This is the first in a series in which I will outline the basics of how to use Digidesign’s Pro Tools systems to work to picture. First of all, we look at the decisions you need to make in setting up your system. There are three basic ways to work to picture in Pro Tools.
- You can lock Pro Tools via time code to an external video playback machine and then Pro Tools can ‘chase’ the VT machine. This process doesn’t put any extra load on the computer but it is slow, because you have to wait for the VT machine to spool backwards and forwards and cue to the correct position on the tape before you can work on a section. You will also need some sort of timecode synchroniser like Digidesign’s Sync I/O.
- You can import video files directly into a video track in Pro Tools. This is fast, because there’s no waiting for the VT machine to catch up: Pro Tools can continue to work in a ‘non-linear’ way and will jump to the correct part of the video file as you move the cursor around the Session, just as it does with the audio files. However, handling the video file puts a load on the computer, and you will find that with high track counts and plug-in counts, Pro Tools is more sluggish when using a video file as your picture source.
- You can use a separate non-linear video player. This can be either a second computer running an application like Virtual Video Tape Recorder from Gallery Software, or a dedicated non-linear player like Rosendahl’s Bonsai Drive. This has the benefits of both of the first two options, with the only down side being cost.
August 29, 2009 at 1:31 pm
my experience solution 1 i used ltc to midi converter like studio 3 from opcode very accurate and cheap but we must had video player has ltc output- audio signal-or record ltc on 1 channel audioused as source – but to day not so nice solution – ultimate solution is nr 2 – every thing on the box – pls elaborate – hard management to divide audio and video – and video monitoring for dubber or musician when made audio on the fly