[Thaxter Clavemarlton]

A “ground-loop” is a very common problem, but its not a “serious” problem.

If you can get an in-line video “hum-bucker” to work, that’s all it takes… it won’t “mask” the problem, it will simply eliminate the conditions that CAUSE it.

If you are SURE that this is the only problem… you’re in good shape.

[Thaxter Clavemarlton]

I’ve used up to 80 feet (approx. 20 meters), but its not recommended.

I doubt that the 3-meter LENGTH of your FW is the problem.

It COULD be a “bad” FW cable or connector.

You say “video disk”… do you mean a separate disk from your where your Mac “system” and FCP Application are running?

[Thaxter Clavemarlton]

What disk are you capturing to?

[Thaxter Clavemarlton]

“Title 3D” and “Title Crawl” (both from Boris) are included with FCP on the FCP install discs.

They should be in your choices of Title generators in FCP.

If not, you can install them from your original FCP install disc(s).

[Thaxter Clavemarlton]

Did you “lift” the grounding pin on the power plug?

Do you have a “hum-bucker” you can feed the input device through before it connects to the monitor?

Is the monitor ITSELF bolted to a metal strip or rack that might be GROUNDED?
(That could cause a ground-loop from the playback device / router to the monitor.

Last resort:
Take the monitor off the wall, sit it on carpet (no grounding anywhere).
Connect its power cord to the same outlet as a standalone deck, which is feeding the monitor directly.

If that still gives you a hum-bar (or whatever it is) it would look to be the Monitor’s problem.

What does it look like “off-air” via its own tuner?

[Thaxter Clavemarlton]

If you’re careful about LEVELS, you can just record the animations/graphics to tape (or on-air playback system) and KEY them in the video switcher via LUMINANCE KEY.

This will work as long as all of the video you want to key is above a certain black-level.
(i.e. make sure your graphics sitting are over “zero black” as a background.)

[Thaxter Clavemarlton]

Sorry, no.

That’s why you must take special care in recording the audio correctly at the location.

An “on-camera mic” is seldom the proper choice for recording dialogue.

You must get a good microphone, on a boom (or use a lavalier mic) as close to the subject’s mouth as possible.

A reverberant room can be deadened a bit with sound-absorbing blankets.

And always (always) wear a good set of over-the-ear headphones, thoughout the shoot, to monitor the quality of any audio that you will be using in a production.

[Thaxter Clavemarlton]

“Apple +” Zoom in
“Apple -” Zoom out

Or slide the magnification slider at the bottom of the timeline window.

(Make sure you do not have any clip “selected” before you zoom.)

[Thaxter Clavemarlton]

Try hitting “Shift-S”.

If that doesn’t do it, re-start FCP (and/or the Mac).
If that doesn’t do it, trash your FCP Preferences.

[Thaxter Clavemarlton]

Sony UVW-1800 will PLAY BetaCam tapes (but not very well).

The 1800 will NOT RECORD on them (the record will “lock-out”).

It is one of the few decks Sony made(s) that was not “backward compatible” with non-SP tapes.

I don’t think you’ll find much use for the non-SP tapes.