Video capture for Post Production

[postfac]

Hello. What is a good software for capturing video as a quicktime mov for Pro Tools? I need to mark IN and OUT and also to control a VTR deck via SONY 9-pin, so iMOVIE is out. Is it worth getting Final Cut Pro just for capturing video? Any other solutions and estimated costs? Thank You!

[postfac]

Hello again. Is it because nobody captures or digitize video into the computer these days, that's why I have no response? No problem. I'm bringing this questions to another forum. Thank You!

[Richard Fairbanks]

Gosh, sorry! I suspect nobody had any better suggestions for you, which is why you didn't get a grand response. You need control of a 9 pin deck as well, and I think many around here capture wild, or already use something as sophisticated as Final Cut. I seem to recall that Premier can do it with, with some sort of option, but personally I would use Final Cut if I had to choose between them. And I think you might do a search of the archives and get plenty more options.

Why do you need 9 pin control during your capture for Pro Tools?

[Ray JB]

What most people do with Final Cut is set the "Limit capture to...." the amount you want to grab plus say 30 secs-1min, press record and walk away. Final cut stops recording and hey presto you have a picture file. You're gonna have to trim it up in Quicktime Pro anyway so you don't need to be too accurate when digitizing. Just make sure there's a wee bit extra at the head and tail and then chop it down.

[jimlongo]

Depending on your platform you could try AvidFreeDV

[Dan Pinder]

Hello again. Is it because nobody captures or digitize video into the computer these days, that's why I have no response? No problem. I'm bringing this questions to another forum. Thank You!

I would suggest that you search for this topic first, which has been talked about again and again.

Having said that, why don't you check out VirtualVTR (www.gallery.co.uk) which has machine control, conforming, capture and some other cool features that nothing else does. Apart from that, FCP is a good bet if you need the features.

Why do you need to capture online? When you say you need to mark in and out, why can't you just trim the picture? Most people capture wild and trim their picture.

[postfac]

Hello to everyone. Thanks for the input. Basically, we are thinking of scenarios where we might need to stripe audio back into the Master tape. Thus to be able to get the exact IN and OUT timecode is very important. We have thought of a work around, that is to get Machine Control, and when we capture video with iMovie, we print the timecode window onto the visuals so we can align it in the Pro Tools sessions. If I'm not wrong, AVID FreeDV and Final Cut Express does not have machine control of VTRs (ie. Digital Betacam or Betacam SP or Umatics) other than DV decks.

By the way, if we capture with iMovie, how do we trim the digitized visuals? using QT Pro or iMovie have that function? will conforming the trimmed visuals take a long time? Thanks!

[Richard Fairbanks]

You are on the right track now. Capture with a window burn from your video deck. When you import the movie into Pro Tools you should spend a moment to manually place the movie on the timeline so that the burn in timecode reads identically to Pro Tools' counter. You can do this easily on TDM systems or LE with the DV Toolkit option because those systems allow display of timecode on the Pro Tools timeline and counters. Once you've done this you can be confident that you can layback to video tape without an offset. (Needless to say, a prudent person always checks the offset by eye and ear BEFORE hitting the deck's insert button!)

The only reason I am aware of that you might need to trim the head of your captures is if you need to use the tempo track. In that case it is much nicer to start the movie at Bar 1 at the beginning of your session, and set your session to begin at first frame of audio, at 1:00:00:00 for instance.

[Mike Rafone]

I currently use iMovie with a Canopus card for capture. I also record the audio simultaneously into ProTools. I yse Serial Control and control the machine with my ProControl transport controls. I capture the movie with a window burn, export it as Quicktime DV, then import it into Protools using spot mode, reading the beginning t.c. of the clip and typing it into the spot mode window. Now you're sunk up and ready to go.

[gallery]

Gallery have just released their latest application, PictureReady!. This does exactly what you want, plus much more.

Essentially PictureReady! is a dedicated QuickTime capture application, which controls a 9-pin deck (or can read LTC via the Mac Sound input) to create QT Timestamped Movies. However the really special thing is that these movies can be imported to Pro Tools, or VirtualVTR, WHILST THEY ARE STILL BEING RECORDED !!!

This means that for a long form job, perhaps 60 or 90 minutes, you can start the capture in PictureReady! and begin editing or mixing against the picture IMMEDIATELY. Additional picture automatically becomes available as it is recorded, without needing to do anything.

There is a demo available, and a user manual. The software is rather expensive, because it is aimed at high end post production, broadcast and sports workflows, but it may still be the perfect solution for you.

http://www.pictureready.com

Hello. What is a good software for capturing video as a quicktime mov for Pro Tools? I need to mark IN and OUT and also to control a VTR deck via SONY 9-pin, so iMOVIE is out. Is it worth getting Final Cut Pro just for capturing video? Any other solutions and estimated costs? Thank You!