Pro Tools AVoption & AVoption|XL Guide Version 5.0.1 for Macintosh Digidesign Inc. 3401-A Hillview Avenue Palo Alto, CA 94304 USA tel: 650·842·7900 fax: 650·842·7999 Technical Support (USA) 650·842·6699 650·856·4275 Product Information (USA) 650·842·6602 800·333·2137 Fax on Demand (USA) 1-888-USE-DIGI (873-3444) World Wide Web www.digidesign.com Digidesign FTP Site ftp.digidesign.
Copyright This User’s Guide is copyrighted ©2000 by Digidesign, a division of Avid Technology, Inc. (hereafter “Digidesign”), with all rights reserved. Under copyright laws, this manual may not be duplicated in whole or in part without the written consent of Digidesign. DIGIDESIGN, AVID and PRO TOOLS are trademarks or registered trademarks of Digidesign and/or Avid Technology, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
contents Chapter 1. Introduction to Pro Tools AVoption and AVoption|XL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 AVoption Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 AVoption XL Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 AVoption Capabilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Chapter 5. Installing AVoption XL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Installing a New AVoption XL System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Installing AVoption XL as an Upgrade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Installing AVoption XL Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
chapter 1 Introduction to Pro Tools AVoption and AVoption|XL AVoption and AVoption XL combine the powerful audio post-production features of Pro Tools with integrated support for the import, capture, and playback of Avid video media. editing, mixing, and processing. The Avid video hardware provides video capture and import, full screen video playback on an external PAL or NTSC monitor, professional quality video compression, and the capability to record and play back uncompressed video.
You can also do the following: • Import MFM (Media File Manager format) or MSM (Media Stream Manager format) video files created on Avid systems, such as Media Composer, Xpress/Mac, and AudioVision into the Movie Track of a Pro Tools session • Capture MSM format video media in the Movie Track of a Pro Tools session AVoption XL Capabilities AVoption XL lets you do the following: • Import and capture NTSC and PAL video • Play the Movie Track with near sampleaccurate precision against audio tracks in a Pro To
chapter 2 AVoption Hardware Overview AVoption hardware consists of two cards: an Avid Broadcast Video Board (ABVB), and a Janus Advanced JPEG Compression card. These cards connect with a ribbon cable.
The following tables list the approximate amount of video storage, in minutes per gigabyte, required for each AVR level. Storage for AVR 2s – AVR 9s AVR level 30/25 FPS Storage (Minutes/GB) 24 FPS Storage (Minutes/GB) AVR 2s 40-74 50-93 AVR 3s 32-57 40-71 AVR 4s 19-40 24-50 AVR 6s 11-33 14-41 AVR 8s 5-13 6-16 AVR 9s 3-6 4-7 Required Hardware To install and use AVoption, you must first install currently supported Pro Tools 24 or Pro Tools 24 MIX hardware.
Minimum System Requirements Storage Hardware Minimum Pro Tools AVoption System Requirements Item Minimum Requirement SCSI Accelerators Computer Power Macintosh 9500 Power Macintosh 9600 Power Macintosh G3 (Blue & White) Power Macintosh G4 Pro Tools audio hardware Pro Tools 24 Pro Tools 24 MIX Pro Tools 24 MIXplus To support the high transfer rates required by AVoption audio and video, the ATTO Express PCI Dual-Channel SCSI Accelerator (or other AVoption qualified SCSI accelerator) is required, with
Video AVoption can capture a contiguous video track to multiple hard drives. This is useful if the length of your video session exceeds the 2 GB Mac OS file size limit, or the storage space available on a single drive. For example, 50 minutes of video material, using AVR 77 compression, requires between 9 GB and 25 GB of storage space. To store this much video, you need between one and three 9 GB hard drives. The video is automatically split by AVoption into several files of less than 2 GB on each disk.
chapter 3 AVoption|XL Hardware Overview AVoption XL consists of two hardware components: a Meridien Digital Media Board that installs in a PCI slot in your computer, and a Meridien I/O Box that connects to the card in your computer. A Video I/O Board, installed in the Meridien I/O Box, provides video inputs and outputs from your computer to the rest of your video equipment.
The following tables list the approximate amount of video storage, in megabytes per second, required for each JFIF compression level. Storage for Single-Field JFIF JFIF level 30/25 FPS Storage (MB/second) (approximate) 24 FPS Storage (MB/second) (approximate) 15:1s .7 .6 4:1s 2.7 2.2 2:1s 5.5 4.4 Storage Required for Two-Field JFIF JFIF level 30/25 FPS Storage (MB/second) (approximate, except 1:1) 24 FPS Storage (MB/second) (approximate, except 1:1) 20:1 1.1 .9 10:1 2.
2:1 Video Compression or 1:1 Uncompressed Minimum AVoption XL System Requirements Item Minimum Requirement CPU Power Macintosh 9600, Blue & White G3 or G4 PCI Expansion Chassis Magma 13-Slot SCSI accelerator (video) Qualified SCSI Accelerator (ATTO EPCI-UL2D LVD Accelerator required for 2:1 or 1:1 video compression) SCSI accelerator (audio) Qualified SCSI Accelerator (ATTO EPCI-DC or Digidesign SCSI 64 required for 2:1 or 1:1 video compression) SCSI hard drives Qualified drives are required; see
Using More Than Two Hard Drives To get the highest possible performance from your AVoption XL system, you should use more than two hard drives. In this scenario, you can use one, two, three, or four hard drives (volumes) for audio data and one, two, or three hard drives (volumes) for video data. ✽ Note that striped volumes appear to AVoption XL as a single volume. Audio AVoption XL can store audio data to multiple hard drives. You should allocate audio tracks to different hard drives manually.
chapter 4 Installing AVoption This chapter discusses the installation and configuration of AVoption software and hardware. Installing AVoption as an Upgrade Installing a New AVoption System If you have currently supported Pro Tools TDM hardware installed in your system, then you can install AVoption as an upgrade. If you do not already have currently supported Pro Tools TDM hardware installed, you must install AVoption as a new system.
Installing AVoption Software AVoption includes the following software: • Pro Tools Installer CD-ROM • AVoption Authorizer diskette AVoption is copy protected with a key disk system. After you install the software from CD-ROM, the Authorizer diskette permits you to authorize and use a single copy of AVoption. AVoption software is installed in a specific location in your System folder, and should not be moved or altered.
Power Macintosh 9500/9600 Power Macintosh G3 (Blue & White) Slot Card 1 Macintosh graphics accelerator The Blue & White G3 has only three PCI slots. If you use this CPU, you must use a Magma 7-Slot or 13-Slot Expansion Chassis.
Power Macintosh G3 (Blue & White) PCI slots with AVoption and a Magma 13-Slot Expansion Chassis Power Macintosh G4 The G4 has only three PCI slots. If you use this CPU, you must use a Magma 7-slot or 13-slot expansion chassis.
Power Macintosh G4 PCI slots with AVoption and a Magma 13-Slot Expansion Chassis Slot Card CPU 1 SCSI Accelerator CPU 2 PCI Expander card (connects CPU to chassis) Audio Hardware Refer to your TDM Hardware Installation Guide for audio hardware installation information. ▲ You may be required to move hardware that is already installed to new PCI slot locations in your computer or expansion chassis, based on the information above.
5 Press down firmly on the card with even pressure. The connector should click into place in the PCI slot. Installing the Digidesign SCSI 64 / ATTO EPCI-DC SCSI Accelerator Card PCI Card alignment and installation 6 Repeat this process for the Janus Ad- vanced JPEG card, making sure that you place it in the proper slot.
Initializing Hard Drives Refer to the information in the AVoption Release Bulletin and on the Digidesign Web site for the latest hard drive initialization information. AVoption Video Connections The ABVB Video Cable AVoption includes a cable that provides nine coaxial video connections to connect video and sync components of your system to the ABVB card. Video Connectors on the ABVB Cable GL IN This “Gen Lock” connector is used to connect the ABVB card to an external reference video (black burst) source.
To connect a BNC connector: Slide the end of the BNC connector over the matching BNC connection, and twist the BNC connector clockwise until it locks into place. ■ To remove a BNC connector: Grip the BNC connector you wish to remove and twist it counter-clockwise until it comes loose. ■ Connecting House Sync or Black Burst In most AVoption setups, three black burst or “house sync” connections are required.
Connecting an External Video Reference Monitor Connect an external NTSC or PAL video reference monitor using the ABVB cable’s Composite or Component Video outputs. Centralized Video Switching and Routing Many professional facilities have centralized video switching and routing systems. These systems can be used to route AVoption’s inputs and outputs to flexible input sources and output destinations.
Sample AVoption Setup Diagrams Video drives Macintosh video card Macintosh monitor ATTO card Channel 1 A VG or VB ect l) B A onn na io c pt (o Macintosh monitor Power Macintosh computer ATTO card Channel 2 Composite or Audio drives CV OUT Computer 1 CV In (ABVB) Video out Video In Video deck Sample ABVB video setup 20 AVoption and AVoption XL Guide Video Ref in Super Clock to a video ref input DigiSerial port or other Black burst generator Component or CV OUT (ABVB) Video monitor Mach
External video monitor CV OUT (from ABVB) Component video outputs (ABVB) Video deck CH-1 Video in panel CH-2 ABVB cable Video out panel to Component Video inputs (ABVB) Blackburst generator to Ref Video input on video deck GL IN (ABVB) to USD / VSD Video connections for component video, blackburst, and external monitor Chapter 4: Installing AVoption 21
22 AVoption and AVoption XL Guide
chapter 5 Installing AVoption XL This chapter discusses the installation and configuration of AVoption XL software and hardware. • Install AVoption XL hardware. See “Installing AVoption XL Hardware” on page 24. Installing a New AVoption XL System Installing AVoption XL as an Upgrade If you do not already have currently supported Pro Tools hardware installed, you must install AVoption XL as a new system.
Installing AVoption XL Software AVoption XL includes the following software: • Pro Tools Installer CD-ROM • AVoption XL Authorizer floppy disk AVoption XL is copy protected with a key disk system. After you install the software from CD-ROM, the Authorizer diskette permits you to authorize and use a single copy of AVoption XL. AVoption XL software is installed in a specific location in your System folder, and should not be moved or altered.
Power Macintosh 9500/9600 PCI Slots with Expansion Chassis (Magma or Bit3) Slot Card CPU 1 Video Accelerator CPU 2 Power Macintosh G3 (Blue & White) PCI slots with AVoption XL and a Magma 13-Slot Magma Expansion Chassis Slot Card CPU 1 Audio SCSI Accelerator (ATTO EPCI-DC or Digidesign SCSI 64) CPU 2 PCI Expander Card (connects CPU to chassis) CPU 3 CPU 4 Audio SCSI Accelerator (ATTO EPCI-DC or Digidesign SCSI 64) CPU 3 CPU 5 Chassis Backplane Slot Chassis Backplane Card CPU 6 Chassis Backpla
Power Macintosh G4 Audio Hardware The G4 has only three PCI slots. If you use this CPU, you must use a Magma 13-Slot Expansion Chassis. Refer to your Pro Tools Hardware Installation Guide for audio hardware installation information.
5 Press down firmly on the card with even pressure. The connector should click into place in the PCI slot. Installing the ATTO EPCIUL2D SCSI Accelerator PCI Card alignment and installation ATTO UL2D LVD SCSI Accelerator 6 Close the computer or expansion chassis. 7 Attach the connector cable from the Dig- ital Media Board (connector labeled M) to the Computer connector on the Meridien I/O Box.
AVoption XL Video Connections The following video I/O capabilities are available with the Meridien I/O Box: • Inputs for composite, component (Y, R-Y, B-Y), S-Video, and (optional) SDI • Outputs for composite, component (Y, RY, B-Y), S-Video, and (optional) SDI • Video Ref input to allow the video to be locked to an external source such as house sync or a black burst generator. ▲ Only one video input source can be used at a time. See “Recording Video” on page 35 for more information.
Pull down (this does not light) Audio sync (this does not light) Sample rate (44.1 or 48 is always lit) O AUDIO SYNC PULL DOWN kHz VIDEO SYNC POWER 48 Video sync l 44.1 kHz Power indicator Power switch Figure 1.
Table 1. Video I/O Board Identifiers Number Label Function 1 COMPONENT Y IN Video Y component input, BNC connector. Connects to analog video output of decks. 2 COMPONENT R-Y IN Video R-Y component input, BNC connector. Connects to analog video output of decks. 3 COMPONENT B-Y IN Video B-Y component input, BNC connector. Connects to analog video output of decks. 4 COMPONENT Y OUT Video Y component (Betacam) output, BNC connector. Connects to analog video input of decks.
Table 1. Video I/O Board Identifiers(Continued) Number Label Function 17 COMPOSITE OUT2 Composite video output, BNC connector. Connects to analog video input of decks or monitor. 18 COMPOSITE OUT1 Composite video output, BNC connector. Connects to analog video input of decks or monitor. 19 S-VIDEO IN Super-video input, 4-pin connector. Connects to analog video output of decks. 20 COMPOSITE IN Composite video input, BNC connector. Connects to analog video output of decks.
• connect the Meridien I/O Box COMPOSITE IN, COMPONENT IN, S-VIDEO IN, or SDI IN connectors to the corresponding output or outputs on your VTR • connect the Meridien I/O Box COMPOSITE OUT, COMPONENT OUT, S-VIDEO OUT, or SDI OUT connectors to the corresponding inputs on your VTR – or – • connect the Meridien I/O Box COMPOSITE OUT or COMPONENT OUT connectors to the corresponding input on an NTSC or PAL video monitor, then connect the outputs from this monitor to corresponding inputs on your VTR.
chapter 6 Recording or Importing the Movie Track You can capture a video file by actually recording the video in through the inputs on your ABVB connector cable (AVoption) or the inputs on your Meridien I/O Box (AVoption XL), or import a file created in a compatible Avid video editing and composition program.
To delete the Movie Track: 1 Select the track by clicking on the Track Name button in the Edit window. 2 Choose File > Delete Selected Tracks. To clear all video from the Movie Track: ■ Choose Movie > Clear Movie Track. Setting S-Video or Component Output (AVoption XL only) The Meridien I/O Box can only output from either S-Video or Component outputs. This choice must be made in the software, and echoed in the physical connections you use to output signals.
named “House Ext” and “House Int,” will appear as two blocks bordering each other with those names. 4 Set the compression level for the video capture from the Compression Level popup menu. Movie Track in Blocks mode In Blocks mode, you can place the cursor on the Movie Track, then press Tab move to the next video edit in the track. To set the view for the Movie Track: Setting the compression level (AVoption) On the Movie Track, select “frames” or “blocks” from the View Options pop-up menu.
To record video: ▲ Note that if there is already a movie on the Movie Track, the movie will be replaced, regardless of where you start recording. 1 Place your cursor at the point you want to start recording, or select a range of time for the recording. You can make this selection on a timeline or on a track. If you make this selection on a track, make sure that Edit and Timeline selections are linked.
What to Export Exporting from Media Composer When you export from your Avid software, you have two choices. You can export the audio and video from a project, or you can export the video only. To export a file from Media Composer: 1 Select the material to export by doing one of the following: ◆ To select specific tracks in a clip or sequence, enable those tracks in the Track Selector panel, and disable all others.
Importing Files into AVoption and AVoption XL Once you have an OMF file for your project, you are ready to import it. If your OMF file is Video Only you can simply import it as the Movie Track in AVoption or AVoption XL. If your OMF file has Video and Audio, you can use OMF Tool to create a Pro Tools session from the audio files, then import the Movie Track separately. You can use DigiTranslator to translate video and audio simultaneously. See your DigiTranslator documentation for details.
chapter 7 Playing the Movie Track Video plays back automatically when you play a session that includes a Movie Track. There are several different options for viewing and synchronizing the video and audio tracks. Movie Online When the Movie is online, the Movie Track plays along with the audio session. The Movie’s frame location is updated every time you place your cursor in a new location, and the Movie track is scrubbed along with the audio tracks.
Playback Viewing Options Video can be viewed on a separate NTSC or PAL video monitor. Video can also be viewed in an on-screen window (AVoption only). Using a Playback Monitor with AVoption The ABVB video cable includes video outputs to connect an NTSC or PAL video monitor. You can connect a monitor that has component or composite video inputs. The video card will display full-screen video on the playback monitor.
If the Movie window is partially blocked by another window on your screen, playback will slow or “stutter” as your computer’s CPU attempts to display the video. Movie window size and position are saved with your session. To show the Movie Window: ■ Select Windows > Show Movie Window. To resize the Movie Window: ■ When playback is stopped, click the lower right corner of the Movie window and drag to shrink or enlarge the window.
Video Editing With AVoption or AVoption XL AVoption and AVoption XL do not support video editing. You cannot use the Cut, Copy, and Paste commands with the Movie Track. You can, however, Spot the Movie to a new location. ▲ You cannot import or capture multiple video files to a Movie Track. Once a Movie Track contains video, importing or capturing new video will replace the entire track, regardless of the original and new Movie locations.
index A B ABVB card cable connectors 17 connecting to video cable 17 install 15 aspect ratio 41 ATTO EPCI-DC card installing 16 ATTO EPCI-UL2D card installing 27 authorize AVoption 12 AVoption XL 24 FilmFrame 12, 24 available record time approximate 35 Avid Video Resolution available resolutions 3 overview 3 AVoption authorize 12 capabilities 1 hardware capabilities 3 installing a new system 11 installing software 12 setup illustration 20 AVoption XL authorize 24 capabilities 2 hardware capabilities 7 in
E H exporting audio 37 entire clip or sequence 37 file type 38 files from Media Composer 37 from Media Composer 37 media online 37 OMFI Version 2.
AVoption XL video hardware 26 Digital Media card 26 FilmFrame 12, 24 Janus advanced JPEG card 15 Meridien I/O Box 26 new AVoption system 11 new AVoption XL system 23 upgrade AVoption XL system 23 J Janus advanced JPEG card install 15 JFIF disk space used 8 JPEG compression varies 3 M MachineControl 36 Meridien I/O Box 28 Meridien I/O Box install 26 Movie Offline working with 39 Movie Track clearing all video from 34 creating 33 deleting 34 frames view 34 importing 38 naming 33 overview 33 spotting 41 view
SCSI hardware with 2-to-1 or 1-to-1 compression (AVoption XL) 10 hardware with 3-to-1 compression or higher (AVoption XL) 9 striped drive requirements (AVoption XL) 10 SCSI accelerator installing for AVoption 16 installing for AVoption XL 27 required 5, 9 supported 5, 9 selecting target volumes for video capture 35 selecting video input 35 setting video recording options 35 show Movie Window 41 slot configurations AVoption 12 Power Macintosh 9500 13 Power Macintosh 9600 13 Power Macintosh G3 (Blue and White
W window playback of the Movie 40 performance 40 working with the Movie Online 39 Y Y IN 17 Y OUT 17 Index 47
