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Activity Forums Avid Media Composer Green Dot in Timeline?

  • Green Dot in Timeline?

    Posted by Ricky Barrow on October 8, 2013 at 3:50 pm

    I need help understanding why my footage has a green dot in the timeline. Received QT .mov file: H.264, 872×480, 29.97fps, AAC Stereo 48k, 8 mbits/sec —– I created a 30iNTSC project, linked and transcoded 2:1 (was not asked to convert). When I drop into timeline I have a green dot. MANY QUESTIONS:

    Does this have to do with aspect ratio?
    When creating the project does checking 16×9 as opposed to 4×3 make any difference (since it is only 720×480/486 anyway?
    Should I have trancoded to DV?
    Should I have just went to 720p 29.97?
    What’s the difference in creating a 720p to start with and changing the project using the format tab?

    Ricky

    Richard Sanchez replied 12 years, 10 months ago 3 Members · 5 Replies
  • 5 Replies
  • Richard Sanchez

    October 8, 2013 at 4:05 pm

    The green dot is Avid’s Mix and Match feature. It’s applying a motion effect to make the framerate match, so something might be off about your quicktime. If you open the motion effect editor on the clip in the timeline, you can see how the clip is being modified. This has nothing to do with raster size, since that will be adjusted when you transcode.

    I’m assuming your clip is a 16×9 square pixel file. Usually I saw those as 852×480, but in any event you might try running the clip through compressor first to make the clip match. You want your clips to be 720×480 (and make sure you set the clip to anamorphic 16×9 (I believe the pixel aspect ratio should be set to 1.2

    Richard Sanchez
    Los Angeles, CA

    “We are the facilitators of our own creative evolution.” – Bill Hicks

  • Michael Phillips

    October 8, 2013 at 4:14 pm

    With version 7.0, the green dot can mean several things and it is not obvious as to which one it is. I wonder why this couldn’t be differentiated, but it is what it is until they change it..

    1. Frame rate mismatch
    2. Spatial adapter (FrameFlex) or clip is not same raster/resolution as project/timeline.
    3. LUT or source color transform is applied.

    A transcode with “compatibility mode” checked will bake all that in, convert the frame rate so that the clip will be as though it were native to that project type.

    Michael

  • Ricky Barrow

    October 8, 2013 at 4:27 pm

    Thank you both! I am on 7.0.2 PC — I know I haven’t kept up with the learning curve as I must wear many hats. I suspect it is number 2 and/or 3 from Michael’s response. I need to do more homework!

    Effect Editor brings up Frame Flex and Clip Source Settings currently are: Raster Dimension 720×486, Image Aspect ratio Custom 1.82:1, Pixel Aspect Ratio 1.23:1

    Ricky

  • Ricky Barrow

    October 8, 2013 at 5:47 pm

    Hopefully helpful if done right:

    Ricky

  • Richard Sanchez

    October 8, 2013 at 8:31 pm

    I stand corrected! Didn’t know that about 7.0. Thanks Michael!

    Richard Sanchez
    Los Angeles, CA

    “We are the facilitators of our own creative evolution.” – Bill Hicks

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