[Rcpics]

You’ll probably find this interesting, Shane.

I asked people at Matrox about ProRess 422 compatability with the MXO, and from what I gathered, it’s already compatable. What they said is that you just pick the “HD 1080i uncompressed YUV” output setting (if you’re working in 1080i, of course), so it’s apparently not a ProRes 422 codec compatability issue….which I find a bit strange since you have to pick the various HDV or DVCProHD outputs for those timelines. But I guess it has to do with the ProRes not being a resized actual frame, like the 1440 horiz. res of HDV, for example. So since the ProRes 422 in 1080i is a ‘true’ 1920×1080 sized frame with 10-bit 4:2:2, using the ‘uncompressed’ output will work just fine….according to them. I certainly hope it’s this simple.

[Rcpics]

You might have to get something like this:

https://www.mobl.com/expansion/products/pcie_expansion/index.html

in that you can use a PCI-E to PCI-X ‘adapter’ (if there is one) to connect to the Cinewave. Might be worth the expense, might not.

[Rcpics]

I believe that if you export your edit as a self-contained DV movie, it will make it a 29.97..but not sure how it will do reverse pull-down or repeat frames and such. It may repeat a frame here and there, but should stay along the original time sync as the 23.98. And then they can use that in Pro Tools or what have you. Once they’re finished with the sound edit/mix…if they export a mixed-down AIFF stereo track, it should sync up in your 23.98 timeline just fine as long as everything was synced to the same 2-pop frame. AIFF’s and sound files don’t really run at frame rates like video…frame rates really only apply to an editing timebase in which you will be editing the sound…but that same sound file can play continuously in a video timeline that is 24, 30, or 15 frames per second…you can only edit it in there at whatever frame rate the timeline is set.

[Rcpics]

I’ve had wierd things like this happen when I start using eight or more audio tracjs with a lot going on…filters, transitions, etc. Someimtes I ‘d get audio ‘artifacts’ where there is no audio on the timeline anymore. Guess it’s a bug or something, more prevalent in earlier versions of FCP than the 5.1.4 I’m using now. Check to see if audio is set ot ‘best’ wuality in your preferences/settings, but your best bet may be to do a mixdown, if all the aidio will hold during th emixdown. Or export AIFFS of 2 or three tracks, then the other ones, and comine it to four tracks (2 stereo tracks) for final playback. FCP really isn’t a good audio app and is still pretty limited in its breadth despite all the individual features.

Definitely trash your prefs and reopen, and get rid of old render files as well.

[Rcpics]

I just put one in my Mac Pro (replacing the Nvidia 7300). It works and looks great…except…it’s having trouble with HD material through my Matrox MXO in FCP only…not with Quicktime or anything else. Matrox is sending me a replacement unit, so hopefully it’s that.

[Rcpics]

I found the Lacie D2’s to be a bit flaky…and I attribute a lot of it to the power supply and that ‘soft’ power switch (as opposed to a definite off and on switch). I’ve had two D2’s go bad because of the power…took the drives out and put them in different enclosures, not a problem. Luckily, those enclosures had compatable chipsets for the apps I was using (Oxford for Pro Tools).

I just don’t trust those enclosures anymore. I’ve had much better reeliability with drives/enclosures from OWC.

[Rcpics]

Looking forward to it. The Force is strong with you, Luke. 😉 Thanks.

[Rcpics]

“he fact that FCP 6 now supports 5.1 surround raises similar issues to those you’ve expresed regarding Color. Its certainly possible that many 5.1 mix facilities are suddenly freaking, however, I’d be willing to bet that the two biggest things to come out of FCP’s new 5.1 capabilities will be 1) lots and lots of new speakers sold, 2) the use lots and lots of uneccessary and very cheesy sound effects flying all around in a lot of videos.”

Absolutely. It’s really been the same with sound design in general…in that perfroming the edit and design in, say, Pro Tools LE/TDM et al is only a step in the process. There’s still a final mix and mastering to get it to sound the way it should…like all those studio-released CD’s and DVD’s sound. And it takes some serious facilities with real pros to do that. With sound, especially…since it can work so subliminally with picture and all, the differences between a mix straight out of a Pro Tools editing session and a proper final mix and master may seem technically subtle…but the effects on the overall finished product are major once taken in altogether. 5.1 introduces all kinds of issues with phasing and such…things that need to be addressed on a controlled system in a properly calibrated and treated setup. Lot’s of people who do the 5.1 in their all-in-one apps just try to make it sound cool, arbitrarily placing things in funky image locations…and the result is mud and anomalies that an experienced pro mixer and masterer specifically adresses and fixes…a per their job specs. 5.1 capability in FCP or STP can’t really teach you to do that.

That’s why one of the hardest parts of a small independent film budget to address with inexperienced producers is the sound mix. They can’t understand why they need to pay for a sound mix and master, when they think it sounds ‘just fine’ after the design and edit.

[Rcpics]

Walter,,,in regards with htis ecerpt from your blog:

“What I fear is that with simply giving away Color, Apple has actually made it very difficult for estabilished professional artists to differentiate themselves from enthusiasts and beginnners. By having a price point of $995, $5,000 and $25,000 Final Touch required the user to invest into an application and allowed the end user to promote something that was not available in every single edit suite out there. Now Apple is going to completely dillute the Color Correction market by handing the tool out to everyone.”

I think this is exactly what’s been going on or some time now with FCP itself. It’s the other side of the coin of making an NLE of FCP’s abilities so ‘accessable’, and it’s often hard for people doing the hiring to differentiate between a hobbyist and a pro, especilly in smaller independent film productions. I often feel that I’m auditioning/interviewing THEM when they express interest in my editing their film and guiding it through the post process to finishing….and the concern is over hitting an impasse when explaining why you are charging what you are….especially when they haven’t actually worked with you before. It’s still astonishing that some folks feel that saying “I know someone else with Final Cut Pro” levels the playing field. I always take the stance that I know someone with Microsoft Word…but how good of a writer is he/she?

I feel your concern over color, but in so many ways, it’s just part of the trend that’s been happening for some time now, which makes actual talent and experience even more important. I still feel that the right people will recognize it and hire the right people…it’s just a larger and more crowded pool to wade through.

[Rcpics]

I think that’s going a bit too far, as well. He later explained his situation in more depth, and acknowledged that there was a tinge of his initial anger behind his post. I still don’t agree with his stance. He felt misled and misinformed, while many of us feel that it’s an unfortunate by-product of being new to all of this, and not quite understanding the extent to which Apple stands behind their products as they develope.