Will Salley
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On related note – My Multibridge Pro runs hot but still works fine. The problem is the noise created by the cooling fan – It’s considerably louder than the other gear – VTR’s, workstations,etc. Is this normal?
Is the fan controlled by a processoror is it always on high? I’ve considered putting it in a rack to help reduce fan noise, but I don’t want to restrict the airflow around it since it already runs hot. Since the vents are on the edges of the unit, will this be a problem?
Primary System Info
Mac Pro 2×3.2 Quadcore – 10.5.3 – QT 7.4.5 – 6MBram – nvidia8800GT – SATA internal & external storage – Blackmagic Multibridge Pro (v6.7)- Open GL 1.5.6 – Wacom Intous2 tablet -
Line level is my choice. It’s less likely to induce hum, RF noise, and although, negligible, it saves battery on the camera. Although the 422 has easily accessible switches, some popular mixers like the SD302 default to line level out and can only be changed through software setup.
Others may have a completely different opinion on the matter, however.
Primary System Info
Mac Pro 2×3.2 Quadcore – 10.5.3 – QT 7.4.5 – 6MBram – nvidia8800GT – SATA internal & external storage – Blackmagic Multibridge Pro (v6.7)- Open GL 1.5.6 – Wacom Intous2 tablet -
I’m in between projects so I took the gamble. I too cloned the Mac HD before just in case. No problems at all so far but some of the issues with Livetype and Open GL are still there.
Primary System Info
Mac Pro 2×3.2 Quadcore – 10.5.3 – QT 7.4.5 – 6MBram – nvidia8800GT – SATA internal & external storage – Blackmagic Multibridge Pro (v6.7)- Open GL 1.5.6 – Wacom Intous2 tablet -
FCS doesn’t install that font. It must have been installed manually or by another application. If you need it – and your old Mac hard drive is available, go to user>library>fonts or system folder>library>fonts and copy it to your new Mac. If it’s a Post Script font, you’ll need to copy several files, but they should all be listed together.
Primary System Info
Mac Pro 2×3.2 Quadcore – 10.5.3 – QT 7.4.5 – 6MBram – nvidia8800GT – SATA internal & external storage – Blackmagic Multibridge Pro (v6.7)- Open GL 1.5.6 – Wacom Intous2 tablet -
Asmund,
Yes, having a sound log is helpful, especially when you have hundreds of hours of synced footage to work through. I still provide a sound log on every film job and any double-system job. My point is that with the dominance of NLE and it’s workflow, more producers are saying “forget the tape label, let’s get on to the next shot”- of course, knowing the time saved here will be time spent there. And so, another change in our business is that more production companies are editing on their own gear, which means they can take the extra time in the edit, rather than time on location – where they are paying a lot more for the crew.Another part of my post also discussed the other possible reasons for the trend away from tape labeling. The obvious one is the move towards solid-state acquisition. It’s pretty hard to label a data file. Maybe a better practice would be a verbal slate at the beginning of each scene. I’ve actually been doing this for years. In the days of the Nagra, after tone, a verbal note on everything including mics, tape speed, bias, pilot tone, machine model, and of course, the sound roll, film roll, and scene number.
And so to get back to Ty’s original comment on should it always be lav & boom, my opinion; A well-placed, high-quality boom will always give a more natural and pleasing track than a lav. Yes, a lav is often less noisy because of its proximity, but it often has a sterile, throaty sound when an overhead boom will not. The ideal arrangement is both a boom (and operator) along with a well-placed (visually hidden but acoustically open) lav mic going to isolated tracks for each person speaking on camera. And don’t forget the value of a plant mic in situations where the talent may be stationary and otherwise impossible to boom and lav. Automotive interiors and swimmers are good examples.
More often than not though, a compromise will be necessary and you will have to pick a single technique. Knowing which one to use is something that takes experience and knowledge, but isn’t some closely-guarded trade secret (well, some sound guys think it is). Just think the through the blocking and action of the scene and listen to the room or space with no one else around. Think about the affect of clothing, wall surfaces, external factors like planes and trains, lighting and how a boom might produce shadows, or how a lav might not fit inside a skimpy outfit. And also, very important, think about the scene that will come before and the one that will follow, and try to match the feel of the dialog of those adjacent scenes. Just because you used a lav or particular cardioid on one scene doesn’t mean you have to use the same thing on the next, it just needs to sound consistent.
Sorry for all the rambling…
Primary System Info
Mac Pro 2×3.2 Quadcore – 10.5.3 – QT 7.4.5 – 6MBram – nvidia8800GT – SATA internal & external storage – Blackmagic Multibridge Pro (v6.7)- Open GL 1.5.6 – Wacom Intous2 tablet -
[marc brak] “So my question is: how color accurate is my monitor solution? “
There should be no problems with your hardware & connections, the accuracy (or as close as NTSC can get to accurate) depends on the calibration of your monitor. Does the JVC have a blue only mode? does it have an underscan mode? If not, it will much harder to calibrate – but not impossible.
Refer to this page for your set up:
https://www.mediacollege.com/video/test-patterns/colour-bars-smpte.html
As long as you feed those color bars form the same source (i.e: FCP), you’ll have a fairly accurate reference for the chroma, especially if the monitor is made for production. Most all consumer monitors have enhancement circuitry that is supposed to make the image more “vivid”, but can make it impossible to get an accurate idea of what is going to master.
Primary System Info
Mac Pro 2×3.2 Quadcore – 10.5.3 – QT 7.4.5 – 6MBram – nvidia8800GT – SATA internal & external storage – Blackmagic Multibridge Pro (v6.7)- Open GL 1.5.6 – Wacom Intous2 tablet -
You are correct; mono is the way to record dialog.
BTW, If you’re not familiar with the “audio” side of the camera, you should probably check out Ty’s Audio Bootcamp book before you begin shooting. Knowing those basics will help keep your project from becoming a nightmare.
https://home.comcast.net/~tyreeford/AudioBootcamp.html
Primary System Info
Mac Pro 2×3.2 Quadcore – 6MBram – nvidia8800GT – SATA internal & external storage – Blackmagic Multibridge Pro -
[Peter Perry] “People aren’t stupid, they know that you have to use a mic. And most of the time, hiding the lav means compromising the sound quality. I can’t understnd why you would accept often less than ideal sound for the sake of hiding a mic. It seems to me to be a totally unneccessary compromise. “
Revealing the mic in the shot would make it hard to support the ‘suspension of disbelief” expectation in dramatic works. In other work it is simply a preference of the director or producer and, in my experience, it is usually preferred to hide the mic only if it doesn’t compromise quality dramatically. There are many techniques available to achieve that with a hidden lav – most we’ve discussed in this forum, some remain the secrets of a few. As Ty mentioned, having the proper and best gear available for the situation is often part of those secrets.
Regarding labeling tapes – In years past, it was a common practice to label field tapes with mix information but not so much anymore. Here are a few of my guesses as to why:
– With the advent of NLE editing, most tracks are batched in and so the editor has all the tracks available for preview. Having mic information is ancillary since the best track should be decided upon based on an actual listen.
– Many “reality” shows and documentary styled shows have a spec sheet for sound that dictates the primary source on channel 1. In most cases, this will be a boom, but can just as easily be a lav.
– Most sound mixers I know, including myself, provide a sound log for all double-system shoots and most dramatic and/or commercial shoots. With most documentary, reality, or interview type shoots, there is often little time to be labeling a tape or completing a log.
– Try labeling a P2 card!Primary System Info
Mac Pro 2×3.2 Quadcore – 6MBram – nvidia8800GT – SATA internal & external storage – Blackmagic Multibridge Pro -
I would recommend a recorder with the built-in HD for redundancy, as well as space. When recording at the higher bit rates, a 4GB CF card can get filled quickly, especially for those of us who go to four tracks at 192 on the 744T. Even with two tracks at 48Khz, you’ll find the HD more useful.
On the time code issue – In situations that require it, TC can be sent from the 744 or 722 to the camera on an audio channel. The trick is to have a TC reader/display on the audio out of the NLE. Most studios don’t have this, but even the recorder connected with the editor’s audio track going to the TC input will work. It’s not perfect, but it does work. Then again, you can always use a clapper.
Primary System Info
Mac Pro 2×3.2 Quadcore – 6MBram – nvidia8800GT – SATA internal & external storage – Blackmagic Multibridge Pro -
I think the whole graphic file size / pixel dimension question is one I’ve seen over and over.
It could apply to the other NLE, Photoshop and After Effects forums as well. The usual questions are:Why is my image stretched (or squished)?
What are square pixels?It’s not specific to FCP, but it is certainly pertinent.
I also think a reminder to check the FCP manual (and the other FCS manuals as well) should be prominently displayed. A suggestion to read the manual from front to back could give a few rookies some fundamentals that are lacking. It’s very comprehensive and better than most textbooks on the subject.
Primary System Info
Mac Pro 2×3.2 Quadcore – 6MBram – nvidia8800GT – SATA internal & external storage – Blackmagic Multibridge Pro