Apple Final Cut Pro 6 - Manual (Page 1839)

356 Part IV Settings and Preferences
Using Serial Device Control
Nearly all professional VTRs support serial device control. Serial device control sends and
receives timecode and transport control data. A 9-pin serial connector is usually used
for serial device control. Each pin can carry a separate signal, although typically only
four pins are used (two for transmitting data, and two for receiving data).
Professional video and audio decks may use one of two serial interfaces:
 RS-232: Found on older, more inexpensive equipment. RS-232 is functionally similar
to RS-422, but it’s not used as frequently.
 RS-422: This interface tolerates greater cable lengths than RS-232. It’s more widely
used by facilities where video decks are in a different room than the editing bay.
Timecode Transferred via Serial Device Control
Final Cut Pro can use two kinds of timecode sent over a remote serial connection:
 LTC: LTC (longitudinal timecode) is recorded as an audio signal on a dedicated
timecode track.
 VITC: VITC (vertical interval timecode) is recorded as part of the video signal, using
several video lines that are normally masked by consumer televisions. Lines 16 and 18
of the vertical blanking portion of the video signal are commonly used.
Final Cut Pro can also automatically switch between LTC and VITC if they are both available:
 LTC+VITC: If you choose this setting, Final Cut Pro looks at both timecodes so that
accurate timecode can be read no matter what speed the tape is playing (LTC is used
for normal and high-speed playback; VITC is used for slow motion and pause).
For more information about LTC and VITC timecode, see “ Timecode on Tape ” on page 413.
To take advantage of the Edit to Tape feature (described in Chapter 14, “ Assemble and
Insert Editing Using Edit to Tape ,” on page 197), your video device must support insert
editing. These VTRs can use timecode In and Out points, along with defined video and
audio tracks, and perform a frame-accurate edit.
RS-422 connector