• An Overview
• ALE Import
• Animating stills
• Audio
• Backup
• Batch Capture
• Capture  
• CG  
• Clips
• Codec
• Color Bars, etc.
• Color Correction
• Compatibility list
• Condense
• Consolidate
• Containers
• Copy
• Controller 422

• Demo
• Drives
• Digitizing
• DV Decks
• DVD Calculator
• DVD Creation
• DVD Burners
• DVD Tips
• Editing
Edition
• Compare
• LE 5 Features
• LE 6 Features
• LE6 Requirements
• Edition Reviews
• Effects
• Effects & 3rd party
• Emulation

• Export
• Fields
• Fuse 
• Forums
• Gaps
• Graphics Cards
• Hollywood FX
• Import
• Import sequence
• Installation
• InTime  
Keyboard
• Toolbars
• Shortcuts
• Keying
• Keyframes  
• Logging
• Mark In / Out

• Media Management
• Monitor
• Move
• Networking
• PIP Effect
• Plug-Ins
• PPE Enhancer
• Project
• Rendering
• Sequence
• Stills
• Striping tape
• Scrubbing
• Symbols
• Sync
• Systems
• Templates  
• Timecode  

• Timeline
• Time Warp  
• Titles  
• Training
• Transitions  
• Trim Editor 
• Versions
• VGA dual 5 Pro
• Volume
• Volume Global
• Wallpaper  
• Workflow tips
• WMV Tips
• XSend XReceive

Support the Troops Website

Making the transition from Premier to Edition DV or LiquidStudio

Flash Demo Tour of Edition

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Premier to Edition Detox

The overview of the PDF says,
=============
This document is intended to complement the material that is supplied with Edition, and has been designed specifically to assist Adobe Premiere users transfer their skills to Edition as painlessly as possible.

The Premiere Detox covers the following areas:

• Input - capturing and digitizing footage
• Editing - working with the timeline
• Output - putting a finished story to tape, or as a digital file
• Data Management - organizing both your project and your media

Please note that while both interfaces can be customized, this guide will be based on the default settings of both applications & using a single screen (for the serious user a dual-screen set up is recommended).
=================

It can be accessed from:

http://www.computervideo.net/Edition/PremiereDetox.pdf

2.67MByte file size.

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ALE Import

Creating and importing ALE files

Click for tutorial

Using a database and Microsoft Word to Create an ALE Edit List which can be imported into Liquied Edition.

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Audio

Audio Basics

Basic EditionDV 4.5 Audio Tutorial via direct link to authors site.

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Audio Adjustment Alternatives

FYI... in addition to using the standard audio module you can....

1.  Double clicking on the timeline audio track will allow the audio volume to be adjusted on a clip to clip basis.

2.  Right clicking on the timeline audio track offers the option for "Audio Adjust" which allow various parameters, i.e. Lift or Lower lever by numerical input, Pan via numerical input as well as change from mono or stereo via checkbox input.

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Editing Audio:
Using 3rd party Applications.

*See next section for overall audio solution for video recorded with low volume.

Often, due to circumstances beyond your control, the audio may have problems with volume levels, noise that must be eliminated, etc. At other times it may be the desire to simply edit and enhance the audio tracks.

• It is extremely important DO NOT cut, paste or alter the length of the files in any manner during this process.

• After capturing video clips, close down Edition. 

• Open audio editor of choice. My favorite is Cool Edit Pro 2.

• Go to "My Computer" and navigate to (X substituted for capture drive location, liquid users may disregard the first parent directory) X\MediaAV\FS_MEDIA_AV\Reels\project name. Here you will find the logged video and files for the project.

• Change view to details and click on the top-bar of the "Type" column to sort by type. The audio files are readily identifiable.

• Drag and drop the desired files into your audio editor.

• Make changes to volume, equalization, normalize, noise removal, etc., as desired.

• Save each file when completed.

• Open Edition and resume editing with the newly affected audio.

Alternate procedure when only portions of the video is to be used or has only problematic areas which may be affecting the audio.

• With video on the timeline set markers at the desired in an out points for future reference.

• Set in and out edit points at the marker location.

• Go to >Start>Tools> and choose "Fuse Sequence" from the drop down menu.

• Select a directory of your choice on the video drive. I recommend creating and maintaining a directory named "Work" on all drives.

• At this point you can also give your clip a unique name, also recommended.

• Use steps 2 through 7 as in previous example to affect audio.

• Open Edition and resume editing.

• Set the style to insert mode editing.

• You can now drag your new fused sequences to the timeline using the shift key to insert and overwrite, replacing the existing video at the markers set during step 1 of this section.

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Video recorded with low volume.

1.  Export the audio track as a .wav file
2.  Import the saved .wav file

"...As I was creating the file I realized that every Wav file I import (Music & FX) is always very 'hot' so having exported the file I simply 'Imported' it again and bingo, I had a useable audio track."

Thanks to: Robin Lee - Limelight Ltd.

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Global and group volume setting variations

There are several ways to accomplish setting group volume for selected track audio;

Solution A.

1. Group select the desired clips in rack.
2. Use Ctl-C and Ctl-V to make copies of the selected clips in rack.
3. Use the properties to de-select the video for these clips. See Changing length
4. Place the group on a audio track on a timeline as a separate sequence.
5. Use the global (mixer on bottom right screen) settings to set the volume.
6. Open project sequence.
6. Drag the sequence into your work sequence, placing it onto an audio track as a container.

Solution B.

1. Use the "Mark In" and "Mark Out" markers to define the area of the clip or group of clips.
2. Export as .wav file.
3. Edit the resulting .wav file in an external audio editing program.
4. Import the new modified .wav file and use it.

Solution C.

A. Make the tracks of the files to be affected the only tracks active. (Settings to the right of the timeline by clicking on or right clicking and selection.)
B. Open the Audio Editor.
C. Place the cursor on the first frame of the first desired audio track and...

• Use the icon or menu to "Select after playline"

• Right click on the timeline audio and select "Adjust Audio" (The audio editor must be active in order for this selection to appear)

• A requester will appear.  Input the desired settings and close

• Once this adjustment has been made it can be turned off on individual clips by right clicking the clip and choosing "FX Properties" and removing the check mark from the "Audio Fader" box or by dragging the "Audio Fader" selection to the trash can.

• Or you can work with individual keyframes by using steps A through C, ignoring the bulleted steps 1 through 4 and continue with...

• Use the slider or numbers to set the desired volume

• Use the "Copy to next keyframe" Icon to copy this setting to the next keyframe

• Continue to use the "Copy to next keyframe" until all clips have been affected

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Grouped and Ungrouped

See timeline

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Preview audio with full waveform

• Right click on the clip you want to see the audio only. Select properties, and deselect the video check box.

• Close the properties box, double click and viola, waveform display in the clip viewer. Kinda cool. 

• To see the video, do the same procedure and reselect video.

• Note:  You can also set markers as visual references for syncing tracks later during editing.

Thanks to:  James Murphy / Product Specialist
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Scrubbing

• The "Scroll Lock" key enables the audio scrub.

• Audio scrubbing is more effective if you enable only the tracks you a need at the moment by turning them in "scrub enabled" tracks by clicking on the timeline speaker icon while holding the shift key and toggling the icon for that track.

• A solid colored speaker indicates the sound is on.

• A hollow (outlined) speaker icon indicated the track is enabled for audio scrubbing.

• Scrubbing with the mouse with audio enabled provides a very limited playback speed.

• Mouse works OK if the time line is zoomed in tightly for finite location of audio.

• Right click on the timeline speaker Icons and select show waveforms for a visual view of the sound bite.

• Audio scrubbing is much more responsive when using the "JKL" keys than with the mouse. (See Keyboard section for description of JKL key use.)

• The ultimate solution is to purchase one of the Contour "Shuttle-Pro" jog shuttles which will greatly enhance your navigation in all editing and capture modes.
  

 For a better view, drag the boxes on the left of the timeline to increase or decrease the height of the tracks.

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Scrubbing

To do the finite cuts with sound, I've found it best to really zoom in on the timeline in order to isolate a position.

Also useful is to turn on the audio graphs and expand the audio track by dragging it to size using the separation is the boxes to the left, making the wave form much more readable.

Switching from "Digital" to "Analog" may be accomplished by right clicking on the volume controls at the bottom of the timeline.

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Scrubbing

Using the JKL  keys for playback will provide full sound scrubbing. (See Keyboard section for description of JKL key use.) 

 With the wave forms turned on and the timeline zoomed in to the specific area of isolation (using the up and down arrow keys), the mouse scrub can be very finite in it's definition.

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Scrubbing

First, the icon on the audio time line must be and outline icon only, not the white filled-in icon. You can change back and forth by holding the shift key and clicking on that icon.

Once it is hollow, hit the "Scroll Lock" key on the keyboard. This toggles the audio scrubbing on and off.  The hollow icon designates a particular track for audio scrubbing.

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Audio Mixer

•  Click on the audio portion of the timeline.

• Open the audio editor.

A host of edit functions are available. Go to last or next keyframe, set keyframe, copy keyframe to next keyframe or last keyframe, undo, re do, etc.

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Editing Individual Audio Tracks

Click for tutorial

• Tracks that are in a "Protected mode" will not be affected by editing changes. To enable the "Protected" mode...

• Right click in the name box located In the track information boxes to the left of the timeline.

• Scroll the drop down list and choose "Protected" for those tracks you do not wish to be affected by the Audio Editor.

• Key frames and changes in volume, panning, etc., will now be restricted to those tracks which are not in the "Protected" mode.

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Narration / audio

Open the mixer panel and you will see the microphone icon. This is the key to recording voiceover. You may have to do a quick read in the sound mixer overview of the help files.

Audio Volume and Settings

Is the playback volume louder in the "Clip View" than when the clip is placed on the timeline?

Often times the audio and video icon are both enabled on video track on the timeline even though the audio is disbanded and has it's own tracks on the timeline. The result is a lower than normal or desired audio level. If this is the case, turn off the audio icon present on the video track. The overall volume should show an increase.

You can also, if need be, increase the overall volume of the entire project by selecting the mixer icon on the lower right screen and adjusting there.

Finally, check your windows mixer and make sure the settings are correct there.

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Undo / Track specific

• Open the audio mixer 

• Click on the clip in the timeline you wish to undo

• Locate the keyframe icons below the mixer with arrow going right and left

• These are the keyframe "previous" and "next" undo tools

• Click on the appropriate undo

Thanks to:  James Murphy / Product specialist

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Backup

Prior to Back up

Clean Up and Delete Unused Media functions:

•  Right click on trash can and select "Delete all render files"

• Right click on trash can and select, "Clean Up Project"

• Follow the steps in the next topic, "Back up Procedure"

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Back up procedure

• Store and maintain the original raw tapes.

• Back up the project files, graphics, titles and any additional imported files, i.e. sound tracks etc.

• When the project is restored from back up, the project will open with all sequences and bin content, exactly as they existed.

• At this point simply instruct the system to re-digitize the footage, supply the correct tapes when requested.

• The system will re-assemble and render the project and sequences, restored as they existed on the time line prior to backup.

• Note: If the files were backed up to CD-Rom, be sure and change the attributes back from read only. Zipping the files prior to archiving to CD will prevent this step.

If you are ready to delete the project, select and open another project.  Then choose, "Delete Project" from this new project.

Media Management 
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Batch Capture

Problems within a batch capture list

The EDL may import as there is no error checking.  If conflicts or errors exist, those clips in question will simply not show up in the batch capture list

Example:  If a clip ends on frame 11, the following clip must begin on frame 12 or later.

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Capture

Automatic: 1394

• Click on play

• Click on the digitize/record icon in the logging tool

• The system will continue to record until you click on the record icon again.

Be sure to stop the record process by clicking on the active record icon. Stopping the process any other way will abort the record process.

Note:  In Liquid capture with scene detection s is possible.  It must be set to on in the preferences prior to capture.

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Automatic: Live

The live feed does not work with time code so no need to use the logging tool. To capture live feed...

• Place the player manually into the play mode.

• Click on the digitize button, it will turn red to indicate that digitizing is taking place.

• When the end of the desired footage is reached, click on the digitizing button again to complete the capture process.

Note: It is important that you use the digitize button and not the "stop" button to complete the process as the stop button when used in the live mode will abort rather than stop the digitization

Note:  In Edition 5 capture with scene detection s is possible.  It must be set to on in the preferences prior to capture.

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Disappearing clips  

Your drives could be too full or... You might be overwriting the files inadvertently. The Media Management, while powerful, has to be understood properly. For instance, if you have a tape called Flower 1, and you capture clips, Edition will stick the captured clips in a folder called Flower 1. Each clip gets labeled by its start and stop timecode. If you have tc that resets, this is where problems can occur. Basically, you capture a clip from 1:00:00 to 1:20:00. Then there is a tc break and you capture another clip from 1:00:00 to 1:40:00. Now Edition has a problem, these clips are within the same range. It will consider the first clip as part of the second clip. To get around this, create a new reel after the tc break, call it Flower 1 1 or something, but name it different. Now capture and you should be able to have all your clips.

Take a look at the media management section in the manual. Probably the most boring section, but it is imperative to understand the backbone of media management.

Thanks to: James Murphy / Product Specialist
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Manual Logging

Click for tutorial

• A device and tape must be present. Be sure and give each tape/reel involved a unique and individual name before logging entries for that tape.

• In the logging window, Provide a clip name, unique to the reel name.

• Click on the plus to the right of the clip name which will increment each new clip by 1.

• There are three time code windows under the preview window. The left is the TC in, and the right is the TC out. The center will show the clip duration once the in and out are marked.

• Click in the mark-in window and a drop down window will appear allowing numeric TC entry. The trick to data entry is to type in only those numbers required. Example: Tape time code of ten seconds would require an entry of 1 and three zeros, followed by return. Tape time code of ten minutes would require and entry of a 1 and five zeros followed by a return.

• Click in the mark out window and make entry.

• Following the entry of each in and out point, click on the "Log Clip" crouton. This is essential. Note that once the "Log Clip" button is clicked, the clip name advances by one.

• Repeat this procedure for each entry.

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Codec

Edition codec

DV is rarely transcoded into something else other than by intent when captured via firewire. In essence it remains DV, or Digital Video, a series or 1's and 0's as like any other digital medium.

That being said, different systems use what is referred to as a "wrapper" which provides system information and may or may not be unique to their system. Fast uses a .dif (QuickTime) wrapper. In-Sync with the DV Master uses a proprietary dvsd wrapper. Many use various .avi wrappers. No matter which "wrapper" is used the basic DV stream remains unchanged until rendering is required. This is where the specifics differentiate in how they achieve the end result.

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Latest DirectX

The latest version of DirectX for Windows 2000 can be found at: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/release.asp?ReleaseID=40176. 

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Clips

Adjusting

Clips:  Working with clips

 You can also just double click on the clips in the rack and set your in and out points while reviewing them.

Hold down the Alt Key and click on the clip in the rack as well causing it to playback in the icon mode.

Move the clips around by dragging them and placing them in the rack, hi-light all, right click and select preview to see the entire playback. This will also provide you with the time of the combined clips.

You could also select and drag clips to the desktop, adjust them there, drag and stack them and use the right click - preview option. And much more...

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Grouped and Ungrouped

See timeline

Cropping

Use the 2D editor to crop clips. The 2D editor also has a variety of tools for placing, sizing and manipulating the clip.  Great for PIP effects.  Use it for scrolling titles.

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Media is being deleted

Question? Are you somehow using duplicate reel names? Or Clip names?

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To the timeline

• With the timeline active, hit the end key. This will move the cursor to the end of the last clip on the timeline.

• Select your clip, or clips, in the rack.

• Click the right mouse button and select send to timeline from the menu.

• The clip, or clips selected, will now place themselves at the end of the timeline at the cursor position.

The cursor will now move to end of the timeline automatically.

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Excessive or unused footage

You have two readily available options using the Condense or Consolidate features.

If you know for a fact that you aren't using any portion of a clip in the rack, simply click on it and delete...

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Selecting for deletion

• Create another rack. Call it "Junk".

• Review the video clips. Drag and drop the ones that you don't want, or may not need to this "Junk" rack.

• Later, when the choices are resolved, group select the clips in the "Junk" rack and delete them.

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CG

Importing text

AlphaCG, and many other CG's will import text from text files.

Once you have your page setup, go to the menu, select >File>Import Text and it will place the text as per layout.

The pages can be exported as a group of .tga images once they are ready.

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Character symbols

Windows XP

• Start menu>Programs>Accessories>System Tools and select character map.

• Select the character of your choice and choose copy.

• Paste into graphics line.

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Keyboard

Here are some of the standards available directly from the keyboard

Alt 0169 is the copyright ©
alt 0153 is the TM T
alt 0174 is the registered TM or ®
alt 0162 is the cents ¢
alt 0181 is the micro µ
alt 0186 is degrees º
alt0149 •

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Color Correction

Adding or Subtracting Color from clips

This is all described in chapter 13 of the Liquid 7 manual (it starts on page 776 of the 7.0 book; I haven't looked it up in the 7.1 manual). The manual is included as the PDF under Liquid's Help.

The short of it is:

·         Load the clip into the color correction editor

·         Expand the CC dialog to display all of the controls (it's the triangle icon at the bottom middle of the dialog)

·         Click on Add Selective Color. This activates the pipette (color picker tool). Click on the color you want to isolate. You can also drag to choose a range of colors. Holding down the control key lets you add to the colors as well, so you can use Ctrl-left-click to select colors. The colors here that you're selecting will be averaged, so for example you want to get all the ranges of red.

·        
You can see how well you're picking by selecting the first color, and going down in the Selective tool and changing the Cr or Cb to the highest level. This will change the color of what you've selected, so you can go on and select the rest of the range for that color. It will also show the trouble spots (colors on thing you don't want selected that are real close to the selected color).

·         Fine tune the selection by changing the Color Isolation L, S, and H parameters. This may remove unwanted color from the selection.

·         Set the Cr and/or Cb back to normal.

·         Click on Add Selective Color again and repeat for each color you want to isolate (so do once for the red flowers, and then again for the yellow, etc.)

·         To work on all the colors you didn't select, click on the grey area around the color wheel.

·         Reduce the saturation (S) until the rest of the scene goes B&W. The flowers should remain red and yellow.

What you'll probably find is that there are colors in items that you didn't want selected but for which you couldn't isolate. For these, you have to use the Keying editor. Put a copy of the clip in the track below this track, and turn it to B&W. Now on the top track, add the Classic Keying Editor and key out the problem areas. This will allow the B&W on the track below to show through. Note that the keying editor is keyframeable, so you can change the keys to follow the action in the scene.

Color passes can be difficult if you pick the wrong colors to work on. For example, it's very difficult to isolate pale reds, pinks, yellows, orange, and brown as these are normally found in human skin tones. It's much easier to isolate vibrant colors.

Curtesy: Dave Stone

Color correction with Multi-Cam editing

One method is to color correct each clip as needed, fuse the corrected clips and use them in the editor.  On long projects this can be very time consuming and space sensitive.

For long clips, or otherwise....

No need to color correct the entire clip and fuse. Instead,

1. Perform the color correction desired to a small portion of the clip or clips in question
2. Create a Rack called "Custom" in the FX section
3. Right click on the color bar at the top of the clip and choose copy.
4. Right click in the "Custom" rack and choose paste. Do this for each clip corrected. You have    now created custom correction effects that can be dragged and dropped onto clips when needed.
5. Name each of the newly created Icons according to camera.
5. When the multicam editing is completed, drag the appropriate picon from the rack to position where needed.

This circumvents rendering of video that is ultimately not going to be used.

The other methods work as well but I've found this to be a saver of time and hard drive space.

Application of color correction to multiple clips or scenes

Once the color corrections is applied to one clip you can right click on the "red line" and copy the FX and paste it to subsequent clips.

You can also store the current settings as reference sets. This option is located in the bottom right hand corner of the extended display.

Primer on Color Correction

A primer on color balancing footage:

First, the tools you want are the 1, 2 & 3 point gray balance keys. Load your shot, now go to the:

1 point Gray balance key. 
You'll have a little cursor. That cursor will sample about a 3 pixel area. What you want to do is find an area that you would say should have been gray when you were shooting the scene. White walls with shadows, gray concrete curbs, a pale white sky...these work well, as do someone with a white shirt, just find the shadow area (not black shadow, the gray ones...the idea here is gray balance). Now left click on that area. The scene will be rewhite balanced based on this area. That is quick and dirty. Don't like the results, try another area, keep clicking and experimenting. You'll get a better idea the more you play with it and soon you'll know the best areas for clicking.

2 point gray balance key. 
This is more refined color balancing. Same concept, but now you have to find two points and in this case, you want to find a light gray and dark gray area in the scene. So select 2 point gray balance and now click on the light gray area in your scene, hold and drag to the dark gray point. Release. With two color points, you get more information for the scene to use to calculate the color correction. 

3 point gray balance. 
This is the big boy. Ok, when you click on it you get 3 points on the screen, white, black and gray, with lines connecting them. You want to put one of the three points first on the whitest white, next the darkest dark and finally the middle tone gray. Take the first point, doesn't matter which, and drag it to the whitest point. Next, grab the middle dot and drag it to the middle tone gray. Finally, drag the last dot to the blackest black. Now, when all three points are there, nothing happens...WHAT!?!? You have to right click on the mouse in the image area to apply the three point gray balance. Viola! Even more refined color correction. 

Of course, the best thing is to do it right the first time, in the camera, and get a good balance. Not always possible, so try the above.

If all else fails, higher one of those DaVinci guys at their meager rate of $250/hr and have them do it for you ;'D

Hope this helps as a crash course,
Signature:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
James Murphy
Pinnacle Systems
Product Specialist

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Color Bars

Color bars, Serial Black and Test Patterns

Navigate to...

drive letter:\Pinnacle\Edition\Media\Test Patterns\NTSC (or Pal) and choose from the following:

75% Color Bars.tif
Active Picture Mark.tif
Convergence.tif
Full Field Pluge.tif
Pulse and Bar.tif
SKI Check Field.tif
Serial Black.tif
SMPTE Color Bars.tif

You might want to copy these to a directory of your choice.

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Compatibility

Compatibility: Video cards

Pinnacle Edition 5 Graphics Card Compatibility List

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Condense

Condense

The build rack from sequence  has been replaced by the condense feature. If you right click on a sequence or clip, you will get a condense or consolidate choice. Condense will make a rack with the clips you need to recapture. You can also do this and then just rebatch the sequence with a right click, same idea.

Thanks to: James Murphy / Product Specialist

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Consolidate

Consolidate

Consolidate will make a digital copy of the media you used, you still need to go in and manually delete the original clip. For instance, if you have a 10 minute clip and only used 1 minute of it, consolidate will make a digital copy of the 1 minutes worth and then you can delete the 10 minute original piece.

Thanks to: James Murphy / Product Specialist

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Containers

Alternatives

Alternate to containers using Sequences 

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Controller

RS422 Pin Configuration

PIN OUT for DB9 Femal to DB9 Male cable for machine control

Here is the PINOUT of the DB9 Female > DB9 Male cable :

Female - pin 2 to > Male - pin 2
Female - pin 3 to > Male - pin 8
Female - pin 5 to > Male - pin 3, 4 and 6
Female - pin 7 link to 8 ( to work with PipeLine VTR Pro Software, not needed to work with LE 5.5 )

Demo

Online Demo

An Online Demo of which provides an excellent overview and virtual tour of EditionDV and it's features.  This demo is also applicable in many respects to Liquid Studio.

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Drives

Adding a new drive to the system for capture

Once you have your new drives in place and active on the system....

1. Open Edition / Liquid
2. Go to >Start>Tools>Logging Tool
3. Below your logging window there is a drop down requester where you choose drives.
4. Click on the "AV" icon on the left of the requester window
5. Choose "Add" option, navigate to, and add the new drive.
6. Choose the drive of your choice prior to capturing your footage.

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Digitizing

Extending length of pre-digitized clip

• Highlight the clip in the rack and choose delete.

• Delete the media rather than the clip

• Select the clip and choose digitize.

Set the option for handle length to include desired addition of time.

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Incremental numbering

 To the right, next to the clip info is a plus sign. If you click on it, (toggling it to the on position) the clips will incrementally increase by one each time the logging button is pushed.

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Manual digitize procedure

In your instance once you have set the mark in, you should be able to hit the digitize button to commence recording. When you have reached the desired out point, hit the digitize icon again to complete the process.

To manually digitize, roll tape, hit the "digitize" button. It will turn red and recoding will commence. To terminate the recording process, once again hit the "digitize" button and recording will cease. You will get the busy icon while the clip is finalized on the hard drive.

Do not terminate the manual capture process in any other manner or the clip will not be available.

When logging, and you have entered both the in and out points you must use the "log clip" icon to complete the logging process for each clip.

What I normally do is, once all clips are logged, I close the logging tool interface. From the rack I'll choose the >right mouse>capture> and choose selected clips or all. Go have coffee and come back when the job is done.

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DVD Calculator

DVD Calculator

Bitrate and GOP calculator

The calculator was originally designed for DVD, but has been updated and can now be used to determine the bitrate values for several different formats. All the calculations are done in your browser, by a script. Therefore you need a browser with JavaScript support, and script execution must be enabled.  This calculator has been tested in Opera, Mozilla and IE.

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DVD Creation

DVD Menu Creation
Single menu and simple multiple menu creation

I'd have to interject here that I've made hundreds of DVD's some with no menu's, a great number with average simple multi-page menus and a few with fairly complex menu structures, seven or eight menus several pages deep with six links per page.

I've had very few problems with the resulting DVD's compatibility restricted to an older Panasonic set top recorder. If I can get it to play there, it'll play anywhere.

That being said, there are times when a project requires more than LE can offer by way of DVD authoring. That's why the the alternative authoring progams often cost as much and sometimes way more that the prices of LE. It get's to be a pretty exacting science in it's own way, dependent of the project demands.

I have other authoring options which I use from time to time depending on the circumstance. These are DVDLab, Sonic DVDit Pro 6, and Sony's Vegas DVD 4.0.

I'm not so sure that a training workshop of some kind and more in depth tutorials wouldn't solve many of the problems related to LE's DVD authoring.

My workflow for the basic menu is

1. Finish the timeline
2. Place the playline at the head of timeline
3. Hit the keyboard U key
4. Move the entire timeline to a desired position, i.e. @ 15 seconds
5. Remove all existing markers
6. Set markers at desired chapter points
7. Set the playline to the very beginning of the timeline (zero)
8. Open the DVD wizard
9. Select and double click a template that remotely resembles what I could use and modify
10. Click the sequence markers box and clear other boxes
11. Choose apply. Grab an edge of the menu and stretch to the desired length.
12. The menu is created using as many pages as required for the project
13. Important: No matter how many menu's or pages, this is the time to open the menu in the menu edit mode and make changes to the background, frames, etc. Opening a menu in the Edit Menu mode at a later time is likely to destroy may settings that are in place.

Multiple menu (Master menu and chapters menu)

1. Finish the timeline
2. Place the playline at the head of timeline
3. Hit the keyboard U key
4. Move the entire timeline to a desired position, i.e. @ 30 seconds leaving room for multiple menus
5. Remove all existing markers
6. Set markers at desired chapter points
7. Set the playline to the very beginning of the timeline (zero)
8. Open the DVD wizard
9. Select and double click a template that remotely resembles what I could use and modify
10. Click the sequence markers box and clear other boxes
11. Important. Select "Skip" instead of apply.
12. A menu will be created at the playline position.
13. Click on this menu on the timeline, hold the control key and drag it to the right and release. A second menu, (copy of the first) will be created.)
14. With this second menu hightlighted, select the auto link tab.
15. Making sure that the "Sequence Markers" box is checked, select "Apply" at this time.
12. The menu structure is created using as many pages as required for the project
13. Now click on the first menu (Menu 1) that was initially created.
14. Clicking on the first picon in that menu, drag it and drop it onto the second menu on the timeline, thereby creating a link to menu 2.
15. Click on the second menu, locate and click on the last UNUSED PICON, drag and drop it onto the first menu on the timeline, creating a link to menu 1.
16. Choose apply. Grab an edge of the menu and stretch to the desired length.
17. IMPORTANT: Prior to adding addition links via drag and drop placement, etc., NOW is the time to use the "Edit Menu" option! No matter how many menu's or pages, this is the time to open the menu in the menu edit mode and make changes to the background, titles, frames, buttons, etc. Opening a menu in the "Edit" Menu mode at a later time is likely to destroy many link settings that are in place.
18. Once the menu is edited as desired close and return to the timeline.
19. Click preview to review the results.

IMPORTANT: Make sure that the first menu is exactly at the very beginning of the timeline. Failure to do may result in an error message prior to preview.

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Additing additional chapter points to an existing page

Example: I have 8 chapters on the timeline. I want them all to appear on one page.

1. Add markers to timeline as needed
2. Open the DVD Wizard
3. Choose a menu from the selections available, double click your choice
4. By pass the options of automatically adding chapter points
5. Open the menu in the Menu editor
6. Select the available menu items/chapters by holding the CTL key and clicking until all are  selected
7. Click on the corner of the multiple selection marquee
8. Drag, position and and resize until menus are of suitable size to accomodate the 8 chapter points
9. Ctl-click on menus to be aligned and use the alignment tool
10. Click on and highlight the last menu
11. Use the Ctl-C to copy
12. Use Ctl-V to create additional menu items as desire
13. Highligh items, position them and use the alignment menu to position. Add modifications to the background, highlight colors, buttons, etc.
14. Close the Menu editor to return to DVD editor
15. Click on the AutoLink tab and click in the Sequence Marker box
16. Choose "Apply". There are now 8 chapter Icons on the single page
17. Double click each text box and change menu text
18. Select the "Links" tabe
19. Click on each of the chapter picons to access that chapter on the timeline
20 Scub the timeline at each chapter point to locate an appropriate chapter picon
21. Click on the Set picon button in the DVD menu bar

Also note:

The Menu Editor can also be used to delete existing chapter points, then reposition and re-size those remaining in the event that only a couple of chapters points are required.

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Animated DVD Menu Elements

In order to create and use animated buttons...

1.  Create or edit digitized clips in a rack or racks and set length equal to that of your menu. Using LE 7 simply set the desired in point and the length is automatically set when placed.
2.  Open the DVD Menu
3.  Open media manager folder, lower left of editor
4.  Drag desired clips onto desired buttons.

In order to achieve active playback from menu buttons a link between the button and the timeline must be created.

1.  Drag desired button to desired location in timeline.  A link between the location and the button will be created at the point where the button was released... or
2.  Set timeline markers before the creation of the DVD menu and designate timeline markers as links.

Transpareny background selected in the Menu editor will allow an active video background to be used on the menu...

1.  Exit the menu editor
2.  Choose a desired clip from a rack for use as background
3.  Set the length to menu length. Using LE 7 simply set the desired in point and the length is automatically set when placed.
4.  Open the media manager on the lower left of timeline
5.  Drag the designated / desired clip and drop it onto the background area of the menu.

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Chapters without menus

1.  Create a menu with chapters
2.  Place the menu at the end of the video where it will not be seen

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Exporting to DVD
Real time using Set top Recorders

If all you require is DVD with simple menus, probably the best way to go is to get a Panasonic DMR-E20 or one of the other available stand alone DVD Recorders and record directly from the timeline to the deck.

I've been using the E20 for some time and am very happy with the results.  Limited menus but excellent DVD quality.

No render, no muss, no fuss...

If you want to go one step further and create a DVD with custom menus, continue on to the next topic below.

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VOB Files and Menu Creation

Click for tutorial

The tutorial on the left deals with converting VOB files created by the DMR-E20 or DMR-E30, (or other sources) to MV2 Mpg and AC3 audio for use in DVD authoring programs, DVDit PE works very well for this process and handles the AC3 audio format.

This process is very simple and the conversion process is way faster than real time.

Thanks to: Anton Strauss for his expertise assistance and permission.

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DV Decks

Device not found

The  system may have problems for one reason or another, in locating your firewire input device.  This will often be accompanied by a "HW Version error.  No hardware found" message. Use this procedure to check if the device is recognized by the operating system.  If Edition is running, close Edition and turn off your input device.

1. Right click on "My Computer".
2. Go to Manage and choose device manager.
3. Make sure camera is plugged in
4. Turn camera on.
5. You should see the camera show up under "Imaging Devices" if you're using the OHCI driver.
6. If you're using Texas Instrument device drivers you may have to look for the camera to show up under the "Sound, video and Game Controllers.

If your device is not present in either of the locations,  you may have to check for problems with the firewire cord, the card, or the camera source.

If it has shown up in one of these areas, Edition should be able to find it.

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GV-D900

I have been using a Sony GV-D900 with the built in 5 inch LCD monitor for quite some time now with excellent results. In fact it has worked so well for me, not only as a source deck but also for other applications such as sourcing my duplication and deck-to-deck transfers that I purchased a second unit.

I'm sure there are various other decks that will fill the bill as well.

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DVD Burners

Compatibility

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DVD Tips

Adding Menus

A DVD can contain several menus, each of which may contain many pages or chapters. Each menu will auto link to it's next page when the current links on that page are used, an overflow so to speak, thereby enabling the "previous and forward" button feature of the existing page.

Here is the procedure for creating additonal menus and links between them.

1.  Open the "Project Browser", (Folder Icon, left and above timeline.
2.  Locate DVD Menu which closely resembles what you wish to do, enable Icon view
3.  Click and drag the selection of your choice to the timeline and place it, next to but downstream of your existing menu
4.  Close Project Browser
5.  Open the DVD editor
6.  Select an unused Icon from the first menu and drag it to the newly placed menu
7.  Navigate to the second menu and drag an unused Icon from there to your first menu
8.  With the DVD Editor open you can select from any of the existing templates and apply this to your current active menu
9.  Add as many menus as you need using this process

That should be enough to Get-R-Done...

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Creating menus in Photoshop

Here's an example as follows for a menu with two buttons - order of layers from top to bottom:

(^2) Button 2 Hi Lite
(#2) Button 2
(^1) Button 1 Hi Lite
(#1) Button 1
(B) Background

Save off your .psd file with layers and open Edition.

Open the DVD Menu Wizard. This is a button on the extreme right hand side with other buttons such as the 2D/3D editor, Audio Editor etc. The icon has the letters "DVD" with a flash type arrow running underneath. 

If it's not there you can right mouse click in the area and hit "Customize". The icon you need is in the "Special" tab.

When in the DVD Menu wizard it opens a "Templates" tab. Hit the browse button and find the folder containing the psd file.

You should see all acceptable files in the window. Highlight the one you want.

To the top right is a space to type in the duration of the menu. It's set to a default of 3 secs. It's good to set the menu to at least 30 secs for a static menu - but you can adjust the length if you are running video or audio in your menu.

Alternatively the duration can be adjusted on the timeline by extended the clip manually - simliar to the editing process.

Now hit the "Insert Source Into Master" arrow. This can also be switched to "Film Mode" as in normal editing functions.

The Menu will now appear on the timeline in the DVD Menu track. The first time you drop it in, it will create a DVD Menu channel. Any menus added after that - you'll have to select the track manually in the same way you select a track when dropping clips onto the timeline.

The wizard gives you further options at this point - although I tend to come out at this point and do everything manually from now on.

Close the DVD Menu Wizard with the top right hand icon.

You can double-click on the menu in the timeline and this opens the DVD Menu Editor. You can create all the links etc. in here.

Thanks to: Dave Weller

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Manual digitize procedure

In your instance once you have set the mark in, you should be able to hit the digitize button to commence recording. When you have reached the desired out point, hit the digitize icon again to complete the process.

To manually digitize, roll tape, hit the "digitize" button. It will turn red and recoding will commence. To terminate the recording process, once again hit the "digitize" button and recording will cease. You will get the busy icon while the clip is finalized on the hard drive.

Do not terminate the manual capture process in any other manner or the clip will not be available.

When logging, and you have entered both the in and out points you must use the "log clip" icon to complete the logging process for each clip.