully following the instructions given for that task
in this guide. It is especially important to check each step of your
workflow.
2. Check the ReadMe installed with your Avid application for the latest
information that might have become available after the hardcopy
documentation was printed.
3. Check the documentation that came with your Avid application or your
hardware for maintenance or hardware-related issues.
4. Visit the online Knowledge Center at www.avid.com/support. Online
services are available 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. Search this
online Knowledge Center to find answers, to view error messages, to
access troubleshooting tips, to download updates, and to read/join
online message-board discussions.
5. For Technical Support, please call 800-800-AVID (800-800-2843).
For Broadcast On-Air Sites and Call Letter Stations, call
800-NEWSDNG (800-639-7364).
19
Using This Guide
Accessing the Online Library
The Avid NewsCutter Products Online Library CD-ROM contains all the
product documentation in PDF format. You can access the library from the
Online Library CD-ROM or from the Help menu.
n
You will need Adobe® Acrobat® Reader® installed to view the
documentation online. The Acrobat folder on your CD-ROM contains an
installer for Acrobat Reader. The effects reference guide requires Apple’s
QuickTime® application to view the QuickTime movies. You can download
the latest version of QuickTime from the Apple® Web site.
To access the online library from the Online Library CD-ROM:
1. Insert the Online Library CD-ROM into the CD-ROM drive.
2. Double-click the Mainmenu file.
To access the online library from the Help:
1. Insert the Online Library CD-ROM into the CD-ROM drive.
2. In your Avid application, select Help > Online Library.
n
For the latest product information, see the Avid Knowledge Center:
www.avid.com/support
If You Have Documentation Comments
We’d appreciate any comments or suggestions you may have about this
document or any other piece of documentation. Please restrict your
comments to documentation issues.
Please e-mail your documentation comments to:
[email protected]
Include the title of the document, its part number, and the specific section
you are commenting on in all correspondence.
20
How to Order Documentation
How to Order Documentation
To order additional copies of this documentation from within the
United States, call Avid Sales at 800-949-AVID (800-949-2843). If you are
placing an order from outside the United States, contact your local
Avid representative.
Avid Educational Services
For information on courses/schedules, training centers, certifications,
courseware, and books, please visit www.avid.com/training or call
Avid Sales at 800-949-AVID (800-949-2843).
21
Using This Guide
22
Chapter 1
Planning a Project
This chapter gives a brief description of video formats and resolutions
supported by your Avid editing application, and other information that can
help you plan your project. This chapter includes the following topics:
•
Types of Projects
•
Project Resolutions
•
Working with Mixed-Resolution Projects
•
NTSC and PAL Image Sizes
•
Software-Only Avid Editing Systems
•
Sample Workflow
•
Video and Film Projects
Types of Projects
When you start a project on your Avid editing application, you need to
decide on a project type. Select your project type based on your source
footage. You can select one of the following options from the New Project
dialog box:
•
24p NTSC: For film-originated footage or other 24-fps footage,
transferred to NTSC videotape
•
23.976p NTSC: For film-originated or other 24-fps footage in which
you want to use digital audio, or for footage which has been shot at
23.976
Chapter 1 Planning a Project
•
30i NTSC: For NTSC video-originated footage (30 fps)
•
24p PAL: For film-originated footage or other 24-fps footage,
transferred to PAL videotape
•
25p PAL: For 25-fps film-originated footage or other 25-fps footage,
transferred to PAL videotape
•
25i PAL: For PAL video-originated footage (25 fps)
In these options, 23.976p, 24p, and 25p designate 23.976-fps, 24-fps, and
25-fps progressive media. For these projects, your source footage is
captured and stored as 23.976, 24, or 25 full, discrete frames per second. In
the 30i NTSC and 25i PAL options, the i represents interlaced frames
played at 30 fps or 25 fps. An interlaced frame consists of two fields, each
of which contains one-half the scan lines of the frame. Interlaced frames
are standard for NTSC and PAL video media.
Project Resolutions
You must capture media to begin a project. Connect your media device to
the Avid Adrenaline™ Digital Nonlinear Accelerator (DNA) or Avid
Mojo™ DNA. The Avid installation poster identifies all of the connectors
on your Avid Adrenaline DNA or Avid Mojo DNA. If you have a software
only application, you can connect a DV camera or deck directly to your
Avid editing system. Alternatively, you can use a Media Station XL system
or an Avid Xdeck™ recorder in an Avid Unity™ MediaNetwork
environment to capture media. For more information about these products,
contact your Avid representative, or visit the Avid Web site.
Project formats are described as follows:
24
•
Avid video projects capture and store 30i-fps NTSC or 25i-fps PAL
media as digital video that conforms to the ITU-R 601 standard
(SDTV or standard-definition TV).
•
Avid film projects capture and store 23.976p-fps NTSC or 25p-fps
PAL media. You do your offline editing in an Avid editing application
and finishing on a Symphony™ or Avid|DS system.
Project Resolutions
n
You cannot create 24p or 25p media or multiple output formats from video
footage shot at 30 fps (NTSC) or 25 fps (PAL). The source must be film
or HD (high-definition).
•
Digital video (DV) is an international standard created by a consortium
of 10 companies to serve as a consumer digital video format. Avid
editing applications support two DV resolutions: DV 25 and DV 50.
DV, originally known as DVC (Digital Video Cassette), uses a 1/4-inch
tape to record very-high-quality digital video. The video is sampled at
the same rate as D1, D5, or Digital Betacam® video (720 pixels per
scan line). The color information in DV 25 is sampled at the D1 rate
4:1:1 in 525-line (NTSC) and 4:2:0 in 625-line (PAL) formats. DV 50
is defined as 720 x 480, 50-megabit-per-second (Mb/s) 4:2:2 DV.
•
MPEG 50 is a resolution specifically intended to support the SMPTE
Type D-10 bit stream produced and recorded by devices such as Sony®
MPEG IMX™ VTRs.
Avid editing applications allow you to capture, edit, and play back in the
resolution listed in Table 1, except where noted. You cannot capture DV 50
Avid Adrenaline DNA systems. The Avid Mojo DNA and the softwareonly systems cannot capture DV 50 and MPEG 50.
n
n
Avid editing applications support DV 50 and MPEG 50 media, but some
models cannot capture it in its native format. To capture DV 50 and
MPEG 50 media in its native format, use a Meridien-based NewsCutter
system (or the Avid Adrenaline DNA to capture MPEG 50) and share the
media using an Avid Unity MediaNetwork to access and edit the media.
Your Avid editing applications also support Avid Video Resolutions (AVR).
These media resolutions cannot be captured but, if you have access to the
media, you can edit them using this Avid editing application.
25
Table 1
26
Supported Resolutions and Field Dimensions
Resolution
NTSC Per-Field PAL Per-Field
Dimensions
Dimensions
DV 25 4:1:1
720 x 480
720 x 576
DV 25 4:2:0
720 x 480
720 x 576
DV 50 4:2:2
(editing and playback only)
720 x 480
720 x 576
MPEG 50 4:2:2
(editing and playback only)
720 x 256
720 x 308
15:1s
352 x 248
352 x 296
4:1s
352 x 248
352 x 296
2:1s
352 x 248
352 x 296
20:1
720 x 248
720 x 296
10:1
720 x 248
720 x 296
3:1
720 x 248
720 x 296
2:1
720 x 248
720 x 296
1:1 (Uncompressed)
720 x 248
720 x 296
35:1p
720 x 486
720 x 576
3:1p
720 x 486
720 x 576
28:1p
720 x 486
720 x 576
2:1p
720 x 486
720 x 576
14:1p
720 x 486
720 x 576
1:1p
720 x 486
720 x 576
These resolutions appear, along with other Avid resolutions, wherever a list
of resolutions appears (for example, in the Video Resolution pop-up menu
of the Media Creation dialog box). The exact list depends on whether you
are working in an NTSC or PAL project.
For information about input and output, see the following sections:
•
“Configuring Decks” on page 84
•
“Setting Up the Capture Tool” on page 94
•
“Using the Digital Cut Tool” on page 244
The Avid editing system s allows you to work with mixed resolutions in
the same sequence.
The only restriction is you cannot mix clips with different frame rates. For
example, you cannot mix NTSC with PAL and you cannot mix interlaced
resolutions with progressive resolutions.
NTSC and PAL Image Sizes
The Universal Mastering capabilities of your Avid editing application let
you create both NTSC and PAL master tapes from the same project. If you
plan to output both formats, consider the following information.
In the Avid editing application, NTSC video uses a 4:3 aspect ratio with a
screen display of 720 x 486 pixels. DV and MPEG footage uses a screen
display of 720 x 480 pixels. PAL video uses the same aspect ratio, but
includes an additional 90 horizontal lines for a total screen display of
720 x 576. During the process of creating a digital cut, the Avid editing
application resizes the video image to the appropriate screen dimensions.
For example, if you are working in an NTSC project and want to output
PAL video, the Avid editing application resizes the NTSC video image to
the larger PAL screen dimensions. This is the same process used in other
standalone standards converters.
27
Because PAL has more horizontal lines of resolution than NTSC, resizing
from PAL to NTSC results in better quality, especially for imported
graphics. If you plan to output both NTSC and PAL versions of a sequence,
consider using PAL film-to-video transfer and graphics sized for PAL.
Your choice will depend on other production requirements, such as audio
workflow and hardware availability.
Software-Only Avid Editing Systems
When you configure Avid editing systems that do not use an external Avid
Adrenaline DNA or Mojo DNA for a DV camera or deck, you need to
select OHCI (for example, from the Video pop-up menu in the Capture
tool). The OHCI (Open Host Controller Interface) specification is a
standardized way of interacting with the 1394 bus. The IEEE 1394
interface that conforms to the specification can provide a connection
between a computer and a DV camera or deck that will operate in a
standard way.
The video compression format can be transferred through equipment that
conforms to IEEE® 1394. This equipment (cameras, video and audio
decks, cables, connectors, and processing boards) is sometimes referred to
as FireWire® or i.LINK®. IEEE 1394 connections let you transfer digital
data (both video and audio) directly from a DV camera or deck to an Avid
editing system with no conversion loss.
The Avid editing application does not use the default Microsoft® OHCI
driver, but instead uses a custom OHCI driver. Whenever you connect a
new DV device (camera or deck), the Avid editing application
automatically links the device to the custom OHCI driver. For more
information on linking a DV device, see the Avid Using the Avid
Adrenaline DNA Installation Instructions or Avid Using the Avid Mojo
DNA Installation Instructions for your Avid editing system.
n
28
DV resolutions and OHCI input and output are not available in progressive
projects.
Sample Workflow
Sample Workflow
Figure 1 shows a possible workflow using a standalone configuration. If
you were in a workgroup environment, media can be brought in from, and
sent back to, shared storage.
Software only models
Log
Betacam
DV
1. (Option) Import a log file to
create a bin.
2. Connect your equipment.
For analog video, use the
Avid Adrenaline DNA
or Avid Mojo DNA. For the
software only model, use the
1394 connection on the Avid
editing system.
Source footage:
NTSC 30 fps or
PAL 25 fps
Betacam,
Digital Betacam,
or other VTR,
DV deck or
camera
DV deck
or camera
Adrenaline DNA
or Mojo DNA
1394 connection
3. Capture the media in the
resolution you want. If you
imported a log file, batch
capture. Otherwise, log and
capture or capture on-the-fly.
Avid editing
system
4. Perform edits and create a
final sequence.
1394 connection
5. Output an analog or digital,
NTSC or PAL, master tape.
Adrenaline DNA
or Mojo DNA
In a workgroup environment
you can send to air or post to
Web.
DV
Figure 1
Betacam,
Digital Betacam,
or other VTR, DV
deck or camera
DV deck
or camera
Betacam
25-fps or
30-fps master
Project Workflow
29
Video and Film Projects
Avid editing applications offer you a flexible approach to finishing your
project, whether it originates as video or film.
For video projects, you can use the offline capabilities of the Avid editing
application and the Total Conform capabilities of the Symphony system to
produce the highest quality, uncompressed broadcast masters.
For film and 24-fps or 25-fps HDTV (high-definition television) projects,
you can use the Avid editing application’s Universal Offline Editing
capabilities to capture footage at 24 fps or 25 fps, and edit the content in its
native frame rate. Then use the Symphony system’s film-tape-film-tape
(FTFT) and Total Conform capabilities to finish and deliver uncompressed
NTSC, PAL, 4:3, 16:9, and letterbox formats, as well as frame-accurate
film cut lists and edit decision lists (EDLs), all from the same 24p (24-fps
progressive) or 25p media.
30
Chapter 2
Logging
When you log with a deck or import shot log files, you provide the Avid
editing system with frame-accurate clip information used to capture the
source footage. The logs you create form the foundation for organizing,
tracking, storing, retrieving, and generating lists of edit information
throughout your project. The following sections provide techniques for
preparing log information prior to capturing:
•
Logging Tips
•
Preparing Logs for Import
•
Importing Shot Log Files
•
Setting the Pulldown Phase
•
Converting Log Files with Avid Log Exchange
•
Logging Directly to a Bin
•
Logging Film Information
•
Modifying Clip Information Before Capturing
•
Exporting Shot Log Files
Chapter 2 Logging
Logging Tips
The following sections provide important guidelines for preroll, timecode
formats, and naming of tapes when logging prior to capturing.
Logging Preroll
Be sure to leave adequate preroll with continuous timecode prior to IN
points when logging your tapes. The recommended minimum preroll is
2 or 3 seconds for Betacam playback, 5 seconds for 3/4-inch U-matic
playback, and 6 seconds for DV playback.
To set the default preroll for tape playback:
1. Open the Deck Settings dialog box by doing one of the following:
32
t
If no deck currently exists, double-click Deck Configuration in the
Settings scroll list to open the Deck Configuration dialog box,
click Add Channel and then click Add Deck.
t
If a deck already exists, double-click Deck Configuration in the
Settings scroll list to open the Deck Configuration dialog box, and
then double-click the deck name.
t
Select Tools > Capture to open the Capture tool, and then click the
Deck Selection pop-up menu, and select Adjust Deck.
Logging Tips
2. Click the Preroll pop-up menu, and select a preroll time.
Preroll setting
Logging Timecode
Within an NTSC project, check the timecode format of each tape (dropframe versus non-drop-frame timecode) when you are logging without a
tape in the deck.
n
Drop-frame timecode and non-drop-frame timecode exist only in NTSC
projects.
33
Chapter 2 Logging
To log drop-frame timecode when there is no tape in the deck:
1. Double-click Deck Preferences in the Settings scroll list.
The Deck Preferences dialog box opens.
Log As pop-up
menu
2. Click the Log As pop-up menu, and select Drop Frame. When you are
bringing in a bin created outside of the Avid editing system, use
semicolons (;) between the hours, minutes, seconds, and frames.
To log non-drop-frame timecode when there is no tape in the deck:
2. Click the Log As pop-up menu, and select Non-drop Frame. When you
are bringing in a bin created outside of the Avid editing system, use
colons (:) between the hours, minutes, seconds, and frames.
34
Logging Tips
Naming Tapes
When you type tape names in the Capture tool, consider the following:
•
It is important that you devise a naming scheme for your tapes. For
example, tapes with similar names can be easily sorted and viewed
together in a bin. However, it might be difficult to distinguish among
tapes with similar names when you try to locate a specific tape quickly.
Name tapes based upon the amount and complexity of your source
material.
•
Tape names must be alphanumeric characters (A–Z, 0–9), with no
spaces before the name. They can include uppercase and lowercase
letters. Bin names are now limited to 27 characters (not including the
4 characters reserved for the file name extension).
•
It is possible to have a single tape listed as several different tapes if you
alter the case of the letters. This can cause significant problems in
keeping track of clips. Choose a case convention and maintain it
throughout a project.
•
If you are planning to generate an edit decision list (EDL) for import
into an edit controller for online editing, double-check the controller’s
specifications beforehand. Some edit controllers will truncate source
tape names to as few as six characters, while others will eliminate
characters and truncate to three numbers.
Double-Checking the Logs
When importing shot logs for video, the Avid editing system compares the
video duration to the video out minus the video in. When importing film
shot logs, the system compares the key number out minus the key number
in.
If the Avid editing application detects a discrepancy, it reports the error and
does not bring the clip into the bin.
To ensure that clips are not discarded on import:
t
Double-check the logs for discrepancies in duration and marks.
35
Chapter 2 Logging
Adding a Memory Mark
You can add a memory mark to a particular location on a tape. The Mark
Memory button in the Capture tool allows you to add one mark per tape.
The Go to Memory button allows you to move through the tape to the
marked location. You can clear the memory mark by using the Clear
Memory button.
The memory mark is not stored on the tape. When you remove the tape
from the deck, the mark is cleared.
Go to Memory button
Clear Memory button
Mark Memory button
36
For Avid Log
Exchange information,
see “Avid Log
Specifications” in the
Help.
Avid editing applications provide many useful tools to help you prepare
frame-accurate log information for import to the bin from any number of
sources. This process might involve using a word processor or standard
text editor to create and import logs, including those using the Avid Log
Exchange (ALE) format.
Creating Avid Logs
You can prepare an Avid log on any Windows or Macintosh computer by
using a word processing application or a text editor. To ensure accuracy,
you must follow the Avid log specifications.
You can use any text editor to create Avid logs. However, you must save
the file as a text document (ASCII format).
Your Windows system ships with a text editor called WordPad. WordPad
can handle large files, and it allows you to save the files as text documents.
To start WordPad:
t
Click the Start button, and select > All Programs > Accessories >
WordPad.
To create Avid logs by using a word processor:
1. Enter shot log information according to the specifications.
n
For Avid log specification information, see “Avid Log Specifications” in
the Help.
2. Save your file as a text file in the Save As dialog box.
c
Avid editing applications accept only text files (ASCII format).
When you are logging manually, document the following information:
•
Identify the source tape for each shot.
37
Chapter 2 Logging
•
Document each clip’s name, start timecode, and end timecode.
This is the minimum information required to capture successfully. You can
also add other information such as comments or auxiliary timecodes. You
can make a separate log file for each videotape, or you can log clips from
several different videotapes into one log.
Importing Shot Log Files
You can import any log created or converted to meet Avid log
specifications. You can also combine or merge events while importing a
log so that fewer master tapes require capturing. The system imports any
additional information logged with each clip.
To import shot log files into a bin:
1. Open a bin, click anywhere in an open bin to select it, or create a new
bin for the shot log import.
2. Select File > Import.
The Select Files to Import dialog box opens.
38
Up One Level button
Files of type
pop-up menu
Options button
3. Do one of the following:
t
Click the Files of type pop-up menu, and select Shot Log.
The system displays file types that belong to the selected category
only.
t
Click the Files of type pop-up menu, and select All Files.
The system displays all files in a selected folder, regardless of file
type. Use this option if you want to batch import multiple file
types.
n
When batch importing multiple files and file types, you should establish
global Import settings in advance. See “Creating and Using Import
Settings” on page 202.
39
Chapter 2 Logging
4. Click Options to open the Import Settings dialog box if you want to
select options for combining events on import from the Import
settings.
5. Click the Shot Log tab. For more information about shot log options,
see “Import Settings” in the Help.
6. After selecting the appropriate options, click OK to return to the Select
Files to Import dialog box.
7. Use the Up One Level button to locate the folder containing the source
file.
8. Select the file.
9. Click Open.
When the system finishes importing the file, the clips appear in the
selected bin.
40
For information about
the pulldown process,
see “Transferring 24fps Film” in the Help.
If you are logging or capturing 24-fps sources (film-to-tape transfers,
media downconverted from 1080p/24 footage, or both), you can set the
pulldown-to-timecode relationship for a transferred tape in the Film
Settings dialog box.
Set Pulldown
Phase option
You set this relationship by selecting the pulldown phase (sometimes
called the pulldown frame or pullin frame), which is the video frame at
which the master clip starts. The pulldown phase is designated A, B, X, C,
or D. Film labs and transfer houses typically use the A frame to start the
transfer.
41
Chapter 2 Logging
The following illustration shows the relationship between film frames and
video frames.
Four film frames
A
B
C
D
n
Five NTSC video frames (ten fields)
A1
odd
A2
even
B1
odd
B2
even
B3
odd
C1
even
C2
odd
D1
even
D2
odd
D3
even
A
B
X
C
D
This setting is not available in matchback projects. However, you can
modify the pulldown phase after you log it. See “Entering Pulldown
Information” on page 60.
The Set Pulldown Phase setting lets you log, batch capture, and captureon-the-fly more easily, because the correct pulldown phase of any IN point
for a particular tape is automatically determined. Setting the correct
pulldown phase prevents inaccuracies in cut lists and matchback EDLs. It
also prevents incorrectly captured clips that appear to stutter when played
in 24p NTSC projects.
For example, if you set the pulldown phase of 00:00:00:00 as A (indicating
that the A frame is located at timecodes ending in 0 or 5), any timecode
you log will calculate its pulldown phase based on the same sync point,
regardless of where you set the IN point. If you use the Capture tool to log
a clip that starts at 01:00:10:01, the Avid system automatically enters B in
the Pullin column of the bin. If you capture on-the-fly starting at
01:00:10:01 (a B frame), the system begins to capture at the next A frame,
in this case, 01:00:10:05.
c
42
The Set Pulldown Phase feature does not work if you capture from a
mark IN.
fixing an incorrectly
logged sync point, see
“Modifying the
Pulldown Phase After
Capturing” on
page 187.
The pulldown-to-timecode relationship might vary from tape to tape, or
within the same tape, depending on how the footage was transferred. If you
find that a tape requires a different pulldown phase, you can change the
setting in the Film Settings dialog box, or use the Modify Pulldown Phase
dialog box before capturing (see “Modifying the Pulldown Phase Before
Capturing” on page 63.
To set the pulldown phase:
1. Determine the correct pulldown phase for 00:00:00:00 in one of the
following ways:
t
If you are capturing film-to-tape transfers, check the transfer log.
t
If you are capturing tapes that have been downconverted from
1080p/24, check what pulldown frame was set for 00:00:00:00 on
the deck that performed the conversion.
t
If you still cannot determine the pulldown phase, see
“Determining the Pulldown Phase” on page 62.
2. Double-click Film in the Settings scroll list of the Project window.
3. Select the option Set Pulldown Phase of Timecode 00:00:00:00 and
then click the pop-up menu, and select the correct pulldown phase
(A, B, X, C, D).
4. Click OK.
You can use the Avid Log Exchange (ALE) utility included with your
system to quickly convert shot log files created by other sources. You can
then import the files directly into bins, as described in “Importing Shot Log
Files” on page 38.
The ALE utility allows you to:
•
Modify the text in a log file.
•
Convert log files to the ALE file.
•
Convert an ALE file to either an ATN or FLX file.
43
Chapter 2 Logging
Any options you set in the ALE utility are saved each time you exit the
ALE utility.
When you are converting an ATN file that contains multiple sections to an
ALE file, multiple ALE files are created. The Avid Log Exchange window
displays only the first ALE file created. The succeeding ALE files are
given the same file name with incremental numbering. For example, the
file Nations1.atn is converted to Nations1.ale, Nations1_2.ale,
Nations1_3.ale, and so on. The converted output files are stored in the
folder containing the original input file.
n
ALE and tab-delimited files include information for master clips and
subclips only. Information for other objects, such as group clips,
sequences, and precomputes, is not included.
Converting a Log File to an ALE File
To convert a log file to an ALE file:
1. Click the Start button and select > All Programs > Avid > Avid Log
Exchange.
The Avid Log Exchange window opens.
2. Select File > Open.
The Open dialog box opens.
3. Browse to the file you want to convert and double-click it.
44
4. Depending on the type of file you are opening, one of the following
occurs:
-
If the file type is recognized by Avid Log Exchange, the file
appears in the Avid Log Exchange window.
-
If the file does not contain the Windows line-ending format, then
the Line Endings dialog box opens. Select one of the following
options as explained Table 2:
Table 2
Line Endings Options
Click
To
Display & Save
Open the file in the Avid Log Exchange window and
change the file to the Windows format.
Display Only
Open the file in the Avid Log Exchange window, but do
not change the file.
Ignore
Display the file without changes.
45
Chapter 2 Logging
The file appears in the Avid Log Exchange window.
For specific
information on the file
types shown here, see
“Avid Log
Specifications” in the
Help.
-
If the file type is not recognized, the Choose File Type dialog box
opens. Select the type of file you are converting, and click OK.
The file appears in the Avid Log Exchange window.
5. Use the Options menu to select the tracks to include in the Tracks
column of the log. The default track selections are Log V, Log A1, and
Log A2.
After you import the log into an Avid bin, the system captures all
tracks shown in this column when batch capturing.
6. Select Options > Clean if you want Avid Log Exchange to clean the
ALE output file to eliminate overlapping timecodes for clips. By
default, Clean is selected.
When you select Clean, the utility removes the end timecode from any
clip that overlaps the start of the next clip.
7. If you selected Clean, you can also select Options > Relaxed to prevent
deleting events that come earlier in the transfer. Relaxed is not set by
default.
For example, if you transfer film footage with a timecode of
2:00:00:00 and then add some clips at the end with a timecode of
1:00:00:00, Relaxed prevents the Clean function from deleting the
46
clips. This occurs when you shoot footage across the midnight hour
and the first half of the film has 24 hours and the second half has 0
hours.
8. Select Convert > ALE.
The default output selection is the Avid Log Exchange (ALE) format.
This is the required format for import into an Avid bin.
The Avid Log Exchange window displays the converted ALE file. The
converted file has the same file name as the original file, except the file
name extension matches the converted file format.
9. (Option) Select Window > original file if you want to convert the file
again, using different options.
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Chapter 2 Logging
10. Select File > Close.
If you made changes in the editor, a message box opens.
11. Click Yes.
The converted file is stored in the same folder as the original log file.
Using Drag-and-Drop Conversion
Use this shortcut to convert any type of file into an ALE file.
n
Before you use the drag-and-drop conversion, check the options in the ALE
utility. The current options are used when you perform the drag-and-drop
conversion.
To convert a log file by using drag-and-drop conversion:
1. Create a shortcut for the ALE utility.
2. Open the folder that contains the files you want to convert, positioning
the folder so the Shortcut icon for the ALE utility is visible.
48
3. Select the files you want to convert.
Avid Log Exchange
Shortcut icon
4. Drag the selected files to the Shortcut icon for the ALE utility, and
release the mouse button.
5. Depending on the type of files you are converting, one of the following
occurs:
-
If the file type is recognized by the ALE utility, a message box
opens, indicating the conversion was successful.
-
If the file type is not recognized, the Choose File Type dialog box
opens. Select the type of the file you are converting, and click OK.
A message box opens, indicating the conversion was successful.
-
If the file type is an ALE file, the ALE Convert Type dialog box
opens. Select a file type for the converted output file, and click
OK.
A message box opens, indicating the conversion was successful.
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Chapter 2 Logging
6. Click OK to close the message box.
The converted files have the same file names as the original files,
except the file name extension matches the converted file format.
For example, the .ale file name extension is added to the new file
names for the Avid format. The converted files are stored in the folder
containing the original log files.
You can log clips directly to a bin by using the Capture tool in one of two
ways described in this section:
For complete
information on working
with bin columns and
clip information, see
“Organizing Bin
Information in the
Help.
•
Log directly to a bin with an Avid-controlled deck for semiautomated
data entry.
•
Log manually during or after viewing of footage offline with a nonAvid-controlled deck or other source.
Logging with an Avid-Controlled Camera or Deck
When you log with a DV camera or compatible video deck controlled from
within your Avid editing application, you can automate part of the logging
process by using buttons to enter frame-accurate timecode information
from the camera or deck. This method is more accurate than manual entry
because timecodes are transferred directly from tape to the bin.
To log clips to a bin by using the Capture tool:
1. Make sure the camera or deck is properly connected, and turn on
power to the video deck.
2. Open the bin in which you want to store the clips.
50
3. Select Tools > Capture.
The Capture tool opens.
Capture/Log Mode button
Mark IN
button
Channel
Selection buttons
Deck Selection
pop-up menu
Source Tape
Display button
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Chapter 2 Logging
4. To select a deck or device, click the Deck Selection pop-up menu and
select Autoconfigure or Adjust Deck, and then load your tape into the
deck.
The Select Tape dialog box opens.
t
Click Cancel to stop the process at any time.
t
Select “Show other projects” to display the tape names and
associated project names for all bins that have been opened in the
current session.
t
Click “Scan for tapes” to scan the system and display tape names
and associated project names for all media files that are currently
online (drives that are currently mounted on the system).
6. Click the Capture/Log Mode button in the Capture tool until the LOG
icon appears.
7. Click the Source Tape Display button.
A dialog box opens.
8. Click Yes to open the Select Tape dialog box.
52
9. Double-click the name of the tape in the dialog box, or click New and
type the name of the tape. Click OK.
A message that the system is waiting for you to mark an IN point is
displayed in the message bar.
10. Set the first point by using one of the following methods:
t
Click the Mark IN button in the upper left corner of the Capture
tool or press F4.
t
Use the deck controls in the Capture tool to cue your source tape to
the start or end point, and click the Mark IN or the Mark OUT
button.
t
Go to OUT
If the footage starts at a known IN point or ends at a known OUT
point, type the timecode in the text box next to the Mark IN or the
Mark OUT button. Then enter the mark by pressing the Go to IN
or the Go to OUT button, which scans the tape forward to the
mark, or by pressing Enter.
Mark OUT
and Log
After you set the point, the Mark IN button changes to either the Mark
OUT and Log or the Mark IN and Log button.
Mark IN
Mark IN
Mark OUT
Go to IN
n
If you want to pause the deck while you enter a clip name and comments,
see “Pausing a Deck While Logging” on page 54.
11. To finish logging the clip, do one of the following:
t
Set the remaining IN or OUT point on-the-fly by using the Mark
IN or Mark OUT buttons, or by pressing F4.
t
Type a timecode for the clip’s IN point, OUT point, or duration in
the timecode text boxes next to the corresponding icon, and press
Enter.
The system automatically calculates the appropriate timecode for the
remaining IN point, OUT point, or duration, and enters the clip into the
bin. The clip name, which is automatically numbered by the system, is
highlighted and ready to be changed.
c
You must enter two of the three timecode marks (IN point, OUT point,
or duration) to complete the log entry.
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Chapter 2 Logging
12. Name the clip by typing a new name before clicking any of the buttons
in the Capture tool.
n
Consider changing the clip name immediately because it is easy to forget
the contents of each clip if you are logging many clips. You can, if
necessary, accept the clip name, proceed with the logging process, and
then change the clip names in the bin at a later time.
13. Repeat these steps until you have logged all your clips.
n
While viewing the footage, you can continuously update your marks onthe-fly by clicking the Mark IN or the Mark OUT button repeatedly before
entering the second mark.
Pausing a Deck While Logging
If the deck is playing while you log clips, you can direct the Avid editing
application to pause the deck automatically after you select an IN point and
an OUT point. While the deck is paused, you can enter the name and a
comment for the clip you want to log.
To pause the deck while logging:
1. Double-click Capture in the Settings scroll list.
The Capture Settings dialog box opens.
2. Select the “Pause deck while logging” option.
54
3. Set up the deck and the Capture tool as described in “Logging with an
Avid-Controlled Camera or Deck” on page 50.
Mark IN button
4. Start the deck.
5. When you reach the point where you want to start the clip, click the
Mark IN button in the upper left corner of the Capture tool (or press
the F4 key). The Mark IN button changes to the Mark OUT button, and
the deck continues to play.
6. When you reach the point where you want to end the clip, click the
Mark OUT button in the upper left corner of the Capture tool (or press
F4 again). The Mark OUT button changes to the Log Clip button, and
the deck pauses.
7. (Option) Type a clip name and comment.
8. Click the Log Clip button (or press F4).
The system logs the clip in a bin, and the deck starts playing again.
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Chapter 2 Logging
Logging with a Non-Avid-Controlled Camera or Deck
You can use the Capture tool to log clips directly to a bin from a source that
is not Avid-controlled. For example, you can log clips from a camera or
deck that is not connected to the system or from handwritten or printed log
information for a tape that was previously logged but is not currently
available.
n
When logging with the Capture tool, you should leave the deck empty. If a
tape remains in the deck, the system determines drop-frame or non-dropframe from that tape, whether or not it matches your tape’s timecode
format.
To log with a non-Avid-controlled camera or deck:
1. If there is a camera or deck connected to the system, eject the tape
from the deck.
3. For NTSC projects, click the “When no tape in deck log as” pop-up
menu, and select Non-Drop-Frame or Drop-Frame.
4. Click OK to close the dialog box.
5. Open the bin where you want to store the clips.
56
Mark IN
button
Channel
Selection
buttons
Message
bar
Mark IN text
box
Timecode
display
Deck controls
Clear OUT
button
Deck Selection
pop-up menu
Mark OUT
text box
Source Tape Display button
Mark OUT button
Mark IN button
7. Click the Capture/Log Mode button in the Capture tool until the LOG
icon appears.
A dialog box opens.
9. Click Yes to open the Select Tape dialog box.
10. Double-click the name of the tape in the dialog box, or click New and
type the name of the tape. Click OK.
11. Select the tracks that you want to log, using the Channel Selection
buttons.
12. Type the start and end timecodes in the Mark IN and Mark OUT text
boxes.
13. Click the Log Clip button.
The clip is logged to the bin.
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Chapter 2 Logging
Once you have entered or imported the basic log information into a bin,
you might want to add film-related log information before capturing. This
section describes procedures and formats for adding various film headings.
The following are some important requirements for film-based projects:
•
The minimum information required for capturing is the data recorded
in the Start and End video timecode columns, and the pulldown phase
for NTSC transfers, which is noted in the Pullin column (24-fps
capture only).
•
Each reel of film can be logged as a separate clip, and will correspond
to a single master clip, only if the video transfer of the film reel has
continuous pulldown (NTSC format), and continuous timecode (NTSC
and PAL). If the film reels for your project do not meet this condition,
then you must log each take on a reel of film as a separate clip, which
will correspond to a single master clip.
If you log each reel as a separate clip, you can use the F1 and F2 keys
to create subclips for each take. See “Creating Subclips On-the-Fly” on
page 160.
58
•
If you want to produce a cut list, or use film-tape-film-tape for
recapturing, you must log key numbers. You can add key numbers after
capturing, before you create the cut list.
•
All film and video reference numbers must be in ascending order.
Displaying Film Columns
To display film columns in the bin:
1. Click the Bin View pop-up menu, and select Film to display all the
required film column headings. The Bin View pop-up menu is located
at the bottom of the Bin window.
Bin View pop-up menu
2. To log data under optional headings (such as Ink Number, Auxiliary
TC1-Auxiliary TC5, or Film TC), select Bin > Headings and
Ctrl+click (Windows) or click (Macintosh) the specific headings you
want to add from the Bin Column Selection dialog box.
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Chapter 2 Logging
3. You can also track custom information for the job by creating a custom
heading. To create a new heading, type a name that describes the
information in the headings bar at the top of the bin. For more
information on customizing bin views, see “Customizing Bin Views in
Text View” in the Help.
Entering Pulldown Information
importing a log file, see
“Importing Shot Log
60
To accurately capture NTSC transfer tapes in 24p projects, you need to
enter pulldown information into the bin. (This information is not required
for PAL transfer tapes.) Setting the correct pulldown phase prevents
inaccuracies in cut lists and matchback EDLs. If you are importing a log
generated during the telecine transfer, the pulldown information is
automatically included in the bin.
Start timecode
Pullin column
(information required for NTSC
If you do not have a transfer log, or if the transfer log is incorrect, you need
to add the information manually. If you log clips by using the Capture tool,
the Avid system uses the A frame as the default pulldown phase. You might
need to edit this value.
n
n
For 24p projects, you can set a default pulldown phase in the Film Settings
dialog box. See “Setting the Pulldown Phase” on page 41 (24p projects
only).
For matchback projects, you need to log key-number information before
you can log pulldown information.
By specifying the pulldown phase in the Pullin column, you accomplish
the following:
•
You ensure that the clips will start with the correct frame for the
pulldown. Otherwise, you might experience inaccuracies in keynumber tracking and in the cut lists.
•
You indicate where the pulldown fields are located so the Avid system
can accurately eliminate the pulldown fields during the capturing
process, leaving you with a frame-to-frame correspondence between
your digital media and the original 24-fps footage (24p projects only).
To do this, you must indicate whether the sync point at the start of each
film clip transferred to tape is an A, B, C, or D frame, as described in this
section. In most cases, the sync point is the A frame.
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Chapter 2 Logging
Determining the Pulldown Phase
It is easiest to determine the pulldown of a sync point (or pulldown phase)
if you ask your film lab to keypunch (cut a small hole in) the sync frame at
the zero frame in the original film footage before transferring the film to
video. Many film labs or transfer houses can also provide a pulldown
frame indicator displayed at the far right of the burn-in key numbers,
depending on the equipment available. Ideally, the A-frame pulldown
coincides with timecode ending in 0 and 5 (:00, :05, :10, and so on).
If the footage has not been keypunched, you can determine pulldown
according to clapsticks or any other distinctive frame at the beginning of
the clip. Determining the pulldown is easier if the frames depict motion.
n
For instructions on determining the pulldown phase for material already
captured, see “Modifying the Pulldown Phase After Capturing” on
page 187.
To determine the pulldown phase:
1. While viewing the video transfer on a monitor, go to the keypunched
(or clapsticks) sync point for the beginning frame of the clip you’re
logging.
2. Step (jog) past the sync point frame field-by-field, using the step wheel
on the tape deck. You will see either two or three keypunched fields. If
the footage is not keypunched, look for two or three fields with little or
no motion.
3. If there are two fields, the pulldown is either A or C. Step through the
fields again, and note where the timecode changes:
-
If the timecode does not change from the first to the second field,
the fields came from an A frame.
-
If the timecode changes from the first to the second field, the fields
came from a C frame.
The following illustration shows a keypunch on the A frame. Notice
where the timecode changes.
62
Four film frames
A
B
C
D
Five NTSC video frames (ten fields)
A1
odd
A2
even
B1
odd
B2
even
B3
odd
C1
even
C2
odd
D1
even
D2
odd
D3
even
A
Timecode change
B
Timecode change
X
Timecode change
C
Timecode change
D
4. If there are three keypunched fields, or fields without motion, the
pulldown is either B or D. Step through the fields again and note where
the timecode changes:
-
If the timecode changes from the second to the third field, the
fields came from a B frame.
-
If the timecode changes from the first to the second field, the fields
came from a D frame.
5. Enter or edit the information in the Pullin column in the appropriate
bin, as described in the next section.
Modifying the Pulldown Phase Before Capturing
After you determine the correct pulldown phase (as described in the
previous section) you can modify the pulldown phase before capturing in
one of the following ways.
To modify the pulldown phase directly in the Pullin column:
1. Click the Text tab to display all bin information.
2. Click the cell you want to modify.
3. Click the cell again. The pointer changes to an I-beam.
4. Type the pulldown phase and press Enter (Windows) or Return
(Macintosh).
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Chapter 2 Logging
To modify the pulldown phase for multiple clips:
1. Ctrl+click (Windows) or Shift+click (Macintosh) the clips you want to
modify.
2. Select Clip > Modify.
3. Click the Modify Options pop-up menu, and select Pull-in.
4. Select A, B, C, or D.
5. Click OK.
The pullin for all selected clips is changed, based on the pulldown
phase you selected.
To modify the pulldown phase for multiple clips that have the same
pulldown-to-timecode relationship:
1. Ctrl+click (Windows) or Shift+click (Macintosh) the clips you want to
modify.
2. Select Clip > Modify Pulldown Phase.
The Modify Pulldown Phase dialog box opens.
3. Click the pop-up menu, and select the correct pulldown phase for
timecodes ending in 0 or 5.
4. Click OK.
The pulldown phase for each selected clip is changed, based on the
pulldown phase you selected for 00:00:00:00.
The Pulldown Phase setting also appears in the Film Settings dialog
box (24p projects only). You can override that setting with the Modify
Pulldown Phase dialog box. The selection in the Film Settings dialog
box remains the same. For more information, see “Setting the
Pulldown Phase” on page 41.
64
n
n
If you want to modify the pulldown phase after capturing, you must first
unlink the clips. See “Modifying the Pulldown Phase After Capturing” on
page 187.
After you capture an NTSC transfer, the timecode shows a loss of every
fifth frame of video. For example, don’t be alarmed if you find that your
timecode jumps at one point from 1:00:14:15 to 1:00:14:17. You haven’t
lost a frame, just an extra pulldown field.
Entering Frames-per-Second Rates for PAL Transfers
When you log in advance for PAL film-to-tape transfers, you must log the
footage as clips that have a 25-fps play rate, as listed in the FPS column of
the bin. If you want, you can capture the footage on-the-fly, without
logging the clips first. The minimum information required to capture the
footage is the data logged in the Start and End video timecode columns.
Entering Key Numbers
To add key numbers:
t
Highlight the KN Start column, then type the key number for the sync
point at the start of the clip by using one of the following formats:
-
Keykode™ Format: Type a two-character manufacturer and filmtype code, a six-digit prefix for identifying the film roll, a fourdigit footage count, a two-digit frame offset, and then press Enter
(Windows) or Return (Macintosh).
The Avid system adds a space, hyphen, and either a plus sign (for
35mm projects) or an ampersand (for 16mm projects) to format
the number. For example, in a 35mm project, to enter
KJ 23 6892-1234+15, type KJ236892123415. In a 16mm project,
typing the same number results in the code KJ 23 6892-1234&15.
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Chapter 2 Logging
-
Other Formats: Enter other key-number formats in the Ink
Number column. Type up to eight characters for the prefix, up to
five characters for the footage count, two digits as the frame count,
and then press Enter (Windows) or Return (Macintosh).
The Avid system automatically calculates the ending key number
(KN End), based on the timecode duration.
c
Make sure the correct number appears when you press Enter
(Windows) or Return (Macintosh). For key-number formats other
than Keykode, you might need to type the space, hyphen (-), and plus
sign (+) or ampersand (&) to format the number correctly.
Entering Additional Timecodes (Option)
Consider the following when you enter additional timecodes:
•
•
66
In one of the Aux TC columns (that is, Aux TC1 through Aux TC5),
type an auxiliary timecode that syncs with the video timecode logged
in the Start column. You can enter up to five auxiliary timecodes.
Supported timecodes depend on your project: 30-fps for NTSC (dropframe or non-drop-frame) and 25-fps for PAL. Use one of the
following formats:
t
Enter a two-digit format for hours, minutes, seconds, and frames.
You need not enter a leading zero. (For example, to enter
01:23:02:00, type 1230200.)
t
When working with drop-frame timecode in the NTSC format (not
applicable to PAL), enter a semicolon to indicate drop-frame
timecode (for example, to enter 01;23;02;00, type 01;230200).
In the Sound TC column, enter the Nagra or DAT timecode for the
original audio for the start of the clip. The timecode should sync with
the video timecode logged in the Start column in the bin. Enter the
source sound-roll identifier in the Soundroll column. Supported
timecodes depend on your project: 30-fps for NTSC (drop-frame or
non-drop-frame) and 25-fps for PAL. The clip to be captured must
contain an audio track.
n
•
In the Film TC column, enter timecode generated by a film camera
(using Aaton or Arri timecode) for tracking the picture at the start of
the clip. The film timecode should sync with the video timecode
logged in the Start column. Only 24-fps timecode is supported. The
clip to be captured must contain a video track.
•
In the TC24 column, enter timecode for original HDTV sources
(1080p/24) or audio DATs created for PAL feature film productions
that use in-camera timecode.
You can use the Duplicate command to convert timecodes from one format
to another. For more information, see “Duplicating a Column” in the
Help.
Entering the Ink Number (Option)
To enter ink numbers:
1. Open the Film Settings dialog box by clicking Film in the Settings
scroll list of the Project window.
2. Make sure the correct options are selected for ink number format and
ink number display, and click OK.
n
You can log different ink number formats in the same project as long as you
change the ink number setting to the appropriate format before you log
each type. Changing the ink number setting affects only the next ink
numbers you log, not numbers that are already logged.
3. Return to the bin and enter numbers under the Ink Number heading.
For example, use Keykode format or use a two-digit prefix to identify
the roll, a hyphen, a four- or five-digit footage count, a plus sign, and a
two-digit frame count (for example, AA-00924+00).
Entering Additional Film Data
You can continue to log additional film data into the Labroll, Camroll,
Soundroll, Scene, and Take columns, or into your own custom columns, as
necessary. You can include the information in these columns on the cut
lists you create for your edited sequence.
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Chapter 2 Logging
The following conditions apply to modifying clip information:
•
When you modify a clip’s information, related objects are
automatically updated to reflect the new data. For example, if you
change the name of a clip, the updated name appears in the sequences
that use the clip.
•
Some data cannot be modified after capturing because changes would
prevent you from playing back and editing the material successfully.
•
Sequence information cannot be changed even though it appears in
your bin. The only way to modify sequence information is to edit the
sequence itself. You can, however, change the name and start time for
the master timecode track.
You can modify some data directly for master clips, subclips, and other
objects stored in a bin.
The Modify Command
The Modify command gives you specialized control over groups of clip
information. For example, you can use the Modify command to change the
name of source tapes for some or all of your clips, to change the timecode
format from drop-frame to non-drop-frame, or to increment or decrement
the start and end timecodes by a specified length of time for one or several
clips at once.
You can apply changes with the Modify command to master clips only;
subclips and sequences cannot be altered in this way. In addition, you can
perform only modifications that alter the end timecodes or the tracks
before capturing.
68
Using the Modify Command
To modify selected clips:
1. Open the bin.
2. Click a Clip icon to select it. Ctrl+click each additional clip you want
to modify.
Selected clip is
highlighted.
3. Select Clip > Modify.
The Modify dialog box opens.
Pop-up menu
4. Click the pop-up menu, and select an option (for example, Set
Timecode By Field).
Depending on the modification you select, different options appear in
the dialog box that allow you to establish the specific modification, as
shown in Table 3.
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Chapter 2 Logging
5. After selecting the type of modification, select an option or type
information in the text boxes (for example, timecode values) when
they appear.
6. Click OK.
The modification takes effect.
Options for Modifying Bin Information
Table 3 describes the options available from the pop-up menu in the
Modify dialog box.
Table 3
Options for Modifying Bin Information
Type of Modification
Options
Description
Set Timecode
Drop/Non-drop
Drop, Non-drop
Changes the timecode format between dropframe and non-drop-frame. Setting must
match the timecode format of the tape.
Set Timecode By Field
Start or End
Changes either the start or end timecode. Only
start timecode can be altered after capturing.
Hour, Minutes, Seconds,
Frames
Allows you to enter custom timecode.
Start or End
Changes either the start or end timecode.
Incrementing the start timecode automatically
modifies the end timecode by the same
amount. Only start timecode can be
incremented after capturing.
Timecode entry field
Allows you to enter custom incremental
timecode.
Increment Timecode
70
Table 3
Options for Modifying Bin Information (Continued)
Type of Modification
Options
Description
Decrement Timecode
Start or End
Changes either the start or end timecode.
Decrementing the start timecode
automatically modifies the end timecode by
the same amount. Only start timecode can be
decremented after capturing.
Timecode entry field
Allows you to enter new decremental
timecode.
Set Key Number Generic
(Prefix)
Key number field
Allows you to enter a custom generic key
number (film projects only).
Set Pullin
Punch frame timecode entry Sets the timecode location of the punch frame
field
for pullin (film projects only).
A, B, C, or D
Set Tracks
Selects the pulldown frame to match the
timecode entry (film projects only).
V, A1, A2, A3, A4, A5, A6, Changes the clip’s configuration of tracks.
A7, A8 track selector
The number of audio tracks varies
depending on the hardware that is
connected to your system.
n
Set Source
None
Opens the Select Tape dialog box. Selects
another source tape name for the clips. Should
match the original source tape name.
Modifying in the Bin
You can modify the start and end timecodes in the bin before a clip is
captured.
To modify clip information in the bin:
1. Set the bin to display Start and End. For more information about
setting bin headings, see “Showing and Hiding Columns” in the Help.
2. Select the clip you want to modify.
3. Type the timecode numbers you want.
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Chapter 2 Logging
You can export a shot log file from the Avid editing system in either Tab
Delimited or Avid Log Exchange format for making adjustments in a text
editor or for importing to another system.
To export a shot log based on clip information in a bin:
1. Open the bin containing the clips you want to export, and switch to
Text view.
2. Click a Clip icon to select it. Ctrl+click each additional clip you want
to export.
3. Select File > Export.
The Export As dialog box opens.
t
If you have previously created an Export setting for exporting shot
log files, click the Export Setting pop-up menu, and select the
setting. Then go to step 11.
For information on creating Export settings, see “Customizing
Export Settings” on page 276.
t
72
If you want to create a new Export setting, go to step 5.
5. Click Options.
The Export Settings dialog box opens.
6. Click the Export As pop-up menu, and select either Avid Log
Exchange or Tab Delimited as the file type.
7. Click Save As.
8. Type a name in the Setting Name text box.
The export setting name is added to the list of formats available from
the Export dialog box.
9. Click OK.
You are returned to the Export As dialog box.
10. (Option) Change the file name, but keep the default file name
extension.
11. Select the destination folder for the file, and click Save.
The file is exported and appears at the selected destination.
To export an entire bin:
1. Ctrl+click selected clips to deselect them, so that nothing is selected in
the bin.
The Export Bin As dialog box opens.
3. Click the Export Bin As pop-up menu, select the appropriate option,
and click OK.
A shot log of only the master clips in the bin is created.
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Chapter 2 Logging
74
Chapter 3
Preparing to Capture
Capture is the process of creating digital media from videotape or audio
input. Before you begin the capturing process in Chapter 4, you need to
prepare for it as described in the following sections:
•
Understanding Digital Video (DV)
•
Preparing the Hardware
•
Selecting Settings
•
Configuring Decks
•
Understanding Drop-Frame and Non-Drop-Frame Timecodes
•
Setting Up the Capture Tool
•
Preparing for Audio Input
•
Audio Meters in the Timeline
•
Adjusting Volume Control
•
Calibrating for Video Input
•
Compression Resolutions and Storage Requirements
Before capturing, see the Avid Using the Avid Adrenaline DNA Installation
Instructions or Avid Using the Avid Mojo DNA Installation Instructions to
ensure you have properly connected your recording equipment such as a
camera or deck.
Chapter 3 Preparing to Capture
Understanding Digital Video (DV)
DV refers to digital video that is transferred through equipment
conforming to the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
Standard 1394. This equipment (cameras, decks, cables, connectors, and
processing boards) is sometimes referred to as FireWire or i.LINK.
DV connections let you transfer digital data (both video and audio) directly
from a DV camera to a digital nonlinear editing system with no conversion
losses. DV technology simplifies the process of bringing footage from your
camera into your Avid editing application, and gives you high-quality
video at low lost.
What Is IEEE Standard 1394?
IEEE 1394 is an internationally standardized, low-cost digital interface that
integrates entertainment, communication, and computing electronics into
consumer multimedia. IEEE 1394 is a hardware and software standard for
transporting data at 100, 200, or 300 megabits per second (Mb/s). Because
it’s a digital interface, there is no need to convert digital data into analog,
resulting in a loss of data integrity.
What Is OHCI?
The Open Host Controller Interface (OHCI) specification gives the
operating system a standardized way of interacting with the 1394 bus. An
IEEE 1394 interface that conforms to this specification can provide a
connection between a computer and a DV camcorder that will operate in a
standard way, using driver software that is included with the latest version
of the Windows XP operating system.
n
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Avid software-only editing systems use a custom OHCI driver, rather than
the default Microsoft OHCI driver. Whenever you connect a new DV device
(camera or deck), Avid editing applications automatically link the device to
the custom OHCI driver.
Before you begin capturing, check the following:
•
n
Remote switch. The deck control switch on the front of the source
deck must be set to Remote rather than Local to control the deck with
the Capture tool.
The deck should be turned on and the control switch set to Remote before
you start the Avid editing application.
•
Striped drives. If you are capturing high-resolution media, you must
use striped drives.
•
Digital Audiotape (DAT). If you want to capture music or audio from
a DAT deck, check the documentation supplied with your equipment to
determine whether your model requires VLX®i for video deck control.
Selecting Settings
A number of settings have a direct bearing on the capturing process.
Before you capture, review the following options:
•
Using General Settings
•
Transfer Settings for Film Projects
•
Selecting Capture Settings
•
Creating a GPI Trigger
Using General Settings
The General Settings dialog box (accessed through the Settings scroll list)
includes the following options that are important for capture.
•
Project Type: The top portion of the dialog box displays the project
type (NTSC or PAL) and other useful information such as the type of
film used as source media.
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•
NTSC Has Setup: This option applies to standard NTSC format and is
selected by default. If the source footage is in the NTSC-EIAJ format
standard (used primarily in Japan), deselect NTSC Has Setup.
For more information about General settings, see “General Settings” in the
Help.
c
The Avid editing system will not prevent you from using non-Avid
drives, but their reliability cannot be guaranteed.
Transfer Settings for Film Projects
The following settings are important for transferring media in a film
project. You should set the transfer settings for film projects immediately
after you create a new project and before capturing. For information about
other film settings, see “Film and 24p Settings” in the Help.
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Selecting Settings
film-to-tape transfer
methods, see
Film-to-Tape Transfers
in the Help.
•
Video Pulldown Cadence: allows you to specify the type of
film-to-tape transfer that you capture:
-
Video rate, no pulldown: Select this option when working with
24-fps footage that has been transferred MOS (roughly translated
as “without sound”) to 30 fps by speeding up the film, and the
audio has been brought into the Avid system separately at 100
percent of the actual speed.
-
Standard 2:3:2:3 pulldown: Select this option when working with
24-fps footage that has been transferred to 30 fps by duplicating
frames (pulldown) and the audio has been synchronized to the
picture.
-
Advanced 2:3:3:2 pulldown: Select this option when using native
DV editing with capture over Firewire.
If you are capturing sound that has been created during an NTSC
film-to-tape transfer, you need to set the pulldown switch before you
begin capturing. See “Setting the Pulldown Switch” on page 101.
For NTSC projects, you can mix footage transferred with pulldown
and footage transferred without pulldown (video rate). You can also
mix sound transferred at 0.99 (with pulldown) and 1.00 (without
pulldown).
•
(PAL only) You define the Audio Transfer Rate in the New Project
dialog box when you create a 24p PAL film project. (It is not needed
for a 25p PAL project because there is no film speedup during the
transfer.) It is important to keep the audio transfer rate constant for the
project. However, if there is a specific element that you need to capture
at a different rate, you can use the Film and 24p Settings dialog box to
change the rate. The following options are available:
-
Film Rate (100%): Select this option when your 24-fps film
footage has been transferred MOS to 25 fps by speeding up the
film, and the audio comes in separately at 100 percent of the actual
speed (PAL Method 2).
-
Video Rate (100%+): Select this option when your 24-fps film
footage has been transferred to 25 fps by speeding up the film, and
the audio is synchronized to the video picture. This means that the
audio speed is increased by 4.1 percent (PAL Method 1).
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For PAL 24p projects, you can mix audio that has been transferred at
4.1 percent speedup (video rate, PAL Method 1) with audio that has
not been transferred (film rate, PAL Method 2). However, Avid does
not recommend this.
n
The Info tab in the Project window allows you to view the audio transfer
rate you selected when you created the project. The actual audio transfer
rate might be different from the display if you used the Film and 24p
Settings dialog box to change the audio transfer rate.
•
Audio Source Tape TC Rate allows you to specify the digital
audiotape (DAT) timecode format: either 30 fps or 29.97 fps (NTSC
only). This timecode format must conform to the timecode format on
your original DAT tapes. This setting is active when capturing audio
only.
This setting does not appear in 23.976p projects.
•
Set Pulldown-to-Timecode Relationship allows you to set a default
pulldown phase for a 24p NTSC project. See “Setting the Pulldown
Switch” on page 101.
Selecting Capture Settings
Capture settings include essential options for capturing, batch capturing,
autocapturing, capturing to multiple media files, and DV scene extraction.
To open the Capture Settings dialog box:
t
Double-click Capture in the Settings scroll list.
For more information on Capture Settings tabs, see “Capture Settings” in
the Help:
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•
Capture settings General tab
•
Capture settings Batch tab
•
Capture settings Edit tab
•
Capture settings Media Files tab
•
Capture settings DV Options tab
Selecting Settings
Creating a GPI Trigger
You can define and save custom general-purpose interface (GPI) settings.
After you create a GPI setting, you can use it repeatedly. For example, you
can create two GPIs: one to start capturing and one to stop capturing.
n
n
To access the GPI Settings dialog box, you must have a V-LAN VLXi (GPI)
connected to your system.
V-LAN VLXi is not compatible with the V-LAN Express single-device
controller. For device connectivity information, refer to your V-LAN
documentation.
To create a GPI trigger:
1. Double-click Deck Configuration in the Setting scroll list.
The Deck Configuration dialog box appears.
2. Click Add Channel.
A Channel dialog box appears.
3. Click the Channel Type pop-up menu, and select VLAN VLX.
4. Click the Port pop-up menu, and select COM1 or COM2.
5. Click OK.
A dialog box appears, asking if you want to automatically configure
the channel now.
6. Click Yes.
The connected GPI is automatically detected and appears in the Deck
Configuration dialog box.
7. Double-click the VLAN VLXi-GT device name in the Deck
The GPI Settings dialog box appears.
8. Select the appropriate settings. For a description of GPI settings
options, see Table 4 on page 82.
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9. Click Add.
The GPI Node Settings dialog box appears. For a description of GPI
node settings options, see Table 5 on page 83.
10. Select the appropriate settings.
11. Click OK.
The GPI Settings dialog box appears.
12. Click OK to set the GPI.
13. Click Apply in the Deck Configuration dialog box.
Table 4
GPI Settings Options
Option
Description
Name
The V-LAN VLXi name appears. Keep the default or type a new name.
Description
(Option) Add a description of the GPI trigger.
Device Type
Select V-LAN, the Avid-supported device type.
Address
Valid addresses on the V-LAN network are 16 through 19. This address must
match the internal V-LAN address.
Pulse Duration
Pulse durations are expressed in milliseconds.
GPI Control Enable
When you deselect this option, you disable the GPI but keep the GPI settings.
This is useful for troubleshooting purposes.
Edit
Click to edit an existing GPI node.
Delete
Click to delete an existing GPI node.
Add
Click to add another GPI node.
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Selecting Settings
Table 5
GPI Node Settings Options
Option
Description
Function
Select a function for a particular node:
•
Capture in (Satellite mode)
•
Play in
•
Cue to first frame
•
Stop in
•
Capture out (Satellite mode)
•
Play out
•
Stop out
Node
Click the Node pop-up menu, and select a Node. The options are node 1 through 6. These
correspond to the physical connectors on the back of the V-LAN VLXi box.
Action
Select an action:
•
Set activates a command.
•
Reset deactivates a command.
•
Pulse switches the state for the amount of time set in Pulse Duration in the GPI Settings
dialog box.
Deleting a GPI Setting
You can delete a GPI setting that you have defined so that it no longer
appears as an option in your GPI Settings dialog box.
To delete a GPI setting:
2. Click the VLXi-GT text box.
3. Select the name of the GPI you want to delete.
4. Click Delete.
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5. Click OK.
6. Click Apply.
The GPI setting is deleted.
Editing an Existing GPI Setting
To edit a GPI setting:
2. Click the VLXi-GT text box.
3. Select the name of the existing GPI you want to edit.
4. Click Edit.
5. Make the applicable changes.
6. Click OK.
7. Click Apply.
The GPI setting is updated.
Configuring Decks
Deck Configuration settings allow you to establish deck control parameters
for a single deck or for multiple decks. As with all settings, you can create
multiple versions, allowing you to select among them for frequent changes
in hardware configurations.
Deck Configuration settings and global Deck Preferences settings appear
as separate items in the Settings scroll list of the Project window.
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Configuring Decks
Deck control settings
n
You must manually configure the appropriate hardware connections before
Deck Configuration settings can take effect. For more information, see the
Using the Avid Adrenaline DNA Installation Instructions for the Windows
XP Operating System or Using the Avid Mojo DNA Installation
Instructions for the Windows XP Operating System.
For more information about Deck Configuration settings, see “Deck
Configuration Settings” in the Help.
85
To configure a deck or multiple decks:
1. Double-click Deck Configuration in the Settings scroll list.
The Deck Configuration dialog box opens.
2. If you are configuring your system for the first time, click Add
Channel to add a new channel box on the left side of the Deck
Configuration dialog box and automatically open the Channel dialog
box.
3. Depending on your system configuration, click the Channel Type
pop-up menu, and select one of the following items:
-
Direct, if you are connecting a deck directly to the serial port
-
FireWire, if you are connecting a deck by means of a FireWire
connection
-
VLAN VLX, if you are controlling decks through a V-LAN/VLXi
connection
4. Click the Port pop-up menu, and select the port to which you are
connecting the deck.
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Configuring Decks
n
If you are not sure which port to select, check the 9-pin serial port
connectors on the back of the system. If the ports are not labeled, see the
hardware documentation supplied with your system.
5. Click OK to close the Channel dialog box.
A dialog box opens asking if you want to automatically configure the
channel now.
6. Click Yes if you want to automatically configure the channel.
A new channel appears in the display area of the Deck Configuration
dialog box, along with the autoconfigured deck.
Channels appear on the left side.
n
Decks appear on the right side.
You can reopen the Channel settings to change the options at any time by
double-clicking the channel box.
7. If you did not autoconfigure the deck, click the channel box to select it.
8. Click Add Deck to open the Deck Settings dialog box.
87
n
n
With a deck already connected to the system, you can click Auto-configure
to bypass the Deck Settings dialog box and automatically configure a deck
with the default settings.
Not all DV devices respond to the Auto-configure command. Due to this
limitation, Auto-configure will select only the generic devices. When a
digital camera is attached to your system, click the Device pop-up menu,
and select the proper device. When a deck with a transcoder is attached,
click the Device pop-up menu, and select the applicable transcoder.
9. Select settings based on your device. For information on Deck settings,
see “Deck Settings Options” on page 89.
10. Click OK to close the Deck Settings dialog box and to return to the
Deck Configuration dialog box.
n
88
You can reopen the Deck Settings dialog box to change the options at any
time by double-clicking the deck box in the Deck Configuration dialog box.
Configuring Decks
11. Repeat steps 1 through 10 for each additional channel or deck you
want to configure.
12. (Option) Select “Verify configuration against actual decks” if you want
the system to check the deck configuration against the devices
physically connected to the system.
The system checks the deck configuration after you click Apply in the
Deck Configuration dialog box and when you start the Avid editing
application. A message warns you if the configuration does not match
the deck.
13. Type a name in the Configuration Name text box to name the deck
configuration. The new deck configuration will appear in the Settings
scroll list.
14. Click Apply to complete the configurations and close the Deck
15. If necessary, double-click Deck Preferences in the Settings scroll list to
adjust global deck preferences.
For more information about Deck Preferences, see “Deck Preferences
Settings” in the Help.
Deck Settings Options
To open the Deck Settings dialog box, do one of the following:
t
Click Add Deck in the Deck Configuration dialog box.
t
In the Deck Controls area of the Capture tool, click the Deck Selection
pop-up menu and select Adjust Deck.
89
t
Double-click the deck box in the Deck Configuration dialog box.
The Deck Settings dialog box opens.
Notes field
Manufacturer
pop-up menu
Model pop-up
menu
Table 6 describes the Deck Settings options.
Table 6
Deck Settings Options
Option
Suboption
Description
Name
—
Type your custom name for the tape deck. The default name matches the
deck type.
Description
—
Enter notes about the deck.
Notes
—
Displays configuration information, supplied by Avid, about the deck
you have selected. Not all decks include this information.
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Configuring Decks
Table 6
Deck Settings Options (Continued)
Option
Suboption
Description
Device
—
Select your model and manufacturer from the pop-up menus. If your DV
device (deck, camera, or transcoder) does not appear in the list, click the
Manufacturer pop-up menu, select Generic, and then click the Model
pop-up menu, and select one of the following:
t DVBasicDevice-NTSC
t DVDevice-NTSC
t DVTranscoder-NTSC
t Edit-Deck-NTSC
t Play-Deck-NTSC
t Capture-Deck-NTSC
Address
—
For VLXi use only (see your VLXi documentation). If you are using
direct serial port deck control, this option is unavailable.
Preroll
—
Specifies how many seconds the tape rolls before a record or digital cut
starts. The default is based on the type of videotape recorder (VTR).
Fast Cue
—
Speeds up long searches if your decks can read timecode in fast forward
or rewind mode. Otherwise, this option is not useful.
Switch to ff/rew
(seconds): n
Select this option if you want the Avid editing application to switch to
fast forward or rewind if the target timecode is beyond the specified
number of seconds from your current location on the tape.
By default, the deck switches to fast forward or rewind to reach a target
timecode that is more than 60 seconds away.
If your deck shuttles very quickly, you can increase this number so the
system uses fast cue only for long searches.
Switch to search
(seconds): n
Select this option if you want the Avid editing application to switch out
of fast forward or rewind when it is within the specified number of
seconds of the target timecode. By default, the system switches to search
mode when it is 60 seconds from the target timecode.
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Deleting Deck Configurations
To delete a deck configuration:
Delete button
2. Click the names of the currently configured channel and deck in the
display area. The entire display area should have a red border.
3. Click Delete.
4. Click Apply to complete the changes and close the dialog box.
Setting Deck Preferences
Deck preferences are global settings for basic deck control. These settings
apply to all decks connected to your system, regardless of your deck
configuration. You can open the Deck Preferences dialog box from the
Settings scroll list.
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Understanding Drop-Frame and Non-Drop-Frame Timecodes
For more information about Deck Preferences, see “Deck Preferences
Settings” in the Help.
Understanding Drop-Frame and Non-Drop-Frame
Timecodes
Timecode is an electronic indexing method that denotes hours, minutes,
seconds, and frames that have elapsed on a videotape. For example, a
timecode of 01:03:30:10 denotes a frame that is marked at 1 hour,
3 minutes, 30 seconds, and 10 frames.
NTSC video (the video format used mainly in the United States) uses one
of two formats: drop-frame timecode and non-drop-frame timecode.
Drop-frame (DF) timecode is designed to match the NTSC scan rate of
29.97 frames per second (fps). Two frames of timecode are dropped every
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minute except for the tenth minute. No video frames are actually dropped.
Drop-frame timecode is indicated by semicolons between the digits; for
example, 01;00;00;00.
Non-drop-frame (NDF) timecode tracks NTSC video at a rate of 30 fps
and is indicated by colons between the digits; for example, 01:00:00:00.
Non-drop-frame timecode can be easier to work with, but does not provide
accurate timing for NTSC broadcast.
For example, a typical 1-hour show uses 52 minutes of video. If your
program ends at 01:52:00:00 (non-drop-frame), and it is broadcast at 29.97
fps, it will last 94 frames too long (approximately 3 seconds). The final
credits could be cut off.
PAL video (the video format used in many countries other than the United
States) uses a scan rate of 25 fps. Timecode is indicated by colons. There is
no need for drop-frame timecode in PAL video.
You set the default timecode format for logging clips in the Deck
Preferences dialog box (see “Setting Deck Preferences” on page 92). You
set the default starting timecode in the General Settings dialog box (see
“General Settings” in the Help). In both cases, you can select drop or
non-drop.
You can change the starting timecode of a sequence or, for NTSC projects,
the type of timecode. See “Changing the Sequence Info” in the Help.
The Capture tool provides controls for cueing, marking, and logging
footage, and specifies capturing parameters such as source and target
locations.
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Opening the Capture Tool
To open the Capture tool:
t
Select Tools > Capture.
Deck Selection
pop-up menu
Setting the Video and Audio Input
The Video and Audio pop-up menus show you the current input settings
for the Video Input tool and the Input tab in the Audio Project Settings
dialog box. The pop-up menus also provide a convenient way to change the
settings if necessary. The choices are as follows:
•
Video input: Composite, Component, S-video, SDI, and DV
Software-only models include: OHCI
95
•
Audio input: XLR (+4dBu), RCA (–10dBu), AES/EBU,
Optical (ADAT), and Optical (S/PDIF)
Software-only models include: Aux, Video, CD Player, Line In,
Microphone, Phone Line, and OHCI
For more information, see “Preparing for Audio Input” on page 113.
n
If you change the settings, the settings in the Video Input tool or in the
Audio Project Settings dialog box change automatically.
Selecting Video Input
To select video input:
t
The following video input is already selected:
-
Composite
-
Component
-
S-Video
-
SDI
-
DV
-
OHCI (software-only models)
Selecting Audio Input
To select audio input:
t
96
Click the Audio pop-up menu, and select one of the following:
-
XLR (+4dBu)
-
RCA (–10dBu)
-
AES/EBU
-
Optical (ADAT)
-
Optical (S/PDIF)
-
OHCI (software-only models)
-
CD Player (software-only models)
-
Line In (software-only models)
-
Microphone (software-only models)
-
Phone Line (software-only models)
Selecting a Deck
The Deck Selection pop-up menu in the Capture tool contains a list of
decks or cameras that were connected to the system, powered up, and
initialized when you entered Capture mode. The first deck or camera in the
list is selected by default, unless all decks or cameras are offline.
The Deck Selection pop-up menu also lists three commands:
•
Adjust Deck opens the Deck Settings dialog box. Changes you make
apply to the selected deck. For information on Deck settings, see
“Deck Settings Options” on page 89.
•
Auto-configure allows you to automatically configure the selected
deck with the default deck settings for that deck.
•
Check Decks helps to reestablish deck control if the power to your
decks was turned off or the decks were disconnected when you first
entered Capture mode.
If the words “No Deck” appear in the pop-up menu, you need to configure
a deck in the Deck Configuration dialog box. See “Configuring Decks” on
page 84.
If a deck name appears in italics in the pop-up menu, the deck has lost
power or has been disconnected. To reestablish deck control, click the
pop-up menu, and select Check Decks.
n
You must have V-LAN
VLXi hardware to
manage more than one
deck at a time. For
more information on
V-LAN equipment,
contact your Avid sales
representative.
Once deck control has been properly initialized, it will remain active for all
deck controllers throughout the session until you quit the application.
To activate playback from an available deck or camera, do one of the
following:
t
Select the name of a previously configured deck or camera.
t
Select Auto-configure to automatically establish the default deck
settings for a VTR that is currently connected to the system.
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n
Not all DV devices respond to the Auto-configure command. Due to this
limitation, Auto-configure selects only the generic devices. When a digital
camera is attached to your software-only system, click the Deck Selection
pop-up menu, and select the proper device. When a deck with a transcoder
is attached, click the Deck Selection pop-up menu, and select the
applicable deck.
If you forgot to turn on or connect a deck or camera prior to entering
Capture mode:
1. Make sure the deck is connected and the power is turned on.
2. Select Check Decks to reestablish deck control.
Selecting a Tape
To select a source tape:
1. Insert a tape into your deck.
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2. In an NTSC project, play the tape briefly so the system can detect the
timecode format of the tape (drop-frame or non-drop-frame).
Otherwise, the system maintains the timecode format set in the Deck
Preferences dialog box, regardless of the format on the tape, and you
might receive a message indicating a wrong tape.
n
For information on tape
naming conventions,
see “Naming Tapes” on
page 35.
Drop-frame timecode appears in the Timecode indicator with semicolons
between hours, minutes, seconds, and frames. Non-drop-frame timecode
appears with colons. (Drop-frame timecode and non-drop-frame timecode
exist only in NTSC projects.)
3. Provide the system with a tape name in one of the following ways:
t
Select the name of the tape from the list displayed in the Select
Tape dialog box, and click OK.
t
Click New if the tape is not in the list. Type the new name in the
dialog box, and click OK.
Selecting Source Tracks
You can select the tracks to capture from the source tape.
To select only those tracks that you want to capture:
t
Click the Channel Selection buttons in the Capture tool.
The TC (timecode) track is selected by default.
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Channel
Selection
buttons
n
If you are not seeing the source video or hearing source audio in Capture
mode, click the Channel Selection buttons to make sure the correct tracks
have been selected.
To select or deselect all tracks at once:
t
Press and hold the Alt key, and click any Channel Selection button.
Setting the Video and Audio Input
The Video and Audio pop-up menus show you the current input settings
for the Video Input tool and the Input tab in the Audio Project Settings
dialog box. The pop-up menus also provide a convenient way to change the
settings if necessary. The choices are as follows:
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•
Video input: Composite, S-video, Component, SDI, DV
•
Audio input: XLR (+4dBu), RCA (-10dBu), DV, AES/EBU,
S/PDIF, Optical (ADAT), Optical (S/PDIF)
For more information see, “Calibrating for Video Input” on page 136 and
“Adjusting Audio Project Settings” on page 116.
n
If you change the settings in the Capture tool, the settings in the Video
Input tool or in the Audio Project Settings dialog box change
automatically.
Setting the Pulldown Switch
If you are capturing sound created during an NTSC film-to-tape transfer,
you need to set the pulldown switch before you begin capturing. If you are
capturing picture only, you do not need to set the switch.
The Pulldown button does not appear in Capture tool for all projects. The
Pulldown button appears only in film projects.
n
Make sure your film preferences are set properly. For more information,
see “Transfer Settings for Film Projects” on page 78.
To set the pulldown switch:
t
Click the Pulldown button in the Capture tool.
When the pulldown switch is off, the button is dimmed (gray), and a label
explains that audio will be captured (sampled) at the same speed at which
it was recorded (1.00).
Pulldown button
When the pulldown switch is on, the button is green, and a label explains
that audio will be captured (sampled) at 0.99 percent of its recorded speed
(referenced to NTSC video), to match the slowdown rate at which the
footage was transferred.
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Film Project Pulldown and Transfer Settings
Table 7 indicates how the pulldown switch and transfer settings should be
set, depending on your input media.
Table 7
Film Project Pulldown and Transfer Settings
Project —
Pulldown
New Project Switch
Dialog Box Setting
Source
Playback
Speed
Film to Video Transfer
Settings (Set in Film
Settings Dialog Box)
Original sound source synced
to NTSC during transfera.
24p NTSC
On (0.99)
29.97 fps
Picture Transfer Rate:
With 2:3 pulldown
NTSC MOS film-to-tape
transfer with separate audio.
Digital audio (DAT) or analog
audio (Nagra) to sync with
video in the Avid systemb.
24p NTSC
Off (1.00)
Audio:
30.00 fps
FTFT transfer or retransferring 24p NTSC
an effect. This method allows
you to save time since no audio
is involved in the transfer.
NAc
29.97 fps
Without pulldown
PAL film-to-tape transfer with
synced sound or simul-DAT
tapes.
24p PAL
(Method 1)
Off (1.00)
Audio and
picture both
25 fps
(100%+)
Picture Transfer Rate: NA
Audio Transfer Rate:
Video Rate
PAL MOS film-to-tape transfer 24p PAL
(Method 2)
with separate audio. Digital
audio (DAT) or analog audio
(Nagra) to sync with video in
the Avid system.
Off (1.00)
Audio:
25 fps (100%) Audio Transfer Rate:
Film Rate
Picture:
25 fps
PAL film-to-tape transfer with
synced sound or simul-DAT
tapes.
Off (1.00)
Sound and
picture at
25 fps
Type of Input Media
25p
With 2:3 pulldown
Audio Source Tape TC
Picture: 29.97
Rate: 30.00
fps
a. For capturing picture and sound from NTSC tape, or sound only from simul-DAT tapes created during telecine
transfer.
b. For direct input of audio. Digital audio requires proper AES/EBU or S/PDIF connections.
c. NA = Not applicable.
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If you are capturing audio only, make sure to select the proper audio setup
options. For more information, see “Establishing Sync for Audio-Only
Input” on page 115 and “Adjusting Audio Project Settings” on page 116.
If you have set a digital sync mode in the Audio Project Settings dialog
box, the Pulldown button is inactive and a message states that the Pulldown
button has no effect.
Selecting a Resolution in the Capture Tool
Click the Capture tool Resolution (Res) pop-up menu, and select a video
resolution. Depending on the video format of your project, your selections
vary. See Table 1 on page 26 for a complete list of resolutions.
Bin pop-up
menu
Resolution
pop-up
menu
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To select a resolution in the Capture tool:
You can set the
resolution used for
capturing in the
Capture tool or in the
Media Creation dialog
box, accessed through
the Settings scroll list.
t
Click the Res (Resolution) pop-up menu, and make a selection.
The Resolution list contains a list of the available resolutions, depending
on the model of your Avid editing application. For 25-fps and 30-fps
projects, the list shows single-field and two-field interlaced resolutions and
DV resolutions. For 24p and 25p projects, the list shows progressive,
full-frame resolutions. Select 1:1 for uncompressed media.
Selecting a Format in the Capture Tool
You can select either OMF® or MXF format used for capturing in the
Capture tool or in the Media Creation dialog box, accessed through the
Settings scroll list. See “Setting Media Creation Resolutions and Selecting
Drives” on page 152. For information on OMF and MXF, see “File Format
Specifications” in the Help.
Selecting a Draft Resolution for DV Media
Your Avid editing application also allows you to capture DV media via
FireWire, and have it transcoded to a draft resolution before it is written to
disk. This is helpful if you need to reduce storage requirements (the draft
resolution takes much less storage space).
To select the draft resolution in the Capture tool while capturing DV
media:
t
Click the Res (Resolution) pop-up menu, and select 15:1s. For film
projects select 28:1p.
Selecting a Target Bin
You select a target bin as the destination for the master clips created when
you capture on-the-fly. You can also select a target bin containing the
logged clips you will use to batch capture your media.
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To select a target bin, do one of the following:
t
Click the Bin pop-up menu in the Capture tool, and select an open bin
(only open bins appear in the Bin pop-up menu).
t
Activate a previously created bin by selecting File > Open Bin; then
locate and open the bin in the Open Bin dialog box.
t
Create a new bin by selecting File > New Bin and then naming and
opening the new bin in the New Bin dialog box.
Selecting the Target Drives
To target drives for the captured media:
1. Make sure you are in Capture mode. If the Capture tool is in Log
mode, click the CAP/LOG Mode button to return to Capture mode
(that is, the CAP icon appears.)
2. Decide whether to capture audio and video to a single drive or to
separate drives.
3. Select the specific drives from the pop-up menus.
Targeting a Single Drive
By default, the Capture tool targets a single media drive for capturing the
audio and video for each clip. Use this option when playback performance
is not an issue.
To target a single drive:
2. Click the Single/Dual Drives Mode button in the Capture tool until it
displays the Single Drive icon.
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Target Drive
pop-up menu
Single/Dual Drives
Mode button
3. Click the Target Drive pop-up menu, and select a drive.
The name shown in bold in the menu has the most storage available. The
time remaining is calculated based on your resolution selection.
Targeting Separate Drives for Audio and Video
Targeting separate drives for audio and video tracks can improve
performance because the system is not required to address all the
information in separate locations on a single drive. You can also capture
for the longest continuous amount of time because the system stores
material on two drives rather than one.
To target separate drives for audio and video:
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2. Click the Single/Dual Drives Mode button in the Capture tool until it
displays the Dual Drives icon.
Target Drive
pop-up menu
Single/Dual Drives
Mode button
Timeremaining
3. Click the Target Drive pop-up menu, and select separate drives for
audio and video.
The names shown in bold in the menus have the most storage available.
The time remaining on each selected drive is calculated based on your
resolution selection.
Interpreting the Time Remaining Display
You can interpret the numbers in the time remaining display in the Capture
tool based on the following factors:
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n
•
Each captured clip is limited by the Avid editing system to a maximum
file size of 2 GB. Any clip whose size exceeds 2 GB will have more
than one media file associated with it.
•
When adequate space exists on the selected drive, the time remaining
displayed in the Capture tool is based on 2 GB per clip at the selected
resolution. This number reappears for each clip captured, as long as
there is adequate drive space.
•
When you select another resolution, the time remaining display adjusts
accordingly.
•
When the storage space on the selected drive is less than 2 GB, the
time remaining begins to decrease for each clip captured until the drive
is full.
When you start capturing, the time remaining display changes to show the
file size of the clip being captured, based on the IN and OUT points or on
the settings in the Media Files tab of the Capture Settings dialog box.
Capturing to Multiple Media Files
You can capture video and audio to multiple media files across multiple
drives, with the following advantages:
•
You can create longer clips whose media files would otherwise exceed
the file size limitation of 2 GB.
•
You can group all drives with the multiple file options, enabling the
system to capture long clips continuously; for example, satellite feeds.
•
The system makes more efficient use of drive space, particularly when
capturing long clips.
To captured video or audio to multiple media files:
2. Click the Media Files tab.
3. Select “Capture to multiple files.”
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4. Accept the default or type a different time limit in the “Maximum
(default) capture time” text box.
c
If you think that any of your captured clips might exceed 30 minutes,
make sure you enter a higher estimate in this text box; otherwise, the
system stops capturing at 30 minutes.
5. Click OK to close the dialog box and apply the options.
Target Drive
pop-up menu
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7. To capture to multiple files across drives, click the Target Drive pop-up
menu, and select Change Group.
The Drive Group dialog box opens.
8. Ctrl+click multiple drives to include in the capturing session, or click
All to select all drives.
n
If you click Clear, all selections are removed. You must select at least one
drive before you can click OK to close the dialog box.
9. Click OK to close the dialog box and apply the changes.
10. Proceed with capturing.
c
110
For media file management purposes, any clip whose media exceeds
the 2-GB limit will have more than one media file associated with it.
When you view the Timeline for the clip loaded in the Source/Record
or pop-up monitor, you will also notice edit breaks based on the
separate media files. The breaks do not appear in the Timeline for the
sequence in the Source/Record monitor.
Selecting the Preroll Method
The Preroll Method pop-up menu in the Capture Settings dialog box
includes the following four methods that help you capture more efficiently
when a source tape contains timecode breaks:
•
Best Available: The Avid editing application first checks the tape for
timecode to use for preroll.
-
If there is no timecode, or not enough timecode, the system uses
the control track for preroll.
-
If there is not enough control track for preroll, the system adjusts
the specified preroll time to accommodate the amount of valid
control track available.
After the system adjusts the preroll to the individual shot, it will
return to using the user-specified preroll time until it needs to
adjust the time again.
-
If the adjusted preroll time is too short to sync lock at the IN point,
the system does not capture the shot and displays an error
message.
Use this method to capture material as automatically as possible. As
the system makes multiple attempts to preroll, this method might
sometimes be slower but will almost always perform the preroll
without interruption.
•
Standard Timecode: The Avid editing application uses timecode to
determine the preroll point.
If there is a not enough consecutive timecode (for example, if there is a
break in the timecode), the system does not capture the shot and
displays an error message.
Use this method if you know the timecode is consecutive or if you
want to determine if there are timecode breaks.
•
Best Available Control Track: The Avid editing application uses the
control track to determine the preroll point.
-
If there is not enough control track for preroll, the system adjusts
the specified preroll time to accommodate the amount of valid
control track available.
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After the system adjusts the preroll to the individual shot, it will
return to using the user-specified preroll time until it needs to
adjust the time again.
-
If the adjusted preroll time is too short to sync lock at the IN point,
the system does not capture the shot and displays an error
message.
Use this method if you know there are timecode breaks and want to
capture material as automatically as possible. Because the system does
not use timecode, it might occasionally capture the wrong frames if
there is a problem with the control track.
•
Standard Control Track: The Avid editing application uses the
control track to determine the preroll point.
If there is a break in the control track, the system stops capturing and
displays an error message.
Use this method if you know the control track is continuous or if you
want to determine if there are breaks in the control track.
To set the preroll method:
2. Click the Preroll Method pop-up menu, and select a method.
3. Click OK to close the dialog box and apply the options.
Capturing Across Timecode Breaks
For a complete
description of
procedures for locating
and changing settings,
see “Using the Settings
Scroll List” in the Help.
n
112
To capture across timecode breaks:
t
Select the preroll method and select “Capture across timecode breaks.”
See “Selecting the Preroll Method” on page 111 and “Capture settings
General tab” on page 80.
If you do not select this option, the system uses approximately 1 to
6 seconds of unbroken timecode following the break to perform the preroll
before capturing begins.
This option is especially useful when you are batch capturing across
timecode breaks, but you can also select this option when you are manually
capturing one clip at a time.
Avid editing systems support direct input of four channels of audio. Source
track assignments are mapped directly to audio tracks in the captured clips.
For example, when you capture source footage with audio channels 1 to 3,
the resulting master clip has matching audio tracks 1 to 3.
Software-only models support a direct input of four channels of audio only
when a digital camera or digital deck is connected via FireWire and the
audio sample rate is set to 32 kHz. If a digital camera or digital deck is not
connected and the audio sample rate is not set to 32 kHz, the system
supports input of two channels of audio. Source track assignments are
mapped directly to audio tracks in the captured clips.
Selecting the Audio File Format
AIFF-C and WAVE audio media files can be mixed within a project. The
system default is OMF (WAVE) audio.
n
Select the AIFF-C format for all audio media when you need to transfer
media files directly to a Pro Tools® system for audio sweetening.
Audio is written in the selected file format when you:
•
Capture audio tracks in Capture mode.
•
Create tone media by using the Audio tool.
•
Mix down audio tracks by using the Audio Mixdown tool.
•
Import files by using the Import dialog box.
•
Apply an AudioSuite™ plug-in that creates new source audio.
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If you switch the audio format in the middle of a project, all new audio
media files are written in the new format with the following exceptions:
•
Media files written when rendering audio effects: The system uses
the file type of the A-side (outgoing audio) media for a transition. For
example, if the A-side of an audio dissolve is in OMF (AIFF-C) format
and the B-side (incoming audio) is in OMF (WAVE) format, the
rendered file is OMF (AIFF-C).
•
Audio media files written when using the Consolidate feature:
Media files that are copied or created during a consolidate procedure
retain their original file types.
To select the audio file format:
1. Double-click Audio Project in the Settings scroll list.
The Audio Project Settings dialog box opens.
2. Click the Main tab.
3. Click the Audio File Format pop-up menu, and select OMF (WAVE) or
OMF (AIFF-C).
4. Close the Audio Project Settings dialog box.
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Establishing Sync for Audio-Only Input
When you capture audio with video, the video input always generates sync
for both.
When you capture audio only, sync for the input signal can come from
several sources:
•
c
Analog audio input: If you are capturing audio-only from an analog
source, sync is generated from a black burst generator or house sync
source when it is connected to REF IN on the Adrenaline DNA. If
there is no reference connected, sync is generated from internal timing.
If you need to synchronize audio with video clips captured on separate
devices in the field, Avid recommends that you connect video reference
to REF IN on the Adrenaline DNA for sync. Otherwise, you might
experience drifting of the audio during editing. For more information
on connecting a reference signal, see the Using the Avid Adrenaline
DNA Installation Instructions for the Windows XP Operating System.
•
Digital audio input: If you are capturing audio from a digital source,
for example, a DAT capture, you should establish sync from the digital
source. For more information, see “Checking for a Valid Digital Sync
Signal” on page 115 and “Adjusting Audio Project Settings” on
page 116.
Checking for a Valid Digital Sync Signal
If you are capturing audio-only input from a digital source such as a DAT
deck, the four-channel audio converter is limited to acquiring a digital sync
signal from channels 1 and 2.
c
Channels 1 and 2 are often the first choice for input of a signal that
provides digital sync. If you want to input audio from channels 3 and
4, however, you must have a valid digital signal coming in on either
channel 1 or channel 2.
115
Check for a valid digital sync signal as follows:
•
If the yellow indicator light labeled DIGITAL on the audio converter
shines steadily during input, the system is receiving a valid digital sync
signal.
•
If the yellow indicator light blinks during input, the system is not
receiving a valid sync signal. Make sure you have a digital sync signal
source properly connected to channel 1 or channel 2.
The effects of capturing audio without a valid digital sync source can
include random noise, silence, or a jittering effect in the audio when it is
played back.
Adjusting Audio Project Settings
You can use the Audio Project Settings dialog box to check the current
configuration of audio hardware and to select various input and output
options. The Audio Project Settings dialog box has four tabs: Main, Input,
Output, and Hardware.
n
Some options depend on the audio configuration of your system, so your
system might not contain certain features and hardware that are covered in
the documentation.
To open the Audio Project Settings dialog box:
t
Double-click Audio Project in the Settings scroll list.
For more information about options in the following tabs, see “Audio
Project Settings” in the Help:
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•
Audio Project Settings Options: Main Tab
•
Audio Project Settings Options: Input Tab
•
Audio Project Settings Options: Output Tab
•
Audio Project Settings Options: Hardware Tab
Configuring the Sound Card
Depending on the sound card installed on your Avid system, you might
need to customize the configuration of audio input and audio output.
Usually this configuration occurs automatically when you install the Avid
application. Some sound cards, however, require further customization to
ensure full compatibility between the application and the audio hardware
on your system. In these cases, you can use the Sound Card Configuration
dialog box to map audio input sources to specific audio output sources.
c
n
Improper configuration of your audio hardware can cause the audio
input and output features of the Avid application to function
incorrectly. Use the Sound Card Configuration dialog box only if you
experience problems with your audio output.
Configuring your sound card to ensure compatibility is necessary only if
your Avid application is a software-only model using the Windows
operating system. If Sound Card Configuration does not appear in the
Settings scroll list, you do not have to configure your sound card.
To customize the sound card configuration:
1. In the Project window, click the Settings tab.
The Settings scroll list appears.
2. Double-click Sound Card Configuration.
The Sound Card Configuration dialog box opens.
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Record/Input list
Playback/Output list
Input sources
Output Source
pop-up menus
Default button
Audio device
name
3. For each input source in the Record/Input list that you want to map,
click the matching Output Source pop-up menu from the
Playback/Output list and select an output source.
n
You can map an input source to only one output source at a time. The
options available for mapping depend on your audio hardware.
4. (Option) If you do not want an input source mapped to an output
source, select <No Match> from the corresponding Output Source
pop-up menu. You might need to do this, for example, if your system
lists more input sources than output sources.
5. Click OK.
To reconfigure the sound card to the original application settings:
t
c
118
Click the Default button.
Clicking the Default button applies the default settings immediately.
You cannot cancel the reconfiguration once you reset the default
options.
Using the Audio Tool
Use the Audio tool primarily for mixing and monitoring audio.
The Audio tool, along with your hardware’s audio parameters, allows you
to do the following in preparation for input:
•
Check and manage your audio hardware setup.
•
Set audio levels before capturing.
In addition, controls in the Audio tool allow you to calibrate, set levels, and
generate customized calibration tones for output to the speakers or a
capture device. For information about other options in the Audio tool, see
“Calibrating for Audio Output” on page 236.
To open the Audio tool, do one of the following:
Audio Tool
button
t
Select Tools > Audio Tool.
t
Click the Audio Tool button in the Capture tool.
The Audio tool opens and displays meters for two to eight channels,
depending on the configuration of your system.
Reset Peak
button
Peak Hold Menu button
In/Out toggle buttons
Digital scale
(fixed)
Volume unit scale
(adjustable)
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Table 8 describes the components in the Audio tool.
Table 8
Audio Tool Components
Component
Description
Reset Peak button
Resets the current maximum peak measurements. It also stops the playback of
the internal calibration tone.
Switch the meter displays for each channel between input levels from a source
device and output levels to the speakers and record devices. I indicates Input,
and O indicates Output.
Displays a pop-up menu that allows you to select options for customizing the
meter displays and for setting and playing back the internal calibration tone.
Digital scale to the left of
the meters
Displays a fixed range of values from 0 to –90 decibels (dB), according to
common digital peak meter standards.
Displays a range of values that you can conform to the headroom parameters of
Volume unit (VU) scale
(analog) to the right of the your source audio.
meters
Meters
Dynamically track audio levels for each channel as follows:
•
Meters show green below the target reference level (default reference level
is –20 dB on the digital scale).
•
Meters show yellow for the normal headroom range, above the reference
level to approximately –3 dB.
•
Meters show red for peaks approaching overload, between –3 dB and
0 (zero) dB.
•
Thin green lines at the bottom indicate signals below the display range.
Resizing the Audio Tool
To resize the Audio tool:
t
120
Click the lower right corner, and drag it to resize.
Adjusting the Reference Level
The VU scale to the right of the meters in the Audio tool is a sliding scale
relative to the fixed digital scale displayed on the left. You can adjust the
VU scale up or down based on the headroom parameters of your playback
devices.
To customize the VU scale:
1. Click the Peak Hold pop-up menu, and select Set Reference Level.
The Set Reference Level dialog box opens.
2. Type the new value for the reference level (–12, for example), and
click OK.
3. Click the Peak Hold pop-up menu, and select Calibrate.
The VU scale slides to match the new reference level, which is
displayed on the digital scale.
n
n
You must recalibrate the audio I/O device when you adjust the reference
level. For more information, see “Calibrating Input Channels for the Audio
I/O Device” on page 126.
If the reference level doesn’t match the hardware calibration setting, the
0 VU entry displays in red on the Audio tool.
Selecting a Peak Hold Option
The Peak Hold pop-up menu in the Audio tool provides two options for
displaying peak levels in the meters, as follows:
•
When you select Peak Hold, the meters display a normal rising and
falling volume trail in the meters. This is the default option.
•
When you select Infinite Hold, each meter permanently retains a single
bar at the peak volume level measured during playback. The bar
continues to rise and hold with each new peak.
To enable either Peak Hold or Infinite Hold:
t
Click the Peak Hold button in the Audio tool, and select an option from
the pop-up menu.
121
To delete the peaks and start over at any time:
t
Click the Reset Peak button in the Audio tool.
Adjusting Audio Input Levels
You can use the Audio tool and the Audio Project Settings dialog box to
check the audio input levels. If the input levels are too high or too low, you
need to adjust the output level of your source signal, if possible.
Before you capture, make sure the audio I/O device is properly calibrated.
See “Calibrating Input Channels for the Audio I/O Device” on page 126.
Depending on your audio hardware configuration, you can use one of the
following methods to adjust audio levels.
To check and adjust input levels using an audio input device:
1. Click the In/Out toggle buttons in the Audio tool for the channels that
you will use for input. The Audio tool displays an I for Input.
2. Play back the source audio (from a videotape or DAT, for example). If
the capturing includes reference tone, cue to the tone and play it back.
3. Adjust the output on the playback device so the device’s volume meter
shows the appropriate level for the reference signal in the Audio tool
(0 VU for videotape playback, for example). You can adjust the output
by using a deck that supports output gain or by sending the signal
through a mixing console.
122
To adjust global audio input levels using the Audio Project Settings
dialog box:
1. Click the In/Out toggle buttons in the Audio tool for the channels that
you will use for input. The Audio tool displays an I for Input.
2. Play back the source audio (from a digital camera or videotape, for
example). If the capturing includes reference tone, cue to the tone and
play it back.
4. Click the Input tab.
The Input tab displays an Input Level slider.
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Input Level slider
5. Click the slider and drag it to raise or lower the audio input level.
6. (Option) If you want extra gain, do the following:
a. Click the slider and drag it toward the bottom of the Input Gain
control.
b. Select the +20 dB Gain check box.
c. Adjust the volume on the Input Level meter.
Creating Tone Media
To create tone media:
1. Open a bin.
2. Click the Peak Hold pop-up menu, and select Create Tone Media.
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Peak Hold pop-up menu
The Create Tone Media dialog box opens.
3. Set the appropriate calibration tone parameters in the dialog box. You
can also use the default output tone of –20 dB (digital scale) with a
1000-Hz signal.
4. Click the pop-up menus, and select a target bin for the tone master clip
and a target drive for the tone media.
5. Click OK.
After a few seconds, a master clip appears in the target bin. The default
name reflects the options you selected. You can rename the clip by typing a
new name.
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Calibrating Input Channels for the Audio I/O Device
You can use the calibration features of the Audio tool to fine-tune the input
and output channels of the audio I/O device. These adjustments should be
made when you first install the system and repeated occasionally thereafter
(for example, once a month).
To calibrate input channels for the audio I/O device:
1. Connect a sine wave generator that can produce a 1-kHz tone, +4 dBu
@ 0 VU to channel 1 of the audio I/O device.
2. Send a 1-kHz tone into channel 1 of the audio I/O device.
3. In the Audio tool, click the In/Out toggle buttons for channel 1 to
display I for input.
You should see a level in the meter display.
The Audio tool changes to Calibrate mode: the scales display a range
of approximately 2 dB, and the meters indicate levels within this
range.
Peak Hold
Menu button
Indicates the hardware
calibration value set in
the Hardware tab in
the Audio Project
The Volume Unit scale
varies, displaying a custom
reference level setting,
+1 dB above and –1 dB
below.
5. Adjust the channel 1 input level by inserting a screwdriver into the trim
pot on the audio I/O device and turning it until the Audio tool’s
on-screen meter reaches 0 VU.
The input channel is now calibrated.
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6. Repeat this procedure for each input channel of the audio I/O device.
To return to the default Audio tool display:
t
Click the Peak Hold pop-up menu, and select Calibrate.
Calibrating Output Channels for the Audio I/O Device
If the input channels of the audio I/O device are correctly calibrated for
reference, you can use the input channels to calibrate the output channels.
To calibrate output channels for the audio I/O device:
1. Make sure the audio I/O device is properly calibrated for input (see
“Calibrating Input Channels for the Audio I/O Device” on page 126).
2. Connect two output channels to two different input channels. For
example, connect output channels 1 and 2 to input channels 3 and 4.
3. Click the Peak Hold pop-up menu, and select Set Calibration Tone.
The Set Calibration Tone dialog box opens.
4. In the Calibration tone level text box, type the system reference level
(for example, –14), and click OK.
5. Click the In/Out toggle buttons to display I for the channels you are
using for input, for example, 3 and 4. Click the In/Out toggle buttons
to display O for the channels you are calibrating, for example, 1 and 2.
7. Click the Peak Hold pop-up menu, and select Play Calibration Tone.
8. Adjust the trim pots on the output channels (1 and 2) to 0 VU, using
the meters of the input channels (3 and 4) as your guide.
Repeat this procedure for each channel.
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Using the Passthrough Mix Tool
The Passthrough Mix tool allows you to select the mix and adjust the
volume and pan values of the source audio that you monitor. You can
adjust the mix, volume, and pan values of multiple-monitored channels,
controlling either individual channels manually or several channels
simultaneously by ganging them together.
n
The Passthrough Mix tool adjusts monitored audio only and has no effect
on the captured audio signal. You can adjust volume levels within a clip in
the Timeline after you capture audio by using Audio Gain Automation. For
information, see “Using Audio Gain Automation” in the Help.
To open the Passthrough Mix tool:
3. Click the Passthrough Mix Tool button.
The Passthrough Mix tool opens.
Input Mix Mode
button
Number of Mix Panes
button
Channel Selection
button
Stereo Mix Tracks pop-up menu
Which Set of Tracks to Display
in Mix Panes button
Volume Level display
Gang button
Volume Level slider
Pan Value display
and pop-up slider
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n
You can open the Passthrough Mix tool by clicking the Passthrough Mix
Tool button in the Capture tool or the Audio Punch-In tool. For more
information, see “Capturing Voice-Over Narration” in the Help.
For information on using the Passthrough Mix tool, see “Resizing the
Passthrough Mix Tool” on page 129 and “Monitoring Audio with the
Passthrough Mix Tool” on page 129.
Resizing the Passthrough Mix Tool
You can use the Number of Mix Panes button to change the display from
4 tracks to 8 tracks. When you select 4 tracks, a button appears that allows
you to display the first 4 or last 4 enabled tracks.
With the tool collapsed, you can continue to adjust levels by selecting a
track and typing values by using the numeric keypad on the keyboard, or
by typing a value in the Volume Level display.
Monitoring Audio with the Passthrough Mix Tool
When you capture, you can monitor the mix, volume, and pan values of
audio channels with the Passthrough Mix tool.
n
The Passthrough Mix tool adjusts monitored audio only and has no effect
on the captured audio signal.
To adjust audio in the Passthrough Mix tool:
3. Click the Passthrough Mix Tool button.
The Passthrough Mix tool opens.
4. Switch the Input Mix Mode button to select a type of input:
-
Select Stereo Mix to mix audio channels to a stereo pair. Use the
Stereo Mix Tracks pop-up menu to specify which stereo pair to
use.
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-
n
Select Direct Mix to send the input signal to its corresponding
output channel.
In Direct Mix mode, the Pan Value display and pop-up sliders at the bottom
of the Passthrough Mix tool are replaced by Channel Menu buttons.
5. Select the audio channel to be adjusted by doing one of the following:
n
t
Click the Channel Selection button for the appropriate audio
channel.
t
In Direct Out mode, click the Channel Menu button, and select a
channel from the pop-up menu.
You can select only channels that exist in the source audio.
6. Adjust the volume as needed. You can adjust the volume of multiple
channels by clicking the appropriate Gang button. See “Changing an
Audio Level in the Passthrough Mix Tool” on page 130.
7. Adjust the pan values as needed. See “Adjusting Pan Values in the
Passthrough Mix Tool” on page 131.
Changing an Audio Level in the Passthrough Mix Tool
The following illustration shows the audio panel in the Passthrough Mix
tool.
Volume Level display
Gang button
Volume Level slider
Pan Value display
Pop-up slider
130
To change an audio level value in the audio panel in the Passthrough
Mix tool, do one of the following:
t
Click a number along the vertical edge of the Volume Level slider.
t
Click the Volume Level slider, and type a value.
Values are cumulative until you press Enter. For example, if you want
to enter the value 12, type it. However, if you type 1 and then want to
change the value to 2, press Enter before you type the 2.
t
Click the Volume Level slider, and drag the slider to a new position.
t
Click the Volume Level display, and type a value.
t
Alt+click the Volume Level slider to reset the value to 0 dB.
Adjusting Pan Values in the Passthrough Mix Tool
To adjust the pan values in the audio panel of the Passthrough Mix
tool, do one of the following:
Pan Value
display
t
Click the Pan Value display to reveal the pop-up slider, and then drag
the slider to a new position.
t
Alt+click the Pan Value display for MID.
Slider
The Audio meters in the Timeline allow you to view and adjust audio
levels without opening the Audio tool. The Audio meter displays two
channels of audio.
131
To display the Audio meters in the Timeline:
t
Click the Meter Menu button, and select Show Audio Meters.
The Audio meters display in the Timeline.
Meter Menu button
Master Volume button
Tracks
In/Out
toggle buttons
When a sequence is in the Timeline and you press the Play button, the
Audio meter displays the audio levels of the audio tracks in your
sequence.
n
When the Audio meter is hidden, extra mappable buttons are available. For
more information on mapping buttons, see “Mapping User-Selectable
Buttons” in the Help.
Using the Meter Menu
The Meter menu options are the same options as available in the Audio
tool (see Table 9.
n
For more information on these options, see “Using the Audio Tool” on
page 119.
Table 9
132
Audio Meter Menu Options
Option
Description
Hide Audio Meters/Show Audio
Meters
Displays or hides the Audio meters in the
Timeline.
Table 9
Audio Meter Menu Options (Continued)
Option
Description
Peak Hold
Keeps the highest meter value displayed in
the meters for a short duration after the
highest value is hit.
Infinite Hold
Keeps the highest meter value displayed in
the meters infinitely.
Reset Peaks
Clears the meters of any values.
Set Reference Level
Opens the Set Reference Level dialog box.
Allows you to change the default audio
reference level.
Set Calibration Tone
Opens the Set Calibration Tone dialog box.
Allows you to select the tone frequency to
play.
Play Calibration Tone
Plays the calibration tone. Click anywhere
in the Timeline to stop the calibration tone.
Create Tone Media
Opens the Create Tone Media dialog box.
Channels 1&2a
Displays tracks 1 and 2.
Channels 3&4a
Displays tracks 3 and 4.
a. If your project is set to a 32-kHz sample rate and you have a DV device
connected, you can have four channels of audio. The Audio meter in the
Timeline can display only two channels at a time. You can select which two to
display; Channels 1&2 or Channels 3&4.
Adjusting Volume Control
Avid editing systems allow you to adjust your speaker or headphone
volume without leaving the application. In earlier releases, you had to
adjust the speaker or headphone volume from the Windows desktop.
133
To adjust the volume control:
1. From the Timeline, click and hold the Master Volume button.
Master Volume button
Audio Meter Menu button
If you do not see the Master Volume button, click the Audio Meter
Menu button, and then select Show Audio Meters. The Master Volume
button is displayed with the Audio meters.
The Volume Control slider appears.
2. Continue to click and hold, and drag the volume control to the audio
level you prefer.
3. Release the mouse button.
n
Adjusting the volume control affects the volume only while you are in the
Avid editing application. Once you quit the application, the volume control
defaults to how it was set on your desktop.
To mute volume
t
From the Timeline, click the Master Volume button.
A line appears through the button, and no audio is heard through your
speakers or headphone.
134
Using the Console Window to Check Audio Levels
Once you have played back audio through the Audio tool, you can use the
Console window to view a list of precise information about the peak levels.
To check peak levels in the Console window:
1. Select Tools > Audio Tool.
The Audio tool opens.
Reset Peak
button
2. Click the Reset Peak button to clear the system’s capture of the most
recent maximum peaks.
3. Play a sequence or portion of the sequence.
4. After playing back the audio, open the Console window by selecting
Tools > Console.
135
5. In the Console command line, type DumpMaxPeaks.
Console command line
6. Press Enter.
A list of peak values appears in the Console window.
You should calibrate the input levels for each videotape when you capture
to ensure continuity of picture quality between tapes. The following
sections provide essential information for input calibration:
n
136
•
Manually Calibrating for Video Input
•
Time-Base Correctors
•
Saving Video Input Settings
•
Saving a Custom Default Setting for the Video Input Tool
•
Adjusting Video Levels Without Color Bars
If you are capturing digital video from a D1, D5, or digital Betacam VTR,
you cannot adjust levels by using the video input controls in the Avid
editing application. If you plan to make adjustments at the source deck,
information in this section regarding the Waveform and Vectorscope
monitors might be useful. Otherwise, you can proceed to Chapter 4.
n
c
Before you calibrate for video input, check that your monitor is properly
calibrated for displaying footage accurately. For more information, see
your monitor’s hardware documentation.
When recapturing media from an offline project, check video settings
for each tape. Do not rely on saved settings.
Manually Calibrating for Video Input
To manually calibrate for videotape input:
1. Select Tools > Video Input Tool.
The Video Input tool opens.
2. Click the Input pop-up menu, and select the appropriate input channel:
Composite, Component, S-Video, SDI, or DV.
The Video Input tool displays the appropriate parameters for the
selected video format.
n
n
Sync for video input comes from the source you select in the Video Input
tool. The source device must be connected to the Adrenaline DNA or the
Avid Mojo DNA, as described in the Using the Avid Adrenaline DNA
Installation Instructions for the Windows XP Operating System or Using
the Avid Mojo DNA Installation Instructions for the Windows XP
Operating System.
When you capture audio with video, the audio is always synced to the
video source. For information regarding sync during audio-only input, see
“Establishing Sync for Audio-Only Input” on page 115.
3. Cue the tape to the section containing bars and tone (usually the
beginning), and play the tape.
n
Always play the tape when calibrating. Signal display is unstable when the
tape is paused.
137
4. Click the Signal Lock-TV button located below the sliders in the Video
Input tool only if you are capturing from a consumer-grade videotape
deck (such as a home VCR) or a deck that has no built-in time-base
corrector (which includes a number of 3/4-inch U-matic or S-Video
models) and you are having trouble with the incoming video quality.
If clicking the Signal Lock-TV button does not improve the video
quality, Avid recommends that you purchase a time-base corrector
(TBC). Make sure the deck and TBC support the advanced sync
feature. This feature eliminates the one-frame delay that many TBCs
introduce. For more information, see “Limitation When Using
Consumer Decks or Decks Without Time-Base Correctors” on
page 142.
5. Click the 100% Bars button if the source displays 100% bars for
calibration.
n
138
You can distinguish between the two types of bars by checking the
following: in 100% bars, the waveform plot displays fairly even steps in
level from the first bar (white) to the last bar (black); in 75% bars, there is
a larger drop in level from the first bar to the remaining color bars.
6. Open the Waveform monitor by clicking the Waveform Monitor button
in the Video Input tool.
Waveform Monitor button
Line Selector slider
7. Adjust the Line Selector slider located below the Waveform monitor to
display the appropriate line of the test pattern; then adjust the
luminance values based on the settings listed in Table 10.
Table 10
Parameter/
Video Standard
Black level (setup)
Luminance Settings for Video Input
SMPTE Bars
Full-Field Bars at
75% or 100% Signal
Level
Adjust Line Selector slider
to approximately 190
Adjust Line Selector slider to
approximately 150
Adjust Black or Brightness Adjust Black or Brightness
slider to place black level at: slider to place black level at:
139
Table 10
Luminance Settings for Video Input (Continued)
Parameter/
Video Standard
SMPTE Bars
Full-Field Bars at
75% or 100% Signal
Level
Video Standard:
NTSC
NTSC-EIAJ
PAL
7.5 IRE
0.0 IRE
NAa
7.5 IRE
0.0 IRE
0.3 V
Adjust Line Selector slider
to approximately 220
Adjust Line Selector slider to
approximately 150
Adjust Gain/Y Gain slider
to place white level at:
Adjust Gain/Y Gain slider
100 IRE
100 IRE
NAa
100 IRE
100 IRE
1.0 V
White level (gain)
Video Standard:
NTSC
NTSC-EIAJ
PAL
a. NA = Not applicable
140
8. Close the Waveform monitor, and open the Vectorscope monitor by
clicking the Vectorscope Monitor button.
Vectorscope
Monitor button
Line Selector slider
9. Adjust the Line Selector slider to display the signal for color bars at
approximately line 150 (this applies to all formats and all types of
bars).
10. Use the Vectorscope monitor to set chrominance by adjusting the Sat
(saturation) and Hue sliders (Composite or S-Video), or the RY Gain
and BY Gain sliders (Component), until the angle and amplitude of the
six color vectors fall within the target boxes on the Vectorscope
monitor.
n
c
There is no hue adjustment for PAL video.
If you have wrongly selected or deselected the 100% Bars button, the
factory presets for Saturation or RY Gain and BY Gain will be
incorrect. Adjusting these controls in this condition results in
oversaturated or undersaturated video.
141
Time-Base Correctors
This section describes some difficulties you might encounter when
working with consumer video decks and tapes (such as VHS) or decks that
do not provide time-base correction or stabilized timing on their outputs.
Workarounds are described when available.
Capturing from Unstable Time-Base Sources
The Avid Adrenaline DNA subsystem used in Avid editing systems is
optimized for use with modern, broadcast-quality VTRs that contain
time-base correctors. When presented with a stable input, the subsystem
will capture that video by using a high-quality, very-low-jitter clock
reference. However, some sources do not include an internal TBC
(including various S-Video decks or composite VHS, ¾-inch, or Hi8™
decks). In some cases, due either to the deck performance or the deck
performance in conjunction with a particular videotape, the subsystem will
not lock to non-TBC sources. As a result, the image might be unstable or
might have reduced or missing color, or syncing might not be possible at
all.
If you select the Signal Lock-TV button in the Video Input tool, a wider
bandwidth, (more closely tracking time-base) will improve the range of
syncing capability. In this mode, the video input levels will be set by
automatic gain control. Not all of the Video Input tool’s adjustment sliders
will operate, and the video might be slightly softened, but the syncing in
most cases will be more reliable and more stable. The overall image
quality will not be as high as with normal operation.
If you continue to experience difficulty with a source that does not include
an internal TBC, Avid recommends the video signal be processed through
an external TBC for maximum image quality. For more information on
time-base correctors, contact your Avid Reseller.
142
Green Line in VHS Video
Some VHS tape decks do not output the full 240 lines of video normally
included in the VHS format. As a result, after you capture from a device
such as a VCR, a green line might appear at the bottom of the monitors in
Avid editing systems.
This line is at the bottom of the visible area of the picture, and is not seen
in a standard consumer monitor in most cases. If you use the video in a
circumstance in which the line is visible, you can remove it by cropping
the bottom edge of the picture.
n
For more information on cropping, see the Avid Effects Guide or the Help.
Saving Video Input Settings
You can save the settings for an individual tape each time you calibrate
color bars.
For example, you might have one or a series of shots that require color
correction (the shots are dark, too bright, or were not shot with the proper
color balance or filtering). You can make corrections using the Video Input
tool now or at any time during or after editing in order to match shots in the
sequence.
To save the calibration settings for an entire tape:
1. After calibrating the videotape input, click the Video Input Tool
Settings pop-up menu, and select Save As.
The View Name dialog box opens.
143
2. Accept the default name, or type a new name for the settings.
n
If you give the settings the same name as the tape name, Avid editing
applications apply the settings automatically when that tape is loaded into
the deck in the future (for example, when you are recapturing).
3. Click OK.
Whenever you batch capture or recapture, the system recalls the saved
settings as follows:
n
144
•
The system looks for a tape setting. If the setting exists, the system
recalls it.
•
If no matching tape setting exists, the system looks for a setting
labeled “Default” and loads that setting. For information on
customizing this default setting, see “Saving a Custom Default Setting
for the Video Input Tool” on page 145.
•
If no matching tape setting or “Default” setting exists, the Video Input
tool remains in its prior state (with the most recent settings applied
during the session).
Tape settings and the Default setting are Project settings and are available
to the current project only.
Saving a Custom Default Setting for the Video Input Tool
To create a customized default Video Input tool setting:
The Video Input tool opens.
Settings pop-up
menu
2. Adjust the calibration settings as described in “Manually Calibrating
for Video Input” on page 137.
3. Click the Video Input tool Settings pop-up menu, and select Save As.
A dialog box opens.
4. Type Default in the dialog box and click OK. (You must use this
spelling and initial capitalization.)
Whenever you mount a new tape that has no setting, the system will recall
these default settings.
n
Tape settings and the Default setting are Project settings and are available
to the current project only.
145
Adjusting Video Levels Without Color Bars
Color bars are the best way to set the video levels consistently. However, if
you have a tape or series of tapes with no color bars, you might need to
adjust video levels by using the Waveform and Vectorscope monitors.
n
Calibrate your monitor before adjusting video levels by eye.
Table 11 describes the criteria for adjusting video levels by eye, without
color bars.
Table 11
Video Level Adjustment Criteria
Color
Criteria
Blacks
Should not seem flat and lacking detail. Find a series of frames in the footage that include
black areas. Shadows work better than black objects. Blacks should fall around 7.5 IRE
for NTSC, 0 IRE for NTSC-EIAJ, or 0.3 V for PAL in the Waveform monitor.
Whites
Should not be washed out or lacking detail. Find a series of frames in the footage that
include white areas. Bright, well-lit regions work better than white objects. Whites should
peak at around 100 IRE for NTSC-EIAJ or 1.0 V for PAL in the Waveform monitor.
Skin colors
Should be realistic. Find a series of frames in the footage that include skin colors. Skin
colors should fall generally between the target boxes for the red and yellow vectors in the
Vectorscope monitor.
Pure yellows
Should be a rich gold and not reddish or greenish in tone. Find a pure yellow, and adjust
both hue and saturation as necessary.
Chroma
Should not exceed 110 or fall below –120 in the Vectorscope monitor.
Avid editing applications capture video at two image resolutions and at
different screen resolutions, depending on your video format (NTSC or
PAL). The higher the image resolution, the more drive space the file takes
up.
146
Large media files at high resolutions can take up very large amounts of
disk space. When you are selecting an image resolution for your project,
you need to balance your requirements in terms of image quality with your
available disk resources.
You can use lower resolutions when your work does not require very high
image quality (for example, in offline work or in CD-ROM or Web
authoring projects) and higher resolutions when you need excellent image
quality. You can also mix different resolutions within the same project as
long as those resolutions are compatible with one another.
The following sections describe the different resolutions and list their
specifications:
•
Screen Resolution
•
Digital Video Resolutions
•
JFIF Compression and Resolutions
•
-
Compression Groups and Image Quality
-
Video Streams
-
Compression Specifications
-
Mixing Resolutions
Setting Media Creation Resolutions and Selecting Drives
Screen Resolution
The screen resolution for Avid editing systems is different for NTSC and
for PAL:
•
NTSC resolution is 720 x 480 non-square pixels covering all the active
video. This also includes 10 lines of blanking or vertical internal
timecode (VITC) per frame (5 lines per field).
•
PAL resolution is 720 x 576 non-square pixels covering all the active
video. This also includes 16 lines of blanking or VITC per frame
(8 lines per field).
147
Digital Video Resolutions
Avid editing applications use the following digital formats:
•
DV 25 4:1:1 (NTSC and PAL)
•
DV 25 4:2:0 (PAL)
•
DV 50 4:2:2 (NTSC and PAL)
•
MPEG 50 (NTSC and PAL)
JFIF Compression and Resolutions
Avid uses a simple notation — x:1 — to identify the compression
resolutions it supports. The value of x indicates the level of compression
that is applied to the image data. For example, a 3:1 ratio compresses the
original data to one-third of its uncompressed size.
There are two groups of compression resolutions:
•
Single-field (identified by an -s suffix to the ratio notation):
15:1s, 4:1s, 2:1s
•
Two-field:
20:1, 10:1, 3:1, 2:1
Using a lower compression resolution (a lower number to the left of the
colon) when you capture results in better image quality but requires more
disk space to store the captured media. A lower compression resolution
might also require drive striping to keep up with the high volume of data.
For more information, see the following sections:
148
•
•
Video Streams
•
•
Mixing Resolutions
Although it is generally true that a lower compression resolution means
higher image quality, the compression group itself (single-field or
two-field) is also a factor in the quality of the final image.
Single-field resolutions work with smaller amounts of original image data
than two-field resolutions. They use only half the image width of two-field
resolutions, and they use only one of the two fields in the standard video
signal.
For example, there is a 2:1 resolution for both single-field and two-field. In
both cases, the image data is compressed to one-half of its original size.
However, the image quality of these two resolutions is different. The
single-field 2:1 resolution has a lower image quality because it processes
only one-quarter of the original image data used by the two-field 2:1
resolution.
Video Streams
Whenever you have more than one video track, you have two streams of
data (dual streams). Some effects create a second stream. When you render
effects, you combine two streams into one. Two streams demand a
significantly higher throughput than one stream. Sometimes, drive striping
is required to accommodate two streams, even though a single stream at the
same resolution would not require striping.
Table 12 provides information about the resolutions from which you can
select.
The table includes basic information about which resolutions require drive
striping. For more detailed information on drive configuration
requirements for different resolutions, see the documentation for your
drives.
For detailed guidelines on estimating space requirements, see
“Compression Resolutions and Storage Requirements” on page 146.
149
Table 12
Resolution
15:1s
4:1s
2:1s
20:1
10:1
3:1
150
Field Size
(Pixels)
Compression Resolution Specifications
Fields
Per
Frame
Drive Striping
Requirements
Quality
352 x 248 (NTSC) 1
352 x 296 (PAL)
None
Offline
352 x 248 (NTSC) 1
352 x 296 (PAL)
None
352 x 248 (NTSC) 1
352 x 296 (PAL)
2-way striping
720 x 248 (NTSC) 2
720 x 296 (PAL)
None
720 x 248 (NTSC) 2
720 x 296 (PAL)
None
720 x 248 (NTSC) 2
720 x 296 (PAL)
2-way striping
Maximum storage with
enough image detail to make
basic editing decisions (you
can check lip-sync on a
medium shot)
Offline
A good storage resolution
combined with a good offline
image quality
Online
Provides enough detail for
finishing multimedia jobs
such as CD-ROM and Web
authoring
Offline
Useful for mixing storageefficient offline footage with
online-quality resolutions
Offline/Online
A good compromise for
high-quality, two-field offline
or low-quality online that
saves disk space
Online
A medium-quality online
resolution that can sustain
two-stream playback on
2-way striped drives
Table 12
Resolution
2:1
1:1
(uncompressed)
Field Size
(Pixels)
Compression Resolution Specifications (Continued)
Fields
Per
Frame
Drive Striping
Requirements
Quality
720 x 248 (NTSC) 2
720 x 296 (PAL)
4-way striping
Online
720 x 248 (NTSC) 2
720 x 296 (PAL)
—
Provides the highest image
quality of any compressed
resolution and sustains
two-stream playback on
4-way striped drives
Online
Provides the highest image
quality
Mixing Resolutions
You can work with mixed resolutions in the same sequence. This allows
you to import graphics that will match the resolution of the final sequence.
The only restriction is you cannot mix clips with different frame rates. For
example, you cannot mix NTSC with PAL and you cannot mix interlaced
resolutions with progressive resolutions.
Mixing resolutions in a sequence saves time and effort in a variety of
circumstances:
•
You can do most of your work at a resolution that can play back
real-time effects, capturing only the most complex shots and graphics
at a high-quality, single-stream resolution.
•
For storage and playback efficiency, you can capture complex footage
at the draft-quality online ratio and edit it along with other online
resolutions.
•
You can avoid some recapturing by importing complex graphics at a
high resolution and by capturing the remaining footage at draft quality
during the offline phase.
151
•
You can exchange material between projects with a minimum of
recapturing.
•
You can develop material among workstations at different resolutions
and bring the material together for a final cut without recapturing.
Setting Media Creation Resolutions and Selecting Drives
The Media Creation dialog box allows you to set the video resolution and
to select drives for capturing, creating titles, importing, performing audio
and video mixdowns, and creating motion effects. Because media is very
large, you can also remove your system and application drives from the list
of storage locations so you can store your media on other drives with
ample space.
n
You can also select a video resolution and select drives directly in the
Capture tool, the Save Title dialog box, the Select Files to Import dialog
box, the Audio Mixdown dialog box, and the Video Mixdown dialog box.
To select a video resolution and drives in the Media Creation dialog
box:
t
Double-click Media Creation in the Settings scroll list.
t
Select Tools > Media Creation.
The Media Creation dialog box opens.
2. Click the Drive Filtering tab.
You can remove from the list of available drives the drive where your
operating system is located and the drive where the Avid editing
system is located. This allows you to choose to store media only on
drives with sufficient space.
3. Select a drive to filter out:
152
t
Select Filter Based on Resolution to remove as a storage choice the
drives that cannot support the selected resolution. This option
causes the Avid editing system to utilize only Avid MediaDrives.
t
Select Filter Out System Drive to remove as a storage choice the
drive on which the operating system resides.
t
Select Filter Out Launch Drive to remove as a storage choice the
drive on which the Avid editing system resides.
The drive or drives you select do not appear in the other Media
Creation tabs as possible locations where you can store media. They
also do not appear in other drive selection menus in the application
except for the Import, Export, and Relink dialog boxes.
4. Click the tab for the area in which you want to work.
Media
pop-up
menu
5. Click the Video Resolution pop-up menu, and select a video
resolution.
The Video Resolution pop-up menu contains a list of the available
resolutions.
n
Although you cannot directly capture DV 50 video, Avid editing
applications have the ability to play back and edit media that has been
captured using a Meridien-based NewsCutter system or an Editcam™ when
in a shared storage workgroup. Avid editing applications have the ability
to import DV 50 and MPEG 50 for use in the system.
6. Select either OMF or MXF file format.
n
Clicking Apply to All sets your selected video resolution for all seven tabs.
Your settings are not saved until you click OK.
153
7. Select a video drive and an audio drive. To select the same drive for
both audio and video, click the Single/Dual Drives Mode button until
only a single drive pop-up menu opens.
n
The drive that appears in boldface type has the most available space.
8. (Option) If you are working with the Capture tab, you can select a
drive group. Click the Media pop-up menu, and select Change Group.
For more information on selecting a drive group, see “Capturing to
Multiple Media Files” on page 108.
n
Because there is no audio associated with titles or motion effects, you can
only select a video drive in the Titles or the Motion Effects tab of the Media
Creation dialog box.
9. To apply your drive selection to all the Media Creation tabs and the
rest of the application, click Apply to All.
This sets your selected video and audio drives for all the Media
Creation tabs. It also sets them for any place in the application where
you select drives.
n
Your settings are not saved until you click OK.
10. Click OK to save your settings.
For more information about options, see “Media Creation Settings” in the
Help.
154
Chapter 4
Capturing Media
When you capture media, you convert source material from videotape to
master clips that contain reference information. You also create associated
media files that contain the digital audio and video. Once you prepare the
capture tools, as described in Chapter 3, you can capture the source
material in one of several ways, as described in the following sections:
•
Before You Begin Capturing
•
Adding Clip Names and Comments On-the-Fly
•
Adding Extra Text Fields in the Capture Tool
•
Adding Locators On-the-Fly
•
DV Capture Offset
•
Capturing and Logging at the Same Time
•
Capturing Audio from a Music CD
•
Capturing to the Timeline
•
Batch Capturing from Logged Clips
•
Modifying the Pulldown Phase After Capturing
•
DV Scene Extraction
•
Recapturing Your Material
•
Other Capture Functions
Chapter 4 Capturing Media
Before You Begin Capturing
Depending on your immediate needs and chosen capturing method, use the
following guidelines for working through this chapter:
156
•
If you want to add clip names and comments on-the-fly while you
capture, see “Adding Clip Names and Comments On-the-Fly” on
page 157.
•
If you want to include information in text fields in addition to the
Name and Cmnt (Comment) fields, see “Adding Extra Text Fields in
the Capture Tool” on page 157.
•
If you have no logs and want to begin capturing right away, see
“Capturing and Logging at the Same Time” on page 163.
•
If you want to capture video to multiple media files across multiple
drives, see “Capturing to Multiple Media Files” on page 108.
•
If you have logs already entered in a bin and want to automate the
capturing process with playback from an Avid-controlled deck, see
“Batch Capturing from Logged Clips” on page 183.
•
If you are recapturing deleted media or have imported a sequence that
lacks the associated media files, see “Recapturing Your Material” on
page 193.
•
If you have not already prepared a structure of bins for your project,
consider the following tips before capturing:
-
You can create one bin for each source tape. This method avoids
slowing the system with large bins, associates each bin with a
source tape for better organization, and simplifies recapturing.
-
You can name the bin after the tape so that when you autocapture
or capture on-the-fly without noting a tape name, the system will
automatically name each clip after the bin (tape) and number them
sequentially for easy reference.
The annotate feature allows you to type clip names and comments during
the capturing of a clip. The information is saved in the clip Name and
Comments columns in the bin. You can add comments about the clip such
as color correction or editing directions.
To add clip names and comments on-the-fly:
1. Start typing the clip name at any time during the capturing of a clip.
The Annotate window opens, allowing you to see the text as you type.
2. After typing the clip name, press the Tab key and begin typing
comments.
You cannot edit the text until after the capturing is complete, but you can
backspace and retype the information.
In addition to the Name and the Cmnt (Comment) fields in the Capture
tool, you can enter multiple text fields in the Capture tool before and
during capturing. The typed information is stored with the captured clip in
the bin. The extra text fields appear as columns in the bins.
When you click the Extra Fields button in the Capture tool, the Field
Selection dialog box opens. The Field Selection list includes any extra
fields already created, in addition to any user-defined text fields from the
target bin. The fields you select in the Field Selection list will appear in the
Capture tool below the Cmnt field. You can delete the extra fields by
deleting the column in the bin window.
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You can have up to 10 extra text fields.
To add text fields:
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2. Click the Extra Field button.
The Field Selection dialog box opens.
3. Click the New Field button
The New Field Name dialog box opens.
4. In the Field Name text box, type the name you want to appear as a text
field in the Capture tool.
This is also the name that appears in the bin column heading.
5. Click OK in the New Field Name dialog box.
The Field Selection list opens with your new text field selected.
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If you do not capture and use the new extra text field after creating it, the
new text field will not be saved in the Field Selection list or bin.
6. Click OK in the Field Selection dialog box.
The new text field appears in the Capture tool. Press the Tab key to
move between fields while capturing.
To display or hide text fields:
2. Click the Extra Field button.
The Field Selection dialog box opens.
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Select the text fields that you want to display in the Capture tool.
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Click Select None to hide the extra text fields in the Capture tool.
4. Click OK.
Only the selected fields appear in the Capture tool.
To delete extra text fields:
1. Click the column heading in the bin.
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Select Edit > Delete.
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Press the Delete key.
The column is deleted from the view and the entry in the Field
Selection list is deleted.
Adding Locators On-the-Fly
Locators mark a single frame within a clip or sequence so you can attach a
note or find the frame at a later time. This section describes a shortcut
method of adding locators on-the-fly while capturing. When the Capture
tool is active, eight colored locators are mapped to eight Function keys on
the keyboard: F3, F5–F9, F11–F12. The locators override any other
functions mapped to these keys.
To add a locator to a frame while capturing:
t
Watch the playback of the footage in the monitor and press one of the
locator keys when you see the appropriate shot or frame.
For more information about locators, see “Using Locators” in the Help.
Creating Subclips On-the-Fly
creating subclips after
capturing, see
“Creating Subclips” in
the Help.
Subclips are marked sections of a longer master clip you can view and edit
like any other object in a bin. This section describes a shortcut method for
creating subclips on-the-fly while capturing. The maximum number of
subclips you can generate while capturing a clip is 100.
When Subclips are created in 24p or 25p projects, they are always created
as “hard” subclips. This means you will not be able to trim past the edges
of the subclip when adjusting transitions and edits. Hard subclips prevent
film-tracking information errors for editing and cut lists.
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DV Capture Offset
To create a subclip on-the-fly:
1. Start capturing as usual.
2. At the point where you want the subclip to begin, press the F1 key.
This highlights the subclip IN point in the Capture tool.
Subclip Status
indicator
3. While the system is capturing, you can type a name for the subclip.
Press the Tab key to type comments about the clip.
4. When you want the subclip to end, press the F2 key.
This highlights the subclip OUT point in the Capture tool.
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You can press the F2 key repeatedly as you search for the end point of the
subclip. The system accepts the last occurrence as the end point. You
can also press the F1 key at any time before pressing F2 again to
remove the previous subclip marks and to start a new subclip IN point.
The subclip appears in the target bin when you stop capturing.
When capture is complete, a number appears between the subclip
indicators to show the number of subclips created.
c
For NTSC film-to-tape transfers, you must log the correct pulldown
phase before you create subclips. For more information, see “Entering
Pulldown Information” on page 60.
DV Capture Offset
DV capture offset allows you to offset the incoming DV stream against the
timecode assigned to each frame during capturing. This offset is only used
in a transcoder configuration or in configurations where the DV stream
does not encode timecode into the incoming DV frames. DV capture offset
was primarily designed for configurations where an RS-422 controller is
used to control a DV device and the DV stream is captured over a FireWire
cable. See Figure 2.
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DV Data
Transcoder
Analog
data
Avid system
RS-422 controller
Analog deck
Figure 2
RS-422 Controls a DV Device Configuration
To offset the sequence for capture:
2. Determine the approximate offset, and then type the offset in the
Capture Offset (frames) text box.
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3. Click OK.
The delay is reflected in the DV Capture Offset box in the Capture
tool.
4. Capture your material. See “Capturing from One Point to Another” on
page 164 and “Capturing On-the-Fly” on page 167.
5. Repeat this process until you achieve the appropriate offset.
When you capture without entering log information in a bin ahead of time,
the system creates clips and associated media files while you capture.
Capturing in this manner involves manually cueing source footage with an
Avid-controlled deck by using the deck controls in the Capture tool or the
Deck Controller window.
There are several ways to capture and log at the same time:
•
Capturing from an IN point to an OUT point. This method lets you
specify the exact timecode location to begin and end capturing. You
can also specify only an IN point or an OUT point and enter the other
mark on-the-fly. These procedures are described in “Capturing from
One Point to Another” on page 164.
•
Capturing on-the-fly. This method is easier than setting marks, but it
is less precise. It involves using the deck controls in the Capture tool or
the Deck Controller window to cue, play, and stop the source footage
manually while capturing. These procedures are described in
“Capturing On-the-Fly” on page 167.
•
Autocapturing. This method requires the least amount of supervision
and effort but usually calls for more capture time and drive storage
space. It involves playing each source tape from a cue point near the
beginning and letting the system capture the entire tape, automatically
naming and entering each clip into the bin. These procedures are
described in “Autocapture” on page 169.
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Two additional techniques you can use when capturing and logging at the
same time are described in the following sections:
•
“Capturing with Time-of-Day Timecode” on page 172
•
“Capturing in Satellite Mode or No Device Control” on page 172
Capturing from One Point to Another
Capturing from an IN point to an OUT point allows you to specify exactly
where to begin and end capturing. You can specify only an IN point or an
OUT point, and the system enters the other mark on-the-fly.
Use this method in the following circumstances:
•
If logs exist in written or printout form but not in the proper format for
quick import into the system
•
If the IN and OUT points are rough and need to be double-checked for
accuracy
•
If you are familiar enough with the source material to estimate the
timecode for the IN point, the OUT point, or both, quickly and
accurately
Capturing from an IN Point to an OUT Point
To capture from an IN point to an OUT point:
Mark IN
Mark OUT
Record
1. Cue the tape to the start of the clip you want to capture, and mark an
IN point.
2. Cue the tape and mark the OUT point, or set the OUT point on-the-fly
when you stop capturing.
3. Click the Record button in the Capture tool.
The Capture tool automatically rewinds the tape to the preroll point
before the IN point of the clip, and the tape begins to play. The box to
the right of the Record button flashes bright red, and the message bar
displays the message that the system is capturing.
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The Time Remaining display changes to show the file size of the clip being
captured, based on the IN and OUT points or on the settings in the Media
Files tab of the Capture Settings dialog box.
4. While the system is capturing, you can type a clip name or enter
comments about the clip.
When the tape reaches the clip’s OUT point or you click the Record
button again, capturing stops, and the system creates a new clip in the
bin.
Setting Both Marks
To capture by specifying an IN point and an OUT point:
1. Make sure you have selected the proper Capture settings as described
in “Selecting Settings” on page 77 and have set up the Capture and
Audio tools, as described in Chapter 3.
Mark IN
Mark OUT
Go to IN
2. Set either an IN point or OUT point for the clip you want to capture,
using one of the following methods:
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Use the deck controls in the Capture tool or the Deck Controller
window. Cue your source tape to where you want to start or end
the clip, and click the Mark IN or the Mark OUT button.
t
If the material starts at a known IN point or ends at a known OUT
point, you can type the timecode in the display area next to the
mark. Press Enter to enter the mark.
To double-check the accuracy of the IN or OUT point, click the Go to
IN button. The system cues the tape and pauses the deck at the mark.
You can play the tape and reset the mark, if necessary.
3. To finish logging the clip, use either of the following methods:
t
Set the corresponding IN or OUT point.
t
Type a timecode for the clip’s duration in the display area next to
the Duration mark (below the OUT point) in the format
HH:MM:SS:FF.
The system automatically calculates the appropriate timecode for the
corresponding IN point, OUT point, or duration.
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The Capture tool automatically rewinds the tape to the preroll point
before the IN point of the clip, and the tape begins to play. The box to
the right of the Record button flashes bright red, and the message bar
displays the message that the system is capturing.
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The Time Remaining display changes to show the file size of the clip being
captured, based on the IN and OUT points or on the settings in the Media
Files tab of the Capture Settings dialog box.
5. While the system is capturing, you can type a clip name. To enter
comments about the clip, press the Tab key after typing a clip name
and enter comments in the Cmnt (Comment) text box. The information
that you type does not appear on the screen until you have completed
capturing. (After you log clips, you can modify information to correct
input errors or to add information.)
When the tape reaches the clip’s OUT point or you click the Record
button again, capturing stops, and the system creates a new clip in the
bin.
Setting Only One Mark
To set only one mark and enter the other mark on-the-fly, do one of
the following:
t
Mark an IN point, and click the Record button to begin capturing.
Click the Record button again to stop capturing on-the-fly and mark an
OUT point.
This method is useful if you do not need a precise OUT point. You
save time because you do not have to shuttle to locate the OUT point
before capturing.
t
Set an OUT point only, and then move to a position on the tape that is a
few seconds before where you want to start capturing. Play the tape,
and then immediately click the Record button to begin capturing onthe-fly. When the tape reaches the clip’s OUT point, capturing stops.
This method is useful if you do not need a precise IN point but do need
to stop at a precise OUT point; for example, just before a timecode
break.
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Capturing On-the-Fly
Use the capturing on-the-fly method in any of the following circumstances:
n
•
If you are eager to begin editing immediately and no adequate logs
exist for importing to the system or setting marks
•
If you are capturing from a source deck that cannot be controlled by
the Capture tool or a VLXi unit
•
If your source tape does not have timecode
•
If you are capturing from a digital source such as a CD-ROM or DV
camera
•
If you are capturing from a live source, such as a satellite feed or an inhouse router
There is a slight delay of several frames after you manually select a spot to
start and to stop capturing. Therefore, use this method when you do not
need precise beginning and end points in your clip.
In some circumstances, the captured material might exceed the logical file
size of the Avid editing system. For example, the maximum size of a media
file cannot exceed the size of a 2-GB partition. A 2-GB file at a high
resolution consists of approximately 10 to 18 minutes of footage. In this
case, consider capturing the clip in shorter overlapping pieces, breaking it
at points that are likely to be removed during editing.
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To capture on-the-fly:
1. Click the Capture/Log Mode button in the Capture tool until the CAP
icon appears. The Capture tool is ready to capture.
Trash button
Record button
Triangular opener
(to display comments)
Name
text box
Comment
text box
Deck controls
2. (Option) Click the Clip Name and Comment triangular opener in the
Capture tool to display the Name and Cmnt (Comment) text boxes, if
you plan to enter clip names or comments during capturing.
3. Use the deck controls in the Capture tool or the Deck Controller
window to locate the position on the tape where you want to start
capturing.
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Fast Forward button
Rewind button
Stop button
Play button
Step Backward 1 Frame button
Single-Frame Step Forward
button
Eject button
Pause button
4. Click the Play button and when the deck gets up to speed, click the
Record button.
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n
Make sure you have cleared any previous marks so the deck does not begin
cueing to the previous location.
If you are capturing with shared volume segmentation (“chunking”)
enabled, see the Avid Unity MediaManager Setup and User’s Guide for
details on the capture procedure.
5. While the system is capturing, you can type a clip name in the Name
text box. Press the Tab key after typing a clip name to enter comments
about the clip.
6. Click the Pause button at any time to pause play. You can also abort the
capture procedure by clicking the Trash button in the Capture tool. The
clip will be discarded.
7. To stop capturing and to enter the OUT point of the clip, click the
Record button, or press the Esc key.
The system creates a new clip in the bin.
Autocapture
Autocapture can save you time by allowing you to bypass both the logging
process and the time it takes to cue each clip. However, this process
requires the most storage space, and more time is spent while the system is
actually capturing entire tapes.
When you autocapture, you mount and cue your tape to a starting point and
start the autocapture process through the Capture tool.
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When you have long, continuous clips (for example, footage from a live
event), the captured material for a single clip might exceed the 2-GB limit
for file sizes in the Avid editing system. In this case, you must select
“Capture to multiple files” in the Media Files tab of the Capture Settings
dialog box.
Follow the Autocapture procedure to allow the system to complete the
capture process unattended for an entire tape.
To autocapture:
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Click the Preroll Method pop-up menu, select either Best
Available or Best Available Control Track, and then select
“Capture across timecode breaks.” See “Capture settings General
tab” on page 80 and “Selecting the Preroll Method” on page 111.
t
Click the Media Files tab, and select “Capture to multiple files.”
3. Click OK.
4. In the Capture tool, click the name of the camera or deck, and select
Adjust Deck.
5. Double-click the deck box for the video deck from which you are
capturing.
6. Deselect Fast Cue, and set the preroll to approximately 4 seconds.
7. Click OK to close the Deck Settings dialog box.
8. Create one bin for each source tape. This keeps bins to a manageable
size and automatically names all clips from each tape after the names
of their respective bins.
9. Name each bin after the source tape. By default, all clips are named
after the tape and are numbered incrementally beginning with .01.
10. Select Tools > Capture, and open the bin for the first tape.
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11. Load the source tape, and cue past any false starts.
Mark OUT
12. (Option) If you want the system to stop capturing at a chosen point on
the tape, cue the tape to a chosen OUT point and click the Mark OUT
button in the Capture tool.
13. Play the tape, and wait 4 seconds before clicking the Record button.
The system automatically captures the entire tape.
Capturing with Time-of-Day Timecode
When you capture with an Avid-controlled deck, you can capture your
footage with time-of-day timecode rather than source timecode.
To capture with time-of-day timecode:
2. When selecting tracks, deselect the TC button.
3. Capture by using the procedure described in “Capturing On-the-Fly”
on page 167.
Capturing in Satellite Mode or No Device Control
Longitudinal timecode (LTC) from an external source allows production
facilities to capture from multiple sources at the same time they are
capturing to tape.
A facility that has a central timecode generator can use that clock to send
identical timecode to all systems. This timecode output can be run directly
to the Avid editing system through the LTC IN connection on the Avid
Adrenaline DNA.
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Discontinuous timecodes are not checked during this type of capture.
Satellite mode using external timecode is especially useful for live events,
dramatic multicamera shows, and video material coming in on routers that
do not support timecode. You can start editing immediately after the
shooting without waiting to capture from the backup reference tapes.
If you are taking a feed from a source based on a time-of-day timecode
generator, setting IN and OUT points is especially useful. When the time
of the external timecode source matches the IN point, the Avid editing
application begins to capture. Capture stops when the external timecode
matches the OUT point.
To prepare for capturing with external timecode:
The Deck Offline icon appears.
2. Select the audio and video input:
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3. Click the Toggle Source button until the Satellite Mode icon appears.
Toggle Source button
Timecode Source
pop-up menu
Source Tape
Display button
4. Click the Timecode Source pop-up menu, and select one of the
following:
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174
The devices that appear in the Timecode Source pop-up menu originate
from the current Deck Configuration settings.
-
Internal: Uses internal system timecode.
-
LTC Input: Detects LTC input.
-
Auto Detect: Detects LTC input by default. If the LTC Input is
deactivated, the Capture tool automatically switches to internal
timecode. If the LTC Input is reactivated, the Capture tool switches
back to LTC Input.
-
Firewire Timecode: Detects timecode over a FireWire
connection. FireWire Timecode will only be listed in the pop-up
menu if you have a FireWire deck configured in the Deck
Configuration dialog box. See “Configuring Decks” on page 84.
-
RS422 Timecode: Detects timecode over a serial connection.
RS422 Timecode will only be listed in the pop-up menu if you
have an RS422 deck configured in the Deck Configuration dialog
box. See “Configuring Decks” on page 84.
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Because the media file database does not open when you start your Avid
editing application, tape names of all online media files do not appear
automatically.
If the tape name for which you are searching does not appear in the Select
Tape dialog box, click the Scan for Tapes button. Tape and project names
are listed.
New Tape
Name button
List of tapes
Show other projects
option
For guidelines on
naming tapes, see
“Logging Tips” on
page 32.
6. Provide a tape name in one of the following ways:
t
Select a tape name from the list. Tape names and associated
projects are listed in two columns.
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t
Click New if the tape is not in the list, and type a new tape name in
the text box that appears at the bottom of the Tape Name list.
t
Click the Source Tape Display to display the tape names and
associated project names for all bins that have been opened in the
current session.
Stop the process at any time by clicking Cancel.
7. Click OK. The tape name is displayed in the Capture tool.
8. Play the tape manually from the deck or media source, and click the
Record button to start and stop capturing of each clip. For more
information, see “Capturing On-the-Fly” on page 167.
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If you notice that your captured material is consistently one or more
frames off, select “Latency for satellite mode” in the General tab in the
Capture Settings dialog box to fix the problem. See Capture Settings:
General Tab in the Help.
Setting a Timed Capture
When Satellite mode is enabled, the Timed Capture option allows you to
schedule a capturing session for upcoming live satellite feeds. The
Scheduled Record button opens the Scheduled Record dialog box for
creating a capture schedule.
Table 13 lists the settings for the scheduled capture.
Table 13
Scheduled Record Settings
Setting
Description
Scheduled Record mode
Enables and disables the scheduled capturing
session.
Once / Loop
If Once is selected, any clips with a start time earlier
than the current time-of-day timecode will be yellow.
If Loop is selected, the schedule will repeat each day.
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Table 13
Scheduled Record Settings (Continued)
Setting
Description
Schedule list
Contains a list of scheduled satellite feed capture
sessions. Each item in the list contains:
•
Name to give the created clip
•
When to start capturing
•
How long to continue capturing
Any clip whose start time overlaps the end of the
previous scheduled clip will be red.
Clear
Erases the schedule list.
Load / Save
A schedule list can be saved as a tab-delimited text
file with the Save button and later recalled with the
Load button.
When Scheduled Record mode is enabled, the Satellite Mode icon includes
a clock, the Scheduled Record button changes to green, and the timecode
entry fields appear dimmed and display the times for the upcoming
scheduled capturing session.
When the time-of-day timecode is within 10 seconds of the next scheduled
capture time (and if the Capture Tool window is still active) the Capture
tool goes into Coincidence Wait mode (blinking yellow record light) and
subsequently begins capturing.
When the capturing is done, the Capture tool updates the timecode entry
fields for the next scheduled capturing session.
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You can still use the Capture tool with Scheduled Record mode enabled as
long as you stop using the Capture tool before the next scheduled
capturing session. You cannot do a scheduled live feed capture if the
Capture tool is in use. The Capture tool must be the active window for a
scheduled capturing to occur.
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To set a timed capture session:
3. Click the Setup Record Schedule button.
The Scheduled Record dialog box opens.
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t
Type the clip name, start time, and clip duration in the appropriate
columns.
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Click Load and navigate to a tab-delimited text file of a schedule.
You can save a schedule as a tab-delimited text file and load it at a later
date.
5. Select the Scheduled Record Mode option.
6. Select how to capture the satellite feed:
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t
Select the Once option to capture the satellite feed one time.
t
Select the Loop option to repeat the schedule every day.
7. Click OK.
The Setup Record Schedule button changes to green and the Toggle
Source button displays the Satellite Mode icon with a clock. The
timecode fields contain the information for the upcoming capture
session.
To clear the scheduled capture:
3. Click the Setup Record Schedule button.
The Scheduled Record dialog box opens.
4. Click Clear.
5. Click OK.
Avid editing applications allow you to capture selected tracks from a music
CD, using the Capture tool. Once the audio is captured, you can then edit
the audio clip to an audio track in your sequence.
The following procedure is one method of capturing audio from a CD or
microphone in software-only models. The better way to capture audio and
the only way to import audio in with Avid editing systems that have a
Adrenaline or Mojo DNA attached, is to import the audio file. See
“Importing Files” on page 205.
To capture audio from a music CD:
1. Insert the music CD into the computer’s CD-ROM drive.
2. Start the CD player application, and select the track you want to
capture.
3. Minimize the CD player application.
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Record button
Toggle Source button set to Satellite mode
Audio pop-up
menu
Selected audio
track
Selected Bin
pop-up menu
Source Tape
Display button
6. Select an audio track.
7. Click the Audio pop-up menu, and select CD Player.
9. Click New in the Select Tape dialog box.
10. Name the tape, and then select the tape.
11. Click OK.
Audio is captured to the selected bin.
13. Click the Record button again or press the Esc key to stop the capture.
The audio file appears in the bin. When you are finished capturing
music from the CD, quit the CD player application.
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You can capture footage directly from tape into a sequence loaded in the
Timeline in one step, bypassing several steps such as organizing and
reviewing clips, marking edit points, and performing edits.
To capture to the Timeline:
1. Prepare to capture as described in Chapter 3.
2. Select options in the Capture Settings dialog box:
a. Double-click Capture in the Settings scroll list.
b. Click the Edit tab.
c. Select “Enable edit to timeline.”
d. Set the handle length (the amount of footage you want to capture
before and after the IN and OUT points of the clips).
e. Click OK.
3. Load a sequence into the Source/Record monitor.
4. (Option) Patch tracks you are capturing (source tracks) to the tracks in
your sequence (capture tracks). See “Patching When Capturing to the
Timeline” on page 182.
5. Mark an IN point in the sequence, or move the position indicator to the
location where you want the edit to take place.
6. Mark the source material that you want to capture by using the Capture
tool logging controls. For information on setting marks in the Capture
tool, see “Capturing and Logging at the Same Time” on page 163.
7. (Option) You can mark an OUT point based on the following:
-
If you are capturing to the middle of a sequence in the Timeline,
mark both IN and OUT points for frame accuracy of overwrite.
With splice-in, you need only an IN point.
-
If you are capturing onto the end of a sequence, you can mark just
an IN point and then mark the OUT point later on-the-fly.
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8. Click the Splice-in button or the Overwrite button in the Capture tool
to select the type of edit.
9. Click the Record button to begin capturing.
10. If you did not mark the OUT point in advance, click the Record button
again when the footage reaches the appropriate frame.
n
If you already marked an OUT point, capturing will stop automatically.
When capturing ends, the clip appears in place in the sequence, and a
master clip appears in the bin.
Patching When Capturing to the Timeline
By default, the tracks you have selected for capturing (V1, A1, A2, and so
on) are edited to the corresponding tracks in the Timeline. You can now
patch the captured footage to any track in the Timeline.
To patch tracks when capturing to the Timeline:
1. In the Capture tool, click and hold the Channel Selection button for the
track (video or audio) that you want to patch.
2. From the pop-up menu, select the track to which you want to patch the
captured footage.
For example, if you want to capture video footage to track V2, click and
hold the red V button in the Capture tool and select V2. The Track Selector
panel in the Timeline displays the resulting patch.
The result is
displayed in
the Timeline.
Select the track
to patch.
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You can also patch tracks in the Timeline in the same way that you patch
tracks when editing from a pop-up monitor. See “Patching Tracks” in the
Help.
Once you have imported a log or manually logged a group of clips to a bin,
you can automate the capture process by using the batch capture
capabilities of Avid editing systems. If you want to batch capture, source
tapes must have timecode that matches the timecode for the selected clips.
You can also use the batch capture process to recapture existing clips. The
recapture process is described in “Recapturing Your Material” on
page 193.
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To batch import media without timecode, see “Reimporting Files” on
page 219.
Preparing to Batch Capture
Preparing for batch capturing involves an option of resizing the Capture
tool and establishing settings that allow you to batch capture with minimal
system supervision.
Because your clips are already logged in the bin, you can simplify the
interface during batch capturing by hiding the deck controller and logging
controls in the Capture tool.
To resize the Capture tool during batch capturing:
t
Click the triangular opener to the left of the deck controls area.
Unattended batch capturing allows you to capture a large number of clips
with a minimum of system supervision by selecting Capture settings that
avoid pauses in the capture process.
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To prepare for unattended batch capturing:
t
Select the following options in the Capture Settings dialog box:
-
Switch to emptiest drive if current drive is full (in the Batch tab)
-
Capture across timecode breaks (in the General tab)
Batch Capturing Clips
To batch capture clips:
1. Make sure you selected the correct Capture Settings and set up the
Capture tool, as described in Chapter 3.
2. Open the bin that stores the clips you want to capture.
3. (Option) If you are recapturing a project created on an offline system,
readjust the video levels for each tape. You cannot reuse video settings
from a previous offline session. For information, see “Calibrating for
Video Input” on page 136.
4. Select the clips to batch capture:
184
t
Select Edit > Select All to select all the clips.
t
Ctrl+click to select specific clips.
5. Select Bin > Batch Capture.
The Batch Capture dialog box opens.
n
If the clips that you want to batch capture are not highlighted in the active
bin, Batch Capture appears dimmed in the Bin menu.
6. Select options in the dialog box:
For more information
on handle lengths when
recapturing, see
“Recapturing
Sequences” on
page 194.
t
If the bin contains some clips that are already captured and you do
not want to recapture those clips, select “Offline media only.” If
this option is not selected and some of the selected clips have
media files, the system deletes the media files and recaptures new
media files.
t
If your selections include a sequence for batch capturing, the
dialog box prompts you for handle-length information. The system
creates new master clips based on the length of edited clips in the
sequence.
t
If you need to extend the handles before the beginning and after
the end of the original master clips, select “Extend handles beyond
master clip edges.” When you are performing a batch capture,
deselecting this option prevents capturing across a discontinuous
timecode error. For example, if the starting timecode for a master
clip is 1:00:10:00 and the resulting master clip after a decompose
185
with handles causes the new master clip to begin at 1:00:09:00, a
batch capture will fail if there are any timecode discontinuities
between 1:00:09:00 and 1:00:10:00.
n
If you are batch capturing the original source master clips used in the
sequence, the sequence is updated automatically. Therefore, you might
want to deselect the sequence during this procedure.
7. Click OK.
If you have not loaded a tape, the system prompts you to insert the first
tape.
8. Insert the tape into the video deck, and click Mounted.
A dialog box opens.
9. Click OK to confirm the tape and deck entries and to begin the capture
process. The system captures each clip from the tape, in start timecode
order.
10. If another source tape is needed, the system prompts you for the tape.
At this point, you have several options:
n
t
Insert the new tape, and click Mounted to continue the capture
process.
t
Click “Skip this clip” to skip just the first clip from the tape and
continue capturing the remaining clips.
t
Click “Skip this tape” to skip all the clips from the mounted tape.
The system then prompts you for the next tape.
t
Click Abort to end the batch capture process. You can also stop
capturing at any time by clicking the Trash button in the Capture
tool.
To skip specific clips in the process of batch capturing a particular tape,
you must abort each clip manually by clicking the Trash button and then
clicking the next clip in the Abort window to continue.
When the system has finished batch capturing, a message box notifies you
that the process is complete.
186
If you have captured film-originated clips (NTSC transfer only) that seem
to stutter, the problem could be an incorrectly logged pulldown phase. The
pulldown phase is the video frame at which the master clip starts: A, B, X,
C, or D. You log this pulldown phase in the Pullin column of a bin. To
solve the problem, you need to determine the correct “pullin” frame,
modify the clip information, and recapture the clip.
To check for an incorrect pullin frame:
1. Look for a section of the clip that includes a series of frames with
motion.
2. Step through the clip frame by frame (using the Step buttons or another
method) and look for two frames that have no movement.
If the pattern is two frames of movement followed by two frames of no
movement, the pullin is incorrect.
To determine the correct pullin frame, use one of the following
approaches:
t
If the source footage includes burn-in code with the pulldown phase,
go to the start of the clip and look for the pulldown for the first frame.
t
If you want to maintain the start timecode for each clip, review the
original tape field by field.
t
If you do not need to maintain the start timecode:
a. Step through the clip frame by frame (using the Step buttons or
another method). Look for two frames that are identical (no
movement).
187
b. Think of these frames as frames B and X of a four-frame series.
No movement
A
B
X
D
Incorrect sequence
A
B
C
D
Correct sequence
Step backward (either one frame from the B frame or two frames
from the X frame) to locate the correct A frame. Note the last digit
of its timecode. Timecode for all A frames in the clip will start
either with this digit or this digit plus 5. For example, if the A
frame has the timecode 1:00:10:20, timecode for all A frames in
the clip will end in either 0 or 5.
c. Compare these digits with the last digit of the start timecode (first
frame) of the clip to determine the correct pullin. For example, if
the A frame ends in 0 or 5, and the start timecode ends in 4, the
pullin is D.
d. If the pullin for the clip is the X frame, you need to modify the
timecode to produce a number you can associate with a pullin. For
example, if the A frame ends in 0 or 5, and the start timecode ends
in 2, the pullin falls on the X frame and you need to modify the
timecode along with the pullin. Move forward one frame to create
a start timecode ending in 3. Then you can change the pullin to C.
c
When you change the timecode of a clip, you lose the key number of
the clip and need to enter it in the bin, adjusting it to match any
changes to the timecode.
After you determine the pullin frame, modify the clip information as
follows.
188
DV Scene Extraction
To modify the clip information:
1. In a bin, select the clip you want to modify and press the Delete key.
The Delete dialog box appears.
2. Deselect the option “Delete master clip(s)” and select “Delete
associated media file(s).”
3. Click OK.
The original media file is deleted.
4. Make sure the clip is still selected. Press Ctrl+Shift and choose Unlink
from the Clip menu.
The clip information is unlinked and you can modify the clip
information.
5. Type the correct letter for the pulldown phase in the Pullin column. If
necessary, type a new timecode and key number.
For multiple clips, you can use the Modify command or the Modify
Pulldown Phase command. See “Modifying the Pulldown Phase
Before Capturing” on page 63.
With the new clip information in the bin, batch capture the clip. See “Batch
Capturing Clips” on page 184. If the pulldown phase is accurate, the clip
should play smoothly, with no repeated frames.
n
This method might not work for some clips that start with either an A frame
or a D frame. If, after you modify the clip as described previously, the clip
still stutters, modify the clip again. This time, if the pullin is A, change it to
D. If the pullin is D, change it to A.
DV Scene Extraction
DV Scene Extraction allows you to generate subclips and locators
automatically based on time-of-day (TOD) information contained in the
DV video format.
189
Discontinuities in the DV TOD metadata indicate each place in a master
clip or subclip where a new take was initiated on a DV camera. Using this
feature, you can capture an entire DV tape as a single master clip and have
the system automatically locate all the takes for you, eliminating the need
to log manually.
You can perform a DV Scene Extraction in two ways:
t
Set up the DV Scene Extraction option before capturing. When
capturing is performed, subclips and locator marks appear in the bin.
t
Perform DV Scene Extraction after capturing. Select those clips in the
bin for which you want to generate subclips and locator marks.
Consider the following:
•
You can perform DV Scene Extraction on any existing clip or subclip
in a bin that has TOD information breaks.
•
DVCPRO format does not provide TOD metadata; you cannot use DV
Scene Extraction with DVCPRO format.
•
DV Scene Extraction will not work on non-DV or audio-only clips.
See the following topics:
•
Setting Up DV Scene Extraction Before Capturing
•
Setting Up DV Scene Extraction After Capturing
Setting Up DV Scene Extraction Before Capturing
You can use DV Scene Extraction with an Avid editing application with
DV media.
To set up DV Scene Extraction before capturing:
190
DV Scene Extraction
2. Click the DV Options tab.
3. Select DV Scene Extraction.
4. Select one of the following options:
t
Add Locators: Creates locator marks where the TOD information
breaks occur while capturing.
t
Create Subclips: Creates subclips where the TOD information
t
Both: Creates subclips and locator marks where the TOD
information breaks occur while capturing.
5. Click OK.
6. In the Capture tool, click the Record button.
When capturing has finished, subclips are created with the same source
clip name and the file name extension .sub.01 where TOD breaks
occurred. Locator marks appear in the master clip where TOD breaks
occurred.
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Setting Up DV Scene Extraction After Capturing
You can use DV Scene Extraction with an Avid editing application with
DV media.
To set up DV Scene Extraction after capturing:
1. Open a bin and select the clip or clips for which you want to create
subclips or locator marks.
2. Select Bin > DV Scene Extraction.
The DV Scene Extraction dialog box opens.
3. Select one of the following options:
t
Add Locators: Creates locator marks where the TOD information
t
Create Subclips: Creates subclips where the TOD information
t
Both: Creates subclips and locator marks where the TOD
information breaks occur while capturing.
4. If you have chosen to create subclips, select the bin where you want
these subclips stored.
n
To cancel the process, press Ctrl+period.
5. Click OK.
In the bin, subclips are created with the same source clip name and the
file name extension .sub.01 where TOD breaks occurred. Locator
marks appear in the master clip where TOD breaks occurred.
If you select a DVCPRO, a non-DV, or an audio-only clip, an error
message appears informing you that an incompatible clip was selected.
These clips will be skipped during the DV Scene Extraction process.
To cancel the process at any time:
t
192
Press Ctrl+period.
Recapturing is the process of capturing previously captured source footage
based on existing clips and sequences. Recapturing uses the batch capture
process and does not require extra logging time because the clip
information for items such as source tracks, timecodes, and resolutions
already exists in the bin.
There are several situations in which you might want to recapture:
c
•
You can recapture a sequence after you transfer it to another system.
•
You can recapture low-resolution clips at a higher resolution setting
after they have been edited into a sequence.
•
You can quickly recapture selected clips if you make an error while
capturing the first time (for example, if you forget to check audio
levels or set the wrong resolution).
•
You can recapture clips if you accidentally delete media files.
Recapturing requires your original source footage. Do not delete the
media files if the source footage is no longer available, unless you will
not need the material again.
Recapturing Master Clips and Subclips
The procedure for recapturing master clips and subclips is identical to the
process for batch capturing logged clips. See “Batch Capturing from
Logged Clips” on page 183.
Although the procedure is the same, the result is slightly different, as
follows:
•
Master clips are linked to entire media files and serve as sources for
subclips and sequences. Therefore, when you recapture a master clip,
changes in levels affect all subclips and sequences created from the
master clip.
193
•
Subclips are smaller sections of master clips. When you recapture a
subclip, the system creates a new master clip that is linked to new
media files and reflects the shortened length of material. Therefore,
recapturing subclips streamlines the capture process.
Also, recapturing breaks the link from the subclip to the original
master clip. If you edit the subclip into a sequence, however, the
sequence will reflect any changes in the newly captured subclip.
Recapturing Sequences
Recapturing a sequence creates new master clips and associated media
files based on the length of each clip edited into the sequence. It breaks any
links to the original source clips, and only the sequence and its new master
clips are linked to the newly captured media files.
When you recapture the sequence, the capture process creates media files
for each clip in the sequence. You cannot make changes after the media
files are created without repeating the entire procedure.
Saving Two Versions of a Sequence When Recapturing
To save the original version of your sequence before recapturing, you can
create a duplicate. For example, use this method if you create a sequence at
a low resolution to save storage space and want to recapture the sequence
at a higher resolution while retaining the first version.
To make a duplicate of the sequence:
1. Select the sequence in the bin, and select Edit > Duplicate.
2. (Option) Create a new bin by selecting File > New Bin, and move the
duplicate sequence to the bin.
This second step is optional, but it saves you from the confusion of
mingling new sequences and master clips with existing ones.
Recapturing the Sequence
When you recapture the sequence, the capture process creates media files
for each clip in the sequence.
194
To recapture a sequence:
1. Open or activate the bin containing the sequence or clips.
2. Select the sequences or the clips you want to recapture:
t
Select Edit > Select All to select all the clips in the bin.
t
Ctrl+click to select specific clips.
3. Select Bin > Batch Capture.
The Batch Capture dialog box opens.
4. Click the Handle Length text box, and type the number of additional
frames you want to capture at the head frames and tail frames of the
new master clips.
n
The Handle Length text box opens only if a sequence is selected for batch
capturing.
5. Click OK.
If you have not loaded a tape, the system prompts you to insert the first
tape.
6. Insert the tape into the video deck, and click Mounted.
A dialog box opens.
7. Click OK to confirm the tape and deck entries and to begin the capture
process. The system captures each clip from the tape, in start timecode
order.
If another source tape is needed, the system prompts you for the tape.
At this point, you have several options:
t
Insert the new tape, and click Mounted to continue the capture
process.
t
Click “Skip this clip” to skip just the first clip from the tape and
continue capture the remaining clips.
t
Click “Skip this tape” to skip all the clips from the mounted tape.
The system then prompts you for the next tape.
t
Click Abort to end the batch capture process. You can also stop
capturing at any time by clicking the Trash button in the Capture
tool.
195
The following functions are also available when capturing:
•
Working in Quick Record Mode
•
Controlling Decks from the Keyboard
•
Naming a New Tape from the Keyboard
•
Ejecting Tapes with a Button or Key
•
Returning to the Previous Place in the Select Tape Dialog Box
Working in Quick Record Mode
Quick Record mode allows the deck to control the capturing of media into
Avid editing systems. When Quick Record mode is enabled, the Avid
editing application starts capturing automatically whenever the servo-lock
signal is detected from the deck.
When the Toggle Source button shows the Deck Capture icon, the Servo
Lock Mode check box in the source pane opens. Use the Servo Lock Mode
check box to enable and disable Quick Record mode. When Quick Record
mode is enabled, a check mark appears in the Servo Lock Mode button and
the Toggle Source button changes to Quick Record mode.
Table 14 lists the conditions that must be met for Quick Record mode to
function properly.
Table 14
196
Quick Record Condition Messages
Message
Cause or Action Required
No deck
A deck is not selected in the Capture tool or the
system does not detect a deck. Make sure the deck
is connected, turned on, and selected in the Capture
tool.
No tape in deck
The system does not detect a tape in the deck.
Make sure a tape is in the deck.
Table 14
Quick Record Condition Messages (Continued)
Message
Cause or Action Required
No source tape selected
Give the source tape a name in the Capture tool.
Click the Source Tape Display button and name the
tape.
Selected deck will not Servo Some deck models do not generate a servo-lock
Lock
signal. This is defined in the deck’s template.
n
Deck not in Local mode
If this message appears, make sure you have
the correct deck selected in the Deck
Selection pop-up menu. If the message
continues, you cannot use the deck with
Quick Record mode.
Quick Record mode requires the deck to be in
Local mode.
When Quick Record mode is ready, the following message appears:
Waiting for Servo lock
When Servo Lock mode is detected (the deck is playing), capturing begins
and continues until play is stopped, at which point it will wait for the next
servo-lock signal.
n
To use Quick Record mode, you must connect a deck that supports servolock signals to the system by using a deck control serial cable and a serial
adapter. For information about the cable connection, see the setup
information that came with your system.
To use Quick Record mode:
2. Click the Toggle Source button until the Deck Capture icon appears.
3. Click the Deck Selection pop-up menu, and select your deck. See
“Setting Up the Capture Tool” on page 94.
197
4. Select the Servo Lock Mode option.
The Toggle Source button changes to the Quick Record Mode button.
5. When the “Waiting for Servo Lock” message appears, press the deck’s
Play button.
The system starts capturing when the deck is in servo lock and stops
capturing when the deck is not in servo lock (for example; stopped,
rewinding, or shuttling).
Controlling Decks from the Keyboard
You can use the J-K-L keys to control a deck from the Capture tool, Digital
Cut tool, and Deck Controller window.
The J-K-L keys work the same as they do in the Source/Record monitor, as
shown in the following table.
Press
To
K
Stop the deck.
L
Shuttle the deck at 1x, 2x, 3x, 5x, 8x, 16x, or 24x normal speed.
J
Shuttle the deck at –1x, –2x, –3x, –5x, –8x, –16x, or –24x normal
speed.
K+L
Shuttle the deck at 0.25x normal speed.
J+K
Shuttle the deck at –0.25x normal speed.
The following restrictions apply:
198
•
The Capture tool, Digital Cut tool, or Deck Controller window must be
selected for the keys to be active.
•
Single-field stepping is not supported.
•
If you remap the function of the J-K-L keys, you are no longer able to
control decks with those keys.
Naming a New Tape from the Keyboard
You can name a new tape without taking your hands off the keyboard.
To create a new tape name by using a keystroke in Capture mode:
t
Put a tape in the deck.
t
Click the Source Tape Display button.
3. Press Ctrl+N.
A new tape name text box opens.
4. Type the new tape name.
5. Press Enter to register the tape name.
6. Close the Select Tape dialog box:
t
Press Enter.
t
Click OK.
Ejecting Tapes with a Button or Key
By clicking the Eject button and ejecting a tape, the fact that the tape must
be changed can be brought to the attention of any tape operator in a remote
machine room.
To eject tapes by using a button:
1. Select Tools > Command Palette.
2. Click the Play tab.
3. Select Active palette.
4. Click the Eject button.
199
n
You can map the Eject button to any button on the Tool palette or any key
on the Keyboard palette. See “Mapping User-Selectable Buttons” in the
Help.
Returning to the Previous Place in the Select Tape Dialog Box
When working with many tapes, you need to be able to return quickly to
your location when you last selected a tape. If you leave the Select Tape
dialog box and reenter it, you return to where you were in the list of tape
names the last time; this should help you find the next tape you need.
200
Chapter 5
Importing Files
When you import files, the system converts them into objects in a bin. You
can manipulate and edit these objects as you would any other clip or
sequence. Any corresponding media files are stored on a target drive that
you specify. You can import files by using the procedures in the following
sections:
•
Preparing to Import Files
•
•
Creating and Using Import Settings
•
Importing Files
•
Using the Drag-and-Drop Method to Import Files
•
Importing Photoshop Graphics
•
Importing Editcam Files
•
Reimporting Files
Preparing to Import Files
Before you begin the import process, make sure the system and the files are
ready for import as follows:
•
To read about issues and tips for mixed-resolution projects, see
“Creating and Using Import Settings” on page 202.
Chapter 5 Importing Files
•
For graphics file and OMFI (Open Media Framework® Interchange)
file import, prepare the files in advance according to specifications
described in “File Format Specifications” in the Help.
•
For a complete description of all options in the Import Settings dialog
box, see “Import Settings” in the Help.
You can work with mixed resolutions in the same sequence. This feature
allows you to import graphics that will match the resolution of the final
sequence.
For example, assume that you want to use a low resolution such as 20:1 for
your initial work and then recapture your media at 2:1 for the final version.
In this case, you should import the graphics at 2:1. Then when you
recapture your material, you will not have to reimport the graphics.
If you plan to recapture your media at a higher resolution, the lower
resolution must be from the same family (single-field or two-field). For
example, if you plan to finish at 2:1, you could start the project at 20:1, but
not 15:1s.
n
n
To reimport imported graphics at a higher resolution, use the Batch Import
feature, which maintains links to the original master clips and sequences.
For more information, see “Reimporting Files” on page 219.
For more information on resolutions, see “Compression Resolutions and
Storage Requirements” on page 146.
You can create one or more sets of import parameters and save them as an
Import setting. For example, you can create one setting for importing
QuickTime® files and another for importing files from AudioVision. This
202
feature is especially useful when you use the drag-and-drop method to
import multiple files (see “Using the Drag-and-Drop Method to Import
Files” on page 209).
The default Import setting and any additional Import settings you create
appear in the Settings scroll list (see “Using the Settings Scroll List” in the
Help). After you select a setting in the Settings scroll list, the parameters
remain the default settings for all imported files, unless you change them
during import.
To create a new Import setting:
1. Click Import in the Settings scroll list.
2. Select Edit > Duplicate.
3. Name the new Import setting that appears in the Settings scroll list:
a. Click the Custom setting name column (between the setting name
and the setting type identifier).
b. Type a name.
c. Press Enter.
Custom setting
name column
203
4. Adjust the options for the setting as described in the following
procedure.
To adjust the parameters in an Import Settings dialog box:
1. Double-click Import or the newly created Import setting in the Settings
scroll list.
The Import Settings dialog box opens. The following illustration
shows the default settings for the Image tab of the Import Settings
dialog box.
2. Select the appropriate options.
For more information about Import Settings, see “Export Setting:
Import Settings” in the Help.
3. Click OK.
204
Importing Files
Importing Files
You can access files for import from any folder or drive source mounted on
the desktop, such as a floppy disk, fixed drive, removable drive, or network
server. You can import more than one file at a time, including files of
multiple types.
Consider copying all graphics files to a single folder on the internal hard
drive before you import the files. Using this folder helps you manage
graphics from multiple sources and streamlines the reimporting process
because all graphics will point to the same original path.
For information on
using the drag-anddrop method, see
“Using the Drag-andDrop Method to Import
To import files:
1. If you have created one or more Import settings, select the Import
setting that you want to use from the Settings scroll list (see “Creating
and Using Import Settings” on page 202).
2. Open the bin in which you want to store the imported files. Click
anywhere in the bin to select it.
The Select Files to Import dialog box opens.
n
For more information about the files displayed in the Select Files to Import
dialog box, click the Details button.
205
Look In pop-up menu
Up One Level
button
Details button
File browser
File to import
Files of Type
pop-up menu
Options button
Video Resolution
pop-up menu
Single/Dual Drive
button
Media Drive pop-up menu
4. Click the Files of Type pop-up menu to display only files of the
selected file type in the file browser, and select an import file type:
206
t
Select Shot Log to import Avid Log Exchange (.ALE) files
containing clip information to a bin. For more information about
Avid log specifications, see “Avid Log Specifications” in the Help.
t
Select either Graphic or Audio to import one of more than 30
supported graphics and audio file types. For more information on
the various file types and their import specifications, see “Avid
Log Specifications” in the Help.
t
Select OMFI to import files that have been saved in the OMFI file
format, such as sequences transferred from an effects or digital
audio workstation.
Importing Files
n
t
Select CamCutter to import clips captured with Editcam or
Editcam-station products. See “Importing Editcam Files” on
page 217.
t
Select AAF to import files that have been saved in the AAF
format, which can include composition information, or metadata,
that provides the instructions needed to combine and modify the
media portions of the AAF file to produce a complete multimedia
program.
t
Select MetaSync Files to import XML files that have been created
by MetaSync™ Manager. These files must use the .aeo file name
extension. For more information, see the Avid MetaSync Setup and
User’s Guide.
Your Avid editing application supports 24 MetaSync tracks.
By default, the system displays only file types that belong to the
selected category in the file browser section of the dialog box.
5. (Option) Click the Files of Type pop-up menu to display all files in a
selected folder regardless of file type, and select All Files. Use this
option if you want to batch import from multiple file types.
6. Click Options to adjust the Import settings.
The Import Settings dialog box opens, which allows you to edit
various parameters. The following illustration shows the choices for a
graphics file.
207
n
For a complete description of all options in the Import Settings dialog box,
see “Import Settings” in the Help.
7. Select the options you want. Click OK to save the settings.
8. Close the Import Settings dialog box, and return to the Select Files to
Import dialog box.
9. For graphics and video files, click the Video Resolution pop-up menu,
and select a resolution for the imported media.
n
OMFI and AAF files do not convert DV 25 to DV 50 or DV 50 to DV 25.
10. Select either OMF or MXF file format.
11. Use the Up One Level button to locate the folder containing the source
files.
12. Click the Single/Dual Drives button, and select a destination drive for
the imported file from the pop-up menu.
208
13. Select files or deselect files from the file browser section by doing one
of the following:
n
t
To add a single file, Ctrl+click the file name in the file browser
section.
t
To add a group of files, click the first file in a group, and then
Shift+click the last file in a group.
t
To deselect a single file from the file browser section, Ctrl+click a
highlighted file name.
If you are importing a sequential series of image files, you must select
Autodetect Sequential Files in the Import Settings dialog box. Then add
only the first file in the series to the file browser section.
14. Click Open.
When the system finishes importing the files, the clips appear in the
selected bin.
To import one or more files by using the drag-and-drop method:
1. Select the Import setting you want to use for import from the Settings
scroll list. Select either the default Import setting or one you have
created.
To view or modify the parameters, double-click the setting. For more
information, see “Creating and Using Import Settings” on page 202.
2. Open the bin in which you want to store the imported files.
3. From the desktop, open the folder that contains the files you want to
import. You might have to resize the Avid editing application to access
the desktop.
4. Click the file you want to import, and drag the file to the bin. To select
multiple files, Ctrl+click the files, and drag them to the bin.
209
You can import both single-layer and multilayered graphics created in
Adobe Photoshop®. If you import multilayered graphics, you can preserve
the original layers, and then edit them individually.
This section contains the following topics:
•
Importing Single-Layer Photoshop Graphics
•
Importing Multilayered Photoshop Graphics
Importing Single-Layer Photoshop Graphics
A single-layer graphic is a graphic that was created on a single layer or a
layered graphic that was flattened in Photoshop. Avid editing applications
import this kind of graphic as a matte key or master clip, depending on the
format of the Photoshop file.
•
If the graphic uses a transparent background or an alpha channel, the
Avid editing application creates a matte key.
•
If the graphic uses a background color, the Avid editing application
creates a master clip.
To import a single-layer graphic, or a multilayered graphic that was
flattened in Photoshop:
t
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Follow the standard instructions for importing a graphic, as described
in “Importing Files” on page 205.
Single-layer files that contain transparency gradients or feathering and a
transparent background do not import correctly. Partially transparent
pixels are displayed with either white or black blended into them, based on
the percentage of transparency. To avoid this problem, create an additional
layer in the original Photoshop file that contains at least one pixel of
information, such as a spot drawn with a paintbrush. Then import it as a
layered file, as described in “Importing Multilayered Files” on page 215.
In the message box, click Select Layers and select only the layer that
contains the graphic elements; do not select the additional layer.
Importing Multilayered Photoshop Graphics
A multilayered graphic is a graphic file that was created in Photoshop with
two or more layers. This section includes the following topics:
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•
Understanding Multilayered Graphics Import
•
Importing Multilayered Files
You can import multilayered graphics created in Photoshop 6.0 or later.
Understanding Multilayered Graphics Import
When you import a multilayered graphic, you can import each layer as a
separate object (a matte key or master clip). You can then manipulate
individual layers like any other matte key or master clip. You can also
import the graphic as a flattened image, or select the layers to import.
For example, a graphic artist might create a collage of still images, with a
layer of text. The goal is to edit the collage into a sequence, building it up
one image at a time, and then add the text. The following illustration shows
the graphics and layers in Photoshop.
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The Avid editing application imports each layer as an individual matte key
with alpha channel. In this example, the graphic uses a background image,
so the system creates the background image as a master clip. (If the graphic
used a transparent background, the background layer would be imported as
a matte key.)
The following illustration shows the layers as they appear in a bin.
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During the import, the Avid editing application creates a sequence with
each layer on a separate video track. This makes it easy to edit all layers
into the final sequence. The sequence preserves the names and order of the
layers from the original Photoshop file, as shown in the following
illustration.
You can then edit the tracks to build up to the full collage.
Note the following:
•
Graphics must be RGB 8 or 16 bits, or grayscale.
•
Layer order and layer names are preserved during import.
•
Hidden layers are imported as matte keys.
•
Opacity is converted to Foreground level in the Matte Key effect.
•
Text and shape layers are rasterized (converted from vector-based to
bitmap) during import.
Not all layer options and types are supported for import (see Table 15 and
Table 16). For example, a title with a Drop Shadow and an Outer Glow
effect would not keep these effects when imported. To preserve the effects
in these layers, merge them in Photoshop (as described in the Photoshop
documentation) and then import the file.
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You can also preserve layer effects and the original structure of the file by
importing the file in two stages:
1. For the first import, click Select Layers in the message box that
appears, and select all layers except the layers that contain layer
effects.
2. For the second import, open Photoshop, hide the layers you have
already imported, and show the layers that contain layer effects.
During the import, click Flatten Image. The resulting image contains
only the layers that have layer effects.
Table 15
Support for Photoshop Layer Options
Layer Option
Supported
Notes
Blending Mode
No
To preserve the blending mode (Dissolve, Multiply, and so on),
merge the layer into another layer that does not use a special
blending mode. Only Normal mode is supported.
Opacity
Yes
The imported layer’s Level is set to the opacity specified in
Photoshop. You can adjust the Opacity levels in the Foreground
Level control in the Effect Editor.
Layer Group
Partial
Layer grouping is ignored. All layers, including grouped layers,
are imported as individual layers. To preserve a clipping group,
merge the grouped layers into the base layer.
Layer Set
Partial
All layers within a set are imported as individual layers.
Layer/Set Mask
No
Layer and set masks are ignored. To preserve a layer mask, apply
it to the layer. To preserve a set mask, merge the set into an empty
layer. To preserve a special layer’s mask, rasterize the layer.
Layer Style
No
Layer styles are ignored. To preserve a layer style, you must
convert the style into layers.
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Table 16
Support for Photoshop Special Layer Types
Layer Option
Supported
Notes
Type Layer
Yes
None.
Solid Layer
Yes
Solid layers are imported as a graphic with a full-screen opaque
alpha channel.
Gradient Layer
Yes
Gradient transparency is preserved.
Pattern Layer
Yes
None.
Adjustment Layer
No
Adjustment layers include Levels, Curves, Color Balance,
Brightness/Contrast, Hue/Saturation, Channel Mixer, Gradient
Map, Invert, Threshold, and Posterize.
Importing Multilayered Files
To import a multilayered Photoshop file:
1. Prepare the Photoshop graphic for import, as described in
“Understanding Multilayered Graphics Import” on page 211.
2. Follow the standard instructions for importing a graphic, as described
in the “Importing Files” on page 205. To create the matte correctly,
you need to click the Options button and select Invert Existing Alpha.
3. Select one or more files and click Open.
A message box opens.
4. In the message box, do one of the following:
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Click Flattened Image if you want to import the graphic as a single
matte key or clip. The Avid editing application flattens the file by
combining the layers. This choice applies to all files you have
selected for import.
Hidden layers are not combined in the flattened image. Make sure all
layers that you want in the final image are visible. In addition, layers with
partial transparency do not display properly in the flattened, imported
image. See “Importing Single-Layer Photoshop Graphics” on page 210.
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Click Sequence of Layers if you want to preserve layers (up to the
number of tracks supported by the Avid editing application).
Additional layers are imported into the bin, but not as tracks in a
sequence. This choice applies to all files you have selected for
import.
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Click Select Layers if you want to select which layers to preserve.
The Select Layers dialog box opens.
Select the layers you want to import and click OK. If you select
more layers than the number of tracks supported, the additional
layers will be imported but will not be included in the sequence.
The Avid editing application displays messages as it creates media for each
layer. At the end of the process, the objects are displayed in the bin you
have selected.
If you are importing multiple files, and one or more files have more layers
than the number of tracks supported, and you clicked Sequence of Layers,
a message box opens at the end of the import process.
To see a list of the files that contained more layers than could be
imported:
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Select Tools > Console.
The list shows all files that were imported and the maximum number
of layers possible. You might want to import each file again
individually and select which layers to import.
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The matte keys will be edited into the sequence as downstream keys. In the
Effect Editor, to access parameters such as Position, deselect the
Downstream Key option. You might need to render multiple matte keys. For
complete information on downstream keys and rendering, see the Avid
Effects Guide.
You can import clips captured with the Ikegami® disk-based Editcam™ or
Editcam-station products. The Editcam is a digital news-gathering (DNG)
camera that uses Avid's CamCutter® technology.
To import Editcam files:
1. (Option) Select File > Mount All.
Performing this step is not necessary if you performed it previously or
if you inserted the FieldPak® drive before starting the Avid editing
application.
2. Open a bin.
The Select files to Import dialog box opens.
4. Click the Files of Type pop-up menu, and select CamCutter Files.
Select the CamCutter bins as follows:
a. From the desktop, select the FieldPak by selecting the FieldPak
drive letter.
b. Open the bin folder on the FieldPak.
c. Select the CamCutter bins or select the .spl files to be imported.
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The Outakes.bin contains clips that were discarded by the Editcam
operator. These clips are generally not imported, but they can be.
5. Ignore the field specifying video resolution to be imported.
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6. Ignore the field regarding video and audio drive selection.
7. Proceed with the import operation.
The system displays a dialog box asking you to identify the drives that
contain the media files.
8. Select the FieldPak drive letters as appropriate.
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If the drive is not listed, return to step 1 and follow the procedure again.
9. Complete the import process.
The Avid editing application creates entries in the selected bins that
reference the clips on the FieldPak.
For more information on importing files, see “Importing Files” on
page 205.
Note the following restrictions:
•
The CamCutter clips are not copied to a media drive. The Avid editing
application bins reference the clips stored on the FieldPak. If you
remove the FieldPak, the referenced clips will appear as Media
Offline.
•
The FieldPak has limited performance and is used only to capture and
play back clips. If you require multiple streams of video to perform
advanced effects, the data might not be supplied fast enough for proper
operation. If this situation occurs, you can do one of the following:
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Render the effects.
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Consolidate the sequence to a valid media drive.
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Import the CamCutter clips as OMFI files. This process copies the
clips to a media drive.
For additional information on Editcam, CamCutter technology, and how
these systems operate with nonlinear editors, see the Web page
www.nltek.com.
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Reimporting Files
Reimporting Files
If you are working with master clips or sequences that contain imported
material, you can use the Batch Import command to reimport the imported
files. For example, you might want to create new media files when the
media files are lost or accidentally deleted.
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Reimporting requires your original source file. Do not delete the media
files for imported files if the source files are no longer available unless
you will not need the material again.
The Batch Import command allows you to reimport the imported files
while automatically linking the new imported material with the original
master clips and sequences. When you play your sequence after
reimporting the files, the new imported material plays in your sequence.
When you reimport a media file, the entire media file, including all tracks,
is reimported. For example, if only the video track of an imported file that
contains both video and audio was edited into the sequence, the reimport
process will import both the video and audio from the source file.
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OMFI files can contain only one master clip when you reimport them.
The Batch Import Dialog Box
The Batch Import dialog box allows you to select a source file for each
master clip that you selected in a bin. Avid editing application finds the
source file automatically if the source file is located in the same folder as
the last time you imported the file. The Batch Import dialog box opens
when you select a master clip, a group of master clips, or a sequence, and
select Bin > Batch Import.
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Selected Clips
section
Video Resolution
pop-up menu
Import Target
section
Import Options
section
Selected Clips Section
The Selected Clips section shows the clips you selected for import. The
caption at the top of the section summarizes the total number of clips
shown and how many of them were found and therefore are available to be
imported. Clips displayed in black were found and will be imported. Clips
displayed in red were not found in their original location.
To find the source files for clips that were not found:
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Click Set File Location.
Browse for the source files of the clips that were not found. See
“Starting the Reimport Process” on page 221.
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Reimporting Files
To remove a clips from the Selected Clips list:
1. Select one or more clips in the Selected Clip list.
2. Click Skip This Clip.
The clips are removed from the list and are not imported.
Import Target Section
The Import Target section of the Batch Import dialog box contains global
settings that affect all the files you are importing.
•
Video Resolution pop-up menu: Allows you to select a video
resolution.
•
Video Drive and Audio Drive pop-up menus: Allow you to select
destination drives for the media files.
Import Options Section
The Import Options section of the Batch Import dialog box contains global
settings that affect all the files you are importing.
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•
Use source compression for OMFI: When selected, the resolution for
OMFI files compressed with native resolution types is used. This
allows for fast import of these files. When deselected, the resolution in
the Video Resolution pop-up menu is used as the resolution for import
(either DV, JFIF, or MPEG).
•
Override clip settings with current settings: Allows you to change
the Import settings for all imported files. By default, each file imports
using the Import settings for the last time it was imported.
If you change the Import settings by using the Import Options section, the
new settings will apply to all the files you are importing.
Starting the Reimport Process
Before beginning the reimport process, consider mounting any removable
media drives that held the original graphics.
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To reimport imported files:
1. Open the bin, and select the imported master clips and sequences that
you want to reimport.
2. Select Bin > Batch Import.
3. Select one of the following:
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Offline only: Reimports only the selected imported master clips
that are missing their media files.
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All clips: Reimports all the selected imported master clips; for
example, if you need to change the video resolution of the
imported master clips.
The Batch Import dialog box opens.
4. Click Skip This Clip to remove a clip from the list. It will not be
imported.
5. Locate the sources for files that were not found by doing the following:
a. Select a clip or clips displayed in red in the Selected Clips section.
b. Click Set File Location.
The Locate File dialog box opens.
c. Navigate to the location of the source file.
If you select more than one clip displayed in red, the system
attempts to find the rest of the clips first in the same folder as the
first clip and then, if not found there, in folders that maintain the
same relationship with the first clip’s folder.
When the clips are found, they are displayed in black.
6. Click the Video Resolution pop-up menu, and select a video resolution
for all the reimported files.
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OMFI and AAF files do not convert DV 25 to DV 50 or DV 50 to DV 25.
7. Click the Video Drive and Audio Drive pop-up menus, and select a
destination drive or drives for all the media files.
You can separate video and audio onto different drives.
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Reimporting Files
8. (Option) By default, the file is imported using the Import settings from
the last time it was imported. You can change the Import settings for
all clips being imported by doing the following in the Import Options
section:
a. Select “Override clip settings with current settings.”
b. Click Current Settings to open the Import Settings dialog box.
c. Select the appropriate options.
d. Click OK to close the Import Settings dialog box.
9. Click Import.
The file is imported.
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Chapter 6
Output Options
The Avid editing application provides tools for generating output for
individual tracks or entire sequences to various videotape or audiotape
formats. In addition, you can generate an edit decision list (EDL) to be
used by editors in a videotape suite for preparing a master tape. You can
also use VTR emulation for direct playback of sequences by using an edit
controller in an analog editing suite. These options are described in the
following sections:
•
Preparing for Output
•
Using the Digital Cut Tool
•
DV Digital Cut Delay
•
Using EDL Manager
Chapter 6 Output Options
Preparing for video output involves the following procedures:
•
Render all non-real-time effects. See the Avid Effects Guide.
•
Select video outputs. See “Selecting Video Output” on page 226.
•
Select audio outputs. See “Calibrating for Audio Output” on page 236.
•
Calibrate and adjust video output levels. See “Calibrating Global
Output Levels” on page 237.
•
Calibrate and adjust audio output levels. See “Calibrating for Audio
Output” on page 236.
•
Decide whether you want to generate stereo or mono audio. See
“Adjusting One Audio Track at a Time” on the Help.
•
Mix down multiple audio tracks if necessary. Systems equipped with a
two-channel audio board can generate a maximum of two channels.
See “Mixing Down Audio Tracks” in the Help.
•
Prepare the capture tapes. See “Preparing Record Tapes” on page 240.
Selecting Video Output
To select video output:
1. Select Clip > Digital Cut.
The Digital Cut tool opens.
2. Click the Target Device menu, and select OHCI to output directly to a
digital camera, digital video deck, or analog video deck through a
transcoder.
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If you have a software only model, OHCI appears in the menu.
Establishing Sync for Output
Sync for output comes from the LTC input when black burst or house sync
is connected to the Adrenaline DNA. If there is no reference connected to
the LTC input, output sync is generated from internal timing.
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If you are working in a facility that uses house sync or a black burst
generator to maintain accurate timing between various input and
output devices, you should connect the reference signal to the LTC
input on the Adrenaline DNA before performing a digital cut.
Avid editing systems with Avid Adrenaline DNA supports longitudinal
timecode (LTC) output. The LTC OUT connector on the Avid Adrenaline
DNA provides SMPTE or EBU timecode that you can use as a sync source
for decks with built-in synchronizers or to stripe a destination tape.
If you connect a LTC input while the Avid editing application is running,
you might need to reestablish sync.
To reestablish sync, do one of the following:
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Exit and then restart the Avid editing application. (See “Starting the
NewsCutter Application” in the Help.)
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Open the Digital Cut tool. (See “Using the Digital Cut Tool” on
page 244.)
Calibrating for Video Output
You can calibrate for video output by using the factory preset buttons or by
performing a basic video calibration:
•
Calibrating for video output, using the factory preset buttons: You
should use the factory preset buttons if you do not have an external
Waveform monitor or if your site engineers calibrate the system as a
general maintenance procedure.
•
Performing basic video calibration: All users can follow the steps
for calibrating video output, as described in “Basic Video Output
Calibration” on page 228.
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Before you calibrate video output for an NTSC-EIAJ (Japan) project,
make sure the option “NTSC Has Setup” is deselected in the General
Settings dialog box. (See “General Settings” in the Help.)
Using the Factory Preset Buttons
The preset buttons in the Video Output tool show the status of each
calibration setting as follows:
•
When you open the Video Output tool the first time you run the
application, all preset buttons are lit (appear green), with the factory
settings loaded for each slider.
•
When you click a slider of a lit preset button, the button dims (appears
gray), and the slider returns to the most recent manual level settings.
•
When you click an unlit preset button, it becomes lit (appears green),
and the slider moves to the factory preset level for that parameter.
As you adjust levels in the tool, you can switch the preset buttons between
the levels you set manually and the factory preset levels.
Basic Video Output Calibration
You can calibrate by using digital color bars and tone that you create and
edit into the sequence.
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If you or your site engineers calibrate the system as a general maintenance
procedure, or if you do not have an external Waveform monitor, leave the
Video Output tool set to the preset values.
To calibrate for video output:
1. Select Tools > Video Output Tool.
The Video Output tool opens.
Preset buttons
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You can capture your output to any of these devices, or all at once if you
capture manually. For more information, see the Using the Avid
Adrenaline DNA Installation Instructions for the Windows XP Operating
System or Using the Avid Mojo DNA Installation Instructions for the
Windows XP Operating System.
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2. Select the output format to display the appropriate controls:
The Video Output tool displays the appropriate parameters for the
selected video format, as described in Table 17.
Table 17
Video Format Output Parameters
Parameter
Video Formats
Description
H Phase
S-Video, Component and
Composite
See “Calibrating the System with Passthrough Signals”
on page 234.
Hue
Composite and S-Video
(not available for PAL)
An attribution of color perception based on varying
proportions of red, green, and blue in the video signal.
Also known as color phase.
Sat
Saturation is a measurement of chrominance or the
intensity of color in the video signal.
SC Phase
Subcarrier phase is the color burst portion of a
composite or S-Video signal used to synchronize the
timing of two or more video signals.
Brightness
Brightness is the relative lightness or darkness of the
image.
Contrast
The variation of the lightest or brightest in comparison
to the darkest portions of the image.
SubPixel HPhase
Composite, Component, and A fine adjustment of horizontal phase.
S-Video
Y Gain
Component
A measurement of luma (Y) in the video signal that is
the whitest point in the visible picture. Color bars are
used to set the white level.
RY Gain
Component
The red (R) minus luminance (Y) color-difference
signal of an analog component system in the SMPTE
NTSC video standard. The signal consists of the
following base equation for red (R), green (G), and blue
(B) components:
R–Y = –0.587G – 0.114B + 0.701R
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Table 17
Video Format Output Parameters (Continued)
Parameter
Video Formats
Description
BY Gain
Component
The blue (B) minus luminance (Y) color-difference
signal of an analog component system in the SMPTE
NTSC video standard. The signal consists of the
following base equation for red (R), green (G), and blue
(B) components:
B–Y = (–0.587G + 0.886B – 0.299R) * gain value
Black
Component
A measurement of luminance in the video signal that is
referenced to the blackest point in the visible picture.
Also known as setup or pedestal. Color bars are used to
set the black level.
3. Display color bars for calibrating:
-
If you edited digital bars and tone into the sequence, go to the head
of the bars and tone, and then click Play.
-
You can use internal bars from the Video Output tool by clicking
the Test Patterns pop-up menu, and selecting either
SMPTE_Bars.pct (SMPTE standard bars) or ColorBars.pct (fullfield color bars).
Bars are displayed on the Client monitor, and the signal appears on the
external Waveform and Vectorscope monitors.
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The internal Waveform and Vectorscope monitors do not display output
signals from the system.
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4. Adjust luminance values based on Table 18.
Table 18
Parameter/
Video Standard a
Black level (setup)
Luminance Settings for Video Output
SMPTE Bars
Full-Field Bars at
75% Signal Level
Full-Field Bars at
100% Level
Adjust Black slider to
place black level at:
7.5 IRE
0.0 IRE
0.3 V
7.5 IRE
0.0 IRE
0.3 V
Video Standard:
NTSC
7.5 IRE
NTSC-EIAJ 0.0 IRE
PAL
NAb
White level (gain)
Adjust Gain/Y Gain
slider to place white
level at:
Adjust Gain/Y Gain slider Adjust Gain/Y Gain
slider to place white level
at:
Video Standard:
NTSC
100 IRE
NTSC-EIAJ 100 IRE
PAL
NA
100 IRE
100 IRE
1.0 V
100 IRE
100 IRE
1.0 V
a. Includes NTSC-EIAJ used in Japan
b. NA = Not applicable
5. Adjust the Hue and Sat slider (composite or S-Video output), or the
RY Gain and BY Gain sliders (component output) until the angle and
amplitude of the six color vectors fall within the target boxes on the
Vectorscope monitor.
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If you do not have separate Vectorscope and Waveform monitors, you can
use the Client monitor’s “blue only” feature, if available, to adjust SC
phase output. For more information on this feature, see your monitor’s
documentation.
6. Save this setting:
a. Click the Settings pop-up menu, and select Save As.
b. Type a name.
c. Click OK.
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Output settings are Site settings, available to all users and all projects on
the system.
Using Test Patterns
The expanded Video Output tool provides a pop-up menu of test patterns
you can use to calibrate the system output.
To display a test pattern:
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Click the Test Patterns pop-up menu, and select a pattern.
To add test patterns to the list:
1. Quit the Avid editing application (see “Quitting the NewsCutter
Application” in the Help).
2. Find or create a PICT file for a selected pattern.
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You can create your own test pattern files by capturing the pattern from
videotape and exporting it as a PICT file. You can improve the accuracy of
the image by correcting colors and by removing errors, using a third-party
application.
3. Place the file in the Test Patterns folder in the
SupportingFiles/Test_Patterns folder as appropriate.
For best results, size your new test pattern as follows:
•
NTSC test patterns should be 248 lines high with the top 5 lines set to
RGB values 16, 16, 16 (ITU-R black, formerly CCIR black).
•
PAL test patterns should be 296 lines high with the top 8 lines set to
16, 16, 16.
•
Both NTSC and PAL test patterns should be 720 pixels wide.
The new test pattern appears in the Test Patterns pop-up menu in the Video
Output tool.
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Adjusting Phase Controls
The Video Output tool provides controls for adjusting horizontal phase
globally for output. Horizontal phase, or H Phase, is the horizontal
blanking interval used to synchronize the timing of two or more video
signals. SC Phase (subcarrier phase) controls are also available for timing
two or more signals based on the color burst portion of a composite or SVideo signal.
In most situations, you do not need to calibrate the horizontal phase or
subcarrier phase of the output signal. If you are working in a production
house in which timing is necessary between various devices — such as
switchers, decks, and monitors — use these controls to adjust phase
globally for all outputs from the Avid editing application.
Calibrating the System with Passthrough Signals
If you work in a production environment in which house standards are used
to synchronize a number of devices including the source decks connected
to your Avid editing application, you can calibrate the system one time to
conform to existing standards with the least amount of alteration of the
signal by using a passthrough signal (a signal that gets sent directly from
an input source to the output channels, also known as confidence view).
This advanced form of calibration is an alternative to Video Input tool
calibration settings for each source tape. It involves calibrating tapes at the
source device by using external time-base correction. You need both a
signal generator and external Waveform and Vectorscope monitors to
calibrate the system with passthrough.
To calibrate by using a passthrough signal:
1. Connect a source signal with a test pattern from a signal generator.
The Video Input tool opens. See “Calibrating for Video Input” on
page 136.
3. Click the Input pop-up menu, and select a video format. The selected
input provides the passthrough signal.
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4. Calibrate the input by using the Video Input tool, as described in
“Calibrating for Video Output” on page 227.
5. Save the input calibration settings as the system Default settings, as
described in “Saving Video Input Settings” on page 143.
The Video Output tool opens.
8. With the Capture tool active, calibrate any of the available controls in
the Video Output tool according to house standards by using external
Waveform and Vectorscope monitors. For more information, see
“Basic Video Output Calibration” on page 228.
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The Capture tool must be active to enable passthrough of the input signal
from the signal generator.
Whenever the Capture tool is active, hue, horizontal phase (H Phase), and
subcarrier phase (SC Phase) are not applicable; therefore, the controls
appear dimmed in the Video Output tool.
9. Click the Video Output tool Test Patterns pop-up menu, and select a
test pattern.
The test pattern appears and is sent to the output channels (the input
signal is no longer passed through). Additional controls are enabled in
the Video Output tool for phase control.
10. Make any necessary adjustments to H phase, SC phase, and Hue by
using the sliders in the Video Output tool while checking the external
Waveform and Vectorscope monitors.
11. Save this setting with an appropriate name:
a. Click the Video Output tool Settings pop-up menu, and select
Save As.
b. Type a name.
c. Click OK.
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The Video Output settings, a Site setting, applies to all users and projects
on the system. The default Video Input settings will be recalled each time a
new tape is loaded for capturing in the current project.
Calibrating for Audio Output
The Audio tool allows you to generate and customize calibration tone and
to adjust global output levels. For information on additional audio mix
procedures such as adjusting volume and pan or mixing down selected
tracks, see the following topics:
•
“Using the Audio Mix Tool” in the Help
•
“Mixing Down Audio Tracks” in the Help
Setting the Calibration Tone
The Audio tool provides an internal calibration tone that you can
customize and play as a reference signal on a digital cut. You can use the
captured reference signal for calibrating the digital cut audio at another
site.
The default tone playback is –14 dB (digital scale) with a 1000-Hz signal.
In some cases, you might need to customize the signal. For example, a
common reference signal convention for audio work involves capturing 30second segments of 100-Hz, 1-kHz, and 10-kHz tones back-to-back.
To change the parameters for the calibration tone:
The Audio tool opens. See “Using the Audio Tool” on page 119.
2. Click the PH button to display the Peak Hold (PH) pop-up menu.
3. Click the Peak Hold pop-up menu, and select Set Calibration Tone.
The Set Calibration Tone dialog box opens.
4. Type new values for the tone level and frequency, and click OK.
To play back the tone:
t
236
Click the Peak Hold pop-up menu, and select Play Calibration Tone.
To check the adjusted tone level in the meters:
t
Make sure the In/Out (I/O) toggle buttons are set to O for Output.
Calibrating Global Output Levels
You can use the meters in the Audio tool and the Output Control slider
(master attenuator) in the Output tab in the Audio Project Settings dialog
box to make global level adjustments for output from the system. These
adjustments affect levels for all output tracks to both the speakers and
record devices.
c
You should leave this output level at the factory preset of 0 dB. Adjust
the level only when necessary to raise or lower the overall volume,
based on the headroom parameters of the record format, or for
consistently overmodulated or undermodulated source material.
Adjusting Audio Output
To adjust global audio output:
237
2. Click the Output tab.
Bypass panel
Mix Mode Selection
Menu button
Stereo Mix Tracks
pop-up menu
Which
Set of
Track
Maps
button
Output Control slider
(master attenuator)
All or Timeline Track
Maps pop-up menu
Output Track
Maps
Channel Assignment
pop-up menu
3. Click the Mix Mode Selection Menu button, and select a type of
output.
-
Select Stereo to mix the currently monitored audio tracks into a
stereo pair.
-
Select Mono to pan all the currently monitored tracks to center.
-
Select Direct Out to map monitored tracks directly to up to eight
channels of output (depending on your hardware configuration).
By default, Direct Out maps all audio tracks in numerical sequence
to existing output channels. You can remap a track to any channel
by clicking a Channel Assignment pop-up menu and by selecting
another channel.
4. (Option) Depending on your type of output, you can make additional
adjustments:
-
238
By default, Stereo directs the mixed tracks to output channels
1 and 2. You can also direct mixed tracks to output channels 3&4,
5&6, or 7&8.
-
You can select All or Timeline from the All or Timeline Track
Maps pop-up menu above the track and channel selectors buttons
as follows:
Timeline allows you to assign output channels to the tracks
monitored in the Timeline.
All allows you to select between all available tracks.
n
If you want to map output channels to audio channels not listed in the
Output Tracks Maps area, click the Which Set of Track Maps button to
display other available audio tracks. The maximum number of available
tracks is 24.
-
You can select Clip Gain, RT EQ, or Auto Gain in the Bypass
panel to disable the customized volume, real-time EQ, or
automation gain effects you applied with the other audio tools.
The Audio tool opens.
Reset Peak
button
6. Click the In/Out toggle buttons above the meters to display O for
Output.
239
7. Play back one of the following sources of reference audio by doing one
of the following:
t
Click the Peak Hold (PH) Menu button, and select Play
Calibration Tone.
t
Play back a representative sequence or clip containing audio.
8. Watch the levels in the meters, and adjust the master attenuator to the
level that you want.
n
To adjust levels for individual tracks, use the Audio Mix tool.
9. Close the Audio tool.
10. Close the Audio Project Settings dialog box.
Preparing Record Tapes
The two basic methods of recording to tape are:
•
Frame-accurate recording, using the Digital Cut tool
•
Manual recording, using controls on the record deck
Each method requires different treatment of the record tapes.
Frame-Accurate Capture
Frame-accurate recording involves using the Digital Cut tool to record
your sequence onto a prestriped tape (a tape with prerecorded control track
and timecode) or a partially striped tape.
Before you can record a frame-accurate digital cut, you must prepare the
record tapes in advance by using either insert-edit recording or assembleedit recording.
To perform insert-edit recording:
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240
Stripe the record tapes (record black with timecode for the entire
duration of the tape) in advance (prestriped tape).
To perform assemble-edit recording:
t
Record black with timecode onto the tape, including the necessary
preroll prior to the IN point plus at least 10 seconds (partially striped
tape).
Manual Recording
Manual recording (sometimes referred to as crash recording) involves
bypassing deck control in the Avid editing application and using manual
operation of the record deck. Because the timing of playback is based on
manual procedures, the recording is not frame accurate. However, you do
not need to record timecode onto the tape in advance. You can also record
onto non-Avid-controlled decks, such as a consumer-grade VHS or Hi8™.
To record manually:
1. If the record deck has a serial control switch, set it to Local.
2. Use the controls on the deck to start the videotape recording.
3. Play the sequence.
Recording Bars and Tone
You can also record a portion of bars and tone onto the tape before
recording a digital cut. There are two methods of recording bars and tone
to tape:
•
If your recording must be frame accurate, consider adding a segment
of digital bars and tone to the front of your sequence, or prepare it as a
separate sequence that you can record by using the Digital Cut tool.
For more information, see “Preparing Digital Bars and Tone” in the
Help.
•
If your recording does not need to be frame accurate, you can
manually record direct output of bars and tone from the Avid editing
application.
241
To record bars and tone manually:
2. Click the Test Patterns pop-up menu, and select a color bars pattern.
If you do not see the Test Patterns pop-up menu, click the Arrow
button at the lower left corner of the window.
3. Click the Peak Hold (PH) pop-up menu in the Audio tool, and select
Play Calibration Tone.
4. Set the record deck to Local for manual recording.
5. Record the bars and tone as either an insert or assemble edit according
to the operation of your record deck and the chosen method.
You can create your own tone media; see “Creating Tone Media” on
page 124.
Enabling Assemble-Edit Recording
Insert editing is the default setting for the Digital Cut tool. You can also use
assemble-edit settings in the Avid editing application, along with the
assemble-editing capabilities of your record deck, to quickly record frameaccurate digital cuts without striping entire tapes in advance.
c
242
To avoid accidentally breaking timecode on prestriped tapes during
digital cut recording, enable assemble editing only when in use, and
disable it during insert-edit recording.
To enable assemble-edit recording:
Assemble-edit
option
2. Select “Allow assemble edit for digital cut.”
3. Click OK.
4. Make sure the record deck has the following settings:
-
The free run/rec (record) run switch should be set to record run.
-
The Ext (external)/Int (internal) sync switch should be set to
internal.
-
The switch for internal timecode should be set to Regen
(regenerate) or Slave Lock, not Preset.
-
After you record 15 to 30 seconds of timecode onto the record tape
for jam syncing, set the Local/Remote switch to Remote for deck
control from within the Avid editing application.
5. When you are ready to record, set the options in the Digital Cut tool.
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The Digital Cut tool provides controls when you record a sequence to tape.
The Digital Cut tool has the following operating modes:
n
•
Remote mode allows you to control the decks by using the deck
controller in the Digital Cut tool. This mode provides frame-accurate
control when you record a sequence to tape. See “Performing a Digital
Cut to Tape (Remote Mode)” on page 250.
•
Local mode allows you to manually control the record deck by using
the controls on the deck. This mode is useful when you need to use
non-Avid-controlled decks, such as a consumer-grade VHS or Hi8.
Local mode also allows you to preview the output of a digital cut
before recording it to tape.
Sync for output comes from the LTC input on the Adrenaline DNA. If there
is no reference signal connected to the LTC input, output signals are
generated from internal timing. For more information, see “Establishing
Sync for Output” on page 227.
The Digital Cut tool allows you to:
n
244
•
Select the sequence video and audio tracks to record (use the Sequence
Tracks pop-up menu and the Track Selection buttons).
•
Select the tracks to record to on the tape (Enable Video Track button
— Remote mode only).
•
Convert mixed audio sample rates.
•
Record an entire sequence.
•
Add black at the end of a digital cut.
If you need to perform a digital cut to a video deck using DV 50, you will
need to do it using a Meridien NewsCutter system. This would have to be
done in a workgroup environment.
The Digital Cut tool provides several options for managing the recording
of your sequence. For example, you can:
•
Record using either assemble or insert edits.
•
Record a selected portion of the sequence or selected tracks.
•
Record according to different timecode parameters.
•
Have the system locate those real-time effects with dropped frames.
You can also preview the digital cut before recording it to tape.
The Digital Cut tool includes its own deck controls for:
•
Cueing a record deck from the Digital Cut tool (Remote mode only)
•
Cueing the tape and marking an IN point
This capability applies when you select Mark In Time from the pop-up
menu in the deck control area (Remote mode only).
The Mark OUT button does not appear in the deck controller section of the
Digital Cut tool because it has no effect on digital cuts. Also, the Mark
OUT and Duration text fields are read-only. You cannot alter them.
n
Depending on the system configuration, you might need to use the deck
controls in the Capture tool to review a digital cut.
245
Enable Video Track button
Preview Digital Cut button
Sequence Tracks
pop-up menu
Audio Track
Selection
buttons
Deck controls
Deck Selection pop-up menu
Timecode text boxes
Selecting a Deck in the Digital Cut Tool
The Deck Selection pop-up menu in the Digital Cut tool contains a list of
all decks that were connected to the system, powered up, and initialized
when you opened the Digital Cut tool.
The Deck Selection pop-up menu also lists three commands:
246
•
Adjust Deck opens the Deck Settings dialog box. Changes you make
apply to the selected deck. For information on Deck settings, see
“Deck Settings Options” on page 89.
•
Auto-configure allows you to automatically configure the selected
deck with the default deck settings for that deck.
•
Check Decks helps to reestablish deck control if the power to your
decks was off or the decks were disconnected when you opened the
Digital Cut tool.
If the words “No Deck” appear in the pop-up menu, you need to configure
a deck in the Deck Configuration dialog box. See “Configuring Decks” on
page 84.
If a deck name appears in italics in the pop-up menu, the deck has lost
power or has been disconnected. Click the pop-up menu, and select Check
Decks to reestablish deck control.
To activate an available deck for a digital cut:
t
Click the Deck Selection pop-up menu, and select the deck.
Previewing a Digital Cut
You can preview a digital cut before recording it to tape to make sure your
preparations and output settings are correct or for screening purposes.
n
You can preview a digital cut only if a digital camera or deck is connected
to your system.
To preview a digital cut:
247
Play Digital Cut button
Halt Digital Cut button
Mix Mode Selection toggle button
Preview Digital Cut button
Sequence
Tracks pop-up
menu
Local
option
Deck control
option area
2. Select Remote or Local in the deck control option area.
3. Select the options that you want for the digital cut. See “Performing a
Digital Cut to Tape (Remote Mode)” on page 250.
4. Select the audio tracks and topmost video track that you want
represented in the digital cut preview by using the Sequence Tracks
pop-up menu. The display of tracks in the Digital Cut tool varies
according to the tracks existing in the sequence.
5. Click the yellow Preview Digital Cut button.
The Digital Cut tool goes through the motions of an insert edit and
shows you how the tape will appear before, during, and after the cut,
but does not actually change the master tape. You can then modify
your digital cut, if you want, before it is committed to the master tape.
6. Click the Target Device menu, and select your output.
248
To stop the recording at any time, do one of the following:
t
Press the space bar.
t
Click the Halt Digital Cut button.
Outputting Directly to a DV Device
In software-only models, you can output DV 25 sequences directly to a DV
device. This lets you output without any loss due to compression and
decompression.
To output directly to a DV device:
1. Select the DV 25 sequence you want to output.
2. Render all effects.
Digital Cut Native
option
249
4. Select Digital Cut Native.
c
Select Digital Cut Native only if you are outputting a sequence with all
effects rendered.
5. Select other Digital Cut options.
6. Perform the digital cut.
Performing a Digital Cut to Tape (Remote Mode)
Capture in remote mode allows you to control your record deck by using
the deck controller in the Digital Cut tool. This mode provides frameaccurate control when you record a sequence to tape.
To record a digital cut to tape:
1. Load a sequence into the Source/Record monitor. (You cannot access
digital cut options without a sequence loaded.)
n
250
Make sure the Source/Record monitor is completely visible on the desktop
and is not covered by any other windows or tools.
Play Digital Cut button
Sequence
Tracks pop-up
menu
3. Switch to one of the following modes by clicking the Mix Mode
Selection toggle button as follows:
t
Switch to Stereo to mix the currently monitored audio tracks into a
stereo pair.
t
Switch to Mono to pan all the currently monitored tracks to center.
t
Switch to Direct Out to map monitored tracks directly to up to four
channels of output (depending on your hardware configuration).
By default, Direct Out maps all audio tracks in numerical sequence
to existing output channels. You can remap a track to any channel
by clicking the channel assignment display and selecting another
channel.
251
4. Select or deselect Entire Sequence, based on the following:
t
Select Entire Sequence if you want the system to ignore any IN or
OUT points and play the entire sequence from start to finish.
t
Deselect Entire Sequence if you have established IN points, OUT
points, or both for recording a portion of the sequence.
5. Select Digital Cut Native if you are outputting a sequence with all
effects rendered.
6. (Option) Select Add Black at Tail, and enter a timecode to add black at
the end of the digital cut.
7. Click the Effect Safe Mode button (selected by default) to allow the
system to notify you that an effect needs to be rendered.
During a digital cut, real-time effects can drop frames. To eliminate the
chance of dropping frames, it’s best to render the real-time effects that
might drop frames. The Effect Safe Mode option analyzes and
identifies real-time effects that might cause dropped frames during the
digital cut and allows you to render them. After all the real-time effects
are rendered, the system automatically initiates the digital cut.
8. Select Remote in the deck control option area.
9. Click the pop-up menu, and select either Insert Edit or Assemble Edit.
n
This menu appears only if you selected “Allow assemble edit for digital
cut” in the Deck Preferences dialog box. For more information, see
“Enabling Assemble-Edit Recording” on page 242.
10. Click the pop-up menu in the deck control option area, and select an
option to indicate where to start recording on the tape:
252
t
Select Sequence Time to start the recording at a timecode existing
on tape that matches the start timecode of the sequence. If you
intend to record several sequences to tape one after another, this
option requires resetting the start timecode on each sequence to
match the appropriate IN points on the tape.
t
Select Record Deck Time to ignore the timecode of the sequence
and to start the recording wherever the record deck is currently
cued.
t
Select Mark In Time to ignore the sequence timecode. Establish an
IN point on the record tape by cueing and marking with the deck
controls.
11. (Option) Select Custom Preroll, click the pop-up menu, and select the
number of seconds to indicate how many seconds the tape rolls before
the digital cut starts. This option overrides the preroll setting in the
Deck Settings dialog box.
12. Select the audio and video tracks you want represented in the digital
cut preview. The display of tracks in the Digital Cut tool varies
according to the tracks existing in the sequence.
n
If your sequence contains audio clips with different sample rates, use the
Change Sample Rate dialog box to ensure that all the clips have the same
sample rate. For more information, see “Changing the Sample Rate” in the
Help.
13. Click the Enable Video Track button to select the audio and video
tracks to record to tape.
14. Click the Play Digital Cut button.
The system cues the record deck and then plays and records the digital
cut. The playback appears in the Source/Record monitor and the video
monitor (if you have one).
n
t
t
After assemble-edit recording, a freeze frame is usually added after the
OUT point for 1 second or more, depending on the record deck model. This
provides several frames of overlap for the next IN point before control
track and timecode break up.
253
n
If you see degraded image quality in your digital cut (particularly visible
as noise during black), deselect the option “Poll deck during digital cut” in
the Deck Preferences dialog box and record the digital cut again. With this
option deselected, the timecode display in the deck controller will not
update for the duration of the digital cut.
Performing a Digital Cut to Tape (Local Mode)
Capture in local mode allows you to manually control your record deck by
using the controls on the deck. This mode is useful when you need to use
non-Avid-controlled decks, such as consumer-grade VHS or Hi–8.
To record a digital cut to tape:
1. Load a sequence into the Source/Record monitor. (You cannot access
digital cut options without a sequence loaded.)
n
254
Make sure the Source/Record monitor is completely visible on the desktop
and is not covered by any other windows or tools.
Sequence
Tracks pop-up
menu
3. Switch to one of the following modes by clicking the Mix Mode
Selection toggle button as follows:
t
Switch to Stereo to mix the currently monitored audio tracks into a
stereo pair.
t
Switch to Mono to pan all the currently monitored tracks to center.
4. Select or deselect Entire Sequence, based on the following:
t
Select Entire Sequence if you want the system to ignore any IN or
OUT points and play the entire sequence from start to finish.
t
Deselect Entire Sequence if you have established IN points, OUT
points, or both for recording a portion of the sequence.
5. (Option) Select Add Black at Tail, and enter a timecode to add black at
the end of the digital cut.
255
6. Click the Effect Safe Mode button (selected by default) to allow the
system to notify you that an effect needs to be rendered.
During a digital cut, real-time effects can drop frames. To eliminate the
chance of dropping frames, it’s best to render the real-time effects that
might drop frames. The Effect Safe Mode option analyzes and
identifies real-time effects that might cause dropped frames during the
digital cut and allows you to render them. After all the real-time effects
are rendered, the system automatically initiates the digital cut.
7. Select Local in the deck control option area.
n
If your sequence contains audio clips with different sample rates, use the
Change Sample Rate dialog box to ensure that all the clips have the same
sample rate. For more information, see “Changing the Sample Rate” in the
Help.
8. Press the Record button on the deck.
The system cues the record deck and then plays and records the digital
cut. The playback appears in the Source/Record monitor and the video
monitor (if you have one).
256
t
t
To delay the sequence for a digital cut:
2. Select Override Recommended Digital Cut Offset.
3. Determine the approximate delay and type the delay in the Digital Cut
Delay (frames) text box.
4. Click OK.
The delay is reflected in the DV Offset box in the Digital Cut tool.
5. Perform a digital cut. See “Using the Digital Cut Tool” on page 244.
6. Repeat this process until you achieve the appropriate delay.
257
Understanding Passthrough
When the Digital Cut tool is active, the footage you see in the monitor is
passing through from an input source to the output channels. Passthrough,
also known as confidence view, uses the input source you specified in the
Input tab in the Audio Project Settings dialog box, the Video Input tool
Audio pop-up menu, or the Capture tool Audio pop-up menu. It does not
use the target device you selected in the Digital Cut tool.
When you click the Play Digital Cut button, passthrough stops. You see the
sequence in the Timeline that you are outputting to digital cut. Passthrough
resumes when the digital cut playback is complete.
Using EDL Manager
An edit decision list (EDL) is a detailed list of the edits contained in a
sequence, including all the timecode and supported effects information
required to re-create the sequence in an online videotape suite. The EDL is
organized into a series of chronological instructions called events, which
are interpreted by an edit controller that automates the assembly of the
videotape master.
Your Avid application CD-ROM includes EDL Manager, a standalone
application with powerful features and sorting capabilities to help you
prepare an EDL.
For more information on specific features and capabilities of EDL
Manager, see the Avid EDL Manager Help.
258
Chapter 7
Exporting and Exchanging
Material
You can export and exchange material with another system, another
application, or another platform. Your Avid editing application provides
tools for exporting clips and sequences in various formats or for
transferring projects and media between systems.
This chapter includes the following sections:
•
Exporting Files
•
Preparing to Export a Sequence
•
Mixing Down Video Tracks
•
Exporting Frames, Clips, or Sequences
•
Using ProEncode
•
Using AvidLinks
•
Creating Files for a DVD
•
Exporting Video in DV Stream Format
•
Customizing Export Settings
•
Exporting OMFI and AAF Files
•
QuickTime Reference Movies
•
Exporting as a QuickTime Movie
•
Exporting As an AVI File
Chapter 7 Exporting and Exchanging Material
•
Avid Codecs
•
Exporting Tracks As Audio Files
•
Exporting As a Graphics File
•
Transferring a Project Between Systems
•
Transferring Media to and from a Video Server
Exporting Files
There are several reasons why you might want to export video, audio, or
both from the Avid editing application:
•
You can export files to be viewed as an AVI or QuickTime movie.
•
You can export files for further processing to create streaming media
files in formats such as RealVideo®, QuickTime, and
Windows Media™.
•
You can export audio files for audio sweetening in a digital audio
workstation (DAW), such as a Pro Tools system.
•
You can export video files for touching up or for creating special
effects in third-party applications or other Avid applications.
•
You can export files compatible with CD-ROM and DVD-R for use in
multimedia projects.
•
You can use the export process to convert audio media files from one
supported audio format to another. The Avid editing application
supports the AIFF-C and WAVE formats.
The following sections describe general procedures for preparing to export
a sequence and for exporting frames, clips, and sequences.
260
If you are exporting part or all of a sequence — to create an OMFI file, an
AAF file, a QuickTime file, an AVI file, or a graphic sequence, for example
— you can speed the export process by preparing the sequence in advance,
as follows:
For more information
on rendering, see the
Avid Effects Guide.
•
Make sure all media for the sequence is online. For more information
about selecting offline items in a bin, see “Selecting Offline Items in a
Bin” in the Help.
•
If you want to archive the source sequence before making any
alterations, duplicate the sequence, place the duplicate in another bin,
and prepare the duplicate for export. The original sequence will be
unaffected.
•
Consider rendering all effects in advance. Although any unrendered
effects are rendered on export (except for an OMFI or an AAF export),
rendering effects in advance saves time during the export process.
•
Always render fast-saved titles before using OMFI or AAF to export a
sequence or before creating an EDL from the sequence.
•
If your sequence contains numerous video tracks, consider mixing
down the tracks in advance for faster export, unless you need to
preserve the multiple-track information. For more information about
mixing down video tracks, see “Mixing Down Video Tracks” on
page 262.
•
If your sequence contains numerous audio tracks with various audio
effects and level adjustments, consider mixing down the tracks in
advance for faster export, unless you need to preserve the multipletrack information. For more information about mixing down audio
tracks, see “Mixing Down Audio Tracks” in the Help.
•
Check and adjust all pan and audio levels in advance. All current Pan
and Level settings in the sequence are carried to the exported media.
For more information on performing an audio mixdown, see “Mixing
Down Audio Tracks” in the Help.
261
n
•
For OMFI or AAF files, consider consolidating the sequence to create
smaller source clips, thereby saving time and disk space. For more
information on consolidating media, see “Using the
Consolidate/Transcode Command” in the Help.
•
OMFI or AAF files with very complex sequences can fail during
import into some applications due to memory limitations. Try one of
the following solutions:
t
Break the sequence into smaller sequences, and export the new
sequences.
t
Add more physical memory.
These solutions also help solve the exported file size limit of 2 GB.
•
To export multiple clips in a single OMFI file, create a sequence from
them. For example, you can select all the clips, Alt+drag them into the
Timeline to create an instant sequence, and then export the sequence.
Video mixdown allows you to combine several tracks into a single new
master clip. This is convenient for building multilayered effects, for
consolidating media, and for export and exchange.
c
When you mix down video tracks, you cannot separate them again to
work on the tracks individually. Use this function only during the last
stages of editing when you no longer need to make changes, or to make
a copy for previewing.
To perform a video mixdown:
1. Render all effects. See the Avid Effects Guide.
2. Select the tracks you want to mix down.
n
262
Make sure the Record Track Monitor button in the Track Selector panel is
in the topmost track that you want to mix down. Video mixdown works from
the monitored track down, regardless of track selection.
3. Mark an IN point and an OUT point around the area to mix down.
4. Select Clip > Video Mixdown.
The Video Mixdown dialog box opens.
5. (Option) Click the Target Bin pop-up menu, and select a different bin.
6. Click the Target Drive pop-up menu, and select a target drive for
storing the new master clip.
7. Click the Resolution pop-up menu, and select a video resolution for
the mixdown.
8. Click OK.
A progress indicator appears, showing the progress of the video
mixdown. When the mixdown is completed, a new clip appears in the
bin along with the sequence, and a new media file is created on the
target drive.
263
For information on
using the drag-anddrop method, see
“Using the Drag-andDrop Method for
Export” on page 266.
n
n
This section provides the steps for exporting frames, clips, and sequences.
To export frames, clips, or sequences:
1. Select the material you want to export in one of the following ways:
t
To export specific tracks in a clip or sequence, enable those tracks
in the Track Selector panel, and disable all others. Make sure Use
Enabled Tracks is selected in the Export Settings dialog box. You
can set this option before the export. See “Customizing Export
t
To export a single-frame graphic, mark an IN point to export the
marked frame from a bin or a monitor, or move the position
indicator to the frame you want to export. Make sure Use Marks is
selected and Sequential Files is deselected in the Export Settings
dialog box.
t
To export part of a clip or sequence, mark IN and OUT points to
export the marked range from a bin or a monitor. If you mark an
IN point and no OUT point, the system exports from the IN point
to the end of the clip or sequence. Make sure Use Marks is selected
in the Export Settings dialog box.
t
To export the entire clip or sequence, deselect the options
Use Enabled Tracks and Use Marks in the Export Settings dialog
box, and make sure the topmost track is monitored.
The entire clip or sequence is included when you export as an OMFI or an
AAF file.
When you export to an OMFI file, you do not need to select both the
sequence and its source clips. Select only the sequence to export all the
necessary information, including reference clips.
2. Select a clip or sequence in one of two ways:
264
t
Click the monitor that displays the clip or sequence you want to
export.
t
Click the clip or sequence in a bin. Ctrl+click to select multiple
clips or sequences.
3. Select File > Export, or right-click and select Export.
The Export As dialog box opens with a default file name in the File
name text box, based on the file type.
4. Select the destination folder for the file.
5. (Option) Change the file name. In most cases, keep the default file
name extension.
6. Click the Export Setting pop-up menu, and select a setting.
This setting determines the format of the exported file. The default
setting is labeled Untitled. Any custom settings in the Settings scroll
list of the Project window appear in the pop-up menu. For information
on creating custom settings, see “Customizing Export Settings” on
page 276.
n
The Avid editing application supplies you with several templates for Export
settings. For a list of the templates and their settings, see “Preset Export
Templates” on page 276.
7. (Option) If you want to check the current Export setting, click Options
to open the Export Settings dialog box, view the selections, and then
click Save to return to the Export As dialog box.
For more information about Export Settings options, see “Export
Setting Dialog Box Options” in the Help.
265
n
For information on creating a new settings, see “Creating a New Export
Setting” on page 277.
8. Click Save.
n
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The Avid editing application saves the intermediate movie that it makes for
some formats in a temporary folder. Make sure the temporary folder is on a
drive with plenty of space. You can view and change the location of the
temporary file in the General Settings dialog box, which you access from
the Settings scroll list.
The Avid editing system allows a maximum exported file size of 2 GB.
If you exceed this limit, the file is unusable and an error message is
displayed. Break up large sequences or master clips into smaller
pieces.
If a power failure or application error occurs during the export
process, the entire file is unusable. You need to repeat the export
process. The only exception is a sequential file sequence, where all
frames up to the point of failure are usable.
Using the Drag-and-Drop Method for Export
To export a frame, clip, or sequence by using the drag-and-drop
method:
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Enabled Tracks is selected in the Export Settings dialog box. See
step 2.
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To export a single-frame graphic, mark an IN point to export the
marked frame from a bin or a monitor, or move the position
indicator to the frame you want to export. Make sure Use Marks is
selected in the Export Settings dialog box.
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t
to the end of the clip or sequence. Make sure Use Marks is selected
in the Export Settings dialog box.
t
To export the entire clip or sequence, deselect Use Enabled Tracks
and Use Marks in the Export Settings dialog box, and make sure
the topmost track is monitored.
You cannot use the drag-and-drop method to export ALE, tab-delimited, or
sequential files.
When you export to an OMFI file, you do not need to select both the
sequence and its source clips. Select only the sequence to export all the
necessary information, including reference clips.
2. In the Settings scroll list of the Project window, select the setting you
want to use for export. The default Export setting, the preset templates,
and any additional Export settings you create appear in the Settings
scroll list.
After you select a setting in the Settings scroll list, the parameters
remain the default settings for all exported files, unless you change
them during the export. This is especially useful when you batch
export a number of files at the same time directly from a bin. To view
or modify the parameters, double-click the setting.
3. Export the frame, clip, or sequence by dragging the clip or sequence
you want to export to the location (folder or drive) where you want to
store the file. To select multiple objects, Ctrl+click the objects and
drag the objects to the new location.
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During a drag-and-drop export, the Avid editing application saves an
intermediate file in a temporary folder. Make sure the temporary folder is
on a drive with plenty of space. You can view and change the location of
the temporary file in the General Settings dialog box, which you access
from the Settings scroll list. To save time, assign the temporary folder to a
folder on the same drive where you will be dragging the export.
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Using ProEncode
You can send media files to the Avid ProEncode service for encoding in
different output formats. The ProEncode option creates QuickTime
reference movies from your media files. It then distributes them to multiple
workstations where media files can be encoded for output as RealSystem™
or QuickTime.
ProEncode is layered on top of the Avid Distributed Media Services
(DMS) software infrastructure. If you have installed the ProEncode Client
software on your Avid editing system and have configured a DMS broker
on your Avid Unity or local area network, the Send To ProEncode
command submits your media files to a DMS broker for processing.
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ProEncode is available separately from the Avid editing application. To
purchase ProEncode, see your Avid sales representative.
To send a sequence or clip to ProEncode:
1. Select a sequence or clip to export (see “Exporting Frames, Clips, or
Sequences” on page 264).
2. Select File > Send To > ProEncode.
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Using AvidLinks
ProEncode creates a QuickTime reference movie and prompts you for the
name of your DMS broker. For information on configuring ProEncode, see
the Avid ProEncode Setup and User’s Guide.
Using AvidLinks
AvidLinks enables you to send data from the Avid editing system to other
Avid applications. The AvidLinks option provides you with a choice of
several OMFI Export templates. The resulting files are either compositiononly or composition with embedded audio or video. For more information
on compositions, see “Selecting an OMFI or an AAF Transfer Method” on
page 280.
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You can use AvidLinks to export to any of the applications listed in
Table 19.
Table 19
Available Avid Applications for AvidLinks Export
Options
Supported Media
Objects
Avid Application
Output File
AudioVision
OMFI 1.0 with
embedded AIFF-C
audio media. All
audio media is
converted to
AIFF-C.
—
Digidesign® Pro Tools
OMFI 2.0 with
embedded or
external AIFF-C
media. All audio
media is converted
to AIFF-C.
Sequence or master clip
Embed Audio in
OMF Interchange file
Sequence or master clip
External Audio Files
(native AIFF-C only)
Media Illusion (Composition)
OMFI 2.0 with
—
links to media files
Sequence only
Media Illusion (Video)
OMFI 1.0 with
embedded video
media.
Convert to 1:1a
Master clip only
Avid|DS (Composition)
AAF with links to
media files
—
Sequence only
a. Media Illusion v6.0 requires uncompressed media (1:1 resolution). If your media is not 1:1, select this option.
The Avid editing application will create uncompressed media for the exported file. If your media is 1:1, deselect
this option and the exporting process will be faster.
To use AvidLinks:
1. In the bin, select the media object you want to export.
2. Select File > AvidLinks > application name.
The AvidLink Export to application name dialog box opens with a
default file name in the File name text box, based on the file type.
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You can also access AvidLinks by right-clicking the media object and
selecting AvidLinks.
3. (Option) Change the file name.
5. Click Save.
You can use the Send To feature to send a QuickTime reference movie to a
DVD Authoring application if the authoring application is installed on
your Avid Editing system.
First add the third-party application, then use the Send To feature to send
the movie directly to the DVD authoring application.
Add applications for creating DVDs:
1. Select File > Send To.
The Send To dialog box opens.
2. Click the Send To pop-up menu, and select Add Item.
A dialog box opens.
3. Locate the application or script you want to appear in the Send To
pop-up menu, select it, and click Open.
The application or script appears in the Send To pop-up menu and you
can use it to create files.
4. Select Auto Launch Application to start the DVD authoring
application when the export is complete.
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Send the QuickTime Reference Movie Directly to the DVD authoring
application:
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You can use the Send To feature to export a QuickTime reference movie
from a film project (24p, 25p, or 23.976p) if the application to which you
are exporting supports these rates.
1. Select a sequence in a bin. You can select multiple sequences.
2. Select File > Send To.
The Send To dialog box opens.
3. Click the Send To pop-up menu, and select the DVD authoring
application. (For example, iDVD for the Macintosh)
4. Select Auto Launch Application to start the DVD authoring
application when the export is complete.
5. Click the Browse button to navigate to a destination for the exported
files.
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6. Select other options as described in Table 20.
Table 20
DVD Options
Option
Description
Pixel Aspect Ratio
Select this option to apply a scaling to the video: 4:3 or 16:9. The pixel
aspect ratio allows you to control the display format without modifying the
source file. The default is 4:3.
Use Enabled Tracks
Select this option if you want the system to use tracks that are enabled in
the Timeline (default). To export the entire clip or sequence, deselect this
option.
Use Marks
Select this option if you want the system to use current IN and OUT points
in the selected clip or sequence to determine starting and ending frames for
the export (default). To export the entire clip or sequence, deselect this
option.
7. Click OK.
A QuickTime reference movie is produced in the destination you
specified. If you selected Auto Launch Application, the destination
folder opens and the DVD authoring application starts.
8. Create the DVD following the procedures provided with the DVD
authoring application.
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The DV Stream format is often used for distribution over the Web. Use this
option when exporting video that will be combined or processed with other
DV-formatted media. This option requires a video track.
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The DV Stream format appears after you have installed QuickTime. If you
want to use the QuickTime application for exporting sequences, download
the latest version of QuickTime from the Apple® Web site at:
www.apple.com/quicktime/download.
To export in DV Stream format:
1. Select a sequence in a bin.
3. Select the Export settings by doing one of the following:
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Click the Export Setting pop-up menu, select a setting if you have
created a setting in advance, and go to step 7.
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If you want to review or edit a setting, go to step 4.
4. Click Options.
5. Click the Export As pop-up menu, and select DV Stream.
6. Select your options.
For more information about DV Stream options, see “Export Setting: DV
Stream Options” in the Help.
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7. Click Format Options.
The DV Export Settings dialog box opens.
8. Select a video format and an audio format. For compatibility with DV
cameras that require unlocked audio, deselect Locked.
9. Click OK to close the DV Export Settings dialog box.
10. Click Save in the Export Settings dialog box.
In addition to selecting preset templates, Avid editing applications allow
you to customize and name your Export settings. Use the following
procedures to customize your Export settings.
Preset Export Templates
Your Avid editing application includes the following export templates:
•
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Fast-Export QuickTime: Exports a QuickTime movie that uses the
Same as Source setting. See “Exporting as a QuickTime Movie” on
page 286.
•
Macintosh Image: Exports a PICT file for use in Macintosh graphic
applications. See “Exporting As a Graphics File” on page 307.
•
Windows Image: Exports a BMP file for use in Windows graphic
application.“Exporting As a Graphics File” on page 307.
You can select or customize these settings, as described in “Exporting
Frames, Clips, or Sequences” on page 264.
Creating a New Export Setting
To create a new Export setting from the Settings scroll list:
1. Double-click Export in the Setting scroll list.
2. Select Edit > Duplicate, or right-click and select Duplicate.
3. Name the setting:
a. Click the custom name column.
b. Type a name.
c. Press Enter.
4. Double-click the new Export setting.
5. Click the Export As pop-up menu, and select the appropriate file type
and options.
6. Click Save.
To create a new Export setting while exporting:
1. Select a clip or sequence to export.
3. Click the Export Setting pop-up menu, and select Untitled.
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4. Click Options.
5. Click the Export As pop-up menu, and select the appropriate file type
and options.
6. Click Save As.
7. Type a name in the Setting Name text box, and click OK.
The Export As dialog box opens, and the new setting appears in the
Export Setting pop-up menu.
8. Click Save to complete the export.
You can set the options for exporting OMFI (OMF Interchange) and AAF
(Advanced Authoring Format) files from the Export Settings dialog box.
This allows you to consolidate or copy media and create an OMFI or AAF
file in one step.
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Exporting Through OMF Interchange
OMF Interchange (OMFI) is a platform-independent file format that stores
both the digital media (video, audio, graphics, animation) and the
information describing how the media is edited together to form a final
sequence. This editing information, called a composition, is the OMFI
representation of the sequence created in Avid editing applications. The
OMF Interchange format is the result of cooperative efforts of many
industry and standards partners and Avid Technology, Inc.
Any other program that supports OMFI can read OMFI files, even if the
program resides on a different computer platform. As a result, with OMFI
you can transfer files between different applications on different platforms
without worrying about cross-platform translations. This can be very
effective for importing animation or audio files created on proprietary
platforms.
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To avoid errors and incompatibilities when you import and export
OMFI files, observe the recommendations in “Exchanging Titles in
OMFI Format” on page 283.
Exporting Through AAF
Advanced Authoring Format (AAF), is a cross-platform, multimedia file
format that allows interchange of media and composition information
between AAF-compliant applications. These applications are primarily
content creation tools such as Avid editing applications, Avid|DS, Adobe
Photoshop and After Effects®, and Sonic Foundry's Sound Forge®, to name
a few.
There are two general types of data in an AAF file:
•
Media such as audio and video
•
Composition information, or metadata, that provides the instructions
needed to combine and modify the media portions of the AAF file to
produce a complete multimedia program
Selecting an OMFI or an AAF Transfer Method
OMF Interchange and AAF, as implemented in Avid editing systems,
provide two basic methods for exporting files.
Method 1: Compositions with Linked Media
Avid editing applications can export an OMFI or an AAF file that contains
only the editing information about a selected master clip or sequence. The
file also contains links to the media used in the clip or sequence. You then
need to transfer both the OMFI or AAF file and the media files or to
recapture the media on the other system. After you have transferred the
media once, you can transfer revised composition-only files, unless you
consolidate the media (in which case, you must transport the consolidated
media files, as well). You can consolidate media during or before the
export (see “Exporting OMFI or AAF Files” on page 281).
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Method 2: Compositions with Embedded Media
Avid editing applications can export an OMFI or an AAF file that contains
all the editing information for the selected master clip or sequence along
with the video and audio media files for that master clip or sequence. See
“Exporting OMFI or AAF Files” on page 281.
Exporting OMFI or AAF Files
To export master clips or sequences as OMFI or AAF files:
1. Select the master clip or sequence you want to export.
3. (Option) If you want to create a custom setting, click the Export
Setting pop-up menu, and select Untitled. For more information on
customizing export settings, see “Creating a New Export Setting” on
page 277.
4. Click the Options button.
5. Click the Export As pop-up menu, and select OMF 1.0, OMF 2.0, or
AAF options.
For more information about Export Settings dialog box, see “Export
Setting OMFI and AAF Options” in the Help.
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To save your revised settings in the existing settings file, click
Save.
The Export As dialog box opens again.
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To create a new settings file, click Save As.
The Save Export Setting dialog box opens.
Name the setting by typing a name in the Setting Name text box,
and click OK. The Export As dialog box opens again.
7. (Option) In the Export As dialog box, change the file name.
In most cases, keep the file name extension the same.
9. Click Save.
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Exchanging Titles in OMFI Format
Exchanging Titles in OMFI Format
You can export real-time title clips, imported graphic clips with alpha
channel, and sequences that include these kinds of title or graphic clips as
files in OMFI 2.0 format. Title information is preserved and appears
accurately in your system when you reimport the OMFI files.
Consider the following when you plan to export material containing title
clips or imported graphics with alpha:
•
You cannot convert the resolution for title clips or imported graphic
clips with alpha when you import an OMFI 2.0 file into the Avid
editing application.
If you are working with a title created in the Title tool, you can convert
the title to a different resolution after import by using the Re-create
Title Media command. If you are working with a title or graphic with
alpha created in a graphics application such as Adobe Photoshop,
create the title in the final resolution you will need before you export
the title in OMFI format.
•
You can export real-time titles and imported graphics with alpha as
OMFI files by using only the OMFI 2.0 file format. Earlier versions of
the OMFI format lose real-time title information during the export and
reimport process.
Because OMFI 2.0 files containing real-time title information are not
backward-compatible with earlier releases of Avid editing
applications, you can export and reimport such files only with the
current release of Avid editing applications.
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If you import an OMFI 2.0 file containing real-time title information
into any version of an Avid editing application prior to the current
release, you lose title information.
If you need to export and reimport titles or imported graphics with
alpha to a version of an Avid editing application prior to the current
release, you must render the titles or graphics before export.
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A QuickTime reference movie is a QuickTime movie that contains
composition information but no movie data. Instead, the movie contains
pointers to the original media in the OMFI MediaFiles directory on local or
network media drives. Because the QuickTime reference movie does not
contain media, the file is much smaller than a QuickTime movie, usually
only a few kilobytes per file. Therefore, exporting a sequence as a
QuickTime reference movie is faster and takes up less disk space than
exporting a sequence as a QuickTime movie. When you play back the
movie in QuickTime Player, the movie references the media files.
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The QuickTime Reference appears after you have installed QuickTime. If
you want to use the QuickTime application for exporting sequences,
download the latest version of QuickTime from the Apple Web site at:
QuickTime reference movies are useful as long as you are working with
Avid OMFI media files available on your local system or in an Avid Unity
workgroup environment. Advantages are speed and small file size because
the system does not copy the source media files into the exported
QuickTime file. However, if you expect to move the exported QuickTime
file to a system that does not have access to the media, then you should use
the standard QuickTime export so that the media files and QuickTime
wrapper can be moved as one file. See “Exporting as a QuickTime Movie”
on page 286.
Exporting as a QuickTime Reference Movie
To export as a QuickTime reference movie:
1. Identify the portion of the clip or sequence you want to export in one
of the following ways:
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in the Track Selector panel, and disable all others.
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export the marked range from a bin or a monitor.
t
n
To export the entire clip or sequence, make sure the topmost track
is monitored.
For more information, see “Preparing to Export a Sequence” on page 261.
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Click the Export Setting pop-up menu, select a setting if you have
created a setting in advance, and go to step 10.
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If you want to review or edit a setting or create a new setting, go to
step 4.
4. Click Options.
5. Click the Export As pop-up menu, and select QuickTime Reference.
For more information about QuickTime Reference Export Options, see
“Export Setting: QuickTime Reference Options” in the Help.
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6. Click Save to save the revised setting, or click Save As to create a new
setting. See “Creating a New Export Setting” on page 277.
The Export As dialog box reappears with the default QuickTime
reference movie file name extension in the File name text box.
name extension.
9. Click Save.
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Exporting as a QuickTime Movie
This section presents the procedures for exporting as a QuickTime movie
and the export options you can select.
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The QuickTime Movie appears after you have installed QuickTime. If you
want to use the QuickTime application for exporting sequences, download
the latest version of QuickTime from the Apple Web site at:
The QuickTime export option creates a standard QuickTime movie that
combines the media files and QuickTime wrapper. The benefit of this
method is that you can move all related information as one file. If you are
working with Avid OMFI media files available on your local system or in
an Avid Unity workgroup environment, you might want to investigate the
QuickTime reference format. See “QuickTime Reference Movies” on
page 284.
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To export as a QuickTime movie:
You can use the dragand-drop method to
export QuickTime files.
See “Using the Dragand-Drop Method for
Export” on page 266.
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can select this option before the export.
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to the end of the clip or sequence. If you mark only an OUT point,
the system exports from the beginning to the OUT point. Make
sure Use Marks is selected in the Export Settings dialog box.
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Click the Export As pop-up menu, select a setting if you created a
QuickTime template in advance, and go to step 11.
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4. Click Options.
5. Click the Export As pop-up menu, and select QuickTime Movie.
n
If you installed additional QuickTime Export formats, they appear in the
pop-up menu with tildes (~) before their names. This indicates that they
have not been qualified and are not supported by Avid.
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QuickTime Movie (Same as Source)
QuickTime Movie (Custom)
6. Select Same as Source to use the resolution of the source file, or select
Custom to customize your settings.
7. Select the remaining options.
For more information about QuickTime Movie Export Options, see
“Export Setting: QuickTime Movie Export Options” in the Help.
The Export As dialog box opens with the default QuickTime file name
extension in the File name text box.
name extension.
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11. Click Save.
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Avid editing systems allow a maximum exported file size of 2 GB. If
you exceed this limit, the file is unusable and an error message is
displayed. Break up large sequences or master clips into smaller
pieces.
Selecting QuickTime Codecs
Avid editing applications include many codecs you can use to compress
and export your sequence. See “Avid Codecs” on page 296.
To access the QuickTime codecs:
2. Click Options.
4. Select Custom.
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The Movie Settings dialog box opens.
290
6. Click Settings in the Video area.
The Compression Settings dialog box opens.
7. Select the options.
For more information about QuickTime Compression Settings, see
“Export Setting: QuickTime Compression Settings” in the Help.
8. Click OK.
To export as an AVI file:
1. Identify the material you want to export in one of the following ways:
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can set this option before the export. See “Customizing Export
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t
to the end of the clip or sequence. If you mark only an OUT point,
the system exports from the beginning to the OUT point. Make
sure Use Marks is selected in the Export Settings dialog box.
t
You can set these
options in advance. See
“Customizing Export
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If you created a setting in advance, click the Export pop-up menu,
select a setting, and go to step 13.
t
4. Click Options.
5. Click the Export As pop-up menu, and select AVI.
6. Select AVI options from the Video Format tab.
For more information about AVI options, see “Export Setting: AVI
Setting” in the Help.
7. Select an AVI codec by clicking Codec Options.
The Video Compression dialog box opens.
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8. Select the compressor you want, and click Configure to further
configure the codec.
For more information about compression options, see “Export Setting:
AVI Setting” in the Help.
9. Click OK to close the Video Compression dialog box and return to the
Export Settings dialog box.
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10. Select AVI options from the Audio Format tab.
For more information about Audio Format options, see “Export
Setting: AVI Setting” in the Help.
The Export As dialog box opens with a default file name in the File
name text box.
name extension.
14. Click Save.
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The Avid editing system allows a maximum exported file size of 2 GB.
If you exceed this limit, the file is unusable and the system displays an
error message. Break up large sequences and master clips into smaller
pieces.
process.
Avid Codecs
This section describes the Avid codecs (compressor/decompressor) used
when exporting QuickTime files from the Avid editing system or from
third-party applications for import into an Avid editing system.
Using the Avid Codecs for QuickTime
You can use the following Avid codes when you export QuickTime files
from your Avid editing system or from third-party applications for import
into an Avid editing system:
•
Avid DV
•
Avid Meridien Compressed
•
Avid Meridien Uncompressed
The Avid Codecs for QuickTime create encapsulated media files for export
of high-resolution files that are readable within QuickTime applications.
The Avid DV codec and the two Avid Meridien codecs enable fast import
to current Avid products.
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You get the best results when you use the Same as Source option. See
“Exporting as a QuickTime Movie” on page 286.
Avid Codecs
Exporting with the Avid DV Codec or an Avid Meridien Codec
To export a clip or sequence with the Avid DV codec or one of the
Avid Meridien codecs:
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t
t
is monitored.
3. Click Options.
5. Select Custom.
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Avid Codecs
8. Click the top Compressor pop-up menu, and select Avid, DV, Avid
Meridien Uncompressed or Avid Meridien Compressed.
9. Click the Options button. The Quality slider does not affect your
settings.
One of the Codec Configuration dialog boxes appears.
10. Choose the settings you want and click OK.
11. Click OK in the Compression Settings dialog box, and then click OK
in the Movie Settings dialog box.
The Export Settings dialog box reappears.
12. Click Save.
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Exporting with the Avid ABVB NuVista Codec for QuickTime
To export a clip or sequence with the Avid ABVB NuVista Codec for
QuickTime:
t
t
t
is monitored.
3. Click Options.
5. Select Custom.
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Avid Codecs
8. Click the top Compressor pop-up menu, and select Avid ABVB
NuVista.
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9. Adjust the Quality slider.
The Avid ABVB/NuVista Codec Configuration dialog box opens.
10. Select the appropriate format for the media you want to create: NTSC
or PAL.
11. Select the appropriate board type for the media:
-
NuVista
-
ABVB
12. Select or deselect Input, depending on your source.
13. Click the Resolution pop-up menu, and select a resolution.
The menu is updated according to the format and system type you
select.
14. Click OK to close the Avid ABVB/NuVista Codec Configuration
dialog box.
15. Click OK in the Compression Settings dialog box.
The Movie Settings dialog box reappears.
16. Click OK.
The Export Settings dialog box reappears.
17. Click Save.
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Avid Codecs
Installing an Avid Codec on Other Systems
When you install the Avid editing application on your system, the Avid
Codecs for QuickTime is automatically installed. If you want to export a
QuickTime movie from a third-party application such as Adobe After
Effects® for use on an Avid editing system, you should have the
appropriate Avid codec installed on the system running the third-party
application.
Use the following techniques to copy the codecs to other systems:
•
Copy the Avid Codecs for QuickTime to other workstations where you
are using QuickTime compatible applications. Once the Avid Codecs
for QuickTime are installed on the workstation, you can export files
from the QuickTime compatible application for reimport into the Avid
editing system.
•
Download the Windows version of the Avid Codecs for QuickTime
from the Avid Web site.
Copying an Avid Codec for QuickTime to a Windows System
To copy the Avid Meridien Codecs for QuickTime to another Windows
system:
1. On your Avid editing system, open the following folder:
drive:\WINNT\System32
2. Copy the codecs you need to a floppy disk or network server.
The following table describes the codecs:
Codec
Description
AvidQTAVJICodec.qtx
Avid Meridien Compressed Codec for QuickTime
AvidQTAVUICodec.qtx Avid Meridien Uncompressed Codec for
QuickTime
3. Install the codecs on the other system in one of the following folders:
drive:\Windows\System32
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To copy the Avid DV Codec for QuickTime to another Windows
system:
1. Insert the Avid editing application installation CD-ROM.
2. On the opening screen, click Browse CD Contents.
If the installer does not start automatically:
a. Double-click the My Computer icon.
b. Double-click the CD-ROM drive icon.
3. Double-click the Goodies folder.
4. Double-click the AvidDV25Codec folder.
5. Copy the AvidQTDV25Codec.qtx file to a floppy disk or network
server.
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This codec supports the DV 25 resolution only.
6. Install the codec on the other system in one of the following folders:
drive:\WINNT\System32 (Windows 2000)
drive:\Windows\System32 (Windows XP)
Downloading Avid Codecs for QuickTime
The Avid Codecs for QuickTime for your system are included on the
installation CD-ROM as part of the standard installation. If you need the
codecs for a different platform or want to install updated codecs, you can
download them from the Avid Customer Support Knowledge Center.
To download the Avid Codecs for QuickTime:
1. Go to www.avid.com and access the Customer Support Knowledge
Center.
For more information, see the ReadMe supplied with your Avid editing
application.
2. Search for the term Codecs.
3. From the list, select and download the latest version of the codecs. The
codecs are specified by product name and release number. There is one
set of codecs for Windows and one set for Macintosh.
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Exporting from a Third-Party Application
To export files from a QuickTime-compatible application or an AVIcompatible application on a Windows system for import (or reimport)
into Avid editing systems:
1. Make sure the applicable codec is installed on the workstation. See
“Installing an Avid Codec on Other Systems” on page 303.
2. Conduct the export procedure according to the procedures used by the
particular software.
3. When you get to the step where the standard Export Settings dialog
box opens, select the applicable Avid compressor.
For QuickTime exports, most applications will have format options
similar to those described in “Selecting QuickTime Codecs” on
page 289. Make sure you select settings that will be compatible with
your existing media on the Avid editing system.
n
If you select a nonstandard frame size, Avid editing systems will not import
the file quickly.
4. Complete the export.
To export the audio tracks in a clip or sequence as an audio file:
1. (Option) Mark IN or OUT points to identify a particular portion of the
audio in a sequence.
2. (Option) Select the tracks you want to export.
t
export.
t
Click the clip or sequence in a bin.
The Export As dialog box dialog box opens.
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5. Click the Export pop-up menu, and select a setting. If you do not have
a preset audio template, select Untitled, and then click Options.
6. Click the Export As pop-up menu, and select Audio.
t
Select Use Marks if you are exporting a marked sequence.
t
Select Use Enabled Tracks if you are exporting specific tracks in a
sequence.
t
Deselect Use Enabled Tracks and Use Marks if you are exporting
an entire sequence.
8. Click the Audio Format pop-up menu, and select a format.
For more information about Audio options, see “Export Setting: Audio
Options” in the Help.
9. Click Save to save the current setting, or click Save As to create a new
The Export As dialog box opens with the audio file name extension in
the File name text box.
10. (Option) Change the file name. In most cases, keep the file name
extension.
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12. Click Save.
13. Click OK.
Avid editing applications allow you to select from a number of graphic
format options.
To export as a graphics file:
1. Mark an IN point to export the marked frame from a bin or a monitor,
or move the position indicator to the frame you want to export.
t
export.
t
Click the clip or sequence in a bin.
4. Click the Export pop-up menu, and select a setting. If you do not have
a preset graphic template, select Untitled, and then click Options.
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Graphic Format
pop-up menu
Format Options button
5. Click the Export As pop-up menu, and select Graphic.
6. Select the graphic options.
For more information about Graphic options, see “Export Setting:
Graphic Options” in the Help.
7. Make sure Use Marks is selected if you want to export a specific
frame.
8. Click Save to save the current setting, or click Save As to create a new
The Export As dialog box opens with the graphic file name extension
in the File Name text box.
9. (Option) Change the file name. In most cases, keep the file name
extension.
11. Click Save.
12. Click OK.
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This section describes how to move projects and media folders between
Avid editing applications.
There are two basic methods for transferring projects between Windows
systems:
n
•
Moving project folders, settings, and media files between the systems
•
Moving project folders and settings between the systems, and then
recapturing the media (for information on recapturing, see
“Recapturing Your Material” on page 193)
If you are using your Avid editing system in an Avid Unity workgroup
environment, you can use Avid Unity MediaManager to share media files
between systems. You can also use Avid Unity TransferManager to share
files between workgroups. For more information, see the Avid Unity
MediaManager Setup and User’s Guide and the Avid Unity
TransferManager Setup and User’s Guide.
Methods for Transferring Files Between Avid Editing Systems
The type of transfer device you use depends on which method of transfer
you choose.
•
Moving project folders, settings, and media files requires large
amounts of storage space because of the size of media files.
•
Transferring only the project folders and settings files requires
minimal storage space.
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Table 21 lists the recommended devices for transferring files between
systems.
Table 21
Devices for Transferring Files
Transfer Device
For Transferring
Floppy drive or equivalent device
Project and settings files
Removable storage device, such as a hard drive
Media, project, and settings files
A network storage device, such as a file server.
Media, projects, and settings
Compatibility Requirements for Transfer
When you transfer a project between Avid editing systems, make sure:
n
•
Both systems have the same release or a compatible release of the
application.
•
The resolutions are compatible if you are transferring media files.
•
The fonts used in the project are installed on both systems.
When editing in a workgroup environment, you must consolidate your
media files before checking them in to MediaManager.
Transferring a Project and Associated Media Files
There are two basic methods for transferring projects with their media files
between Avid editing applications:
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-
Back up the project files and transport the media files on a
removable storage device.
-
Send sequences, clips, or entire projects to a network storage
device.
To transfer a work in progress and associated media files to another
Avid editing system:
1. (Option) Consolidate the media for the project onto an appropriate
drive for transfer to the other system.
n
For more information on consolidating, see “Consolidating Media” in the
Help.
n
When editing in a workgroup environment, you must consolidate your
media files before checking them in to MediaManager.
c
Do not rename the folders named OMFI MediaFiles located on the
media drive. The target system uses the folder names to locate the
media files.
2. Copy the project folder and any settings files you want to maintain at
the new location onto a floppy disk or to a location on a server. For
more information, see “Transferring Projects, User Profiles, and Site
Alternatively, create a folder at the top level of the media drive and
copy the project folder and any settings files to that folder.
3. Close your Avid editing application, and shut down your system.
4. Remove the drives containing the media files, and take them and the
floppy disk to the new location.
n
For more information on moving hard drives, removable drives, and
striped sets from one system to another, see the Avid MediaDrive Utilities
User’s Guide.
5. With the system at the new location turned off, insert or connect the
drives and start the system.
6. Copy the project folder and any settings files to the appropriate folder
on drive C. For more information, see “Transferring Projects, User
Profiles, and Site Settings” on page 312.
7. Start your Avid editing application, open the project, and resume work.
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n
The Avid editing application reconstructs the MediaFiles database the first
time you start the application to incorporate the new media into the
system’s internal directory.
Transferring Projects, User Profiles, and Site Settings
To open projects, bins, and user profiles created with another Avid system,
you must transfer specific folders directly into the Avid Projects or Avid
Users folder before starting the application. You can also transfer a Site
Settings file between systems.
n
For information about these files and folders, see “Types of Settings” in
the Help.
When moving a project with titles, make sure that both systems have the
same fonts that were used to create the titles. For information on adding
fonts, see the Windows Help.
n
Adding a project folder from another system does not transfer
accompanying media files.
To transfer project files, user profiles, and site settings to another
Avid system:
1. On the source system, select the project folder, user folder, or Site
Settings file you want to transfer. The default locations are listed in
Table 22.
Table 22
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Default Folder and File Locations
Folder or File
Location
Project folder
drive:\Program Files\Avid\NewsCutter\
Avid Projects
User folder
Avid Users
Site Settings file
Settings
n
The exact location depends on how your Avid editing application was
installed on your system.
2. Copy the files to a floppy disk or to a location on a server.
3. On the destination system, copy the project folder, user folder, or Site
Settings file to the appropriate location, as listed in step 1.
n
Do not rename the project folder. The project settings will not link to the
project if you rename the project folder.
The next time you view the Select User and Project dialog box, the new
project will appear in the Projects scroll list. New User settings will appear
in the Users scroll list. Site settings are active for all projects at the new
location.
c
Do not open a project directly from the transfer device. You must copy
the folder to the system drive first.
Transferring Projects and Bins Using AFE Files
AFE (Avid File Exchange) files are an efficient way to transfer project
information between Avid applications. For example, you can use AFE
files to transfer projects and bins from an offline Avid editing system to an
Avid|DS finishing system.
n
Currently you can import an AFE file into Avid|DS v6.0 or later only.
AFE files are based on AAF (Advanced Authoring Format) technology.
AFE files, however, are especially designed for sharing project information
among Avid applications. AFE files let you transfer one or more bins, their
contents, and information about the contents, including master clips,
subclips, titles, and sequences.
n
Specific information for transferring projects to Avid|DS is contained in
the Avid|DS Conform Guide, which is available from the Avid Customer
Support Knowledge Center or the Avid|DS Web site. For information on
accessing the Knowledge Center, see the ReadMe for your Avid editing
application.
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To create an AFE file that includes all bins in a project:
1. Click the project window and select File > Export.
The Export Project As dialog box opens.
2. Select a location, name the file, and click Save.
3. Transfer the AFE file to a location you can access from the other Avid
application.
You can use removable media, a network connection, or an Avid Unity
shared storage system.
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To create an AFE file that includes the contents of a single bin:
1. Open the bin.
2. Click the bin, and select File > Export.
The Export Bin As dialog box opens.
3. Select Avid File Exchange from the Export Bin As list.
4. Select a location, name the file, and click Save.
5. Transfer the AFE file to a location you can access from the other Avid
application.
You can use removable media, a network connection, or an Avid Unity
shared storage system.
A video server is an optional component used with the Avid editing system
as part of a workgroup environment.
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Setting Up a Video Server
You can transfer media to and from a video server through audio, video,
and serial RS-422 connections. The Avid editing system controls the video
server in much the same way as it controls a video deck.
For information on connecting a video server, see the Using the Avid
Adrenaline DNA Installation Instructions for the Windows XP Operating
System or Using the Avid Mojo DNA Installation Instructions for the
Windows XP Operating System.
Configuring the Video Server
To configure the video server:
t
Select the following general settings from the video server’s user
interface:
-
Select BVW as the deck protocol.
-
Select the video server port used for the serial connection.
-
Select the video I/O settings to match your hardware connections.
-
Select the audio I/O settings to match your hardware connections.
For complete information, see the documentation for your video server.
Configuring the Video Server As a Deck
Before transferring media from the video server to the Avid editing system,
you must configure the video server as a deck on the Avid editing system.
For complete information on configuring a deck, see “Configuring Decks”
on page 84.
To configure the video server as a deck:
2. Click Add Channel.
The Channel dialog box opens.
3. Click the Channel Type pop-up menu, and select Direct.
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4. Click the Ports pop-up menu, and select a port.
Make sure that this port corresponds to the port selected for the video
server’s serial connection.
5. Click OK.
A message box opens, asking if you want to Autoconfigure the
channel.
6. Click No.
n
The Avid editing application does not currently support the Autoconfigure
function for the video server.
7. In the Deck Configuration dialog box, click Add Deck.
8. Click the Deck Type pop-up menus, select the appropriate video
server, and then click OK.
The dialog box closes and returns you to the Deck Configuration
dialog box.
9. Click Apply.
Transferring from the Avid Editing System to the Video Server
To transfer a sequence from the Avid editing system to the video
server:
1. Add the TapeID heading to the bin that includes the sequence as
follows:
a. Click the Fast Menu button in the lower left corner of the bin
window, and select Headings.
The Bin Column Selection dialog box opens.
b. Select TapeID and click OK.
The Avid editing application adds the TapeID column to the bin
columns.
n
For information on saving the TapeID column as a default setting or as a
Site setting, see “Working with Settings” in the Help.
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2. In the TapeID column, type the name of the sequence on which you
want to perform a digital cut to the video server. The name on the
video server is restricted to 15 characters when using the BVW
controller setup. The video server will truncate any names longer than
15 characters. For seamless integration, you should not use special
characters or spaces when naming the sequence.
Play Digital
Cut button
Record to Tape
pop-up menu
Mark IN text box
Source Tape
Display button
4. Select Entire Sequence.
5. Select Remote.
6. Click the Record to Tape pop-up menu, and select Mark In Time.
7. Select a tape name as follows:
a. Click the Source Tape Display button. The Select Tape dialog box
opens.
b. Click New. A New Tape name line appears in the dialog box.
c. Type a new name, press Enter, and then click OK.
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8. Establish time for the IN point in the Mark IN text box. The time for
the IN point must be equal to the preroll time. The default preroll time
for the video server is 1 second. For a preroll time of 1 second, type
01:00.
For complete information on creating a digital cut, see “Using the Digital
Cut Tool” on page 244.
Transferring from the Video Server to the Avid Editing System
After you connect the video server and select the appropriate settings, you
can capture media from the video server to the Avid editing system. Some
video servers allow you to drag clips from the video server’s user interface
into the Capture tool in the Avid editing application.
n
Not all functionality is the same in each video server’s user interface. For
details on how to transfer media, see the documentation provided with the
video server.
When the video server is playing media, click the Record button in the
Capture tool to capture from the video server to the Avid editing system.
For complete information on capturing, see Chapter 4.
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320
Chapter 8
Using the NRCS Tool
The Newsroom Computer System (NRCS) tool lets you use one computer
to view stories and rundowns located on an Avid iNEWS™ server or on an
Electronic News Production System (ENPS) server, and to edit sequences
in the Avid editing application.
You use the NRCS tool to connect to an iNEWS server to access story
scripts, and to edit stories on your Avid editing system. When you open a
story in the NRCS tool, you can make formatting and content changes to
the story instead of moving to an iNEWS workstation to do the editing.
After you have made changes to the story, you can save the changes, which
are then available to others using the same server. You can also access
stories on the ENPS server from the NRCS tool, but you cannot make edits
or formatting or content changes to the stories.
Using the duration of the story, you can build a sequence in the Avid
editing application. Once you have the duration of the story in the
Timeline, you can add footage to match the scripted story. After some
quick video editing, the story is ready to air.
The following sections describe how to use the NRCS tool:
•
Configuring the NRCS Tool
•
Starting the NRCS Tool
•
Understanding the NRCS Tool
•
Using the Directory Panel
•
Changing the Text Display
Chapter 8 Using the NRCS Tool
n
•
Editing Story Text (iNEWS Only)
•
Finding the Read Time of a Story
•
Building a Sequence from a Story
•
Adjusting the Story Timing (iNEWS Only)
•
Using Associated Sequences
•
Saving Changes to a Story (iNEWS Only)
•
Using the Post to Web Feature
•
Sending and Receiving NRCS Mail (iNEWS Only)
•
Disconnecting from Your NRCS Server
Your iNEWS or ENPS user permissions define how many of these
procedures you can perform. If you are unsure of your permissions, consult
your system administrator.
You must configure the NRCS settings before you can connect to an
iNEWS or an ENPS server.
n
(ENPS only) Your ENPS administrator must first register the Avid editing
system as a client on the ENPS server. When you configure the NRCS tool,
the client name is used to log in to the ENPS server.
For more information about options, see “NRCS Settings” in the Help.
Configuring the ENPS Server for Avid Clients
Three required elements must be set up on the ENPS server before the
Avid editing system can connect as a client to the ENPS server:
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•
MOS ID
•
Program
•
IP address
The following procedures describe the minimum steps for configuring the
ENPS server.
To create a group on the ENPS server:
1. Start the ENPS client application and log in as an ENPS administrator.
n
You must have ENPS administrator server rights to perform system
maintenance functions.
n
Each folder at the bottom of the application contains a green dot. This dot
is called a Rover.
2. Click the fourth Rover (dot) from the left, and select
System Maintenance > Groups.
3. Click New.
4. Type the name of the group you want to create, for example, Avid.
The folder will be named the same as the group.
5. Fill in the following columns in the new group window:
-
Description: Type the description for the group, for example, Avid
Media.
-
Server: Select the ENPS server for the Avid editing system client.
6. Click Save.
7. Exit the ENPS client application.
To create a MOS ID for the Avid editing system on the ENPS server:
1. Restart the ENPS client application, and log in as an ENPS
administrator.
n
You must restart the ENPS client application after creating a group.
2. Click the fourth Rover (dot) from the left, and select
System Maintenance > MOS Configuration.
3. Click New.
4. Type the new MOS ID in the text box, and click OK.
323
n
The new ID must match the Avid editing system name exactly. This field is
case sensitive.
5. Fill in the following columns in the MOS Configuration window.
-
Description: Type the description of the new client, for example,
Avid editor.
-
IP Address: Type the IP address for the Avid editing system
client.
-
ActiveX: Leave this field blank.
-
Program Group: Select the group you just created, for example,
Avid was used in the previous procedure.
-
Local DragDrop: Set to Off.
To configure the running order:
1. Click the news group folder.
The group folder will list the running orders.
n
Typically, this should be the third folder. Do not click the Rover.
2. Double-click the running order you want Avid editing system to
access.
3. Click the title bar on the Running Order window.
4. Click MOS Story Send field, and enter the MOS ID for the Avid
editing system.
5. Set the MOS Control field to active.
6. Click Go to save and close the MOS Configuration window.
A MOS icon appears in the lower left corner of the Running Order
window.
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Configuring the NRCS Settings
To configure the NRCS settings and to connect to the server:
1. Double-click NRCS in the Settings scroll list.
The NRCS Settings dialog box opens.
2. Click the pop-up menu, and select an NRCS server:
-
iNEWS
-
ENPS
The options that appear depend on the server selection.
n
The NRCS Settings dialog box also appears when you connect to a server if
the active NRCS setting is missing a name in the Server text box.
3. Type the name of the server.
4. (iNEWS only option) If you selected the iNEWS server, type a default
user name.
5. (Option) Select “Logout when NRCS Tool is closed” if you want to
terminate the connection to the server every time you close the NRCS
tool.
325
6. Click the iNEWS or the ENPS tab to make additional changes to the
NRCS settings.
7. Select the options in the iNEWS or the ENPS tab:
t
(iNEWS) Configure the Message-of-the-Day (MOTD) settings,
Mail Directory, and Story Field Assignment values as follows:
a.Decide if you want to view the MOTD or not. If so, then select if
you want to view the message on every connection to the
iNEWS server, or on only the first connection to the iNEWS
server.
b.If the MOTD is located in a different directory on the server, type
the name of the appropriate directory in the Message-of-theDay Directory text box.
n
SYSTEM.MESSAGE is the standard directory on the iNEWS server for the
message-of-the-day files. Type a different directory name only if your
system administrator suggests doing so.
c.If you want to change the location of the Mail Directory, type the
new directory name in the Mail Directory text box.
n
326
SYSTEM.MAIL.OUT is the standard directory on the iNEWS server for
sending e-mail messages. Type a different directory name only if your
system administrator suggests doing so.
c
Contact your system administrator to ensure that the Mail Directory
name is appropriate for use in your newsroom environment.
d.When you click the Build Sequence button in the NRCS Tool
window, the duration of the new sequence is determined by the
value in the Story Form field you select. Enter a Story Form
field name in the Story Field text box.
n
The Story Form headings in the NRCS Tool window are provided by the
iNEWS server. For more information on Story Form, see “Understanding
the NRCS Tool” on page 329.
e.If the heading in the Story Form is empty or is zero, you can set a
default value for the duration of the new sequence. Enter the
default time you want for new sequences in the Default Value
text box.
t
(ENPS) Configure the Media Object Server identification
(MOS ID) settings and Network Computer System identification
(NCS ID):
a.Select how your MOS ID will be determined: select the System
Name or the User Name, or type a specific MOS ID you want
to use in the Other text box.
n
ENPS uses the MOS ID to recognize the client on the ENPS server. (This is
most often the system name.) Type a different name only if your system
administrator suggests doing so.
b.Type the NCS ID of the server you are using in the NCS ID text
box.
n
NCS ID is the assigned name of the ENPS system. Type the name that your
system administrator supplies.
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8. Click the Post to Web tab to make additional changes to the NRCS
settings.
Select the appropriate options for your script. For more information about
options, see “NRCS Settings” in the Help.
9. Click OK to accept the NRCS settings.
Starting the NRCS Tool
To start the NRCS tool after it has been configured:
1. Select Tools > NRCS Tool.
The NRCS tool opens.
2. Click the Connect button.
The NRCS Login dialog box opens for the iNEWS server or the NRCS
tool connects to the ENPS server.
n
A login dialog box does not appear for the ENPS server.
3. (iNEWS only) Type a user name (if you did not set a default name in
the NRCS Settings dialog box).
4. (iNEWS only) Type the password.
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5. (iNEWS only) Click OK.
If you selected Every Connection or First Connection in the NRCS
Settings dialog box, the Message-of-the-Day dialog box opens.
n
The iNEWS administrator enters the Message-of-the-Day (MOTD).
6. (iNEWS only option) Click Next to see the next MOTD.
7. (iNEWS only) Click OK to close the MOTD dialog box.
The list of directories appears in the Directory panel of the NRCS tool.
The following illustration shows the components of the NRCS tool that
appear when the Avid editing system is connected to an iNEWS server.
Connect/
Disconnect
button
Directory panel
Send
Mail
button
Show/Hide Story Name
Formatting Story Mark
form IN/OUT
Story Form text box
buttons
triangular
button
Cue Marking
opener
buttons
Edit/Save button
Production panel
Production
Cue text box
Build
Find
Post To
Sequence Sequence Web
button
button
button
Story panel
Read Time
display
329
The following illustration shows the components of the NRCS tool that
appear when the Avid editing system is connected to an ENPS server.
Connect/
Disconnect
button
Directory panel
Story Name Mark
text box
IN/OUT
button
MOS media Production panel
item
Build
Find
Sequence Sequence
button
button
Post To
Web
button
Read Time
display
Story panel
Table 23 describes the components of the NRCS tool.
n
330
Many of the concepts and options in the NRCS tool are similar to those of
the iNEWS or the ENPS client application. For more information about the
iNEWS or the ENPS client application, see the documentation that came
with your server.
Table 23
Component
Server Support
NRCS Tool Components
Description
Connect/Disconnect iNEWS and ENPS
button
Establishes or cancels the connection to the iNEWS or the
ENPS server.
Send Mail button
iNEWS
Opens a dialog box for sending mail to others in the iNEWS
workgroup.
Show/Hide Story
Form triangular
opener
iNEWS
Opens and closes the Story Form display.
Story Name text
box
iNEWS and ENPS
Shows the directory path and name of the story.
Post To Web button iNEWS and ENPS
Opens a dialog box for creating Web content from an iNEWS or
an ENPS story.
Directory panel
iNEWS and ENPS
Lists the contents of the news database you are accessing.
Story form
iNEWS
Contains summary information about the story in predefined
headings. The iNEWS server lets you alter the information in
Edit mode, and not when a gray background appears.
Edit/Save button
iNEWS
Provides access to editing functions and saves changes made to
the story either by modifying the original story or by creating a
new story. The changes are saved on the iNEWS server.
n
The Save button is active only in Edit mode.
Formatting buttons iNEWS
Used to change the appearance of story text.
Cue Marking
buttons
iNEWS
Used to insert Production Cue markers into the story text and
the production panel.
Mark IN/OUT
button
iNEWS and ENPS
Sets IN and OUT points, corresponding to text selected in the
Story panel, in the Timeline.
331
Table 23
NRCS Tool Components (Continued)
Component
Server Support
Description
Build Sequence
button
iNEWS and ENPS
Builds a sequence in the Timeline:
•
(iNEWS) Uses the duration specified in the Story Field
Assignment text boxes of the NRCS settings. The default
Story Field is Tape-Time, or 30 seconds if the Story Field
tape time value is zero. (Tape time in the NRCS tool
corresponds to duration of the sequence in the Timeline.)
•
(ENPS) Uses the duration taken from the first MOS media
item that occurs within the story.
Find Sequence
button
iNEWS and ENPS
Locates a sequence associated with a story.
Read Time display
iNEWS and ENPS
Displays the amount of time to read the selected text on air,
based on the read rate.
Production panela
iNEWS and ENPS
Displays production information:
Story panela
iNEWS and ENPS
•
(iNEWS) Displays production cues and timing markers that
have been scripted into a story.
•
(ENPS) Displays MOS media items and anchors read-rate
markers.
Displays the text of a story. When the story is scripted, the
Production panel contains production cues and other markers
and the Story panel contains the text.
a. The divider between the Production and Story panels can be moved horizontally to expand or contract each
panel.
In the Directory panel, you move through the directories on the iNEWS or
the ENPS server. In this panel, you perform the following functions:
332
•
Opening a Story
•
Creating a Shortcut to a Directory (iNEWS Only)
•
Removing a Shortcut to a Directory (iNEWS Only)
•
Deleting a Story (iNEWS Only)
Opening a Story
After you establish a connection to the iNEWS or the ENPS server, the
Story panel remains blank until you open a story.
To open a story:
1. Navigate through the directories, and find the file you want to open.
In the Directory panel, all triangles point right when you first log in,
which indicates closed directories. Triangles that point down indicate
open directories. Directories or files within a directory are indented
below that directory. Files without a triangle next to them are stories.
n
(ENPS only) A small green light flashes on the Disconnect button as
stories are received from the server. Directory stories first display gray in
the list, then display black when they are available.
(ENPS only) Green
flashes as stories display
(iNEWS only) Send Mail button
Closed
directory
Open
directory
Story
t
Double-click the story name.
t
Click the story name and press Enter.
The story’s text appears in the Story panel.
333
Creating a Shortcut to a Directory (iNEWS Only)
You can save time accessing directories you use often by creating shortcuts
to directories in the Directory panel.
To create a shortcut to a directory:
1. Navigate to the directory.
2. Right-click the directory name, and select Make Shortcut.
The NRCS tool creates the shortcut, which appears in italic above the
server name in the Directory panel.
Shortcut
Server name
Removing a Shortcut to a Directory (iNEWS Only)
To remove a shortcut to a directory:
t
Right-click the directory name, and select Remove Shortcut.
The shortcut is removed.
Deleting a Story (iNEWS Only)
The NRCS tool allows you to delete a story without having to go through
the iNEWS workstation, if your iNEWS User settings have the necessary
permissions. If you are unsure of your settings, see your system
administrator.
To delete a story:
1. In the Directory panel, right-click the story you want to delete and
select Delete File.
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You can also select the story and press the Delete key.
t
Click Delete to complete the deletion.
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Click Cancel to stop the deletion.
You can change the screen display of the entire text of a story without
entering Edit mode. The shortcut menu that opens when you right-click in
the Story panel allows you to change the font and point size of the text.
To alter the appearance of the text in your story:
t
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Select the text in the Story panel, right-click, and select a font and
point size.
The font and point size are saved with the current NRCS settings. They are
not sent to the iNEWS or the ENPS server and apply only to the local
client.
You can use the NRCS tool to perform basic editing functions on your
stories, eliminating the need to do the work on the iNEWS workstation and
saving valuable time in the editing process.
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Edit mode functions are not available when the client is connected to an
ENPS server.
You can use the Edit mode to perform the following functions:
•
Rearranging Text in a Story (iNEWS Only)
•
Marking Text As Presenter Instructions (iNEWS Only)
•
Marking Text As Closed Caption (iNEWS Only)
•
Adding a Production Cue (iNEWS Only)
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•
Deleting a Production Cue (iNEWS Only)
•
Marking Text As Machine Control (iNEWS Only)
•
Formatting Text (iNEWS Only)
•
Marking Text As Normal (iNEWS Only)
•
Adding a Loaded Cue (iNEWS Only)
•
Using a Loaded Cue (iNEWS Only)
•
Deleting a Loaded Cue (iNEWS Only)
To enter Edit mode:
t
Click the Edit button.
Rearranging Text in a Story (iNEWS Only)
The shortcut menu provides commands for cutting, copying, pasting, and
deleting text.
To rearrange the text in a story:
1. Select the text you want to cut, copy, or delete.
2. Right-click the text, and select the appropriate command.
To paste cut or copied text:
1. Position the cursor in the story where you want to paste the text.
2. Right-click, and select Paste.
Marking Text As Presenter Instructions (iNEWS Only)
Presenter Instructions appear in red, allowing the presenter who reads the
story on camera to differentiate the instructions from the actual script.
Using this formatting option, you might tell the presenter that the
following lines are a voice-over to accompany footage.
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To mark text as Presenter Instructions:
1. Select the text you want to mark.
t
Click the Presenter Instructions button.
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Right-click the text, and select Presenter Instructions.
The text changes to red, indicating Presenter Instructions.
Text marked as Presenter Instructions is not included in the read time of a
story. For more information, see “Finding the Read Time of a Story” on
page 342.
Marking Text As Closed Caption (iNEWS Only)
Your story can also contain text marked as Closed Caption. Closedcaptioned text is green in the Story panel. Like Presenter Instructions, the
presenter does not read this text on camera.
Text marked as Closed Caption is not included in the read time of a story.
For more information, see “Finding the Read Time of a Story” on
page 342.
To mark text as Closed Caption:
1. Select the text you want to mark.
t
Click the Closed Caption button.
t
Right-click the text, and select Closed Caption.
The text changes to green, indicating that the text is closed captioned.
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Adding a Production Cue (iNEWS Only)
Production cues are playback instructions for devices such as video
machines, still stores, and character generators. When you insert
production cues, they appear in the Production panel. In addition, a
Production Cue marker appears in the story text to indicate where each
production cue belongs in the story.
Production Cue
marker
Production Cue
text box
To insert a production cue into your scripted story:
1. In the Story panel, move the pointer next to or within the text where
you want to place the production cue.
2. Right-click, and select Insert Production Cue.
A blue Production Cue marker appears within the Story panel, and a
blank box opens in the Production panel.
3. Type the cue information in the text box.
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Deleting a Production Cue (iNEWS Only)
If you want to delete a production cue, you must delete the Production Cue
marker, not just the text within the Production Cue text box.
To delete a production cue:
1. Select the Production Cue marker in the Story panel.
t
t
Right-click the marker, and select Delete.
Marking Text As Machine Control (iNEWS Only)
You can mark text in the Production Cue text box as Machine Control. The
Machine Control button and the machine control text are blue.
To mark text as Machine Control:
1. Select the text in the Production Cue text box that you want to mark.
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t
Click the blue Machine Control button.
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Right-click the text, and select Machine Control.
You can mark text as Machine Control only in a Production Cue text box.
See “Adding a Production Cue (iNEWS Only)” on page 338.
Formatting Text (iNEWS Only)
You use a combination of the formatting buttons and the shortcut menu to
change the format of story text.
To format text:
1. Select the text you want to format.
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Click the Text Underlined, the Italic, or the Bold button.
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Right-click the text, and select Underline, Italic, or Bold.
To remove text formatting:
1. Select the formatted text.
t
Click the Text Underlining, the Italic, or the Bold button to
deselect it.
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Right-click the text, and reselect Underline, Italic, or Bold.
Marking Text As Normal (iNEWS Only)
If you have applied formatting to text, you can remove the formatting by
marking the text as Normal.
To mark text as Normal:
1. Select the text from which you want to remove the formatting.
t
Click the Normal button.
t
Right-click the text, and select Normal.
The text changes to black, indicating that the text contains no
formatting.
Adding a Loaded Cue (iNEWS Only)
You can create links to clips and sequences directly from your story. These
links, called loaded cues, act as pointers within the script to master clips
stored in bins. Using loaded cues, you can move clips or sequences
between your script and bins as you edit your story.
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340
You must be in Edit mode to add a loaded cue to your story.
To create a loaded cue:
1. Select the clip or sequence you want to use as a loaded cue.
2. Click the file and drag it to the Story panel. Position it in the script at
the point where you want the cue.
A Production Cue marker appears within the Story panel, and a Clip
icon and clip name appear in the Production Cue text box.
Clip icon and clip name in a Production Cue text box
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Production Cue marker
When used with the Post to Web feature, loaded cues become links to video
clips accessible to users over the Web (see “Using the Post to Web
Feature” on page 355).
Using a Loaded Cue (iNEWS Only)
You can load clips or sequences from the loaded cues in your story.
To use a loaded cue:
t
Click the Production Cue text box and drag it to a bin or to the
Source/Record monitor.
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The clip or sequence appears in the bin or in the Source/Record
monitor. You can then use and edit it like any other clip or sequence.
n
If the NRCS tool cannot find the clip or sequence, you receive an error
message and the clip or sequence will not be loaded. If the clip or sequence
cannot be found on your local media storage and you are in a workgroup
environment with MediaManager, the NRCS tool downloads the clip or
sequence.
Deleting a Loaded Cue (iNEWS Only)
To delete a loaded cue:
1. Select the Production Cue marker in the Story panel.
t
t
Right-click the marker, and select Delete.
The loaded cue is removed from the NRCS script.
The NRCS tool calculates the read time of a story by using the number of
words in the story and the read rate in words per minute (wpm) of the
presenter.
The default wpm rate is 180, but it can differ according to the settings for
the particular story. For example, if the presenter listed for the story has a
read rate of 150 wpm, the NRCS tool calculates the read time based on that
read rate.
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•
(iNEWS) The Presenter text box in the story form determines the read
rate.
•
(ENPS) The presenter and read rate can be included as production
cues.
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If you want to change the wpm rate for the presenter, you must make the
changes through the iNEWS or the ENPS workstation. If you want to
change the presenter for an iNEWS story, you can edit the name in the
Presenter text box and save the changes.
To calculate the read time of a story:
1. Move the pointer to the Story panel.
t
Right-click, and select Select All.
t
Select a portion of the text with the mouse.
The read time appears in the upper right corner of the NRCS tool.
n
If you have ToolTips enabled, the current wpm rate appears in the label for
the Read Time display. For more information on ToolTips, see “General
Interface Settings” in the Help.
Presenter
n
Selected
story text
Calculated read time
for the selected text
The NRCS tool does not include Closed Caption or Presenter Instructions
text in the read time. Only text marked as Normal (including bold, italic, or
underlined text) is calculated.
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The NRCS tool allows you to create a new sequence with a length that
corresponds to a particular story. This feature makes it very easy to edit in
shots and to create a sequence quickly according to the duration of the
story.
n
(iNEWS) The Tape-Time text box in the story form of the NRCS tool
corresponds to duration in the Avid editing application’s Timeline.
n
(ENPS) The sequence duration is taken from the first MOS media item in
the story.
To build a sequence from a story:
1. Open the bin in which you want to place your sequence.
n
t
Select the story in the Directory panel, and drag the story to the
open bin.
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Select the story in the Directory panel, right-click, and then select
Build Sequence from Story.
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Click the Build Sequence button.
The Build Sequence button is active only when a story is displayed in the
Story panel and the computed duration is not zero.
A sequence is created in the open bin with the same name as the story.
(iNEWS only) An identifier appears in the NrcsID column in the bin,
specifying the story associated with the new sequence (see “Using
Associated Sequences” on page 352).
(iNEWS only) The duration of the sequence is determined from the
Tape-Time text box of the story. If you want to build a sequence with a
different duration, you must first edit the Tape-Time text box and save
the story. The tape ID bin column for the sequence is filled from the
video-ID field of the story.
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Sequences created with any of these methods have a fixed minimum length.
You can lengthen the sequences (by adding clips) but not shorten them.
(iNEWS) If you select a story from the Directory panel, Avid editing
applications create a sequence even if the Tape-Time text box is blank
or zero. If the Tape-Time text box for the story is blank, the duration of
the sequence defaults to 30 seconds. If the Tape-Time text box is set to
0:00, the duration of the sequence created is 0 seconds.
(ENPS) The new sequence is built from the first media item in the
story. The length of the media item becomes the sequence’s duration,
and the tape ID is also assigned. You can create a sequence from any
MOS media item in the story by dragging the item’s production cue to
a bin (known as loaded cues in iNEWS).
3. (Option) If you Shift+click the Build Sequence button, a new bin will
be created to hold the new sequence (named after the sequence).
(iNEWS only) If there are loaded cues in the story, they will be
automatically edited into the sequence.
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Story name
Build Sequence button Tape-Time text box
New sequence
generated from
the story in the
NRCS tool
Timeline with a
duration time that
equals the tape time
of the story
Consider the following when you place clips in the new sequence:
346
•
Loaded cues are processed in the order they appear in the story text.
Only those that appear before the end of the text (and before the end of
the sequence) will be edited into the sequence.
•
The placement of the Timeline position bar for each edit is determined
by the read time of the text up to the anchor point for the loaded cue.
The edit length is determined by the clip’s IN to OUT points.
•
An Overwrite edit is performed.
•
As the series of clips are edited into the Timeline, the ends of the
earlier clips get overwritten, so their lengths are set by the time
separation of the anchors in the story text.
Script-Based IN and OUT Points
You can use the Mark IN/OUT button to place IN and OUT points in the
Timeline based on text highlighted in the NRCS tool. You can then use the
IN and OUT points as a guide to build a sequence.
The length of the created sequence is based on an assigned duration,
associated with the story. The position of the IN and OUT points is based
on an approximate calculation, depending on the word count and the
assumed read time. The assigned sequence length and the computed story
length will probably not be the same.
It is possible to create a sequence that is longer or shorter than the actual
read time of the story.
Setting Timeline IN and OUT Points Based on Story Timing
The NRCS tool can use its calculated story timing to set IN and OUT
points in the sequence loaded in the Timeline.
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To set IN and OUT points based on the story timing:
1. Load the appropriate sequence in the Timeline.
2. Select a portion of the text in the Story panel.
The read time of the selected text appears in the upper right corner of
the NRCS tool.
Story panel
Mark IN/OUT button
Read time
3. Click the Mark IN/OUT button.
The NRCS tool places IN and OUT points in the Timeline, based on
the computed read time of the selected text.
IN and OUT points
n
348
You can use the Timecode pop-up menu to compare the IN and OUT points.
For more information on using the Timecode display, see “Displaying the
Timecode Window” in the Help.
You might want to adjust the story timing in cases where you will be using
the Mark IN/OUT button to set IN and OUT points in the Timeline based
on the story text timing.
For example, if there is introductory text in a story that is not part of the
sequence you will be building, when you set IN/OUT points in the
sequence, then the computed times will be offset by the extra text.
To correct computed times offset by extra text:
t
Add a Time Marker cue with a value of 0:00 just before the start of the
relevant text (corresponding to the sequence being built). For more
information, see “Adjusting the Story Timing with a Time Marker
(iNEWS Only)” on page 350.
Time Marker cue
n
You must be in Edit mode to insert timing cues in a story (see “Editing
Story Text (iNEWS Only)” on page 335).
349
Adjusting the Story Timing with a Time Marker (iNEWS Only)
Because the calculated story timing might not exactly match the required
sequence or clip duration, the NRCS tool allows you to add cues that can
assign a specific time to a point in the text.
To add a cue that assigns a specific story time to a point in the text:
1. In the Story panel, right-click a point in the text where you want to add
a Time Marker cue, and select Insert Time Marker.
The Time Marker dialog box opens.
2. Type the time you want to assign to that point in the text.
3. Click OK.
A Time Marker cue appears in the story text, and a corresponding
production cue appears with an equal sign (=) and the specified time
value.
Any read-time calculations will now take the Time Pad cue into
account.
Time Marker cue
Adjusting the Story Timing with a Time Pad (iNEWS Only)
Because the calculated story timing might not exactly match the required
sequence or clip duration, you can specify the duration of the media clip by
adding a Time Pad cue to the sequence. The Time Pad cue inserts cues in
the text, based on the IN and OUT points.
For example, if part of the story has a video clip but no corresponding text,
the timing of any following text will be offset. This can be fixed by adding
a Time Pad cue at the point in the story where the video clip occurs (using
the clip duration as the value).
350
Time Pad cue
n
You must be in Edit mode to insert timing cues in a story (see “Editing
Story Text (iNEWS Only)” on page 335).
To add a cue that inserts a Time Pad cue at a point in the text:
1. In the Story panel, right-click a point in the text where you want to add
a Time Pad cue, and select Insert Time Pad.
t
Select the default time, if you want the Time Pad cue to match the
time between the IN and OUT points in the clip loaded in the
Source/Record monitor.
t
Select Other, if you want to specify a time other than what is
marked in the clip.
The Time Pad dialog box opens.
3. (Option) If you selected Other, type in the Duration text box the
amount of time you want to assign to that point in the text.
4. Click OK.
A Time Pad cue appears in the story text, and a corresponding
production cue appears with a plus sign (+) and the specified time
value.
Any read-time calculations will now take the assigned time into
account.
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Time Pad cue
Read Time display
The NRCS tool allows you to locate sequences associated with NRCS
stories or, conversely, to locate stories from their associated sequences.
This makes it easier to find stories on the iNEWS or the ENPS server (for
example, when the tape ID is unknown) or to load sequences for NRCS
scripts directly into the Timeline.
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(iNEWS) Only sequences that are created with the NRCS tool and have
valid identifiers in the NrcsID bin column will be associated with a story.
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(ENPS) The associated sequence is located by the information in the Tape
ID text box.
To locate a sequence associated with a story:
1. From the Directory panel, load a story into the Story panel.
2. Click the Find Sequence button.
The NRCS tool loads the sequence into the Timeline.
352
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If the sequence is located in an unopened bin, the NRCS tool opens the bin
before loading the sequence.
To locate a story associated with a sequence:
1. Select a sequence in an open bin.
2. Click the sequence and drag it to the NRCS tool. Place it in the Story
Name text box.
The story is loaded into the Story panel.
Sequence selected in a bin
Sequence dragged to the
Story Name text box
353
Saving Changes to a Story (iNEWS Only)
After you edit a story, you can save the changes by modifying the original
story or by creating a new story. It is important to remember, however, that
when you save a story in the NRCS tool, the story is actually saved on the
iNEWS server. Therefore, use caution when saving a story because your
changes might affect others using the same story. Changes cannot be saved
to the ENPS server.
If more than one person accesses a story at the same time, the only changes
that are saved are those made by the first person to save the story.
n
Your iNEWS user permissions define whether you can save changes to a
story. If you are unsure of your permissions, consult your system
administrator.
To save changes:
1. In Edit mode, click the Save button.
n
n
n
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t
Click Modify to save the changes to the original story.
t
Click New to save the changes to a new story.
If someone has already modified the story or you do not have the
permission to modify, you cannot modify the story. In this case, when you
click Modify, the information is saved as a new story.
If you click New, the NRCS tool creates a new story with the same name as
the original story. You should rename the story in the NRCS tool and save
it again to avoid confusion.
You can rename a story by editing the name in the Title text box.
Through the NRCS tool, the Avid editing application can generate a
hypertext version of your iNEWS or ENPS story for viewing on the World
Wide Web. The Post to Web feature helps you to create Internet content
directly from a single script rather than requiring the production of dual
content, one for broadcast and one for the Web.
When you post a story to the Web, the resulting Web page can include the
text of your iNEWS or ENPS story, as well as links to video and image
files. User-designed templates provide formatting for the Web content.
Processing the Script
Traditionally, broadcast scripts have been written entirely in uppercase
letters to be displayed in a prompter. Post to Web can automatically change
a story’s script to lowercase letters, with the exception of the first letter of
each sentence. Additionally, Post to Web deletes text elements, such as
Presenter Instructions and Closed Caption, that are designed specifically
for broadcast stories.
n
Post to Web does not recognize proper nouns, initial capitalization, or
terms that require special formatting. Stories require manual editing of the
text before you can use the finished file as a Web page.
You can control how the NRCS tool converts a story for Web display by
selecting options in the NRCS Settings dialog box. For more information
on processing the script, see “Configuring the NRCS Tool” on page 322.
Creating a Web Page
You convert text from the script of a story into a Web page by accessing the
Post to Web feature in the NRCS tool.
To create a Web page from an iNEWS or an ENPS story:
1. Load a story into the Story panel.
2. Click the Post To Web button.
355
The Post To Web dialog box opens with the story script displayed in
the Story text box of the Story tab.
Formatted
text
Clip linked by
loaded cue
Story text box
n
Loaded cues in the script are highlighted in blue within the text box. See
“Adding a Loaded Cue (iNEWS Only)” on page 340.
3. Edit the script in the Story text box.
4. (Option) Click the Lowercase button to convert the story if Post to Web
does not automatically reformat the script (for example, if you did not
select the Always option in the Post To Web tab in the NRCS Settings
dialog box).
n
The Lowercase button appears in the Post To Web dialog box only if Post to
Web did not convert the story to lowercase characters.
You can also create a Web page without an iNEWS or an ENPS story
loaded in the NRCS tool.
To create a Web page without a preloaded story:
356
t
Cut or copy text from another document and paste it into the Story
text box.
t
Type the text of your story in the Story text box.
Linking Clips
Post to Web allows you to link additional clips to the text of your story for
inclusion in a Web page. (iNEWS only) When you post a story to the Web,
loaded cues in the iNEWS story become links to clips stored on your Web
server. However, you might have other footage for your story that you want
to add for viewing on the Web. Post to Web provides a way to link these
clips to the Web page generated from your story. Posting to the Web then
creates links to clips that users can access through their browsers (see
“Using Templates” on page 360).
To create a linked clip:
The Post To Web dialog box opens.
357
t
Select the text in the Story text box that you want to associate with
a clip, click the Linked Clip pop-up menu, and select a clip.
The selected text is highlighted in blue and becomes a link to the
clip.
Selected text
Linked Clip
pop-up menu
t
n
358
Select the text in the Story text box that you want to associate with
a clip, right-click in the story text, and select Link > clip.
The Link submenu lists loaded cues and any sequences associated with
your story. The menu is updated whenever you add clips to the Story text
box.
The selected text is highlighted in blue and becomes a link to the
clip.
Link submenu
t
Click a clip and drag it from an open bin to the Story text box.
Link
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The link is created within the text wherever the selection cursor
was located. If you selected text in the Story text box before
dragging in the clip, the selected text is highlighted and a link is
created. If you did not select any text, the name of the clip is
inserted and a link is created.
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If you hold the Shift key down while dragging a clip from a bin, you can
place the clip anywhere in the story and Post to Web ignores any selected
text.
Using Templates
The Template tab of the Post To Web dialog box allows you to format your
story with a Web-formatted template. A client or a Web designer
customizes templates in response to the needs of broadcasters and viewers.
Templates help in presenting a consistent look for all stories posted to the
Web.
Templates provide a way to organize features common to all Web stories.
For example, a template can place headlines in the same place relative to
the text of a story, using the same font and style as similar stories on a Web
page. Post to Web arranges these features into fields where you can enter
necessary information before producing the finished content for your Web
site.
n
The template descriptions in this section refer to HTML coding only as an
example. The Web page templates used by Post to Web can be in any
formatting language, for example XML.
Templates include tags that Post to Web uses to convert your story into a
Web page:
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360
•
< ! - - STORY - - >
•
< ! - - TEXT - - >
•
< ! - - CLIP - - >
Do not include HTML comment tags within the format elements.
These tags use placeholders to insert text and media files in the Web page
created when you post a story to the Web. You can specify the text and
media files to be included in your Web page by using the following
placeholders:
•
$TEXT$
•
$URL$
•
$IMGURL$
The following sections describe how you use tags and placeholders with
the Post to Web templates.
Avid provides generic HTML templates in the following location:
drive:\Program Files\Avid\Utilities\PostToWeb_Sample_Templates
The Story Tag
You use the Story tag and the $TEXT$ placeholder to put the text of your
formatted story in a Web page. When Post to Web creates your Web page,
it inserts the story where the placeholder is located in the source template.
The Story tag takes the following form:
< ! - - STORY format elements $TEXT$ - - >
Format elements are optional. They include any HTML tags used in
formatting your Web page (for example, table tags), and they can precede
and follow the placeholder. The Story tag uses the $TEXT$ placeholder,
which is replaced by the text of your story from the Story text box in the
Post To Web dialog box.
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If you do not include any format elements, $TEXT$ is assumed — for
example, <!- - STORY - ->.
The Text Tag
You use the Text tag to position headlines, headings, subheadings,
captions, or other text elements on your Web page. The Text tag takes the
following form:
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< ! - - TEXT “Label” format elements $TEXT$ - - >
“Label” is a field name specified in the template; it appears in the Text
Fields tab of the Template tab in the Post To Web dialog box. Format
elements are optional. They include any HTML tags used in formatting
your Web page (for example, table tags), and they can precede and follow
the placeholder. The Text tag uses the $TEXT$ placeholder. In creating a
Web page, Post to Web replaces $TEXT$ with the user-supplied text
associated with a field in the Text column of the Text Fields tab in the Post
To Web dialog box.
n
If you do not include any format elements, $TEXT$ is assumed — for
example, <!- - TEXT “Label” - ->.
The following examples show a Text tag as it appears in a template, in
template fields in the Post To Web dialog box, and in the HTML code
generated by the template when Post to Web creates a Web page.
Text tag in a template
Placeholder
< ! - - TEXT “Headline” $TEXT$ - - >
Text tag
Label
Template fields in the Post To Web dialog box
Label
User-supplied
text replacing
$TEXT$
placeholder
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Format elements
HTML code showing the Post to Web output
 Student Protests Strike Paris 
User-supplied text that replaces the $TEXT$ placeholder
n
If you do not enter any text for a text field, the corresponding text tag in the
template will not be included in the output page. This includes any page
formatting code in the format elements.
The Clip Tag
You use the Clip tag to create links to media files stored on a server. When
you link a video clip to your story (see “Linking Clips” on page 357), Post
to Web automatically creates a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) for the
clip. The Clip tag inserts the URL into the Web page. You can also include
text, such as captions, to accompany the media. The Clip tag takes the
following form:
< ! - - CLIP “Label” format elements placeholder- - >
“Label” is a field name specified in the template; it appears in the Video
Fields tab of the Template tab in the Post To Web dialog box. Format
elements are optional. They include any HTML tags used in formatting
your Web page (for example, table tags), and they can precede and follow
the placeholder The placeholder specifies the media file or text displayed
on the Web page. The Clip tag can use the following placeholders:
n
•
$URL$, which is replaced by the URL of a movie clip
•
$IMGURL$, which is replaced by the URL of a graphics file created
from the head frame of a movie clip
•
$TEXT$, which is replaced by user-supplied text
If you do not include any format elements, $URL$ is assumed — for
example, <!- - CLIP “Label” - ->.
If there are no format elements, you do not specify a placeholder. Post to
Web uses $URL$ as the default.
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The following examples show a Clip tag as it appears in a template, in the
template fields in the Post To Web dialog box, and in the HTML code
generated by the template when Post to Web creates a Web page.
Clip tag in a template
Clip tag
Label
Format elements
< ! - - CLIP “Related Video 1”
<A HREF = “$URL$” > $TEXT$ </A> - - >
Placeholders
Template fields in the Post To Web dialog box
Label
Movie clip
replacing
$URL$
placeholder
User-supplied text replacing
$TEXT$ placeholder
HTML code showing the Post to Web output
<A HREF=“ParisStudents.mov”> Students Rioting in Paris </A>
Movie clip that replaces
the $URL$ placeholder
364
User-supplied text that replaces
the $TEXT$ placeholder
n
If you do not specify a clip for one of the video fields, the corresponding
clip tag in the template will not be included in the output page. This
includes any page formatting code in the format elements.
Using a Template with Post to Web
To format a story with a Web template:
3. Click the Template tab.
Pop-up menu
Template
text box
Template fields
t
n
Click the Template pop-up menu, and select a template.
The pop-up menu lists the most recently used templates.
t
Click the Browse button, and select a template from the
appropriate folder.
365
t
Use Windows Explorer to locate a template file. Click the template
file and drag it to the Template text box.
5. Click the Text Fields tab.
6. For any display fields, click in the text the column to the right of the
field name and type any text you want displayed on the Web page.
Text column
n
The specific template you use defines which fields are displayed in the Text
Fields and Video Fields tabs.
7. Repeat step 6 for each field you want to customize.
8. Click the Video Fields tab.
366
9. Select an item in the field and do one of the following:
t
Right-click in the Clip column, and select a clip.
t
Click a clip and drag it from an open bin. Place it in the
appropriate row.
Clip column
Shortcut menu
10. (Option) If the field has a Text column, click the column to the right of
the field, and type any text you want displayed with the clip on the
Web page (for example, a caption).
Posting a Story to the Web
When you post a story to the Web, Avid editing applications create one or
more of the following files:
•
A Web page file for the story, formatted from a template
•
Video clips, created using either ProEncode or Avid editing
application’s export settings
•
Image files taken from the head frame of each clip (as displayed in the
bin using Frame view)
Once you apply a template to your script (see “Using Templates” on
page 360), you need to set the options used for exporting the media files
that accompany the story. If you have installed the ProEncode client
367
software on your Avid editing system and have configured a DMS broker
on your Avid Unity or local area network, you can use the ProEncode
option for Post to Web. In this case, the DMS broker provides export
settings for your media files. For information on ProEncode, see “Using
ProEncode” on page 268 and the Avid ProEncode Setup and User’s Guide.
You can also export clips through Avid editing systems with the Direct
Export option. In this case, you set export options through the Export
Settings dialog box. For more information on export settings, see
“Exporting Frames, Clips, or Sequences” on page 264 and “Customizing
Export Settings” on page 276.
To post a story to the Web:
3. Click the Post tab.
Pop-up menus
Folder text box
4. Select either the ProEncode or the Direct Export option.
368
n
If you use Direct Export, and the format you want for your video clips does
not appear in the pop-up menu, click the Options button and select a
format from the Export Settings dialog box.
5. In the Video area, click the Format pop-up menu and select a video
format.
n
n
ProEncode formats are supplied by the ProEncode DMS broker. The
format name must include the file name extension enclosed in brackets; for
example, “low bandwidth QuickTime [.mov].” Only formats marked with
bracketed file extensions are available for use with the Post to Web feature.
For ProEncode formats, the Options button applies only to the QuickTime
reference movie sent to ProEncode. To edit the video format settings for
ProEncode output, see the Avid ProEncode Setup and User’s Guide.
6. In the Image area, click the Format pop-up menu, and select a graphics
format for the images associated with the video clips.
7. (Option) Click the Options button, and select options as described in
“Exporting As a Graphics File” on page 307.
n
If the format you want for your images does not appear in the pop-up
menu, click the Options button, and select a format from the Export
8. In the Web Server area, do one of the following:
t
n
Click the Server Path pop-up menu, and select a server or shared
volume folder.
The pop-up menu lists the most recently used folders.
t
Click the Browse button, and select a new server or shared volume
folder.
t
Use Windows Explorer to locate a folder, and then click the folder
and drag it to the Server Path text box.
9. (Option) Type a name in the Folder text box for the destination folder
of the Web page file created by Post to Web. If you do not specify a
name, Post to Web uses the story name as the default folder name.
369
n
Post to Web assigns the name in the Folder text box to the Web page file
created when you post the story to the Web.
10. Click the Post button.
Post to Web creates the text file formatted for the Web, links video
clips and image files, and stores them in the folder specified in the Post
tab of the Post To Web dialog box.
The NRCS tool contains a mail application that allows you to send mail to
other iNEWS users on the network. You can also send mail to external
addresses if your system administrator has configured your system for this
functionality.
n
Do not use the NRCS tool mail as your primary e-mail application. Use the
NRCS tool mail for iNEWS, NRCS-related correspondence, such as
notifying a coworker when you have edited a story.
Sending NRCS Tool Mail (iNEWS only)
To send mail from within the NRCS tool:
1. Click the Send Mail button.
The Send NRCS Mail dialog box opens.
2. Type an address in the To text box.
3. (Option) Type an address in the CC text box.
4. (Option) Type a subject in the Subject text box.
5. Type your message in the message area.
370
t
Click OK to send the message.
t
Click Cancel to close the dialog box without sending the message.
Receiving NRCS Tool Mail (iNEWS only)
To receive NRCS tool mail:
1. Navigate to and open the PEOPLE directory in the Directory panel.
2. Select the letter of the alphabet that matches the first letter in your
iNEWS user name.
3. Select your user name from the list.
4. Select the Mail directory.
5. Select the mail message from the list (if there is more than one
message).
The mail message is displayed in the Story panel of the NRCS tool.
371
Disconnecting from Your NRCS Server
When you have finished using the NRCS tool, you should disconnect from
the iNEWS or the ENPS server.
To disconnect from the iNEWS or the ENPS server:
t
n
372
Click the Disconnect button.
If you selected “Logout when NRCS Tool is closed” in the NRCS Settings
dialog box, the NRCS tool automatically disconnects from the server
whenever you close the tool or switch to a workspace that does not include
the NRCS tool.
Index
ABCDEFGHIKLMNOPQRSTVW
Numerics
24p and 25p projects
starting 23
25i projects
starting 23
30i projects
starting 23
A
AAF (Advanced Authoring Format) export 280
Add Channel button (Deck Configuration dialog
box) 86
Add Deck button (Deck Configuration dialog
box) 87
Adding
Production cues (NRCS tool) 338
Adjust Deck command (Deck Selection pop-up
menu) 97, 246
Adjusting
audio input levels 122
chrominance settings 232
luminance settings 232
output 237
AFE files
described 313
exporting projects and bins 313
AIFF-C file format
option in Audio Project settings 113
ALE (Avid Log Exchange)
converting shot log files with 43
Assemble-edit recording 241, 243
Associated sequences
described 352
locating sequences 352
locating stories 353
Audio
calibrating global output levels 237
exporting 305
file formats (Audio Project settings) 113
input 96, 113
input levels, adjusting 122
requirements for film transfers 101
selecting source tracks 99
sound card configuration 117
Audio board systems
adjusting output on 237
Audio File format
selecting 113
Audio I/O device
adjusting output on 237
Audio input
adjusting levels in Audio tool 123
Audio input levels
adjusting 122
calibrating for audio I/O device 126
Index
Audio levels
adjusting in Audio tool 123
checking with Console window 135
Audio mix
adjusting in the Passthrough Mix tool 129
Audio pan
adjusting in the Passthrough Mix tool 131
Audio Project settings
adjusting 116
audio file formats 113
Audio Project Settings dialog box
description 116
Audio settings
adjusting 116
Audio Source Tape TC Rate (Film Settings dialog
box) 80
Audio tool
adjusting audio input levels 123
Calibrate mode 126
checking input levels with 122
digital scale, defined 120
features, described 119
input levels, adjusting 122
Peak Hold option 121
using for mixing and monitoring audio 119
volume meters, defined 120
volume unit scale, defined 120
Audio Transfer Rate (Film Settings dialog box)
79
Audio volume
adjusting in the Passthrough Mix tool 128,
131
Autocapturing 170
Auto-configure command (Deck Selection popup menu) 97, 246
AVI (Avid Codec for AVI)
exporting 291
installing 303
Avid ABVB NuVista Codec Configuration dialog
box 300
374
Avid Codec for AVI
See AVI
Avid Codecs for QuickTime
copying to a Windows system 303
described 296
downloading 304
exporting with 297
Avid Log Exchange 43
Avid logs
described 31
Avid Unity 309
AvidLinks 269
B
Bars
recording 241
Batch capturing
procedure 184
unattended 183
Batch Import dialog box 219
Batch importing
options 221
procedure 219, 222
Batch Record
command 185
dialog box 185
Bins
displaying film columns in 59
exporting as AFE files 313
extra text fields 157
logging directly into 50
preparing for capturing 156
selecting as target 105
Black level
adjusting for output 232
Blue-only feature 232
Build Sequence button (NRCS tool) 332, 344
Index
Buttons
Build Sequence (NRCS tool) 331, 344
Disconnect (NRCS tool) 331
Edit mode (NRCS tool) 335
Edit/Save (NRCS tool) 331
Effect Safe Mode 252
extra fields 157
In/Out (Audio tool) 120
Post To Web (NRCS tool) 355
Reset Peak (Audio tool) 120
Save Story (NRCS tool) 331
Send Mail (NRCS tool) 331
BY Gain slider
adjusting for video output 232
C
Calibrate command (Peak Hold Menu button) 126
Calibrating
for video output 227
global output levels 237
phase controls 234
using basic video output 228
using test patterns 233
video input, table of luminance settings 139
with passthrough signals 234
Calibration tone
setting 236
CamCutter files
importing 217
Camroll data 67
Capture tool
resolution, selecting 104
setting the Pulldown switch in 101
subclip status in 161
timed recording 176
Capturing
and logging at the same time 163
audio 101
creating subclips during 160
defined 155
film transfers, minimum information for 58
from a non-Avid-controlled deck 172
from IN to OUT points 164
from music CDs 179
in Satellite mode 172
insert-edit 240
manually 241
master clips and subclips 193
multiple media files 108
on-the-fly 167
patching during 182
preparing for 75, 104
selecting drives for 105, 152
selecting separate audio and video drives 106
selecting target bins 105
setting marks 165
setting only mark IN 166
to the Timeline 181
using time-of-day 172
with external timecode 172
Channel dialog box 86
Check Decks command (Deck Selection pop-up
menu) 97
Chrominance settings
Chunking 169
Clip information
modifications table 70
Clip names
adding during capturing 157
Clip tag (Post to Web) 363
Clips
See also Group clips, Master clips, Subclips
exporting 259
Closed Caption
marking text for (NRCS tool) 337
375
Index
Codecs
Avid Codecs for QuickTime 296
downloading 304
third-party 305
Coincidence Wait mode 177
Columns
bins 157
Compression ratios
defined 148
disk striping requirements 148
mixing 151
single-field 148
specifications 150
two-field 148
Configuring
decks 84
video servers 316
Console window
checking audio levels 135
Control track
using for preroll 111
Converting shot log files with Avid Log
Exchange 44
Crash recording procedure 241
Creating
subclips during capturing 160
tone media 124
Web page 355
Creating a new tape name with a keystroke 199
Creating DVD files 271
D
Deck
pausing while logging 54
Deck Configuration settings
Add Channel options 86
Deck configurations
changing settings 89
deleting 92
376
settings for 84
Deck control
from the keyboard 198
Deck controller
Deck Selection menu 97
in Digital Cut tool 246
Deck Selection menu (Record tool) 97
Deck Selection pop-up menu
Digital Cut tool 246
Record tool 97
Deck settings
Fast Cue option 91
for configuring decks 87, 97, 246
Preroll option 91
Decks
for digital cut 246
Deleting
Production cues (NRCS tool) 339
stories (NRCS tool) 334
Dialog boxes
Avid ABVB/NuVista Codec Configuration
302
AvidLink Export 270
Batch Import 219
Batch Record 185
Compression Settings 301
Export As 265, 287, 300
Export Settings 277, 293
Film Settings (transfer settings) 78
General Settings (for capturing) 77
Modify Pulldown Phase 64
Movie Settings 290, 300
QuickTime Movie Settings 290, 300
Video Mixdown 263
Digital audiotape (DAT)
capturing from 101
Digital cut
passthrough pausing during 258
previewing 247
recording to tape 240, 250
Index
Digital Cut tool 244
deck controller in 246
selecting decks from 246
Digital scale (Audio tool)
defined 120
Digital video (DV) 76
Directory panel
deleting stories 334
making shortcuts 334
opening a story 333
removing shortcuts 334
saving stories 354
using 332
Disconnect button (NRCS tool) 331
Disconnecting from the iNEWS server (NRCS
tool) 372
Disk striping
in relation to compression ratios 148
Displaying film columns 59
DMS (Distributed Media Service) 268
Downconversion
HDTV to SDTV 24
Drag-and-drop method
exporting with 266
importing with 209
Drive striping requirements
for specific compression ratios 150
Drives
filtering 152
Media Creation settings 152
removing from list 152
selecting for capturing 105, 152
striping 77
Drop-frame and non-drop-frame timecode
described 93
Drop-frame timecode 93
described 93
dropped frames 252, 256
DV capture offset
described 161
procedure for 162
DV digital cut delay
procedure for 257
DV project
planning 25
DV Stream export 274
DVD
creating 271
E
Edit decision list (EDL) 258
Edit mode
entering (NRCS tool) 335
Edit/Save button (NRCS tool) 331, 336
Editcam
importing files 217
Editing stories (NRCS tool) 335
EDL Manager 258
Effect Safe Mode button 252, 256
Ejecting tapes with a button or key 199
ENPS server
configuring (NRCS tool) 327
Entering
additional film data 67
frames-per-second rates for PAL transfers 65
ink numbers 67
key numbers 65
optional timecodes 66
pulldown of the sync point 60
Export (File menu) 314
Export As dialog box 265, 287 297
Export settings
creating new 277
options for specific file types 308
Video Compression options 307
Export Settings dialog box 277, 293
377
Index
Exporting
AAF files 280
audio files 305
AVI files 291
bins as AFE files 313
DV Stream files 274
DVD files 271
graphic files 307
OMFI files 279
preparing for 261
ProEncode files 268
projects as AFE files 313
QuickTime Movies 286
QuickTime Reference Movie files 284
Exporting Avid AVI files 292
Exporting files
creating new settings 277
preparing for 261
preparing for OMFI export 261
procedure for 264
reasons for 260
settings 276
using drag-and-drop method 266
with Avid Codec for AVI 293
with Avid Codecs for QuickTime 287, 296
Exporting shot log files 72
External timecode
capturing with 172
Extra text fields 157
F
Factory presets
using for video output 228
Fast Cue option (Deck settings) 91
FieldPak
importing files from 217
Files
exporting, procedure for 264
exporting, reasons for 260
378
exporting, using drag-and-drop method 266
guidelines for importing 201
importing mixed resolutions 27, 151, 202
importing using drag-and-drop method 209
procedure for importing 205
Film
columns, displaying 59
data, entering 67
information, logging 58
minimum information for capturing 58
timecodes, entering 66
Film settings
for transfer 78
pulldown phase 41
Film-to-tape transfer
audio requirements for NTSC 101
Filtering drives 152
FireWire
See IEEE Standard 1394
Four-channel audio I/O device
adjusting trim level settings 126
Frame-accurate recording 240
Frames
exporting 260
Frames-per-second rates for PAL transfers 65
G
General Purpose Interface 81
General settings (General Settings dialog box) 77
Global settings
Import 202
GPI node settings 83
GPI settings
creating 81
deleting 83
editing 84
node settings 83
options 82
Index
Hard subclips 160
HDTV
workflow with downconversion 24
Hue slider
iNEWS server
configuring (NRCS tool) 326
disconnecting from (NRCS tool) 372
setting up (NRCS tool) 325
Ink numbers
entering 67
Input
audio 96, 113
video 95
Insert-edit capturing 240
Installing
Avid Codec for QuickTime 303
I
K
i.LINK
See IEEE Standard 1394
IEEE Standard 1394 76
Image quality
for specific compression ratios 150
Image sizes
NTSC and PAL compared 27
Import settings
creating 202
Importing
Editcam files 217
Photoshop files 210
shot log files 38
Importing files
before you begin 201
CamCutter 217
guidelines for 201
in mixed-resolution projects 27, 151, 202
procedure for 205
reimporting 219
using drag-and-drop method for 209
In/Out buttons (Audio tool)
defined 120
Key numbers
entering 65
formats for 66
Keyboard
controlling decks with 198
Keykode format 65
Keystroke
creating a tape name with 199
GPI trigger 81
Graphics (image) files
exporting as 307
H
L
Labroll data 67
Linked clips
described 357
Loaded cues
adding 340
using 341
Locators
adding while capturing 160
Logging
and capturing at the same time 163
film information 58
guidelines for 32
pausing deck while 54
379
Index
preroll 32
procedures for 31
tape names 35
timecodes 34
with a non-Avid-controlled deck 56
with an Avid-controlled deck 50
Logs
creating 37
described 31
importing 38
preparing for import 37
LTC (longitudinal timecode)
capturing with 172
Luminance settings
table of 232
M
Mail
configuring directory for NRCS tool 326
receiving (NRCS tool) 371
sending (NRCS tool) 370
Marking
text as Closed Caption (NRCS tool) 337
text as machine control (NRCS tool) 339
text as normal (NRCS tool) 340
text as Presenter Instructions (NRCS tool) 336
Master clips
recapturing 193
Media Creation dialog box 152
Media files
moving between systems 310
Media Station XL
Capturing with 24
Memory marks
adding to tape locations 36
Menu commands
Adjust Deck (Deck Selection pop-up menu)
97, 246
380
Auto-configure (Deck Selection pop-up
menu) 97, 246
Calibrate (Peak Hold Menu button) 126
Check Decks (Deck Selection pop-up menu)
97
Export (File menu) 314
Modify (Clip menu) 68
Message-of-the-Day options (NRCS tool)
configuring 326
Meters
volume 120
Mixed resolutions 202
Mixed-resolution projects 27, 151
Mixing and monitoring audio 119
Mixing compression ratios 151
Modify command (Clip menu) 68
Modify Pulldown Phase dialog box 64
Modifying
the pulldown phase after capturing 187
Movie Settings dialog box 290, 300
Moving
projects between systems 310
settings between systems 312
Multiple formats
working with 30
Multiple text fields 157
N
Nagra
capturing from 101
NCSID option (NRCS tool)
configuring 327
Non-drop-frame timecode 93
described 93
NRCS tool
adding loaded cues 340
adding production cues 338
associated sequences 352
building a sequence from a story 344
Index
deleting a story 334
deleting production cues 339
disconnecting from the server 372
editing stories 335
elements of, described 331
ENPS tab options 327
entering Edit mode 335
finding read time of a story 342
formatting text 339
linked clips 357
loaded cues 340
Logging out option 325
Mail Directory options 326
making shortcuts to directories 334
marking text as Closed Caption 337
marking text as machine control 339
marking text as normal 340
marking text as Presenter Instructions 336
Message-of-the-Day options 326
opening a story 333
overview 321
Post to Web feature 355, 360, 367
processing scripts 355
rearranging text 336
receiving mail 371
removing shortcuts to directories 334
saving a story 354
sending mail 370
starting 328
understanding the NRCS tool 329, 330
using loaded cues 341
using the Directory panel 332
WPM rate 342
NTSC (National Television Standards
Committee) video waveform values 139
NTSC (National Television Systems Committee)
video
capturing audio from 101
image size compared to PAL 27
NTSC Has Setup option 78
NTSC video
luminance values 232
resolutions 103, 148
NTSC-EIAJ
waveform values 139
NTSC-EIAJ format
setting 78
O
Offset, DV Capture 162
OHCI
audio input 96
described 76
OHCI (Open Host Controller Interface)
described 28
OMFI files
described 279
methods for exporting 280
preparing to export 261
Open Host Controller Interface (OHCI) 76
Opening
stories (NRCS tool) 333
Optional equipment
video server 315
Output
options 225
preparing for 226
selecting 226
Output formats
described 30
P
PAL (Phase Alternating Line) video
frames-per-second rates for transfers 65
image size compared to NTSC 27
luminance values 232
381
Index
resolutions 103, 148
waveform values 139
Passthrough
described 258
signals, calibrating with 234
Passthrough Mix tool
adjusting audio mix 129
adjusting audio volume 131
adjusting pan values 131
described 128
resizing 129
using 128
Peak Hold option (Audio tool) 121
Peak Hold pop-up menu (Audio tool)
defined 120
Phase controls
Photoshop files
importing multilayered 211
procedure 215
understanding 211
importing single-layer 210
Post to Web
Clip tag 363
creating a Web page 355
described 355
export options 367
linked clips 357
processing scripts 355
ProEncode 367
Story tag 361
Text tag 361
Web templates 360
Preparing
sequences for export 261
to capture 75
Preroll
Deck settings option 91
method for setting 111
using control track for 111
382
Presenter Instructions (NRCS tool)
marking text 336
Production cues
deleting (NRCS tool) 339
Production cues (NRCS tool)
adding 338
ProEncode 268
Post to Web 367
Projects
DV 25
exporting as AFE files 313
planning 23
types of 23
video 24
Pulldown
finding at the sync point 60
Pulldown phase
modifying after capturing 187
modifying before capturing 64
option in Film Settings dialog box 41
Pulldown switch (Capture tool)
setting 101
Pullin frame
modifying 187
Q
Quick Record mode 196
QuickTime
downloading Avid codecs for 304
QuickTime export
described 296
QuickTime Movie Settings dialog box 290
QuickTime movies
exporting 287
format options 291
QuickTime reference movies
exporting 284
Index
R
Read time, finding (NRCS tool) 342
Recapturing
See also Batch capturing
saving duplicated versions 194
sequences 195
Receiving mail (NRCS tool) 371
Record settings
batch 80
edit 80
general 80
media files 80
selecting 80
Record tool
deck selection 97
extra text fields 157
opening 95
quick record 196
time remaining display 107
video resolution 103
Recording
assemble-edit 241
bars and tone 241
digital cut 240, 250
digital cuts
using Local mode 254
using Remote mode 250
frame-accurate digital cuts 241, 243
in the field 242
See also Autocapturing, Batch capturing,
Capturing, Recapturing
Reimporting imported files 219, 222
Removing drives from list 152
Res (Resolution) pop-up menu (Capture tool) 104
Reset Peak button (Audio tool)
defined 120
Resolution selection 104
Resolutions
video, setting 103, 152
Resolutions, mixed 202
RY Gain slider
S
Sat slider
Satellite mode
capturing in 172
timed capturing 176
Save Story button (NRCS tool) 331
SC phase
Scanning for tapes 175
Scene data 67
Schedule, satellite feed 177
Screen resolution
NTSC 147
PAL 147
Scripts
Post to Web options 355
processing for Web 355
Select Tape dialog box
finding a tape in 175
returning to previous 200
Send Mail button (NRCS tool) 331
Sending mail (NRCS tool) 370
Sequences
building from a story (NRCS tool) 344
exporting 259
locating by association 352
output options for 225
recapturing 195
Servo-lock 196
Settings
audio 116
deck 89
deck configuration 84
deck preferences 92
import 202
383
Index
NRCS 355
selecting for capturing 77
sound card configuration 117
video server 316
Shared volume segmentation (”chunking”) 169
Shortcuts
making (NRCS tool) 334
removing (NRCS tool) 334
Shot log files
converting with Avid Log Exchange 44
exporting 72
importing 38
Shot logs 31
Signal, servo-lock 196
Single-field compression ratios 148
Site settings
SMPTE bars 232
Sound Card Configuration settings
configuring sound cards 117
Sound roll
entering data for 67
Specific File Type options (Export settings) 308
Stories
building a sequence (NRCS tool) 344
editing (NRCS tool) 335
finding read time (NRCS tool) 342
saving (NRCS tool) 354
Story panel (NRCS tool)
adding production cues 338
Story tag (Post to Web) 361
Striped drives 77
Striped tape 240
Subclip status (Capture tool) 161
Subclips
creating during capturing 160
recapturing 193
384
Sync
preparing for output 227
Sync point
finding the pulldown at 60
T
Tape deck
See Video deck
Tape name
creating new with a keystroke 199
finding 175
Tapes
ejecting 199
naming 35
naming from keyboard 199
recording a digital cut to 240, 250
returning to previous tape 200
selecting 98
Templates
Clip tag 363
placeholders 360
Post to Web 360
Story tag 361
Text tag 361
Test patterns
calibrating with 233
Text
copying (NRCS tool) 336
cutting (NRCS tool) 336
formatting (NRCS tool) 339
marking as Closed Caption (NRCS tool) 337
marking as machine control (NRCS tool) 339
marking as normal (NRCS tool) 340
marking as Presenter Instructions (NRCS tool)
336
pasting (NRCS tool) 336
rearranging (NRCS tool) 336
Text fields in the Record tool 157
Index
Text tag (Post to Web) 361
Timecode
capturing with time-of-day 172
drop-frame 93
entering 66
external 172
non-drop-frame 93
Timed Record option 176
Timeline
capturing to 181
Time-of-day timecode
external source 173
Tips, logging 32
Tone
recording 241
setting calibration 236
Tone media 124
Tools
Digital Cut 244
Video Input 137
Video Output 227
Total Conform 30
Tracks
audio, selecting 99
Transferring
projects between systems 310, 312
settings between systems 312
through AFE 313
Transferring video
to a video server 317
to an Avid system 319
Trim pots
adjusting 126
Two-field compression ratios 148
V
Video deck
logging with a non-Avid-controlled 56
logging with an Avid-controlled 50
Video format output parameters 230
Video formats 103, 148
Video input
calibrating for 137
Video mixdown 262
Video Mixdown dialog box 263
Video output
calibrating for 227
selecting 226
video format parameters 230
Video Output tool 228
Video project
planning 24
Video resolutions
guidelines for use 147
mixed 27, 151
selecting in the Capture tool 104
Video servers
configuring 316
described 315
transferring media from 319
transferring media to 317
Video streams
defined 149
Video transfers with video server 316
View mode (NRCS tool)
editing in 335
VITC (vertical interval timecode)
NTSC 147
PAL 147
VLXi 86
Volume meters
in the Audio tool, defined 120
Volume unit scale (Audio tool), defined 120
Video
input 95
Video Compression options (Export settings) 307
385
Index
W
WAVE file format
option in Audio Project settings 113
Web page
creating 355
Web templates
Clip tag 363
formatting stories 360
HTML tags 360
placeholders 360
Story tag 361
Text tag 361
Workflows
for video projects 24
Working with multiple formats 30
WPM rate (NRCS tool)
finding 342
Writing DVD files 271
386

Exporting Files

Transcription

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