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Unit V

Video Creation and Editing (Anna University)

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UNIT V - WORKING WITH AVID XPRESS DV 4

Starting Projects and Working with Project Window - Using Basic Tools and Logging - Preparing to
Record and Recording - Importing Files - Organizing with Bins - Viewing and Making Footage - Using
Timeline and Working in Trim Mode - Working with Audio - Output Options.

Starting Projects and Working with Project Window :

Each time you start the Avid Xpress DV application, the Select Userand Project dialog box appears.

To establish your identity as a user with the system and to select orcreate a project to open, use the following
procedures:
• Identifying a User
• Selecting a Project
• Opening a Project
• Closing a Project
You can also create additional folders within which to store projects, oryou can quit the application from the Select
User and Project dialog box.
CREATING AND IDENTIFYING A USER
Identifying a User :
To identify a user for the project, do one of the following:
Create and identify a new user.
Select a user from a list of existing users. This user name represents the user profile, which includes the settings associated
with the user.
Creating a New User
To create a new user profile:
1. Click New User in the Select User and Project dialog box.
2. Type the name of the new user, and press Enter.
3. Click OK.
The Select User and Project dialog box reappears with your user name highlighted in the list of users.

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Selecting an Existing User:
To select from the list of existing users:
 Click the user name to highlight it in the Users scroll list on the left side of the Select User and Project dialog box.
Folders containing collections of users appear in the list with asterisks preceding them.
To select a user in a folder:
1. Double-click the folder to open it and display the user names.
2. Click a user name to select it.
Selecting a Project:
To select a project, do one of the following:
 Open an existing project.
 Create and open a new project.
You can also place projects in folders and nest the folders within other folders.
Selecting an Existing Project:
Existing projects appear in the Projects scroll list in the Select User and Project dialog box.

To select an existing project, do one of the following in the Select

User and Project dialog box:
 Click an existing project name to highlight it.
 Press the first letter of the project name on the keyboard to highlight it.
To open a project nested in a folder:
 Double-click the folder name to open it and display the contents in the Projects scroll list.
 Click the project name to highlight it.
To locate a project in another folder:
 Click the Projects pop-up menu, and choose a drive from the Volumes submenu.
 Double-click a folder name to open it. Continue opening folders until the Projects scroll list displays the project
folder you want.
 Click the project name to highlight it.
CREATING A NEW PROJECT
To create a new project:

 Click New Project in the Select User and Project dialog box. The New Project dialog box appears.

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 Type the name of your new project in the highlighted text box.
 Choose either NTSC or PAL from the Format pop-up menu.
 Click OK.
The system creates the new project files and folder, and returns you to the Select User and Project dialog box. The project
name is Highlighted in the Projects scroll list. You can create folders in the Select User and Project dialog box for storing
related products. Before you can nest a folder, you must first create a folder.
To create a folder:
 Click New Folder in the Select User and Project dialog box. The New Folder dialog box appears.
 Type a name for the folder, and press Enter or click OK. The folder name appears in the Projects scroll list with an
asterisk preceding it.
 Double-click the folder name to open the folder.

Any new projects you create now are displayed and stored in this folder. Any existing projects you move into this folder
from your desktop are displayed in this folder.
OPENING A PROJECT
To open a project, do one of the following:
 Click OK in the the Select User and Project dialog box.
 Double-click the highlighted project name in the Projects scroll list.
 Double-click the highlighted user name in the Users scroll list.

The Composer monitor and the bin open with the selected User settings loaded.
The title bar of the Project window contains the project name and user name you selected in the Select User and Project
dialog box.

CLOSING A PROJECT
When you close the current project, you return to the Select User and Project dialog box.
To close the current project, do one of the following:
 With the Project window active, choose Close from the File menu.
 Click the Close button in the Project window.
SAVING YOUR PROJECT INFORMATION ON A DRIVE OR FLOPPY DISK
To save your work on a drive or floppy disk:
 Mount the drive or insert a floppy disk as appropriate.
 From the Windows 2000 desktop, double-click My Computer.
 Double-click the icon for the targeted storage drive or floppy disk to open it. Double-click any additional folders to
target the appropriate storage location.
 Double-click the internal hard drive to open it.

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 Drag a project folder, user folder, or settings file to the targeted storage location.
 When the system finishes copying the files, unmount the drive or eject the floppy disk and store it where
appropriate.
ENDING AN EDIT SESSION
TO END AN EDIT SESSION:
 Quit the application.
 Turn off your equipment in the order described in this section.

WORKING WITH THE PROJECT WINDOW

Opening and Closing the Project Window:

The Project window provides three different displays (Bins, Settings and Info) for structuring and viewing information
about your current project. Settings Button

Bins Button info Button

Use the Project window to:

• Create and open bins.
• View and modify settings.
• View information about the format of the project and the use of system memory.
USING THE BINS DISPLAY
Bins contain the master clips that are created when you record source material. (The master clips are linked to the
media files.) Bins also contain the sequences, subclips, group clips, and effect clips that you create during a project. From
the Project window, you can view a list of bins associated with the project, and open, close, and create bins. You can also
open bins created for another project.
VIEWING A LIST OF BINS
To view a list of bins associated with the project:
 Click the Bins button in the Project window

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The views for working with clips in a bin are Text view, Frame view, and Script view.

In Text view, clips are displayed in a database text format using columns and rows, with icons representing the various
objects. You can save various arrangements of columns, text, and objects as customized views.

Text View
In Frame view, each clip is represented by a single picture frame, with the name of the clip. You can play back the footage
in each frame and change the size of frames. You can also rearrange the frames in any order within the bin.

Frame View
In Script view, the features of Text view are combined with those of Frame view, with an added script box next
to each frame. The frames are displayed vertically on the left side of your screen with the script box next to
each. Use the script boxes to hold text for notes or a script. Clip data matching the column headings in Text view
appears above each script box.

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Displaying Bins
By default, your bins display all existing media objects except source clips and rendered effects. You can
display only those media objects that you need to organize your project.
To set the bin display:
1. Choose Set Bin Display from the Bin menu. The Set Bin Display dialog box appears.

2. Select the object types that you want to see: master clips, subclips, sequences, sources, effects, motion effects,
or rendered effects.
3. The option “Show clips created by user” is selected by default. Deselect this option only if you want to hide all
objects except
those created by the system.
4. Select the option “Show reference clips” to automatically display those objects that are referenced by
sequences in the bin, whether those clips were previously in the bin or not.
5. Click OK.
The bin displays objects according to your specifications.
Creating a New Bin
To create a new bin from the Project window:
1. Do one of the following:

 Choose New Bin from the File menu.

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 Click the New Bin button in the Project window.
Either one of these procedures opens a new (empty) bin that is given the name of the project as displayed in the
title bar of the Project window. The new bin appears in the Bins list of the Project window. A corresponding file
is placed in the project folder, and a backup copy is placed in the Attic folder.
The new bin appears in the Project window with a default name highlighted.
2. Type the name of the new bin, and press Enter.
To place a bin in a folder:

 Drag the bin to the folder icon.

Renaming a Bin
Each new bin that you create takes the name of the project that appears in the Project window, numbered
incrementally.
To change the name of a bin:

 Click the bin name in the Project window, and type a new name.
Opening and Closing a Bin
To open a bin directly:
1. Click the Bins button in the Project window.
2. Double-click the icon next to the bin name.
To open a bin from the File menu:
1. Choose Open Bin from the File menu.
The Open dialog box appears.

2. Select a bin. Navigate to the correct folder, if necessary.

3. Click the Open button.
OPENING SELECTED BINS
To open several bins at once from the Project window:
1. Click the name of one of the bins in the Bins list.
2. Ctrl + click each additional bin you want to open.
3. Choose Open Selected Bins from the File menu.

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To close a bin, do one of the following:
 Click the Close button.
 Choose Close Bin from the File menu.
Deleting a Bin or Folder
To delete a bin or folder within a project:
 1. Select the bin or the folder you want to delete in the Bins list.
 2. Press the Delete key.
A Trash icon appears in the Bins list in the Project window. It contains the deleted item. The deleted item is stored
in the Trash until you empty it.

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UNIT V - WORKING WITH AVID XPRESS DV 4

USING BASIC TOOLS
Using the Tools Menu
The Tools menu on the Avid Xpress DV menu bar provides quick access to a collection of essential tools for use
in your projects. You can open any of the most frequently used system tools from the Tools menu. To open a
tool:
 Choose its name from the Tools menu.

Using 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 allow you to perform a wide range of commands with
a single click of the mouse.
The Command palette organizes buttons by editing function. Tabs are displayed for each editing
function and the buttons that perform those functions are displayed within each tab. The functions are: Move,
Play, Edit, Trim, FX, Other, and More.

Mapping User-Selectable Buttons

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To map buttons or keys on the keyboard by using the Command palette:
1. Open a window that has a user-selectable button palette by doing one of the following:
 Activate the Composer monitor or Source pop-up monitor, click the Fast Menu button, and drag to tear
off the Tool palette.
 Open the Keyboard palette from the Settings scroll list in the Project window.
2. Choose Command Palette from the Tools menu.
3. Select Button to Button Reassignment.
4. Click the tab from which you want to choose a user-selectable button.
5. Drag the button from the Command palette to a button location in the Tool palette or the Keyboard palette
(whichever one you opened previously).
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 time code durations between 30-frames-per-second (fps) and 25-fps projects.
 Convert durations to total frame count.

CONSOLE WINDOW
The Console window provides a number of features, including:
 Current system information, including your system ID number
 A log of error messages
 Detailed information about sequences in the Timeline or about objects in a bin
 Information after you record or import

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DISPLAYING SYSTEM INFORMATION
To display current system information:
 Choose Console from the Tools menu. The Console window opens.

 Scroll to the top of the Console window to view your system information and ID.
LOG OF ERRORS
1. When an error occurs and a message box appears, close the message box and choose Console from the Tools menu.
2. Scroll through the Console window to find a log of the error to use when you contact your Avid Reseller or Avid
Customer Support.

LOGGING
Avid Xpress DV system with frame-accurate clip information used to record the source footage.
LOGGING PREROLL
Be sure to leave adequate preroll with continuous timecode prior to IN points when logging your tapes. The
recommended minimum preroll is 2 or 3 seconds for Betacam playback, 5 seconds for 3/4-inch U-matic
playback, and 6 seconds for DV playback.

LOGGING TIMECODE
Within an NTSC project, check the timecode format of each tape (drop-frame versus non-drop-frame timecode)
when you are logging without a tape in the deck.

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To log drop-frame timecode:
 Use semicolons (;) between the hours, minutes, seconds, and frames.
To log non-drop-frame timecode:
 Use colons (:) between the hours, minutes, seconds, and frames.
IMPORTING SHOT LOG FILES
You can import any log created or converted to meet Avid log specifications. You can also combine or merge
events while importing a log so that fewer master tapes require recording. The system imports any additional
information logged with each clip.
To save this display after importing the log:
 Save the bin.
To import shot log files into a bin:
1. Open a bin, click anywhere in an open bin to select it, or create a new bin for the shot log import.
2. Choose Import from the File menu.

3. Do one of the following:

 Choose Shot Log from the Files of Type pop-up menu. The system displays file types that belong to the
chosen category only.
 Choose All Files from the Files of Type pop-up menu. The system displays all files in a chosen folder,
regardless of file type. Use this option if you want to batch import multiple file types.
4. Click the Options button to open the Import Settings dialog box if you want to select options for combining
events on import from the Import settings.
5. Click the Shot Log tab. For more information about shot log options,

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6. After selecting the appropriate options, click OK to close the Import Settings dialog box and return to the
Select Files to Import dialog box.
7. Use the Up One Level pop-up menu to locate the folder containing the source file.
8. Select the file.
9. Click Open.
When the system finishes importing the file, the clips appear in the selected bin.
PREPARING TO RECORD
Recording is the process of creating digital media from videotape or audio input.
• Understanding Digital Video (DV)
• Selecting Settings
• Configuring Decks
• Setting Up the Record Tool
• Preparing for Audio Input
• Compression Resolutions and Storage Requirements
• Understanding Digital Video (DV)
The initials DV in the product name Avid Xpress DV stand for digital video. This equipment (cameras,
decks, cables, connectors, and processing boards) is sometimes referred to as FireWire® or I-Link™.
What Is DV?
Digital Video (DV) is an international standard created by a consortium of 10 companies to serve as a
consumer digital video format.

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Selecting Settings
A number of settings have a direct effect on the recording process.
Before you record, review the following options:
• General Settings
• Record Settings
General Settings
General settings include options for tape formats and audio information.
To access General settings:
1. Click the Settings button in the Project window.
2. Double-click General.
The General Settings dialog box appears.

Record Settings
Record settings include essential options for recording, batch recording, auto recording, and recording
to multiple media files.

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Configuring Decks
Deck Configuration settings allow you to establish deck control parameters for a single deck or for
multiple decks. Deck Configuration settings and global deck control preferences appear as separate
items in the Settings scroll list in the Project window.

To configure a deck or multiple decks:

1. Click the Settings button in the Project window. The Settings scroll list appears.
2. Double-click Deck Configuration. The Deck Configuration dialog box appears.
3. If you are configuring your system for the first time, click the Add Channel button to add a new
channel box on the left side of the Deck Configuration dialog box and automatically open a Channel
dialog box.

4. Choose one of the following items from the Channel Type pop-up menu, depending on your system
configuration:
• FireWire, if you are connecting a DV camera or deck by means of a FireWire connection.
• Direct, if you are connecting a deck directly to the serial port and using a transcoder to bring the DV
data into the system.
5. Choose the port to which you are connecting the deck from the Port pop-up menu.
6. Click OK to close the Channel dialog box.
A dialog box appears with a question asking if you want to automatically configure the channel now.

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7. Click Yes if you want to automatically configure the channel.
A new channel appears in the display area of the Deck Configuration dialog box, along with the auto
configured deck.
8. To add a deck, do the following:
a. Click Add Deck to open the Deck Settings dialog box.

Deleting Deck Configurations

To delete a deck configuration:
1. Click the Settings button in the Project window. The Settings scroll list appears.
2. Double-click Deck Configuration. The Deck Configuration dialog box appears.

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3. Click the names of the currently configured channel and deck in the display area. The entire display
area should have a red border.
4. Click Delete.
5. Click Apply to complete the changes and close the dialog box
Deck Settings Options
To access the Deck Settings dialog box, do one of the following:
• Click the Add Deck button in the Deck Configuration dialog box.
• Choose Adjust Deck from the Deck Selection pop-up menu in the deck controller section of the
Record tool.

Setting Up the Record Tool

The Record tool provides controls for cueing, marking, and logging footage, and specifies recording
parameters such as source and target locations.
Opening the Record Tool
To open the Record tool:
• Choose Record from the Tools menu.

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 Selecting a Deck
 Selecting Audio Input
 Viewing Video Input
 Selecting a Tape
 Selecting Source Tracks
 Choosing a Target Bin
 Selecting the Target Drives
 Interpreting the Time-Remaining Display
 Recording to Multiple Media Files

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Record Settings

The Record settings specify how to record clips.

To open the Record Settings dialog box:
1. Click the Settings button in the Project window.
2. Double-click Record.
The Record Settings dialog box opens.
GENERAL RECORD SETTINGS
 Stop deck after record
 Pause deck after record
 Force unique clip names
 Activate bin window after record Space bar stops record
 Record across timecode breaks
BATCH RECORD SETTINGS
 Optimize for disk space
 Optimize for batch speed
 Rewind tape when finished
 Eject tape when finished
EDIT RECORD SETTINGS
 Enable edit to timeline
 Handles

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MEDIA FILES RECORD SETTINGS
 Record to a single file, 2 GB limit
 Record to multiple files
 Maximum (default) recording time n minutes
 Switch to emptiest drive when
IMPORTING FILES
When you import files, the system converts them into objects in a bin you can manipulate and edit
these objects as you would any other clip or sequence.
 Preparing to Import Files
 Creating and Using Import Settings
 Importing Files
 Using the Drag-and-Drop Method to Import Files
 Using Open Media Management (OMM)
 Reimporting Files
CREATING A NEW IMPORT SETTING:
To create a new Import setting:
1. Click the Settings button in the Project window. The Settings scroll list appears.
2. Click Import.
3. Choose Duplicate from the Edit menu.
4. Name the setting:
 Click the Custom setting name column.
 Type a name.
 Press Enter.

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5. Double-click the new Import setting The Import Settings dialog box appears.
6. Select the appropriate options.
7. Click OK.
Modifying an Existing Import Setting
To modify an existing Import setting:
1. Click the Settings button in the Project window. The Settings scroll list appears.
2. Double-click an Import setting. The Import Settings dialog box appears.
3. Select the appropriate options.
4. Click OK.
Import Settings Options
The Import Settings dialog box allows you to specify import information.
The following illustration shows the default settings for the Image tab of the Import Settings dialog
box.

 Single Frame Import

 Autodetect Sequential Files
 Color Levels
 File Field Order
 Aspect Ratio Pixel Aspect

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IMPORTING FILES
To import files:
1. If you have created one or more Import settings, select the Import setting that you want to use from
the Settings scroll list.
2. Open the bin in which you want to store the imported files.
3. Choose Import from the File menu.
The Select Files to Import dialog box appears.

USING THE DRAG-AND-DROP METHOD TO IMPORT FILES

To import one or more files by using the drag-and-drop method:
1. Click the Settings button in the Project window. The Settings scroll list appears.
2. Select the setting you want to use for import. Select either the default Import setting or one you
have created. To view or modify the parameters, double-click the setting.
3. Open the bin in which you want to store the imported files.
4. From the desktop, open the folder that contains the files you want to import. You might have to
resize the Avid Xpress DV Application to access the desktop.
5. Click the file you want to import and drag the file to the bin. To select multiple files, Ctrl+click the
files and drag them to the bin.

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VIEWING AND MARKING FOOTAGE
 Customizing the Monitor Displays
 Playing Video to the Client Monitor
 Viewing Methods
 Loading and Clearing Footage
 Resizing Monitors
 Controlling Playback
 Marking and Sub cataloging Footage
 Finding Frames and Clips
 Customizing the Monitor Displays
The monitors can be customized by changing the background color, the size, and the kind of display.
You can also display a variety of information about your sequence.
Changing the Composer Monitor Background Color
To change the background color of the Composer monitor:
1. Click in the Composer monitor to make it active.
2. Choose Set Composer Background from the Edit menu.
3. Choose a shade of gray for the background from the pop-up
palette.

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Using the 16:9 Display
To enable the 16:9 display:
1. Click in the Composer monitor to make it active.
2. Choose 16:9 Monitors from the Clip menu.
A check mark appears next to the 16:9 option. The Composer monitor displays media as 16:9.
Setting the Font and Point Size for Monitor Displays
To set the font and point size:
1. With the Composer monitor active, choose Set Font from the Edit menu.
The Set Font dialog box appears.

2. Choose a font from the Font pop-up menu, and type a point size in the Size text box.
3. Click OK.
The new font and point size are applied to the sequence name or clip name.
Playing Video to the Client Monitor
Connecting a Client Monitor
Avid Xpress DV uses the hardware inside a camera or digital deck to create the video signal that the
Client monitor displays.
Selecting the Client Monitor Setting
To configure Video Display settings:
1. Click the Settings button in the Project window. The Settings scroll list appears.
2. Double-click Video Display. The Video Display Settings dialog box appears.
3. If it is not already selected, select “DV device supports digital video input.”
4. Select “Send video to DV device (client monitor enabled).”
5. Click OK.
Avid Xpress DV sends the video to the Client monitor.

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 Viewing Methods
 Viewing in bins
 Viewing in the Source pop-up monitors
 Viewing in the Composer monitor
 Viewing in the Timeline
 Loading and Clearing Footage
You load individual or multiple clips into the Source pop-up monitor, and you load sequences into the
Composer monitor by using different methods.
Resizing Monitors
You can resize the Composer monitor and any Source pop-up monitor to provide more area for
displaying the Timeline or other windows. You can either hide the video completely or resize the
monitor.
Controlling Playback
There are several ways to play, view, and cue clips:
• Instantly access frames or move through footage by using the position indicator within the position
bar under the monitors.
• Play, step (jog), or shuttle through the footage by using user-selectable buttons or the mouse.
• Play, step, or shuttle by using keyboard equivalents.
Using Position Bars and Position Indicators
To quickly access frames within a clip loaded into a monitor or to move through the footage, do
one of the following:
 Use the position indicators that appear in the position bars under the Source pop-up and
Composer monitors. The position indicator also appears in the Timeline when you are viewing
a sequence.
 Move the position indicator within the position bar under the monitor by clicking anywhere in
the position bar or by dragging the position indicator to the left or right. The speed with which
you drag the position indicator determines the speed at which you move through the footage.
 Click anywhere in the Timeline to relocate the position indicator, or drag the position indicator
through footage at varying speeds. In the Timeline, the position indicator shows your position
within the sequence. It is always in the same position as the position indicator in the Composer
monitor’s position bar.
 Click at the far left or far right of the position bar or the Timeline to go directly to the beginning
or end of a clip or sequence.

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UNIT V - WORKING WITH AVID XPRESS DV 4

Marking and Subcataloging Footage

You can speed the editing process by marking clips with IN and OUT points in advance, by using
locators to subcatalog footage, and by creating subclips.
Marking IN and OUT Points
You can mark IN and OUT points for your clips in advance, which provides several advantages:
• You can quickly build a sequence by splicing the marked clips into place one after another.
• You can use the process of rough cut or storyboard editing, which allows you to instantly splice
several prepared clips into a Sequence.
• You can play back and mark clips in the bin before loading a single clip, saving several steps.

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UNIT V - WORKING WITH AVID XPRESS DV 4

FINDING FRAMES AND CLIPS:
To cue a frame by using frame offset timecode:
1. Using the numeric keypad, type a plus (+) sign to move forward or a minus sign (–) to move
backward from the current position.
2. Type a number for the frame offset, and press Enter on the numeric keypad. Use the following
formats:
• One or two digits: Type 1 through 99 to specify a number of frames forward or backward. For
instance, type –42 to move
backward 42 frames.
• Three digits: Type 100 or a greater number to move forward or backward a specified number of
seconds and frames. For
instance, if you type +100 and the master track timecode is selected on the Tracking Information
menu, you move forward 1 second and 0 frames.

WORKING WITH AUDIO

The Avid Xpress DV system provides a collection of tools for managing and fine-tuning audio volume,
pan, equalization, and transitions. The general purpose of each tool is as follows:

• Audio tool: Use this tool primarily for adjusting and calibrating global input and output levels when
you record from analog sources or from output to tape. For more information,

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UNIT V - WORKING WITH AVID XPRESS DV 4

• Audio Mix tool: Use this tool primarily for adjusting pan and volume levels on clips or whole tracks
within a sequence.
• Audio Gain Automation tool: Use this tool to fine-tune your audio tracks. The tool provides control
over volume keyframes and ramps within a clip.
• Audio EQ tool: Use this tool for adjusting the sound characteristicsof audio clips in the sequence
based on three-band control over high, low, and midrange frequencies.
• Digidesign® AudioSuite Plug-In tool: Use this tool to access third-party audio plug-ins. For more
information,
• Audio Punch-In tool: Use this tool to record up to two channels of audio directly into the Timeline
for voice-over narration.
Audio Editing Aids
When you play footage forward or
You can scrub:
backward at:
Normal speed Up to 8 tracks
Two times normal speed Up to 8 tracks
Three times normal speed 2 tracks
Greater than three times normal speed 0 tracks

OUTPUT OPTIONS
 Preparing for Output
 Preparing for Audio Output
 Using the Digital Cut Tool
 Using EDL Manager
 Using the Film Scribe Bundle
Preparing for Output
Preparing for video output involves the following procedures:
• Render all non-real-time effects. See the Avid Xpress DV Effects Guide.
• Choose video outputs.
• Choose audio outputs.
• Calibrate and adjust audio output levels.
• Decide whether you want to generate stereo or mono audio.
• Mix down multiple audio tracks if necessary. Systems equipped with a two-channel audio board can
generate a maximum of two channels.
• Convert mixed audio sample rates.
• Prepare the record tapes.

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UNIT V - WORKING WITH AVID XPRESS DV 4

Choosing Video Output
To choose video output:
1. Choose Digital Cut from the Clip menu.The Digital Cut tool opens.
2. Choose OHCI or 1394 from the Video Target pop-up menu to output directly to a digital camera,
digital video deck, or analog video deck through a transcoder.
Choosing Audio Output
To choose audio output:
1. Choose Digital Cut from the Clip menu. The Digital Cut tool opens.
2. Choose OHCI or 1394 (depending on which type of board your system has) from the Audio Target
pop-up menu to output directly to a digital camera, digital video deck, or analog video deck through a
transcoder.
Audio Sample Rates
You must convert to a single audio sample rate when performing a digital cut. If your sequence or
master clip has multiple audio sample rates, for example, one clip at 32 kHz and other clips at 44.1
kHz, you will need to convert it to a single audio sample rate.
Adjusting Output on Two-Channel Audio Systems
By default, the volume scales for Output sliders in the Audio tool reflect levels for consumer-grade
VCRs and recording devices.
To adjust the output parameters:
1. Choose Audio Tool from the Tools menu.
The Audio Tool window opens.

2. Click the Peak Hold (PH) Menu button.

3. Choose Set Calibration Tone from the Peak Hold pop-up menu. The Set Calibration Tone dialog box
appears.
4. Type new values for the tone level and frequency, and click OK.
To play back the tone:
 Choose Play Calibration Tone from the Peak Hold pop-up menu.
To check the adjusted tone level in the meters:
 Make sure the In/Out (I/O) toggle buttons are set to O for Output.

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UNIT V - WORKING WITH AVID XPRESS DV 4

Preparing Record Tapes

 The two basic methods of recording to tape are:

 Frame-accurate recording, using the Digital Cut tool
 Manual recording, using controls on the record deck

Recording a Digital Cut to Tape

To record a digital cut to tape:
1. Load a sequence into the Composer monitor. (You cannot access digital cut options without a
sequence loaded.)
2. Choose Digital Cut from the Clip menu. The Digital Cut Tool window opens.
3. Select or deselect the Entire Sequence option based on the following:
 Select Entire Sequence if you want the system to ignore any IN or OUT points and play the
entire sequence from start to finish.
 Deselect Entire Sequence if you have established IN points, OUT points, or both for recording a
portion of the sequence.
4. (Option) Select Add Black at Tail, and enter a timecode to add black at the end of the digital cut.
5. Select Remote in the deck control option area.
6. Choose either Insert Edit or Assemble Edit from the pop-up menu.
7. Choose an option from the pop-up menu in the deck control option area to indicate where to start
recording on the tape:

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UNIT V - WORKING WITH AVID XPRESS DV 4

 Choose Sequence Time to start the recording at a timecode existing on tape that matches the
start timecode of the sequence. If you intend to record several sequences to tape one after
another, this option requires resetting the start timecode on each sequence to match the
appropriate IN points on the tape.
 Choose Record Deck Time to ignore the timecode of the sequence and to start the recording
wherever the record deck is currently cued.
 Choose Mark In Time to ignore the sequence timecode.Establish an IN point on the record tape
by cueing and marking with the deck controls.
8. (Option) Select Custom Preroll and choose the number of seconds from the pop-up menu 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.
9. Select the audio and video tracks you want represented in the digital cut preview. The display of
tracks in the Digital Cut tool varies according to the tracks existing in the sequence.
10. Click the Enable Video Track button to select the audio and video tracks to record to tape.
11. Click the Play Digital Cut button.
To stop the recording at any time:

 Press the space bar or click the Halt Digital Cut button.

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