® ® Avid NewsCutter Editing Guide
Legal Notices Product specifications are subject to change without notice and do not represent a commitment on the part of Avid Technology, Inc. This product is subject to the terms and conditions of a software license agreement provided with the software. The product may only be used in accordance with the license agreement. This product may be protected by one or more U.S. and non-U.S patents. Details are available at www.avid.com/patents. This document is protected under copyright law.
Copyright 1996 Daniel Dardailler. Permission to use, copy, modify, distribute, and sell this software for any purpose is hereby granted without fee, provided that the above copyright notice appear in all copies and that both that copyright notice and this permission notice appear in supporting documentation, and that the name of Daniel Dardailler not be used in advertising or publicity pertaining to distribution of the software without specific, written prior permission.
This product includes software developed by the Apache Software Foundation (http://www.apache.org/). © DevelopMentor This product may include the JCifs library, for which the following notice applies: JCifs © Copyright 2004, The JCIFS Project, is licensed under LGPL (http://jcifs.samba.org/). See the LGPL.txt file in the Third Party Software directory on the installation CD. Avid Interplay contains components licensed from LavanTech.
Nestlé Coffee Crisp — Courtesy of MacLaren McCann Canada. Saturn “Calvin Egg” — Courtesy of Cossette Communications. “Tigers: Tracking a Legend” — Courtesy of www.wildlifeworlds.com, Carol Amore, Executive Producer. "The Big Swell" — Courtesy of Swell Pictures, Inc. Windhorse — Courtesy of Paul Wagner Productions. Arizona Images — KNTV Production — Courtesy of Granite Broadcasting, Inc., Editor/Producer Bryan Foote. Canyonlands — Courtesy of the National Park Service/Department of the Interior.
Contents Using This Guide. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Symbols and Conventions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 If You Need Help. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Avid Training Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Chapter 2 Starting a Project. . . .
Managing User Profiles. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 Customizing the Avid User Interface. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 Using Workspaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 Working with Bins and Projects in an Avid Shared Storage Environment . . . . . . . . 87 Chapter 4 Using Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Capture Preparations Check List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192 Chapter 7 Capturing Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194 Capturing and Logging at the Same Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195 Capturing Directly from a DV Device . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203 Capturing Audio from a Music CD. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Importing Audio Files from a Music CD. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265 Adjusting Gain Before Importing Audio Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265 Sample Rate Conversion and Audio Import . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266 Setting Sample Rate Conversion Options Before Importing Audio Files . . . . . . . . 267 Photoshop Graphics Import . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Sifting Clips and Sequences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335 Working with Restricted Material. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340 Printing Bins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 342 Chapter 10 Acquisition of File-Based Media (AMA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 343 The Avid Media Access (AMA) Workflow . . . . . . . .
Using the Transcode Command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 424 Consolidate or Transcode AMA Clips Only. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 427 Background Consolidate and Transcode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 428 Loading the Media Database . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 432 Refreshing Media Directories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Chapter 13 PhraseFind. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 520 Purchasing and Activating PhraseFind . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 520 Understanding PhraseFind . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 531 Using PhraseFind . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 532 The Results Window . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Linking Clips to a Script. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 597 Interpolating Position for Script Integration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 599 Working with Slates in the Script Window. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 599 Working with Takes in the Script Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 602 Indicating Off-Screen Dialog in a Script . . . . . . . . . . .
Reviewing Trim Edits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 699 Trimming with the J-K-L Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 700 Trimming On-the-Fly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 700 Trimming During a Playback Loop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 701 Creating Overlap Edits . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Using Automatic Voice-Over . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 808 Chapter 19 Using External Audio Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 810 Configuring an External Controller . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 812 Configuring External Controller Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Exporting With the Send To Templates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 960 Send To Templates Reference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 963 Creating a Custom Send To Template for Exporting to Third-Party Applications . . 964 Exporting With the Export Command or the Drag-and-Drop Method . . . . . . . . . . . 966 Customizing Export Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Selecting Output Formats for 23.976p and 25p Projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1024 Output Format Reference for 23.976p and 25p Projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1025 Selecting the Timecode Format for Output . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1027 Outputting Drop-Frame and Non-Drop-Frame Timecode Simultaneously for Downstream Encoding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Chapter 26 Working with Avid Interplay from an Avid Editing System . . . . . . . . 1102 Dos and Don’ts for Editors Working with Avid Interplay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1103 Checklist for Editors Working with Interplay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1105 Working with Interplay and Remote Assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1108 Administrator Settings for Avid Editing Clients . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Supported Project Types and Formats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1198 Chapter 29 Using Interplay Transfer to Export Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1199 Installing the Interplay Transfer Client Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1199 Setting Transfer Settings in the Avid Editing Application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1200 Transferring Avid Assets from an Avid Editing Application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Chapter 32 The Avid Marketplace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1277 Avid Marketplace Media Libraries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1277 Avid Marketplace Media Libraries Quick Start . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1278 Creating a User Sign In and Password . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1280 Licensing Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Export Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1344 Full Screen Playback Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1368 General Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1371 Grid Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1372 Import Settings . . . . . . .
Specifications for Graphics (Image) Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1412 Specifications for Animation Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1417 Specifications for Importing OMFI Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1419 Working with BWF Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1420 Field Ordering in Graphic Imports and Exports. . . . . . . . . .
Raster Dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1487 Raster Sizes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1489 Chapter 37 International Character Support (ICS) in Avid Editing Applications 1490 Choosing a Locale on an English Language Operating System. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1490 Using a Local Language Operating System (Windows Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Using This Guide This guide contains the task-oriented instructions, conceptual information, and reference information you need to use the features of your Avid editing application. The contents of this guide is also available in the Help. This guide is intended for all users, from beginning to advanced. Unless noted otherwise, the material in this document applies to the Windows® and Mac OS® X operating systems.
If You Need Help Symbol or Convention Meaning or Action (Windows), (Windows only), (Macintosh), or (Macintosh only) This text indicates that the information applies only to the specified operating system, either Windows or Macintosh OS X. Bold font Bold font is primarily used in task instructions to identify user interface items and keyboard sequences. Italic font Italic font is used to emphasize certain words and to indicate variables.
Avid Training Services Avid Training Services Avid makes lifelong learning, career advancement, and personal development easy and convenient. Avid understands that the knowledge you need to differentiate yourself is always changing, and Avid continually updates course content and offers new training delivery methods that accommodate your pressured and competitive work environment. For information on courses/schedules, training centers, certifications, courseware, and books, please visit www.avid.
2 Starting a Project Your work begins when you turn on your system, start your Avid editing application, and open an existing project or create a new project.
Working with the Desktop Working with the Desktop You can use some of the desktop navigation features of your operating system to speed your work or customize for your convenience while you edit. You can: • Control how the Windows taskbar appears on the screen (Windows only). • Use the Macintosh Dock as a quick way to launch your Avid editing application (Macintosh only). • Use shortcut menus (also sometimes known as context menus) to quickly access editing commands.
Working with the Desktop To change the taskbar settings: 1. Right-click an unused part of the taskbar, and select Properties. The Taskbar and Start Menu Properties dialog box opens. 2. Select the options you want: t To keep the taskbar hidden, deselect “Keep the task bar on top of other windows” and “Auto hide the task bar.” t To set the taskbar to appear when you want, select “Keep the task bar on top of other windows” and “Auto hide the task bar.” 3. Click OK.
Working with the Desktop Using the Mouse Scroll Wheel for Navigating You can use the mouse scroll wheel to navigate in your Avid editing application, as described in the following table. You can also set the speed to scroll with the mouse wheel, and assign functions to three additional mouse buttons, as described in “Customizing Mouse Functions” on page 30. To scroll through items in a window or function area with a vertical scroll bar (such as a bin). Use the scroll wheel.
Working with the Desktop 2. Select a speed from the Vertical Scroll Speed menu. Normal is the default setting. Normal scrolls one item at a time. Moderate scrolls two items at a time, and Fast scrolls four items at a time. To assign functions to additional mouse buttons: 1. In the Project window, click the Settings tab, and then double-click Mouse. The Mouse Settings dialog box opens. 2. Select Tools > Command Palette. The Command palette opens. 3.
Working with the Desktop • Disable Sidebar. Right-click the Sidebar or Sidebar icon on your desktop > Properties > Deselect Start Sidebar when Windows starts > Right click icon and select Exit. • Disable Hibernation in the Power options. In Control Panel > Performance Information and Tools > Power Options > Change when the computer sleeps > Put the computer to sleep, select Never. • Change Advanced Power Settings.
Working with the Desktop • When you advance by single frames through the Timeline, deselect Render On-the Fly to enable faster response time. In your Avid editing application, deselect Clip > Render On-the-Fly • Do not name files with special characters (/ \ : ? ” < > | *). Windows does not recognize special characters in file names. Bin names are limited to 27 characters (not including the four characters reserved for the file name extension).
Starting Your Avid Editing Application (Windows) File deletion protection utilities also consume system resources and could interfere with the proper operation of your Avid editing application. These utilities automatically back up any files that you delete, even temporary files that you create and delete with your Avid editing application. This consumes a large amount of disk space.
Working with Projects n If you will be working in a shared project environment, you should carefully consider the location of your projects and media. This will make for a much more efficient working environment in terms of time and disk storage space. If you are working with projects created on local drives, then note the following: • A local project resides on the C: drive of the Avid editing system.
Working with Projects Shared A Shared Project is stored locally. It can be accessed by any user that can log on the editing machine. On a Windows system, a Shared Project is always stored in the machine’s Shared Documents directory.
Working with Projects External An External Project can be saved to any directory, either local or remote. Depending on the file-system permissions set on the selected folder, other users or an administrator may or may not be able to access the project. The external option is particularly useful when you want to save the project on shared network drive to make project maintenance easier. n Avid does not support sharing bins in an Interplay environment.
Working with Projects Avid Projects and Avid Users Folders When you create a new project or user profile, your Avid editing application creates files and folders in the Avid Projects and the Avid Users folders. For more information about moving projects, see “Transferring Project and Media Files Between Avid Editing Systems” on page 1054.
Working with Projects Private Shared Windows drive:\Documents and Settings\Windows login name\Documents\Avid Projects drive:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Shared Documents\Shared Avid Projects Macintosh Macintosh HD/Users/Mac login name/Documents/Avid Projects Macintosh HD/Users/Shared/Avid editing application/Shared Avid Projects Locations of Avid Users Folders The Avid Users folder is located in the application folder: n Windows 7 drive:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Shared Documents\Av
Working with Projects Files and Folders Created For User Profiles When you create a new user profile, your Avid editing application creates a folder for the user and two files that are stored within the user folder: • A user profile file (.ave) • A user settings file (.xml) The user folder and the two files all use the user profile name you provide. The new folder is stored in the Avid Users folder.
Working with Projects Element Description (Continued) 3 User Profile Displays the name associated with the current settings. By default your Avid editing application uses the login name. The list button changes profiles or creates a new one. For more information, see “Understanding User Profiles” on page 73. 4 Project list Displays a list of the Avid projects in the currently selected folder. Double-click a project to open it. 5 Browse button Lets you navigate to a different folder.
Creating a New Project Project Type Source Footage Transfer (Continued) 720p/29.97 For video-originated material. Can be directly captured, edited, and output YCbCr for HD broadcast. 720p/50 For HDV broadcast (European broadcast). 720p/59.94 For video-originated material. Can be directly captured, edited, and output YCbCr for HD broadcast. 1080p/23.976 For film footage transferred to videotape, or high-resolution files from digital film cameras.
Creating a New Project To create a new project: 1. In the Select Project dialog box, select the folder in which you want to create the project: Private, Shared, External, or Synced — see Working with Projects. n You must be logged in to Interplay to create a Synced Project. For more information on synced projects, see “Interplay Synced Projects” on page 1171. 2. Type the name of your new project in the text box. 3.
Creating a New Project Option SD HD Aspect Ratio The numerical ratio of the picture width to height. Set the aspect ratio for standard (SD) video and television at 4:3, and at 16:9 for HD. Select either Always uses the 16:9 4:3 or 16:9 aspect ratio. The project uses the aspect ratio setting to determine the display setting in the monitors, and as a factor in determining whether material requires resizing or repositioning in sequences.
Creating a New Project Option SD Matchback Available for 25i PAL, 30i NTSC, 720p, and 1080i Matchback projects only. Select Matchback, then click the Film button and select a format for film gauge tracking from the Default Film Type menu. n SearchData Folder HD The Matchback item appears only if your Avid editing application includes the Matchback option. Specifies the location for the folder to be used by PhraseFind. By default, this is set in the Projects folder.
Working with Color Spaces in HD Projects n The original media size, resolution and color properties are preserved in the metadata of the clip in case the sequence needs to be conformed in other applications. If you intend to output in multiple formats, e.g. broadcast in NTSC, PAL, and HD, then you can edit your project format in the highest format which in this case would be HD.
Working with Color Spaces in HD Projects Understanding the RGB Color Space RGB produces higher quality images and effects, but takes up more space. RGB separates images into their constituting colors: red (R), green (G), and blue (B) and does not discard any of the chrominance data. As a result, video images look sharper, particularly those with fast motion or abrupt changes in color. Newer HD formats support RGB only.
Working with Color Spaces in HD Projects Mixing Media of Different Color Spaces You can work with media of different color spaces in the same sequence. For example, you can mix SD YCbCr and HD RGB. When you mix media in this way, your video editing application converts media to the project’s color space when necessary. This conversion takes place internally during the processing of real-time effects and prior to output. The color space of your media depends on its format.
Working with Color Spaces in HD Projects Changing the Project Color Space for an HD Project The Color Space setting determines the color coordinate system to be used for interpreting color values in your media and transforming them to the selected color space for the editing application.The RGB color space is only available in full HD projects. 720p and NTSC/PAL projects can only use the YCbCr color space. The project color space can be changed at any time.
Opening and Closing Projects Setting Project-Naming Conventions The system limits bins and project names to 27 characters, not including the period and 3-character extension that the system automatically adds to a file name. If you plan to move bins and projects from one platform to another, do not use the characters / \ : * ? “ < > | or leading spaces, trailing spaces, or trailing periods, when you name a project, bin, and user.
Opening and Closing Projects Use the startup project to learn how to edit with your Avid editing application, before you capture any media of your own. You can explore the sequence in the Timeline to learn how it is assembled, and use the clips to practice viewing and editing techniques described in this guide. n If a sequence that was created in an older version of an Avid editing application contains effects or color corrections, you might need to update the sequence.
Opening and Closing Projects Browse button in the Select Project dialog box 2. Click the Browse button. The Browse for Folder (Windows) or Project Directory (Macintosh) dialog box opens. 3. Navigate to the folder that contains the project you want. 4. Click OK (Windows) or Choose (Macintosh). 5. Select a project in the Projects list. 6. Click OK. The Project window, the Source/Record monitor, and the Timeline open with the User settings loaded.
Deleting a Project The next time you start your Avid editing application, it opens your last project. To turn off the automatic opening of projects so that you can select another project when you start your Avid editing application: 1. Deselect “Automatically Launch Last Project at Startup,” and then click OK. 2. Quit your Avid editing application and restart it. The Select Project dialog box opens. 3. Select a project and click OK.
Quitting and Turning Off Equipment 3. Press the Delete key. 4. If you see a message asking if you want to delete the selected project and associated bins, click OK The deleted project no longer appears in the Select Project dialog box. c n Deleting a project also deletes any bins that are in that project. Media related to a deleted project is not deleted with the project folder.
Changing Project and User Names For more information, see “Using the Hardware Tool” on page 103. c Quit your Avid editing application before you turn off your equipment. To turn off your equipment: 1. Turn off the system by doing the following: For a Windows system: a. Click the Start button, and select Shut Down. The Shut Down Windows dialog box opens. b. Click the menu, and select Shut down. c. Click OK. For a Macintosh system: t Select Apple menu > Shut Down. 2.
Backing Up Your Project Information 3. Type the new name of the folder. 4. Double-click the folder with the new name to open it. The folder contains profile, settings, and project files with the old name. 5. Change the old name of each file to the new name. n Do not change the name of the file MCState in the Avid Users folder. 6. Close the windows, and restart your Avid editing application. The new project name or user name appears in the Select Project dialog box.
Avid Attic Folder 3. Drag the copies from the storage device to the appropriate folder on the internal hard drive (Windows) or Macintosh HD/Users/Shared (Macintosh). When you start your Avid editing application, the restored project and user profile appear in the Select Project dialog box. n If you restore a single bin or bins, you must relink them to the project from within the Project window. For more information, see “Opening and Closing Bins” on page 65.
Avid Attic Folder Retrieving Files from the Avid Attic Folder (Windows) To retrieve a file from the Avid Attic folder: 1. Minimize your Avid editing application. 2. From the desktop, double-click the Avid Attic folder, located in: (Windows XP) drive:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Shared Documents\Avid editing application. (Windows Vista or Windows 7) drive:/Users/Public/Public Documents/Avid editing application. The Avid Attic folder opens and displays a folder for each project. 3.
Avid Attic Folder 7. Ctrl+drag the selected backup bin files to the desktop. This makes a copy of the files, leaving the original files in the Avid Attic folder. To copy backup files to a new bin: 1. Click the taskbar item for your Avid editing application to restore it. n If the taskbar is hidden, see “Using the Windows Taskbar (Windows Only)” on page 28. 2. Click the Project window to activate it, and click the Bins tab to display the Bins list. 3. Select File > Open Bin. 4.
Avid Attic Folder 7. Select the material you want to keep from the backup bin, and drag the files to the new bin. 8. Repeat steps 3 through 7 for any other backup bin files you copied to the desktop. 9. Select and delete the backup bins in the Other Bins folder. 10. Drag the backup bin files on the desktop to the Recycle Bin.
3 Working with the Project Window The Project window provides controls for structuring and viewing important information about your current project. You can also modify User, Project, and Site settings from the Project window and display a list of effects.
Controlling Project Window Display Project window information is organized in tabs. Tab Function Bins Lets you create and open bins. See “Using the Bins Tab” on page 63. Volume Lets you create an Export Volume. See “Working with Export Volumes” on page 399. Settings Lets you view and modify settings. See “Using the Settings Tab” on page 69. Effects Lets you access a library of effects. See “Applying Effects” in the Help. Format Lets you view information about the format of the project.
Using the Bins Tab To locate and redisplay the Project window, do one of the following: t Select Tools > Project. t Click in an area of the Project window to bring it forward. To close the Project window, do one of the following: t With the Project window active, select File > Close Project. t Click the Close button in the Project window. The Select Project dialog box opens.
Using the Bins Tab Fast menu button (top) and Bins list with bin icons (bottom) in the Bins tab of the Project window. Creating a New Bin To create a new bin from the Project window: 1. Do one of the following: t Select File > New Bin. t Click the New Bin button in the Project window. A new (empty) bin opens and is given the name of the project as displayed in the title bar of the Project window.
Using the Bins Tab n n If you plan to move bins and projects from one platform to another, do not use the characters / \ : * ? “ < > | or leading spaces, trailing spaces, or trailing periods, when you name a project, bin, and user. Bin and project names are limited to 27 characters, not including the period and 3-character extension that the system automatically adds to a file name.
Using the Bins Tab The selected bins open either in separate windows or in a single window with tabs indicating the bins. n You can also open multiple bins by dragging them from the Bins tab in the Project window to an open bin. The bins open as tabs in the existing bin. To open a bin from another project: 1. Select File > Open Bin. The Open a Bin dialog box opens. 2. Find and select the bin you want. Bins have the file name extension .avb. 3. Click Open.
Using the Bins Tab The Trash icon and its contents disappear until Flat View is deselected. Creating a Folder To create a folder in a project: 1. Click the Bins tab in the Project window. 2. Click the Fast Menu button, and select New Folder. A new untitled folder appears. 3. Click the untitled folder name in the Bins list and rename it. Deleting a Bin or Folder You can delete bins and folders along with their contents from the Bins list.
Using the Bins Tab 3. Double-click the bin or folder to view it. To empty the Trash in the Bins list: 1. Click the Fast Menu button, and select Empty Trash. A message box opens. 2. Click Empty Trash to delete the bins or folders from the Trash and from your hard drive. Saving Bins Your Avid editing application automatically saves changes to your work on a regular basis. You can modify the frequency of the automatic backups. You can also manually save a specific bin, selected bins, or all bins.
Using the Settings Tab Saving Bins Manually To save a specific bin: 1. Click the bin to activate it. 2. Select File > Save Bin. To save selected bins: 1. In the Bins tab, click a Bin icon to select it, and then Ctrl+click any additional bins. 2. Select File > Save All. The system saves all the selected bins. n The Save Bin command appears dimmed if there were no changes since the last time the active bin was saved. To save all the bins: 1. Click the Bins tab in the Project window. 2.
Using the Format Tab To open a setting: t Double-click the setting in the Settings list. To view Help for a setting: t Open a setting and press the F1 key (Windows) or the Help key (Macintosh). Using the Format Tab The Format tab in the Project window lets you view basic project information, such as the video format (NTSC, for example). The information lists the options you selected in the New Project dialog box when you created the project.
Using the Info Tab For some project formats, the Project Type list lets you change the format of the project to another format that shares the same frame rate. For example, if you are working in a 1080i/59.94 HD project, you can change the project format to 30i NTSC.
Managing Bins and Memory To display system memory information: t In the Project window, click the Info tab, and then click the Memory button. The Memory window opens with the following information: Item Description Objects The total number of memory handles currently used by your Avid editing application. Objects include memory requirements of your Avid editing application, such as windows, clips, sequences, and other items associated with a project.
Understanding User Profiles In the Bin tab of the Project window, a memory usage indicator increases and updates as you open and close bins. Avid recommends that you keep memory usage below 80-85%. If you exceed the recommended usage, a dialog box opens informing you that your memory usage is high and recommends that you close some bins and save your project. If your system is running low on memory and you need to free up memory, you can either close your bins or use the Clear Memory button.
Understanding User Profiles Macintosh /Users/Shared/Avid editing application/Avid Users/UserName You can do the following with user profiles: • Create new user profiles • Switch between user profiles • Return to the original user profile • Import settings from another user or user profile • Create a user profile on one system, export it to a server, and then import the same user profile from another system to the new system.
Managing User Profiles Managing User Profiles To create a user profile: 1. Click the Settings tab in the Project window. The User Profile Selection menu in the Settings tab of the Project window 2. Click the User Profile Selection menu, and select Create User Profile. The Create User Profile dialog box opens. 3. Type a name in the Profile Name text box, and then click OK. The new user profile appears selected in the menu, and the user profile name appears in the Project window title bar.
Customizing the Avid User Interface To import user settings from another user or user profile: 1. Click the Settings tab. 2. Click the User Profile Selection menu, and select Import User or User Profile. 3. Navigate to the user or user profile you want to import. To export user settings to another user or user profile: 1. Click the Settings tab. 2. Click the User Profile Selection menu, and select Export User or User Profile. 3. Select Personal or Group. 4.
Customizing the Avid User Interface The Interface Settings dialog box allows you to set the highlight color for buttons.
Customizing the Avid User Interface 2. Click a highlight color to change button highlight colors. 3. Click the Interface Brightness slider to adjust the brightness of the user interface. The Avid editing application provides several presets on the slider. 4. (Option) If you want to set the color of the video, audio, or timecode tracks to the default, select the appropriate option. 5. (Option) If you want to be able to set custom background colors for bins, select Allow Custom Bin Backgrounds.
Customizing the Avid User Interface t Click OK to close the dialog box and put the new setting into effect. t Click Cancel to close the dialog box. The changes you select do not take effect. Changing Font and Point Size You can change the default font and point sizes of the Project, Bin, Source/Record monitor, Script, and Timeline windows. You can vary the fonts and point sizes across these windows. For example, you can set the Project window to Helvetica, 13 pt.
Using Workspaces Using Workspaces Your Avid editing application provides default layouts of windows and tools designed to utilize the application interface efficiently.
Using Workspaces To customize the workspace: 1. For the workspace you want to customize, select Windows > Workspaces > workspacename. 2. Open other tools with which you want to work, and position them where you want them. 3. Select Windows > Workspaces > New Workspace. 4. Type a name for the new workspace in the Workspace Name text box. 5. (Option) Select Based on Workspace, and then select a different workspace from the active one. 6. Click OK. The new workspace appears in the Workspaces menu.
Using Workspaces Linking User Settings and Workspaces You can link User settings to a workspace. You can create a customized workspace, 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 Mixer tool and Audio tool. This workspace can also open a customized Timeline (with enlarged audio tracks and rubberbanding displays). To link a workspace to another setting: 1.
Using Workspaces Examples of linked settings (top and center) and a linked workspace view (bottom) 7. In the Settings list of the Project window, double-click the workspace you want to link. The Workspace View Setting dialog box opens. 8. Select Link to Named settings. 9. Type the name of the custom settings to which you want to link the workspace.
Using Workspaces For more information about creating and naming custom settings, see “Working with Settings” on page 1308. n You can link workspaces only to User settings. 10. (Option) Click the Bin Layout menu and select a layout you want to link to the workspace. For more information, see “Using Bin Layouts” on page 85. 11. Click OK. The workspace is linked to the custom setting you specified. To link a workspace to an unnamed setting: 1.
Using Workspaces 3. Select Button to Button Reassignment. 4. Click a workspace button and drag the button to a location on another palette (for example, the Tool palette) or the Keyboard setting. The workspace button appears in the new location. To assign a bin layout button: 1. Select Tools > Command Palette. 2. Click the Workspaces tab. 3. Click the workspace menu next to the button you want to assign. Bin layouts appear in the menu below the divider line.
Using Workspaces Keyboard settings and toolbar button mappings for workspaces are user settings. Bin layouts are project settings. When you link bin layouts to workspaces, to keyboard settings, or to toolbar buttons, you can access these layout assignments only when you work in a project containing a bin layout with the same name as when you created the link. For this reason, you should be careful to maintain a consistent bin layout naming convention for your projects.
Working with Bins and Projects in an Avid Shared Storage Environment 2. Click OK. Working with Bins and Projects in an Avid Shared Storage Environment Avid ISIS let you share bins and projects across the network. When you place your bins and projects on Avid Workspaces (drive volumes), several users can work on the same project at the same time. For example, an editor creates sequences in one bin while an assistant recaptures media in another bin.
Working with Bins and Projects in an Avid Shared Storage Environment Sharing Both Bins and Projects If you share bins and projects, you create and store the project folder and bins on the shared workspace (or copy an existing project, bins, and the related media files). Your Avid editing application identifies information from each computer using the shared workspace as follows: n • Creates a project folder for each computer that accesses the project.
Working with Bins and Projects in an Avid Shared Storage Environment The Project window opens. For a description of the elements specific to Avid shared storage in the Project window, see “Sharing Bins and Projects in Avid Shared Storage” on page 87. 3. Double-click a Bin icon to open one of the bins. The bin appears with a Bin Lock Status button.
Working with Bins and Projects in an Avid Shared Storage Environment You can instruct your Avid editing application to keep a bin locked even after you close it. You can click the red or green Bin Lock Status button in the bin to view a history file that shows which computers and users have modified the bin. To open a bin without controlling the lock: t Alt+double-click (Windows) or Option+double-click (Macintosh) the bin in the Project window. To permanently lock a bin: 1.
Working with Bins and Projects in an Avid Shared Storage Environment Avid recommends that you do not use a common prefix for machine names. If you must use a common prefix, make sure all the names are the same length (ABC01, ABC02, ABC03, etc.). • Do not use Windows Explorer to examine, copy, or manipulate shared bin files or shared project folders or their contents when you use those files or folders.
Working with Bins and Projects in an Avid Shared Storage Environment Avid recommends that you institute policies where media files are deleted by the editor who created them, or if necessary, the deleting editors notify the editor who created the media files that a deletion has occurred. This editor can then switch to the desktop and back, and all other editors can see the deleted file go offline.
Working with Bins and Projects in an Avid Shared Storage Environment Drive Filtering in Networked Workflows The Drive Filtering and Indexing tab of the Media Creation Settings dialog box includes three options: • Filter by Resolution • Filter by System Drive • Filter by Launch Drive Depending on the version of your Avid editing system, the drive filtering options could be on or off by default. Avid recommends that all drive filtering options should be on by default.
4 Using Tools The Tools menu provides quick access to essential tools that you can use in your projects. In addition to the tools available from the Tools menu, you can also add a controller to your system that you can use as an alternative to your keyboard and mouse for editing footage.
Using a Deck Controller The tab bar in the target tab window displays all tool tabs. To move a tool into separate window: t Click the tab for the tool you want to move, and drag it to a clear region of the application interface. The tool displays in a separate window. To view tool tabs that do not display in the tab bar, do one of the following: t Click the Previous Tab button or the Next Tab button to shift the tab view to the left or the right.
Deck Controller Window Reference Deck Controller Window Reference 2 1 3 6 4 5 Element 1 Timecode display Description Provides information about the control status of the tape deck: • If the deck is properly connected and power is on, the deck controller displays timecode when you mount a tape. • If a deck is not properly connected to the system or power is off when you open the controller, the indicator displays the message “NO DECK.
The Command Palette Element 6 Logging controls Description Let you log IN and OUT marks while you cue your tape. For more information on logging, see “Logging Directly into a Bin” on page 123. The Command Palette The Command palette provides a central location for all user-selectable buttons that you can map to various locations for ease of use. User-selectable buttons let you perform a wide range of commands with a single click of the mouse. The Command palette organizes buttons by editing function.
The Command Palette n When you map buttons to the keyboard, the mapping might be specific to the current editing mode. For example, buttons mapped to the Page Up key or the Page Down key revert to the default key functions when you enter Effect mode. After you exit Effect mode, the keys return to the mapped function. The following are examples of buttons you might want to map: Buttons you use to subcatalog clips. Left to right: Make Subclip, Find Bin, and Add Marker.
The Command Palette For more information on mapping the Blank button to a new location, see “Mapping User-Selectable Buttons” on page 99. Modifier Keys You can add modifier keys to functions already associated with keys and buttons.
The Command Palette 4. Click the tab from which you want to select a user-selectable button. 5. Drag the button from the Command palette to a button location on the other palette. Mapping Menu Commands You can also map menu commands directly onto any mappable button location or onto the keyboard. In some cases, you can avoid using menus altogether. n Before you map some commands, you must first establish the condition that enables the command.
Using the Avid Calculator 2. Select Active Palette at the bottom of the Command palette. 3. Click the tab from which you want to select a command function. 4. Click the button in the Command palette for the function you want to perform. 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 drop-frame to non-drop-frame timecode values.
Using The Console Window c Do not use the programming features of the Console without guidance from Avid. Contact your Avid Reseller with specific questions. (In North America, you can contact Avid Customer Support.) The Console window provides quick access to bin information such as total duration of selected clips or total items in a bin including hidden items. You can also use the Console window to display information about a clip, segment, or sequence in the Timeline.
Using the Hardware Tool To make your mapped network drives available: 1. Open the Console window by selecting Tools > Console. 2. In the Console command line, type: alldrives 1 3. Press Enter (Windows) or Return (Macintosh). Network drives are now visible in your Avid editing application. Typing alldrives in the Console window turns this feature on and off. Typing alldrives 2 restores the default behavior where only media drives are available.
External Controllers as Editing Control Surfaces External Controllers as Editing Control Surfaces Adding a controller to your Avid system provides an alternative to using the keyboard and mouse for editing your sequence. Avid supports the following controllers for this purpose: • Avid Command|8™ • Avid 002 For information about these controllers, see “Using External Audio Devices” on page 810.
5 Logging When you import shot log files or log directly into a bin, you provide your Avid editing application with frame-accurate clip information that it uses to capture the source footage. The logs you create form the foundation for organizing, tracking, storing, retrieving, and generating lists of edit information throughout your project.
Using Avid Log Exchange to Prepare Log Files for Import When you convert an ATN file that contains multiple sections to an ALE file, the system creates multiple ALE files. The Avid Log Exchange window displays only the first ALE file. The succeeding ALE files are given the same file name with incremental numbering. For example, the file Nations1.atn converts to Nations001.ale, Nations002.ale, Nations003.ale, and so on.
Using Avid Log Exchange to Prepare Log Files for Import The file appears in the Avid Log Exchange window. For specific information on the various file types, see “Log Formats Compatible with Avid Log Exchange” on page 112. 7. Use the Options menu to select the tracks to include in the Tracks column of the log. The default track selections are Log V, Log A1, and Log A2. After you import the log into an Avid bin, the system captures all tracks shown in this column when you batch capture.
Using Avid Log Exchange to Prepare Log Files for Import 11. (Option) Select the original file from the Window menu if you want to convert the file again using different options. 12. Select File > Close. If you made changes in the editor, a message box opens. 13. Click Yes. The converted file is stored in the same folder as the original log file. Using Drag-and-Drop Conversion for Log Files (Windows) Use this shortcut to convert files into an ALE file.
Using Avid Log Exchange to Prepare Log Files for Import 3. Open the folder that contains the files you want to convert. Position the folder so the ALE utility Shortcut icon is visible. 4. Select the files you want to convert. 5. Drag the selected files to the Shortcut icon, and release the mouse button. 6. Depending on the type of files you convert, one of the following occurs: - If the ALE utility recognizes the file type, a message box opens indicating the conversion was successful.
Using Avid Log Exchange to Prepare Log Files for Import To convert a log file to an ALE file: 1. Select Go > Applications, open the ALE folder, and double-click the ALE icon. The Avid Log Exchange dialog box opens. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Avid Log Exchange dialog box 1 Files you can convert 5 Global Settings information 2 Files you can generate 6 Convert button 3 Clean and Relaxed options 7 Quit button 4 Track selection 2. Select the type of file you want to convert from the Input list.
Using Avid Log Exchange to Prepare Log Files for Import After you import the log into an Avid bin, the system captures all tracks shown in this column when you batch capture. The Track selection only works on non ALE files that you convert to an ALE format. When ALE is the incoming format, Track selection does not work. 5. Select the options Clean if you want ALE to clean the ALE output file to eliminate overlapping timecodes for clips.
Using Avid Log Exchange to Prepare Log Files for Import Using Drag-and-Drop Conversion for Log Files (Macintosh) Use this shortcut to convert files into an ALE file. n If the log file is a Final Cut Pro, Cinema Tools, or a Tab Delimited shot log file, you cannot use drag-and-drop conversion. Use the procedure in “Converting Log Files with Avid Log Exchange (Macintosh)” on page 109) to convert files of this type. To convert a log file by using drag-and-drop conversion: 1.
Avid Log Specifications Log Format Requirements File Name Extension Avid Log Import directly .ale Cinema Tools Conversion required .txt CMX EDL Conversion required .cmx Evertz® Conversion required .ftl Excalibur Conversion required .ale or .flx Final Cut Pro Conversion required .txt FLEx™ Conversion required .flx Keyscope Conversion required .ksl Log Producer™ Conversion required .llp Log right Import directly .ale OSC/R (Macintosh® only) Conversion required .
Avid Log Specifications The tables use the following conventions: • A Title appears in the first column, without angled brackets or square brackets. For example, FIELD_DELIM is the first global Title. • A is surrounded by angled brackets. appear underneath, also in angled brackets. You must enter one of these values. For example, <29.97> is one of the supported values for the FPS Title; to specify that value, type 29.97.
Avid Log Specifications AUDIO_FORMAT [Tab] <22kHz> <24kHz> <44kHz> <48kHz> [Enter] or [Return] Audio sampling rate for catpure. You can override this for individual clips. TAPE [Tab] [Enter] or Required [Return] Name of the videotape reel you log. If you omit this Title, the file name becomes the global tape name. You can override this for individual clips. FPS [Tab] <23.98> <24> <25> <29.97> [Enter] or Required [Return] Capture rate is 23.98 fps (23.
Avid Log Specifications Tracks [Tab] Required Title for tracks you select for capture. Start [Tab] Required Title for video timecode of sync point — the timecode IN for clip. From address track of video. End [Tab] Required Title for timecode OUT for clip. From address track of video. Audio [Tab] Title for the audio resolution (sample rate). If omitted, the global entry for AUDIO_FORMAT applies. Auxiliary Ink [Tab] Title for a second ink number used for the clip.
Avid Log Specifications Perf [Tab] Title for the film-edge perforations format used for 3-perf projects. Pullin [Tab] Title for the telecine pulldown of the first frame of the clip (pulldown phase). Pullin can have the values A, B, C, or D. Pullout [Tab] Title for the telecine pulldown of the last frame of the clip (pulldown phase). Pullout can have the values A, B, C, or D. Reel # [Tab] Title for the source reel number. Scene [Tab] Title for the scene number of the clip.
Avid Log Specifications Data Entries The data entries come after the Custom column Titles. The table shows the format for entering data. Enter a line of data in this format for every clip. Be sure to start the data section for each clip with the word Data [Enter] (Windows) or Data [Return] (Macintosh). DATA Titles: The word Data marks the start of the data for each clip. Data [Enter] or Required [Return] Enter the word Data to mark the start of the logged clip entries.
Avid Log Specifications [Tab] Under Camera Title. Identify the camera, using letters or numbers. For multicamera shoots. [Tab] Under Camroll Title. Identify the camera roll, using letters and numbers. [Tab] Under Duration Title. Enter the length of the video clip, Start to End. <23.98> <24> <25> <29.97> [Tab] Under FPS Title. Enter the video capture rate for this clip only. If omitted, the global entry applies. Use 23.98 fps (23.
Avid Log Specifications [Tab] Under Scene Title. Identify the scene, use letters and numbers. [Tab] Under Shoot Date Title. Identify the date the footage was shot, use numbers or letters and numbers. [Tab] Under Sound TC Title. Identify the sound timecode at the sync point. Syncs with the Start timecode. [Tab] Under Soundroll Title. Identify the sound roll, use letters and numbers. [Tab] Under TC 24 Title.
Avid Log Specifications Heading [Enter] FIELD_DELIM [Tab] TABS [Enter] VIDEO_FORMAT [Tab] NTSC [Enter] AUDIO_FORMAT [Tab] 44kHz [Enter] TAPE [Tab] 001 [Enter] FPS [Tab] 29.
Creating an Avid Log Creating an Avid Log You can use any word processing application or text editor to create Avid logs. However, you must save the file as a text document (ASCII format). When log manually, you should do the following: • Identify the source tape for each shot. • Document each clip’s name, start timecode, and end timecode. This is the minimum information required to capture successfully.
Logging Directly into a Bin If the system detects a discrepancy, it reports the error to the Console and does not bring the clip into the bin. The best way to ensure that the system does not discard clips on import is to double-check the logs for discrepancies in duration and marks. n Select Tools > Console to open the Console window. For more information, see “Using The Console Window” on page 101.
Logging Directly into a Bin Naming Tapes When you enter tape names in the Capture tool, consider the following: n • Tape names must be alphanumeric characters (A to Z, 0 to 9). They can include uppercase and lowercase characters. The maximum length of a name is 32 characters. • It is possible to have a single tape listed as several different tapes if you alter the case of the letters. For example, if you type a single name as TAPE, Tape, and tape on three different occasions, all three names appear.
Logging Directly into a Bin To log clips directly into a bin from an Avid-controlled deck: 1. Make sure the deck is properly connected and turned on. 2. Open the bin where you want to store the clips. 3. Select Tools > Capture. The Capture tool opens. The Client monitor displays your video.
Logging Directly into a Bin 4. If the Capture tool is not in Log mode, click the Capture/Log Mode button until the LOG icon appears. 5. Click the Deck Selection menu, and select a deck. For more information, see “Selecting a Deck in the Capture Tool” on page 160. 6. Insert your tape into the deck. The Select Tape dialog box opens. Select “Show other project’s tapes” to display the tape names and associated project names for all bins. Select Tape dialog box. Top: New tape name button.
Logging Directly into a Bin For guidelines to name tapes, see “Naming Tapes” on page 124. A message that the system is waiting for you to mark an IN point displays in the message bar. 8. Use one of the following methods to set either an IN point or an OUT point for the clip you want to log: t To keep the deck running while you log: Start the deck. At the point where you want to start the clip, click the Mark IN button or press the F4 key. The deck continues to play.
Logging Directly into a Bin t To cue the remaining start or end point: Use the deck controls to locate the start or end point. Click the Mark OUT and Log button or the Mark IN and Log button to set the remaining IN point or OUT points. The clip logs into the bin. t To log using timecode: Type a timecode for the clip’s IN point, OUT point, or duration in the timecode text boxes next to the corresponding icon. Then press the Go to IN button or the Go to OUT button to scan the tape forward to the mark.
Logging Directly into a Bin 5. Type a clip name and comment in the corresponding text boxes in the Capture tool. 6. Click the Log Clip button or press the F4 key. Your Avid editing application logs the clip in a bin, and the deck starts playing again. Using a Memory Mark When Logging You can add a memory mark to a particular location on a tape, then use the Go to Memory button to move through the tape to the marked location.
Logging Directly into a Bin 3. For NTSC projects, click “When no tape in deck log as” menu, and select Non-Drop-Frame or Drop-Frame. 4. Click OK to close the dialog box. 5. Open the bin where you want to store the clips. 6. Select Tools > Capture. The Capture tool opens.
Understanding the Pulldown Phase 5 Clip Comment text box 12 Clear Memory button 6 Timecode display 13 Clear IN and OUT buttons 7 Deck controls 14 Mark IN and OUT buttons 7. Click the Capture/Log Mode button until the LOG icon appears. 8. Click the Source Tape Display button. A dialog box opens. 9. Click Yes to open the Select Tape dialog box. 10. Double-click the name of the tape in the dialog box, or click New and enter the name of the tape. 11. Click OK. 12.
Understanding the Pulldown Phase For information about the pulldown process, see “Transfer of 24-fps Film to NTSC Video” on page 1464. Set Pulldown Phase option in the 24P Settings dialog box You set this relationship when you select the pulldown phase (sometimes called the pulldown frame or pullin frame), which is the video frame at which the master clip starts. The pulldown phase is designated A, B, X, C, or D. Film labs and transfer houses typically use the A frame to start the transfer.
Setting the Pulldown Phase A B C D A1 .1 A2 .2 B1 .1 B2 .2 B3 .1 C1 .2 C2 .1 D1 .2 D2 .1 D3 .2 A B X C D Relationship between four film frames (left) and five NTSC video frames (right). On the right, .1 indicates an odd field and .2 indicates an even field. The Set Pulldown Phase setting lets you log, batch capture, and capture-on-the-fly more easily, because the correct pulldown phase of any IN point for a particular tape is automatically determined.
Setting the Pulldown Phase t If you capture tapes that have been downconverted from 1080p/24, check what pulldown frame was set for 00:00:00:00 on the deck that performed the conversion. 2. Double-click 24p in the Settings list of the Project window. 3. Select Set Pulldown Phase of Timecode 00:00:00:00 and then click the menu, and select the correct pulldown phase (A, B, X, C, D). 4. Click OK.
6 Preparing for Capture The chapter provides information on preparing your Avid editing application and your capture hardware before you capture media.
Importing Shot Log Files For information about logging into a bin, see “Logging Directly into a Bin” on page 123. For information about logging and capturing at the same time, see “Capturing and Logging at the Same Time” on page 195. Importing Shot Log Files You can import a shot log file into a bin to make clip information such as start and end timecode available to your Avid editing application. For more information, see “Logging and Shot Logs” on page 135. To import shot log files into a bin: 1.
Importing Shot Log Files Look in menu (top) and Files of type menu (bottom) in the Select files to import dialog box on Windows. 4. (Option) If you want to select options for combining events on import, click Options to open the Import Settings dialog box. Select the appropriate options from the Shot Log tab, and then click OK to close the Import Settings dialog box and return to the Select Files to Import dialog box. For information on Import settings, see “Import Settings” on page 1374.
Preparing the Hardware for Capture 6. Use the Look in menu (Windows) or the From menu (Macintosh) to locate the folder containing the source file. 7. Select the source file from the list and click the Open button. When your Avid editing application finishes importing the file, the clips appear in the selected bin.
Preparing the Hardware for Capture Item Description (Continued) DAT (digital audiotape) When capturing from DAT, you might need to select an appropriate sync setting. For more information, see “Establishing Sync for Audio-Only Input” on page 140. Striped drives If you are capturing media at high resolution, you must use striped drives. See “Storage Options and Drive Striping” in the Help and “Getting Information About Striped Drives” on page 139.
Preparing the Hardware for Capture To check the sync source, do one or both of the following: 1. Check the lights on the front of the Avid Nitris. If the Avid Nitris is locked to a valid sync signal, the Lock light and either the HD REF or SD REF light are constantly on. For more information, see “Avid Nitris Front Panel” in the Help. 2. Check the Video Lock icon or the Ref Lock icon in the Capture tool. For more information, see “Setting the Video and Audio Input in the Capture Tool” on page 164.
Preparing the Hardware for Capture Digital Audio Input Digital audio inputs (ADAT, AES/EBU, S/PDIF, and SDI Embedded Audio) provide their own timing reference. If sample rate conversion is not available on your system, or you have disallowed it by selecting “Never” in the Input tab of the Audio Project settings, no other connections are required to achieve sync, so long as the source deck is genlocked.
Selecting Settings for Capture Selecting Settings for Capture Capture settings include options for capturing, batch capturing, auto capturing, capturing to multiple media files, DV or HDV scene extraction, and setting key commands. Several settings directly affect the capturing process. This section includes information on Media Creation and GPI settings. For reference information about all settings in the Capture Settings dialog box, see “Capture Settings” on page 1326.
Selecting Settings for Capture For more information on the media file formats, see “Using the MXF AMA Plug-In” on page 394 and “Specifications for Importing OMFI Files” on page 1419. 3. Click the Capture tab. 4. Click the Video Resolution menu, and select a video resolution. The Video Resolution menu contains a list of the available resolutions, which depend on such factors as the model of your Avid editing application, your Avid input/output hardware, and your project format.
Selecting Settings for Capture n The drive that appears in boldface type has the most available space. 6. (Option) You can select drives and create a drive group. Click the Target Drive menu, and select Change Group. For more information on selecting a drive group, see “Selecting the Target Drives” on page 166. n Because no audio is associated with titles or motion effects, you can select only a video drive in the Titles or the Motion Effects tab of the Media Creation dialog box. 7.
Selecting Settings for Capture 3. Open a text file by doing one of the following: n t (Windows) Click the Start menu, and then select All Programs > Accessories > Notepad. t (Macintosh) Click Go > Applications, and double-click TextEdit. This file must be a plain text file. On a Windows system, use Notepad. Do not use Wordpad. On a Macintosh system, select TextEdit > Preference > Plain Text. Other files might introduce characters that your Avid editing application cannot recognize. 4.
Selecting Settings for Capture The text of the resolution must exactly match the text in the Media Creation dialog box. To disable DV 25, for example, type DV 25 411 with DV in capital letters. Do not disable all resolutions supported by your Avid editing application. You need to keep one resolution available. 5. (Windows) Name and save the file: a. Select File > Save As. b. Type DisabledRes in the File Name text box. c. Navigate to Program Files > Avid > Avid editing application. d.
Selecting Settings for Capture To set drive filtering in the Media Creation dialog box: 1. Do one of the following: t Double-click Media Creation in the Settings list. t Select Tools > Media Creation. The Media Creation dialog box opens. 2. (Option) Click the Drive Filtering & Indexing tab. n Options for indexing local drives apply only in an Avid Interplay™ environment. For more information, see the Avid Interplay Software Installation Guide. 3.
Selecting Settings for Capture For more information about options, see “Media Creation Settings” on page 1384. You can also view this information by clicking the dialog box and pressing the F1 key (Windows) or the Help key (Macintosh). Selecting Settings for Preroll Method and for Capturing Across Timecode Breaks If the tape you are capturing contains breaks in the timecode, you can use two settings in the General tab of the Capture Settings dialog box to capture across the timecode breaks.
Selecting Settings for Capture Preroll Method Description Best Available Your Avid editing application uses the control track to determine the preroll Control Track point. If there is not enough control track for preroll, your Avid editing application adjusts the specified preroll time to accommodate the amount of valid control track available. If the adjusted preroll time is too short to sync lock at the IN point, your Avid editing application does not capture the shot and displays an error message.
Selecting Settings for Capture Capturing to multiple media files has the following advantages: c • You can create longer clips whose media files would otherwise exceed the file size limitation of 2 GB. • You can group all drives with the multiple file options. This enables your Avid editing application to capture long clips continuously, for example, satellite feeds. • Your Avid editing application makes more efficient use of drive space, particularly when capturing long clips.
Configuring Decks Setting Description Project Type The top portion of the dialog box displays the project type (NTSC or PAL) and other useful information such as the type of film used as source media. NTSC Has Setup This option applies to standard NTSC format and is selected by default. If the source footage is in the NTSC-EIAJ format standard (used primarily in Japan), deselect NTSC Has Setup.
Configuring Decks Deck Configuration settings and global deck control preferences appear as separate items (Deck Configuration and Deck Preferences) in the Settings list in the Project window. For information on setting Deck Preferences, see “Deck Preferences Settings” on page 1336. You can also view this information by clicking the dialog box and pressing the F1 key (Windows) or the Help key (Macintosh). Configuring a Deck or Multiple Decks To configure a deck or multiple decks: 1.
Configuring Decks n Channel refers to the signal path for deck control, whether directly through a serial port, through a V-LAN® VLXi system connected to a serial port, or through a FireWire® connection. A direct serial port or FireWire connection allows one deck for each channel, while a V-LAN VLXi system allows multiple decks. 4.
Configuring Decks n Do not autoconfigure a DV camera or deck. Not all DV devices respond to the Auto-configure command. Due to this limitation, Auto-configure selects only a generic device template. When a digital camera is attached to your system, click the Deck Type menu, and select the proper device (described later in this procedure). When a deck is attached, click the Deck Type menu, and select the applicable deck.
Configuring Decks 10. Select the manufacturer and model number of your deck or other device. Selecting a model opens a template of settings for the device you selected. You can change these settings based on your device. For more information, see “Deck Settings” on page 1335. You can also view this information by clicking the dialog box and pressing the F1 key (Windows) or the Help key (Macintosh). 11. Click OK to close the Deck Settings dialog box and return to the Deck Configuration dialog box.
Understanding Timecode 14. Type a name in the Configuration name text box to name the deck configuration. The new deck configuration appears in the Settings list in the Project window. 15. Click the Apply button to complete the configurations and close the Deck Configuration dialog box. 16. Double-click Deck Preferences in the Settings list in the Project window to review and if necessary adjust global deck control options. For information about these controls, see “Deck Preferences Settings” on page 1336.
Connecting a DV Device For example, if you work on a 1-hour show that uses 52 minutes of video, the program ends at 01:52:00:00 (non-drop-frame). If it is broadcast at 29.97 fps, it will last 94 frames too long (approximately 3 seconds). The following illustration compares the two types of timecode at the 1-minute mark. Remember that no frames are actually dropped when drop-frame timecode is used. Drop-frame timecode simply skips timecode numbers as necessary to match the actual NTSC scan rate.
Setting Up the Capture Tool Setting Up the Capture Tool The Capture tool provides controls for cueing, marking, and logging footage, and specifies capturing parameters such as source and target locations. The topics in this section describe how to open and set up the Capture tool. n In Capture mode, the Client monitor displays the playback footage whenever the video track is selected in the Capture tool. The following illustrations show the Capture tool for an HD project.
Setting Up the Capture Tool 1 2 3 9 4 5 6 7 8 Bottom of Capture tool 1 Clip Name text box 6 Deck controls 2 Clip comment text box 7 Deck Selection menu 3 Resolution menu 8 Source Tape Display button 4 Single/Dual Drive Mode button 9 Time remaining on target drive(s) 5 Target Drive menus When you are working in an Avid Interplay environment, the Capture tool lets you select either Local Bins or Remote Bins. See “Selecting a Target Bin” on page 165.
Setting Up the Capture Tool Opening the Capture Tool To open the Capture tool: 1. Ensure the deck or other playback device is properly connected to the system and is turned on. 2. Do one of the following: t Click a bin to activate it and select Bin > Go To Capture Mode. t Select Tools > Capture. 3. Set the Capture tool to either Log or Capture mode by clicking the Capture/Log Mode button until the correct mode displays.
Setting Up the Capture Tool n After deck control has been properly initialized, it remains active for all deck controllers throughout the session until you quit your Avid editing application. You must have V-LAN VLXi hardware to manage more than one deck at a time. For more information on V-LAN equipment, contact your Avid sales representative. Activating Playback from an Available Deck To activate playback from an available deck: t Click the Deck Selection menu, and select the deck.
Setting Up the Capture Tool n Drop-frame timecode appears in the Timecode indicator with semicolons between hours, minutes, seconds, and frames. Non-drop-frame timecode appears with colons. For more information, see “Understanding Timecode” on page 156. 3. Provide the system with a tape name in one of the following ways: t Select the name of the tape from the list in the Select Tape dialog box and click OK.
Setting Up the Capture Tool Channel Selection buttons in the Capture tool If you do not see source video or hear source audio in Capture mode, click the Channel Selection buttons to ensure they are not the cause. n When you use an Avid-controlled deck, the TC (timecode) track is selected by default, and the system captures the timecode from the source tape. If you deselect the TC button, the system captures with time-of-day timecode.
Setting Up the Capture Tool Audio Channel Grouping buttons in the Capture tool When you capture stereo audio, you can view the multichannel audio format in the bin in the Track Formats column. Setting the Video and Audio Input in the Capture Tool The Video and Audio menus show you the current input settings for the Video Input tool and the Input tab in the Audio Project Settings dialog box. The menus also provide a convenient way to change the settings if necessary.
Setting Up the Capture Tool Detecting a Valid or Locked Sync Signal On systems using Avid input/output hardware, the Capture tool uses an icon to indicate if the sync source you are using is valid and locked. The icon appears in the message bar of the Capture tool. n • Video Lock icon: When you select a video track in the Capture tool, the Video Lock icon is displayed. If the current source has a valid video signal and your Avid input/output hardware can lock to it, the icon is displayed in green.
Setting Up the Capture Tool To select a target bin: 1. (Option — systems in an Avid Interplay environment only) Do one of the following: t If you are capturing to a local bin, select Local Bins. t If you are capturing to a remote project folder in an Avid Interplay environment, select Interplay Folders. For more information about capturing to an Interplay project folder, see “Capturing Media to Interplay Folders” on page 1161. 2. In the Capture tool, click the Bin menu and make a selection.
Setting Up the Capture Tool If you are capturing high-quality resolutions, you need to select striped drives. For more information, see “Getting Information About Striped Drives” on page 139 and “Storage Options and Drive Striping” in the Help. You can filter some drives out of the available drive list. For more information, see “Setting Drive Filtering” on page 146. You can set target drives in the Media Creation dialog box. See “Selecting Video Resolutions and Media Drives” on page 142.
Setting Up the Capture Tool To create and target a drive group: 1. Click the Target Drive menu, and select Change Group. The Drive Group dialog box opens. 2. Ctrl+click (Windows) or Command+click (Macintosh) to select multiple drives to include in the capturing session, or click the All button to select all drives. 3. Click OK. Your Avid editing application creates the drive group, and it appears in the Target Drive menu.
Preparing to Capture Audio Preparing to Capture Audio Your Avid editing application provides you with a wide range of options for audio input: capturing audio with video from tape, capturing audio from a digital or analog deck, capturing through a microphone, or capturing through an external audio device such as an Mbox device, and in various formats and at various sample rates. The topics in this section describe preparations you might need to take before capturing audio.
Preparing to Capture Audio Selecting the Audio Sample Rate and Controlling Audio Sample Rate Conversion Selecting the audio sample rate in the Audio Project settings dialog box sets the audio sample rate for capturing audio and for sequences that you create in the project. You can change the sample rate for individual sequences and audio clips.
Preparing to Capture Audio Option Description When needed When this option is set, your Avid editing application automatically converts incoming audio sample rates to match the project sample rate. 5. Close the Audio Project Settings dialog box. Selecting the Audio File Format You create audio files when you: • Record audio tracks in Capture mode. • Create tone media by using the Audio tool. • Mix down audio tracks by using the Audio Mixdown tool. • Import files by using the Import dialog box.
Preparing to Capture Audio 3. Click the Main tab. 4. Click the Audio File Format menu, and select WAVE (OMF), AIFF-C (OMF), or PCM (MXF). The default file format is AIFF-C (OMF). For more information on audio file formats, see “Audio Projects Settings: Main Tab” on page 1320. 5. Close the Audio Project Settings dialog box. Selecting the Audio Input Source You can connect one or more audio devices to your Avid hardware or to your computer.
Preparing to Capture Audio If your system has a surround sound audio chip installed, your Avid editing application might not be able to configure the Windows Mixer properly for audio output. By default, your Avid editing application mutes all output sources except the primary audio, which typically is a WAVE source. Some surround sound devices require that other audio output sources, such as Front Speakers, not be muted.
Preparing to Capture Audio 2. Click the Override Mute menu. The menu contains a list of the output sources available in Windows Master Volume control. 3. Click one or more of the output sources to override the Sound Card Configuration settings and to accept the default settings of the Master Volume control. For example, if the Master Volume control is set to disable sound from the Front Speaker output source, your Avid editing application leaves the source muted.
Preparing to Capture Audio Component Description Meters Dynamically track audio levels for each channel as follows: • Meters show green below the target reference level (default reference level is –20 dB on the digital scale). • Meters show yellow for the normal headroom range, above the reference level to approximately –3 dB. • Meters show red for peaks approaching overload, between –3 dB and 0 (zero) dB. • Thin green lines at the bottom indicate signals below the display range.
Preparing to Capture Audio Adjusting Audio Input Levels You can use the Audio tool and the Audio Project Settings dialog box to check the audio input levels. If the input levels are too high or too low, you need to adjust the output level of your source signal, if possible. n On software-only systems, you can adjust audio input through a slider in the Input tab of the Audio Project settings. For more information, see “Audio Project Settings: Input Tab” on page 1321.
Preparing to Capture Audio 7. Click OK. After a few seconds, your Avid editing application creates the media file and a master clip appears in the target bin. The default name reflects the options you selected. You can rename the clip by typing a new name. Using the Passthrough Mix Tool The Passthrough Mix tool lets you select the mix and adjust the volume and pan values of the source audio that you monitor.
Preparing to Capture Audio In Direct Mix mode, the Pan Value display and pop-up sliders at the bottom of the Passthrough Mix tool are replaced by Channel Menu buttons. 3. Select the audio channel to be adjusted by doing one of the following: t Click the Channel Selection button for the appropriate audio channel. t In Direct Out mode, click the Channel Menu button, and select a channel from the menu. You can select only channels that exist in the source audio. 4. Adjust the volume as needed.
Preparing to Capture Audio Calibrating Audio Hardware for Avid Nitris DX and Avid Mojo DX By default, your Avid editing application is calibrated for analog 0 Volume Unit (VU) to be digital –20 dBFS, which matches the default calibration of the Avid Nitris DX and Avid Mojo DX hardware. You can do two things to calibrate audio — make the audio adjustment to correspond to your hardware calibration setting by using the default, or refine the calibration to get to within 1/4 dB.
Preparing to Capture Audio 7. To change the digital level of the meter’s display of 0 VU, click Set Reference Level. The Set Reference Level dialog box opens. 8. Enter the new reference level in dB. This should be set to match the 0 VU standard in your workflow. Avid recommends a -20 dBfs value. 9. Select the interface you want to calibrate: Analog XLR input, Analog RCA input, Analog TRS input, Monitor output, or Analog output. Options vary depending on your Avid input/output hardware.
Preparing to Capture Audio From HW Calibration menu Use for all Outputs Use for all Inputs -14 dBFS -6.00 +6.00 -18 dBFS -2.00 +2.00 -20 dBFS 0.00 0.00 12. Repeat this procedure for each channel. To calibrate the audio input channels: 1. Connect the tone generator to the analog inputs on the back of the Avid Nitris DX or the Avid Mojo DX. 2. Double-click Audio Project in the Settings list of the Project window. 3. Click the Hardware tab. 4. Click Open Calibration window.
Preparing to Capture Audio 10. Use the Up and Down buttons in the Audio Hardware Calibration window to adjust the calibration in 0.5dB increments. The meters in the Audio tool should display around 0 VU. 11. Click Calibrate from the Audio Hardware Calibration window. The Audio tool changes to Calibrate mode. The scales display a range of approximately 8 dB, and the meters indicate levels within this range. 12. Repeat this procedure for each channel.
Preparing to Capture Video 11. Click Play Calibration Tone. 12. Repeat this procedure for each channel. Using the Console Window to Check Audio Levels Once you have played back audio through the Audio tool, you can use the Console window to view a list of precise information about the peak levels. To check peak levels in the Console: 1. Select Tools > Audio Tool. The Audio tool opens. 2. Click the RP (Reset Peak) button to clear your system’s record of the most recent maximum peaks. 3.
Preparing to Capture Video If you are capturing SDI, HD-SDI, or DV, for example, from a D1, D5, digital Betacam, DV, or HD deck, you cannot adjust levels by using the video input controls in your Avid editing application. If you plan to make adjustments at the source deck, information in this section regarding the internal Waveform and Vectorscope monitors might be useful.
Preparing to Capture Video For information about settings in the Video Input tool, see “Video Input Tool Settings” on page 1404. Using the Factory Preset Buttons in the Video Input Tool The preset buttons in the Video Input tool show the status of each calibration setting as follows: • When you first open the Video Input tool in a new project, all preset buttons are lit (green), with the factory presets loaded for each slider.
Preparing to Capture Video 2. Select Tools > Video Input Tool. The Video Input tool opens. 3. Click the Input menu, and select the appropriate video input channel. Your options for video input depend on the model of your Avid editing application and the project you select. The Video Input tool displays the appropriate parameters for the selected video format. For a description of each parameter, click the Video Input tool and press the F1 key (Windows) or Help key (Macintosh).
Preparing to Capture Video Top: full-field color bars (the leftmost bar is 100% white). Bottom: SMPTE standard split bars (the leftmost bar in the top row of bars is 75% white, the second bar in the center row of bars is 7.5 black level, and the second bar in the bottom row of bars is 100% white). 5.
Preparing to Capture Video NTSC (top) and PAL waveform values in the Video Input tool. NTSC values are measured in IRE, with the white level at 100 IRE (digital 235), the black level at 7.5 IRE (digital 16), and the 75% white level at 77 IRE (digital 180, the horizontal dotted line in the display). For NTSC-EIAJ, the black level falls at 0 IRE. PAL values are measured in volts, with the white level at 1 V (digital 235) and the black level at 0.3 V (digital 16).
Preparing to Capture Video 11. Adjust the Sat and Hue sliders (composite or S-Video) or the RY Gain and BY Gain sliders (component) until the angle and amplitude of the six color vectors fall within the target boxes on the Vectorscope monitor. There is no hue adjustment for PAL video. n c You can also monitor hue with a vectorscope in the Color Correction tool. See “Working with the Waveform Monitors and Vectorscope Monitor” in the Help.
Preparing to Capture Video Capturing from Unstable Time-Base Sources Your Avid system is optimized for use with modern, broadcast-quality VTRs that contain time-base correctors (TBCs). If the input is stable, your system captures the video by using a high-quality, very-low-jitter clock reference. However, some sources do not include an internal TBC.
Preparing to Capture Video n Video Input settings do not restore the source format (Composite, Component, S-Video, DV, or SDI). The source format you select in the Video Input tool remains the default for that project until you select another format from within the project. This lets you establish a new format on a project basis when moving between systems, or from the offline to the online phase. The Video Input tool is not available on all models.
Capture Preparations Check List You must use this spelling and initial capitalization. Adjusting Video Levels for Tapes Without Color Bars Color bars are the best way to set the video levels consistently. However, if you have a tape or series of tapes with no color bars, you might need to adjust levels by using the internal Waveform and Vectorscope monitors. n Calibrate your Client monitor before making these adjustments.
Capture Preparations Check List Select options in the Media Creation Settings, Capture Settings, General Settings, and (if appropriate) 24P Settings dialog boxes. See “Selecting Settings for Capture” on page 142. Configure your deck or decks using Deck Configuration and Deck Preferences settings. See “Configuring Decks” on page 151. Insert a tape into the deck, and set up the Capture tool for source tape, source deck, and other requirements. See “Setting Up the Capture Tool” on page 158.
7 Capturing Media This chapter provides information on capturing media from video or audio input. When you capture, you convert source material into master clips that contain reference information and media files that contain the digital audio and video.
Capturing and Logging at the Same Time For information about setting up the capture tools and adjusting capture settings, see “Preparing for Capture” on page 135. Capturing and Logging at the Same Time When you capture without entering log information in a bin ahead of time, your Avid editing application creates clips and associated media files while you capture. You manually cue source footage with an Avid-controlled deck, using the deck controls in the Capture tool.
Capturing and Logging at the Same Time Naming Clips and Adding Comments in the Capture Tool You can type clip names and comments before or during the on-the-fly capture of a clip. This information is saved in the clip Name and Comments columns in the bin. You can add comments about such things as color correction or directions for editing. If you do not type a clip name before or during capturing, your Avid editing application provides a default clip name.
Capturing and Logging at the Same Time You can edit the text before capturing. To add clip names and comments during capture: 1. Click the arrow in the Capture tool to display the Name and Cmnt text boxes. 2. Start typing the clip name at any time during the capture of a clip. 3. After typing the clip name, press the Tab key and type a comment. You cannot edit the text until after the capture is complete, but you can backspace to retype the comments.
Capturing and Logging at the Same Time 5. Click the Record button in the Capture tool, or press the F4 key. The Capture tool automatically rewinds the tape to the preroll point before the IN point of the clip, and the tape begins to play. The Record button becomes bright red, and the message bar displays the message that your Avid editing application is capturing. When the tape reaches the clip’s OUT point, capturing stops and your Avid editing application creates a new clip in the bin.
Capturing and Logging at the Same Time Capturing On-the-Fly Use the capturing on-the-fly method in any of the following circumstances: n • If you need to begin editing immediately and no adequate logs exist for importing into the system or setting marks. • If your source tape does not have timecode. • If you are capturing from a digital source such as a CD or DAT player. • If you are capturing from a live source, such as a satellite feed, or an in-house router.
Capturing and Logging at the Same Time 1 2 3 4 9 5 6 7 8 Deck controls in the Capture tool 1 Shuttle button 6 Pause button 2 Single-Frame Backward button 7 Play button 3 Single-Frame Forward button 8 Eject button 4 Fast Forward/Rewind buttons 9 Clear Marks buttons 5 Stop button 4. To begin capturing, play the deck. When it gets up to speed, click the Record button or press the F4 key.
Capturing and Logging at the Same Time 5. Click the Pause button at any time to pause play. You can also abort the capture procedure by clicking the Trash button. The clip is discarded. 6. To stop capturing and enter the OUT point of the clip, click the Record button, or press the Escape key on the keyboard. Your Avid editing application creates a new clip in the bin.
Capturing and Logging at the Same Time Autocapturing Autocapturing an entire tape can save you time by allowing you to bypass both the logging process and the time it takes to cue each shot. However, this process requires the most storage space, and it takes time to capture an entire tape. When you autocapture, you mount and cue your tape to a starting point and start the capturing process through the Capture tool.
Capturing Directly from a DV Device Capturing with Time-of-Day Timecode When you capture with an Avid-controlled deck, you can capture your footage with time-of-day timecode rather than source timecode. To capture with time-of-day timecode: 1. Select the proper Capture settings and set up the capture tools, as described in “Preparing for Capture” on page 135. 2. When selecting tracks, deselect the TC button. 3.
Capturing Directly from a DV Device Selecting a DV Device If your system has an Avid Nitris DX or Avid Mojo DX attached, you specify that you are capturing via 1394 by selecting Host 1394 from the Video menu in the Capture tool. For information on connecting a DV device to your system, see “Connecting a DV Device” on page 157. Understanding DV Capture Offset DV capture offset lets you offset the incoming DV stream against the timecode assigned to each frame during capturing.
Capturing Audio from a Music CD Example of a DV offset of 6 frames: tape frames (top) and master clip frames (bottom) To adjust for this device behavior, set the DV capture offset to –6 frames. The result should be a frame-accurate capture. However, the results are dependent on device behavior. If the device behavior for sending streams across a FireWire cable is inconsistent, frame-accurate results on capture are also inconsistent.
Capturing Audio from a Music CD To capture audio from a music CD: 1. Insert the music CD into the computer’s CD-ROM drive. 2. Start the CD player application, and select the track you want to capture. 3. Minimize the CD player application. 4. Select Tools > Capture. The Capture tool opens. 1 2 3 6 4 5 1 Toggle Source button set to Satellite mode 4 Selected Bin menu 2 Record button 5 Source Tape Display button 3 Selected audio track 6 Audio menu 5.
Frame Chase Capture 7. Click the Audio menu, and select CD Player. 8. Click the Source Tape Display button. The Select Tape dialog box opens. 9. Click New. 10. Name the tape, and then select the tape. 11. Click OK. 12. Click the Record button in the Capture tool. Your Avid editing application captures audio to the selected bin. n You can map the Record button from the Play tab in the Command palette to a key on the keyboard. This lets you start capturing by pressing a key.
Frame Chase Capture Conventional Capture A conventional capture creates media files (one for each track) in a temporary location (Avid MediaFiles\MXF\1\Creating on a media storage volume). These media files are not available for check-in to Interplay while the capture is in progress, and you cannot view or edit the files. When the capture ends, the files are moved to their final location (Avid MediaFiles\MXF\1). Only then are the files checked in to Interplay and made available for use.
Frame Chase Capture Enabling Frame Chase Capture You use options in the Capture Settings dialog box to enable Frame Chase capture and to set both the default clip length and the interval for updates to Interplay. To enable and set options for Frame Chase capture: 1. In the Settings tab of the Project window, double-click Capture. The Capture Settings dialog box opens. 2. Click the MXF Media Files tab. 3. Select options as described in the following table, and then click OK.
Batch Capturing from Logged Clips n • Frame Chase capture is only possible if media files are captured to shared storage in the workgroup. If you select a local storage volume in the Capture tool, you override the “During capture, clip is updated in Interplay” setting in the Capture Settings dialog box and your Avid editing application performs a conventional capture. • Frame Chase capture is not available for JFIF or HDV video resolutions.
Batch Capturing from Logged Clips n When you capture footage from an NTSC film-to-tape transfer with pulldown, the playback flickers in the Client monitor during capturing because the system is dropping occasional frames due to the pullin process. The footage plays back smoothly in your Avid editing application, however, after the pullin conversion is complete.
Batch Capturing from Logged Clips Batch Capturing Clips To batch capture clips: 1. Select the proper Capture settings and set up the capture tools, as described in “Preparing for Capture” on page 135. 2. Open the bin that stores the clips you want to capture. 3. Select the clips to batch capture: n t Select Edit > Select All. t Ctrl+click to select specific clips. If you are batch capturing the original source master clips used in the sequence, the sequence is updated automatically.
Batch Capturing from Logged Clips t If the bin contains some clips that are already captured and you do not want to recapture those clips, select “Offline media only.” If this option is not selected and some of the selected clips have media files, your Avid editing application deletes the media files and recaptures new media files. t If your selections include a sequence for batch capturing, the dialog box prompts you for handle length information.
Recapturing and Decomposing n To bypass specific clips in the process of batch capturing a particular tape, you must abort each clip manually by clicking the Trash button. Then click the Skip Clip button in the Abort window to continue. When your Avid editing application has finished batch capturing, a dialog box notifies you that the process is complete. Recapturing and Decomposing Recapturing is the process of recording previously captured source footage based on existing clips and sequences.
Recapturing and Decomposing Recapturing Master Clips and Subclips The procedure for recapturing master clips and subclips is identical to the process for batch capturing logged clips. See “Batch Capturing from Logged Clips” on page 210. Although the procedure is the same, the result is slightly different, as follows: • Master clips link to entire media files and serve as sources for subclips and sequences.
Recapturing and Decomposing Consider creating a duplicate of the original version of your sequence before recapturing. You might also want to create a new bin to store the duplicate sequence and keep the new master clips created by the recapture or decompose operations separate from existing clips. For example, duplicate a sequence that uses low-resolution clips to save storage space if you want to recapture the sequence at a higher resolution while retaining the low-resolution version.
Recapturing and Decomposing There are several situations in which you might want to decompose some but not all of the clips in a sequence. For example, you might have made an error while capturing from only one of the tapes or sources you are using in the sequence. In this case, you can decompose the clips from just the one tape or source and recapture them. Or you might have a mixed-rate sequence that is composed mostly of low-resolution clips but that also contains some high-resolution clips.
Recapturing and Decomposing Existing Format Target Formats Source Rate Change Edit Rate Change 25i or 25p PAL 25i PAL 25p PAL 720p/25 720p/50 1080i/50 1080p/25 No No No Yes No No No No No Yes No No Decomposing Sequences You can decompose sequences to create new master clips that you can then recapture. For more information on this process, see “Understanding Decompose and Expert Decompose” on page 216. To decompose one or more sequences: 1.
Recapturing and Decomposing Do not select this option if you plan to decompose and recapture any material in the sequence or sequences that has available media. 4. Select other options for the types of clips to decompose: captured only, imported only, captured and imported, or all clips in a group edit. 5. Click the Handle Length text box and type the number of additional frames you want to capture at the heads and tails of the new master clips.
Recapturing and Decomposing 9. Click OK. If you selected Expert Decompose in step 8, the Expert Decompose dialog box opens. For information on how to use this dialog box, see “Using Expert Decompose” on page 220. New master clips appear in the bin, named using the suffix .new.xx. You can now sort and select these clips like all other objects in the bin.
Recapturing and Decomposing For more information, see “Understanding Decompose and Expert Decompose” on page 216 and “Decomposing Sequences” on page 218. To sort or reverse sort a column of information: t Right-click the column heading for any column, and then select one of the following: Command Description Sort Column Sorts the information in order, for example, alphabetically A to Z.
Recapturing and Decomposing 3. Right-click on any selected item, and then select one of the following: Command Description Include in Decompose Selects the check box in the Decompose column for each of the selected items. Exclude from Decompose Deselects the check box in the Decompose column for each of the selected items. To deselect all selected tapes/sources or clips: t Click below the last item in any of the information columns.
Alternate Source Capture 5. To preserve clips that already have existing media files, select “Offline media only.” Deselect this option if you plan to recapture the entire sequence. 6. (Option) Select “All clips in a group edit.” 7. Click the Handle Length text box and type the number of additional frames you want to capture at the heads and tails of the new master clips. This provides enough overlap for trimming and adding transition effects.
Alternate Source Capture selects to HDCAM for the offline workflow, when mastering, it is best to go back to the original master tape and color correct from the HD RGB sources.
Using Capture Function Keys 7. Select the tape source from the Source Column menu that you want to batch capture from. Options depend on your project type and custom columns. Tape options can include: Tape, Camroll, Labroll, Soundroll, Custom Tape. n To set the Timecode Column and Source Column menu selections back to the defaults (Start and Tape), click Reset. 8. Click OK.
Using Capture Function Keys Press To F3, Add a marker to the current frame while capturing. Each Function key adds a different F5 through color marker. See “Adding Markers On-the-Fly While Capturing” on page 229. F12 F4 In Capture mode, start the capture process. During capture, end a comment for a marker. In Log mode, press once to mark an IN point. Press again to mark an OUT point to log the clip in the bin. To change function key commands for capturing media: 1.
Handling Errors During the Capture Process Handling Errors During the Capture Process You can log errors that occur during the capture process to the Console window. If you are not logging, you can respond to errors if they occur. For more information about the Console window, see “Using The Console Window” on page 101. To enable or disable logging to the Console window during capture: 1. Double-click Capture in the Settings tab in the Project window. The Capture Settings dialog box opens. 2.
Creating Subclips While Capturing You instruct your Avid editing application to create a timed subclip automatically when you press a function key that you have mapped to the Timed Subclip button. Your Avid editing application creates IN and OUT points at predetermined intervals before and after the point you identify in the source media by pressing the button. For information on mapping capture functions to function keys, see “Using Capture Function Keys” on page 225.
Adding Markers On-the-Fly While Capturing To set the duration of a timed subclip: 1. Double-click Capture in the Settings tab in the Project window. The Capture Settings dialog box opens. 2. Click the Keys tab. 3. Enter the time in minutes and seconds to be used by the timed subclip in the Before mark (M:SS) and the After mark (M:SS) text boxes. 4. Click OK. To create a timed subclip: 1. Start capturing. 2. At the point where you want to start a timed subclip, press the mapped function key.
Naming a New Tape from the Keyboard While Capturing A default name and number for the marker appear in the Name text box in the Capture tool. 3. While you capture, you can add comments for the marker. Press the Tab key to move the cursor to the Comments text box, and type your comment. 4. When you finish adding your comment for the marker, press the F4 key (End Marker Entry). The Name and Cmnt (Comment) text boxes revert to association with the master clip or the subclip being captured.
Adding Extra Text Fields in the Capture Tool Press To K Stop the deck. L Shuttle the deck at 1x, 2x, 3x, 5x, 8x, 16x, or 24x normal speed. J Shuttle the deck at –1x, –2x, –3x, –5x, –8x, –16x, or –24x normal speed. K+L Shuttle the deck at 0.25x normal speed. J+K Shuttle the deck at –0.25x normal speed. The following restrictions apply: • You must select the Capture tool, Digital Cut tool, or Deck Controller window for the keys to be active. • Single-field stepping is not supported.
Adding Extra Text Fields in the Capture Tool The Field Selection list opens with your new text field selected. If you do not capture and use the new extra text field after creating it, your Avid editing application does not save the new text field in the Field Selection list or bin. 6. Click OK in the Field Selection dialog box. The new text field appears in the Capture tool. Press the Tab key to move between fields while capturing. To display or hide text fields: 1. Select Tools > Capture.
Ejecting Tapes with a Button or Key Ejecting Tapes with a Button or Key If you click the Eject button and eject a tape, you can bring the fact that the tape must be changed to the attention of any tape operator in a remote machine room. To eject tapes by using a button: 1. Select Tools > Command Palette. 2. Click the Play tab. 3. Select Active palette. 4. Click the Eject button. You can map the Eject button to any button on the Tool palette or any key on the Keyboard palette.
Using Dolby E Media c If you are working in a film project, you cannot use pulldown settings when you capture your media if you want to use Dolby E material. Avid does not support capturing Dolby E media with audio pulldown because pulldown interferes with the preservation of Dolby E information. Selecting Dolby E Safe Settings You can automatically set your Avid editing system to protect Dolby E information during capture.
Using Dolby E Media 2. Click the Main tab. 3. Click Keep Dolby E Material Safe, and select Yes. If you modify your sequence to change any of these settings, the Keep Dolby E Safe setting automatically changes to No. You can reset the settings by selecting Yes. Capturing Media with Dolby E Information The Capture tool includes a Dolby E Safe button in the Message bar that indicates if your audio settings protect the capture of Dolby E material.
Delaying Audio During Capture To capture media while protecting Dolby E information: 1. In the Main tab of the Audio Project Settings dialog box, Click Keep Dolby E Material Safe, and select Yes. 2. Select Tools > Capture. The Capture tool opens. 3. Check to make sure the Dolby E Safe button displays blue. If the Dolby E Safe button displays yellow, reset the Dolby E Safe settings in the Audio Project Settings dialog box (see “Selecting Dolby E Safe Settings” on page 234). 4.
Working in Quick Record Mode n To use Quick Record mode, you must connect a deck that supports servo-lock signals to the system by using a deck control serial cable and a serial adapter. For information about the cable connection, see the setup information that came with your system. If the appropriate conditions for Quick Record are not present, the messages in the following table might appear. The second column recommends what you can do to be ready for the Quick Record mode.
Capturing in Satellite Mode or No Device Control During Quick Record mode, the timecode display for the deck shows the timecode followed by “* LOCAL”; for example: 00;01;05;14 * LOCAL. Capturing in Satellite Mode or No Device Control LTC (longitudinal or linear timecode) from an external source lets you capture from multiple sources at the same time as recording to tape. This is called satellite Mode.
Capturing in Satellite Mode or No Device Control Toggle Source button (top), Timecode Source menu and Source Tape Display button (bottom) in the Capture tool 2. Select the audio, video and data tracks. 3. Select the audio and video input. 4. Click the Timecode Source menu, and select one of the following (the devices that appear in the Timecode Source menu originate from the current Deck Configuration settings): Option Description Internal Uses internal system timecode. LTC Input Detects LTC input.
Capturing in Satellite Mode or No Device Control Option Description Firewire Timecode Detects timecode over a FireWire connection. FireWire Timecode is only listed if you have a FireWire deck configured in the Deck Configuration dialog box. See “Configuring Decks” on page 151. RS422 Timecode Detects timecode over a serial connection. RS422 Timecode is only listed if you have an RS422 deck configured in the Deck Configuration dialog box. See “Configuring Decks” on page 151. 5.
Scheduling a Capture Session Stop the process at any time by clicking Cancel. For guidelines on naming tapes, see “Naming Tapes” on page 124. 8. Click OK. The tape name is displayed in the Capture tool. 9. Play the tape manually from the deck or media source, and click the Record button to start and stop capturing of each clip. For more information, see “Capturing On-the-Fly” on page 199. 10.
Capturing to the Timeline 5. (Option) You can save a schedule as a tab-delimited text file and load it at a later date. Click Save to save your schedule list as a tab-delimited text file. 6. Select the Scheduled Record Mode option. 7. Select how to capture the satellite feed: t Select Once to capture the satellite feed one time. Any clips with a start time earlier than the current time-of-day timecode appear yellow. t Select Loop to repeat the schedule every day. 8. Click OK.
Capturing to the Timeline n You can also patch tracks in the Timeline in the same way you patch tracks when editing from the Source monitor. See “Patching Tracks” on page 668. Only tracks that are enabled in the Timeline are available for patching. Other tracks appear dimmed in the menu. To capture to the Timeline: 1. Prepare for capturing. See “Preparing for Capture” on page 135. 2. Set options in the Capture Settings dialog box: a. Click the Settings tab in the Project window. b.
Capturing Video Without Pulldown into a 24p NTSC Project 5. Mark an IN point in the sequence or move the position indicator to where you want the edit to take place. 6. Mark the source material you want to capture by using the Capture tool logging controls. For more information, see “Logging with Avid-Controlled Decks” on page 124. 7. (Option) Mark an OUT point based on the following: t If you are recording to the middle of a sequence in the Timeline, mark both IN and OUT points for frame accuracy.
Remote Play, Capture, and Punch-In n For normal 24-frame capture, click the Film to Video Transfer menu in the Film and 24p Settings dialog box, and select Pulldown. Remote Play, Capture, and Punch-In You can use an external edit controller with an Avid editing system for the following functions: Function Description Remote Capture Controls the capturing of media into an Avid editing system while using an edit controller. Remote Capture lets you record and stop.
Remote Play, Capture, and Punch-In 2. Click the Mode menu, and select Remote Play, Remote Capture, or Remote Punch-In. For information about each option, see “Remote Play and Capture Settings” on page 1390. Enabling Remote Capture Before you enable Remote Play and Capture, ensure your edit controller is properly connected. n The Remote Play and Capture command behaves like a Local/Remote switch on a playback device, with the VTR in Local mode by default when you start your system.
Remote Play, Capture, and Punch-In 9. Select Tools > Capture. The Capture tool opens. 10. Select the tracks onto which you want to capture by clicking the Channel Selection buttons. 11. Choose Bin > bin. 12. Click the Toggle Source button until the Satellite Mode icon appears. 13. Control capturing from the controller. Enabling Remote Play Remote Play lets you control sequences through an edit controller. You can play, cue, and stop your sequence from the edit controller.
Remote Play, Capture, and Punch-In Setting up Your System for Remote Punch-In Before you enable your Serial Remote, you must set the following options on your edit controller: • 049 — Send Record In and Out to Machine set to 1=Yes • 065 — Locate Type set to 0=Locate • 077 — Extended Status Request set to 1=Off In addition, all devices controlled by the controller must be genlocked, and your Avid editing system must be configured as the Master device.
Modifying the Pulldown Phase After Capturing Input Channels buttons in the Audio Punch-In tool 11. Select the tracks you want to record to by clicking the Input Channels buttons. 12. Load a sequence in the Source monitor. 13. Using the controls on the external controller, set an IN point in the Timeline. If you set the IN point at the first frame of the sequence, you must add filler to the start of the sequence equal to the amount of preroll.
Modifying the Pulldown Phase After Capturing To check for an incorrect pullin frame: 1. Look for a section of the clip that includes a series of frames with motion. 2. Step through the clip frame by frame (using the Step buttons or another method) and look for two frames that have no movement. If the pattern is two frames of movement followed by two frames of no movement, the pullin is incorrect.
DV and HDV Scene Extraction For example, if the A frame ends in 0 or 5, and the start timecode ends in 2, the pullin falls on the X frame and you need to modify the timecode along with the pullin. Move forward one frame to create a start timecode ending in 3. Then you can change the pullin to C. c When you change the timecode of a clip, you lose the key number of the clip. You need to enter it in the bin and adjust it to match any changes to the timecode.
DV and HDV Scene Extraction You can perform a DV Scene Extraction in two ways and an HDV Scene Extraction one way: • Set up the DV or HDV Scene Extraction option before capturing. When capturing is performed, subclips and marker marks appear in the bin. • Perform DV Scene Extraction after capturing.
Using the Panasonic VariCam To set up DV scene extraction after capturing: 1. Open a bin. 2. Click the clip for which you want to create subclips or marker marks. Ctrl+click (Windows) or Command+click (Macintosh) to select multiple clips. 3. Select Bin > DV Scene Extraction. The Capture Settings dialog box opens. 4. Click the DV Options tab. 5. Select DV Scene Extraction. 6.
Using the Panasonic VariCam The 720p format is always recording to a progressive 60 (59.94) frame tape format. The camera achieves the different frame rates by flagging the “true” frames within the 60 frame sequence. Your Avid editing application detects these flags and captures and stores only these frames. When the material plays back at the project’s frame rate, the result is either slow or fast motion. n If you capture audio, it will be out of sync.
8 Importing Files When you import files, your Avid editing application converts them into objects in a bin. You can manipulate and edit these objects as you would any other clip or sequence. You can specify a target drive to store any corresponding media files.
Preparing to Import Files Preparing to Import Files Before you begin the import process, make sure the system and the files are ready for import: • Prepare the files in advance according to specifications described in “File Format Specifications” on page 1412. • Determine the source for the files. Consider copying all files to a single folder before you import. See “Importing Media Files” on page 259.
Creating and Modifying Import Settings Custom setting name column in the Settings list of the Project window 3. Select the duplicated entry, click the Custom setting name column, type a name, and press Enter (Windows) or Return (Macintosh). 4. Double-click the new Import setting. The Import Settings dialog box opens.
Creating and Modifying Import Settings 5. Select the appropriate options. For more information about Import settings, see “Import Settings” on page 1374. 6. Click OK. To modify an existing Import setting: 1. Click the Settings tab in the Project window. The Settings list appears. 2. Double-click an Import setting. The Import Settings dialog box opens. 3. Select the appropriate options, as described in “Import Settings” on page 1374. 4. Click OK.
Importing Media Files Importing Media Files You can access files for import from any folder, disk, or drive source mounted on the desktop, such as a CD or DVD, fixed drive, removable drive, or network server. You can import more than one file or types of file at a time. When importing files from third-party applications, you may need to install specific codecs to convert these files into an Avid format. Consider copying all graphics files to a single folder before you import the files.
Importing Media Files 7. Click OK and close the dialog box. 8. Open the bin in which you want to store the imported files. 9. From the main menu, select File > Import. The Select Files to Import dialog box opens.
Importing Media Files 1 Enable menu 5 Single/Dual Drive button 2 From menu 6 Video and Audio Drive menus 3 Options button 7 Source file list 4 Resolution menu 8 Disk Label (for XDCAM only) (Does not appear on software only or Symphony option systems) 10. Do one of the following: t Click the Files of Type menu (Windows) and select All Files, or select the Any Documents option (Macintosh) to display all files in a selected folder, regardless of file type.
Importing Media Files Option Description (Continued) CamCutter Use to import Editcam™ or Editcam-station (.bin or .spl) files. For more information, see “Importing Editcam Files” on page 275. AAF Use to import AAF (.aaf) files. MXF Use to import MXF (.mxf) files or, for some Avid editing applications, clips stored on an XDCAM device. For more information, see “Importing XDCAM Media” on page 278. Windows Media Use to import Windows Media (.wmv) files.
Importing with Multichannel Audio n Your Avid editing application uses the disk label for operations such as Batch Import, where you are prompted to insert a specific XDCAM disc that holds the files you want to import. A disk label is required in order to import XDCAM media. 16. Select files or deselect files from the source file list by using the standard selection methods for your operating system. 17. Click Open. When the system finishes importing the files, the clips display in the selected bin.
Importing with Multichannel Audio t In the Project window, click the Settings tab and then double-click Import. The Import Settings dialog box appears. You can also open the Import Settings dialog box by clicking the Options button in the For information about the Import Settings, see “Import Settings” on page 1374. 2. Click Edit. The Set Multichannel Audio dialog box opens. 3.
Importing Audio Files from a Music CD The Track Formats column in the bin Text view displays the format for all multichannel audio tracks in a master clip. Importing Audio Files from a Music CD To import audio files from a music CD: 1. Follow the procedure in “Importing Media Files” on page 259. 2. In step 10, select Files of Type > Audio (Windows) or Show > Audio Documents (Macintosh). 3. In step 16, navigate to the music CD and select the track or tracks you want to import.
Sample Rate Conversion and Audio Import remains at -6 db and not -12 db. For each subsequent adjustment, your Avid editing application ignores the previous adjustment, except where the clip appears in a sequence. To adjust a clip’s gain in a sequence, you must use the Audio Mix tool. 7. Follow the usual import procedures. For more information, see “Importing Media Files” on page 259. To adjust the gain after import: 1.
Setting Sample Rate Conversion Options Before Importing Audio Files audio file with a 48048 sample rate is marked on import with a 48000 sample rate, and it plays back .1% slower than audio with a converted sample rate. Because no conversion occurs, importing the files proceeds quickly. This is the default setting. • Converting audio files with pullup or pulldown sample rates results in imported files with the project sample rate.
Photoshop Graphics Import Option Description Do not convert If you choose to convert the sample rates of your source audio files, sources with pullup selecting this option lets you skip the conversion of audio files with pullup and pulldown rates or pulldown sample rates while converting all other files to the project sample rate. Deselecting this option converts all files to the project sample rate. The default is not to convert pullup and pulldown sample rates on import.
Photoshop Graphics Import Single-layer files that contain transparency gradients or feathering and a transparent background do not import correctly. Partially transparent pixels display with either white or black blended into them, based on the percentage of transparency. To avoid this problem, create an additional layer in the original Photoshop file that contains at least one pixel of information, such as a spot drawn with a paintbrush.
Photoshop Graphics Import Your Avid editing application imports each layer as an individual matte key with alpha channel. In this example, the graphic uses a background image, so the system creates the background image as a master clip. (If the graphic uses a transparent background, the background layer is imported as a matte key.) The following illustration shows the layers as they appear in a bin.
Photoshop Graphics Import You can then edit the tracks as necessary to build up to the full collage. Support for Multilayered Photoshop Graphics Import You should be aware of the following requirements for multilayered graphics import and details of how your Avid editing application handles the import: • Graphics must be RGB 8 or 16 bits, or grayscale. • Importing preserve layer order and layer names. • Hidden layers are imported as matte keys.
Photoshop Graphics Import Layer Option Supported Notes Layer/Set Mask No Import ignores layer and set masks. To preserve a layer mask, apply it to the layer. To preserve a set mask, merge the set into an empty layer. To preserve a special layer’s mask, rasterize the layer. Layer Style No Import ignores layer styles. To preserve a layer style, you must convert the style into layers.
Digital Bars and Tone t Click Sequence of Layers if you want to preserve all layers. If the number of layers exceeds the number of tracks supported, your Avid editing application creates a sequence that contains the number of tracks supported. Additional layers are imported into the bin, but not as tracks in a sequence. This selection applies to all files you select for import. t Click Flattened Image if you want to import the graphic as a single matte key or clip.
Importing Color Bars and Other Test Patterns Acquisition Method Description Record bars and tone from a videotape Lets you record bars and tone simultaneously, but you must calibrate carefully to ensure accuracy. In addition, the final clip reflects the quality of the source tape recording. Record bars from an external color bar generator Provides good results, but you must have a color bar generator, and you must rearrange your system inputs to attach the generator.
Importing Editcam Files - 8-bit PICT files are located at the top level of the Test_Patterns folder. - 16-bit TIFF files are located in the HD_720p, HD_1080i, SD_NTSC, and SD_PAL folders. The file name appears in the File Name text box (Windows) or the Go to text box (Macintosh). 7. Click Options to adjust the Import settings. The Import Settings dialog box opens. 8. Click the Image tab, and select the following options: a. Select 601/709, non-square from the Aspect Ratio, Pixel Aspect area. b.
Importing Editcam Files Note the following restrictions: • The CamCutter clips are not copied onto a media drive. The bin references clips physically located on the FieldPak. If you remove the FieldPak, the referenced clips appear as Media Offline. • The FieldPak has limited performance and is used only to record and play back clips. If you require multiple streams of video for advanced effects, the data might not be supplied fast enough for proper operation.
Setting XDCAM Import Options Your Avid editing application creates entries in the selected bin that reference the clips on the FieldPak. For more information on importing files, see “Importing Media Files” on page 259. Setting XDCAM Import Options Set the default options to import XDCAM media in the XDCAM tab of the Import Settings dialog box. Use these settings to override the selections made in the Select Files to Import dialog box or to set default behavior when you import XDCAM media.
Importing XDCAM Media Importing XDCAM Media XDCAM and XDCAM HD devices store media as MXF OP1a interleaved files. Your Avid editing application does not use these files directly. Instead, you must first import the media. The import process creates new video and audio MXF OP Atom media files which consist of one video track and up to eight audio tracks. n Low-resolution proxy media have the same number of audio tracks as the high-resolution formats.
Importing XDCAM EX Media XDCAM cameras record proxy audio at a sample rate of 8 kHz. When you import proxy media, you can choose to change (upconvert) the sample rate to your project rate. This might slow the import process a bit, but it greatly improves playback of audio tracks. Importing XDCAM EX Media XDCAM EX devices store media as MP4 interleaved files. Your Avid editing application does not directly support these files.
Automatically Importing Proxy Media from an XDCAM Device 11. Open a project and a bin, or create a new bin. 12. With the bin selected, right-click and select Import. The Select files to Import dialog box opens. 13. Locate and select the AAF composition files, and then click Open. All metadata information is embedded with the clip. The video resolution in the Import window is ignored. The XDCAM EX clips appear in the bin. To import an XDCAM EX clip using MXF for NLEs: 1.
Automatically Importing Proxy Media from an XDCAM Device To import proxy media from an XDCAM device: 1. Double-click Import in the Settings list. The Import Settings dialog box opens. 2. Click the XDCAM tab. 3. Select Automatically Import Proxies when disk is inserted. 4. Click OK. 5. Open the bin in which you want to store the imported files. If you do not select a bin, or if you have more than one bin open, a dialog box opens and directs you to select from a list of open bins or create a new bin. 6.
Importing Proxy Media from an XDCAM Disk Your Avid editing application uses the disk label for operations such as Batch Import, where you are prompted to insert a specific XDCAM disc that holds the files you want to import. A disk label is required in order to import XDCAM media. 8. Click the Single/Dual Drives button, and select a destination drive for the imported file from the menu. 9. Click Import. When the import finishes, the clips appear in the selected bin.
Copying XDCAM Proxy Media to a Local Drive or a Server Your Avid editing application imports XDCAM media at the native resolution of the media on the XDCAM disc. Your Avid editing application ignores other resolution settings — for example, in the Select Files to Import dialog box. 7. (Option) Repeat this procedure for each XDCAM disc that holds media you want to import. Copying XDCAM Proxy Media to a Local Drive or a Server You might want to import proxy media when the XDCAM device is not available.
Importing Essence Marks as Markers in XDCAM Media You can import files through the: • Import function • Drag and drop method of importing files For more information, see “Importing Media Files” on page 259 and “Using the Drag-and-Drop Method to Import Files” on page 290. n Your Avid editing application imports XDCAM media at the native resolution of the media on the XDCAM disk. The system ignores other resolution settings — for example, in the Select Files to Import dialog box.
Editing XDCAM Proxy Media 2. Click the XDCAM tab. 3. Select Import Essence Marks as markers. 4. Click OK. Editing XDCAM Proxy Media When you import proxy media files, a new master clip is created that you can edit in the timeline just like any other clip. You can mix the clips in the Timeline with any supported resolutions, add effects or titles, or perform any other editing function available in your Avid editing application. XDCAM proxy media is single-frame resolution media.
Batch Importing High-Resolution XDCAM Media from the XDCAM Disk To set the playback options for XDCAM media: 1. Right-click the Video Quality menu button, and select Draft Quality (yellow/green) or Best Performance (yellow/yellow). Some effects, such as IllusionFX and FluidMotion effects, do not playback in real time when you select Draft Quality. For these effects, you must also select the Progressive Source button in the Effect Editor before you render. 2.
Batch Importing High-Resolution XDCAM Media from the XDCAM Disk 2. Click the XDCAM tab. 3. Select Batch Import High-resolution Video. 4. Click the Handle Length text box and type the number of additional frames you want to import at the heads and tails of the new master clips. This provides enough overlap for trimming and adding transition effects. The default is 30 frames. 5. Click OK. 6.
Batch Importing High-Resolution XDCAM Media from the XDCAM Disk The Batch Import dialog box opens. Single/Dual Drives button (left) and Video Drive and Audio Drive menu location (right) in the Batch Import dialog box Your Avid editing application imports XDCAM media using the native resolution of the XDCAM files. 11. Click the Video Drive and Audio Drive menus, and select a destination drive or drives for all the media files. You can separate video and audio onto different drives. 12. Click Import.
Editing and Finishing High-Resolution XDCAM Media Editing and Finishing High-Resolution XDCAM Media Once you import the high-resolution media, you can playback and edit your sequence with full resolution and in real-time. You can also send the sequence to a broadcast playback server using Avid Interplay Transfer. As you edit your sequence, you can move between the proxy media and the high-resolution media by relinking your clips with the corresponding media files.
Importing Sequences from Pro Tools through Interplay A progress box appears as the clips import. When the import is complete, the clips appear in the active bin. You can play and edit the clips; the media resides on the P2 card. If you leave your Avid editing application and then restart it, you see the clips in the bin, but the media is offline. You need to import the clips again to continue working with them. To import media from a P2 card: 1.
Reimporting Files 5. Open the folder that contains the files you want to import. 6. Select the file you want to import and drag it to the bin. To select multiple files, Ctrl+click (Windows) or Command+click (Macintosh) the files and drag them to the bin. 7. (XDCAM only) The Import file(s) from XDCAM dialog box opens. Type a name in the Disk Label text box, and then click Import.
Reimporting Files t Select Tools > Media Creation. The Media Creation dialog box opens. 3. Click the Media Type tab. 4. Click the File Format menu, and select the format (MXF or OMF). n If your project uses an HD resolution, you cannot select OMF as a file format. MXF is selected by default. 5. Open the bin, and select the imported master clips and sequences you want to reimport. 6. Select Bin > Batch Import. A message box opens. 7.
Batch Import Dialog Box c. Navigate to the location of the source file. If you select more than one clip displayed in red, the system first attempts to find the rest of the clips in the same folder as the first clip and then in folders that maintain the same relationship with the first clip’s folder. Found clips are displayed in black. 10. Click the Video Resolution menu, and select a video resolution for all the reimported files. n OMFI and AAF files do not convert DV 25 to DV 50 or DV 50 to DV 25.
Batch Import Dialog Box Batch Import dialog box. Top: Selected Clips area. Center: Import Target area (including, top to bottom, Video Resolution menu , Video Drive menu, and Audio Drive menu). Bottom: Import Options area. Area Control Selected Clips list Description Shows the clips you selected for import. The caption at the top of the section summarizes the total number of clips shown and how many of them are available for import. Found clips display in black.
Batch Import Dialog Box Area Control Description Set File Location button Lets you locate sources for files whose sources are not found automatically (displayed in red in the list). Import Target Lets you select a resolution and destination drives. Video Resolution menu Lets you select a video resolution. Video Drive and Audio Let you select a destination drive for the media files. Drive menu Import Options Contains global settings that affect all the files you are importing.
9 Working with Bins Bins provide powerful database tools for organizing and managing your captured material. Bin functionality lets you view bin objects and information in several different ways. You can rename, sort, sift, duplicate, assign colors, and delete clips and sequences, move or copy clips from one bin to another, and print single-clip frames or whole bins.
Object Icons in Bins Icon Object Type Description Master Clips A clip that references audio and video media files formed from captured footage or imported files Stereo Master Clips A single clip generated from a left and right eye pair of master clips that were created when stereoscopic full frame material was captured or imported.
Bin Views Icon Object Type Description (Continued) AMA linked audio clip Indicates a file based audio clip that links directly into a bin through an AMA plug-in. Effects A clip that references an unrendered effect that you create.
Bin Views Text view in the bin. Top to bottom: bin column headings, Bin View button, Bin View menu To select column headings: 1. With a bin in Text view, do one of the following: t Select Bin > Choose Column. t Right-click and select Choose Column. The Bin Column Selection dialog box opens. 2. Select the headings you want to add to the bin: t Click the name of a heading to select it. t Click a selected heading to deselect it. t Click All/None to select or deselect all the headings. 3. Click OK.
Bin Views If you want to sort clips in a customized order in Text view, you must first rearrange the clips in Script view, and then return to Text view. For information about Script view, see “Duplicating, Copying, and Moving Clips and Sequences” on page 309. Sorting Clips and Sequences You can automatically sort clips and sequences in Text view. If you need to view sorted clips in Script or Frame view, sort them in Text view first and then return to Script or Frame view.
Bin Views t Double-click the column heading. t Select Bin > Sort. The objects in the bin sort by color. Colors sort by hue, saturation, and value. Understanding Bin Views Use the Bin View menu (Text view only) to select different bin views. The Bin View menu appears to the right of the bin tabs. The following table describes the default bin views that are available.
Bin Views Bin tabs (top), Fast Menu button (bottom left), and Bin View menu (bottom right) in the bin Saving a Custom Bin View To save a bin view: 1. Open a bin, click the Text View button. 2. Resize, add, hide, or rearrange bin columns according to preference to customize your view. The Name column is the default and the only required column heading. The bin view name changes to an italic name with the file name extension .n to indicate that it no longer matches the original view.
Bin Views 4. Click OK. Using Frame View In Frame view, each clip is represented by a single frame, with the name of the clip displayed below the frame. The system uses the head frame as the default. You can perform the following functions in Frame view: • Enlarge and reduce the sizes of the frames. You must enlarge or reduce all frames together, and you cannot change the sizes of individual frames. • Rearrange the display of the frames in the bin by moving them.
Bin Views The display size decreases each time you select this option, up to seven times. To rearrange a single frame: 1. Click the frame, and drag it to its new position. 2. Click the background area of the bin to deselect the clips. To rearrange multiple frames: 1. Do one of the following: t Shift+click the frames. t Lasso the frames by clicking the mouse pointer outside the first frame and drag it to surround the frames with a white dotted line. 2.
Bin Views n Use the Home key or End key to change the represented frame. On systems with Symphony options, use the Home key or End key on the keyboard or jog or shuttle with the mouse to change the represented frame. For more information about playing footage, see “Controlling Playback” on page 473. If you have group or multigroup clips in the bin and want to change the displayed frame, use controls in Source/Record mode.
Bin Procedures Script view in the bin. Top to bottom: bin tabs, script text box, Script Bin View button To type text in the script box: 1. Click the text box and begin typing. 2. (Option) If the text you type extends beyond the size of the script box, you can use the Page Up and Page Down keys on the keyboard to scroll through the text. This text does not appear in sequences edited from the clips, only in printouts of the bin in Script view.
Bin Procedures When you work with bins, an asterisk appears before the bin name in the bin’s title bar. The asterisk indicates that the changes to the bin have not been saved. Once you save the bin, the asterisk is removed. Using Bin Tabs When you create a new bin, the bin opens in a separate window by default. However, you can drag bins to a single window to conserve space within your Avid editing application.
Bin Procedures To view bin tabs that do not display in the tab panel, do one of the following: t Click the Previous Bin button or the Next Bin button to shift the tab view to the left or the right. The bin tab displays adjusts to display the next bin either on the left or the right. t Click the Tab menu, and then select the name of the bin you want to view. The selected bin displays in the bin window.
Bin Procedures n Selecting a single item deselects any other selections. To reverse your selection: t Select Bin > Reverse Selection. The items that you previously selected are deselected, and those items that were previously deselected are selected. Duplicating, Copying, and Moving Clips and Sequences When you duplicate a clip or sequence, your Avid editing application creates a separate clip linked to the same media files.
Bin Procedures n If the destination bin’s display has been set to show reference clips, the referenced object types do not appear until you save the bin. For more information on setting the bin display, see “Setting the Bin Display” on page 335. To copy clips or sequences from one bin to another bin: 1. Position or resize the bins so that you can see both of them at the same time. 2. In the original bin, click the clips or sequences that you want to copy. 3.
Bin Procedures c n • Sequences • Effect clips and their media files • Motion effect clips and their media files • Rendered effects clips and their media files • Data clips and their media files • Master clips and their media files • Sources • Groups When you delete media files, you can no longer see the deleted material. If you load a clip for which a media file has been deleted, a black screen appears with the words “Media Offline.
Bin Procedures Examples of the Delete dialog box with one master clip selected (left) and with multiple clips selected (right) 3. Select the items you want to delete: t Select clips and their associated media files for deletion. t Select only the media files for deletion if you want to retain the clips to recapture later. t Select only the clips for deletion (in case the media file is referenced by other clips in your project). t Select the resolutions you want to delete.
Bin Procedures n When you select a title for deletion, you might see more than one resolution. (Macintosh) To delete clips, subclips, and sequences with their media files from a bin: 1. Select the clips, subclips, or sequences you want to delete. 2. Do one of the following: t Select Edit > Delete. t Press the Delete key. The Delete dialog box opens which displays information about the selected items. 3. Select the items you want to delete.
Bin Procedures To restore the default bin background color, do the following: t Activate the bin you want to change, and then select Edit > Set Bin Color to Default. Assigning Colors to Objects in a Bin You can assign colors to clips, subclips, sequences, and effect clips to help you manage and organize the bin objects. You can also display colors in bins and in the Timeline. For information on displaying colors in the Timeline, see “Displaying Clip Colors in the Timeline” on page 630.
Bin Procedures Locking and Unlocking Items in a Bin You can lock any items in a bin — including source clips, master clips, subclips, and sequences — to prevent deletion. When you lock clips in a bin, you lock their associated media files on your desktop as well. To lock items: 1. Click a clip, subclip, or sequence to select it. Ctrl+click (Windows) or Cmd+click (Macintosh) additional clips, if necessary. 2. Select Clip > Lock Bin Selection.
Bin Procedures To unlock previously locked items: 1. Select the items in the bin. 2. Select Clip > Unlock Bin Selection. You can use the clip-locking feature along with archiving software to automatically archive all locked media files. Selecting Offline Items in a Bin Offline items are clips, subclips, or sequences that are missing some or all of their original media files or that have never been captured.
Bin Procedures To identify offline items, do one of the following: t Select Bin > Select Offline Items. t Click the Bin Fast Menu button, and then select Select Offline Items. The bin highlights all items that are missing media files. To identify offline items in the Timeline, see “Displaying Clip Colors in the Timeline” on page 630.
Working with Bin Columns Selecting Unreferenced Items in a Bin When you select unreferenced clips, your Avid editing application highlights all clips not currently referenced by clips or sequences that are in the open bins. Any master clips, subclips, or effect clips you edited into sequences in the bins do not highlight. n The Select Unreferenced Clips option is useful for finding unused media. To identify unreferenced clips: 1. Open the bin containing the sequence or clip that is referenced. 2.
Working with Bin Columns To move a text column in a bin: 1. Click the heading of the column that you want to move. The column is highlighted. 2. Drag the column to the position you want, and release the mouse button. A bounding outline of the column guides you as you drag it. The column appears in the new position, and columns to the right move to make room. To align bin columns: t Select Bin > Align to Columns. To hide or delete a column: 1.
Working with Bin Columns 3. Select a column name from the list. The column must contain the same type of data for the copy to occur. For example, you can copy start timecodes to the Auxiliary TC column, but you cannot copy timecodes to the Pullin column. 4. Click OK. The column of information appears in the column you designated. Adding Customized Columns to a Bin In addition to the standard column headings, you can add your own column headings to describe information about clips and sequences.
Working with Bin Columns Adding a Metadata Bin Column Heading When you use the Avid Media Access (AMA) method to link to third-party media, each manufacturer has its own metadata information associated with the media. Avid displays this information in customized bin columns. The headings can include: Manufacturer, Data Source, Creation Date, and Last Update. The headings change depending on the manufacturer.
Working with Bin Columns n When you use AMA and metadata column headings, Avid recommends that you do not create custom bin views. Use the default preset bin views. Moving Within Column Cells You can use the keyboard shortcuts described in the table to move from cell to cell in bin columns: Shortcut Description Tab Moves the pointer to the cell in the next column. You can continue to press the Tab key to move through the cells to the right until the cell in the last column highlight.
Working with Bin Columns n For information to display timecodes in the Timeline and the Tracking Information display, see “Displaying Timecode Tracks in the Timeline” on page 636 and “Displaying Tracking Information” on page 458. After you add a timecode column (TC60) to a bin, you can use the Duplicate command to convert the values for master clips and subclips to the appropriate timecode for that column.
Modifying Clip Information The Select dialog box opens. 5. Select the timecode heading from the list. 6. Click OK. The values for master clips, subclips, and sequences in the Start column convert to the appropriate timecode format and display in the column you selected. 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 Clip Information If you work in an Interplay environment, the list of bin column headings include audio sample rates and video resolutions. Select from these headings to display multiple sample rates and resolutions in the bin. For more information, see “MultiRez Bin Headings” on page 1251. You can modify information in bin columns. For example, you can type a new name for a clip or correct the start and end timecodes.
Modifying Clip Information Bin Column Heading Description CFPS Captured frames per second. Color Color of the bin objects for organizing the objects. For more information, see “Assigning Colors to Objects in a Bin” on page 314. Modifiable after capture with no restrictions. Color Space Indicates the color space (RGB or YUV) of the clip. Comments Modifiable after capture with no restrictions. Creation Date Date and time you log or capture the clip.
Modifying Clip Information Bin Column Heading Description Mark OUT Timecode for the OUT point, if you set one for the clip. Modifiable after capture — altering the mark OUT also alters the IN to OUT duration. This replaces any previous mark. Media Status Status of the media in the export Volume Bin. See “Working with Export Volumes” on page 399. Modified Date Date and time a sequence was last edited or changed. Offline Track names for any media files offline.
Modifying Clip Information Bin Column Heading Description Video File Format Clip video file format (OMF, AAF, MXF, or none). VITC Vertical interval timecode. Modifying Data in Bins You can modify data in bin columns directly by typing in a selected text field.
Modifying Clip Information 3. Click the cell again to enter text. If the pointer does not change to an I-beam, you might be selecting a column that cannot be directly modified. 4. Type the new information, and press Enter (Windows) or Return (Macintosh). To modify selected data using the Modify command: 1. Click the Text View button in the bin. 2. Click the icon to the left of the clip, sequence, or other object you want to modify.
Modifying Clip Information 5. Select an option or type information into the text boxes. For more information, see “Modify Command Options” on page 330. 6. Click OK. The modification takes effect. Modify Command Options Type of Modification Options Description Set Timecode Drop/ Non-drop Drop, Non-drop Changes the timecode format between drop-frame and non-drop-frame. Setting must match the timecode format of the tape. Set Timecode By Field Start or End Changes either the start or end timecode.
Modifying Clip Information Type of Modification Options Description Increment Timecode Start or End Changes either the start or end timecode. If you increment the start timecode automatically, it modifies the end timecode by the same amount. You can only alter start timecodes after capture. Timecode text box Lets you enter custom incremental timecode. Start or End Changes either the start or end timecode.
Working with Film Information in Bins Type of Modification Options Description Active Format Description Lets you set the Active Format Description (AFD) in the data track. AFD information allows you to display the video of one aspect ratio on a display with another aspect ratio. See “Adding the Active Format Description to the Data Track” on page 1041” Active Format for 4x3, 16x9, or Use Project Format.
Working with Film Information in Bins See “Duplicating, Copying, and Moving Clips and Sequences” on page 309. 3. Sort, sift, and organize the clips within each scene bin. Selecting a Film Gauge The film gauge consists of the film size and either the number of perfs per frame (for 35mm and 65mm) or the number of frames per foot (for 16mm). You specify the gauge in any of the film-gauge columns (Aux Ink Film, Ink Film, and Master Film). n You cannot modify the KN Film column.
Creating a Storyboard Selecting an Edgecode Type There is one edgecode per foot of film. You enter an edgecode type for a particular place on the film in any of the edgecode-type bin columns (Aux Ink Edge, Ink Edge, Master Edge). Select the appropriate edgecode type for a clip so you can track frames in the Timecode window, above the Source/Record monitor, or in FilmScribe. To select an edgecode type: t Ctrl+click the cell, and select the edgecode type that matches the edgecodes on the film.
Setting the Bin Display Setting the Bin Display By default, your bins display all existing media objects except source clips and rendered effects. To reduce crowding in the bin and to display only those objects that you need to organize your project, you can display selected media objects. n You can also display bins as tabs in a common bin window. For more information, see “Using Bin Tabs” on page 307.
Sifting Clips and Sequences Custom Sift dialog box. Left to right: Criterion menu, Text to Find text box, and Column or Range to Search menu 2. Click the Criterion menu, and select one of the sifting options. 3. Click the first Text to Find text box, and type the text that you want to use as a sift criterion. When sifting by color, type the exact name of the color (using uppercase and lowercase letters) in the text box. 4.
Sifting Clips and Sequences Understanding Sifting Timecodes or Keycode Ranges You can sift on a timecode (or keycode) number within a specific range. For example, you can sift for all the clips that start before and end after a particular timecode. Example of a bin before a custom sift by timecode If you type a value in the Text to Find text box in the Custom Sift dialog box, click the Column or Range to Search menu, and select Start to End Range.
Sifting Clips and Sequences Example of a bin after a custom sift by timecode. The detail of the Custom Sift dialog box (top) shows the query used for sifting, and the bin (bottom) shows only those clips that encompass the timecode number entered. Some column pairs explicitly define a range, for example, Start and End or Mark IN and Mark OUT. Other columns define the beginning of a range, and the end of the range is determined by the Duration column.
Sifting Clips and Sequences Keycodes contain letters, numbers, and a dash before the feet and frames; for example, KJ23 6892-0345+13. When you sift on a keycode number, you enter only the numbers after the dash (the actual counter portion). Any information before the dash is ignored. If you do enter characters before the dash, they must match the corresponding characters in the bin column exactly. The table lists all columns associated with explicit ranges and their corresponding menu choices.
Working with Restricted Material Sifting Timecodes or Keycode Ranges To sift for a timecode or keycode number within a specific range: 1. Select Bin > Custom Sift. The Custom Sift dialog box opens. 2. Type the timecode (or keycode) number for the range in which you want to sift. 3. Type the timecode number for the range in which you want to sift. 4. Click the Column or Range to Search menu, and select a range; for example, Start to End Range or Mark In to Out Range.
Working with Restricted Material Restriction marker on a clip in the bin When you first open a restricted clip or load a sequence containing restricted clips, a warning message box opens. The warning appears every time you open or display a clip on restricted material in this session, not just on the present clip. The same warning appears when you try to perform a digital cut, send the sequence to playback, or export.
Printing Bins The changes appear in the Restriction window. Printing Bins To print entire bins: 1. Make sure your printer is correctly set up. 2. Select the Text, Script, or Frame bin view of the bin you want to print. 3. Select File > Page Setup. The Page Setup dialog box opens, reflecting the specific options for your printer. 4. Select the appropriate options. 5. Click OK (Windows) or Print (Macintosh). 6. Select File > Print Bin.
10 Acquisition of File-Based Media (AMA) You can link, import, or export clips and sequences from many third-party volumes or third-party files to and from the Avid editing system. You can manipulate and edit this media as you would any other clip or sequence. File-based media can be acquired from a third-party device (a camera, reader, or drive), from a CD or DVD, from a folder on your system, or from a virtual volume (a server connected to your system).
The Avid Media Access (AMA) Workflow There are two ways of browsing and editing this media: • Manually browse through the media on the third-party device, and link to selected media to create master clips in your bin, or • Move all the media from the third-party device to an Avid dynamic media folder where you have set up an automated process to create the master clips. Typical media management functions (e.g.
The Avid Media Access (AMA) Workflow Avid Media Composer External card reader Set up automated processes to move files to a local or shared folder Background Process 1 Files moved to local or shared folder Dynamic Media folder (native formats) Master clips created 2 4 Request bin update, and the clips point to source files that have been copied to the AMA media folders 3 Avid Media Files folder (MXF OP Atom formats) Media consolidated and/or transcoded New master clips created for transcoded/con
The Avid Media Access (AMA) Workflow 4. When files are ready to be pulled into a bin, you will be notified by a green light to the right of the audio meters in the timeline. Through the Dynamic Media Folders dialog, you can request a bin update which will pull the clips into a bin. Any AMA-linked clips already on the timeline will automatically point to the new location of the media in the designated AMA media folder(s).
Viewing Installed AMA Plug-ins • When you render an audio effect on an AMA media clip, all audio media files are written as PCM (MXF), regardless of what you set for the audio file format. • Avid does not support MultiCamera editing with AMA clips. • You should not mix workflows. Either use the AMA method or use the traditional import/batch import method. Viewing Installed AMA Plug-ins Once you download and install a third-party plug-in from avid.
Selecting the AMA Settings 3. Click the Volume Mounting tab. 4. If you want the system to automatically scan drives (volumes) every time, select the option “When mounting previously mounted volumes, do not check for modifications to the volume.” This option is off by default. 5.
Copying File-Based Media to a FireWire or Network Drive The Set Multichannel Audio dialog box opens. For information on setting multichannel audio options, see “Using XDCAM Multiple Resolution Clips with AMA” on page 369. 8. Click OK. Copying File-Based Media to a FireWire or Network Drive After you insert cards or a disk into your third-party device, you can copy the media to a FireWire drive or a network drive and then eject the card or disk.
Creating Dynamic Media Folders To drag and drop files directly into a bin: 1. Navigate to the folder that contains the file based media. 2. Select the files you want to drag to the bin. 3. Alt + drag (Windows) or Option + drag (Macintosh) the files to the bin. The files appear in the bin as AMA linked files. These are also managed files and appear in the Media Tool.
Creating Dynamic Media Folders 2. Create a new folder by clicking the + icon in the Dynamic Media Folders window. The Select Folder window opens. 3. Browse to the folder you want to designate as a Dynamic Media Folder. 4. Click Select Folder. 5. Click the Profile Editor button to create a profile that you want associated with the DMF folder. The Profile Editor opens. 6. Click the Menu bars to open the default profile summary and default AMA Settings and Actions.
Creating Dynamic Media Folders 7. Select AMA Settings options as described in the following table. Setting Option Description AMA Plugin Link Using Select which Plug-in you want the editing application to use when performing AMA links for the files added to the selected DMF folder. If you are linking to Volumes, Avid recommends you select the Autodetect AMA Plug-in.
Creating Dynamic Media Folders Setting Link Option Description Create a new bin When this option is selected, your Avid editing application creates a new bin to store clips linked using AMA and controls the bin name. This is the default option. Multichannel Audio • Default bin naming convention: uses the project name for the bin (bin name followed by a consecutive number). • Volume name: the name or label of the volume (for example D:). • Specify bin name: lets you enter a new bin name.
Creating Dynamic Media Folders 9. Click the Menu button on a row to access the desired copying, consolidating and/or transcoding actions you want to be performed on the files. Choose from the following options: Action Option Description Copy to Folder Copy to: Click the Set button to choose the location where you want the files copied to. Auto Relink when complete Files are automatically relinked when the copy is completed. Checkin to Interplay Checks in assets to Interplay.
Creating Dynamic Media Folders Action Transcode Option Description Convert Audio Format Select either OMF (WAVE), OMF(AIFF-C), or MXF (PCM) audio format. Video Drive Audio Drive Select the applicable drives. Transcode Video Resolution Select the applicable Project type, Color Space, Raster and Codec you want to transcode to. Apply Reformatting option (compatibility mode) Transcodes the media and applies any framing and reformatting options that have been set on the master clips.
Creating Dynamic Media Folders Action Option Description Video Drive Audio Drive Select the applicable drives. 10. You can also reorder the actions by priority by dragging one above or below the other. 11. Click Save to save the Profile. 12. Name the Profile and click OK. 13. Select Enable in the Dynamic Media Folders window to make sure that any files added to the Dynamic Media folder will have the actions set by the associated Profile.
Linking Media with AMA Linking Media with AMA The editing application will automatically link clips on a volume when you connect to your third-party device. You can also use the File > AMA Link option to manually link to a volume or file. AMA media is managed. AMA managed media means that the AMA media is tracked. The AMA media is associated with .pmr and .mdb files. Therefore the AMA media will appear in the Media Tool and can be checked into Interplay.
Linking Media with AMA 2. Navigate to the folder that contains your file-based media. For P2, navigate one level above the Contents folder. For XDCAM disks, navigate to one level above the Clip folder. For XDCAM EX, navigate to one level above the BPAV folder. For RED, navigate to the root directory of the RED card. For GFCAM, navigate to the root directory of the GFPAK. For QuickTime, navigate to the QuickTime folder that holds the QuickTime files.
Linking Media with AMA 3. Select Bin Selection options. Option Description Single Bin Based On Selected Folder Places all linked clips into one default bin. Single Bin Named Lets you create a new bin and type in a new bin name. Places all linked clips into that bin. Bin(s) Based on Current AMA Setting Places the clips in the bin(s) you set up in the AMA Settings Bins tab. Bin(s) Based on Subfolders Places the clips in bin(s) based on their subfolders.
Relinking to AMA-Linked QuickTime Files 5. Click Open. The clips appear in the active bin with the default multichannel audio track formats (based on the AMA settings). A link icon appears next to the clips. If the system cannot link a file, an error message displays informing you to open the Console window for more information about the file(s) in error. If you move the clip from the original drive to another drive on your system, the clip displays as offline in your bin.
Spanned Clips The clips appear linked in the bin. If all the clips you wanted to relink to do not reside in the selected folder, you will receive a dialog indicating how many files were not relinked. Open the Console window to see the name of the file or files that were not relinked. n If the new file is not compatible with the clip in the bin (it does not have the same duration, edit rate or number of tracks), the clip in the bin retains its original link.
AMA Linking with Ancillary Data When you work with spanned clips, consider the following: • If you remove a card that contains a spanned clip, for example Card 2 in the above example, and you try to play Clip 1, it plays until it reaches the portion of the clip that resides on Card 2. Media Offline appears until you reach the media on Card 3.
AMA Linking with Multichannel Audio Each stereo track requires two channels, but you can mix mono and stereo input channels for your linking operation as long as you do not exceed the maximum of 16 audio channels for each master clip. To specify the multichannel audio mix for linked AMA clips: 1. In the Project window, click the Settings tab. 2. Double-click AMA. The AMA Settings dialog box appears. For information about the AMA Settings, see “AMA Settings” on page 1317. 3. Click the Link Options tab.
AMA Linking with Multichannel Audio 5. Click the format buttons to select one of the following audio track formats for each pair of source channels: Button Track Format Mono Stereo You must map source audio channels in mono or stereo pairs. For example, you cannot map A1 to a mono track and A2 and A3 to a stereo track. Instead, map A1 and A2 to mono tracks, and A3 and A4 to a stereo track. If the source media does not have an audio channel on A2, the Avid editing application ignores the channel. 6.
The AMA Plug-in Log File c. n Press Enter (Windows) or Return (Macintosh). The custom name column is the center column in the Project window. When you move the pointer over the custom name column, the pointer changes from a pointing finger to a text insertion bar. You can select this new setting whenever you link clips with AMA. The AMA Plug-in Log File The Avid system creates an AMA plug-in log file when you link clips. The log file records errors and information about the clips.
Virtual Volumes and AMA Bins 2. Select the virtual volume you want to remove. 3. Click OK. The system removes the virtual volume from your system and clips linked to this virtual volume appear offline. When you restart your Avid editing application, the system scans the system for virtual volumes and the clips appear online. Virtual Volumes and AMA Bins If you select Volume Name in the AMA Bin Settings tab, the system names the bin the same name as the virtual volume drive name.
Using AMA Plug-Ins 3. Select the files you want to delete and press the Delete key. To delete files on a local drive in your Avid editing application: 1. In a bin, select the clips you want to delete. 2. (Option) Right-click and select Unlock Bin Selection. 3. Press the Delete key. The Delete dialog box opens. 4. Select Delete master clips and Delete associated media files. 5. Click OK. You can also choose to AMA Link if you want to open the assets as Read-only in a classic bin.
Using AMA Plug-Ins You should be aware of the following: • Playback performance from an optical disk is very slow. To create a sequence with multiple effects or layered tracks, Avid suggests that you consolidate the media to a local drive, instead of working directly from the optical disk. • Avid has turned off redrawing of waveforms in the Timeline when you link to XDCAM clips that reside on a disk. This allows for a faster linking process. When the media is consolidated, the waveforms redraw.
Using AMA Plug-Ins n For information on consolidating your sequence, see “Consolidating Media” on page 418. For information on transcoding your sequence, see “Using the Transcode Command” on page 424. 7. Remove the XDCAM disk or XDCAM EX card: t (Windows) Select Safely Remove Hardware icon in the taskbar and select Safely Remove XDCAM EX device name. t (Macintosh) Click the device icon on your desktop and drag it to the Trash.
Using AMA Plug-Ins 5. Double-click AMA. The AMA Settings dialog box appears. 6. Click the Quality tab. 7. Click the appropriate resolution for your video and audio in the AMA Link Preference section, and click OK. 8. Insert the XDCAM disk in the XDCAM device. 9. Select Bin Selection options from the Bins tab. For information on bin selection options, see “Linking Media with AMA” on page 357. 10. Select File > Link to AMA Volume. The Browse for Folder dialog box opens. 11.
Using AMA Plug-Ins Switching Between Multiple Resolution Media Once you link to the low-resolution or high-resolution media and complete your edits, you can easily switch from low to high and high to low-resolution media. When you switch to a different resolution, the system replaces the clip in the bin with the new clip and resolution. The steps below highlight switching from low-resolution to high-resolution media. You can also switch from high-resolution to low-resolution.
Using AMA Plug-Ins The steps below highlight consolidating high-resolution media. You can also consolidate low-resolution media. For information on why you should consolidate, see “Consolidating Media” on page 418. To consolidate high-resolution media: 1. In the Project window, click the Settings tab. 2. Double-click AMA. The AMA Settings dialog box appears. For information about the AMA Settings, see “AMA Settings” on page 1317. 3. Click the Quality tab. 4.
Using AMA Plug-Ins Using the P2 AMA Plug-In Panasonic’s P2 equipment records DV, DVCPRO, and DVCPRO 50 media on compact, solid-state memory cards (P2 cards). Avid editing applications support editing of media directly from these memory cards, without the need to capture. You can also write your sequence back to the P2 card. Panasonic P2 video and audio media is recorded in MXF format.
Using AMA Plug-Ins Panasonic P2 devices write individual MXF audio and video media files for each track of each clip. For example, a P2 clip that includes one track of video and four tracks of audio is stored on the P2 card as five individual media files. Within your Avid editing application the five media files are represented as a single clip with audio and video. The following steps describe a typical workflow for editing P2 clips with AMA. n Do not mix AMA and traditional workflows.
Using AMA Plug-Ins If you work in an Avid shared storage environment, you can share sequences that contain P2 clips in an Avid shared storage workspace. However, you can share P2 clips only if you transcode or consolidate them to a workspace. • In an MXF workgroup, you can either consolidate or transcode P2 clips to a workspace. If you transcode, you must transcode P2 MXF files to another MXF resolution. • In an OMF workgroup, you must transcode P2 clips to a workspace.
Using AMA Plug-Ins The following steps describe a typical workflow for editing AVCHD clips with AMA. A typical workflow is as follows: 1. Install the AVCHD AMA plug-in on your system. 2. To link to an entire volume, attach the camera and insert a card, disc or drive. The system links the AVCHD clips automatically into a bin. n n It is highly recommended for performance reasons, that you copy the entire media volume to an external HD drive if you plan on copying media from a card.
Using AMA Plug-Ins Using the Canon XF AMA Plug-In The Canon XF305 and Canon XF300 camera records MPEG-2 media onto compact flash cards. Through the Canon XF AMA plug-in and the MXF AMA plug-in, you can link to Canon MPEG-2 media through the AMA method. Canon XF video and audio media files record in MXF format. You can edit directly from a flash card, without having to capture. You can link to a Canon XF flash card and reader attached to your system or copy a Canon XF flash card to the root of a drive.
Using AMA Plug-Ins Spanned clips are clips that extend from one card to another. Avid supports working with spanned Canon XF clips in your Avid editing application. For more information about spanned clips, see “Spanned Clips” on page 361. Using the GFCAM AMA Plug-In The Ikegami GFCAM HDS-V10 is a tapeless camera/recorder that uses flash memory instead of video tapes as a recording medium. GFCAM devices record MPEG-2 Long GOPmedia onto a GFPAK™, a removable high-speed storage medium.
Using AMA Plug-Ins A typical workflow is as follows: 1. Make sure the GFCAM AMA plug-in is installed on your system. 2. Insert the GFPAK. Your Avid editing system links the GFCAM clips automatically into a bin. The media itself remains on the disk. The clips point directly to the high-resolution media on the disk. n If you use multiple GFPAKs and you remove one of the GFPAKs, your media displays offline. 3. Use the master clips to edit the sequence. 4.
Using AMA Plug-Ins Using the RED AMA Plug-In The RED ONE camera generates a 4K (or 2K - 4.5K) full resolution REDCODE™ RAW (.R3D) file. Media is stored on a REDFlash card or a RED drive. You can link to a specific R3D file on the volume or link to the entire volume. RED ONE cameras record metadata which displays in an Avid bin. The metadata includes: edge code, timecode, lens parameters, audio settings and any video image processing information.
Using AMA Plug-Ins A typical workflow is as follows: 1. Make sure the RED AMA plug-in is installed on your system. 2. Attach the RED drive or insert a REDFlash card. Your Avid editing system links the RED clips automatically into a bin. The media itself remains on the disk. The clips point directly to the high-resolution media on the disk. All metadata information displays as columns in the bin. n If you use multiple cards and you remove one of the cards, your media displays offline. 3.
Using AMA Plug-Ins To prepare your RED clip for transcoding, mixdown or rendering: 1. Before you transcode, mixdown or render, select Tools > Media Creation. 2. Click the Mixdown & Transcode tab or click the Render tab. 3. Select the playback quality from the R3D Source Quality (Debayer) menu. t Full t Half (Best Quality) t Half (Good Quality) t Quarter t Eighth t Sixteenth 4. Click OK. 5. Transcode, mixdown or render your clip or sequence as required.
Using AMA Plug-Ins To change the RED source settings: 1. Link the RED clip through the AMA Link option. See “The Avid Media Access (AMA) Workflow” on page 343 and “Linking Media with AMA” on page 357 for information on linking. 2. Right-click the RED clip in the bin and select Set Source Settings. The Source Settings dialog box opens. The clip displays in the video area.
Using AMA Plug-Ins The histogram is a tool that helps you more precisely adjust Source Settings. For more information about the histogram, see “Understanding the Source Settings Histogram” on page 397 4. Set the appropriate options, you can select from a menu, drag the sliders, enter values or click the eyedropper: Option Description Color Space Choose from: Camera RGB: as close to RAW REC.
Using AMA Plug-Ins Option Description Tint Adjusts the RGB color to compensate for yellow - green tinting of the scene at different color temperatures of the ambient light while you shoot. This is valuable when the ambient light source contains a significant amount of yellow or green, such as fluorescent. Click and drag the slider from -100 to 100. Default is 0.00. ISO Allows the ISO level to change from 50 to 2000. Default is 320. FLUT™ The latest color science developed by RED.
Using AMA Plug-Ins Option Description Saturation Affects the intensity of the red, green and blue channels. As the value increases color saturation increases. As the value decreases, so does the color decrease. If the value is set to high, colors might clip. If the level is set to 0.00, a monochromatic image with only gray tones appear. Click and drag the slider from 0.00 to 4.00. Default is 1.
Using AMA Plug-Ins Using RED Source Settings Source Settings lets you choose from a selection of preset templates or you can create your own look. Each source setting has its own color values associated with it.
Using AMA Plug-Ins Setting Origin Default Settings Default Grade (RSX) Settings RED Alert! filename RLX Setting RED Alert! Grade (RMD) Setting REDCINE-X Custom User created in Avid 3. Click Apply. The settings apply to the clip and if the clip is loaded in the Timeline, the video updates and displays in a Client monitor (if one is attached) and the Source monitor. 4. Click OK to save your settings and close the window. The system updates the bin column RED metadata with the parameters.
Using AMA Plug-Ins Same as Source and Custom export settings options when you export with the Avid QuickTime codecs. This process creates an Avid compressed QuickTime media file, with a .mov extension. AMA only detects and links to Avid compressed QuickTime media. n For information about exporting a QuickTime movie, see “Exporting QuickTime Movies” on page 975. QuickTime files use the .mov file name extension. After you link a QuickTime file through AMA, the file drops the .mov file name extension.
Using AMA Plug-Ins If any of the movies you linked to were QuickTime with Alpha channel files, they appear in your bin as a Matte Key effect. The Alpha Channel options in the Import Settings Image tab apply to the QuickTime AMA linked file. Therefore, the QuickTime file will appear in the bin as a master clip if the Ignore option is set or will appear inverted or not inverted depending on the selected options. 8. Use the linked clips to edit your sequence. 9.
Using AMA Plug-Ins Adjusting QuickTime Source Settings You can change the dynamic range of a linked AMA QuickTime movie from 601/709 video range (16-235) to RGB range (0-255) or from RGB range (0-255) to 601/709 video range (16-235). This setting is only supported with QuickTime movies that were created with a non-Avid codec, including ProRes, H.264 and Animation. When a QuickTime clip displays in the bin, the system displays the metadata columns of the clip’s color values.
Using AMA Plug-Ins 3. Drag the video slider to the frame you want to view. The new frame displays and the histogram updates. The histogram is a tool that helps you more precisely adjust Source Settings. For more information about the histogram, see “Understanding the QuickTime Source Settings Histogram” on page 393 4. Set the appropriate options: Option Description Settings Default Custom: User created in Avid. Field Ordering Default Progressive: The image is interpreted as a progressive image.
Using AMA Plug-Ins n If you make changes in the Source Settings window and then relink the clip through AMA again, you still keep all the parameters that you set. Applying a QuickTime Source Setting Source Settings lets you choose from a Custom of Default setting. Each source setting has its own color values associated with it. To apply a source setting to a QuickTime clip: 1. Right-click a QuickTime clip in the bin (or Shift-click multiple clips), then choose Set Source Settings.
Using AMA Plug-Ins Example of a Source Settings histogram. The histogram plots color values on the horizontal axis and the percentage or proportional number of pixels on the vertical axis. The vertical lines represent the black point (left) and the white point (right), so the area between them is the safe color range. The histogram plots color values that can be represented by the image bit-depth on the horizontal axis. Therefore, the width of the histogram is the same as the width of the image.
Using AMA Plug-Ins You can select the MXF format when you capture, link, create titles, or render effects. See “Media Creation Settings” on page 1384. The MXF AMA plug-in is automatically installed when you install your editing application. A typical workflow is as follows: 1. Create a supported MXF file (create a supported MXF file from your third party application, for example: Rhozet or Omneon). 2. Move the .mxf file onto your Avid editing system. 3. Select File > AMA Link.
Using AMA Plug-Ins n Do not mix AMA and traditional workflows. Either use AMA or use the traditional import/batch import workflow. You should be aware of the following: • You can link to the ancillary data clip without an Avid input/output hardware, however, in order to view the ancillary data in a monitor, an Avid Nitris DX or Avid Mojo DX device is required.
Understanding the Source Settings Histogram n When you consolidate, if you want to keep your AMA clips linked to the original source, select the option “Keep Master clips linked to media on the original drive,” in the Copying Media Files dialog box. When you consolidate the XDCAM or MXF clip or the sequence that contains the XDCAM or MXF clip with ancillary data, the ancillary data track stays with the consolidated clip or sequence.
Adjusting the Source Settings Histogram n Pixels with color values that are out of range are grouped into either the maximum or minimum color values on the plot. Spikes in either the highest or lowest color values might indicate loss of color information due to clipping. Your Avid editing application draws separate histograms for the red, green, and blue color components. The histograms for each color stack on top of one another, with the fill color changing appropriately to indicate overlap.
Working with Export Volumes Option Result Zoom In Zooms in on the lower half of the vertical axis. Changes the scaling of the vertical axis so that the height is half that of the maximum value in the plot. You can zoom in indefinitely to display, for example, 1/4, 1/8, or 1/16 of the maximum value. Zoom Out Zooms out of the vertical axis by a factor of two. Changes the scaling of the vertical axis to be twice that of the maximum value in the plot.
Working with Export Volumes The bundle folder structure is shown below. This is for reference only. These elements will be automatically created for you when you commit an Export Volume Bin. • The Asset.mxf file is the sequence (version). • The Manifest.xml file lists the creator information, creation date, version information and a list of all the files and folders in the bundle. • The Shim.xml file is used as a template or settings file that constrains the rules for a specific facility.
Working with Export Volumes 2. Select a Volume Type, for example AS-02. 3. Click Set to select the path where you want the Export Volume to reside. 4. Enter a name for the volume. 5. Click Set to select the path to the shim template you want to use. - AS-02 supports J2K, Uncompressed 10b RGB, DNxHD, AVCI, IMX and Uncompressed 8b for SD. - All DNxHD templates are tuned to the DNxHD 220x family. That means depending on the project type, selecting a DNxHD template will export to a DNxHD 10b codec.
Working with Export Volumes Left to right: Export Volume Type, Path to Asset folder, Properties button, Commit button Moving Assets to an Export Volume You can move the desired assets to the Export Volume. To move assets to the Export Volume: 1. Open the bin that contains the sequence or sequences you want to write to the Export Volume. 2. Select and drag the sequence(s) to the Export Volume. A copy of the sequence(s) appears in the Export Volume.
Working with Export Volumes n You can only drag sequences to an AS-02 Export Volume Bin. If you try to drag master clips, effects, titles, etc, you will receive a message indicating that some assets that you selected could not be dragged to the Volume Bin. If you receive this message, open the Console Tool to see the list of items that were not written.
Working with Export Volumes Once the assets are committed, the following are written to the bundle folder: - The sequence (version) - The essence files - The manifest (a file listing the creation date, creator, version information and a list of all the files and folders in the bundle.
AS-11 Support To link to an existing AS-02 Volume: 1. Select File > Link to Volume for Export. 2. Select the folder where the AS-02 bundle resides. 3. Click OK. 4. A new volume bin opens with the AS-02 assets. You can also choose to Link to AMA Volume if you want to open the assets as Read-only in a classic bin. AS-11 Support The Avid editing application supports the Advanced Media Workflow Association (AMWA) AS-11 specification. This specification is used in broadcast environments.
AS-11 Support 3. Select File Type AS-11. 4. (Option) Select the Use Marks or Use Enabled Tracks option. t When you select Use Marks, your Avid editing application 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 or mark the entire clip or sequence. t When you select Use Enabled Tracks, your Avid editing application exports the tracks that are enabled in the Timeline.
AS-11 Support - (Windows) Program Files/Avid/EditingApplicationName/SupportingFiles - (Macintosh) MacintoshHD/Applications/EditingApplicationName/SupportingFiles The Descriptive Metadata populates in the window depending upon the shim you selected. 8. Enter the specific program information in the Descriptive Metatdata fields. This is the descriptive data stored in the AS-11 export that describes Essence data. For example, the language, series title, program title, episode title, etc. 9.
11 Managing Media Files When you capture footage, the system creates digital media files on the media drives connected to your system. In addition to the bins where you organize the clips that reference these media files, your Avid editing application provides tools for directly managing these media files.
Working with Media Files in an Avid Interplay Environment Working with Media Files in an Avid Interplay Environment If you are using your Avid editing system in an Avid Interplay environment, you can use Avid’s media asset manager, the Avid Interplay Engine, to share media files between systems.
Using Avid Editing Systems in an Avid LANshare Workgroup Using Avid Editing Systems in an Avid Workgroup Environment When you work with Avid Interplay, you belong to a workgroup that allows you open a bin with assets stored in the Interplay database. To read and write media to the database you first need to mount a workspace. For information on mounting workspaces, see “Mounting Workspaces on an Avid ISIS System” on page 1124.
Viewing Media with a 100Base-T Connection to Avid ISIS Viewing Media with a 100Base-T Connection to Avid ISIS Avid editors can access MPEG-2 low-resolution video and MPEG-1 Layer II (or MP2) compressed audio stored on an Avid ISIS media network. This is useful if you connect to the media network with a 100Base-T connection in a Zone 3 configuration, instead of the higher bandwidth connection used for Avid ISIS clients in a Zone 1 or Zone 2 configuration.
Mounting and Unmounting Drives n c On systems with multiple media drives, unmounting unused drives can improve the performance of the Media tool. You need to unmount the drives before you open the Media tool. See “Using the Media Tool” on page 412. If you need to physically add or remove drives, see the documentation that came with your drive. You cannot physically add or remove drives from your Avid editing application. Before you physically remove or add drives, shut down your system completely.
Using the Media Tool The Media tool displays media that is stored on local drives (drives directly connected to the Avid editing system) and on unmanaged shared storage (shared storage that is part of an Avid shared storage network but is not managed by an Avid asset manager). In an Interplay environment, the Media tool displays only media that is stored on local drives, see “Using the Media Tool in an Avid Interplay Environment” on page 414.
Using the Media Tool n Media Tool views are saved as User settings and appear in the Settings list in the Project window as bin views. • You can print Media Tool data by using the same procedures for printing bins, as described in “Printing Bins” on page 342. The Media tool also has a number of unique functions: • Unlike a bin, the Media tool can display all the tracks captured for each clip as separate media files.
Using the Media Tool 2. Select the media drives from which to load by doing one of the following: t In the Media Drive(s) list, select individual media drives. t Click the All Drives button. 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. 3. Select the projects to load by doing one of the following: t In the Projects list, select individual projects. t Click the Current Project button.
Using the Media Tool 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. c If you use the Media tool to delete selected media files, you no longer have access to visuals of the deleted material. If you load a clip for which a media file has been deleted, a black screen appears with the words “Media Offline.
Using the Media Tool 4. Select the media objects that you want to delete: Option Description Video media file (V) After deletion, the master clip linked to that file is black, with the message “Media Offline” displayed. Related subclips and sequences are affected in the same way. Audio media file After deletion, the master clip linked to that file is silent. Subclips and (A1, A2, A3, A4, A5, sequences created from the master clip are affected in the same way.
Consolidating Media Consolidating Media When you consolidate media files, your Avid editing application 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. There are three basic reasons to use the Consolidate feature: n • To copy media onto one drive for storage or transfer to another system.
Consolidating Media Subclips When you consolidate a subclip or group of subclips, your Avid editing application 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. Consolidating a subclip. Left: the original master clip, the subclip created from it, and its original media file. (on, for example, drive A).
Using the Consolidate Command Consolidating a sequence. Left: the original clips and their media files — consolidating breaks the links between the sequence and these clips. Right: the new clips and their copied media files — the sequence now links to these new clips. Using the Consolidate Command To consolidate master clips, subclips, or sequences: 1. If you are consolidating a sequence, duplicate the sequence to maintain links to the original files, if necessary, and render any unrendered effects. 2.
Using the Consolidate Command 4. Select Consolidate in the upper left corner. 5. In the Target Drive(s) area, select a drive or drives. 6. Select the appropriate options. Option Description Video, audio and data on same drive(s) Select to store the consolidated media files on the same target drive. Deselecting this option lets you select separate drives for the audio, video and data media files.
Using the Consolidate Command Option Description (Continued) Handle length n frames If you are consolidating subclips or sequences, type a handle length for the new clips, or accept the default: leave it at 60 frames (NTSC), 50 frames (PAL), or 24 frames (progressive). The handle length is the number of frames outside the IN and OUT points that you can use for dissolves and trims with the new, shorter master clips.
Using the Consolidate Command Option Description (Continued) Target Audio Format Select either OMF (WAVE), OMF(AIFF-C), or MXF (PCM) audio format. See “Audio Projects Settings: Main Tab” on page 1320. 7. Click Consolidate in the lower right corner. The Copying Media Files dialog box opens. 8. Select an option for how you want your clips to link to the new media.
Using the Transcode Command Using the Transcode Command The Transcode option in the Consolidate/Transcode dialog box lets you create new clips and new media files that use a different resolution. If you have a sequence composed of clips that use different resolutions, you can use the Transcode feature to create a sequence in which all clips use a single resolution. The Transcode option also lets you convert from OMF to MXF, and from MXF to OMF, except in HD projects where MXF is the only available format.
Using the Transcode Command 3. Select Transcode in the upper left corner. 4. In the Target Drive(s) area, select a drive or drives. 5. In you are an Interplay environment, with Dynamic Relink enabled, select whether or not to create new master clips for the transcoded media. For more information, see “Understanding How Clips are Associated with Multiple Resolutions” on page 1221.
Using the Transcode Command The Create new clips check box in the Consolidate/Transcode dialog box 6. Click the Target Video Resolution menu, and select a video resolution. n If your project uses an HD resolution, you cannot select OMF as a file format. MXF is selected by default. 7. Select the appropriate options. Option Description Video and audio on same drive(s) Select to store the transcoded media files on the same target drive.
Consolidate or Transcode AMA Clips Only Option Description (Continued) Include reformatted clips already at target resolution Select this option if you want to include reformatted clips in the sequence that are already at the target video resolution. Your Avid editing application does not normally transcode clips in a sequence that are already at the target video resolution. However, you might want to include reformatted clips at the target resolution to preserve the reformatting.
Background Consolidate and Transcode Background Consolidate and Transcode Background consolidate and transcode functionality provides you with the ability to consolidate and transcode clips of any supported resolution or AMA format as a background operation, allowing you to continue working on your editing project while the transcode progresses. Once you start a consolidate or transcode operation, selected master clips, subclips, and sequences appear in your bin as offline media.
Background Consolidate and Transcode While the operation progresses, the consolidated or transcoded clips appear in your bin as offline media. When the operation completes, a new clip or sequence appears in the bin with the file name extension .new that is linked to the new media file. You can view the online media by one of the following methods, depending on your system configuration: • If you work in a standalone configuration, refresh the media database.
Background Consolidate and Transcode Element Description 3 Cancel/Resume button Changes from a Cancel button (for transcode operations) to a Resume button (for suspended transcodes). 4 Progress bar Displays the percentage of the transcode and transcode processes that have completed. 5 Priority menu Sets or modifies the priority level assigned to a transcoded clip or sequence. Options are High Priority, Normal Priority (default), Low Priority.
Background Consolidate and Transcode 2. Select Transcode, and then select Run in background, and then click Transcode. 3. Select Tools > Background Queue Window. The Background Queue Window opens and displays all current jobs.
Loading the Media Database 4. (Option) If you consolidate or transcode multiple clips and want to change the priority of one or more clips — for example, to transcode the most important clips first — click the Priority menu and select one of the following: n t High Priority t Normal Priority t Low Priority You can change the priority of your consolidate or transcode jobs at any time during the operation.
Refreshing Media Directories n The information in this topic applies only to media on local drives or on unmanaged shared storage drives. The information does not apply to shared storage managed by Avid Interplay. For more information, see the Interplay documentation. Bins contain references to media files based on the contents of the bin. Your Avid editing application does not maintain the entire database in memory at all times.
Deleting Unreferenced Clips and Media You should refresh the media directories after you add or remove media from the media drives. For example, after you have physically moved drives). If you physically add a drive, use the Mount All command. See “Mounting and Unmounting Drives” on page 412. n Refreshing media directories can take a long time to execute on systems that have large amounts of media online. To refresh media directories: t Select File > Refresh Media Directories.
Backing Up Media Files Backing Up Media Files The OMFI MediaFiles folders and the Avid MediaFiles folders on your media drives contain the individual media files created when you captured source material. The OMFI MediaFiles folders contain the OMF media files. The Avid MediaFiles folders contain the MXF media files.
Relinking Media Files A clip in the bin and a related media file highlighted in Windows Explorer (Windows only) If more than one file is related to the clip, a message box 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 while pressing the Tab key until you select the OMFI MediaFiles folder or the Avid MediaFiles folder.
Relinking Media Files When you select subclips or sequences and select the Relink command, the system searches for master clips that contain the same material included in the selection. If you relink online media, the system searches for media clips that best match the options selected in the Relink dialog box. You can relink master clips to appropriate media files or to source tapes with compatible rates, and you can relink based on resolution.
Relinking Media Files 438
Relinking Media Files 3. Select options.
Relinking Media Files Option Description Video Relink Parameters Relink to: Video format of current project only: Restricts relinking to the current video format (listed in the menu option). Any HD video format: Restricts relinking to HD formats only. Relinking searches for any available HD formats. Any SD video format: Restricts relinking to SD formats only. Relinking searches for any available SD formats. Any video format: Relinks to any available high-resolution, HD and SD formats.
Relinking Media Files Option Description If no match is found: Use Existing Media: Your Avid editing application displays the media to which the clips are currently linked. Unlink (Take Offline): Your Avid editing application unlinks the clip and displays the message Media Offline. Tracks to Relink Allows you to include or exclude video, audio and/or data tracks when performing a relink operation.
Relinking Media Files t Use Existing Media — displays the media to which the clips are currently linked t Unlink (Take Offline) — unlinks the clip and displays the message Media Offline If you are working in an offline resolution and want to capture in a higher resolution, select Unlink to ensure that you recapture all the media at the higher resolution. You can check for offline media in the Timeline by displaying offline clips in a distinct color.
Relinking Media Files name. The tape name is treated like a file name when it is compared to the source file name. For example, a clip with the tape name File1.jpg can be relinked to a clip with the source file name File1.png. Make sure that the tape name and the source filename matches exactly, minus the file extension and the version separator, before you relink.
Unlinking Media Files 3. Select “Relink offline master clips to online media files” to relink master clips to media files that share similar database information. 4. Click the “Relink to media on volume” menu, and select a specific drive volume that contains the original media files. 5. (Option) Select “Relink only to media from the current project.” 6. (Option) Select “Match case when comparing tape names.” 7. Click OK. The clips are relinked to the original media files.
Archiving and Restoring Media Files to Videotape n To enable the Right-mouse button functionality on a multi-button mouse, see your Macintosh documentation. 3. (Option) If you have similar material from different sources, you can duplicate a set of clips, unlink the duplicates, and then modify the sources of the duplicates before capturing the new source material.
Archiving and Restoring Media Files to Videotape Each archived master clip is stamped with the archive tape name and archive timecodes during the restore process. The original source information on the master clips remains unchanged. Archiving Media Files Before archiving your media files to videotape, you must stripe the record tapes (record black and timecode for approximately 15 seconds after the bars and tone on the tape).
Archiving and Restoring Media Files to Videotape 7. Select the appropriate options. If the clips or sequences that you want to archive are not highlighted in the active bin, Archive to Videotape appears dimmed in the Clip menu. Option Description Archive Name Type a name for the archive in the Archive Name text box. ProjectArchive is the default name. The archive name is numbered incrementally beginning with 001 to indicate the order of the tapes.
Archiving and Restoring Media Files to Videotape The Archive Length area displays the calculated length of time required for archiving the media files. The archiving process might require more time than indicated because individual clips are not divided between tapes. 9. Under the “Enter the quantity of tapes available for the archive” area, do one of the following: t Type the number of blank videotapes needed for the archive next to the length of time of your blank tapes.
Archiving and Restoring Media Files to Videotape Restoring an Archive from Videotape Restoring an archive from videotape is similar to performing a batch capture. The archiving process creates new master clips for sequences. During the restore process, each archived master clip is stamped with the archive tape name and archive timecodes. The original source information on the master clips remains unchanged.
Sequence and Clip Information Summary Your Avid editing application recaptures the archived sequences and clips, and relinks the selected clips and sequences to the new master clips. 11. Batch import any graphics and render all non-real-time effects. For information about batch import, see “Reimporting Files” on page 291. Sequence and Clip Information Summary You can generate a report to display information about the contents of a sequence.
Sequence and Clip Information Summary n If a plug-in is not loaded on your system when you generate the summary, if you select the option "Show Missing Effects Only" from the Sequence Report dialog box, the information displays "unavailable effect," in addition to the plug-in name, the plug-in ID (is this gone?), and other information associated with the effect. (Is the vendor and version number displayed). This is helpful when identifying the effect.
Sequence and Clip Information Summary 2. (Option) Do the following: t If you selected specific tracks, click Enabled Tracks Only. t If you set In and Out points, click Use Marks. If you want to run a report on the entire sequence regardless of tracks or marks, do not select either of these options. 3. Select the Summary Info options you want to include in your report. For information on report options, see “Summary Information Options” on page 453. 4. Click Generate Report.
Sequence and Clip Information Summary Summary Information Options The following options allow you to select which information to include in the sequence report. Summary Option Suboption Description Create Effect Summary This displays the types of effects and how many were found in your sequence, the breakdown by effect type, and an effect plug-in summary. If you have selected individual tracks or selected IN and OUT points, only those effects that fall within those parameters appear.
Sequence and Clip Information Summary Summary Option Suboption Create Clip Summary or Create Source Summary Description Depending on the criteria you selected, a Clip Summary displays the number of clips found, type of clip, track, offline information, clip name, and clip Mob ID. A Source Summary displays the number of tape-based sources found, project name, tape name, tape ID, and tape Mob ID. It also displays a list of import paths for any imported clips, such as graphics.
12 Viewing and Marking Footage Before you begin editing, you can review your footage, add markers and comments to clips, mark IN to OUT points, and 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.
Viewing Methods Viewing Methods You can work with clips and sequences in several ways, depending on your needs and preferences. Each method has its own uses and advantages, as described in the following table: Viewing Method Description In bins You see pictorial images of the clips in your bins by using Frame or Script view and can play the clips in the bin. For more information, see “Using Frame View” on page 303 and “Using Script View” on page 305.
Customizing Monitors Source/Record monitor in two-monitor layout You can customize the Source/Record monitor in a variety of ways, for example, to accommodate footage of different aspect ratio or to display different buttons and information. Resizing the Monitors You can resize the monitors that display your footage in a variety of ways.
Customizing Monitors To switch between the monitors in the two-monitor display: t Press Esc. To hide or display the video in a monitor: t Right-click the monitor, and select Hide Video. The video disappears or reappears. When the video is hidden, the Hide Video command has a check mark beside it. Displaying a Second Row of Buttons You can choose to display a second row of buttons under the Source/Record monitors.
Customizing Monitors By default, the tracking information area displays no data until you select a tracking format. There is no display of tracking data when there is no material loaded in the monitor. If you load a clip and no information is currently displayed, you can still open the menu by clicking in the area above a monitor. To display tracking information: 1. Load a clip or sequence into the monitor. 2.
Customizing Monitors Panes in the Tracking Information Menu The Tracking Information menu has three panes. You can select an option from pane 1, pane 2, or pane 3 to be displayed above a monitor. The following table describes the contents of the three panes: Pane Description Pane 1 Lets you select a format for the tracking information. In the Record monitor, you set select a format for either the Sequence tracking information or the Source clip tracking information.
Customizing Monitors Pane Description (Continued) Pane 2 Lists Source or Sequence timecode options, such as master timecode (Master), duration of the entire clip (Duration), IN to OUT duration (In/Out), absolute timecode (Absolute), and time remaining (Remain). The format type that you select from pane 1 determines the tracking format that is displayed. Example of Pane 2 in the Tracking Information menu Pane 3 Displays the timecode for the source track of a specific track (V1, A1, A2, and so on).
Using the Info Window Option Description (Continued) A2 TC (or EC) Displays the source track of the audio on track 2, and the timecode (or edgecode). D1 TC1 Displays the ancillary data track and the timecode. TC1, 24, 25, 25PD, 30D, 30ND For 24p and 25p projects only. TC1: base timecode for the project; 24: 24p project; 25: 25p project; 25PD: 25p with pulldown: 30D: 30 drop frame; 30ND: 30 non-drop frame Clip Name Displays the name of the clip.
Using the Timecode Window To display information from a bin: 1. Select a clip or sequence in a bin. You can use any bin view, and you can Ctrl+click to select multiple media objects. 2. Do one of the following: t Press Ctrl+I (Windows) or Command+I (Macintosh). t Right-click the clip or sequence and select Get Info. The Info window opens. Only fields with data are displayed. If you select more than 8 media objects, a dialog box asks if you want to open information windows for all selected items.
Playing Video to the Client Monitor 2. Click anywhere in the Timecode window, and select an option. Example of a Timecode menu The window displays the timecode you have chosen. The Timecode menu contains the same options as the Tracking Information menu. For a description of the Timecode options, see “Displaying Tracking Information” on page 458. 3. To add an additional line of timecode, click Add Line, then click the new line and select an option. 4.
Activating and Deactivating the Client Monitor Display There are two ways to connect a Client monitor to your Avid system: • Through your Avid input/output hardware device For details on connecting a Client monitor through your Avid input/output hardware, see the appropriate topic for your Avid input/output hardware device in “Connecting Cameras, Decks, and Monitors” in the Help. • For software only-systems, through an IEEE 1394 connection, analog connection, or dual-head display board.
Selecting the Video Display Settings The status of the Client monitor display does not persist between working sessions on your Avid editing application. The Client monitor display is always active when you first start your application. n You cannot activate or deactivate the Client monitor display if you are using your Avid editing application in software-only mode.
Playing Video to a Full-Screen Monitor 3. Select or modify the options for video display and click OK. n The options available vary depending on the model of your Avid editing application. For information about all options in the dialog, see “Video Display Settings” on page 1403. Some of these settings apply to playback and how effects are processed.
Adjusting the Play Delay Offset To enable full screen playback: 1. Make sure your system is properly set up for full-screen monitor play. For more information, see “Understanding Full Screen Playback Options” in the Help. 2. Check the Full Screen Playback Settings to ensure you have them set properly. For more information, see “Full Screen Playback Settings” on page 1368. 3. Select Special > Full Screen Playback.
Using the Tool Palette Using the Tool Palette The Tool palette provides additional buttons for editing and navigating with your Avid editing application. The Tool palette buttons can appear with or without labels, and you can “tear off” the Tool palette to display it in another screen location. You can also map other functions and buttons to the Tool palette for easy access. See “The Command Palette” on page 97. To use the Tool palette with the Source monitor or a pop-up monitor: 1.
Playing Selected Clips in a Loop To display labels on the Tool palette buttons: 1. In the Project window, double-click the Interface Setting. The Interface Setting dialog box appears. 2. Select Show Labels in Tool Palette. 3. Click OK. Labels appear on the buttons under the icons. Playing Selected Clips in a Loop You can view several clips one after another in a continuous loop by selecting Bin > Loop Selected Clips. This feature is useful if you want to view several versions of the same scene.
Loading and Clearing Footage Loading Clips or Sequences into Monitors To load clips or sequences into a monitor: 1. Open a bin and do one of the following: t Locate a single clip or sequence. t Select multiple clips or sequences. For more information, see “Selecting Clips and Sequences” on page 308. 2. Do one of the following: t Double-click the single clip or sequence, or any one of the selected set of clips or sequences. By default, the material opens in the Source/Record monitor.
Loading and Clearing Footage 2. Select a different clip name from the menu. The selected clip replaces the current clip in the monitor display. n To see the list of clips or sequences sorted in the order in which they were loaded into the monitor, press the Alt key (Windows) or Option key (Macintosh) while opening the menu. Clearing Clips from Monitors You can use the Clip Name menu located above each monitor to clear clips from a monitor.
Controlling Playback To clear the monitor or the clip or sequence names from the menu: 1. Click the name of the clip or sequence currently displayed above the monitor to reveal the Clip Name menu. 2. Select one of the following commands: Command Description Clear Monitor Removes the displayed clip or sequence from the screen, leaving black. The clips or sequences are still loaded. Clear Menu Deletes the list of all loaded clip or sequence names and leaves only the clip currently displayed.
Controlling Playback Blue position indicator in the monitor position bar (top) and in the Timeline (bottom), with the Timeline ruler above the Timeline. To move the position indicator in the Timeline, do one of the following: • Disable the segment tools (Lift/Overwrite and Extract/Splice-in) and click an area of the segment outside of the active trim region. • Use the Timeline ruler.
Controlling Playback t To move the position indicator and access the frame at the new position, click anywhere in a monitor’s position bar or in the Timeline, or drag the position indicator to the left or right in a monitor’s position bar or in the Timeline. The speed with which you drag the position indicator determines the speed at which you move through the footage. t To go directly to the beginning or end of a clip or sequence, click to the far left or far right of the position bar or the Timeline.
Controlling Playback Button Primary Default Location Function Play Monitors Plays the footage at normal speed. Changes to the Stop button when playback is taking place. Stop Play tab in Command palette Stops playback. Pause button Play tab in Command palette Pauses playback. Play Reverse button Play tab in Command palette Plays the footage backward at normal speed. Fast Forward button Play tab in Command palette Cues the footage to the next transition in the sequence.
Controlling Playback Button Primary Default Location Function (Continued) Step Forward 10-frames or 8-frames button Move tab in Command palette Moves the footage 10 frames forward (NTSC or PAL) or 8 frames forward (progressive formats). Step Backward One Move tab in Command palette Field button Moves the footage one field backward in field-based media. For more information, see “Stepping Forward and Backward by Field” on page 477.
Controlling Playback Playback Control Using the Keyboard Many playback functions, including most of the playback controls covered in “Playback Control Buttons” on page 475, are mapped to keys on your keyboard. You can customize the keyboard by mapping buttons or menu commands to it from the Command palette, for example to add other playback functions. Default keyboard mappings vary, depending on the type of keyboard attached to your Avid system.
Controlling Playback Keys Function Home, End, Left Arrow, • and Right Arrow keys J, K, and L keys 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 1 frame backward • Right Arrow key—moves the footage 1 frame forward Let you play, step, and shuttle through footage at varying speeds.
Controlling Playback Press the L Key To Play Footage at NTSC Rate PAL Rate 24p Rate 5 times 8x normal speed 200 fps 192 fps 240 fps t Press the J key to move backward at the same shuttle speed increments. t Press the K and L keys together for slow forward (8 fps for NTSC, 6 fps for PAL, and 6 fps for 24p projects). t Press the K and J keys together for slow backward. t Press and hold the K key and tap the L key or the J key to step through footage one frame at a time.
Playing Back to a DV Device n This applies to an Avid editing system with an Avid Nitris DX attached. To jog or shuttle by using the mouse: 1. Do one of the following: t Load a clip or sequence into the Source or Record monitor. t Open a pop-up monitor. t Select a clip in a bin in Frame view. 2. Do one of the following: t Press the N key to activate mouse control for jogging. t Press the semicolon (;) key to activate mouse control for shuttling.
Playing Back to a DV Device When you are playing back to a DV device, you have the option of enabling real-time encoding of effects and mixed resolutions. To play back to a DV device connected through a 1394 port: 1. Right-click the Video Quality Menu button and select Output to DV Device. Playback to the DV device and playback to the desktop occur simultaneously. n If you do not have a device connected to a 1394 port, these options are grayed out. 2.
Video Quality Options for Playback Video Quality Options for Playback Your Avid editing application provides a range of video quality options for playback. Depending on your system configuration and the complexity of your sequence, you might need to switch to a lower quality option to avoid missing frames or choppy video during real-time playback. The options available vary depending on your attached hardware. Some third party hardware might not support Draft Quality and Best Performance options.
Setting the Video Quality for Playback Video Quality Name and Icon Description (Continued) Best Performance Processes and plays a subsample of the full image raster for the project that uses 1/16 of the image information. Uses a bit depth of 8 bits. This option subsamples 25% of the raster width. For interlaced projects, this option uses 50% of the lines in one field. For progressive projects, this option uses 25% of the scan lines.
Marking and Subcataloging Footage For information about the Video Display settings, see “Selecting the Video Display Settings” on page 466 and “Video Display Settings” on page 1403. Marking and Subcataloging Footage You can speed the editing process by marking clips with IN and OUT points, by subcataloging using markers, and by creating subclips.
Marking and Subcataloging Footage By default on United States keyboards, the Mark IN key is the I key. In the monitor, a Sawtooth icon appears on the left to indicate the mark IN frame. Sawtooth icon in the frame, and marked IN point, in the monitor 4. Continue moving through the material. 5. Mark an OUT point by doing one of the following: t Click the Mark OUT button under the monitor to mark an OUT point and stop playback. t Press the Mark OUT key when marking a clip in a bin.
Marking and Subcataloging Footage t Press the Clear Both Marks key. To set a new IN point: t Click the Mark IN button or press the Mark IN key when you reach a different frame. To set a new OUT point: t Click the Mark OUT button or press the Mark OUT key when you reach a different frame. To move a mark icon: t Press the Alt key (Windows) or the Option key (Macintosh), drag the mark icon to a new location, and release the mouse button.
Marking and Subcataloging Footage In most projects, subclips do not limit your access to the original, captured master clip material when trimming. Therefore, if you must trim beyond the marked IN to OUT boundaries of the subclip to make it longer or shorter, your Avid editing application accommodates the boundary adjustments during the trim.
Using Markers To mark IN and OUT points on audio tracks: 1. Load a clip or sequence into a monitor. 2. In the Track Selector panel in the Timeline, select the tracks corresponding to the cuts you want to mark. For more information, see “Understanding the Track Selector Panel” on page 662. 3. Move the position indicator to the location where you want to mark the audio clip. 4. Do one of the following: t Click the Audio Mark IN button to mark an IN point.
Using Markers Suggested Uses for Markers The following table describes some possible uses for markers and the Markers window: Use Description Color correction notations Use markers to mark clips or specify frames that require color correction, noting the specific correction to perform if someone else does the job.
Using Markers Example of a marker in the monitor, position bar and in the Timeline You can add markers to your source material while you are in an editing session, as described in “Adding Markers While Editing” on page 491. When you export sequences with markers as AAF files, the marker information is included. A Pro Tools editor can then choose to import the markers as Pro Tools as markers. The markers contain the same information as markers in your Avid editing system.
Using Markers The following illustration shows the Marker edit entry window. Marker edit entry window. Top: a comment in the comment area. Bottom: button to open the Markers window 4. (Option) Type a new name in the Name text box. 5. Type your comments in the comment area of the Marker edit entry window. 6. Change the color from the Color menu or change the marker name. 7. To save your information, click OK, or press the Enter (Windows) or Return (Macintosh) key.
Using Markers 5. (Option) Type a new name in the Name text box. 6. Type your comments in the comment area of the Marker edit entry window. 7. Change the color from the Color menu or change the marker name. 8. To save your information, click OK, or press the Enter (Windows) or Return (Macintosh) key. The spanned marker appears in the Timeline on the Timecode 1 track. n You cannot create overlapping spanned markers, nor can you move a spanned maker on top of another spanned marker.
Using Markers To deleted a marker, click to select the marker in the Markers window and press the Delete key. Adding Markers On-the-Fly while Playing To add markers on-the-fly while playing: 1. Load a sequence or clip. See “Loading and Clearing Footage” on page 470. 2. (Option) Select a specific track, using the Track Selector panel. See “Understanding the Track Selector Panel” on page 662. 3. Map the Add Marker button to a key by doing the following: a.
Using Markers Marker edit entry window. Top: a comment in the comment area. Bottom: button to open the Markers window 3. (Option) Type a new name in the Name text box. 4. Type your comments in the comment area of the Marker edit pane. 5. (Option) Change the color from the Color menu or change the marker name. 6. To save your information, click OK, or press the Enter key. The information is stored with the marked frame.
Using Markers Editing Marker Information You can open the Marker edit entry window directly from a monitor, from the position indicator bar, or from the Markers window. In the Marker edit entry window, you can change the color of a marker, the marker name, or the text of the comment associated with a marker. To edit Marker information in the Marker edit entry window: 1. Do one of the following: 2. Click the oval Marker icon in the Source/Record monitor. 3.
Using Markers Deleting Markers You can delete markers using the Delete key, or the Markers window. To delete a single marker: 1. Select a marker in the Timeline or in the position bar. 2. Press the Delete key. The selected marker is removed. To delete markers using the Markers window. t See “Working in the Markers Window” on page 498.
Using Markers Viewing Markers in the Markers Window The Markers window is monitor specific. If you have selected the Source monitor, the Markers window displays the markers for the clip in the Source monitor. If you have selected the Record monitor, the Markers window displays the markers for the sequence in the Record monitor. If you are using the single monitor and switching back and forth, the Markers window displays the markers for either the source or the sequence, whichever is active at the time.
Using Markers For more information, see “Printing the Contents of the Markers Window” on page 502. To select a marker item: t Click anywhere in the marker item’s row except in the Comment column. To browse through the list of marker items: t Press the Up Arrow and Down Arrow keys. To go to the frame marked by a marker item: t Double-click the marker in the Markers window. t Right-click the marker, and select Jump to Marker.
Using Markers Exporting and Importing Markers You can export markers from a sequence or a clip. A text (.txt) or XML (.xml) file is created when you export the marker and a tab-delimited file or XML file displays all the information about the marker. You can then send the .txt or .xml file to those who need to review and give feedback about the sequence or clip. They can place additional comments in the text file or XML file and send it back for you to reimport the marker comments back into your sequence.
Using Markers The fields in the tab-delimited file are required and must be in the order shown in the following procedure. The following lines are examples: John203V1redCorrect tint Mary354A1blueA voice-over To add comments or information into the Marker text file: 1. Type each line of the file using the following syntax: NameFrameTrackColorComment 2. Enter the color names as follows: red, green, blue, cyan, magenta, yellow, black, white 3.
Using Markers The marker is pasted into the new clip. To copy markers from a clip and paste them into a sequence using the Markers window: 1. Select the markers in the Markers window by doing one of the following: t Click a single marker. t Ctrl+click (Windows) or Command+click (Macintosh) multiple markers. 2. Do one of the following: t Select Edit > Copy. t Press Ctrl+C (Windows) or Command+C (Macintosh). 3. Load a sequence into the Source/Record monitor or into the Timeline. 4.
Using Markers 3. Select File > Page Setup. The Page Setup dialog box opens, reflecting the specific options for your printer. 4. Select the Page Setup options. 5. Click OK. 6. Select File > Print. The Print dialog box opens, reflecting the specific options for your printer. 7. Select the Print options. 8. Click OK (Windows) or Print (Macintosh). The system prints the current view of marker information. To print the complete contents of the Markers window: 1. Make sure your printer is correctly set up. 2.
Finding Frames, Clips, and Bins You can also disable the Marker edit window so it only opens from the Markers window. For information on accessing the Marker edit window, see “Editing Marker Information” on page 496. To keep the Marker edit window from opening each time you add a marker: 1. Select Tools > Markers. The Markers window opens. 2. Select Disable Marker Popup when Adding from the Fast menu. The Marker edit window now does not open when you add markers.
Finding Frames, Clips, and Bins To cue to a frame based on a known timecode: 1. Click the monitor that is displaying the clip or sequence you want to search. 2. Select a timecode tracking format from the Tracking Information menu that appears above the monitor. If two rows of information are displayed above the monitor, make sure the timecode format is in the top row. 3.
Finding Frames, Clips, and Bins Format Description Current timecode To find a timecode that starts at the same hour, minute, or second as the current timecode, type only the last digits. For example, if the current timecode is 1:05:12:13 and you type 425, the system finds the frame at 1:05:04:25. 5. Press Enter on the numeric keypad. If you have performed step 3 on a notebook computer or a keyboard that does not have a dedicated numeric keypad, press the Enter key (Windows) or Return key (Macintosh).
Finding Frames, Clips, and Bins Format Description Frames only To move by frames (regardless of the display in the Tracking Information menu) add an f to the end of the number you type. For example, if you have a timecode displayed in the Tracking Information menu and type +100f, the display changes to 3:10 (3 seconds and 10 frames) and you move forward 100 frames.
Finding Frames, Clips, and Bins • The following characters: @#$%^&*()=+[]\ are recognized by text find. • When you perform an Edit While Capture in an Interplay environment, you need to update the bin so that the system indexes your new media. After you capture, right-click the clip in the bin and select Update from Interplay. Then save the bin. When you perform a text find, the system should find the new captured clips.
Finding Frames, Clips, and Bins n The Bin Index status at the bottom of the window indicates if the data files in your bins have been indexed. A full green display indicates that your files have been indexed and are ready to search. A partial green display indicates that the index is in process and if you perform a search, your results might not be complete. If you want to stop the indexing process, click the Settings button in the Find window and click Stop Indexing.
Finding Frames, Clips, and Bins 9. If you select Timeline and Monitors, then select from the following: Markers The system searches for clips in the Timeline that contain the marker text. The blue position bar jumps to the marker position on the clip and displays the marker information in the Source/Record monitor. Clip Names The system searches for clips in the Timeline that contains the clip name. The blue position bar jumps to the head frame of the clip.
Finding Frames, Clips, and Bins Setting the Location of the SearchData folder When creating a new project you can choose the location of the SearchData folder. To choose the location of the SearchData folder: 1. Start the editing application. 2. In the project window, select New Project. The New Project dialog opens. 3. Select the Search Data Folder menu. Select either Default, Local Default, or Other. To change the location from the Default options, select Other. 4.
Finding Frames, Clips, and Bins Using Match Frame The Match Frame feature lets you locate the source clip for the frame currently displayed in the Record monitor. This feature is useful when you want to relocate and reedit source material, such as subclips and master clips. Match framing loads the source clip into the Source monitor, cues to the matching frame in the source clip, and marks an IN point. Any original IN and OUT points are removed from the source clip.
Finding Frames, Clips, and Bins Performing a Reverse Match Frame The Reverse Match Frame feature lets you locate frames in a sequence that match a selected source frame. To perform a reverse match frame: 1. Load the source footage into the Source/Record monitor. 2. Move the position indicator to the frame that you want to match. 3. Select the appropriate tracks in the Timeline.
Finding Frames, Clips, and Bins To find the bin in which a specific clip is located: 1. Load a clip into the Source monitor. 2. Click the Source monitor to activate it. 3. Click the Find Bin button in the Other tab of the Command palette. Your Avid editing application highlights the clip in the bin. To find the bin in which a specific sequence is located: 1. Load a sequence into the Record monitor. 2. Click the Record monitor to activate it. 3. Click the Find Bin button.
Sequence and Clip Information Summary Sequence and Clip Information Summary You can generate a report to display information about the contents of a sequence. For example, you can generate a list of the types of effects in your sequence or the location of a particular effect. You can also create a clip summary or a source summary. This allows you to display a list of clip names, tape names, offline clips, and path locations of imported clips contained in your selection.
Sequence and Clip Information Summary Creating a Summary of Effects and Source Information Before you use the Sequence Report dialog box to create a summary of effects, source information, or clip information, you might want to do the following: n • Determine if you want the report to cover specific tracks or a section of the sequence between In and Out points.
Sequence and Clip Information Summary 2. (Option) Do the following: t If you selected specific tracks, click Enabled Tracks Only. t If you set In and Out points, click Use Marks. If you want to run a report on the entire sequence regardless of tracks or marks, do not select either of these options. 3. Select the Summary Info options you want to include in your report. For information on report options, see “Summary Information Options” on page 518. 4. Click Generate Report.
Sequence and Clip Information Summary Summary Information Options The following options allow you to select which information to include in the sequence report. Summary Option Suboption Description Create Effect Summary This displays the types of effects and how many were found in your sequence, the breakdown by effect type, and an effect plug-in summary. If you have selected individual tracks or selected IN and OUT points, only those effects that fall within those parameters appear.
Sequence and Clip Information Summary Summary Option Suboption Create Clip Summary or Create Source Summary Description Depending on the criteria you selected, a Clip Summary displays the number of clips found, type of clip, track, offline information, clip name, and clip Mob ID. A Source Summary displays the number of tape-based sources found, project name, tape name, tape ID, and tape Mob ID. It also displays a list of import paths for any imported clips, such as graphics.
13 PhraseFind The PhraseFind option (phonetic find) searches and finds audio dialogue throughout bins in a single project. PhraseFind starts by indexing all the audio in your bins (based on the language you choose). You then enter search criteria, and the system searches through those bins for all occurrences of the audio search criteria you enter. PhraseFind indexes and finds audio in master clips, subclips and group clips.
Purchasing and Activating PhraseFind How Do I Purchase PhraseFind? • You can purchase PhraseFind through your Avid Reseller. • You can purchase PhraseFind from your Avid editing application’s Find window. • You can purchase PhraseFind directly through the Avid web store at http://shop.avid.com, then search for PhraseFind.
Purchasing and Activating PhraseFind - If you purchased your Avid editing application from the Avid store, you can also view your System ID number by logging in to your Store account at http://account.avid.com/ If you have a dongle attached to your Avid editing application, check the License Profile tab of the Avid License Control tool or use DongleManager to obtain your System ID. See the steps below for information about this utility.
Purchasing and Activating PhraseFind Your trial is activated. Your 30-day trial of PhraseFind also includes access to all available languages during the trial. You do not need to activate any additional language packs at this time. However, you need to select your language from the Select a Language menu in the PhraseFind window. 6. In the PhraseFind window, select your language from the Select a Language menu and wait for the PhraseFind Index to turn green.
Purchasing and Activating PhraseFind To purchase PhraseFind through the Avid editing application’s Find Window: 1. Open your Avid editing application and an Avid project. 2. Press Ctrl+F or select Edit > Find. The Find window opens. 3. Type a word or phrase in the text box, then click the PhraseFind button. A dialog box opens which informs you that PhraseFind is not activated on this machine. 4. Click Buy.
Purchasing and Activating PhraseFind Activating PhraseFind with the Avid License Control Tool When you purchase PhraseFind and open the Avid License Control tool, you are ready to activate the PhraseFind feature. You can only use and activate PhraseFind on a single machine at one time. If you have an Internet connection on the machine that you will be using PhraseFind, follow the instructions “To activate PhraseFind with the Avid License Control tool and with an Internet connection:” on page 526.
Purchasing and Activating PhraseFind To activate PhraseFind with the Avid License Control tool and with an Internet connection: 1. With the Avid License Control tool open, click Activate next to PhraseFind. A dialog box opens.
Purchasing and Activating PhraseFind 2. If your computer has an Internet connection, select “I am connected to the Internet and will use this computer.” 3. Click Continue. The Avid Activation dialog box opens. 4. Enter your system identification number in the System ID text box. This number pre-displays if you have activated your Avid editing application. If the System ID does not appear, see “What Will I Need to Activate PhraseFind?” on page 521 for more information.
Purchasing and Activating PhraseFind The Activation tool confirms your system information, and the Select the default language dialog box opens. 7. Select your language. The language you choose is the one free language included with PhraseFind. You can also purchase additional language packs and select different languages to search on in the Find window.
Purchasing and Activating PhraseFind Depending on your web browser, the license.bin file could be located on your desktop or in a download folder. 9. Move the license.bin file to the system you need to activate PhraseFind. You can use a removable storage device such as a USB drive or you can transfer the data over your network. 10. Open the Avid License Control tool. 11. Click Browse and navigate to the license.bin file you moved to your system, then click Open. 12.
Purchasing and Activating PhraseFind 6. Enter your system identification number in the System ID text box. This number pre-displays if you have activated your Avid editing application. If the System ID does not appear, see “What Will I Need to Activate PhraseFind?” on page 521 for more information. n You can copy and paste your system identification number and your Activation ID from a text file to the appropriate text boxes. 7. Enter your language pack Activation ID in the Activation ID text box.
Understanding PhraseFind Understanding PhraseFind Now that you have purchased and activated PhraseFind, there are a few things that might help you understand how PhraseFind works. Things You Should Know About PhraseFind • For best results with PhraseFind, Avid recommends using Avid certified storage solutions. • You can continue to work while the system indexes your project.
Using PhraseFind Selecting a Language Avid supports several different languages. Language packs are purchased separately. You receive one free language with the purchase and activation of PhraseFind. You can purchase and have multiple languages licensed on your system, however, you can only use one language per project. Every time you choose a new language, the system re-indexes and re-populates with the new language phonetic files.
Using PhraseFind n The PhraseFind Index status at the bottom of the window indicates if the phonetic files in your bins have been indexed. A full green display indicates that your files have been indexed and are ready to search. A partial green display indicates that the index is in process and if you perform a search, your results might not be complete. If you want to stop the indexing process, click the Settings button in the Find window and click Stop Indexing.
The Results Window Current Bin The system searches for the text criteria in the current active bin. The system then selects the first occurrence in the bin. Press Ctrl+G (Windows) or Cmd+G (Macintosh) to take you to the next occurrence. (Applies to text find only.) 7. Select Ignore Case if you want the system to search for the text regardless if it is upper or lower case characters (for Current Bin only). 8. Click PhraseFind or press Enter.
The Results Window In PhraseFind, the Score column lists your results in order of importance (ranging from 100 to 50). The system displays all the results, however, the score with the higher value is more probable the audio dialogue you are searching for. The system displays the total number of items Found after your search and the system also displays the number of items found after filtering. The system clears the Result window when you close the project.
The Results Window The default columns are pre-selected (Bin, Name, Duration, Video, Creation Date, Start, End, Tracks, Mark IN-OUT, IN-OUT). The Icon, Name and Bin columns always display. The Score column always display in PhraseFind. Column selections reset from search to search. The system does not remember columns you have previously selected. 2. Click the columns you want to display in the Results window. You can deselect the default columns. 3. Click OK.
Filtering Your Find Results Filtering Your Find Results You can narrow your search results to display less results. This is achieved by selecting specific columns and additional criteria. You need to perform a find before columns appear to filter. For example, if you are looking for a clip with the name of Scene 2c and a duration of 03:00:00. The initial result displays fifty items, you can filter the search by selecting Name as the column and enter 2 in the contains field.
Find Window Attributes Results Window Attributes Description Find Click this button when you enter text in the textbox and you are ready for the system to search for your alphanumeric results. PhraseFind Click this button when you enter phonetic text in the textbox and you are ready for the system to search for your audio dialogue results. Cancel The Cancel button appears once you click either the Find or PhraseFind button. This cancels the search.
Find Window Attributes Results Window Attributes Description Select Columns Opens a dialog box which allows you to select columns to display in the Results window. Language menu Allows you to select a language from the languages you have licensed on your system (language packs are purchased separately.) PhraseFind Index and Bin Index Displays the status of your indexed files. Full green indicates that your data files have been indexed and are ready to search.
14 Creating and Editing Sequences This chapter introduces you to procedures that you use to build a sequence, as described in the following topics: • Creating a New Sequence • Making a First Edit • Creating an Instant Rough Cut • Undoing or Redoing Edits • Editing Additional Clips into the Sequence • Mixing Frame Rates and Field Motion Types • Mixing Frame Sizes and Aspect Ratios • Refreshing Sequences to Use Current Clip Attributes • Lifting, Extracting, and Copying Material • Adding Com
Creating a New Sequence Creating a New Sequence You can create a new sequence in one of two ways, depending on the requirements of your workflow: • To set specific parameters for the sequence before you start editing, you can use the New Sequence command to create and name a sequence, set the start timecode, (see “Changing the Name and Timecode for a Sequence” on page 542) and determine the numbers and types of tracks (see “Track Display for New Sequences” on page 543) to use before you make the first edi
Creating a New Sequence 2. (Option) In the bin, click the Name field and rename the new sequence. Changing the Name and Timecode for a Sequence To rename a new sequence and set a start timecode: 1. Do one of the following: t From a bin, right-click a sequence and select Sequence Report. You can select multiple sequences for generating reports. t With a sequence loaded in a monitor, right-click the monitor and select Sequence Report. The Sequence Report dialog box opens.
Creating a New Sequence You need to type only the first colon (non-drop-frame timecode) or semicolon (drop-frame timecode). For example, type 01:000000 for 01:00:00:00. For information about non-drop-frame and drop-frame timecode, see “Understanding Timecode” on page 156. 4. For 24p or 25p projects, select the start key number (Starting EC) and type a new start key number. 5. Click Apply Changes. 6. Click OK. You can also change the default start timecodes for all new sequences by using General settings.
Creating a New Sequence Adding Filler You can add a small amount of black filler at the start of your sequence. A brief moment of black before the start of your sequence is sometimes useful during playback or when recording a digital cut. You can also add filler to another part of the sequence at any time during editing. n You cannot add filler to the end of a sequence or to an empty sequence. You can create black title media and insert it at the end of a sequence.
Making a First Edit Making a First Edit This topic describes a method for adding a first clip to a sequence. You can use this method after you create a new sequence, as described in “Creating a New Sequence” on page 540. You can also use this method without creating a new sequence in advance, in which case the sequence is created as soon as you make the edit. To begin editing: 1. Load the first clip into a monitor. For more information, see “Loading and Clearing Footage” on page 470. 2.
Creating an Instant Rough Cut Screen display for the first edit in a sequence. Top: monitor window showing the sequence. The indicator of the end of the last frame for the edit is highlighted. Bottom: the new edit in the Timeline. Creating an Instant Rough Cut As an alternative to creating a new sequence by editing clips one at a time, you can create a rough cut by creating a storyboard in the bin, and then load these clips directly into the Timeline.
Undoing or Redoing Edits n If no sequences are loaded in the Source/Record monitor, the Timeline has no features. 3. Do one of the following: t Ctrl+click (Windows) or Command+click (Macintosh) the clips. t Lasso the clips by dragging left to right and down to select more than one clip. For more information, see “Selecting Clips and Sequences” on page 308. t Select Edit > Select All if there are no other clips in the bin. 4.
Editing Additional Clips into the Sequence To undo only the previous edit or function, do one of the following: t Select Edit > Undo. t Press Ctrl+Z. To redo only the previous edit or function, do one of the following: t Select Edit > Redo. t Press Ctrl+R.
Editing Additional Clips into the Sequence 3. Mark an In point in the sequence as follows: n a. If the Source/Record monitor displays as a single monitor, click the Toggle Source/Record button until the word “Sequence” appears next to the title in the monitor. b. Move the position indicator for the sequence to the point where you want to splice the clip into the sequence. c. Click the Mark In button, or press the Mark In key.
Mixing Frame Rates and Field Motion Types Performing a Replace Edit The Replace Edit button (blue) replaces a clip in the sequence (video, audio, or both) with new source material, while maintaining the original In and Out points of the previous edit. 4 1 2 3 1 2 4 A replace edit. Clip 4 replaces clip 3 and maintains the IN and OUT points for the original edit. n By default, the Replace Edit button is located on the Edit tab of the Command Palette.
Mixing Frame Rates and Field Motion Types You can view and play mixed rate clips in the Source monitor or in pop-up monitors. You can also edit mixed rate clips into a sequence. Mixed rate clips always play at the project’s frame rate, both in Source or pop-up monitors and in sequences. Audio remains synchronized with video. You can stack clips with different frame rates or field motion types on multiple video tracks, apply effects, and otherwise perform all normal editing operations.
Mixing Frame Rates and Field Motion Types You might need to provide accurate frame layout information for a clip, such as its field motion or whether it contains pulldown. For information on how to do this, and more details of the circumstances that might require it, see “Modifying the Field Motion Attribute for a Clip” on page 555. User Interface Summary for Mixed Rate Clips Illustration Description In the Timeline, several visual indicators highlight mixed rate clips.
Mixing Frame Rates and Field Motion Types Illustration Description In the Modify dialog box, set a new format for a sequence to create a version of the sequence that plays at a different rate from its original rate. You can then work with that sequence in a project that uses the new frame rate. For more information, see “How Your Avid Editing Application Reformats Clips in Sequences” on page 560 and “Changing the Sequence Format” on page 1476.
Mixing Frame Rates and Field Motion Types If you need to make other adjustments, promote the Motion Adapter effect to a Timewarp effect. The full set of Timewarp effect parameters become available and you can freely change or animate the speed at which the clip plays. The illustration shows the Motion Adapter effect in the Motion Effect Editor, with the Type list and the Promote button active, and other parameters inactive.
Mixing Frame Rates and Field Motion Types The system displays the current parameter values for the adapter. If you have not yet made any manual adjustments to the adapter, the values you see are those your Avid editing application created automatically. For example, you see a Speed percentage value that adjusts the clip’s speed to the project’s rate. The Type list (render options) is active. The Adaptive Deinterlace Source option might also be active. Other parameters are inactive. 3.
Mixing Frame Rates and Field Motion Types Changes you make to the Field Motion attribute apply only to the individual clip or subclip. You can have several subclips derived from the same master clip, and set different Field Motion values on each of them. When you change the Field Motion attribute of a clip, it updates if it is loaded in a Source or pop-up monitor, and new edits into a sequence from the clip use the new Field Motion attribute value.
Mixing Frame Rates and Field Motion Types Option Description 2:3 Film Only available for clips or subclips created in 30 fps projects. Use for a clip or subclip that contains 2:3 pulldown. Video material can contain pulldown frames in a number of circumstances, such as the following: Progressive • The telecine process inserts pulldown frames when it transfers film footage shot at 24 fps to 30 fps video.
Mixing Frame Rates and Field Motion Types Behavior of Mixed Rate Material at Different Video Quality Settings Be aware of the following if you work with mixed rate clips when you use the Draft Quality, Best Performance, or DNxHD Native video quality options: • You do not see an accurate pulldown cadence when you field-step through material where pulldown is inserted. This is a limitation of Timewarp and Motion Adapter effects when you work in draft qualities.
Mixing Frame Rates and Field Motion Types n You cannot transcode clips across edit rates using the Transcode Server in Interplay. Grouped Clips and Mixed Rate Material Be aware of the following if you group clips or work with grouped clips: • You cannot group clips that have different frame rates • You cannot load a grouped clip whose frame rate does not match the project's frame rate. If you load this type of clip into the Source monitor or drag it into the Timeline, an error message appears.
Mixing Frame Sizes and Aspect Ratios Mixing Frame Sizes and Aspect Ratios You can work with media of different frame sizes, aspect ratios, and pixel aspect ratios in the same sequence. For example, you can mix SD 4:3, HD 16:9, and film formats. How Your Avid Editing Application Reformats Clips in Sequences Your Avid editing application reformats a clip in a sequence when the aspect ratio, pixel aspect ratio, or frame size of the clip do not match those of the project.
Mixing Frame Sizes and Aspect Ratios Aspect Ratio menu in the Format tab of the Project window t Right-click in the monitor window in editing or in Trim mode, select Project Aspect Ratio, and then select either 4:3 or 16:9, depending on the aspect ratio you want to use. Your Avid editing application changes the aspect ratio of the monitors, and resizes and repositions any material in the project’s sequences that does not match the new aspect ratio so that it conforms to that aspect ratio.
Mixing Frame Sizes and Aspect Ratios The illustration shows the Reformat bin column and the menu that lets you choose a Reformatting Option. Changes you make to the Reformat attribute apply only to the selected clip in the bin. You can have several subclips derived from the same master clip, and set different Reformatting Options on each of them.
Mixing Frame Sizes and Aspect Ratios Reformatting Options Reference The table describes the choices available under the Reformat bin heading and their effect when you edit a clip into a sequence of a different size or aspect ratio. These options have no effect on clips that do match the project size and aspect ratio. For information on how to set the reformatting options for a clip, see “Mixing Frame Sizes and Aspect Ratios” on page 560.
Mixing Frame Sizes and Aspect Ratios Option Description Pillarbox/Letterbox preserve aspect ratio Scales the clip to create the largest possible image without cropping, while maintaining the original aspect ratio. The illustration shows two examples. When you edit a 16:9 clip into a 4:3 sequence (left), the resulting segment has horizontal bars at the top and the bottom. When you edit a 4:3 clip into a 16:9 sequence (right), the resulting segment has vertical bars at the sides.
Refreshing Sequences to Use Current Clip Attributes Refreshing Sequences to Use Current Clip Attributes You can change certain attribute values or settings for a clip at any time. You can change a clip’s Field Motion attribute value or its Reformat attribute value. You can also change the source settings for a RED clip that has been linked in a sequence.
Lifting, Extracting, and Copying Material Lifting, Extracting, and Copying Material Lifting, extracting, and copying let you 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. Your Avid editing application places the material you remove into the Clipboard. You can then paste the material elsewhere in the sequence or into another sequence.
Lifting, Extracting, and Copying Material To extract material: 1. Mark In and Out points at the start and end of the material in the sequence that you want to extract. 2. Select the tracks containing the material. The system performs the function on selected tracks only. If sync locks are on, all material on all tracks is extracted. For more information, see “Understanding the Track Selector Panel” on page 662 and “Understanding Locking and Sync Locking” on page 670. 3.
Adding Comments to Sequence Clips The Clipboard lets you restore lifted or extracted segments quickly. This is useful if you have performed one or more edits since removing the material. In contrast, if you use the Undo function to restore the material, your Avid editing application also undoes all edits performed in the meantime. n Material in the Clipboard does not appear as a clip in the bin and is deleted when you close the project.
Playing Back a Sequence To add comments to the clips in a sequence: 1. Click one of the Segment buttons (located in the Timeline palette), and highlight the clip to which you want to add a comment in the Timeline. Segment Overwrite button (red) and the Segment Insert button (yellow) 2. Click the Clip Name menu above the monitor, and select Add Comments. The Comments dialog box opens. 3. Type your comments in the text box, and click OK.
Playing Back a Sequence 4. Go to the start of the sequence. Click the left side of the position bar to reposition the position indicator at the beginning or press the Home key on the keyboard. 5. Use the position indicator, buttons, mouse, or keyboard to play, step, or shuttle through footage. View the sequence in the Source/Record monitor or the Client monitor. To start a playback loop: 1. Mark In and Out points in the sequence.
Understanding Sync Breaks Playing a Limited Duration of a Sequence Long sequences with many effects can be time-consuming to work with in the Timeline. Working with a shorter sequence can save time. The Play Length Toggle feature lets you switch between playing the entire sequence and playing a limited duration centered around the current position of the sequence. When you use the Play Length Toggle feature, the Play button and Play Length Toggle button change to white.
Understanding Sync Breaks Match frames (left) and sync breaks (right) in the Timeline You encounter sync breaks and match frames in different circumstances: • You can encounter sync breaks in one or several video tracks, audio tracks, data track, or all. Sync-break offset numbers appear by default only in the affected tracks. • You encounter match-frame cuts whenever you perform an add edit or whenever you move a segment next to footage from the same clip and the timecode is continuous across the edit.
Fixing Sync Breaks Task Tips Trimming Sync lock tracks to avoid breaking sync or use the Alt (Windows) or Option (Macintosh) key function for adding black during trims. For more information, see “Maintaining Sync While Trimming” on page 704. You can also perform dual-roller trims, which maintain duration, instead of single-roller trims. Tips for Fixing Sync Breaks Working Mode While trimming Tips • Sync lock any additional tracks that are synced to the track you are trimming.
Understanding Sync Lock Trim the exact number of sync-break frames displayed in the Timeline to reverse the break. For more information on performing trims, see “Working with Trim Edits” on page 687. To fix sync when Segment editing: 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. For more information on editing segments, see “Working with Segments” on page 650.
Understanding Sync Lock Syncing with Tail Leader You can add tail leader to the audio or video material to provide a useful visual reference in the Timeline for tracking and fixing sync breaks across any number of 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 Video and Audio Leaders” on page 582.
Understanding Sync Lock Example of markers in sync in the Timeline To add a note whenever you park on the marker frame (such as Music sync or Sound Effect sync): 1. Double-click the marker in the Record monitor. 2. Type your comments in the comment entry area of the Marker window. The note appears in the Record monitor. To determine if sync is broken after an edit: t Return to the segment that contains the markers and click the Focus button. If the markers are not lined up, the sync is broken.
Ganging Footage in Monitors 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. The system adds a transition at the location of your position indicator in the Timeline. 3. Select the transition and trim (be sure to select all the synced tracks). As you trim, the system adds or removes frames from the additional tracks. 4.
Autosyncing Clips Ganged monitors, with the green gang monitor indicator 4. View the footage in any of the monitors. As you move through footage in one monitor, the footage in all other monitors freezes. The footage is updated when the play stops. Simultaneous full-motion playback is not possible, although the system maintains sync at all times.
Autosyncing Clips Understanding Autosyncing Autosyncing is often used for projects in which picture and sound were captured separately. These clips are often synced based on common film timecode, sound timecode, or auxiliary timecode. You can also autosync™ any audio and video clips based on a user-defined In point or Out point relationship that you establish with marks. For example, you can use the slate as a common visual and audio reference for autosyncing the clips.
Autosyncing Clips Option Description Inpoints Use this option if you sync two clips at a time according to In points set in both clips. Outpoints Use this option if you sync two clips at a time according to Out points set in both clips. Source Timecode Use this option if the two clips have matching timecode or to Autosync multiple clips, use the Start timecode. The default option.
Working with Phantom Marks Working with Phantom Marks Phantom marks provide visual guidance when you edit according to the three-mark rules. For information on editing using three marks, see “Editing Additional Clips into the Sequence” on page 548. To enable phantom marks: 1. In the Settings tab of the Project window, double-click Composer. The Composer Settings dialog box opens. 2. In the Edit tab, select Phantom Marks., and then click OK.
Creating Video and Audio Leaders Phantom marks can help you see the results of marks you set before you complete the edit and are useful when you perform a Sync Point edit or other complicated replace edits in which two or more marks calculate automatically. Creating Video and Audio Leaders Film editors use standard head and tail leaders to cue and sync material.
Creating Video and Audio Leaders 6. Prepare the sound levels for leader that include a sync point (audio pop) by doing the following: a. Find the appropriate sync point. Step one frame backward and place an add edit before the sync frame; then step two frames forward and place an add edit after the sync frame. For information on placing add edits, see “Working with Add Edits (Match Frames)” on page 679. b. Move the position indicator before the first add edit, and open the Audio Mixer tool. c.
Understanding Lined Scripts 15 Script-Based Editing The following topics provide information about working with script-based editing: • Understanding Lined Scripts • Script Integration — Lining in the Digital Realm • Understanding the Script Window • Working with the Script Window • Working with Script Text • Working with Page or Scene Numbers and Searching in a Script • Linking Clips to a Script • Interpolating Position for Script Integration • Working with Slates in the Script Window •
Understanding Lined Scripts 33/1 33A/1 33A/2 33B/133B/2 33B/3 33C/1 33C/2 Each vertical line drawn through the scene represents a single take from the moment the director says “Action” to the moment the director says “Cut.” Each scene might require several camera angles and positions, with one or more takes, all of which are lined and identified alphanumerically. The following table summarizes the lining techniques and numbering system shown in the example.
Script Integration — Lining in the Digital Realm Off-screen dialog The jagged lines in the script represent the parts of dialog where the actor is off screen. For example, the character Mary Sue is off camera during the action described in the second paragraph (when the waitress character enters), so a jagged line is drawn through the shots that cover Mary Sue (33A/1 and 2).
Script Integration — Lining in the Digital Realm 2 Slates 6 Color indicator 3 Takes tabs 7 Script mark 4 Takes In addition to the standard lining conventions, script integration includes the following enhancements: Slates Takes are organized into slates that display a representative frame and clip name for the take that is currently selected. Takes The Takes tabs and lines extending from the bottom of each slate indicate the number of takes for that scene. Click a Takes tab to select the take.
Understanding the Script Window Using Script Integration in Video Projects Script integration is an effective tool for editing any type of production, not just feature films and television drama. For example: • You can adapt many of the procedures described in this chapter for use in audiovisual scripts for documentaries, corporate spots, news magazine segments, and spot advertisements.
Understanding the Script Window Script Settings You use settings in the Script Settings dialog box to control how scripts display in the Script window and how the Script window behaves. You should make changes to these settings before you open a Script window. After the Script window is open, any changes you make in the Script Settings dialog box are ignored by the window. You must close the Script window and then reopen it for the new settings to take effect.
Working with the Script Window Working with the Script Window This topic describes basic procedures for working with Script windows, including importing script text, navigating through the script, displaying clip information, opening and closing windows, saving windows, and adjusting margins. For more information on the Script window, see “Understanding the Script Window” on page 588.
Working with the Script Window 5. Change the name of the script bin by clicking the title in the Bins list in the Project window, and typing a new name. To select text encoding: t Select Script > Text Encoding, and then select one of the following: Option Description None Your Avid editing application uses your system’s default encoding. Select this option when the text was created on a system with the same system character set you are currently using.
Working with Script Text t To open existing Script window (.ave) files and add them to the Other Bins folder in the Bins list in the Project window, select File > Open Bin. t To close Script windows, select File > Close. t To save changes, select File > Save Script. t To save a copy of the Script window, select File > Save a Script Copy As. To explore the Script window: t Use the bar on the right to scroll up or down. t Resize the window by dragging the size box in the lower right corner.
Working with Script Text c You cannot undo cut, copy, or paste operations in the Script window. To change the font and font size of imported script: 1. Select Edit > Set Font. The Set Font dialog box opens. 2. Click the Font menu, and select a new font. The menu includes all fonts currently installed on your system. 3. Type a new font size in the text box, and click OK. The Script window reflects the new settings. n As you enlarge font size, the available sizes for the slate frames also increase.
Working with Script Text Example of a lasso to select a portion of a script t Click the first line of the selection, and then Shift+click the last line. The entire block of text is highlighted. t Press Ctrl+A (Windows) or Command+A (Macintosh) to select all the text and takes. To extend an existing selection: t Shift+click a line of text preceding or following the existing selection. To cut or copy lines of script and then paste them: 1. Select the lines. 2. Select Edit > Cut or Edit > Copy. 3.
Working with Page or Scene Numbers and Searching in a Script t Click Insert After to insert the text below the selected line. The text is pasted into the script. To remove lines of script: 1. Select the lines of script you want to delete. 2. Select Edit > Cut. Unlike a normal deletion, the text remains in the Windows Clipboard or Macintosh Clipboard until the next time you copy or cut a selection.
Working with Page or Scene Numbers and Searching in a Script The scene number appears in the left margin. The page number appears in the right margin next to the first line of the selected region. Scene and page numbers both appear in the status bar at the bottom of the Script window and reflect your current position within the script. Each scene or page number continues throughout the script until you mark another line as the beginning of a new scene or page. Top left: new scene number.
Linking Clips to a Script To search for a page or scene number: 1. Select Script > Go To Page or Script > Go To Scene. You can also click in the page or scene display in the status bar at the bottom of the Script window. The Go To Scene/Page dialog box opens. 2. Type the number of the scene or page, and click OK. The Script window scrolls to the page or scene, and the first line is highlighted. If you type a page or scene number that is not in the script, then no action occurs.
Linking Clips to a Script t If you are not working with scene and take information (for example, in a video documentary project), you can provide your own numbering for the clips in a custom column, or you can sort the clips manually in Frame view according to their order in the script. For more information on adding a custom column, see “Adding Customized Columns to a Bin” on page 320. 4. Select the portion of the script that is covered by the first clip or clips. 5.
Interpolating Position for Script Integration Alternatively, you can create slates one at a time, place script marks, and fine-tune the lining of each scene before proceeding to the next portion of the script. Interpolating Position for Script Integration Interpolate Position matches a clip to a take and lets you see where a particular line in the script would appear in the clip footage.
Working with Slates in the Script Window • Show only one take for each nonactive slate to minimize screen clutter. • Adjust the position of slates to make room for more slates, to avoid blocking words, or to display takes over specific lines. • Delete slates, for example, if you find that you no longer need the takes in the slate. To select slates, do one of the following: t Click a slate to select it. t Shift+click additional slates to select all the active takes.
Working with Slates in the Script Window To control the number of takes that display for a nonactive slate, do one of the following: t Select or deselect Show All Takes in the Script Settings dialog box before you open the Script window. For more information, see “Script Settings” on page 589. t Select or deselect Script > Show All Takes. When Show All Takes is enabled, a check mark appears to the left of the Show Frames command.
Working with Takes in the Script Window To delete a slate: 1. Select all the takes in the slate by pressing the Shift key and clicking the tab for each take. 2. Press the Delete key. The Delete dialog box opens. 3. Select Delete Takes, and click OK. The slate and all its takes are deleted from the script. n c When you delete slates and takes from the Script window, the captured source clips remain in the source bins. You cannot undo the deletion of slates.
Working with Takes in the Script Window All takes within the lasso are selected. To add another take to an existing slate: 1. Select the region of the script that the take covers. 2. Open the bin that contains the clip for the take. 3. Drag the clip to the slate. The new take appears in the slate and is applied to the selected region of the script. You need to manually adjust the take lines if the new take covers a region different from the existing slate. See the procedure below.
Indicating Off-Screen Dialog in a Script To change the representative frame that appears in the slate for a take: 1. Select the Takes tab in the Script window. 2. Press the appropriate arrow keys or step keys on the keyboard to advance the footage displayed in the slate forward or backward to the frame you want. You can also select multiple takes and advance them all at once. To load individual takes into the Source monitor: t Double-click any Takes tab.
Using Color Indicators in the Script Window 3. Click the Set Offscreen button in the Script window toolbar. The off-screen indicator appears, superimposed on the selected takes of the highlighted range of the script. You can switch the indicators on or off by clicking the button repeatedly. To remove one or more off-screen indicators: 1. Select the range of script containing the off-screen indicators. 2. Select only those takes that display the indicators. 3. Click the Set Offscreen button.
Script Marks Script Marks Script marks let you synchronize individual lines of script with matching points in captured clips. When you place a mark in the script, an IN point also appears in the clip when you load it into a monitor for editing. This provides line-by-line control over alternative takes that the editor can instantly load and edit into the sequence. You can place script marks in several ways. You can: • Place marks manually, one take at a time.
Script Marks 3. Click the Play button, or press the Play key. The take plays in the monitor. You can also step (jog) or shuttle through the footage, place the position indicator on the exact frame, or scrub the audio to find the exact line of dialog. The clip does not have to be playing. 4. When the playback reaches the selected line of dialog, click the Add Script Mark button or press the Add Script Mark key. The line is marked in the Script window with a small horizontal bar, and play stops.
Script Marks 5. Repeat these steps to add more script marks. Using Real-Time Screening and Marking The Script window provides controls for automating the process of screening and placing script marks for a single take or across multiple takes. To use real-time screening and marking: 1. Select one or more takes. 2. Click the Record button in the Script window toolbar.
Script Marks Example of real-time screening and marking: several takes are selected for automatic playback, and the current playback is highlighted in green 3. As you hear a line of dialog or see a particular clip that you want to mark, click the matching line in the Script window. A script mark appears at that location in the take, and the clip continues to play. You can scroll through the Script window without affecting playback. 4.
Script Marks Marking with ScriptSync Some Avid editing applications include the ScriptSync feature (purchased separately). ScriptSync uses phonetic-indexing technology from Nexidia™ to analyze the audio portion of a clip and match it to lines of the script text. To add script marks with ScriptSync: 1. Select one or more takes that include audio. 2. Double-click any line in the take to select the take and load it into a monitor. 3. Select Script > ScriptSync. The ScriptSync dialog box opens.
Script Marks 4. Select options as described in the following table. Option Description Language Select the language of your script (this setting is for both the audio and the text). n Depending on the language you select, the Acoustic model (Broadcast or Telephony) that Nexidia uses changes. Only one model applies per language. Broadcast has a higher resolution and can be more accurate than Telephony in some cases.
Script Marks Option Description Skip text before colon ‘:’ Select this option to skip all text before the first colon in a line of text. For example, select this option if your script uses the convention of placing a character’s name before a colon when the character begins to speak. Skip lines indented less than dialog Select this option if action is indented less than dialog in your script.
Script Marks Purchasing and Activating ScriptSync The ScriptSync option is sold separately from your Avid editing application. Once you purchase ScriptSync, you will receive a ScriptSync Activation ID that you use to activate the ScriptSync feature. You activate the ScriptSync feature with the Avid License Control tool. To find out the benefits of the ScriptSync feature, you can try out ScriptSync for a free 30-day trial period before you purchase.
Script Marks What Will I Need to Activate ScriptSync? • The ScriptSync Activation ID (obtained after you purchase ScriptSync) If you purchased through an Avid Reseller, the ScriptSync Activation ID is on a sticker adhered to your Instruction letter. If you purchased through the Avid web store, you receive your ScriptSync Activation ID through an Avid e-mail or you can also view your Activation ID by logging in to your Store account at http://account.avid.com/.
Script Marks n If you are running the Avid editing application trial version, you do not need to run the trial version of ScriptSync. The ScriptSync feature is included with the trial version of the Avid editing application. To run ScriptSync for a 30-day trial period: 1. Open your Avid editing application and an Avid project. 2. Create a script, File > New Script. 3. Browse to your script then click Open. 4. In the script, click the section where you want to place the clip (take).
Script Marks The system opens the Avid web store, allowing you to purchase ScriptSync. Once you purchase ScriptSync and obtain your ScriptSync Activation ID, you can activate ScriptSync. A dialog box opens informing you that Activation will quit your Avid editing application and launch the Avid License Control tool. 8. Click Continue. The Avid License Control tool opens. To activate ScriptSync, see “Activating ScriptSync with the Avid License Control Tool” on page 617 to continue.
Script Marks The Avid License Control tool is installed with your Avid editing application and is located in the Utilities folder. To open the Avid License Control tool: 1. Open the Avid License Control tool from your Avid editing application. Go to the following location: (Windows) Start/All Programs/Avid/Utilities/License Control (Macintosh) Applications/Utilities/Avid Utilities/License Control The Avid License Control tool opens.
Script Marks 2. Click Copy. The information copies to your Clipboard. You can cut and paste from the clipboard to an e-mail or create a text file, if you need to send system information to Avid Customer Support. To activate ScriptSync with the Avid License Control tool and with an Internet connection: 1. With the Avid License Control tool open, click Activate next to ScriptSync. A dialog box opens.
Script Marks 2. If your computer has an Internet connection, select “I am connected to the Internet and will use this computer.” 3. Click Continue. The Avid Activation dialog box opens.
Script Marks 4. Enter your system identification number in the System ID text box. This number pre-displays if you have activated your Avid editing application. If the System ID does not appear, see “What Will I Need to Activate ScriptSync?” on page 614 for more information. n n If you have a dongle attached to your system, the system should pre-display your System ID. You can copy and paste your system identification number and your Activation ID from a text file to the appropriate text boxes. 5.
Script Marks The system creates a license.bin file. This file contains license information needed to activate ScriptSync. If you entered an e-mail address, the .bin file will be sent to you as an attachment. You can also download the .bin file directly from the site. 8. Click Download to download the license.bin file to your system. Depending on your web browser, the license.bin file could be located on your desktop or in a download folder. 9. Move the license.
Script Marks Loading and Playing Marked Segments Once you place marks syncing lines in your script to points in the source clips, you can quickly load and cue takes for selected lines of dialog. You can load a single take, or you can load all the coverage for any given range of lines. To load the marked segment of a take: t Double-click the script mark at the line of dialog that you want to cue.
Finding Clips and Script To delete a script mark: 1. Click once on a script mark to select it. You can select multiple script marks for removal by highlighting an entire region of text and selecting the takes containing the script marks you want to remove. 2. Press the Delete key. The Delete dialog box opens. 3. Select Delete 1 mark(s), and click OK. The mark is deleted.
Editing From the Script Window Editing From the Script Window To use the Script window most effectively during an editing session, make sure the Script window is fully prepared, including preferred takes, alternative takes (indicated with colors), and script marks for matching lines of text to sync points in the clips.
Editing From the Script Window 4. Click the Splice-in or the Overwrite button to make the first edit. Splice-in button (left) and Overwrite button (right) 5. Prepare the sequence for the next edit: a. Create new tracks, if necessary. b. Enable the appropriate source and record tracks. c. Patch the tracks, if necessary. d. Mark an IN point in the sequence for the next edit. 6. Double-click the next preferred take to load it. 7. Play the clip until you reach the appropriate OUT point, and stop play.
16 Using the Timeline Your Avid editing application represents each edit and effect on a timeline to help you track and manipulate the elements of your sequence. The Timeline continuously updates as you work, displaying icons and information that you can customize in various ways. The Timeline also has its own set of editing tools for creating and revising edits and transitions across multiple tracks. The audio and video tracks in the Timeline play in the Source/Record monitor.
Customizing Timeline Views Customizing Timeline Views You can customize your view of the Timeline to display a variety of information about your sequence as well as the clips and transitions it contains. You can do the following: • Use options in the Timeline Fast menu to change the display in a variety of ways For more information, see “Using the Timeline Fast Menu” on page 628 and “Timeline Fast Menu Options” on page 628.
Customizing Timeline Views Purpose Description (Continued) Complex audio work If you are doing advanced audio work with multiple tracks or fine-tuning difficult audio edits, you can hide video tracks and enlarge audio tracks while displaying waveform plots. If you enable per track settings in the Track Control panel to display waveforms on specific tracks, these settings are not saved in custom Timeline views.
Customizing Timeline Views Option Description Default Setup Returns Timeline display settings to the system default settings; see “Managing Customized Timeline Views” on page 645. View Type Displays a submenu for selecting different segment display formats; see “Editing in Heads or Heads Tails View” on page 677. Track Panel Displays or hides the Track Selector panel. Effect Icons Switches the display of effect icons; see “Changing Timeline View Settings for Effects” in the Help.
Customizing Timeline Views Option Description (Continued) Show Track Displays a submenu for displaying tracks; see “Displaying Timecode Tracks in the Timeline” on page 636. Track Control Panel Displays or hides the Track Control panel; see “The Track Control Panel” on page 641. More Detail Expands the Timeline horizontally around the position indicator. Less Detail Shrinks the Timeline horizontally around the position indicator.
Customizing Timeline Views • Clips whose frame rate does not match the sequence frame rate (mixed-rate clips). • Clips that do not match the video resolution type of the project — for example, HD clips in an SD project, or SD clips in an HD project. • Clips to which you assign a local color in the Timeline. • Clips to which you assign a color in the bin. When working in a MultiRez environment, you can also use colors to track available resolutions.
Customizing Timeline Views 2. Select one or more of the following: Option Description Resolution Tracking Colors clips to indicate the availability of particular resolutions in a MultiRez environment. For more information, see “Using Clip Coloring to Show Available Resolutions” on page 1245. This option is only available if you are working in a MultiRez environment. Offline Colors clips that have offline media.
Customizing Timeline Views Option Description SD/HD Colors clips that do not match the video definition type of the project format — in an HD project this option colors the SD clips, while in an SD project this colors the HD clips. n You can also display clip text that can help you to identify particular clips by selecting Clip Text > Clip Resolutions from the Timeline Fast menu. Timeline Local Colors clips to which you have assigned a local color in the Timeline.
Customizing Timeline Views 3. Click a color in the grid. The color you select becomes the display color for that option. To reset the display colors for the Resolution Tracking, Offline, Mixed Rates, and SD/HD options: 1. Click the Timeline Fast Menu button, and select Clip Color. The Clip Color dialog box opens. 2. Click Default Colors. The Offline, Mixed Rates, and SD/HD color swatches reset to their default colors.
Customizing Timeline Views Assigning Local Colors to Clips in the Timeline You can assign local colors to clips in the Timeline — for example, to indicate clips that you want to group together or to make clips stand out while you work in the Timeline. For more information on clip colors in the Timeline, see “Displaying Clip Colors in the Timeline” on page 630. To assign a local clip color: 1. Click the Timeline Fast Menu button, and select Clip Color. The Clip Color dialog box opens. 2.
Customizing Timeline Views To remove a local clip color: 1. Select one of the segment tools in the Timeline palette, and select the clip whose color you want to remove. 2. Select Edit > Set Local Clip Color > None. The assigned local color no longer appears in the clip in the Timeline. Displaying Timecode Tracks in the Timeline You can display separate tracks for different timecodes in the Timeline. By default, the Timeline displays all the tracks.
Customizing Timeline Views Setting the Playback Option for the Timeline You can control how the Timeline displays during playback by setting a preference in the Timeline Settings dialog box:. n • The Timeline display can page to the next section of your sequence when the position indicator gets to the end of the visible section of the Timeline as you play.
Customizing Timeline Views 3. Click OK. Using the Full-Screen Timeline As an alternative to constantly scrolling through the Timeline window or resizing tracks to get a view of the material, you can resize the Timeline window to full-screen display. You can also enlarge the tracks to view complex audio or video layers in greater vertical detail. A Timeline with reduced tracks wraps around to show more of the sequence.
Customizing Timeline Views • Edit with Lift/Overwrite and Extract/Splice-in edits • Create single- and dual-roller trims, such as ripple trims and overlap edits • Adjust transition effects in the Timeline Timeline palette, located to the left of the Timeline, with the Timeline ruler at the top of the Timeline The Timeline palette provides you with the most common tools you need for Timeline editing, as well as several buttons you can use to enable editing modes such as Effect mode or Color Correctio
Customizing Timeline Views Icon Tool Description Trim Mode Allows you to enter traditional Trim Mode without selecting a trim tool. Source/Record mode Enters Source/Record mode. Effects mode Enters Effects mode, opening the Effect Editor and changing the Record monitor to the Effect Preview monitor. Color Correction mode Enters Color Correction mode, opening the color correction controls. Motion Effect Opens the Motion Effect Editor, allowing you to edit Timewarp effects.
Customizing Timeline Views When you combine functions on the Timeline palette, you modify how the mouse pointer functions in the Timeline: • When you select the Lift/Overwrite or Extract/Splice-in button, the mouse pointer changes to a segment edit pointer for either Lift/Overwrite or Extract/Splice-in edits. If you select both buttons, the segment edit depends on which region of the segment in the Timeline that you activate. For more information, see “Working with Segments” on page 650.
Customizing Timeline Views Track Control panel Component Description Waveform Turns on or off the waveform display for individual tracks. Clip Gain/Pan Turns on or off the clip gain, auto gain, and pan display for individual tracks. Inactive Removes a track from audio monitoring so you can play back your sequence without process the plug-in effects or automation for the inactive track. Solo Allows you to monitor a single track of audio without deselecting other tracks.
Customizing Timeline Views Track Control panel, with the Track Control Panel button above the Timeline Displaying Source Material in the Timeline You can display source material in the Timeline. This feature is useful when you edit with a sequence or subclip created from a sequence. You can also use it to look at the contents of any source clip in a Timeline display. n Heads and Tails view is disabled when you are displaying material from the Source monitor.
Customizing Timeline Views Displaying the Timeline Top Toolbar You can display a top toolbar in the Timeline for easy access to editing buttons. You can also map additional buttons to the Timeline top toolbar. For information about mapping buttons, see “Mapping User-Selectable Buttons” on page 99. To show the Timeline top toolbar: 1. In the Project window, double-click the Timeline Setting. The Timeline Settings dialog box opens. 2. Select Show Toolbar in the Display tab. 3. Click OK.
Customizing Timeline Views Managing Customized Timeline Views You can save a customized Timeline view. Timeline views appear in the Settings list in the Project window. You can save, rename, and copy multiple views. Your Avid editing application saves the Timeline information from the Timeline Fast menu with each view. You can select alternate views from the View menu located in the Timeline bottom toolbar. The Timeline view is labeled Untitled until you name and save a customized Timeline view.
Customizing Timeline Views Using Timeline View Buttons The More tab of the Command Palette contains eight Timeline View buttons that you can use to switch between Timeline views. You can map these buttons to any mappable button location or to the keyboard, or you can use them directly in the Command Palette. You must create at least one Timeline view to use the Timeline View buttons. For more information, see “Managing Customized Timeline Views” on page 645.
Navigating in the Timeline t In the More tab of the Command Palette, select Active Palette, and then click the Timeline View button. Navigating in the Timeline The Timeline window 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 scroll bar, the Timeline scale bar, the Zoom In and Zoom Back commands, or the Focus button.
Navigating in the Timeline When you move the position indicator in the Timeline, the smaller position indicator within the Source/Record monitor’s position bar also moves. By default, the Timeline scroll bar appears on the right side of the Timeline bottom toolbar. You can drag the scroll slider to reposition yourself within the Timeline, or click the arrows to scroll left or right.
Navigating in the Timeline To zoom in the Timeline using the scale bar: 1. Click the scale slider, and drag it to the right. The Timeline expands horizontally and 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 back. 2. To shrink the Timeline to its original size, drag the scale slider back to the left.
Working with Segments Controlling Movement in the Timeline While working in the Timeline window, you can use modifier keys to control the movement of both the position indicator and any segments that you move. To snap to the head of transitions: t Press the Ctrl key (Windows) or Command key (Macintosh) as you drag either the position indicator or any selected segments.
Working with Segments You can also edit directly from a bin, as described in “Bin Editing into the Timeline” on page 661. Guidelines for Segment Editing General Guidelines • Moving a selection with an Extract/Splice-in edit deletes transition effects on either side of the selection. If the selection includes multiple segments around a transition effect, moving the segments preserves transition effects inside the selection.
Working with Segments Selecting and Deselecting Segments You can select segments for moving or editing by activating tools on the Timeline palette and then clicking segments in the Timeline, or you can lasso one or more segments. You can also select linked clips when you enable Link Selection. For more information, see “Linked Clips” on page 653. You can then continue to select or deselect additional segments.
Working with Segments To deselect one or more selected segments, do one of the following: t To deselect an entire track, 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. t Click one of the segment tools on the Timeline palette, and then Shift+click specific segments on any track.
Working with Segments • When two or more video tracks from the same clip overlap in the Timeline and sync is broken with the linked audio segments, link selection links to the video segment with the smallest sync break point. • When you move a linked clip independently of the tracks to which it is linked so it no longer vertically overlaps the linked segments, the link relationship is broken.
Working with Segments To select segments on enabled tracks using the multiple segment selection buttons: 1. Move the position indicator to the first or last segment you want to select. 2. Select Tools > Command Palette, and click the Edit tab. 3. Do one of the following: t Click the Select Left button to select segments under the position bar and all segments to the left. t Click the Select Right button to select segments under the position bar and all segments to the right.
Working with Segments To maintain sync when you use Extract/Splice-in, select the Segment Drag Sync Locks option in the Edit tab of the Timeline Settings dialog box. After you move a segment in the Timeline with Extract/Splice-in, this option maintains sync by adding filler to the following locations: • Where the segment was moved from in the sequence • On all other sync-locked tracks that correspond to the new location of the segment you moved You can move either an audio segment or a video segment.
Working with Segments Use the four-frame monitor display, the offset counter, and the segment image in the Timeline to carefully determine the new position. You can also snap to the head or tail of the new edit point (see “Controlling Movement in the Timeline” on page 650). 3. Release the mouse button.
Working with Segments 3. Move the segments to the desired location. Deleting Segments You can use the segment tools in the Timeline palette to delete whole segments in the Timeline quickly without having to mark In and Out points. You can also select multiple segments in separate tracks anywhere along the Timeline to delete them all at once. By default, your Avid editing application deletes the selected segment and leaves blank space or silence in its place (a Lift segment edit).
Working with Segments To mark segments in the Timeline: 1. Do one of the following: t Select both of the segment tools on the Timeline palette, and then position the mouse pointer over the top of the segment (for Lift/Overwrite operations) or the bottom of the segment (for Extract/Splice-in operations). t Select one of the segment tools on the Timeline palette.
Working with Segments 3. Press Ctrl+C (Windows) or Command+C (Macintosh) to copy, or Ctrl+X (Windows) or Command+X (Macintosh) to cut. 4. Move the position indicator to the new In point, and press Ctrl+V (Windows) or Command+V (Macintosh) to paste the segment in the Timeline. If you selected both segment tools in the Timeline palette, the paste operation uses the default segment tool specified in the Timeline Settings dialog box.
Working with Segments Bin Editing into the Timeline You can use the segment tools on the Timeline palette to edit clips directly from a bin into the sequence in the Timeline. Bin editing lets you bypass the process of loading clips into the monitor, setting marks, and clicking the Splice-in button or Overwrite button. You can also use keyboard shortcut keys to edit clips directly from a bin into the sequence in the Timeline.
Working with Multiple Tracks To perform a direct edit from a bin into a sequence: 1. Mark an In or Out point in the Timeline, or move the position indicator to the location where you want the clip to appear. 2. Select a clip in the bin. 3. Do one of the following: t Press the V key to perform a splice-in edit, which inserts the clip into the sequence and moves existing material down, lengthening the total duration of the sequence.
Working with Multiple Tracks n You cannot patch a data (D) track. Track Selector and Track Control panels, with Source tracks (left) and Record tracks (right). See the following table for a list of Track Selector buttons. Icon Button Video Track Monitor button Video Track, Source and Record Sync Lock button Audio Mono Track Monitor button Audio Stereo Track Monitor button Audio 5.1 Surround Track Monitor button Audio 7.
Working with Multiple Tracks Selecting Tracks You can select tracks on the source side or the record side of the Track Selector panel to control your options for editing. For example, you might select the source and record tracks for V1, A1, and A2 to edit picture and audio from the source clip into the sequence. To edit the picture without sound, select only V1 source and record tracks. To edit the sound without the picture, select only A1 and A2 source and record tracks.
Working with Multiple Tracks To use a Command Palette button for track selection, do one of the following: 1. Click the appropriate button in the location to which you have mapped it. 2. Press the key on the keyboard that you have associated with the track button. 3. In the Tracks tab of the Command Palette, select Active Palette, and then click the track button. To deselect a track: t Click the Track button of any active track.
Working with Multiple Tracks The following characteristics apply to audio track monitoring: • The system pans odd-numbered mono tracks to the left speaker and even-numbered mono tracks to the right speaker by default. Stereo tracks include channels for the left and right speakers, with the stereo mix panned to the center.
Working with Multiple Tracks Monitoring and Soloing Tracks The Track Monitor buttons allow you to choose which tracks to monitor in the Source/Record monitor and the speakers. You can monitor a single track or monitor multiple tracks at the same time. You can also isolate, or solo, an individual track for monitoring without having to deselect other tracks. For more information on monitoring video and audio tracks, and on the benefits of solo monitoring, see “Understanding Track Monitoring” on page 665.
Working with Multiple Tracks To deselect solo monitoring: t Click the Track Monitor button or the Solo button again. Patching Tracks When working with multiple tracks, you can encounter a circumstance in which you must edit source audio or video onto a track other than the parallel track displayed in the Track Selector panel. To edit the source material onto another record track above or below it, you must patch the source track to the targeted record track.
Working with Multiple Tracks Audio patch from a source track to an audio record track (left) and the new source track order identifying the patch (right). n After you patch tracks, it is helpful to display the destination track of the clips in the Timeline. Select Clip Text > Clip Tracks from the Timeline Fast menu to display the destination track. To undo a patch: 1. Click in the Record monitor or Timeline. 2. Manually repatch to the previous track.
Working with Multiple Tracks The clips swapped into the sequence start at the beginning of the clip or subclip unless you mark an In or an Out point. When Out points are used, the sequence backfills the duration on the clip being replaced, starting from the Out point. 4. Move the position indicator in the Timeline to the clip you want to replace. 5. Select Tools > Command Palette. 6. Click the Play tab. 7. Click the Alternate Edit button. The system replaces the clip and performs an Edit Review command.
Working with Multiple Tracks Locking tracks prevents further editing from being performed on them and can help in the following workflows: n • For video or picture editing, you can lock tracks when you have completed a set of complex, multilayer edits and want to avoid making accidental changes while you work on adjacent tracks. • For audio editing, you can lock audio tracks containing sync dialog that should be maintained while you edit adjacent video tracks or audio tracks.
Working with Multiple Tracks To unlock tracks: 1. Select the tracks you want to unlock. 2. Do one of the following: t Select Clip > Unlock Tracks. t Right-click in the Timeline, and select Unlock Tracks. t If you want to unlock a single track, right-click the track selector button and select Unlock Track. The Lock icon disappears and the tracks are unlocked. To sync lock tracks, do one of the following: t Click a Sync Lock button to activate the Sync Lock icon for each synchronized track.
Working with Multiple Tracks t Right-click in the Timeline, and select one of the following: - New Video Track. - New Audio Track Mono. - New Audio Track Stereo. - New Meta Track. - New Data Track. The new track appears in the Timeline. To add a new track to a sequence and customize its numbering: 1. Press and hold the Alt key (Windows) or Option key (Macintosh) and select the type of track you want to add: t Select Clip > New Video Track. t Select Clip > New Audio Track Mono.
Working with Multiple Tracks - If you selected the number of an existing track in step 3, a dialog box asks if you want to insert the new track. Click Insert to add the new track below the current track with that number. Your Avid editing application labels the new track with the number you selected and renumbers the existing tracks in consecutive order. To add a custom name to a track in the Timeline: 1. Right-click the Track Selector button, and select Rename Track. The Comments window opens. 2.
Working with Multiple Tracks If you duplicate a clip in a bin and split the copy to mono, or if you edit a stereo clip into a sequence on multiple tracks and split one track to mono, your sequence can contain both a stereo and a mono instance of the same master clip. This does not cause a problem with editing, playback, or any other operation.
Working with Multiple Tracks The stereo track splits into two mono tracks, with the second mono track added below the original stereo track. A copy of your original sequence is saved to your bin as [sequence_name].Copy.[number]. To split all stereo audio tracks in the Timeline to mono, do one of the following: t Right-click in the Timeline, and select Split All Tracks to Mono. t Select Clip > Split All Tracks to Mono.
In to Out Highlighting in the Timeline In to Out Highlighting in the Timeline When you mark a sequence with In to Out points, the system indicates the selection by highlighting the marked region on selected tracks in the Timeline. Marked region highlighting in the Timeline This visual guide helps you monitor track and segment selection more carefully when mixing or applying effects across multiple tracks and segments.
Performing a Quick Edit Using the Top and Tail Commands Heads view (top) and Heads Tails view (bottom) in the Timeline. Heads view shows the Head frame for each clip. Heads Tails view shows both the head and tail frames for each clip. 3. Press and hold the Alt key (Windows) or Option key (Macintosh), click the frames representing the clip you want to move, and drag the clip to its new position. The sequence is rearranged to match the changes you made.
Working with Add Edits (Match Frames) t Click the Tail button to extract footage from the position indicator to the end of the clip or segment. Working with Add Edits (Match Frames) The Add Edit function places an artificial edit point between 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. This form of edit is also known as a match frame.
Dupe Detection n By default, the match-frame indicator is white. If a change in level occurs, the match-frame indicator changes to red. To add an edit to filler clips at the position indicator: 1. Move the position indicator to the selected frame. 2. Alt+click (Windows) or Option+click (Macintosh) the Add Edit button. The edit appears on all tracks with filler in the sequence at the position indicator. To remove match-frame edits: 1.
Dupe Detection Two duplicate frames marked above the clip in the Timeline by the automatic Dupe Detection feature Orange bars mark the first set of duplicate frames, green bars mark the second set, and so on. You can use Dupe Detection while you edit to locate duplicate frames, and remove them as the sequence evolves. Activating Dupe Detection n c You can change the handle size used by Dupe Detection in the Edit tab of the Timeline Settings dialog box.
Dupe Detection 1 2 3 Example of a splice on a safety frame. Frames 1 and 3 are still usable, but frame 2 has been cut in the middle and is lost. In 16mm film editing (using the multiple-strand method), labs sometimes use the zero-frame cutting method to avoid seeing each splice in a 35mm blowup print. In this method, the negative is conformed along with the handles so that the cuts appear as soft frame handles rather than jumps in the resulting 35mm blowup.
Editing with the Film Track Adjusting Handle Length in Dupe Detection To adjust handle lengths in Dupe Detection: 1. Double-click Timeline in the Settings list in the Project window. The Timeline Settings dialog box opens. 2. Click the Dupe Detection Handles menu in the Edit tab, and select the number of handle frames. The typical 35mm safety frame setting is 0.5 frame (amounting to a 1-frame total with both sides of a cut). 3. Click OK. The selected value is applied to the head and tail of every event.
Finding Black Holes and Flash Frames To quickly view more frames as you scroll: t Drag the resize box in the lower right corner of the Timeline for a full-screen view. You can reduce the size of Timeline tracks to wrap the sequence around several times. As you continue to scroll, each strand of the Timeline wraparound is updated.
Printing the Timeline 4. Move the position indicator to the beginning of the sequence or before the part of the sequence you want to search. 5. Select Clip > Find Flash Frames. The position indicator moves to the first flash frame. To find the next flash frame: t Select Clip > Find Flash Frames again. Printing the Timeline To print the Timeline: 1. Click the Timeline to activate it. 2. Select File > Print Timeline. The Print dialog box opens.
Activating and Deactivating I/O Hardware Activating and Deactivating I/O Hardware If the Toggle Hardware button is enabled, the I/O hardware is active. If the Toggle Hardware button is disabled, the I/O hardware is inactive. To activate the I/O hardware: t Click the Toggle Hardware button until it is active. The button is gray when hardware is active. This puts the editing application in Hardware mode. To deactivate the I/O hardware: t Click the Toggle button until it is inactive.
17 Working with Trim Edits Basic editing of a sequence initially produces a rough cut, which is loosely defined as a series of straight-cut edits with many rough edges and few effects. After creating a rough cut, you can use trim edits to 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.
Understanding Trim Displays You can make the following basic kinds of trim edits using the Timeline palette: • Overwrite trim — single-roller trims which either add black or overwrite frames while trimming • Ripple trim — single-roller trims with no sync lock • Dual-roller trim — edits that move the transition boundary between segments without affecting the duration of the sequence Some trims, such as overwrite trim edits, maintain sync between video and audio clips.
Understanding Trim Displays Small Trim display — replaces Record monitor in two-monitor view. Outgoing and incoming frames appear side-by-side on the right, with playback loop parameter controls above them, and with frame offset counters and Trim buttons beneath them. Quick Trim Display If you display only the Record monitor (for example, as you review the final version of a sequence), you can use Quick Trim display for making quick adjustments to transitions in your sequence.
Trim Settings Overview n When you click the Trim Mode button with the Record monitor active, the system enters Big Trim display. If you click the Trim Mode button again, the interface switches back to the Record monitor. This toggle feature is useful if you like to trim quickly as you finish your sequence. Big Trim Display Big Trim display replaces the Source and Record monitors with displays of outgoing and incoming frames. Big Trim display also shows transition playback loop parameters.
Timeline Trim States You can also do the following: • Map trim-related buttons onto palettes or the keyboard, as described in “Understanding Button Mapping” on page 97. • Configure a Trim-mode-specific Timeline view, as described in “Customizing Timeline Views” on page 627. Timeline Trim States When you trim using the Timeline palette, the kind of edit you can perform depends on which trim tools you select and the position of the mouse pointer relative to the transition you want to trim.
Selecting Trim Sides Icon Trim Type Trim Zone Overwrite trim (incoming) Upper left corner of the incoming clip Ripple trim (outgoing) Lower right corner of the outgoing clip Ripple trim (incoming) Lower left corner of the incoming clip Dual-roller trim Transition between outgoing and incoming clips Selecting 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).
Selecting Trim Sides To select the sides of a transition to trim, do one of the following: t Select one or both of the trim tools on the Timeline palette, and then click the outgoing (A-side) or incoming (B-side) monitor to define which side of the transition to trim. The pointer changes to an overwrite trim or an ripple trim icon over either the A-side or the B-side of the transition, depending on the position of the pointer.
Selecting Trim Sides Step Forward button (left) and Step Backward button (right) t Click a location in the Timecode (TC1) track at the bottom of the Timeline or the Timeline ruler at the top of the Timeline. The position indicator moves to that location.
Overwrite Trimming 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 work with staggered transitions across multiple tracks, This also lets you select both A-side and B-side transitions for simultaneous trimming in opposite directions (asymmetrical trim). You cannot do this with dual-roller trims.
Ripple Trimming To perform and overwrite trim: 1. Do one of the following: t Select the Overwrite Trim tool on the Timeline palette, and then click a transition to select it for trimming. Shift+click to select multiple clips aligned at the same transition.
Dual-Roller Trimming t If you selected both the Ripple Trim tool and the Overwrite Trim tool on the Timeline palette, position the mouse pointer over the lower corner of either the outgoing or incoming clip next to the transition you want to trim and click the transition to select it for trimming. Shift+click to select multiple clips aligned at the same transition. The cursor changes to a yellow single-roller trim icon, and the transition displays yellow trim rollers. 2.
Refining Trims If the transitions are not straight cuts (overlap cuts or L-edits), the dual-roller icon appears only on the transition nearest the position indicator of the topmost track, and all other tracks are deselected. t Click the Play Loop button on a palette twice, or press the Play Loop key on the keyboard twice. When you click the Play Loop button once, the system plays the transition in a playback loop. Clicking the Play Loop button a second time stops the playback.
Reviewing Trim Edits For greater control while performing a trim, do one of the following: t Press Ctrl+Alt (Windows) or press the Command+Option key (Macintosh) as you drag one frame at a time. t Press the Ctrl key (Windows) or Command key (Macintosh) to snap to other transition points. As you trim, all selected transitions in the Timeline move in unison.
Trimming with the J-K-L Keys To review footage starting from the previous transition: 1. Move the position indicator to the transition you want to review. 2. Click the Edit Review button. The position indicator moves before the previous transition and begins to play. In a sequence with multiple selected tracks, the Edit Review command moves the position indicator before the first set of edits that line up on all the selected tracks. 3. To stop play, press the space bar.
Trimming During a Playback Loop For more information, see “Selecting Trim Sides” on page 692. 3. Use the J-K-L keys to step (jog), play, or shuttle through the footage at varying speeds: t Press and hold the K key while pressing the J or L key to step slowly backward or forward through the footage. When you find the frame where you want to relocate the transition, release the K key to complete the trim. t Press the J or L key once to play at normal speed, or more than once to shuttle at higher speeds.
Creating Overlap Edits Creating Overlap Edits You can use an overlap edit (or L-edit) to smooth a transition by giving the viewer the illusion that the audio or video is shared between two adjacent clips. Example of an audio overlap edit. After the trim, the audio for Clip B is extended so that it overlaps the beginning of the video for Clip C. To create an overlap edit: 1.
Extending an Edit To perform an extend edit: 1. Select the tracks you want to extend. To extend multiple tracks, all the tracks must have the same edit point in the Timeline. Otherwise, you must extend the tracks separately. 2. Find the point in the sequence to which you want to trim. If the trim point is before the edit, mark an In point. If the trim point is after the edit, mark an Out point. 3. (Option) If you are extending the edit to an Out point, remove any In points on the track.
Maintaining Sync While Trimming Maintaining Sync While Trimming Because single-roller trims (A-side or B-side) can change the duration of the track being trimmed, any relationships that exist with other tracks downstream of the trim lose sync.
Slipping or Sliding Segments If you trim the B-side of the transition in the same direction, the additional sync-locked segments slide back in the sequence to maintain sync until they encounter another segment in the same track. At this point, you can trim no further and the system emits a warning sound. - When you trim back the A-side of a transition, additional segments locked in sync move back as well.
Slipping or Sliding Segments The type of trim you perform (slip or slide) determines which frames update: • In slip trimming, the two inner monitors for the head and tail frames of the clip change because this adjusts only the contents of the clip. It does not affect the frames that precede and follow the clip. 1 2 3 4 2 3 4 5 Example of a one-frame slip to the right. The head and tail frames of the segment change by one frame. The material before and after the segment remains fixed.
Slipping or Sliding Segments Slipping or Sliding Segments in a Four-Frame Display If you expand the Source/Record monitors to a two-monitor display, you can use four-frame display when trimming. For more information on expanding the Source/Record monitor, see “Resizing the Monitors” on page 457. To slip and slide segments in a four-frame display: 1. Place the position indicator on the segment you want to slip or slide. 2. Right-click in the Timeline, and then select Select Slip Trim or Select Slide Trim.
Trimming in Two Directions Trimming in Two Directions You can select non-contiguous transitions in the Timeline and perform a trim simultaneously on all selected transitions. This allows you to trim segments without altering the duration of the sequence in cases where you cannot perform a simple dual-roller trim.
18 Working with Audio You edit audio by using many of the same techniques and tools you use to edit video. Your Avid editing application 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 as well as the frequency ranges of segments.
Overview of Audio Tools • Splitting Multichannel Tracks to Mono Tracks • Using the Audio EQ Tool • Recording Voice-Over Narration • Using Automatic Voice-Over Overview of Audio Tools The following table describes the general purpose of each audio tool in your Avid editing application: Audio tool Description Audio Mixer tool This tool adjusts pan and volume levels on clips or whole tracks within a sequence. For more information, see “Using the Audio Mixer Tool” on page 737.
Overview of Audio Tools You can arrange these tools in a single, tabbed tool window to make it easy to switch to another tool. To access one of the audio effect tools: t Select Tools > tool name. To keep more than one tool open at the same time: t Select Tools > tool name, and then drag the tool to a tabbed tool window. To prevent confusion, your Avid editing application allows only one copy of an audio effect tool to be open at a time. For example, you can open only one copy of the Audio EQ tool.
Working with Multichannel Audio Tracks 5. Click the Destination Track menu, and select the target auxiliary timecode bin column for recording the audio timecode. Auxiliary TC1 is the default selection. 6. Do one of the following: t Select Fill Undecodeable Frames to instruct the system to fill in any timecode breaks with continuing timecode. This is the default. t Deselect Fill Undecodeable Frames if you do not want to fill timecode breaks.
Working with Multichannel Audio Tracks a 5.1 or 7.1 surround sound clip uses six or eight voices. You can monitor up to 64 voices with your Avid editing application — for example, 16 mono tracks, 8 stereo tracks, or two 7.1 surround sound tracks. You can edit multichannel audio tracks in the same way you edit mono audio tracks. Your Avid editing application supports the following audio track formats: • Mono • Stereo • 5.1 surround sound • 7.
Working with Multichannel Audio Tracks If you duplicate a clip in a bin and modify the track format in the copy, you can create a sequence that contains both a multichannel and a mono instance of the same master clip. This does not cause a problem with editing, playback, or any other operation. You can also split multichannel tracks in the Timeline into mono tracks. for more information, see “Splitting Multichannel Tracks to Mono Tracks” on page 786.
The Track Control Panel t Click the Format menu on a Format button and select the appropriate multichannel format. Option Description Mixed tracks Does not modify the audio track formats. The Mixed Format Tracks button appears only when you select more than one clip and the clips contain both mono and multichannel tracks. Mono tracks Sets the paired audio tracks to two mono tracks. Stereo tracks Sets the paired audio tracks to one stereo track. 5.1 Surround Sets the selected tracks to one 5.
The Track Control Panel Component Description Waveform Turns on or off the waveform display for individual tracks. Clip Volume/Pan Turns on or off the clip volume and pan display for audio tracks. Inactive Disables a track so you can play back your sequence without processing the plug-in effects or automation for the inactive track. Solo Allows you to monitor a single track of audio without deselecting other tracks. RTAS plug-ins Lists the RTAS plug-ins inserted on the track.
The Track Control Panel Soloing Audio Tracks You can solo multiple tracks in the Timeline, which lets you do the following: • Listen to several tracks at once without deactivating or deselecting the other audio tracks off or reducing volume. • Isolate audio tracks for audio scrubbing without having to deselect monitoring of all other audio tracks. For more information about audio scrubbing, see “Using Audio Scrub” on page 718. n You can also use the Track Solo buttons in the Audio Mixer tool.
Using Audio Scrub Icon State Description Primary active track — Audio information in these tracks is not dropped when the play speed increases during scrubbing. Active track — Audio information in these tracks might be dropped when the play speed increases during scrubbing, depending on your settings and track effects. Inactive track — Voices and audio plug-ins are not processed for these tracks during playback.
Using Audio Scrub Selecting Tracks for Audio Scrubbing By default, all monitored audio tracks are selected for scrubbing. However, as the play speed increases during audio scrubbing, some monitored audio tracks are dropped. You can select up to two tracks to ensure they play during scrubbing, even if the system has to drop some tracks. The following table shows how many tracks you can scrub at the varying speeds of play.
Using Audio Scrub Performing Smooth Audio Scrub You can use three-button play with the J-K-L keys to perform smooth audio scrubbing of selected tracks of audio at variable speeds but not digital audio scrub. You can monitor while stepping (jogging) or while shuttling at fixed rates up to three times normal speed. The audio cuts out at greater than three times the normal speed and comes back in after the speed drops below three times. To monitor audio with three-button play: 1.
Audio Displays in the Timeline n The Play Buffer Size in Samples option and the Tool Buffer Size in Samples option appear only if your Avid editing application is not using Avid input/output hardware (software-only). 2. Click in a text box, and type a new number of outgoing or incoming frames in the Source Scrub area, the Timeline Scrub area, or both. The new parameters take effect. Performing Digital Audio Scrub To locate an audio edit point by using digital scrub: 1.
Audio Displays in the Timeline You can also view a graph for pan and volume information in the Timeline. For more information, see “Displaying Volume and Pan Values” on page 724. If you have a sequence with several different sample rates, you can identify a specific sample rate by color. For more information, see “Identifying Sample Rates by Color” on page 725.
Audio Displays in the Timeline To display audio waveforms for all tracks: 1. To search 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.
Audio Displays in the Timeline To display audio waveforms for selected tracks: 1. Click the Timeline fast menu and select Audio Data > Allow Per Track Settings. 2. Click the Timeline fast menu and select Audio Data > Allow Per Track Settings, and then click the Waveform button in the Track Control panel for the tracks you want to display audio waveform plots. The waveform appears in the selected tracks. You can turn off all waveforms on selected tracks by disabling Allow Per Track Settings.
Audio Displays in the Timeline To turn on the display of clip volume values and volume automation values for all tracks, do the following: t Alt+click (Windows) or Option+click (Macintosh) the Clip Volume/Pan button in the Track Control panel for any track, and select Clip Volume or Volume.
Audio Displays in the Timeline t To display waveforms for a single track, click the Waveform button in the Track Control panel. 3. In the Project window, double-click Audio Project. The Audio Project Settings dialog box opens. 4. Click the Main tab. 5. Click the Convert Sample Rates When Playing menu, and select Always. 6. Click the Show Mismatched Sample Rates as Different Color menu, and select Yes.
Audio Displays in the Timeline n When the Audio meter is hidden, extra mappable buttons are available. For more information on mapping buttons, see “Mapping User-Selectable Buttons” on page 99. Adjusting Volume You can adjust your speaker or headphone volume without leaving your Avid editing application.
Displaying Audio Formats in Bins The Volume Control slider appears. 2. Continue to click and hold, and drag the volume control to the audio level you prefer. 3. Release the mouse button. To adjust the volume control (models using Avid input/output hardware): t n Adjust the volume control on your Avid input/output hardware to the desired audio level. Adjusting the volume control affects the volume only while you work in your Avid editing application.
Working with Surround Sound Audio To add the Audio Format column to a bin: 1. With a bin in Text view, select Bin > Choose Columns. The Bin Column Selection dialog box opens. 2. Click Audio Format in the list to select it. 3. Click OK. The Audio Format column appears in the bin. Working with Surround Sound Audio Avid editing applications let you edit audio in mono and multichannel formats, including surround sound audio.
Working with Surround Sound Audio L C LFE R Lsr Rsr 5.1 SMPTE surround sound configuration, with left (L), center (C), right (R), left surround rear (Lsr), right surround rear (Rsr), and low frequency effects (LFE) speakers C LFE L R Lss Rss Lsr Rsr 7.
Working with Surround Sound Audio Audio Mixer tool: Sequence Format button 2. Click the Sequence Format button and select one of the following: t Stereo Sequence t 5.1 Sequence t 7.1 Sequence Channel meters in the Audio Mix tool default to the Film format (for 5.1 sequences) or Pro Tools (for 7.1 sequences). Channel meters in the Audio tool reflect the monitor mix format. Surround Mixing Your Avid editing application allows you to mix in surround sound and create output in different formats.
Working with Surround Sound Audio example, a mono track always has a single track meter, even when assigned to a stereo output path. If you assign a mono track to a 5.1 output path, the output splits among six output channels, depending on the position of the panner. Surround Monitoring In order to monitor your multichannel mix, you must have appropriate hardware connected to your computer — for example, an audio card that supports surround sound or a Nitris DX connected to your system.
Working with Surround Sound Audio Sequence format Speaker Layout 7.1 Mono: All channels panned to center Stereo: C and LFE channels panned to center; L and R channels panned to Left/Right; Lsr, Rsr, Lss, and Rss channels panned to Left/Right and volume lowered by 3dB 5.1: C, L, R, Lsr, Rsr, and LFE channels panned to appropriate speakers; Lss and Rss channels panned to center of the Left/Left Rear and Right/Right Rear speaker pair 7.
Working with Surround Sound Audio Assigning Surround Sound Mix Output You can set a surround sound mix output for any sequence in your project. This specifies how the Avid editing application sends surround sound signals to your speakers and determines what you hear when you monitor the audio in your sequence. Your monitor mix output might differ from your sequence format.
Working with Surround Sound Audio If your workflow requires analog output to a tape deck, you configure the XLR outputs to connect to a deck. You see these channels, 1 through 4, in the Direct Out Channel Menu map in the Output tab of the Audio Project Settings dialog box. If your workflow does not require analog output to a tape deck, you can use the XLR outputs to provide Center, LFE, Left Rear and Right Rear channels for desktop monitoring.
Working with Surround Sound Audio HDMI carries both video and audio in an uncompressed, all-digital signal. HDMI is an interface standard for audiovisual equipment such as high-definition television. In order to use HDMI for audio, the HDMI device attached to your system must receive at least two channels of PCM (uncompressed) audio at the project sample rate and receive 6 channels or more of PCM audio.
Adjusting the Play Buffer Size for Audio (Software-only Models) Adjusting the Play Buffer Size for Audio (Software-only Models) You can use third-party host audio devices, such as a Sound Blaster® audio card, in software-only configurations of Avid editing applications. Although most host audio devices work properly within Avid editing applications, some exhibit problems during output (for example, audio clicking).
Using the Audio Mixer Tool Mode Task Description Live Mix Lets you temporarily override any existing volume and pan automation settings. You can use the controls on the Audio Mixer tool or use an external controller to change volume and pan settings without modifying the existing volume and pan automation settings. For more information, see “Using Live Mix Mode” on page 774.
Using the Audio Mixer Tool 2 Element Description (Continued) Monitor Mix button Controls how your system interprets audio values during playback: • Stereo: Mixes the currently monitored audio tracks into a stereo pair. Depending on your Avid input/output hardware, you can customize the mix using the Stereo Mix Tracks option. • Mono: Pans all the currently monitored tracks to center and ignores pan effects. • 5.
Using the Audio Mixer Tool Element Description (Continued) 8 Display/Hide Sliders Lets you switch between hiding and displaying the Volume Level sliders. button 9 Which Set of Tracks Lets you select which enabled tracks to display in the mix panes. When you display to Display in Mix 8 panes (with the Number of Mix Panes button), Grp 1 displays tracks 1-8. Click the Panes buttons Which Set of Tracks to Display in Mix Panes button to change it to Grp 2, which displays tracks 9-16.
Using the Audio Mixer Tool Element Description 1 Pan value and knobs Displays the pan value and lets you adjust it. These controls appear only when you select a surround sound format using the Sequence Mix Format menu or when you set Stereo, 5.1 Surround, or 7.1 Surround as output in the Audio Project settings. 2 Track Solo and Track Lets you solo or mute selected tracks.
Using the Audio Mixer Tool To add or remove items such as faders, legends, effect buttons, and the solo and mute buttons: 1. Right-click in the Audio Mixer tool and select Set Display Options. The Mix Tool Display Options dialog opens 2. Select the items you want to appear in the Audio Mixer Tool. 3. Click OK. To switch between displaying four tracks and eight tracks: t Click the Number of Mix Panes button. To show or hide the Volume Level sliders: t Click the Display/Hide Sliders button.
Using the Audio Mixer Tool You can also use the buttons above each fader on the external fader controller or mixer to solo or mute an individual audio track as follows: • Some EUCON devices have solo and mute buttons above the fader. Additionally, some devices include an On key, which indicates that a specified track is unmuted. • 002, Command|8® and MCS-3000X have separate buttons for solo and mute.
Rendering and Unrendering Order for Audio Effects For more information on fader controllers or mixers, see “Using External Audio Devices” on page 810. Rendering and Unrendering Order for Audio Effects Your Avid editing application processes audio effects in the following order (you can also think of this as the audio volume staging): 1. Clip Volume and Pan (Audio Mixer tool in Clip Volume mode — real-time). 2. AudioSuite plug-ins (AudioSuite tool — non-real-time). 3.
Audio Volume Staging and an Audio Editing Workflow effects let you modify the volume of the clip. When you can adjust the volume in a signal chain at several points, the process is referred to as audio volume staging. This section describes the audio volume staging model used by Avid editing applications. It also describes a basic workflow for taking advantage of the volume staging. You can set audio volume levels with the Audio Mixer tool.
Using Clip Volume and Pan Mode Using Clip Volume and Pan Mode The Audio Mixer tool in Clip Volume and Pan mode lets you do the following: • Adjust volume and pan for an individual clip, a whole track, several tracks at once, or a whole sequence. • Adjust the volume, pan, or both for one track at a time. • Adjust the volume, pan, or both for multiple tracks simultaneously by grouping them together. The system uses these adjustments for all playback, including output to a digital cut.
Using Clip Volume and Pan Mode t To adjust a track in a sequence, click the Record monitor to make it active. 2. Select the track or portion of a track you want to adjust: t To adjust the track in a single edited clip in a sequence, place the position indicator in the clip. t To adjust an isolated section of audio on a track, mark In and Out points. t To adjust levels from an In point through the end of the track, mark an In point only.
Using Clip Volume and Pan Mode Values are cumulative until you press Enter (Windows) or Return (Macintosh). For example, if you want to enter the value 12, type it. However, if you enter 1 and then want to change the value to 2, press Enter (Windows) or Return (Macintosh) before typing the 2. - Click the Volume Level display, type a value, and press Enter (Windows) or Return (Macintosh). - Click the Level slider, and then drag the slider to a new position.
Using Clip Volume and Pan Mode t (Option) If you are working with a stereo sequence, click the Stereo Link button if you want to link the two Pan controls so that when you move one control the other moves correspondingly. You can also click the Stereo Mirror button so that the two Pan controls mirror each other as you adjust them. t If you mix for a surround sound format, a multichannel Pan grid appears for each track. Click the panner icon and drag it to the desired pan position.
Using Clip Volume and Pan Mode 3 4 1 2 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 The following table describes the Pan grid and Advanced Panner controls: Element Description 1 Pan Grid Allows you to input pan information by dragging the Pan Location cursor anywhere within the grid. 2 Advanced Panner button Opens the Advanced Panner. 3 Stereo Link button For stereo sequences, links the two pan controls so that when you move one Pan Location cursor, the other moves in a parallel direction.
Using Clip Volume and Pan Mode Element Description 7 Volume Level sliders Lets you adjust the volume level of the clip. 8 Audio meter Displays the volume level for each channel in a track. 9 X/Y Grid Allows you to input pan information by dragging the Pan Location cursor anywhere within the grid, by using 3-Knob mode, or by entering numeric values in the Position data fields. 10 Front Position control Displays and controls the current front X-axis (left/right) position of the panner.
Using Clip Volume and Pan Mode 4. With the Audio Mixer 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 pan adjustments. 5. (Option) If you are working with a stereo track, click the Stereo Link button if you want to link the two Pan controls so that when you move one control the other moves correspondingly.
Using Clip Volume and Pan Mode 6. (Option) If you are working with a stereo track, click the Stereo Link button if you want to link the two Pan controls so that when you move one control the other moves correspondingly. You can also click the Stereo Mirror button so that the two Pan controls mirror each other as you adjust them. 7. Drag the Pan Location cursor to pan the track. The location of the Pan Location cursor determines the pan position of the signal.
Using Clip Volume and Pan Mode To pan using the Position controls: 1. Adjust the Front and Rear Position controls to set the trajectory line. 2. Rotate the Front/Rear Position control to pan along the trajectory. The Pan Location cursor is constrained to the trajectory line. 3. If you want to change the trajectory angles, do one of the following: t Drag either end point (Front or Rear) of the trajectory line. t Adjust the Front or Rear Position controls. 4.
Using Clip Volume and Pan Mode 6. Turn the Center Percentage control as needed. 7. When you finish adjusting the Center Percentage with the Advanced Panner, click the Close button to return to the Audio Mixer tool. To adjust the LFE control: 1. Select Tools > Audio Mixer. The Audio Mixer tool opens. 2. Select Clip Volume and Pan mode by doing one of the following: t Click and hold the Audio Mixer mode button, and select Auto Mode from the menu.
Using Clip Volume and Pan Mode t Alt+click (Windows) or Option+click (Macintosh) the Track Selection button, and then select a track. 4. With the Audio Mixer 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 pan adjustments. 5. Click the Advanced Panner button. The Advanced Panner opens. 6. Adjust the LFE slider as needed. 7.
Using Clip Volume and Pan Mode Points Set Description Both In and Out points Commands apply adjustments to selected tracks between the points. In point only Commands apply adjustments to full clips from the In point to the end of selected tracks. Out point only Commands apply adjustments to full clips from the beginning of selected tracks to the Out point. None Commands apply globally (across entire tracks).
Using Clip Volume and Pan Mode Note the following: • The commands in the Fast menu appear dimmed until you select a track. • Levels set in master clips carry across to the sequence after you edit the clips. • Clip volume values are the values for the entire segment; for example, you cannot set volume for a portion of a segment without affecting the entire segment. To set volume for a portion of a segment, use Volume and Pan Automation mode.
Using Clip Volume and Pan Mode To adjust volume while playing a Clip Volume effect: 1. Do one of the following: t Select an existing Clip Volume effect. t Identify an area of the clip with In and Out points. t Place the position indicator over an audio clip. 2. Click the Audio Loop Play button in the Audio Mixer tool. Your Avid editing application repeatedly loops through the selected area as follows: - If you have In and Out points on your sequence, the command loops over the selected area.
Using Clip Volume and Pan Mode Modifying How Your Avid Editing Application Interprets Pan The way you record footage in the field and capture it with your Avid editing application affects the way sound pans between the speakers. By default, the system pans mono audio tracks 1 and 3 to the left speaker output and pans mono tracks 2 and 4 to the right speaker output. When you adjust pan values on multichannel stereo tracks, you pan the stereo mix of the left/right audio pair for the clip.
Using Volume and Pan Automation with field audio recorded (and subsequently captured) variably between A1 and A2. Panning all the audio to center eliminates the distraction of having to listen to left and right speakers, in turn. It also smooths the playback of the edited sequence because all shots are panned to center. To adjust the pan on clips: 1. In a bin, select the clips you want to pan to the center. 2. Select Clip > Center Pan. A dialog box opens and asks you to confirm the pan. 3. Click OK.
Using Volume and Pan Automation Example of the graphic representation of keyframes and volume ramps in the Timeline. Volume values in decibels are highlighted on the left. Your Avid editing application uses a linear ramp to change the volume or pan from one keyframe to the next. When you adjust pan parameters, you can select which parameter displays in the Timeline. The pan parameters available depend on your sequence format and the audio track format.
Using Volume and Pan Automation Sequence Format Audio Track Format Volume and Pan Parameters Surround Sound 7.1 Mono None, Clip Volume, Volume, Pan (Front, Rear, FrontRear, Center %, Side Center %), LFE Volume Stereo None, Clip Volume, Volume, Pan L (Front, Rear, FrontRear, Center %, Side Center %), Pan R (Front, Rear, FrontRear, Center %, Side Center %), LFE Volume 5.1 None, Clip Volume, Volume 7.
Using Volume and Pan Automation 4. Click the Add Keyframe key on the keyboard (“) or the Add Keyframe button on the Tool palette to add keyframes along the Timeline. Your Avid editing application adds a keyframe to each enabled track. If you add a keyframe for pan, the keyframe applies only to the automation value displayed in the Timeline. For example, if you are working with pan left automation, the keyframe is added to the pan left automation values. A straight line appears in the selected audio track.
Using Volume and Pan Automation 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 works for all enabled audio tracks. This procedure is similar to grouping sliders on an audio mixing board or in the Audio Mixer tool. To delete a single volume automation or pan keyframe: 1.
Using Volume and Pan Automation Feature Description (Continued) Postroll text box Lets you provide the same kind of visual cue at the end of the recording The volume slider areas appear blue in Volume and Pan Automation mode. For descriptions of other controls in the Audio Mixer tool, see “Audio Mixer Tool Controls” on page 738.
Using Volume and Pan Automation To record volume automation or pan information by using the Audio Mixer tool sliders: 1. Select Tools > Audio Mixer. 2. Do one of the following: t Click and hold the Audio Mixer Mode button and select Auto Mode from the menu. t Click the Audio Mixer Mode button and cycle through the Audio Mix mode settings to the Auto mode setting. 3. Select an audio track for adjusting volume or pan. 4.
Using Volume and Pan Automation You should remove as many excess keyframes as possible while still maintaining the volume changes. You can move, add, and delete keyframes individually or as groups to further adjust the volume or pan. For details on how to adjust the keyframes, see “Using Volume and Pan Automation in the Timeline” on page 763.
Using Volume and Pan Automation Command Description (Continued) Adjust Volume/Pan on Track Opens a dialog box for making incremental adjustments to all current settings across segments in the marked regions of selected tracks. For example, if you type –1 in the Volume Adjustment text box, the various audio level settings across all segments of the marked region of selected tracks are lowered by exactly 1 dB when you click OK.
Copying, Pasting and Moving Audio Keyframes To use the Fast Forward and Rewind keys when editing volume automation or pan keyframes: 1. Click the Audio Mixer tool to make it active. 2. Do one of the following: t Click and hold the Audio Mixer Mode button and select Auto Mode from the menu. t Click the Audio Mixer Mode button and cycle through the Audio Mix mode settings to the Auto mode setting. 3. Select the appropriate track or tracks. 4. Press the Fast Forward key or the Rewind key.
Copying, Pasting and Moving Audio Keyframes 3. Press Ctrl+C (Windows) or Command+C (Macintosh) to copy the audio keyframes to the clipboard. 4. Either Mark IN or Mark OUT or move the blue bar to the area in the audio track where you want to paste the audio keyframes. You can also select another audio track where you want to paste the keyframes. 5. Press Ctrl+V (Windows) or Command+V (Macintosh) to paste the individual keyframes.
Copying, Pasting and Moving Audio Keyframes 3. Either Mark IN or Mark OUT or move the blue bar to the area in the audio track where you want to paste the audio keyframes. You can also select another audio track where you want to paste the keyframes. 4. From the Edit Menu select Paste Audio Keyframes or use the shortcut Shift+Ctrl+V (Windows) or Shift+Command+V (Macintosh). A dialog opens asking you to choose the type of keyframes to paste. 5. Select either Automation Gain or Automation Pan.
Copying, Pasting and Moving Audio Keyframes To move a range of keyframes in time: 1. Lasso the range of keyframes or Shift+click the range of keyframes you want to move. 2. Press Option+drag (Macintosh) or Alt+drag (Windows) to move the entire group of keyframes horizontally in the Timeline. Removing Hidden Keyframes When you edit or trim an audio track that contains keyframes, there may be keyframes that are hidden to the left or right of the remaining part of the clip.
Using Live Mix Mode Using Live Mix Mode Live Mix mode lets you temporarily override existing volume and pan automation settings currently applied to a sequence. The most common way to use Live Mix mode is with a 002 or Command|8 attached as a control surface. When you use an external controller you can play the audio and override existing volume and pan automation settings in real time.
Using Live Mix Mode Entering Live Mix Mode To enter Live Mix mode: 1. Select Tools > Audio Mixer. 2. Do one of the following: t Click and hold the Audio Mixer Mode button and select Live Mix Mode from the menu. t Click the Audio Mixer Mode button and cycle through the Audio Mix mode settings to the Live mode setting. The Audio Mixer tool changes to Live Mix mode. Using Live Mix Mode with an External Controller To use a control surface in Live Mix mode: 1. Connect and configure the control surface.
Using Live Mix Mode The faders jump back to the volume automation settings and automatically move with any volume automation keyframes on the track. 8. (Option) Change back to Live Mix mode and play the audio. The faders jump back to the settings you last used in Live Mix mode and the audio plays at the Live Mix mode setting. You cannot save the Live Mix mode settings between editing sessions.
Using Live Mix Mode Points Set Description In point only Commands apply adjustments to full clips from the In point to the end of selected tracks. Out point only Commands apply adjustments to full clips from the beginning of selected tracks to the Out point. None Commands apply globally (across entire tracks).
Using Live Mix Mode Live Mix level settings at 0 dB and -45 dB The following illustration shows a sequence in the Timeline with volume automation applied. The following illustration shows the result after choosing Set Live Mix to Automation In/Out from the Audio Mixer Fast menu. The portion of the Timeline between the In and Out on Track A1 is changed to 0 dB and the same portion of Track A2 is changed by -45 dB to match the Live Mix settings.
Fading and Dipping Audio After changing the levels in this way, you might enter Volume and Pan Automation mode and further adjust the volume between the In and Out points. Fading and Dipping Audio In traditional analog editing, you manually change volume levels to smooth audio transitions between elements in an edited sequence by doing any of the following: • Fading audio up or down. • Crossfading between audio elements on two separate channels. • Dipping audio to a lower level.
Fading and Dipping Audio 3. Click the Quick Transition button (which appears by default in the second row of buttons below the Record monitor or in the Timeline top toolbar). The Quick Transition dialog box opens. 4. Click the Add menu, and Select Dissolve. Only dissolves work with audio tracks. 5. Click the Position menu, and select the location for the dissolve. 6.
Adjusting Audio Clip Gain in the Timeline n - Apply to All Transitions (In -> Out) - Skip Existing Transition Effects The Skip Existing Transition Effects option is useful when you want to add a number of dissolves to a sequence that already has transition effects. Do one of the following: t Select Apply to All Transitions (In -> Out) to overwrite all existing transition effects between the In and Out points. t Select both options to avoid overwriting any existing transition effects. 10.
Adjusting Audio Clip Gain in the Timeline To adjust audio clip gain in the Timeline: 1. Load your sequence in the Timeline. 2. Do one of the following: t Select Clip Gain for the enabled track. Select Alt + Clip Gain (Windows) or Option + Clip Gain (Macintosh) to enable all tracks. t Select Audio Data > Clip Gain from the Timeline Fast Menu. A fader icon appears for each audio clip. Clip gain values appear in the Timeline for each clip that has clip gain set.
Audio Sample Rate Conversion 4. Slide the fader to adjust the value of the clip gain or enter a value in the fader text box. Option + Click the fader (Macintosh) or Alt + Click the fader (Windows) to reset the value to zero. n You can also move the position bar to the clip you want to adjust, select Alt + Shift and the Up and Down arrows to adjust the clip in one decibel increments.
Mixing Down Audio Tracks To change the sample rate for a sequence or an audio clip: 1. Select one or more sequences or audio clips in the bin. 2. Select Bin > Change Sample Rate. The Change Sample Rate dialog box opens. 3. Choose from the following options: Option Description Sample Rate Lets you choose between 32 kHz, 44.1 kHz and 48 kHz, (and 88.2_kHz and 96_kHz if attached to Nitris DX or Mojo DX). The broadcast standard for most high-end video postproduction houses is 48 kHz.
Mixing Down Audio Tracks 4. Select Clip > Audio Mixdown. The Audio Mixdown dialog box opens. The Source Tracks area lists the source audio tracks and the Range area lists the start and end timecodes for the section of audio you have selected to mix down. 5. Select Mono, Stereo, 5.1, or 7.1 and select the target track to which you want to mix down the audio.
Splitting Multichannel Tracks to Mono Tracks Splitting Multichannel Tracks to Mono Tracks You can split a multichannel audio track in the Timeline into separate mono tracks if you want to edit separate audio channels or if you need to export a sequence either to an older version of the Avid editing application or to Avid Pro Tools. You can also split a clip or sequence with multichannel tracks to mono from a bin.
Using the Audio EQ Tool When the Avid editing application splits a stereo track to two mono tracks, it changes some audio properties of the track: • Removes stereo track effects such as RTAS plug-in effects. • Converts stereo AudioSuite plug-in effects to mono effects. • Applies any existing volume automation to the resulting mono tracks. • Applies any existing pan automation to the resulting mono tracks, panning odd-numbered tracks to the left and even-numbered tracks to the right.
Using the Audio EQ Tool t If one of the Audio tools is already open, click the Effect Mode Selector menu, and select EQ. The Audio EQ tool opens. Audio EQ Tool Features This topic describes the basic buttons and menus on the Audio EQ tool as well as the EQ-specific items on the tool. 1 2 3 4 6 5 7 Top part of the Audio EQ tool Button Description 1 Effect icon Lets you create an EQ template. Drag the icon to an open bin to create the template.
Using the Audio EQ Tool 7 Button Description Bypass RT EQ Lets you instruct the system to ignore all the EQ effects. This button is also available in the Audio Mixer tool and the Output tab in the Audio Project Settings dialog box. If you select this feature in one place, it is selected in the others as well.
Using the Audio EQ Tool • The second band is the parametric midrange. This band has two bandwidth values, 1/4 octave and 2 octaves. These values control the width of the curve. For more information, see “Audio EQ Examples” on page 795. • 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 the high shelf turnover point to 20 kHz. The horizontal center line of the graph is 0 (zero).
Using the Audio EQ Tool Example of shelf, parametric midrange, and turnover point information in the Audio EQ tool. The current value for all EQ parameters is 0 dB. Top: buttons that display turnover points (for the low shelf and high shelf curve) and bandwidth (in this case, 2 octaves) around the center point of the parametric curve. Bottom: EQ Range slider showing the center point of the parametric midrange curve. The Audio EQ tool lets you emphasize or de-emphasize audio frequencies.
Using the Audio EQ Tool Track Selection Menu button in the Audio EQ tool The Track Selector panel in the Timeline updates to reflect your selection. If you enable multiple tracks in the Timeline, plus signs (+) appear next to the enabled tracks in the Audio EQ tool. 6. Click the Audio Loop Play 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.
Using the Audio EQ Tool Saving Audio EQ Effects Your Avid editing application 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. Examples of an EQ effect icon in the bin and in the Timeline To save EQ settings in a bin: t Drag the effect icon in the Audio EQ tool to a bin.
Using the Audio EQ Tool For example, the following illustration shows a segment with one EQ effect applied to the second audio clip on the first audio track. If you select Set EQ In/Out, the current EQ effect is also applied to the first and third audio clips on the first audio track. If there is no EQ setting on the currently selected clip, selecting Set EQ In/Out deletes the EQ settings on all clips within the In to Out range.
Using the Audio EQ Tool For more information, see “Using the Tool Palette” on page 469. t In Effect mode, press the Delete key. Audio EQ Examples The following procedures are examples of two different ways to use the Audio EQ tool to remove excess bass from an audio track. Assume that a bass drum in the sound track is very pronounced. You want to use the Audio EQ tool to de-emphasize it, but there are voices on the same track as the music.
Using the Audio EQ Tool To isolate the frequency: 1. Use the ¼-octave influence range. 2. Set the midrange EQ parameter to –15 dB. 3. Use the EQ Range slider to move the midpoint of the parametric curve until it isolates the bass frequency. In this case, the bass frequency to de-emphasize is approximately 80 Hz.
Using the Audio EQ Tool Once you locate the frequency you want, you can adjust it as needed. To locate a specific frequency and either emphasize or de-emphasize it: t Use the ¼-octave influence range and a large negative decibel value. t Keep both the high shelf and low shelf set to zero. t Use the EQ Range slider to move the center point of the parametric curve along the frequency range while you play the audio track.
Using the Audio EQ Tool n To see the parameter values of one of the EQ templates that cannot be edited, view the Console window after you apply the effect. For more information, see “Using The Console Window” on page 101. If you create an EQ effect, you can use it again as a template in another sequence or on another track. Your Avid editing application stores predefined EQ templates in a special bin named Site_EQs_Bin.avb.
Using the Audio EQ Tool To add an EQ template to Site_EQs_Bin: 1. Open the bin containing your EQ templates. 2. Select File > Open Bin. A dialog box opens. 3. Navigate to the bin named Site_EQs_Bin.avb in one of the following locations: (Windows) drive:\Program Files\Avid\Avid editing application\ SupportingFiles\Site_Effects (Macintosh) Macintosh HD/Applications/Avid editing application/ SupportingFiles/Site_Effects 4. Double-click the Site_EQs_Bin.avb file. The Site_EQs_Bin window opens. 5.
Recording Voice-Over Narration Recording Voice-Over Narration Your Avid editing application provides you with two ways to record voice-over narration directly into the Timeline: • Using the Capture tool. • Using the Audio Punch-in tool. Recording voice-over narration directly into your Avid editing application saves you the extra steps of recording the narration to tape first, capturing the narration audio to your Avid system, and then editing the audio clip into the sequence.
Recording Voice-Over Narration Voice-over button (top) and Audio Input menu (bottom) in the Capture tool 3. Click the Voice-over button in the Capture tool. 4. Click the Audio Input menu, and select the appropriate input. 5. In the Timeline, patch the source track to the record track you want. For more information on patching, see “Patching Tracks” on page 668. 6. Click the Record button. 7.
Recording Voice-Over Narration Examples of adding a voice-over in the Timeline. Top: voice-over adding a new track. Bottom: voice-over replacing a portion of a track. Audio Punch-in Tool Features You can use the Audio Punch-in tool to record voice-over narration directly into the Timeline. However, you can only record to mono tracks when you use the Audio Punch-In tool. You can “rehearse” the voice-over while listening to the sequence. The voice-over is not recorded while you rehearse.
Recording Voice-Over Narration Audio Punch-In Tool Feature Description 1 Play In/Out button Starts playing with the ability to perform a real-time punch-in. The play loops from the In point to the Out point but stops looping once recording completes. This button blinks bright green while playing. 2 Record button Starts and stops the recording. If you set an In point and Out point, recording automatically starts at the In point and stops at the Out point. This button blinks bright red while recording.
Recording Voice-Over Narration Audio Punch-In Tool Feature Description 11 Handles text box Instructs your Avid editing application to record audio at the beginning and end of the clip. This lets you perform trim edits on the audio. This feature applies only when you start recording with the Record button. You can record real-time punch-in only until the end of the handle. 12 Input Source menu Includes several optional sources for audio input, depending on your system and audio board.
Recording Voice-Over Narration Recording Voice-Over Narration Using Audio Punch-in The steps below represent general guidelines for recording audio punch-ins, regardless of your scenario. You should determine when to add the In and Out points, when to use the Play In/Out button, and when to use the Record button, based on your needs. For more information, see the scenarios described in “Audio Punch-in Tool Scenarios” on page 804.
Recording Voice-Over Narration 5. (Option) Set In and Out points in the Timeline to specify the part of the sequence to which you want to add narration. 6. Click the Play In/Out button or press the V key. Loop play begins over the entire sequence. If you set an In point and an Out point, loop play begins from the In point to the Out point. The Play In/Out button blinks bright green while playing. 7. When you are ready to start the voice-over, click the Record button or press the B key.
Recording Voice-Over Narration Monitoring Previously Recorded Tracks While Recording Voice-Over Narration You can monitor previously recorded audio tracks while you record a voice-over narration. To monitor other audio tracks: 1. Select Tools > Audio Tool. The Audio tool opens. 2. Click the Output Options menu, and select Mono. 3. Record your voice-over as described in “Recording Voice-Over Narration Using the Capture Tool” on page 800 or “Recording Voice-Over Narration Using Audio Punch-in” on page 805.
Using Automatic Voice-Over • On - allows for IN to OUT audio monitoring during audio punch-in. • Off - turns off IN to OUT audio monitoring during audio punch-in. When monitoring is off, the icon in the Punch-In tool changes to indicate punch in monitoring is off. For example, this mode is useful when you want to use another device such as the Mbox to provide local passthrough. • Automatic - Allows the editing application to detect if monitoring should be On or Off due to detected latency.
Using Automatic Voice-Over You can also use automatic voice-over to quickly create a new sequence that consists only of the background material or only of the interview material. You can then use the new sequence as a starting point for a revised version of the story, for example, in a follow-up newscast. To remove selected segments from a sequence, do one of the following: t Extract all the segments whose audio appears on the selected track.
19 Using External Audio Devices Avid editing applications support the following external fader controllers or mixers for volume automation and pan recording or as control surfaces. n External fader controllers or mixers are optional. You do not need them to perform volume automation or pan recording on an Avid editing system. • 002 (Windows only) and Command|8 — These units support touch-sensitive flying faders. While recording volume automation, the faders automatically move.
Feature Digi 002 (MC/NC only) Command|8 MC Control MC Mix MC Transport Provides audio play, input, and output Yes No No No No Record volume automation Yes Yes Yes Yes No Record pan Yes Yes Yes Yes No Flying faders Yes (8) Yes (8) Yes (4) Yes (8) No Touch-sensitive faders Yes Yes Yes Yes No Touch-sensitive panners No No Yes Yes No Solo/mute Yes Yes Yes Yes No Supports audio mixing Noa No No No No Latch mode Yes Yes Yes Yes No 1024 1024 1024 Not appl
Configuring an External Controller Configuring an External Controller Some fader controllers require specific configuration procedures before you can use the devices with your Avid editing application. For more information, see the following topics: • “Configuring the Command|8” on page 818 • “Configuring the Mbox Device” on page 825 • “Using Avid Artist Series Controllers” on page 842 For information about using third-party devices, see the documentation that came with your fader controller.
Configuring External Controller Settings Position indicator lights in the Audio Mixer tool 5. Move the faders on the external fader controller. The corresponding fader should move in the Audio Mixer tool. Configuring External Controller Settings You use the Controller Settings dialog box to configure your system so that it can communicate with supported fader controllers.
Configuring External Controller Settings 2. Click the Port menu, and do one of the following, depending on your operating system, to select the appropriate port: t (Windows) Select COM1 or COM2 t (Macintosh) Select Port #1, #2, #3, or #4 3. Select Controller > [controller]. 4. Click Edit Settings. The Controller Settings dialog box for your controller opens. For information on the layout of the dialog box and the default button mappings, see the documentation that came with your controller.
Using an External Fader Controller or Mixer to Record Volume Automation t If your controller uses shifted functions, press and hold the Shift key on your keyboard, click the function in the Command palette, and drag it to the button in the Controller Settings dialog box whose function you want to program. As you drag between the Command palette and dialog box, the pointer changes to the hand pointer. The new function appears on the controller button.
Adjusting the Volume or Pan of Individual Keyframes 8. To decrease the number of keyframes, click the Audio Mixer Tool Fast Menu button, and select Filter Volume Automation on Track — In/Out. (Click the Track Selection button for a track to enable Filter Automation.) If you delete too many keyframes, use the Undo command to restore them. 9. Repeat the previous step until you have decreased the number of keyframes to an acceptable level.
Using the 002 and the Command|8 For information on connecting a fader controller or mixer, see “Using an External Fader Controller or Mixer to Record Volume Automation” on page 815. n The position indicator lights do not apply to pan. Using the 002 and the Command|8 You can use the Command|8 as a control surface for your Avid editing application as well as a controller for volume automation and pan recording.
Using the 002 and the Command|8 Configuring the Command|8 Before you configure your Command|8 with your Avid editing application, install and configure the device as described in the documentation that comes with Command|8. n You must start Command|8 before you start your Avid editing application. If you start your Avid editing application when the controller is turned off, you must exit your Avid editing application, turn the controller on, and then start your Avid editing application.
Using the 002 and the Command|8 The buttons on the 002 (for Windows systems only) and Command|8 can have different functions depending on the modifier key you press. You can either use the keyboard or press one of the Keyboard Modifier switches on the controller surface. n For the 002 and the Command|8, pressing the Option key on a Macintosh system is equivalent to pressing the Alt key on a Windows system. Pressing the Command key on a Macintosh system has no equivalent on a Windows system.
Using the 002 and the Command|8 Groups of controls in the Command|8 Controller Settings dialog box. Top, left to right: Console View controls, Transport and Navigation controls, Display Controls and Foot Switch. Center: Keyboard Modifier switches. Bottom: Open Command Palette button. To view the different button settings on the Controller Settings dialog box: t Press the Shift, Control, Option, or Command key while viewing the Command|8 Controller Settings dialog box.
Using the 002 and the Command|8 4. Click Edit Settings. The 002 Controller Settings dialog box or Command|8 Controller Settings dialog box opens. 5. Click Open Command Palette. The Command palette opens. 6. Click Menu to Button Reassignment on the Command palette. As you move the mouse over a button, the cursor changes to a menu icon. 7. Click the button on the dialog box that you want to change. The system highlights the button. 8. Select a menu command. For example, select Tools > Audio Punch-In.
Using the 002 and the Command|8 To ensure that you perform the correct operation when you press a button on the control surface: 1. Map some buttons to menu commands that makes a particular window or tool active. For example, on the 002, the F5 key is mapped to Tools > Timeline by default for Windows systems. Pressing the F5 button on the 002 makes the Timeline active. 2. (Option) To see the function of a mapped button, hold the cursor over the button to view the tooltip.
Using the 002 and the Command|8 Position indicator lights 2. Click the Timeline Fast Menu button and select Audio Data > Pan. 3. Move the blue position indicator to the section of audio that you want to adjust and mark In to Out points. 4. Set Preroll and Postroll values, if necessary. 5. Click the Record button to start recording your actions. 6. Listen to the audio and turn the pan knob for the track.
Using Mbox Family Audio Devices To use Latch Mode: 1. Click the Latch Mode button for the appropriate tracks on the controller. You can click the button before or during a recording session. 2. Set In and Out points, and click the Record button. The system begins playing the section and the faders move accordingly. 3. When you want to make an adjustment, move the fader to change the volume. The system immediately begins recording. 4. When you are finished adjusting the section, release the fader.
Using Mbox Family Audio Devices Device Connection Type Input/Output Types Mbox 2 Mini USB Analog Mbox 2 Micro USB Analog (monitor audio only; no input/output available) Mbox (3rd Generation) USB Analog, S/PDIF, MIDI Mbox Pro (3rd Generation) 1394 Analog, S/PDIF, MIDI, Word Clock In Mbox Mini (3rd Generation) USB Analog Mbox (3rd Generation) devices support audio sample rates up to 96 KHz. For a full description of MBox specifications, see the documentation that came with your device.
Using Mbox Family Audio Devices 6. Click the Peripheral menu, and then select your Mbox device. 7. Close the Audio Project Settings dialog box. Once you configure the Mbox device, you can select the audio input interface in the Capture tool and the Audio Punch-in tool. For more information, see “Preparing to Capture Audio” on page 169 and “Recording Voice-Over Narration” on page 800. You can also use your device to monitor output audio by connecting headphones or speakers to the Mbox device.
Configuring USB-to-MIDI Software for External Controllers t (Windows XP) Click Avid Mbox Pro. The Mbox Pro Control Panel opens. 4. Select your headphone output, and then click the Audio Source menu and select Stereo Mix 1. 5. Close the Mbox Pro Control Panel.
Configuring USB-to-MIDI Software for External Controllers Testing External Fader Controller Connections To test the external fader controller connections: 1. Connect all MIDI hardware devices. MIDI port A is the default port used by the Avid system. To change the port configuration, see “Switching Between MIDI Connections on the USB-to-MIDI Converter” on page 829. 2.
Configuring USB-to-MIDI Software for External Controllers 11. To disable the hardware calibration, click the Audio Mixer Tool Fast Menu button, and select Calibrate Hardware Sliders. The Recording Status Light changes to black. 12. Move the sliders on the external fader controller. The corresponding sliders move in the Audio Mixer tool. Now you are ready to use the fader controller with your Avid editing application.
Avid HD Native and Pro Tools|HD Hardware Configuration for Avid Editing Systems 3. Check the Controller Settings dialog box in the Settings list of the Project window. Verify that the correct Gain Controller port is selected. 4. (Macintosh only) Use the Apple System Profiler to check whether the system is recognizing the MIDI device: a. Select Apple menu > About This Mac. b. Click More Information. The Apple System Profiler opens. c. Click the Devices and Volumes tab.
Avid HD Native and Pro Tools|HD Hardware Configuration for Avid Editing Systems With Pro Tools|HD or HD Native hardware installed on a supported Avid editing system, you can perform the following: • Play back audio through up to 8 audio outputs. You can also play back audio with a SYNC HD or SYNC I/O device connected. The Avid editing application does not control the clock settings for these devices.
Avid HD Native and Pro Tools|HD Hardware Configuration for Avid Editing Systems 4. Click the Control Panel button. The ASIO Control Panel opens. 5. (Optional) Click the Buffer Size menu and select a buffer size. Generally, smaller buffer sizes are preferable. However, if you experience any problems with performance (such as clicks and pops during recording or playback), try increasing the Buffer Size setting. 6.
Avid HD Native and Pro Tools|HD Hardware Configuration for Avid Editing Systems 8. Select the options you want for your audio input/output operations. For more information on the settings in the Hardware Setup dialog box, see the user guide that came with your Pro Tools system. Your Avid editing application uses only 8 channels of audio output. Also, the application controls the audio sample rate, not your Pro Tools|HD or HD Native hardware. 9. Click OK to close the Hardware Setup dialog box. 10.
Avid HD Native and Pro Tools|HD Hardware Configuration for Avid Editing Systems To configure the CoreAudio driver: 1. Do one of the following: t If your Avid editing application is running and you have an audio sequence loaded in the Source/Record monitor, click Play and then click the CoreAudio Manager icon in the dock. t Double-click the CoreAudio Manager file (located in /Applications/Digidesign/). The CoreAudio Manager opens. 2. (Optional) Click the Buffer Size menu and select a buffer size.
Using a GPI Device with the Audio Punch-In Tool 4. Select the options you want for your audio input/output operations. For more information on the settings in the Hardware Setup dialog box, see the user guide that came with your Pro Tools system. Your Avid editing application uses only 8 channels of audio output. Also, the application controls the audio sample rate, not your Pro Tools|HD or HD Native hardware. 5. Click OK to close the Hardware Setup dialog box.
Using a GPI Device with the Audio Punch-In Tool If you have a V-LAN VLXi deck controller and a GPI device connected to your Avid system and they are configured correctly, you can use the GPI to control additional external hardware while you are working with the Audio Punch-In tool. For example, you might want to control an indicator light in a recording studio to provide a visual cue for performers or a control light outside the studio that indicates when recording is in progress.
Using a GPI Device with the Audio Punch-In Tool When you use the Audio Punch-In tool without any preroll or postroll, the following occurs: • Record Out is sent when recording begins. • Stop Out is sent when recording (and playback) ends. When you use the Audio Punch-In tool with preroll and postroll, the following occurs: n • Play Out is sent when preroll begins (the position indicator begins moving in the Timeline, and the Play In/Out button in the Audio Punch-In tool blinks green).
Using a GPI Device with the Audio Punch-In Tool IN OUT IN OUT IN OUT IN OUT IN OUT IN OUT SERIAL LAN CF AC 1 SERIAL PARALLEL REF 2 SERIAL A 3 TIMECODE A IN OUT 4 5 SERIAL B 6 TIMECODE B IN OUT LAN CF AC VLX TRANSMITTER VLX 2R DUAL RECEIVER Top left: GPI terminals on the VLXi-GT GPI (for connections to external hardware). Top right: V-LAN connection (from VLXi-GT to V-LAN VLXi controller) and terminator (required when cable length is more than 50 feet (15.24 meters).
Using a GPI Device with the Audio Punch-In Tool 5. Click OK. The Autoconfigure message box opens. 6. Click Yes. The connected GPI is automatically detected and appears in the Deck Configuration dialog box. Working with GPI Settings You must create a separate GPI setting for each trigger signal you want the GPI to recognize. For example, you would need one setting for the Record Out signal and another for the Stop Out signal.
Using a GPI Device with the Audio Punch-In Tool To edit a GPI setting: 1. In the Project window, double-click Deck Configuration. The Deck Configuration dialog box opens. 2. Click the VLXi-GT text box. 3. Select the name of the GPI you want to edit. 4. Click Edit. 5. Make the applicable changes to the setting. 6. Click OK. 7. Click Apply. The GPI setting is updated. To delete a GPI setting: 1. In the Project window, double-click Deck Configuration. The Deck Configuration dialog box opens. 2.
Using a GPI Device with the Audio Punch-In Tool GPI Option Description Pulse Duration Leave this setting at its default value; it does not alter the length of the Pulse action in the GPI. GPI Control Enable When you deselect this option, you disable the GPI but keep the GPI settings. This is useful for troubleshooting purposes. Edit Click to edit an existing GPI node setting. Delete Click to delete an existing GPI node setting. Add Click to add another GPI node setting.
20 Using Avid Artist Series Controllers This section includes topics that provide information on configuring and using the Avid Artist Series controllers with your Avid editing application: Avid Artist Control, Avid Artist Transport, and Avid Artist Mix. These controllers employ the EUCON™ (Extended User Control) protocol, which allows for integrated control of your Avid editing application and EUCON-compatible devices.
Installing EuControl Software If you want to connect your Artist Series controller to an Avid editing system that is part of an Avid ISIS shared storage environment, the following requirements apply: • (Macintosh only) Avid recommends that you connect your Artist Series controller to the built-in Ethernet 1 port on your Macintosh system.
Configuring Avid Artist Series Controller Settings EUCON icon in the notification area t (Macintosh) Click the EUCON icon in the dock, and then select Window > EuControl Settings. The EuControl Settings dialog box opens. b. Click the Surfaces tab, and then click Update Firmware. If there is updated firmware for your Artist Series controller, EuControl automatically downloads it. c. Follow the on-screen instructions to install the new firmware. 4. Shut down your system. 5.
Configuring Ethernet Connections (Macintosh) To configure your Avid editing application for an Artist Series controller: 1. Double-click Controller Settings in the Settings list of the Project window. The Controller Settings dialog box opens. 2. Select Controller > EUCON Controller. 3. Click OK. Configuring Ethernet Connections (Macintosh) You can connect your Artist Series controller to either the Ethernet 1 or Ethernet 2 port on your Macintosh system.
Setting the IP Address 4. Click the Network Interfaces menu and select either Ethernet 1 or Ethernet 2, depending on which Ethernet port you want to use for your Artist Series controller. 5. Close the Euphonix dialog box. 6. Select the Apple menu > System Preferences. 7. In the Internet & Wireless area, click Network. The Network dialog box opens. 8. Click the Action menu and select Set Service Order. The Service Order dialog box opens. 9.
Setting the IP Address connect a controller to a system using an Ethernet cable. You can override these methods of obtaining IP addresses by supplying a static IP address, which the devices use in all cases when turned on. n Avid does not recommend setting up static IP addresses unless you have experience in configuring network properties. To set a static IP address (Avid Artist Control): 1. Press and hold the Page Left and Page Right keys while you press and release the Power button.
Setting the IP Address 3. Touch the first box of the IP Address field to select it, and then adjust its value by turning any of the eight knobs or the Jog wheel. 4. Repeat the previous step to adjust all values of the IP Address and the Subnet Mask fields. 5. Touch OK to save this static IP address. Turn off the controller and then turn it on to use the new IP address. You can touch Cancel at any time to discard changes made to the IP address. To set a static IP address (Avid Artist Transport): 1.
Configuring EuControl Settings To set a static IP address (Avid Artist Mix): 1. Press and hold the Page Left and Page Right keys while you press and release the Power button. The Use DHCP screen appears in the channel display for fader strip 1. 2. Turn the knob underneath the display clockwise to change the Use DHCP value from yes (default) to no. You can use the SEL and ON keys instead of the knob to decrease or increase the value, respectively. 3.
Configuring EuControl Settings The EuControl application starts when you start your computer and runs in the background. Avid recommends that you make sure EuControl is running before you start your Avid editing application. For a full description of configuration procedures and options, see the documentation that came with your Artist Series controller. To connect an Artist Series controller to your system: 1. Connect your Artist Series controller to your system and turn on the power for the device. 2.
Configuring EuControl Settings 4. Click the Automatically add: menu, and select one of the following: t To add all controllers listed in the All Surfaces list — which lists all devices available on your subnet — select All Surfaces. This setting is useful when you are the only person running EuControl on your network. t To add only those controllers listed in the My Surfaces, select My Surfaces Only.
Artist Series Controller Button Mappings 7. (Option) If you want more than one workstation to access your Artist Series controllers, do the following: a. Select the workstation in the All Workstations list and click Add. b. Select the workstation in the My Workstations list and click Attach. A check mark appears in the Attached column in the My Workstations list. The workstation can now access the Artist Series controllers connected to EuControl. 8. Close the EuControl Settings application.
Artist Series Controller Button Mappings Artist Control and Artist Transport can control multiple applications, each with its own soft key assignments. Since the EuControl application responds dynamically as you move between applications, soft key assignments might change in the Soft Keys tab as the active application changes. Changing the focus to the desired application and then to the EuControl application restores the current assignments.
Customizing Avid Artist Series Controls Customizing Avid Artist Series Controls You can modify the default Soft Key functions of the controls on your Artist Series controller by mapping them to buttons and keyboard shortcuts in your Avid editing application. You can also add custom key sequences, EUCON commands, pages to the surface controls or the touchscreen, and jog and shuttle wheel functions for some devices. The following procedure provides a generic description of how to customize your controller.
Customizing Avid Artist Series Controls 3. Do one of the following: t Select a button whose function you want to customize, and click Command. t Double-click a button whose function you want to customize. The Soft Key Command Editor opens. 4. Specify the action you want to associate with the control button. The Soft Key Command Editor organizes the default commands as they appear in the Command palette or in menus. 5. Close the Soft Key Command Editor.
Customizing Avid Artist Series Controls The Artist Transport controls for the Touchscreen. 3. If the display does not include any blank keys, click the Page menu and select a new page. You can also click the Add button to add a new page. 4. Do one of the following: t Select a blank key and click Command. t Double-click a blank key. The Soft Key Command Editor dialog opens. 5.
Moving Through Footage with Artist Series Controllers - EuCon - Page - MC - Wheel 6. In the Details column, select the function you want to associate with the new soft key. EUCON commands automatically label the button but do not select an icon. 7. Close the Soft Key Command Editor. The Soft Key tab updates and displays the new function. Moving Through Footage with Artist Series Controllers You can use your Artist Series controller to control how you move through footage.
Volume Automation and Pan on Artist Series Controllers • The track selection buttons on your Artist Series controller allow you to select and deselect tracks in the Timeline. Selecting tracks in the Timeline or in the Audio Mixer tool updates the track selection display in your Artist Series controller. • You can solo and mute tracks on your Artist Series controller to isolate tracks as you monitor the audio playback.
Recording Volume Automation and Pan with Artist Series Controllers assignments by the number of available faders — for example, shifting assignments from tracks 1 – 8 to tracks 9 – 16. The Nudge button changes track assignments by one track — for example, shifting assignments from tracks 1 – 8 to tracks 2 – 9. Artist Mix provides buttons and indicator lights mapped to standard audio editing functions: Button Function SEL Controls and indicates pan recording.
Recording Volume Automation and Pan with Artist Series Controllers 3. Attach the Artist Series controller to your system. (See “Configuring Avid Artist Series Controller Settings” on page 844.) The position indicator lights in the Audio Mixer tool change to blue when the fader controller or mixer is on and correctly attached to the system. Position indicator lights 4. Click the Timeline Fast Menu button and select Audio Data > Auto Gain or Audio Data > Audio Pan. 5.
Using the Latch Mode Feature on Artist Series Controllers t To move the track assignments to the left or right by one track, click the Nudge Left or Nudge Right button. Using the Latch Mode Feature on Artist Series Controllers Some Artist Series controllers have an Auto REC button for each track that lets you enable or disable latch mode for recording volume automation and pan information.
Controller Application Sets • Lift and Extract edits • Trim edits • Multicamera edits These functions allow you to edit and trim clips in your sequences using the controller rather than the buttons and tools in your Avid editing application. For example, you can use the Jog wheel to navigate to a transition in the Timeline, and then you can use the Soft Key functions to activate Trim mode, and then perform a single- or dual-roller trim.
Controller Application Sets MONI TOR CONTR OL R OOM POWER SOLO ON SOLO ON SOLO ON SOLO ON WOR K S TAT I ON TOP AP P LI CAT I ON B ACK CFG CFG 12 AUTO R EC N AUTO R EC N 12 12 AUTO AUTO 12 PAGE PAGE MIXER CLOSE R EC N R EC N 6 6 6 6 0 0 0 0 AS S I GN AS S I GN AS S I GN 5 5 5 5 NUDGE NUDGE AS S I GN S EL Y S EL Y S EL Y S EL Y 10 10 20 20 20 20 30 30 30 30 40 40 40 40 60 60 60 60 BANK 8 8 8 8 HOME SOFT KEYS END OP ST REC 10
Controller Application Sets Control Function Soft keys Provide editing and navigation functions specified in the soft key pages in the display. Moving through the soft key pages with the soft key navigation buttons changes the functions assigned to the soft keys. Volume Adjusts the volume. Power Turns the controller on or off. Back Moves the knob set functions up one level if the knob set in the display is a submenu.
Controller Application Sets Control Function Zoom Vert (Shift+Zoom Horz) Allows you to use the Jog wheel to zoom vertically in the Timeline. Jog Allows you to use the Jog wheel to jog through media in the Timeline or a monitor. Shuttle (Shift+Jog) Allows you to use the Jog wheel to adjust playback. You can alter the speed of playback depending on how far you turn the Jog wheel. Rew Moves to the previous transition in the sequence. FF Moves to the next transition in the sequence.
Controller Application Sets Avid Artist Transport: Display, Soft keys, Numeric keypad (Show/Redo/Undo), Transport keys, Application change key, Shift key Control Function Display Displays functional information including timecode, active application, and soft key labels. Soft keys Provide editing and navigation functions specified in the soft key pages in the application set. You can view the soft key functions by pressing the Show button.
Controller Application Sets Control Function Show+soft key Shows the label for the selected soft key in the display. You can lock the Show key by pressing the key and then quickly pressing a soft key. Press the Show key again to unlock it. Redo (Shift+period) Redoes the last undone edit. Undo (Shift+asterisk) Undoes the previous edit. Transport keys Allow you to perform navigation and editing functions specified in the application set.
Controller Application Sets POWER SEL SEL SEL SEL SEL SEL SEL SEL ON ON ON ON ON ON ON ON MIXER CLOSE TOP BACK CFG NUDGE CFG SOLO PAGE ON SOLO ON SOLO ON SOLO ON SOLO ON SOLO ON SOLO ON SOLO PAGE R TZ FLIP CHAN PREV NE XT R EW FF STOP PLAY 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 AUTO AUTO R EC N AUTO R EC N AUTO R EC N AUTO R EC N AUTO R EC N AUTO R EC N AUTO R EC N END BANK BANK REC 12 R EC N NUDGE HOME ON WOR K STATION A
Controller Application Sets Control Function Solo button Solos the selected track. On button Unmutes and mutes the selected track. Chan Enables channel mode. Flip (Shift+Chan) Switches control between the fader controls to the knobs. A vertical double arrow appears in the display when the faders and knobs are flipped. Insert Allows you to select the plug-in effect listed in the display. Press the soft knob for a track to select the plug-in.
21 Using Audio Plug-Ins This chapter describes how to access and use the audio plug-ins, including the Real-Time AudioSuite (RTAS) and AudioSuite plug-ins that come with your Avid editing application. • Real-Time AudioSuite Plug-Ins • Avid AudioSuite Plug-Ins • Core Avid Audio Plug-Ins Real-Time AudioSuite Plug-Ins Your Avid editing application supports up to five RTAS plug-in inserts on each audio track.
Real-Time AudioSuite Plug-Ins Inserting an RTAS Plug-In on a Track in the Timeline You can insert up to five RTAS plug-in track effects (inserts a through e) on an audio track. When you insert a plug-in effect to a track, you select the track where you want to apply the effect, which insert location you want to use on the track, and the specific effect you want to add to your sequence. You can also insert an RTAS plug-in track effect by dragging an RTAS effect template from a bin to your sequence.
Real-Time AudioSuite Plug-Ins 2. Click an RTAS effect category, select the RTAS effect you want, and drag it to the segment or to the RTAS insert button where you want to apply the insert. You can only insert mono effects on a mono track, stereo effects on a stereo track, and surround sound effects on a surround sound track. The Select Insert dialog box opens. 3. Do one of the following: t If you want to add a new insert, click an [Empty] insert button.
Real-Time AudioSuite Plug-Ins Editing an RTAS Plug-In on a Track in the Timeline After you insert an RTAS plug-in on an audio track, you can access the plug-in controls by using the Track Control panel or the RTAS tool. When you select an RTAS insert button in the Track Control panel or an effect in the RTAS tool, the controls for the plug-in appear in the RTAS tool window.
Real-Time AudioSuite Plug-Ins The Compressor/Limiter Dyn 3 plug-in window displayed in the RTAS tool dialog box. You can also open the RTAS tool by selecting Tools > RTAS or right-clicking the Record Track button for the track where you want to edit an insert and selecting RTAS tool. You can use the buttons in the RTAS tool to select a specific insert to edit. 3. (Option) If you want to change the plug-in effect for your insert, click the Select Effect button and select a new plug-in. 4.
Real-Time AudioSuite Plug-Ins 7. To save your changes, do one of the following: t Click the Save Effect icon in the RTAS tool. t Close the RTAS tool. Moving and Copying RTAS Inserts You can move and copy RTAS inserts from one track to another. However, you can only move mono inserts to mono tracks and stereo inserts to stereo tracks.
Real-Time AudioSuite Plug-Ins Removing RTAS Inserts on a Track Removing an insert deletes the effect from the track. To remove an RTAS insert: 1. Do one of the following: t Select Tools > RTAS. t Right-click the Record Track button for the track where you want to edit an insert and select RTAS tool. t Click the RTAS insert button for the RTAS effect. The RTAS tool opens. 2. Click the Select Track button and select the track where you want to delete an insert. 3.
Avid AudioSuite Plug-Ins The RTAS effect is applied to the track. Avid AudioSuite Plug-Ins Your Avid editing application supports AudioSuite, the Avid host-based, file-based plug-in specification. Users have access to mono and stereo audio-processing plug-ins developed by Avid and by Avid third-party developers. These plug-ins perform pitch modifications, artifact removal, audio reversal, and many other processes.
Avid AudioSuite Plug-Ins Using Avid AudioSuite Plug-Ins You can use AudioSuite plug-ins in two ways. • You can apply a plug-in to a clip in the Timeline and then create a rendered effect. For more information, see “Applying an AudioSuite Plug-in to a Clip in the Timeline” on page 878. • You can use the controls in the AudioSuite window to create a new master clip. This method lets you process more than one channel at a time and to create new media with a duration longer or shorter than the source media.
Avid AudioSuite Plug-Ins 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 “Creating New Master Clips with AudioSuite Plug-Ins” on page 881. To apply an AudioSuite plug-in to a clip in the Timeline: 1. Open the AudioSuite window by doing one of the following: t Select Tools > AudioSuite. t If an audio tool is already open, click the Effect Mode Selector menu, and select AudioSuite. 2.
Avid AudioSuite Plug-Ins Common buttons in the AudioSuite Plug-In dialog box The following table describes the six common buttons: Button Description OK Saves the effect and closes the dialog box. Cancel Closes the dialog box and does not save the effect. Preview Plays back a portion or all of the currently selected audio clip with processing. Some plug-ins can preview in real time and some cannot.
Avid AudioSuite Plug-Ins The following commands appear in the menu: Command Description Global The segment has no In points. The command affects all the plug-ins on the enabled tracks. IN/OUT The segment has In to Out points. The command affects the plug-ins on the enabled tracks within the marked region. From IN The segment has an In point but no corresponding Out point. The command affects all plug-ins on enabled tracks, starting with the In point.
Avid AudioSuite Plug-Ins AudioSuite Controls for Creating New Master Clips When you drag a master clip onto the AudioSuite window, the window automatically expands to display additional controls. You can also click the Display/Hide Master Clip Controls button to display or hide the additional parameters. The following illustration identifies the controls in the expanded AudioSuite window.
Avid AudioSuite Plug-Ins 2 Control Description Input Source Track selectors Let you choose the input source tracks for the effect. The system automatically chooses a preview track and displays a blue Speaker icon on the track. To change the preview track, Alt+click (Windows) or Option+click (Macintosh) the appropriate source track. If the source track used as the current preview track is deselected, the system chooses the lowest available track.
Avid AudioSuite Plug-Ins Control Description 10 Mark IN to OUT indicators These lights change to green when a mark In or mark Out exists on the current master clip. 11 Find Source From Effect button Lets you find the master clip associated with an AudioSuite template. When you drop an AudioSuite effect template into the AudioSuite window, the system activates this button. Click the button to load the master clip into the AudioSuite window as the active master clip.
Avid AudioSuite Plug-Ins Most AudioSuite plug-ins automatically select the appropriate processing mode and label the values in the Processing Mode Selection menu. For example, the Normalize plug-in offers two choices: Level On Each Chan-Track and Levels On All Chans-Tracks (default). You select the processing mode from a menu in the AudioSuite window as described in the next section. Using AudioSuite Plug-ins to Create New Master Clips To create new master clips using the AudioSuite plug-ins: 1.
Avid AudioSuite Plug-Ins Using AudioSuite Effect Templates When you create a new master clip, your Avid editing application also creates an AudioSuite effect template in the bin. This effect template contains a reference to the original master clip to which you applied the effect. Template names take the following format: • (Windows) Your Avid editing application combines the original clip name with the effect name — for example, Test Audio clip - AudioSuite Plug-In Effect: Normalize.
Avid AudioSuite Plug-Ins 7. Close the bin. Your Avid editing application does not save the effect to the bin until you close the bin. 8. Click the AudioSuite Fast Menu button to locate your new template. Using AudioSuite Plug-Ins in Stereo You can use some AudioSuite plug-ins on either mono or stereo tracks.
Working with Dolby E Surround Sound Plug-ins In most cases, you should click Cancel and open the AudioSuite window. If you have not installed the plug-in when you go to render a plug-in effect, your Avid editing application displays an error message informing you which plug-in you must install. At that time, you can cancel or bypass the rendering process. 2. To cancel a render operation, press Ctrl+period (Windows) or Command+period (Macintosh). Be careful not to press these keys multiple times.
Core Avid Audio Plug-Ins Dolby E plug-in effect from your sequence. This allows you to continue to monitor and edit the surround sound audio. Alternately, you can leave the effect in the Timeline as long as you do not perform either a render or mixdown of the sequence. For more information, see the documentation that came with your Dolby E plug-in. Core Avid Audio Plug-Ins A set of core audio plug-ins installs with your Avid editing application.
Core Avid Audio Plug-Ins Audio Plug-ins Plug-In Description AIR Ensemble Creates fluid, shimmering modulation effects. For more information, see “AIR Ensemble (RTAS)” on page 897. AIR Filter Gate Breaks the audio signal into staccato rhythmic patterns with variable filtering, amplitude, and panning. For more information, see “AIR Filter Gate (RTAS)” on page 898. AIR Flanger Applies a short modulating delay. For more information, see “AIR Flanger (RTAS)” on page 899.
Core Avid Audio Plug-Ins Audio Plug-ins Plug-In Description AIR Vintage Filter Applies a modulating, resonant filter to the audio signal. For more information, see “AIR Vintage Filter (RTAS)” on page 917. BF Essential Clip Remover Repairs clipped audio recordings. For more information, see “BF Essential Clip Remover (AudioSuite)” on page 918. Bomb Factory BF76 Provides compression modeled after the 1176 studio compressor.
Core Avid Audio Plug-Ins Audio Plug-ins Plug-In Description Funk Logic Mastererizer Provides low-fidelity sound design capabilities for the creative degredation of audio. For more information, see “Funk Logic Mastererizer (AudioSuite)” on page 937. Gain Same as Normalize, but allows positive or negative gain adjustment. For more information, see “Gain (AudioSuite)” on page 937. Invert Inverts the polarity (phase) of the audio file. For more information, see “Invert (AudioSuite)” on page 938.
Core Avid Audio Plug-Ins AIR Chorus (RTAS) You can use the AIR Chorus plug-in to apply a short modulated delay to give depth and space to the audio signal. The following table lists the AIR Chorus plug-in parameters: Parameter Description Rate Lets you adjust the rate of the low frequency oscillator (LFO) applied to the delayed signal as modulation. The higher the setting, the more rapid the modulation.
Core Avid Audio Plug-Ins Parameter Description Output Lets you lower the Output level of the distorted signal from 0–100%. At 0%, no distorted signal passes through the output. At 100%, the distorted signal passes through the output at full volume. Tone Lets you shape the timbral quality of the distortion. Clipping • Pre Shape — Lets you increase or decrease a broad gain boost (or attenuation) of treble frequencies in the processed signal.
Core Avid Audio Plug-Ins Parameter Description Sync When you enable Sync, the delay time synchronizes to the tempo of your audio sequence. When you disable Sync, you can set the delay time in milliseconds independently of the tempo. The Sync button is lit when it is enabled. Delay When you enable Sync, the Delay control lets you select a rhythmic subdivision or multiple of the beat for the delay time (based on the tempo).
Core Avid Audio Plug-Ins Parameter Description Delay Section • EQ Env Mod Feedback Mode Mix L/R Ratio — Lets you set the ratio of left to right delay times. If you move the control all the way to the left (50:100), the left channel delay time equals half the right channel delay time. If you move the control all the way to the right (100:50), the right channel delay time equals half the left channel delay time. • Stereo Width — Lets you adjust the width of the delay effect in the stereo field.
Core Avid Audio Plug-Ins Parameter Description High Gain Adjusts the frequency to boost the high end. Low Gain Adjusts the frequency to boost the low end. Tune Lets you set the center frequency for low and high-end enhancement. Harmonic Generation Output • Low — Sets the center frequency for the bass boost. • High — Sets the center frequency for the treble boost. Lets you generate additional high-frequency harmonics, which can brighten up dull signals.
Core Avid Audio Plug-Ins AIR Filter Gate (RTAS) You can use the Filter Gate effect to chop up the audio signal into staccato rhythmic patterns with variable filtering, amplitude, and panning. The following table lists the AIR Filter Gate plug-in parameters: Parameter Description Pattern Lets you select from a number of preset rhythmic patterns that the gate will follow. Gate • Attack — Lets you adjust the duration of the attack as a percentage of the step duration.
Core Avid Audio Plug-Ins AIR Flanger (RTAS) You can use the Flanger plug-in to apply a short modulating delay to the audio signal. The following table lists the AIR Flanger plug-in parameters: Parameter Description Sync Synchronizes the modulation rate to the audio sequence tempo. When you enable Sync, you can select a rhythmic subdivision or multiple of the beat for the Flanger modulation rate. When you disable Sync, you can set the delay time in milliseconds independently of the sequence tempo.
Core Avid Audio Plug-Ins Parameter Description Rate Lets you select from the following rhythmic values: • 16 (sixteenth note) • 8T (eighth-note triplet) • 16D (dotted sixteenth-note) • 8 (eighth note) • 4T (quarter-note triplet) • 8D (dotted eighth-note) • 4 (quarter note) • 2T (half-note triplet) • 4D (dotted quarter-note) • 2 (half note) • 1T (whole-note triplet) • 3/4 (dotted half note) • 4/4 (whole note) • 5/4 (five tied quarter notes) • 6/4 (dotted whole note) • 8/4 (
Core Avid Audio Plug-Ins Parameter Description EQ Provides controls for cutting lows from the Flanger signal, and inverting phase. • Phase Invert — When enabled, Phase Invert flips the wet signal’s polarity, which changes the harmonic structure of the effect. • Low Cut — Lets you adjust the Low Cut frequency for the Flanger, to limit the Flanger effects to higher frequencies. Feedback Lets you adjust the amount of delay feedback for the Flanger. At 0%, the delay repeats only once.
Core Avid Audio Plug-Ins AIR Fuzz-Wah (RTAS) You can use the Fuzz-Wah plug-in to color the audio signal with different types and varying amounts of transistor-like distortion. The following table lists the AIR Fuzz-Wah plug-in parameters: Parameter Description Fuzz Turns the distortion effect on and off. Drive Sets the level of gain in the Fuzz algorithm. Mix (Fuzz) Lets you balance the amount of dry signal with the amount of wet (distorted) signal.
Core Avid Audio Plug-Ins Parameter Description Mix (overall) Lets you balance the amount of fuzz-processed signal with the amount of wah-processed signal. At 50%, there are equal amounts of fuzz and wah signal. At 0%, the output is all fuzz, and at 100% it is all wah. AIR Kill EQ (RTAS) You can use the Kill EQ plug-in to remove the Low, Mid, or High broadband frequency range from an audio signal.
Core Avid Audio Plug-Ins Parameter Description Anti-Alias Provides control over anti-aliasing filters that you can use before and after downsampling to reduce aliasing in the resampled audio signal. • On — Lets you enable or disable the Anti-Alias filter. Disabling the filter creates a much grittier sound. • Pre — Lets you adjust the anti-aliasing filter cutoff applied to the audio signal before resampling. The filter is applied as a multiplier of the sample frequency (Fs) between 0.12 Fs and 2.
Core Avid Audio Plug-Ins Parameter Description LFO Lets you apply a Low Frequency Oscillator to modulate the Sample Rate. • Sync — Synchronizes the LFO Rate to the audio sequence tempo. When you enable Sync, you can select a rhythmic subdivision or multiple of the beat for the LFO Rate. When you disable Sync, you can change the modulation rate independently of the sequence tempo.
Core Avid Audio Plug-Ins Parameter Description Env Mod Provides Envelope Modulator control over an envelope follower that can affect the sample rate. You can use this for accentuating and enhancing signal peaks (such as in drum loops) with artificially generated high-frequency aliasing. Distortion • Attack — Sets the time it takes to respond to increases in the audio signal level. • Release — Sets the time it takes to recover after the signal level falls.
Core Avid Audio Plug-Ins Parameter Description Mod • Pre Delay — Sets the Pre-Delay in milliseconds. • Waveform — Selects a triangle or a sine wave for the LFO. This affects the character of the modulation. The sine wave has a gentler ramp and peak than the triangle wave. Voices Sets the number of layered chorus effects that are applied to the audio signal. The more voices you use, the thicker the effect.
Core Avid Audio Plug-Ins Parameter Description Delay Taps Provides five Taps (delay lines). Each tap provides the same set of controls. You can edit the controls for each tap independently of the other taps. • On — Turns the selected tap’s signal on or off. • Delay — Sets the length of delay for the tap, relative to the main Delay setting. • Level — Changes the output level of the tap. • Pan — Pans the audio signal from the tap left or right in the stereo field.
Core Avid Audio Plug-Ins Parameter Description EQ Provides tonal control over the reverb signal. • Low Cut — Adjusts the frequency for the Low Cut filter. For less bass, raise the frequency. • High Cut — Adjusts the frequency for the High Cut filter. For less treble, lower the frequency. Reverb Time Changes the length of the reverberation’s decay. Mix Lets you balance the amount of dry signal with the amount of wet (processed) signal.
Core Avid Audio Plug-Ins Parameter Description Rate When you enable Sync, the Rate control lets you select a rhythmic subdivision or multiple of the beat for the Phaser Modulation Rate. When you disable Sync, you can change the phaser rate independently of the sequence tempo.
Core Avid Audio Plug-Ins Parameter Description Phaser Provides control over the effect’s center frequency and number of phaser stages (or poles). LFO • Center — Lets you change the frequency center (100 Hz to 10.0 kHz) for the phaser poles. • Poles — Lets you select the number of phaser poles (stages): 2, 4, 6, or 8. The number of poles changes the character of the sound. The greater the number of poles, the thicker and more sweeping the sound.
Core Avid Audio Plug-Ins Parameter Description Early Reflections Changes the perceived location of the reflecting surfaces surrounding the audio source. Reverb simulates early reflections by using multiple delay taps at different levels that occur in different positions in the stereo spectrum (through panning). Long reverberation generally occurs after early reflections dissipate.
Core Avid Audio Plug-Ins Parameter Description Room Controls the overall spatial feel of the simulated room. High Frequencies Low Frequencies • Ambience — Affects the attack of the reverb signal. At low settings, the reverb arrives quickly, simulating a small room. At higher settings, the reverb ramps up more slowly, emulating a larger room. • Density — Changes the rate at which the sound density of the reverb tail increases over time. Higher Density settings create a smoother reverberated sound.
Core Avid Audio Plug-Ins The following table lists the AIR Spring Reverb plug-in parameters: Parameter Description Pre-Delay Determines the amount of time (0–250 ms) that elapses between the original audio event and the onset of reverberation. Reverb Provides control over the diffusion and stereo width of the reverb signal. • Diffusion — Changes the rate at which the sound density of the reverb tail increases over time. Higher Diffusion settings create a smoother reverberated sound.
Core Avid Audio Plug-Ins Parameter Description Mode Lets you specify the method by which the Stereo Width plug-in will create the artificial stereo field. • Adjust — Adjusts the existing stereo width of the signal by M-S encoding, equalizing the S component with the Low/Mid/High controls and boosting/attenuating it with the Width control, then M-S decoding back to stereo. The Delay control delays the right signal relative to the left for an additional widening effect (known as “Haas panning”).
Core Avid Audio Plug-Ins Parameter Description LFO Provides controls that let you apply a Low Frequency Oscillator to modulate the Formant setting. Sync — Synchronize the LFO Rate to the audio sequence tempo. When you enable Sync, you can select a rhythmic subdivision or multiple of the beat for the LFO Rate. When you disable Sync, you can change the modulation rate independently of the sequence tempo.
Core Avid Audio Plug-Ins Parameter Description Envelope Modulates the Formant setting by using an envelope follower. This allows you to accentuate and enhance signal peaks in rhythmic material. Mix • Thresh — Sets the amplitude threshold at which the Formant setting begins to be modulated by the envelope follower. • Attack — Sets the time (10.0 ms to 10 seconds) it takes to respond to increases in the audio signal level. • Release — Sets the time (10.
Core Avid Audio Plug-Ins Parameter Description Envelope Provides an envelope follower for controlling the Cutoff frequency, which allows you to control the envelope’s shape and depth of modulation. LFO Mode Output • Attack — Sets the time (10.0 ms to 10 seconds) it takes to respond to increases in the audio signal level. • Release — Sets the time (10.0 ms to 10 seconds) it takes to recover after the signal level falls.
Core Avid Audio Plug-Ins Bomb Factory BF76 (RTAS and AudioSuite) The Bomb Factory BF76 plug-in is a compressor modeled after the solid-state (transistor) 1176 studio compressor. Introduced in the late 1970s, the 1176 offers a much different compression sound than other compressors.
Core Avid Audio Plug-Ins Parameter Description Gain Lets you adjust the input volume of the chorus to prevent clipping or to increase the level of the processed signal. This slider is set to a default of +3 dB. If you recorded your source audio close to peak level, this +3 dB default setting might cause clipping. Use this control to reduce the input level. Sum Inputs button When you use the Chorus plug-in in Stereo mode, a Sum Inputs button appears next to the right channel Gain slider.
Core Avid Audio Plug-Ins Compression reduces the dynamic range of signals that exceed a chosen threshold by a specific amount. Limiting prevents signal peaks from ever exceeding a chosen threshold, and is generally used to prevent short-term peaks from reaching their full amplitude. Used judiciously, limiting produces higher average levels, while avoiding overload (clipping or distortion), by limiting only some short-term transients in the source audio.
Core Avid Audio Plug-Ins Parameter Description Graph display Shows a curve that represents the level of the input signal (on the x–axis) and the level of the output signal (on the y–axis). The orange vertical line represents the threshold. Use this graph as a visual guideline to see how much dynamics processing you are applying. Side-Chain panel The side-chain is the split-off signal used by the plug-in’s detector to trigger dynamics processing.
Core Avid Audio Plug-Ins Parameter Description Ratio Sets the compression ratio, or the amount of compression applied as the input signal exceeds the threshold. For example, a 2:1 compression ratio means that a 2 dB increase of level above the threshold produces a 1 db increase in output. Values range from 1:1 (no compression) to 100:1 (hard limiting). Limiting generally begins with the ratio set at 10:1 and higher.
Core Avid Audio Plug-Ins D-Verb (RTAS and AudioSuite) Digital reverberation processing can simulate the complex natural reflections and echoes that occur after a sound has been produced. Reverberation can take relatively lifeless mono source material and create a stereo acoustic environment that gives the source a perceived weight and depth in a mix. In addition, digital signal processing can be used creatively to produce reverberation characteristics that do not exist in nature.
Core Avid Audio Plug-Ins Parameter Description Decay Controls the rate at which the reverberation decays after the original direct signal stops. The value of the Decay parameter is affected by the Size and Algorithm parameters. You can set this parameter to infinity on most algorithms for infinite reverberation times. Pre-Delay Lets you determine the amount of time that elapses between the original audio event and the onset of reverberation.
Core Avid Audio Plug-Ins Parameter Description Levels panel Input/Output level meters Show peak signal levels before and after processing. • Green indicates nominal levels • Yellow indicates pre-clipping levels, starting at –6 dB below full scale • Red Indicates full scale levels (clipping) n Unlike scales on analog compressors, metering scales on a digital device reflect a 0 dB value that indicates full scale (fs)—the full-code signal level. There is no headroom above 0 dB.
Core Avid Audio Plug-Ins Parameter Description De-Esser panel Frequency Sets the frequency band in which the De-Esser operates. Values range from 500 Hz (lowest frequency) to 16 kHz (highest frequency). When HF Only is disabled in the Options panel, gain is reduced in frequencies within the specified range. When HF Only is enabled, the gain of frequencies above the specified value will be reduced.
Core Avid Audio Plug-Ins Parameter Description Mix Lets you control the balance between the delayed signal and the original signal. If you use a delay for flanging or chorusing, you can control the depth of the effect somewhat with the Mix setting. LPF (Low-Pass Filter) Controls the cutoff frequency of the low-pass filter. This parameter lets you attenuate the high-frequency content of the feedback signal. The lower the setting, the more high frequencies are attenuated.
Core Avid Audio Plug-Ins EQ (AudioSuite) EQ plug-ins provide a set of high-quality options for adjusting the frequency spectrum of audio material: • 1-Band EQ III • 4-Band EQ III • 7-Band EQ III 1-Band EQ III Parameters The following table lists the 1-Band EQ III plug-in parameters. Parameter Description Input Sets the input gain of the plug-in before EQ processing, letting you make up gain or prevent clipping at the plug-in input stage.
Core Avid Audio Plug-Ins 4-Band EQ III Parameters The following table lists the 4-Band EQ III plug-in parameters. Parameter Description In and Out meters Show peak signal levels before and after EQ processing. Green indicates nominal levels. Yellow indicates pre-clipping levels, starting at –6 dB below full scale. Red indicates full scale (clipping) levels. The clip indicators to the right of each meter indicate clipping at the input of output stage of the plug-in. Click a clip indicator to clear it.
Core Avid Audio Plug-Ins Parameter Description Type selectors The HPF, LPF, LF, and HF band sections have type selectors that toggle between the two available filter types for that section, as follows: Q • High-Pass Filter (HPF band) — Attenuates all frequencies below the Frequency setting at the selected slope while letting all frequencies above pass through. • Low-Notch EQ (HPF band) — Attenuates a narrow band of frequencies centered around the Frequency setting.
Core Avid Audio Plug-Ins Parameter Description In and Out meters Show peak signal levels before and after EQ processing. Green indicates nominal levels. Yellow indicates pre-clipping levels, starting at –6 dB below full scale. Red indicates full scale (clipping) levels. The clip indicators to the right of each meter indicate clipping at the input of output stage of the plug-in. Click a clip indicator to clear it.
Core Avid Audio Plug-Ins Parameter Description Type selectors The HPF, LPF, LF, and HF band sections have type selectors that toggle between the two available filter types for that section, as follows: Q • High-Pass Filter (HPF band) — Attenuates all frequencies below the Frequency setting at the selected slope while letting all frequencies above pass through. • Low-Notch EQ (HPF band) — Attenuates a narrow band of frequencies centered around the Frequency setting.
Core Avid Audio Plug-Ins Expander/Gate III — Dynamics III (RTAS and AudioSuite) The Expander/Gate III plug-in applies expansion or gating to audio material, depending on the ratio setting. Expansion decreases the gain of signals that fall below a chosen threshold. It is particularly useful for reducing noise or signal leakage that creeps into recorded material as its level falls, as often occurs in the case of headphone leakage.
Core Avid Audio Plug-Ins Parameter Description Gain Reduction meter (GR) Indicates the amount the input signal is attenuated (in dB) and shows different colors during dynamics processing.
Core Avid Audio Plug-Ins Parameter Description Attack Sets the attack time, or the rate at which gain is reduced after the input signal crosses the threshold. Use this along with the Ratio setting to control how soft the Expander’s gain reduction curve is. Values range from 10 microseconds (fastest attack time) to 300 milliseconds (slowest attack time). Release Sets how long it takes for the gate to close after the input signal falls below the threshold level and the hold time has passed.
Core Avid Audio Plug-Ins Parameter Description Sum Inputs button When you use the Flanger plug-in in Stereo mode, a Sum Inputs button appears next to the right channel Input Level slider. Clicking the Sum Inputs button sums the source input signals (regardless of whether the input is mono or stereo) before processing them. The source signal then appears in the center of the stereo field, and the processed signal is output in stereo.
Core Avid Audio Plug-Ins You can specify the desired gain level in several ways: • Enter a numeric decibel value. • Enter a percentage value. • Drag the slider. • Press and hold the Ctrl key (Windows) or the Command key (Macintosh), then drag the slider to fine-adjust. • Use the rms and peak buttons to switch the calibration of gain adjustment between RMS and Peak modes. Peak adjusts the gain of the signal to the maximum possible level without clipping.
Core Avid Audio Plug-Ins Parameter Description Sample Rate The Sample Rate slider adjusts an audio file’s playback sample rate in fixed intervals from 700 Hz to 33 kHz in sessions with sample rates of 44.1 kHz, 88.2 kHz, or 176.4 kHz; and from 731 Hz to 36 kHz in sessions with sample rates of 48 kHz, 96 kHz, or 192 kHz. Reducing the sample rate of an audio file has the effect of degrading its audio quality.
Core Avid Audio Plug-Ins Parameter Description Distortion/Sat The Distortion and Saturation sliders provide signal clipping control. uration The Distortion slider determines the amount of gain applied and lets clipping occur in a smooth, rounded manner. The Saturation slider determines the amount of saturation added to the signal. This simulates the effect of tube saturation with a roll-off of high frequencies. Output Meter The Output Meter indicates the output level of the processed signal.
Core Avid Audio Plug-Ins Parameter Description Sum Inputs button When you use the Multi-Tap Delay plug-in in Stereo mode, a Sum Inputs button appears next to the Mix sliders. Clicking the Sum Inputs button sums the source input signals (regardless of whether the input is mono or stereo) before processing them. The source signal then appears in the center of the stereo field, and the processed signal is output in stereo.
Core Avid Audio Plug-Ins You can select one of two display options by clicking the corresponding button in the Options area of the plug-in window. Display Option Description Phase Meter The Phase Meter indicates the phase coherency of two channels of a multichannel signal. The Phase Meter is green when the channels are positively out of phase (values from 0 to +1) and red when the channels are negatively out of phase (values from 0 to –1).
Core Avid Audio Plug-Ins Meter Description Peak (Default meter type) Uses the metering scale in DigiRack EQ III and Dynamics III plugins. RMS (Root Mean Square) was used in previous versions of the Avid SurroundScope plugin and uses the same “true” RMS metering scale. n The “true” RMS meter scale is not the same as the AES 17 RMS scale. For a sine wave with a peak value of –20 dBFS, the “true” RMS meter will show a value of –23 dBFS.
Core Avid Audio Plug-Ins Ping-Pong Delay (AudioSuite) The Ping-Pong Delay plug-in modifies an audio signal by adding a controllable delay to the original signal. It is ideal for adding spatialization and creating a characteristic ping-pong echo effect. The following table lists the Ping-Pong Delay plug-in parameters: Parameter Description Gain Adjusts the input volume of the Ping-Pong Delay to prevent clipping or increase the level of the processed signal.
Core Avid Audio Plug-Ins Parameter Description Gain The Gain controls set the input level, in tenths of a decibel. Set the input level 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.
Core Avid Audio Plug-Ins Parameter Description Reference Pitch The Reference Pitch feature generates a sine wave tone that you can adjust to match a selected portion of audio material, and then use as an audible reference when pitch-shifting other audio material in your session. To use the Reference Pitch feature: 1. Select the audio material you want to use as a pitch reference. Click the Preview button to begin playback of the selected audio. 2.
Core Avid Audio Plug-Ins Parameter Description Rectification • Positive Rectification — This rectifies the waveform so that its phase is 100% positive. The audible effect is a doubling of the audio signal’s frequency. • Negative Rectification — This rectifies the waveform so that its phase is 100% negative. The audible effect is a doubling of the audio signal’s frequency.
Core Avid Audio Plug-Ins The following table lists the Sci-Fi plug-in parameters: Parameter Description Input Level Input Level attenuates signal input level to the Sci-Fi processor. Since some Sci-Fi controls (such as Resonator) can cause extreme changes in signal level, adjusting the Input Level is particularly useful for achieving unity gain with the original signal level. The range of this control is from –12 dB to 0 dB.
Core Avid Audio Plug-Ins Parameter Description Envelope Follower Causes the selected effect to dynamically track the input signal by varying with the amplitude envelope of the audio signal. As the signal gets louder, more modulation occurs. This can be used to produce a very good automatic wah-wah-type effect. When you select the Envelope Follower, the Mod Amount slider changes to a Mod Slewing control.
Core Avid Audio Plug-Ins Option Description Signal Lets you select the waveform: • Sine • Square • Sawtooth • Triangle • White Noise • Pink Noise Use the rms and peak buttons to switch the calibration of the generated signal between RMS and Peak modes. Peak generates the signal at the maximum possible level without clipping. RMS generates the signal at levels consistent with the root-mean-square value, or the effective average level of the signal.
Core Avid Audio Plug-Ins The following table lists the Time Compression Expansion plug-in parameters. Parameter Description Source and Destination The Source text boxes display the length of the current selection before processing in each of the listed formats. All the text boxes in both columns update dynamically, so a change made to one value is immediately reflected in the values displayed in the other text boxes.
Core Avid Audio Plug-Ins Parameter Description Min Pitch The Min Pitch slider lets you select the minimum (lowest) pitch that is used in the plug-in’s calculations during the time compression and expansion process. The slider has a range of 40 Hz to 1000 Hz. By controlling the minimum pitch, you can focus the time compression and expansion process for maximum efficiency depending on the audio’s spectral shape.
Core Avid Audio Plug-Ins Parameter Description Audio You use the Audio parameter controls to select the most appropriate time compression and expansion mode for the type of material you want to process, and to attenuate the gain of the processed audio to avoid clipping.
Core Avid Audio Plug-Ins Parameter Description Time You use the Time parameter controls to specify the amount of time compression or expansion you want to apply. The Original column displays the Start and End times, and Length of the edit selection. Times are displayed in units of the timebase selected in the Units menu. The Processed column displays the target End time and Length of the processed signal. Times are displayed in units of the timebase selected in the Units menu.
Core Avid Audio Plug-Ins Parameter Description Formant/Transient You use the Formant or Transient parameter controls to adjust either the amount of formant shift or the transient detection parameters, depending upon which mode you select in the Audio section. n The Formant parameter is available only when you select Monophonic as the Audio mode. The Transient section is available with slightly different controls, depending on whether you select Polyphonic or Rhythmic as the Audio mode.
Core Avid Audio Plug-Ins The following table lists the Trim plug-in parameters: Parameter Description Phase Invert Inverts the phase (polarity) of the input signal to change the frequency response characteristics between multi-miked sources or to correct for miswired microphone cables. Gain Provides -[Infinity] dB to +6 dB or +12 dB of gain adjustment, depending whether the Gain toggle is set to +6 or +12.
22 Exporting Frames, Clips, or Sequences This chapter describes how to export files for use with another system, application, or platform.
Understanding Export 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.
Preparing to Export a Sequence Preparing to Export a Sequence When you export part or all of a sequence — for example, to create an OMFI file, an AAF file, a QuickTime file, an AVI file, or a graphic sequence — you might want to prepare the sequence in advance in one or more of the ways described in the following table. These preparation tasks can speed the export process or otherwise help with your workflow. Preparation Task Description Make sure all media for the sequence is online.
Exporting With the Send To Templates Preparation Task Description Consider consolidating the sequence before You cannot export OMFI files that are larger than 2 GB. OMFI export. Consolidating the sequence to create smaller source clips saves time and disk space. In addition to consolidating in advance, you can also consolidate as part of the export. For more information, see Using the Consolidate Command and Guidelines for Exporting OMFI and AAF Files.
Exporting With the Send To Templates The last three options are only available when you send to Pro Tools over an Avid shared storage using Send To > Pro Tools on Avid Unity. Option Description Avid Video Consolidate Audio Select this option to send to a Avid Pro Tools system that supports playback of Avid standard definition (SD) video using a video peripheral. Your Avid editing application creates a video mixdown of the tracks at DV 25, consolidates the audio, and saves the audio into the AAF file.
Exporting With the Send To Templates 4. (Option) Type a new file name in the Filename text box. 5. (Option) If you are sending to Sorenson Squeeze, click the Options button to select Sorenson Squeeze settings. For more information, see the Sorenson Squeeze documentation. 6. Click Set to browse to the drive and folder where you want to store the exported file. Whenever you return to a Send To dialog box, the destination folder that you set last appears in the destination field. 7.
Send To Templates Reference 8. Review the current Export settings to ensure that they meet your needs. The Export Setting Summary area at the bottom of the dialog box lists all the settings that affect the current export. 9. (Option) If you need to make any Export settings changes, click the appropriate Options button, make the changes, and click Save. Avid recommends that you use the default options in the Send To templates wherever possible.
Creating a Custom Send To Template for Exporting to Third-Party Applications Template Description Pro Tools, Pro Tools on Avid Unity You can export a sequence to Avid Pro Tools® by sending it to movable storage and then taking the storage to a Pro Tools system, or you can export it directly to Pro Tools over an Avid shared storage system. Sending the sequence to movable storage lets you assemble all the media in one location for moving to a Pro Tools system.
Creating a Custom Send To Template for Exporting to Third-Party Applications t Right-click the clip or sequence in the bin, and select Send To > Make New. The Send To dialog box opens with a default export template. 3. (Option) Type a new file name in the Filename text box. 4. Click Set to browse to the drive and folder that you want to be the default location for storing the exported file. Whenever you return to a Send To dialog box, the destination folder you set last appears in the destination field.
Exporting With the Export Command or the Drag-and-Drop Method 5. (Option) Do the following if you want the third-party application to automatically launch after you export. a. (Option) Click the Auto Launch button, and select Add Item. b. (Option) Browse to find the third-party application. c. Click Open. d. Select Auto Load Exported File(s) if you want the files you export to automatically load in the third-party application. e.
Exporting With the Export Command or the Drag-and-Drop Method n Your Avid editing application saves an intermediate file in a temporary folder as part of the export process. Ensure that the temporary folder is on a drive with plenty of space. You can view and change the location of the temporary folder in the General Settings dialog box. To save time when exporting with the drag-and-drop method, locate the temporary folder on the drive where you want to store the exported file.
Exporting With the Export Command or the Drag-and-Drop Method To export a frame, clip, or sequence by using the Export menu command: 1. Identify and select the material you want to export as described above. 2. Do one of the following: t Select File > Export. t Right-click the clip or sequence, and then select Export. The Export As dialog box opens with a default file name in the File name text box (Windows) or the Save As text box (Macintosh), based on the file type. 3.
Customizing Export Settings Depending on the export format, Export settings can be complicated. In some cases, options in the Export Settings dialog box open additional dialog boxes with further options. If you are modifying Export settings, consult the appropriate reference tables in “Export Settings” on page 1344 for detailed information. 5. In the Export As dialog box, select the destination folder for the file. 6. (Option) Change the file name. In most cases, keep the file name extension the same. 7.
Guidelines for Exporting OMFI and AAF Files c. n Press Enter (Windows) or Return (Macintosh). The custom name column is the center column in the Project window. When you move the pointer over the custom name column, the pointer changes from a pointing finger to a text insertion bar. 5. Double-click the new Export setting. The Export Settings dialog box opens. 6. Select the appropriate file type and options based on the descriptions in “Export Settings” on page 1344. 7. Click OK.
Guidelines for Exporting OMFI and AAF Files Understanding OMF Interchange OMF Interchange® (OMFI) is a platform-independent file format that stores both the digital media (video, audio, graphics, animation) and the information describing how the media is edited together to form a final sequence. This editing information, called a composition, is the OMFI representation of the sequence created in your Avid editing application.
Guidelines for Exporting OMFI and AAF Files OMFI and AAF Export Method 1: Compositions with Linked Media Avid editing applications can export an OMFI or an AAF file that contains only the editing information about a selected master clip or sequence. The file also contains links to the media used in the clip or sequence. You transfer the OMFI or AAF file to the other system, and also either transfer the media files or recapture the media.
Exporting Projects and Bins Using AFE Files (Windows Only) Setting Guidelines Export Method: Video • Mixdown (Video Details tab) The Mixdown with Video Edits option is only compatible with Pro Tools v7.2 or later, and takes advantage of the fact that Pro Tools v7.2 or later can display multiple video tracks. This lets you add a video track that shows the video edits.
Exporting Projects and Bins Using AFE Files (Windows Only) AFE files are based on AAF (Advanced Authoring Format) technology. AFE files, however, are especially designed for sharing project information among Avid applications. AFE files let you transfer one or more bins, their contents, and information about the contents, including master clips, subclips, titles, and sequences. To create an AFE file: 1.
Exporting QuickTime Movies 5. Click the button after the Export Settings 1, and select Avid DS from the drop-down list. 6. Click the Options button. The Export Settings - Avid DS dialog box opens. 7. Select AFE from the Export As drop-down list and click Save. 8. In the Send To: Avid DS dialog box, click OK. Exporting QuickTime Movies You can export a sequence as a QuickTime movie for final distribution or for further processing in another application.
Exporting QuickTime Movies Option Description Same as Source Select this option if you intend to use the Quicktime movie on an Avid system. When you select this option, your Avid editing application uses an Avid codec and puts a QuickTime wrapper around the media files (with no resolution change). This method is fast and creates output that uses the same quality as your source files.
Exporting QuickTime Movies Option Description QuickTime Reference QuickTime Reference is available from the Export As menu in the Export Settings dialog box. This option is similar to Same as Source, but your Avid editing application links to the original media files. This is the fastest method of export, but the movie can only be run or processed on your local system or in an Avid shared storage workgroup environment.
Installing or Copying the Avid Codecs for QuickTime on Other Systems Avid supports the import and export of QuickTime movies while preserving their timecode information. When you export a QuickTime clip or sequence from your Avid editing application, the timecode information of the clip or sequence is embedded in the QuickTime movie. If you move these QuickTime movies to another Avid editing application and import them, the timecode information is included in the clip or sequence information.
Exporting from a Third-Party QuickTime or AVI Application Codec (Windows) Codec (Macintosh) Description AvidAV1xCodec.qtx QTAvidOneToOneXCodec Avid 1:1x codec (Uncompressed MXF 8-bit or 10-bit) AvidAVd1Codec.qtx QTAvidDV100Codec Avid DVCPRO codec (MXF) AvidAVdnCodec.qtx QTAvidDNXHDCodec Avid DNxHD codec (MXF) AvidAVdvCodec.qtx QTAvidDVCodec Avid DV codec (DV 25 and DV 50, OMF and MXF) AvidQTAVjiCodec.
Exporting as Windows Media (Windows Only) For QuickTime exports, most applications have format options similar to those described in “Export Settings: QuickTime Movie Export Options” on page 1352. Make sure you select settings that are compatible with your existing media on the Avid system. n If you select a nonstandard frame size, your Avid system cannot import the file quickly. 3. Complete the export.
Creating a Custom Profile for Windows Media Export (Windows Only) 4. In the Export As menu, select Windows Media. 5. (Option) Select Use Marks. When Use Marks is selected the current IN and OUT points in the selected clip or sequence determine starting and ending frames for the export. 6. (Option) Select Use Enabled Tracks. When Use Enabled Tracks is selected, your Avid editing application uses tracks that are enabled in the Timeline. To export all the tracks in the sequence, deselect this option. 7.
Exporting Media to XDCAM Devices 12. Do one of the following: t If you want to continue with the export of the sequence, click Save, and complete the export in the standard way. For more information, see “Exporting With the Export Command or the Drag-and-Drop Method” on page 966. t If you do not want to complete the export, click Cancel. Exporting Media to XDCAM Devices XDCAM decks and camcorders from Sony use an optical disk with a capacity of either 23.3 GB or 50 GB of media.
Exporting to XDCAM To export to an XDCAM device: 1. Connect your XDCAM device. 2. Select the appropriate mode on your XDCAM device that corresponds to the video format that you will be exporting. For example, set your XDCAM device to 1080i 59.94 if you want to export a clip or sequence at XDCAM-35 1080I/59.94. 3. Select the sequence or clips to export. 4. Select Clip > Export to Device > XDCAM. If you have a sequence loaded in the Record monitor, the sequence exports when you select Export to Device.
Exporting XDCAM OP1a Media 8. Select a video format: - For SD projects, select DV-25, IMX30, IMX40, or IMX50. For SD, a disk cannot have mixed formats. For example, a disk that contains IMX40 material can only have IMX40 media added to it, unless you reformat the disk. - For HD projects, select XDCAM-50, XDCAM-35, XDCAM-25, or XDCAM-17. For HD, a single disk can have clips with mixed bit rates (17.5, 25, and 35 Mbits).
Exporting Your Clip or Sequence to a P2 Card Option Description Video Format Lists all XDCAM codecs supported by your project type. Audio Bit Depth Defines bit depth, based on the sample rates supported by your project type. You can use this option if your sequence has a mix of sample rates and you need to create a single sample rate. (You set the project rate in the Audio Project Settings dialog box. For more information, see “Audio Project Settings for Capture” on page 169.).
Exporting as Windows Media Using a VC1 Resolution To export a a clip or a sequence to a P2 card: 1. Make sure your system is connected to a writable P2 device. 2. Select the clip or the sequence in the bin. 3. Select Clip > Export to Device > P2. The P2 Export Settings dialog box opens. 4. Select options as described in “Export Settings: P2” on page 1367. If you do not connect to a P2 device or camera, the options are not available. 5.
Using Avid Interplay Media Services The Export Settings dialog box opens. 4. In the Export As menu, select Windows Media. 5. (Option) Select Use Marks. When Use Marks is selected the current IN and OUT points in the selected sequence or clip determine starting and ending frames for the export. 6. (Option) Select Use Enabled Tracks. When Use Enabled Tracks is selected, your Avid editing application uses tracks that are enabled in the Timeline. To export all the tracks in the sequence, deselect this option.
Using Avid Interplay Media Services Service Description Avid Interplay Let you automate the process of encoding a sequence into formats that are suitable ProEncode for distribution on the Web, on DVD, or on CD-ROM. The ProEncode services use other computers in the Avid Interplay environment to automatically perform the encoding tasks. This lets you quickly send a sequence to be processed and then continue with your editing.
23 Generating Output Your Avid editing application provides tools that let you generate output for individual tracks or entire sequences to various videotape or audiotape formats.
Selecting the Device for Output • Mix down multiple audio tracks, if necessary, as described in “Mixing Down Audio Tracks” on page 784. • Prepare the record tapes, as described in “Preparing Record Tapes” on page 1009. • (Option) Record reference bars and tone to tape, as described in “Recording Bars and Tone” on page 1010. • (Option) Prepare for assemble editing, as described in “Enabling Assemble-Edit Recording” on page 1010. • For 23.
Selecting the Sync Source for Output To select the sync source: 1. Select Tools > Video Output Tool. 2. Select the sync source from the Sync Lock menu: Reference, Tri-Level, or Internal. If the source you select is not correctly connected, or if the sync generator is set to an incorrect frame rate, your Avid editing application will automatically switch to internal timing. Sync Options for HD Formats Some HD formats let you use either black burst or tri-level as a sync source.
Selecting the Sync Source for Output For more information, see “Selecting the Timecode Format for Output” on page 1027 and “Outputting Drop-Frame and Non-Drop-Frame Timecode Simultaneously for Downstream Encoding” on page 1028. To set LTC timecode for output: 1. In the Settings list in the Project window, double-click General. 2. Select “Generate LTC On Playback.” 3. Click OK. Adding LTC Out During Preroll You can add black filler to the beginning of a sequence when performing a digital cut.
Selecting a Video Output Signal 4. Press the Play Digital Cut button. LTC Output During Digital Scrub (When Using Nitris DX only) LTC timecode will be output when the blue bar in the record monitor is moved, that is, during “digital scrub.” The LTC value is only output when audio is also output, that is, when Caps Lock is engaged or the shift key is down. The LTC value output corresponds to the first audio frame played, obeying the Audio Setting “Record Monitor Scrub” value for “Outgoing” frames.
Calibrating for Video Output Method Description Calibrate for video output by using the factory presets You should use the factory presets if you do not have an external Waveform monitor, or if your site engineers calibrate the system as a general maintenance procedure. For more information, see “Using the Factory Preset Buttons in the Video Output Tool” on page 995.
Calibrating for Video Output Using the Factory Preset Buttons in the Video Output Tool The preset buttons in the Video Output tool show the status of each Calibration setting as follows: • When the Video Output tool opens the first time you run your Avid editing application, all preset buttons are lit (green), with the factory presets loaded for each slider. • When you click a slider of a lit preset button, the button dims (appears gray), and the slider returns to the most recent manual level setting.
Calibrating for Video Output 2. Click the Options tab. 3. Click the Sync Lock menu and select Internal, Reference, or TriLevel (if available) to lock your output connection to the appropriate signal. Some input/output hardware configurations automatically detect TriLevel sync and do not display it as an option. n Sync for output comes from the reference input (REF) or HD TriLevel Sync input on the Avid input/output hardware or from internal timing.
Calibrating for Video Output 4. If you are using an HDMI-compliant Avid input/output device, click the HDMI Color Space menu and select a color space (YCbCr or RGB), and then select either an SD or an HD format from the HDMI Format menu. Some monitors only support one SD HDMI format. See your monitor documentation for more information. 5. (Option) Click the VBI menu (if available) and select Preserve to preserve 5 lines above each field in NTSC or 8 lines above each field for PAL. 6.
Calibrating for Video Output - Pr Gain and Pb Gain sliders (HD component YPbPr output — with supported input/output hardware) 11. If you want to save this setting, click the Settings menu and select Save As, then type a name, and click OK. n Output settings are Project settings, available to all users and all projects on the system. For information on connections on the Avid input/output hardware, see “Using the Avid Input/Output Hardware” in the Help.
Calibrating for Video Output 7. Select Tools > Capture. With the Capture tool active, the input signal passes through to the output channels. 8. Select an output format in the Video Output tool. You can precisely match only one output format at a time in phase with the reference signal. In most cases, you should select either Composite or Serial Digital. 9. Calibrate any of the available controls in the Video Output tool while checking the external Waveform and Vectorscope monitors.
Preparing for Converting HD Formats Video Standard Level PAL 0.3 V (not applicable for SMPTE bars) For White level (gain), adjust the Y Gain slider to place the white level at the following settings: Video Standard Level NTSC 100 IRE NTSC-EIAJ 100 IRE PAL 1.0 V (not applicable for SMPTE bars) Adjusting Phase Controls The Video Output tool provides controls for adjusting horizontal phase globally for output.
Preparing for Converting HD Formats To set options for crossconverting a sequence: 1. Select Tools > Video Output Tool. 2. Click the Options tab. 3. Click the Downconvert menu, and select OFF. 4. Click the Crossconvert menu, and select the format that you want to output. To set options for downconverting a sequence: 1. Select Tools > Video Output Tool. 2. Click the Options tab. 3. Click the Crossconvert menu, and select OFF. 4. Click the Downconvert menu, and select the format that you want to output.
Preparing for Converting HD Formats Crossconversion and Downconversion Formats The following table lists the available crossconversion and downconversion formats for each HD format. Not all formats are available for all Avid editing configurations. n Raster Type selection does not affect the conversion options for HD projects, with the exceptions noted in the table. HD Sequence Format Crossconverted HD Format Downconverted SD Format 720p/59.94 1080i/59.94 30i NTSC 720p/23.976 1080i/59.
Preparing for Audio Output Considerations for Crossconversion and Downconversion You should be aware of the following when crossconverting or downconverting HD formats: • You can select an HD crossconvert format for output or an SD downconvert format for output, but you cannot output both at the same time. • Avid recommends using crossconverted sequences for preview or reference only. When using digital cut to output the HD master sequence to tape, use the native frame rate of the sequence.
Preparing for Audio Output 2. Click the PH (Peak Hold) menu, and select Set Calibration Tone. The Set Calibration Tone dialog box opens. 3. Type new values for the tone level and frequency text boxes, and click OK. To play back the tone: t Click the PH (Peak Hold) menu, and select Play Calibration Tone. To check the adjusted tone level in the meters: t Switch the In/Out toggle buttons to O for Output.
Preparing for Audio Output Left to right: Reset Peak button, In/Out toggle buttons, and Peak Hold Menu button in the Audio tool 4. Click the In/Out toggle buttons above the meters to display O for Output. 5. Play back one of the following sources of reference audio by doing one of the following: t Click the Peak Hold (PH) Menu button, and select Play Calibration Tone. t Play back a representative sequence or clip containing audio. 6.
Preparing for Audio Output 2. Click the Output tab. Audio Project Settings dialog box: Mixed Mode Selection Menu button (top), All or Timeline Track Maps menu and Which Set of Track Maps button (left), Output Track Maps (right), Output Format and Channels options (bottom) 3. Click the Mix Mode Selection Menu button, and select a type of output. - Select Stereo to mix the monitored audio tracks into a stereo pair (two paired mono channels) with applied pan effects.
Preparing for Audio Output - By default, Stereo directs the mixed tracks to mono output channels 1 and 2. You can also direct mixed tracks to output channels 3 & 4, 5 & 6, or 7 & 8. - If you select Direct Out, you can select All or Timeline from the “All or Timeline Track Maps” menu - All lets you preset values for all possible audio tracks, with each track treated as a mono track.
Preparing for Audio Output To enable 16 channels of audio output: 1. Double-click Audio Project Settings in the Settings tab of the Project window. 2. Click the Output tab. 3. Click the Mix Mode Selection menu button, and select Direct Out. 4. Click the “Allow 16 channel output” button. 5. Select the tab representing the output format to which you want to assign the additional output channels. 6. Select “On outputs 9–16.” 7. Select Grp 2 from the “Which Set of Track Maps” menu. 8.
Preparing Record Tapes Using an XLR Adapter for Consumer-Level Analog Output When you select Consumer level for Analog Output, analog outputs are attenuated by 6 dB. To achieve an additional 6 dB of attenuation, you must use an adapter that provides an unbalanced XLR connection. The correct adapter provides ground on pin 1 and a line signal on pin 2. Many off-the-shelf connectors supply line level on pin 1 and return on pin 2 or else they short the signal on pin 2 to pin 3.
Enabling Assemble-Edit Recording n Some Avid input/output hardware supports LTC output for recording onto tapes. For more information, see “Using LTC Timecode for Output” on page 991. DV cameras or decks controlled through a 1394 connection do not support commands for frame-accurate recording. As a result, if you are preparing to record to one of these devices, you can use the Digital Cut tool in either Local mode or Remote mode, but all tracks are enabled for recording and cannot be modified.
Using ExpertRender to Prepare Effects for a Digital Cut n DV cameras or decks controlled through a 1394 connection do not support commands for frame-accurate recording. As a result, if you are preparing to record to one of these devices, you can use the Digital Cut tool in either Local mode or Remote mode, but all tracks are enabled for recording and cannot be modified. To enable assemble editing: 1. Double-click Deck Preferences in the Settings list in the Project window.
Using the Digital Cut Tool t Right-click in the Timeline, and select ExpertRender In/Out. The ExpertRender dialog box opens. 4. Select “Prepare effects for Digital Cut,” and then click OK. Using the Digital Cut Tool The Digital Cut tool provides controls when you record a sequence to tape. The Digital Cut tool has the following operating modes: • Remote mode lets you control the record deck by using the deck controller in the Digital Cut tool.
Using the Digital Cut Tool n If you install your Avid editing application on a laptop computer, an Incompatible Power Scheme warning button might appear in the top right corner of the Digital Cut tool. Some of the standard power schemes available to laptops running Windows XP might affect the performance of editing functions, including performing a digital cut. Avid recommends you use the “Always On” power scheme when working with Avid applications.
Using the Digital Cut Tool 1 2 3 4 5 6 9 7 10 8 1 Sequence Tracks menu 6 Audio Track Selection buttons 2 Enable Video Track buttons 7 Deck controls 3 Play Digital Cut button 8 Deck Selection menu 4 Halt Digital Cut button 9 Deck control area 5 Preview Digital Cut button 10 Timecode text boxes Selecting a Deck in the Digital Cut Tool The Deck Selection menu in the Digital Cut tool contains a list of all decks that were connected to the system, turned on, and initialized when you o
Using the Digital Cut Tool Command Description Adjust Deck Opens the Deck Settings dialog box. Changes you make apply to the selected deck. For information on Deck settings, see “Deck Configuration Settings” on page 1334. Auto-configure Lets you automatically configure the selected deck with the default deck settings for that deck. Check Decks Helps to reestablish deck control if the power to your decks was off or the decks were disconnected when you opened the Digital Cut tool.
Using the Digital Cut Tool The Digital Cut tool goes through the motions of an insert edit and shows you how the tape will appear before, during, and after the cut, but does not actually change the master tape. You can then modify your digital cut, if you want, before it is committed to the master tape. 6. (Option) To stop the preview at any time, do one of the following: t Press the space bar. t Click the Halt Digital Cut button.
Using the Digital Cut Tool n n If your SD sequence contains HD clips whose frame rate does not match the sequence frame rate, you might need to take additional steps to ensure that you do not drop frames. For more information, see “Considerations When Working with Mixed Rate Clips” on page 557. You can use ExpertRender to render effects before beginning the digital cut. See “Using ExpertRender to Prepare Effects for a Digital Cut” on page 1011. 7. (Option) Select Stop on Dropped Frames.
Using the Digital Cut Tool Option Description Mark In Time Ignores the sequence timecode. Establish a specific IN point on the record tape by cueing and marking with the deck controls. 13. (Option) Select Custom Preroll, click the menu, and select the number of seconds to indicate how many seconds the tape rolls before the digital cut starts. This option overrides the Preroll setting in the Deck Settings dialog box. 14.
Using the Digital Cut Tool Crash Recording Through Remote Deck Control If your deck does not support insert editing, or you do not need to start a digital cut cleanly at a particular timecode, you can perform a crash record. You can crash record through local deck control, see “Recording a Digital Cut to Tape (Local Mode)” on page 1019, or you can crash record through remote deck control.
Using the Digital Cut Tool The Digital Cut tool opens. 4. Select the Output Mode and Bit Depth, as described in “Output Mode Resolution Options” on page 1021. Take care to select the Output Mode that supports the output device and provides the output resolution you need. 5. Select or deselect the Entire Sequence option based upon the following: t Select the Entire Sequence option if you want the system to ignore any IN or OUT points and play the entire sequence from start to finish.
Output Mode Resolution Options c Make sure you connect the correct deck and black burst generator for the output format you selected (NTSC or PAL). 12. Press the Record button on the deck. 13. Click the Play Digital Cut button. The deck plays and records the digital cut. The playback appears in the Source/Record monitor and in the Client monitor. 14. (Option) To stop the recording at any time, do one of the following: t Press the space bar. t Click the Halt Digital Cut button.
Output Mode Resolution Options Output Device display (top), Output Mode menu (bottom left), and Bit Depth menu (bottom right) in the Digital Cut tool The following table provides information on the output resolutions. Output Mode Description Real-Time Provides 1:1 uncompressed SD or HD output through an Avid Nitris DX or Avid Mojo DX. DVCPRO HD Provides DVCPRO HD output through a Host 1394 connection. All media must be DVCPro HD. Does not support real-time effects playback.
Outputting DV 50 and DVCPRO HD Media Directly to a DV Device Output Mode Description DV25 Provides DV25 output through a Host 1394 connection. All media must be DV 25. Does not support real-time effects playback. Outputting DV 50 and DVCPRO HD Media Directly to a DV Device You can output DV 50 or DVCPRO HD sequences directly to a DV device. This lets you output without any loss due to compression and decompression.
Selecting Output and Timecode Formats for 23.976p and 25p Projects Selecting Output and Timecode Formats for 23.976p and 25p Projects When you are working in a 23.976p or 25p project, you can output multiple formats from the same progressive media.When you are working in a 23.976p, 24p, or 25p project, you can output multiple formats — NTSC video, PAL video, and audio — all from the same progressive media.
Output Format Reference for 23.976p and 25p Projects Audio play rates differ depending on your project type. For full reference information on the output formats and on audio play rates, see “Output Format Reference for 23.976p and 25p Projects” on page 1025. Output Format Reference for 23.976p and 25p Projects The following table provides reference information for the Output formats (play rates) available in the Digital Cut tool for 23.976p and 25p projects.
Output Format Reference for 23.976p and 25p Projects Digital Cut Tool Output Format (Play Rate) Target Project or System, and Recording Media 29.97 (NTSC) Animation projects; negative cutting with lockbox; some kinescope printing 24 (PAL) Audio for film projection; DAWs (video for reference only) Description Plays back the sequence at 29.97 fps. This play rate tells your Avid editing application to speed up the playback speed without adding pulldown fields.
Selecting the Timecode Format for Output If you are working in a 23.976 project, all output play rates are available, but only 23.976 NTSC maintains the original audio quality. For 23.976 NTSC, the audio rate is not slowed down for output and remains at 48 kHz. For 29.97 NTSC, the audio rate is sped up 25 percent and is not usable. Use this output rate for animations and other special applications.
Outputting Drop-Frame and Non-Drop-Frame Timecode Simultaneously for Downstream Encoding t Click the LTC Output menu, and select Drop or Non-Drop. Outputting Drop-Frame and Non-Drop-Frame Timecode Simultaneously for Downstream Encoding You can output drop-frame and non-drop-frame NTSC timecode simultaneously from a 23.976p or 25p project. A broadcast production company might need to output drop-frame timecode for a broadcast master while outputting non-drop-frame timecode to track NTSC film pulldown.
Selecting the Video Pulldown Cadence The value you select also sets the rate for LTC output, if any, without changing the play rate of the media being output (24 NTSC). n Your Avid editing application can generate LTC at 29.97 fps only. No LTC will be output if you select 30.00. To indicate the destination timecode rate: 1. Select Clip > Digital Cut. 2. Click the Dest. TC Rate menu, and select 29.97 fps or 30.00 fps.
Changing the Default Pulldown Phase for Sequences n You cannot control some analog audio decks from the Digital Cut tool. If the deck does not have a serial control port, you need to select Local when you record the digital cut. Your output choice in the Digital Cut tool automatically sets the pulldown switch. If you perform an audio-only digital cut, your Avid editing application plays the video tracks in the Client monitor to ensure the most accurate audio sync.
Understanding DV Digital Cut Delay 3. Type A or B in the Pullin column. - Pullin A: The first frame of the sequence plays back as two fields, the second frame as three fields, the third frame as two fields, and so on. - Pullin B: The first frame of the sequence plays back as three fields, the second frame as two fields, the third frame as three fields, and so on. Now you can perform a digital cut to append the new sequence.
Delaying the Sequence for a Digital Cut To correct this, the DV digital cut delay should be increased to have the Avid system delay sending the sequence to the device. If the DV digital cut delay is set to three frames, this should cause recording on the tape to begin with the correct sequence frame. Delaying the Sequence for a Digital Cut You can delay the sequence stream being sent to a DV device during a digital cut.
Vertical Blanking Information Vertical Blanking Information Avid editing applications using Avid input/output hardware let you work with vertical blanking information in some SD material. You can choose whether to display 5 lines above each field in NTSC and 8 lines above each field for PAL and whether to preserve the lines when you perform a digital cut.
Vertical Blanking Information You might want to preserve the following vertical blanking information: • Edgecode or key number information for a film project You might want to preserve edgecode information to easily identify the source film reel for a clip. In this case, the edgecode information would have been originally inserted during the telecine process.
Vertical Blanking Information VBI menu in the Video Output tool 2. Click the VBI menu and select Preserve. If you select Blank, your Avid editing application fills the vertical blanking interval with video black (R=G=B=16). 3. Close the Video Output tool. Any VBI information that is present in your clips or sequences will now be displayed. If you perform a digital cut, any VBI information that is in your sequence will be output.
Vertical Blanking Information Your Avid editing application uses the following rules when applying effects to material containing VBI information: n n • Single track effects do not alter the VBI information. For example, if you apply a color correction effect to the sequence, the VBI lines are not affected. • Multi-track effects such as picture-in-picture effects or 3D Warp effects use the VBI information of the track on the lowest layer. (Swap sources is ignored in the VBI area).
Vertical Blanking Information The following problems may occur: • If the frame contains vertical blanking information, the picture quality of the entire frame might be slightly degraded due to the added entropy or complexity from the vertical blanking lines. The higher the compression ratio, the greater the number of artifacts that might be visible. For a compression ratio of 2:1, the number of artifacts might not be noticeable at all.
Preserving HD Closed Captioning and Ancillary Data Feature Meridien Current Can VBI information affect compression quality? Yes Yes Can compression affect VBI quality? Yes Yes For details on how Meridien systems support VBI, see the Preserving Information in the Vertical Blanking Interval white paper on the Avid Knowledge Base.
Preserving HD Closed Captioning and Ancillary Data Data Track Method The Data Track method stores ancillary data as a separate MXF file. A D (Data) track is added to your sequence, along with the video and audio track. You can edit clips on the D track, just as you would any other clip.
Preserving HD Closed Captioning and Ancillary Data of a data track in the Avid EDL Manager’s Track Selector panel with the D track button. Events which contain a Data track appear in an EDL with a “D” where the “V” appears for video tracks. Adding a Data Track You can add one Data track directly to the Timeline or you can extract the ancillary data from a video clip to create the Data track.
Preserving HD Closed Captioning and Ancillary Data Adding the Active Format Description to the Data Track Active Format Description (AFD) is a standard set of codes that can be sent in the video stream that carries information about the aspect ratio and the active picture characteristics. AFD information allows you to display the video of one aspect ratio on a display with another aspect ratio. When in an HD project, you can choose to add the AFD information to the data track.
Preserving HD Closed Captioning and Ancillary Data 3. Select the Active format information you want to include with the data track. The active format options change depending upon the selected Coded Frame. A graphical representation of the active format is displayed in the Modify window to show you how the active format area will be displayed.
Preserving HD Closed Captioning and Ancillary Data The table below shows the selectable active format options. Option Description Active Format • 0000 Undefined • 0100 Box >16:9 (center) • 1000 Center • 1001 4:3 (center) • 1010 16:9 (with complete 16:9 image protected) • 1011 14:9 (center) • 1101 4:3 (with alternative 14:9 center) • 1110 16:9 (with alternative 14:9 center) • 1111 16:9 (with alternative 4:3 center) 4. Click OK.
Preserving HD Closed Captioning and Ancillary Data If you consolidate the XDCAM or MXF clip or the sequence that contains the XDCAM or MXF clip with ancillary data, the ancillary data track stays with the consolidated clip or sequence. In addition, the Ancillary Data bin column populates with the DID and SDID numbers once you consolidate or transcode the clip with the ancillary data. In order to AMA link to the XDCAM ancillary data clip, you need to install the latest XDCAM AMA plug-in.
Preserving HD Closed Captioning and Ancillary Data Ancillary Data and Avid Editing Functions The table below describes if you can use a particular editing function with the new Data Track method or with the Legacy method.
Preserving HD Closed Captioning and Ancillary Data Transcode Data Track Method Legacy Method Not Applicable Not Applicable Yes (with Avid Nitris DX or Avid Mojo DX and source and destination media must be DNxHD) n Consolidate Not Applicable Yes Mixdown Not Applicable Yes Import (AAF with embedded media) Not Applicable Not Applicable Yes (with Avid Nitris DX or Avid Mojo DX only) Yes (with Avid Nitris DX or Avid Mojo DX only) Export (AAF with embedded media) Not Applicable Not Applicable
Preserving HD Closed Captioning and Ancillary Data • You can control which types of ancillary data you capture through the Capture Settings tab in the Media Creation tool or by using Console commands. The data you capture is the same as the data you output. • Four data slots are available, and the maximum size of the four data slots combined is 256 bytes, of which 7 bytes per enabled slot is for Avid control data.
Preserving HD Closed Captioning and Ancillary Data Controlling Ancillary Data through a Settings Window - Legacy Method This feature is only available with an Avid Nitris DX or an Avid Mojo DX. You can turn the ancillary data option on and off and set the slots through the Media Creation Settings. To switch the ancillary data feature on and off through a Settings window: 1. Do one of the following: t Double-click Media Creation in the Settings list. t Select Tools > Media Creation. 2.
Preserving HD Closed Captioning and Ancillary Data n Data Packet DID SDID CEA 708 61 01 CEA 608 61 02 AFD 41 05 ATC 60 60 The slot 3 default has changed from DTV to AFD, which is different from previous releases. To set options for ancillary data preservation for a single slot: 1. Select Tools > Console. 2.
Preserving HD Closed Captioning and Ancillary Data Capturing Ancillary Data with a Data Track While you capture video and audio clips, if your Avid editing system has an Avid Nitris DX or an Avid Mojo DX attached, you can also capture clips with ancillary data. You perform the same steps included in “Preparing for Capture” on page 135 and “Capturing Media” on page 194 to capture video and audio media. Make sure you select the Data track (D) Channel Selection in the Capture tool.
Preserving HD Closed Captioning and Ancillary Data The Data Mixdown dialog box opens. 4. Select a target bin and target drive for storing the new master clip, and then click OK. A progress indicator appears. When the data mixdown finishes, a new clip appears in the bin along with the sequence, and a new media file is created on the target drive.
Preserving HD Closed Captioning and Ancillary Data 5. (Option) Select Use Marks. When Use Marks is selected, the current IN and OUT points in the selected clip or sequence determine starting and ending frames for the export. 6. (Option) Select Use Enabled Tracks. When Use Enabled Tracks is selected, the system uses tracks that are enabled in the Timeline. To export all the tracks in the sequence, deselect this option. 7. Select an XDCAM HD disk from the Target XDCAM Disk list.
Preserving HD Closed Captioning and Ancillary Data Sony applies its own file-naming convention. All exported clips are given a new sequential name of Cxxxx.mxf, for example, C0019.mxf. A progress bar appears displaying the new Sony XDCAM HD sequential clip name. The sequence is exported.
24 Transferring Projects This chapter contains information about transferring projects to another Avid editing system. • Transferring Project and Media Files Between Avid Editing Systems Transferring Project and Media Files Between Avid Editing Systems There are two basic methods for transferring projects: • Moving project folders, settings, and media files between the systems. • Moving project folders and settings between the systems, and then recapturing the media.
Transferring Project and Media Files Between Avid Editing Systems Method Requirements Restrictions External SCSI drive None For compatibility information, see the Avid Drive Striping Tables, which are available by searching for “drive striping” on the Avid Customer Support Knowledge Base. Fibre Channel drive None For compatibility information, see the Avid Drive Striping Tables. External 1394 (FireWire) drive None For compatibility information, see the Avid Drive Striping Tables.
Transferring Project and Media Files Between Avid Editing Systems Transferring Project Files and Media Files Using Nonshared Storage You can use removable nonshared storage devices to transfer media files between Avid editing applications. You can move the project and user files you need to open projects, bins, or user profiles on another Avid system by copying them to the same drive that holds the media files, or to some other removable device or network location.
Transferring Project and Media Files Between Avid Editing Systems The default locations for application folders are listed in the following table. The exact location on your system depends on your Avid editing application, its version, and how it was installed on your system. For example, older versions store projects in an Avid Projects folder that is located in the same folder as the application.
Transferring Project and Media Files Between Avid Editing Systems n Your Avid editing application reconstructs the MediaFiles database the first time you start to incorporate the new media into the system’s internal directory. Do not rename the project folder. The project settings do not link to the project if you rename the project folder.
25 Using the NRCS Tool The Newsroom Computer System (NRCS) tool lets you use one computer to view stories and rundowns located on an Avid iNEWS® server or on an Electronic News Production System (ENPS®) server and to edit sequences in your Avid editing application. You use the NRCS tool to connect to an iNEWS server to access story scripts and to edit stories on Avid NewsCutter.
Configuring the NRCS Tool n • Sending and Receiving NRCS Mail (iNEWS Only) • Disconnecting from Your NRCS Server Your iNEWS or ENPS user permissions define how many of these procedures you can perform. If you are unsure of your permissions, consult your system administrator. Configuring the NRCS Tool You must configure the NRCS settings before you can connect to an iNEWS or an ENPS server.
Configuring the NRCS Tool 5. Fill in the following columns in the MOS Configuration window. Column Description Description Type the description of the new client — for example, Avid editor. IP Address Type the IP address for the Avid editing system client. Repeater ID Select the Repeater ID (ENPS MOS Repeater Name). To configure the running order: 1. Click the news group folder. Typically, this should be the third folder. Do not click the Rover. The group folder lists the running orders. 2.
Configuring the NRCS Tool n The NRCS Settings dialog box also appears when you connect to a server if the active NRCS setting lists no name in the Server text box. 3. Type the name of the server. 4. (iNEWS only) If you selected the iNEWS server, type a default user name. 5. (Option) Select “Logout when NRCS Tool is closed” if you want to terminate the connection to the server every time you close the NRCS tool. 6.
Configuring the NRCS Tool 8. (iNEWS only) Configure the Message-of-the-Day (MOTD) settings, Mail Directory, and Story Field Assignment values: a. b.
Configuring the NRCS Tool 9. (iNEWS only) Select the default metadata used when creating a sequence with the NRCS tool: a. Clicking the Build Sequence button in the NRCS tool creates a new sequence with a duration determined by the value in the specified Story Form field. Enter a Story Form field name in the Duration text box. The default is the iNEWS tape-time field. The iNEWS server provides the Story Form headings in the NRCS tool.
Starting the NRCS Tool c. If you want to list running order names, including the Editorial Start date and time, select Show running order start date/time. d. If you want to list story names, including the page number, select Show story page number. e. In the Sequence Creation area, type the default time you want for the duration of new sequences in the Default Duration text box. f. Select Show MOS ID if you want the MOS identification to display below MOS object cues in the Production panel. 13.
NRCS Tool Components (iNEWS only) The NRCS Login dialog box opens for the iNEWS server. The iNEWS server name appears as part of the title bar text. (ENPS only) The NRCS tool connects to the ENPS server. (A login dialog box does not appear for the ENPS server.) 3. (iNEWS only) If you did not set a default name in the NRCS Settings dialog box, type a user name. 4. (iNEWS only) Type the password. 5. (iNEWS only) Click OK.
NRCS Tool Components 1 2 3 4 5 15 6 7 16 8 17 9 10 11 12 13 14 18 1 Connect/Disconnect button 7 Cue Marking buttons 13 Post to Web button 2 Send Mail button 8 Formatting buttons 14 Read Time display 3 Show/Hide Story Form opener 9 Story form 15 Directory panel 4 Save button 10 Mark IN/OUT button 5 Story Name text box 11 Build Sequence button 17 Production Cue text box 6 Cancel button 12 Find Sequence button 16 Production panel 18 Story panel The following illustrati
NRCS Tool Components 2 1 3 9 n 10 1 Connect/Disconnect button 7 Post to Web button 2 MOS media item 8 Read Time display 3 Story Name text box 9 Directory panel 4 Mark IN/OUT button 10 Production panel 5 Build Sequence button 11 Story panel 6 Find Sequence button 4 5 6 7 8 11 Many of the concepts and options in the NRCS tool are similar to those of the iNEWS or the ENPS client application.
NRCS Tool Components Component Server Support Description (Continued) Show/Hide Story Form triangular opener iNEWS Opens and closes the Story Form display. Story Name text box iNEWS and ENPS Shows the directory path and name of the story. Post To Web button iNEWS and ENPS Opens a dialog box for creating Web content from an iNEWS or an ENPS story. Directory panel iNEWS and ENPS Lists the contents of the accessed news database.
Using the Directory Panel Component Server Support Description (Continued) Production panel iNEWS and ENPS Displays production information: Story panel n iNEWS and ENPS • (iNEWS) Displays production cues and timing markers scripted into a story. • (ENPS) Displays MOS media items and anchors read-rate markers. Displays the text of a story. For a scripted story, the Production panel contains production cues and other markers and the Story panel contains the text.
Using the Directory Panel n (ENPS only) A small green light flashes on the Disconnect button as the tool receives stories from the server. Directory stories first display gray in the list, then display black when they become available. Directories and stories in the Directory panel. For ENPS only, a green light flashes on the Disconnect button (left) as stories display. The Send Mail button and the Story information columns (right) are iNEWS only features. 2.
Changing the Text Display To create a shortcut to a directory: 1. Navigate to the directory. 2. Right-click the directory name, and select Make Shortcut. The NRCS tool creates the shortcut, which appears in italic above the server name in the Directory panel. A shortcut above a server name in the Directory panel To remove a shortcut to a directory: t Right-click the directory name, and select Remove Shortcut. The shortcut is removed.
Editing Story Text (iNEWS Only) You save the font and point size with the current NRCS settings, but the changes apply only to the local client. Settings on the iNEWS or the ENPS server do not change. To alter the appearance of the text in your story: t Select the text in the Story panel, right-click, and select a font and point size.
Editing Story Text (iNEWS Only) 4. Right-click, and select Paste. Marking Text (iNEWS Only) You can mark certain text in your story for the purposes of machine code, closed captions, or presenter instructions. Text marked for these functions does not contribute to the read time of a story. For more information, see “Finding the Read Time of a Story” on page 1078. • Machine Control — Machine control text appears blue. You can mark text as Machine Control only in a Production Cue text box.
Editing Story Text (iNEWS Only) Formatting Text (iNEWS Only) You use a combination of the formatting buttons and the shortcut menu to change the format of story text. If you have applied formatting to text, you can remove the formatting by deselecting the applied format or by marking the text as Normal. To format text: 1. Select the text you want to format. 2. Do one of the following: t Click the Underline (U), the Italic (I), or the Bold (B) button.
Editing Story Text (iNEWS Only) Two production cues in the Production panel and corresponding Production Cue markers in the Story panel To insert a production cue into your scripted story: 1. In the Story panel, move the pointer next to or within the text where you want to place the production cue. 2. Right-click, and select Insert Production Cue. A blue asterisk marker appears within the Story panel, and a blank box opens in the Production panel. 3. Type the cue information in the text box.
Editing Story Text (iNEWS Only) You must be in Edit mode to add a loaded cue to your story. For information on entering edit mode, see “Editing Story Text (iNEWS Only)” on page 1073. n When used with the Post to Web feature, loaded cues become links to video clips accessible to users over the Web (see “Using the Post to Web Feature” on page 1087). You can also view the head frame of a loaded cue in the Production Cue text box, and change the size of the head frame display.
Finding the Read Time of a Story t Right-click the clip icon on the Production Cue text box and select one of the following: - Enlarge HeadFrames - Reduce HeadFrames To use a loaded cue: t Click the Production Cue text box and drag it to a bin or to the Source/Record monitor. The clip or sequence appears in the bin or in the Source/Record monitor. You can then use and edit it like any other clip or sequence.
Sequences and Stories To calculate the read time of a story: 1. Move the pointer to the Story panel. 2. Do one of the following: t Right-click, and select Select All. t Select a portion of the text with the mouse. The read time appears in the upper right corner of the NRCS tool. n If you have ToolTips enabled, the current wpm rate appears in the label for the Read Time display. For more information on ToolTips, see “” on page 1380.
Sequences and Stories Consider the following when you place clips in the new sequence: • The NRCS tool processes loaded cues in the order they appear in the story text. The tool edits only those that appear before the end of the text (and before the end of the sequence) into the sequence. • The NRCS tool uses the read time of the text up to the anchor point for the loaded cue to determine the placement of the Timeline position bar for each edit. The clip’s IN to OUT points determine the edit length.
Sequences and Stories (ENPS) The new sequence is built from the first media item in the story. The length of the media item becomes the sequence’s duration, and the tape ID is also assigned. You can create a sequence from any MOS media item in the story by dragging the item’s production cue to a bin (known as loaded cues in iNEWS). 3. (Option) If you Shift+click the Build Sequence button, a new bin will be created to hold the new sequence (named after the sequence).
Sequences and Stories NewsCutter bases the length of the created sequence on an assigned duration, associated with the story. NewsCutter bases the position of the IN and OUT points on an approximate calculation, depending on the word count and the assumed read time. The assigned sequence length and the computed story length might not be the same. You can create a sequence longer or shorter than the actual read time of the story.
Associating a Sequence with a Story n You can use the Timecode pop-up menu to compare the IN and OUT points. For more information on using the Timecode display, see “Using the Timecode Window” on page 463. Associating a Sequence with a Story In addition to using the NRCS tool to create a new sequence, you can associate an existing sequence with an iNEWS or an ENPS story. This lets you create a video sequence in NewsCutter, and then later associate it with a story in the iNEWS or ENPS database.
Adjusting the Story Timing (iNEWS Only) Adjusting the Story Timing (iNEWS Only) You might want to adjust the story timing in cases where you use the Mark IN/OUT button to set In and Out points in the Timeline based on the story text timing. For example, if your story has introductory text that you do not want included in the sequence, you can set In and Out points in the sequence so that the extra text offsets the computed times. You must be in Edit mode to insert timing cues in a story.
Adjusting the Story Timing (iNEWS Only) For example, if part of the story has a video clip but no corresponding text, this creates an offset of the timing of any following text. You can fix this by adding a Time Pad cue at the point where the video clip occurs (using the clip duration as the value). You must be in Edit mode to insert timing cues in a story. For information on entering edit mode, see “Editing Story Text (iNEWS Only)” on page 1073.
Using Associated Sequences Using Associated Sequences The NRCS tool lets you locate sequences associated with NRCS stories or, conversely, to locate stories from their associated sequences. This makes it easier to find stories on your iNEWS or ENPS server (for example, when the tape ID is unknown) or to load sequences for NRCS scripts directly into the Timeline. n (iNEWS) Only sequences created with the NRCS tool and which have valid identifiers in the NrcsID bin column can be associated with a story.
Using the Post to Web Feature Using the Post to Web Feature You can use the NRCS tool to generate a hypertext version of your iNEWS or ENPS story for viewing on the World Wide Web. The Post to Web feature helps you to create Internet content directly from a single script rather than requiring the production of dual content, one for broadcast and one for the Web.
Using the Post to Web Feature 4. (Option) Click the Lowercase button to convert the story if Post to Web does not automatically reformat the script (for example, if you did not select the Always option in the Post To Web tab in the NRCS Settings dialog box). The Lowercase button appears only if Post to Web did not convert the story to lowercase characters. To create a Web page without a preloaded story: 1. Click the Post To Web button. 2.
Using the Post to Web Feature Example of linking a clip to text, showing selected text (top) and the Linked Clip menu (bottom) t n Select the text in the Story text box that you want to associate with a clip, right-click in the story text, and select Link > clip. The Link submenu lists loaded cues and any sequences associated with your story. The menu updates whenever you add clips to the Story text box. The selected text is highlighted in blue and becomes a link to the clip.
Using the Post to Web Feature The Link submenu in the Post to Web dialog box t Click a clip and drag it from an open bin to the Story text box. Post to Web creates a link wherever you place the selection cursor. If you selected text in the Story text box before dragging in the clip, the tool highlights the selected text and creates a link. If you did not select any text, the tool inserts the name of the clip and creates a link.
Using the Post to Web Feature n The template descriptions in this section refer to HTML coding only as an example. The Web page templates used by Post to Web can be in any formatting language, for example XML. Templates include tags that Post to Web uses to convert your story into a Web page: n • < ! - - STORY - - > • < ! - - TEXT - - > • < ! - - CLIP - - > • < ! - - VIDEOFORMAT - - > • < ! - - HYPERCLIP - - > Do not include HTML comment tags within the format elements.
Using the Post to Web Feature Using the Text Tag in Post to Web Templates You use the Text tag to position headlines, headings, subheadings, captions, or other text elements on your Web page. The Text tag takes the following form: < ! - - TEXT “Label” format elements $TEXT$ - - > Labels appear in the Field column of the Template tab in the Post To Web dialog box.
Using the Post to Web Feature The HTML code showing the Post to Web output: Wetlands Controversy Using the Clip Tag in Post to Web Templates You use the Clip tag to create links to media files stored on a server. When you link a video clip to your story (see “Linking Clips for Post to Web” on page 1088), Post to Web automatically creates a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) for the clip. The Clip tag inserts the URL into the Web page. You can also include text, such as captions, to accompany the media.
Using the Post to Web Feature The Label (left), the clip name (center) that is the basis for the URL, and the user-supplied text (right) that replaces the $TEXT$ placeholder The HTML code showing the Post to Web output:
Wetlands Controversy Brews
Using the Videoformat Tag in Post to Web Templates You use the Videoformat tag to link encoding formats to video clips.Using the Post to Web Feature The following example shows a Videoformat tag as it appears in a template, in the Post field in the Post To Web dialog box, and in the HTML code generated by the template.
Using the Post to Web Feature < ! - - HYPERCLIP format elements placeholder - - > The placeholder specifies the media file displayed on the Web page.
Using the Post to Web Feature 6. For any display fields, click in the text column to the right of the field name and type any text you want displayed on the Web page. The specific template you use defines which fields are displayed in the Text Fields and Video Fields tabs. 7. Repeat step 6 for each field you want to customize. 8. Click the Video Fields tab. 9. Select an item in the field and do one of the following: t Click a clip and drag it from an open bin. Place it in the appropriate row.
Using the Post to Web Feature 3. Click the Post tab. 4. Select either the ProEncode or the Direct Export option. If you use Direct Export, and the format you want for your video clips does not appear in the menu, click the Options button and select a format from the Export Settings dialog box. 5. In the Video area, click the Format menu and select a video format. ProEncode formats are supplied by the Media Services broker.
Sending and Receiving NRCS Mail (iNEWS Only) 8. In the Web Server area, do one of the following: t Click the Server Path menu, and select a server or shared volume folder. The menu lists the most recently used folders. t Click the Browse button, and select a new server or shared volume folder. t Use Windows Explorer to locate a folder, and then click the folder and drag it to the Server Path text box. 9.
Sending and Receiving NRCS Mail (iNEWS Only) 2. Type an address in the To text box. 3. (Option) Type an address in the CC text box. 4. (Option) Type a subject in the Subject text box. 5. Type your message in the message area. 6. Do one of the following: t Click OK to send the message. t Click Cancel to close the dialog box without sending the message. Receiving NRCS Tool Mail (iNEWS only) To receive NRCS tool mail: 1. Navigate to and open the PEOPLE directory in the Directory panel. 2.
Disconnecting from Your NRCS Server Disconnecting from Your NRCS Server When you have finished using the NRCS tool, you should disconnect from the iNEWS or the ENPS server. n If you selected “Logout when NRCS Tool is closed” in the NRCS Settings dialog box, the NRCS tool automatically disconnects from the server whenever you close the tool or switch to a workspace that does not include the NRCS tool. To disconnect from the iNEWS or the ENPS server: t Click the Disconnect button.
26 Working with Avid Interplay from an Avid Editing System Avid Interplay is an asset management system that provides a central database of assets (such as master clips, subclips, sequences, and graphics) that you use during your production process. n This section is primarily for editing systems within an Interplay workgroup.
Dos and Don’ts for Editors Working with Avid Interplay The following topic is particularly useful if you are new to working with Interplay: • Dos and Don’ts for Editors Working with Avid Interplay Dos and Don’ts for Editors Working with Avid Interplay The following information is useful for editors who are working with Avid Interplay. It includes guidelines for working with Interplay and a list of dos and don’ts. Also see “Checklist for Editors Working with Interplay” on page 1105.
Dos and Don’ts for Editors Working with Avid Interplay When an Avid Interplay server is available in an Avid shared-storage system in the workgroup environment, Avid strongly encourages not sharing bins or projects. Use the Avid Interplay Window and the check-in process to share media. Similarly, you should not use the File > Open Bin command.
Checklist for Editors Working with Interplay • Regularly clean up the contents of your bins: anything that you don’t need can be deleted. It’s a good idea to delete unwanted media before you check in a bin. If you choose to leave material in your bin without checking it in to Interplay, the material will go to the UIAA folder and sit there until deleted, taking up space on your Avid shared-storage system. • Use reservations to protect material against accidental deletion.
Checklist for Editors Working with Interplay Step Refer to If you are saving media to a locally-connected storage, then make sure it is properly connected and configured for indexing. Before you begin editing: Create a project in the appropriate location, using the proper “Creating Avid Editing Projects in an Interplay naming convention. Environment” on Before you open a project, make sure that Interplay page 1118. supports the media format which you intend to edit.
Checklist for Editors Working with Interplay Step Refer to When editing HD formats, make sure that you acquire your media in a format supported by Interplay. “Interplay Support for Native HD 23.976p and 24p Formats” in the Avid Interplay Help”. If you are working on an audio production using Avid Pro Tools, refer to the documentation for specific requirements on Interplay. Pro Tools Avid Interplay Guide on the Avid web site.
Working with Interplay and Remote Assets Working with Interplay and Remote Assets With Avid Interplay, users can share assets through folders that are managed by the Interplay database and accessible to all workstations in the Interplay environment. If your workflow includes checking in bins from an Avid editing application, you can set up your editing project so that checkins you perform automatically create corresponding folders on Interplay.
Working with Interplay and Remote Assets Top: the Project window and opened bin from an Avid editing application. Bottom: the corresponding folder in the Interplay Window. The project folder and its subfolders also contain project settings that primarily govern media acquisition — for example, frame rates, formats, and target workspaces. For more information about creating and managing projects in an Interplay environment, .
Administrator Settings for Avid Editing Clients You can check assets in and out in several different ways: n • Check assets out by dragging them from the Interplay Window or from Interplay Access (see “Checking Avid Assets Out Using the Interplay Window” on page 1127 or “Checking Avid Assets Out Using Interplay Access” on page 1130).
Using the Interplay Window Using the Interplay Window The Avid Interplay Window is a tool that you open from the Tools menu of your Avid editing application. The Interplay Window provides you with access to the Interplay database. You can copy (check out) assets to your local bin and work with them like any other bin objects.
Connecting to the Avid Interplay Database You also need be connected to the Avid shared-storage network. If you are working in an Avid shared-storage workgroup, your Avid system administrator needs to configure your system for proper access to the Avid shared-storage workspaces. If you need to log in to Avid shared storage and mount workspaces, see “Connecting to Avid Shared Storage and Mounting Workspaces” on page 1124.
Connecting to the Avid Interplay Database 6. In the User Name text box, type a user name. This name must be a known user on your workgroup system. 7. Select “Automatic Login at Project Selection” if you want to log in to the Interplay database automatically every time you open a project. If you do not select this option, you must open this dialog box when you want to access the database. 8. Click Login to establish the connection to the Interplay database.
Connecting to the Avid Interplay Database 11. Click the Set button, and a directory tree is displayed for the Interplay database that you logged in to. 12. Select a folder to use as the default Interplay Root Folder for your project and click OK. The Interplay Folder setting defines where assets are checked into the Interplay database when you use menu commands, automatic checkin, or Frame Chase capture.
Connecting to the Avid Interplay Database Logging in to Interplay and Opening the Interplay Window If you configured the Interplay User settings to log in to the database when you select your project, the Interplay Login dialog box opens when you start your Avid editing application. If you did not select this option, then you must open the Interplay User settings before logging in to the database. After you log in, you have the option of opening the Interplay Window.
Connecting to the Avid Interplay Database n You can override the Host Name and User Name settings in the Interplay Login dialog box. 3. If an Interplay Folder path is not set, the Interplay Folder Settings dialog box is displayed. Set the path and other options and click OK. See “Configuring Interplay Settings on the Editing Workstation” on page 1112. (Option) You can set an option to display a message box that asks you to confirm the Interplay Folder path, if it is already set.
Connecting to the Avid Interplay Database 4. Select options to verify the directory path. - On login: If this setting is selected, a message box asks you to confirm the directory path after you log in to Interplay. Select “for new projects only” if you want this message box displayed only after you create a new project. When the message is displayed after login, click OK to accept the directory path, or click Change Setting to open the Interplay Folder Settings dialog box.
Creating Avid Editing Projects in an Interplay Environment Creating Avid Editing Projects in an Interplay Environment One of the biggest decisions you will make regarding your workflow is the location of the projects and bins created by the editing applications.
Creating Avid Editing Projects in an Interplay Environment Shared A Shared Project is stored locally. It can be accessed by any user that can log on the editing machine. On a Windows system, a Shared Project is always stored in the machine’s Shared Documents directory.
Interplay Settings in the Editing Application External An External Project can be saved to any directory, either local or remote. Depending on the file-system permissions set on the selected folder, other users or an administrator may or may not be able to access the project. The external option is particularly useful when you want to save the project on shared network drive to make project maintenance easier. n Avid does not support sharing bins in an Interplay environment.
Defining the Interplay Folder Setting Option Description Interplay Server (Site Setting) Specify the name of the Interplay Engine for the environment. If the site has an Interplay Engine Cluster, this is a virtual name that will log in to the active node. Interplay User (User Setting) Specify the name of the default Interplay user (if applicable) and check the Automatic Login at Project Selection checkbox.
Defining the Interplay Folder Setting The Project folder selected. Click the Append project checkbox. The following illustration shows a folder for a project named “The Big Swell” created in the Projects folder. The folder was created automatically when the editor checked the first bin into Interplay using the Check in Bin to Interplay command. The system automatically created both folders and checked in the assets into the folder. Folders created by checking in the bin. Checked in assets.
Defining the Media Creation Settings To instruct the system to automatically check in bins when the editor closes the application, select the Bins option in the Editor Database Settings window in the Avid Interplay Administration tool. The default is to ask the editor before checking in the bin. Defining the Media Creation Settings Use the Media Creation dialog box to define the video resolution and the drives where you want the Avid editing application to store newly created media.
Connecting to Avid Shared Storage and Mounting Workspaces Connecting to Avid Shared Storage and Mounting Workspaces If you need to manually connect to your Avid shared-storage system and mount workspaces, use one of the procedures in this section. For complete information, see your Avid shared-storage documentation. Mounting Workspaces on an Avid ISIS System If your system is connected to an Avid ISIS media network, you can use the Client Manager to mount a workspace before you begin your work session.
Connecting to Avid Shared Storage and Mounting Workspaces The Avid ISIS Client Manager. The three panels contain the Connections list (top), the Workspaces list (center), and messages (bottom). Highlighted on the left is the Workspaces filtering area. Highlighted on the right are the Retrieve Details buttons and the toolbar. 2. Select the System Director you want to connect to from the Connections list. 3.
Connecting to Avid Shared Storage and Mounting Workspaces To mount an Avid ISIS workspace on your system: 1. Open the Client Manager. The Workspaces list opens. The Online field displays a green ball for workspaces that are already mounted. You can filter the Workspaces list by Workspace name. 2. Do one of the following: n t Click (mount) in the Online column for the selected workspace. t Click to select a workspace, then right-click, and select Mount.
Editing with Remote Assets The Client Manager mounts the selected workspaces on your client and the Online icons for the mounted workspaces change to green. The Workspaces list displays the drives the workspaces are mounted to. If you use letterless drive mappings, the Workspaces list displays “UNC path” next to the Online icons. 4. (Option) If you want the selected workspaces remounted the next time you log in, right-click, and select “Enable auto mount”.
Editing with Remote Assets The Interplay Window displays the Avid assets in the selected folder. 5. Click the assets you want to check out, and drag them to your bin. The bin displays the clips and sequences.
Editing with Remote Assets This message could also appear if another user has checked in a modified version of the asset after you checked it out. Click “Update anyway” to overwrite the local version with the version on the database, or click “Keep local modifications” to preserve the local version.
Editing with Remote Assets Checking Avid Assets Out Using Interplay Access When you are working with an Avid editing application, you might want to use the advanced search in Interplay Access to look for particular Avid assets. After finding the assets, you can drag them from Interplay Access into a bin (checking out the assets), which creates local copies of the assets (but not the media).
Editing with Remote Assets Method Description Check in assets by You can check in assets to a bin using the Bin > Check In Bin to Interplay command or the checking in a bin Bin > Check in All Open Bins to Interplay command. These commands check in the following items: • Items that have been modified since they were last checked in or out • Items that have been added to a bin.
Editing with Remote Assets 3. Do one of the following: t To check in all Avid assets in a bin, select the bin and then select Bin > Check In Bin To Interplay or File > Check In All Open Bins to Interplay, or right-click the Bin Fast menu and select Check In Bin To Interplay. t To check in Avid assets in all open bins, select Bin > Check In All Open Bins to Interplay or right-click the Bin Fast menu and select Check In Bin To Interplay.
Editing with Remote Assets 4. (Option) Right-click the Projects folder in the Interplay Window, select Create a New Folder, and then type a name for the folder. 5. Select one or more items in the bin and drop them in a folder in the Interplay Window. Automatically Checking In Avid Assets You can automatically check in media assets by setting the appropriate option in the Avid Interplay Administrator.
Editing with Remote Assets Automatic checkin is optimized to work more quickly than the menu commands described in “Checking Avid Assets In to the Interplay Database” on page 1130. If a bin contains any new or modified items, it is processed exactly as when you use the menu commands. If there are no new or modified items in a bin, no items in the bin are checked in. In this case, automatic checkin will not detect that items have been deleted from the bin’s database folder.
Editing with Remote Assets You can also edit files that have been checked into Interplay from Pro Tools. For more information, see “Using Pro Tools and Interplay” in Avid Interplay Best Practices. For more information about using and customizing the Interplay Window, see “Managing Remote Assets with the Interplay Window” on page 1139. To view Avid assets in the Source monitor: 1. Start your Avid editing application, and either create a new project or open an existing project. 2.
Editing with Remote Assets Understanding In-Progress Clips If your Avid editing application is part of a workgroup environment managed by Avid Interplay, you can edit using in-progress clips. In-progress clips are created using Frame Chase capture capabilities, either on another Avid editing application or with a line feed or ingest device such as an Avid AirSpeed®. In-progress clips are available for viewing and for use in editing while the capture is still in progress.
Editing with Remote Assets 4. Create a sequence in a bin. 5. Use standard editing techniques to build a sequence incorporating any parts of the in-progress clip that you can view in the Source monitor. 6. (Optional) To get updated information about the clip (metadata), select Bin > Update Bin from Interplay. For more information, see “Updating Remote Assets in Bins” on page 1134. 7. When the clip is completely captured, select Bin > Update Bin from Interplay.
Editing with Remote Assets Function Description Trimming The right-side trim limit of an in-progress clip is determined by the currently available media. When you trim an in-progress clip to the end of available media, the trim functions as if it had reached the end of the clip. As more media is captured, the trim limit increases. Performing the trim at a later time might allow more trimming because more media might become available.
Managing Remote Assets with the Interplay Window Managing Remote Assets with the Interplay Window You access remote assets through the Interplay Window. This lets you see all of the Avid assets available to your project, manage your assets, and access the Avid assets stored in Interplay folders so you can edit the clips in your sequence.
Managing Remote Assets with the Interplay Window Assets can carry two different kinds of markers: • Reservations: Reservations protect assets from deletion and moving. Assets protected by a reservation are marked by a Reservation icon in Avid Interplay Access. For more information on reservations, see “Understanding Reservations” on page 1140. • Restriction markers: Restrictions indicate limitation warnings on the use of media assets. Assets that include a restriction are marked by a Restriction icon.
Managing Remote Assets with the Interplay Window For more detailed information on reservations, see the Avid Interplay Access User’s Guide. Understanding Restrictions Restrictions are placed on Avid assets by adding the restrictions to markers in Avid Interplay Assist. A restriction can represent material that should not be used.
Managing Remote Assets with the Interplay Window Each individual link to an asset has its own access control. This means that it is possible to have read/write/delete access to an asset in folder A, but only read access to another instance of the asset in folder B. For example, if a master clip is visible in two folders, one with a reservation and one without, when you delete the master clip in the non-reserved folder, the master clip in the reserved folder (and the related media) is not deleted.
Managing Remote Assets with the Interplay Window To move clips or sequences from one folder to another: 1. In the Research panel, select the clip or sequence that you want to move. 2. Drag the clip or sequence to the destination folder in the Media Directory panel, and release the mouse button. To copy clips from one folder to another: 1. In the Research panel, select the clip or sequence that you want to copy. 2.
Managing Remote Assets with the Interplay Window Creating Folders and Shortcuts in the Interplay Window If you have the appropriate rights, you can create folders in the Avid Interplay database to help organize your projects. You can also save time accessing remote assets you use often by creating shortcuts to Interplay folders and catalogs in the Media Directory panel. To create a new folder in the Interplay Window: 1.
Managing Remote Assets with the Interplay Window Location of the Layout button in the Interplay Window To modify the display properties of the Interplay Window, do one of the following: t Click the Layout button until the layout you want displays in the Interplay Window. t Press Ctrl+L (Windows) or Command+L (Macintosh) until the layout you want displays in the Interplay Window.
Managing Remote Assets with the Interplay Window Added columns appear only for the selected folder and for the current work session. If you want to use the same columns the next time you log in to your Avid editing application, you must save a custom layout. See “Using Custom Layouts for the Interplay Window” on page 1154. • Create new column headings in the Research panel. New column headings (custom properties) are added to the database. Be careful when creating custom properties.
Managing Remote Assets with the Interplay Window To add columns to the Research panel: 1. Right-click a column heading and select Select Working Set of Columns. The Select Working Set of Columns dialog box opens. The dialog box displays four sections of properties as defined in the Interplay Administrator, separated by dotted lines: System, Custom, Video Resolutions and Audio Resolutions. 2. Select the columns you want to display.
Managing Remote Assets with the Interplay Window To enlarge or to reduce the size of columns: t Click the border of a column in the Research panel, and drag it to the right or the left to resize it. Selecting Values for a Custom Property You can select a property value from a list for a custom property rather than typing it in. You can select this value from a column in the Research Panel.
Managing Remote Assets with the Interplay Window 3. Navigate to the new custom column heading, select it, and click OK. 4. Locate the custom column in the Research panel and click it in the cell for the asset you want to label. The list of values for the property appears.
Managing Remote Assets with the Interplay Window 5. Select a value. The value appears in the cell. 6. Select values for additional assets.
Managing Remote Assets with the Interplay Window Selecting Asset Types To select asset types and reference clips to display: 1. Right-click the Type column heading in the Research panel and select Set Type Filter. n You need to right-click the column heading. If you right-click elsewhere in the column, the option does not appear in the context menu. The Set Type Filter dialog box opens. 2. Select the asset types you want to display. 3.
Managing Remote Assets with the Interplay Window Renaming Clips in the Interplay Window You can rename a clip in a folder directly by modifying the information displayed in the Research panel. n This action also renames copies of these clips. It does not rename duplicated clips. To change the name of a clip: 1. Click the cell in the Name column that you want to modify. The clip row is highlighted. 2. Click the cell again to enter text. The pointer changes to an I-beam. 3.
Managing Remote Assets with the Interplay Window The Refresh button on a tab in the Research panel To update a search result tab: t Execute the search again. Navigating to a Folder that Contains a Selected Asset You can use a command to navigate (go to) to a folder that contains a selected asset. To navigate to a folder that contains a selected asset: 1. Right-click an asset in the Research panel (any tab) and select Open Enclosing Folder.
Managing Remote Assets with the Interplay Window For example, someone else who accessed a clip in Interplay Access after you loaded the same clip in the Research panel might have changed the name of the clip on the server; when you then try to rename that clip, the Property Merge dialog box opens. The change could have been made in any Interplay application, including Assist, Instinct, Interplay Access, or the Interplay Window.
Managing Remote Assets with the Interplay Window To save a layout: 1. Open a folder. 2. Modify the display or the columns according to preference. 3. Click the Layout menu, and select Save Layout As. The initial layout name is “Default.” Once you save a layout, the Layout menu displays the saved layout name. If you want to save changes to an existing layout, click Save Layout. Location of the Layout menu in the Interplay Window The Enter Column Layout Name dialog box opens. 4.
Managing Remote Assets with the Interplay Window 3. Click Yes. Opening Multiple Tabs in the Interplay Window When you open a new Interplay folder, its contents replace the current contents displayed in the Interplay Window. If you want to keep the contents of more than one folder open at a time, you can save the Research panel display as a tab in the Interplay Window and then open the contents of the new folder as a separate tab. This way, you can keep multiple folders open at once.
Managing Remote Assets with the Interplay Window To change the font from the Research Panel context menu: 1. Right-click and select Set Research Panel font. The Select Research Panel Font dialog box opens. n On Windows XP, the dialog box lets you select and preview options other than Font and Size, but those options do not affect the font in your Avid editing application. You can change only Font and Size. 2. Select a font and a size, and then click OK. The font in the panel changes.
Finding Remote Assets To change the font from the Directory panel context menu: 1. Right-click in the Directory panel and select Set Directory Panel font. The Select Directory Panel Font dialog box opens. 2. Select a font and a size, and then click OK. The font in the panel changes. Finding Remote Assets You find Avid assets stored in the Interplay database by searching Interplay folders. The most common method of finding remote assets is to perform a search based on attributes.
Finding Remote Assets To perform a search: 1. Click the Media Search tab. To open an additional search tab, do one of the following: - Press Ctrl+F (Windows) or Command+F (Macintosh). - Right-click an Interplay folder and select Search. The folder you select is displayed in the Search In field. 2. In the Text field, type a search term. You can specify words or characters for your search. Search terms are not case-sensitive and apply to all searchable text attributes of the Avid assets in your search.
Finding Remote Assets 8. Click Search. The Interplay Window performs the specified search and returns all matching records in the Research panel. The name of the search tab changes to the text that you searched for. 9. (Option) To start a new search, click Reset or open a new search tab. Then repeat steps 2 through 8. If necessary, click the show/hide arrow in the upper left of the tab to show the Reset button and the search fields.
Capturing Media to Interplay Folders Attribute Options Description Category Examples: Weather Sports Local News Lets you specify which category to search. The specific categories listed for this attribute are defined by the system administrator.
Using the Interplay Central Messages Window The Interplay Folders selection button (top) and the Bin menu (bottom) in the Capture tool 4. Set up the Capture tool as described in “Capturing Media” on page 194. 5. Click the Bin menu, and select an open Interplay folder. 6. Start capturing as usual. Using the Interplay Central Messages Window Avid Interplay Central accommodates a number of workflows and gives users the freedom to write, edit, produce, and manage media through a Web-based interface.
Using the Interplay Central Messages Window The Interplay Central messaging system allows you to share Interplay Production assets between Interplay Central users within your workgroup. Once you to log in to Interplay using the Interplay User Settings dialog box, you can then log in to Interplay Central using the Interplay Central Messages window.
Using the Interplay Central Messages Window If you have signed into Interplay, the Interplay Central Messaging pane attempts to log in to the Interplay Central portal associated with your Interplay workgroup using your Interplay credentials. If your Interplay and Interplay Central credentials are different, you must log in to Interplay Central before using the message window. 2. If required, type your Interplay Central user name and password, and then click Sign In.
Using the Interplay Central Messages Window 4. If the message includes a media asset, do one of the following: t Double-click the head frame in the asset area to view the media. You can view master clips, subclips, group clips, and sequences. t Drag the head frame from the message to a bin. The clip opens in the Source monitor or displays in a bin. To log out of Interplay Central, do the following: t Close the Interplay Central Messages window.
Using the Interplay Central Messages Window To write a new message and share media assets: 1. Select Tools > Interplay Central Messages The Interplay Central Messages window opens. If you have signed into Interplay, the Interplay Central Messaging pane attempts to log in to the Interplay Central portal associated with your Interplay workgroup using your Interplay credentials.
Using the Interplay Central Messages Window 3. In the address text box at the top of the Messages pane, start typing the name of the recipient for your message. A list of Interplay Central users displays as you type. Online users are indicated by a green dot next to the name. A red dot indicates an offline user. n If you type an invalid name, the name changes to red and you receive an error message. You can only send messages to recipients on the Interplay Central user list. 4.
Using the Interplay Central Messages Window Asset area of the message, with the Remove button 6. In the message text box, type your message. A character count below the message displays the number of characters allowed in your message. You can type a total of 256 characters. 7. Click Send. The message is sent to the Interplay Central users listed in the address text box and displays as a sent message at the top of your message list. Messages sent by you display with a blue background.
Performing a Send-to-Playback as a Background Process from an Avid Editing Application A character count below the message displays the number of characters allowed in your message. You can type a total of 256 characters. If you share an asset, a head frame of video clip or a clip icon for an audio clip displays in the message 4. Click Send. The message is sent to the Interplay Central users listed in the address text box and displays as a sent message at the top of your message list.
Performing a Send-to-Playback as a Background Process from an Avid Editing Application t (Option) Select Overwrite, to overwrite the tape ID name in the Interplay Transfer if the same name exists. t Select Use STP Encode to use the STP Encode provider for processing the send-to-playback operation. The system immediately starts the send to playback operation.
27 Interplay Synced Projects Interplay Synced Projects provide you with a way to link your bins and projects in Media Composer or NewsCutter with the folder structure for assets stored in your Avid Interplay database. When you make changes in your project, the changes are saved to Interplay. Other users can work on the same synced project and update their bins and folders by updating them from Interplay.
Synced Projects Updating and saving a project in Media Composer or NewsCutter updates the asset folders in Interplay. When you add bins to your project, corresponding folders are created in the Interplay database as subfolders within your project. Clips in your synced project are checked in to Interplay automatically, avoiding the need for using the Unchecked-in Avid Assets folder.
Enabling Interplay Synced Projects Synced project asset folders in Interplay Access, with the synced project icon Changes to a bin — for example, moving assets, importing master clips, or creating new sequences — are automatically saved to Interplay folders. You can also update the Interplay folder by saving or checking in a bin. When other users make changes to a synced project, you can update a bin or update the entire project.
Working with Synced Projects For more information on using the Interplay Administrator, see Avid Interplay Engine and Avid Interplay Archive Engine Administration Guide. To enable synced projects: 1. Do one of the following: t Click the Start button and then select All Programs > Avid > Avid Interplay Access Utilities > Avid Interplay Administrator. t From Interplay Access, select Tools > Open Interplay Administrator. The Avid Interplay Administrator Server Login screen appears. 2.
Creating a New Synced Project To create a synced project, you must have write permissions in Interplay. If you have Read/Write or Read/Write/Delete privileges, you can create synced projects. If you have Read Only permission, you cannot create an Interplay project in the Select Project dialog box.Your Interplay administrator can grant access to the Interplay synced project folder for other users.
Creating a New Synced Project 2. If you are not already signed in to Interplay, do the following: a. In the Host Name text box, type the computer name or IP address of your Interplay server. b. In the User Name text box, type a user name. This name must be a known user on your workgroup system. c. In the Password text box, type your password, and click Login. When the blinking yellow light turns green and the Login button changes to the Logout button, you are connected to the Interplay database. 3.
Opening an Existing Synced Project The Project window, the Source/Record monitor, and the Timeline open with the User settings loaded. Interplay creates a synced project folder. To view the folder structure in Interplay, open the Interplay Window. Opening an Existing Synced Project When you open an Interplay synced project that you have not opened before, your Avid editing application creates a new project based on the settings saved for the project in Interplay.
Opening an Existing Synced Project A list of synced projects displays, depending on your permissions. Synced projects you have opened before are stored on your local system and appear at the top of the project list. Synced projects that you have not opened on your system are listed in the Select Project dialog box as “add [project name].” 4. Do one of the following: t Select a project in the Select Project dialog box, and then click OK. t Double-click a project name in the Projects list.
Deleting Synced Projects - When you open a synced project for the first time on your system, a dialog box opens and asks if you want to create a local project synced to the Interplay project. Click OK to create a local copy of the synced project. Deleting Synced Projects If you delete a synced project, a dialog box provides you with the following options: • You can delete the project and its folder on your local system.
Updating a Synced Project 4. Do one of the following: t To delete the synced project from your local system but keep the project in Interplay, click Local. This moves the project to the bottom of the project list and changes the project name to “add [project name].” t To delete the synced project from Interplay but keep the project on your local system, click Interplay. A dialog box asks you to move the local project or delete it.
Updating a Synced Project When you update your synced project, changes made to the settings and the bin and folder hierarchies are updated. When you sync bins, changes to the clips and sequences in the bin are updated. When updating bins in your synced project, keep in mind the following: • Local bins update to match the media assets in Interplay when you open the bins. This update might include adding, modifying, deleting, or renaming items in the bin.
28 Using Your Avid Editing Application with Interplay Sphere When you use Avid Interplay Sphere, you can edit media either stored locally on your system or stored on an Interplay server back at your production facility or broadcast station. With Interplay Sphere, you connect to your Interplay server by way of a Virtual Private Network (VPN) using either a Wi-Fi or a wireless connection.
Working with Remote Editing • Check in of consolidated sequence to Interplay. Clips are transferred to the Interplay system using a local transfer manager service that runs in the background without the need of additional configuration. The remote upload service can first upload clips at a proxy resolution, and then upload the full-resolution clips when time and bandwidth allow. The clips are automatically checked in to Interplay • Check out the uploaded clips at the broadcast or production facility.
Working with Remote Editing 4. In the Interplay Server Name text box, type the computer name or IP address of your Interplay server, and then click OK. It is important to type the correct computer name or IP address. This is the location where the editing system looks to access the database and to check in and check out Avid assets. 5. In the Settings list, double-click Interplay User. The Interplay User Settings dialog box opens. 6. In the User Name text box, type a user name.
Working with Remote Editing 9. In the Interplay Login dialog box, select Remote Client, and then type your password, and click OK. When the blinking yellow light in the upper left of the dialog box turns green, you are connected to the Interplay database and the dialog box closes. 10. In the Project Settings, double-click Interplay Folder. The Interplay Folder Settings dialog box opens. 11. Click the Set button, and a directory tree is displayed for the Interplay database that you logged in to. 12.
Working with Remote Editing - On login: If this setting is selected, a message box asks you to confirm the directory path after you log in to Interplay. Select “for new projects only” if you want this message box displayed only after you create a new project. - On first checkin: If this setting is selected, a message box asks you to confirm the directory path the first time you check in from a project. This message is displayed once each time you work in a project. 14. Click OK.
Working with Remote Editing Using Remote Media Once you configure the Interplay settings on your Avid editing application, you can remotely view, play, and edit media checked in to Interplay. When you access Interplay assets remotely, audio and video master clips are streamed to your remote system using the Interplay Common Services (ICS) server.
Using the Disk Cache to Manage Cached Media The following limitations also apply to remote playback: • Remote sequences that include rendered effects play back on the remote client without the rendered media. However, sequences maintain the data for the effects. To view an effect, you can render it on your system. You then need to render any locally-rendered effect again once you relink your uploaded media to the source media back at the station or production facility.
Uploading Media Using the Remote Upload Service 3. If you want to change the default folder for cached media files, click Browse and navigate to the appropriate folder on your system. 4. If you want to modify the maximum size of the cache folder, click the Disk Cache Size text box and enter a new number. The default size is 2 GB. To clear the disk cache of cached media: 1. Click the Settings tab in the Project window. 2. Double-click Sphere Playback. The Sphere Playback Settings dialog box opens. 3.
Uploading Media Using the Remote Upload Service their upload status. For example, if you use a clip called ClipA in a sequence stored in Bin1, enable Remote Sync, and then save Bin1, ClipA is uploaded to the subfolder Bin1/Upload with the clip name ClipA,upload, n, where n is incremented each time Bin1 is saved and ClipA is uploaded during the Remote Sync operation. This prevents your bin folder in Interplay from filling up with multiple versions of your uploaded clip.
Uploading Media Using the Remote Upload Service The following limitations apply to remote upload: • You cannot transcode or upload effects and precomputes for rendered effects and titles. You must render all effects and sequences at the production facility that includes your Interplay environment. • You cannot transcode and upload titles. However, if you have a sequence with title media, checking in the sequence to Interplay does upload metadata for the title with the sequence.
Uploading Media Using the Remote Upload Service 3. Select the appropriate options for your upload, including the upload quality, the local volume used for creating the proxy media, a priority for upload jobs, and the Interplay destination for your media. For a description of upload options, see “Sphere Upload Settings (Window Only)” on page 1392. 4. Click OK.
Uploading Media Using the Remote Upload Service 6. (Option) If you upload multiple clips and want to change the upload priority of one or more clips — for example, to upload the most important clips first — click the Priority menu and select one of the following: n t High Priority t Normal Priority t Low Priority You can change the priority of your upload at any time during the transcode and upload operation. Changing the priority does not affect an upload operation currently in progress.
Uploading Media Using the Remote Upload Service To sync a sequence with Avid Interplay: 1. Do one of the following: t Right-click the sequence in the bin, and then select Start Remote Sync Sequence. t Click the Start Remote Sync Sequence button in the Timeline. The Sphere Upload Settings dialog box opens.
Interplay Sphere and Dynamic Relink 2. Select the appropriate options for your remote sync operation. For a description of upload options, see “Sphere Upload Settings (Window Only)” on page 1392. 3. Click OK. The Remote Upload Service begins to sync your sequence with the clips already checked in to Interplay, and the Remote Sync Progress button changes to a revolving icon to indicate the sync is in progress. 4. To view the progress of the sync operation, select Tools > Upload Queue Window.
Upload Queue Window Dialog Box n To use dynamic relink, you need to transfer you remote media to your Interplay environment using a standard Ethernet connection. Because the clips in your sequence initially link to the source clips’ original location and not to the uploaded media, they might display as offline when you open your sequence back at the station or production facility, or when you open the sequence from another remote system, unless you first enable dynamic relink.
Upload Queue Window Dialog Box 1 2 3 4 5 6 Element 1 Tool menu Description Provides options for the Upload Queue Window: • Clear Inactive Jobs — clears the Upload Queue Window of all jobs not currently transcoding or uploading. • Show Job Groups — allows you to display or hide specific job groups listed in the menu. 2 Clip or Sequence name Lists either the name of the uploaded sequence above the clips within the sequence or the name of the uploaded clip.
Supported Project Types and Formats Supported Project Types and Formats The remote editing feature and check in to Interplay support the following project formats when transcoding local clips for remote upload: • 25i PAL • 30i NTSC • 720p 50 • 720p 59.94 • 1080i 50 • 1080i 59.94 You can use media with mixed frame rates in your remote sequence, but you can transcode only those source clips with the same format as your project.
29 Using Interplay Transfer to Export Media Avid Interplay Transfer lets you transfer Avid assets to and from another workgroup, send finished sequences to a configured playback device, and capture media from a configured ingest device. You can also use Interplay Transfer in a standalone environment (an environment other than Avid shared storage) to move Avid assets between workstations. When you use Interplay Transfer in a workgroup environment, you can use several types of transfers.
Setting Transfer Settings in the Avid Editing Application For more information on Interplay Transfer, see the Avid Interplay Transfer Setup and User’s Guide. To install the Interplay Transfer client software on an Avid editing system: 1. Insert the Avid Interplay Installer DVD and double-click autorun.exe. 2. Click Clients on the Main Menu page. The Client Support page opens. 3. Click Avid Editor Support. The Install Avid Editor Support page opens. 4. Click Avid Interplay Transfer Client. 5.
Setting Transfer Settings in the Avid Editing Application 4. In the Standalone/Incoming Requests area, do one of the following: t Select “Refuse All Requests,” if you do not want to receive files from another workgroup. t Select “User Dialog To Accept/Refuse,” and one of the following methods for accepting transfers: - Wait for User Action (No Timeout) — You receive a message request for a transfer. You must click OK for the transfer to occur.
Setting Transfer Settings in the Avid Editing Application - In the Timeout (seconds) text box, type the amount of time you want to set for the timeout. 5. In the Status Window area, do the following: a. In the text box, type the number of seconds you want the status window to update. b. (Option) Select “Bring up window if error occurs” if you want errors to display. 6.
Setting Transfer Settings in the Avid Editing Application 10. In the Other Workgroups area, click Add. The Add Workgroup To List dialog box opens. If you want to edit the names of any of the Interplay Transfer servers or workstations listed in the Other Workgroups area, select the name, click Edit, and make the changes. 11.
Setting Transfer Settings in the Avid Editing Application Send to Playback with Multichannel Audio Tracks This section describes a best practice for sending a sequence containing multichannel audio tracks to playback when using Direct Out mode. For information on sending multichannel audio to playback using Multiple Mixes, see “Mapping Audio Tracks to Output Channels” on page 1204. When using Direct Out mode, keep the multichannel audio tracks at the bottom of your audio tracks.
Setting Transfer Settings in the Avid Editing Application 3. Click the Settings tab. 4. In the Output Audio Mix area, select Multiple Mixes, and then click Edit. The Multiple Mix Editor dialog box opens.
Setting Transfer Settings in the Avid Editing Application 5. Click the Format buttons to cycle through the available options until you find the appropriate format: Option Description Mono tracks Maps audio tracks to mono channels, with any assigned stereo tracks mixed down to a mono channel. Stereo tracks Maps audio tracks to a single stereo channel, using the pan information on the input tracks to generate stereo output. 6.
Setting Transfer Settings in the Avid Editing Application 8. Repeat steps 5 through 8 to map additional audio tracks to output channels. 9. When you finish assigning tracks to output channels, click OK to save your mixdown sequence. The Multiple Mix Editor closes. 10. In the Transfer Settings dialog box, click OK. To save a custom map of output audio channels as a settings template: 1. Click the Settings tab in the Project window. The Settings list appears. 2. Click Transfer. 3. Select Edit > Duplicate.
Transferring Avid Assets from an Avid Editing Application You can select this new setting whenever you send a sequence to playback using Interplay Transfer. Transferring Avid Assets from an Avid Editing Application If Interplay Transfer is properly installed and enabled on your Avid editing system, it starts automatically whenever you start the Avid editing application.
Transferring Avid Assets to a Playback Device To send a finished sequence to a playback device: 1. (Option) If you want to use a Transfer setting template, select the custom Transfer setting in the Settings tab in the Project window. For more information on creating a custom map for sending sequences to Interplay Transfer, see “Mapping Audio Tracks to Output Channels” on page 1204. 2. Open the bin that contains the clips or sequences you want to send. 3. Select a clip or sequence in a bin.
Transferring Avid Assets to a Playback Device Working with Rundowns In a broadcast environment, you can enable the Interplay Transfer scheduling feature to allow interaction with the Newsroom Computer System (NRCS). You can select the assets to send to playback, and the schedule list from the NRCS determines the order in which the assets are played back. To use the Interplay Transfer with rundowns: 1.
Transferring Avid Assets to a Playback Device 11. Click OK. The sequences play back based upon the order in which they appear in the NRCS rundown list. In the Send to Playback dialog box, if you set one of the sequences to high priority by clicking the circle in the PWT column next to the sequence, that sequence has priority over the rundown list. For information on monitoring the transfer of assets, see the Avid Interplay Transfer Setup and User’s Guide.
Monitoring Transfers from Within the Avid Editing Application with a lower quality output. You can set the minimum resolution allowed before displaying the warning message by using the Transfer Settings dialog box. For setup information, see the Avid Interplay Transfer Setup and User’s Guide. n Dynamic Relink must be enabled to use the Transcode before sending to playback option. For information about using Dynamic Relink, see the Avid editing application Help system.
Monitoring Transfers from Within the Avid Editing Application Transfer Status Window Options The following table lists the status options available when you right-click a transfer displayed in the Transfer Status window during a transfer. Status User Options Transferring Pause or cancel the transfer. Paused Resume or cancel the transfer. Error (plus information indicating the error) Retry or clear the transfer. Pending Cancel the transfer. Completed or Canceled Clear the transfer.
Monitoring Transfers from Within the Avid Editing Application Clearing the Transfer Status Window When you are using the Transfer Status window from within the Avid editing application to view the status of any transfers, you should periodically clean up the Transfer Status window. The Transfer Status window is cleared of any leftover status messages when you exit the Avid editing application and then restart it.
30 Using MultiRez and Dynamic Relink This chapter provides information about using MultiRez and dynamic relinking. MultiRez is available only on Avid editing systems that have the Avid Interplay Media Indexer installed.
Understanding MultiRez and Proxy Editing Proxy editing is a workflow where you edit with a low-resolution version of media and then conform the edits into a composition that refers to an equivalent high-resolution version of the same content. In a post-production workflow, you capture material at a low resolution and perform what is referred to as offline editing, then batch capture the same clips at a higher, online resolution and relink the sequence to the higher resolution.
Acquiring Media at Multiple Resolutions Acquiring Media at Multiple Resolutions In an Avid Interplay environment, you can create and store multiple resolutions of the same media. These can be acquired in several ways. You can configure a workgroup to ingest both high and low-res media simultaneously. You can also first create master clips with high-res media, and if your hardware permits it, you can re-capture these clips as low-res proxies.
Acquiring Media at Multiple Resolutions n You can only create one new resolution at a time using batch capture. To capture multiple resolutions at the same time (ie: high-res and a proxy simultaneously), use the Interplay Low-Res Encoder. See the Interplay documentation for more information. To batch capture a different resolution: 1. Prepare your system for batch capturing, as described in the Help for your Avid editing application.
Acquiring Media at Multiple Resolutions n For information about displaying bin columns for MultiRez, see “MultiRez Bin Headings” on page 1251. Batch Importing File-Based Media at Different Resolutions Using Batch Import, you can import file-based media at different resolutions. To perform a batch import, you must have a master clip that has the media imported in another resolution. To batch import a different resolution: 1.
Acquiring Media at Multiple Resolutions 5. In the Import Target area, select the desired resolution and storage location. 6. In the Import Options area, select “Keep existing local media” and any other options. 7. Click Import. Your Avid editing application imports the files and creates media in the resolution you specified. The original media file is preserved, and the master clip is now associated with an additional resolution.
Understanding How Clips are Associated with Multiple Resolutions To transcode a clip using your Avid editing application: t Right click the clip in the bin and select Consolidate/Transcode. To transcode a clip using the Interplay Transcode service, do one of the following: t In Avid Interplay Access, right-click the clip and select Transcode. Select the profile that has been created for this transcode and click Set.
Understanding How Clips are Associated with Multiple Resolutions You create a new tape by clicking the New button in the Select Tape dialog box, entering a name for the tape, and clicking OK. DV Your Avid editing application then associates the new source ID with each clip that you capture from that tape.
Options for Clip and Media Association Guidelines for MultiRez Tape Management When working in a MultiRez workflow, it is important to name tapes properly. In particular, you should keep the following in mind: • Whenever you create a new tape, your Avid editing application generates a new source ID, even if the name you type for the new tape exactly matches that of an existing tape. You cannot dynamically relink media that does not share a source ID.
Options for Clip and Media Association For information about displaying bin columns for MultiRez, see “MultiRez Bin Headings” on page 1251. n You can batch capture the clip in additional resolutions; there is no limitation to the number of media files associated with a clip. Multiple Clips, Multiple Resolutions, and the Affinity Model You can transcode the media associated with a clip to create media in a different resolution, usually to create a low-resolution version of the clip.
Options for Clip and Media Association 01:00:10:00 01:00:00:00 01:00:10:00 DV 01:00:00:00 Example of associations between multiple clips and multiple resolutions. The original capture (top) creates high-resolution media. A transcode operation (bottom) creates a new master clip and a new media file at a lower resolution. The timecode span and length of both clips is the same.
Understanding Dynamic Relink 01:00:10:00 DV 01:00:00:00 02:09 06:22 Example of associations between clips sharing only part of a timecode span. The original capture (top) creates low-resolution media. A recapture operation (bottom) creates a new master clip and a new media file at a higher resolution. The new master clip is shorter than the original but shares the same timecode span.
Understanding Dynamic Relink n Dynamic relink is currently not supported for HD media that requires pulldown. Therefore, you can only use it with projects where media has been acquired at the native frame rate (without pulldown). You specify two different groups of settings: • Working settings are the settings you want to use while you edit the sequence: For offline editing of a sequence, your editing application uses the resolution specified in the working settings.
Understanding Dynamic Relink The following illustration shows a bin and a sequence. The first version of the sequence shows the clip in the working resolution (15:1s) and the second version shows the same clip in the target resolution (1:1). The clip name is the same in both cases, but the resolution of the clip (as shown in the text on the clip) is different.
Understanding Dynamic Relink Left: clip associated with working and target resolutions. Top right: sequence with clip in working resolution (15:1s). Bottom right: sequence with clip in target resolution (1:1). n To display the clip resolution for each clip in the Timeline, click the Timeline Fast Menu button and select Clip Text > Clip Resolutions.
Workflow: Editing a Film or HD Project using MultiRez Interplay Editing Systems at the Broadcast Facility In an Interplay Sphere workflow, editing systems at the broadcast facility need to enable dynamic relink so that they can relink to the media associated with AMA-linked clips uploaded by a remote Interplay Sphere client. In addition, they can also set the resolution of the uploaded media to which they want to relink—see “Applying Working and Target Settings for Dynamic Relink” on page 1237”.
Workflow: Editing a Film or HD Project using MultiRez To create a Film or HD Project: 1. When you create the project, make sure it supports the resolution you want to use. For example, for 25p Film projects, select 1080p/25. The following illustration shows the Project selection for a 25p Film project used in this example. 2. (Film only) If your source media is film-based, check the Film box and select the Film Type.
Workflow: Editing a Film or HD Project using MultiRez High-res and low-res media both online (filled circles) for the clip in the bin 3. Open the Dynamic Relink dialog box and set the working resolution to the low-res proxy. The following illustration shows the Dynamic Relink values used in this example to link to the low-res media.
Workflow: Editing a Film or HD Project using MultiRez 4. Edit the media into a sequence. By default, whenever you load clips into a monitor or the Timeline, they are linked to media that matches the working settings. The following illustration shows the bin after the sequence is created. In this example, the administrator has already archived and deleted the high-res material. The MultiRez bin columns show that the high-res media is completely offline.
Workflow: Editing a Film or HD Project using MultiRez The high-res media is now offline (empty circle in the bin) 5. (Skip this step if the administrator did not archive the high-res media) When you are finished editing the sequence, restore the portions of high-res material used in the sequence from the archive. The following illustration shows the bin after the partial restore operation is completed.
Workflow: Editing a Film or HD Project using MultiRez 9. Render effects in the target resolution if necessary. n You can use the MultiRez button and MultiRez clip coloring to give you the necessary indications that you may not have media that matches the target settings. 10. Output your final master by doing one of the following: t Create a digital cut. t Use the Send to Playback command.
Considerations When Working with Dynamic Relink Considerations When Working with Dynamic Relink Consider the following when you are working with dynamic relink: • If you connect to an Avid ISIS media network with a 100Base-T connection in a Zone 3 configuration, you can access MPEG-2 low-resolution video and MPEG-1 Layer II (or MP2) compressed audio. This is useful for browsing media stored on the media network as the low-resolution media files require less bandwidth to view.
Using the Dynamic Relink Settings Dialog Box t Right-click the MultiRez button at the bottom of the Timeline and select Dynamic Relink Settings. Enabling Dynamic Relink To enable dynamic relink: 1. Do one of the following: t In the Settings list in the Project window, double-click Dynamic Relink. t Right-click the MultiRez button at the bottom of the Timeline and select Dynamic Relink Settings. 2. Select Enable Dynamic Relink and set the appropriate target settings.
Using the Dynamic Relink Settings Dialog Box 2. Select Enable Dynamic Relink. 3. Click the Working Settings tab, and then select your working settings. For information on available settings, see “Dynamic Relink Settings” on page 1338. 4. Click the Target Settings tab, and then select your target settings. For information on available settings, see “Dynamic Relink Settings” on page 1338. 5. To apply the settings, do one of the following: t Click Apply. The dialog box remains open. t Click OK.
Using the Dynamic Relink Settings Dialog Box Top to bottom: Relink to offline media if no match is found, specific video resolution to match, specific audio sample rate and bit depth to match The working settings in the following illustration instruct your Avid editing application to link to the specific video resolution of DV 25. If your Avid editing application cannot find this resolution for a particular clip, it should relink to media that most closely matches DV 25, based on the specified parameters.
Using the Dynamic Relink Settings Dialog Box Top to bottom: Use closest media if no match is found, highest quality video resolution to match and instruction to accept lower qualities, highest audio sample rate and bit depth to match and instruction to accept lower sample rates Target Settings The target settings in the following illustration instruct your Avid editing application to use 30i NTSC as the project format and 1:1 MXF (uncompressed) as the specific video resolution.
Using the Dynamic Relink Settings Dialog Box Top to bottom: Relink to offline media if no match is found, specific format and video resolution to match, specific audio sample rate and bit depth to match Dynamically Relinking to the Target Settings You need to dynamically relink to the target settings when: • You are linking to media that was updated by a remote editing system.
Using the Dynamic Relink Settings Dialog Box In this case, you might temporarily switch from working settings to target settings, apply the effect, and then switch back to working settings. • You are performing a digital cut. In this case, you override the working settings, render effects, and output the digital cut. (When you use the Send To Playback command, your Avid editing application automatically links clips to media in the target resolution.
Relinking in Frame Chase Editing When using dynamic relink with mixed rate clips, your Avid editing application tries to link your clips to media with the appropriate frame rate. However, unlike clips with the same frame rate as your project, dynamic relink always uses the lowest and nearest resolution to your project frame rate when it does not find an exact match.
Using the Relink Dialog Box in an Avid Interplay Environment For more information about Frame Chase editing, see Avid Interplay Best Practices. Using the Relink Dialog Box in an Avid Interplay Environment Relinking through the Relink dialog box is different from dynamic relink. In an Avid Interplay environment, relinking through the Relink dialog box is limited to non-master clips (subclips and sequences). You can relink these only through source timecode and tape. Other options are unavailable.
Displaying Whether Media Is Available for Dynamic Relinking Clicking the MultiRez button changes only the display — it does not perform a dynamic relink, and it does not update the status of the media. To update the status, use the Update Media Status command. For more information, see “MultiRez Button Menu” on page 1249. It is especially important to know whether media is available in the target settings if you are going to use the Send to Playback command.
Displaying Whether Media Is Available for Dynamic Relinking The following procedure refers to the default colors available for resolution tracking. You can change the display colors that your Avid editing application uses by selecting custom colors in the Clip Color dialog box. For more information, see “Displaying Clip Colors in the Timeline” on page 630. To enable clip coloring for MultiRez in the Timeline, do one of the following: t Right-click the MultiRez button and select Enable Clip Coloring.
Displaying Whether Media Is Available for Dynamic Relinking n Clip coloring for the Show Mismatches display is not used when you select Highest Quality or Most Compressed as the relink method. This is because you do not select a specific quality, and your Avid editing application supplies the best quality or the most compressed media that is available. Examples of MultiRez Clip Coloring In the following examples, the working resolution is set to 15:1s, and the target resolution is set to DV 25.
Displaying Whether Media Is Available for Dynamic Relinking If you select Relink to Offline, clips that do not match the working resolution are colored red by default, and the Media Offline slide is displayed in the monitors. In the following example, your Avid editing application is warning you that the DV 25 clips are not in the working resolution and the media is offline. n The “Relink to Offline” option does not delete the existing media.
MultiRez Button Menu The next example shows the Timeline after you click the MultiRez button to view the target resolution availability. The MultiRez button is yellow, indicating that there are clips that are not available in the target resolution, and the clip that is not available in DV 25 (the target resolution) is also colored yellow by default.
MultiRez Button Menu Option Description (Continued) Show Mismatched Render Ranges Identifies effects that are rendered in a resolution that does not match the specified resolution for the resolutions to which the clips are linked (working or target). A blue line appears along the top of the effect to indicate the portion that is rendered using a different resolution. n You might find it useful to turn off Enable Clip Coloring when you use this option, to make it easier to see the render range lines.
MultiRez Bin Headings MultiRez Bin Headings Some bin columns are specifically associated with MultiRez. These bin headings are available in Avid editing applications when they are part of an Avid Interplay environment.
Understanding Options for Deleting MultiRez Clips and Media There might be more resolutions available on an Avid Interplay workspace than appear in your bin headings. For example, there might be an uncompressed version of the clips you are working with, but if your Avid editing application doesn’t support uncompressed video, the resolution does not appear in your bin settings. Some resolutions might show up as partially online. For more information, see “Working with Partially Online Files” on page 1254.
Deleting MultiRez Clips and Media from a Bin For example, if you transcode a clip from DV 25 to 15:1s, and create a new master clip, both resolutions are associated with the original clip in the bin. However, if you select the original clip (DV 25) for deletion, you see only DV 25 listed in the Delete dialog box. For clips that were batch captured, captured in a dual-ingest configuration, or transcoded without a new clip, you see both resolutions listed in the Delete dialog box.
Working with Partially Online Files n If you try to delete media for a clip that you have checked out from Avid Interplay, and do not have sufficient permissions to delete, a message informs you that you cannot delete media associated with checked-in assets from a bin. For more information about deleting in an Avid Interplay environment, see the Avid Interplay Access User’s Guide.
Working with Partially Online Files Top to bottom: original DV25 clip, portion of DV25 clip edited into a sequence, and new clip created in 15:1s by consolidating and transcoding the sequence. Only part of the original clip is available in 15:1s. After consolidating and transcoding, the new master clip is shown in the bin as having media in both DV 25 and 15:1s, while the original master clip is shown as having full media in DV 25 and partial media for 15:1s.
Working with Partially Online Files In the following example, the MultiRez button is blue, indicating that your Avid editing application is in the Show Mismatches display. The original master clip is displayed in the Timeline, with a working resolution set to 15:1s. Two portions of the clip are colored red, which is the default color indicating that these portions of the clip are offline and thus are not available in the working resolution.
Quality Matching To perform a partial restore from an archive: 1. Assume you have a 10-minute master clip and you have both 15:1s and DV 25 versions of the media. 2. Archive the DV 25 version of the media. 3. Delete the online DV 25 media and keep the low-resolution, 15:1 media online. 4. Edit one minute of the low-resolution version of the clip into a sequence. 5. Select the sequence in the bin and use Avid Interplay Archive to restore the DV 25 version of the clip from the archive.
Quality Matching n For complete information about options in the Dynamic Relink Settings dialog box, see “Using the Dynamic Relink Settings Dialog Box” on page 1236. If you select one of the above options, your Avid editing application uses the following queries to perform a dynamic relink: 1. Is there media with the same tape name (source ID) and timespan? 2. Is there media of the same size (NTSC, PAL, 1080HD, 720 HD)? 3. Is there media with the same field order (topness)? 4.
Quality Matching 6. Is there media of the same bit depth? 7. Is there media in the same color space? At each step, media is examined. Your Avid editing application continues looking for media until a single match remains. Quality Matching Reference Video Format for Quality Matching The following table lists factors involved in determining the closest match for video format (queries 2 and 3 from the list in “Quality Matching” on page 1257).
Quality Matching Resolution Family Resolution Name DNxHD 220 DNxHD 185 DNxHD 175 DNxHD 90 DNxHD 145 DNxHD 120 DNxHD 115 DNxHD 60 DNxHD 45 DNxHD 36 DNxHD 145-TR DNxHD 120-TR DVCPro n DNxHD resolutions are based on the frame rate of the project. For example, DNxHD 220 has a compressed data rate of 220 Mb/sec at 29.97 fps. DNxHD 185, which is an equivalent resolution, has a compressed data rate of 185Mb/sec at 25 fps.
Quality Matching Example of Quality Matching This example is typical of a newsroom offline session. In this workflow, clips are usually captured simultaneously in MPEG-2 and DV 25, but sometimes the MPEG-2 clips are not available. You want to get media immediately, and you want the lowest (most compressed) resolution available to use less network bandwidth, but you’ll take DV 25 if that’s all that’s available.
31 MultiCamera Editing The Avid MultiCamera editing features let you incorporate multiple camera angle sources into the nonlinear editing process.
Creating Group Clips • The MultiGroup function is designed primarily for situation comedies and similar productions that record multiple takes sequentially on the same source tapes. Multigrouping does not provide any benefit when you edit with clips that do not share common timecode or were not recorded sequentially, and might even cause the wrong clips to be grouped together.
Creating Multigroup Clips 4. Select an option, based on the following: Option Description Film TC/Sound TC Use this option if you are syncing clips with matching film and sound timecode recorded in the field. This option appears dimmed if you are not working in a 24p or 25p project. Inpoints Use this option if you are syncing according to IN points set in each clip. Outpoints Use this option if you are syncing according to OUT points set in each clip.
MultiCamera Displays 4. Select an option, based on the following: Option Description Film TC/Sound TC Use this option if you are syncing clips with matching film and sound timecode recorded in the field. This option appears dimmed if you are not working in a 24p or 25p project. Inpoints Use this option if you are syncing according to IN points set in each clip. Outpoints Use this option if you are syncing according to OUT points set in each clip.
MultiCamera Displays The basic features of Full-Monitor display: • Provides source-oriented control of multicamera material. You can switch camera angles, cue, and mark material without affecting the sequence. • Provides the same Source monitor controls that are available when you edit other clips. • Provides the same MultiCamera editing features that are available in Quad Split Source view, Nine Split Source view, and MultiCamera mode.
MultiCamera Displays Quad Split Source view, with the four camera angle views in the Source monitor and the sequence or linecut in the Record monitor. The location of the Group Menu icon is highlighted. The basic features of Quad Split Source view: • Provides source-oriented control of multicamera material. You can switch camera angles, play back (one camera angle at a time), cue, and mark material without affecting the sequence.
MultiCamera Displays Nine Split Source view, with the nine camera angle views in the Source monitor and the sequence or linecut in the Record monitor. The location of the Group Menu icon is highlighted. The basic features of Nine Split Source view: • Provides source-oriented control of multicamera material. You can switch camera angles, play back (one camera angle at a time), cue, and mark material without affecting the sequence.
MultiCamera Displays n You can also enter MultiCamera mode by clicking the Quad Split button or the Nine Split button if you have previously mapped the button to one of the toolbars in the Timeline or the Source/Record monitor. MultiCamera mode takes the Nine Split Source view and Quad Split Source view one step further: it gangs all clips in the group clip displayed in the Source monitor with the sequence displayed in the Record monitor.
MultiCamera Displays • Provides special MultiCamera editing features that are available in Full-Monitor display, Quad Split Source view, and Nine Split Source view. These features are described in “MultiCamera Editing Techniques” on page 1271. • Lets you cut between clips as you would during live switching of a show. • Provides a list of all group clip video and audio tracks in the Group menu for custom selection and patching.
MultiCamera Editing Techniques For more information on full screen playback, see “Playing Video to a Full-Screen Monitor” on page 467. • In an SD project, multicamera editing works only with 8-bit resolutions. If you use media with a 10-bit resolution, your Avid editing application automatically plays the media at the appropriate 8-bit resolution.
MultiCamera Editing Techniques Numeric Keypad and Mouse Support for MultiCamera Editing You can use the numeric keypad and mouse buttons to switch the display of camera angles and to swap camera banks. These options provide a quick and intuitive way to do multicamera editing. To switch camera angles, do one of the following: t Click a camera angle in the split display during playback to switch to that camera angle. t Press a number key on the numeric keypad to switch to a new camera angle.
MultiCamera Editing Techniques Play the sequence repeatedly to add more edits, or remove edits in Trim mode by lassoing them in the Timeline and pressing the Delete key. 3. After adding the edits, place the position indicator within each segment and use the arrow keys to switch camera angles. Using the Group Menu for Multicamera Editing The Group menu lets you select video or audio channels from any of the clips in the group and patch to the tracks available in the sequence.
MultiCamera Editing Techniques To use the Group menu: 1. Click the Group Menu icon in the second row of information above the Source monitor to display the Group menu. 2. Select video or audio channels from any clip in the group to patch the video or audio channels to the tracks available in the sequence. 3. (Option) Select the Audio Follow Video option to switch both audio and video for each camera angle when you cut.
Selective Camera Cutting The new clip appears in the multi-split display. Using Match Frame in MultiCamera Editing You can use the Match Frame button to display the matching clip within the group when match framing from the sequence, or you can display the original clip when match framing from the source group. For more information on using the Match Frame feature, see “Using Match Frame” on page 512.
Selective Camera Cutting The advantage of selective camera cutting with grouped clips is that all the clips are synchronized, which simplifies the selection of camera angles. Selective camera cutting generally requires the use of a detailed line script or detailed notes that enable you to select clips and assemble the sequence one clip at a time. To perform selective camera cutting with grouped clips: 1. Load the group or multigroup clip into the Source monitor. 2.
32 The Avid Marketplace The Avid Marketplace feature allows you to purchase video (stock footage), sound effects, music and plug-ins from within your Avid editing application. This chapter describes the process of downloading stock footage clips and Avid supported plug-ins from within your Avid editing application. You must be connected to the Internet to access features offered in the Avid Marketplace.
Avid Marketplace Media Libraries Quick Start Avid Marketplace Media Libraries Quick Start The following section contains high-level steps you can perform to search, preview and select stock footage clips to purchase and include in your Avid editing sequence. See other topics in this chapter for detailed steps and more information. To purchase stock footage: 1. From your Avid editing application, select Marketplace > Media Libraries. The Avid Media Libraries window opens. 2.
Avid Marketplace Media Libraries Quick Start 13. You can now add the clips to your sequence. 14. If you want, you can create a Stock Footage Report (.txt file) to see which clips you have used in your sequence, right-click the sequence in the bin or right-click the sequence in the Record monitor and select Stock Footage Report. For more information, see “Creating a Stock Footage Report” on page 1295. 15.
Creating a User Sign In and Password 19. Open the sequence that contains the comp (low resolution) clips, and right-click then select Relink Stock Footage to Sequence. The system creates a copy of the sequence which links to the high resolution clips. The copy is named with the original sequence name followed by .Relinked.n, where n is the number of the duplicates created from the original sequence. The clips relink to your sequence.
Licensing Options 3. In the Thought Equity Motion page, click Register. The Register Information window opens. 4. Enter required information including e-mail and password. 5. Click Submit Registration. Your account information is saved and you are logged into Thought Equity Motion. The next time you visit the Thought Equity Motion, click Sign In and enter your email and password. Licensing Options Thought Equity Motion displays the legal rights and clearance under each clip.
About the Stock Footage Clips About the Stock Footage Clips There are two types of stock footage clips that you can download to your Avid editing system: • A low resolution “comp” clip which allows you to try out the clip in your sequence first, before you purchase. This comp clip also displays a watermark. • A high resolution clip that you purchase. You have several formats to choose from.
Searching through Stock Footage If you have not registered yet, click Register. See “Creating a User Sign In and Password” on page 1280. 4. Click Log On. The system signs you in to Thought Equity Motion. 5. Enter your search terms in the Search for footage bar. 6. Click the Search button or press Enter. The system returns your results in the Display window.
Searching through Stock Footage 7. Place your cursor over the thumbnail to preview a clip. 8. Use the navigation buttons to move Backward, Forward, and Refresh your last action. To change the display options: 1. Enter your search terms in the Search for footage bar. 2. Click the Search button or press Enter. The system returns your results in the Display window. 3. Click Display Options. The Change your display options dialog box opens. 4.
Searching through Stock Footage • OR: Use when you want to search for clips containing either keyword. For example, a search for butterfly OR moth, returns clips featuring both butterflies and moths. • Combine modifiers: Use a combination of keywords and operators to narrow your search. For example, butterfly AND yellow NOT swimming NOT fish, returns clips containing “butterfly” and “yellow” but eliminates clips of swimmers doing the butterfly stroke and butterfly fish.
Searching through Stock Footage Filter search results options Description Releases Allows you to choose from Fully Cleared/Ready Now or Talent Released/Not Required. Select one of these option to search for only specific releases. Available Previews Allows you to choose from Preview Available Now or Preview Available on Request. Select one of these option to search for only specific previews. Audio Search Allows you to search for clips that contain audio.
Searching through Stock Footage 5. Click Submit. The system creates your new bin and adds it to the My Bins menu. To add a clip to a Thought Equity Motion bin folder: 1. Once you have identified a clip to add to a bin, click the Add (+) button. The clip is added to your default bin. 2. To add a clip to a different bin, click the check box to select the clip. 3. From the Clip tools menu, select Add selected to bin folder name. The clip is added to your selected bin.
Searching through Stock Footage Icon Description Information (i) Allows you to view additional information about the clip. View (Magnifying Glass) Opens a window that displays detailed information about the clip including: licensing options and pricing. Comments Allows you to enter comments about your clip. Remove (X) Allows you to remove the clip from your bin. View shot reel Displays multiple shots from the selected clip.
Searching through Stock Footage A list of your bins display. 3. Use the Bin tools menu to Select all, Select none or Remove selected bins. 4. Use the Sort by menu to sort and search across multiple bins. 5. To the right of each bin, the system displays icons which allow you to perform different functions, they include: Icon Description Edit Allows you to edit the name of your bin and add or change any notes you want to include about the bin.
Downloading Stock Footage Clips to Your Avid Bin Downloading Stock Footage Clips to Your Avid Bin Once you select clips from the Avid Thought Equity Motion site, you can download low resolution comp clips into your Avid bin to try them out in your sequence. Although it is recommended to download directly through your Avid editing system, if needed, you can download clips outside of the Avid editing system from an external browser. Store the clips on your system and link them to your bin at a later time.
Downloading Stock Footage Clips to Your Avid Bin Column Name Description Vendor Invoice ID The vendor’s order/invoice ID for a purchased clip. To add vendor columns to your Avid bin: 1. With a bin in Text view, select Bin > Choose Columns. The Bin Column Selection dialog box opens. 2. Select the Vendor column names you want to display in your bin. 3. Click OK. The Vendor columns appear in your Avid bin.
Downloading Stock Footage Clips to Your Avid Bin If you select the Download Comp Arrow icon, a Download window opens allowing you to select a Customize Comp clip. See the steps in the following procedures to customize your comp clip. If you select the Download Comp button or the menu item, the Select a bin window opens. If you only have one Avid bin opened, the clip downloads to that bin. If you have several Avid bins opened, the Select a bin window opens. 4.
Downloading Stock Footage Clips to Your Avid Bin If you only have one Avid bin opened, the clip downloads to that bin. If you have several Avid bins opened, the Select a bin window opens. 4. Select the bin you want to download the clips to or click New Bin, and then click OK. If the clip that you selected has already been downloaded to your system. A dialog box opens allowing you to overwrite or not download the file.
Downloading Stock Footage Clips to Your Avid Bin 5. If you want to include burn-in timecode or an asset name, select Time code or Asset name. These options display in your clip. 6. Click Make a custom comp request. The request is sent to Thought Equity Motion. You will receive an e-mail once your custom comp is available to download. If you choose to download the comp by clicking the URL in your e-mail, you will need to download and link the clip outside of the Avid editor.
Downloading Stock Footage Clips to Your Avid Bin n AMA must be enabled to link the stock footage file. The menu item will be unavailable if AMA is not enabled. n An internet connection is required when you link clips in order to properly recognize files and access the data needed for any new clip metadata. The Browse dialog box opens. 3. Locate the comp file you downloaded, and then click OK. The stock footage clip appears in your Avid bin. An AMA link icon appears next to the clip.
Downloading Stock Footage Clips to Your Avid Bin If you select more than 10 sequences, a dialog box asks if you want to generate sequence reports for all selected items. The application writes the report to a text file and opens a text editor. n By default, the Stock Footage Report is saved in text format. To save the report as either .csv (comma-separated-value) or .xml, change the extension of the report before you save it. The file saves with .csv or .xml formatting.
Purchasing Your Stock Footage In cases in which a clip is used more than once in a sequence, additional occurrences display indented below the first occurrence. See the example below: n Depending on your operating system and the text file application, you might have to turn off “word wrapping” or enlarge the size of you text window to see all the displayed columns correctly. Purchasing Your Stock Footage You can purchase your stock footage as an individual clip or as all the clips in your sequence.
Downloading your High Resolution Stock Footage Selected clip and the Add to cart icon. 3. Click Add to Cart. The clip displays in your shopping cart. 4. (Option) If you still need to adjust the In or Out points, you can drag the handles to adjust the length of your clip, then click Update the clips In/Out markers. n If the clip contains clipping information, Avid adds five frames to both the start and end points of your purchased clip. 5.
Downloading your High Resolution Stock Footage For more detailed information about downloading, see “Downloading Stock Footage Clips to Your Avid Bin” on page 1290. This section explains downloading low resolution clips, but the same information applies to downloading high resolution clips. n It is recommended that you do not change the file name of the downloaded clip. The file name includes information that is used for linking. However, it is all right to rename the clip name inside the Avid bin.
Downloading your High Resolution Stock Footage n You need to click Download Masters for each clip. The clips download to your selected Avid bin. If there is no bin open or multiple bins are opened, the Select a Bin dialog box opens asking you to select a bin or create a new bin. A download progress bar appears, in the lower-left corner of the Avid Marketplace window, with the number of clips to download.
Relinking High Resolution Media to Your Sequence The high resolution clips appear in your Avid bin. An AMA link icon appears next to the clip. To play your sequence with the high resolution clips, you need to relink the purchased clips to your sequence. For more information, see “Relinking High Resolution Media to Your Sequence” on page 1301.
Avid Marketplace Plug-ins You might want to transcode the purchased clip to the projects native format for smoother play. See “Using the Transcode Command” on page 424. Avid Marketplace Plug-ins The Avid Marketplace Plug-ins window allows you to purchase and download Avid supported plug-ins from within the Avid editing application, you can open the Avid Marketplace Plug-ins page to download audio and video plugins.
Purchasing and Downloading a Plug-in from the Avid Marketplace The purchase window with the selected product displays. 4. Select from the “Please select a product” from the pull-down menu. 5. Enter the quantity. 6. Click Add to Cart. 7. Enter a promotional code if you have one, then click Apply. 8. Click Proceed to Checkout. 9. If you have an account, click the Returning Customers check box. You will be prompted to enter your e-mail address and password. Click login.
33 Settings This chapter provides information on how to use settings. • Understanding Settings • Working with Settings • Options for Moving User Settings Files This chapter also provides reference information for all settings categories.
• Interplay Folder, Interplay Server, and Interplay User Settings • Keyboard Settings • Marquee Title Settings • Media Creation Settings • Media Services Settings (Windows Only) • Mouse Settings • NRCS Settings • Passthrough Mix Tool • PortServer Settings • Remote Play and Capture Settings • Render Settings • S3D Settings • Safe Colors Settings • Script Settings • Sound Card Configuration Settings (Windows Only) • Sphere Playback Settings (Windows Only) • Sphere Upload Setti
Understanding Settings Understanding Settings The Settings tab in the Project window contains a list of settings that control many aspects of your Avid editing application’s behavior. Using the Settings list, you can: • Open Settings dialog boxes to view and modify settings. • Switch between settings. • Manage settings in a variety of ways. For more information, see “Working with Settings” on page 1308. You can also switch between users and work with user profiles.
Understanding Settings Types of Settings There are three types of settings: • User settings are specific to a particular editor and reflect individual preferences for adjusting the user interface in your Avid editing application. User settings are stored in each user folder. n Never use a user settings file that was opened in the MediaLog™ application. • Project settings are directly related to individual projects. When you change a Project setting, it affects all editors working on the project.
Working with Settings • Multiple Keyboard settings to use for various activities such as capturing, offline editing, or online effects editing. • Multiple Deck Preferences settings for various types of capturing or for output. • User settings for the assistant editor that facilitate logging, capturing, and organizing projects. • User settings for the editor that include editing interface preferences. • Bin View settings that display useful columns of information in bins.
Working with Settings To modify available settings: 1. In the dialog box or window for the setting, type new values or select new options for the setting. For information about navigating within a Settings dialog box, see “Using the Keyboard for Navigating in Dialog Boxes and Menus” on page 29. 2. Click OK, Save, Apply, or Cancel, or click the Close button. Your Avid editing application saves changes in the appropriate User, Project, or Site settings file.
Working with Settings Option Description Workspaces Displays all Workspace settings you have created. Site Settings Displays all Site settings in the Site_Settings file. Switching to Another Set of User Settings User settings are not project or site specific, so you can display another set of User settings in the Project window. To select another user: 1. Click the Settings tab in the Project window. The Settings list appears. 2. Click the User Selection menu, and select another name.
Working with Settings To enter a custom setting name: 1. Click the Settings tab in the Project window. The Settings list appears. 2. Click the Custom setting name column to the right of the setting name. 3. Type a name, and press Enter (Windows) or Return (Macintosh). The new name appears in the list and is saved in the settings file. Selecting Among Multiple Settings If you have multiple versions of a setting (for example, multiple Export settings), only one setting at a time is active.
Working with Settings Restoring Default Settings To restore settings to their default values: 1. Click the Settings tab in the Project window. The Settings list appears. 2. Click a setting to select it. Ctrl+click (Windows) or Command+click (Macintosh) each additional setting you want to select. 3. Right-click the selected setting (or one of the multiple selected settings), and select Restore to Default. A message box opens. 4.
Working with Settings t Open an existing settings file: select File > Open Settings File, locate and select a settings file (with the file name extension .xml) in the Avid Projects or Avid Users folder, and then click Open. The settings file window opens. 2. Click the setting you want to copy in the Settings list in the Project window. Ctrl+click (Windows) or Command+click (Macintosh) any additional settings that you want to copy. 3. Drag the selected setting to the destination settings window.
Options for Moving User Settings Files t Select File > Open Setting File, navigate to the Settings folder, and double-click Site_Settings file. The Site_Settings window opens. 3. Click a Project or User setting in the Settings list in the Project window, or Ctrl+click (Windows) or Command+click (Macintosh) multiple settings. 4. Drag the selected setting to the Site Settings window. Copies appear in the Site Settings window. 5. Close the Site Settings window.
Summary of Settings Setting Name Description Reference Topic Audio Project Defines the audio settings for the project and the audio input and output methods. “Audio Project Settings” on page 1320 Bin Sets options for bins and for the SuperBin. “Bin Settings” on page 1326 Bin View Selects and formats the information displayed in bins. For more information, see “Understanding Bin Views” on page 301.
Summary of Settings Setting Name Description Reference Topic Import Sets options for file import. “Import Settings” on page 1374 Interface Defines the appearance and function of certain interface elements. For more information, see “Customizing the Avid User Interface” on page 76. “Interface Settings” on page 1380 Interplay Folder Lets you specify a project directory on the asset manager to use for checking in media objects.
AMA Settings Setting Name Description Reference Topic Safe Colors Sets the safe color parameters for the Color Correction tool. “Safe Colors Settings” on page 1396 Script Sets the default display options for scripts imported using script integration.
AMA Settings AMA Settings: Quality Tab Option Description Consolidate/Transcode Preference: Video This option allows you to consolidate/transcode your video media to the Highest Quality or Most Compressed resolution. Consolidate/Transcode Preference: Audio This option allows you to consolidate/transcode your audio media to the Highest Quality or Most Compressed resolution.
Audio Settings Audio Settings Option Description Mix Tool Display Options Opens a dialog that allows you to add or remove items such as faders, legends, effect buttons, and the solo and mute buttons: Source Scrub Defines the number of outgoing and incoming frames you hear as you scrub the source. Timeline Scrub Defines the number of outgoing and incoming frames you hear as you scrub in the timeline.
Audio Project Settings Option Description Monitors Volume Controls the volume of the desktop speakers. Use the Mute button to mute audio output to speakers or headphones. Audio Project Settings You can save multiple Audio Project settings and select one as the active setting. If you edit an inactive setting, your Avid editing application does not display items that are not saved. For example, Mix Mode does not display in an inactive setting because you cannot save it in the Project settings.
Audio Project Settings Option Description DV Audio Pattern Controls whether variation in the audio sample rate is allowed. Select the option expected by your device. • Unlocked Audio: Allows some imprecision in the audio sample rate, with a variation of up to +/– 25 audio samples per frame. • Locked Audio: Keeps the audio clock locked precisely to the video clock, so exactly the same number of audio samples and video frames are recorded or transmitted in each cycle of the phase relationship.
Audio Project Settings Option Description Input Gain slider Depending on your Avid input/output hardware, controls your computer’s volume settings. (Windows only) Select the +20 dB check box to boost gain for low gain inputs. Input Source Controls the type of audio input. The types available depend on the audio hardware installed in or connected to your system. n If you select IEEE 1394 as your input device, this option is automatically set to Host-1394.
Audio Project Settings Option Description Stereo Mix Tracks This option is available with some Avid input/output hardware. Customizes the mix of tracks with Stereo selected in the Mix Mode Selection Menu button. Your Avid editing application sends a stereo mix to the two channels you select. Material panned to the left is sent to the odd channel, and material panned to the right is sent to the even channel.
Audio Project Settings Option Description Output type option tab: SD SDI This option is available depending on your Avid input/output hardware. Use the On or Off option to control whether to embed the audio with the video in SDI output.
Audio Project Settings Option Description HW Calibration Depending on your Avid input/output hardware, matches the software audio calibration to your Avid hardware. The default value for the software and hardware is -20dBFS. Other available values are -14dBFS and -18dBFS. If you don’t change your hardware settings, keep this value at -20dBFS. For information on changing the hardware setting, see “Calibrating Audio Hardware for Avid Nitris DX and Avid Mojo DX” on page 179.
Bin Settings Bin Settings Option Description Auto-Save interval n minutes Defines the interval between attempts to auto-save project files. The default is 15 minutes. Inactivity period n seconds Defines how long your Avid editing application waits when your system is inactive before automatically saving the project files. The default is 15 seconds. Force Auto-Save at n minutes Defines the maximum interval between auto-saves.
Capture Settings Capture Settings: General Tab Option Description Stop deck after capture When this option is selected, the deck stops when the capture operation is complete. Pause deck after capture When this option is selected, the deck pauses when the capture operation is complete. Preroll Method Defines the preroll method. For more information, see “Selecting Settings for Preroll Method and for Capturing Across Timecode Breaks” on page 148.
Capture Settings Option Description Ask before discarding When this option is selected, your Avid editing application lets you choose whether to a canceled clip discard the canceled clip, keep it, or try again. Ask for name when a When this option is selected, your Avid editing application asks you for a name when it new tape is seen detects a new tape. Pause deck while logging When this option is selected, the deck pauses after you set an OUT point while you log clips.
Capture Settings Option Description Log errors to the console When this option is selected, your Avid editing application continues capturing if an and continue capturing error occurs during the capture process. Capture the tracks logged When this option is selected, your Avid editing application captures the tracks for each clip logged for each clip. Use the audio sample rate When this option is selected, your Avid editing application uses the audio sample logged for each clip rate logged for each clip.
Capture Settings Option Description Maximum (default) capture time n minutes Determines how much space your Avid editing application preallocates on the target drive or drives before a capture begins. The default capture time is 30 minutes. This option applies only to capture-on-the-fly and capture from an IN point without an OUT point. Capture from an IN point to an OUT point overrides this option. Change this option only if you intend to capture on-the-fly for longer than 30 minutes.
Communication (Serial) Ports Tool Settings Option Description Switch to emptiest drive when n minutes left When this option is selected, your Avid editing application switches to another storage drive when the specified amount of time remains. Capture Settings: DV & HDV Options Tab Option Description DV&HDV Scene Extraction When this option is selected, you can automatically generate subclips and markers based on time-of-day (TOD) information contained in the DV video format.
Controller Settings Option Description Remote Play and Capture Sets a port for an edit controller that uses the Sony serial control protocol. For more information, see “Remote Play, Capture, and Punch-In” on page 245. Controller Settings Option Description Controller Defines the controller to use. Select one of the following: • No Controller • JL Cooper MCS3 Controller • 002 Controller • Command|8 Port Defines the port you use to connect your controller.
Correction Settings Correction Settings: Features Tab Option Description Saved Color Labels Controls how custom colors are named in bins: • None: When this option is selected, your Avid editing application does not supply a name. • RGB: When this option is selected, your Avid editing application uses the 8-bit values for the red, green, and blue components as the name.
Deck Configuration Settings Correction Settings: AutoCorrect Tab Option Description When applying Color Defines the first, second, and third automatic color correction that your Avid editing correction from the application makes when you apply the Color Correction effect from the Effect Effect Palette, perform Palette: the following operations: • Nothing: Makes no adjustment.
Deck Settings Option Description Add deck Click to add a deck or DV device. Opens the Deck Settings dialog box. For information on the Deck Settings options, see “Deck Settings” on page 1335. Delete Click to delete a deck or DV device.
Deck Preferences Settings Option Description Show Filters the devices that display in the Device menu: • All Devices: Displays all devices by manufacturer and model. • Decks: Displays only decks by manufacturer and model. • Transcoders: Displays only transcoders by manufacturer and model. Preroll Defines how many seconds the tape rolls before capture or digital cut starts. The default is based on the type of videotape recorder (VTR).
Deck Preferences Settings Option Description Allow assemble edit & When this option is selected, you can use the assemble-edit and crash-record crash record for digital cut features in the Digital Cut tool, along with the assemble-editing and manual recording capabilities of your record deck. Select this option to record frame-accurate digital cuts quickly and without striping entire tapes in advance while using the assemble edit feature. Select this option also if you want to operate the deck manually.
Desktop Play Delay Desktop Play Delay Option Description Frames Click the Desktop Play Delay Frames slider to increase or decrease the amount of frame offset. You might need to readjust the frames a few times to find the correct offset.For more information, see “Adjusting the Play Delay Offset” on page 468. Dynamic Relink Settings Dynamic Relink is available only on Avid editing systems that have the Avid Interplay Media Indexer installed.
Dynamic Relink Settings Dialog Box Area Option Description (Continued) Working settings tab and Target settings tab If no match is found Defines the action to take if no media is available that matches the working or target settings. You can select one option as a working setting and a different option as a target setting. Select one of the following: • Keep Existing Media: Your Avid editing application displays the media to which the clips are currently linked.
Dynamic Relink Settings Dialog Box Area Option Description (Continued) Relink if quality Available when Specific Resolution is the Relink method. Defines a relational operator and a resolution to compare against.
Effect Editor Settings Dialog Box Area Option Description (Continued) Relink if sample rate and bit depth The relational operators on the left for sample rate and bit depth are similar to the relational operators for the Video parameter “Relink if quality” menu. However, the two menus have an additional entry, “Any,” which lets you use one criteria and ignore the other. For example, you could select sample rate equal to 44.1 kHz and bit depth to “Any”.
Effect Editor Settings Option Description Real Time Update When this option is selected, your Avid editing application updates the rendered effect image in real time. Because the update can be slow for complex effects, you have the option to deselect real-time updating. Set Position To Keyframe When this option is selected, your Avid editing application moves the position indicator to the keyframe when you click a keyframe indicator.
E-mail Settings E-mail Settings The Email Settings dialog box lets you configure your Avid editing application so that it can notify you by e-mail when any of the following operations completes: n • Render • Export • Consolidate or Transcode Some mobile telephone services can deliver e-mail as a text message or notify you by text message when an e-mail has been received. If your service includes this feature, consider using it as a convenient way to receive your notifications.
Export Settings Option Description From Name Defines the name that appears in the From header field of an e-mail your Avid editing application sends. From Address Defines the e-mail address for the account that your Avid editing application uses to send the e-mail. To Address Defines the e-mail address to which your Avid editing application sends the e-mail.
Export Settings Option Description OMFI 1.0 OMFI 2.0 When this option is selected, your Avid editing application exports a standard OMFI composition for transfer to a third-party workstation that supports OMFI. You can choose to export composition only, or embed the video and audio, or both. For more information, see “Guidelines for Exporting OMFI and AAF Files” on page 970. AAF When this option is selected, your application creates an Advanced Authoring Format (AAF) file.
Export Settings Option QuickTime Movie Description When this option is selected, your Avid editing application creates a self-contained QuickTime movie. For more information, see “Exporting QuickTime Movies” on page 975. n If you install additional QuickTime Export formats, they appear in the menu with tildes (~) before their names. This indicates they are not qualified or supported by Avid.
Export Settings Option Description Use Marks When this option is selected, your Avid editing application 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 or mark the entire clip or sequence. Use Enabled Tracks When this option is selected, your Avid editing application exports the tracks that are enabled in the Timeline.
Export Settings Option Description The following options appear in the Video Details tab, the Audio Details tab, or both, depending on the export method: Export Method: Defines an export method. Other options change depending on which method you choose. This option appears in both the Video Details tab and the Audio Details tab. • Link to (Don’t Export) Media: Select this option when you want to export an AAF or an OMFI composition with links to the media in its current location.
Export Settings Option Description Add Audio Mixdown When you select this option, your Avid editing application adds an audio mixdown track. Track(s) Select the type of track you want, either Mono or Stereo. For more information about audio mixing, see “Using Live Mix Mode” on page 774. Convert Audio Sample Rate to: Defines the audio sample rate for the export. Select this option if your sequence has a mix of sample rates and you need to create a single sample rate.
Export Settings Option Description Folder Defines the destination folder for newly created or copied media. If you deselect Use Same Folder as AAF File, a path name appears. Click Select Folder to navigate to a different folder. Embedded in AAF/OMF When this option is selected, your Avid editing application embeds media files in the exported AAF or OMFI file specified in the Export dialog box.
Export Settings Option Description Display Aspect Ratio Defines an image size for the video you want to export: Native, 4:3, or 16:9. This lets you control the display format without modifying the source file. This option creates metadata that is stored with the QuickTime movie. Some applications, such as the QuickTime Player, can interpret this metadata and scale the image at display time.
Export Settings Option Description Add Shares for Media Drives When this option is selected, your Avid editing application creates a new drive share for referenced media files stored on unshared network drives. The drive share is hidden, so other users do not see the shared drive when browsing your computer. You do not need to select this option when media is stored on the same drive as the QuickTime reference movie.
Export Settings Option Description Video and Audio, Video Only, Audio Only Defines whether your Avid editing application exports video only, audio only, or both. Video Format The following options might be available, depending on your other settings: Use Video Only, for example, if you want to add effects in a third-party application or to use only the video in a multimedia project.
Export Settings Option Description Create Preview When this options is selected, your Avid editing application creates a preview of the QuickTime movie. Display Aspect Ratio Defines an image size for the video you want to export: Native, 4:3, or 16:9. This lets you control the display format without modifying the source file. This option creates metadata data that is stored with the QuickTime movie.
Export Settings Option Description Prepare for Internet Streaming • Fast Start: The movie can begin playing over the Internet without having to download completely first. This method of playing movies over the Internet is referred to as progressive download or HTTP streaming. It does not require a streaming video server. • Fast Start - Compressed Header: This option is a better choice for progressive downloading. It works the same as Fast Start, but compresses the header information.
Export Settings Codec Description Avid 1:1x For high quality, 8-bit, lossless resolution (in which no picture information is lost). Available for use with MXF media files. Meridien-based systems cannot use this format. Current Avid editing systems, including Avid DS, can use this format. It uses 4:2:2 sampling. Avid DNxHD™ Codec For DNxHD encoding with 8-bit and 10-bit resolutions. Available for use with MXF media files. Meridien-based systems cannot use this format.
Export Settings Option Description Stream Type Defines the transport stream type: • Transport Stream: Use this option for both video and audio, for example, when exporting to other devices. • Elementary Streams: Use this option for either video only or audio only. Export Settings: DV Stream Option Description Use Marks, Use Enabled Tracks See “Use Marks and Use Enabled Tracks Options” on page 1346.
Export Settings Export Settings: AVI Through QuickTime Option Description Use Marks, Use Enabled Tracks See “Use Marks and Use Enabled Tracks Options” on page 1346. Video and Audio, Video Only, Audio Only Defines whether your Avid editing application exports video only, audio only, or both. Use Video Only, for example, if you want to add effects in a third-party application or to use only the video in a multimedia project.
Export Settings Option Description Key Frame Every n frames When this option is selected, your Avid editing application uses keyframes as a reference for subsequent frames. Enter a numeric value to specify the frequency of the keyframes. Limit Data Rate n KB/sec Defines a limit to the data rate for the compressed file, in kilobytes per second.
Export Settings Option Description Use Marks, Use Enabled Tracks See “Use Marks and Use Enabled Tracks Options” on page 1346. Width, Height, FPS Set the width, height, and frame-per-second (fps) rate of the clips for export. Video Type Defines the video type, either Progressive or Interlaced. Pixel Aspect Ratio When this option is selected, your Avid editing application scales the video. This lets you control the display format without modifying the source file.
Export Settings Option Description Passes (not available when you select Uncompressed) Defines the number of encoding passes, either 1 or 2. With 1 Pass encoding, the content passes through the encoder once, and compression is applied as the content is encountered. With 2 Pass encoding, the content is analyzed during the first pass, and then encoded in the second pass based on the data gathered in the first pass. 2 Pass encoding might result in better quality but takes longer.
Export Settings Option Description Codec (not available Select one of the following codecs: when you select • Windows Media Audio 9.1: This codec provides improvement in compression over Uncompressed.) the Windows Media 8 Audio codec and supports VBR audio encoding. • ACELP.net: In some instances, the Sipro Labs ACELP codec appears in the list of codecs, for example, if you import a profile that was created by using Windows Media Encoder version 7.1.
Export Settings Export Settings: Audio Option Description Use Marks, Use Enabled Tracks See “Use Marks and Use Enabled Tracks Options” on page 1346. Mono Stereo Use this option to export audio tracks in either mono or stereo. Sample Rate Defines an audio sample rate, either Project rate, 32 kHz, 44.1 kHz, 48 kHz, 88.2 kHz, or 96 kHz. You can use this option if your sequence has a mix of sample rates and you need to create a single sample rate.
Export Settings Option Description Graphic Format Defines a graphic format for export. The Format Options button lets you set export parameters. For more information on available graphic formats, see “Export Settings: Graphic Format” on page 1364. Width x Height Defines the size of the clip. Click the Fast Menu button, and select from a list of standard dimensions. The Size to Fit suboption sizes to fit the specified width and height.
Export Settings Format Options and Other Notes (if applicable) BMP Windows: Creates files that are compatible with systems running the Windows operating system. OS/2: Creates files that are compatible with systems running the IBM® OS/2®operating system. Chyron® Cineon™ Blackpoint (Windows) or Black Point (Macintosh): Lets you adjust a film exposure value that corresponds to filming a 2% black card. Values can be between 0 and 1022. The default value of 0 is adequate for most uses.
Export Settings Format Options and Other Notes (if applicable) Photoshop Color Depth: The 8 bits suboption saves 8-bit files. The 16 bits suboption saves 16-bit files. The Automatic suboption saves the image in the same depth as the original loaded image. Compression: Controls the size of the file on disk. Disabling this option creates larger files on disk. PICS This option is available on Macintosh only. It creates a Macintosh QuickDraw picture encapsulated in IFF format.
Export Settings Format Options and Other Notes (if applicable) TIFF Color Depth: The 8 bits suboption saves 8-bit files. The 16 bits suboption saves 16-bit files. The Automatic suboption saves the image in the same depth as the original loaded image. Compression: Controls the size of the file on disk. With None, i RLE (run length encoded) produces relatively small and fairly portable files. JPEG • None: Image data is not compressed and can produce large file sizes.
Full Screen Playback Settings Option Description Bit Depth Defines the audio bit depth, either 16 bit or 24 bit. Panasonic supports 16-bit audio at this time. Export Settings: XDCAM To open the XDCAM Export Setting dialog box, select Clip > Export to Device > XDCAM. For more information, see “Exporting Media to XDCAM Devices” on page 982. Option Description Use Marks, Use Enabled Tracks See “Use Marks and Use Enabled Tracks Options” on page 1346.
Full Screen Playback Settings Option Description S3D View Mix: Displays a 50/50 blend of both the left and right eye images. Difference: Displays a blend of both left and right eyes, and highlights the difference between the two. Embossed areas show the differences, while gray pixels represent no differences. Frame Compatible: Displays both the left and right eye images as dictated by the project settings (side/side or over/under). Mono: Displays only one of the stereoscopic images.
Full Screen Playback Settings Option Description S3D Overlay Displays the disparity guides on the viewer so that you can see the depth budget limits when adjusting the separation between your stereo 3D images. The guides for Parallax are based on the project’s S3D settings (set from the Project window, Settings tab). Parallax Near: Displays green guides that show the limits for objects that will appear in front of the screen plane.
General Settings General Settings Option Description Project Format Displays the format currently selected for the project. Temporary File Directory When you use drag and drop Export or an export that creates an intermediate movie file, your Avid editing application must store the intermediate file, which can be as large as the final export. By default, the Temporary File Directory is located in the same directory as your Avid editing application.
Grid Settings Grid Settings Grid Settings: Coordinates Tab Option Description Scale Mode Lets you work with a grid that indicates boundaries for a format other than the one in which you are working. This is useful when you are creating graphics (like titles) that must remain safe in other formats. Select one of the following options depending on the current and target formats you need. When you do not specifically need a grid that represents another format, use the Normal option, which is the default.
Grid Settings Grid Settings: Display Tab Option Description Type Selects a different grid for each standard film type. For video projects, use the Square grid type. The grid for the Academy option includes a safety margin on the left that is used for adding the optical sound track. The following options are available: Square, Standard Film, Academy, Super 35, Anamorphic. Color Defines a color for the grid axes and the grid points. Show Safe Title Displays the safe title area.
Import Settings Import Settings Import Settings: Image Tab Option Description Image Size Adjustment Controls the dimensions of imported images. The following options are available: • Image sized for current format: Select this option if the image is properly sized and formatted for the current project format, or to maintain field data when you import two-field media that follows exact NTSC or PAL dimensions.
Import Settings Option Description Field Ordering in File Controls the field ordering (sometimes referred to as field dominance) of the media you are importing. For 23.976p or 25p projects, these options do not appear, and all fields are automatically imported as progressive (still) frames. When the field ordering (or spatial field position) of the imported media matches the field ordering of the project format, no special processing is required.
Import Settings Option Description Alpha Channel Controls how your Avid editing application handles the alpha channel in imported images. The following options are available: • Invert on import (white = opaque): Select this option to reverse the black and white elements of the alpha channel if they differ from the matte key requirements of your Avid editing application. Avid applications use a white background, a black foreground, and a gray transparency blend between the two.
Import Settings Import Settings: OMFI/AAF Tab Option Description Resolution Use the source file’s resolution. When this option is selected, your Avid editing application maintains the source file’s resolution. Your Avid editing application disregards the resolution setting in the Select Files to Import dialog box as well as the resolution set in the Import tab of the Media Creation dialog box. Use the current import resolution.
Import Settings Import Settings: Audio Tab Option Description Multichannel Audio Allows you to map source audio channels to multichannel or mono tracks in your imported clips. Click Edit to open the Set Multichannel Audio dialog box and specify mono or audio tracks for a maximum of 16 audio channels. For more information, see “Importing with Multichannel Audio” on page 263. Convert source sample Controls sample rate conversion during audio import.
Import Settings Option Description Autodetect Broadcast Wave Monophonic Groups When this option is selected, your Avid editing application imports multichannel, monophonic BWF files as a single master clip. This lets you import an eight-track recording, for example, as an eight-track master clip with sequential file names based on the track order (filename_1.wav is associated with track A1, filename_2.wav is associated with track A2).
Interface Settings Interface Settings Option Description Interface Brightness Controls the brightness of the user interface. Preview Displays a preview of the foreground color as you move the Interface Brightness slider. Highlight Color Lets you select the color of button highlighting from available presets. Default Timeline V Tracks Selecting this option sets the color of all Timeline video tracks to the default. If you change the track color for a video track, this option changes to deselected.
Interplay Folder, Interplay Server, and Interplay User Settings Option Description Windows Standard Alt Key Switches between standard Windows and Avid application Alt key behavior. Behavior (Windows only) When this option is selected, pressing and holding the Alt key together with another key works as a keyboard shortcut for certain Windows actions (for example, opening menus).
Keyboard Settings Option Description Set Lets you navigate to a directory on the Interplay Server and set a new default Interplay Root Folder. Append project to directory path Automatically adds the name of your project to the directory path specified in the Interplay Root Folder text box. Verify directory path On login: A message box asks you to confirm the directory path after you log in to Interplay.
Marquee Title Settings To view the name of a button in the Keyboard settings window, move the mouse pointer over the button. To get help for the button, right-click and select What’s This? For information on mapping buttons, see “Mapping User-Selectable Buttons” on page 99. When you open the Keyboard palette from the Settings list and select Map Foreign Keyboard, you can map user-selectable buttons to the keyboard.
Media Creation Settings Option Description Promote Title Tool Controls whether your Avid editing application promotes classic Title Tool titles to titles to Marquee Marquee when you open the title for editing from a bin or from within a sequence: Backup Title on Promote • Yes: Your Avid editing application always promotes a Title Tool title to a Marquee title. For more information, see “Promoting Title Tool Titles to Marquee” in the Marquee Help.
Media Creation Settings Option Description On indexing failure Determines how your Avid editing application reports indexing failure messages. For information on using the Console, see “Using The Console Window” on page 101. Media Creation Settings: Common Options in Capture, Titles, Import, Mixdown & Transcode, Motion Effects, and Render Tabs Option Description Video Resolution Select a resolution.
Media Creation Settings Media Creation Settings: Additional Options for Render Tab Option Description Same as Source When this option is selected, your Avid editing application renders the effect using the resolution of the clip or clips used to create the effect. If an effect is created from clips that use different resolutions, your Avid editing application uses the highest quality resolution. Effects Processing Controls the resolution (bit depth) used for effects processing.
Media Services Settings (Windows Only) Media Services Settings (Windows Only) The Media Services Settings dialog box lets you connect to a Media Services Broker. You use the services provided by Avid Interplay Media Services Broker in an Avid Interplay environment where dedicated computers automate time-consuming operations. For more information, see the Avid Interplay Media Services Setup and User’s Guide.
NRCS Settings NRCS Settings For more information about options in the NRCS Settings dialog box, see “Configuring the NRCS Tool” on page 1060. NRCS Settings: NRCS Tab Option Description Server Defines the name of the server. Server menu Defines the type of NRCS server (iNEWS or ENPS) you want to connect to. The second tab in the NRCS Settings dialog box changes to match the selection. Default User Name Defines a default iNEWS user name.
NRCS Settings Option Description Browser Fields When this option is selected, the Labels text boxes list the column headings available for display in the Directory panel of the NRCS tool. If you want to change the default label, type a new name in the appropriate text box. n The Page (page-number) and Name (title) fields are always available and do not need to be set in this dialog box. The Field text boxes display the default fields from the iNEWS server.
Passthrough Mix Tool Option Description Add paragraph tags (
) at the start of new lines Converts line breaks into paragraph breaks, so each line is displayed as a separate paragraph on the Web page. n Web formatting ignores line breaks that are the result of the text wrapping within the Story text box. It converts only those line breaks created when the user enters a new line.
Sphere Playback Settings (Windows Only) Option Description Mode When Remote Capture is selected, your Avid editing application captures the media being sent to it immediately without setting up parameters like IN and OUT points. Select this option when you want to perform a quick capture. This mode is also known as crash record. Remote Capture supports record and stop with the controller. When Remote Play is selected, you can control sequences via an edit controller.
Sphere Upload Settings (Window Only) Option Description Clear All Caches This option allows you to manually delete the SphereCache folder and its contents. Sphere Upload Settings (Window Only) The following table describes the options available in the Sphere Upload Settings dialog box. Option Description Upload Quality This option allows you to select media settings for upload. You can specify settings for uploading high resolution media using the High Quality option.
Render Settings Option Description Handles This option specifies the length of handles on the incoming and outgoing sides of the clip. Type the number of frames you want to use as handles for uploaded clips in the Handles: nn Frames text box. Handles refer to material outside the In and Out points that you can use for dissolves and trims with the uploaded master clips. The default is 30.
Render Settings Option Description Timewarps Render Determines the processing method when your Avid editing application render or rerenders Using Timewarp effects. The Original Preference, Duplicated Field, Both Fields, Interpolated Field, and VTR-Style options are the same as those for Motion Effects Render Using (see the preceding descriptions). The Blended Interpolated and Blended VTR options are also available. These options add pixel blending to the Interpolated Field or VTR-Style techniques.
S3D Settings Option Description • Interpolated Field: Creates a second field for the effect by combining scan line pairs from the first field in the original media. This option calculates the motion effect at the field level rather than the frame level. Because your Avid editing application considers all fields and does not disturb the original order of fields, the smoothest effect results. Effects that render using this option take the longest amount of time to render.
Safe Colors Settings Option Description Depth Limit Near Enter the depth budget available in front of the screen. This is always a negative value. Depth Limit Far Enter the depth budget available behind the screen. This is always a positive value. Parallax Near This distance is automatically calculated. If you set the drop-down button to manual, you may override the calculated setting. Parallax Far This distance is automatically calculated.
Script Settings Option Description Actions buttons Define how your Avid editing application implements the safe color settings. The top menu controls both the Composite and the Luminance limit types. The bottom menu controls the RGB Gamut limit type. The following options are available: • Ignore: Your Avid editing application does not limit based on these settings. This is the default setting. • Warn: Your Avid editing application provides warnings when an image exceeds these limits.
Sound Card Configuration Settings (Windows Only) Sound Card Configuration Settings (Windows Only) Sound Card Configuration Settings are only available in software-only configurations. Options Description Record/Input list Lists the input sources available with the audio hardware installed on your system. Playback/Output list Maps input sources to the output sources available with the audio hardware installed on your system.
Timeline Settings Option Description Highlight Suggested Render Areas After Playback When this option is selected, thin colored indicator lines display in the Timecode track of the Timeline. These lines provide information about the real-time effects in your sequence. For more information, see “Real-Time Playback of Video Effects” in the Help.
Transfer Settings Option Description Default Snap-To Edit When this option is selected, clips snap to an existing transition endpoint when you drag them from a bin to the Timeline. When this option is deselected, clips move freely to any position on the track. Default Sync Locks On Enables sync locks on all video and audio tracks as the default Timeline setting.
Transfer Settings Settings Tab Option Description Standalone/Incoming • Requests • Refuse all Requests — Select this option if you do not want to receive files from another workgroup. User Dialog To Accept/Refuse — Select this option if you want accept files from another workgroup, and then select one of the following dialog box options: Accept/Refuse Dialog Behavior: Status Window • Wait for User Action (No Timeout) — You receive a message request for a transfer.
Trim Settings Option Description Tape ID character limit Allows you to specify a Tape ID character limit during Send to Playback. Certain playback systems truncate Tape ID names that are too long. This option allows you to set the Tape ID name length. TMClient.ini Tab Option Description My Workgroup • Server — In a workgroup environment, type the Interplay Transfer server computer name. (This can be any name you give your workgroup.
Video Display Settings Trim Settings: Features Tab When the J-K-L Trim option is selected, you can use the J-K-L keys in Trim mode. For more information, see “Trimming with the J-K-L Keys” on page 700. Video Display Settings Option Description DV Output Setting The following options are available: Desktop Play Delay • Output to DV Device: Select this option if you have connected a DV device to a software-only system.
Video Input Tool Settings Option Description High-Quality Scaling for Real-Time Decode When this option is selected, image quality is improved during playback of mixed-format sequences where material requires resizing. This option is selected by default, and only affects playback with the Full Quality or the Full Quality 10-bit video quality setting. For more information, see “Setting the Video Quality for Playback” on page 484.
Video Output Tool Settings Option Description Preset buttons These buttons are highlighted when the factory preset levels are displayed. SignalLock Lets you switch between the following: • Professional: preset sync using a wider bandwidth for non-TBC sources. • Consumer: automatic sync using time-base correctors (TBC) internal to the video source Settings menu Lets you save the settings for an individual tape each time you calibrate bars.
Video Output Tool Settings Option (Continued) Description HDMI Format • SDInterlaced • SDProgressive • HD Crossconvert Defines a format to output an HD format from an HD sequence with a compatible frame rate. The options are specific formats (choices depend on the format of the sequence) or OFF. Downconvert Defines how downconverted SD video is resized. The options are Anamorphic, Letterbox, Center Cut, or OFF.
Video Output Tool Settings Option (Continued) Description Difference Outputs a blend of both left and right eyes, and highlights the difference between the two. Embossed areas show the differences, while gray pixels represent no differences. Frame Compatible Outputs both the left and right eye images as dictated by the project settings (side/side or over/under). Full Frame Outputs both the left and right eye at full resolution. Mono Outputs only one of the stereoscopic images.
Video Output Tool Settings Option (Continued) Description The following options display disparity guides on the viewer so that you can see the depth budget limits when adjusting the separation between your stereo 3D images. The guides for Parallax are based on the project’s S3D settings (set from the Project window, Settings tab). Parallax Near Displays green guides that show the limits for objects that will appear in front of the screen plane.
Video Output Tool Settings Option (Continued) Description Y Gain, RY Gain, BY Gain, Available for Component output only in some Avid input/output hardware Pr Gain, Pb Gain configurations. • Y Gain: Lets you adjust Y Gain, a measurement of luma (Y) in the video signal that is the whitest point in the visible picture. Use color bars to set the white level. • RY Gain: Lets you adjust the red (R) minus luminance (Y) color-difference signal of an analog component system in the SMPTE NTSC video standard.
Video Satellite Settings Option (Continued) Description B Gain In some Avid input/output hardware configurations, lets you adjust the blue (B) minus luminance (Y) color-difference signal of an analog component system in the SMPTE NTSC video standard. Available for HD Component RGB (on some systems) or HD Component YPbPr output. Pb Gain In some Avid input/output hardware configurations, lets you adjust the gain of the Pb color difference output, scaled from BY using the BT.
Workspace Linking Settings Workspace Linking Settings Option Description Link Timeline Mode Buttons to a Workspace: Lets you link the mode buttons in the Timeline palette to a workspace. Clicking a linked mode button (Source/Record mode, Effects mode, Color Correction mode) opens the linked workspace.
34 File Format Specifications This chapter contains specifications and notes that are useful when you are importing or exporting specific file formats.
Specifications for Graphics (Image) Files Format and Default File Name Extension Bit Depth Support Alpha Channel Support Notes Alias (.als) 24-bit color, 8-bit grayscale No BMP (.bmp) 1-, 4-, 8-, and 24-bit No Four-bit BMP files saved with RLE compression are not supported. Photoshop does not support four-channel BMP files. Chyron (.chr) 32-bit Yes Cineon (.cin) 10-bit (logarithmic) Not applicable Framestore (.fs) 24-bit No Pixel aspect information saves with image data.
Specifications for Graphics (Image) Files Format and Default File Name Extension Bit Depth Support Photoshop (.psd) Alpha Channel Support Notes RGB 8-bits/channel, RGB16 Yes bits/channel, grayscale, indexed color, and duotone variations Your Avid editing application can import multilayered graphics. For more information, see “Photoshop Graphics Import” on page 268. Duotone files are loaded as grayscale. Multichannel (greater than four channels) files and CMYK files are not supported. PICT (.
Specifications for Graphics (Image) Files Format and Default File Name Extension Bit Depth Support Alpha Channel Support Notes TIFF (.tif) 8-bit color-mapped; 8-bit or 16-bit grayscale; 24- and 48-bit color; 24-bit color plus 8-bit alpha; 36-bit color plus 12-bit alpha; 42-bit color plus 14-bit alpha; 48-bit color plus 16-bit alpha Yes Wavefront (.rla) 32-bit and 64-bit Yes XWindows (.xwd) 1-, 2-, 4-, 8-, 16-, 24-, and 32-bit No YUV (.
Specifications for Graphics (Image) Files Aspect Requirement Notes Color mode RGB ITU-R 601 ITU-R 709 Other formats, including CMYK, can cause import errors. ITU-R 601 is used for SD and ITU-R 709 is used for HD. In HD projects, your Avid editing application automatically converts the media. File format Various Your Avid editing application accepts many file formats for input. TIFF (.tif), PICT (.pct), and PNG (.png) are commonly used formats.
Specifications for Animation Files Frame Size for Imported Graphics The table in this topic shows the frame sizes to use when creating and importing graphics and sequences. The table includes sizes for both square and non-square pixels. Computer displays, most graphic and animation programs, and most HD video formats use square pixels. Standard-definition (SD) digital video does not use square pixels. The ITU-R 601 standard specifies a 720-pixel width for both NTSC and PAL.
Specifications for Animation Files In addition to the specific formats described in the table below, your Avid editing application also supports sequences of image files. You must name image file sequences appropriately for your Avid editing application to handle them correctly on import. Name each file in the sequence NameN.ext, with Name identifying the animation, N indicating the file order, and .ext indicating the file type (for example, Image1.jpg, Image2.jpg, Image3.jpg).
Specifications for Importing OMFI Files Specifications for Importing OMFI Files OMFI was developed by Avid Technology, Inc. and many industry and standards partners for the interchange of digital media data between platforms and applications. For information about creating an OMFI file on a non-Avid application, see the documentation for the application. The information in the following table applies to importing OMFI files.
Working with BWF Files Working with BWF Files Avid editing applications support any BWF files that adhere to the BWF specification. The following information from BWF information always appears in bin columns. Bin Column BWF Source Clip name Imported file name. If scene and take information is provided, the clip name is created as scene/take. Tape ID Imported file name. Start The start timecode specified in the file. Shoot date The origination date specified in the file.
Working with BWF Files Syntax Definition u Letter code of the manufacturer. Use the letter u unless otherwise instructed by Avid. KEYWORD Designation of the bin column. = Terminates the keyword. data Information to include in the bin column. [CR/LF] (carriage return/line feed) Terminates the data. For example, the keyword/value pair uSCENE=1A[CR/LF] displays “1A” in the Scene column of the bin into which you import it.
Working with BWF Files In these examples, nn is the frame rate (25, 29.97, or 30), DF is drop-frame, and ND is non-drop-frame. Importing, Syncing, and Reimporting BWF Files You can import BWF files into an Avid editing application approximately 10 to 12 times faster than capturing in real time. The files maintain pure digital quality for all audio post processing. For basic information on importing audio files, see “Importing Media Files” on page 259.
Working with BWF Files Use the Aux TC24 column to generate a 24-frame EDL for audio only. Use the Film TC column to generate a 24-frame EDL for video only. This timecode field represents the video timecode of a HD downconvert to standard definition video. 5. Ensure all entries in the Shoot Date column use the same syntax. Currently, some BWF files use the format 2009/10/03 as the Shoot Date while some ALE files use 2009-10-03.
Working with BWF Files 7. Click Open. The file imports and a new master clip appears in the bin with all audio tracks associated with the new master clip. n Your Avid editing application might skip some audio track labels (A1, A2, A3) because there is no file for that track. For more information about importing, see “Importing Files” on page 255.
Working with BWF Files Difference between Importing BWAV or AMA Linking to a BWAV with WaveAIFF Plug-In The following describes the differences between importing a BWAV file or AMA linking to a BWAV file using the WaveAIFF Plug-In. • The import process does not read iXML metadata. Performing an AMA Link using the WaveAIFF plug-in will read iXML metadata. • If the BWAV files contains an iXML tape name, this will appear as the “Sound Roll” and will override the BWAV specification of “Tape.
Field Ordering in Graphic Imports and Exports Field Ordering in Graphic Imports and Exports Graphic images consist of one or more image files, each of which contains a full frame. These frames contain fields (formed from the odd-numbered and even-numbered lines of the image frame) that have three basic arrangements: • Progressive or still frame: The upper and lower fields in the frame originated at the same instant of time, or are coherent with each other, as shown in the following illustration.
Field Ordering in Graphic Imports and Exports Preventing a Spatial Field Mismatch on Import The following table shows the proper spatial field position for each of the common interlaced video formats in Avid editing applications. n In the following table, Odd Field or Even Field specifies whether the temporally first field in the frame has the odd or even numbered lines, starting from 1.
Field Ordering in Graphic Imports and Exports 24p and 25p Import and Export The spatial field selection options do not apply for 24p and 25p projects because the frames in these projects are already in progressive or still-image form. Field Dominance Editing in Avid applications is frame based. All timecode is expressed in frame numbers, and all cuts are at frame boundaries. A raw video stream has no concept of frames (ignoring color framing) until the frame unit is defined.
35 Resolutions and Storage Requirements This chapter describes the different resolutions available in your Avid editing application and lists their specifications.
Monitor Display Resolutions You can use lower resolutions when your work does not require very high image quality (for example, in offline work, or in CD-ROM or Web authoring projects), and higher resolutions when you need excellent image quality. You can also mix different resolutions within the same project as long as those resolutions are compatible with one another. (see “Mixing Resolutions” on page 1444).
Resolution Specifications Resolution Specifications Avid editing applications provide you with a range of resolutions, both compressed and uncompressed, that you can use at various stages of your project. You can also mix certain resolutions within a sequence. The tables in the following topics list specifications for the various resolutions. For information on resolutions to use when importing graphics or sequences from a third-party application, see “Frame Size for Imported Graphics” on page 1417.
Resolution Specifications Project Format Frame Size Megabits per second Frames/sec (Mb/sec) 1280 x 720 23.976 442 354 90 90 60 40 100 50 100 59 88 41 18 132 60 50 25.
Resolution Specifications Project Format Frame Size Megabits per second Frames/sec (Mb/sec) Resolution Bits 1:1 10-bit HD 1:1 HD DNxHD 110 X DNxHD 110 DNxHD 70 DNxHD 50 DVCPRO HD XDCAM HD 50 AVC-Intra 100 Apple ProRes 422 MXF Apple ProRes 422 HQ MXF Apple ProRes 422 LT MXF Apple ProRes 422 Proxy MXF Apple ProRes 4444 J2K 720p 10 8 10 8 8 8 8 8 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 720p/29.97 1280 x 720 29.
Resolution Specifications Project Format Frame Size Megabits per second Frames/sec (Mb/sec) Resolution Bits 1:1 10-bit HD 1:1 HD DNxHD 220 X DNxHD 220 DNxHD 145 DNxHD 100 DVCPRO HD XDCAM HD 50 AVC-Intra 100 Apple ProRes 422 MXF Apple ProRes 422 HQ MXF Apple ProRes 422 LT MXF Apple ProRes 422 Proxy MXF Apple ProRes 4444 J2K 720p AVC-Intra 50 10 8 10 8 8 8 8 8 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 720p/59.94 1280 x 720 59.
Resolution Specifications Project Format Frame Size Megabits per second Frames/sec (Mb/sec) Resolution Bits 1:1 10-bit RGB HD 1:1 10-bit HD 1:1 HD DNxHD 175 X DNxHD 175 DNxHD 115 DNxHD 80 DNxHD 36 DNxHD444 350 X Apple ProRes 422 MXF Apple ProRes 422 HQ MXF Apple ProRes 422 LT MXF Apple ProRes 422 Proxy MXF Apple ProRes 4444 J2K 1080p 10 10 8 10 8 8 8 8 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 1080p/24 1920 x 1080 24.
Resolution Specifications Project Format Frame Size Megabits per second Frames/sec (Mb/sec) Resolution Bits 1:1 10-bit RGB HD 1:1 10-bit HD 1:1 HD DNxHD 220 X DNxHD 220 DNxHD 145 DNxHD 100 DNxHD 45 XDCAM HD 50 AVC-Intra 100 XAVC Intra 100 DNxHD444 440 X Apple ProRes 422 MXF Apple ProRes 422 HQ MXF Apple ProRes 422 LT MXF Apple ProRes 422 Proxy MXF Apple ProRes 4444 J2K 1080p 10 10 8 10 8 8 8 8 8 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 1080p/29.97 1920 x 1080 29.
Resolution Specifications Resolution Bits 1:1 10-bit RGB HD 1:1 10-bit HD 1:1 HD DNxHD 220 X DNxHD 220 DNxHD 145 DNxHD 100 DVCPRO HD XDCAM HD 50 AVC-Intra 100 XAVC Intra 100 Apple ProRes 422 MXF Apple ProRes 422 HQ MXF Apple ProRes 422 LT MXF Apple ProRes 422 Proxy MXF Apple ProRes 4444 J2K 1080i AVC-Intra 50 XAVC Intra 50 DNxHD TR-145 10 10 8 10 8 8 8 8 8 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 8 Project Format Frame Size Megabits per second Frames/sec (Mb/sec) 1080i/59.94 1920 x 1080 29.
Resolution Specifications Resolution Specifications SD: J2K Avid editing applications support editing and playback of J2K media. You can import, playback, transcode, and consolidate these resolutions. All J2K resolutions are encoded with variable bit-rate (VBR) encoding to meet a target, average bit-rate. Depending upon video content, the actual average rate will vary. The following table provides J2K specifications by project type.
Resolution Specifications Project 1080p Edit Rate 23.976 Resolution Name MB/Sec Raster Size AVC-Intra 100 100MBit 1920x1080 AVC-Intra 50 50MBit 1440x1080 AVC-Intra 100 100MBit 1920x1080 1080p 25 AVC-Intra 100 100MBit 1920x1080 720p 59.
Resolution Specifications Resolution Field Size (Visible Pixels) Fields Per Frame Quality 10:1 720 x 486 (NTSC) 720 x 576 (PAL) 2 Offline/online — a good compromise for high-quality, two-field offline or low-quality online that saves drive space. 3:1 720 x 486 (NTSC) 720 x 576 (PAL) 2 Online — a medium-quality online resolution that can sustain two-stream playback on 2-way striped drives.
Resolution Specifications Resolution Specifications: Multicam Both interlaced and progressive projects support multicamera resolutions (m resolutions). You cannot mix m resolutions with resolutions in other families. The capture of a multicamera resolution in a video project results in single-field compressed media that is resized horizontally to 288 pixels wide. Playback decompresses and resizes to 720 pixels wide.
Resolution Specifications Resolution Frame Size Color Sampling Megabits per second (Mb/sec) DV 25 411 interlaced 720 x 480 (NTSC) 720 x 576 (PAL) 4:1:1 25 DV 25p 411 progressive 720 x 480 (NTSC) 720 x 576 (PAL) 4:1:1 25 DV 25 420 interlaced 720 x 576 (PAL) 4:2:0 25 DV 50 interlaced 720 x 480 (NTSC) 720 x 576 (PAL) 4:2:2 50 DV 50p progressive 720 x 480 (NTSC) 720 x 576 (PAL) 4:2:2 50 DVCPRO HD (720p) 1280 x 720 4:2:2 100 DVCPRO HD (1080i) 1920 x 1080 4:2:2 100 Resolution Speci
Support for Uncompressed HD Media The following table provides Apple ProRes MXF specifications by project type. Resolution Bits Project Format Apple ProRes 422 MXF Apple ProRes 422 HQ MXF Apple ProRes 422 LT MXF Apple ProRes 422 Proxy MXF Apple ProRes 4444 10 23.976pNTSC 720 x 486 23.
Mixing Resolutions The following guidelines and limitations apply to handling uncompressed HD media on systems that do not support capture of uncompressed HD media: • You can play uncompressed HD media using the Best Performance (yellow) and Draft Quality (yellow/green) video quality settings. Playback of uncompressed HD media through the Avid input/output hardware as Full Quality (green) is not supported.
Estimating Drive Space Requirements Single-field resolutions work with smaller amounts of original image data than two-field or progressive resolutions. They use only half the image width of two-field resolutions, and they use only one of the two fields in the standard video signal. For example, there is a 2:1 resolution for both single-field and two-field resolutions. In both cases, the image data is compressed to one-half of its original size.
Storage Requirements Storage Requirements The following topics provide estimated drive space requirements for the various resolutions. They show figures for estimated minutes per gigabyte and also figures for the drive space required for certain amounts of material. “Estimating Drive Space Requirements” on page 1445 contains recommendations for achieving efficient storage for your digital media.
Storage Requirements Drive Space Needed for 1 Hour of Media (GB) Resolution Bits Project Format 1:1 10-bit HD 1:1 HD DNxHD 90 X DNxHD 90 DNxHD 60 DVCPRO HD XDCAM HD 50 AVC-Intra 100 Apple ProRes 422 MXF Apple ProRes 422 HQ MXF Apple ProRes 422 LT MXF Apple ProRes 422 Proxy MXF Apple ProRes 4444 AVC-Intra 50 10 8 10 8 8 8 8 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 720p/25 198 158 41 41 27 25 22 24 28 41 19 9 62 12 1:1 10-bit HD 1:1 HD DNxHD 110 X DNxHD 110 DNxHD 70 DVCPRO HD XDCAM HD 50 AVC-Intra 100 Apple ProRes 422 M
Storage Requirements Drive Space Needed for 1 Hour of Media (GB) Resolution Bits Project Format 1:1 10-bit HD 1:1 HD DNxHD 175 X DNxHD 175 DNxHD 115 DVCPRO HD XDCAM HD 50 AVC-Intra 100 Apple ProRes 422 MXF Apple ProRes 422 HQ MXF Apple ProRes 422 LT MXF Apple ProRes 422 Proxy MXF Apple ProRes 4444 AVC-Intra 50 10 8 10 8 8 8 8 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 720p/50 396 317 79 79 52 50 22 48 55 83 38 17 124 24 1:1 10-bit HD 1:1 HD DNxHD 220 X DNxHD 220 DNxHD 145 DVCPRO HD XDCAM HD 50 AVC-Intra 100 Apple ProRes
Storage Requirements Drive Space Needed for 1 Hour of Media (GB) Resolution Bits Project Format 1:1 10-bit RGB HD 1:1 10-bit HD 1:1 HD DNxHD 175 X DNxHD 175 DNxHD 115 DNxHD 36 DNxHD444 440 X AVC-Intra 100 Apple ProRes 422 MXF Apple ProRes 422 HQ MXF Apple ProRes 422 LT MXF Apple ProRes 422 Proxy MXF Apple ProRes 4444 AVC-Intra 50 10 10 8 10 8 8 8 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 1080p/23.
Storage Requirements Drive Space Needed for 1 Hour of Media (GB) Resolution Bits Project Format 1:1 10-bit RGB HD 1:1 10-bit HD 1:1 HD DNxHD 185 X DNxHD 185 DNxHD 120 DNxHD 36 DNxHD444 440 X AVC-Intra 100 Apple ProRes 422 MXF Apple ProRes 422 HQ MXF Apple ProRes 422 LT MXF Apple ProRes 422 Proxy MXF Apple ProRes 4444 AVC-Intra 50 10 10 8 10 8 8 8 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 1080p/25 746 435 348 77 77 51 15 155 48 55 83 38 17 124 24 1:1 10-bit RGB HD 1:1 10-bit HD 1:1 HD DNxHD 185 X DNxHD 185 DNxHD 120
Storage Requirements Resolution Bits Project Format 1:1 10-bit RGB HD 1:1 10-bit HD 1:1 HD DNxHD 220 X DNxHD 220 DNxHD 145 DVCPRO HD XDCAM HD 50 AVC-Intra 100 Apple ProRes 422 MXF Apple ProRes 422 HQ MXF Apple ProRes 422 LT MXF Apple ProRes 422 Proxy MXF Apple ProRes 4444 AVC-Intra 50 10 10 8 10 8 8 8 8 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 1080i/59.
Storage Requirements Resolution 2:1s 20:1 10:1 3:1 Audio Tracks Drive Space Needed for Minutes Per 1 Minute of Gigabyte Media Drive Space Needed for 10 Minutes of Media Drive Space Needed for 30 Minutes of Media 4 9.4 106 MB 1.06 GB 3.18 GB 8 7.9 127 MB 1.27 GB 3.81 GB 0 5.8 172 MB 1.72 GB 5.16 GB 1 5.7 177 MB 1.77 GB 5.28 GB 2 5.5 182 MB 1.82 GB 5.46 GB 3 5.4 187 MB 1.87 GB 5.61 GB 4 5.2 193 MB 1.93 GB 5.79 GB 8 4.7 214 MB 2.14 GB 6.42 GB 0 16.6 60.
Storage Requirements Resolution 2:1 1:1 SD (Uncompressed) 1:1 10b SD (10-bit Uncompressed) Audio Tracks Drive Space Needed for Minutes Per 1 Minute of Gigabyte Media Drive Space Needed for 10 Minutes of Media Drive Space Needed for 30 Minutes of Media 8 2.6 386 MB 3.86 GB 11.58 GB 0 1.9 516 MB 5.16 GB 15.48 GB 1 1.9 521 MB 5.21 GB 15.63 GB 2 1.9 526 MB 5.26 GB 15.78 GB 3 1.9 531 MB 5.31 GB 15.94 GB 4 1.9 537 MB 5.37 GB 16.11 GB 8 1.8 558 MB 5.58 GB 16.74 GB 0 0.
Storage Requirements Estimated Storage Requirements: JFIF Progressive Resolution Audio Tracks Minutes Per Gigabyte Drive Space Needed for 1 Minute of Media 35:1 0 36.4 (NTSC) 30.3 (PAL) 27.5 MB 33.0 MB 275 MB 330 MB 824 MB 990 MB 1 30.5 (NTSC) 26.1 (PAL) 32.8 MB 38.3 MB 328 MB 383 MB 983 MB 1.14 GB 2 26.3 (NTSC) 22.9 (PAL) 38.1 MB 43.6 MB 381 MB 436 MB 1.14 GB 1.30 GB 3 23.1 (NTSC) 20.4 (PAL) 43.4 MB 48.9 MB 434 MB 489 MB 1.30 GB 1.47 GB 4 20.5 (NTSC) 18.4 (PAL) 48.7 MB 54.
Storage Requirements Resolution 3:1 2:1 Audio Tracks Minutes Per Gigabyte Drive Space Needed for 1 Minute of Media 2 12.6 (NTSC) 10.7 (PAL) 79.1 MB 93.2 MB 791 MB 932 MB 2.37 GB 2.80 GB 3 11.8 (NTSC) 10.1 (PAL) 84.4 MB 98.5 MB 844 MB 985 MB 2.53 GB 2.96 GB 4 11.1 (NTSC) 9.6 (PAL) 89.7 MB 103 MB 897 MB 1.04 GB 2.69 GB 3.12 GB 8 9.0 (NTSC) 8.0 (PAL) 111 MB 125 MB 1.11 GB 1.25 GB 3.33 GB 3.75 GB 0 3.6 (NTSC) 3.0 (PAL) 278 MB 333 MB 2.78 GB 3.33 GB 8.33 GB 10.0 GB 1 3.
Storage Requirements Resolution 1:1 SD (Uncompressed) 1:1 10b SD (10-bit Uncompressed) Audio Tracks Minutes Per Gigabyte Drive Space Needed for 1 Minute of Media 8 2.2 (NTSC) 1.8 (PAL) 459 MB 542 MB 4.59 GB 5.42 GB 13.8 GB 16.3 GB 0 1.0 (NTSC) 0.9 (PAL) 1.00 GB 1.15 GB 10.0 GB 11.5 GB 30.0 GB 34.5 GB 1 1.0 (NTSC) 0.9 (PAL) 1.01 GB 1.15 GB 10.1 GB 11.5 GB 30.3 GB 34.6 GB 2 1.0 (NTSC) 0.9 (PAL) 1.01 GB 1.16 GB 10.1 GB 11.6 GB 30.3 GB 34.8 GB 3 1.0 (NTSC) 0.9 (PAL) 1.02 GB 1.
Considerations for Managing Storage Drive Space Needed for Resolution Minutes Per 1 Minute of (NTSC and PAL) Gigabyte Media Drive Space Needed for 10 Minutes of Media Drive Space Needed for 30 Minutes of Media DV 25 5.0 200 MB 2.0 GB 6.0 GB DV 50 2.5 400 MB 4.0 GB 12.0 GB DVCPRO HD 1.2 800 MB 8.0 GB 24.0 GB Estimated Storage Requirements: MPEG This table does not include estimated storage requirements for audio.
Considerations for Managing Storage Managing Storage to Improve Playback Performance The way you set up the media drives and target them when you capture can affect playback performance. Here are some suggestions for working with complex video images at high resolution, multiple video layers, or multicamera material: • For more effective playback of multiple streams of video at higher resolutions, stripe the media drives.
36 Working in HD and High-Resolution Projects Avid editing applications support HD and high-resolution media (2K and above). A full list of the video formats supported for capture, linking, editing, rendering and output is available on the Avid web site—refer to “Avid Editing Systems Supported Formats” on the Avid Knowledge Base.
Transferring Film to Tape Based on delivery format requirements, you need to determine the best format for acquisition of the media. It’s best to begin with the highest resolution and quality source, and then “down-rez” to the required output format. Cinema (High-Resolution input and output) Feature film or documentary release to theaters demands high-resolution, high-quality source material and output to film.
Transferring Film to Tape Film Shoot Specifications Use the guidelines in the following table to help you plan for film shoots that will be edited on an Avid. Element Supported Formats Notes Film type 16mm Use Standard 16mm or Super 16mm. Super 16’s aspect ratio closely matches 16:9. 35mm: 2, 3, 4, 8, and 12 perf 16mm, 35mm 4 perf, and 35mm 3 perf are supported as projects in the Avid system. The remaining formats are supported through ink numbers and auxiliary ink numbers.
Transferring Film to Tape Film-to-Tape Transfer Guidelines Observe the following general guidelines when transferring film to tape: n • Instruct the telecine facility to record timecode on the address track. • Instruct the facility to use only a telecine transfer process when transferring to NTSC videotape. Do not use a film chain or any other transfer device. • PAL transfers do not require pulldown, so you can use either a telecine or a film chain. However, quality is much better on a telecine.
Transferring Film to Tape Project Format Source footage During the telecine process HD 24 fps The telecine process transfers 24-fps film footage at 1:1 (no pulldown). It can also transfer the footage at HD 1080p/23.976 video at 1:1. This lets you create the project at 24p and later change it to 1080p without having to create a new project and sequence. In addition, you can keep both offline SD material and online HD material available in the same project. 23.
Transferring Film to Tape The transfer facility might have available one or more of the production aids described in the following table, which you can include in your film-to-tape transfer: Aid Description Automatic logging Whenever possible, you should instruct the facility to log tracking information directly into a computer database program.
Transferring Film to Tape Transferring Film to Video Film runs at 24 fps, and NTSC video runs at 30 fps. The difference in frame rates between film and video prevents a direct frame-to-frame transfer. To compensate, the telecine process creates an extra six frames every second (the difference between 24 and 30). This method of creating extra frames is known as pulldown. At the same time, the telecine slightly reduces the film’s running speed to 23.976 fps.
Transferring Film to Tape Transfer of 24-fps Film to PAL Video If you use a PAL transfer, the film-to-video process takes place in two stages: • Transfer the film to videotape by speeding up the film rate during the telecine process. • Capture the transferred videotape into the Avid system at the sped-up rate. There are two approaches to synchronizing sound, which are often referred to as PAL Method 1 and PAL Method 2.
Transferring Film to Tape You have the option of playing back the footage at 24 fps or 25 fps. If you select 24 fps, the system slows both the picture and the sound by 4.1 percent for playback. This approach lets you edit at the original film rate, but the slowdown creates a limitation for audio. Because you capture the audio at a rate faster than playback, some audio samples are duplicated during playback, and sound quality is compromised. If you select 25 fps, there is a different limitation with audio.
Transferring Film to Tape Option Description Film Rate (100%) Select this option when your 24-fps film footage has been transferred MOS (roughly translated as “without sound”) to 25 fps by speeding up the film, and the audio comes in separately at 100 percent of the actual speed (PAL Method 2). Video Rate (100%+) Select this option when your 24-fps film footage has been transferred to 25 fps by speeding up the film, and the audio is synchronized to the video picture.
HD Workflow: Video-Based Television Description (Continued) 2 Import the film transfer files (FLEx, Evertz, Aaton, AFE) into Media Composer project bins and batch capture the footage from the dailies. 3 Generate a Pull List using Avid FilmScribe that provides a concise list of footage to be retransferred at a higher resolution. 4 Retransfer the final footage to HD 4:4:4. The source timecodes and tapename are easily matched using the common denominator which is the KeyKode information of the OCN.
HD Workflow: Video-Based Television 1080i/59.94 HD 1 HD VTR 7 30i NTSC SD Avid Media Composer 2 33 5 6 4 9 OMFI/AAF 10 8 Avid Pro Tools 1080i/59.94 HD To create a video-based HDTV program: 1. Use an HD VTR to downconvert the source tape to 30i NTSC, 25i PAL, or 25p PAL. 2. Open a project that is suitable for HD finishing. When you start the online session, you can create a new project in the final format, or use the original project and change the project format.
Producing Graphics for Broadcast 6. Duplicate the final sequence, and then modify the format of the sequence to create a new sequence in the corresponding HD format — see “Changing the Sequence Format” on page 1476. 7. Decompose the new HD sequence and batch capture from the source tape. 8. (Option) Import the final audio mix. 9. Finish the sequence by batch capturing graphics, recreating title media and reviewing the program for effects that need fine-tuning.
Creating a Film-Based Project 4. Type the name of your new project in the text box. 5. Click the Format menu and select the most appropriate project type. The format you choose must take into consideration both the frame rate at which the film was shot, as well as the final delivery format for the production. Format Source Output 24p NTSC Film-based or other 24-fps footage transferred to Standard Definition NTSC videotape. Film, HD Broadcast, Video 23.976 NTSC Film transferred at 23.
Creating a Film-Based Project Further options might change depending on the format that you chose. 6. Select Film if your source material originated on film reel. This will give you access to film options such as Perf Slip and Film and 24p settings. 7. Set the following additional option(s), where applicable: Option SD (NTSC/PAL) Aspect Ratio Select either 4:3 or 16:9 HD and Film Only uses the 16:9 aspect ratio.
Creating a Film-Based Project Selecting a Project Format during Capture Before you capture film reel footage into your editing system, make sure you select the correct project format. The following table explains how the Avid system creates the digitized media from your source footage. Project Format Source footage During the capture process SD 24 fps The Avid system removes the 2:3 pulldown and creates 24p media. 25 fps Use a 25p deck if you need to downconvert HDTV to ITU-R 601 video.
Changing the Project Format Project Format Source footage During the output process 23.976 fps Creates a 24p EDL for use in an online suite. Use the Digital Cut tool to output a 1080p/23.976 master tape. Then convert the master tape to 720p/59.94 or 1080i/59.94 for broadcast. Optionally, use your Avid editing application to crossconvert to 720p/59.94 or 1080i/59.94 for preview or reference. The HD VTR can also create 1080i/50 for PAL broadcast.
Changing the Sequence Format When you change the project format, the following changes take place: • The hardware changes to support input and output for the new project. • The available resolutions and, for some configurations, raster dimensions change to those of the new project. • Any new sequences you create use the format of the new project. If necessary, you can then modify the format of an existing sequence, see “Changing the Sequence Format” on page 1476. To change the project format: 1.
Converting a 23.976p NTSC Sequence to 720p/23.976 Your Avid editing application changes the format of the sequence. In cases where timecode needs to be converted, your Avid editing application creates a new sequence and unlinks the media. No media is converted. For more information, see “Understanding Options for Modifying the Sequence Format” You can check the format of the sequence in the Format column of the bin.
Editing at 60 fps Editing at 60 fps The project type 720p/59.94 uses a screen resolution of 1280 x 720 at a frame rate of 60 frames per second. Editing at 60 fps is similar to editing at 24 fps because both resolutions are progressive — they use full frames instead of interlaced fields. Note the following: n • Single-frame step commands move at 1/60th of a second. Single-field step commands are deactivated; if you click a button, your Avid editing application beeps.
Outputting a Sequence Displaying Media While Editing When you click the Play button while editing a clip or a sequence (sometimes referred to as Edit Play), the system separates (interlaces) the progressive frames into fields and does the following: • n On the Source, Record, Playback, or pop-up monitor, your Avid editing application displays the footage at 23.976 fps, 24 fps, or 25 fps, depending on your project and editing preference.
Working with HDV n Some media formats cannot be output to their native format. Refer to the Avid Editing Systems—Supported Formats compatibility guide in the Avid Knowledge Base. Working with HDV Avid editing applications provide the following High Definition Video (HDV) project types. For HDV projects on supported systems, you should select an appropriate raster size. (Some project types are not available for some Avid input/output hardware configurations.) • 720p/23.976 • 720p/25 • 720p/29.
HDV Workflow A GOP contains several different types of compressed frames: • I frames, which are compressed frames that do not depend on any frames around them. I frames anchor the beginning of the GOP. • P (predictive) frames and B (bidirectional) frames, which depend on the frames around them. Interframe compression is more efficient than frame-based schemes (such as DV 25), allowing high-bandwith HD images to be contained on media designed for standard definition (SD).
Capturing and Importing HDV 2. Click the Raster Dimension menu, and select the appropriate raster size. 3. Do one of the following: - Capture HDV material. - Import an HDV file. The media is brought in as one video track and two 48-kHz audio tracks. 4. Edit the material. 5. Select the sequence. 6. You can also export the file in other formats or use Windows Media 9 for export to a third-party HD-DVD authoring system, see “Exporting HDV as Windows Media” on page 1485.
Playing Back HDV Media To import an HDV transport stream: 1. Select File > Import. The Import As dialog box opens. 2. Select Files of Type > HDV files (*.m2t). 3. Select the target drive (no other import options are needed). 4. Click Open. Your Avid editing application copies the media in a fast import as native HDV. Playing Back HDV Media Depending on your input/output hardware, there might be some limitations when you play back HDV media.
Outputting HDV You cannot render to an HDV resolution. However, you can render or transcode the HDV sequence to an HD compressed format (see “Outputting HDV through Avid Input/Output Hardware” on page 1484). The following table provides information on which resolutions are used for rendering and transcoding in each project type when you select an HDV raster dimension. HDV Project Type Renders or Transcodes to 720p/23.
Outputting HDV Exporting an HDV Transport Stream You can export an HDV transport stream for use in other applications. To export an HDV transport stream: 1. Select the sequence or marked section. 2. Select Export in the Settings tab of the Project window. The Export Settings dialog box opens. 3. Select Export As > HDV. 4. Select Use Marks and Use Enabled Tracks as desired. See “Export Settings: HDV” on page 1356. 5. Click OK.
Outputting HDV 5. Set the following: Setting Value Width 720 Height 540 FPS 60 Video Type Progressive Pixel Aspect Ratio 16:9 Codec Windows Media 9 VBR Enabled and set to Quality Audio Settings Leave set at defaults 6. Click Save to export the sequence. 7. In the Export As dialog box, select the destination folder for the file. 8. Click Save. The sequence is exported using the selected settings. To export HDV as Windows Media for use in DVD authoring: 1.
Raster Dimensions Setting Value Pixel Aspect Ratio 16:9 Codec Windows Media 9 VBR Enabled and set to Quality Audio Settings Leave set at defaults 6. Click Save to export the sequence. 7. In the Export As dialog box, select the destination folder for the file. 8. Click Save. The sequence is exported using the selected settings. Finishing HDV on Avid DS The following procedure outlines the steps to take if you want to finish an HDV sequence on an Avid DS system.
Raster Dimensions When you select an HD project format in the New Project dialog box, a Raster Dimension menu appears allowing you to select from the formats available for the selected project type. This lets you play back your sequence in the native raster size for certain HD formats. When you output your final HD sequence, your Avid editing application resizes the sequence to the standard raster size for your project.
Raster Sizes If you open a new HD project on an Avid editing application that does not support all Raster Dimension options, the project switches to the standard raster (see “Raster Sizes” on page 1489). In this case, you do not receive the performance benefit of using the native raster size. When you move to an environment where other rasters are supported, you can manually switch your project to a specific raster.
37 International Character Support (ICS) in Avid Editing Applications This chapter provides information on international character support (ICS) in your Avid editing application.
Using a Local Language Operating System (Windows Only) Using a Local Language Operating System (Windows Only) On Windows systems only, you can display and input characters in languages other than English by installing the local language version of the operating system and working within that operating system. n Interplay applications are not qualified on systems running local language operating systems.
Non-English Character Support (Macintosh) 2. In the Languages list, click the language you want, and drag it to the top of the list. If you do not see the language you want in the list, click Edit List, select the language, and click OK. 3. (Option) Click the Text tab and select other options. 4. Click the Formats tab, and then click the Region menu and select your region.
Non-English Character Support (Macintosh) If you do not see your region, select “Show all regions” and then click the Region menu again. 5. Click the Close button. 6. Logout and log back in to enable the changed settings. n For more information about the Language & Text window, see Mac Help by clicking the question mark icon in the window. To add your language’s keyboard layout, input method, and character set palette to the operating system’s Input menu (Flag icon): 1.
Non-English Character Support (Windows) 3. Select the language or languages in which you want to type. 4. Select “Show input menu in menu bar.” 5. Click the Close button. 6. In the Finder title bar, click the Flag icon and select the input language. You can also select a character set palette. The Flag icon changes depending on which input language you select. 7. Restart your system.
Non-English Character Support (Windows) To specify a language in which to type (Windows 7): 1. (Option) Attach a regional keyboard to your system. 2. Click the Start button, and select Control Panel. 3. Do one of the following: t If the View by menu is set to Category, in the Clock, Language, and Region area, click “Change display language.” t If the View by menu is set to Large icons or to Small icons, click Region and Languages. The Region and Language dialog box opens. 4.
Non-English Character Support (Windows) 7. If necessary, click “Install/uninstall languages” and follow the prompts to install supplemental languages. 8. Click “Change keyboards.” The Text Services and Input Languages dialog box opens.
Non-English Character Support (Windows) 9. In the “Installed services” area in the General tab, select a language and a keyboard layout for that language. 10. If the language you want is not in the list, click Add, select an input language and a keyboard layout for the language, and then click OK. 11. In the “Default input language” area, select an input language. You must select a language in the Installed Services area (step 9) before it appears in the Default input Language list. 12.
Using Foreign Keyboard Mapping (Windows) Using Foreign Keyboard Mapping (Windows) On Windows systems, when you start your Avid editing application under a new locale, your Avid editing application automatically creates a Keyboard setting for your language. You can view the keyboard layout by clicking the appropriate Keyboard setting in the Settings list. The default Avid keyboard layouts for English, French, or German map correctly to the characters on the physical keyboard.
Considerations for International Character Support Use One Locale When Sharing Files Make sure that your projects do not contain characters from more than one locale. File sharing might not work correctly. See “Choosing a Locale on an English Language Operating System” on page 1490 In an Interplay workgroup, all clients and applications must use the same locale, either English or one other locale.
Considerations for International Character Support The RT-11 format that is sometimes used for disks that store EDLs has a very limited character set: A-Z (capital letters only), 0-9, space, and $. Traditional Chinese Big 5 Character Set When using Traditional Chinese, set the Input Method Editor (IME) to use the Traditional Chinese Big 5 character set.
Considerations for International Character Support Additional Tips and Limitations for Working with International Characters • You must install your Avid editing application after you set up your system for international character support. • If you export files from a FIGS (French, Italian, German, or Spanish) operating system that contain certain diacritical marks (for example, a capital A, I, or E with circumflex), they might not import or display correctly on an English operating system.
38 Open I/O Support With the Media Composer family of products, Avid has implemented a Hardware SDK allowing 3rd party vendors to develop plug-ins for their hardware I/O devices. The plug-ins will enable 3rd party I/O hardware to interact with the Avid editing applications (Media Composer, Symphony, and NewsCutter). Currently, the 3rd party vendors who have access to develop plug-ins for their hardware in order to work with Avid editing software are AJA, Matrox, Blackmagic Design, Motu and Bluefish444.
• Utilize any Hardware Codec Modules • Universal Mastering (Frame & Signal Convert to a Different Format) 1503
Index Numerics 1 Pass encoding 1359 1:1 video defined 1429 1394 capturing HDV through 1482 capturing through 203, 203 connecting devices 157 1394 button playback to DV device with 481 selecting DV device with 204 selecting output device with 990 setting video quality with 484 15-day trial PhraseFind 522 ScriptSync 614 16:9 format 138, 1460 16-channel audio enabling 1007 2 Pass encoding 1359 2:3 pulldown transferring film to video with 1465 23.976p projects converting NTSC sequence to 720p/23.
Index Add Control Key button (Command palette, Other tab) 97 Add Deck button (Deck Configuration dialog box) 152 Add Dissolve button See Quick Transition button Add Edit button 761 for maintaining sync 576 for MultiCamera editing 1272 Add Edit function for maintaining sync 576 using 679 Add Filler at Start command (Clip menu) 544 Add Keyframe button commands 1341 Add Marker button 489 Add New Column dialog box (Interplay Window) 1146 Add Option Key button (Command palette, Other tab) 97 Add Page button (Sc
Index AIR Multi-Chorus RTAS plug-in 906 AIR Multi-Delay RTAS plug-in 907 AIR Non-Linear Reverb RTAS plug-in 908 AIR Phaser RTAS plug-in 909 AIR Reverb RTAS plug-in 911 AIR Spring Reverb RTAS plug-in 913 AIR Stereo Width RTAS plug-in 914 AIR Talkbox RTAS plug-in 915 AIR Vintage Filter RTAS plug-in 917 ALE (Avid Log Exchange) converting shot log files with (Macintosh) 109 converting shot log files with (Windows) 106 Alias file format import specifications for 1413 Align Selected to Grid command (Bin menu) 30
Index Attributes searching remote assets for 1160 Audio 16-channel output 1007 5.1 729 7.
Index Audio EQ 761 Audio EQ (Equalization) adjusting while playing 799 removing 794 saving 793 templates 797, 797 Audio EQ command (Tools menu) 710, 787 Audio EQ tool examples of usage 795 Fast menu options 791 features of 788 opening 787 saving effects with 793 Audio File format displaying in bins 713, 728 options 1320 Audio file sample size 1320 Audio hardware calibration 179 Audio hardware options project settings 1320 Audio IN and OUT points removing 488 Audio input levels adjusting 1320, 1320 calibrat
Index checking input levels 176 described 174 digital scale 175 input levels, adjusting 176 opening 174 volume unit scale 175 Audio Tool command (Tools menu) 746, 1003, 1004, 1010 Audio Track Monitor button (Track Selector panel) selecting tracks for scrubbing with 719 soloing tracks with 717 Audio tracks making tracks inactive 717 selection in Timeline and in Audio Mixer tool 742 splitting stereo tracks to mono 674, 786 Audio transfer Info tab 1466 Audio Transfer Rate (Film and 24p Settings dialog box) 15
Index training services 26 Avid Artist Control application sets 862 Avid Artist Mix application sets 867 Avid Artist Series controller application sets 862 customization 854 described 842 editing media 861 Ethernet connections 845 EuControl 842 EuControl settings 849 grouping faders 859 IP addresses 846 Jog mode 857 latch mode 861 recording volumen automation and pan 859 Shuttle ring 857 soft keys 854 volume automation and pan 858 Avid Artist Transport application sets 865 Avid Asset Manager 1054 Avid asse
Index login 1280 searching 1282 Avid MediaFiles folder backing up 435 transferring media 1056 Avid Plugin Store 1302 Avid Projects folder described 38 location 38 renaming 55 Avid Unity 1054 environment 409 LANshare 410 mapping workspaces on a network 1390 sending sequences to Pro Tools 960 sharing bins and projects 87 transferring projects 1055 unmounting and mounting 411 using Zone 3 connection with Avid Unity ISIS 411 Avid Unity ISIS Client Manager v2.
Index customizing 301 saving 301 types of 301 Bins adding columns 320 adding text in Script view 305 aligning columns 318 aligning frames in 303 auto-save function 68 Bin View menu 301 changing background color 313 changing fonts 79 closing 65 creating 64 creating a storyboard 334 creating rough cuts in 546 defined 63 deleting 67 deleting columns 318 deleting items 310 display views 298 displaying audio formats in 713, 728 displaying in Project window 63 displaying objects in 335 editing from, in Segment m
Index Add Page (Script window) 595 Add Scene (Script window) 595 Alternate Edit 669 assigning workspaces to 84 Blank (Command palette, Other tab) 97 Build Sequence (NRCS tool) 1066, 1079 Disconnect (NRCS tool) 1066 displaying second row in the Source/Record monitor 458 Edit mode (NRCS tool) 1073 Edit/Save (NRCS tool) 1066 extra fields 231 Gang 577 Go to Next Marker 496 Go to Previous Marker 496 in the Avid Artist Series controllers 852 mapping 99 Mark Markers 496 Next In Group 1271 Nine Split 1265 Play (Sc
Index Edit options 242 Edit tab 1326 General tab 1326 Keys tab 225, 1326 MXF Media Files tab 1326 OMF Media Files tab 1326 Capture Tool Dolby E Safe button 235 Capture tool Interplay Folders option 1161 logging with 124 resizing 211 resolution, selecting 165 setting up 158 subclip status in 227 timed recording 241 capture video and audio 1320 Capturing See also Autocapturing See also Batch capturing See also Recapturing across control track breaks 211 across timecode breaks 148 adding clip names during 196
Index Channel selection buttons (Capture tool) 162 Characters, avoiding when naming elements 1498 Check Decks command (Deck Selection menu in Capture tool) 160 Check Decks command (Deck Selection menu in Digital Cut tool) 1014 Check In All Open Bins To Interplay command (Bin menu) 1130 Check In Bin To Interplay command (Bin menu) 1130 Check lists capture preparations 192 preparing hardware before capturing 138 Checking in Avid assets 1130 confirmation message 1116 Checking out Avid assets 1130 Choosing a l
Index deleting MultiRez 1253 deleting unreferenced 434 displaying information about 462 displaying source colors in bins 314 duplicating 309 exporting 966 finding from the Script window 623 finding names 507 finding with Match Frame 512 in-progress, capture overview 207 in-progress, duration of 207 in-progress, editing overview 1136 in-progress, editing workflow 1136 in-progress, limitations 1137 in-progress, sending sequences to playback 1136 linking to script 597 linking to script with ScriptSync 610 loa
Index enlarging and reducing in Research panel (Interplay Window) 1146 hiding (Interplay Window) 1146 moving (Interplay Window) 1146 See Bins Command Palette Track buttons 664 Command palette activating commands from 100 assigning functions to mouse buttons 30 described 97 mapping buttons 99 mapping buttons to fader controllers 813 mapping menu commands 100 Command Palette command (Tools menu) 30 Command|8 766 configuring 818 recording volume automation 815 using with Avid editing systems 817 Command|8 con
Index using drag-and-drop conversion (Windows) 108 Coordinates displaying, in monitors 1372 Copy to Clipboard button 566 Copying clips and sequences 309, 310 information between bin columns 322 Panasonic P2 files 349 remote assets 1142, 1152 segments in Timeline 659 text from the Info window 462 text in the Script window 592 to Clipboard 566 Copying XDCAM files 283 Core AudioSuite plug-ins 889 CoreAudio driver configuration 833 Correction Mode settings Features tab 1332 Correction settings AutoCorrect tab
Index adjusting 151 Deck settings 1335 deleting elements in 156 described 1334 Deck controller 95 in Digital Cut tool 1014 Deck Preferences dialog box enabling assemble-edit recording 1010 Deck Preferences settings described 1336 for assemble-edit recording 1010 Deck Selection menu (Capture tool) 160 Deck Selection menu (Digital Cut tool) 1014 Deck settings described 1335 Fast Cue option 1335 options 1335 Preroll option 1335 Deck Settings options (Deck Configuration settings) 1335 Deck templates 1334 Decks
Index Destination timecode rate 1028 Details command (View menu in Windows Explorer) 58 Device Code option (Remote Play and Capture settings) 1390 Device commands (Special menu) 204, 481, 990 Devices for transferring files 1054 Dialog in the lined script 584 Dialog boxes Add Scene/Page 595 Archive to Videotape 446 audio export settings 1363 Change Scene/Page 595 Controller Settings 818 Custom Sift 335 Delete (script integration) 595, 602 Export Settings 1344 Film and 24p Settings (transfer settings) 151 Ge
Index column headings (Interplay Window) 1146 marker comments 497 sync breaks 571 take numbers in slates 602 tracking information 458 Displaying 24p and 25p media during a digital cut 1478 while editing 1478 Dissolve effects audio 779 Skip Existing Transition Effects option 779 Dissolve Icons command (Timeline Fast menu) 628 DNA/1394 button playback to DV device with 481 selecting DV device with 204 selecting output device with 990 setting video quality with 484 DNxHD Native command (Video Quality menu) 48
Index playing back 481 DV audio pattern 1320 DV capture offset described 204 DV Codec 1350, 1352 DV digital cut delay described 1031 procedure for 1031 DV resolutions Avid DV Codec for QuickTime 975 described 1441 specifications 1441 storage requirements 1456 DV Scene Extraction described 251 setting up 251 DV Stream files exporting 1344 options 1344 DVCPro HD resolution raster type 1487 DVD exporting to 960, 960 DVD authoring, exporting to 960 DVD One Step exporting to 960 D-Verb AudioSuite plug-in 924 Dy
Index rendering, for digital cut 1011 Ejecting drives See Unmounting drives Ejecting tapes with a button or key 233 Embedded audio and sample rate conversion 1008 Empty Trash command (Bin display Fast menu) 67 Enable Clip Coloring command (MultiRez menu in Timeline) 1245 Enable Confidence View video display setting 1403 Enable Track buttons (Digital Cut tool) 1012 End key 478 Enlarge Frame command (Edit menu) 303, 599 Enlarge Track command (Edit menu) 630 Enlarging frames in the bin 303 tracks in the Timel
Index procedure for 966 projects as AFE files 973 QuickTime movies 975 QuickTime movies procedure 975 QuickTime reference movie 975 reasons for 957 sequences 966 settings for, creating 969 TARGA files 1364 to Avid DS 960 to Avid DVD by Sonic 960, 960 to DigiDelivery 960 to Digidesign Pro Tools 960 to DVD 960, 960 to HDV settings 1356 to Sorenson Squeeze 960 to third-party applications 964 user profiles 75 using drag-and-drop method 966 VC1 media 986 Wavefront files 1364 Windows Media 980 with Avid Codecs f
Index importing files from 275 Field-stepping mixed rate clips in draft qualities 557 File formats animation 1417 File management 408 File names for Avid Projects folder 38 for Avid Users folder 38 Files batch import 293 exporting using drag-and-drop method 966 exporting, procedure for 966 exporting, reasons for 957 importing 259 importing, guidelines 256 importing, using drag-and-drop method 290 reimporting 291 specifications for importing graphics 1412, 1412 specifications for importing OMFI 1419 transfe
Index Avid Users 38 creating in projects 67 deleting 1152 navigating to from a selected asset 1153 Fonts changing in the Script window 592 changing in user interface 79 Fonts, changing 1156 Footage finding 504 loading into monitors 471 marking 485 marking IN and OUT 485 subcataloging 485 viewing in monitors 456 viewing in Timeline 456 viewing, overview 456 Foreign keyboard mapping 1498 Format display in the Project window described 1475 Format elements preparing leader for tracks 582 Format tab (Project wi
Index H Get Bin Info command (File menu) 101 Get Position Info command (File menu) 101 Get Sequence Info command (File menu) 542 GFCAM workflow 378, 380 Global settings Import 256 Global Titles in Avid log file 114 Go To Capture Mode command (Bin menu) 158, 202 Go To Page command (Script menu) 595 Go To Scene command (Script menu) 595 GOP (Group of Pictures) described 1480 GPI settings creating 839 deleting 839 editing 839 Graphics (image) files exporting 1363 field ordering in 1426 import specifications
Index Headings command (Bin menu) 298, 314 Heads and Heads Tails views in the Timeline 677 Hide Video command (Composer window context menu) 457 Hiding bin column headings 324 bin columns 298 column headings (Interplay Window) 1146 slate frames 599 Timeline top toolbar 644 High shelf in Audio EQ tool 788 High-definition television See HDTV Hinted streaming, exporting as 1354 Histogram QuickTime 393, 393 RED 397, 397 Holding slates on screen 599 Home command (Windows menu) 638 Home key 478 House sync for ou
Index marking 485 moving 485 using to define segment relationships 1332 In/Out buttons (Audio tool) 175 Indent Rows command 1341 Indicating off-screen dialog 604 iNEWS server configuring (NRCS tool) 1061 disconnecting from (NRCS tool) 1101 setting up (NRCS tool) 1061 Info display (Project window) described 71 displaying Hardware 71 displaying Memory 71 Info window opening from a monitor 462 opening from a Script window 590 Inhibit Preloading option (Remote Play and Capture settings) 1390 Ink numbers displa
Index syncing sequences 1193 Upload Queue Window 1196 uploading media 1189, 1191 workflow 1182 Interplay Transfer 1054 Interplay User specifying Interplay Sphere settings 1183 specifying settings 1112 Interplay User settings described 1381 Interplay User Settings dialog box 1112, 1115, 1183 Interplay User, specifying settings 409 Interplay Window checking in assets to the Interplay Root Folder 1130 column display options 1145 connecting to database 1111 creating new columns 1146 defined 1102 described 1139
Index objects 308 segments 652 latch mode (Avid Artist Series controllers) 861 Launch 34 Layer effects, preserving 272 Layout (Interplay Window) changing 1154 custom 1154 deleting 1154 saving 1154 Layout button (Interplay Window) 1144 L-cut edit (Overlap edit) described 702 for audio clips 488 Leader creating 582 for managing sync breaks 575 Left Arrow key moving through footage with 478 Left Margin command (Script menu) 590 Left Margin dialog box 590 Less Detail command (Timeline Fast menu) 628 Lift butto
Index reading user bits in 711 Luminance settings adjusting for video input 185 adjusting for video output 999 table of 999 video input 185 M Mail configuring directory for NRCS tool 1061 receiving (NRCS tool) 1100 sending (NRCS tool) 1099, 1099 Maintaining synchronized sound 1465 Make New using template 964 Make Subclip button 487 Managing media files 408 Mapping buttons 99 buttons to Timeline top toolbar 644 menu commands 100 Margins script, adjusting in Script window 590 Mark Clip button 487 marking cl
Index moving 309 recapturing 214 searching remote assets 1160 selecting 308 sifting 335 Master shot, in the lined script 584 Master Volume button 727 Match Frame described 512 reverse 513 tracks 513 Match Frame button 512, 514 Match Frame feature for MultiCamera editing 1275 Match Frame Track command (Timeline context menu) 513 Match framing (adding edits) 679 Matchback options for 42 Matching frames 512 Maximizing drive space 1457 Mbox audio devices compared 824 configuring 825 passthrough monitoring 826
Index Memory window for checking system performance 570 for viewing memory 71 Menu commands Add Comments (Clip Name menu) 568 Align to Grid (Bin menu) 318 Audio EQ (Tools menu) 787 AutoSync (Bin menu) 579 Calculator (Tools menu) 101 Calibrate (Peak Hold Menu button) 179, 179, 179 Capture Tools (Tools menu) 124 Color (Script menu) 605 Console (Tools menu) 101, 101, 183 Custom Sift (Bin menu) 335 Delete (Edit menu) columns 318 Delete Take (Script menu) 599 Duplicate (Edit menu) 1310 Enlarge Frame (Edit menu)
Index Modify command changing sequence format 1476 Modifying data in bin headings 324 Import settings 256 pan values 746 settings 1308 the pulldown phase after capturing 249 Monitor resolutions NTSC, PAL, HD 1430 Monitoring audio output global levels 1003 icons (Track Selector panel) 667 tracks 667 Monitors Capture in Progress slide 207 clearing clips from 472 displaying sequence information using 462 expanding 457 ganging footage in 577 hiding video in 457 loading footage 471 resizing 457 Mono option (aud
Index creating 1264 Multilayered files, importing 272 Multilevel sorting of columns 300 Multiple text fields 231 Multiple tracks 662 MultiRez bin and column headings for 1251 clip coloring for 1245 deleting clips 1253 described 1215 examples 1245 partially online clips, consolidating and deleting original media 1256 partially online clips, restoring from an archive 1230, 1256 partially online clips, viewing source in Timeline 1255 quality matching 1257 Send to Playback command with 1244 Multirez clip color
Index building a sequence from a story 1079 deleting a story 1072 deleting production cues 1075 disconnecting from the server 1101 editing stories 1073 elements of, described 1066 ENPS tab options 1061 entering Edit mode 1073 finding read time of a story 1078 formatting text 1075 head frames 1077 linked clips 1088 loaded cues 1076 Logging out option 1061 Mail Directory options 1061 making shortcuts to directories 1071 marking text as Closed Caption 1074 marking text as machine control 1074 marking text as
Index bins 65 Media tool 414 Project window 62 projects 50 projects automatically 50 settings 69 shared projects 88 startup project 50 stories (NRCS tool) 1070 the Script window 590 Optical connection project settings 1320 Optimizing playback 483 Orphans See Offline items Other Bins folder (Project window) 65 OUT points See IN and OUT points Output assemble-edit recording 1010 audio 735, 1029, 1320 audio settings options 1005 audio, preparing for 1003 crash recording 1019 crossconverted sequences 1000 cros
Index modifying values 746 viewing automation pan values 724 Pan and gain automation display (Timeline) 721 Pan automation 761 Panasonic P2 exporting sequences to 985 importing master clips 289, 289 transferring files 349 workflow 373, 377 Parametric midrange in Audio EQtool 788 Partially online clips consolidating and deleting original media 1256 restoring from an archive 1230, 1256 viewing source in Timeline 1255 Passthrough described 1032 Passthrough Mix tool using 177 Pasting See Copying text in the Sc
Index transferring files to 1208 Playing clips and sequences using buttons 475 clips in a loop 470 takes from the Script window 602 Plug-in effects dialog box 879 Digidesign AudioSuite described Fast menu 880 Plugin store 1302 plugin store 1302 Plug-ins See AudioSuite plug-ins plugins downloading 1302 PNG file format additional export options for 1364 import specifications for 1414 PortServer Pro 410 PortServer Settings described 1390 Position bar described 473 in Timeline 647 Position indicator in Timelin
Index Windows media .
Index Q QRT file format import specifications for 1414 Quad Split button 1265 Quad Split display 1265 Quad Split Source view 1265 Quality matching audio 1259 example 1261 for dynamic relink 1257 video format 1259 video resolutions 1259 Quality of film-to-tape transfer 1460 Quick Record mode 236 Quick Transition button fading audio with 779 Quick Trim mode 688 QuickTime Avid codecs for 975 clip parameters 391 Histogram 393, 393 source settings 391 workflow 388 QuickTime files 1417 QuickTime movie export 135
Index Redo command (Edit menu) 547 Redoing edits 547 Reduce Frame command (Edit menu) 303, 599 Reduce Track command (Edit menu) 630 Reducing frames in the bin 303 tracks in the Timeline 630 Reference command (Sync Lock menu in Video Output tool) 990 Reformat attribute 560, 561, 563 Reformatting clips and sequences 560 Reformat options 563 setting Reformat value 561 Refresh All button, refreshing application with 1152 Refresh button, refreshing the Research panel with 1152 Refresh Media Directories command
Index Remove Pan command (Audio Mixer Tool Fast menu) 756 Remove Pan/Vols command (Audio Mixer Tool Fast menu) 756 Remove Volume Automation command (Audio Mixer Tool Fast menu) 768 Removing add edits (match frames) 679 audio EQ effects 794 audio IN and OUT points 488 color indicators (Script window) 605 deck configuration elements 156 off-screen indicators (Script window) 604 text from the Script window 592 Renaming bins 64 clips in Interplay Window 1152 settings 1310 Render order for audio effects 744 Ren
Index scripts 624 Rewind button 475 moving between audio keyframes with 769 RGB graphics levels, Import settings 1374 RGB values reference black and white 1396 Right Arrow key moving through footage with 478 Right-click menus 29 Rollers See Trim mode Rough cut assembling, in the Script window 624 Rough cuts creating 546 RS422 output 1027 RTAS copying plug-ins 875 editing plug-ins 873 inserting plug-ins 871 moving plug-ins 875 ordering plug-ins on a track 875 removing inserts 876 using RTAS effect templates
Index the Script window 590 Timeline views 645 work to drives or removable media 56 Saving settings in Video Input tool 190 SC phase adjusting for output 995 Scale bar (Timeline) 648 Scanning for tapes 124, 238 Scene and page numbers (Script window) adding 595 changing 595 deleting 595 searching for 595 Schedule, satellite feed 241 Schedules working with 1210 Sci-Fi AudioSuite plug-in 947 Screen resolutions NTSC, PAL, HD 1430 Screenings interactive, in Script window 624 Script box in Script view 305 Script
Index selecting slates 599 selecting text 592 splicing a range of script from 625 Scripts importing into the Script windows 590 linking clips to 597 linking clips to with ScriptSync 610 Post to Web options 1087 processing for Web 1087 revising 624 ScriptSync 610 15-day trial 614 activating 613 linking clips to script with 610 purchasing 613 Scroll bar in Timeline 647 Scroll bar/position bar in Timeline 647 Scroll wheel mouse, using 30 setting up 30 Scrubbing audio 718 displaying markers during 1398 SDI emb
Index slates in the Script window 599 takes in Script window 602 tapes for capturing 161 text in the Script window 592 tracks 664 tracks for capturing 162 tracks, for audio scrub 719 tracks, for audio scrub (soloing) 717 transitions for trimming 694 transitions in Trim mode 694 trim sides 692, 700 unreferenced clips in the bin 318 video resolutions 142 Selecting a language PhraseFind 532 Send Mail button (NRCS tool) 1066 Send To DigiDelivery 960 Digidesign Pro Tools 960 DVD 960, 960 DVD authoring 960 DVD O
Index Set Calibration Tone command (Peak Hold menu in Audio tool) 1003 Set Color button (Script window) 605 Set Font command (Edit menu) 592 dialog box 79, 592 Set Font command (Edit menu) 79 Set Level commands (Audio Mixer Tool Fast menu) 756 Set Live Mix as Automation command (Audio Mixer Tool Fast menu) 776 Set Live Mix to Automation command (Audio Mixer Tool Fast menu) 776 Set Live Mix to Default command (Audio Mixer Tool Fast menu) 776 Set Offscreen button (Script window) 604 Set Pan commands (Audio M
Index user, linking to workspaces 82 using site 1313 Video Display 1403 Video display 466 Video Input Tool 1404 Video Output Tool 1405 viewing 1308 settings Sound Card Configuration 1398 Settings list 1200, 1306 Composer 1306 Controller settings 813, 844 Settings Options GPI 840 Settings tab (Project window) 69 SGI file format additional export options for 1364 import specifications for 1414 Shared volume segmentation (chunking) 1326 Shortcut menus 29 Shortcuts creating in Media Directory panel 1144 making
Index disabling 637 Smooth audio scrub compared to digital audio scrub 718 performing 720 SMPTE bars 995 SMPTE timecode formats for entering 504 SMPTE/EBU component standard support 1404, 1404 Snapping to transitions in Timeline 650 Soft Keys (Avid Artist Series controllers) 854 Softimage file format import specifications for 1414 Software DV25 codec 1326 Solo track monitoring in Timeline 667 in Trim mode 695 Soloing audio tracks 717 tracks 667 tracks, advantages of 665 Sonic authoring DVDs in 960 burning
Index Startup project opening 50 Status column (NRCS tool) 1070 Step Backward buttons 475 Step Backward One Field button 475 Step Forward buttons 475 Step Forward One Field button 475 Stepping J-K-L key method 479 mouse control of 480 single-field 475 with buttons 475 with J-K-L keys 700 Stereo option (audio) 784 stock footage 1277 downloading 1298 purchasing 1297 stock footage clips about 1282 stock footage report 1296 Stop button 475 Storage estimating drive space requirements for 1445 managing to improv
Index breaks, defined 571 breaks, displaying 571 breaks, fixing 573 detecting locked signal when capturing 165 establishing for audio-only input 140 establishing for capture 139 establishing for output 990 for capturing video 138 issues with Client monitor 464 maintaining during segment move 655 maintaining during trim 704 maintaining with Add Edit 576 maintaining with leader 575 maintaining with markers 575 methods for shoots 1460 options for HD formats 991 trimming 695 trimming with sync-locked tracks 70
Index Story tag 1091 Text tag 1092 using placeholders 1090 Videoformat tag 1094 Test patterns for calibrating video output 998 Test patterns, importing 274 Text adding in bin Script view 305 copying (NRCS tool) 1073 cutting (NRCS tool) 1073 deleting (NRCS tool) 1073 formatting (NRCS tool) 1075 marking as Closed Caption (NRCS tool) 1074 marking as machine control (NRCS tool) 1074 marking as normal (NRCS tool) 1075 marking as Presenter Instructions (NRCS tool) 1074 pasting (NRCS tool) 1073 rearranging (NRCS
Index identifying mixed rate clips 553 IN to OUT highlighting in 677 locking tracks in 670, 671 monitoring tracks 667 motion mode indicator 650 nesting in 662 paging option 637 patching tracks 668 position indicator in 647 printing 685 removing add edits in 679 resizing 638 saving 645 scale bar 648 scroll bar in 647 scroll bar/position bar in 647 scrolling option 637 Segment mode 638, 650 selecting segments 652 selecting tracks 664 setting the scroll bar 647 settings, Start Filler Duration option 544 soloi
Index inserting RTAS plug-ins 871 moving RTAS plug-ins 875 ordering RTAS plug-ins on a track 875 removing RTAS plug-ins 876 using RTAS effect templates 876 Track Hinter settings, for hinted streaming export 1354 Track Panel command (Timeline Fast menu) 628 Track Selector panel Lock icon 670 Sync Lock icon 670 using 662 Track Solo and Track Mute buttons (Volume Automation and Pan) 742 Tracking frames with frame numbers 320, 321 Tracking information clip duration 459 displaying 458 options 459 Tracking Infor
Index slip and slide procedures 705 Trim A-side button 692 Trim AudioSuite plug-in 955 Trim B-side button 692 Trim mode basic trimming procedure 698 Big, described 688 customizing 688 described 688 entering 697 exiting 697 playing transition loop parameters 699 Quick, described 688 reviewing edits 699 selecting several transitions 694 selecting single transitions 694 selecting trim sides 692 selecting video tracks 694 Small, described 688 trimming on-the-fly 700 using the four-frame display 707 Trim Mode b
Index Upload Queue Window dialog box 1196 USB-to-MIDI converter configuring software 827 testing installation 828 troubleshooting connections 829 User changing folder name 55 selecting another 1310 User bits in LTC reading 711 User files restoring from backup 56 User interface customizing appearance 76 User profiles changing 75 creating 75 deleting 75 described 73 exporting 75 items created by system 38 updating 75 User settings described 1306 linking with workspaces 82 selecting a user from 1310 Users fol
Index Video Output tool options display 995 Sync Lock menu 990 using preset buttons in 995 Video Output Tool command (Tools menu) 990, 993, 995, 1000, 1010 Video Output Tool settings described 1405 HD tab 1409 SD tab 1405, 1408 Video projects using script integration in 586 Video quality settings with multicamera and group clips 1270 Video Quality Menu button 483 Video resolutions availability for Frame Chase capture 209 disabling 144 drive striping requirements 1431 guidelines for use 1429 mixing 1444 spe
Index W WAVE file format 171 option in Audio Project settings 1320 Waveform monitor calibrating input 185 Waveform plots options in the Timeline Fast menu 722 Wavefront file format additional Export options 1364 import specifications for 1415 Web page creating 1087 Web templates Clip tag 1093 formatting stories 1090 HTML tags 1090 Hyperclip tag 1095 placeholders 1095 Story tag 1091 Text tag 1092 using placeholders 1090 Videoformat tag 1094 Wide-screen format (16:9) 138 Windows changing fonts 79 Interplay 1
Index proxy media 285, 982 resolutions 982 workflow 982 XDCAM HD 1487 XDCAM raster type 1487 XDCAM AMA media limitations with mixed rate clips 557 XLR adaptor for consumer level audio 1009 XWindows file format import specifications for 1415 Y YUV file format additional Export options for 1364 import specifications for 1415 Z Zoom Back command (Timeline Fast menu) 648 Zoom In command (Timeliine Fast menu) 648 1561
Avid Technical Support (USA) Product Information 75 Network Drive Burlington, MA 01803-2756 USA Visit the Online Support Center at www.avid.com/support For company and product information, visit us on the web at www.avid.
