NLE Mac / Final Cut questions from 2003

Alex Knappenberger · August 1st, 2003, 10:23 PM

There's a lot of filters that one might think are "useless" included with virtually every peice of software. Look at photoshop, there's stuff included there that when I first started using photoshop a long time ago, I thought were useless and stupid, but overtime I realized I can make use of some of that stuff.

I've never used FCP before, so I don't get exactly what this time stretch filter does, is it just for speeding up and slowing down video? Whatever it does, it doesn't matter since it can be useful sometime, but you don't realize it. EDIT, oh never mind, John cleared it up, thats basically just like the volicity levels in Vegas. I've used that "technique" before, and if you use it correctly, it works nicely.

Aaron Rosen · August 3rd, 2003, 12:26 PM

Somewhat off topic -

Anyone know when the new Powerbooks will be out and updated?

Mine died last nigth and I am trying to decide if I should wait or get one now.

Any ideas would be great.

- AR

Jeff Donald · August 3rd, 2003, 06:23 PM

I posted on this several weeks ago for Charles and others, nothing has changed as far as new announcements etc. It's still a waiting game. I suspect new 15 inch models before the holidays. Other than that, it'll be MacWorld in January for new 12 and 17 inch models.

Aaron Rosen · August 3rd, 2003, 06:44 PM

Thanks.

It will be ashame to get a new 17"

Rick Tugman · August 4th, 2003, 08:36 AM

It's all very hush hush.... I even have a friend at Apple - but no word as they are very tight lipped about it. I also think while supplies of the TiBook are still around it will most likely be around the holidays for sure. I know a new 12 inch PB is in the works and will possibly be revised to a smaller form factor 1" thick.

Anyway ... we are all waiting and I'm sure when Apple does it, it will be done right. Remember there are new chips in the wings possibly a faster G4 or even a G5 which would be my preference if IBM can deliver a low powered chip for PB and Apple can retool quickly.

Jeff Donald · August 4th, 2003, 10:55 AM

G5's in the future, but not a chance they'll be ready in time for the holidays. The new PowerBooks at MacWorld might be G5 but I still doubt it. I think the new iBooks will use the new G3 (Sirocco?).

Nicholi Brossia · August 4th, 2003, 01:16 PM

Hi, I'm running Final Cut Express on a G4. I have digitized some footage that I recorded. I don't understand why, but the actual digitized file has excellent audio, but only when played in Quicktime. As soon as I play, or try to edit that exact same file in FCX, the audio becomes very quiet (even though I can see the meter is fine) and noisy, and anything that was recorded at too high of volume (at first that's what I thought it might be) is just buzz, no voice. I'm hoping that there are some settings in FCX that I need to configure in order to work with the proper audio.
If anyone has any ideas, please let me know.

thanks
nicholi

Jason Wood · August 5th, 2003, 01:44 AM

Any idea on what I can get for a G3 minus the monitor?

I'm thinkin' around $300?

Thanks,
Jason

Jeff Donald · August 5th, 2003, 04:59 AM

Look on ebay and that will give you a range of prices.

Gary Chavez · August 5th, 2003, 06:34 AM

Can I bring a timeline back on line without having to re-digitize the entire raw edit list?

I'm taking about re-creating the timeline only from the source tape.

The way Im doing it now is to rebatch capture all of my shot selection and then the timeline re-digitizes itself. but I would like to find a more effecient way to do this.

Thanks

Jeff Price · August 5th, 2003, 10:02 AM

According to some on the Mac groups the 12" and 17" PBs are in short supply right now. This would seem to indicate at least a revision may be around the corner.

Ken Tanaka · August 5th, 2003, 11:05 AM

Gary,
If your source footage files are no longer on disk you will, indeed, have to re-capture them from tape. Once they are re-captured (under the same names you originally used in your bin and sequences) your sequences will automatically be restored.

Gary Chavez · August 5th, 2003, 12:04 PM

OK, thank you.

Nicholi Brossia · August 5th, 2003, 01:07 PM

Okay, its nicholi again. I've found something that seems to be a nice temporary, if not permenant, fix to this problem. I see that no one has posted a reply, but I'm sure someone else will bump into the problem eventually. Hopefully this will help.

1) After digitizing a clip that was recorded from the external mic, open the clip in FCE viewer window.

2) Click on Effects - Audio Filters - Expander/Noise Gate

3) This will give you some louder, much more usable audio. But it still sounds funny... sort of like when you have water in your ears.

4) With the clip still in the viewer window, click on the Filters tab. Under audio channel 1 is the expander filter. Set all of the filter levels (threshhold, ratio, attack, release) all the way to the left.

5) Play the clip in the viewer.

6) Jump for joy like I did.

This filter only shows up on channel 1, but for some reason it works on both channels. I tried repeating the process for channel 2, but that just screws it all up, so I'm not going to worry about it. I even used Print To Video to record onto tape through firewire back into my camcorder and it turned out excellent. I'm super pumped, and I hope this helps you out so you will be too.

nicholi

Dan Wiencek · August 5th, 2003, 02:50 PM

Bitheadz' Phrazer is a loop-based editor similar to Soundtrack that supposedly runs on G3s. I don't think it directly interfaces with your NLE though.

http://www.bitheadz.com/prod/Phrazer/main.htm

August 3rd, 2003, 12:26 PM	#797
Aaron Rosen Major Player Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: HB, CA - USA Posts: 298	New Powerbooks? Somewhat off topic - Anyone know when the new Powerbooks will be out and updated? Mine died last nigth and I am trying to decide if I should wait or get one now. Any ideas would be great. - AR

August 3rd, 2003, 06:23 PM	#798
Jeff Donald Warden Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Clearwater, FL Posts: 8,287	I posted on this several weeks ago for Charles and others, nothing has changed as far as new announcements etc. It's still a waiting game. I suspect new 15 inch models before the holidays. Other than that, it'll be MacWorld in January for new 12 and 17 inch models. __________________ Jeff Donald Carpe Diem Search DVinfo.net for quick answers \| Where to Buy? From the best in the business: DVinfo.net sponsors

August 4th, 2003, 08:36 AM	#800
Rick Tugman Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Parkland, Florida Posts: 105	It's all very hush hush.... I even have a friend at Apple - but no word as they are very tight lipped about it. I also think while supplies of the TiBook are still around it will most likely be around the holidays for sure. I know a new 12 inch PB is in the works and will possibly be revised to a smaller form factor 1" thick. Anyway ... we are all waiting and I'm sure when Apple does it, it will be done right. Remember there are new chips in the wings possibly a faster G4 or even a G5 which would be my preference if IBM can deliver a low powered chip for PB and Apple can retool quickly. __________________ Camera: Panasonic DV953 PC: Apple Aluminum G4 Powerbook - 15 inch Final Cut Pro 4 and other assorted goodies!

August 4th, 2003, 10:55 AM	#801
Jeff Donald Warden Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Clearwater, FL Posts: 8,287	G5's in the future, but not a chance they'll be ready in time for the holidays. The new PowerBooks at MacWorld might be G5 but I still doubt it. I think the new iBooks will use the new G3 (Sirocco?). __________________ Jeff Donald Carpe Diem Search DVinfo.net for quick answers \| Where to Buy? From the best in the business: DVinfo.net sponsors

August 4th, 2003, 01:16 PM	#802
Nicholi Brossia Major Player Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Oklahoma City, OK Posts: 389	final cut express audio level Hi, I'm running Final Cut Express on a G4. I have digitized some footage that I recorded. I don't understand why, but the actual digitized file has excellent audio, but only when played in Quicktime. As soon as I play, or try to edit that exact same file in FCX, the audio becomes very quiet (even though I can see the meter is fine) and noisy, and anything that was recorded at too high of volume (at first that's what I thought it might be) is just buzz, no voice. I'm hoping that there are some settings in FCX that I need to configure in order to work with the proper audio. If anyone has any ideas, please let me know. thanks nicholi

August 1st, 2003, 10:23 PM	#796
Alex Knappenberger High School Student Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Canton, Ohio, USA Posts: 609	There's a lot of filters that one might think are "useless" included with virtually every peice of software. Look at photoshop, there's stuff included there that when I first started using photoshop a long time ago, I thought were useless and stupid, but overtime I realized I can make use of some of that stuff. I've never used FCP before, so I don't get exactly what this time stretch filter does, is it just for speeding up and slowing down video? Whatever it does, it doesn't matter since it can be useful sometime, but you don't realize it. EDIT, oh never mind, John cleared it up, thats basically just like the volicity levels in Vegas. I've used that "technique" before, and if you use it correctly, it works nicely.

August 3rd, 2003, 06:44 PM	#799
Aaron Rosen Major Player Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: HB, CA - USA Posts: 298	Thanks. It will be ashame to get a new 17"

August 5th, 2003, 01:44 AM	#803
Jason Wood Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 87	Puttin' my old G3 in the classifieds...What does one $go$ for nowadays? Any idea on what I can get for a G3 minus the monitor? I'm thinkin' around $300? Thanks, Jason

August 5th, 2003, 04:59 AM	#804
Jeff Donald Warden Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Clearwater, FL Posts: 8,287	Look on ebay and that will give you a range of prices. __________________ Jeff Donald Carpe Diem Search DVinfo.net for quick answers \| Where to Buy? From the best in the business: DVinfo.net sponsors

August 5th, 2003, 06:34 AM	#805
Gary Chavez Major Player Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: San Antonio Posts: 355	timeline question Can I bring a timeline back on line without having to re-digitize the entire raw edit list? I'm taking about re-creating the timeline only from the source tape. The way Im doing it now is to rebatch capture all of my shot selection and then the timeline re-digitizes itself. but I would like to find a more effecient way to do this. Thanks

August 5th, 2003, 10:02 AM	#806
Jeff Price Major Player Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Chico, California Posts: 357	According to some on the Mac groups the 12" and 17" PBs are in short supply right now. This would seem to indicate at least a revision may be around the corner. __________________ Jeff Price Flickerflix Nature Videos flickerflix@yahoo.com

August 5th, 2003, 11:05 AM	#807
Ken Tanaka Retired DV Info Net Almunus Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 6,943	Gary, If your source footage files are no longer on disk you will, indeed, have to re-capture them from tape. Once they are re-captured (under the same names you originally used in your bin and sequences) your sequences will automatically be restored. __________________ Lady X Films: A lady with a boring wardrobe...and a global mission. Hey, you don't have enough stuff! Buy with confidence from our sponsors. Hand-picked as the best in the business...Really! See some of my work one frame at a time: www.KenTanaka.com

August 5th, 2003, 12:04 PM	#808
Gary Chavez Major Player Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: San Antonio Posts: 355	OK, thank you.

August 5th, 2003, 01:07 PM	#809
Nicholi Brossia Major Player Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Oklahoma City, OK Posts: 389	Okay, its nicholi again. I've found something that seems to be a nice temporary, if not permenant, fix to this problem. I see that no one has posted a reply, but I'm sure someone else will bump into the problem eventually. Hopefully this will help. 1) After digitizing a clip that was recorded from the external mic, open the clip in FCE viewer window. 2) Click on Effects - Audio Filters - Expander/Noise Gate 3) This will give you some louder, much more usable audio. But it still sounds funny... sort of like when you have water in your ears. 4) With the clip still in the viewer window, click on the Filters tab. Under audio channel 1 is the expander filter. Set all of the filter levels (threshhold, ratio, attack, release) all the way to the left. 5) Play the clip in the viewer. 6) Jump for joy like I did. This filter only shows up on channel 1, but for some reason it works on both channels. I tried repeating the process for channel 2, but that just screws it all up, so I'm not going to worry about it. I even used Print To Video to record onto tape through firewire back into my camcorder and it turned out excellent. I'm super pumped, and I hope this helps you out so you will be too. nicholi

August 5th, 2003, 02:50 PM	#810
Dan Wiencek New Boot Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Chicago, IL, USA Posts: 12	Bitheadz' Phrazer is a loop-based editor similar to Soundtrack that supposedly runs on G3s. I don't think it directly interfaces with your NLE though. http://www.bitheadz.com/prod/Phrazer/main.htm