Analog 3/4 Xfer in FCP

Hey guys. Before I begin, let me say Happy Holidays and I send my best wishes for 2009! You have helped me tremendously throughout 2008. Thank you.

Okay, so I'm transferring some three-quarter tapes into FCP as ProRes 422 files via an Intensity Pro card. I have a Y cable running from the deck into the breakout cables and the XLR outs from the deck are coming in through a series of XLR to stereo to RCA converters.

Here's my problem: while I'm getting great image results, the sound levels are so hot they're in the red on nearly every tape.

I got two opinions on this. The first guy told me it's either the tape heads or the tapes are so old that they're distorting. The second guy told me he wasn't sure about the tape heads, but in his experience the sound on old three-quarter tapes was more likely to become "cold" and drop out, rather than get "hot" and go into the red on the VU meter. He said it was mostly likely a setting in Final Cut Pro or the preference window of the Blackmagic card.

I honestly have no idea. If anyone here does, I'd appreciate the advice. Is there a setting I might be missing when I capture? I've adjusted the levels on the deck itself, but it's had no bearing on the peaks I've seen while capturing. There doesn't seem like much options for audio in the Intensity Pro preference pane. Am I missing something?

On another note, what do you recommend for upscaling this to HD? Nothing has been said, but I just know it will be used as a promotion at some point. From my experience, I'd say I could probably get this footage to 720p without too much artifacts. 1080p seems like a stretch, but if anyone has a suggestion I'm open. Is a fractal program in my future?

YOu need a mixer to control the audio levels from the deck to the card. Analog almost always demands it...3/4 most definately. So deck to mixer to card...mixer controls the audio levels.

Compressor does a decent upconvert. Takes time, but works...and is free. THen there is Instant HD...


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Thanks, Shane. I'll give the mixer a shot.

Have a great holiday!