[Bob Zelin]

Chris –
I want you to stop what you are doing, and relax. Go into the Audio/Video Settings of FCP (do you know where that is ? – it’s right near easy setups) – now, once you click on it, a summary page pops up – the middle tab says CAPTURE PRESETS – select this, and scroll down to whatever is checked (something on that list will be checked) – once you find what is checked, double click it – a new menu opens up. Now, see where you can select your video inputs, and audio inputs (SDI, analog composite, Betacam component, etc). My point here is that you need to SCREW AROUND with these menus to become familiar on how the AJA product selects it’s inputs, its compression ratios, etc. When you first go into Audio/Video Settings, you will also see a tab for VTR control – click on this, and see all the choices for VTR control – which include AJA RS422, which is for your Digi Beta VTRs. You must get used to using these menu’s.

Bob Zelin

[Bob Zelin]

I am not clear as to what you are trying to do. You have a Meridian based AVID, and you UNINSTALLED the EDC card ? Please tell me that I am mis-interpreting what you said, becuase there is NO WAY to operate a Meridian card set without the EDC (Number Nine) card. No one at AVID told you that you could do so.

Henry’s automobile company has a large corporate video department that can surely go to the next generation of AVID’s (Meridians) without re-inventing the wheel. I understand the situation you are in, but why did you “upgrade” the graphics card – and PLEASE tell me that I have misread your post, and you did not UNINSTALL the EDC.

Bob Zelin

[Bob Zelin]

YES – you will need the IF AE8, and a standard 25 pin to XLR break out cable, that is sold by every mail order catalog in the world. This is a generic cable (standardized by Tascam) but is the same format even used by current Pro Tools products. This is not a “custom” cable, and is readily available (but not from Radio Shack). Of course, you could monitor via the analog outputs right into a cheapo analog mixer, or your analog inputs. It won’t sound any better monitoring from the AES outputs.

Bob Zelin

[Bob Zelin]

you should download the AJA I/O drivers from the http://www.aja.com website under Support. These are the latest working drivers, and I can assure you, they work just fine.

Bob Zelin

[Bob Zelin]

replies below –

1. The Sonnet E4P is a port-muliplier aware card with 4 external ports leading to up to 20 drives in the right enclosures. I am actually going to try to avoid this feature and maybe go with 2 cards for the 8 drives. Any thoughts on that? Is there any advantage to the HighPoint Infiniband setup with their X4 enclosures? (my research shows that there is the same bandwidth over regular Infiniband as SATA II — 300 Gbit/sec) The Highpoint card (PCIe version of their RR 2240) should be out soon.

REPLY – the Sonnet E4P is a GREAT product, and the Sonnet Fusion 500 is not out yet (at least they didn’t send me one) – but the port multiplier feature will be fantastic. You can certainly go with 2 4 port cards and 8 drives, but make sure you get HI QUALITY SATA enclosures like Firmtek, or Kano Technologies – not junk. Some of the cheap SATA enclosures will give you bad connections to your SATA drives, and you will think that you made the wrong decision. I use Firmtek exclusively, and they are FANTASTIC. I am anxious for Sonnet to send me a Fusion 500 to try out. I hate Highpoint products.

2. As you’ve noticed, there’s no HD reference monitor included here, so I won’t be doing any HD color correction, unless the downconvert to my SD monitor is of sufficient quality. How’s that working out for people?

REPLY – if you are lucky enough to have the “old” Sony PVM-20L5/1, this is the perfect montitor, but they don’t make it anymore. You can’t do an HD project just judging on a SD monitor, but if you have to, the PVM-20L2 is still availabled, and it’s very good. Used PVM-20M2 and PVM20M4U monitors are excellent for SD also.

3. I did want to have an HD monitor of some sort, and not rely wholly on downconversion. Since I won’t be doing color correction over the DVI-D port(s), what are the reletive advantages of the Apple 30″ monitor vs. say a wall-mounted Phillips 50″ plasma? (only 720 resolution, but much bigger for clients to see).

REPLY – the resolution of the 23″ and 30″ Cinema displays (and others from Dell, HP and Sony) will be dramatically better than the consumer monitors from Phillips, Pioneer, and the like, but I cannot deny that clients love the newer Plasma or LCD “super bright” or backlit monitors that you see in stereo stores. Most non technical clients will go “wow” with any 50″ TV, but yawn at a hi res 23″ Apple Cinema display. I just saw this happen at a Disney conference room, where they had a HORRIBLE Zenith 50″ Plasma (what a piece of crap) – and everyone said “wow”.

Bob Zelin

Any other advice appreciated.

REPLY – Editing while wearing women’s underware brings out your feminine side. If you decide to do this, please post pictures on this forum, so we can all see.

[Bob Zelin]

Hi –
I am glad its working for you, but this is not a fix. Please report this to AJA support.

bob Zelin

[Bob Zelin]

yea – ref in – i am not in front of a system.
Bob Zelin

[Bob Zelin]

The Fostex D-10 DAT machine does not follow Sony P2 RS422 protocol. The AVID Media Composer will also not control the Fostex D-10 DAT machine.
You have not given a valid example. No one is going to write special drivers for the Fostex D-10.

bob Zelin

[Bob Zelin]

check the Kona control panel under CONTROL, and make sure it is in EXT REF, and not Video In. I have seen this hi error rates dumping out to a Digi Beta from the Kona 2 downconverted – it was a reference issue.

Bob Zelin

[Bob Zelin]

In a million years, I would not have guessed that. Good job, MPE !

Bob Zelin