User`s guide

CHAPTER
31
5 HDX-SDI Basics
TWO MODES
The HDX-SDI provides two basic modes of
operation:
■ Capture
■ Playback (monitor)
The current mode is clearly indicated by the Status
area in MOTU Video Setup (Figure 6-1 on
page 33), unless there is no genlock, in which case
it will display a message explaining why not.
The HDX-SDI is always either in Capture mode or
Playback mode. If no application is actively
capturing, previewing or playing back, the Default
Mode setting (“Default Mode” on page 35)
determines which mode the box is in.
CAPTURE
The HDX-SDI is in Capture mode when it is
successfully communicating with the computer
(the HOST LED is illuminated) and video software
has actively taken control of the HDX-SDI
hardware for the purposes of capturing video and
audio from the HDX-SDI. Here are some examples
of when video software would put the HDX-SDI
into Capture mode:
■ You open the Log and Capture window in Final
Cut Pro. Or you use any Final Cut Pro feature, such
as Edit to Tape, that involves capturing or
previewing the live video input from the
HDX-SDI.
■ You run the MOTU Video Setup software and
click the Preview tab (Figure 6-1 on page 33,
Figure 6-10 on page 40). This causes MOTU Video
Setup to “take over” the video signal being supplied
by the HDX-SDI and display it in the preview
window.
In capture mode, only one software application has
access to the HDX-SDI at a time. For example, you
might use the MOTU Video Setup Preview tab to
confirm that you have a good input signal, but
when you then switch to Final Cut Pro and open its
Log and Capture window, the Preview tab in
MOTU Video Setup becomes inactive and will no
longer display the input signal because Final Cut
Pro has taken over video input. Closing Final Cut
Pro’s Log and Capture window will re-activate the
Preview tab. For further information, see “Preview
tab” on page 40.
In Capture mode, the HDX-SDI uses the Capture
Clock Source setting (“Capture Clock Source” on
page 35), and if it is set to Input Source, the input
signal is passed through to the video outputs (SD
in to SD out or HD in to HD out).
Even though the primary purpose of Capture
mode is to feed video to the computer, the
HDX-SDI continues to send the source video
signal to any video outputs that match the source
format (HD or SD). This allows you to simulta-
neously monitor what you are capturing via the
HDX-SDI’s video outputs. You could even dub the
source signal to a video deck or other video
recorder during capture.
Live monitoring is only active when the Capture
Clock Source setting (“Capture Clock Source” on
page 35) is set to Input Source. When it is set to
Master or REF In, the HDX-SDI outputs a black
image (i.e. black burst) on all video outputs.
PLAYBACK (MONITOR)
The HDX-SDI goes into Playback mode when an
application is sending video to it. For example,
Final Cut Pro puts the HDX-SDI into playback