8 channel audio output sort of to HDV
by Jamie Pilarski
on
Jul 28, 2008 at 5:42:53 pm
OK. New problem. I have eight channels of audio for my sequence I want to output to my Sony V1U. As we all know, HDV only can do stereo.
If I go into Sequence Settings, I change it to the first four being dual mono, and the last 4 stereo. It gives me some warning about it being mixdowned, which is fine. But when I Print to Tape, I don't have my audio. All I seem to get is tone from the color bars.
Re: 8 channel audio output sort of to HDV by Jamie Pilarski on Jul 28, 2008 at 6:56:15 pm
Well, two things. 1, i wanted to just output it and get a version of it to view on some scopes, which worked except it only output 1 or 2 channels. and 2, the way the sequence is set up, channels 1-4 are designed to be dual mono, and 5-8 stereo.
I guess I could just do a manual mix down, but that seems so clumsy.
Re: 8 channel audio output sort of to HDV by walter biscardi on Jul 28, 2008 at 7:03:13 pm
[Jamie Pilarski]"the sequence is set up, channels 1-4 are designed to be dual mono, and 5-8 stereo. "
So are you trying to create a split pass and a mixed pass of the show in one shot? Can't do that with just two channels.
And you absolutely cannot set up an 8 channel output for a device that only accepts 2 channel input.
There is absolutely no reason for you to have set up the Sequence for 8 channel output. It should only be set up for Stereo 2 channel output. You do all the mixing yourself in the timeline.
If you want a multi-channel output, then you get the proper VTR like our Panasonic 1400 that can accept four channels of audio. For that we always output a mixed version of the show on channels 1 and 2 with a split version of the show on channels 3 and 4.
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Biscardi Creative Media HD and SD Production for Broadcast and Independent Productions.
Re: 8 channel audio output sort of to HDV by Jamie Pilarski on Jul 28, 2008 at 7:34:47 pm
I really don't want/need an 8 channel output. I do need, or at least it makes it easier, to work with 8 channels in the the sequence timeline. In 5-8 i can have stereo tracks that layer and/or mix to each other, and in 1-4 i can have dialogue, VO, sfx, and nats all mono, designed/mixed for dual mono.
That is a fairly standard, or a variation of, how audio for broadcast is designed. Albeit you usually do make a 8 or 10 channel Master, and a stereo mix for actual broadcast.
I usually work with Avids, but this is a personal project I did at home, and don't know FCP inside and out like I do the Avid. I will try switching it back to stereo output and see if it works this time, because it seemed to only output 1 channel, track 1, when I did that earlier. The problem is, it will probably take channel 1, and only put it left, channel 2 right, channel 3 left, and so on. Yes, no?
Thanks for the help! It's always nice to get a hand. Hopefully this can be figured out.
Re: 8 channel audio output sort of to HDV by walter biscardi on Jul 28, 2008 at 7:45:59 pm
[Jamie Pilarski]"I do need, or at least it makes it easier, to work with 8 channels in the the sequence timeline. In 5-8 i can have stereo tracks that layer and/or mix to each other, and in 1-4 i can have dialogue, VO, sfx, and nats all mono, designed/mixed for dual mono. "
Ok, you're confusing Channels with Tracks. All you need to do in FCP is add as many audio Tracks as you need. Up to 99. You never change the Audio Output settings in the Sequence Setting to anything other than Stereo.
You control the Mono / Stereo on each individual clip, NOT by assigning Mono / Stereo output to the individual tracks. On each clip you can either assign it to be a stereo pair or a mono / split track. This is controlled on a clip by clip basis.
For our work, we keep all narration on Tracks 1 and 2 but keep this in Stereo for better sound.
All Interviews / SOTs on Tracks 3 and 4, again in Stereo for better sound.
All Nat sound goes on Tracks 5 - 10 or however many tracks we need for Nat Sound. This generally stays Mono though we may go with Stereo if we need to keep things panned out.
All Music goes on Tracks 11 - 16 or however many tracks we need for music.
Then all of that plays out on Channels 1 and 2 for the mix and Channels 1, 2, 3, 4 assigned for the Split.
All you want to do is take an 8 Track mix and play it out Stereo which is FCP's default mode.
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Biscardi Creative Media HD and SD Production for Broadcast and Independent Productions.
Re: 8 channel audio output sort of to HDV by walter biscardi on Jul 28, 2008 at 8:07:18 pm
[Jamie Pilarski]"I just read through your track assignments. So you record field and VO booth audio in stereo? "
Nope, mono, single channel like normal. We make it stereo in the timeline by duplicating the audio to 2 channels and making a Stereo Pair. Gives a much better audio quality than taking a single track of audio and panning it to Center.
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Biscardi Creative Media HD and SD Production for Broadcast and Independent Productions.
