FCP – Changing Video Pref to Print to Beta

[Marcray]

Are you using the same beta deck as you have always used? It

[Missdivagirl]

yes, same beta deck and nothing has been rerouted… still same setup since i started. i have been backtracking and trying to figure out what could be different and the only thing I have done recently was to make a vhs dub station from the beta deck, but i used an open connection… nothing undone to accomodate. I have a second beta deck for dubbing from beta to beta and i usually switch the main beta from component 1 to 2 then dub.

My boss is suggesting we start from ground zero and rewire everything and I just can’t see that as the easiest solution.

Thank you!

[Tony]

Betacam vtr’s accept component YPRPB not RGB.

Sending an RGB signal to the beta vtr would be incorrect.

Aja’s recommendations are accurate the info you received from your boss is not correct or misleading.

Tony Salgado

[Missdivagirl]

Tony,

Thank you for your reply. I understand what you are saying to be accurate… I am just at a loss as to why the settings need to be changed now and it wasn’t something we did before. Is there one intitial setup that will accomodate both so there is no need to change the setting?

Thank you!

[Marcray]

I am not sure there would be because that is why you have the different setups. I constantly have to change setups depending on if I cam coming from component, svideo, composite, or firewire. It is just part of the editing.

[Bob Zelin]

I would love to hear a followup conclusion of this problem. Your system NEVER worked in RGB – always Y R-Y B-Y component. Once you select the easy setup as suggested by AJA, you should never have to change it – provided you keep using your Beta VTR.

Have your problems been resolved ?

bob Zelin

[Missdivagirl]

Bob,

My problem has not been resolved yet and I am hardpressed to find a solution. My video playback is set to US Betacam 10bit and everything is fine. I view my FCP timeline on the NTSC monitor using the Analog RGB Component mode. When I need to watch anything using just the beta deck, i then switch the monitor to VTR mode. This works fine. The problem is when I print to beta. When printing and viewing on CPU monitor and NTSC monitor, using RGB component, it looks fine. When I rewind the beta tape and switch to VTR to watch and make sure all is well, it isn’t. There is a purple overlay. I called AJA and that is when I was told to switch video playback to YbPBr before printing to tape. Once I do this, there is a green overlay when vieweing in component mode and nothing appears when switched to VTR mode…. but when I playback the tape it is right.

I am the production manager here and my main concentration is 3d and motion graphics. I have been editing for almost 5 years now, but not on a system like this. Our head editor took care of most of this and to be honest, I do not recall us ever having to switch anything… in fact, the week before i made dubs for many tv spots i finished and never switched anything and all was well. Unfortunately our head editor is no longer here so I cannot ask him. I am now the head editor and having to figure it out myself.

Is there anything I can do to show you my set up or talk to you by phone? My number is 800.809.2725… Ask for Angelina.

Thank you!

[Bob Zelin]

you write –
My problem has not been resolved yet and I am hardpressed to find a solution. My video playback is set to US Betacam 10bit and everything is fine. I view my FCP timeline on the NTSC monitor using the Analog RGB Component mode. When I need to watch anything using just the beta deck, i then switch the monitor to VTR mode. This works fine. The problem is when I print to beta.

Hi Angelina –
I am going to make some assumptions here, so please excuse me if I am wrong in my assumptions.
You say that you view your FCP timeline on the NTSC monitor using the Analog RGB component mode. THIS IS WRONG. I don’t give a crap what your graphics people want to work in. THIS IS VIDEO, and we work in Y R-Y B-Y Beta Component. This applies to Digi Beta, and everything else that is component video in the video world. Y R-Y B-Y or Y Pb Pr is NOT RGB. Now I have no idea if you have a TV monitor that is old and only has RGB inputs (old Sony monitors did – new ones can be switched between YRB and RGB) – but to work in THIS CENTURY (and thru the 1990’s), you MUST be in Beta Component Y R-Y B-Y. NEVER EVER EVER USE RGB.

All of this is done automatically for you if you use the AJA EASY SETUP menu’s in FCP, where you just simply select NTSC Betacam 8 or 10 bit uncompressed (for example). Your playback output will be switched for you to Y R-Y B-Y (not RGB). Your TV monitor (like a Sony PVM20M2U, PVM20M4U, PVM20L5/1, PVM1954Q) will display the component signal in Y R-Y B-Y, not RGB. Older Sony PVM monitors could only display RGB, and these monitors are USELESS (unless you use them in composite only).

When you say when you need to view the Beta, you switch the monitor to VTR mode, I have no idea of what this means. I don’t recall any modern monitor have a “VTR” button on it. It would help me if you could please tell me EXACTLY what is the make and model # of the TV monitor you are using.

I know what you are thinking “this stuff used to work, and the other guy had it working, and now it’s just not working”. But if they were viewing RGB all along, THIS WAS WRONG ALL ALONG. For all I know, you have a boss that insists that his staff gets by with 20 year old equipment, like old monitors that cannot display YRB, and the staff “adapted” to his demands, by selecting RGB to display on old monitors. I just don’t know your situation, until you tell me the EXACT MAKE AND MODEL # of the TV monitor you are using.

Bob Zelin

[Tony]

You hit it right on the nail Bob.

A common end user issue problem I have encountered in the past centers around the statement “but it worked last time”.

Well last time is not this time unless you have a portable time machine to live in the past.

We can only deal with the present time in which case somewhere in the workflow the system is incorrectly wired.

The solution is quite simple:

1) stop wasting your time trying to “Do it yourself engineering” and immediately hire a qualified video engineer or NLE system installer to troubleshoot and rewire your edit suite if necessary.

Hiring a experienced video engineer is money well spent in times where more wasted productivity is lost due to what could turn out to be a simple solution.

Tony Salgado

[Missdivagirl]

Hi Bob,

You are so generous with your help… it is greatly appreciated. I spoke with my boss, Bob, and he told me he spoke to you not too long ago about other stuff… and you are exactly who I should listen to 🙂 We are here in South Louisiana… so if you ever are in the area, please let me take you to suppper! 🙂

I wanted to get the monitor info to you asap.

We have a Sony Trinitron PVM1944Q. The beta deck is a Sony BetacamSP PVW2800. I am working with a G5 Quad 2.5 with 4.5 ram. We also have an AJA IO. I have a flow chart of the set up if you would like to see it.

As for your message and thoughts, your assumptions are pretty accurate. My NTSC monitor has 4 inputs… A, B, Y/C VTR, and Analog RGB Component. I have been here for over a year and we have always switch inputs to view in FCP or Betadeck. Input A is for the VHS.

Would you suggest I redo the actual set up? Or redo the easy set up through FCP?

Thank you!!!
Angelina