[Rob Forsythe]

This list contains virtually everything to try to enable:
a. External Monitor VIDEO and AUDIO via FireWire & DV deck or camcorder.
b. Viewing in the Canvas window on the computer screen.
c. Being able to record on the external FW DV deck or camcorder.
d. Being able to capture from a FW device.

If working this list doesn’t cure the problem… you may have a serious PROBLEM!

Try things in this order until you find the “cure”:

1. Make sure you have only ONE (1) FireWire deck, camcorder, DV capture “card”, or D-to-A converter or video device attached to the computer at a time. Any more than one DV device can cause loss of signal and control.
2. Make sure you have View (Menu) > External Video> All Frames set.
(If the ALL FRAMES option is grayed-out… jump to step 6 below and continue.)
3. Make SURE your Canvas window (right window) in FCP is set to “Fit to Window”… AND that it has not been “pushed off” the edge of the computer screen or “pushed into” other windows.
4. Make sure your CANVAS View Menu (Box Icon with broken sides) is checked on Image or Image+Wireframe… NOT just Wireframe.
5. Make sure your CANVAS View Menu is checked on RGB… NOT just Alpha.
6. Make sure your Final Cut Pro (menu) > Easy Setup… is set for DV-NTSC (or DV-PAL, if that’s where you are).
7. Some camcorders/decks work better under “FW (NTSC/PAL)” -or- “FW (NTSC/PAL) Basic” control (in the capture settings). Try either setting to see which works best for your device.
8. Make sure your Final Cut Pro (menu) > Audio/Video Settings > A/V Devices (tab) > Mirror on Desktop > must be CHECKED. (If not, playing video will not appear in the Canvas.)
9. Make sure the “Log and Capture” Window is CLOSED and not just “hidden” behind other windows.
10. Make sure you have chosen FW output for A/V:
Final Cut Pro (menu) > Audio/Video Settings… >
Video Playback: Apple FireWire NTSC (720 x480)
Audio Playback: FireWire DV
11. Turn off the power to the Camera/Deck/Converter Box, then turn it back ON.
12. Make sure the camera is in VTR mode… or the deck is in DV (DV, iLink, or FW) input.
13. On a Sony camcorder or deck, make sure the menu setting “A/V > DV Out” is set to OFF.
14. Re-check that your FW cable is well-connected at both ends (or try a new cable).
15. Important: Quit FCP, then Restart FCP.
16. Now again, make sure you have View > External Video > ALL FRAMES set…

If it still does not work. “Trash” the FCP Preferences on the Mac
“FCP Rescue” is a free Apple Script that will Trash the Preferences.
It will also restore your user settings afterwards.
Download:
https://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/14729

If you have “lost” your entire FW connection between the Mac and the device, go HERE:
https://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=301852

>Then, start again at my “step 1” above.

[Rob Forsythe]

If you re-position graphics or any video image in FCP, make SURE the VERTICAL setting for each KEY-FRAME (start, stop or hold) is always a EVEN INTEGER (Even Whole Number). Examples: 4, not 3 / -144, not -143.27 / 336, not 335.62 / 12 not 11.

The positioning settings/info (as well as many other settings) are found under the “Motion” tab in the Viewer.
Vertical position is the number in the RIGHT window in the area called “Center” (the horizontal position is displayed in the LEFT window).

I sometimes forget to check this and I can end up with images that look fuzzy when in-position.

This info applies to re-positioning anything on the Timeline: moving video, freeze-frames, internally-generated titles, and imported graphics.

It can be quite detrimental to the quality of your final output to not double-check this every time you reposition and/or re-size an image.

[Rob Forsythe]

[Bret Williams] “Should sync fairly well with the CD playback. Especially with a music video where you only sync on for a second or two. Unless you’re trying to match up cameras and do a live switch. Then probably not since every cd player could be a little different and expect some drift.”

Nope. CD players are generally “dead-on”.

The “every player is different” went out the window with analog.

All CD players (unless they specifically have a “pitch control” (few do) play while locked to an internal digital “clock” thats timing is amazingly accurate.

[Rob Forsythe]

CD audio should sync perfectly.

Sample rates do not matter.

Both formats are locked to TIME and not the sample rate.

Import the CD and convert it to 48 kHz in iTunes or QT Pro.

(This will not affect the time or length of the CD track however.

BTW, CD audio is 44.1 kHz.

I have synced to camera-mic’ed audio from a CD source for over 30 minutes at a run.

Imported the CD audio and captured the videotape… sync’ed it once and dead-on for the whole length.

[Rob Forsythe]

This list contains virtually everything to try to enable:
a. External Monitor VIDEO and AUDIO via FireWire & DV deck or camcorder.
b. Viewing in the Canvas window on the computer screen.
c. Being able to record on the external FW DV deck or camcorder.
d. Being able to capture from a FW device.

In your case, substitute “Sony iLink Media Converter” for “deck” or “camcorder” when they are mentioned in the list.

If working this list doesn’t cure the problem… you may have a serious PROBLEM!

Try things in this order until you find the “cure”:

1. Make sure you have only ONE (1) FireWire deck, camcorder, DV capture “card”, or D-to-A converter or video device attached to the computer at a time. Any more than one DV device can cause loss of signal and control.
2. Make sure you have View (Menu) > External Video> All Frames set.
(If the ALL FRAMES option is grayed-out… jump to step 6 below and continue.)
3. Make SURE your Canvas window (right window) in FCP is set to “Fit to Window”… AND that it has not been “pushed off” the edge of the computer screen or “pushed into” other windows.
4. Make sure your CANVAS View Menu (Box Icon with broken sides) is checked on Image or Image+Wireframe… NOT just Wireframe.
5. Make sure your CANVAS View Menu is checked on RGB… NOT just Alpha.
6. Make sure your Final Cut Pro (menu) > Easy Setup… is set for DV-NTSC (or DV-PAL, if that’s where you are).
7. Some camcorders/decks work better under “FW (NTSC/PAL)” -or- “FW (NTSC/PAL) Basic” control (in the capture settings). Try either setting to see which works best for your device.
8. Make sure your Final Cut Pro (menu) > Audio/Video Settings > A/V Devices (tab) > Mirror on Desktop > must be CHECKED. (If not, playing video will not appear in the Canvas.)
9. Make sure the “Log and Capture” Window is CLOSED and not just “hidden” behind other windows.
10. Make sure you have chosen FW output for A/V:
Final Cut Pro (menu) > Audio/Video Settings… >
Video Playback: Apple FireWire NTSC (720 x480)
Audio Playback: FireWire DV
11. Turn off the power to the Camera/Deck/Converter Box, then turn it back ON.
12. Make sure the camera is in VTR mode… or the deck is in DV (DV, iLink, or FW) input.
13. On a Sony camcorder or deck, make sure the menu setting “A/V > DV Out” is set to OFF.
14. Re-check that your FW cable is well-connected at both ends (or try a new cable).
15. Important: Quit FCP, then Restart FCP.
16. Now again, make sure you have View > External Video > ALL FRAMES set…

If it still does not work. “Trash” the FCP Preferences on the Mac
“FCP Rescue” is a free Apple Script that will Trash the Preferences.
It will also restore your user settings afterwards.
Download:
https://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/14729

If you have “lost” your entire FW connection between the Mac and the device, go HERE:
https://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=301852

>Then, start again at my “step 1” above.

[Rob Forsythe]

This list contains virtually everything to try to enable:
a. External Monitor VIDEO and AUDIO via FireWire & DV deck or camcorder.
b. Viewing in the Canvas window on the computer screen.
c. Being able to record on the external FW DV deck or camcorder.
d. Being able to capture from a FW device.

If working this list doesn’t cure the problem… you may have a serious PROBLEM!

Try things in this order until you find the “cure”:

1. Make sure you have only ONE (1) FireWire deck, camcorder, DV capture “card”, or D-to-A converter or video device attached to the computer at a time. Any more than one DV device can cause loss of signal and control.
2. Make sure you have View (Menu) > External Video> All Frames set.
(If the ALL FRAMES option is grayed-out… jump to step 6 below and continue.)
3. Make SURE your Canvas window (right window) in FCP is set to “Fit to Window”… AND that it has not been “pushed off” the edge of the computer screen.
4. Make sure your CANVAS View Menu (Box Icon with broken sides) is checked on Image or Image+Wireframe… NOT just Wireframe.
5. Make sure your CANVAS View Menu is checked on RGB… NOT just Alpha.
6. Make sure your Final Cut Pro (menu) > Easy Setup… is set for DV-NTSC (or DV-PAL, if that’s where you are).
7. Some camcorders/decks work better under “FW (NTSC/PAL)” -or- “FW (NTSC/PAL) Basic” control (in the capture settings). Try either setting to see which works best for your device.
8. Make sure your Final Cut Pro (menu) > Audio/Video Settings > A/V Devices (tab) > Mirror on Desktop > must be CHECKED. (If not, playing video will not appear in the Canvas.)
9. Make sure the “Log and Capture” Window is CLOSED and not just “hidden” behind other windows.
10. Make sure you have chosen FW output for A/V:
Final Cut Pro (menu) > Audio/Video Settings… >
Video Playback: Apple FireWire NTSC (720 x480)
Audio Playback: FireWire DV
11. Turn off the power to the Camera/Deck/Converter Box, then turn it back ON.
12. Make sure the camera is in VTR mode… or the deck is in DV (DV, iLink, or FW) input.
13. On a Sony camcorder or deck, make sure the menu setting “A/V > DV Out” is set to OFF.
14. Re-check that your FW cable is well-connected at both ends (or try a new cable).
15. Important: Quit FCP, then Restart FCP.
16. Now again, make sure you have View > External Video > ALL FRAMES set…

If it still does not work. “Trash” the FCP Preferences on the Mac
https://www.kenstone.net/fcp_homepage/trashing_fcp_prefs.html

“FCP Rescue” is a free Apple Script that will Trash the Preferences.
It will also restore your user settings afterwards.
Download:
https://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/14729

>Then, start again at my “step 1” above.

[Rob Forsythe]

Glad to help.

We’ve all been lost in the digital fog at one time or another.

That list has grown from a lot of problem-solving found here on the COW.

[Rob Forsythe]

This list contains virtually everything to try to enable:
a. External Monitor VIDEO and AUDIO via FireWire & DV deck or camcorder.
b. Viewing in the Canvas window on the computer screen.
c. Being able to record on the external FW DV deck or camcorder.
d. Being able to capture from a FW device.

If working this list doesn’t cure the problem… you may have a serious PROBLEM!

Try things in this order until you find the “cure”:

1. Make sure you have only ONE (1) FireWire deck, camcorder, DV capture “card”, or D-to-A converter or video device attached to the computer at a time. Any more than one DV device can cause loss of signal and control.
2. Make sure you have View (Menu) > External Video> All Frames set.
(If the ALL FRAMES option is grayed-out… jump to step 6 below and continue.)
3. Make SURE your Canvas window (right window) in FCP is set to “Fit to Window”… AND that it has not been “pushed off” the edge of the computer screen or “pushed into” other windows.
4. Make sure your CANVAS View Menu (Box Icon with broken sides) is checked on Image or Image+Wireframe… NOT just Wireframe.
5. Make sure your CANVAS View Menu is checked on RGB… NOT just Alpha.
6. Make sure your Final Cut Pro (menu) > Easy Setup… is set for DV-NTSC (or DV-PAL, if that’s where you are).
7. Some camcorders/decks work better under “FW (NTSC/PAL)” -or- “FW (NTSC/PAL) Basic” control (in the capture settings). Try either setting to see which works best for your device.
8. Make sure your Final Cut Pro (menu) > Audio/Video Settings > A/V Devices (tab) > Mirror on Desktop > must be CHECKED. (If not, playing video will not appear in the Canvas.)
9. Make sure the “Log and Capture” Window is CLOSED and not just “hidden” behind other windows.
10. Make sure you have chosen FW output for A/V:
Final Cut Pro (menu) > Audio/Video Settings… >
Video Playback: Apple FireWire NTSC (720 x480)
Audio Playback: FireWire DV
11. Turn off the power to the Camera/Deck/Converter Box, then turn it back ON.
12. Make sure the camera is in VTR mode… or the deck is in DV (DV, iLink, or FW) input.
13. On a Sony camcorder or deck, make sure the menu setting “A/V > DV Out” is set to OFF.
14. Re-check that your FW cable is well-connected at both ends (or try a new cable).
15. Important: Quit FCP, then Restart FCP.
16. Now again, make sure you have View > External Video > ALL FRAMES set…

If it still does not work. “Trash” the FCP Preferences on the Mac
“FCP Rescue” is a free Apple Script that will Trash the Preferences.
It will also restore your user settings afterwards.
Download:
https://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/14729

If you have “lost” your entire FW connection between the Mac and the device, go HERE:
https://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=301852

>Then, start again at my “step 1” above.

[Rob Forsythe]

This list contains virtually everything to try to enable:
a. External Monitor VIDEO and AUDIO via FireWire & DV deck or camcorder.
b. Viewing in the Canvas window on the computer screen.
c. Being able to record on the external FW DV deck or camcorder.
d. Being able to capture from a FW device.

If working this list doesn’t cure the problem… you may have a serious PROBLEM!

Try things in this order until you find the “cure”:

1. Make sure you have only ONE (1) FireWire deck, camcorder, DV capture “card”, or D-to-A converter or video device attached to the computer at a time. Any more than one DV device can cause loss of signal and control.
2. Make sure you have View (Menu) > External Video> All Frames set.
(If the ALL FRAMES option is grayed-out… jump to step 6 below and continue.)
3. Make SURE your Canvas window (right window) in FCP is set to “Fit to Window”… AND that it has not been “pushed off” the edge of the computer screen or “pushed into” other windows.
4. Make sure your CANVAS View Menu (Box Icon with broken sides) is checked on Image or Image+Wireframe… NOT just Wireframe.
5. Make sure your CANVAS View Menu is checked on RGB… NOT just Alpha.
6. Make sure your Final Cut Pro (menu) > Easy Setup… is set for DV-NTSC (or DV-PAL, if that’s where you are).
7. Some camcorders/decks work better under “FW (NTSC/PAL)” -or- “FW (NTSC/PAL) Basic” control (in the capture settings). Try either setting to see which works best for your device.
8. Make sure your Final Cut Pro (menu) > Audio/Video Settings > A/V Devices (tab) > Mirror on Desktop > must be CHECKED. (If not, playing video will not appear in the Canvas.)
9. Make sure the “Log and Capture” Window is CLOSED and not just “hidden” behind other windows.
10. Make sure you have chosen FW output for A/V:
Final Cut Pro (menu) > Audio/Video Settings… >
Video Playback: Apple FireWire NTSC (720 x480)
Audio Playback: FireWire DV
11. Turn off the power to the Camera/Deck/Converter Box, then turn it back ON.
12. Make sure the camera is in VTR mode… or the deck is in DV (DV, iLink, or FW) input.
13. On a Sony camcorder or deck, make sure the menu setting “A/V > DV Out” is set to OFF.
14. Re-check that your FW cable is well-connected at both ends (or try a new cable).
15. Important: Quit FCP, then Restart FCP.
16. Now again, make sure you have View > External Video > ALL FRAMES set…

If it still does not work. “Trash” the FCP Preferences on the Mac
“FCP Rescue” is a free Apple Script that will Trash the Preferences.
It will also restore your user settings afterwards.
Download:
https://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/14729

If you have “lost” your entire FW connection between the Mac and the device, go HERE:
https://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=301852

>Then, start again at my “step 1” above.

[Rob Forsythe]

Phone-audio is mostly “mid-range” frequencies and you’ll want to accentuate those.

Try this and adjust my numbers until you like the results:

3-Band EQ (Audio Filter in FCP)

Low: 500 Hz, -10 db
Mid: 2500 Hz +8 db
Hi: 5000 Hz -3 db

You should watch the volume levels with this much mid EQ, but it should sound “appropriately telephone-bad.”

Another Method is to use the High Pass Filter in FCP.

High Pass Filter>
Frequency: (somewhere between) 1000 Hz and 2500 Hz
Q: (somewhere between) 2 and 5