Apple Final Cut Pro 5 - Manual (Page 207)

206 Part III Setting Up Your Editing System
Establishing Device Control
Device control is necessary for communication between Final Cut Pro and your VTR.
Final Cut Pro sends and receives all timecode information via a device control
connection. This is critical for logging, batch capturing, and frame-accurate output to
tape. DV devices use FireWire for device control, but most professional non-DV decks
use serial device control with the RS-422 protocol.
Using Serial 9-Pin Connectors for Device Control
Professional decks use the RS-422 or RS-232 remote device control protocol via a serial
data connection. The connector used is a DB9 (9-pin) connector. Since Macintosh
computers do not have a DB9 port, you need to add a USB-to-serial adapter or internal
modem serial port adapter.
To connect a USB-to-serial adapter for remote device control between your
computer and a VTR:
1 Connect a USB-to-serial adapter to a USB port on your computer.
Important: For best results, always connect a USB-to-serial adapter directly to your
computer, not to a USB hub connected to your computer.
2 Connect the DB9 (9-pin) connector to your device-controllable camcorder or deck, and
connect the other end to the USB-to-serial adapter.
To connect an internal modem serial port adapter for remote device control
between your computer and a VTR:
1 Install an internal modem serial port adapter in your computer’s internal modem port.
2 Connect the DB9 (9-pin) connector to your device-controllable camcorder or deck, and
connect the other end to the modem serial port adapter.
Synchronizing Equipment With a Blackburst Generator
With most professional editing systems, you capture video, audio, and timecode via
separate cables. It’s important that when you capture, the VTR and the video and audio
interfaces are synchronized via a common video timing signal. If digital audio samples
and video lines and frames are not precisely synchronized, they eventually drift apart
because they are captured at slightly different rates.
Using a common sync source is especially important when you are independently
capturing long segments of video and audio to synchronize together later. If your
audio deck and capture interface are not both receiving the same timing information,
the sync between the audio and video portions of clips might drift over time.