Print To Video Level Changes

I guess this is a real head scratcher. I mixed my program between -18 and -12 on the mixer meters. This allows for at least 12db of dynamic range at the top before crashing into digital 0.

So, I want my reference tone at the head of the tape to be at -12. This will allow a setup as follows: -12 digital =0db analog.

In the PRINT TO VIDEO dialog box, that's what the little slider is for. When you press PREVIEW, sure enough, the bars come out and the tone is at -12 on my machines meters. I can change the number in the pick box or with the slider and the output of FC goes up and down accordingly. There is no way to adjust the level on the deck to anything different. Rightly so, it's a firewire transfer in the digital domain. Kind of makes it idiot proof. Whatever comes out of the firewire port registers on the decks meters.

The problem shows when I actually click on OK. (do the print to video).
All of a sudden, my audio reference level is -18! Play back the tape and it is -18!
At least it matches. This can't be a bug heh?






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Nah, that's no bug. The Tone Preview is exactly what it says: Preview, and allows you to preview what your deck meter ballistics will look like when you slide it up or down. This is why you're not getting what you set when you actually PTV. To really adjust your tone tracks, park over them, deselect video tracks and Command-Option-L for the Gain dialog. Set an absolute DB here. That'll work.

- Loren
Today's FCP HD 4.5 keytip:
Cycle your bin views with Shift-H!

The FCP HD KeyGuide?: your power placemat.
Now available at discount at the LAFCPUG Store!

Huh?
I don't have tone tracks. FC is generating them at the head of my material.
Preview shows me that -12 setting on FC lines up with -12 on my deck-which it should, as there is no adjustment to make it otherwise.

Problem is, the FC tones drop to -18 upon executing the process.

[Huh?
I don't have tone tracks. FC is generating them at the head of my material.]

That wasn't clear but I should have guessed.

PTV is drawing on the existing Bars and Tone (NTSC.) I haven't tried this but I bet it works: explicitly load that clip (Video Generators) and while in the Viewer audio pane see what the level actually reads on the meter during playback. I believe you can adjust the source there, Command-Option-L with Viewer active.

The only other thing it could be is some monitoring issue, possibly Sound control panel output.

Hey, maybe it will turn out to be a bug!

HTH

- Loren
Today's FCP HD 4.5 keytip:
Enable/Disable "global" Linking: Shift-L.
Override any enabled link: press Option, then click clip segment.

The FCP HD KeyGuide?: your power placemat.
Now available at KeyGuide Central
www.neotrondesign.com

Great suggestion about the video generators! However, guess what, it's default is -12. I went the long way. Drag the bars & tone from the browser to the viewer, drag over as an insert. Play back in timeline and boom, -12 on the meters.

As far as the sound control panel goes, I don't think the firewire chain is affected by these settings.

Okay, so that's the workaround, but when you're getting -18db from an expected -12db PTV-- what model deck are you going to? You'r esure there's no menu adjustment available?

I haven't seen this on my DSR-40-- a very typical DVCAM deck, which i have set to 48K, balanced between 1 and 2. -12 in the PTV is -12db to the machine and that's what reads. It's a good problem.

I take it you're on Panther, 10.3.2 or later, in FCP 4.5 HD?

- Loren
Today's FCP HD 4.5 keytip:
Enable/Disable "global" Linking: Shift-L.
Override any enabled link: press Option, then click clip segment.

The FCP HD KeyGuide?: your power placemat.
Now available at KeyGuide Central
www.neotrondesign.com

Specs: There is a thread about this on the FC forum as I started there before logging the problem here.

FC 4.1.1
OSX 10.3.4
G-5 tower
Sony DSR-25 deck.

No user adjustments on deck for firewire mini-dv. Not using DVCAM. Most likely same setup's as the DSR-40.
Don't want to upgrade to 4.5 until project is totally finished.

However, u just gave me a grand idea. I will lay down the bars & tone at the head of my timeline. I'll try to PTV then without any setup bars & tones since it will be on the head of the timeline instead. A workaround. I'll try it.

Maybe I'm sorely mistaken here, but I thought the purpose of the PTV window was to automatically add bars & tone of your choosing without having to insert it into your timeline.

regards
dm

I agree, it's usually best not to upgrade in the middle, although this election year I've started thinking differently! ;-)

[A workaround. I'll try it.]

It'll work. More control, too.

[Maybe I'm sorely mistaken here, but I thought the purpose of the PTV window was to automatically add bars & tone of your choosing without having to insert it into your timeline. ]

That's how I've always viewed it.

Now i can't remember if there's a dedicated Audio Outputs pane in 4.1.1 as there is in 4.5. That's worth checking too, to see if audio remapping is lowering or improperly mixing the PTV signal? For instance, if you map your tracks to Dual Mono you'll get an aggregate of -6db, -3 per channel, which tallies with your problem, but 0db from the default Stereo setting.

Can't think of anything else! After this... I take it back, it's a BUG!!

- Loren
Today's FCP HD 4.5 keytip:
Enable/Disable "global" Linking: Shift-L.
Override any enabled link: press Option, then click clip segment.

The FCP HD KeyGuide?: your power placemat.
Now available at KeyGuide Central
www.neotrondesign.com

finale:

Inserting a -12 tone in the timeline worked. It comes out to the machine at -12 when record mode is initiated.
something is flakey with the PTV