Pinnacle Systems Media Composer - 5.0 User Manual

Avid® Media Composer

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.

Avid products or portions thereof are protected by one or more of the following United States Patents: 5,077,604; 5,267,351; 5,309,528; 5,355,450; 5,396,594; 5,440,348; 5,467,288; 5,513,375; 5,528,310; 5,557,423; 5,568,275; 5,577,190; 5,584,006; 5,634,020; 5,640,601; 5,644,364; 5,654,737; 5,724,605; 5,726,717; 5,745,637; 5,752,029; 5,754,180; 5,754,851; 5,799,150; 5,812,216; 5,828,678; 5,842,014; 5,852,435; 5,905,841; 5,929,836; 5,930,445; 5,946,445; 5,986,584; 5,987,501; 6,016,152; 6,018,337; 6,023,531; 6,058,236; 6,061,758; 6,091,778; 6,105,083; 6,118,444; 6,130,676; 6,134,607; 6,141,691; 6,198,477; 6,201,531; 6,223,211; 6,249,280; 6,269,195; 6,330,369; 6,353,862; 6,404,435; 6,407,775; 6,426,778; 6,477,271; 6,489,969; 6,512,522; 6,532,043; 6,546,190; 6,552,731; 6,553,142; 6,570,624; 6,571,255; 6,583,824; 6,618,547; 6,636,869; 6,665,450; 6,678,461; 6,687,407; 6,704,445; 6,747,705; 6,763,134; 6,766,063; 6,791,556; 6,810,157; 6,813,622; 6,847,373; 6,871,003; 6,871,161; 6,901,211; 6,907,191; 6,928,187; 7,043,058; 7,081,900; 7,103,231; 7,266,241; 7,280,117; RE40,107; 7,403,561; 7,433,519; 7,512,885; 7,545,957; 7,671,871; 7,684,096; D352,278; D392,267; D392,268; D392,269; D395,291; D396,853; D398,912. Other patents are pending.

Avid products or portions thereof are protected by one or more of the following European Patents: 0506870; 0635188; 0674414; 0752174; 0857293; 0976108; 0988756; 1068734; 1111910; 1173850; 1629675. Other patents are pending.

This document is protected under copyright law. An authorized licensee of Avid Media Composer may reproduce this publication for the licensee’s own use in learning how to use the software. This document may not be reproduced or distributed, in whole or in part, for commercial purposes, such as selling copies of this document or providing support or educational services to others. This document is supplied as a guide for Avid Media Composer. Reasonable care has been taken in preparing the information it contains. However, this document may contain omissions, technical inaccuracies, or typographical errors. Avid Technology, Inc. does not accept responsibility of any kind for customers’ losses due to the use of this document. Product specifications are subject to change without notice.

The following disclaimer is required by Apple Computer, Inc.:

APPLE COMPUTER, INC. MAKES NO WARRANTIES WHATSOEVER, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, REGARDING THIS PRODUCT, INCLUDING WARRANTIES WITH RESPECT TO ITS MERCHANTABILITY OR ITS FITNESS FOR ANY PARTICULAR PURPOSE. THE EXCLUSION OF IMPLIED WARRANTIES IS NOT PERMITTED BY SOME STATES. THE ABOVE EXCLUSION MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU. THIS WARRANTY PROVIDES YOU WITH SPECIFIC LEGAL RIGHTS. THERE MAY BE OTHER RIGHTS THAT YOU MAY HAVE WHICH VARY FROM STATE TO STATE.

The following disclaimer is required by Sam Leffler and Silicon Graphics, Inc. for the use of their TIFF library:

Permission to use, copy, modify, distribute, and sell this software [i.e., the TIFF library] and its documentation for any purpose is hereby granted without fee, provided that (i) the above copyright notices and this permission notice appear in all copies of the software and related documentation, and (ii) the names of Sam Leffler and Silicon Graphics may not be used in any advertising or publicity relating to the software without the specific, prior written permission of Sam Leffler and Silicon Graphics.

THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED “AS-IS” AND WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR OTHERWISE, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, ANY WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.

IN NO EVENT SHALL SAM LEFFLER OR SILICON GRAPHICS BE LIABLE FOR ANY SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, INDIRECT OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OF ANY KIND, OR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER RESULTING FROM LOSS OF USE, DATA OR PROFITS, WHETHER OR NOT ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF DAMAGE, AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE USE OR PERFORMANCE OF THIS SOFTWARE.

The following disclaimer is required by the Independent JPEG Group:

This software is based in part on the work of the Independent JPEG Group.

This Software may contain components licensed under the following conditions:

Redistribution and use in source and binary forms are permitted provided that the above copyright notice and this paragraph are duplicated in all such forms and that any documentation, advertising materials, and other materials related to such distribution and use acknowledge that the software was developed by the University of California, Berkeley. The name of the University may not be used to endorse or promote products derived from this software without specific prior written permission. THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED ``AS IS'' AND WITHOUT ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.

Permission to use, copy, modify, and distribute this software and its documentation for any purpose and without fee is hereby granted, provided that the above copyright notice appear in all copies and that both that copyright notice and this permission notice appear in supporting documentation. This software is provided "as is" without express or implied warranty.

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. Daniel Dardailler makes no representations about the suitability of this software for any purpose. It is provided "as is" without express or implied warranty.

Permission to use, copy, modify, and distribute this software for any purpose without fee is hereby granted, provided that this entire notice is included in all copies of any software which is or includes a copy or modification of this software and in all copies of the supporting documentation for such software.

THIS SOFTWARE IS BEING PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTY. IN PARTICULAR, NEITHER THE AUTHOR NOR AT&T MAKES ANY REPRESENTATION OR WARRANTY OF ANY KIND CONCERNING THE MERCHANTABILITY OF THIS SOFTWARE OR ITS FITNESS FOR ANY PARTICULAR PURPOSE.

This product includes software developed by the University of California, Berkeley and its contributors.

The following disclaimer is required by Nexidia Inc.:

Manufactured under license from the Georgia Tech Research Corporation, U.S.A. Patent Pending.

The following disclaimer is required by Paradigm Matrix:

Portions of this software licensed from Paradigm Matrix.

The following disclaimer is required by Ray Sauers Associates, Inc.:

“Install-It” is licensed from Ray Sauers Associates, Inc. End-User is prohibited from taking any action to derive a source code equivalent of “Install-It,” including by reverse assembly or reverse compilation, Ray Sauers Associates, Inc. shall in no event be liable for any damages resulting from reseller’s failure to perform reseller’s obligation; or any damages arising from use or operation of reseller’s products or the software; or any other damages, including but not limited to, incidental, direct, indirect, special or consequential Damages including lost profits, or damages resulting from loss of use or inability to use reseller’s products or the software for any reason including copyright or patent infringement, or lost data, even if Ray Sauers Associates has been advised, knew or should have known of the possibility of such damages.

The following disclaimer is required by Videomedia, Inc.:

“Videomedia, Inc. makes no warranties whatsoever, either express or implied, regarding this product, including warranties with respect to its merchantability or its fitness for any particular purpose.”

“This software contains V-LAN ver. 3.0 Command Protocols which communicate with V-LAN ver. 3.0 products developed by Videomedia, Inc. and V-LAN ver. 3.0 compatible products developed by third parties under license from Videomedia, Inc. Use of this software will allow “frame accurate” editing control of applicable videotape recorder decks, videodisc recorders/players and the like.”

The following disclaimer is required by Altura Software, Inc. for the use of its Mac2Win software and Sample Source Code:

The following disclaimer is required by Ultimatte Corporation:

Certain real-time compositing capabilities are provided under a license of such technology from Ultimatte Corporation and are subject to copyright protection.

The following disclaimer is required by 3Prong.com Inc.:

Certain waveform and vector monitoring capabilities are provided under a license from 3Prong.com Inc.

The following disclaimer is required by Interplay Entertainment Corp.:

The “Interplay” name is used with the permission of Interplay Entertainment Corp., which bears no responsibility for Avid products.

This product includes portions of the Alloy Look & Feel software from Incors GmbH.

This product includes software developed by the Apache Software Foundation (http://www.apache.org/).

This product may include the JCifs library, for which the following notice applies:

Avid Interplay contains components licensed from LavanTech. These components may only be used as part of and in connection with Avid Interplay.

Attn. Government User(s). Restricted Rights Legend

U.S. GOVERNMENT RESTRICTED RIGHTS. This Software and its documentation are “commercial computer software” or “commercial computer software documentation.” In the event that such Software or documentation is acquired by or on behalf of a unit or agency of the U.S. Government, all rights with respect to this Software and documentation are subject to the terms of the License Agreement, pursuant to FAR §12.212(a) and/or DFARS §227.7202-1(a), as applicable.

Trademarks

003, 192 Digital I/O, 192 I/O, 96 I/O, 96i I/O, Adrenaline, AirSpeed, ALEX, Alienbrain, AME, AniMatte, Archive, Archive II, Assistant Station, AudioPages, AudioStation, AutoLoop, AutoSync, Avid, Avid Active, Avid Advanced Response, Avid DNA, Avid DNxcel, Avid DNxHD, Avid DS Assist Station, Avid Liquid, Avid Media Engine, Avid Media Processor, Avid MEDIArray, Avid Mojo, Avid Remote Response, Avid Unity, Avid Unity ISIS, Avid VideoRAID, AvidRAID, AvidShare, AVIDstripe, AVX, Axiom, Beat Detective, Beauty Without The Bandwidth, Beyond Reality, BF Essentials, Bomb Factory, Boom, Bruno, C|24, CaptureManager, ChromaCurve, ChromaWheel, Cineractive Engine, Cineractive Player, Cineractive Viewer, Color Conductor, Command|24, Command|8, Conectiv, Control|24, Cosmonaut Voice, CountDown, d2, d3, DAE, Dazzle, Dazzle Digital Video Creator, D-Command, D-Control, Deko, DekoCast, D-Fi, D-fx, Digi 003, DigiBase, DigiDelivery, Digidesign, Digidesign Audio Engine, Digidesign Development Partners, Digidesign Intelligent Noise Reduction, Digidesign TDM Bus, DigiLink, DigiMeter, DigiPanner, DigiProNet, DigiRack, DigiSerial, DigiSnake, DigiSystem, Digital Choreography, Digital Nonlinear Accelerator, DigiTest, DigiTranslator, DigiWear, DINR, DNxchange, DPP-1, D-Show, DSP Manager, DS-StorageCalc, DV Toolkit, DVD Complete, D-Verb, Eleven, EM, EveryPhase, Expander, ExpertRender, Fader Pack, Fairchild, Fastbreak, Fast Track, Film Cutter, FilmScribe, Flexevent, FluidMotion, Frame Chase, FXDeko, HD Core, HD Process, HDPack, Home-to-Hollywood, HYBRID, HyperControl, HyperSPACE, HyperSPACE HDCAM, iKnowledge, Image Independence, Impact, Improv, iNEWS, iNEWS Assign, iNEWS ControlAir, Instantwrite, Instinct, Intelligent Content Management, Intelligent Digital Actor Technology, IntelliRender, Intelli-Sat, Intelli-sat Broadcasting Recording Manager, InterFX, Interplay, inTONE, Intraframe, iS Expander, ISIS, IsoSync, iS9, iS18, iS23, iS36, ISIS, IsoSync, KeyRig, KeyStudio, LaunchPad, LeaderPlus, LFX, Lightning, Link & Sync, ListSync, LKT-200, Lo-Fi, Luna, MachineControl, Magic Mask, Make Anything Hollywood, make manage move | media, Marquee, MassivePack, Massive Pack Pro, M-Audio, M-Audio Micro, Maxim, Mbox, Media Composer, MediaDock, MediaDock Shuttle, MediaFlow, MediaLog, MediaMatch, MediaMix, Media Reader, Media Recorder, MEDIArray, MediaServer, MediaShare, MetaFuze, MetaSync, MicroTrack, MIDI I/O, Midiman, Mix Rack, MixLab, Moviebox, Moviestar, MultiShell, NaturalMatch, NewsCutter, NewsView, Nitris, NL3D, NLP, Nova, NRV-10 interFX, NSDOS, NSWIN, Octane, OMF, OMF Interchange, OMM, OnDVD, Open Media Framework, Open Media Management, Ozone, Ozonic, Painterly Effects, Palladium, Personal Q, PET, Pinnacle, Pinnacle DistanTV, Pinnacle GenieBox, Pinnacle HomeMusic, Pinnacle MediaSuite, Pinnacle Mobile Media, Pinnacle Scorefitter, Pinnacle Studio, Pinnacle Studio MovieBoard, Pinnacle Systems, Pinnacle VideoSpin, Podcast Factory, PowerSwap, PRE, ProControl, ProEncode, Profiler, Pro Tools|HD, Pro Tools LE, Pro Tools M-Powered, Pro Transfer, Pro Tools, QuickPunch, QuietDrive, Realtime Motion Synthesis, Recti-Fi, Reel Tape Delay, Reel Tape Flanger, Reel Tape Saturation, Reprise, Res Rocket Surfer, Reso, RetroLoop, Reverb One, ReVibe, Revolution, rS9, rS18, RTAS, Salesview, Sci-Fi, Scorch, Scorefitter, ScriptSync, SecureProductionEnvironment, Serv|LT, Serv|GT, Session, Shape-to-Shape, ShuttleCase, Sibelius,

SIDON, SimulPlay, SimulRecord, Slightly Rude Compressor, Smack!, Soft SampleCell, Soft-Clip Limiter, Solaris, SoundReplacer, SPACE, SPACEShift, SpectraGraph, SpectraMatte, SteadyGlide, Streamfactory, Streamgenie, StreamRAID, Strike, Structure, Studiophile, SubCap, Sundance Digital, Sundance, SurroundScope, Symphony, SYNC HD, Synchronic, SynchroScope, SYNC I/O, Syntax, TDM FlexCable, TechFlix, Tel-Ray, Thunder, Titansync, Titan, TL Aggro, TL AutoPan, TL Drum Rehab, TL Everyphase, TL Fauxlder, TL In Tune, TL MasterMeter, TL Metro, TL Space, TL Utilities, tools for storytellers, Torq, Torq Xponent, Transfuser, Transit, TransJammer, Trigger Finger, Trillium Lane Labs, TruTouch, UnityRAID, Vari-Fi, Velvet, Video the Web Way, VideoRAID, VideoSPACE, VideoSpin, VTEM, Work-N-Play, Xdeck, X-Form, Xmon, XPAND!, Xponent, X-Session, and X-Session Pro are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Avid Technology, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries.

Adobe and Photoshop are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated in the United States and/or other countries. Apple and Macintosh are trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. Windows is either a registered trademark or trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. All other trademarks contained herein are the property of their respective owners.

Footage

Arri — Courtesy of Arri/Fauer — John Fauer, Inc. Bell South “Anticipation” — Courtesy of Two Headed Monster — Tucker/Wayne Atlanta/GMS. Canyonlands — Courtesy of the National Park Service/Department of the Interior. Eco Challenge British Columbia — Courtesy of Eco Challenge Lifestyles, Inc., All Rights Reserved. Eco Challenge Morocco — Courtesy of Discovery Communications, Inc. It’s Shuttletime — Courtesy of BCP & Canadian Airlines. 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. Ice Island — Courtesy of Kurtis Productions, Ltd. Tornados + Belle Isle footage — Courtesy of KWTV News 9. WCAU Fire Story — Courtesy of NBC-10, Philadelphia, PA. Women in Sports – Paragliding — Courtesy of Legendary Entertainment, Inc.

Avid Media Composer Editing Guide • 0130-30390-01 • June 2010

Using This Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Symbols and Conventions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

If You Need Help. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Accessing the Goodies Folder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Avid Training Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Chapter 1 Editing Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Editing Workflow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Starting a Project. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Preparing to Edit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Editing a Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Outputting a Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Chapter 2 Starting a Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Turning on Your Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Working with the Desktop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Starting Your Avid Editing Application (Windows). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Starting Your Avid Editing Application (Macintosh). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

Working with Projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Quitting and Turning Off Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

Avid Projects and Avid Users Folders. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

Changing Project and User Names. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

Backing Up Your Project Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

Avid Attic Folder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

Using Toolsets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

Chapter 3 Working with the Project Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69

Overview of the Project Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

Controlling Project Window Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

Using the Bins Tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

Using the Settings Tab. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79

Using the Format Tab. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80

Working with Color Spaces in HD Projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81

Changing the Project Color Space for an HD Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83

Using the Usage Tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84

Using the Info Tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88

Managing Bins and Memory. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90

Understanding User Profiles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90

Managing User Profiles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92

Customizing the Avid User Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94

User-Customized Workspaces. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97

Working with Bins and Projects in an Avid Unity Environment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102

Chapter 4 Using Tools. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111

Using the Tools Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111

Using a Deck Controller . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111

Deck Controller Window Reference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112

The Command Palette . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113

Using the Avid Calculator. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117

Using The Console Window. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118

Using the Hardware Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120

External Controllers as Editing Control Surfaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120

Chapter 5 Logging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121

Using Avid Log Exchange to Prepare Log Files for Import . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121

Avid Log Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130

Creating an Avid Log . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138

Double-Checking Log Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139

Transferring Bins from MediaLog. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139

Logging Directly into a Bin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141

Understanding the Pulldown Phase . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150

Setting the Pulldown Phase . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152

Film-Related Log Information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152

Chapter 6 Preparing for Capture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163

Logging and Shot Logs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163

Importing Shot Log Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164

Preparing the Hardware for Capture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166

Selecting Settings for Capture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169

Configuring Decks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181

Understanding Timecode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186

Connecting a DV Device . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187

Setting Up the Capture Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188

Preparing to Capture Audio. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202

Preparing to Capture Video. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220

Capture Preparations Check List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229

Chapter 7 Capturing Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231

Capturing and Logging at the Same Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232

Capturing Directly from a DV Device . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242

Frame Chase Capture. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247

Batch Capturing from Logged Clips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250

Recapturing and Decomposing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254

Alternate Source Capture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264

Using Capture Function Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267

Handling Errors During the Capture Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268

Creating Subclips While Capturing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269

Adding Locators On-the-Fly While Capturing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271

Naming a New Tape from the Keyboard While Capturing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272

Controlling Decks from the Keyboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273

Ejecting Tapes with a Button or Key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273

Using Dolby E Media. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274

Delaying Audio During Capture. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277

Live Capturing with External Timecode. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277

Capturing to the Timeline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279

Capturing Video Without Pulldown into a 24p NTSC Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281

Remote Play, Capture, and Punch-In . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281

Relinking Clips by Key Number. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 288

Modifying the Pulldown Phase After Capturing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 290

DV and HDV Scene Extraction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 292

Using the Panasonic VariCam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 295

Chapter 8 Importing Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297

Preparing to Import Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 298

Creating and Modifying Import Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 298

Importing Media Files. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301

Importing Audio Files from a Music CD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 305

Adjusting Gain Before Importing Audio Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 306

Sample Rate Conversion and Audio Import. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 307

Setting Sample Rate Conversion Options Before Importing Audio Files . . . . . . . . 308

Photoshop Graphics Import . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 309

Digital Bars and Tone. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 314

Importing Color Bars and Other Test Patterns. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 315

Importing Editcam Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 317

Setting XDCAM Import Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 318

Importing XDCAM Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 319

Importing XDCAM EX Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 320

Automatically Importing Proxy Media from an XDCAM Device . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 322

Importing Proxy Media from an XDCAM Disk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 323

Copying XDCAM Proxy Media to a Local Drive or a Server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 324

Manually Importing XDCAM Media from the XDCAM Disk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 325

Importing Essence Marks as Locators in XDCAM Media. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 325

Editing XDCAM Proxy Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 326

Batch Importing High-Resolution XDCAM Media from the XDCAM Disk. . . . . . . . 327

Editing and Finishing High-Resolution XDCAM Media. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 330

Importing P2 Clips and Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 330

Importing Sequences from Pro Tools through Interplay. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331

Using the Drag-and-Drop Method to Import Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331

Reimporting Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 332

Batch Import Dialog Box. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335

Chapter 9 Working with Bins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 339

Object Icons in Bins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 339

Bin Views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 341

Bin Procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 350

Working with Bin Columns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 362

Modifying Clip Information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 368

Working with Film Information in Bins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 379

Working with the SuperBin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 382

Creating a Storyboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 385

Setting the Bin Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 385

Sifting Clips and Sequences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 386

Working with Restricted Material. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 390

Printing Bins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 392

Chapter 10 File Based Media - AMA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 393

XDCAM and XDCAM EX Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 394

P2 Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 399

Canon XF Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 406

GFCAM Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 408

RED Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 411

QuickTime Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 423

MXF Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 424

The Avid Media Access (AMA) Workflow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 427

Workflows for Editing with AMA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 440

Chapter 11 Managing Media Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 449

Working with Media Files in an Avid Interplay Environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 450

Using Avid Editing Systems in an Avid Unity LANshare Workgroup. . . . . . . . . . . . 451

Viewing Media with a 100Base-T Connection to Avid Unity ISIS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 452

Understanding Drive Mounting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 452

Mounting and Unmounting Drives. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 453

Using the Media Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 454

Consolidating Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 459

Using the Consolidate Command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 461

Using the Transcode Command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 465

Loading the Media Database . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 469

Refreshing Media Directories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 470

Deleting Unreferenced Clips and Media. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 470

Backing Up Media Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 471

Finding a Related Media File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 472

Relinking Media Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 473

Unlinking Media Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 479

Archiving and Restoring Media Files to Videotape. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 480

Sequence and Clip Information Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 485

Chapter 12 Viewing and Marking Footage. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 491

Viewing Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 491

Customizing the Composer Window and Monitors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 493

Using the Info Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 500

Using the Timecode Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 501

Playing Video to the Client Monitor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 502

Activating and Deactivating the Client Monitor Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 503

Selecting the Video Display Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 504

Playing Video to a Full-Screen Monitor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 506

Adjusting the Play Delay Offset . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 506

Using the Tool Palette . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 507

Playing Selected Clips in a Loop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 508

Loading and Clearing Footage. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 509

Controlling Playback. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 511

Playing Back to a DV Device . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 519

Video Quality Options for Playback . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 521

Setting the Video Quality for Playback. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 524

Marking and Subcataloging Footage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 524

Using Locators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 530

Finding Frames, Clips, and Bins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 544

Sequence and Clip Information Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 553

Chapter 13 Creating and Editing Sequences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 559

Entering Source/Record Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 560

Creating a New Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 560

Making a First Edit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 565

Creating an Instant Rough Cut . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 567

Undoing or Redoing Edits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 568

Editing Additional Clips into the Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 569

Mixing Frame Rates and Field Motion Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 572

Mixing Frame Sizes and Aspect Ratios . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 581

Refreshing Sequences to Use Current Clip Attributes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 586

Lifting, Extracting, and Copying Material. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 587

Adding Comments to Sequence Clips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 591

Playing Back a Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 591

Understanding Sync Breaks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 594

Fixing Sync Breaks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 596

Understanding Sync Lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 597

Ganging Footage in Monitors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 601

Sync Point Editing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 602

Autosyncing Clips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 603

Understanding AutoSequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 605

Adding Audio or Video to Original Videotape Using AutoSequence . . . . . . . . . . . . 606

Resyncing Subframe Audio. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 607

Resyncing Audio for a Selected Subclip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 608

Working with Phantom Marks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 608

Creating Video and Audio Leaders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 609

Using MetaSync to Synchronize Metadata . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 611

Chapter 14 Script-Based Editing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 613

Understanding Lined Scripts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 613

Script Integration — Lining in the Digital Realm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 616

Understanding the Script Window. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 618

Working with the Script Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 619

Working with Script Text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 622

Working with Page or Scene Numbers and Searching in a Script . . . . . . . . . . . . . 625

Linking Clips to a Script . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 628

Interpolating Position for Script Integration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 629

Working with Slates in the Script Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 630

Working with Takes in the Script Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 633

Indicating Off-Screen Dialog in a Script . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 636

Using Color Indicators in the Script Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 636

Script Marks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 637

Finding Clips and Script . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 645

Editing From the Script Window. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 646

Chapter 15 Using the Timeline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 649

Customizing Timeline Views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 650

Navigating in the Timeline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 671

Working with Segments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 676

Working with Multiple Tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 689

In to Out Highlighting in the Timeline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 703

Editing in Heads or Heads Tails View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 703

Performing a Quick Edit Using the Top and Tail Commands. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 704

Working with Add Edits (Match Frames) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 705

Dupe Detection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 707

Editing with the Film Track . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 709

Tracking Color Frame Shifts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 710

Finding Black Holes and Flash Frames . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 712

Printing the Timeline. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 713

Chapter 16 Working with Trim Edits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 715

Trimming with the Timeline Palette . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 716

Understanding Trim Displays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 717

Setting Small Trim Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 719

Trim Settings Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 720

Timeline Trim States . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 720

Selecting Trim Sides . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 721

Overwrite Trimming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 725

Ripple Trimming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 726

Dual-Roller Trimming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 728

Refining Trims . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 729

Reviewing Trim Edits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 730

Trimming On-the-Fly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 731

Using Dual-Image Playback During Trims . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 732

Trimming During a Playback Loop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 733

Creating Overlap Edits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 734

Extending an Edit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 735

Maintaining Sync While Trimming. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 736

Slipping or Sliding Segments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 737

Trimming in Two Directions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 741

Using the Transition Corner Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 742

Chapter 17 Working with Audio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 745

Overview of Audio Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 746

Working with Multichannel Audio Tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 748

Displaying Track Formats in Bins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 750

The Track Control Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 751

Using Audio Scrub . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 754

Audio Displays in the Timeline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 758

Displaying Audio Formats in Bins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 765

Working with Surround Sound or 5.1 Audio

(Avid Nitris DX and Avid Mojo DX Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 765

Adjusting the Play Buffer Size for Audio (Software-only Models) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 769

Using the Audio Mixer Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 770

Rendering and Unrendering Order for Audio Effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 776

Audio Gain Staging and an Audio Editing Workflow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 777

Using Clip Gain and Pan Mode. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 778

Using Automation Gain and Pan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 787

Using Live Mix Mode. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 794

Fading and Dipping Audio. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 802

Audio Sample Rate Conversion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 805

Changing the Audio Sample Rate for Sequences and Audio Clips . . . . . . . . . . . . 805

Mixing Down Audio Tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 806

Splitting Stereo Tracks to Mono Tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 808

Using the Audio EQ Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 809

Recording Voice-Over Narration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 823

Chapter 18 Using External Audio Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 831

Using an External Fader Controller or Mixer to Record

Automation Gain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 833

Adjusting the Volume or Pan of Individual Keyframes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 835

Using the 002 and the Command|8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 835

Configuring USB-to-MIDI Software for External Controllers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 845

Using the FaderMaster Pro and MCS-3000X. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 848

Using the Yamaha 01V/96 or the Yamaha 01V . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 851

Using a GPI Device with the Audio Punch-In Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 856

Chapter 19 Using Audio Plug-Ins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 863

Real-Time AudioSuite Plug-Ins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 863

Avid AudioSuite Plug-Ins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 870

Core Avid Audio Plug-Ins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 882

Chapter 20 Exporting Frames, Clips, or Sequences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 925

Understanding Export. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 926

Preparing to Export a Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 927

Exporting With the Send To Templates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 928

Send To Templates Reference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 932

Creating a Custom Send To Template for Exporting to

Third-Party Applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 933

Exporting With the Export Command or the Drag-and-Drop Method. . . . . . . . . . . 935

Customizing Export Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 939

Guidelines for Exporting OMFI and AAF Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 940

Exporting Projects and Bins Using AFE Files (Windows Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 943

Exporting QuickTime Movies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 945

Installing or Copying the Avid Codecs for QuickTime on Other Systems . . . . . . . 947

Exporting from a Third-Party QuickTime or AVI Application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 949

Exporting as Windows Media (Windows Only). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 949

Creating a Custom Profile for Windows Media Export (Windows Only). . . . . . . . . 950

Exporting Media to XDCAM Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 951

Exporting to XDCAM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 952

Exporting Your Clip or Sequence to a P2 Card. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 953

Exporting as Windows Media Using a VC1 Resolution. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 954

Using Avid Interplay Media Services. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 955

Chapter 21 Generating Output . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 957

Preparing for Output: Overview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 957

Selecting the Device for Output . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 958

Selecting the Sync Source for Output . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 959

Selecting a Video Output Signal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 962

Calibrating for Video Output . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 962

Preparing for Converting HD Formats. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 969

Preparing for Audio Output . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 972

Preparing Record Tapes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 978

Enabling Assemble-Edit Recording. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 980

Using ExpertRender to Prepare Effects for a Digital Cut . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 981

Using the Digital Cut Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 982

Output Mode Resolution Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 991

Outputting DV 50 and DVCPRO HD Media Directly to a DV Device . . . . . . . . . . . 993

Selecting Output and Timecode Formats for 23.976p, 24p,

and 25p Projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 994

Selecting Output Formats for 23.976p, 24p, and 25p Projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 995

Output Format Reference for 23.976p, 24p, and 25p Projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 996

Selecting the Timecode Format for Output . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 998

Outputting Drop-Frame and Non-Drop-Frame Timecode

Simultaneously for Downstream Encoding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 999

Indicating the Destination Timecode Rate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1000

Selecting the Video Pulldown Cadence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1000

Performing an Insert Edit with Pulldown . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1001

Digital Cuts and Audio. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1002

Changing the Default Pulldown Phase for Sequences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1003

Understanding DV Digital Cut Delay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1004

Delaying the Sequence for a Digital Cut . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1005

Using EDL Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1005

Using FilmScribe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1006

Understanding Matchback . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1006

Vertical Blanking Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1008

Preserving HD Closed Captioning and Ancillary Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1014

Chapter 22 Conforming and Transferring Projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1027

Understanding Conforming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1027

Preparations for Conforming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1028

Conforming Workflow. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1032

Transferring Project and Media Files Between Avid Editing Systems . . . . . . . . . 1041

Chapter 23 Working with Avid Interplay from an Avid Editing System . . . . . . . . 1053

Working with Interplay and Remote Assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1053

Administrator Settings for Avid Editing Clients. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1055

Using the Interplay Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1056

Connecting to the Avid Interplay Database . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1058

Editing with Remote Assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1063

Managing Remote Assets with the Interplay Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1076

Finding Remote Assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1096

Capturing Media to Interplay Folders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1099

Connecting to Avid Unity and Mounting Workspaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1100

Dos and Don’ts for Editors Working with Avid Interplay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1109

Chapter 24 Using MultiRez and Dynamic Relink . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1113

Understanding MultiRez and Proxy Editing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1113

Acquiring Media at Multiple Resolutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1115

Understanding How Clips are Associated with Multiple Resolutions . . . . . . . . . . 1119

Options for Clip and Media Association . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1120

Understanding Dynamic Relink . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1124

Workflow: Editing a Film or HD Project using MultiRez . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1126

Considerations When Working with Dynamic Relink . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1132

Using the Dynamic Relink Settings Dialog Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1132

Relinking in Frame Chase Editing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1140

Using the Relink Dialog Box in an Avid Interplay Environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1140

Displaying Whether Media Is Available for Dynamic Relinking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1141

MultiRez Button Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1147

MultiRez Bin Headings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1149

Understanding Options for Deleting MultiRez Clips and Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1151

Deleting MultiRez Clips and Media from a Bin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1153

Working with Partially Online Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1154

Quality Matching . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1157

Chapter 25 MultiCamera Editing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1163

Understanding Grouping and Multigrouping Clips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1163

Creating Group Clips. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1164

Creating Multigroup Clips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1165

MultiCamera Displays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1167

MultiCamera Editing Techniques . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1173

Selective Camera Cutting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1178

Chapter 26 Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1181

Understanding Settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1182

Working with Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1185

Options for Moving User Settings Files. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1192

Summary of Settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1193

AMA Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1196

Audio Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1197

Audio Project Settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1198

Bin Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1204

Capture Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1205

Communication (Serial) Ports Tool Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1210

Composer Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1211

Controller Settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1214

Correction Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1215

Deck Configuration Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1217

Deck Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1217

Deck Preferences Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1219

Dynamic Relink Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1220

Effect Editor Settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1224

Email Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1226

Export Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1227

Film and 24P Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1252

Full Screen Playback Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1253

General Settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1255

Grid Settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1256

Import Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1258

Interface Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1264

Interplay Folder, Interplay Server, and Interplay User Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1265

Keyboard Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1266

Marquee Title Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1267

Media Creation Settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1268

Media Services Settings (Windows Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1271

Mouse Settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1272

PortServer Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1272

Remote Play and Capture Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1273

Render Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1274

Safe Colors Settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1276

Script Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1277

Sound Card Configuration Settings

(Windows Only). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1278

Timeline Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1278

Trim Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1281

Video Display Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1282

Video Input Tool Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1283

Video Output Tool Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1284

Video Satellite Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1288

Workspace Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1289

Chapter 27 File Format Specifications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1291

Specifications for Graphics (Image) Files. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1291

Specifications for Animation Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1297

Specifications for Importing OMFI Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1298

Working with BWF Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1299

Field Ordering in Graphic Imports and Exports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1304

Chapter 28 Resolutions and Storage Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1307

Compression and Avid Editing Applications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1307

Monitor Display Resolutions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1308

Resolution Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1309

Support for Uncompressed HD Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1318

Mixing Resolutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1319

Resolution Groups and Image Quality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1320

Estimating Drive Space Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1320

Storage Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1321

Considerations for Managing Storage. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1330

Chapter 29 Working with Stereoscopic Material . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1333

Understanding the Stereoscopic Workflow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1333

Acquiring Stereoscopic Files. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1334

Setting Up Your System For Viewing Stereoscopic Material in

Three Dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1334

Displaying Stereoscopic Material . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1336

Considerations When Working with Stereoscopic Material. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1338

Chapter 30 Working in High-Resolution Projects. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1341

Delivery Methods for Film & Video . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1342

Film Workflows: Editing Footage from Film Reel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1343

Checklist: Editing Film Reel Footage in Media Composer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1345

Transferring Film to Tape . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1347

Film Workflows: Editing Footage from Digital Files. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1357

Checklist: Editing Digital Film Footage in Media Composer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1359

HD Workflow: Video-Based Television . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1362

Producing Graphics for Broadcast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1364

Creating a Film-Based Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1364

Editing with High-Resolution Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1368

Linking to RED Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1373

Working with HDV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1376

Understanding HDV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1377

HDV Workflow. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1378

Capturing and Importing HDV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1379

Playing Back HDV Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1380

Outputting HDV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1381

Raster Dimensions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1386

Raster Sizes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1388

Chapter 31 Dual Link HD RGB Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1389

HD RGB Capture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1390

HD RGB Playback to High Resolution Monitor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1390

HD RGB Digital Cut . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1390

Chapter 32 International Character Support (ICS) in

Avid Editing Applications 1391

Choosing a Locale on an English Language Operating System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1391

Using a Local Language Operating System

(Windows Only). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1392

Non-English Character Support (Macintosh) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1392

Non-English Character Support (Windows) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1395

Using Foreign Keyboard Mapping (Windows) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1399

Considerations for International Character Support. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1400

Chapter 33 Using the MCS3 Controller . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1405

Configuring MCS3 Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1405

Default MCS3 Button Mappings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1409

Moving Through Footage with the MCS3 Controller . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1410

Using the MCS3 for Editing Footage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1411

Troubleshooting the MCS3 Controller . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1412

Chapter 34 Setting Up the Matrox MX02 Mini . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1413

Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1419

Using This Guide

This guide contains the task-oriented instructions and conceptual information you need to use the basic features of your Avid editing application. The Advanced Guide for your Avid editing application, available as a PDF document in the Online Library, is a companion to this guide. The Advanced Guide contains instructions and conceptual information for advanced features of your Avid editing application, as well as reference information. The contents of both guides are 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 Mac OS on a Windows system, but the information applies to both Windows and Mac OS X systems. Where differences exist, both Windows and Mac OS X screen shots are shown.

The documentation describes the features and hardware of all models. Therefore, your

system might not contain certain features and hardware that are covered in the documentation.

Symbols and Conventions

X operating systems.The majority of screen shots in this document were captured

and

Avid documentation uses the following symbols and conventions:

Symbol or Convention Meaning or Action

> This symbol indicates menu commands (and subcommands) in the

A note provides important related information, reminders, recommendations, and strong suggestions.

A caution means that a specific action you take could cause harm to your computer or cause you to lose data.

A warning describes an action that could cause you physical harm. Follow the guidelines in this document or on the unit itself when handling electrical equipment.

order you select them. For example, File > Import means to open the File menu and then select the Import command.

Symbol or Convention Meaning or Action

This symbol indicates a single-step procedure. Multiple arrows in a list indicate that you perform one of the actions listed.

(Windows), (Windows only), (Macintosh), or (Macintosh only)

Bold font Bold font is primarily used in task instructions to identify user interface

Italic font Italic font is used to emphasize certain words and to indicate variables.

Courier Bold font

Ctrl+key or mouse action Press and hold the first key while you press the last key or perform the

If You Need Help

If you are having trouble using your Avid product:

1. Retry the action, carefully following the instructions given for that task in this guide. It is especially important to check each step of your workflow.

2. Check the latest information that might have become available after the documentation was published:

- If the latest information for your Avid product is provided as printed release notes,

they are shipped with your application and are also available online.

This text indicates that the information applies only to the specified operating system, either Windows or Macintosh OS X.

items and keyboard sequences.

Courier Bold font identifies text that you type.

mouse action. For example, Command+Option+C or Ctrl+drag.

- If the latest information for your Avid product is provided as a ReadMe file, it is

supplied on your Avid installation CD or DVD as a PDF document (README_product.pdf) and is also available online.

You should always check online for the most up-to-date release notes or ReadMe because the online version is updated whenever new information becomes available. To view these online versions, select ReadMe from the Help menu, or visit

the Knowledge Base at www.avid.com/readme.

3. Check the documentation that came with your Avid application or your hardware for maintenance or hardware-related issues.

4. Visit the online Knowledge Base at www.avid.com/onlinesupport. Online services are available 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. Search this online Knowledge Base to find answers, to view error messages, to access troubleshooting tips, to download updates, and to read or join online message-board discussions.

Accessing the Goodies Folder

Avid supplies a Goodies folder located on the editing application DVD. Access the Goodies folder by browsing the DVD. This folder contains programs and files you might find useful when trying to perform functions beyond the scope of your Avid editing application.

The information in the Goodies folder is provided solely for your reference and as suggestions for you to decide if any of these products fit into your process. Avid is not responsible for the manufacture, support, or sales of these products. Avid is also not responsible for any loss of data or time, or any other adverse results related to the use of these products. All risks of using such products or accessing such Web sites are entirely your own. The Web sites listed in the Goodies folder are not under the control of Avid, and Avid is not responsible for their content, any changes or updates to them, or the collection of any personal data or information by the operators of such Web sites. All information and product availability is subject to change without notice.

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.

Accessing the Goodies Folder

For information on courses/schedules, training centers, certifications, courseware, and books, please visit www.avid.com/support and follow the Training links, or call Avid Sales at 800-949-AVID (800-949-2843).

1 Editing Overview

The topics in this chapter provide an overview of the editing workflow:

• Editing Workflow

• Starting a Project

• Preparing to Edit

• Editing a Sequence

• Outputting a Sequence

Editing Workflow

Your editing workflow depends on a variety of factors. For example, you might work on a standard-definition video project, a film project, or an HD project.

The following procedure lists the basic steps for editing a sequence and refers you to sections of the documentation for more information.

1. Create or open a project.

For more information, see “Starting a Project” on page 35.

2. Set the appropriate Project settings and create a bin structure.

For more information, see “Working with the Project Window” on page 69.

3. Capture or import the media.

For more information, see “Preparing for Capture” on page 163, “Capturing Media” on

page 231, and “Importing Files” on page 297.

4. Organize your bins to suit your project’s needs.

For more information, see “Working with Bins” on page 339.

5. View your clips in advance and mark IN and OUT points, or create subclips based on selected portions of your master clips.

For more information, see “Viewing and Marking Footage” on page 491.

6. Build your sequence in the Timeline.

1 Editing Overview

For more information, see “Creating and Editing Sequences” on page 559 and “Using

the Timeline” on page 649.

7. Use Trim mode, Effect mode, and Color Correction mode to fine-tune your edits and effects.

For more information, see “Working with Trim Edits” on page 715 and the Effects and Color Correction Guide for your Avid editing application.

8. Add any titles you need.

For more information, see the “Creating Titles” and “Editing with Titles” chapters in the Effects and Color Correction Guide for your Avid editing application.

9. Use audio tools to adjust and mix multiple audio tracks and prepare for final output.

For more information, see “Working with Audio” on page 745.

10. Export the sequence or output a digital cut.

For more information, see “Exporting Frames, Clips, or Sequences” on page 925 or

“Generating Output” on page 957.

If you are working in an offline to online project, see “Conforming and Transferring

Projects” on page 1027.

Starting a Project

Whenever you start to work on a new project, follow these basic steps:

1. Turn on your equipment in a prescribed order and start your Avid editing application.

For more information, see “Turning on Your Equipment” on page 35.

2. Select or create a new project

For more information, see “Starting a Project” on page 35.

3. Select the Project settings from the Settings list.

For more information, see “Working with the Project Window” on page 69.

4. Create and organize bins.

For more information, see “Working with Bins” on page 339.

5. Back up your project on a regular basis.

For more information, see “Starting a Project” on page 35.

1 Turn on your system and start your Avid editing application

Preparing to Edit

2 Select or create a project

4 Create and organize bins

Preparing to Edit

When you capture and organize footage before you edit, follow these basic steps:

1. Batch capture, log and capture, or capture on-the-fly your source material into your Avid editing application.

For more information, see “Preparing for Capture” on page 163 and “Capturing Media”

on page 231.

2. Use bins to organize your project items.

3 Select the Project settings

5 Back up the project

1 Editing Overview

For more information, see “Working with Bins” on page 339.

3. Use the Media tool to manage media files.

For more information, see “Managing Media Files” on page 449.

4. Use the bins to create storyboards.

For more information, see “Creating a Storyboard” on page 385.

1 Capture footage, creating master clips and media files

2 Sort and organize clips in bins

4 Previsualize with storyboards

Editing a Sequence

When you edit your video and audio, follow these basic steps:

1. View your clips and mark IN and OUT points, or create subclips based on selected portions of your master clips.

For more information, see “Viewing and Marking Footage” on page 491.

3 Manage media files for storage efficiency and backup security

Editing a Sequence

2. Build your sequence in Source/Record mode in the Timeline. See “Creating and Editing

Sequences” on page 559.

3. Use Segment, Trim, and Effect modes to fine-tune your edits and effects.

For more information, see “Using the Timeline” on page 649, “Working with Trim

Edits” on page 715, and the Effects and Color Correction Guide for your Avid editing

application.

4. Use the Audio tool to adjust and mix multiple audio tracks and prepare for final playback or output.

For more information, see “Working with Audio” on page 745.

5. Continue to edit if further adjustments are required.

1 Screen, mark, and subcatalog footage 2 Edit in Source/Record mode and the Timeline

3 Fine-tune edits and effects

1 Editing Overview

4 Fine-tune audio pan, volume, and EQ 5 Screen and continue editing, repeating any or all of steps 1 through 4 as necessary

Outputting a Sequence

When your sequence is finished, you can output it in any of the following ways:

• Export as a file or a series of files.

For more information, see “Exporting Frames, Clips, or Sequences” on page 925.

• Output a digital cut in one or more formats.

For more information, see “Generating Output” on page 957.

™

• Generate a cut list through Avid FilmScribe

• Generate an EDL through Avid EDL Manager.

For more information on FilmScribe or EDL Manager, see the Avid Media Composer, NewsCutter, and Symphony Supporting Applications Guide, or the FilmScribe or EDL Manager Help.

Finished sequence. Output options include:

Outputting a Sequence

Export a file

Generate a cut list

Output to tape

Generate an EDL

1 Editing Overview

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. The following topics describe procedures for starting your work, as well as several techniques to safeguard and restore your work if necessary:

• Turning on Your Equipment

• Working with the Desktop

• Starting Your Avid Editing Application (Windows)

• Starting Your Avid Editing Application (Macintosh)

• Working with Projects

• Quitting and Turning Off Equipment

• Avid Projects and Avid Users Folders

• Changing Project and User Names

• Backing Up Your Project Information

• Avid Attic Folder

• Using Toolsets

Turning on Your Equipment

Avid recommends that you turn on your equipment in the following order:

1. Storage devices.

2. Peripheral devices (such as monitors and speakers).

3. Computer system.

4. Avid input/output hardware device.

Do not disconnect devices while you run your Avid editing application. Before you start your

Avid editing application, make sure you connect all your devices first.

2 Starting a Project

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.

• Use standard keyboard shortcuts to navigate and select options in dialog boxes and menus.

• Use the mouse scroll wheel for navigation and customize mouse button functions.

You also use the desktop for backups and transferring projects, as described in “Backing Up

Your Project Information” on page 61 and “Avid Projects and Avid Users Folders” on page 58.

For information on the Windows desktop and icons, see your Microsoft® documentation. For

information on the System Folder and the desktop and icons, see your Macintosh documentation.

Using the Windows Taskbar (Windows Only)

By default, the Windows taskbar always appears on the bottom of your screen, on top of your Avid editing application. You have two other choices:

• Keep the taskbar hidden behind your Avid editing application

• Set the taskbar to appear only when you drag the mouse pointer to it

If you keep the taskbar hidden while you run your Avid editing application and you minimize an application such as Help, you do not see the minimized icon in the taskbar.

For more information about the taskbar, see the Windows Help.

You can also drag the taskbar to the top, bottom, or either side of the monitor.

When you work in your Avid editing application, you can minimize windows (such as the Project window and bins). The icons appear in your Avid editing application window, not in the taskbar.

To see the taskbar and minimized icons:

t Minimize your Avid editing application.

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.

Using the Macintosh Dock (Macintosh Only)

You can place an application icon alias on the Dock for easy access to your Avid editing application. The Dock is hidden when your Avid editing application is active. For full information on using the Dock, see the Macintosh documentation.

Working with the Desktop

To display the Dock:

t Move the mouse pointer to the edge of the screen where the Dock is hidden.

Using Shortcut Menus

In addition to standard menus to find a command you need, you can use shortcut menus. Shortcut menus show the most frequently used commands for a window or a screen object.

Most shortcut menus contain a What’s This? command to access Help for the window or the object.

To use a shortcut menu:

t Right-click a window or a screen object.

2 Starting a Project

Using the Keyboard for Navigating in Dialog Boxes and Menus

To navigate in dialog boxes and menus and to select and deselect options:

Option Command

To move from tabbed page to tabbed page within a dialog box.

To move from check box to check box or from option to option in a dialog box.

To select or deselect a check box or an option in a dialog box.

To move up or down in a menu, or increment a numeric value.

Press Page Up or Page Down.

Press Tab.

Press Right Arrow, Left Arrow, or the space bar.

Press Up Arrow or Down Arrow.

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 39.

Option Command

To scroll through items in a window or function area with a vertical scroll bar (such as a bin).

To move the position bar one frame at a time in the Timeline.

Press Ctrl (Windows) or Control (Macintosh) + scroll wheel.

To move the position bar 10 frames at a time in the Timeline.

To move the slider one unit at a time in a tool or window containing a slider (such as the Effect Editor).

To move the slider 10 units at a time in a tool or window containing a slider (such as the Effect Editor).

Press Ctrl (Windows) or Control (Macintosh) + Alt (Windows) or Option (Macintosh) + scroll wheel.

Press Ctrl (Windows) or Control (Macintosh) + scroll wheel.

Press Ctrl (Windows) or Control (Macintosh) + Alt (Windows) or Option (Macintosh) + scroll wheel.

Customizing Mouse Functions

Your Avid editing application lets you set the speed of scrolling with the mouse wheel, and lets you assign functions to three additional mouse buttons.

When you map mouse buttons, make sure that the modifier key that you assign to the button

and command does not already have an alternate function.

You cannot assign functions to the standard left and right mouse buttons.

To set the mouse scroll speed:

1. In the Project window, click the Settings tab, and then double-click Mouse.

The Mouse Settings dialog box opens.

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. Select Button to Button Reassignment at the bottom of the Command palette.

4. Click the tab from which you want to select a user-selectable button.

5. Click the mouse, and drag the button from the Command palette to a button location on the Mouse Settings dialog box.

2 Starting a Project

Optimum Performance (Windows XP)

Background tasks can interrupt time-critical operations, such as capturing, playing, or rendering. Make sure that background tasks are not running while you work on your Avid editing system.

The following list contains suggestions for ensuring optimum performance when working with your Avid editing application on a Windows XP system:

• It is required to turn off File Sharing. If you do not do this, you might receive Access Denied errors after you move files.

In My Computer > Select Tools > Folder Options > View, deselect Use simple file sharing (Recommended).

• Disable CPU throttling.

In Control Panel > Power Options > Power schemes, select Always On.

• Do not enable the Windows Display setting “Show window contents while dragging.” This setting hinders redraw performance on the Avid editing system.

In Control Panel > Display > Appearance tab > Effects, deselect Show window contents while dragging.

• Enable setting to adjust for best performance.

In Control Panel > System > Advanced > Performance Settings, select Adjust for best performance.

• Disable Hibernation in the Power options.

In Control Panel > Power Options > Hibernate, deselect Enable hibernation.

• Set automatic updates to Notify you but don’t automatically download.

In System > Automatic Updates, select “Notify me but don’t automatically download them or install them.”

• Turn off the firewall for Avid Interplay.

In Control Panel > Windows Firewall > General, select Off.

• Do not leave the Console window open when you edit. The Avid editing system performance slows considerably when the Console window is open.

• Do not leave a Windows Explorer window open. Windows Explorer attempts to update file information.

• Do not leave an e-mail application open if it is set to do periodic checks for mail.

• Do not run any application that periodically “wakes up” and performs an action.

• Disable screen savers.

Working with the Desktop

• Do not keep media on the same partition where you install your Avid editing application. Avid recommends external media drives.

• Always use small fonts with the display driver to avoid missing characters in the dialog boxes in your Avid editing application.

• After you move a drive from one system to another, restart your system. Windows does not recognize the drive until you restart.

• Ensure you do not accidentally delete locked items from your desktop.

Right-click the Recycle Bin icon on your desktop and then, in Properties > Global tab, select Display delete confirmation dialog.

• 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).

• Do not schedule automatic backups at times when your Avid editing system might be in use.

• Do not run any application that includes prescheduled or automatically scheduled activities, such as a calendar program.

• Do not leave other applications running. Some applications, such as Microsoft Office, run background processes.

• Do not allow the Find Fast background process (find.exe) to run. The process tries to update its cache of file and folder locations. Check your Startup folder, and delete the file if it is there. To locate the find.exe, select Start > Search > find.exe.

Optimum Performance (Windows Vista and Windows 7)

The following list contains suggestions for ensuring optimum performance when working with your Avid editing application on a Windows Vista or Windows 7 system:

• It is required to turn off File Sharing. If you do not do this, you might receive Access Denied errors after you move files.

In Control Panel > Network and Sharing Center > File Sharing, select Turn off File Sharing.

• Disable CPU throttling.

In Control Panel > Hardware and Sound > Power Options, select High Performance.

• Do not enable the Windows Display setting “Show window contents while dragging.” This setting hinders redraw performance on your Avid editing system.

2 Starting a Project

In Control Panel > Appearance and Personalization > Personalization > Window Color and Appearance > Effects, deselect Show window contents while dragging.

• Enable setting to adjust for best performance.

In Control Panel > System and Maintenance > System > Advanced System Settings > Performance Settings, select Adjust for best performance.

• Disable Desktop compositing.

In Control Panel > System and Maintenance > System > System Protection > Advanced tab > Performance Setting, deselect Enable desktop composition.

• Disable Windows Defender.

In Control Panel > Security > Windows Defender > Tools > Options > Administrator Options, deselect Use Windows Defender > Save.

• 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 > System and Maintenance > Power Options > Change when the computer sleeps > Put the computer to sleep, select Never.

• Set automatic updates to Notify you but don’t automatically download.

In Control Panel > System and Maintenance > Windows Updates > Change settings, select “Notify me but don’t automatically download them or install them.”

• Turn off the firewall for Avid Interplay.

In Control Panel > Security > Windows Firewall, select Turn Windows Firewall on or off.

• Do not leave the Console window open when you edit. The performance of your Avid editing system slows considerably when the Console window is open.

• Do not leave a Windows Explorer window open. Windows Explorer attempts to update file information.

• Do not leave an e-mail application open if it is set to do periodic checks for mail.

• Do not run any application that periodically “wakes up” and performs an action.

• Disable screen savers.

• Do not keep media on the same partition where you install your Avid editing application. Avid recommends external media drives.

• Always use small fonts with the display driver to avoid missing characters in the dialog boxes in your Avid editing application.

Working with the Desktop

• After you move a drive from one system to another, restart your system. Windows does not recognize the drive until you restart.

• Ensure you do not accidentally delete locked items from your desktop.

Right-click the Recycle Bin icon on your desktop > Properties > General tab > Display delete confirmation dialog.

• 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 schedule automatic backups at times when your Avid editing system might be in use.

• Do not run any application that includes prescheduled or automatically scheduled activities, such as a calendar program.

• Do not leave other applications running. Some applications, such as Microsoft Office, run background processes.

Optimum Performance (Macintosh)

The following list contains suggestions for ensuring optimum performance when working with your Avid editing application on a Macintosh system:

• Do not select the option that puts the hard disk to sleep when possible.

In System Preferences > Hardware Energy Saver, deselect Put the hard disk(s) to sleep when possible.

• Set sleep options to Never in Energy Saver preference.

In System Preferences > Hardware Energy Saver, select Never.

• Disable screensavers.

In System Preferences > Personal Desktop & Screen Saver > Screen Saver, select Never.

2 Starting a Project

Antivirus Applications

Antivirus programs that contain autoscanning features can interfere with the operation of your Avid editing application. Since virus scanning is a processor-and disk-intensive activity, it can interfere with capturing and playing real-time effects in your Avid editing application.

Avid recommends you do not scan files or schedule any background tasks such as virus scanning when you use your Avid editing application.

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.

Starting Your Avid Editing Application (Windows)

By default, your Avid editing application is located in the following folder:

drive:\Program Files\Avid\Avid editing application

The installation process adds a desktop icon and a pointer to your Avid editing application in the Start menu.

Your Avid editing application does not start properly if you move the application file from the Avid editing application folder.

If you install your Avid editing application on a laptop computer, a dialog box might open with a message about incompatible power management schemes. Avid recommends you use the “Always On” power scheme for Windows XP and the “High Performance” power option for Windows Vista or Windows 7 when you work with Avid editing applications. Other power schemes might affect performance of editing functions (for example, capture and digital cuts).

To start your Avid editing application, do one of the following:

t Click Start > All Programs > Avid > Avid editing application.

t Double-click the Avid editing application desktop icon.

After your Avid editing application starts, the Select Project dialog box opens. For more information on the Select Project dialog box, see “Working with Projects” on page 46.

Starting Your Avid Editing Application (Macintosh)

Your Avid editing application is in the following location:

Macintosh HD/Applications/Avid editing application

For most users, the desktop or Dock is a more convenient location to start your Avid editing application. The installation process places a shortcut alias icon for your Avid editing application on the desktop.

For more information to make an alias and use the Dock, see your Macintosh

documentation.

Your Avid editing application does not start properly if you move the application file from the Avid editing application folder. You can drag it onto the Dock, and an alias appears on the Dock.

When you start your Avid editing application, you might see a message box which indicates there is no input or output signal. Check to ensure that your Avid input/output hardware is connected to the system with the cables secured and that it is turned on.

To start your Avid editing application, do one of the following:

t Double-click the alias icon for your Avid editing application on the desktop.

t Double-click the alias icon for your Avid editing application on the Dock.

t Select Go > Applications, and then double-click the Avid editing application folder.

Then double-click the Avid editing application file.

You might see a license agreement. After your Avid editing application starts, the Select Project dialog box opens. For more information on the Select Project dialog box, see

“Working with Projects” on page 46.

2 Starting a Project

Working with Projects

This topic describes basic methods for working with projects. You can:

• Create a new project and save it to a folder located on your system.

Some of the available folders use your operating system’s security features to limit access to the project.

• Use the Select Project dialog box to find, open, or delete a project.

• Automatically open your last project when you start your Avid editing application.

• Open the startup project (if you have installed the startup project and media).

• Close an open project and return to the Select Project dialog box.

You should also back up your project information regularly to a separate storage device, as described in “Backing Up Your Project Information” on page 61.

For information on the files and folders that your Avid editing application creates as part of a project, see “Avid Projects and Avid Users Folders” on page 58.

Select Project Dialog Box

The Select Project dialog box lets you find and open a project, create a new project, or establish user profiles.

Working with Projects

Element Description

1 User Displays the login name of the user currently logged into the system. To change to a

different user, log out and log in as that user.

2 Folder Displays the path of the current folder. This path determines which projects appear in

the project list and where a new project is created.

You cannot type into the User or Folder text boxes.

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 90.

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. The projects in this folder appear in the project

list. See “Opening and Closing Projects” on page 52.

6 Folder buttons Select a button to set the path for the project folder:

• Private displays any projects in the folder for the user logged into the system. Private projects use the security provided by your system’s user login. By default, this path is

(Windows)

name\Documents\Avid Projects

(Macintosh)

Projects

• Shared displays projects in the folder for all users logged into the system. By default, this path is:

(Windows)

Projects

(Macintosh)

application/Shared Avid Projects

• External displays the projects in a folder other than the Private or Shared folder. The Browse button sets the path for the External folder.

drive:\Documents and Settings\Windows login

Macintosh HD/Users/Mac login name/Documents/Avid

drive:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Shared Avid

Macintosh HD/Users/Shared/Avid editing

7 New Project button Opens the New Project dialog box to create a new project.

2 Starting a Project

Creating a New Project

You can open a project in any format. The settings you choose for your project will dictate the format and settings for all sequences within this project.

To create a new project:

1. Start your Avid editing application.

The Select Project dialog box opens.

2. In the Select Project dialog box, select the folder in which you want to create the project: Private, Shared, or External.

For more information, see “Select Project Dialog Box” on page 46.

3. Click New Project.

The New Project dialog box opens.

4. Type the name of your new project in the text box.

5. Click the Format menu and select a project type.

Your options might change depending on the project type you choose.

Example of the New Project dialog box

6. Set the following additional option(s), where applicable:

Option SD HD

Working with Projects

Aspect Ratio Select either

4:3 or 16:9

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. For more information, see “Mixing Frame Sizes and

Aspect Ratios” on page 581

Raster Dimension

Color Space N/A Specifies the color space for some HD project types, either RGB 709

Film Gauge Available for 23.976p, 24p, 25p, 720p, and 1080p film projects.

Audio Transfer Rate

Matchback Available for 25i PAL, 30i NTSC, 720p, and 1080i Matchback projects only. Select

N/A The Raster Dimension menu appears only for HD projects on a

Matchback, then click the Film button and select a format for film gauge tracking from the Default Film Type menu. The Matchback item appears only if your Avid editing application includes the Matchback option

Always uses the 16:9 aspect ratio.

supported system. For more information,

or YCbCr 709. For more information, see “Project Types” on

page 51 and “Working with Color Spaces in HD Projects” on page 81.

Click the Film button and select a format for film gauge tracking from the Default Film Type menu.

Available for 24p PAL projects. For more information, see “Audio

Transfer Options for 24p PAL Projects” on page 1355.

7. Click OK.

Your Avid editing application creates the new project files and folder, and then returns to the Select Project dialog box. The project name is highlighted in the Projects list.

8. Double-click the project name in the Projects list to open the project or click OK with the project name highlighted.

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

2 Starting a Project

Project name and user name in the title bar (left) and Close button (right) in the Project window

9. (Option) If your project uses a film project type, set film preferences immediately after you create the project.

Naming a Project

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.

(Macintosh only) If you use your Avid editing application as a standalone editor (and don’t plan to move your bins or projects to another platform), you can extend bin and project names to 31 characters. You can also choose to accept or not accept the Windows compatible file naming convention of special characters and spacing.

To use Windows compatible file names

1. Click the Settings tab in the Project window.

The Settings list appears.

2. Double-click General Settings.

3. Select Use Windows compatible file names.

This prevents your Avid editing application from accepting the restricted characters in a bin, project, or user name.

Working with Projects

To extend project and bin names to 31 characters (Macintosh only)

1. Click the Settings tab in the Project window.

The Settings list appears.

2. Double-click General Settings.

3. Select Allow files names to extend 27 characters.

This extends the names of projects and bins to 31 characters.

Project Types

The following table lists the format options available. Depending on the model of your Avid editing application, your format options might not include all items listed here.

Project Type Source Footage Transfer Color Space

23.976p NTSC For film-originated or video-originated footage that has been shot at

23.976 fps or film-originated footage transferred on digital videotape (such as Digital Betacam

24p NTSC For film-originated or other 24-fps footage transferred to NTSC videotape YCbCr

24p PAL For film-originated or other 24-fps footage transferred to PAL videotape

at 25 fps

25i PAL For PAL video-originated footage (25 fps) YCbCr

25p PAL For 25-fps film footage transferred to PAL videotape YCbCr

30i NTSC For NTSC video-originated or other 30-fps footage transferred to NTSC

videotape

720p/23.976 For film-originated material transferred to videotape. YCbCr

720p/25 For video-originated material that can be captured, edited and output for

HD broadcast. It can also be captured in DVCProHD format.

720p/29.97 For video-originated material. Can be directly captured, edited, and output

for HD broadcast.

720p/50 For HDV broadcast (European broadcast). YCbCr

720p/59.94 For video-originated material. Can be directly captured, edited, and output

for HD broadcast.

™

)

YCbCr

1080p/23.976 For film footage transferred to videotape, or high-resolution files from

digital film cameras.

YCbCr RGB

2 Starting a Project

Project Type Source Footage Transfer (Continued) Color Space

1080p/24 For film footage transferred to videotape, or high-resolution files from

digital film cameras. True 24-fps editing.

1080p/25 For film footage transferred to videotape, or high-resolution files from

digital film cameras.

1080i/50 For video-originated material, or high-resolution files from digital film

cameras. Can be directly captured, edited, and output for HD broadcast.

1080i/59.94 For video-originated material, or high-resolution files from digital film

cameras. Can be directly captured, edited, and output for HD broadcast.

Some older versions of Avid editing applications provided HD project types based on HDV

requirements. In current versions of Avid editing applications, these are replaced by standard HD projects that let you specify the raster dimensions for editing and playback.

Set film preferences in the Film and 24P Settings dialog box immediately after you create a

project to provide your Avid editing application with important information about the type of film and audio transfer you used for your project.

Opening and Closing Projects

You can open a project from the Select Project dialog box, and navigate from the Select Project dialog box to find any project on your system.

YCbCr RGB

If you have already created a project, when you enter your Avid editing application you can bypass the Select Project dialog box and have your last project open automatically.

If you choose to install the sample startup project and media when you install your Avid editing application, you can open this project from the Select Project dialog box. The startup project, called Avid Boston Project DV25, contains a complete sequence with rendered effects and titles, as well as all the video and audio clips used in the sequence.

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.

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. If a sequence requires updating, the Update Sequence dialog box might open when you load the sequence. For more information, see “Updating and Reverting Existing Effects in Sequences” in the Help.

Working with Projects

To open an existing project:

1. In the Select Project dialog box, select the folder in which the project is located: Private, Shared, or External.

For more information, see “Select Project Dialog Box” on page 46.

2. 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.

To browse for a project in a location other than the default Shared and Private folders:

1. Start your Avid editing application.

The Select Project dialog box opens.

Browse button in the Select Project dialog box

2 Starting a Project

2. Click the Browse button.

The Browse for Folder (Windows) or Project Directory (Macintosh) dialog box opens.

Working with Projects

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 next time you open the Select Project dialog box, the path you selected will be displayed when you click the External button.

To open a project automatically:

1. Click the Settings tab in the Project window.

The Settings list appears.

2. Double-click any Interface setting.

The Interface Settings dialog box opens.

3. Click the General tab, select “Automatically Launch Last Project at Startup,” and then click OK.

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.

The Project window, the Composer window, and the Timeline open with the User settings loaded.

To open the startup project:

1. In the Select Project dialog box, click the Shared folder button.

2. Double-click Avid Boston Project DV25 in the Project list.

The Avid Boston Project DV25 project opens.

The footage in the Avid Boston Project DV25 project is shot in 16:9 aspect ratio. To view the

footage correctly in monitors, click the Format tab in the Project Window and set aspect ratio to 16:9.

2 Starting a Project

3. In the Format tab of the Project window, ensure that Aspect Ratio is set to 16:9.

The footage in the Avid Boston Project DV25 project is shot in 16:9 aspect ratio.

4. Use the Bins tab in the Project window to open one or both of the bins in the project:

- Boston Seq DV25 contains a complete sequence

- Boston Project source contains all the video and audio clips in the project

For more information on opening bins, see “Opening and Closing Bins” on page 73.

To close the current project, do one of the following:

t With the Project window active, select File > Close Project.

t Click the Close button in the Project window.

Deleting a Project

To delete a project:

1. Start your Avid editing application.

The Select Project dialog box opens.

2. Click the project you want to delete.

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.

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. For more information on deleting media files, see “Deleting Items from a Bin” on page 353 and

“Deleting Media Files with the Media Tool” on page 457.

Quitting and Turning Off Equipment

If you work in an Avid Unity™ environment, your Avid editing application writes a media database file (.mdb) to the workspace where you work. Before you quit your Avid editing application, make sure that the workspace has approximately 50 MB of storage space available. Ask your Avid Unity administrator to increase the space if you need more storage.

To quit your Avid editing application and leave it immediately:

t (Macintosh) Select Avid editing application > Quit Avid editing application.

t (Windows) Select File > Exit.

The project closes and your Avid editing application quits.

To quit your Avid editing application and view the Select Project dialog box:

1. Click the Close button at the far right (Windows) or at the far left (Macintosh) of the Project window’s title bar.

The Select Project dialog box opens.

2. Click Quit.

A message box opens.

3. Do one of the following:

t Click Leave to quit your Avid editing application.

t Click Cancel to return to the Select Project dialog box and select another project.

To view remaining storage on your media drives:

1. Click the Info tab in the Project window, and then click Hardware.

The Hardware tool opens.

2. Click the appropriate drive tab.

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.

2 Starting a Project

For a Macintosh system:

t Select Apple menu > Shut Down.

2. If you have an Avid input/output device attached to your system, turn it off.

3. Turn off peripheral devices (such as monitors and speakers).

4. Turn off external storage devices.

Never remove media drives from your Avid system when it is turned on. Shut down the computer, and then remove the drives.

5. Turn off all other hardware.

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. You manage Avid projects, user profiles, and settings by:

• Moving, copying, or deleting these files and folders.

• Changing project or user names, as described in “Changing Project and User Names” on

page 60.

Locations of Avid Projects and Avid Users Folders

The system installs two Avid Projects folders by default:

• Private Projects (Windows) —

name\Documents\Avid Projects

• Shared Projects (Windows) —

Users\Shared Documents\Shared Avid Projects

drive:\Documents and Settings\Windows login

drive:\Documents and Settings\All

• Private Projects (Macintosh) —

name/Documents/Avid Projects

• Shared Projects (Macintosh) —

application/Shared Avid Projects

For an explanation of the difference between private projects and shared projects, see “Select

Project Dialog Box” on page 46.

Macintosh HD/Users/Mac login

Macintosh HD/Users/Shared/Avid editing

The Avid Users folder is located in the application folder:

Avid Projects and Avid Users Folders

•(Windows XP)

Documents\Avid editing application\Avid Users

• (Windows Vista or Windows 7)

editing application\Avid Users

• (Macintosh)

Users

(Windows only) The location of the Avid Users folder depends on the installation path for

your Avid editing application.

Files and Folders Created For Projects

When you create a new project, your Avid editing application creates a folder for the project and three files that are stored within the project folder:

• A project file (.avp)

• A project settings file (.avs)

• A bin file (.avb)

The project folder and the three files all use the project name you provide. The project folder is stored in the Avid Projects folder.

Your settings are initially set to the default values. As you create additional bins for the project (see “Creating a New Bin” on page 72), additional bin (.avb) files are added to the project folder.

drive:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Shared

drive:\Users\Public\Public Documents\Avid

Macintosh HD/Users/Shared/Avid editing application/Avid

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 (.avs)

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.

2 Starting a Project

Changing Project and User Names

You cannot change project or user names from within your Avid editing application. You must change the names from your desktop before you start your Avid editing application. For information about the location of the Avid Projects and Avid Users folders, see “Avid

Projects and Avid Users Folders” on page 58.

When you change a user name or a project name, make sure you change the name of the folder and all the files in the folder that have the old name. Your Avid editing application does not automatically change the names of corresponding files in the folder.

To change a project name or user name:

1. Navigate to the Avid Projects or Avid Users folder, and then double-click the folder to open it.

2. Click the name of the folder you want to change.

The name highlights.

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.

Do not change the name of the file MCState.avs 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.

Backing Up Your Project Information

Although your Avid editing application automatically saves your bins, projects, and settings, you should back up these items frequently. Because the storage requirements are minimal, you can back up these files to a variety of storage devices, such as:

•USB (thumb) drive

• CD-ROM or DVD-ROM

• Network storage device (such as a file server)

• Mass-storage device

To back up the larger media files created when you capture footage, use a high-capacity

storage device. For information on backing up media files, see “Backing Up Media Files”

on page 471.

To save your work on a drive or on removable media:

1. Mount the drive or insert the storage media (USB drive, CD-ROM, or DVD-ROM).

2. (Windows only) From the Windows desktop, double-click the My Computer icon.

3. Double-click the icon for the destination storage drive or storage media to open it. Double-click any additional folders to target the appropriate storage location.

4. Navigate to the folder that contains the project folder or the user folder you want to save.

5. Drag a project folder or a user folder to the targeted storage location.

6. When the system finishes copying the files, unmount the drive or eject the media and store it.

To restore a project or user information from a backup storage device:

1. Mount the drive or insert the removable media that contains the backup copies you want to restore.

2. From the desktop, double-click the icons for the drive or storage media and for the internal hard drive (Windows) or for the Macintosh HD (Macintosh).

3. Drag the copies from the storage device to the appropriate folder on the internal hard drive (Windows) or

When you start your Avid editing application, the restored project and user profile appear in the Select Project dialog box.

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 73.

Macintosh HD/Users/Shared

(Macintosh).

2 Starting a Project

Avid Attic Folder

The Avid Attic folder contains backup files of each bin in a project. You retrieve files from the Avid Attic folder in the following circumstances:

• When you want to replace current changes to a sequence or clip with a previous version

• When the current bin file becomes corrupted

For information on retrieving files from the Avid Attic folder, see “Retrieving Files from the

Avid Attic Folder (Windows)” on page 62 and “Retrieving Files from the Avid Attic Folder (Macintosh)” on page 65.

(Macintosh only) If you deselected the “Allow filenames to exceed 27 characters” option in

the General Settings dialog box, you cannot retrieve a backup file with a file name larger than the 27-character limit. You must rename the file before you retrieve it.

The Avid Attic folder contains a folder for each project. Each project folder contains a Bins folder. When a bin is saved, a folder with the bin’s name is created in the Bins folder and a copy of the bin file is stored in the folder with the bin name. The system adds the file name extension .bak plus a version number to the bin’s file name. The bin file with the highest version number represents the latest copy of the bin file.

When you view a bin folder in Details view (Windows) or List view (Macintosh), you can also identify the most recent backup file based on the timestamp of creation displayed in the Modified column (Windows) or Date Modified column (Macintosh).

The oldest backup file is overwritten only if the second-oldest backup file is more than

2 hours old.

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)

Documents\Avid editing application

(Windows Vista or Windows 7)

editing application

The Avid Attic folder opens and displays a folder for each project.

3. Double-click a project folder, and then double-click the Bins folder.

The Bins folder opens and displays a folder for each bin in the project.

drive:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Shared

drive:/Users/Public/Public Documents/Avid

Avid Attic Folder

4. Double-click the folder for the bin you want to retrieve.

5. If the bin folder is not already in the Details view, select View > Details.

The bin folder displays the backup bin files and their creation dates. A backup bin file has the same name as the bin, with a number appended. For example, a bin named Source Clips might have backup bin files named Source Clips.1 and Source Clips.2.

6. Select the backup bin file or files you want to retrieve.

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.

If the taskbar is hidden, see “Using the Windows Taskbar (Windows Only)” on page 36.

2. Click the Project window to activate it, and click the Bins tab to display the Bins list.

3. Select File > Open Bin.

4. From the Files of Type list, select All Files (*.*).

2 Starting a Project

5. Navigate to the desktop, select one of the backup bin files you copied, and click Open.

The backup bin opens. When you open a backup bin, a link to the backup bin on the desktop is created in the Other Bins folder.

Your Avid editing application does not allow a bin and a copy of a bin to be open at the same

time. You must keep all other bins closed and open the backup bins one at a time.

6. Create a new bin.

For example, if you are retrieving clips from a backup bin called Source Clips.2, you can call the new bin Source Clips New.

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.

Retrieving Files from the Avid Attic Folder (Macintosh)

To retrieve a file from the Avid Attic folder:

1. Minimize your Avid editing application.

Avid Attic Folder

2. From the desktop, double-click the

application/Avid Attic

The Avid Attic folder opens and displays a folder for each project.

3. Double-click a project folder, and then double-click the Bins folder.

The Bins folder opens and displays a folder for each bin in the project.

4. Double-click the folder for the bin you want to retrieve.

5. Select View > as List, if the bin folder is not already in the List view.

6. Command+click the files you want to retrieve.

7. Option+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 icon for your Avid editing application on the Dock to activate your Avid editing application.

2. Click the Project window to activate it, and click Bins to display the Bins list.

3. Select File > Open Bin.

folder.

Macintosh HD/Users/Shared/Avid editing

4. Navigate to the desktop, select one of the backup bin files you copied, and click Open.

The backup bin opens. When you open a backup bin, a link to the backup bin on the desktop is created in the Other Bins folder.

Your Avid editing application does not allow a bin and copy of a bin to be open at the same

time. You must keep all other bins closed and open the backup bins one at a time.

5. Create a new bin.

For example, if you are retrieving clips from a backup bin called Source Clips.2, you can call the new bin Source Clips New.

6. Open the new bin and open the backup bin in the Other Bins folder.

7. Select the material you want to keep from the backup bin, and drag the files to the new bin.

2 Starting a Project

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 Trash.

Using Toolsets

You can use predesigned work environments (toolsets) that are suited to your most common tasks:

• Color Correction

• Source/Record Editing

• Effects Editing

• Audio Editing

•Capture

You can change the toolset workspace, restore it to the default arrangement, or link it to other settings. For example, you might want each toolset to appear with a different color scheme.

You can link the current toolset to custom User settings, or link several toolsets to named settings but leave the other toolsets linked to a default, unnamed setting.

To open a toolset:

t Select Toolset > toolset.

To customize the toolset workspace:

1. For the toolset you want to customize, select Toolset > toolset.

2. Open other tools with which you want to work, and position them where you want them.

3. Select Toolset > Save Current.

The next time you select the customized toolset, it appears with your changes.

To remove your customizations:

t Select Toolset > Restore Current to Default.

To link a toolset to another setting:

1. For the toolset you want to link, select Toolset > toolset.

2. Select Toolset > Link Current to.

The Link Toolset dialog box opens.

3. Click the Links to Current Toolset menu, and select Link to Named Settings.

4. Type the name of the other setting to which you want to link the toolset.

You can link toolsets only to User settings.

5. Click OK.

The active toolset is linked to the custom setting you specified.

To link a toolset to an unnamed setting:

1. For the toolset you want to link, select Toolset > toolset.

2. Select Toolset > Link Current to.

The Link Toolset dialog box opens.

3. Click the Links to Current Toolset menu, and select Link to Unnamed Settings.

Using Toolsets

4. Click OK.

The active toolset is linked to all the unnamed settings in the Settings list.

2 Starting a Project

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.

The following topics describe features of the Project window:

• Overview of the Project Window

• Controlling Project Window Display

• Using the Bins Tab

• Using the Settings Tab

• Using the Format Tab

• Using the Usage Tab

• Using the Info Tab

• Managing Bins and Memory

• Understanding User Profiles

• Managing User Profiles

• Customizing the Avid User Interface

• User-Customized Workspaces

• Working with Bins and Projects in an Avid Unity Environment

3 Working with the Project Window

Overview of the Project Window

The Project window is a central location for important information and tools that you need as you work on your project.

Project window information is organized in tabs.

Tab Function

Bins Lets you create and open bins. See “Using the Bins Tab” on page 71.

Settings Lets you view and modify settings. See “Using the Settings Tab” on page 79.

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. See “Using the Format

Tab” on page 80.

Usage Lets you view information about the work session usage.

Info Lets you view information about system memory usage and system hardware

configuration.

Controlling Project Window Display

The Project window opens automatically when you select a project. You can use the Project window’s tab to change the display of information in the window.

The Project window is always open when you are working in a project. However, it might become hidden behind open bins or tools.

To change the information display in the Project window:

t Click one of the tabs.

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

When you create a project, your Avid editing application automatically creates a bin with the name of the new project, which displays in the Bins tab. You can rename this bin and create additional bins as you work in your project.

The word bin is a movie industry term that refers to a container that holds pieces of film. In your Avid editing application, bins contain master clips that are created when you capture source material. 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 that you create for other projects.

3 Working with the Project Window

Viewing a List of Bins

You can view a list of bins in the Project window. The Bins list displays the number, names, sizes, and location of the bins. Bins from other projects appear in the Project window in italic.

To view a list of bins associated with the project:

t Click the Bins tab in the Project window.

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. The new bin appears in the Bins list in the Project window with a default name highlighted and a number appended to it.

2. Type the name of the new bin, and press Enter (Windows) or Return (Macintosh).

A corresponding bin file is placed in the Avid Projects folder, and a backup copy is placed in the Avid Attic folder. For more information, see “Avid Projects and Avid Users

Folders” on page 58 and “Avid Attic Folder” on page 62.

To place a bin in a folder:

t Drag the bin to the folder icon.

Renaming a Bin

Each new bin that you create takes the name of the project that appears in the title bar of the Project window and is numbered incrementally.

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.

(Macintosh only) You can set the Use Windows compatible File Names option in your Avid

editing application’s General Settings dialog box to prevent your Avid editing application from accepting these restricted characters in a bin, project, or user name. If you use your Avid editing application as a standalone editing application (and don’t plan to move your bins or projects to another platform), you have the option to extend bin and project names to 31 characters.

To change the name of a bin:

1. Click the bin name in the Bins list.

2. Type a new name.

Using the Bins Tab

Project name in title bar (top) and default bin name based on Project name (bottom) in the Bins tab of the Project window.

Opening and Closing Bins

You can open a single bin or open multiple bins at once. You can also open a bin from another project.

If you have the SuperBin enabled, see “Working with the SuperBin” on page 382.

Never open a bin that is stored on a removable disk or equivalent device; otherwise, your Avid editing application cannot save your work. Always copy the bin to a project folder on the system drive before you open it.

3 Working with the Project Window

To open a bin directly:

1. Click the Bins tab.

2. Double-click the Bin icon next to the bin name.

The bin opens in a separate window. The Bin icon appears dimmed in the Bins list, indicating the bin is open.

To open several bins at once from the Project window:

1. Click a Bin icon in the Bins list.

2. Ctrl+click (Windows) or Shift+click (Macintosh) each additional bin you want to open.

3. Select File > Open Selected Bins.

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.

The bin appears in the Bins list in a folder called Other Bins. The name Other Bins appears in italic. You can rename this folder. This option is useful when you want to open a bin not currently displayed in the Project window.

The Other Bins folder disappears from the Bins list when you delete all the bins in the Other

Bins folder. Deleting bins from the Other Bins folder does not remove the bins from your system; only the pointers to the bins are removed.

To close a bin, do one of the following:

t Click the Close button.

t Select File > Close Bin.

Displaying Folders of Bins in the Bins List

You can add folders to the Bins list to help organize your project. You can drag bins into folders or drag folders into folders.

Fast Menu button (top), folders and folder arrows (center), and the Trash icon (bottom) in the Bins tab of the Project window.

Using the Bins Tab

To create a folder in a project:

1. Click the Fast menu button, and select New Folder.

A new untitled folder appears.

2. Click the untitled folder name in the Bins list and rename it.

To show or hide the folder’s contents in the Bins list in the Project window:

t Click the arrow next to a folder icon.

To view a list of only the folder contents and not the folders:

t Click the Fast Menu button, and select Flat View.

The Trash icon and its contents disappear until Flat View is deselected.

3 Working with the Project Window

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. Deleted bins and folders are moved to a Trash folder in the Bins list until you empty the Trash. If you need a deleted bin or folder, you can retrieve it from the Trash. For more information, see “Viewing

and Emptying the Trash” on page 76.

Only bins and folders appear in the Trash. If you select a clip, subclip, or effect directly in a bin and press the Delete key, the item is permanently deleted and does not appear in the Trash.

To delete a bin or folder from the Project window:

t Select the bin or the folder you want to delete in the Bins list, and do one of the

following:

- If the SuperBin is not enabled, press the Delete key.

- If the SuperBin is enabled, right-click the bin name and select Delete Selected Bins. For more information on using the Superbin feature, see “Working with the

SuperBin” on page 382.

A Trash icon appears in the Bins list in the Project window. The Trash contains the deleted item.

The Trash is not visible in the Project window until you delete your first item.

Viewing and Emptying the Trash

If you need to view the contents in the Trash or decide you do not want to delete those items, you must first move the bins and folders from the Trash.

Emptying the trash permanently removes the bins or folders from the drive.

If you change the name of the Trash icon, you cannot empty the Trash.

To view items in the Trash:

1. Click the arrow next to the Trash icon in the Bins list.

2. Click the bins or folders you want to keep (or view), and drag them from the Trash to the Bins list in the Project window.

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. You might want to do this immediately after performing an important edit.

Using the Bins Tab

When you work with bins, an asterisk (Windows) or a diamond (Macintosh) appears before the bin name in the bin’s title bar. The asterisk or diamond indicates that the changes to the bin have not been saved. After you save the bin, your Avid editing application removes the asterisk or diamond.

When an autosave occurs, any open bins update with changes made since the last autosave, and copies of these bins are placed in the project’s backup bin folder:

Windows XP drive:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Shared Documents\Avid editing

application\Avid Attic folder

Windows Vista and Windows 7

Macintosh /Users/Shared/Avid editing application/Avid Attic folder

drive:\Users\Public\Public Documents\Avid editing application\Avid Attic folder

Your Avid editing application automatically saves copies of all bins into the Avid Attic folder at regular intervals for backup. When your work is lost, or when you want to recover an earlier version of a bin or sequence, you can retrieve files from the Avid Attic folder.

3 Working with the Project Window

To adjust the frequency of automatic saves:

1. In the Project window, click the Settings tab, and then double-click Bin.

The Bin Settings dialog box opens.

2. Type a number in the Auto-Save interval text box.

3. Click OK.

Setting to zero the maximum number of files stored in the Avid Attic folder as well as the

maximum number of versions of a bin deletes existing files in the project folder in the Avid Attic folder and prevents any backup bins from being saved. For more information about backup options, see “Bin Settings” on page 1204.

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.

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. Select File > Save All.

The system saves all the bins for the project.

Using the Settings Tab

From the Settings tab in the Project window, you can view, select, open, and alter various User, Project, and Site settings. Each setting either displays information about that specific tool or window or lets you select options or preferences associated with that tool or window. For more information, see “Viewing and Modifying Settings” on page 1185.

To view the Settings list:

t Click the Settings tab in the Project window.

Using the Settings 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).

3 Working with the Project Window

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.

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.

If you switch from one project type, aspect ratio, color space, or raster dimension to another

during the course of your workflow, you might create precomputed clips that have not rendered with the quality that you need for your final output. You might need to manually purge the precomputed clips and re-render effects. For more information, see “Ensuring the Quality Level of Precomputed Clips” in the Help.

For 24p PAL projects, the Format tab shows the audio transfer rate you selected when you

created the project. The actual audio transfer rate might be different from the display if you used the Film and 24P Settings dialog box to change the audio transfer rate.

To open the Format tab:

t Click the Format tab.

Working with Color Spaces in HD Projects

In full HD projects, some Avid editing applications and Avid input/output hardware devices let you work in either the YCbCr or the RGB color space. Your Avid editing application uses a project’s color space setting to control how it displays video, processes most effects, and outputs sequences.

RGB and YCbCr both separate colors into three channels, but they store color information differently. When you choose which color space to work in, you need to take several factors into consideration, including the color space of your media, your output needs, and your performance expectations for your Avid editing application while editing.

The RGB color space is not available for 720p or NTSC/PAL SD projects.

Understanding the YCbCr Color Space

YCbCr performs better, but is of lesser quality.

YCbCr stores brightness (Y) separately from colors (Cb and Cr). Since humans are more susceptible to changes in light than in color, YCbCr discards half the chrominance data (one-third of the overall data) with little discernible difference to image quality. Media that uses YCbCr takes up less disk space than media that uses RGB, and less bandwidth is required to play it.

YCbCr is the only color space available for SD media, because SD requires lower bandwidths and might need to maintain backwards compatibility with black-and-white displays. When you only need SD output, you only need to work in the YCbCr color space.

Newer HD technologies can display detailed images with sharp changes in color. Because some color data is missing, YCbCr media does not take full advantage of HD display hardware. The limited color information available in YCbCr also means that the results of effects processing are not as good as they could be with RGB media.

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.

3 Working with the Project Window

Because no color data is lost, your Avid editing application can make more precise calculations when processing effects using RGB media. The quality improvement over YCbCr processing is most noticeable in effects that perform color analysis, such as chroma keyers. Even if the original video data is in YCbCr, your should consider converting to RGB to process effects as precisely as possible.

The disadvantage of RGB is file size. Media that uses RGB takes up more disk space than media that uses YCbCr, and more bandwidth is required to play it. Some systems might not be able to handle playback of RGB material smoothly, particularly when you use the J-K-L keys to play at greater than normal speed or to play in reverse.

RGB media requires high bandwidth. For effective playback of multiple streams of video at

higher resolutions, you should distribute the video tracks as evenly as possible among available drives, and target separate drives for audio and video.

Choosing a Color Space for Your Project

Your choice of a color space depends on both your input/output hardware and your desired output. For information on how to define the color space for a project, see “Changing the

Project Color Space for an HD Project” on page 83.

If your hardware supports both RGB and YCbCr, choose the color space that corresponds to your output needs.

If your hardware supports only YCbCr, you can choose RGB for your project color space to maintain maximum quality throughout your workflow. Your Avid editing application converts your material to YCbCr right before sending it to the hardware for monitoring or output. However, choosing RGB in your project is only useful if your input media is in RGB. Otherwise, you should set your project color space to YCbCr.

The project color space specifies how your Avid editing application processes effects in real time. Your Avid editing application supports native processing of effects in either the RGB or YCbCr color spaces. For example, this means that RGB media does not need to be converted to YCbCr for processing, maintaining maximum video quality until the final output.

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.

Changing the Project Color Space for an HD Project

The color space of your media depends on its format. Tape-based SD and HD media uses the YCbCr color space. Newer HD digital formats, such as R3D, use RGB. See “Resolution

Specifications” on page 1309 for information about supported formats.

You can check the color space of the media for any clip in your project by viewing the Color Space bin heading in the bin that contains the clip. For more information, see “Moving,

Aligning, and Deleting Bin Columns” on page 362.

Changing the Project Color Space for an HD Project

You typically set the color space for a project when you create the project (see “Creating a

New Project” on page 48). However, you can change the color space at any time.

The RGB color space is only available in full HD projects. 720p and NTSC/PAL projects can only use the YCbCr color space.

Changing the project color space does not affect the rendering of titles and effects or change the color space of imported media. Your Avid editing application controls these according to their Media Creation Settings. For more information, see “Media Creation Settings” on

page 1268.

To change the project color space:

1. Click the Format tab in the Project window.

2. Click the Color Space menu, and select either RGB 709 or YCbCr 709, depending on the color space you want to use.

Color Space menu in the Format tab of the Project window

Your Avid editing application now displays video and processes real-time effects in the new color space. The final output is also in the new space.

3 Working with the Project Window

Using the Usage Tab

The Statistics feature gathers and reports information on system usage. You can use this information to support business functions such as resource management.

All statistics are gathered and reported by project. The file that contains this information is formatted so you can use it as input to software programs such as analysis applications, spreadsheets, or report generators.

Do not rely on the Statistics feature for billing or other financial purposes.

To view and update statistics for an open project:

t Click the Usage tab in the Project window.

To print the Statistics file:

t Select File > Print Usage.

Statistics File Structure and Layout

A new Statistics file is created each time you open the project. The files are stored in a Statistics folder inside each project folder.

The file name has the following format:

Statistics.yymmdd.HHMMSS

where:

Variable Description

yy Indicates the last two digits of the year

mm Indicates the month

dd Indicates the day

HH Indicates the hour

MM Indicates the minutes

SS Indicates the seconds

Using the Usage Tab

The statistics file is formatted as comma-separated ASCII text, so it can be accepted by a variety of software programs. Each line in the file is tagged with indicators for identifying content and data type to assist in programming custom applications. The following illustration shows a sample Statistics file.

3 Working with the Project Window

The values in the first column indicate the content of the line:

100

101

102

104

105

106

110

111

113

114

115

116

117

title1

title2

Title Only

project info

Time Project open

Capture tool open

Capture tool active

Captured Media bytes used

Rendered Effects bytes used

Effects rendering time

Title tool open

Title tool active

Title tool rendering

Capture tool capturing

Capture tool logging

user comments

The values in the second column indicate the type of data in the line:

project info

time used

bytes used

text string

Importing the Statistics File into a Spreadsheet

You can import the Statistics file into a spreadsheet or other program as an ASCII file and use your Avid editing application to set up the proper format.

To import a Statistics file into Microsoft Excel:

1. Start Microsoft Excel.

2. Select File > Open, and navigate to the Statistics file you want to import.

(Windows only) Make sure All Files (*.*) is selected in the Files of Type list.

Using the Usage Tab

3. Click Open.

The Text Import wizard starts.

4. Select Delimited for the Original Data Type, and click Next.

5. Select Comma for Delimiters, and click Next.

6. Select General for Column Data Format.

7. Click Finish.

The statistics file appears in spreadsheet format.

The following illustration is the sample file from the previous section as it appears when you import it into a spreadsheet.

3 Working with the Project Window

Displaying Disk Space Statistics

You must use a Console command to calculate and display statistics for disk space in the Usage window.

To display disk space statistics in the Usage window:

1. Select Tools > Console.

2. In the command entry text box, type:

toggleStatSpace

3. Press Enter (Windows) or Return (Macintosh).

4. Select File > Load Media Database.

After the media database is loaded, the Usage window displays the number of files and disk space used for captured media and rendered effects.

To update the display:

t Click the Usage tab in the Project window.

To prevent recalculation:

t Reenter the

toggleStatSpace

Using the Info Tab

The Info display in the Project window lets you view system memory information and access the Hardware tool. The items listed in this display are for information only and cannot be changed. The Hardware tool gives a visual representation of usage for each drive and provides operating system information.

To open the Info display:

t Click the Info tab in the Project window.

command.

Using the Info Tab

To display system memory information:

t 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.

You can improve the performance of large projects when you reduce the number of objects. To do this,

close unused bins, unmount unused media drives, consolidate finished elements, eliminate old material from the project, or divide the project into separate projects. Then quit and restart your Avid editing application. If performance is still slow, restart your system.

Total physical memory (Windows) or Total Mem (Macintosh)

Available physical memory (Windows) or Free Mem (Macintosh)

Total page file The total number of bytes stored in the paging file. The paging file is

Available page file The total number of bytes available in the paging files.

Working set (minimum and maximum) The set of memory pages currently available to your Avid editing

To open the Hardware tool, do one of the following:

The total number of bytes of RAM (random-access memory).

The amount of RAM available for allocation by the Windows or Macintosh system.

used as virtual memory by the Windows system.

application in RAM.

t Click the Info tab in the Project window, and then click the Hardware button.

t Select Tools > Hardware.

The Hardware tool opens.

For more information about the Hardware tool, see “Using the Hardware Tool” on

page 120.

3 Working with the Project Window

Managing Bins and Memory

System memory usage increases depending on how many bins you have open, the number of sequences in a bin, the number of tools that are open, and the size of a sequence. Using more memory can slow system performance.

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. If you close your bins, some of your memory remains unavailable until you exit your Avid editing application because the online master clips remain in memory. The Clear Memory button, however, closes and saves all of your open bins and clears out any cached data of the online master clips.

Bins containing sequences use more memory than bins containing master clips. For bins that contain a large number of sequences, you can free up memory and still keep your old sequences. Create an archive bin and move older sequences that you do not use anymore to the archive bin. Keep the archive bin closed.

To free up memory:

1. Click the Info tab of the Project window.

2. Click the Clear Memory button.

A dialog box opens asking if you want to close and save all opened bins.

3. Click OK.

This operation deletes cached data for the online master clips only. Memory might also be used by other parts of your Avid editing application and will not be reduced by using the Clear Memory button.

Understanding User Profiles

User profiles let you switch between settings without having to log out of your system and log back in under a different user name.

User profiles let you establish separate settings for different editing functions. User “Jane,” for example, can have separate profiles for “Audio editor,” “Film editor,” or for “Assistant 1,” “Assistant 2,” and so on.

Understanding User Profiles

User profile folders are kept in the following folder:

Windows XP drive:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Shared Documents\Avid editing

application\Avid Users\UserName

Windows Vista and Windows 7

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.

When you export a user profile, you can select either a Personal or Group profile.

- When you select Personal, the user profile performs an auto-load and an auto-save

every time you open a project. Every time the user profile is updated, it saves the new profile information. For example, you can create the user profile Jennie on one system, export it to another location (a server), and then import it to a different system. Any time you change the Jennie user profile, it updates to the server and when you open the Jennie user profile on either system, it uses the most updated Jennie user profile.

- When you select Group, the user profile auto-loads but it does not auto-save.

Changes made to the user profile only affect the system where you made the change. The changes do not update to the server.

drive:\Users\Public\Public Documents\Avid editing application\Avid Users\UserName

When you export User Profiles in an Avid Unity™ environment, make sure the workspace

containing the user profile has the same drive letter on all systems.

You can not share user profiles across platforms (Macintosh to Windows or Windows to

Macintosh).

• Update a user profile to add user settings to an existing Settings list.

For example, if you upgrade to a version of your Avid editing application that contains the Send To option from a version that did not have that option, you can choose the Update User Profile option to make sure the Send To settings templates appear in your Settings list.

For step-by-step procedures, see “Managing User Profiles” on page 92.

3 Working with the Project Window

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.

To import user settings from another user or user profile:

1. Click the Settings tab.

2. Click the User Profile Selection menu, and select another user profile.

3. The new user profile name appears in the Project window title bar.

To return to the original user profile:

1. Click the Settings tab.

2. Click the User Profile Selection menu, and select the default user profile.

If you use a user profile other than the default and you change to another project, the default

user settings load, even though the Project window displays your non-default user profile name. You must reselect the user profile.

Managing User Profiles

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. Navigate to the location where you want to place the user or user profile.

5. Click OK.

To update user profiles:

1. Click the Settings tab.

2. Click the User Profile Selection menu, and select Update User Profiles.

Any new settings added to the upgraded version of your Avid editing application appear in the Settings list.

To delete a user profile from your desktop:

1. Navigate to the Avid Users folder, and then select the user folder you want to delete.

For information about the location of the Avid folders, see “Avid Projects and Avid

Users Folders” on page 58.

2. Do one of the following:

t (Windows) Press the Delete key, then click OK in the dialog box.

t (Macintosh) Drag the folder to the Trash.

3. Empty the Recycle Bin (Windows) or the Trash (Macintosh) to remove the files from the system.

4. Close the windows, and restart your Avid editing application.

The deleted user no longer appears in the Select Project dialog box.

3 Working with the Project Window

Customizing the Avid User Interface

The Interface Settings dialog box provides you with controls for customizing the brightness and the colors of the Avid user interface. For complete reference information on the Interface Settings dialog box, see “Interface Settings” on page 1264.

The Interface Settings dialog box allows you to set the highlight color for buttons. You can also control the brightness of the user interface, which includes the following components:

• Application, tool, toolbar, and dialog box backgrounds

• Buttons and button contents

• Project background

The Avid editing application lets you modify the colors of some interface components using controls not included in the Interface Settings dialog box:

• Bin media object color — see “Assigning Colors to Objects in a Bin” on page 357.

• Timeline clip color — see “Displaying Clip Colors in the Timeline” on page 655.

• Timeline background and track colors — see “Changing the Timeline Background or

Track Color” on page 659.

• Bin background color — see “Changing the Bin Background Color” on page 356.

Changing Interface Component Colors

You can use a brightness selection slider and selection buttons to change the appearance of some interface components.

When you use the selection slider to modify interface settings, it overwrites any previous user settings. Avid recommends you save a copy of your user settings before you use the selection slider.

To set the brightness and color of interface components:

1. In the Project window, click the Settings tab, and then double-click Interface.

The Interface dialog box opens.

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.

For more information, see “Changing the Bin Background Color” on page 356.

6. Do one of the following:

t Click Apply to apply the changes you selected.

If you click Cancel after you click Apply, interface components retain the colors you applied.

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.

3 Working with the Project Window

Changing Font and Point Size

You can change the default font and point sizes of the Project, Bin, Composer 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.; set one Bin window to Times Roman, 11 pt.; and set another Bin window to Arial, 12 pt.

The table describes the windows you can change, and where these changes are saved.

Window Location of Changes

Project Changes the font and point size of the text in the Project window; saves as a Project

setting.

Bin Changes the font and point size of the text in the Bin window; saves as a Bin setting

(not a Bin View setting).

Composer monitor

Script Changes the font and point size of the text in the Script window; saves as a Script

Timeline Changes the font and point size of clip text; saves as a Timeline View setting.

To change the font in the Project, Bin, Composer monitor, Script, or Timeline window:

Changes the font and point size of the sequence or source clip name text; saves as a Composer setting.

setting.

1. Click the Project, Bin, Composer monitor, Script, or Timeline window to make it active.

2. Select Edit > Set Font.

The Set Font dialog box opens.

3. Click the Font menu, and select a font.

Any font installed on the Avid system appears in the list. For information on adding fonts to

your system, see the documentation for your operating system.

4. Type another point size for the font in the Size text box.

5. Click OK.

The new font and point size appear in the active window.

When you close the window, the last font and point size applied are saved with the window.

User-Customized Workspaces

A workspace is the arrangement and size of tool windows displayed in your Avid editing application. If you are accustomed to working with a particular group of windows arranged and sized in a particular setup, you can assign them to a workspace setting that you can then recall with a workspace button.

For example, during capture you might want to display the Capture tool and Video Input tool in specific locations. During effects editing, you might want to display the Effect Palette and Effect Editor in particular locations and sizes.

While in a workspace, you can move tool windows or open and close tool windows. The next time you select that workspace, the tool windows appear with either:

• The arrangement from the last time you left the workspace

• The arrangement you set for the workspace, regardless of any changes you made

You can assign up to eight buttons that let you switch between user-customized workspaces. This is useful if there is more than one user accessing the same Avid system. Each user can assign up to eight workspaces. Workspace buttons are assigned to the workspaces in the Settings list in the order that they appear. For example, the W1 button is assigned to the first workspace that appears in the Settings list; W2 is assigned to the second workspace that appears in the Settings list.

User-Customized Workspaces

You cannot assign certain tool windows to a workspace, such as the Hardware tool, the

Communication (Serial) Ports tool, and the Media tool.

Creating a New Workspace Setting

To create a new workspace setting:

1. Click the Settings tab in the Project window.

The Settings list appears.

2. Scroll to the bottom of the Settings list, and select Workspace.

3. Select Edit > Duplicate.

A new workspace setting appears in the Settings list.

If you duplicate a previously named workspace setting, a .1 appears at the end of the new

name.

4. Click to the left of the new workspace you want to set.

A check mark appears next to the workspace.

3 Working with the Project Window

5. Assign a custom name to the new workspace:

a. In the column between Workspace and User, click until you see a text cursor and

box. Make sure you click the Custom name column and not the Setting name.

Custom name column in the Settings list

b. Type a name for the new custom workspace; (for example, Logging).

c. Press Enter (Windows) or Return (Macintosh).

d. Open the windows and tools with which you want to associate the workspace.

Resize and move the windows to the location you want them to appear on the monitors.

6. Double-click the custom workspace setting.

The Workspace Settings dialog box opens.

7. Select or deselect the following options, depending on your preference for the behavior of the workspace:

Option Description

Activate Settings Linked by Name

Continually Update This Workspace

Manually Update This Workspace

Lets you link other settings to the workspace. For more information, see “Linking User Settings and Workspaces” on page 99.

Automatically preserves the workspace in its most recent arrangement. Future changes to the arrangement of the tool windows are saved.

Saves the workspace in its current arrangement when you click Save Workspace Now. Future changes to the arrangement of the tool windows are disregarded.

8. Click OK.

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 user settings and a workspace:

1. Create a new workspace.

For more information, see “Creating a New Workspace Setting” on page 97.

2. Give the workspace a custom name.

3. Click a setting in the Settings list that you want to link to the new workspace. For example, click Timeline View. Adjust the Timeline to how you want it displayed (enlarged tracks, audio waveform, and so forth).

4. Give this Timeline View setting the same name you gave the workspace in step 2.

5. Double-click another setting, (for example, Audio). Select the new options, (for example, Default Pan), and close the dialog box.

User-Customized Workspaces

6. Give this setting the same name you gave the workspace in step 2.

Examples of linked settings (top and center) and a linked workspace (bottom)

7. Double-click the workspace you just created.

The Workspace Settings dialog box opens.

3 Working with the Project Window

8. Click Activate Settings Linked By Name.

9. Click OK.

All the settings and the new workspace you created are activate.

Switching Between Workspaces

To switch from one workspace to another:

1. Click the Settings tab in the Project window.

The Settings list appears.

2. Click to the left of the workspace setting you want to use.

A check mark appears next to the workspace.

To switch between workspaces use the workspace buttons. To assign workspace buttons, see “Assigning a Workspace Button” on page 101.

Deleting a Workspace

To delete a workspace:

1. Select the workspace you want to delete from the Settings list.

100

The workspace highlights.

Make sure a check mark does not appear next to the workspace you want to delete. You cannot delete an active workspace.

2. Press the Delete key.

The system removes the selected workspace from the Settings list.

Pinnacle Systems Media Composer - 5.0 User Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual

Contents

Using This Guide

Symbols and Conventions

If You Need Help

Accessing the Goodies Folder

Avid Training Services

1 Editing Overview

Editing Workflow

Starting a Project

Preparing to Edit

Editing a Sequence

Outputting a Sequence

2 Starting a Project

Turning on Your Equipment

Working with the Desktop

Using the Windows Taskbar (Windows Only)

Using the Macintosh Dock (Macintosh Only)

Using Shortcut Menus

Using the Keyboard for Navigating in Dialog Boxes and Menus

Using the Mouse Scroll Wheel for Navigating

Customizing Mouse Functions

Optimum Performance (Windows XP)

Optimum Performance (Windows Vista and Windows 7)

Optimum Performance (Macintosh)

Antivirus Applications

Starting Your Avid Editing Application (Windows)

Starting Your Avid Editing Application (Macintosh)

Working with Projects

Select Project Dialog Box

Creating a New Project

Naming a Project

Project Types

Opening and Closing Projects

Deleting a Project

Quitting and Turning Off Equipment

Avid Projects and Avid Users Folders

Changing Project and User Names

Backing Up Your Project Information

Avid Attic Folder

Retrieving Files from the Avid Attic Folder (Windows)

Retrieving Files from the Avid Attic Folder (Macintosh)

Using Toolsets

3 Working with the Project Window

Overview of the Project Window

Controlling Project Window Display

Using the Bins Tab

Viewing a List of Bins

Creating a New Bin

Renaming a Bin

Opening and Closing Bins

Displaying Folders of Bins in the Bins List

Creating a Folder

Deleting a Bin or Folder

Viewing and Emptying the Trash

Saving Bins

Saving Bins Manually

Using the Settings Tab

Using the Format Tab

Working with Color Spaces in HD Projects

Changing the Project Color Space for an HD Project

Using the Usage Tab

Statistics File Structure and Layout

Importing the Statistics File into a Spreadsheet

Displaying Disk Space Statistics

Using the Info Tab

Managing Bins and Memory

Understanding User Profiles

Managing User Profiles

Customizing the Avid User Interface

Changing Interface Component Colors

Changing Font and Point Size

User-Customized Workspaces

Creating a New Workspace Setting

Linking User Settings and Workspaces

Switching Between Workspaces

Deleting a Workspace