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Monitoring audio while capturing HDV footage
Having problems with this. I’m using the HDV 1080i Easy Setup with External Video-All Frames On. I am able to see levels capturing in the program and am even able to monitor via headphones connected to the deck, but nothing will play through the built-in audio. Once captured, the video is fine but I would like to monitor WHILE capturing. Any ideas?
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10 Replies
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This is a VERY frequently-asked question.
You can find answers in seconds if you will use the “Search Posts” function here on the COW.
—————————————————————The audio is, by default, intentionally MUTED to the Mac’s speaker output during Log and Capture.
So you should normally monitor the audio directly from the camcorder or deck you are using to capture. (It is the preferred method.)
CAUTION:
Many people have reported that noise or “pops” appear in the captured clips if the Mac’s internal audio is left on WHILE capturing… so may want to choose “Off During Capture.”However, there is a way you can turn ON the Mac’s speaker if you really WANT to:
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In FCP4x and earlier:Final Cut Pro (menu) > Audio/Video Settings… > Capture Presets (tab)
“Duplicate” the Capture Preset you are now using, when the window opens rename it (I added “MacAudioOn” to the file name).
Click open the “Advanced” button in the Audio section and turn speakers to “ON during Capture.”
The Mac speakers/audio-out will now play Audio during the preview in the Log and Capture window.
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In FCP5x and later:In the Record Tool:
Clip Settings, near audio buttons, choose: Preview: “ON”
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I am using FCP5 and unfortunately in the HDV capture window there is no “Preview” checkbox (as opposed to where it is in the standard capture window). I tried turning the “Preview” option on in the standard capture window hoping that the setting would carry over to the HDV capture window, however it did not.
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If you’re concerned about whether or not it’s coming in OK, don’t be. Tranferring to and from FW is a clean process, so monitoring for the sole purpose of quality assurance is completely unnecessary. Unlike analog or SDI,
alterations cannot occur during the capture process with FW. This includes noise, color shifts, dropouts, sparklies, and alterations in audio levels. It just doesn’t work that way. What you capture will be identical to what is on the tape. So the only purpose to monitor while capturing is if you want to view the content simply to save time – in which case just monitor from the deck like these guys suggested.Sean
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Unfortunately monitoring audio from the deck/camera results in loss of A/V sync due to the firewire transfer delay. However I guess if this is the only solution, I’m stuck.
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I need to monitor during logging because I only plan on digitizing specific takes. Without being able to hear the audio I’m unable to tell if it’s a “good” take or not.
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You have the camera hooked up via firewire to your computer, and via RCA connected to a TV. This way you can see and hear the audio with no delay. This way you also see the video at full resolution.
I never use that small reference window.
Shane Ross
Alokut Productions
http://www.lfhd.net -
Do you do this while logging HD footage? Because the sync is INCREDIBLY out of hand. There’s no way that I am able to use the keyboard to accurately log clips while monitoring externally from the deck; everything is several seconds off.
I’m just not sure why one isn’t allowed to enable this feature in HDV capture mode. The levels are visible, so clearly there is enough firewire bandwidth to transmit the audio data. Why not simply be allowed to monitor that data?
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I have never had things off sync by seconds. At most, frames…and a small amount. I would only notice that off sync issue when playing audio from the computer speakers out and the video on the external monitor.
I have never seen a sync issue with capturing…but this is HDV and a lot of decoding is going on. I have captured from DV, betasp and DVCPRO HD and did have sync issues.
I’ll let people who work with HDV handle this topic.
Shane Ross
Alokut Productions
http://www.lfhd.net -
Same problem here. There is no Preview checkbox. You can see the audio meters moving, but you hear nada. You can turn up the little Z1 speaker but it is horrible and as mentioned several seconds out of sync. I guess for HDV it’s not “Log and Capture”, but just “Capture”.
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