how can I output to NTSC monitor?

[angelo panetta]

been using a beta sp deck would like to start using quicktime to lock to. what kind of interface and video software is there? I'm running PT 5.1.1 OS9 G4 1.25 Ghz

[timcissell]

The Canopus ADVC-100 can digitize analog video input and send it out it's firewire port and can import any input video stream into an application like iMovie. iMovie can create a Quicktime movie... which can then be imported to your PT sessions.

You can then play your PT session Quicktime movie out your firewire port to the Canopus ADVC-100 which will drive an NTSC monitor.

AFAIK there's a two gig QT file size limit... which is a little less than 10 minutes of high quality QT... so it's not the answer for feature lenght work unless you can do the work in two gig chunks.

[Dan Pinder]

Not anymore. I think OS 8.6 or 9.0 removed this limit. You can happily make full reels in DV and I've done a few hour-long captures as well.

[timcissell]

Maybe I wasn't clear... I believe there is a 2 gig limit either in QuickTime Movie size or there is a two gig limit on the size of the QT Movie file that can be imported into ProTools.

I'd love to discover that I'm wrong about this...

[angelo panetta]

seems like the Canopus ADVC-100 may be the answer for me. Does the quality of the QT matter for output? Clients send me QT of varying quality, or does the Canopus require dv quality?

[Dan Pinder]

Tim, I believe you are wrong about this (hooray!)

I normally do roughly 20 minute reels in DV format (around 3.5 to 4.5 GB) and they always import fine. I believe the limit was part of an old OS version and also the HFS+ drive format fixed this, too. iMovie, for example, still imposes this limit when capturing but will record longer by simply making several movie files.

[timcissell]

Angelo you wrote:

Does the quality of the QT matter for output?

Tim wrote:

I'm not sure I understand what you mean...? Once you have a QT file of any quality you can import the movie and it's audio into PT ( if and only if it's less than 2 gig long)... The quality is probably less important as far as I'm concerned than the integrety of the sync. If the audio file can be imported into PT and then the PT output will sync to the final picture file... I'm happy.

Angelo wrote:

Clients send me QT of varying quality, or does the Canopus require dv quality?

No. You can put anything you want into the Canopus input... DV or Analog... NTSC or PAL... It's sort of a garbage in garbage out proposition though... "DV Quality" can be really bad if the material you are transfering to DV is bad....

Then Dan wrote:

I normally do roughly 20 minute reels in DV format (around 3.5 to 4.5 GB) and they always import fine.

Tim wrote:

Import into what? How do you import 20 minutes (or 60 minutes) of DV into PT unless it's a QT movie...? I'm not having any luck importing long (longer than 2 gig) QT Movies into PT 5.3.1 (HD|3, Mac OS 9.2.2, Dual 1 gig G4).

Man... that would be great if PT will import a 90 minute iMovie capture into PT!!! I guess I've never even tried to do that...

Dan wrote:

iMovie, for example, still imposes this limit when capturing but will record longer by simply making several movie files.

Tim Wrote:

I thought I was able to make longer iMovies than the 2 gig limit... ?

The only reason I go to iMovie is for the QuickTime Movie export. If one is trying to remain in synch from top to bottom of a long film, it seems sort of random to be chopping up the longer file into smaller files and hope it will all knit together perfectly after 60 minutes...!!

I, too, don't have a problem making a long iMovie capture. But how does one get that into PT without having seperate PT sessions for the short QT movies?

It sounds like I'm missing something fundamental here... Sorry.

[ChrisMac]

Just wanted to jump in and say that I capture picture with the Canopus using Final Cut Pro and I have no file size/time limitations (as far as I have seen). I am currently working on a televison show (22 minutes) and have no problems with capture and play back of a 4.5 gig file. As well, I recently completed a one hour documentary and had the entire 1 hour video file (over 9 gig) playing in perfect harmony inside Protools thru the Canopus. I am running Protools 5.3.1 and OS 9.2

[CCash]

No problems here importing QT DVs an hour long (well over 2 Gig) into Pro Tools. There was/is a 2 gig limitation in for sending files over a network w/OS9 I believe, but that really doesn't have anything to with this... just throwing it out there.

The canopus box is relatively nice... just be aware that dealing with the 22 quarter frame pic delay can be lame w/ editing, esp when scrubbing (it depends on your style and isn't that big of a deal to me). Check some recent threads here... one was called something like "what are you fuse owners going to do?". Another option discussed there is using a Radion 8500 card w/ S-video output to a regular TV. With the card your CPU will be doing a little more work. The last option, and so far my favorite, is using Virtual VTR on a separate computer. Those seem to be the popular options at the moment.