BetacamSP audio getting clipped on import
by Randall M
on
Aug 3, 2006 at 3:56:59 pm
Hi. Using FCP 4.5 (dual 800 G4) & the IgniterX Pro, component in, balanced audio from Sony UVW 1800 BetacamSP. Today I'm batch capturing my finished piece using the 8 bit extreme UC setting, but for some reason I am getting clipped audio. It appears sufficient (about -12dB on the FCP meter), but sounds overmodulated. Plus the visual on the waveform (within the viewer) is chopped off like a burr haircut at 0dB- even though the actual size of the waveform looks very small. I have to raise the level about 5dB
I'm beginning to suspect the deck, as it's the newercomer to my system- which has been healthy since 2001. That said, I've listened to the phones from the headphone jack of the deck and it sounds clean. I think the output is goverened separately though. I'm running through a little Behringer board, and have also tried running straight into the BOB of the Igniter card- sounds very hot.
thanks,
Randall
"I will choose a path that's clear, I will choose Freewill." - Neil Peart, Rush.
Re: BetacamSP audio getting clipped on import by Randall M on Aug 3, 2006 at 9:05:16 pm
BetacamSP deck is overmodulating on the balanced outputs. Unfortunately on the UVW series there is no manual audio playback control, however there is an internal adjustment - but that requires bench time.
We brought in an older BVW machine and audio imported just fine. UFFDA.
Also noticed- Re: BetacamSP audio getting clipped on import by Randall M on Aug 4, 2006 at 6:03:24 am
Also, even with the BVW deck we were still a little crispy. It actually wasn't until I went into the advanced audio tab of the capture setting and knocking the gain down to 50 that we were distortion free. Tried hooking the old deck back up, but it was still too hot. I just think the UVW 1800 has little to no headroom period.
Maybe this is more a FCP question, but after we got a successful audio capture with the new deck, I ended up having to go into each clip that was affected by overmodulated audio and control clicking and hitting "capture" to redigitize the footage. But I was never able to recapture just the audio by this method- it would always grab the video. Is there a way to get around this? Even stranger, on some clips the audio would sound good/look good on the meter- but the waveform was miniscule, yet still played loud. It was like a fake waveform. So somewhere- a ghost in the machine maybe- there is a disconnect between the real audio going in and then what is actually captured by the card- or represented post capture within FCP? Or, ... pilot error, perhaps, I humble to say.
I know it sounds like a mess. I wouldn't wish this on anyone. Maybe it's time (after this project) to wipe everything and reinstall- per Jerry Hoffman's article in the Cow mag. Either that or move on to a G5 and FCP Studio.
Re: Also noticed- Re: BetacamSP audio getting clipped on import by Rich Rubasch on Aug 5, 2006 at 1:57:28 am
On the back of the Beta decks isn't there a little slide switch that you can select the gain on the output...it might be set incorreclty for the NLE system and set for some other input...it would be right next to the XLR outputs. Try switching it to the other side and see if that doesn't do it.
