[Baz Leffler]

I would also recommend the Canon Pixma iP4000. It does great prints, never jams (yet) and seems to go easy on the ink. The software seems to have some issues tho…..

[Baz Leffler]

David…. the way the system works is that ‘counties’ buy the programs based on the distributors ‘program specifications’… Countries buy the programs as is and its up to the individual countries to make good the program to their own requirement.

I have often had distributors ask for ‘separate’ components after completion which was then created at a separate cost to them.

Recently we made a doco that went to about 30 countries via a distributor and Germany requested an alternate M/E mix which we provided on timecode DAT. (strange thing was that they had all the components already in multiple forms (master mix, M/E, DA88) but requested us to create it.. meaning more money for us a well).

As for a totally separate ‘textless master’… we haven’t done one of those in years. We just place the textless ‘cut to cut’ portions 30 sec after the end of the main program.

[Baz Leffler]

David… we do programs for many countries and each one is made to the distributors specifications. They usually include the ‘deliverables’ requirements in their contract including their technical specs but I am sure if you asked them they would send them to you. Each one is slightly different including DA88 track assignments and timecode start points so there is no ‘rule of thumb’ that applies.

cheers baz

[Baz Leffler]

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We cannot accept PAL
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When Adobe make PAL software will us PAL users be able to submit then?

[Baz Leffler]

I have an almost identical system to yours with a DL Extreme. What I have found is that the sound playback on the timeline can cause playback problems (strangely the video gives way to the sound so the video skips frames and goes out of sync)

My workaround is to render out the complete sound mix to a wav file and then bring it back into the timeline and mute all the others. Even better if you put the wav file on a separate drive to the video.

I have found the advantage of ‘video giving way to audio’ is when exporting to tape. I always set my sequence timecode to the same as the timecode on the tape I am exporting to. Then I can compare timecode cut points on the timeline with those on the master videotape. If they are not identical then I know a drop frame occurred somewhere. Having the same timecodes also helps in doing pick up edits.

Now the ‘dropframe somewhere’ can be a problem. It is a matter of going back in the timeline comparing it to the master until you find where it is back in sync. (go back a minute at a time to isolate the precise point)

A technique I use occasionally is to create an EDL prior to the export to tape and while exporting I put a VHS across the decks timecode displayed output and randomly play it back checking the cut points against the EDL. Obviously you wouldn’t bother with a short playout but I recently completed 3 x 90 min workout videos (boooorrrrring!) and wasn’t going to sit thru the whole lot checking for drop frame and lip sync errors; and I did have to stop a few times and pick up an edit when I detected an error on the VHS playback.