Michael Hancock
Forum Replies Created
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DVDs are mpeg files at 720×480.
If you have a mix of DV and uncompressed footage (which is 720×486) you should do a mixdown. I always mixdown my video and graphics to DV50. It holds up really well and I can export with the Use Avid DV Codec option. Plus all the footage and graphics will then be 720×480, which solves the interlacing issues.
You can also mixdown to 1:1, but I don’t usually bother since it takes up so much more space, and by the time it hits the DVD–I can’t really tell the difference.
So mixdown all your video, then export. It should solve the field issues.
Michael.
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Select the clip with the wrong timecode, right click, and choose Modify. You can now offset the start or ending timecode to match what’s on the tape. You’ll get a lot of warnings when you do, so just click through them. Then your clip timecode should match the tape.
You might have to select the clip and Unlink it first, then modify. I’d test it with one clip to make sure it works, then work your way through the rest.
Let us know if it works.
Michael.
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That’s good! It’s progress.
If you’re getting still video (hit play, it’s a freeze frame, hit stop and it updates?) it’s likely a video driver issue. I guess keep trying new drivers, or see if you can get your hands on a Quadro card.
Otherwise, it sounds like your project settings might have gotten corrupted after the upgrade. Projects are supposed to upgrade without problems, but to be completely safe just make new projects with the same names as your old ones and copy the bins into them.
I’d make the project names in Avid, copy the bins on the OS level. Shouldn’t take too long, and at least you get video and sound (even if it’s still video…it’s a start).
Hope you don’t run into anymore problems, and let us know if you get the video playing.
Michael
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[GREG GAST] “Is Avid Hd fussy about having a quatro?”
It can be. At least you’re using an nVidia card–that’ll get you further than an ATI. Avid prefers nVidia, and it prefers the Quaddro cards running the driver that Avid supplies.
What OS are you running this on? XP Home or Pro? You may want to make brand new user settings (if you haven’t already) and a new project to see if it acts better. You may have a corruption somewhere.
And if you do have XP Pro, you are logged in as an administrator, right?
Michael.
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Check the fast menu in the timeline. You should be able to hide tracks there.
This may only be possible in Media Composer though. Maybe time to upgrade if so?
Michael.
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This has been a great discussion so far, but there are some misconceptions that should be cleared.
[Gabe Cotto] “– On a PC Avid has RAM limitations because it cannot run on Microsofts’s 64 bit OS.”
It’s a 32-bit app. Even if it ran on a 64-bit Windows OS (which it will in version 3.0) it would have a RAM usage limitation. That’s a coding issue with the program, not an OS issue.
[Gabe Cotto] “– PC’s have a well known problem with memory leakage, which can cause your machine to freeze, or starting having seizures if your run multiple programs at once, i.e. Avid, After Effects, or Photo Shop.”
Personally, I’ve never had memory leak issues on a PC unless using Firefox, which is well documented. I’ve never had the issue with Avid, and haven’t had my system “freeze” since Windows 2000.
[Gabe Cotto] “–PC’s are more prone to virus’s, files becoming corrupted at random, and hardware failure in general”
Viruses, yes, but your editing system shouldn’t be online. If it has to be, take the proper precautions. Files becoming corrupted at random? I’ve had a few corrupt render files, but that’s no different than FCP preferences being corrupted. Things happen on computers, but I don’t believe PCs anymore than Macs. Hardware failure? Macs and PCs are built with the same hardware. The OS is the only difference. If you’re using an e-machine, you’ll likely have more failures because it’s built with cheap parts. Go with a quality machine and they’re all the same inside.
As far as your Avid problems–some of your issues aren’t really issues. For example, mixing 16:9 with 4:3–absolutely possible. Mixing SD and HD–absolutely possible. You can’t mix framerates, but you can definitely mix HD and SD if they’re the same framerate. Check the help files for more on this.
If your Avid is losing track of the dongle you have a bigger issue. I’ve never seen this happen, ever. You might have a bad USB port. Switch it to another one and see if it happens, or call Avid and request a new dongle.
Sharing media is expensive with an Avid, but you can just consolidate it to external drives, cut away, then email the project back. It will relink without issue. Very, very simple and one reason why so many people use Avid.
Otherwise, if you’ve only been using Avid since January, give it more time, and don’t try to drive it like FCP, because it’s a vastly different workflow. You may never like it, but it has it’s place and it is hardly outdated or uncomfortable. For many, it’s the perfect tool for their workflow.
And the PC versus Mac debate–you can argue the OS till you’re blue in the face, but the guts are the same. And the OS is a personal preference, that’s it.
To the original poster, you really need to take a test drive on an Avid. Have someone who knows what they’re doing show you around the interface, explain the strengths and definitely the weaknesses. There may be things you need in your workflow that Avid doesn’t offer, or struggles with. If that’s the case, then switching won’t help you. But try it out to see how you like it.
Good luck!
Michael.
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[Michael Hancock] “You’ll just have 4 lines of nothing”
I mean 6 lines. It was too early when I typed this and I hadn’t had my coffee.
Michael.
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[Steve Gifford] “But why does the 486 cause a problem? Can’t I just change my sequence to 486 from 480?”
If you export to an Avid Meridian codec (compressed or uncompressed) you have to have a frame size of 486–the file won’t export otherwise. You’ll get an error. It’s just the nature of that particular codec.
You can change your sequence settings to 486 so you can export to an Avid Meridien codec, which your Avid editor will like because it will import faster on his end. You’ll just have 4 lines of nothing, but they’ll be out of safe title so I wouldn’t worry about it.
Michael.
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Try exporting a quicktime reference and import it into an SD project.
720 sucks in Avid right now if you have to go to SD.
Michael.
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Open your Keyboard Settings, open your Command Palette(Ctrl+3 on a PC), go to the More tab of your Command Palette, and drag the “Add Alt Key” function to your A and S. They will now act as Alt+A and Alt+S.
Nice, huh?
Michael.