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Chapter 2


Getting your Images and Sound into FreeDV


Your video story is comprised of video clips and audio clips that you recorded with your camcorder or that were created with another application. You "capture" clips and images from your camcorder and "import" clips and images from another application. For example, you might capture several video clips from a recent vacation and import a sound file that you downloaded from the web. This chapter describes how to capture and import clips and sound into your story. Once you've included the clips you want to use, you are ready to begin editing your story, as described in Chapter 3.

Capturing video from your camera

Use the FreeDV capture function to save clips from your Digital Video camcorder as movie files (in QuickTime format) on your computer's hard drive. Once video clips are stored on the hard drive, you can assemble them into your video story.
When you capture clips from your camera, you capture both video and audio. FreeDV does not create separate audio and video tracks from captured clips. To remove the audio, turn its volume down. See Chapter 6 for instructions.
Before you capture, make sure that your camcorder is turned on and connected to your 1394 FireWire Interface port. See the Digital Origin web site for information on compatible 1394 FireWire interfaces.

Using the Capture window

Use the Capture window to transfer clips from your DV camcorder to your computer and save them to the Library.
To display the Capture window, click the Capture button on the toolbar.
NOTE: If you do not have a project open, you will be asked to name the project before the Capture window displays. For more information, see Starting a project.
The rest of this section describes the components of the Capture window. Capturing from tape and Capturing from the Lens describe how to use these components to capture clips.

Capture Window Preview

The Capture window displays a preview of the video playing on your camcorder.

VCR buttons

When you are playing video from your camcorder in the Capture window, you can use the VCR buttons, as described in the following table, to locate the clip you want to capture.

To:

Use this button:

Or this keyboard shortcut:

Play or pause the tape.

Play/Pause

Space bar

Stop the tape when you are done or if you want to rewind or fast forward at the fastest speed.

Stop

Down-arrow

Fast forward the tape

Fast Forward

Shift Right-arrow

Rewind the tape

Rewind

Shift Left-arrow

Advance the tape one frame at a time

Step Forward

Right-arrow

Rewind the table one frame at a time

Step Reverse

Left-arrow

Slowly (1/10th speed) play the tape forward

Slow Play Forward

Control Right-arrow

Slowly play the tape in reverse

Slow Play Reverse

Control Left-arrow

Capture button

The Capture button starts or stops a capture. You can use the Enter key as a shortcut for this button. For more information on capturing, see Capturing from tape or Capturing from the Lens.

Disk Information

The Available Disk Space indicator (disk shape) shows how much space is available on your hard disk to store captured clips.
The Available Time indicator (stop watch) shows how many minutes and seconds of video can be stored on your disk.
The Disk Performance indicator (cheetah) shows you the speed at which FreeDV stored the last clip to disk. This information is important, because it lets you know if the performance of your disk drive is changing as it fills. Minimum performance is 3.6MB per seconds. FreeDV can compensate for slower storage rates, but you should try to keep the storage rate at or above the 3.6MB per second level. If disk performance declines, try removing unneeded files from your hard disk or running a defragmentation program. (Please see the Troubleshooting section of your Installation Guide or, if using a third-party FireWire interface, see the 3rd Party FireWire Interfaces document on the Digital Origin web site.)

Tape Information

Each digital video frame has the following information associated with it:
You can show one of these information items (time code is the default) in the display at the bottom of the Capture window.
To switch the display between time code, time, or date, select the item you want from the list box.
If you think you will need to recapture a clip another time, you can note the time code of the beginning and end points of the clip.
NOTE: Some digital video camcorders reset the time code to 00:00:00;00 if you leave blank, unrecorded space between video clips. In this case, you will have more than one frame with the same time code on your tape. FreeDV may display a message about "discontinous time code" after capturing video from tape with this condition. This message is provided for your information and should not affect the quality of the clips captured to disk.

Capturing from tape

To capture clips that you've recorded on tape:
    1. Load the appropriate tape into your camcorder and set the camcorder to VTR mode. (For instructions, see your camcorder's User Guide.)
    2. Click the Capture button in the Toolbar or choose File>Capture to display the Capture window.
    3. Use the VCR buttons to play the tape and locate the clip you want to capture.
    4. To start the capture, click the Capture button or press Enter while the tape is playing.
    5. The clip plays in the Capture window as it is captured.
    6. Click the Capture button again or press Enter to stop the capture.
    7. In the dialog box that appears, type a name for the clip and click the Save button.
The new clip appears in the Library window.

Capturing from the Lens

To capture clips directly from the camcorder's lens:
    1. Set the camcorder to Camera mode. (For instructions, see your camcorder's User Guide.)
    2. NOTE: Some camcorders shut down (to protect tape heads) when in camera-mode for an extended period of time. To prevent your camera from doing so, remove the tape.
    3. Set up the camera to film the action you want to capture.
    4. Click the Capture button in the Toolbar or choose File>Capture to display the Capture window.
    5. To start the capture, click the Capture button or press Enter while the tape is playing.
    6. Click the Capture button again or press Enter to stop the capture.
    7. In the dialog box that appears, type a name for the clip and click the Save button. The new clip appears in the Library window.

Importing Video and Sound

In addition to capturing from your camcorder, you can import movie files and audio files stored on your hard disk and include them in your video story.
FreeDV allows you to import the following file types:
When you upgrade to the complete version of IntroDV, you can also enhance your stories by importing still image files, in the followng formats:
NOTE: In general, FreeDV supports importing of most of the same file types that QuickTime supports. Visit the Digital Origin Web site (www.digitalorigin.com) for the latest information on supported file types.
To import a movie or audio file:
    1. Select File>Import to display the Import dialog box.
    2. Use the Look In list box to navigate to the folder in which the file is stored.
    3. Select the file you want to import.
TIP! Shift-click or Control-click to select several files at the same time.
    1. Click Show Preview to display or listen to a preview of the clip stored in the file.
    2. If you don't see a preview, click Create to create one. Use the following controls to preview the file.

    To:

    Use this button:

    Play the preview

    Play

    Stop the preview

    Stop

    Fast forward the preview

    Fast Forward

    Rewind the preview

    Rewind

    Move to a specific point within the preview

    Position indicator (Click and hold mouse button to drag.)

    Change the volume of the preview

    Volume

  1. Click Import to import the selected file(s).
  2. The file(s) you imported appears in the Library window.
  3. When you are finished importing, click Done to close the dialog box.

Working with Clips in the Library Window

The movie and audio clips that you capture or import are the raw material for your video project. They all appear in the Library window. Chapter 3 describes how to assemble your video project from these clips.
To organize clips in the Library window, you can:

To:

Select this item from the short-cut menu:

Delete the selected clip

Delete

Rename the selected clip

Rename

Copy the clip to video tape (for more information, see Chapter 7)

Print to Tape

View the clip's properties

Properties

You can set the number of columns displayed in the Library window in the Library Window tab of the Options dialog.


Digital Origin
http://www.digitalorigin.com
Phone: (650) 404-6300
460 East Middlefield Road
Mountain View, CA 94043
support@digitalorigin.com

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