Outputing to VHS Using FCP 3??

[Erik Selakoff]

I have a Dual 1.25Ghz G4 w/2GB of Ram and I was hoping someone could tell me how to output my work to VHS. I have a cheap VCR but can't figure out how to get FCP to output to anything except my Superdrive.
Thanks to all.
Erik

[Chris Hurd]

The best way I can think of is to output via FireWire back to your DV camcorder, and use its analog output jacks to go to your VCR.

[Boyd Ostroff]

Other alternatives would be a PCI video card that has s-video/NTSC outputs, like the Radeon 7000. You can also get firewire boxes with video in/out like those made by Canopus or Dazzle.

[Erik Selakoff]

Thank you Boyd I'm gonna look into that. But do you happen to know if what Chris mentioned is possible? can I use my PD150 as a throughport to my VCR? I have it set up currently so that I can output from FCP 3 to my PD150 but I get nothing when I hit record on my VCR(it's hooked to my PD150 via composite cables.
Thanks again everyone

[Alex Taylor]

Here's what your setup should look like:

COMPUTER: Firewire port -----> PD150 DV port
PD150 A/V out ----> VCR A/V in

First make sure that if you play something on the PD150, it shows up on the VCR. Now, start FCP3 with the camera plugged in and turned on to VTR. Now when you play your timeline, it should play on the PD150 and in turn, the VCR.

This method is definitely the best way to do it, most people who output to VHS use it. The only problem with cards that have a TV-out (i.e you plug A/V cords right into your computer and into your tv/vcr) is that they will output the whole screen, so to properly output a video you have to play it back on your computer in fullscreen. This can cause problems like frame skipping. But firewire boxes like the Dazzle DV-Bridge are amazing little things that are definitely worth the money!

[Chris Hurd]

By the way, Alex... that's an awesome website you have there. Sorry for the off-topic comment,

[Erik Selakoff]

Hey Alex, that is how I have everything set up, I think, but it still isn't working. The VCR is not recording any image or sound. I ran the composite cables from my PD150 directly to my TV screen (without the VCR) and pressed play on FCP 3.0 and the image on the TV screen is seriously distorted on the YV screen but fine in the LCD viewfinder on the PD150. Any ideas?

[Boyd Ostroff]

<<<-- Originally posted by Alex Taylor : The only problem with cards that have a TV-out (i.e you plug A/V cords right into your computer and into your tv/vcr) is that they will output the whole screen, so to properly output a video you have to play it back on your computer in fullscreen.

I don't think I agree with that. Using the Radeon 7000 you can hook up two monitors, each with their own desktop and individual resolution. So you can have one VGA (or DVI) screen PLUS an NTSC monitor hooked up with either an s-video cable or RCA plug. I plug the s-video directly into an S-VHS VCR, then plug my TV monitor into the VCR via s-video. I set the resolution to 720x480 and in FCP it appears as a choice under the "external video" menu. So you can just choose it as your external video instead of firewire. That way the Canvas will play back on your TV monitor/VCR but will not affect the image on your other computer (VGA) screens.

This is my preferred setup if I want to make VHS tapes. Radeon has a control panel called "Mac2TV" that gives you a lot more control of the image than you would get using a camcorder connection via firewire. I find I can tweak the tint, saturation, brightness, contrast, etc and get a much nicer VHS image. And also I can adjust the image size to show the full frame on the TV monitor if desired, or set it for 16:9. The video card only costs a bit over $100.

Now the caveat is that I am running MacOS 9.2. Recently I've read about someone else who is having problems with this under Jaguar. Can't remember if the discussion was here or possibly on Apple's FCP discussion board. One more reason why I'm gonna wait a little longer to upgrade to OS X ;-)

Regarding full screen playback, I sometimes do that also using Quicktime Pro. Play your video directly from Quicktime and choose "full screen". The dialog box will show a little picture of all the screens connected to your computer. Click on the 720x480 screen associated with the TV/VCR. Go into "movie properties" in Quicktime, select the video track and enable "high quality" mode and then you get really nice output. I think this probably looks better than playback from FCP actually. I often use this method to make VHS tapes too.

[Boyd Ostroff]

If the PD-150 video out isn't working, can you see the picture on its built-in LCD screen? That would mean it's getting a signal. I think another possibility is that you may have enabled "A/V -> DV OUT". That's the setting you would use to digitize input with the PD-150.

I have a VX-2000 and don't know if the menus are the same, but on my camera while it's in playback mode I hit the menu button and pick the first group of choices "VCR SET". Scroll down to "A/V -> DV OUT" and make sure it's set to OFF. If it's on then I think you would have this problem because the camera is looking for a video INPUT on the RCA plug.

[Erik Selakoff]

DV Out is set to off and I do get a picture in the LCD screen on the PD150 but when I connec composite (RCA) cables from my PD150 to my TV the image is horribly distorted on the TV screen but not in the LCD.
ARGGHH

[Erik Selakoff]

I need to be able to capture from & print to an analog source (VHS) using FCP 3.0 I have a G4 Dual 1.25 GHZ w/2GB RAM. My question is; will the JVC SRVS30U MiniDV/S-VHS Dual Dubbing Recorder allow me to do that if I connect it to my Mac via a firewire cable?
I appreciate all the help anyone can offer. I desperately need to get this done.
Thanks,
Erik

[Ken Tanaka]

Hello Erik,

I'm sorry to say that I really cannot offer you advice beyond what others have already provided. I do not have a PD-150 and cannot tell you what the specific procedure for its use as a digital-analog pass-through might be.

Reading through your posts I was unclear as to whether you are trying to perform a 2-step process (capture from your PD-150 to FCP and then output to VHS) -or- print to VHS directly from your PD-150.

If the latter, on my GL2 or XL1s I could simply connect the (RCA) video and audio-out out cables to my VHS deck, set the deck's input source to Line 1 and then set the deck to record.

If you are trying to print edited material to your VHS deck from FCP, as in the 2-step process above, you will need a way to pass the video out from Firewire to analog RCA on most decks. I gather that you may have been trying to do this with your PD-150. For that, I would use a Dazzle Hollywood DV Bridge (as noted in THIS thread. It's relatively inexpensive and a potentially simpler solution than using the camera. (You'll also find some good monitor recommendations in that thread.)

Getting a VHS deck equipped with Firewire would simplify the process by eliminating your need to facilitate the digital-analog conversion externally. But it might be aan extreme measure if this is only an occasional requirement.

Sorry I could not be more help, Erik. Good luck.

[Don Berube]

Hi Erik,

Yes, you should have no problem really. A good friend of mine has that deck and he is a high-end FCP user/ instructor.

If you are experiencing any problems, please do let us know, would love to help.

- don

[Chris Hurd]

Hi Erik,

<< when I connec composite (RCA) cables from my PD150 to my TV the image is horribly distorted on the TV screen but not in the LCD. >>

Isolating the trouble and identifying it are the first steps to fixing the problem. Try recording to a DV tape in the PD150. Then play that tape back, to your TV via the analog outputs of the PD150. Also try swapping the connection between your PD150 and TV with a different set of cables.

[Don Berube]

Hi Erik,

Sorry if this seems redundant or a dumb question, but many times people forget to do the following:

In FCP, did you make sure that you set the VIEW->EXTERNAL VIDEO menu to ALL FRAMES?

Please let us know, I am in the midst of an edit but will check my email,,,

- don