[Job Ter burg]

What version of Avid are you on? Are you checking in AMA or with Import-P2?

Either way, if you are seeing 4 channels coming in, than those are likely the channels recorded. Maybe the _think_ they shot 4 channels, but were actually doubling a1 to a3 and a2 to a4 in the camcorder.

[Job Ter burg]

Older revisions of the software usually are no longer tested on newer versions of the OS. But current and new versions are likely to be tested. Also, keep an eye on this thread.

[Job Ter burg]

OK, I’ll be assuming the following:

1. You received a two-track (stereo) mix.
2. You are connecting to your DigiBeta deck over SDI for both picture and sound.
3. You need to deliver this stereo mix on both 1/2 and 3/4 of the tape.

In Audio Project Settings, toggle to Direct Out (by clicking on the button that now says “stereo” or “mono”.

At the lower part of that window, choose to switch SDI audio on, choose 4 tracks, 20-bit (Digital Betacam has 4 ch, 20-bit audio).

In the sequence, place the mix on A1/2 and A3/4.

In the Audio Mixer tool, make sure that at the bottom of each slider, the right routing is chosen. A1->CH1, A2-CH2, A3->CH3, A4->CH4.

Then output.

If you were given a stereo mix, then that is what you lay to tape, IMHO. If you are in doubt about whether you need to deliver mono or stereo, consult with the folks that supplied you the mix and check the delivery specifications. There’s no telling what they are, since they vary.

If you are eventually exepected to make a mono delivery, you will need to set this up differently, and you will need to make some level alterations if you want to stay within specs. If someone else has been doing the mix, they should be the folks worrying about that, IMO.

[Job Ter burg]

That’s an option, but you would need to set the Avid to Direct Out (Audio Project Settings -> Output Tab). Alternatively, the DigiBeta decks have a menu setting where they can be set up so that the ch1/2 input is copied onto ch3/4. That would give you a tape where ch1=ch3 and ch2=ch4.

[Job Ter burg]

The old Mojo should work, but OS 10.5.8 has not been qualified.

[Job Ter burg]

It would be a DPX sequence (a dpx is a still file). Under Export, choose Graphic, and there is the option to export as Cineon (a subset of the DPX standard). And select “Sequential Files”.

[Job Ter burg]

Well, apart from a rather serious metadata bug that is under investigation now, (and yes, bugs do sometimes pop up) the 3.5.4-with-patch now runs as stable as a Meridien or ABVB Avid used to do. Back when an Avid was an Avid, as you described it. When we got to 2.7, I left my Meridien for DNA, and felt OK about it. When we got to v3, I felt we finally made some good progress. V3 has a better response than any other Avid I ever worked on, for instance. And very, very reliable.
I’ll admit that I’m generally a slow upgrader, but the upgrades I got were all value for money. Just my meandering experience.

[Job Ter burg]

You’re running an unsupported configuration. MC 3.0 was never qualified to run under OSX 10.5.8 (which came out very recently). Check the Avid version matrix and make sure that you are running your MC under the right combination of OS and Quicktime(!).
Issues like failing exports often have to with OS and/or QT incompatibility.

[Job Ter burg]

Let me rephrase, 3.0.5 and later were all exteremely stable. No problem working with deadlines or demanding clients. 3.5.4 caused some troubles. The upgrade to v3 was absolutely worthwhile, and good value for money.

[Job Ter burg]

Actually, 2.8, 3.0.5, 3.1.1 and 3.1.3 were pretty stable releases. 3.5 had some more issues, apparently.