Where is audio level adjustment?

[Rick Dolishny]

I think you’re going to have to go through a mixer en route to the FCP. I’ve never touched those settings I don’t think they’re always active.

– R

[Bouncing Account needs new email address]

Yes, most who want to adjust the analog gain during CAPTURE (not a good idea, really) usually route the audio thru a mixer.

The main problem with making adjustments during capture is not being able to accurately repeat them during a “batch capture” at a later time.

[Dave Felder]

Why do you say it’s not a good idea to adjust during capture? If the tape is recorded at -18 DB, you think it’s better to capture like that, then adjust in the timeline? Is there more dynamic range available then?

Ryan Video Productions Inc. Rockaway, NJ

[Rick Dolishny]

No, it’s just like Matte said, audio should be digitized at “preset” levels so you can recapture it later with a degree of confidence and accuracy. Technically you could set Gain every time to load a new tape but more often than not the tape may not have bars, or frankly the bars may be irrelevant when it comes to audio.

At least in my experience.

For audio it’s best to leave your capture gain at present unless its’ a hopeless tape, but even then I adjust the Playback levels directly on the deck before touching the capture levels.

– R

[Dave Jenkins]

What your asking for is standard in most other systems. We used Media 100 and adjusted the levels in the capture process so our external mixer levels can stay at one level. This is very helpful for recapture at a later date. I would email sales at AJA and request this feature.

Dajen Productions
Santa Barbara, CA
G5 Dual 2 Gig – AJA IO & LA
Huge 1.2 Raid
FCP 5-OS X 10.4.1-QT 7

[Bret Williams]

Dave, don’t worry. FCP supports the feature. Just not your card, that’s why they’re greyed out.

And FCP records the settings for each individual clip, so this WOULD be the correct way to do it if Decklink permitted. Unless a tape is royally screwed, the incorrect way would be to adjust gain with a mixer manually for each clip. That is a sure fire way to make it impossible to batch capture.

That all being said. I generally capture everything normalized. The way it was shot. Then do all mixing within FCP. I use dv or IO. Neither supports changing the gain upon capture.

I too used Avid and Media 100. Those are turnkey systems. One system fits all. With an open system you get rapid development and more options. Not everyone takes advantage. I think Cinewave took advantage of the audio gain. Cinvewave was most similar to the older systems like media 100 and avid where the effects were performed by the card.

Even back then I captured everything normalized.