[Glenn Chan]

The I and Q bars are not important, since (virtually) nobody uses YIQ encoding anymore.

Calibration info (this calibrates the interface; it does not calibrate other aspects of the monitor):
https://videouniversity.com/tvbars2.htm

Try:
Take a color image and de-saturate it completely in Ppro. Does this image appear perfectly black and white on the monitor? (Without color casts.) You can try using the color corrector to introduce color casts to train yourself so you know what to look for.

Also try:
With the B&W image, try calibrating the gain and bias settings under “user color” and “Color temp/bal”.

2- Used monitors can be sketchy if they have image flaws. Some flaws are not worth fixing (just get a new monitor), and some flaws can’t be fixed (overused phosphors cause color casts). Returning the monitor may be the best bet?

[Glenn Chan]

Have you tried sending a cutting copy to both online and audio post?

In the offline, nest your master sequence in a new sequence. Add the timecode filter onto the nest to show the program’s timecode (i.e. program starts at 01:00:00:00). Add 2-pops too.

Print that to tape, or export a quicktime. Ingest that into the online system.

Sync up the cutting copy to your capture sequence. Set the composite mode to subtract. Bring some clips in. If clips are in sync, then you’ll just see black + the timecode. If they are not in sync, then you see weirdness. Use the slip tool (s) to slip things back into place (use the mouse of the keyboard/numpad).

This won’t work if the footage is several frames off. But at least online + audio post will be working off the same page?

2- When capturing clips for offline, what if you take the composite out (super) off the VTR into your system with character/timecode on. Will that alert you of cases where the timecode and picture are not in sync?

[Glenn Chan]

In FCP, you can switch the waveform monitor between its two different modes. There is a setting for either “luminance” or “saturation”. Luminance should correspond to Y mode, or “low pass” or “lpass” mode on a hardware waveform monitor. “Saturation” should correspond to a hardware waveform monitor with low pass turned off; it will show you the composite signal, a composite of both the luma (Y) and chroma.

In older versions of FCP, there are some inaccuracies in the scopes.
– They only sample every few lines; they don’t sample every pixel. In the latest version of FCP, FCP will sample every pixel when the video is not playing.
– They clip superblacks (levels below black level). Not sure if this has been fixed (haven’t checked).
– This doesn’t really relate to the scopes, but sometimes the broadcast colors filter won’t be applied when rendering. So the scopes may show legal levels, but the rendered video does not have legal levels.
Not sure if this has been fixed (haven’t checked).

[Glenn Chan]

According to marco solario’s site, this is a FCP bug:
https://codecs.onerivermedia.com/encodes/422com.htm

I’m not sure what the workaround is (if there is any).

[Glenn Chan]

A miniDV camcorder would work too.

The Canopus ADVC converter boxes will do a slightly better job, since they add proper setup to the signal (they put analog black level at 7.5IRE instead of 0IRE). This capability/feature is omitted on a lot of DV equipment (like the DSR11) for cost reasons I believe. It’s not a very big deal though, since you can simply calibrate your monitor (or set it to look for OIRE black level; it’s a menu setting). The only nibble is if you want multiple devices feeding into your monitor… i.e. your DVD player may have black level at 7.5IRE.

[Glenn Chan]

You might want to look at the Canon XL-H1. Take the HD-SDI out off that and record uncompressed video onto something like a Final Cut system. The 4:2:2 chroma sampling (if using the HD-SDI out) and no compression (other than 4:2:2 instead of 4:4:4) means you should be able to easily pull keys off it. That being said, you can still pull decent keys off lower formats+equipment if you light it right.

[Glenn Chan]

To get your audio into an audio editing program, try OMF export. From what I vaguely remember, certain things like crossfades and volume levels may not stick. I haven’t used FCP+Soundtrack recently enough to know if there is some specific export option that is better than OMF. Add 2-pops to check sync. 2s before and after your program, have a frame of bars and tone.

Once you’re done editing, you mixdown your tracks to a stereo file.

To get the level of audio features that Vegas has, you’ll need to do something like an OMF export. FCP can do simple audio editing like adjusting levels + crossfades + a few effects.

2- Appreciating Final Cut:
Personally I like Vegas a little more than FCP. Where FCP is stronger is that:
-Editing: You can search clips (i.e. including marker names), the general editing structure makes slightly more sense
-Formats: FCP has better hardware support (i.e. lots of manufacturers make capture hardware), panasonic MXF support. Higher bit depth and can work in Y’CbCr color space (although particular combinations are buggy). More people understand online/offline workflows with FCP.

[Glenn Chan]

You can also hook up multiple connections to the monitor… they have input switches that will let you pick what signal you want to monitor.

[Glenn Chan]

Firewire out and use the composite connection to your monitor. This will let you see chroma crawl and cross-color artifacts. On the Sony Monitors, the 358trap filter affects how the composite signal is processed… pick the setting that gives you more resolution and chroma crawl.

The reason for using the worst quality connection is so you can check chroma crawl at the same time. In rare occaisions you may find that certain patterns or texture really bring it out.

If you want a good quality signal into the monitor, then SDI and component are best, followed by S-video, followed by composite.

[Glenn Chan]

The AJ-HD1700 may not quite work, since you *must* upconvert the signal to get the deck to remove the pulldown.

23.98fps signals can’t be carried over standard definition SDI, although it can be carried over HD SDI. So I believe that is why the upconversion must occur.

However, it may defeat the point of capturing SDI to begin with, as going back down to SD may cause conversion artifacts/softening/whatever (or it may not, but sometimes downconverted HD signals can pickup noticeable aliasing).

2- As I see it, your best bets are:
A- Make a 60i master instead of a 24p master. For broadcast, they want a 60i master anyways usually.
B- Get a DVCPRO50 deck with firewire. Quality should be the same. This is not the same as capturing DVCPRO25 over firewire (where capturing over SDI will have chroma smoothing applied, and is sort of better quality).
C- Get an assistant editor / intern to capture the footage and tediously go through Cinema Tools and such.