Avid NewsCutter XP ® ® User’s Guide Release 1.
© 2000 Avid Technology, Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in USA. Avid NewsCutter XP User’s Guide • Part 0130-04644-01 Rev.
Contents Chapter 1 Desktop Basics Working with the Desktop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Creating an Emergency Repair Disk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Using Shortcut Menus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Using the Windows NT Taskbar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Dragging Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Opening a Project in Avid NewsCutter XP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Closing a Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Backing Up Your Project Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Saving Your Project Information on a Drive or Floppy Disk. . 42 Restoring from a Backup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Ending an Edit Session . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Defining Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 Reviewing Basic Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 Bin Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 General Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69 Interface Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 Displaying Project Settings. . . .
Chapter 4 Using Basic Tools Using the Tools Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94 Using the Avid Calculator. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95 Using the Console . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96 Displaying System Information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 Reviewing a Log of Errors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Deck Settings Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126 Deleting Deck Configurations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128 Setting Deck Preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129 Setting Up the Record Tool. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130 Opening the Record Tool. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131 Selecting a Deck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Chapter 7 Recording Before You Begin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157 Adding Clip Names and Comments On-the-Fly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158 Recording and Logging at the Same Time. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158 Recording from One Point to Another . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159 Recording from an IN Point to an OUT Point . . . . . . . . . . 160 Setting Both Marks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Status Line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196 Clip Info Section . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196 Import Options (All Clips) Section . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197 Select (All Clips) Section . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197 Starting the Reimport Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197 Chapter 9 Organizing with Bins Before You Begin . . . . . . . . . .
Sifting Clips and Sequences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218 Selecting Offline Items in a Bin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220 Selecting Media Relatives for an Object . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220 Using Text View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222 Arranging Bin Columns. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222 Moving and Rearranging Columns . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Chapter 10 Managing Media Files Using the Media Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243 Basic Media Tool Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243 Opening the Media Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244 Deleting Media Files with the Media Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246 Consolidating Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Resizing Monitors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275 Hiding the Video in the Composer Monitor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275 Resizing the Composer Monitor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277 Controlling Playback . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277 Using Position Bars and Position Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277 Using Buttons. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Chapter 12 First Edits Setting Up a New Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303 Starting a New Sequence. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303 Changing the Sequence Clip Info . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 305 Setting Up Tracks for the New Sequence. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 306 Adding Filler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 307 Making the First Edit . . . . . . . .
Restoring the Default Timeline View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 326 Navigating in the Timeline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 327 Using the Position Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 327 Using the Timeline Scroll Bar. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 328 Displaying Detail in the Timeline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 328 Controlling Movement in the Timeline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Chapter 14 Working in Trim Mode Customizing Trim Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 349 Using Basic Trim Procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 350 Entering Trim Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 350 Exiting Trim Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 351 Selecting Between Trim Sides . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Resizing the Audio Mix Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 376 Adjusting One Audio Track at a Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 377 Ganging and Adjusting Multiple Tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 382 Ignoring Existing Volume and Pan Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 382 Adjusting Volume While Playing an Audio Effect . . . . . . . . . 383 Using Audio Gain Automation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Starting the DAE Application. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 412 Using Digidesign AudioSuite Plug-Ins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 413 Applying an AudioSuite Plug-In to a Clip in the Timeline . . 414 Using a Plug-in Dialog Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 415 AudioSuite Plug-In Fast Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 416 Rendering Plug-in Effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Fixing Sync in Segment Mode. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 440 Managing Sync with Multiple Tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 440 Using Sync Lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 441 Syncing with Tail Leader . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 442 Syncing with Locators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 443 Using Add Edit When Trimming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
About Media Cleaner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 473 Exporting with Media Cleaner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 474 About MPEG-Ligos. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 475 Exporting with MPEG-Ligos. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 475 Customizing Export Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 476 Creating a New Export Setting . . . . . . . . . . . .
Chapter 19 Using the NRCS Tool Configuring the NRCS Tool. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 524 Starting the NRCS Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 527 Understanding the NRCS Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 529 Using the Directory Panel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 531 Opening a Story. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Chapter 20 Transferring Media by Using Baseband Setting Up a Video Server. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 549 Connecting Avid NewsCutter XP to a Video Server . . . . . . . . 549 Configuring a Video Server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 552 Configuring a Video Server as a Deck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 552 Transferring Media to a Video Server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
EQ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 577 EQ II Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 577 Compressor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 579 Using Compression Effectively. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 579 Compressor Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 580 Limiter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Tables Table 3-1 Bin Organization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 Table 3-2 Automatic Save and Backup Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 Table 3-3 General Settings Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 Table 3-4 User Interface Settings Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 Table 3-5 Settings Menu Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 Table 3-6 Settings Scroll List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Table 18-4 QuickTime Reference Movie Options . . . . . . . . . . . . 494 Table 18-5 QuickTime Movie Export Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 498 Table 18-6 QuickTime Movie Format Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 501 Table 18-7 AVI Settings Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 507 Table 18-8 AVI Video Compression Dialog Box Options . . . . . 509 Table 18-9 Devices for Transferring Projects. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
CHAPTER 1 Desktop Basics Although most of your work is performed within the Avid NewsCutter XP application, you will need to use a few basic desktop procedures.
Working with the Desktop For information on the Windows NT operating system, such as the desktop and icons, see your Microsoft® Windows NT Help. This section describes the following desktop features that you will use when working with the Avid NewsCutter XP application.
Using Shortcut Menus Instead of using the standard menus to find the command you need in a window, try using the shortcut menus. To use a shortcut menu: Right-click on a window to access a shortcut menu that shows the most frequently used commands for that window. For a list of the available shortcuts, see the Avid NewsCutter XP Quick Reference. t Using the Windows NT Taskbar By default, the Windows NT taskbar always appears on the bottom of your screen, on top of your application.
n The taskbar can to be dragged to the top, bottom, or either side of the monitor. For more information, see your Windows NT Help. Dragging Windows By default, Windows NT systems show the contents of windows when you drag them. Deselect this option to improve screen display and to avoid problems repainting the screen. To deselect the option “Show window contents while dragging”: 1. Click the Start button, point to Settings, and then select Control Panel. 2. Double-click Display. 3.
4. Choose a different color scheme from the Scheme menu. 5. Click OK. n For a shortcut to the Display Properties dialog box, right-click an empty part of the desktop, and choose Properties from the pop-up menu.
n For a shortcut to the Display Properties dialog box, right-click an empty part of the desktop, and choose Properties from the pop-up menu. About the Avid NewsCutter XP Folder The Avid NewsCutter XP folder contains essential operational files and supporting files. You can find it in the following location: drive:\Program Files\Avid\ You should not touch any of these files, except where noted in the following descriptions: • Help folder: This folder contains the Help files.
Managing the Avid Projects and Avid Users Folders Managing projects, user profiles, and settings involves moving, copying, or deleting files and folders, and changing project or user names. You use the desktop to move projects and user profiles between systems. For information about moving a project from one system to another, see the Avid Products Collaboration Guide.
To change a project or user name: 1. Double-click the internal hard drive to open it. 2. Double-click the Avid Users or the Avid Projects folder to open it. 3. Click the name of the folder you want to change. The name is highlighted for text entry, and the arrow changes to an I-beam. 4. Type the new name of the folder. n When you change a user name or project name, make sure you change the name of the folder and all the files in the folder that have the old name.
n Recorded media related to a deleted project is not eliminated with the project folder. For more information on deleting media files, see “Deleting Clips and Sequences” on page 213 and “Deleting Media Files with the Media Tool” on page 246. Starting the Avid NewsCutter XP Application The Avid NewsCutter XP application is located in the Program Files\Avid\Avid NewsCutter XP folder on the internal hard drive. For most users, the desktop is a more convenient location for starting the application.
After the agreement appears a few times, a new button is displayed at the bottom of the screen. 2. If you do not want to see the license agreement again, click Accept and Don’t Show Again. A dialog box appears. 3. Type the name of your organization in the dialog box, and click OK. The Open Project dialog box appears, and you can begin working with Avid NewsCutter XP.
CHAPTER 2 Starting a Project Your work in Avid NewsCutter XP begins when you turn on the system, start the application, and open an existing project or create a new project. This chapter describes these and other procedures for starting a project. You can use several techniques to safeguard and restore your work if necessary.
Opening a Project Each time you start the Avid NewsCutter XP application, the Open Project dialog box appears.
Identifying a User To identify a user for the project, do one of the following: t Create and identify a new user. t Select a user from a list of existing users. This user name represents the user profile, which includes the settings associated with the user. Creating a New User To create a new user profile: 1. Click New User in the Open Project dialog box. 2. Type the name of the new user, and press Enter.
To select a user in a folder: 1. Double-click the folder to open it and display the user names. 2. Click a user name to select it. Selecting a Project To select a project, do one of the following: t Open an existing project t Create and open a new project You can also place projects in folders and nest the folders within other folders. Selecting an Existing Project Existing projects appear in the Projects scroll list in the Open Project dialog box.
To select an existing project, do one of the following in the Open Project dialog box: t Click an existing project name to highlight it. t Press the first letter of the project name on the keyboard to highlight it. To open a project nested in a folder: 1. Double-click the folder name to open it and display the contents in the Projects scroll list. 2. Click the project name to highlight it. To locate a project in another folder: 1.
2. Type the name of your new project in the highlighted text box. 3. Choose either NTSC or PAL from the Video Format pop-up menu. 4. Click OK. The system creates the new project files and folder, and returns you to the Open Project dialog box. The project name is highlighted in the Projects scroll list. Nesting Projects in Folders You can create folders in the Open Project dialog box for storing related products. To nest a folder, you must first create a folder. To create a folder: 1.
The Composer monitor and the bin open with the selected User settings loaded. The title bar of the Project window contains the project name and user name you selected in the Open Project dialog box. Project name User name Close button Project window Closing a Project When you close the current project, you return to the Open Project dialog box. To close the current project, do one of the following: t With the Project window active, choose Close from the File menu.
Backing Up Your Project Information For information on using the Auto-save feature, see “Saving Bins Automatically” on page 60. Although Avid NewsCutter XP automatically saves your bins, projects, and settings, you should back up these items frequently to avoid losing any of your work in case your hard drive fails.
Restoring from a Backup To restore a project, user profile, or settings from a backup storage device: 1. Mount the drive or insert a floppy disk as appropriate. 2. From the desktop, double-click the drive or floppy disk and the internal hard drive. 3. Drag the copies from the storage device to the appropriate folder on the internal hard drive: • Project folders and settings files go in the Avid Projects folder. • User folders and settings files go in the Avid Users folder.
To quit the Avid NewsCutter XP application if you are between projects: 1. Click the Quit button in the Open Project dialog box. Quit button A message box appears. 2. Click Leave to quit the Avid NewsCutter XP application. Click Cancel to return to the Open Project dialog box and select another project. n If you want to turn off your system, see “Turning Off Your Equipment” on page 45.
To quit the Avid NewsCutter XP application from an open project: 1. Click the Close button at the far right of the title bar. Close button The Open Project dialog box appears. 2. Click the Quit button. 3. Click the Leave button. Turning Off Your Equipment c Quit Avid NewsCutter XP before turning off your equipment. See “Quitting the Avid NewsCutter XP Application” on page 43. To turn off your equipment without damaging your computer or media storage drives: 1.
c Never remove drives from your Avid NewsCutter XP system when it is turned on. Mounting and Ejecting Drives The Eject command makes selected media drives inaccessible to Avid NewsCutter XP. If the drive you eject supports the auto-eject feature (for example, Jaz® drives), the command ejects the disk from the drive. By default, all media drives that are connected to your system are listed and can be seen by Avid NewsCutter XP.
2. Select a drive to eject. Ctrl+click to select additional drives. 3. Click the Eject button. The drives are no longer available to Avid NewsCutter XP. Mounting All Drives Because the system cannot interface with ejected drives individually, you cannot mount selected drives. However, you can mount all drives connected to the system, including those previously ejected. To mount all drives: t Choose Mount All from the File menu.
CHAPTER 3 Working with the Project Window The Project window provides controls in three different display modes for structuring and viewing important information about your current project. These include a display of bins and folders associated with the project, a list of all settings, and basic information about the format of the project and use of system memory.
Opening and Closing the Project Window The Project window provides three different displays (Bins, Settings and Info) for structuring and viewing information about your current project. Settings button Bins button Info button Use the Project window to: • Create and open bins. • View and modify settings. • View information about the format of the project and the use of system memory. You can also add folders to your projects that allow you to organize the projects.
window’s Fast menu. You can also drag bins into folders or folders into folders. The Project window opens automatically when you select a project in the Open Project dialog box. To close the Project window, do one of the following: t With the Project window active, choose Close from the File menu. t Click the Close button in the Project window. To reopen the Project window: t Choose Project from the Tools menu.
Bins button The views for working with clips in a bin are: Text view, and Frame view. • In Text view, clips are displayed in a database text format using columns and rows, with icons representing the various objects. You can save various arrangements of columns, text, and objects as customized views.
• In Frame view, each clip is represented by a single picture frame, with the name of the clip. You can play back the footage in each frame and change the size of frames. You can also rearrange the frames in any order within the bin. Frame View button Displaying Bins By default, your bins display all existing media objects except source clips and rendered effects. To display only those objects that you need to use to organize your project, you can display selected media objects.
2. Select the object types that you want to see: master clips, subclips, sequences, sources, effects, motion effects, or rendered effects. 3. The option “Show clips created by user” is selected by default. Deselect this option only if you want to hide all objects except those created by the system. 4. Select the option “Show reference clips” to automatically display those objects that are referenced by sequences in the bin, whether those clips were previously in the bin or not. 5. Click OK.
Creating a Folder in a Project To create a folder in a project: 1. Click the Bins button in the Project window. Bins button Fast Menu button 2. Click the Fast Menu button in the lower left corner. 3. Choose New Folder from the Bin Fast menu. A new, untitled folder appears. 4. Click the untitled folder and rename it. Creating a New Bin To create a new bin from the Project window: 1. Do one of the following: t Choose New Bin from the File menu. t Click the New Bin button in the Project window.
window. A corresponding file is placed in the project folder, and a backup copy is placed in the Attic folder. The new bin appears in the Project window with a default name highlighted. 2. Type the name of the new bin, and press the Enter key. To place a bin in a folder: t Drag the bin to the folder icon. Renaming a Bin Each new bin that you create takes the name of the project that appears in the Project window, numbered incrementally.
Up One Level pop-up menu 2. Select a bin. Navigate to the correct folder, if necessary. 3. Click the Open button. c Never open a bin that is stored on a floppy disk; otherwise, the system will not be able to save your work. Always copy the bin to a project folder on the internal hard drive before you open it. Opening Selected Bins To open several bins at once from the Project window: 1. Click the name of one of the bins in the Bins list. 2. Ctrl+click each additional bin you want to open. 3.
Deleting a Bin or Folder To delete a bin or folder within a project: 1. Select the bin or the folder you want to delete in the Bins list. 2. Press the Delete key. A Trash icon appears in the Bins list in the Project window. It contains the deleted item. The deleted item is stored in the Trash until you empty it. n The Trash is not visible in the Project window until you select your first item to delete. c Clips, subclips, and effects that are in a bin appear in the Trash after you delete the bin.
Emptying the Trash To empty the Trash: 1. Choose Empty Trash from the Fast menu. A message box appears. 2. Click Empty Trash to delete the bins or folders from the Trash and from your internal hard drive. Managing Folders and Bins You can use the Project window to create hierarchies of folders and bins that reflect the specific workflow of the current project. This structure should provide both simplicity and backup security.
Table 3-1 Bin Organization Set of bins Purpose First Recording stage Second Organizing your project Third Editing stage Specific bins A current cut bin for storing each work in progress (sequence) An archive bin for keeping the original version of each cut (sequence) A selects or storyboard bin for screening selected clips or cuts gathered from the source bins A format cuts bin for storing the final cuts with added format elements such as segment breaks, color bars and tone, slate, or countdown
Saving Bins Automatically Avid NewsCutter XP automatically saves changes to your work on a regular basis during each session. Two things happen when an auto-save occurs: • Any open bins are updated with changes made since the last auto-save. • Copies of these bins are placed in the drive:\Avid\Avid NewsCutter XP\Attic folder as backup. To adjust the frequency of automatic saves: 1. Click the Settings button in the Project window. The Settings scroll list appears. 2. Double-click Bin.
Saving Bins Manually For added security, you can save a bin manually. You might want to do this immediately after performing an important edit. There are three ways to save bins manually. To save a specific bin: 1. Click the bin to activate it. 2. Choose Save Bin from the File menu. To save selected bins: 1. Activate the Project window by choosing Project from the Tools menu or by clicking anywhere in the window. 2. Click a Bin icon to select it. Ctrl+click any additional bins. 3.
Retrieving Bin Files from the Attic Folder You retrieve files from the Attic folder in the following circumstances: • When you want to replace current changes to a sequence or clip with a previous version • When the current bin file becomes corrupted The Attic folder contains a folder for each project. When a bin is saved, a copy of the bin file is stored in the project folder in the Attic folder. The system adds the file name extension .bak plus a version number to the bin name.
7. Double-click the Avid NewsCutter XP button in the taskbar to activate it. 8. Click the Project window to activate it, and click Bins to display the Bins list. 9. Choose Open Bin from the File menu. Select one of the backup bin files you copied to the desktop and click Open. When you open the backup bin, a link to the backup bin on the desktop is created in the Other Bins folder.
Modifying the Creation Date After you have moved backup bins from the Attic folder, you must modify the creation date for these backup items so they are considered the newest items by the system. This prevents them from being overwritten by a newer item. To modify the creation date: 1. Click the F button at the lower left corner of the Bin window to put the bin in Frame view. 2. Choose Select All from the Edit menu. 3.
Settings button About Settings Three types of settings appear in the Settings scroll list, as indicated in the second column of information: User, Project, and Site settings. • User settings are specific to a particular editor. In general, User settings reflect individual preferences for adjusting the user interface in the system. Individual User settings are stored in each user folder within the: - \Program Files\Avid\Avid NewsCutter XP\Avid Users folder on the internal hard drive 65
• Project settings are directly related to individual projects. When you change a Project setting, it affects all editors working on the project. Specific Project settings are stored in each project folder within the: - • \Program Files\Avid\Avid NewsCutter XP\Avid Projects folder on the internal hard drive Site settings establish default parameters for all new users and projects on a particular system.
Reviewing Basic Settings The following list describes basic system settings to review at the start of your project: • Bin settings • General settings • Interface settings To view the settings: t Double-click each setting in the Settings scroll list of the Project window.
Table 3-2 Automatic Save and Backup Options Option Description Auto-save interval Specifies the length of time between attempts to auto-save project files. The default is 15 minutes. To avoid interrupting an edit, the Avid NewsCutter XP system waits until the system is inactive before auto-saving. Use the option “Force auto-save at” to specify an interval at which the system will interrupt an edit to make the auto-save.
General Settings General settings define fundamental system defaults. Table 3-3 describes the General Settings options.
Table 3-3 General Settings Options Option Description Temporary Files Directory When you use the Drag and Drop Export or an export that creates an intermediate movie file, Avid NewsCutter XP must store the intermediate file, which can be as large as the final export. By default, the Temporary Files Directory is located in the same directory as the Avid NewsCutter XP product.
Interface Settings Interface settings determine the level of basic information displayed in the interface. Table 3-4 describes the User Interface Settings options. Table 3-4 User Interface Settings Options Option Description Show Labels in Tool palette When this option is selected, the system displays text labels with the icons in Tool palettes. To tear off the Tool palette, click anywhere on the palette, press and hold the mouse button, and drag the palette to the location you want.
Table 3-4 User Interface Settings Options (Continued) Option Description Delay n seconds before showing If you select Show ToolTips, you can delay the label display by entering a value in this text box. A delay enables you to move the pointer across the interface without displaying the labels on items between the starting point and the destination of the pointer. Windows® Standard Alt Key Behavior This option switches between standard Windows Alt key behavior and Avid system Alt key behavior.
Table 3-5 Settings Menu Options Option Description All Settings Displays all settings available in the Avid NewsCutter XP system Base Settings Displays Project, User, and Site settings only; no views are displayed Title Styles Displays all the templates you created for the Title tool Video Tool Settings Displays Video Tool settings Import Settings Displays all the Import settings Export Settings Displays all the Export settings Changing the Settings Scroll List Display Fast Menu button To c
Settings menu Fast Menu button The Settings menu displays the settings group selected and the Settings scroll list displays only the settings in that group. About the Settings Scroll List Table 3-6 briefly describes each item in the Settings scroll list. The table also lists where you can find additional information on a particular item and indicates whether the item has an associated dialog box (or window) that you can access from the Settings scroll list.
Table 3-6 Setting Name Settings Scroll List Description For More Information Access to Dialog Box? Audio Sets the default audio pan; contains audio scrub options and audio setup parameters See “Adjusting Audio Yes Project Settings” on page 146. Audio Project Sets parameters for audio setup See “Preparing for Audio Input” on page 144. Yes AvidNet Sets preferences for using the AvidNet™ Transfer Tool to transfer files across a network See the Avid Products Collaboration Guide.
Table 3-6 Setting Name Settings Scroll List (Continued) Description For More Information Access to Dialog Box? General Defines default values such as the default starting timecode and the audio file format for your project See “General Settings” on page 69. Yes Import Sets parameters for file import See Table 8-1 on page 184. Yes Interface Defines the appearance and function of certain interface elements See Table 3-4 on page 71.
Working with Settings You can view and modify most of your current settings by double-clicking them in the Settings scroll list of the Project window and by selecting new options. You can duplicate, rename, copy, and move settings among files or systems. Selecting Another User Because User settings are not project or site specific, you can choose to display another set of User settings within the Project window. To select another user: 1. Click the Settings button in the Project window.
Working with Multiple Settings You can have multiple versions of settings in your Settings scroll list in the Project window that apply to several users at various stages of production.
To rename settings: 1. Click the Settings button in the Project window. The Settings scroll list appears. 2. Click the Custom setting name column in the Settings scroll list (the column to the right of the setting’s name). Custom setting name column 3. Type a new name and press the Enter key. Selecting Among Multiple Settings With multiple settings, only one setting at a time is active. Settings that are currently active have a check mark to the left of the setting name.
To change the active setting: 1. Click the Settings button in the Project window. The Settings scroll list appears. 2. Click in the space to the left of the setting you want to select as the active setting. A check mark indicates that the setting is active. Deleting Settings You can delete settings from the Settings scroll list in the Project window at any time.
t Open an existing settings file by choosing Open Settings File from the File menu. 2. Locate and select the settings file you want in the Avid Projects or Avid Users folder, and click Open. 3. Click the setting you want to copy in the Settings scroll list of the Project window. Ctrl+click any additional settings that you want to copy. 4. Drag the highlighted settings to the open Settings window. A message box appears. 5.
You can also move selected settings into the Site Settings folder to establish standard system settings for all new projects and users. Using Site Settings When the system opens a new project, it first searches the Site Settings folder and loads any site settings and other settings placed there. The system then proceeds to load any Project and User settings not included in the Site Settings folder.
Using the Info Display The Info display in the Project window allows you to view basic project information, such as the video format, in a view called Profile (the default view). It also allows you to see information about system memory and hardware. To select the information you want displayed: 1. Click the Fast menu button. 2. Choose a menu item from the pop-up menu. Displaying Project Info To open the Info display: Click the Info button in the Project window. Basic project information is displayed.
About the Memory Window The Memory window displays the following information: • Objects: The total number of memory handles currently used by Avid NewsCutter XP. Objects include memory requirements of the application, such as windows, as well as clips, sequences, and other items associated with a project. • Total Physical Mem: The total number of bytes of RAM (random-access memory). • Avail Physical Mem: The amount of RAM available for allocation by Windows NT.
the Windows NT Event Viewer. For information on these tools, see the Windows NT Help. n You can improve performance on large projects by reducing the number of objects. Close unused bins, unmount unneeded media drives, consolidate finished elements, and eliminate old material from the project. Then quit and restart the Avid NewsCutter XP application. If performance is still slow, restart your system.
While in a workspace, you can move tool windows or open and close tool windows. The next time you select that workspace, the tool windows appear with either: n • The arrangement from the last time you left the workspace • The arrangement you set for the workspace, regardless of any changes you made You cannot assign certain tool windows to a workspace, such as the Hardware tool, Serial (COM) Ports tool, and Media tool. You can select your preference in the Workspace Settings dialog box.
5. Assign a custom name to the new workspace: a. In the column between Workspace and User, click until you see a text cursor and box. Make sure you click the Custom setting name column and not the Setting name. b. Type a name for the new custom workspace, for example, recording. c. Press the Enter key. New workspace Custom setting name column 6. Open the windows and tools with which you want to associate the workspace.
8. Select or deselect the following options, depending on your preference for the behavior of the workspace: • Activate Settings Linked By Name: This setting allows you to link other settings to the workspace. See “Linking User Settings and Workspaces” on page 89. • Continually Update This Workspace: This setting automatically preserves the workspace in its most recent arrangement. Future changes to the arrangement of the tool windows are saved.
Linking User Settings and Workspaces User settings can be linked to a workspace. You can create a customized workspace and set up specific options in any Settings dialog box, and link them together by name. For example, you can create an Audio workspace that opens the Audio Mix tool and Audio tool. This workspace can also open a customized Timeline (with enlarged audio tracks and rubberbanding displays). Then, you can link this workspace to a Settings dialog box with customized options selected.
Linked settings 5. Double-click another setting, for example, Interface. Select the new options, for example, Show ToolTips, and click OK. 6. Give this setting the same name you gave the workspace in step 2. 7. Double-click the workspace you just created. The Workspace Settings dialog box appears. 8. Click Activate Settings Linked By Name. 9. Click OK. All the settings and the new workspace you created are activated.
Switching Between Workspaces To switch from one workspace to another: 1. Click the Settings button in the Project window. The Settings scroll list appears. 2. Click to the left of the workspace setting you want to use. A check mark appears next to the workspace. Deleting a Workspace To delete a workspace: 1. Select the workspace you want to delete from the Settings scroll list of the Project window. The workspace is highlighted.
Table 3-7 Navigation Keys Key Function Page Up, Page Down Moves from tabbed page to tabbed page within a dialog box. Tab Moves from check box to check box or radio button to radio button within a tabbed page in a dialog box. Right Arrow, Left Arrow, space bar Selects or deselects a check box or radio button in a dialog box. Up Arrow, Down Arrow Moves up or down through a menu.
CHAPTER 4 Using Basic Tools The Tools menu on the Avid NewsCutter XP menu bar provides quick access to a collection of essential tools for use in your projects. This chapter provides information about several basic tools that you can use at any time during your project.
Using the Tools Menu You can open any of the most frequently used system tools from the Tools menu. To open a tool: t Choose its name from the Tools menu.
Using the Avid Calculator The Avid Calculator helps you calculate video and film durations, and convert timecode and film key numbers to different formats. For example, you can: • Convert timecode durations between 30-frames-per-second (fps) and 25-fps projects. • Convert durations to total frame count. To use the Avid Calculator: 1. Choose Calculator from the Tools menu. The Avid Calculator window opens. Format pop-up menu 2. Choose a format from the Format pop-up menu.
3. Make calculations in the one of the following ways: n t Use the top row of numbers on the keyboard to enter numbers and functions in the Avid Calculator. t Press the Caps Lock key, and then enter numbers and functions with the numeric keypad. t Use the numbers on the Calculator. You do not need to enter leading zeros, colons, or semicolons for timecode. To convert your totals at any time to another format: t Choose a different frame code or key number format from the Format pop-up menu.
Displaying System Information To display current system information: 1. Choose Console from the Tools menu. The Console window opens. 2. Scroll to the top of the Console window to view your system information and ID. This feature is especially useful for finding the system ID when you need to contact your Avid Reseller or Avid Customer Support. Reviewing a Log of Errors To review errors logged to the Console: 1.
To get information with the Console window: 1. Choose Console from the Tools menu. The Console window opens. 2. Select the item about which you want information: t In the Timeline, place the position indicator in the chosen clip or segment. t In the bin, select an object or Ctrl+click multiple objects. 3. Choose Get Bin Info or Get Position Info from the File menu. Information about the clip appears in the Console window.
The Hardware tool contains the following information: • Each online drive is listed on the left side of the Drives tab. The name of each drive and its total size are listed below each Drive icon. The shaded portion of the bar graph to the right of each drive shows the amount of storage space currently filled. The number in the bar graph indicates the amount of available drive storage space for each drive.
CHAPTER 5 Logging When you log with a deck or import shot log files, you provide the Avid NewsCutter XP system with frame-accurate clip information used to record the source footage. The logs you create form the foundation for organizing, tracking, storing, retrieving, and generating lists of edit information throughout your project.
Logging Tips The following sections provide important guidelines for preroll, timecode formats, and naming of tapes when logging prior to recording. 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, and 5 seconds for 3/4-inch U-matic playback. n Use Deck Settings (click Add Deck in the Deck Configuration dialog box) to set the default preroll for tape playback.
Logging Timecode Within an NTSC project, check the timecode format of each tape (drop-frame versus non-drop-frame timecode) when you are logging without a tape in the deck. n Drop-frame and non-drop-frame timecode exists only in NTSC projects. To log drop-frame timecode: t Use semicolons (;) between the hours, minutes, seconds, and frames. To log non-drop-frame timecode: t Use colons (:) between the hours, minutes, seconds, and frames.
• 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 NewsCutter XP system compares the video duration to the video out minus the video in.
Go to Memory button Clear Memory button Mark Memory button Preparing Logs for Import Avid NewsCutter XP provides 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 one or more of the following methods: For Avid Log Exchange information, see Appendix C. t Use 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 type of Macintosh or IBM® compatible 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 NT 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: 1.
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 recording. The system imports any additional information logged with each clip. To save this display after importing the log: t Save the bin. 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.
3. Do one of the following: t Choose Shot Log from the Files of Type pop-up menu. The system displays file types that belong to the chosen category only. t Choose All Files from the Files of Type pop-up menu. The system displays all files in a chosen 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.
5. After selecting the appropriate options, click OK to close the Import Settings dialog box and return to the Import File(s) Into Bin dialog box. 6. Use the Up One Level pop-up menu to locate the folder containing the source file. 7. Select the file. 8. Click Open. When the system finishes importing the file, the clips appear in the selected bin.
Logging Directly to a Bin You can log clips directly to a bin by using the Record tool in one of two ways described in this section: For complete information on working with bin columns and clip information, see “Using Text View” on page 222. • 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 non-Avid-controlled deck or other source.
Record/Log Mode button Mark IN button Deck Selection pop-up menu 4. Select a deck or device in the Record tool, and then load your tape into the deck. The Select Tape dialog box appears.
5. Use the options in the dialog box as follows: t Click Cancel to stop the process at any time. t Select the option “Show other project’s tapes” 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 (volumes that are currently mounted on the system). 6.
After you set the mark, the icon in the Log button changes to the corresponding OUT or IN mark, and a pencil appears on the button. 8. To finish logging the clip, do one of the following: t Mark the remaining IN or OUT point on-the-fly by using the Mark IN and Mark OUT buttons. t Type a timecode for the clip’s IN, OUT, or duration in the timecode text boxes next to the corresponding icon and press the Enter key.
Logging with a Non-Avid-Controlled Camera or Deck You can use the Record 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 Record tool, you should leave the deck empty.
Record/Log Mode button 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 Record/Log Mode button in the Record tool until the LOG icon appears. 8. Click the Source Tape Display button. A dialog box appears. 9. Click Yes to open the Select Tape dialog box. 10.
Exporting Shot Log Files You can export a shot log file from the Avid NewsCutter XP system in either Tab Delimited or Avid Log Exchange formats 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. Choose Export from the File menu.
5. To select a file type, choose either Avid Log Exchange or Tab Delimited as the file type. 6. Click OK to close the Export Settings dialog box. The Export As dialog box appears with a default file name in the File Name text box, based on the file type. 7. (Option) Change the file name but keep the default file name extension. 8. Select the destination folder for the file, and click Save. The file is exported and appears at the chosen destination.
CHAPTER 6 Preparing to Record Recording is the process of creating digital media from videotape or audio input.
Understanding Digital Video (DV) DV refers to digital video that is transferred through equipment conforming to 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.
Selecting Settings A number of settings have a direct bearing on the recording process. Before you record, review the following options: • General Settings • Record Settings General Settings General settings include options for NTSC tape formats and drive filtering. c The Avid NewsCutter XP system will not prevent you from using non-Avid drives, but their reliability cannot be guaranteed. The Audio File Format pop-up menu allows you to choose AIFF-C or WAVE as the default audio media for the project.
Record Settings Record settings include essential options for recording, batch recording, autorecording, and recording to multiple media files. Table 6-1 describes the Record Settings options. Table 6-1 Record Settings Options Option Description Record to multiple files Allows you to create longer clips whose media files would otherwise exceed the Avid NewsCutter XP system’s file-size limitation of 2 gigabytes (GB).
For a complete description of the Record settings, see Table 6-4 on page 143. 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 control preferences appear as separate items in the Settings scroll list in the Project window.
To configure a deck or multiple decks: 1. Click the Settings button in the Project window. The Settings scroll list appears. 2. Double-click Deck Configuration. The Deck Configuration dialog box appears. 3. If you are configuring your system for the first time, click the Add Channel button to add a new channel box on the left side of the Deck Configuration dialog box and automatically open a Channel dialog box.
4. Choose one of the following items from the Channel Type pop-up menu, depending on your system configuration: • 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 5. Choose the port to which you are connecting the deck from the Port pop-up menu. n If you are not sure which port to choose, check the 9-pin serial port connectors on the back of the system.
Decks appear on the right side. Channels appear on the left side. n You can reopen the Channel settings to change the options at any time by double-clicking the channel box. 8. If you did not autoconfigure the deck, click the channel box to select it. 9. Click Add Deck to open the Deck Settings dialog box. n With a deck already connected to the system, you can click the Autoconfigure button to bypass the Deck Settings dialog box and automatically configure a deck with the default settings.
. 10. Select settings based on your device. For information on Deck settings, see “Deck Settings Options” on page 126. 11. Click OK to close the Deck Settings dialog box and return to the Deck Configuration dialog box. n 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. 12. Repeat steps 2 to 11 for each additional channel or deck you want to configure. 13.
15. Click Apply to complete the configurations and close the Deck Configuration dialog box. 16. If necessary, double-click Deck Preferences in the Settings scroll list of the Project window to adjust global deck control options. For more information, see Table 6-3 on page 129. Deck Settings Options You can access the Deck Settings dialog box by doing one of the following: t Click the Add Deck button in the Deck Configuration dialog box.
Table 6-2 Deck Settings Options Option Description Name Type your custom name for the tape deck. The default name matches the deck type. Description Enter notes about the deck. Deck Type Choose your manufacturer and model from the menus. 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.
Deleting Deck Configurations To delete a deck configuration: 1. Click the Settings button in the Project window. The Settings scroll list appears. 2. Double-click Deck Configuration. The Deck Configuration dialog box appears. Delete button 3. Click the names of the currently configured channel and deck in the display area. The entire display area should have a red border. 4. Click Delete. 5. 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 of the Project window. Table 6-3 explains the Deck Preferences options.
Table 6-3 Deck Preferences Options (Continued) Option Description Stop key pauses deck This option defines the function of the Stop key (space bar) on the keyboard. Select this option to map the space bar to the Pause button on the deck. Deselect this option to map the space bar to the Stop button. If the videotape heads are down in “Stop key pauses deck” mode, pressing the space bar brings up the heads and pauses the deck. The Stop button in the Record tool always stops the decks.
Opening the Record Tool To open the Record tool: t Choose Record from the Tools menu. Deck Selection pop-up menu Selecting a Deck The Deck Selection pop-up menu in the Record tool contains a list of decks or cameras that were connected to the system, powered up, and initialized when you entered Record mode. The first deck or camera in the list is selected by default, unless all decks or cameras are offline.
To activate playback from an available deck or camera, do one of the following: n t Choose the name of a previously configured deck or camera from the menu. t Choose Auto-configure to automatically establish the default deck settings for a VTR that is currently connected to the system. Not all DV devices respond to the Auto-configure command. Due to this limitation, Auto-configure selects only the generic devices.
Selecting a Tape To select a source tape: 1. Load a tape into your deck. The Select Tape dialog box appears. 2. In an NTSC project, play the tape briefly so that 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.
Selecting Source Tracks You can select the tracks to record from the source tape. To select only those tracks that you want to record: t Click the Channel Selection buttons in the Record tool. The TC (timecode) track is selected by default. Channel Selection buttons n If you are not seeing the source video or hearing source audio in Record mode, click the Channel Selection buttons to make sure the correct tracks have been selected.
Choosing a Resolution in the Record Tool Choose a video resolution from the Resolution (Res) pop-up menu in the Record tool. Resolution pop-up menu Bin pop-up menu Choosing a Target Bin You select a target bin as the destination for the master clips created when you record on-the-fly. You can also select a target bin containing the logged clips you will use to batch record your media. To choose a target bin, do one of the following: t Choose an existing bin from the Bin pop-up menu in the Record tool.
t Activate a previously created bin by choosing Open Bin from the File menu; then locate and open the bin in the Open Bin dialog box. t Create a new bin by choosing New Bin from the File menu and then naming and opening the new bin in the New Bin dialog box. Selecting the Target Drives To target drives for the recorded media: 1. Make sure you are in Record mode. If the Record tool is in Log mode, click the Record/Log Mode button to return to Record mode (that is, the REC icon appears.) 2.
Single/Dual Drive button TimeRemaining display Target Drive pop-up menu 3. Choose a drive from the Target Drive pop-up menu. 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.
2. Click the Single/Dual Drive button in the Record tool until it displays the Dual-Drive icon. Target Drive pop-up menu TimeRemaining display Single/Dual Drive button 3. Choose separate drives for audio and video from each Target Drive pop-up menu. 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 Record tool based on the following factors: • Each recorded clip is limited by the Avid NewsCutter XP 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 chosen drive, the time remaining displayed in the Record tool is based on 2 GB per clip at the chosen resolution.
2. Double-click Record. The Record Settings dialog box appears. 3. Select the option “Record to multiple files.” 4. Select the option “Prepare multiple files for (minutes).” You can accept the default or type a different time limit in the text box. c If you think that any of your recorded clips might exceed 30 minutes, make sure you enter a higher estimate in this text box; otherwise, the system will stop recording at 30 minutes. 5. Click OK to close the dialog box and apply the options. 6.
Target Drive pop-up menu 7. To record to multiple files across drives, choose Change Group from the Target Drive pop-up menu in the Record tool. The Drives dialog box appears.
8. Ctrl+click multiple drives to include in the recording session, or click the All button to select all drives. 9. Click OK to close the dialog box and apply the changes. 10. Proceed with recording. c 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 pop-up monitor, you will also notice edit breaks based on the separate media files.
For a complete description of procedures for locating and changing settings, see “Using the Settings Scroll List” on page 64. Control track preroll allows you to record all the footage following a timecode break. Otherwise, the system uses approximately 1 to 6 seconds of unbroken timecode following the break to perform the preroll before recording begins.
Table 6-4 General Record Settings Options (Continued) Option Description Record across timecode breaks When this option is selected, the system records sections of discontinuous timecode on a tape as separate clips. Deselect this option to make the system stop recording and report an error when it encounters a timecode break. Switch to emptiest drive when When this option is selected, the system switches to another storage drive when the specified amount of time remains.
Choosing 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 Choose 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 chosen file format when you: • Record audio tracks in Record mode. • Create tone media by using the Audio tool. • Mix down audio tracks by using Audio Mixdown.
3. Choose either OMF (AIFF-C) or OMF (WAVE) from the Audio File Format pop-up menu. 4. Click OK to apply the settings and close the General Settings dialog box. Adjusting Audio Project Settings You can use the Audio Project Settings dialog box to check the current configuration of audio hardware, and to choose various input options. To open the Audio Project Settings dialog box: 1. Click the Settings button in the Project window. The Settings scroll list appears. 2. Double-click Audio Projects.
Most items in the dialog box are informational and cannot be changed from within the Audio tool. They include: • The type of audio card or board installed. • The slot number where the card or board is located. • The audio Sync mode. This mode is set to either DV or Internal. When the 1394 Input Source is set, the sync option is DV. When the Analog, Microphone, or CD Input Source is set, the sync option is Internal.
• • • Input Source pop-up menu, which includes four options for the type of input: - CD - Analog - Microphone - 1394 Render Sample Rate Conversion Quality pop-up menu, which allows you to set the conversion quality of all non-real-time sample rate conversions. The options are: - High and Slow - Balanced - Low and Fast Convert Sample Rates When Playing pop-up menu, which allows you to choose whether or not to perform the conversion rate.
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 recording. 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 record device.
Choosing a Peak Hold Option The Peak Hold (PH) pop-up menu in the Audio tool provides two options for displaying peak levels in the meters, as follows: • When you choose Peak Hold, the meters display a normal rising and falling volume trail in the meters. This is the default option. • When you choose 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.
Adjusting Audio Input Levels To adjust audio input levels with the Audio tool: 1. Click the In/Out toggle buttons on the Audio tool for the appropriate channels to display the I for Input. In/Out toggle buttons 2. Play back the source audio (for example, from a digital camera or videotape). If the recording includes reference tone, cue to the tone and play it back. 3.
Input button Input Level slider 5. View the meters, and adjust the slider to the appropriate level. Creating Tone Media To create tone media: 1. Choose Create Tone Media from the Peak Hold pop-up menu in the Audio tool.
The Tone Media Parameters dialog box appears. 2. Set the appropriate calibration tone parameters in the dialog box. You can also use the default output tone of –14 dB (digital scale) with a 1000-Hz signal. 3. Choose a target bin for the tone master clip and a target drive for the tone media from the pop-up menus. 4. Click OK. After a few seconds, a master clip appears in the target bin. The default name reflects the options you chose. You can rename the clip by typing a new name.
Reset Peak button 2. Click the Reset Peak button to clear the system’s record 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 choosing Console from the Tools menu. 5. In the Console command line, type DumpMaxPeaks. Console command line 6. Press the Enter key. A list of peak values appears in the Console.
Compression Resolutions and Storage Requirements When the Avid NewsCutter XP system records and stores video, it employs compression techniques that affect the size of the resulting files and the resolution of the images they contain. The less compression, the higher the image resolution, and the more drive space the file takes up.
CHAPTER 7 Recording When you record, 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.
Before You Begin Depending on your immediate needs and chosen recording method, use the following guidelines for working through this chapter: • If you want to add clip names and comments on-the-fly while you record, see “Adding Clip Names and Comments On-the-Fly” on page 158. • If you have no logs and would like to begin recording right away, see “Recording and Logging at the Same Time” on page 158.
Adding Clip Names and Comments On-the-Fly The annotate feature allows you to type clip names and comments during the recording 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 recording of a clip. The Annotate window opens, allowing you to see the text as you type. 2.
• Recording on-the-fly. This method is easier than setting marks, but it is less precise. It involves using the deck controls in the Record tool to cue, play, and stop the source footage manually while recording. These procedures are described in “Recording On-the-Fly” on page 162. • Autorecording. This method requires the least amount of supervision and effort but usually calls for more recording time and drive storage space.
Recording from an IN Point to an OUT Point To record from an IN point and an OUT point: Mark IN Mark OUT Record button 1. Cue the tape to the start of the clip you want to record 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 recording. 3. Click the Record button in the Record tool. 4. The Record tool automatically rewinds the tape to the preroll point before the IN point of the clip, and the tape begins to play.
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. Go to IN 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.
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 recording. 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 recording. Play the tape, and then immediately click the Record button to begin recording on-the-fly. When the tape reaches the clip’s OUT point, recording stops.
partition. A 2-GB file at a high resolution consists of approximately 10 to 18 minutes of footage. In this case, consider recording the clip in shorter overlapping pieces, breaking it at points that are likely to be removed during editing. To record on-the-fly: 1. Click the Record/Log Mode button in the Record tool until the REC icon appears. The Record tool is ready to record. Record/Log Mode button Record button Trash button Triangular opener (to display comments) Name Comment Deck controls 2.
Step backward 1 frame button Fast forward button Play button Rewind button Single-frame step forward Stop button Eject button Pause button 4. Play the deck and when it gets up to speed, click the Record button. n Make sure you have cleared any previous marks so that the deck does not begin cueing to the previous location. 5. While the system is recording, 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.
When you autorecord, you mount and cue your tape to a starting point and start the autorecording process through the Record tool. When you have long, continuous clips (for example, footage from a live event), the recorded material for a single clip might exceed the 2-GB limit for file sizes in Avid NewsCutter XP. In this case, you must select the option “Record to multiple files” in the Record Settings dialog box.
Table 7-1 Autorecord Options Option Description Record across timecode breaks Begins a new master clip at each timecode break. Record to multiple files Records the entire tape as one master clip. Deselect “Record across timecode breaks” if you select this option. 4. Click OK. 5. In the Record tool, click the name of the camera or deck and choose Adjust Deck from the pop-up menu. The Deck Configuration dialog box appears. 6. Double-click the deck box for the video deck from which you are recording.
7. Deselect Fast Cue, and set the preroll to approximately 4 seconds. 8. Click OK to close the Deck Settings dialog box. 9. Click Apply to close the Deck Configuration dialog box. 10. 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. 11. Name each bin after the source tape. By default, all clips are named after the tape and are numbered incrementally beginning with .01. 12.
Mark OUT 14. (Option) If you want the system to stop recording at a chosen point on the tape, cue the tape to a chosen OUT point and click the Mark OUT button in the Record tool. 15. Play the tape, and wait 4 seconds before clicking the Record button. The system automatically records the entire tape. Recording from a Non-Avid-Controlled Deck To record with manual deck control on a deck that cannot be controlled directly by the system: 1.
Toggle Source button n The TC button also disappears. The footage will be recorded with time-of-day timecode generated by the system. 4. Click the Tape Name display to open the Select Tape dialog box and identify the source tape. You can select “Show other project’s tapes” to display the tape names and associated project names for all bins that have been opened in the current session.
New Tape Name button List of tapes Show Tapes option For guidelines on naming tapes, see “Logging Tips” on page 101. 5. 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. 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. You can stop the process any time by clicking Cancel. 6. Click OK.
Recording with Time-of-Day Timecode When you record with an Avid-controlled deck, you can record your footage with time-of-day timecode rather than source timecode. To record with time-of-day timecode: 1. Open the Record tool and prepare to record, as described in Chapter 6. 2. When selecting tracks, deselect the TC button. 3. Record by using any of the techniques described in “Recording On-the-Fly” on page 162.
Toggle Source button set to No Deck control Record button Audio pop-up menu Selected Bin pop-up menu 5. Click the Toggle Source button until the No Deck control icon appears. The Select Tape dialog box appears. 6. Click the New button in the Select Tape dialog box. 7. Name the tape, then select the tape. 8. Click OK. 9. Choose CD from the Audio pop-up menu. 10. Click the New Tape button. 11. Click the Record button. Avid NewsCutter XP records the audio to the selected bin. 12.
Batch Recording from Logged Clips Once you have imported a log or manually logged a group of clips to a bin, you can automate the record process by using the batch recording capabilities of Avid NewsCutter XP. If you want to batch record, source tapes must have timecode that matches the timecode for the selected clips. You can also use the batch record process to rerecord existing clips. The rerecording process is described in “Rerecording Your Material” on page 176.
To prepare for unattended batch recording, select the following options in the Record Settings dialog box: • Switch to emptiest drive when current drive is full • Record across timecode breaks Batch Recording Clips To batch record clips: 1. Make sure you selected the correct Record settings and set up the Record tool, as described in Chapter 6. 2. Open the bin that stores the clips you want to record. 3. Select the clips to batch record: t Choose Select All from the Edit menu to select all the clips.
n If the clips that you want to batch record are not highlighted in the active bin, Batch Record appears dimmed in the Bin menu. 5. Select options in the dialog box: For more information on handle lengths when rerecording, see “Rerecording Sequences” on page 177. n t If the bin contains some clips that are already recorded and you do not want to rerecord those clips, select the option “Record only those items for which media is currently unavailable.
n 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 recording process. You can also stop recording at any time by clicking the Trash button in the Record tool. To skip specific clips in the process of batch recording 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.
Rerecording Master Clips and Subclips The procedure for rerecording master clips and subclips is identical to the process for batch recording logged clips. See “Batch Recording from Logged Clips” on page 173. 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.
Saving Two Versions of a Sequence When Rerecording To save the original version of your sequence before rerecording, 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 rerecord 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 choose Duplicate from the Edit menu. 2.
5. Click the Handle Length text box and type the number of additional frames you want to record at the head frames and tail frames of the new master clips. n The Handle Length text box appears only if a sequence is selected for batch recording. 6. Click OK. If you have not loaded a tape, the system prompts you to insert the first tape. 7. Insert the tape into the video deck, and click Mounted. A dialog box appears. 8. Click OK to confirm the tape and deck entries and begin the recording process.
CHAPTER 8 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.
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 181. • For graphics file and OMFI (Open Media Framework® Interchange) file import, prepare the files in advance according to specifications described in Appendix B.
4. Name the setting: a. Click the Custom setting name column (between the setting name and the setting type identifier). b. Type a name. c. Press the Enter key. Custom setting name column 5. Adjust the options for the setting as described in the following procedure.
To adjust the parameters in an Import Settings dialog box: 1. Click the Settings button in the Project window. The Settings scroll list appears. 2. Double-click an Import setting. The Import Settings dialog box appears. The following illustration shows the default settings. 3. Select the appropriate options. 4. Click OK. Table 8-1 describes the Import Settings options.
Table 8-1 Import Settings Options Option Suboption Description Aspect Ratio, Pixel Aspect 601, non-square (default) Select this option to import images with the dimensions used by the Avid NewsCutter XP system: 720 x 480 (NTSC) or 720 x 576 (PAL). Also use this option for 720 x 540 images, or other images that fit the 4:3 aspect ratio. You can use this option to maintain field data when you import two-field media that follows exact NTSC or PAL dimensions.
Table 8-1 Option Suboption Import Settings Options (Continued) Description Maintain, square Select this option for an image that was created in a square-pixel environment, such as a graphics application. Use this option primarily for icons, logos, and other graphics that cannot be resized and are not intended to fill the entire screen.
Table 8-1 Option Import Settings Options (Continued) Suboption Description Maintain and Resize, square Select this option for an image that was created in square-pixel terms. The system fits the longest dimension to the screen size and fills the missing pixels in the shorter dimension with video black, creating a border. If the image has an alpha channel, this black will be keyed out in the alpha channel.
Table 8-1 Option Color Levels Alpha Import Settings Options (Continued) Suboption Description Even This option selects even-field processing during import. The first line in the image belongs to the even field. RGB (default) Select this option if the imported graphics file uses RGB graphics levels. Most computer-generated graphics use RGB graphics levels. The RGB color values are remapped to ITU-R 601 (formerly CCIR 601) video color values appropriate for the Avid NewsCutter XP system.
Table 8-1 Import Settings Options (Continued) Option Suboption Description Single Frame Import Duration of n seconds This option specifies the duration of the master clip created from the import. The default is 10 seconds. This option does not apply to importing sequential image files because each file represents one frame of the clip; therefore, the total number of files determines the total duration. Format: Slide Select this option for all graphics.
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.
Look In pop-up menu Details button File browser File to import Files of Type pop-up menu Options button Resolution pop-up menu Media Drive pop-up menu 4. Choose an import file type from the Files of Type pop-up menu to display only files of the chosen file type in the source file list: • Choose Shot Log to import Avid Log Exchange (.ALE) files containing clip information to a bin. For more information about Avid log specifications, see Appendix C.
• Choose Sequential Files to import a sequence of files. The first file in the sequence appears. To automatically select the entire sequence of files, you must select Autodetect Sequential Files in the Import Settings dialog box. By default, the system displays only file types that belong to the chosen category in the file browser section of the dialog box. 5. (Option) Choose All Files from the Files of Type pop-up menu to display all files in a chosen folder, regardless of file type.
n For a complete description of all options in the Import Settings dialog box, see Table 8-1 on page 184. 7. Select the options you want. Click OK to save the settings, close the Import Settings dialog box, and return to the Import File(s) into Bin dialog box. 8. Choose a destination drive for the imported file from the Media Drive pop-up menu. 9. Use the Look In pop-up menu to locate the folder containing the source files. 10.
Using the Drag-and-Drop Method to Import Files To import one or more files by using the drag-and-drop method: 1. Click the Settings button in the Project window. The Settings scroll list appears. 2. Select the setting you want to use for import. 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 181. 3. Open the bin in which you want to store the imported files.
• c Create new media files when the media files are lost or accidentally deleted. 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.
Look In pop-up menu File browser File to import Status line Clip Info section Import Options section Media Drive pop-up menu Resolution pop-up menu File Browser Section The file browser in the Batch Import dialog box allows you to search for the source file that you want to import for the current master clip shown in the Master Clip text box. You can click Open to open folders or to select the file for importing. Clicking Cancel allows you to cancel the entire import operation.
Status Line The Status line in the Batch Import dialog box indicates the status of the current importing process. Clip Info Section The Clip Info section provides information about the imported master clips you selected in the bin. • Master Clip: Shows the name of the current master clip for the source file you are importing. • Original Path: Displays the item listed in the Original Path text box in the file browser.
Import Options (All Clips) Section The Import Options (All Clips) section of the Batch Import dialog box contains global settings that affect all the files you are importing. n • Use source compression for OMFI option: When selected, the resolution for OMFI files compressed with native resolution types (4:1s, 3:1, 1:1) is used. This allows for fast import of these files. When deselected, the resolution in the Resolution pop-up menu is used as the resolution for import.
Then, import the files from this folder so that all graphics point to the same original path. To reimport imported files: 1. Open the bin and select the imported master clips and sequences that you want to reimport. 2. Choose Batch Import from the Bin menu. A dialog box appears. 3. Select one of the following: t Offline only: Reimports only the selected imported master clips that are missing their media files.
c. Select the appropriate options. d. Click OK to close the Import Settings dialog box. 7. (Option) Select “Use source compression for OMFI” to import files with the resolution that was used to create the files. Do not select this option if you want to use the resolution set in the Resolution pop-up menu. 8. Begin the batch import process by doing one of the following: t Click OK to Original Path if the source files for the master clips are located in the original folder.
Choose the file path you want by clicking one of the buttons: Click To Choose Default Select the default path for the current file Choose Original Select the original path for the current file Always Default Select the default path for all the files Always Original Select the original path for all the files n Clicking Cancel allows you to cancel the entire import operation. If you click Cancel, none of the source files are imported.
CHAPTER 9 Organizing with Bins The Avid NewsCutter XP system provides powerful database tools for organizing and managing your recorded material. You can work with bins using three different views. You can rename, sort, sift, duplicate, and delete clips and sequences. You can also print single-clip frames or whole bins.
Before You Begin There are several procedures you might want to perform before organizing your project because they affect the display of information in bins or the way the clips play back during screening: • If you want to center the pan between left and right speakers for some or all of the clips in a bin, see “Adjusting Pan Defaults” on page 202. • If you want to customize the types of objects (clips, subclips, and so on) displayed in a bin, see “Setting the Bin Display” on page 203.
The Audio Settings dialog box appears. By default, the audio tracks for clips alternate with track 1 on the left speaker and track 2 on the right speaker for monitoring and output. The option All Tracks Centered instructs the system to center the pan of all tracks between the two speakers for monitoring and output. Setting the Bin Display You can use the Display Bin Selection dialog box to display clips referenced by a sequence, even if the clips were not previously in the bin.
Table 9-1 briefly describes the icons listed in the Display Bin Selection dialog box. Table 9-1 Object Icon Descriptions Object Icon Object Description Master Clips A clip that references audio and video media files formed from recorded footage or imported files. Subclips A clip that references a selected portion of a master clip. Sequences A clip that represents an edited program, partial or complete, that you create from other clips.
Table 9-1 Object Icon Descriptions (Continued) Object Icon Object Description Sources A clip that references the original videotape source footage for master clips. Effects A clip that references an unrendered effect that you create. Motion Effects A file in the bin that references effect media files generated when you create motion effects. Rendered Effects A clip that references an effect media file generated when you render an effect. 2.
About Bin Views There are different display views for working with clips in a bin: Text view, and Frame view. Text View In Text view, clips are displayed in a database text format, using columns and rows, with icons representing the various objects. Column headings Object icons Fast Menu button Text View button For information on specific Text view features, see “Using Text View” on page 222. To enter Text view: t Click the Text View button (labeled T) in the lower left corner of the bin.
Frame View In Frame view, each clip is represented by a single picture frame, with the name of the clip. You can play back the footage in each frame and change the size of frames. You can also rearrange the frames in any order within the bin. Clip frame Clip name Frame View button For information on specific Frame view features, see “Using Frame View” on page 232. To enter Frame view: t Click the Frame View button (labeled F) in the lower left corner of the bin.
Text View button Bin View pop-up menu Customizing Bin Views in Text View You can create and save customized bin views that you can easily access from the Bin View pop-up menu. You can customize the bin view by adding, hiding, or rearranging Bin columns. The only required column heading is the clip name, which is displayed by default. To customize views of the bin, you can add, hide, copy, or rearrange standard or customized columns in any combination to create your own custom views.
Saving a Custom Bin View Any time you add, hide, or delete a column, the bin view name changes to italic with the file name extension .n to indicate that it no longer matches the original view. If you select a new Bin View setting while the current setting is untitled or italic, the system discards the current setting. n If you do not save the view after adding or deleting headings, it is discarded. To save a bin view: 1. Open a bin and click the Text View button (T). 2.
To open the Bin Fast menu: t Click the Fast Menu button in the lower left corner of the bin. Basic Bin Procedures There are some basic procedures that you can use in either Text view or Frame view for manipulating clips in the bin. They include selecting, deleting, duplicating, moving, copying, and sifting clips and sequences. When you are working with bins, an asterisk (*) appears before the bin name in the bin’s title bar. This asterisk indicates that the changes to the bin have not been saved.
2. Choose one of the available fonts from the Font pop-up menu. n Any font loaded in the Fonts folder appears in the list. For information on adding fonts to your system, see your Windows NT documentation. 3. Type another point size for the font in the Size text box. 4. Click OK. The new font appears in all bin views. Selecting Clips and Sequences To select clips or sequences in a bin, do one of the following: • Click the clip or sequence icon (Text view).
A copy of the clip or sequence appears in the bin, with the original clip or sequence name followed by the file name extension .Copy.n, where n is the number of duplicates created from the original clip or sequence. Duplicated Clip Clip Moving Clips and Sequences You can move clips and sequences to other bins in order to group and organize various types of material based on project needs. To move clips or sequences from one bin to another: 1. Create or open another bin.
Copying Clips and Sequences When you copy clips, you essentially clone the same clip in another bin. In other words, any change you make to the copy will affect the original as well. You cannot copy clips to the same bin, and you cannot return a clip copy to the same bin where the original resides. When you press the Alt key and drag a clip to make a copy, the system does not add the file name extension .Copy.n to the clip or sequence as it does when duplicating.
3. Select the items for deletion. 4. (Option) Delete the associated media files for master clips and effect clips. You can select both clips and media files for deletion, or you can select only the media files if you want to retain the clips for rerecording later. 5. Click OK. If you choose to delete media files, a dialog box appears. 6. Click Delete.
Assigning Colors to Bin Objects You can assign colors to clips, subclips, sequences, and effect clips to help you manage and organize the bin objects. Colors assigned to bin objects are referred to as source colors. Adding a Color Column to a Bin To add a Color column to a bin: 1. With a bin in Text view, choose Headings from the Bin menu. The Bin Column Selection dialog box appears. 2. Select Color by Ctrl+clicking Color from the scroll list. 3. Click OK. The Color column appears in the bin.
Assigning a Source Color To assign a color to a clip, subclip, sequence, or effect clip in a bin: 1. With a bin in Text view, select the bin objects to which you want to assign a color. 2. Choose Set Clip Color from the Edit menu, and choose a color from the submenu. The color appears in the Color column and on the clip icon. n You can also assign a color by clicking in the Color column and choosing a color from the pop-up menu.
The custom color appears in the Color column and on the clip icon. n After you assign a custom color, the color appears as Other in the Set Clip Color submenu. Limiting Color Choices When assigning colors to bin objects, you can limit the color choices to only the colors currently used in the bin. To limit the colors available when assigning colors to bin objects: 1. With a bin in Text view, select the bin objects to which you want to assign a color. 2. Alt+click in the Color column in the bin.
Sifting by Color To sift bin objects by color: 1. Choose Custom Sift from the Bin Fast menu. 2. Type the name of the color in the text box. 3. Choose Color as your sift parameter. 4. Click OK. The objects in the bin are sifted by the color you specified. Highlighting Offline Media Clips You can choose to highlight the clips in the Timeline that have offline media. The clips appear red, indicating their media is offline. Choosing offline overrides any previous source or local color selections.
To sift clips and sequences: 1. Choose Custom Sift from the Bin menu. The Custom Sift Parameters dialog box appears. Sift criteria text box Column pop-up menu Operator pop-up menu 2. Click the Operator pop-up menu and choose one of the sifting options. 3. Click the first Sift criteria text box, and type the text that you want to use as a sift criterion. When sifting by color, type the name of the color exactly by using uppercase and lowercase letters, in the text box. 4.
After you have sifted the clips in a bin, you can display the bin in a sifted or an unsifted state as follows: To view the entire bin: t Choose Show Unsifted from the Bin menu. To view the sifted bin: t Choose Show Sifted from the Bin menu. The word “sifted” appears in parentheses after the bin name when you are viewing a sifted state.
3. Resize and position the bins so that you can see their contents. Text view is best for viewing as many objects as possible. 4. Select the chosen clip or sequence, and choose Select Media Relatives from the Bin menu or the Bin Fast menu. The system highlights all related objects in all open bins. Highlighted media relatives Highlighted items n You can also use the Media tool to look at the recorded video and audio data files stored on your media drives.
Using Text View Text view provides the most complete view of clip information. It uses database columns that you can rearrange and customize to suit your needs. To enter Text view: t Click the Text View button (labeled T) in the lower left corner of the bin. Text View button Arranging Bin Columns This section provides procedures for adding, hiding, moving, duplicating, and deleting columns from a bin.
Moving and Rearranging Columns To move a text column in a bin: 1. Click the heading of the column that you want to move. The entire column is highlighted. 2. Drag the column to the position you want, and release the mouse button. The column appears in the new position, and columns to the right are moved to make room.
Aligning Bin Columns When you align bin columns, the system maintains the same order of columns from left to right but spaces them according to the length of their contents. This is especially useful for removing spaces left after you move or rearrange columns. To align bin columns: t Choose Align to Grid from the Bin menu, or press Ctrl+T. Showing and Hiding Columns You can select individual or multiple headings to be displayed or hidden in the bin. To choose column headings: 1.
2. Select the headings you want to add to the bin: t Click the name of a heading to select it. t Click a highlighted heading to deselect it. t Click Select All to highlight all the headings in the bin. t Click Deselect All to deselect all the headings in the bin. 3. Click OK. Only the headings highlighted in the dialog box appear in the bin or bin view.
The dialog box contains column names compatible with the column you selected in step 1. The column must contain the same type of data for the copy to occur. 3. Select a column name from the list and click OK. The column of information appears in the column you designated. Adding Customized Columns to a Bin You can add your own column headings to describe information about clips and sequences.
Headings box Custom heading This places the pointer in the data box, beside the first clip in the bin. 4. Choose Align to Grid from the Bin menu after you have entered the new column heading. 5. Type the information, and press the Enter key to move to the next line. Changing a Custom Column Heading You can change the heading name of custom columns only. You cannot change any of the standard statistical or film column headings.
To change the name of a custom column: 1. Press and hold the Alt key, and click the heading to highlight it. 2. Type the new text for the heading, and press the Enter key. Managing Clip Information in Text View There are several ways to manage clip information in Bin columns. These methods include moving information with columns, modifying clip data, moving information between whole columns, copying information between cells, and sorting clip information, as described in this section.
Table 9-2 Shortcuts for Moving in Text View (Continued) Press To Shift+Enter Moves the pointer up to the cell in the previous row. You can continue to press Shift+Enter until the cell in the top row is highlighted. The next time you press Shift+Enter, the cell in the last row is highlighted. Modifying Clip Information You can change or modify the information in certain columns for your master clips, subclips, tapes, and other objects stored in the bin.
Modifying Data Directly When you modify information in a bin directly, you click a cell and type the new information. For example, you can type a new name for a clip or correct the start and end timecodes. To modify the clip data directly: 1. Click the Text View button (labeled T) in the lower left corner of the bin. 2. Click the cell that you want to modify. Select only one item at a time. 3. Click the cell again to enter text.
Sorting Clips in Ascending Order To sort clips in ascending order: 1. Click the Text View button (labeled T) in the lower left corner of the bin. 2. Click the heading of the column that you want to use as the criterion. The column is highlighted. 3. Choose Sort from the Bin menu, or press Ctrl+E. The objects in the bin are sorted in ascending order. For information on sorting order, see “Sorting Clips in Descending Order” on page 231.
The Sort Reversed command displays the objects in descending order. For information on sorting order, see “Sorting Clips in Ascending Order” on page 231. Performing Multilevel Sorting with Columns You can select multiple columns in a bin and perform a multilevel sort using the information in the columns. To perform a multilevel sort: t Rearrange the columns in the bin to establish the primary column.
Clip frame Clip name Frame View button Changing the Bin Background Color Bin color changes affect one bin at a time. Bin color changes can be applied to Frame view only. Text view remains black and white. To change the bin background color: 1. Activate the bin you want to change, and make sure you are in Frame view. 2. Choose Set Bin Background from the Edit menu, and select a color from the pop-up palette.
The bin color changes, based on your selection. Enlarging or Reducing Frame Size You must enlarge or reduce all frames in the bin together. You cannot change the size of an individual frame. To enlarge the frame size: t Choose Enlarge Frame from the Edit menu. The display size increases each time you choose this option, up to five times. To reduce the frame size: t Choose Reduce Frame from the Edit menu. The display size decreases each time you choose this option, up to five times.
Rearranging Frames Frame view allows you to rearrange the display of the frames in the bin by moving them. To rearrange frames: 1. Click a single frame, and drag it to its new position. To rearrange more than one frame at a time, Shift+click or lasso multiple frames and drag them to a new position in the bin. 2. Click the background area of the bin to deselect the clips. n When you return to Text view, the order of the clips is changed there as well.
Arranging Frames in a Bin You can rearrange up the frames in a bin after you have changed their display by choosing one of the following commands from the Bin menu: Choose To Align to Grid Align all frames to an invisible grid. Fill Window Spread out the frames evenly to fill available space in the bin window. Printing Bins Avid NewsCutter XP allows you to print entire bins or individual frames in hardcopy form. To print entire bins in Text or Frame view: 1.
The system prints the active bin. n To print a frame in Frame view, you must use a printer capable of printing graphics files. Gathering Format Elements While organizing your project, you can gather various format elements into a single bin that you can open and use later during editing.
Importing Color Bars and Other Test Patterns To import a test pattern from a PICT file: 1. Open an existing bin, or create a new one for the test pattern. 2. Select the destination bin. 3. Choose Import from the File menu. The Import File(s) into Bin dialog box appears. 4. Navigate to the Test_Patterns folder in the SupportingFiles folder inside the Program Files\Avid\Avid NewsCutter XP folder. 5. Import any test pattern file to the Test_Patterns folder by following the procedures in Chapter 8. 6.
Consider recording tone at both 44 kHz and 48 kHz for use in various projects. Match the resolution of the tone to the audio resolution of the sequence. 7. Create a new sequence with the SMPTE bars, and edit the tone media clip onto audio tracks 1 and 2. 8. Edit the end of this sequence to an appropriate length (1 minute is a standard length for sequences). 9. Rename the sequence to indicate its purpose.
b. Find an appropriate sync point and add a locator. c. (Option) Double-click the locator in the Source pop-up monitor to add a sync point notation that appears on the monitor. Once the leader is prepared, you can splice the leader during editing onto the tracks that you want to keep in sync. You can use the sync points for visually aligning tracks. Creating Audio Leader To create tail leader for audio tracks: 1. Load a clip that includes a section of recorded tone into the Source pop-up monitor. 2.
e. Move the position indicator after the second add edit, and use the Audio Mix tool to bring the level all the way down. For information on adding an edit, see “Adding an Edit (Match Framing)” on page 345. Once the leader is prepared, you can splice the leader during editing onto the audio tracks that you want to keep in sync. You can use the sync points for visually aligning tracks.
CHAPTER 10 Managing Media Files When you record footage, the system creates digital media files for the video and audio tracks on the media drives attached to your system. In addition to the bin tools that allow you to organize the clips that reference these media files, your Avid NewsCutter XP system provides useful tools and features for directly managing media files for storage and playback efficiency, for backup, and for transfer between systems.
Using the Media Tool The Media tool is your window to the recorded video and audio data files stored on your media drives. As an important counterpart to the bins, the Media tool provides similar database tools for manipulating digital media files in tandem with your organization of clips and sequences.
The Media tool also has a number of unique features: • Unlike a bin, the Media tool can display all the tracks recorded for each clip as separate media files. Therefore, when you view, delete, and manipulate files, you have the added option of specifying individual video and audio tracks. • Unlike a bin, the Media tool does not display sequences and subclips. Only master clips, precompute (rendered effect) clips, and associated media files are available for display.
2. Select the display options as follows: • n The Media tool loads the media database only for the drives you select. The more drives you select, the more memory is required for the Media tool to open. • n You can select individual media drives or all drives. You can display files for the current project, for selected projects, or for all projects. Only projects with associated online media and the current project appear in the Project(s) list in the Display Media Selection dialog box.
Deleting Media Files with the Media Tool You can use the Media tool to delete selected media files without harming the related master clips, subclips, and sequences. n If you use the Media tool to delete selected media files, you will no longer have access to visuals of the deleted material. If you load a clip for which a media file has been deleted, a blank screen appears with the message “Media Offline.” If you need to use those clips again, you must rerecord from tape.
5. Select the media files that you want to delete: • Video media file (V). The master clip linked to that file is black, and the message “Media Offline” is displayed in the Source pop-up or Composer monitor. Related subclips and sequences are affected in the same way. • Audio media file (A1, A2, A3, A4). The master clip linked to that file is silent. Subclips and sequences created from the master clip are affected in the same way. • Precompute media file (V, A).
Consolidating Media When you consolidate media files, the system finds the media files or portions of media files associated with selected clips, subclips, or sequences. It then makes copies of them and saves the copies on a target drive that you specify. Because the Media tool displays only master clips, you cannot consolidate subclips or sequences with the Media tool. You can consolidate master clips, subclips, and sequences in the bin.
Consolidating a Master Clip Link the master clip to new or old files. Original media files Copy of media files Master Clip.old.01 • Master Clip Master Clip.new.01 Subclips: When you consolidate a subclip or group of subclips, the system copies only the portion of the media files represented in the subclip, and creates a new master clip that is the duration of the subclip and a new subclip. The file name extension .new is attached, along with incremental numbering beginning with .01.
• Sequences: When you consolidate a sequence, the system copies only the portions of media files edited into the sequence, and creates new master clips for each clip in the sequence. The file name extension .new is attached to the master clips, along with incremental numbering beginning with .01. The sequence is not renamed but is automatically relinked to the new media files. Consolidating a Sequence Original media files Clip A Clip B Edited copy of media files Clip C Clip A.new.01 Clip B.new.
Using the Consolidate Command c Do not make copies of media files from the desktop while the Avid NewsCutter XP application is running. Also, do not keep duplicate copies of media files online; either delete the originals, take the backups offline, or store the backups in a folder with a different name. To consolidate master clips, subclips, or sequences: For more information on rendering effects, see the Avid NewsCutter XP Effects Guide. 1.
4. (Option) Select one or more of the options in Table 10-1: Table 10-1 Consolidate Options Select To Video and Audio on same Store the consolidated media files on the same Volume(s) target drive. Deselecting this option allows you to select separate drives for the audio and video media files. Delete original media files Delete original media files automatically. when done Skip media files already on Skip files if some related media files are already the target disk located on the target drive.
Settings dialog box. For information on setting the sample rate, see “Adjusting Audio Project Settings” on page 146. 9. Click OK. If you are consolidating master clips and did not choose to delete the original media files, a second dialog box appears and offers you a choice. 10. Link the original master clips to the new or old media files, according to preference. 11. Click OK. Another way to back up media files is to copy them directly onto another hard drive by using the Windows NT desktop.
If you store the master clips and the edited sequences for a project in separate bins, there are two scenarios in which sequences might appear to be offline. In this case, you need to load the entire database to relink clips to their media files. The scenarios are: • Rerecording: When you rerecord the master clips while the sequences bin is closed, quit Avid NewsCutter XP, restart the application, and open the sequences bin only.
The options for backing up media files include: • Consolidating or making copies of media files for transfer to another system • Archiving larger media files and folders to a dedicated mass-storage system Finding a Related Media File The Reveal File command allows you to select a clip in a bin and automatically open its related media file. This is useful if you want to delete, move, or label the media file. To find a related media file: 1.
Related media file If more than one file is related to the clip, a message asks if you want to see the next file. If you click OK, you need to bring the Explorer window forward by pressing and holding the Alt key and pressing the Tab key until you select the OMFI MediaFiles folder. Relinking Media Files Sometimes, after you consolidate or move material between systems, the clips or sequences lose their links to the original media files. When a clip becomes unlinked, it displays the message “Media Offline.
appropriate media exists online, you can use the Relink command to reestablish the link. When you select subclips or sequences and choose the Relink command, the system searches for master clips that contain the same material included in the selection. You can also relink master clips to appropriate media files. The system compares information such as source tape name, timecode information, and channels recorded. If the search is successful, the system establishes new links to the available media files.
3. Select an option from the “Relink operation on selected clips” section, as shown in Table 10-2, depending on the type of object you are relinking, either non-master clips or master clips. Table 10-2 Relinking Options Select To Relink offline non-master clips Relink clips and sequences to the master clips to any online items that contain the same material.
n To maintain the original record settings for a subclip or sequence, use the Batch Record command; do not use the Relink command. Relinking to Selected Clips You can also use the Relink command for connecting subclips or sequences to selected master clips and subclips. To relink to selected master clips and subclips: 1. Move the subclips or sequences that you want to relink into the bin containing the clips. 2. Select the clips targeted for relinking. 3. Choose Relink from the Bin menu.
Relinking Consolidated Clips If the appropriate media exists online, you can reconnect consolidated clips, subclips, or sequences to the new or old media files. For example, if you consolidated a sequence and forgot to create a duplicate, and later decide to use the original media files instead of the consolidated media files, you can break the new link and reestablish the old link to the original files.
Relinking Moved Projects If you move projects between systems with similar media existing at each site but that were recorded separately, your clips and sequences will display the message “Media Offline.” You can use the Unlink and Relink commands to reconnect the files at either site.
CHAPTER 11 Viewing and Marking Footage Before making your first edit, you can review your footage, add locators to clips, mark IN and OUT points, or create subclips. By viewing and marking your material in advance, you can concentrate on editing and refining your sequence at a later time without having to pause and set marks each time you load a new clip.
Customizing the Composer Monitor The Composer monitor can be customized by displaying or hiding labels on buttons and by changing the background color. You can also customize the appearance of the Timeline by displaying a variety of information about your sequence. You can customize Trim mode by changing the Transition Play Loop settings for Preroll, Postroll, and Intermission. Changing the Composer Monitor Background Color To change the background color of the Composer monitor: 1.
Using the 16:9 Display Format The Avid NewsCutter XP system supports the display of some forms of native 16:9 media with the correct aspect ratio. When you shoot this “wide” format with a camera, it stores it anamorphically (into a standard 4:3 frame) as opposed to letterboxed. When you select the 16:9 option in NewsCutter XP, the anamorphic 16:9 media is displayed (not letterboxed) in the Composer monitor, pop-up monitor, and the Title tool.
Tracking Information menu Tracking Format Options The Tracking Information menu contains a number of options for information to display above the monitors.
The following is a summary of the contents of the menu. • The upper portion of the menu lists options for summary information, such as master timecode (Mas), duration of the entire clip (Dur), IN to OUT duration (I/O), absolute timecode (Abs), and time remaining (Rem). • The second portion of the menu lists options for displaying the timecode for a specific track (V2, V1, A1, A2, and so forth). This list contains options only for the tracks existing in the currently loaded clip or sequence.
Displaying the Clip Information Window The Clip Information window displays statistical information about the clip. You can open the Clip Information window from a bin, the Source pop-up monitor, or the Composer monitor. This window also updates information automatically. To open the Clip Information window from a Source pop-up or from the Composer monitor: 1. With the monitor active, click and hold in the gray area just below the title or video. The Clip Information window opens. 2.
As you move the position indicator through the clip in the monitor, the information in the window is updated. n In the monitors, you can click almost anywhere within the gray area to open the Clip Information window. n If no clip is loaded in a monitor, the Clip Information window does not open. To open the Clip Information window from a bin: 1. Press Ctrl+Alt and click the clip for which you want to display information. 2. Drag the window to a new location to leave the window open.
To set a timecode display: 1. Choose Timecode Window from the Tools menu. The Timecode window opens. 2. Click anywhere in the Timecode window. 3. Choose an option from the Timecode pop-up menu. For a description of the Timecode options, see Table 11-1 on page 270. Close button Timecode pop-up menu The window displays the timecode you have chosen. 4. Click the Close button to close the Timecode window.
Table 11-1 presents the timecode display options.
2. Choose a font from the Font pop-up menu, and type a point size in the Size text box. 3. Click OK. The new font and point size are applied to the sequence name or clip name. Viewing Methods You can work with clips and sequences in several different ways, depending on your needs and preferences. Each method has its own uses and advantages, as follows: • Viewing in bins: You see pictorial images of the clips in your bins by using Frame view. You can also list the clips by name by using Text view.
• Viewing in the Timeline: Use the Timeline to view individual tracks for either a sequence or a source clip. Loading and Clearing Footage You load individual or multiple clips into the Source pop-up monitor, and you load sequences into the Composer monitor by using different methods. You can also use the Clip Name menu to display clips and sequences. Loading into the Source Pop-up and Composer Monitors To load a clip or sequence into the Source pop-up monitor: 1.
Using the Clip Name Menu When you have clips loaded in a monitor, you use the Clip Name menu located above each monitor to switch between various loaded clips or to clear clips from monitors. Switching Between Loaded Sequences If you have loaded multiple sequences into the Composer monitor, you see only one sequence displayed at a time. To view an alphabetical list of the loaded sequences and choose an alternate sequence for viewing: 1.
2. Choose a different sequence name from the menu. The selected sequence replaces the current sequence in the monitor. n To see the list of sequences sorted in the order in which they were loaded into the monitor, press the Alt key while opening the Clip Name menu. Clearing Sequences from Monitors To clear the monitor or the sequence names from the menu: 1. Click the name of the sequence currently displayed above the Composer monitor to display the Clip Name menu.
2. Choose one of the following commands: • Clear Monitor removes the displayed sequence from the screen, leaving black. The sequences are still loaded. • Clear Menu deletes the list of all loaded sequence names and leaves only the sequence currently displayed. Resizing Monitors You can resize the Composer monitor and any Source pop-up monitor to provide more area for displaying the Timeline or other windows. You can either hide the video completely or resize the monitor.
Drag from here. The video disappears. Only the position bars, the editing buttons, and the information portion above the monitors are displayed. To redisplay the video in the monitor: t Click the bottom right corner and drag down until the video reappears.
Resizing the Composer Monitor You can resize the Composer monitor to a variety of sizes. To resize the monitor: 1. Click in the Composer monitor to make it active. 2. Click the lower right corner of the window, and drag to the new size you want the monitor to be. The monitor is displayed with the new size.
t Move the position indicator within the position bar under the monitor by clicking anywhere in the position bar or by dragging the position indicator to the left or right. The speed with which you drag the position indicator determines the speed at which you move through the footage. Position indicator Position bar t Click anywhere in the Timeline to relocate the position indicator, or drag the position indicator through footage at varying speeds.
Using Buttons You can use the buttons that appear under the Composer monitor and in the Source pop-up monitors to play and step (jog) through your footage. You can also use the keyboard to manipulate footage. To play the clip backward or forward in one-frame increments: t Click the Step (or Jog) buttons under the monitors. To play forward or backward in 10-frame increments: t Press the 1 key (backward) or the 2 key (forward) on the keyboard.
To step (or jog) through footage: 1. Load a clip into a Source pop-up monitor or a sequence into the Composer monitor. 2. Click the appropriate button to: • Step one frame forward • Step one frame backward About the Keyboard The Keyboard window varies, depending on the type of keyboard attached to your Avid NewsCutter XP system. If an Avid-supported international keyboard is attached to your Avid NewsCutter XP system, then the Keyboard window matches that keyboard.
To view your Keyboard settings: t Double-click Keyboard in the Settings scroll list of the Project window. Shuttling with J-K-L Keys To shuttle through the footage by using the J-K-L keys on the keyboard: 1. Load a clip into the Source pop-up monitor or a sequence into the Composer monitor. 2. Use the J-K-L keys to shuttle at varying speeds: t Press the L key to move forward through the footage at normal speed.
To pause the shuttling: t Press the K key. To stop shuttling: t Press the space bar. Navigating with Home, End, and Arrow Keys In addition to using the buttons in the application, you can use the following keys on your keyboard to navigate through clips and sequences: Press To Home key Move to the beginning of a clip or sequence. End key Move to the end of a clip or sequence. Left Arrow key Moves the footage one frame backward.
• Connecting a Client Monitor • Selecting the Client Monitor Setting • Supporting a Camera Without Video Input • Adjusting Desktop Video Settings • - About Setting Desktop Video Mode and Source - Setting Desktop Video Mode and Source Adjusting Video Display Appearance Connecting a Client Monitor Avid NewsCutter XP uses the hardware inside a camera or digital deck to create the video signal that the Client monitor displays.
3. If it is not already selected, select “DV camera supports digital video input.” 4. Select “External Video (client monitor enabled).” 5. Select your video source in the External Video Source section: S-Video — Select this option if you are routing your video signal from the S-Video output on your camera or deck to the S-Video input on the Avid NewsCutter XP system’s capture board.
If you need more information, refer to the manufacturer’s instructions for your digital camera or deck. 6. Click OK. Avid NewsCutter XP sends the video to the Client monitor. Supporting a Camera Without Video Input If you connect a camera that does not have video input, your Avid NewsCutter XP system must use internal video signal processing for video display in the Composer monitor and Source pop-up monitors. You cannot use the Digital Cut tool. To support a camera without video input: 1.
saturation, hue, and sharpness parameters of the video in the Composer monitor on the desktop. You do this by adjusting the sliders in the External Video Source Adjustments section of the Video Display Settings dialog box. For a description of the video display adjustments, see Table 11-2 on page 290. You also use the Video Display Settings dialog box to have Avid NewsCutter XP display video on your Client monitor. For more information, see “Playing Video to the Client Monitor” on page 282.
Setting Desktop Video Mode and Source To set the desktop video mode: 1. Click the Settings button in the Project window. The Settings scroll list appears. 2. Double-click Video Display. The Video Display Settings dialog box appears.
3. Do one of the following: t If you have a digital camera with digital video input or a digital deck connected to your system, select “DV camera supports digital video input.” t If you do not have a digital camera or a digital deck connected to your system, or if your digital camera does not have digital video input, deselect “DV camera supports digital video input.” 4. Select either External video or Internal video as the Video Display mode.
Adjusting Video Display Appearance You adjust the settings for the desktop video appearance parameters by using sliders in the Video Display Settings dialog box. To set the desktop video appearance parameters: 1. Click the Settings button in the Project window. The Settings scroll list appears. 2. Double-click Video Display. The Video Display Settings dialog box appears.
3. Adjust the video appearance parameters by using the settings described in Table 11-2. Table 11-2 n Video Display Adjustments Setting Name Range Description Brightness 0 to 255 Controls the brightness of the picture. Zero is darkest and 255 is brightest. Contrast 0 to 255 Controls the contrast of light and dark areas in the picture. Zero is the least contrast, and 255 is the most contrast. Saturation 0 to 255 Controls the intensity of colors.
Marking and Subcataloging Footage You can speed the editing process by marking clips with IN and OUT points in advance, by using locators to subcatalog footage, and by creating subclips. Marking IN and OUT Points You can mark IN and OUT points for your clips in advance, which provides several advantages: • You can quickly build a sequence by splicing the marked clips into place one after another.
Sawtooth icon Mark Clip button Mark IN button Clear OUT button Clear IN button Mark OUT button 4. Continue playing or stepping through the material. 5. Click the Mark OUT button under the monitor to mark an OUT point and stop playback. Use the Mark OUT key on the keyboard when marking a clip in a bin. The sawtooth icon appears on the right side of the monitor to indicate the mark OUT frame. Clearing a Mark and Setting a New One You can clear marks and set new ones.
To clear both the IN and OUT points: t Press the Clear Both Marks key (the G key). To set a new IN point: t Click the Mark IN button when you reach a different frame. To set a new OUT point: t Click the Mark OUT button when you reach a different frame. Dragging IN and OUT Points To more easily position IN and OUT points based on visual feedback: t Press the Alt key and drag marked IN and OUT points to visible locations.
Track Selector panel 4. Click the Mark Clip button under the monitor. Mark Clip button n To ignore the current track selection and to mark the smallest clip at the current position in the sequence, press and hold the Alt key while you click the Mark Clip button.
Using the Tool Palette The Tool palette provides additional buttons for editing and navigating. You can have the Tool Palette buttons appear with or without labels.You can “tear off” the Tool palette to have it displayed in another screen location. To open the Tool Palette window: t Click the Fast Menu button under the Source pop-up or Composer monitor. The Tool Palette window opens. To see the names of the buttons in the Tool palette: t Hold the mouse pointer over a button.
To tear off the Tool palette and move it to another location: 1. Click the Fast Menu button under the Source pop-up or Composer monitor. 2. Click the Tool palette and drag it to another location in the application. Creating Subclips When you mark footage with IN and OUT points, you can either save the entire clip along with the new marks, or you can create subclips based on the marks you set to break up longer master clips into smaller segments of selected footage.
3. Place it into the active bin by default. If you press the Alt key while you click the Make Subclip button, a dialog box allows you to select the destination bin for the subclip. The new subclip is listed in the bin, preceded by a subclip icon and identified with a numbered .Sub.n file name extension, as shown in the following illustration. A new subclip as referenced in Text view Subclips do not limit your access to the original, recorded master clip material when trimming.
• Trim markers: Use locators in the Timeline to return directly to an edit you have designated for further trimming at a later time. • Cutaway markers: Use locators to identify cutaway shots with comments, so that when you return to cover jump-frame edits with cutaway footage, you can quickly access the clips. • Replace markers: Use locators to mark filler segments with comments to identify the items that should replace the filler.
Adding Locators While Editing To add locators during an editing session: 1. Load a sequence into the Composer monitor, or load a clip into a Source pop-up monitor. 2. (Option) Select a specific track by using the Track Selector panel. See “Using the Track Selector Panel” on page 338. 3. Cue to the frame and click the Add Locator button. The Add Locator button is located under the Composer monitor. The locator oval appears in the Timeline, in the position bar, and at the bottom of the frame in the monitor.
Finding Frames and Clips Once you have recorded, viewed, marked, and subcataloged numerous clips for a project, you might have difficulty relocating specific clips or frames among several bins. Avid NewsCutter XP allows you to quickly locate and cue footage. Using Frame Offset Timecode to Cue a Frame To cue a frame by using frame offset timecode: 1. Using the numeric keypad, type a plus (+) sign to move forward or a minus sign (–) to move backward from the current position. 2.
The system interprets the numbers you type with the numeric keypad according to the type of tracking format you have chosen in the row of information displayed above the monitor. To cue to a frame based on a known timecode: 1. Type the timecode for the frame by using the numeric keypad on the right side of the keyboard. 2. Use one of these formats: • SMPTE timecode: Use two digits each for the hours, minutes, seconds, and frames with no leading zeros. For example, type 1230200 to enter 01;23;02;00.
CHAPTER 12 First Edits After you have viewed and marked your clips or have created subclips, you are ready to create a sequence.
Setting Up a New Sequence For information about setting up a new sequence, see the following sections: • Starting a New Sequence • Changing the Sequence Clip Info • Setting Up Tracks for the New Sequence • Adding Filler Starting a New Sequence To start a new sequence: 1. Choose New Sequence from the Clip menu. One of the following actions occurs: • If just one bin is open, or if several bins are open and you have clicked a specific bin to activate it, the new sequence appears in the bin.
2. Select the bin in which to store the new sequence, or click the New Bin button to create and open a new bin. 3. Click OK. An untitled sequence appears in the bin, in the Composer monitor, and in the Timeline. To rename the new sequence: t Immediately type a new name while the name is highlighted in the bin.
n If you click anywhere in the interface after creating the new sequence, you deactivate the sequence name field. You must click the sequence name again to rename the sequence. Changing the Sequence Clip Info The following optional procedure allows you to rename the new sequence and to set a customized start timecode by using the Get Sequence Info command. To rename a sequence and to set a customized timecode: 1.
Setting Up Tracks for the New Sequence When you create a new sequence by using the New Sequence command, and no material is loaded into the Source pop-up monitor, the Timeline is empty. To add a new track to a sequence loaded in the Composer monitor: t Choose New Audio Track or New Video Track from the Clip menu. The new track appears in the Timeline. When you add a new track to a sequence, the Avid NewsCutter XP system assigns a consecutive number to it.
Track Type pop-up menu Track Number pop-up menu 2. If you want to switch from the type of new track you chose (for example, from a new video to a new audio track), click the Track Type pop-up menu and choose the other option. 3. If you want to select a track number other than the default consecutive numbering offered by the dialog box, click the Track Number pop-up menu and choose another number. You cannot choose the number of an existing track. 4. Click OK.
2. Select the length of filler, as needed, using the Mark IN and Mark OUT buttons. Mark IN Splice-in button Overwrite button Mark OUT 3. Click the Splice-in or the Overwrite button to edit the black into the sequence.
Beginning to Edit To begin editing: 1. Load the first clip into a Source pop-up monitor. If you have not already marked IN and OUT points for the clip in advance or created a subclip, view and mark the clip as necessary. Source Track buttons Source Track Monitor buttons 2. Click buttons in the Track Selector panel to select the tracks you want to include in the edit. Only the tracks that have been recorded for the clip appear as source tracks in the Timeline.
Screen display of the first edit in a sequence The end of the last frame of the new edit Source clip Timeline generated by the edit Creating an Instant Rough Cut As an alternative to creating a new sequence by editing clips one at a time, you can quickly create a rough cut by selecting and loading multiple clips directly from the bin in Text view and by dragging them into the Timeline.
To create a rough cut from a bin: 1. To create a more accurate rough cut, view and mark clips in the bin in advance. See “Marking IN and OUT Points” on page 291. 2. In the bin, sort the clips in the order in which you want them to appear in the sequence. 3. Select the tracks for the edit. n If no sequences are loaded in the Composer monitor, the Timeline has no features. 4. Shift+click or lasso the clips. Choose Select All from the Edit menu if there are no other clips in the bin. 5.
Editing Additional Clips into the Sequence The primary edit functions are splice-in and overwrite. In most cases, you perform three-point edits in which you set three marks — two in the source material and one in the sequence, or the reverse. The fourth mark is determined automatically. The way you set marks depends upon the type of edit you perform.
n Splice-in button If you don’t mark an IN point, the system splices the new clip into the sequence at the current location of the position indicator. 5. Click the yellow Splice-in button to complete the edit. Performing an Overwrite Edit An overwrite edit replaces a section of the sequence with the material you select from a Source pop-up monitor. Unlike a splice-in edit, an overwrite edit replaces existing material and therefore does not lengthen the overall duration of the sequence.
Lifting, Extracting, and Copying Material Extract/Splice-in and Lift/Overwrite are Segment mode functions you can also use to remove and reposition segments. For more information, see “Performing Segment Mode Edits” on page 332. Lifting, extracting, and copying allow you to remove or reposition material quickly in your sequence. For example, you can move a clip from the end of your sequence to the beginning; or you can remove the material from the sequence altogether.
Extracting Material The Extract function removes selected material from a track in the sequence and closes the gap left by its removal. As a result, when you extract material, you shrink the duration of the track or sequence. Extracted Clip Y Before Extract After Extract Clip X Clip Y Material is placed in the Clipboard. Clip Z Track is shortened. Clip X Clip Z To extract material: 1. Mark IN and OUT points in the sequence at the start and end of the material that you want to extract. 2.
2. Select the tracks containing the material. The system will perform the function on selected tracks only. 3. Click the Copy to Clipboard button. Copy to Clipboard button The system copies the selected material to the Clipboard and leaves the sequence untouched. Using the Clipboard The Avid NewsCutter XP Clipboard is a cut, copy, and paste tool adapted to the special needs of the editing environment.
performed in the meantime. The Clipboard provides the benefit of restoring the material while maintaining subsequent edits. To restore material from the Clipboard: 1. Open the Clipboard as a Source pop-up monitor by choosing Clipboard Monitor from the Tools menu. 2. Click the Mark Clip button to mark the entire segment. Mark Clip button 3. Locate the IN point in the sequence from which the segment was removed. Move the position indicator here, or mark an IN point. 4.
Playing a Sequence To play a sequence: 1. Make sure that the Video Track Monitor icon is located on the topmost video track to display all video tracks and effects during playback. 2. Make sure the Audio Track Monitor button for the audio track is selected to ensure proper playback of all audio tracks. 3.
Playback Performance Tips As you continue to edit, you might find the playback performance of the system diminishing as the sequence grows in length and layers. This can happen when you are using a great deal of RAM for playback of large and complex sequences. The following are a few tips for improving playback performance: t Check the number of media objects in use for your project in the Memory window, as described in “Viewing Memory” on page 83.
To edit with audio or to mix audio tracks in preparation for playback or output: t See Chapter 15. To edit with synced tracks: t See Chapter 16. To add effects to your sequence: t See the Avid NewsCutter XP Effects Guide. To output the finished sequence: t See Chapter 17.
CHAPTER 13 Using the Timeline The Avid NewsCutter XP system represents each edit and effect in a graphical Timeline structure to help you track and manipulate the elements of your sequence. In addition, the Timeline has its own set of editing tools that you can use to create and revise edits and transitions across multiple tracks. The audio and video tracks in the Timeline play in the Composer monitor.
Customizing Timeline Views You can customize your Timeline to display a variety of information about your sequence as well as the clips and transitions it contains. You use the Timeline Fast menu and the Timeline settings to change the display. Examples of customizing your Timeline include: • Visual detail: If you want to display more detailed information about clips with which you are working, you can enlarge the video tracks to display clip names and durations, and source and media names.
Table 13-1 describes the Timeline Settings options. Table 13-1 Timeline Settings Options Option Description Show Marked Region When this option is selected, the system highlights the region from the IN point to the OUT point. Show Marked Waveforms When this option is selected, the system shows waveforms drawn between an IN point and an OUT point instead of over the entire composition.
To choose an item from the Timeline Fast menu: t Click the Fast Menu button and scroll through the menu to select or deselect an option. Selected options have check marks next to them. Table 13-2 lists the Timeline Fast menu options. Table 13-2 Timeline Fast Menu Options Option Description Default Setup Sets the Timeline display back to the default. Show Clip Names Switches on and off the display of clip names in the Timeline.
Table 13-2 Timeline Fast Menu Options (Continued) Option Description Show Sample Plot Switches on and off the display of sample plots for each audio track in the Timeline. It is easier to see this display if you expand the audio track in the Timeline. Clip Color Displays local and source colors assigned to clips. Track Color Displays a Color palette from which you can choose a color for the tracks displayed in the Timeline.
1. Select the tracks in the Timeline that you want to resize. See “Selecting Tracks” on page 339. 2. Do one of the following: t Choose Enlarge Track or Reduce Track from the Edit menu. t Press Ctrl+L to enlarge the track, or press Ctrl+K to reduce the track. t Move the pointer over the Track Selector panel until it changes to a bar intersected by a double-headed arrow. Drag the edge up or down to make the track narrower or wider. This method applies to only one track selection at a time.
Navigating in the Timeline The Timeline provides various controls for quickly moving through a sequence and adjusting your view of details displayed in the tracks while editing. You can use the position indicator, the Timeline scale bar, or the Timeline scroll bar to navigate within the Timeline. In addition, marked sections of the sequence are highlighted in the Timeline for visual reference.
Using the Timeline Scroll Bar The Timeline scroll bar appears along the bottom of the Timeline on the right side of the Timeline toolbar. The Timeline scroll bar functions like any standard scroll bar. You can drag the scroll box to reposition yourself within the Timeline, or click the arrows to scroll left or right. Displaying Detail in the Timeline The scale bar stretches and contracts the Timeline area centered around the position indicator.
To zoom in on a section of the Timeline at the position indicator and then zoom back to your original display: 1. Click the scale box and drag it to the right. The following happens: • The Timeline expands horizontally. • The Timeline track shows more detail. • The position indicator splits into a solid blue line and a dotted blue line (or “shadow”), marking the beginning and end of the current frame. You can click either the line or the shadow to move exactly one frame forward or backward. 2.
To move frame-by-frame: t Press the Alt key as you drag either the position indicator or any segments selected in Segment mode. Selecting and Deselecting Segments Segment editing is a unique feature of digital, nonlinear editing. Unlike traditional tape editing, segment editing allows you to instantly reposition entire segments as though you were physically “dragging” portions of your sequence across a tape.
To select segments with the pointer: 1. Click one of the Segment Mode buttons located in the Timeline toolbar next to the scroll bar. The arrow changes to an enlarged pointer. 2. Click a segment in any track to select it. Ctrl+click additional segments to select a group. Lassoing One or More Segments The system automatically enters Segment mode when you lasso segments from left to right. To lasso segments: t Draw a lasso beginning in the area above the tracks in the Timeline.
• Lasso at least two transitions or all transitions included in multiple segments. If your lasso surrounds only one transition, you enter Trim mode. • Drag from left to right. Deselecting Segments You can deselect one or more selected segments. To deselect an entire track: t Click the Track button in the Track Selector panel. For example, if you lasso segments on V1, V2, and A1, you can click the V2 and A1 track buttons to leave only the segment on the middle track, V1, selected.
Observe the following guidelines when selecting tracks: • You cannot simultaneously move segments that are separated along the same track. You can, however, move segments separated on different tracks. • You cannot overlap the source and destination tracks. For example, you can move audio segments from A3 and A4 to A1 and A2, but you cannot move them from A3 and A4 to A2 and A3 (A3 overlaps). • With a group, you can click any one of the selected segments to drag the entire group to a new position.
To perform an Extract/Splice-in edit: 1. Click the Extract/Splice-in button (yellow arrow) in the Timeline toolbar. 2. Select the segment you want to move. 3. Click the segment, and drag it to its new position. 4. Release the mouse button. The system extracts the selected segment from its old position, closes the gap left by its removal, and then splices the material back into the sequence at the newly selected location. 5. Click the Extract/Splice-in button again if you want to leave Segment mode.
To perform a Lift/Overwrite edit: 1. Click the Lift/Overwrite button (red arrow) in the Timeline toolbar. 2. Select the segment you want to move. 3. Click the segment, and drag it to its new position. 4. Release the mouse button. The system lifts the selected segment from its old position, leaving black filler, and then overwrites the material onto the sequence at the newly selected location. 5.
3. Press the Delete key. The segments are deleted. n If the segment has an effect, the system deletes the effect first. Bin Editing into the Timeline Bin editing allows you to bypass the process of loading clips into a Source pop-up monitor, setting marks, and clicking the Splice-in or the Overwrite button. You can use Segment mode to edit clips directly from a bin into the sequence in the Timeline. To perform a direct edit from a bin into your Timeline: 1.
n Once you have completed the edit, you remain in Segment mode until you click the active Segment Mode button again to deactivate it. Cutting, Copying, and Pasting in the Timeline You can use the traditional shortcut keys for cutting, copying, and pasting segments selected in the Timeline. To cut or copy and paste: 1. Select the segment by using one of the Segment Mode buttons. 2. Choose Copy from the Edit menu (Ctrl+C) to copy or choose Cut from the Edit menu (Ctrl+X) to cut. 3.
About Nesting When editing effects, you can use a procedure known as nesting. This involves stepping into existing tracks to reveal added layers for combining multiple images and digital video effects. When the effect is applied, you can step out to view and render the effect as one segment on the track. n For more information on nesting techniques and effects editing, see the Avid NewsCutter XP Effects Guide.
Source Track Monitor buttons Source Track buttons Sync Lock and Lock buttons Record Track buttons Record Track Monitor buttons Video Track Monitor button with Monitor icon Audio Track Monitor button with green Speaker icon Audio Track Monitor button with black Speaker icon Sync Lock All button Timecode button The source side of the panel displays only those tracks available for the clip currently loaded.
• You cannot edit deselected tracks on the record side into the sequence, regardless of source track selections. For example, you might select the source and record tracks for V1, A1, and A2 to edit the picture and audio from the source clip into the sequence. Select only V1 source and record tracks to edit the picture without the sound, or select only A1 and A2 source and record tracks to edit the sound without the picture.
To monitor video tracks: t Click the Video Track Monitor button for the track you want to monitor. Monitoring Audio There are two types of monitor icons that appear in the monitor column for audio tracks: a black Speaker icon and green Speaker icon. A Speaker icon of either type indicates that the track is monitored for playback and output. However, only the track with the green icon is monitored for audio scrubbing.
To select a track for solo monitoring: t Press and hold the Ctrl key, and click in the monitor column in the Track Selector panel for the chosen video or audio track. The Track Monitor button changes to green to indicate solo monitoring. To deselect solo monitoring: t Press and hold the Ctrl key, and click again in the monitor column in the Track Selector panel. The Monitor icon returns to normal functionality.
To undo a patch: t Manually repatch to the previous track. The selected source track moves beside the record track to which it is patched as soon as you draw the arrow and release the mouse. The patched track remains highlighted in preparation for your edit. You can proceed to select any other tracks required for the edit. c When you are patching from one video track to another, the Video Track Monitor icon moves to where you patch the track.
To sync lock the tracks: t Click in the center column between track selectors to activate the Sync Lock icon for each synchronized track. To resume editing on individual tracks: t Click again to remove the Sync Lock icon. Deleting Tracks To delete one or more tracks from the sequence: 1. Click the Record Track buttons for the tracks, and press the Delete key. The Delete Track(s) dialog box appears. 2. Click OK. The tracks are deleted.
Adding an Edit (Match Framing) The Add Edit function places an artificial edit point between the frames of a clip. The edit appears in the Timeline as a transition between two clips, but when you play the clip, the footage appears unchanged because the frames are continuous. Add edit placed between frames 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Footage plays back continuously. This form of edit is also known as a match frame.
Removing Match-Frame Edits To remove match-frame edits, do one of the following: t Choose Undo from the Edit menu. If you have made other edits since you performed the Add Edit function, when you use the Undo command, you will lose those additional edits. t n Enter Trim mode at the match-frame edit point, and then press the Delete key. The second method is the only way to remove match-frame edits after you have used the 32 levels of Undo, or if you want to remove match-framed edits on a subsequent day.
• If you do not mark an OUT point in the clip and no OUT point is set in the sequence, the system uses the end of the clip as the OUT point. • If you mark OUT points in both the Source pop-up monitor and in the Timeline, the system uses the OUT point in the Timeline. To backtime an edit: 1. Mark an OUT point in the Timeline where you want the edit to end. Also, mark an IN point where the edit is to start. 2. Select the appropriate tracks. 3. Open a clip in the Source pop-up monitor. 4.
CHAPTER 14 Working in Trim Mode Basic editing in the Timeline initially produces a rough cut, which can be loosely defined as a series of straight-cut edits with many rough edges and few effects. After creating a rough cut, you can enter Trim mode and fine-tune the transitions between each clip or between whole segments. You can also trim edits as you build a sequence, rather than create a rough cut first.
Customizing Trim Mode You can customize Trim mode by changing the Transition Play Loop settings for preroll, postroll, and intermission. To customize the Transition Play Loop settings: 1. Click the Settings button in the Project window. The Settings scroll list appears. 2. Double-click Trim. The Trim Settings dialog box appears. 3. Configure the Trim settings you want.
Using Basic Trim Procedures You can enter Trim mode in several different ways, depending on the type of trim you expect to perform. Once in Trim mode, you can: • Select trim sides. • Perform and review the trim. Entering Trim Mode To enter Trim mode, use one of the following methods: • Click the Trim Mode button in the Tool palette. By default, the system enters Trim mode and selects the tracks nearest the position indicator for dual-roller trimming.
Lasso drawn across four tracks Transitions are selected for dual-roller trim. n To select transitions located below several track layers, you can draw a lasso within the Timeline by pressing the Alt key while you drag. Exiting Trim Mode To exit Trim mode, use one of the following methods: t Click the Trim Mode button in the Tool palette. t Click the Step Forward or the Step Backward button under the Composer monitor. t Press the Escape key on the keyboard.
t Click a specific location in the Timecode (TC1) track at the bottom of the Track Selector panel. The position indicator moves to that location. Selecting Between Trim Sides You can trim a transition on either the outgoing side (A-side or tail), the incoming side (B-side or head), or both sides (dual-roller). To select sides of a transition to trim: t Click the outgoing (A-side) or incoming (B-side) monitor to define which side of the transition to trim.
To select additional transitions for single-roller trimming in varying locations on different tracks: t Shift+click the transitions in the Timeline. This method is useful when you are working with staggered transitions across multiple tracks. It also allows you to select both A-side and B-side transitions for simultaneous trimming in opposite directions (asymmetrical trim). This is not possible with dual-roller trims.
Performing a Basic Trim After you select your transitions and trim sides, you can perform a basic trim. To perform a trim, use one of the following procedures: 1 frame t Use the Trim buttons to trim forward or backward by 1-frame or 10-frame increments.
Reviewing the Trim Edit To review the most recent trim edit or to play the currently selected transition while in Trim mode: 1. Click the Play Loop button. The system enters a playback loop. This repeatedly begins at a preroll point before the transition and ends at a postroll point, pausing briefly before beginning playback again. 2. Stop the playback loop by clicking the Play Loop button again. 3.
IN OUT To drag a lasso around a segment on a lower track, press the Alt key while you drag a lasso. You enter slide trim by default. To switch to slip trim, double-click the segment. You can also select two or more contiguous segments within a track for slipping or sliding as a whole by dragging the lasso around four or more transitions. c Be sure to draw the lasso from right to left; if you draw from left to right, you enter Segment mode.
The type of trim you perform (slip or slide) determines which frames are updated, as follows: • In slip trimming, the two inner monitors for the head and tail frames of the clip change because only the contents of the clip are adjusted. The frames that precede and follow the clip are not affected. Surrounding material remains fixed. Before slip Slip 1 frame to the right.
t Use the Trim keys to shift the selection by 1-frame or 10-frame increments. Key Slips / 10 frames forward m 10 frames backward period (.) 1 frame forward comma (,) 1 frame backward 2. Monitor the progress of the trim by using the monitors, the Trim counters, and the Timeline. When you reach the end of available material while slipping a clip, the trim stops. Similarly, when you reach the next transition while sliding a clip along a track, the trim stops. 3.
Audio overlap example V1 Before trimming A1 A2 Clip A Clip B Clip C V1 After trimming A1 A2 Clip A Clip B Clip C Clip B audio is extended. Clip C audio is trimmed in. To create an overlap edit: 1. Perform a straight-cut edit between two clips, including audio and video tracks. t If the timing of the video edit is crucial, mark edit points according to video. t If the timing of the audio transition is crucial, edit to audio. 2.
Maintaining Sync While Trimming The Avid NewsCutter XP system provides two features to ensure that you do not break sync unintentionally between two or more video and audio tracks when performing single-roller trims. • You can add black filler to maintain the overall duration of the track. • You can trim with tracks sync locked.
No black is added, and sync breaks appear in the Timeline. Trimming without adding black Black fills the trim duration, and sync is maintained. Adding black while trimming n You can add black only while performing single-roller trims because dual-roller trims do not cause sync breaks. Trimming with Sync-Locked Tracks n Sync-locked tracks aid only single-roller trim functions in Trim mode because dual-roller trims do not cause sync breaks. To trim with sync-locked tracks: 1.
Sync Lock icon Sync Lock All button n Timecode button You can also click the Sync Lock All button next to the Timecode button to switch sync lock on and off for all tracks. 2. Perform single-roller trims as necessary, with the following results: • When you trim the A-side of a transition forward, all other segments locked in sync move forward with the trim.
Before trimming forward, three tracks are sync locked. After trimming forward, sync is maintained from position indicator forward. If you trim the B-side of the transition in the same direction, all other segments locked in sync move forward to stay in sync. If the transitions are staggered, this action might split one or more of the sync-locked segments at the sync point established by the position indicator. Filler is added where the split occurs.
CHAPTER 15 Working with Audio You edit audio by using many of the same techniques and tools you use to edit video, including Segment mode and Trim mode functions. Your Avid NewsCutter XP system also provides several unique features that facilitate audio editing, such as audio scrub, waveform displays, and tools for adjusting and mixing audio levels and pan between speakers. In addition, you can adjust the bass, treble, and midrange frequencies of segments by using the Audio Equalization (EQ) tool.
About Audio Tools The Avid NewsCutter XP system provides a collection of tools for managing and fine-tuning audio volume, pan, equalization, and transitions. The general purpose of each tool is as follows: • Use the Audio tool primarily for mixing and monitoring audio. For more information, see “Preparing for Audio Input” on page 144. The Audio tool lets you adjust global output levels. For information on additional audio mix procedures, see “Using the Audio Mix Tool” on page 375.
Accessing Audio Effect Tools You can access the following tools from the same window: • Audio Mix (for adjusting pan and volume) • Automation Gain • AudioSuite • Audio EQ To access one of the audio effect tools: 1. Choose one of the tools from the Tools menu. 2. To switch to another tool, choose the name from the Audio Effect pop-up menu.
To keep more than one tool open at the same time, choose the tool from the Tools menu or press and hold the Alt key while choosing a new tool from the Audio Effect pop-up menu. n To prevent confusion, the Avid NewsCutter XP system allows only one copy of an audio effect tool to be open at a time. The following section describes two features that help you locate transitions and monitor audio samples while editing or adjusting sound with the tools.
Digital audio scrub takes advantage of the digital environment by sampling incoming frames, outgoing frames, or both at normal pitch and playback rate. t Each type of scrub has its advantages: • Smooth scrub makes it easier to examine sound at varying speeds. • Digital scrub allows you to focus quickly on individual bits of incoming or outgoing audio for frame-accurate edits and adjustments. Try both and see which one works better in different situations.
3. Choose More Audio Tracks from the Audio Scrub Performance pop-up menu. Selecting Tracks for Scrubbing By default, the Avid NewsCutter XP system selects the topmost audio track unless you make a selection. Always check the position of the Audio Track Monitor button with the green Speaker icon and select the correct track, if necessary, to avoid marking or trimming the wrong track.
The following table shows how many tracks can be scrubbed at the varying speeds of play. When you play footage forward or backward at: You can scrub: Normal speed 8 tracks Two times normal speed 8 tracks Three times normal speed 2 tracks Five times normal speed 0 tracks Eight times normal speed 0 tracks Performing Smooth Audio Scrub You perform the smooth audio scrub procedure by using the J-K-L keys, as described in this section.
Using Digital Audio Scrub Digital audio scrub enables you to sample selected frames of incoming or outgoing audio as you move through the footage, without a change in pitch or speed. The following are unique characteristics of digital scrub: • The frames of audio you hear are always at your point of destination.
You can increase these settings to include more frames of audio on either side — for example, when you want to sample whole words or parts of words as you scrub to find edit points within a phrase. Or you can reverse the settings to sample frames behind the position indicator (outgoing frames) as you scrub. You should avoid increasing the number of sampled frames on both sides at once because this can make it difficult to isolate an edit point or trim point based on the location of the position indicator.
Performing the Digital Scrub Procedure To locate an audio edit point in either source-side or record-side audio by using digital scrub: 1. Select an audio track for scrubbing, and adjust the output volume, if necessary. 2. Press the Caps Lock key to activate digital audio scrub. n You can also activate digital audio scrub by pressing and holding the Shift key while you drag the position indicator or click the Step (Jog) buttons. 3.
Using Waveform Plots You can use waveform plots to help you visually locate points in an audio track for editing or trimming. Displaying Audio Waveforms To display audio waveforms: 1. If you are searching for a point in a known section of the tracks, zoom in and show more detail in the sequence to isolate a section of the audio. With less audio to display, the system draws the waveform plot faster. 2. Choose Sample Plot from the Timeline Fast menu.
plots to show detailed variations in the audio levels. You can also use the up and down arrows for zooming. • Enlarge or reduce the height of selected audio tracks, and subsequently the waveform displays, by pressing Ctrl+L to enlarge or Ctrl+K to reduce. • You can also increase or reduce the size of the sample plot image itself, without enlarging its track, by pressing Ctrl+Alt+L to enlarge, or Ctrl+Alt+K to reduce. This is useful when viewing detail in quiet passages. 4.
n The Audio Mix tool adjusts entire clips only. You can adjust volume levels within a clip in the Timeline by using Audio Gain Automation. For information, see “Using Audio Gain Automation” on page 385. Open the Audio Mix tool by choosing Audio Mix from the Audio Effect pop-up menu or from the Tools menu.
With the window 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. You can resize the entire Audio Mix tool by dragging the edge or corner of the tool. You can resize the Audio Mix tool only when the sliders are displayed. Adjusting One Audio Track at a Time To adjust one audio track at a time in the Audio Mix tool: 1.
Output Options pop-up menu Stereo Mix Tracks pop-up menu Audio Effect pop-up menu Track Selection button Gang buttons The Audio Mix tool contains eight panels, one for each audio track you can monitor and adjust. The Audio Mix tool can display only tracks that exist in the sequence, or tracks that were recorded with the source clip. 4. Choose the type of audio output from the Output Options pop-up menu: t Choose Stereo Mix to direct even tracks to the left channel and odd tracks to the right channel.
5. Select the audio track to be adjusted by doing one of the following: t Click the Track Selection button for the audio track to be adjusted. t Alt+click the Track Selection button, and then choose a track from the pop-up menu. 6. With the Audio Mix tool active, use any playback method (such as the J-K-L keys on the keyboard) to play, shuttle, or step through the audio to check for necessary volume or pan adjustments. 7. Decide whether to raise or lower the volume or to pan left or right.
t Click the Volume Level display and type a value. t Alt+click the slider to reset the volume to 0 dB. t Adjust pan by clicking the Pan Value display to reveal the pop-up slider, and then dragging the slider to a new position. If the sequence is playing, notice that play stops when you make an adjustment (the Audio Mix tool does not provide real-time audio control). You can adjust volume while playing the clip. See “Adjusting Volume While Playing an Audio Effect” on page 383.
n The Clip Gain values set by the Audio Mix tool are the values for the entire segment; for example, you cannot set a subsection of a segment without affecting the entire segment. To set gain for a portion of a segment, use Audio Gain Automation. See “Using Audio Gain Automation” on page 385. To apply the adjustments, do one of the following: t The Set commands (Set Pan, Set Level) apply the same pan or volume levels currently set in the Audio Mix tool to all segments in the marked region of the tracks.
Ganging and Adjusting Multiple Tracks You can gang multiple tracks in the Audio Mix tool to maintain the same relative settings between tracks when you make adjustments. This is useful in a variety of circumstances. For example, you can gang tracks to raise the overall volume of a portion of a sequence while maintaining variations in level adjustment among tracks. To gang and adjust multiple tracks: 1. Click the Gang button in the required panels. Click the button a second time to deselect it. 2.
The volume controls disappear. Deselect the option to restore the current settings. To turn off pan adjustments, choose one of the following from the Output Options pop-up menu: t Direct Out plays back the tracks when a digital camera is attached and the audio sample rate is set to 32 kHz. t Mono pans all tracks to center during output. When you choose Direct Out, the pan controls disappear in the Audio Mix tool. Choose Stereo Mix to restore the current settings.
4. Click the Play Loop button to stop. The Avid NewsCutter XP system automatically saves your changes as part of an Audio Mix effect. Limitations If there is not an existing Audio Mix effect on the clip before you start, you will not hear any changes until you click the Play Loop button to stop and replay the effect. As you adjust the volume values on an existing Audio Mix effect, you might not hear the results immediately.
Using Audio Gain Automation Audio Gain Automation (also known as audio volume rubberbanding) allows you to change the volume of a segment by adding and manipulating gain keyframes in the Timeline. The following illustration shows an expanded audio track containing gain keyframe information. Gain values in decibels Graphic representation of keyframes and gain ramps in the Timeline The Avid NewsCutter XP system uses a linear ramp to change the volume from one gain keyframe to the next.
Adjusting Volume in the Timeline To use Audio Gain Automation to adjust volume: 1. Select an audio track for adjusting volume. 2. Choose Show Audio Levels from the Timeline Fast menu. n If there is audio volume data on a clip and Show Audio Levels is not chosen from the Timeline Fast menu, the system displays a pink triangle on the clip to indicate that audio volume data is present but not displayed.
4. Click the Add Keyframe button in the Tool palette to add keyframes along the Timeline. The Avid NewsCutter XP system adds a keyframe to each enabled track. A straight line appears in the selected audio track. The line shows the current gain level for that track in the Audio Mix tool. n You adjust gain in the Automation Gain tool by dragging keyframes in the Timeline or by moving the position indicator to a keyframe and adjusting the slider.
Moving Audio Gain Keyframes in the Timeline To move audio gain keyframes in the Timeline, do one of the following: t n Click a keyframe and drag it up or down to increase or decrease the gain at that point. If there is a point at the same position on another enabled track, it moves also. To snap to the decibel lines, press and hold the Ctrl key while you drag the point. t Move a keyframe horizontally to move the start or end of a ramp. Place the pointer over a keyframe.
t Move several keyframes vertically on a track at the same time by placing IN and OUT points to select the area you want. When you move one keyframe up or down within the marked area, all keyframes within the marked area move in relation to each other. This process works for all enabled audio tracks. This procedure is similar to ganging sliders on an audio mixing board or in the Audio Mix tool.
The Automation Gain tool contains the following recording features: • The Record button starts and stops the recording. • The Cancel button stops a recording without saving the recorded data. • The Recording status light is black when there is no activity, green during a preroll, red during recording, and blue during a postroll. • The Preroll text box allows you to provide a visual cue before the recording begins.
When you turn off solo, the button returns to its previous state (mute or on). To change the previous state of a button, Alt+click the button. c While the Automation Gain tool is active, the Avid NewsCutter XP system overrides any other mappings of the number keys 1 to 8 at the top of the keyboard. Number keys on the right side of the keyboard are not affected.
The Automation Gain Fast menu is similar to the Audio Mix Tool Fast menu with the addition of the following items: • Filter Automation Gain – In/Out removes approximately 50 percent of the keyframes in the marked region. If you press and hold the Alt key while choosing the menu item, the system removes all keyframes in the selected area, except for the minimum and maximum peaks. The Avid NewsCutter XP system tries to save major gestures while removing redundant points on a linear ramp.
To record audio gain information by using the Automation Gain Tool sliders: 1. Select an audio track for adjusting volume. 2. Choose Show Audio Levels from the Timeline Fast menu. n If there is audio volume data on a clip and Show Audio Levels is not chosen from the Timeline Fast menu, the system displays a pink triangle on the clip to indicate that audio volume data is present but not displayed. 3.
Using the Automation Gain Tool and Audio Mix Tool This section describes the interactions between the Audio Mix tool and the Automation Gain tool. When you add the first audio keyframe to a track, the Avid NewsCutter XP system adds the point at the level currently set for that track in the Audio Mix tool. Values set by the Volume sliders in the Audio Mix tool are referred to as system clip gain values. Audio gain keyframes are not additive to the system clip gain values.
Track A1 has audio gain automation. Track Selection button Track A2 has system clip gain settings from the Audio Mix tool. When you have audio gain automation on a track, the slider for the track does not appear in the Audio Mix tool. The system displays the word Auto in the Volume Level display to indicate that audio gain automation is associated with the track. Likewise, when you use the Audio Mix tool to change volume for a track, the slider for the track disappears from the Automation Gain tool.
To add audio gain automation to a track that contains system clip gain information, you simply need to add an audio keyframe. To use the Audio Mix sliders on a track containing audio gain automation, you must first remove all the audio keyframes from the track. Choose Remove Automation Gain – Global from the Automation Gain Tool Fast menu. You need to remove any IN and OUT points on the track before the menu item changes from In/Out to Global.
The Audio EQ tool opens. Play Loop button Effect icon Render Effect button Fast Menu button Track Selection button Enable/disable EQ effect Low shelf Parametric midrange 3-band controls High shelf EQ Range slider Audio EQ Tool Features The Audio EQ tool provides three bands of control: • The first band, the low shelf, has four turnover points (50 Hz, 80 Hz, 120 Hz, and 240 Hz). A turnover point is the point at which the curve starts to return to 0.
• The third band, the high shelf, has four turnover points (6 kHz, 8 kHz, 12 kHz, and 15 kHz). The high shelf affects all frequencies from one of the high shelf turnover points to 20 kHz. The horizontal center line of the graph is 0. As you move the curve below the zero line, the corresponding frequencies are deemphasized. Above the zero line, the corresponding frequencies are emphasized. The parametric midrange allows a smooth transition from deemphasized frequencies to emphasized frequencies.
Bandwidth around the center point of the parametric curve – 1/4 octave (narrow) or 2 octaves (wider) The current value of the EQ parameters Turnover point where high shelf curve starts moving back toward 0 Turnover point where low shelf curve starts moving back toward 0 Center point of the parametric midrange curve 0 line High shelf Parametric midrange Low shelf The Audio EQ tool allows you to emphasize or deemphasize fixed audio frequencies.
5. Select the audio track to be adjusted by clicking the Track Selection button in the Audio EQ tool. Track Selection button Notice that the Track Selector panel in the Timeline window is updated to reflect your selection. 6. Click the Play Loop button to play the currently selected audio clip within the current IN to OUT range. To stop playing the loop, click the button again or click anywhere in the Timeline. 7.
The Fast menu on the Audio EQ tool allows you to remove or apply an EQ effect to clips within the current IN to OUT range. It also provides access to a number of predefined EQ templates. For a description of predefined audio templates, see “Using Audio EQ Templates” on page 407. For example, the following illustration shows a segment with one EQ effect applied to Audio Clip 2 in track A2. If you choose Set EQ In/Out, the current EQ effect is also applied to Audio Clip 1 and Audio Clip 3 on track A2.
If there is no EQ setting on the currently selected clip, choosing Set EQ In/Out deletes the EQ settings on all clips within the IN to OUT range. For example, because there is no EQ setting on Audio Clip 3 in the following example, Set EQ In/Out deletes the EQ effect from Audio Clip 1 and Audio Clip 2. Before Set EQ In/Out After Set EQ In/Out – EQ effect is deleted from Audio Clip 1 and Audio Clip 2. Set EQ In/Out applies only to the audio track currently selected by the Audio EQ tool.
Saving Audio EQ Effects The Avid NewsCutter XP system treats an EQ setting as an effect. You can save EQ settings in a bin just as you save any other effect template. This makes it easy to save EQ settings and apply them whenever you need them. The following illustration shows an EQ Effect icon in a bin and in the Timeline. EQ Effect icon in a bin EQ effect in the Timeline Use the effect icon in the Audio EQ tool to save EQ settings in a bin or to copy the settings to another audio clip.
Removing Audio EQ Effects To remove an Audio EQ effect: 1. Move the position indicator to the effect. 2. Click the Remove Effect button in the Tool palette. From Trim or Effect mode, press the Delete key. Audio EQ Examples The following examples show two different ways to use the Audio EQ tool to remove excess bass from an audio track. In these examples, assume that a bass drum in the sound track is very pronounced and the Audio EQ tool is used to deemphasize it.
Low Shelf Example This example adjusts the low shelf to deemphasize the bass. By dropping the low shelf down to –20 dB, we are able to deemphasize it. However, there are voices on this track, and simply dropping the low shelf also removes some bass from the voices. To compensate for this, we: 1. Use the 2-octave midrange setting to create a wide midrange. 2. Move the midpoint of the parametric curve to 88 Hz. 3. Boost the midrange of the parametric curve to +7.7 dB.
Small Octave Range Example This example isolates the particular frequency that we want to deemphasize. In this example, we do not use the low shelf but instead use the parametric midrange to isolate the frequency. To isolate the frequency, we: 1. Use the 1/4-octave influence range. 2. Set the midrange EQ parameter to –15 dB. Use the slider to move the midpoint of the parametric curve until it isolates the bass frequency. In this case, the bass frequency that we want to deemphasize is approximately 80 Hz.
Using Audio EQ Templates Your Avid NewsCutter XP system provides a set of predefined EQ templates. These templates address a number of common audio problems such as removing tape hiss or boosting the low frequency on a music track. The templates are accessible from the Fast menu in the Audio EQ tool. You can also add your own custom EQ templates to the Fast menu. The Fast menu in the Audio EQ tool provides access to a number of predefined EQ templates, as shown in the following illustration.
Applying an EQ Template To apply an EQ template from the Audio EQ Tool Fast menu: 1. Move the position indicator to the audio clip in the Timeline. 2. Choose the template from the Audio EQ Tool Fast menu. The Avid NewsCutter XP system places the EQ effect on the audio clip. The following illustration shows the contents of the Audio EQ tool when you select the Female Voice with Presence template in the Timeline. As explained in the window, you cannot change the parameters of a predefined EQ template.
Creating Your Own Templates If you create an EQ effect that you want to use again in another sequence or on another track, simply drag the effect icon from the Audio EQ Tool window to a bin. The system creates an EQ effect in the bin. Rename the template by clicking the text and typing a new name. Effect icon You can add your own EQ templates to the Audio EQ Tool Fast menu. You do this by storing your EQ template in the same bin as the predefined templates. To add an EQ template to Site_EQs_Bin: 1.
6. Close the bin. n The Avid NewsCutter XP system does not save the effect to the bin until you close the bin. 7. Click the Audio EQ Tool Fast Menu button and look for your new template. Adjusting EQ While Playing an Audio Effect You can use the Play Loop button to create or change an EQ effect while a clip is playing. Play Loop button To adjust EQ while playing an effect: 1. Choose an existing EQ effect or identify an area of the clip with IN and OUT points. 2. Click the Play Loop button.
As you are adjusting the EQ values on an existing EQ effect, you might not hear the results immediately. It takes a few seconds for the changes to be applied to the clip. To improve the response time, you can do the following: • Monitor as few audio tracks as possible. • Deselect the video track, if practical. • Use IN and OUT points to choose a narrow interval to adjust.
The DAE folder contains the following: • A DAE Prefs folder. The plug-in vendor might install settings in this folder. • A DAE Plug-Ins folder containing the following: - A set of basic plug-ins from Digidesign. - A file named AvidAppPlugIn.dpm. The Avid NewsCutter XP system requires this file; do not delete it. Several basic plug-ins are installed automatically. For a description of the plug-ins, see Appendix A.
Using Digidesign AudioSuite Plug-Ins There are two ways to use AudioSuite Plug-Ins: t Apply a plug-in to a clip in the Timeline. The end result is a rendered effect. t Use the controls in the AudioSuite window to create a new master clip. This method allows you to process more than one channel at a time and to create new media that is longer or shorter in duration than the source media. For more information, see “Creating New Master Clips” on page 417.
Applying an AudioSuite Plug-In to a Clip in the Timeline The following illustration shows the default layout of the AudioSuite window. Effect icon Audio Effect pop-up menu Play Loop button Render Effect button Fast menu Display/Hide Master Clip button Plug-in Selection pop-up menu Drive Selection pop-up menu Status display Track Selection button Activate Current Plug-in button To apply an AudioSuite Plug-In to a clip in the Timeline: 1.
5. Make any necessary adjustments and click the Play Loop button to preview the effect. For more information, see “Using a Plug-in Dialog Box” on page 415. 6. (Option) To save the effect as a template, drag the effect icon to a bin. 7. To save the effect, click OK. To close the dialog box without saving the effect, click Cancel. n If you want to use plug-ins that operate on stereo pairs or that change the length of the audio clip, use the methods described in “Rendering Plug-in Effects” on page 417.
Some plug-ins can preview in real time and some cannot. If the plug-in cannot preview in real time, the Avid NewsCutter XP system plays back the processed audio in 2-second intervals. The Avid NewsCutter XP system processes 2 seconds of audio, plays it, processes the next 2 seconds, plays it, and so on. • Render renders the effect and creates a new audio media file. • Bypass plays the selected audio without processing. This is useful for comparing the audio with and without processing applied.
Rendering Plug-in Effects You need to render all AudioSuite Plug-Ins before you can play back the effect. If you do not render the effect manually, the Avid NewsCutter XP system automatically renders the effect before it creates an audio mixdown or audio dissolve containing the effect. For more information, see “Troubleshooting AudioSuite Plug-Ins” on page 423. Creating New Master Clips You can use AudioSuite Plug-Ins to create new master clips.
Serial Versus Parallel Processing Each AudioSuite Plug-In allows one or both of the following processing modes: • Serial Processing (default): The Avid NewsCutter XP system applies the effect to each source track one after another, in a serial manner. The system creates a new master clip with the same number of tracks that you selected in the AudioSuite window. • Parallel Processing: This option is available if the plug-in allows more than one input source and more than one output source.
Render Effect button Play Loop button Display/Hide Master Clip button Activate Current Plug-in button Plug-in Selection pop-up menu Clip Selection pop-up menu Toggle Master Clip Mode button Input Source Track selectors Mark IN to OUT indicators Processing Mode Selector pop-up menu Target bin for new master clip Status display Load Result In Monitor check box Find Source button Load In Source Pop-up Monitor button • Clip Selection menu — Allows you to choose the active clip.
When you select Parallel Processing, the status display identifies the maximum number of tracks that can be processed. If more than the maximum are initially selected, the system automatically disables tracks until it reaches the plug-in’s maximum number. n • Target bin — Allows you to choose the target bin. The system will place the new media and a corresponding AudioSuite effect template in the bin. The template allows you to modify the effect at a later time.
Using the AudioSuite Plug-Ins to Create New Master Clips To create new master clips by using the AudioSuite Plug-Ins: 1. Drag one (or more) master clips or subclips into the AudioSuite window. The system automatically enters master clip processing mode and expands the AudioSuite window if necessary. You can use the Display/Hide Master Clip button to display or hide the controls for processing a master clip. To enter or leave master clip processing mode, click the Toggle Master Clip Mode button.
Using an AudioSuite Effect Template When you create a new master clip, the system also creates an AudioSuite effect template in the bin. This effect template contains a reference to the original master clip to which the effect was applied. The system names the template by combining the original clip name with the effect name (for example, Test Audio clip - AudioSuite Plug-In Effect: Normalize). The template is useful if you want to modify the effect after it is created.
Troubleshooting AudioSuite Plug-Ins This section describes problems you might encounter when using the AudioSuite Plug-Ins. Canceling a Render Operation You can press Ctrl+period to cancel a render operation. However, be careful not to press Ctrl+period multiple times. If you press Ctrl+period after the render operation has been stopped (from a previous Ctrl+period), the Avid NewsCutter XP system closes the window after it cancels the render operation.
Recording Voice-Over Narration Audio punch-in allows you to record up to two channels of audio directly to the Timeline for voice-over narration. This feature saves the extra steps of recording the narration to tape first, recording, and then editing the audio clip into the sequence. The narrator can also watch the sequence and hear playback of edited sound tracks while recording. You open the Audio Punch-In tool from the Tools menu. The following illustration identifies the various elements of the tool.
n • The Audio Tool button displays the Audio tool so that you can monitor and adjust the audio levels during recording. • The Preroll text box allows you to provide a visual cue before the recording begins. The Avid NewsCutter XP system backs up the position indicator for the prescribed number of seconds. • The Postroll text box gives the same kind of visual cue at the end of the recording.
Connecting the Hardware Before you can use the Audio Punch-In tool, you need to connect a microphone or another input device to your system. The following are typical examples: • Microphone input on the back of the computer can be used with mini plug microphones. • If you have a microphone that needs a preamplifier, plug the microphone into LINE-IN on the preamplifier and unplug the camera output. In the Audio Project Settings dialog box, choose Analog from the Input Source pop-up menu.
2. Choose Audio Punch-In from the Tools menu. The Audio Punch-In tool opens. Recording status light Record button Cancel button Input Channel Selection buttons and menus 3. Choose the channels that correspond to your hardware setup and set other values in the dialog box as appropriate. To choose the input channels you want, click and hold the appropriate Input Channel Selection buttons. A check mark appears next to the selected input channel.
Recording status light Record button Cancel button Other selected input channel Selected input channel 4. To start recording, click the Record button or press the B key. If you started with both IN and OUT points in the Timeline, the Avid NewsCutter XP system automatically stops recording when it reaches the OUT point (or after it adds the appropriate audio handle after the OUT point). If you added only an IN point, click the Record button a second time to stop the recording.
The following illustrations show the results after adding a voice-over. The system automatically names the voice-over. You can change the name as you would for any clip (for example, change the name in the bin). Voice-over adding a new track Voice-over replacing a portion of a track Voice-Over Media Files The Avid NewsCutter XP system automatically names the voice-over and stores it as an audio clip, as shown in the following illustration.
Fine-Tuning Audio Transitions When you are making audio level and pan adjustments, the Avid NewsCutter XP system looks at either an individual clip in the Source pop-up monitor, a segment in the sequence, or entire tracks. To change level or pan settings in an area not defined by a discrete clip or group of clips, use the Add Edit function to define your own custom area. To isolate clip portions for adjustment: 1.
With the Avid NewsCutter XP system, these effects are more accurately termed audio dissolves because they occur instantly when you apply the same dissolve effect that you use for video tracks. Fading Audio To fade or crossfade audio, use the procedures described in “Using Audio Gain Automation” on page 385, or use the procedure described in this section. Fading and crossfading audio are easy effects to achieve. The procedure that differs most from analog editing is crossfading.
The Quick Dissolve dialog box appears. 3. Do not choose another effect from the Add pop-up menu at the top; only dissolves work with audio tracks. 4. Select a duration for the dissolve, measured in frames (30 frames equals 1 second of NTSC footage; 25 frames equals 1 second of PAL footage). 5. Choose the location for the dissolve from the Position pop-up menu. • Ending at Cut fades the audio on the A-side (outgoing) to 0, ending at the cut point. • Centered on Cut or Custom Start creates a crossfade.
6. If you chose Custom Start, type the number of frames before the transition to begin the effect in the “Starts n frames before cut” text box. Otherwise, leave the default value in the text box. 7. (Option) Choose a media drive other than the default from the Target Drive pop-up menu. n Select the Skip Real-Time Effects option when you add effects to video. 8. Click Add to place the effect at the transition point without rendering. Click Add and Render to do both.
4. Adjust the track to the volume level you want, as described in the section “Using the Audio Mix Tool” on page 375. 5. Apply a Quick Dissolve to both add edit points, using the techniques described in “Fading Audio” on page 431. Be sure to choose Centered on Cut or Custom Start from the Position pop-up menu. After rendering, the audio dips smoothly from the higher levels of the adjacent segments of the track to the lower level applied to the middle segment.
The Audio Mixdown dialog box appears. The top of the dialog box displays the source audio tracks and the start and end timecodes for the section of audio you have selected to mix down. Selected section of audio Destination tracks 5. Select Mono, and select the target track to which you want to mix down the audio. If you want stereo, select Stereo, and select two target tracks for the mixed-down audio.
6. Choose a target bin and target drive. The target drive is the media drive where the system stores the media files for the mixed-down audio. 7. (Option) Select Save Premix Sequence to save a copy of the original sequence in the bin. The sequence appears with a .premix.nn file name extension. 8. Click OK. A progress indicator appears, showing that a sample rate conversion is taking place. The sample rate of the audio mixdown is the same rate that appears in the Audio Project Settings dialog box.
CHAPTER 16 Syncing Methods Your Avid NewsCutter XP system provides special tools that help you establish and maintain sync relationships between various clips. This includes managing sync between unrelated clips or clips with the same timecode, and ganging footage.
Managing Sync Breaks Sync breaks occur when a frame-accurate relationship between two clips or between the audio and video tracks within a single clip is offset during editing.
described in “Maintaining Sync While Trimming” on page 360. You can also perform dual-roller trims (that maintain duration) instead of single-roller trims. There are many cases in which you cannot avoid splicing or extracting material, or performing single-roller trims that break sync. Fixing Sync Breaks In general, sync breaks are displayed only when the out-of-sync tracks overlap and the audio no longer matches the video.
Fixing Sync in Segment Mode To restore frames to sync in Segment mode: t Select and move the entire out-of-sync segment. You can move the segment forward or backward in the opposite direction of the break to reverse it. Consider the following: • Use the Lift/Overwrite function to leave filler behind and maintain any other sync relationships that might be affected by the move. • Use the Lift/Overwrite function to delete the entire segment and leave filler to eliminate the break.
Using Sync Lock The sync lock feature allows you to maintain sync among several tracks while you add or remove frames in Trim mode. For example, if you insert an edit into one track that is sync locked to a second track, the system automatically inserts filler in the second track to maintain sync between the two. Sync Lock button Sync Lock All button You activate sync locking by clicking the Sync Lock button in the Track Selector panel to display the Sync Lock icon.
Syncing with Tail Leader You can add tail leader to the audio or video material in Avid NewsCutter XP to provide a useful visual reference in the Timeline for tracking and fixing sync breaks across any number of tracks. Tail leaders lined up for multiple video (vid) and audio (aud) tracks Film editors traditionally use standard head and tail leaders for this purpose. You can create your own leader according to any specification, as described in “Creating Leader” on page 239.
Move the black segment by using Extract/Splice-in. Syncing with Locators You can add locators to material in the Timeline to track and adjust breaks in sync between any number of tracks. With locators, you have the advantage of placing them anywhere in the sequence and adding specific notes. To mark sync points with locators: 1. Move the position indicator to the point in the sequence where you want to maintain sync between two or more tracks. 2.
2. Enable the top audio track. Make sure you keep the position indicator in the same location in order to line up the locators. n Avid NewsCutter XP shows the comment only for the locator on the top track. To determine if sync is broken after an edit: t Return to the segment that contains the locators. If the locators are not lined up, the sync is broken. To adjust the sync break: 1. Measure the sync break by first moving the position indicator to the leftmost locator and clicking the Mark IN button.
Using Add Edit When Trimming When you are trimming with several audio tracks in sync, the Add Edit button allows you to create an edit in the silent or black areas of the synced tracks. They occur in line with the track you are trimming, and they trim all the tracks at once to maintain sync. To use the Add Edit button while trimming: 1. Move the position indicator to the edit that you want to trim. 2. Select only the additional tracks that are in sync, and click the Add Edit button.
CHAPTER 17 Output Options The Avid NewsCutter XP system 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.
Preparing for Output Preparing for video output involves the following procedures: • Render all non-real-time effects. See the Avid NewsCutter XP Effects Guide. • Select video outputs. See “Selecting Video Output” on page 447. • Select audio outputs. “Selecting Audio Output” on page 448 • Calibrate and adjust video output levels. See “Calibrating Global Output Levels” on page 450. • Calibrate and adjust audio output levels. See “Preparing for Audio Output” on page 448.
Preparing for Audio Output The Audio tool lets you adjust global output levels. For information on additional audio mix procedures, see “Using the Audio Mix Tool” on page 375. Selecting your audio output allows you to choose the audio connection output. Selecting Audio Output To choose audio output: 1. Choose Digital Cut from the Clip menu. The Digital Cut tool opens. 2.
3. Choose from the Sample Rate menu: 32 kHz, 44.1 kHz, or 48 kHz. 4. Click the Close button to close the Audio Project Settings window. 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 recorded 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.
4. Type new values for the tone level and frequency, and click OK. To play back the tone: t Choose Play Calibration Tone from the Peak Hold pop-up menu. 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 and master attenuator (output control slider) in the Audio tool to make global level adjustments for output from the system.
To adjust the output parameters: 1. Choose Audio Tool from the Tools menu. The Audio Tool window opens. Show/Hide Setup Control button Show/Hide Output Control button IN/OUT toggle buttons Peak Hold pop-up menu 2. Click the Show/Hide Output Control button (the Speaker icon) to display the master attenuator (slider). 3. Click the Show/Hide Setup Control button to open the Setup Options panel. 4.
you are outputting to a camera at 32 kHz, the maximum output is four channels. 5. (Option) Depending on your type of output, you can make additional adjustments: • 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 number display and choosing another channel. • You can select Ignore Volume or Ignore EQ to disable customized pan, volume, or equalization effects you applied with the audio tools. 6.
Frame-Accurate Recording 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-editing recording or assemble-edit recording.
Enabling Assemble-Edit Recording Insert editing is the default setting for the Digital Cut tool. You can also use assemble-edit settings in Avid NewsCutter XP, along with the assemble-editing capabilities of your record deck, to quickly record frame-accurate digital cuts without striping entire tapes in advance. c To avoid accidentally breaking timecode on prestriped tapes during digital cut recording, enable assemble editing only when in use, and disable it during normal insert-edit recording.
• 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 Avid NewsCutter XP. 6. When you are ready to record, set the options in the Digital Cut tool.
• Convert mixed audio sample rates. • Record an entire sequence. • Add black at the end of a digital cut. 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 choose Mark In Time from the pop-up menu in the deck control area (Remote mode only).
Arm Video Track button Track Selection menu Timecode text boxes Deck Selection pop-up menu Deck controls 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 only preview a digital cut if a digital camera or deck is connected to your system. To preview a digital cut: 1. Choose Digital Cut from the Clip menu. The Digital Cut Tool window opens.
Track Selection menu Play Digital Cut button Halt Digital Cut button Local option Deck control option area 2. Select Local in the deck control option area. 3. 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. Only those tracks beside and beneath the Speaker icon and the Monitor icon are included in the digital cut. 4.
n To stop the playback at any time, press the space bar or click the Halt Digital Cut button. Recording a Digital Cut to Tape To record a digital cut to tape: 1. Load a sequence into the Composer monitor. (You cannot access digital cut options without a sequence loaded.) 2. Choose Digital Cut from the Clip menu. The Digital Cut Tool window opens. Track Selection menu Arm Video Track button Play Digital Cut button Halt Digital Cut button Deck control option area 3.
t Deselect Entire Sequence if you have established IN points, OUT points, or both for recording a portion of the sequence. 4. (Option) Select Add Black at Tail, and enter a timecode to add black at the end of the digital cut. 5. Select Remote in the deck control option area. 6. Choose either Insert Edit or Assemble Edit from the pop-up menu. This menu appears only if you selected Allow assemble edit for digital cut in the Deck Preferences dialog box.
11. 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 Composer monitor and the video monitor (if you have one). 12. To stop the recording at any time: t Press the space bar or click the Halt Digital Cut button. n 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.
CHAPTER 18 Exporting and Exchanging Material You can export and exchange material with another system, another application, or another platform. Your Avid NewsCutter XP video-based editing system provides tools for exporting clips and sequences in various formats or for transferring projects and media between systems.
About Exporting Files You can export material directly from your Avid NewsCutter XP system to many supported file types. You can export an individual frame, a selected region of footage, or an entire clip or sequence. There are several reasons why you might want to export video, audio, or both from the Avid NewsCutter XP system: n • You can export files to be viewed as an AVI, QuickTime movie, or QuickTime Reference movie. • You can export files in MPEG-Ligos format.
Preparing to Export a Sequence If you are exporting part or all of a sequence — to create an AVI or a QuickTime file, ERIMovie, graphic sequence, or OMFI file, for example — you can speed the export process by preparing the sequence in advance, as follows: For more information on rendering, see the effects guide for your Avid NewsCutter XP system. • Make sure all media for the sequence is online.
media. For more information on performing an audio mixdown, see “Mixing Down Audio Tracks” on page 434. • For OMFI 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 Command” on page 251. • OMFI files with very complex sequences can fail during import into some applications due to memory limitations.
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. Choose Video Mixdown from the Clip menu. The Video Mixdown dialog box appears. 5. Choose a target drive for storing the new master clip, and then click OK. A progress indicator appears, showing the progress of the video mixdown.
To export frames, clips, or sequences: 1. Select the material you want to export in one of the following ways: n 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 checked in the Export Options dialog box. You can set this option before the export. See “Customizing Export Settings” on page 476.
4. Choose a setting from the Export Setting pop-up menu. This setting determines the format of the exported file. The default setting is labeled Untitled. Your Avid NewsCutter XP system supplies you with several templates for Export settings. For a list of the templates and their settings, see the Avid Products Collaboration Guide Addendum on the Avid NewsCutter XP Online Publications CD-ROM. If you need to customize your settings, see “Customizing Export Settings” on page 476.
c The Avid NewsCutter XP 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. c 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.
n You cannot use the drag-and-drop method to export ALE, tab-delimited, or sequential files. n 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.
About Exporting for Digital Distribution Avid NewsCutter XP provides you with options for publishing your sequence in formats suitable for digital distribution. These formats include: • DV Stream • MPEG-Ligos • QuickTime Movie • QuickTime Reference Movie QuickTime, QuickTime Reference, and DV Stream are formats you can use for distribution on CD-ROM or over the Web. If you want, you can further process a QuickTime movie in another application.
4. To select an export setting, do one of the following: n t Choose an export template from the Export Setting pop-up menu. t Click Options and choose an export setting from the Export As pop-up menu. For more information on export templates, see “Customizing Export Settings” on page 476. 5. (Option) Change the file name. In most cases, keep the default file name extension. 6. Select the destination folder for the file. 7. Click Save. The file is exported and appears at the chosen destination.
Depending on the export format you choose, select a profile or options from the dialog box as explained in the Help procedures. They might include publishing to the Web, to DVD, or to a CD-ROM. n Exported files can be large. Be sure to choose a destination drive other than C: or the desktop. 8. Click Create, Make Movie, or Finish, depending on the export format. A message box appears with the message “Creating the Export File.” 9. Navigate to the destination you chose to view your movie.
Media Cleaner also has a Settings Wizard, which guides you through the process of choosing the proper setting for your media. Exporting with Media Cleaner To access Media Cleaner: 1. Click a sequence or clip in the bin. 2. Choose Send To from the File menu, and choose Media Cleaner from the submenu. The Media Cleaner application starts. n For help using Media Cleaner, see the Media Cleaner documentation.
About MPEG-Ligos Ligos Technology is a leading provider of MPEG encoding, transcoding, and decoding technologies and applications for consumer, networking, business, and post-production applications. For more information on Ligos technology, visit their Web site at www.ligos.com. Exporting with MPEG-Ligos To finish the export from Avid NewsCutter XP with MPEG-Ligos: 1. Choose a profile from the Profiles menu in the LSX MPEG Export Component dialog box.
Customizing Export Settings In addition to selecting preset templates, Avid NewsCutter XP allows you to customize and name your Export settings. Use the following procedures to customize your Export settings. Creating a New Export Setting To create a new Export setting: 1. Click the Settings button in the Project window. The Settings scroll list appears. 2. Click Export. 3. Choose Duplicate from the Edit menu. 4.
Custom name column 5. Adjust the options for the setting as described in the following procedure. To adjust the parameters in an Export Settings dialog box: 1. Click the Settings button in the Project window. The Settings scroll list appears. 2. Double-click the Export setting. The Export Settings dialog box appears.
3. Choose the appropriate file type from the Export As pop-up menu. 4. Select the appropriate options based on the descriptions in Table 18-1. 5. Click OK.
Table 18-1 Export As Option Export Settings Dialog Box Options Suboption OMFI Description Select this option to export a standard OMFI composition for transfer to a third-party workstation that supports OMFI. The export is Composition only, unless you select Embed Video Media, Embed Audio Media, or both. OMFI Version 1.0 Select this option if the application to which you are exporting does not support OMFI Version 2.0. OMFI Version 2.
Table 18-1 Export As Option Suboption Export Settings Dialog Box Options (Continued) Description QuickTime Reference Select this option to export a QuickTime Reference movie. For more information, see “About QuickTime Reference Movie” on page 492, “Exporting as a QuickTime Reference Movie” on page 492, and Table 18-4 on page 494. DV Stream Select this option to create a standard DV stream. Requires a video track. MPEG-Ligos Select this option to create a standard MPEG file.
Table 18-1 Export As Option Graphic Export Settings Dialog Box Options (Continued) Suboption Description AIFF-C Select this option to export audio tracks in the industry-standard AIFF-C format, which is compatible with many third-party sound editing and multimedia applications. Note that the Avid NewsCutter XP system does not compress audio media. Graphic file type Select this option to export a single frame, a series of frames, or a file type that supports multiple frames as a graphic file.
3. Choose Export from the File menu. The Export As dialog box appears. 4. Click Options. The Export Settings dialog box appears. Graphic Format pop-up menu Format Options button 5. Choose Graphic from the Export As pop-up menu. 6. Make sure Use Marks is checked. 7. Make sure Sequential Files is not checked. 8. Choose a format from the Graphic Format pop-up menu. Use Table 18-2 on page 484 to make your selection.
9. Click Format Options. The Format Options dialog box appears. 10. Use Table 18-2 on page 484 to select format options. Click OK. The Export Settings dialog box appears. 11. Click OK in the Export Settings dialog box. The Export As dialog box appears with the graphic file name and extension in the File Name text box. 12. (Option) Change the file name. In most cases, keep the file name extension. 13. Select the destination folder for the file. 14. Click Save.
Table 18-2 Graphic Format Options File Type Dialog Box Option Description BMP Parameters Windows This option creates files that are compatible with systems running the Microsoft Windows operating system. OS/2 This option creates files that are compatible with systems running the IBM OS/2® operating system. Chyron Cineon Parameters Developed by Chyron Corporation for use with video frame buffers of Chyron® character generator titles.
Table 18-2 File Type Dialog Box Option IFF JPEG Graphic Format Options (Continued) Description Developed by Electronic Arts. IFF (Interchange File Format), or more specifically IFF-ILBM (InterLeaved BitMap), is the standard file format by which applications on the Amiga platform transfer image files. Quality This option controls the output file size and quality. Higher values produce better images but larger file sizes.
Table 18-2 File Type Dialog Box Graphic Format Options (Continued) Option Description Photoshop Parameters Compression This option controls the size of the file on disk. Disabling compression creates larger files on disk. PICT Create MacBinary header This option creates a file with a MacBinary header. Color Depth The 8 bits option saves 8-bit files. The 16 bits option saves 16-bit files. The Automatic option saves the image in the same depth as the original loaded image.
Table 18-2 Graphic Format Options (Continued) File Type Dialog Box Option Description Targa Parameters Color Depth This setting controls how images are saved. The 5-bit option saves data in Targa 16 format. The 8-bit option saves data in Targa 24/32 format. Compression This setting controls the size of the file on disk. Disabling compression creates larger files on disk. Color Depth The 8 bits option saves 8-bit files. The 16 bits option saves 16-bit files.
Table 18-2 File Type Dialog Box Graphic Format Options (Continued) Option Description Gamma This option specifies an adjustment to correct for gamma differences between Macintosh and Windows PC output display. This option is intended for cross-platform applications that require adjustment. the documentation that came with your n Check Wavefront application to see if you need to adjust this value. Usually, you can use the default setting.
with OMFI you can transfer among 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. c To avoid errors and incompatibilities when importing and exporting OMFI files, observe the recommendations in Appendix B.
To export an OMFI composition with media: 1. Select the file you want to export. 2. Select Export from the File menu. The Export As dialog box appears. 3. Click Options. The Export Settings dialog box appears. 4. Choose OMFI from the Export As pop-up menu. 5. Select options as described in Table 18-3 on page 491. 6. Click OK. The Export As dialog box appears. 7. Select the destination folder for the file.
8. (Option) Change the file name. In most cases, keep the file name extension. 9. Click Save. The file is exported and appears at the chosen destination. Table 18-3 OMFI Export Options Suboption Description OMFI Version 1.0 Select this option if the application to which you are exporting does not support OMFI Version 2.0. OMFI Version 2.0 Select this option if the application to which you are exporting supports OMFI Version 2.0. If you are not sure, select 1.0.
About QuickTime Reference Movie 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.
4. Choose QuickTime Reference from the Export As pop-up menu. 5. Do one of the following: t Click Fast Draft Defaults for a faster export. t Click Digital Mastering Defaults to render all video effects and premix audio tracks before exporting the file. 6. Use Table 18-4 on page 494 to set the remaining options. 7. Click OK. The Export As dialog box appears. 8. (Option) Change the file name. In most cases, keep the default file name extension. 9.
w If a power failure or mishap 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. Table 18-4 describes the QuickTime Reference Movie Export options.
Table 18-4 QuickTime Reference Movie Options (Continued) Option Description Premix Audio Tracks When this option is selected, the audio tracks in the composition are mixed to two media files, which are exported. When this option is not selected, the original audio is exported. This option is selected in Digital Mastering Defaults.
Exporting as a QuickTime Movie To export as a QuickTime movie: 1. Select the material you want to export in one of the following ways: You can use the drag-and-drop method to export QuickTime files. 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 checked in the QuickTime Export Settings dialog box. You can select this option before the export.
QuickTime Movie (Same as Source) QuickTime Movie (Custom) 5. Select Same as Source to use the resolution of the source file or select Custom to customize your settings. 6. Use Table 18-5 on page 498 to set the remaining options. 7. Click OK. The Save Export Settings dialog box appears. 8. (Option) Change the file name. In most cases, keep the default file name extension. 9. Select the destination folder for the file, and click Save. The file is exported and appears at the chosen destination.
c The Avid NewsCutter XP 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. c 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. Table 18-5 describes the QuickTime Movie Export options.
Table 18-5 Option Suboption Format Options Video Format QuickTime Movie Export Options (Continued) Description Click the Format Options button to select from a number of QuickTime Movie Codecs. For more information, see “Selecting QuickTime Codecs” on page 499. Width x Height This option sets the desired width of the clip. Size to Fit: This option will size to fit the desired width and height.
The Export Settings dialog box appears. 3. Choose QuickTime Movie from the Export As pop-up menu. 4. Select Custom. 5. Click Format Options. The Movie Settings dialog box appears. 6. Choose the settings using Table 18-6.
Table 18-6 QuickTime Movie Format Options Format Option Suboption Description Compressor Animation For high-quality, lossless compression (in which no picture information is lost). Uses a Run Length Encoded scheme to encode each pixel, resulting in a file that is 70 to 95 percent the size of the uncompressed file. At maximum quality, this is a lossless compression (in which no picture information is lost). See the description of the Quality option in this table.
Table 18-6 Format Option QuickTime Movie Format Options (Continued) Suboption Description H.263 For video conferencing. Optimized for low data rates and low motion. Intel Indeo Video 4.4 For export at low resolution where high quality is not an issue, such as presentations or educational uses, or for small-screen size playback from CD-ROM or hard drive. Files do not export at 720 x 540 and 720 x 486 frame sizes, even though these sizes are listed.
Table 18-6 Format Option QuickTime Movie Format Options (Continued) Suboption Description Planar RGB For high-quality, lossless compression (in which no picture information is lost). Results in large files. Encodes each image plane separately, using a Run Length Encoded scheme. Used primarily to support Photoshop files, which are usually stored using a planar run length algorithm. Colors PNG Portable Network Graphics, used to replace GIF as a bitmap still-image format for newer Internet browsers.
Table 18-6 Format Option Suboption Quality QuickTime Movie Format Options (Continued) Description Click the option and drag this slider to adjust the image quality for the exported file. The selections vary according to the codec you choose. Some codecs have only one Quality setting. If you selected the Avid QuickTime codec, a dialog box appears, allowing you to choose a resolution. Motion Frames per second Choose a frame rate from the pop-up menu. Choose 30 to maintain full-motion video/animation.
Exporting as an AVI File To export as an AVI file: 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 checked in the AVI Options dialog box, which is accessed from the Export Settings dialog box. You can set this option before the export. See “Customizing Export Settings” on page 476.
4. Choose AVI from the Export As pop-up menu. 5. Select AVI options as described in Table 18-7 on page 507. 6. Select an AVI codec by clicking the Codec Options button. The Video Compression dialog box appears. 7. Select the compressor you want, and click Configure to further configure the codec. For more information, see Table 18-8 on page 513. 8. Click OK to close the Video Compression dialog box and return to the Export Settings dialog box. 9. Click OK.
10. (Option) Change the file name. In most cases, 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 chosen destination. c Your Avid NewsCutter XP 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. c If a power failure or application error occurs during the export process, the entire file is unusable.
Table 18-7 Option Suboption AVI Settings Options (Continued) Description Use Marks When this option is selected, the system uses current IN and OUT points in the selected clip or sequence to determine starting and ending frames for the export. To export the entire clip or sequence, deselect this option. Use Enabled Tracks When this option is selected, the system uses current IN and OUT points in the selected clip or sequence to determine starting and ending frames for the export.
Table 18-7 Option Suboption AVI Settings Options (Continued) Description Use Marks When this option is selected, the system uses current IN and OUT points in the selected clip or sequence to determine starting and ending frames for the export. To export the entire clip or sequence, deselect this option. Use Enabled Tracks When this option is selected, the system uses current IN and OUT points in the selected clip or sequence to determine starting and ending frames for the export.
Table 18-7 Option Suboption AVI Settings Options (Continued) Description Use Marks When this option is selected, the system uses current IN and OUT points in the selected clip or sequence to determine starting and ending frames for the export. To export the entire clip or sequence, deselect this option. Use Enabled Tracks When this option is selected, the system uses current IN and OUT points in the selected clip or sequence to determine starting and ending frames for the export.
Table 18-7 Option AVI Settings Options (Continued) Suboption Description Sample Rate Project Rate: The native rate of the chosen audio media (44.1 kHz or 48 kHz). 22.050 kHz: Half the sample rate of 44.1 kHz media. 11.025 kHz: One quarter the sample rate of 44.1 kHz media. Sample Size 8-bit: When this option is selected, the system exports an 8-bit audio sample size for use in third-party systems that do not support 16-bit.
Table 18-8 Option AVI Video Compression Dialog Box Options Suboption Description Microsoft MPEG For export in standard Microsoft MPEG format. Avid AVI Codec Use this option to choose Avid non-DV resolutions. See “Using the Avid AVI Codec” on page 518. Canopus DVRaptor DV Codec Use this option to compress frames into DV format by using the algorithm provided by Canopus Systems Inc. Full Frames (Uncompressed) For high-quality export in which no picture information is lost.
Using the Avid QuickTime Codec The Avid QuickTime codec (compressor/decompressor) creates encapsulated media files for export of high-resolution files that are readable within QuickTime applications. To access the Avid QuickTime codec: 1. Choose Export from the File menu. The Export As dialog box appears. 2. Click Options. The Export Settings dialog box appears. 3. Choose QuickTime Movie from the Export As pop-up menu. 4. Select Custom. 5. Click Format Options. The Movie Settings dialog box appears.
6. Click Settings in the Video pane. The Compression Settings dialog box appears.
7. Choose Avid QuickTime from the Compressor pop-up menu. 8. Adjust the Quality slider. The Avid QuickTime Codec Configuration dialog box appears. 9. Select the appropriate format for the media you want to create: NTSC or PAL. 10. Select the appropriate board set for the media: NuVista (AVR resolutions), ABVB (AVR resolutions), Meridien Interlaced (25i and 30i resolutions), or Meridien Progressive (24p resolutions). 11. Choose a resolution from the Resolution pop-up menu.
Using the Avid AVI Codec The Avid AVI codec (compressor/decompressor) creates encapsulated media files for export of high-resolution files that are readable within AVI-compatible applications. To access the Avid AVI codec: 1. Choose Export from the File menu. The Export As dialog box appears. 2. Click Options. The Export Settings dialog box appears. 3. Choose AVI from the Export As pop-up menu. 4. Click the Codec Options button. The Video Compression dialog box appears. 5.
7. Select the appropriate format for the media you want to create: NTSC or PAL. 8. Select the appropriate board set for the media: Interlaced or Progressive. 9. Choose a resolution from the Resolution pop-up menu. 10. Click Close. 11. Click OK to close the dialog box and return to the Export Settings dialog box. 12. (Option) Change the file name. In most cases, keep the default file name extension. 13. Select the destination folder for the file, and click Save.
Installing the Avid QuickTime or Avid AVI Codec on Other Systems When you install Avid NewsCutter XP on your system, the Avid QuickTime codec and the Avid AVI codec are automatically installed. You can copy the codecs and install them on other Windows NT workstations where you are using QuickTime compatible applications. Once the Avid QuickTime codec is installed on the workstation, you can export files from the QuickTime compatible application for reimport into the Avid NewsCutter XP system.
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 Options dialog box appears, select the applicable Avid QuickTime Compressor or Avid AVI Compressor. n If you select a nonstandard frame size, the Avid NewsCutter XP system will not import the file quickly. 4. Complete the export.
Methods for Transferring Files Between 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. Table 18-9 lists the recommended devices for transferring projects between systems.
For more information about compatibility between Avid editing applications, see the Avid Products Collaboration Guide and the Avid NewsCutter XP Release Notes. Transferring a Project and Associated Media Files You can transfer projects with their media files between Avid NewsCutter XP systems in the following ways: n • Back up the project files and transport the media files on a removable storage device. • Send sequences, clips, or entire projects over a high-speed network by using AvidNet.
more information, see “Transferring Projects, User Profiles, and Site Settings” on page 524. 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 the Avid NewsCutter XP 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.
adding fonts, see the Windows NT Help or the Mac OS Help. For more information on compatibility requirements when working with title effects, see the Avid Products Collaboration Guide. n Adding a project folder from another system does not transfer accompanying media files. For more information on moving media files between systems, see “Transferring a Project and Associated Media Files” on page 523. To transfer project files, user profiles, and site settings to another Avid NewsCutter XP system: 1.
The next time you view the Open 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.
CHAPTER 19 Using the NRCS Tool The Newsroom Control System (NRCS) tool lets you use one computer to view stories and rundowns located on the Avstar server and edit sequences in Avid NewsCutter XP. You use the NRCS tool to connect to an Avstar server, access stories from the server, and edit them on your Avid NewsCutter XP 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 Avstar workstation to do the editing.
n • Editing Story Text • Saving Changes to a Story • Finding the Read Time of a Story • Building a Sequence from a Story • Sending and Receiving NRCS Mail • Disconnecting from the Avstar Server Your Avstar user permissions define how many of these procedures you can perform. If you are unsure of your permissions, consult your system administrator. Configuring the NRCS Tool The first time you open the NRCS tool, the NRCS Settings dialog box appears.
n You can also access the NRCS Settings dialog box through the Settings scroll list of the Project window. 2. Type the name of the server and, if you want, a default user name. 3. (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. 4. Click the Avstar tab to make additional changes to the NRCS settings. 5.
6. Click OK to accept the NRCS settings. The NRCS Login dialog box appears. Avstar server name 7. Type a user name if you did not set a default name in the NRCS Settings dialog box. 8. Type the password. 9. Click OK. The NRCS tool connects to the Avstar server. If Every Connection or First Connection is selected in the NRCS Settings dialog box, the Message-of-the-Day dialog box appears. the Avstar administrator enters the MOTD. 10. (Optional) click Next to see the next MOTD. 11.
When the connection is established, the list of directories appears in the Directory panel of the NRCS tool. Starting the NRCS Tool This section explains how to start the NRCS tool after it has been configured. To start the NRCS tool: 1. Choose NRCS Tool from the Tools menu. The NRCS tool opens.
2. Click the Connect button. The NRCS Login dialog box appears. Avstar server name 3. Type a user name if you did not set a default name in the NRCS Settings dialog box. 4. Type the password. 5. Click OK. The NRCS tool connects to the Avstar server. If Every Connection or First Connection is selected in the NRCS Settings dialog box, the Message-of-the-Day dialog box appears. 6. (Optional) Click Next to see the next MOTD. 7. Click OK to close the MOTD dialog box.
The list of directories is displayed in the Directory panel of the NRCS tool. Understanding the NRCS Tool The following figure shows the parts of the NRCS tool. Story form Disconnect Send Mail button button Build Formatting Sequence toolbar button Save button Story name Edit button wpm rate Read time Directory panel Production Cue text box Story panel Use Table 19-1 to learn more about each part.
Table 19-1 NRCS Tool Parts Name Description Disconnect button Releases the connection to the Avstar server. Send Mail button Opens a dialog box for sending mail to others in the Avstar workgroup. Directory panel Lists the contents of the news database you are accessing. Story form Contains summary information about the story in predefined headings. You can alter the information if it does not have a gray background. Appears in Edit mode only.
Table 19-1 NRCS Tool Parts (Continued) Name Description Read time Displays the amount of time to read a story on air, based on the wpm rate. Story panel Displays the text of a story and the story form of unscripted stories. When the story is scripted, the panel contains production cues on the left and text on the right. You can click on the divider between the two sections and horizontally expand or contract the Story panel.
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. Closed directory Open directory Story 2. Double-click the story name. The story’s text appears in the Story panel.
2. Right-click the directory name. A shortcut menu appears. 3. Choose Make Shortcut. The NRCS tool creates the shortcut, which is placed above the server name in the Directory panel. Shortcut Server name Removing a Shortcut to a Directory If you want to remove a shortcut to a directory: 1. Right-click the directory name. A shortcut menu appears. 2. Choose Remove Shortcut. The shortcut is removed.
2. Choose Delete File. A message box appears. 3. Click Delete to complete the process, or click Cancel to abort the deletion. Editing Story Text You can perform basic editing functions on your stories by using the NRCS tool, eliminating the need to do the work on the Avstar workstation and saving valuable time in the editing process. Changing the Text View You can change the screen display of the entire text of a story without entering Edit mode.
n You cannot save changes in font and point size until you enter Edit mode. Entering Edit Mode You enter Edit mode by clicking the Edit button.
t Right-click the text and choose Bold, Italic, or Underline from the shortcut menu. 3. (Option) Right-click the text, and choose Font from the shortcut menu to alter the font and point size. To remove text formatting: 1. Highlight the formatted text. 2. To turn off text format, do one of the following: t Click a button in the Formatting toolbar to remove the bold, italic, or underlining. t Right-click the text and choose Bold, Italic, or Underline from the shortcut menu.
To mark text as Presenter Instructions: 1. Highlight the text you want to mark. 2. Do one of the following: t Click the Presenter Instructions button in the Formatting toolbar. t Right-click the text, and choose Presenter Instructions from the shortcut menu. The text changes to red, indicating Presenter Instructions. Marking Text as Closed Captioned Your story can also contain text marked for Closed Captioning. Closed Captioned text is green in the Story panel.
Story 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 cursor next to or within the text where you want to place the production cue. 2. Right-click and choose Insert Production Cue from the shortcut menu.
Deleting a Production Cue 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. Highlight the production cue marker in the Story panel. 2. Do one of the following: t Press the Delete key. t Right-click the marker, and choose Delete from the shortcut menu. Marking Text as Machine Control You can mark text in the Production Cue as Machine Control.
To mark text as Normal: 1. Highlight the text from which you want to remove the formatting. 2. Do one of the following: t Click the Normal button in the Formatting toolbar. t Right-click the text, and choose Normal from the shortcut menu. The text changes to black, indicating that the text contains no formatting. Saving Changes to a Story After you edit a story, you can save the changes by modifying the original story or by creating a new story.
2. Click Modify to save the changes to the original story, or click New to save the changes to a new story. n 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. Finding the Read Time of a Story The NRCS tool calculates the read time of a story by using the number of words in the story and the words per minute (wpm) rate for the presenter.
The read time appears in the upper right corner of the NRCS tool. The wpm rate used in the calculation appears next to the read time. Presenter Calculated read time for the selected text wpm rate (varies by presenter) Selected story text n The NRCS tool does not include Closed Captioned or Presenter Instructions text in the read time. Only text marked as Normal (including bold, italic, or underlined text) is calculated.
To build a sequence from a story: 1. Open the bin in which you want to place your sequence. 2. Do one of the following: t Highlight the story in the Directory panel, and drag the story to the open bin. t Highlight the story in the Directory panel, right-click, and choose Build Sequence from Story. The duration of the sequence matches the tape time of the story. If the tape time field for the story is blank, Avid NewsCutter XP automatically creates a sequence with a duration of 30 seconds.
Story name Tape Time New sequence generated from the story in the NRCS tool Timeline with a duration time that equals the tape time of the story 544
Building a Sequence with a Specific Duration To build a sequence with a specific duration: 1. Open the bin in which you want to place your sequence. 2. Type the duration you want for the sequence in the Tape Time text box. 3. Click Save. 4. Click the Build Sequence button. A sequence is created in the bin and filler is added to the Timeline. n The Tape Time text box appears dimmed if you do not have edit privileges. Your Avstar administrator determines your level of access.
2. Type an address in the To text box. 3. (Option) Type a subject in the Subject text box. 4. Type your message in the message area. 5. Click Send to send the message, or click Cancel to close the dialog box without sending the message. Receiving NRCS Tool Mail 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 later in your Avstar user name. 3. Select your user name from the list. 4.
Disconnecting from the Avstar Server When you have finished using the NRCS tool, you should disconnect from the Avstar server. To disconnect from the Avstar server: t Click the Disconnect button. n If you selected “Logout when NRCS Tool is closed” in the NRCS Settings dialog box, simply close the NRCS tool. The NRCS tool will automatically disconnect from the server. n You can also disconnect from the server by switching to a workspace that does not contain the NRCS tool.
CHAPTER 20 Transferring Media by Using Baseband This chapter explains how to transfer media between Avid NewsCutter XP and a video server by using a baseband connection. A video server is an optional component used with your Avid NewsCutter XP system as part of a workgroup environment. To transfer media using a network connection, see Chapter 21.
Setting Up a Video Server You can transfer media to and from a video server through audio, video, and serial RS-422 connections. Avid NewsCutter XP controls the video server in much the same way as it controls a video deck. Connecting Avid NewsCutter XP to a Video Server The following figure shows the connections for baseband transfer between a video server and Avid NewsCutter XP. The cables and connectors depend on the type of video server installed.
Connect AES ports to Audio ports and SDI ports to Video ports on the video server.
Table 20-1 Baseband Connections Step Description Connect the IEEE 1394 cable from Connect the IEEE 1394 cable from the the transcoder to the transcoder to the DV port on Canopus capture board. the Canopus capture board. This provides DV video and audio to and from the capture board. Connect an S-Video to S-Video cable from the transcoder to the In2 port on the capture board. Provides a composite analog signal from the transcoder to the In2 port on the capture board.
Table 20-1 Baseband Connections (Continued) Step Description Connect the SDI ports on the transcoder to the Video ports on the video server. Connect the SDI Input port on the transcoder to the Video Output port on the video server. Connect the SDI Output port on the transcoder to the Video Input port on the video server. Configuring a 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.
To configure the video server as a deck: 1. Click the Settings button in the Project window. The Settings scroll list appears. 2. Double-click Deck Configuration. The Deck Configuration dialog box appears. 3. Click Add Channel. The Channel dialog box appears. 4. Choose Direct from the Channel Type pop-up menu. 5. Choose a port from the Ports pop-up menu. Make sure that this port corresponds to the port selected for the video server’s serial connection. 6. Click OK.
Transferring Media to a Video Server This section explains how to transfer media from Avid NewsCutter XP to a video server by using a baseband connection. To transfer a sequence from Avid NewsCutter XP to a video server: 1. Add the TapeID heading to the bin that includes the sequence as follows: a. Click the Fast Menu button in the left corner of the bin window and choose Headings. The Bin Column Selection dialog box appears. b. Select TapeID and click OK.
Play Digital Cut button 6. Select Entire Sequence. 7. Select Remote. 8. Choose Mark In Time from the Record to Tape pop-up menu. 9. Choose a tape name as follows: a. Click the Tape Name display. The Select Tape dialog box opens. b. Click the New button. A New Tape name line appears in the dialog box. c. Type a new name, press Enter and click OK. 10. 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.
Transferring Media from a Video Server After you connect the video server and select the appropriate settings, you can record media from the video server to Avid NewsCutter XP. Some video servers allow you to drag clips from the video server’s user interface into the Record tool in Avid NewsCutter XP. 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.
CHAPTER 21 Transferring Media by Using a Network Connection This chapter explains how to transfer media between Avid NewsCutter XP and a video server by using a network connection. The media coming into the video server is transferred to Avid NewsCutter XP by using a baseband connection.
Transferring Media by Using Fibre Channel Avid recommends using Fibre Channel to transfer media from Avid NewsCutter XP to the video server. Fibre Channel is faster than baseband and has dual-send capabilities. n You can transfer only sequences between Avid NewsCutter XP and the video server. If you want to transfer a clip, you must place it in a sequence before the transfer. n The names of the clips and sequences being transferred can contain only alphanumeric characters.
Setting the AvidNet Transfer Tool to Start Automatically To set the AvidNet Transfer Tool to start automatically: 1. In the Project window, click the Settings button. The Settings scroll list appears. 2. Double-click AvidNet. The AvidNet Settings dialog box appears.
3. Select Use AvidNet and click OK. AvidNet starts automatically the next time you start Avid NewsCutter XP. Transferring Media by Using a Network Connection When AvidNet is running, you can transfer media from Avid NewsCutter XP to the video server using a network connection. To transfer media from the video server to Avid NewsCutter XP, you must use a baseband connection. See “Transferring Media from a Video Server” on page 556. To transfer media from Avid NewsCutter XP to the video server: 1.
3. Choose the video server from the Destination list, or click New to create a new destination if you have not yet created one for the video server. 4. Depending on which type of video server is installed, the video server destination might be the Fibre Channel IP address, the video server Ethernet IP address, or the hostname of the Avid NewsCutter XP system. For the correct address, see your video server documentation or contact your network administrator.
n The Fibre Channel workgroup can support only one Play While Transfer operation at a time. t Normal — Completes the transfer before allowing playback. 6. Click OK to complete the transfer. MediaManager shows available movies on the video server, so the sequence will appear in the Default bin in MediaManager when the transfer is completed.
APPENDIX A Using AudioSuite Plug-Ins This appendix describes how to access and use the AudioSuite Plug-Ins, including the set of core plug-ins that comes with your Avid system. It also provides a list of other plug-ins that are supported by this release.
Accessing the AudioSuite Plug-Ins To access the plug-ins: t Choose AudioSuite from the Tools menu. The AudioSuite window opens. Core AudioSuite Plug-Ins The following basic plug-ins are installed automatically as part of the Avid system software installation: • Invert — Inverts the polarity (phase of the audio file). • Duplicate — Creates a new master clip from a selected audio clip. The plug-in uses the IN and OUT points on the selected clip to define the boundaries of the new clip.
• Compressor — Reduces the dynamic range of signals that exceed a selected threshold by a specific amount. • Limiter — Prevents signal peaks from exceeding a chosen level so that they don’t overload amplifiers or recording devices. • Gate — Reduces noise by decreasing the gain of signals that fall below a user-selectable threshold. • Expander/Gate — Performs the same function as the Gate plug-in with the addition of expander features.
Digidesign D-Fi The set of D-Fi™ plug-ins provides analog synthesizer effects: • Lo-Fi™ adds noise generation, bit-rate reduction, distortion, and saturation to sound. • Sci-Fi™ adds analog synthesizer-type ring modulation, frequency modulation, and variable frequency resonator. • Recti-Fi™ generates new harmonics and subharmonics through waveform rectification. • Vari-Fi™ adds tape and turntable “start up” and “slow down” effects.
Invert The Invert plug-in reverses the polarity of the selected audio. All positive sample amplitude values are made negative, and all negative amplitudes are made positive. This process is useful for permanently altering the phase (polarity) relationship of tracks. Inverting can be useful when mixing because it alters frequency response between source tracks recorded with multiple microphones and also allows you to correct for audio that was recorded out of phase.
Editing any of these controls automatically calculates the equivalent value in the others. To configure the Normalize parameters: 1. Type the amount of boost you want applied during the Normalize process. 2. To set a specific decibel amount below maximum, double-click and type that value in the Max Peak at: (dB) text box. 3. To set the amount of normalization as a percentage of maximum, type the percentage you want in the Max Peak at: (%) text box.
DC Offset The DC Offset plug-in removes DC offset from your audio files. The term “DC offset” describes a specific type of audio artifact that might appears in digital audio signals. The DC Offset plug-in can be identified in a waveform overview because it appears to have a near-vertical fade in with a constant or “steady-state” offset from zero when the file is actually “silent” (it contains no audible audio).
Master Clip Mode Parallel Processing The Time Compression/Expansion plug-in allows two tracks to be time-compressed or expanded as a “stereo pair,” so that the two sides of the stereo signal are processed relative to each other. The Time Compression/Expansion plug-in has special parameters that let you enter time compression or expansion values in different formats, as explained below. They are located in the Source and Destination columns, and also include the Ratio slider.
To use the special control features: • Press and hold the Ctrl key to engage slider fine-tune mode. • Alt+click a field or slider to reset its default value. Time Compression/Expansion Parameters The Time Compression/Expansion plug-in has the following parameters: Source and Destination The Source text boxes display the length of the current selection before processing in each of the listed formats.
The controls below the bar line allow you to fine-tune the time compression/expansion process. They include the Crossfade, Min Pitch, and Accuracy sliders. Crossfade The Crossfade slider allows you to manually adjust the crossfade length in milliseconds to optimize performance of the Time Compression/Expansion plug-in according to the type of audio material you are processing.
compression/expansion process for maximum efficiency — it all depends on the audio’s spectral shape. This slider should be set lower when you process bass guitar or another instrument with a similarly low range. Set the min pitch higher when processing instruments such as snare drums, violins, and other higher range instruments and sounds. Experiment with combinations of the other fine-tune controls in relation to the Min Pitch slider.
Edit the Pitch Shift parameters by double-clicking and typing in any Destination text box or by clicking and dragging the sliders. All Pitch Shift plug-in controls are linked, so that changing one changes the others.
Pitch Shift Parameters The Pitch Shift plug-in has the following parameters: Gain The Gain controls set the input level, in tenths of a decibel. The input level should be set so that the plug-in can adequately handle amplitude peaks in the selection. Dragging the slider to the right increases gain, and dragging the slider to the left decreases gain. Coarse and Fine Adjust the pitch by dragging either of the two faders, or by typing values in the Coarse and Fine text boxes.
Ratio The Ratio slider lets you set the amount of transposition (pitch change). Moving the slider to the right raises the pitch of the processed file, and moving the slider to the left decreases its pitch. Press and hold the Ctrl key while dragging the slider to fine-adjust. n For a description of the Crossfade, Min Pitch, and Accuracy sliders, see “Crossfade” on page 572.
EQ There are two EQ plug-ins: • 1-Band EQ II • 4-Band EQ II The EQ II plug-ins provide an enhanced “British EQ” sound that is favored by contemporary audio engineers and producers. EQ II Parameters The EQ II plug-ins have the following parameters: Input Allows you to control the input gain of the EQ to prevent the possibility of clipping.
Gain Allows you to control the amount that the selected frequencies are cut or boosted. Q (Peak only) Allows you to set the bandwidth of the Peak filter. Higher values represent narrower bandwidths. Lower values represent wider bandwidths. Bypass Bypasses the EQ. The 4-Band EQ II has individual Bypass buttons for each band (black buttons with EQ curve icons).
High-Shelf Produces a lift or a cut at the specified frequency and above it. Low-Pass Attenuates all frequencies above the selected cutoff frequency setting at a rate of 12 dB per octave while allowing all others below the frequency to pass through. For this reason, no gain control is available for this filter. Compressor The Compressor plug-in reduces the dynamic range of signals that exceed a selected threshold by a specific amount.
could cause gain reduction that persists through a soft section. Of course, compression has many creative uses that break these rules. The Compressor has built-in metering that allows you to monitor the amount of gain reduction taking place. The Gain Reduction meter usually remains at 0 level when the input signal is below the threshold, and falls to the left to show the amount of gain reduction in decibels when the input signal exceeds the threshold.
Threshold Allows you to set the threshold level. Signals that exceed this level will be compressed. Signals that are below it will be unaffected. A level setting of 0 dB is equivalent to no compression. Unlike scales on analog compressors, metering scales on a digital device reflect a 0-dB value, which indicates full scale (fs)—the full-code signal level. There is no headroom above 0 dB. Ratio Allows you to set the compression ratio. The range is based on decibels above the threshold.
Knee Allows you to set the rate at which the compressor reaches full compression once the threshold has been exceeded. This parameter ranges from 0 (hardest response) to 200 (softest response). Graph Displays the response curve set by the Compressor’s Threshold, Ratio, and Knee settings. As you adjust these parameters, refer to the graph to see how the shape of this curve changes. It allows you to see the effect of your settings. External Key This parameter has no effect on the AudioSuite Plug-Ins.
Limiting is used to remove occasional peaks because gain reduction on successive peaks wouldn’t be noticeable. If audio material contains many peaks, the threshold should be raised and the gain manually reduced so that only occasional, extreme peaks are limited. The Limiter’s ratio is internally set to 100:1 and the attack time is automatically set to 0 milliseconds. The Limiter is similar to heavy compression.
Threshold Allows you to set the threshold level. Signals that exceed this level will be limited. Signals that are below it will be unaffected. Attack Allows you to set the Limiter’s attack time. The smaller the value, the faster the attack. The faster the attack, the faster the Limiter applies attenuation to the signal. In general, if you use fast attack times and heavy limiting, you should use a proportionally longer release time, particularly with material that contains many peaks in close proximity.
Gate The Gate plug-in reduces noise by decreasing the gain of signals that fall below a user-selectable threshold. Gate Parameters The Gate plug-in has the following parameters: Phase Invert Allows you to invert the phase (polarity) of the input signal in order to change frequency response between multi-miked sources or to correct for miswired microphone cables. Gating Indicates the amount of reduction in dB. Threshold Allows you to set the threshold level. Signals that exceed this level will pass through.
Decay Allows you to control how long it takes for the Gate to close after the signal falls below the threshold level. Range Sets the depth of the Gate when closed. This parameter has a maximum depth of -80 dB. Setting the Gate to higher range levels allows more of the gated audio that falls below the threshold to peek through the gate at all times.
Expanders can be thought of as soft-noise gates because they provide a gentler way of cutting off noisy low-level signals than the typically abrupt cutoff of a gate. If you want, however, you can use this plug-in as Gate by setting the Ratio to its maximum value and using short Attack, Decay, and Hold settings.
Attack Allows you to set the Expander’s attack time. This parameter determines how quickly a signal’s level is reduced once it falls below the threshold. This setting, along with the Ratio setting, allows you to control how soft the Expander’s gain reduction curve is. Hold Allows you to specify a duration (in seconds or milliseconds) that the Expander/Gate will stay open after the initial attack cycle.
Graph Displays the response curve set by the Expander/Gate’s Threshold, Ratio, and Range settings. As you adjust these parameters, refer to the graph to see how the shape of this curve changes. It allows you to see the effect of your settings. External Key This parameter has no effect on the AudioSuite Plug-Ins. Key Listen This parameter has no effect on the AudioSuite Plug-Ins. Mod Delay The Mod Delay plug-ins provide time-delay-based effects.
Input Allows you to control the input volume of the delay to prevent clipping. Wet/Dry Allows you to control the balance between the delayed signal and the original signal. If you are using a delay for flanging or chorusing, you can control the depth of the effect somewhat with the Wet/Dry setting. LPF (Low-Pass Filter) Controls the cutoff frequency of the low-pass filter. This parameter allows you to attenuate the high-frequency content of the feedback signal.
APPENDIX B File Format Specifications To be compatible with a variety of imaging standards, Avid NewsCutter XP accommodates many file types and formats. For import and export procedures, see Chapter 17 and Chapter 18. This appendix contains descriptions, specifications, and notes for importing and exporting specific file formats. To ensure usability and high quality, the files in some formats require preparation before being imported to the Avid NewsCutter XP application.
Graphic (Image) Files Avid NewsCutter XP uses Image Independence® to produce usable files from a large number of graphic formats. Once you have imported a format, you can export it, with the exception of Photo CD™; you cannot export a file to a Photo CD. The following list briefly describes the supported graphic (image) file formats: • Alias®: Alias PIX image format, developed by Alias Research, Inc. (now Alias|Wavefront™) for use with their animation and visualization software.
• PCX: Developed by Zsoft Corporation for use with their PC PaintBrush paint software. • PhotoCD (import only): Developed by Kodak for use with the Kodak PhotoCD™ storage medium. You cannot import this format directly into Avid NewsCutter XP. However, you can open the file in an application such as Photoshop and use the Save As feature to save the file in a format that can be imported, such as Targa, PICT, or TIFF.
• Wavefront: Developed by Wavefront Technologies, Inc. (now Alias|Wavefront) for storing pictures in a machine-independent manner. • XWindows: Developed by the MIT X Consortium and supported by many X Window System applications on workstations and some personal computers. • YUV: Defined by Abekas Video Systems (now Scitex Digital Video, Inc.), the YUV format is the raw data sent to the Abekas® machines.
Graphic File Import Specifications Table B-1 contains graphic file import specifications. The table uses the following terms: • Full-screen image size: These numbers describe the recommended width and height, in pixels, to create a source image that will be displayed full-screen after import. Using these dimensions helps minimize distortion after conversion to the Avid application native resolution of 720 x 486 non-square pixels for NTSC or 720 x 576 for PAL.
Table B-1 Graphic File Import Specifications Format Default Recommended Bit Depth Exten- Full-Screen sion Size (Pixels) Support Alpha Channel Support Notes Alias .als 720 x 486 NTSC 24-bit color, 720 x 576 PAL 8-bit grayscale No BMP .bmp 720 x 486 NTSC 1-, 4-, 8-, and 24-bit 720 x 576 PAL No Dots-per-inch (dpi) information is preserved. Four-bit BMP files saved with RLE compression are not supported. Photoshop does not support four-channel BMP files. Chyron .
Table B-1 Graphic File Import Specifications (Continued) Format Default Recommended Bit Depth Exten- Full-Screen Support sion Size (Pixels) IFF .iff Alpha Channel Support Notes 720 x 486 NTSC 1-bit through 24-bit 1-bit 720 x 576 PAL color; alpha 1-bit through 8-bit only grayscale; 64-color EHB; 4096-color HAM; 262,144-color HAM8; SHAM; A-HAM; A-RES JPEG .jpg 720 x 486 NTSC 24-bit color, 720 x 576 PAL 8-bit grayscale OMFI .omf 720 x 486 NTSC 720 x 576 PAL PCX .
Table B-1 Graphic File Import Specifications (Continued) Format Default Recommended Bit Depth Exten- Full-Screen Support sion Size (Pixels) Alpha Channel Support Notes Pixar .pxr 720 x 486 NTSC 24-bit, 36-bit 720 x 576 PAL Yes PNG .png 720 x 486 NTSC 1-bit through 32-bit 720 x 576 PAL Yes QRT .dbw 720 x 486 NTSC 24-bit 720 x 576 PAL No Rendition .6rn 720 x 486 NTSC 32-bit 720 x 576 PAL Yes SGI .
Table B-1 Graphic File Import Specifications (Continued) Format Default Recommended Bit Depth Exten- Full-Screen Support sion Size (Pixels) Alpha Channel Support Notes SunRaster .sun 720 x 486 NTSC 1-, 8-, or 24-bit 720 x 576 PAL No Targa .tga 720 x 486 NTSC 8-, 15-, 16-, or 24-bit; 720 x 576 PAL 32-bit Yes TIFF .
Animation Files Avid NewsCutter XP supports the following animation file formats: • AVI (Audio Video Interleave): Developed by Microsoft for storing video and audio information as part of its Video for Windows standard. • ERIMovie: Developed by Elastic Reality, Inc. (now a division of Avid Technology, Inc.) for quick playback of rendered movies on Silicon Graphics, Inc. platforms. • PICS: Developed by Apple Computer, Inc. A PICS file is a sequence of PICT images.
Table B-2 Format ERIMovie Animation File Import Specifications Default Alpha Exten- Bit Depth Channel sion Support Notes Support .mov or 24-bit Yes .eri packed and 32-bit raw movie files QuickTime for Windows also uses the .mov extension. However, QuickTime does not support ERIMovie, and double-clicking an ERIMovie file will cause an error. is no player for ERIMovie on Macintosh or n There Windows platforms; the mview program supports ERIMovie on Silicon Graphics systems. PICS Animation .
Table B-3 QuickTime Import and Export Specifications QuickTime File Import Specifications Notes QuickTime files QuickTime import and export requires QuickTime software, Version 4.0 or later. QuickTime software is installed when you install the Avid NewsCutter XP application. Avid QuickTime files Use the Avid QuickTime codec for importing QuickTime files into a non-DV Avid system when you export from Avid NewsCutter XP or a third-party application.
The information in Table B-4 applies to using AVI files with Avid NewsCutter XP. Table B-4 AVI File Import and Export Specifications Avid AVI codec AVI Import and Export Specifications Notes You can import and export Avid AVI files by using standard AVI conversion or by using the Avid AVI codec. Use the Avid AVI codec for importing AVI files into a non-DV Avid system when you export from Avid NewsCutter XP or a third-party application.
Audio File Formats The following list briefly describes the supported audio file formats: n • Audio Interchange File Format (AIFF-C): Format for audio files developed by Apple Computer, Inc. • WAVE Format (WAV): Format for audio files developed jointly by Microsoft and IBM. WAV files are playable by nearly all Windows applications that support sound. You can record, render, and edit audio in AIFF-C or WAV file formats. OMFI Files OMFI was developed by Avid Technology, Inc.
. Table B-5 OMFI File Import Specifications OMFI File Import Specifications Notes Resolution For optimum import speed and quality, export or render the file from the source application at the resolution you want, and then import the file into the Avid NewsCutter XP application at that resolution. To do this, click Options in the Import File(s) into Bin dialog box, and then select Use Source from the OMFI Resolution area of the Import Settings dialog box.
Table B-5 OMFI File Import Specifications (Continued) OMFI File Import Specifications Notes Avid MCXpress™ for Windows NT files If you are importing OMFI compositions from Avid MCXpress for Windows NT, you may get an error if the sequence includes video or audio effects. If this happens, create a cuts-only version of the sequence in Avid MCXpress and export it again. You cannot import video media from Avid MCXpress for Windows NT; if you import a composition, you must rerecord the media.
APPENDIX C Avid Log Specifications This section explains the Avid log file format. The Avid NewsCutter XP application can import logs that meet Avid log specifications. These logs must follow the formatting requirements.
Log Formats Table C-1 lists the log formats that can be imported directly into the Avid NewsCutter XP application. You can use a text editor to adapt other log formats so that they meet Avid log specifications. Table C-1 Compatible Log Formats Log File Name Extension Avid logs .ale Evertz .ftl Keyscope .ksl Log right .ale Understanding Avid Log Specifications This section contains tables that show how to enter headings and data to create an Avid log.
• The final column contains notes about the heading or values. The following is a sample heading from the format table: FPS [Tab] <25> <29.97> [Enter] Required Capture rate is 25 fps for PAL and 29.97 fps for NTSC video. Note that FPS is a required heading. The information in this sample tells how to make a log entry for the FPS heading: 1. Type FPS. 2. Press the Tab key. 3. Type one of the supported values (25 or 29.97). 4. Press Enter.
The maximum number of combined global, standard, and custom headings in a log file is 64. Global Headings The global headings must come first in an Avid log file, and you must enter one value for each heading. Table C-2 shows the format for the global headings and the supported values for each heading. Table C-2 Avid Log Global Headings GLOBAL HEADINGS: Global headings are case sensitive and must be spelled exactly as shown. Include all required headings.
Table C-2 TAPE [Tab] FPS [Tab] <25> <29.97> Avid Log Global Headings (Continued) [Enter] Required Name of the videotape reel you are logging. If you omit this heading, the file name becomes the global tape name. You can override this for individual clips. [Enter] Required Capture rate is 25 fps for PAL and 29.97 fps for NTSC video. [Enter] Press Enter a second time after entering the FPS value. This marks the end of the global headings.
Table C-3 Avid Log Column Headings COLUMN HEADINGS: Column headings are case sensitive and must be spelled exactly as shown. Note that the first five headings are required. Other headings are optional but may be necessary for your project. The maximum number of combined global, standard, and custom headings in a log file is 64. Column [Enter] Required Indicates the start of the column headings. Name [Tab] Required Heading for clip name.
Table C-3 Avid Log Column Headings (Continued) Offline [Tab] Heading for tracks currently without recorded media files online. Modified Date [Tab] Heading for date of clip modification. Project [Tab] Heading for project associated with clip. Tape [Tab] Heading for source tape ID for the individual clip. If omitted, the global entry applies. Video [Tab] Heading for video resolution. COMMENTS [Tab] Heading for comments about clip.
Be sure to enter data for all the required values. To leave a data position unfilled, press the Tab key instead of typing data. Press Enter at the end of each line. Table C-4 Avid Log Data Headings DATA HEADINGS: The word Data marks the start of the data for each clip. Data [Enter] Required Enter the word Data to mark the start of the logged clip entries. DATA FOR EACH CLIP: Enter a line of data for each clip. Enter the data so that it aligns with its column heading.
Table C-4 Avid Log Data Headings (Continued) <48 kHz> [Tab] Under AUDIO_FORMAT heading. Enter the audio sample rate for this clip only. If omitted, global entry applies. [Tab] Under Tape heading. Enter the source videotape ID for this clip only.
Heading [Enter] FIELD_DELIM [Tab] TABS [Enter] VIDEO_FORMAT [Tab] NTSC [Enter] AUDIO_FORMAT [Tab] 44khz [Enter] TAPE [Tab] 001 [Enter] [Enter] Column [Enter] Name [Tab] Tracks [Tab] Start [Tab] End [Tab] [Enter] Data [Enter] CU Josh & Mary [Tab] V [Tab] 01:00:00:00 [Tab] 01:15:05:00 [Enter] CU Josh [Tab] VA1 [Tab] 01:15:06:00 [Tab] 01:20:00:00 [Enter] 616
Glossary 1394 See IEEE Standard 1394. 2:3 pulldown See pulldown. 3/4-inch U-matic One of the first composite videocassette formats, in which the composite signal is recorded onto 3/4-inch tape. Used for many years, particularly in field recording, the U-matic format is slowly being replaced by more advanced and lightweight systems. 4:2:2 digital video A digital video system defined by the ITU-R 601 (CCIR 601) technical documentation.
add edit ADR An edit added between consecutive frames in a sequence segment within the Timeline. An add edit separates segment sections so the user can modify or add effects to a subsection of the segment. 1. Automatic display replacement. The process of looping playback of a selected region in a sequence and automatically recording multiple replacement takes. 2. Automatic dialog replacement in film. Also called dubbing. AES Audio Engineering Society.
See also B-mode, C-mode, D-mode, E-mode, source mode. analog recording The common form of magnetic recording where the recorded waveform signal maintains the shape of the original waveform signal. All videotape source footage is analog. When recorded (via telecine transfer), footage is converted from the analog format to a digital format. answer print A print made of the final cut for review before the final release print is created. See also work print.
audio, and computer data over the same network and ensures that no single type of data ties up the line. Current implementations of ATM support data transfer rates of 25 to 622 Mb/s (megabits per second). This compares to a maximum of 100 Mb/s for Ethernet, the current technology used for most local area networks (LANs). ATR Audiotape recorder. A device for recording and reproducing sound on magnetic recording tape. Attic folder The folder containing backups of your files or bins.
AUX Auxiliary track. In a video editing system, a channel reserved for connecting an external audio device, video device, or both. Avid disk The disk that contains the operating system files. The computer needs operating system information in order to run. AvidNet Avid’s Transfer Tool that allows you to share and exchange digital media among Avid systems over local and wide area networks.
batch digitize/batch record The automated process in which groups of clips, sequences, or both are digitized (recorded digitally). baud The number of electrical oscillations that occur each second. Baud was the prevalent measure for bandwidth or data transmission capacity, but bps (bits per second) is used most often now and is more accurate. Bento A general container format and software API (application programming interface) developed by Apple Computer, Inc.
black burst generator An electronic device that emits a signal that registers as pure black when recorded on videotape. blacked tapes See black and code. black level See setup. blue screen A special effects procedure in which a subject is photographed in front of a uniformly illuminated blue or green background. A new background image can be substituted for the blue or green during the shoot or in postproduction through the use of chroma key.
BVB Black-Video-Black. A preview mode that displays black, newly inserted video, and then black again. B–Y One of the color difference signals in the component color system of the NTSC video standard. The signal formula is: B–Y = 0.299R (red) – 0.587G (green) + 0.886B (blue) See also R–Y, Y. Capture Mask effect An effect that converts the format of source data during playback. For example, it could convert video frame data between PAL (25 fps) and NTSC (29.97 fps) formats.
chroma Video color. See also chrominance. chroma key A method of combining images or parts of images from two different sources by replacing a solid color in one source with a picture from the second source. chrominance The saturation and hue characteristics of a composite video signal; the portion of the video signal that contains color information. Adjust chrominance and other video levels before recording. See also chroma. cinching Videotape damage due to creasing or folding.
C-mode A nonsequential method of assembly in which the edit decision list (EDL) is arranged by source tape number and ascending source timecode. See also A-mode, B-mode, D-mode, E-mode, source mode. codec Compressor/decompressor. Any technology for compressing and decompressing data. Codecs can be implemented in both software and hardware. Some examples of codecs are: Cinepak, MPEG, and QuickTime.
composite print A film print containing both picture and sound. composite sound track A sound track containing all required sound elements — usually dialog, music, and effects mixed in correct proportions. composite video A video signal in which the luminance and chrominance components have been combined (encoded) as in standard PAL, NTSC, or SECAM formats. compositing The process of layering two or more images on top of one another. Examples include titles, keys, and picture-in-pictures.
consolidate To make copies of media files or portions of media files, and then save them on a drive. The Consolidate feature operates differently for master clips, subclips, and sequences. contrast The range of light-to-dark values present in a film or video image. control track The portion of the video recording used to control longitudinal motion of the tape during playback. Control track can be thought of as electronic sprocket holes on the videotape. CPU Central processing unit.
cut list A series of output lists containing specifications used to conform the film work print or negative. See also dupe list. D1, D5 Two digital videotape recording formats that conform to the ITU-R 601 (CCIR-601) standard for uncompressed 4:2:2 digital component video. D5 is very similar to D1 in that it is a component digital recorder. However, D1 records with 8-bit accuracy; D5 records with 10-bit accuracy. D2, D3 Two digital videotape recording formats for composite video.
degauss To demagnetize (erase) all recorded material on a magnetic videotape, an audiotape, or the screen of a color monitor. delay edit See overlap edit. depth shadow A shadow that extends solidly from the edges of a title or shape to make it appear three-dimensional. See also drop shadow. digital cut The output of a sequence, which is usually recorded to tape. digital recording A method of recording in which the recorded signal is encoded on the tape in pulses and then decoded during playback.
See also A-mode, B-mode, C-mode, E-mode, source mode. dongle A hardware device used as a key to control the use of licensed software. The software can be installed on any system but will run only on the system that has a dongle installed. The dongle connects to the Apple Desktop Bus on Macintosh systems or to the parallel (printer) port on PC systems. double-perf film Film stock with perforations along both edges of the film.
dubmaster A second-generation copy of a program master used for making additional preview or distribution copies, thereby protecting the master from overuse. dupe Duplicate. A section of film or video source footage that has been repeated (duplicated) one or more times in an edited program. dupe list A sublist of duplicated clips of film requiring additional prints or copies of negative for film finishing. See also cut list.
edge filter A filter that applies anti-aliasing to graphics created in the Title tool. edge numbers Sequential numbers mechanically printed or optically exposed along the edge of a strip of film to assist in matching negatives to work prints. edit To assemble film or video, audio, effects, titles, and graphics to create a sequence. edit controller An electronic device, often computer-based, that allows an editor to precisely control, play, and record to various videotape machines.
electronic editing The assembly of a finished video program in which scenes are joined without physically splicing the tape. Electronic editing requires at least two decks: one for playback and the other for recording. E-mode A C-mode edit decision list (EDL) in which all effects (dissolves, wipes, and graphic overlays) are performed at the end. See also A-mode, B-mode, C-mode, D-mode, source mode. encoding 1.
FCC Federal Communications Commission. The United States governing body for radio and television broadcasting. feedback A loud squeal or howl caused when the sound from a loudspeaker is picked up by a nearby microphone and reamplified. Also caused when the output of a tape recorder is fed back into the record circuit. field One-half of the scan lines in an interlaced video frame. In most systems, the odd-numbered lines form one field, and the even-numbered lines form the second.
format To prepare a disk drive or floppy disk for use. For Windows NT computers, you format a disk drive by copying a file system (either FAT or NTFS) to the drive. formatting The transfer and editing of material to form a complete program, including any of the following: countdown, test patterns, bars and tone, titles, credits, logos, space for commercial, and so forth. fps Frames per second. A measure of the film or video display rates (NTSC = 30 fps; PAL = 25 fps; SECAM = 25 fps; Film = 24 fps).
gain 1. A measurement of the amount of white in a video picture. Gain is adjusted in the Video Input tool and Video Output tool. 2. Audio levels or loudness. See also waveform. gang Any combination of multiple tracks that are grouped. Any edit that is performed on one track is also performed on tracks that are ganged together. generation The number of times material has been rerecorded. The original videotaped material is the first generation.
handles are used for dissolves and trims with the new, shorter master clips. hard disk A magnetic data recording disk that is permanently mounted within a disk drive. hard recording The immediate recording of all audio, video, timecode, and control tracks on a magnetic recorder. Because hard recording creates breaks in any existing timecode or control track on the tape, this procedure is often performed on blank tape when an edit is not required or in emergency circumstances. Also called crash recording.
hue An attribute of color perception. Red, green, blue form the color model used, in varying proportions, to produce all the colors displayed in video and on computer screens. Hue levels are adjusted with the Video Input tool and the Video Output tool. Also called a color phase. See also vectorscope. IEEE Standard 1394 The international hardware and software standard for transporting data at 100, 200, or 300 megabits per second (Mb/s).
IRE A unit of measurement of the video waveform scale for the measurement of video levels, originally established by the Institute of Radio Engineers. The scale is divided into 140 IRE units, 100 above the blanking reference line and 40 below it. ISO 1. Isolation reel. In multicamera production, the source reel for the separate (isolated) recording of a single camera, alongside simultaneous recordings of the other cameras and a switched line feed. 2. International Organization for Standardization.
KEM roll The roll of film used on a KEM flatbed editing system. A KEM roll combines multiple takes onto a single roll (a work print, not a negative). The maximum length of a KEM roll is 1000 ft (35 mm). kerning The spacing between text characters in print media, such as titles. key To combine a selected image from one source with an image from another source. See also chroma key. key color The solid color used to key. keyframes The frames used in an effect.
layered tracks The elements of an effect created by combining two or more tracks in a specified way, such as nesting one track as a layer within another. L-cut See overlap edit. leader A length of film, tape, or a digital clip placed at the beginning of a roll, reel, or sequence to facilitate the cueing and syncing of material. level A quantitative measure of a video or an audio signal.
lossy compression A compression scheme in which data is thrown away, resulting in loss of image quality. The degree of loss depends on the specific compression algorithm used. LS Long shot. LTC Longitudinal timecode. A type of SMPTE timecode that is recorded on the audio track of a videotape. Compare with VITC. luminance The measure of the intensity of the combined color (white) portion of a video signal.
master shot The shot that serves as the basic scene, and into which all cutaways and closeups will be inserted during editing. A master shot is often a wide shot showing all characters and action in the scene. master/slave A video-editing process in which one or more decks (the slaves) are set to imitate the actions of another deck (the master).
MIDI Musical Instrument Digital Interface. A standard protocol that allows a user to control electronic music equipment from a PC. MII format A component videotape format created by Panasonic in an effort to compete with Sony Betacam. MII is an extension of the VHS consumer format as Sony Betacam is an extension of the Betamax home video technology. mix 1. A transition from one video source to another in a switcher. 2.
multiple B-roll A duplicate of the original source tape, created so that overlays can be merged onto one source tape. multitrack A magnetic tape or film recorder capable of recording more than one track at a time. NAB National Association of Broadcasters. Nagra A brand of audiotape recorder widely used in the film production and postproduction industries. negative 1. A film element in which the light and dark areas are reversed compared to the original scene; the opposite of a positive. 2.
NTSC National Television Standards Committee. The group that established the color television transmission system used in the United States, using 525 lines of information scanned at a rate of approximately 30 fps. See also PAL, SECAM. offline Pertaining to items that are unavailable to the computer, such as offline disks or media files. offline edit The preliminary or rough-cut editing that produces an edit decision list (EDL). OMFI Open Media Framework Interchange.
origin A reference point for measuring sections of recorded sample data. A file mob value for the start position in the media is expressed in relation to the origin. Although the same sample data can be rerecorded and more sample data might be added, the origin remains the same so that composition source clips that reference it remain valid. original negative The actual film stock used in the camera to photograph a scene.
patching The routing of audio or video from one channel or track in the sequence to another. pedestal See setup. points The mark IN and mark OUT made in the Timeline. pop-up monitor An ancillary monitor used to view and mark clips and sequences. position bar The horizontal rectangular area beneath the Composer and Source pop-up monitors that contains the position indicator.
print A positive copy of the film negative produced in the laboratory. See also answer print, release print, work print. process shot A shot photographed specifically to be part of a special effects composite. project A data device used to organize the work done on a program or series of programs. Bins, rundowns, and settings are organized in the Project window. The project bins contain all your clips, sequences, effects, and media file pointers.
RAID Redundant Array of Independent Disks. The storage device standards that provide fault tolerance, helping to recover a system if a drive malfunctions. RAID is also used to enhance throughput of stored data. RAM Random access memory. Computer memory that is volatile and unsaved — information in RAM clears when the computer is turned off. random access The ability to move to a video point instantly, without having to shuttle. real time The actual clock time in which events occur.
rendering The merging of effect layers to create one stream of digital video for playback in real time. repeat effect A type of effect for repeating a frame so that it appears to “freeze” or stop the frame, or for repeating a series of frames, such as a series of animation frames. replace edit An edit in which a segment in the sequence is overwritten or replaced with source material of matching duration.
See also work print. RS-170A The Electronic Industries Association timing specification for NTSC broadcast video equipment. RS-170A specifies the timing of scans and blanking required to decode color signals. RS-232C The Electronic Industries Association standard interface for connecting serial devices. Usually referred to by the original standard name of RS-232. The standard supports two types of connectors: a 25-pin D-type connector and a 9-pin D-type connector.
sample rate The frequency of the sample units. sample unit A unit of measure used in recording media data from a physical source, such as a videotape. Media data contains its own sample rate and the size of each sample in bytes. sampling The process of measuring the value of an analog signal at regular intervals during digitization. These measurements (“samples”) are used to construct a digital representation of the signal. saturation A measurement of chrominance.
See also NTSC, PAL. SEG Special effects generator. A section of a switcher that provides the capability to perform wipes of various patterns. segment A section of a track or clip within a sequence in the Timeline that can be edited. sequence An edited composition that often includes audio and video clips and rendered effects connected by applied transitions. A sequence is created and is imported into AudioVision for audio mixing.
sifting The displaying of clips that meet specific criteria in a bin. signal-to-noise ratio The ratio of a wanted signal to an unwanted signal. silence Blank (black) space in the audio tracks in a Timeline that contains no audio material. single-perf film Film stock that is perforated along one edge only. slate An identification board held briefly in front of the camera at the beginning of a take that displays information about the take.
Sound Designer II An audio file format used for import and export of digital audio tracks. Sound Designer II is a trademarked product of Digidesign, a division of Avid Technology, Inc. source clip One of the lowest level building blocks of a sequence composition. See also clip, master clip, subclip. source mode A method of assembly that determines in what order the edit controller reads the edit decision list (EDL) and assembles the final tape.
storyboard A series of pictures (traditionally sketches) designed to show how a production will look. Comic books are essentially storyboards. Storyboards and subsequent sequences can be created by manipulating images from the recorded footage in a bin. streaming A technology that allows users to watch a video clip or movie over the Internet while the video is being copied to their computers. See also video stream. striped stock 1.
sync word The portion of SMPTE timecode that indicates the end of each frame and the direction of tape travel. See also timecode, time-of-day timecode. tail frame The last frame in a clip of film or a segment of video. tail slate The slate information recorded at the end of the take instead of at the beginning; usually recorded upside down. tails out Film or videotape wound on a reel with the head next to the hub and the tail on the outside of the reel. TBC Time-base corrector.
TIFF Tag Image File Format. A tag-based system developed by Aldus Corporation for storing and interchanging raster images. The OMF Interchange standard includes TIFF as a common format for graphic interchange, and it includes TIFF with extensions as a common format for video frame data. time-base error A variation in the stable relation of picture information, color information, and video sync pulse during the VTR playback process. See also sync (synchronization).
tone A constant audio frequency signal recorded at the start of a tape at 0 VU (volume units) to provide a reference for later use. Usually recorded in conjunction with color bars. track 1. The section of tape on which a signal is recorded. Also called channel. 2. The sound portion of a video program. 3. A region of a clip or sequence on which audio or video is placed. 4. A playback channel represented in a sequence as either a video track or an audio track.
transition effect A wipe, dissolve, or digital video effect (DVE) applied to an edit transition. See also effects. trim The process of adjusting transitions in a sequence from the Timeline. turnover point In audio equalization, the point at which the parametric curve for a particular shelf starts to return to zero. UHF Ultra High Frequency. One of the television signals for broadcasting in the United States per FCC standards. Compare with VHF. U-matic See 3/4-inch U-matic.
value The actual data associated with a particular property in an OMF Interchange object. VBV Video-Black-Video. A preview mode that shows a previously recorded scene, a black segment, and then the previously recorded scene again. VCR Videocassette recorder. A video recorder that uses consumer-grade videotape formats such as VHS, Betamax, and Hi8. vectorscope A visual display that shows the electronic pattern of the color portion of the video signal.
videocassette A plastic shell containing two reels and a length of videotape. Video Slave Driver A trademarked product of Digidesign, a division of Avid Technology, Inc. A hardware component that synchronizes signal inputs, outputs, and conversions; selects audio frame rates; and selects pulldown of video frames. video stream 1. In analog editing systems, also called a video playback source. 2. In digital editing systems, a stream of data making up a digital video image.
WAVE waveform RIFF Waveform Audio File Format. A widely used format for audio data. OMF Interchange includes it as a common interchange format for audio data. 1. In video, a visual display that shows the electronic pattern of the video signal. It is used to adjust the setup and gain by using a stable reference such as color bars. The Avid waveform uses a single-line display and is accessed from the Video Input tool. See also vectorscope. 2. In audio, a visual representation of changing frequencies.
Y The luminance signal of the component color system in the NTSC video standard. The signal is composed of the following proportions of red, green, and blue: 0.299R + 0.587G + 0.114B See also B–Y, R–Y. Y axis The vertical axis in a three-dimensional system. See also X axis, Z axis. Y, B–Y, R–Y The luminance and color difference signals of the component color system in the NTSC video standard. YUV The letter designations for luminance, luminance minus red, and luminance minus blue.
Index ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ in imported animation 601 options in Import settings 187 support in graphic formats 596 Anti-aliased images 594 Arrow keys navigating with 91 Aspect Ratio options (Import settings) 185 Assemble-edit recording 454 Attic files setting (Bin settings) 68 Audio adjusting output on two-channel systems A A2 timecode option 270 Absolute timecode 270 Add Channel button (Deck Configuration dialog box 122 Add Deck button (Deck Configuration dialog box) 124 Add Edit when trimming 445 A
scrub 367 setting pan defaults 202 time compression 417 tracks mixing down 434 voice-over 424 volume adjusting in Audio Mix tool 375 adjusting in the Timeline 385 adjusting while playing 383 waveform plots, displaying 374 Audio effect tools, accessing 366 Audio EQ (Equalization) adjusting while playing 410 templates 409 Audio EQ (equalization) effect 399 Audio EQ command (Tools menu) 396 Audio EQ tool See also EQ effect examples of uses 406 Fast menu options 400 features of 397 opening 396 saving effects 40
Bin Column Selection dialog box 215 Bin Fast menu opening 209 Bin settings access and brief description of 75 Attic files setting 68 Auto-Save options 68 backup options 68 Bin views customizing 208 types of 207 Bins adding customized columns in 226 aligning columns 224 arranging text columns 223 Bin View pop-up menu 207 changing background color 233 changing custom column headings in 226 deleting columns in 225 display view for 206 duplicating clips and sequences in 211 duplicating columns in 225 hiding col
Save Story (NRCS tool) 530 Send Mail (NRCS tool) 530 clearing from monitors 274 copying 213 cueing, viewing, and playing back 277 deleting 213 duplicating 211 exporting 463 highlighting offline media in Timeline 218 loading in Source pop-up monitor 272 marking IN and OUT points 291 moving 212 sifting 218 sorting 230 Closed Captioned, marking text as (NRCS tool) C Calculator using 95 Calibrating global output levels 450 Calibration tone setting 449 CCIR video levels Import settings 187 Channel dialog box 1
using 96 Consolidating media files defined 248 group clips 252 procedure 251 Copy to Clipboard button 316 Copying clips 213 to Clipboard 315 Crash recording procedure 453 Creating audio leader 240 instant rough cut 310 tone media 152 video leader 239 Crossfading audio 431 Custom headings in Avid logs 611 Custom Sift command (Bin menu) 219 Customizing bin views 208 Cutaways marking with locators 297 Deleting clips and sequences 213 Production cues (NRCS tool) 539 stories (NRCS tool) 533 Dialog boxes Audio M
import specifications for 601 Evertz log format 608 Expander/Gate AudioSuite Plug-In 586 Export settings access and brief description of 75 options for specific file types 482 Video Compression options 481 Export settings dialog box 479 Exporting graphic files 481 MPEG-Ligos 475 OMFI 488 QuickTime Movie 495, 496 Exporting files preparing for 464 preparing for OMFI export 464 procedure for 467 reasons for 463 using drag-and-drop method 469 with Avid AVI codec described 514 installing 516 procedure for 514 wi
rearranging in Frame view 235 Framestore file format brief description of 592 import specifications for 596 Frequencies (audio), adjusting 396 Full-screen image size defined 595 Files exporting procedure for 467 reasons for 463 using drag-and-drop method 469 guidelines for importing 181 importing using drag-and-drop method 193 procedure for importing 189 specifications for importing animation 600 specifications for importing graphics 595 specifications for importing OMFI 605 Filler adding during a trim 360
I K IDH_Project_Window 48 IEEE Standard 1394 118 IFF file format brief description of 592 import specifications for 597 Ignoring volume and pan settings 382 I-Link See IEEE Standard 1394 Import settings 181 access and brief description of 76 alpha channel options 187 aspect ratio options 185 CCIR video levels 187 dominance options 186 RGB graphics levels 187 Importing color bars 238 Importing files before you begin 181 guidelines for 181 procedure for 189 using drag-and-drop method for 193 Info Display wi
Media Tool Fast menu 243 Memory marks adding to tape locations 103 Menu commands Audio EQ (Tools menu) 396 Audio Mix (Tools menu) 375 Audio Mixdown 434 Custom Sift (Bin menu) 219 Hardware (Tools menu) 98 Headings (Bin menu) 215 Load Filler (Clip Name menus) 307 Remove Pan/Vols (Audio Mix Fast menu) M Mail configuring directory for NRCS tool 525 sending (NRCS tool) 545 Maintaining sync with Add Edit 445 Managing bins 58 folders 58 media files 242 Marking entire clips or segments 291 IN and OUT points 291 te
elements of, described 530 entering Edit mode 535 finding read time of a story 541 formatting text 535 logging in 526 Logging out option 525 Mail Directory options 525 making shortcuts to directories 532 marking text as Closed Captioned 537 marking text as normal 539 marking text as Presenter Instructions 536 Message-of-the-Day options 525 opening 524 opening a story 531 overview 523, 557 rearranging text 536 removing shortcuts to directories 533 sending mail 545 understanding the NRCS tool 529 using the Di
relinking media files for 261 saving 42 selecting 38 Pixar file format brief description of 593 import specifications for 598 Playback loop starting 318 Playback with audio scrub 367 Plug-Ins AudioSuite 411 dialog box 412 Fast menu 416 PNG file format additional export options for 486 brief description of 593 import specifications for 598 Position bar using in the Timeline 278 Position indicator using in the Timeline 278 Preparing sequences for export 464 Preroll option (Deck settings) 127 Presenter Instru
Lift/Overwrite edits 334 Segments cutting, copying, and pasting in Timeline Relinking consolidated clips 260 media files 256 moved projects 261 Remove Pan/Vols command (Audio Mix Fast menu) 381 Renaming bins 55 settings 79 Render settings access and brief description of 76 Rendition file format brief description of 593 import specifications for 598 Rerecording See also Batch recording Resizing Composer monitor 277 monitors 275 Restricted characters, file names 37 Reveal File command (File menu) 255 Reverse
export 479 general 69 import 181, 184 interface 71 keyboard 281 moving between systems 520 naming 79 NRCS tool 524 OMFI export 491 record 143 selecting for recording 119 Site 82 trim 349 video server 552 working with multiple 78 workspace 89 Settings scroll list description of 75 SGI file format additional export options for 486 brief description of 593 import specifications for 598 Shortcuts making (NRCS tool) 532 removing (NRCS tool) 533 Shot log files exporting 115 Shot logs See Shot log files Site setti
T Time Compression/Expansion AudioSuite Plug-In 569 Timecode default starting 70 displaying 268 recording with time-of-day 171 table of display options 270 Timeline access and brief description of settings 76 adding offline media indicator 218 customizing 322 displaying detail in 328 first edit displayed in 309 Tips logging 101 Tone setting calibration 449 Tool Palette 295 Tools Audio 365 Audio EQ 396 Audio Mix 375 Audio Punch-In 424 Automation Gain 385 Avid Calculator 95 Console 96 Digital Cut 455 Hardwar
Transferring video to a video server 554 to an Avid system 556 Transitions audio, fine-tuning 430 Transparency adding to a graphic image 594 Trim maintaining sync during 360 sides, selecting 355 slip and slide procedures 355 with sync-locked tracks 361 Trim edit reviewing 355 Trim mode basic procedures in 354 defined 348 entering 350 exiting 351 Trim settings access and brief description of 76 Turnover points in Audio EQ tool 397 Video Compression options (Export settings) 481 Video deck logging with a no
Windows NT taskbar, using 27 Workspace assigning buttons to 85 assigning windows to 85 deleting 85 settings 86 WPM rate, finding (NRCS tool) 541 X XWindows file format brief description of 594 import specifications for 599 Y YUV file format additional Export options for 488 brief description of 594 import specifications for 599 Z Zooming in the Timeline 329 682
