Cueing the videotape, Calibrating your timecode, Choose device control and edit preview settings – Apple Final Cut Pro 6 User Manual
Page 1677: Preparing your videotape with black and timecode

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Cueing the Videotape
When you use the Print to Video command, or when you output directly from the
Timeline, make sure you cue the videotape to where you want to start recording.
To cue the tape:
1
Use the camcorder or deck controls to cue the videotape to the point where you want
to start recording.
2
If you’re outputting to a tape that has previously recorded material on it, make sure
that the write-protection tab is in the write, or unlocked, position.
Note: If you’re using a consumer mini-DV device and you fast-forward past prerecorded
material (so there’s some blank tape between it and what you’ll output), the
DV timecode resets to 00:00:00:00.
Calibrating Your Timecode
You must calibrate the timecode signal of your device before editing. This is particularly
important when you are using RS-422 device control, because video and timecode
information are coming into Final Cut Pro via independent connections. For more
information, see “
Calibrating Timecode Capture with Serial Device Control
Choose Device Control and Edit Preview Settings
If necessary, specify device control and input (“capture”) settings in the Device Settings
tab of the Edit to Tape window. You can change both of these settings by choosing an
Easy Setup that’s appropriate for your video equipment.
To choose device settings:
1
In the Edit to Tape window, click the Device Settings tab.
2
Change your device control and edit preview settings.
For more information, see “
Preparing Your Videotape with Black and Timecode
If you plan to do insert editing and your tape is blank, your tape needs to have a signal
already recorded on it. You can prepare a tape for insert editing by blacking the tape,
which means recording control track, timecode, and a black video signal. You can also
perform insert edits on any tape with an existing control track. Having timecode on the
tape is also necessary to set In and Out points for the edit.
Most blacked tapes start at 00:58:00:00 to allow 2 minutes of header elements before
your program. The movie itself usually starts at 01:00:00:00. This is set in the Initialize
Tape dialog. You will see it only if your deck has a settable timecode generator. You may
want to black several tapes in advance so they are available when needed.
Note: Most consumer DV camcorders are limited to start recording at 00:00:00:00.