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VCube 5.1 User Manual - Merging Technologies

1. Queue Priority 1 Mf 24 Bes Final Check Menoring Of Leved Masc Cel Input Felder 1 files EMMXFixWWatch TRAL XMasSong1 MXF Estimated Complieden 000000 Estimased Processing 0000000 Output Folder 0 files EMMXFixXVPushtPAL EJ LI pm Se T d Er dne amt xi Pi u Jam i e dl A n W P E Loo NM d MXFix Web Monitor web page One group of status boxes per Input Output Folder pair are displayed Queue Box Queue1 Priority 1 Mxf 24 Bits Final Check Monee OT Level Magic Off Queue Box The Queue box displays the basic properties of the tasks to be performed and the current priority level of each Input folder MXFix Batch Export Re Wrapping MXFix Web Monitor AMERGING y ne Input Folder Box Input Folder 1 files EAMWMXFixWVatch TFAL XMasSong1 MXF Estimated Completion 00 00 00 Estimated Processing 00 00 00 Input Folder Box The Input Folder boxes show the files awaiting processing currently in each Input Folder Processing Box Processing XMassSong1 MXF Estin vate Remain na Completion E ll m mm jjo mm Estimated When MFXFix processing is activated the Processing Box shows the details of the file being processed currently The bar next to the Processing label shows progress Output Folder Box Output Folder 1 files E MWMXFiPush1tPAL AMasSong1 MXF
2. Loudness Range LRA 0 Loudness Range LRA Max TruePeak 144 5 Max TruePeak lt MML gt 70 lt MML gt lt MSL gt 70 lt MSL gt lt Stereo gt lt Surround_5 1 gt lt Loudness_INT gt 1 50099659 lt Loudness_INT gt lt Loudness_Range_LRA gt 4 75279236 lt Loudness_Range_LRA gt lt Max_TruePeak gt 6 76408482 lt Max_TruePeak gt lt MML gt 1 63770938 lt MML gt lt MSL gt 1 53237224 lt MSL gt lt Surround_5 1 gt lt FinalCheck_Metering gt XML information Title and start of results First showing results for the selected stereo pair Loudness integrated averaged on the whole file in LUFS Loudness range AKA Ira in LUs Maximum True Peak value in dBFS Maximum momentary loudness AKA Max M Maximum long term loudness AKA Max S End of results for the stereo pair Start of results for surround Loudness integrated averaged on the whole file in LUFS Loudness range AKA Ira in LUs Maximum True Peak value in dBFS Maximum momentary loudness AKA Max M Maximum long term loudness AKA Max S End of results for the surround tracks End of file Conversion and Rendering Final Check Meter VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM MXFix Batch Export Re Wrapping Scope Merging Technologies MXFix batch wrapper is designed to make wrap processing of large amounts of broadcast quality video files as simple as possible for all users in a video workflow MXFix essentially allows for a primary user to defi
3. User Interface with ATI Graphic Card Problem The VCube User Interface does not refresh correctly Some labels are missing or appear to be disabled Solution In Windows Advanced Display Properties be sure that the ATI Troubleshoot Control Panel is set as on the screen shot below Plug and Play Monitor and RADEON 9600 SERIES Properties fx Rotation Overlay SMAARTEART tn 30 YPU Recover CATALYST Control Center Displays Color Options General Adapter Monitor Troubleshoot Color Management m Are you having probleme with your graphics hardware These settings can help you troubleshoot display related problems l Hardware acceleration Manually control the level of acceleration and performance supplied by your graphics hardware Use the Display Troubleshooter to assist wou in making the change Hardware acceleration Mone J Full Disable cursor and bitmap accelerations Use this setting to corect problems with the mouse pointer orto correct prablems with corrupt Images Enable write combining Display Control Panel NTSC Video Output Exhibits Some Dropped Frames with PAL Media Files y vM Problem A PAL Composition or a PAL Media File is loaded using the Easy Load function into the Timeline NTSC video out put is required This output exhibits some dropped frames on the display at bottom left corner of the User Inter face Solution If the Composition is set to 25 fps then the VCube vid
4. 2K SD SDI HD SDI 2K Analog 2K 2Ke Breakout Cable VENA 2K D Connector XEMA 2K Mini BNC 3 EMCs Analog Connections In SD Can be Configured for Com ponent Composite or S Video In HD Can Only Be Component PS Se eee ee Tm z BHAH LLLI Reference Input BA Audio Output XLRs y Channels 1 8 Ela channels connector Audio Input XLRs Channels 1 4 channels connector SDi cable 01 Video with Ernbatel desc Audio In Out Notes SDI embedded audio and the Merging Technologies audio option cannot be used to capture audio simul taneously VCube does not use the RS422 connector on the breakout cable currently SD Formats Supported PAL 4 3 D1 PAL 4 3 D1 PAL 4 3 Dv PAL 4 3 DV PAL 16 9 D1 PAL 16 9 D1 PAL 16 9 DV e PAL 16 9 DV NTSC 4 3 D1 NTSC 4 3 D1 NTSC 4 3 DY i NTSC 4 3 DV NTSC 16 9 D1 NTSC 16 9 D1 NTSC 16 9 DV NTSC 16 9 DV Appendices AJA Video Cards and Plugins AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM HD Formats Supported f20p 30 00 Hz 720p 50 00 Hz f20p 53 94 Hz 720p 59 94 Hz 720p 60 00 Hz 720p 60Hz L080 50 00 Hz 1080i 50 00 Hz 1080i 59 94 Hz L080 60 00 Hz 1080i 60 00 Hz 1080p sf 23 98 Hz 1080p sf 23 98 Hz 1080p sF 24 00 Hz 1080p sf 24 00 Hz LUS0p 23 95 Hz 1080p 23 98 Hz 1050p 24 00 Hz 1080p 24 00 Hz 1050p 25 00 Hz 1080p 25 00 Hz 1050p 29 97 Hz 1080p 29 97 Hz 1080p 30
5. Load Settings Save Sethings File Settings Lancel Frame rate Shows current Frame Rate Will be unavailable for change if inappropriate due to choice of Format Type in the Basic Settings Tab Otherwise offers a list of available Frame rates Deinterlacing Shows current deinterlacing status Offers a choice of Enabled or Disabled Aspect Ratio Shows current Aspect Ratio Click to choose from Square Pels pixels 4 3 Display 16 9 Display 2 21 1 Display Pulldown Shows current Pulldown parameters The parameters under Pulldown convert 23 976 fps frames per second to 29 97 fps or 24 fps to 30 fps This is should only be done to progressive frame video like film The movie studios slow their films from 24 fps to 23 987 and then encode using Pulldown to display at 29 97 fps The video encoder manipulates the Top Field First tff and Repeat First Field rff flags to convert 4 frames 8 fields to 5 frames 10 fields like this T top field B bottom field frame 1 tff 1 rff 0 fields displayed TB frame 2 tff 1 rff 1 fields displayed TBT frame 3 tff 0 rff 0 fields displayed BT frame 4 tff 0 rff 1 fields displayed BTB Appendices MPEG Settings MainConcept Encoder Page 247 AMERGING Bitrate type VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM So you get the sequence of fields TB TBT BT BTB or grouped as frames TB TB TB TB TB The above would be consid ered 2 3 pulldown as it is 2 fields 3
6. VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Tool Bar The Toolbar Contains a range of Icons for performing common tasks Many Icons also have a Tool Picker down arrow adjacent Clicking on the down arrow enables the user to choose from a range of grouped tools When a Tool picker is present the Icon displayed in the Toolbar is the last tool selected Tool Bar VCube Toolbar Tools and Toolpickers File Toolpicker Tool Bar Open Ctrl 0 Media File Browser Ctrl Shift O Open Composition Ctrl O Opens the VCube Compositions Browser Media File Browser Ctrl Shift O Opens the Media File Browser Tool Bar Tools and Toolpickers Page 157 AMERGING y vM VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Show Settings Tabs Toolpicker Tool Bar LII ETT i i BEEE Quick SD Settings Quick HD Settings Show Preset Tab Show Format amp Sync Tab Show LTE VITC Show Overlay Tab Show Preview Tab Show Video 1 0 Tab Show Composition Tab Show Buffer amp Cache Tab Show User Interface Tab Show Timeline Tab Show Isis Controller Tab Show Encryption Tab Show Media Settings Tab Shaw Vcube Preferred Search Directories Toggle Transport Tool Show Record Page Show Timeline Page Toggle Transport Tool Quick SD Settings Quick HD Settings Show Preset Tab Show Format amp Sync Tab Show LTC VITC Show Overlay Tab Show Preview Tab Show Video I O Tab Show Composition Tab Show User
7. Alt F5 Alt F6 Shift R Ctrl R P Alt P Shift Alt P Ctrl P Alt P Shift P Ctrl F Ctrl Shift P Ctrl Shift Alt P Alt K Ctrl F4 VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Page 182 VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Show Timeline Tab Show Isis Controller Tab Only present when an Isis is active Show VCube Preferred Search Directories Show All Settings Restart in Software Only Mode Only present when a Mykerinos is in the system User Interface Mykerinas Output Script al Toggle Fullscreen Preview Toggle Floating Window Floating Preview Size Toggle Show Hide Settings Show Shortcut Tab WorkSpace Toggle Transport Tool Show Timeline Pa Show Record Page Refresh Updates the list of Media Files in a specific location Settings Pages gt Previous Settings Page Steps through the Control Settings Tab Pages when they are displayed to the right of the Preview pane Next Settings Page Steps through the Control Settings Tab Pages when they are displayed to the right of the Preview pane Show File page Opens the Locator Tab pane in a floating window Show Locator Page Opens the Edit Tabs in a floating window Show view Page Opens the View Tabs in a floating window Show Edit Page Opens the Edit Tabs in a floating window Show Settings Page Opens the Control Settings Tabs in a floating window Settings Tabs gt Show Previous Settings Tab Steps through the Tabs available
8. HD VIDEO SYSTEM Number of Pixels HD 1080x1920 HD 720x1280 NTSC Wide Screen 864x483 NTSC D1 DV 648x480 The number of pixels is only a part of the equation leading to the bandwidth storage and streaming requirements computation But since it s a two dimensional value we must use it as the starting point of the computations SD Video Standards The world is divided in two zones One using the PAL system and one using the NTSC system The SECAM system is almost dead for production equipment and is only used in some countries for broadcasting purpose only NTSC is a 720 points x 480 lines format at 29 97 frames per second PAL is a 720 points x 576 lines format at 25 frames par second Despite a greater number of elements per frame in the PAL system it uses almost the same bandwidth as the NTSC system because of its lower frame rate PAL transmits 10 368 000 points per second and NTSC transmits 10 487 102 points every second Appendices Video Formats and Bandwidth Page 232 VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM HD Video Standards HD video systems exist in two main standards The first one is 1280 pixels x 720 lines It s also called 1K The second one is 1980 pixels x 1080 lines It s also called 2K The frame rate may vary from 23 98 fps to 60 fps leading to very different results in terms of the bandwidth used A 720 HD video at 23 98 fps requires 22 096 303 points per second transmission and a 1080 HD video at 29 97 fp
9. SurCode Decoder When selected a Dolby E stream will be decoded to 8 discrete channels by the SurCode for Dolby E decoder 1 8 drop down The drop down sets the channels which will be replaced by the decoded channels Final Check Meter and Level Magic will deal with the audio input based on this description using a different algorithm for Surround If SurCode for Dolby E options are activated the Dolby E pair will be decoded processed and re encoded if needed when Level Magic is on Note If Dolby E is selected this overrides the Process On Off buttons settings For more detail about Dolby E encoding and decoding please see Dolby E Encoder amp Dolby E Decoder on page 154 Running MXFix In order to launch MXFix simply click Ok in the MXFix Folders dialog box with or without the Continuous Watch Mode button activated to use either mode Batch mode DCAM HD WiseDisner 10862 Vue eel MXFix Batch mode running MXFix displays in red lettering across the VCube Preview screen while it is active and any files to be processed appear momentarily one after the other in the VCube timeline as they are being scanned corrected and wrapped in their respective containers A progress bar is superimposed over the Preview Window showing the progress of each file in real time If a file being processed is considered to be taking too long and you would like to skip it without stopping the MXFix Batch Mode just click on the Cancel button
10. VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Once created in the Timeline Double click on the Clip to access its settings in Clip Info Clip Info Clip Name Pattern Type Clip Info Video Test Pattern chooser Video test Pattern Pattern Type Field shows the Test Pattern selected currently Click to access the list of patterns avail able Audio Tone clip Audio Tone Clips can be generated automatically by VCube Edit gt Auto Create or In the Toolbar Once created in the Timeline Double click on the Clip to access its settings in Clip Info Clip Into Clip Name Tone Clip 1000 00 Hz Clip Info Tone Clip setting Tone Frequency Field shows the frequency of the sine wave tone Generated Clips Audio Tone clip AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Conversion and Rendering Note When VCube executes Conversion or Rendering processes the current Composition frame rate is used Note All the VCube Export Conversion and functions are available in the File Menu E g File gt Export gt Wrap Export Composition XML VCube Compositions can be exported as xml files This feature enables Timelines to be exchanged between the last generation of Merging Technologies software Pyramix or Ovation To export XML choose File gt Export gt Composition The Export Composition File Browser opens Navigate to the desired destination folder or create a new one The file
11. if you have connected the Video ref to VCube otherwise it should be Internal TC Clock Ref NTSC this settings is available only if TC Clock Ref is set to Video Input Chase TC Source Auto we are not going to use the chase but leave the setting as default Chase Mode Hard we are not going to use the chase but leave the setting as default Chase Enable Off Chase Offset 00 00 00 00 Graphic Card delay compensation 0 Video Card delay compensation 0 Sony 9 Pin Remote Control On About Sony 9 pin Remote Control Settings Shuttle Still Settings Stop Serial Port COM 2 Sony 9 Pin Machine Control Off Appendices Pro Tools and VCube Page 270 vM Pro Tools HD The following screen shots show a representative setup for Pro Tools HD as used in Swiss TV Since individual set ups will inevitably differ some settings may need to be altered to suit your circumstances If you encounter insoluble difficulties please contact your Merging Technologies Sales Partner Format sample Rate 48 kHz Audio Format BWF WAV Session Start Bit Depth 24 Bit Interleaved Incoming Time Clock Source SYNC Timecode Rate oystem Delay 1154 samples Feet Frames Rate Pan Depth 2 5 dB Timecode 2 Rate SYNC Setup amp Timecode Offsets SYNC Setup External Timecode Offsets Clock Reference Video Reference SD MMC Positional Reference Serial Timecode Pin Video Ref Format PAL T E Sync
12. Control Settings Page View Tab Page 125 VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Simple Mode Options Workspace Hide Nothing Hide Shortcut Tab Pages Hide Reload Tab Hide All Format amp Sync Tabs Hide Preset Tab not implemented Hide Composition Audio Format Tab Hide Composition Video Format Tab Hide Synchronization Hide Timecode Hide MaskTab Hide All Preview Tabs Hide Engine Tab Hide Size Tab Hide All Composition Tabs Hide General Ti Hide All Buffer amp Cache Tabs Hide Playback Buffer Tab Hide Read Cache Tabs Hide All User Interface Settings Tabs Hide Display Manual Resize Tab Hide Language Tab Workspace Simple Mode settings Hide Nothing The drop down list gives the choice of Hide Nothing Hide All Hide All But Views Hide All But Settings Otherwise any of the individual Tabs listed below can be hidden in Simple Mode when the buttons are checked Clicking on one of the Folders will also activate hide for all the panels in that folder Hide Shortcut Tab Hide All Settings Pages Hide All Preset Tabs Hide Preset Tab Hide Reload Tab Control Settings Page View Tab Page 126 AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Hide All Format amp Sync Tabs Hide Preset Tab not implemented Hide Composition Audio Format Tab Hide Composition Video Format Tab Hide Synchronization Timecode Tab Hide All Overlay tabs Hide Timecode Tab Hide Mask Tab Hide All Preview Tabs Hide Engine Tab Hide Si
13. Destiny MPE Secure Audio MPEG Moving Pictures Experts Group Layer 2 mp2 MPEG Audio Stream Layer Il HDV file format Mpeg2 HD 2k DV D file format Mpeg 2 the Material eXchange Format Y es D10 Digital V ideo File Formats Digital V ideo File Formats Audio Interchange File MPEG Audio Stream Layer Il WAVE File Format Broadcast wave Pyramix media file format Dolby AC3 audio file format Means optional feature All standard Video CODECs for Windows are supported Appendices Files Supported Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM A still image file such as JPEG or BMP is imported as a 5 seconds Clip in the Timeline You can of course adjust its duration with the Clip handles in the Timeline Notes A single still image is imported as a 5 second Clip A sequence of numbered still images is imported as one image per one video frame Imported still images are loaded in RAM Ctrl I creates a regular video Media File from a sequence of numbered still images The alpha channel is not used by this conversion AVI 1 AVI 2 and AVI ref AVI 1 AVI 2 amp AVI ref are variants of AVI Windows Media File formats AVI 1 only supports files smaller than 2 GB which allows not much more than an 11 minutes DV file to be recorded AVI 2 supports files larger than 2GB AVI ref can be used in order to record a group of AVI 1 files exceeding 11 minutes If you have
14. VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Once created in the Timeline Double click on the Clip to access its settings in Clip Info Clip Into Clip Name Wipe Clip 2 Comments Color Opacity Alignment Left to Right Type Gauge Clip Info Wipe settings Clips The fields in this section are the same as for standard Video or Audio Clips However Clip Name appears on the Wipe overlay just above the Wipe Clip Name Field shows the current Clip Name Click in the field and type to rename Countdown Comments Free text field Click in the field and type Color Field shows current Wipe Color Click to open the Color Picker Please see Color Picker on page 17 Opacity The field is a slider showing the current Opacity between 1 and 255 Click and drag the slider to change the value Alignment Field shows current Wipe direction Click to drop down list of alternatives Default is Left to Right Left to Right Right to Left Border to Center Center to Border Type Field shows the current Wipe style Click to drop down the list of alternatives Gauge Horizontal Vertical Note Some Clip Properties are not supported by Wipe Clips Countdown clips are unaffected by the Layer Source Destination rectangle settings Video Test Pattern Clip Video Test Pattern clips can be generated automatically by VCube Edit gt Auto Create New Video Test Pattern or m In the Toolbar Generated Clips Video Test Pattern Clip AMERGING
15. VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Fairlight Controlling a VCube Fairlight DREAM MFX3 Jogsh The jogsh modifier is used to modify the behavior of the DREAM Console transport when acting as a master con trolling slave 9 pin devices in jog or shuttle mode The default setting is jogsh 1 When jogsh 0 the DREAM Console sends jog commands to the slave and then reads and chases the slave s Time Code This provides uniform picture jogging but in some cases may cause excessive variations in audio jog speed SYSTEM FILES When jogsh 1 the DREAM Console sends jog commands to the slave the slave then reads and chases the DREAM Console s TimeCode This provides uniform audio jogging but in some cases may cause excessive variations in video jog speed Add jogsh to the end of the device definition you wish to modify where is 1or O 9 PIN CONTROL In the configuration file SYS cd dd usr sys tcs cfg file be sure the ALT JOG option is removed by adding an asterisk before the SETENV ALT JOG entry in tcs cfg Additional tcs cfg settings required for control of VCube via 9 pin are RETRY LIMIT 50 SONY TIMEOUT 50 LAME SLAVE DELAY 2 SETENV ALT_JOG In VCube the port COM settings for the Sony 9 pin Remote Control must be set to Var Shuttle Jog with speed 0 Then the VCube no longer interprets these commands For correct behavior of VCube with the FFW and REW commands from the Fairlight station on the MFX3 the Unlace parameter must
16. mats of digital video sound text animation music A QuickTime file functions as a multimedia container file that contains one or more tracks each of which store a particular type of data such as audio video effects or text for subtitles for example Each track in turn contains track media either the digitally encoded media stream Reconform Pyramix can conform audio to match a several flavours of EDL and also reconform an existing project to match a CMX change EDL reference video signal A composite video signal to which other signals are compared or locked for tim ing purposes RGB Every pixel is sampled for red green and blue RP 188 is a SMPTE recommended Practice describing the transmission of the TimeCode in the ancillary data space of a television data stream The Xena LS and the Canopus video cards don t support this fea ture RS 232 A standard single ended unbalanced interconnection scheme for serial data communications The maximum permissible line length under the specification is approximately 15 meters RS 422 A standard balanced interconnection scheme for serial data communications It allows for higher data rates and an extended line length to approximately 1200 meters Appendices Glossary Page 283 y ne VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM y ne ruler A graphic element of a video editing application that shows time or TimeCode along a horizontal axis Similar to the ruler in word processi
17. 0 3 V pulse 40 3 V pulse followed by the video image data Like analog sync the signal is repeated every scan line as it creates an entire HD video frame trim In video editing systems to add or subtract TimeCode to adjust edit points Underscan The process of displaying a TV picture on an area smaller than the TV picture tube size per mitting view of the entire video picture including sync and blanking Many professional TV monitors have an underscan button or switch to allow for viewing the entire TV picture VCR Video cassette recorder VITC Vertical interval TimeCode TimeCode encoded into the vertical interval of the video It can usually be read out even when a VTRis still framed or running at slower or faster than play speed Appendices Glossary Page 284 W gt lt VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Y U V PAL luminance amp color difference components U and V are the names of the B Y and R Y color dif ference signals respectively when they are modulated onto subcarrier YUY2 see 4 2 2 Appendices Glossary Page 285 vM Numerics 16mm 152 16mm Feet 22 24fps Composition Chasing other Timecodes 165 2GB Limitation 202 35mm 152 35mm Feet 22 9 Pin RS422 Wiring Chart 274 A AAF 38 import settings 151 About This Manual 15 Acquisition 58 Adding Tracks and Layers 50 Advanced Mode 16 Advanced Preview 69 AJA Card I O Resolutions 241 AJA Video Cards and Plugins 203 Alpha Channel 38 Ap
18. AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM codec The Windows DV codec does not support non standard sizes Note VCube is supplied with DV and MJEPG codecs as standard DVCPRO and MXF are options Some codecs will require additional activation keys and or installation of third party plug ins Frame Rates Supported Frame Rates Supported Some frame rates may be incompatible with certain files codecs 23 98 HD 24 00 Film HD 25 00 PAL HD 29 97 NTSC HD 30 00 HD 90 00 HD 59 94 HD 60 00 HD Interchange Protocols Supported Interchange Protocols supported by VCube some require optional activation key VCube watermarking Reconform composition with same medias YES YES MXF D10 YES BWF YES DOLBY E MXF MPEG2 HD YES BWF DOLBY YES Apple XML Final Cut YES YES VCube YES YES Appendices Video Codecs Supported Page 239 AMERGING Resolutions Supported SVGA Analogue or DVI Digital Graphics Card Output Formats VCube Models SE SD SEPro SD SE HD SEPro HD SE Pro DD PAL 4 3 D1 v v PAL 4 3 DV PAL 16 9 D1 PAL 16 9 DV NTSC 4 3 D1 NTSC 4 3 DV NTSC 16 9 D1 v v v v v v v v v v SESPS PS PS PSPs ES SS O pel O pel 2048x1080p 23 98 2048x1080p 23 98 2048x1080p 23 98 2048x1080p 23 98 O E SPSS PSPS ES ES ES S SE S ES ERTS TERT S S ES ES SE S ES SN SS Note Opt 2K Option Note VCube supports any picture resolution from 160x120 pixels to the maximum resolution of the graphic
19. Animation and Transparent JPEG JPEG Network Graphics with Alpha channel Abode Photoshop PC Bitmap File Format Wireless Bitmap File Format JPeg 2000 JPeg 2000 JPeg 2000 Raster Image File Formats JPEG 2000 Code Stream Syntax Portable graymap format gray scale Portable BitMap Portable GreyMap Portable PixMap Microsoft Windows Media Video MPEG Moving Pictures Experts Group 4 File mp4 mpe Moving Pictures Experts Group Moving Pictures Experts Group MPEG Moving Pictures Experts Group Layer 1 mp1 Destiny MPE Secure Audio MPEG Moving Pictures Experts Group Layer 2 mp2 MPEG Audio Stream Layer II HDV file format DVD file format Mpeg 2 the Material eXchange Format Advanced Authoring Format Apple Final Cut Pro XML Digital Video File Formats Digital Video File Formats Audio Interchange File MPEG Audio Stream Layer II WAVE File Format Broadcast wave Pyramix media file format AC3 Sound designer Sound designer Optional feature VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Note A single Still Image is imported as a5 seconds Clip A sequence of numbered Still Images is imported one images per video frame Imported Still images are loaded in RAM Media Management Media Handlers VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Tracks and Layers Each Composition includes a number of Video and Audio Tracks on which audio and video Cl
20. Cubic Slow but very good quality Lanczos Very Slow but excellent quality Supersampling Slow but very good for large downscaling Advanced Settings The button is only available when MJPEG or Avid VC 3 DNxHD are selected as the Com pression scheme or when MPEG is selected in File Format A dialog appears with com pression settings Notes When QuickTime and an MJPEG codec are chosen Progressive Frame must be selected in Frame Lay out to ensure QuickTime player compatibility Frame Rate must be set to match the frame rate of the Composition where the generated Video file is to be used Compression allows the user to select the CODEC used to generate the new Media File s Depending on the chosen CODEC it is possible to adjust the Compression Settings For full details about the MPEG Settings please refer to the dedicated section We recommend using only regular Format Types in the Basic Settings dialog for trouble free operation MJPEG codec A 100 value corresponds to an average 1 3 compression ratio and a 50 one to an average 1 20 compression ratio Audio File Format The field shows the current File Format The drop down list offers a choice of formats from the following depending on the container chosen If both Video and Audio are of the same type e g AVI or QuickTime they are merged inside a single Media File The drop down list offers a choice of formats from the following depending on the container chosen None A
21. MPEG Overview MPEG is both a compression codec and a file format mpeg mpg etc MPEG Types The following MPEG types are available as outputs for the Encoder This list introduces the different formats for a detailed explanation please refer to a specialized technical reference book MPEG 1 The MPEG 1 format has been developed by the Motion Pictures Experts Group and it enables you to compress video and audio data with lower bitrates using a specific standard You can save the format on a com puter or a normal CD ROM and play it back using a software or hardware decoder The MPEG 1 format is used for VCDs Appendices AVI 1 AVI 2 and AVI ref Page 244 vM VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM y ne VCD Video CD This profile produces MPEG 1 output suitable for burning to a recordable CD in a special format that can be played in Video CD players computers and many standalone DVD players The maximum resolution for MPEG 1 VCD is 352x288 with 25 frames per second and 352x240 with 30 frames per second respectively MPEG 2 The MPEG 2 format has been created by the Motion Pictures Experts Group and it enables you to compress video and audio data with a higher bitrates for best quality using a specific standard You can save the format on a computer as well as a normal CD ROM or DVD and play it back using a software or hardware decoder The MPEG 2 format is used for SVCDs and DVDs SVCD Super Video CD This option gen
22. Problem The RS 422 configurator is set to From Controller In Settings gt Format amp Sync Synchronization TimeCode Incoming and Outgoing the Sony 9 pin Remote Control is enabled and correctly set to COM3 RS 422 connec tor but VCube doesn t respond to all commands This port is named COM2 in settings specific panel for early VCubes featuring an ASUS mother board Solution Be sure that the RS 422 configurator switch is set to From Controller if you use this port In Settings Format amp Sync Synchronization TimeCode Incoming and Outgoing activate the Debug Log This feature displays all incoming commands or requests from the external controller It is a powerful tool for ana lyzing and remedying incorrect controller settings or hardware problems Sony 9 Pin Debug Log Log File Path cii Sony apinLag Exk Last received command Last Sent command Rewind Enable Log Status Sens Stop Play Enable Log Preset Sens FastFid Stop Enable Lag TC Sens JagFwd 0 017783 Enable Log Other Sens Enable Log Type Regu Sony 9 Pin Debug Log Recorded Media Files have incorrect Timestamp vM Problem The capture is successful except that Media Files are not stamped with the correct Time Code A one frame shift appears randomly despite the fact that VCube is chasing the VCR TimeCode Solution Ensure that both the reference video input on the synchronization panel of the VCube and the video
23. Resize Click and Drag the external handles to adjust rectangle size Shift Click and Drag the external handles to adjust rectangle size while preserving the aspect ratio Watermark and Text Text Clip y ne VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM UP DOWN LEFT and RIGHT keys can also be used to move the rectangle Ctrl UP Ctrl DOWN Ctrl LEFT and Ctrl RIGHT keys resize the rectangle In this mode the Top Left handle is the fixed reference point Shift UP Shift DOWN Shift LEFT and Shift RIGHT keys resize the rectangle In this mode the Bot tom Right handle becomes the fixed reference point Move Click and Drag the central handle to adjust rectangle position Double click on the central handle centers the rectangle on the X amp Y axes Ctrl Double click on the central handle restores the Text box to its original size Alt Double click on the central handle centers the Text box on the vertical axis Shift Double click on the central handle centers the Text box on the horizontal axis Finish Enter accepts Text box settings and removes the red frame etc Esc accepts Text box settings and removes the red frame etc Clicking elsewhere in the Timeline to deselect the Text Clip accepts Text box settings and removes the red frame etc Trimming Setting The Trimming setting determines how excess Text which will not fit in the on screen box is dealt with For exampl
24. Show Buffer amp Cache Tab Read Cache There are two ways of adjusting the cache size Set the Mode to Unity and set the Nb Drives value to the number of discs installed on the Unity server partition the VCube is connected to The cache size will then be automatically adjusted to optimal If the above solution is not applicable unknown number of discs for instance then keeping the Mode to Default and setting the Cache Size to 4 MB will ensure reasonable performance To import OMF Compositions and access referenced Media Files from the Unity server go to Files OMF Composi tion and choose a path for the Compositions to the Unity for the Media Files also in Unity and for the OMF database this can be on the VCube local disk Scanning OMF Media Files will then generate a local media data base in the VCube for best performance Available Compositions should then appear in the list Just load the desired one and play it Export Settings Current Export As Include All video Tracks in Sequence Include All Audio Tracks in Sequence Video Details audio Details Export Method Consolidate and Link to Consolidated Media Target Drive for Consolidate Handle Length Frames Render video Effects On an Avid NLE the Composition must be consolidated in OMF2 as in the screenshot above Embedded Compositions aren t currently supported by VCube Appendices Avid Unity and VCube Page 265 AMERGING
25. Synchronization section Chase TC Source LTC Toggle Chase Checked Or set from the Transport Tool Internal Machine 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 STOP 0 00 i Set UnLocked ut 00 00 00 00 amp D 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 LTC 00 00 00 00 VITE 10 00 00 15 EXT 16 41 09 09 Transport Tool Internal Machine 2 In this configuration Video and Audio References are optional Remote Control Synchronize VCube with an LTC Source y ne Page 171 VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Synchronize VCube with a VITC Source VCube can chase an LTC source 1 Inthe Format amp Sync Tab Synchronization section configure as below TC Frame Rat Chase TC Source Chase Mode Sony 9 Pin Remote Control Debug Log Sony 9 Pin Machine Control Formats amp Sync Tab Synchronization section Chase TC Source VITC Toggle Chase Checked Or set from the Transport Tool Internal Machine 09 59 74 15 00 00 00 00 STOP 0 00 zu 00 00 00 00 UnLock ed cut 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 Ris 00 00 00 00 MS 10 00 00 15 EXT 16 41 09 09 Transport Tool Internal Machine 2 In this configuration Video and Audio References are optional Remote Control Synchronize VCube with a VITC Source AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Machine Control VCube Controlling amp Chasing a Sony 9 pin VCube can remote control and chase another machine via Sony 9 pin P2 protocol commands The following configura
26. When a file has been processed the Web Monitor displays the file details and its status in the Output Folder box and MXFix moves on to the next task MXFix Batch Export Re Wrapping MXFix Web Monitor VCube VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Frame Rate Management The VCube application can manage different frame rates for Media Files Composition and TimeCode For Conver sion or Rendering Processes VCube uses the current Composition frame rate Media File Frame Rate Differs From Composition Frame Rate If the Media File s frame rate is lower than the Composition frame rate some frames will be duplicated If the Media File frame rate is higher than the Composition s frame rate some frames will be dropped The Video Engine will play back the Media File preserving its original duration Playback duration can be changed if required by changing the speed of the Clip in the Timeline with a Double click on the Clip Ctrl W NTSC Frame Rates Composition frame rates of the NTSC family are stretched in time l e one second lasts 1001 mS This requires that Clips be pulled down to 99 9 96 to preserve their original duration In this case the Clip in the timeline needs to be manually pulled out expanded on its Layer s to reflect the new duration Composition Rate Differs From Incoming TimeCode The Timeline displays the External and the current Composition frame rate in the right bottom corner of the Time line The Overl
27. and Audio Disk Read ms timings and 11 individual diagnostic numeric value boxes The principal indicators which are relevant to VCube Essentials and therefore that will be explained here are 1 Video Disk Read graph Audio Disk Read graph Read Drop counter Read Time Average Preview Drop counter M LUE SE r Current FPS Output View Output Page Diagnostic Tools Page 189 AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Playback Info Playback Info Video Disk Read ms ee nj HE EN 20 S J EN E Audio LiI5Sk amp TC ead Ms j vM Read Drop D Proces 5D m E Video Drop Preview Drop Read Time Average 8 39 Read Lock Count Video Data Alloc Count 50 Audio Data Alloc Count Audio Request Failed Count D Current FPS Video Out Transfer Time Output Page Playback Info Tab Note The remaining counters not listed above either only apply to systems which include an AJA video board or are not helpful in determining the cause of poor playback Video and Audio Disk Read graphs The Video and Audio Disk Read graphs show the delays between the moment a media frame is requested from a disk volume and the moment it is available for use by VCube These graphs therefore show the transfer time before the media is decoded and placed into the Playback Buffer So the number of Frames in the buffer itself has no bearing on this information As the bit rate of the media increases so will the time it takes to read it from a disk volume T
28. cient throughput of the media volume to the VCube playback engine during a single playback pass If the raw media data arrives late to VCube because the disks are too slow then VCube does not even have a chance to pro cess them Note Stopping and restarting playback resets the values in all the counters so consult them dur ing playback Read Time Average The Read Time Average shows the delay of processed video frames post playback engine from disk to Playback Engine to the Playback Buffer This value must never exceed the Safe Delay values listed above for a succession of frames larger than the size of the Number of Frames in the Playback Buffer If it does the result is a playback stall Preview Drop Counter The Preview Drop counter shows the number of frames dropped in the VCube Preview Window running on the display engine of the computers graphic board as opposed to video frames dropped on the AJA board shown in the Video Drop counter When in doubt as to if VCube is dropping frames consult this counter during playback It is also displayed at the lower left hand side of the VCube interface Drop 0 Current FPS The Current FPS counter shows the real time frame rate per second of the VCube playback engine If this value varies after the initial lock cycle of VCube is established then VCube has detected a drift in the playback speed This is most likely due to a problem between the lock reference of VCube and the incoming TimeCode v
29. gt Toggle Transport Tool T Internal Machine 00 01 18 21 STOP 0 00 cur out lt lt it gt RR of LT OR eee 10 00 00 0 J Transport Control Panel VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM If Sony 9 Pin Remote Control is enabled in Settings gt Format amp Sync Sony 9 Pin Remote Control Remote On is displayed This means that the Internal Machine is controlled by the Sony 9 pin protocol serial data emanating from another device Please see Remote Control on page 167 If Sony 9 Pin Machine Control is enabled in the same Tab then VCube controls the external machine while chas ing its TimeCode A further Transport Control panel appears below the Internal Machine Please see Machine Control on page 173 Set In Num 7 Set Out Num 8 Are linked to the Timeline Range Goto In Num 4 Goto Out Num 5 Are linked to the Timeline Locator controls Rewind Num 1 First press 400 Second press 100096 Third press 200090 Fourth press 500096 gt Play Space Toggles Play Stop or Num Enter Toggles Play Pause Record Decimal Fast Forward Num 2 First press 400 Second press 100096 Third press 200090 Fourth press 500090 Stop Num 0 Loc Num 6 Accesses the Goto Locator window Loop L When checked VCube Plays in a Loop from the In point to the Out point Chase Ctrl F1 Transport and Navigation Transport Tool vM VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Chase
30. w bmp j2k jp2 jac bg jpc pgx pnm pgm ppm W mv mp4 mpg mpeg miv mpe m2v mpv2 m2t Vob mxf dv dif aif mpa W av bw f pmf ac3 V Cube native format Audio Video Interleave AVI is defined by Microsoft AVlis the most common PC AV format AV ID Nitris file format AV ID Open Media Framew ork AV ID Open Media Framew ork Apple QuickTime Apple QuickTime Microsoft Window s Bitmap file JPEG JPEG Tagged Image File Format ow ned by Adobe created by Aldus It is a bitmap raster file format Tagged Image File Format ow ned by Adobe created by Aldus It is a bitmap raster file format Portable Netw ork Graphics A Turbo Studly Image Format w ith Lossless Compression CompuServe graphics interchange format Microsoft Enhanced Metafile Truevison Targa image file formats Multiple image Netw ork Graphics A PNG like Image Format Supporting Multiple Images Animation and Transparent JPEG JPEG Netw ork Graphics w ith Alpha channel Adobe Photoshop native format PC Bitmap File Format Wireless Bitmap File Format JPEG 2000 JPEG 2000 JPEG 2000 Raster Image File Formats JPEG 2000 Code Stream Syntax Portable graymap format gray scale Portable BitMap Portable GreyMap Portable PixMap Microsoft Window s Media Video MPEG Moving Pictures Experts Group 4 File mp4 mpe Moving Pictures Experts Group Moving Pictures Experts Group MPEG Moving Pictures Experts Group Layer 1 mp1
31. 116 119 122 123 127 Main Clips Layers Tracks Settings Settings Page Preset Creating Global Presets Format amp Sync Video I O Overlay Preview Composition Buffer amp Cache User Interface Encryption Media Settings Timeline Video Engine Audio Engine Isis Controller Tool Bar Tools and Toolpickers Applications Non Compensated Telecine at 24 fps 24fps Composition Chasing other Timecodes Using the Graphic Card S Video Output Remote Control VCube Chasing Pyramix Via Virtual Transport 2 in the Same PC PyraCube VCube Chasing Pyramix Using Virtual Transport Via Network Remote Control VCube with a Sony 9 pin Controller Synchronizing VCube to a Sony 9 pin Chase Synchronizer Sony P2 Protocol over IP VCube Controlled by Sony 9 pin Chasing an LTC Source Synchronize VCube with an LTC Source Synchronize VCube with a VITC Source Machine Control VCube Controlling amp Chasing a Sony 9 pin Menus File Edit Selection Zoom Locator Goto 127 128 129 130 131 131 131 132 133 138 139 141 144 147 148 149 150 151 153 154 156 157 157 165 165 165 166 167 167 167 168 169 169 170 171 172 173 173 175 175 176 178 178 179 180 VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Contents AMERGING Transport Overlay Settings User Interface Help Output View Output Page Diagnostic Tools System Tab Buffer Tab Playback Info Tab Sync Status Troubleshooting Read Drops During
32. 17 The field is a slider showing the current opacity between 1 and 255 Click and drag the slider to change the value Field shows current Frame border width Click in the field and type to enter an alternative value Adjusts the rectangle area automatically to the Text content In Auto Size mode there are no external handles for the rectangle But the center positioning handle remains avail able Timeline Preview Text Clips behave differently to video and audio Clips in the Timeline When a text Clip is moved the Video Preview follows When the move ends Preview reverts to the Playhead Cursor position In fades editing the preview respects the compositing of the Project at the current TimeCode In contrast when moving audio and video Clips Preview displays the current Playhead Cursor position In fades editing the preview displays only the selected video Clip at the current TimeCode without any other mixed Layer or Motion Rectangle applied no compositing Layer motion and opacity are not applied to text Clips Any font installed on the system can be used Add a text Clip in the Timeline will display a red Destination Rectangle for text Then Double click inside this rect angle The text can then be edited in the preview screen Click outside this rectangle to validate the text The Text Properties tab is automatically opened when a text Clip is selected Text can also be edited in this tab with additional options for style
33. Clips in the Time Control Settings Page View Tab Page 121 AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM line Clicking on the button opens the VCube Searching for Media File dialog VCube Searching for Media File Please Add Directory Workspace you want to search for Import Path T XUM Stuff M Auto Cre Remove TAUM Stuff Cancel VCube Searching for Media File dialog Import Path Click on the button to open a Windows browser Window Use this to navigate to the location you believe contains the missing Media File s Add Adds the location selected to the search path Remove Click on a path in the main pane to select it Click on Remove to remove it from the list of search paths Useful if you inadvertently select a root directory with many thousands of files which would take forever to search Up Down arrows Step the selection up and down in the main list pane OK Click on OK to accept the choices and begin the search Cancel Click on Cancel to reject any changes and exit the dialog Shortcut The Shortcut Tab provides the complete list of current Keyboard Shortcuts It also enables Shortcuts to be altered and managed Different sets of Shortcuts can be saved Imported and Exported Control Settings Page View Tab Page 122 AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Note Please see Default Shortcuts on page 223 for the full list of Default Shortcuts Shortcut Cube Default Imp
34. Ctrl R Convert Still Images Ctrl 1 Wrap Audio Convert Media Files Ctrl Y Opens the Convert Media Files Tab Render Composition Ctrl R Opens the Render Composition Tab Convert Still Images Ctrl I Opens the Import Image Sequence Tab Wrap Audio Opens the Wrap Audio Tab Zoom Tools Fit Selection Zoom Alt 1 Adjusts the Zoom level so that the current selection fills the full visible width of the Timeline Zoom Undo Alt 2 Restores Zoom level to previous value Tool Bar Tools and Toolpickers Page 160 AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Zoom In Alt 3 Zooms In to Timeline with each press Zoom Out Alt 4 Zooms Out of Timeline with each press Editing Tools ES Undo Edit Ctrl Z Undo the previous Edit E Redo Edit Ctrl Shift Z Redo the last edit undone Fa Split Selection Ctrl T Splits a Selected Clip or Clips at the current Cursor position into separate Clips Left and Right of the Cursor Edit Cut Toolpicker Cut Ctrl X Deletes the selected Clip s Cut amp Ripple Ctrl Shift X Deletes the selected Clip s and moves subsequent Clips to the Left earlier by the same amount Copy Ctrl C Copies the selected Clip s to the Clipboard Edit Paste Toolpicker Eu Paste Ctrl V Pastes contents of Clipboard to the current Cursor Position starting with the Selected Track Paste amp Ripple Ctrl Shift V Pastes contents of Clipboard at the current Cursor P
35. Currently only a value 3 is supported regardless of the set ting of this field See ISO IEC 13818 2 This option is only valid for MPEG 2 Display Size These values specify a rectangle which may be used by decoders as their active display area MPEG itself does not define what these values are actually used for so it is up to the decoders to handle as they see fit DVD does define uses for these values and the values should be 720x480 NTSC or 720x576 PAL These settings are part of the sequence display extension and are only used when the Sequence display extension setting is 1 Use the options Horizontal and Vertical to specify the exact value See ISO IEC 13818 2 This option is only valid for MPEG 2 The DVD specification does specify the values to use for the Color primaries Transfer characteristics Display hori zontal size and Display vertical size settings if the SDE is present Under Picture Header the encoder offers one more setting Force VBV Delay Set to 1 to have the VBV delay in the picture headers fixed to a value of OxFFFF Normally this is 1 when doing VBR encoding and 0 when doing CBR encoding When the VBV delay is OxFFFF a different method is used to input data to the VBV than if VBV delay is not fixed to OxFFFF See ISO IEC 13818 2 or ISO IEC 11172 2 The option Picture Coding Extension offers several additional settings Intra DC Precision Specifies the effective precision of the DC coefficients in intra coded macr
36. Do half pel search Save Settings File Settings Cancel The Additional Settings box on the right hand side of this Tab contains many more parameters for professional users If you click on an option details are listed under the box Appendices MPEG Settings MainConcept Encoder Page 249 AMERGING Profile ID Level ID Note We strongly recommend that changes in this section are performed only by professional users lial Additional settings Value 1 H Sequence Header H Sequence Extension B Sequence Display Extension Enable Sequence Display Extensions Video Format Color Primaries Transfer Characteristics Matix Coefficients Display Size W Picture Header Picture Coding Extension Specify the video format flag MPEG 2 only 0 composite PAL 2 NTSC 3 SECAM 4 MAL 5 2 unspecified This value is just a flag in the viden bitstream it does not affect the video encoding or decoding processes Five options available High Profile Main Profile standard setting Simple Profile 4 2 2 Profile and Multiview Profile Four options available High Level High 1440 Level Main Level standard setting and Low Level The MPEG 2 spec specification allows for a large number of variations in the settings e g the frame resolution can theoretically be as large as 2414 x 2414 The Profiles and Levels just set limits on what the values of some of the other settings can be
37. Dolby E Input Out channels Re ordering Dolby E Status VCub HD VIDEO SYSTEM Select the odd and even pair of Audio channels which contain the Dolby E encoded audio From 1 amp 2 to 23 amp 24 Choose the order in which the decoded channels are to be output Options are ITU no reorder 1L 2R 3C ALFE 5Ls 6rS 7Lt 8Rt Pyramix 1L 3C 2R 5Ls 6Rs 4LFE 7Lt 8Rt Analog Tape 1L 5Ls 3C 6Rs 2R4LFE 7Lt 8Rt DTS Music 1L 2R 5Ls 6Rs 3C ALFE 7Lt 8Rt Stereo first 7Lt 8Rt 1L 2R 3C ALFE 5Ls 6Rs Shows the Status of the SurCode for Dolby E decoder e g Disabled or 2 Programs 5 1 2 etc Note When SurCode for Dolby E decoding is enabled all types of audio outputs analog through an audio board or an SDI connection etc but also logical outputs such as audio wrap or rendering use the SurCode for Dolby E decoder output Dolby E Encoder Enable SurCode for Dolby E encoding When the correct SurCode for Dolby E authorizations are present on a Minnetonka iLock or the correct Merging Technologies Keys are present click on this button to enable SurCode for Dolby E encoding Note The SurCode for Dolby E encoder is NOT installed with VCube it comes as a separate installer Audio input 8 channels Input channels order Dolby E tracks The field shows the input channels to be encoded The selection can be changed by selecting alternatives from the drop down list Options are 1 8 3 10 5 12 and so on up
38. Enable amp Cache Size drop down Network Write Cache Enable amp Cache Size drop down Note Caches are enabled by default The application must be restarted to Change Cache values or to Enable Disable Caches Values determine the amount of memory in bytes allocated to Cache Memory The lower the number the more CPU horsepower is consumed The effective ness of these settings can be monitored using the dedicated Output View Ctrl F9 and Ctrl F 10 Settings Settings Page Page 147 AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM User Interface The User Interface Tab brings together a number of display options User Interface TopMost Top Most Only When Floating Display Windows Taskbar Windows Primary Monitor Sele 2 Left To p Right Bottom English User Interface Tab page Display Manual Resize Topmost When checked the VCube window is always on the top of all open windows on screen Topmost Only When Floating When checked the VCube window will only be on top of all other windows when it is in floating mode F4 toggles Floating mode Display Windows Taskbar When checked the Windows Taskbar is visible at all times in a single monitor configura tion The Taskbar Status Bar or System Tray remains on the main monitor number one in a double monitor configuration Windows Primary Monitor Select The drop down list shows all available monitors Simply choose the Screen you wish the VCube user interf
39. Field shows current Text box Background Color Click to open the Color Picker Please see Color Picker on page 17 The field is a slider showing the current opacity between 1 and 255 Click and drag the slider to change the value Field shows current Text outline Color Click to open the Color Picker Please see Color Picker on page 17 Free text field Click in the field and type Field show the current Step Length between numbers 1000 1 second NTSC based video standards require 1001 ms per second Field shows the First step number for the countdown Click in the field and type to enter an alternative value Field shows the Last step number for the countdown Click in the field and type to enter an alternative value Field shows the current Countdown style Click to drop down the list of alternatives Digital Watch Left to Right Right to Left Border to Center Center to Border Field shows current Countdown Bar and Clip Color in the Timeline Click to open the Color Picker Note Some Clip Properties are not supported by Countdown Clips Countdown clips are unaffected by the Layer Source Destination rectangle settings Countdown Clip duration cannot be edited directly in the Timeline using the Clip handles Use Clip Settings to change Countdown Clip duration Wipe Clip Wipe clips can be generated automatically by VCube Edit gt Auto Create New Wipe Clip or w In the Toolbar Generated Clips Wipe Clip vM
40. Gain 24 082 6 0206 X 0 2007 Y Appendices MPEG Settings MainConcept Encoder Page 256 VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Multiplexer Settings In this Tab you can control whether your exported MPEG files will be multiplexed also referred to as muxed Multiplexed output means that the video and audio are exported in a single file This Tab also offers some more professional settings for muxing Advanced MPEG Settings es MAIN MPEG Encoder XA wwmainconcept com Basic Settings Video Settings Advanced videa Settings Audio Settings Multiplexer Settings Multiplexing type I vp j E S Variable bitrate Pack options Startup delays ms Video options Split file options Size bytes Fack Buffer size kE Max file size MB Fackets pack Video Timestamps frames Mus rate kbps Audia Pulldown 7 Extra packets s Write program end code Load Settings Save Settings Lancel In general the basic settings for this pane and the other advanced panes are set by the options in the Output for mat section of the main window Here are the Multiplexer Settings in detail Multiplexing Type The drop down menu offers the options of MPEG 1 VCD MPEG 2 SVCD DVD TS trans port stream None and many more parameters such as HDV HD1 HDV HD2 DVB which can also be used for transport streams and MircoMV The settings are usually defined by the parameters of the
41. Interface Tab Show Timeline Tab Show Isis Controller Tab PX i Alt F5 Alt P Ctrl F2 Ctrl P Ctrl Alt P Shift Alt P Shift P Ctrl Shift P Ctrl Shift Alt P T Opens the Transport Control Panel Alt F5 Opens the Quick SD Settings Tab Alt F6 Opens the Quick HD Settings Tab P Opens the Preset Tab Alt P Opens the Formats amp Sync Tab Ctrl F2 Opens the LTC VITC Settings Tab Ctrl P Opens the Overlay Tab Ctrl ALt P Opens the Preview Tab Shift Alt P Opens the Video I O Tab Shift P Opens the Composition Tab Show Buffer amp Cache Tab Ctrl Shift P Opens the Buffer amp Cache Tab Ctrl Shift Alt P Opens the User Interface Tab Opens the Timeline Tab Opens the Isis Controller Tab Tool Bar Tools and Toolpickers Page 158 vM Show Encryption Tab Alt K Show Media Settings Tab Show VCube Preferred Search Directories Toggle Transport Tool T E Show Record Page F12 EJ Show Timeline Page F11 Show Info Tabs Toolpicker Tool Bar Ctrl W Show Shortcut Tab Shift W Alt W Show Workspace Tab Ctrl F8 Show System Tab Show Buffer Tab Ctrl F9 Show Playback Info Tab Ctrl F10 Show Sync Status Tab Ctrl Fii Show Audio Meters Tab Ctrl F12 EB Show Clip Info Tab Ctrl W 2 Show Shortcut Tab Shift W Show Workspace Tab _ Alt W Shoe System Tab Ctrl F8 Show Buffer Tab Ctrl F9 i Show Playback Info T
42. Mbps Tape Video Rate Audio Tape Durations S M L Disk Requirements CODEC dsi 46Khz 2 Uhits A0 24 min 2490 Gbytes Sony s MJPEG DVCPRO50 1 4 50 Mbps Tape Video Rate Audio dai 48ER 16bits Tape Durations S M L 31 93 min Disk Requirements 7 11 4 34 1 Gbytes by DVCAM 174 25 Mbps 24i 4B8l amp hz 16bits dai 32khz 1 2bits 3 Tape Durations S M L 40 184 min Disk Requirements 7 4 33 7 Gbytes CODEC DV Video Formats and Bandwidth MPEG IMX D9 Panasonic Vr 50 Mbps 1 27 50 Mbps osi OERZ 15hits t 4x 48kKhz 24bits 4xt 48l hz 15hits P2220 min n4 min Jb 40 80 5 Gorytes 1457 Gbytes MPECs 2 Intra field Dv BetacamsS X DVCPRO25 112 114 18 Mbps 25 Mbps xi 46Khz 15hits 2x 48khz 15hbits 52 94 min I 5384 min 8 21 75 5 Gees 111 5733 7 Gbytes MPEG 7 Inter field DV DV 1 4 25 Mbps 24i 4akKhz 16bits j dxi 32 Khz 1 2bits BOW 270 min 11548 5 Gbytes Dy Video formats are not just defined by the number of pixels on the screen This section gives you some clues to understand the language video people use As usual in electronic signals the bandwidth is the value determining the amount of transmitted information per second In both analog and digital worlds this value is critical A high definition color picture is more bandwidth demanding than a standard definition one Appendices Video Formats and Bandwidth Page 231 y ne VCube
43. Merging from Dark Materials zm r I I EN r m mam Load amp Auto Config Place at Original Timecode lace in New Layer at Original Place in New Track at Origi Media File Browser Navigate to the Drive Folder or Network Drive Folder containing the Media using the button which opens a conventional Windows Browser Then double click on any of the Folders displayed in the main area to view the Media Files Double clicking on a Media File will insert it as a Clip into the Composition Timeline at the current Playhead posi tion on the selected Track Layer If an Audio Track Channel is selected currently then a Video Media file Clip will be inserted on the first Video Layer above the Audio Tracks in the Timeline To add a Clip at the end of the last Clip on the selected Layer Shift Double click If no Layer is selected a new one will be created To add a Clip at the current Playhead position in selected Layer Double click If no Layer is selected a new one will be created Media Management Media File Browser AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM To add a Clip at the current Playhead Position in a new Layer Control Shift Double click Recursive If the Recursive button is checked then all Media Files in the Drive or Folder listed in the File Path field will be listed in the main area including those in Sub Folders Media File Browser Merging from Dark Materials 24 disi tiii S Merging from Dar
44. Nudge Up Down or Ctrl Up or Ctrl Down Control Settings Page Edit Page 128 AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Layers The Layers Tab manages and manipulates Layers in Tracks Import Layer Edit Layers Tab page New Layer Creates a new Layer on the selected track Ctrl Shift N Move Up Selected Moves the selected item up a Layer Ctrl UP Note that moving a Layer to another Track deletes the Track if it has no remaining Layers Note also that the Layer number is not linked to a specific Layer but to its position Move Down Selected Moves the selected item down a Layer Ctrl DOWN Note that moving a Layer to another Track deletes the Track if it has no remaining Layers Note also that the Layer number is not linked to a specific Layer but to its position Delete Selected Layer Removes the selected Layer from the Track Ctrl DELETE Note that a Track with only one Layer will be deleted Import Layer Enables import of a Layer from another Composition Ctrl Alt L Opens a Windows Browser to locate the Composition you wish to import a Layer or Layers from When the Composition has been selected and Open clicked the layers Import dialog opens Layers Import Properties Clips From Layer Layer 37 Timecode Original Timecode At Timecode 00 01 09 17 Cancel Layers Import dialog Note The Layers shown in the Source project will depend on whether a Video Layer or Audio Track Ch
45. Offset Shows the current Chase Offset Double click in the field to type or edit the value Click on the Store button to store the offset Store Stores the Chase Offset displayed in the Chase Offset field LTC When checked the Linear TimeCode Input is used as the reference VITC When checked the VITC Vertical Interval Timecode in the Video is used as the reference Delta The field indicates any discrepancy between the VCube current location and where it should be EXT Select to chase serial TimeCode from the Sony 9 pin serial stream If EXT is not selected the displayed TimeCode is the current Virtual Transport TimeCode Control of External Machine When Ctrl is used with the Transport controls the Internal Machine is unlinked for the controls In this way it is possible to control the external Sony 9 pin machine to receive control commands directly from the VCube key board Note The Internal Machine and Sony 9 pin cannot use the same Serial Port Go To TimeCode The Go To TC function is accessed by Ctrl Num 6 Enter the TC where you want to go 00 00 47 00 Ok Cancel Locator Enter the TC where you want to go dialog Simply type the required TimeCode in the field and click on OK to locate the Playhead cursor there Transport and Navigation Transport Tool AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Recording and Acquisition Acquisition In many applications recording will be unnecessary In
46. Reference Link V 9 Pin 00 00 00 00 f 0 00 ent Locked gg Speed Cal Y Time Code Settings Generator Freewheel Pull Up Down 71 Using USD Mns Audio Rate Pull Up Down None be MTC To Port a frames Video Rate Pull Up Down none D I Jam Sync Ts None Time Code Reader Offset 0 samples Peripherals Synchronization Machine Control MIDI Controllers Ethernet Controllers Mic Preamps Device Port USD DigiSerial Port n Minimum Sync Delay 15 Frames Enable Control Of Pro Tools Via MMC ID H USD Setup Enable USD Setup Enable Dub Window Size Vertical Position Horizontal Position a Update USD Firmware Color Cancel C oo Appendices Pro Tools and VCube AMERGING Peripherals Synchronization Machine Control MIDI Controllers Ethernet Controllers Mic Preamps MIDI Machine Control Send to ID Enable iz Preroll frames 9 Pin Serial Port Machine Type Node M Enable U2818111 Sony9 Pin Pro Tools Preroll 15 frames wv Use Serial Time Code For Positional Reference Requires USD or SYNC I O Using Video Clock Reference g Pin Remote Port Machine ID Enable p F Cancel jJ o Minimum Sync Delay should be as small as possible works with 15 frames on mixplus VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Enable 9 Pin Serial machine control Select the correct Keyspan Port Machine Type Sony9 Pin mode N
47. SD Composite vCube IO SD SDI vCube IO HD SDI vCube IO HD SDI Dual Link vCube IO HD SDI Dual Link Ex lvcube IO HD Telecine vCube MPEG2 SD D10 IMX Sony XDCam SD vCube DVCPro vCube InterChange Final Cut Pro XML vCube InterChangeAAF vcube HD 2K vCube DVCPro HD vCube MXF vCube VC 3 Avid DNxHD vcube MPEG2 HD Sony XDCam HD lvcube AVC Intra Panasonic P2 vCube SE no cross lock vCube LE no cross lock no media generation vCube XE no cross lock Machine Control Bi Phase Enable VCube Software Enable Xena LS Enable Xena LH Enable Xena 2K IMX MPEG2 MPEG1 support DVCPRO 25 50 support XML Timeline exchange AAF Timeline exchange formats higher than 1280 x 720 DVCPRO 25 50 100 MXF file format support DNxHD codec support VCube Without Mykerinos Player only Player only Pro option for SE LE XE Pro option for Turnkey SE LE XE Introduction VCube Keys amp Options y vM Includes E lt fe fm EE ao s O 5s gt ce VCubeLE v VCube LE Pro VCube XE v vA VCube XE Pro v VCube SE 5D v v VCube SE Pro SD v v Sync Card LTCIRS 4221Midl VCube SE HD vw VCube SE Fro H D v v VCube SE Pro DD 7 vl v Machine Control Video I O SDIHD SDI Card Video I O Dual SDIHD SDI Card lt hb m a d B S eo ae a a 2 D v v V E L Vim T v 2 v c E Usi
48. Set it to zero to have the encoder compute a value based on the video bitrate VCD specifies 40 KB SVCD and DVD specify 224 KB Use the Value prompt in order to change the parameters See ISO IEC 13818 2 or ISO IEC 11171 2 The option Sequence Extension offers two settings Progressive Sequence If set to 1 all frames in the video are progressive if set to O both progressive and inter laced frames can appear in the video See ISO IEC 13818 2 This option is only valid for MPEG 2 Chroma Format The option specifies whether to use the 4 2 0 or 4 2 2 high profile only chroma format for the encoded video See ISO IEC 13818 2 Only the 4 2 0 and 4 2 2 formats are supported This option is only valid for MPEG 2 Under Sequence Display Extension you can edit several options Enable Sequence Display Extension If set to 1 sequence display extension headers are placed in the video stream after the sequence extension headers If set to 0 the Video format Color Primaries Transfer characteristics Matrix coefficients and Display Size settings are not used or present in the video stream Some SVCD players can have problems if sequence display extensions are present for DVD the sequence display extension may or may not be present See ISO IEC 13818 2 Appendices MPEG Settings MainConcept Encoder Page 252 y vM VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM This option is only valid for MPEG 2 Video Format This setting is just a flag in the bitstream
49. Timeline 5O SurCode for Dolby E Decoder 154 SurCode for Dolby E Encoder 155 SurCode for Dolby E encoding and decoding 154 Wrap 96 Drag amp Drop 31 44 Drop Frame 237 E Edit Context Menu 67 Edit Cut Toolpicker 161 Edit Menu 176 Edit Page 19 Edit Tab 127 Editing 64 Editing Functions 65 Editing in the Timeline 64 Editing Tools 161 Encryption 149 Engine 141 Export Changes 34 Export Composition 82 External TC 19 F Fairlight Controlling a VCube 266 Feet Ruler 22 Feet Ruler Options Dialog 152 Field Order 134 File Extensions Supported 47 File Menu 175 File Page 19 File Tab 113 Film Footage Ruler 22 Final Check Loudness Normalizer 95 106 Final Check Meter 99 Final Check Meter amp report 95 106 Flickering Video Output 195 Floating Window 19 Foottype 152 Footage Ruler 22 FPS Reduced 195 Frame Rate Management 111 Frame Rates Supported 239 Frame Shifting with Virtual Transport 198 Frozen Image on Matrox Parhelia Output 197 Full Screen Preview 19 Fullscreen Preview 19 G General Wrap Configuration 103 Generated Clips 77 VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Global Presets 132 Glossary 278 Go To TimeCode 57 Goto Menu 180 Goto Tool 54 Graphic Card S Video Output 166 Groups 64 H HD Video Standards 233 Height 134 Help Menu 185 Image Sequence Import 35 Image Size amp Position 69 Import Composition and Export Changes 34 Image Sequence 35 Layer 34 Stillimage 38 incorrect Timesta
50. Tool either by choosing Locator Goto Tool or Num 6 Locators can be selected in the list by clicking on them by using the up and down cursor keys or by typing the number Double clicking the Locator or hitting Enter locates the transport to the Locator position and closes the Tool Transport Control VCube features a range of Transport Control options including a Transport Toolbar and Transport Control Panel Of course the Transport Commands are also available via remote controllers that support them Transport Control Bar The Transport functions can be controlled with the mouse or keyboard locally Doy E 00 00 00 01 00 i a ENC transport Control Bar 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 From left to right 1 Read Drop counts the number of missing frames during the preview A zero value indicates that Playback Buf fer Setting is fine tuned This number is reset on every Stop Play action in the Transport Bar Current FPS shows the current playback frame rate If the CPU hard drive or network is overloaded playback screen refresh may slow down When a Video I O plug in is enabled a VOut value is also displayed This displays the number of missing Transport and Navigation Transport Control AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM frames for the optional video output A zero value indicates a correct setting of Disk Cache and Playback Buf fers 2 Current TimeCode position Can also be used as a locator by double clicking in th
51. Usually it is set to the same size as the video VBV buffer although the VBV units are half these units DVD specifies 232 for the video buffer Software decoders usually ignore the buffer sizes but most hardware players will have problems if the buffer size is not correct VBV is the abbreviation of Video Buffering Verifier It is a hypothetical decoder with a buffer whose size is specified by the Video Buffer Size Encoded pictures from the MPEG stream are placed into the buffer hypothetically and removed from the buffer at regular intervals The MPEG video stream is supposed to be constructed by varying the size of the encoded frames such that the buffer does not underflow i e becomes empty where there are no frames in the buffer when it is time to decode one or overflow i e becomes full where no space is available for more encoded pictures Pulldown This option contains four parameters None 2 3 3 2 and Auto When pulldown is present in the video stream the multiplexer must adjust the PTS DTS timestamps to account for the extra fields displayed This option should be set to the same value as the video pulldown setting or to Auto Timestamps You find All frames amp P frames and frames in this menu Here you can choose which frames in the stream have a timestamp attached The timestamps are needed for synchronization of video and audio In general it is enough to set this option to Frame For particular formats the value
52. Video In Format PAL Doo VSO 1 00 se wits Satellite Ref Present 2 9 Locked 29 Speed Cal a sample Offset Timecode Settings Peripherals Machine Control MIDI Controllers Ethernet Controllers Mic Preamps MTC Reader And Generator iE MTC Generator Port none Avid Synchronization Device f Enable SYNC HD Current Firmware Version 2 2 1 v VITC Insertion Enabled LTC Output Level 3 dBu Pitch Memory Enabled VITC Read Lines Automatic vf Idle MTC Enabled VITC Generate Lines 14 16 Bi Phase Tach Bi Bi Phase TachPulses Frame 100 Reset Bi Phase f Enable Dub Window Vertical Position 20 FrmBtm 5ize Large Horizontal Position Center Color WhtnBickEk Cancel Appendices Pro Tools and VCube AMERGING 25 25 30 Satellites 10 26 48 02 VCube VENUE VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Peripherals ie MIDI Controllers Ethernet Controllers Mic Preamps satellites VENUE Synchronization MIDI Machine Control Master ID Enable 127 Preroll 90 frames MIDI Machine Control Remote Slave ID Enable 127 9 Pin Machine Control Deck Control Port Machine Type f Enable SYNCSP1 gt Generic 2 Preroll 10 frames g Pin Remote Deck Emulation Port Machine Type Enable Moi BV Chase LTC Cancel L OK Appendices Pro Tools and VCube AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Pro Tools HD Preferences Display Transport T
53. Video Test Pattern Creates a Video Test Pattern Clip in accord with cur rent Composition Settings New Audio Tone Clip Creates a new ten second sine wave Audio Clip Frequency and level can be adjusted from the Clip Info panel Tool Bar Tools and Toolpickers Page 162 vM Nudge Tools Move Layer Up Nudge Playhead Left Nudge Playhead Right Mark and Fade Toolpicker T H Locate Toolpicker Goto Composition Start Goto Composition End Goto In Goto Out Locator Goto Tool o Goto Next Edit VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Up Move Selected Layer Up Ctrl Up Move Selection Up Shift Ctrl Up nudge track Down Move Selected Layer Down Ctrl Down Move Selection Down Shift Ctrl Down nudge track Left Ctrl Left Nudge Selection Left Shift Ctrl Left Nudge Overlap Left Right Ctrl Right Nudge Selection Right Shift Ctrl Right Nudge Overlap Right Set Mark In Num 7 Set Range In marker Set Mark Out Num 8 Set Range Out marker Set New Locator Num 9 Set New Locator Set In Out marks to Selection Enter Set In Out Markers to Selection Range to Region Ctrl Enter Trim Selection In to Cursor Trim Selection Out to Cursor Fade In Selection to Cursor Fade Out Selection from Cursor Ctrl Num 0 Alt Num 0 Num4 Num 5 Num 6 Tab Tool Bar Tools and Toolpickers Page 163 y ne Lock and Group Toolpicker ENS a
54. a Record Tab page Assemble Auto Edit in progress The VCube Assemble mode operates in almost exactly the same way as a VTR Before attempting an Assemble Auto Edit a valid TimeCode source must be set LTC VITC Ext Sony MTC Recording and Acquisition Recording VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM When ASMBL is selected any active Track Arming buttons are switched off Recording takes place on the Video and all available Audio Tracks If a Track Arming button is switched on while in ASMBL mode ASMBL mode is disabled Chase is set Automatically when the Auto Edit is initiated VCube commences recording at the Cursor position as opposed to the In point The Record Length is the external machine In to Out length VCube computes the Chase Offset and the In and Out record points automatically If an Auto Edit in Assemble mode fails Stopped by user invalid incoming TimeCode etc the VCube and VTR cue up where they were at the beginning of the process If an Auto Edit completes successfully the VTR goes back to the Out point after the Postroll This allows for assembling video end to end Note VCube records beyond the Out point like a VTR allowing for subsequent Clip trimming Insert INSERT Aasia WENA LH D Nac same Legh Dep Weta Wishes Capbant mper Dio 02 90 Cece 0 I MmMumDIME ILE ERIT ELI Erb M S000 fea U Record Tab page Insert Auto Edit in progress VCube Insert mode behaves in a similar
55. applications 48 kHz is used almost exclusively The IEEE 1394 or Firewire serial data transfer bus is not a part of the DV specification but co evolved with it Nearly all DV cameras have a IEEE 1394 interface and analog composite video and Y C out puts High end DV VCRs may have additional professional outputs such as SDI or analog component video drop frame TimeCode SMPTE TimeCode format that continuously counts 30 frames per second but drops 2 frames from the count every minute except for every tenth minute drops 108 frames every hour to maintain synchronization of TimeCode with clock time This is necessary because the actual frame rate of NTSC video is 29 97 frames per second rather than an even 30 frames edit decision list EDL A list of edit decisions accumulated in a video editor The list typically includes the source reel track s in time and out time and destination track s In time and Out time for each edit embedded audio Digital audio that is multiplexed onto a serial digital video data stream essence The raw encoded form of audio and video data is often called essence to distinguish it from the metadata information that together make up the information content of the stream and any container data that is then added to aid access to or improve the robustness of the stream fade The gradual disappearance of a picture to black fade fade out fade to black or the gradual appearance of a new picture from black f
56. be set to off and the Lace parameter must be set to 0 sec Fairlight DREAM Satellite Enabling the LTC Generator The LTC generator will output the current TimeCode when in PLAY and output a short burst of TimeCode when locating the transport Press GEN to toggle the generator on or off Fairlight DREAM Station Enabling the LTC Generator The LTC generator will output the current TimeCode when in PLAY and output a short burst of TimeCode when locating the transport MIDI TimeCode is also output when GEN is enabled Press GEN to toggle the generator on or off Pro Tools and VCube Pro Tools 6 4 1 Mac OS 10 3 and a KeySpan y vM Pro Tools cannot generate a TimeCode when it s in chase mode or using Sony 9 pin Of course your transport con trol should be set to On Line in Pro Tools Appendices Fairlight Controlling a VCube Page 266 VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM You absolutely must disable all the generate TimeCode options in the Session Setup window as shown in the Peripheral Machine Control screen shot Sample Rate 46 kHz Audio Format BW WAWV Session 5tart 01 00 00 00 Bit Depth 24 bit Mac lt gt PC Enforced Incoming Time 01 00 00 04 Clock Source Internal ke Ch 1 2 Input Analog n Timecode Rate 24 B Fader Gain 6 dB Feet Frames Rate 24 vx USD Setup amp Session Offsets ar Universal Slave Driver Setup Session Start Offsets Clock Reference Video Reference Hed MMC Positional
57. beam cursor any where along the Time Ruler and Click The Playhead will immediately jump to the new position You can also left Click hold and drag the Playhead Cursor along this bar to scrub through the cue Ctrl Click and Drag In the Timeline moves the Timeline without altering the Playhead Cursor position Double Click on the Time Ruler Zooms to the full extent of the Composition and deselects any selected clips Zoom Alt Click and drag in the Timeline varies the Zoom level Drag Left to Zoom In and Right to Zoom Out Zoom In Alt 3 Zooms In to Timeline with each press Zoom Out Alt 4 Zooms Out of Timeline with each press 7 Fit Selection Zoom Alt 1 Adjusts the Zoom level so that the current selection fills the full visible width of the Timeline Zoom Undo Alt 2 Restores Zoom level to previous value These options can also be found in the Zoom menu Locators Locators are an extremely powerful and intuitive method of locating almost instantaneously to any position in the current Composition Setting Locators Locator gt Set New Locator NUMPAD 9 Add a locator at current TimeCode Ctrl Alt NUMPAD 9 Create a Locator for Each and Every Clip Alt NUMPAD 9 Create Locators override for Every Clip in the Selected Layer s Ctrl NUMPAD 9 Create Locators add for Every Clip in the Selected Layer s divide Move current Locator Start to Cursor View Locators To view the Locator panel e
58. clip In desktop editing a pointer to a piece of digitized video or audio that serves as source material for editing codec Coder decoder A device that converts analog video and audio signals into a digital format for transmission over telecommunications facilities and also converts received digital signals back into analog format Conform Conforming is the process of making and positioning audio Cues in the Timeline from Audio media files already present in a folder available to the Pyramix PC in conformity with an imported EDL Edit Decision List or video project for example AAF Final Cut Pro or OMF component Video signal the keeps luminance and chrominance separate for better picture quality composite Video signal the combines luminance and chrominance in a single signal Less expensive than component video but lower picture quality compression Reduction of the size of digital data files by removing redundant information non lossy or removing non critical data lossy Also used to describe reduction in dynamic range Appendices Glossary AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM conforming Transferring EDL Edit Decision List information gathered from an off line edit to an on line edit for final assembly D1 Sony s D1 format was the first major push towards fully digital videotape operations D1 used a 19mm 3 4 tape loaded into cassettes as its media Component video was encoded as YUV 4 2 2 with PCM
59. display the waveform for each channel in the audio media file Thus a stereo audio track will have two layers and a 5 1 will have six Video and Audio Outputs Video Video may be viewed via the computer graphics card or via a dedicated AJA video card Please see Video I O on page 138 Audio Audio may be monitored via and ASIO device a Mykerinos card or a RAVENNA device such as a HORUS or HAPI The Audio output device is selected and set in the VS3 Control Panel Introduction Installation ANVERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM About This Manual Assumptions This User Manual and the other documentation assume you are thoroughly familiar with PCs and Windows terms and concepts If the PC is new please ensure the machine is working correctly before attempting to install VCube Note Although VCube version 2 runs under the 32 bit versions of Windows XP Windows Vista and Windows 7 it does not support the Aero style transparency display features present in Windows Vista and Windows 7 This will be turned off automatically for the duration of the VCube session Conventions Conventions used in this document Names found on screens and in menus are shown in bold E g Information amp Settings Menu and sub menu selections are shown like this User Interface gt Output gt Show Buffer Tab Which means Go to the User Interface pull down menu mouse down to the Output sub menu mouse down to the Show Buf
60. down lists offer the choice of uni live pop or classic Close Closes the dialog Conversion and Rendering Level Magic from J nger Audio AMERGING y ne Final Check Meter VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Final Check is a tool developed by Merging Technologies for monitoring audio levels In its VCube implementa tion it focuses mainly on the loudness measurements defined by the EBU R 128 recommendation The output of Final Check Meter is an XML report file in the same directory as the wrapped file This file will include measurements of integrated momentary and short term loudness values as well as the loudness range and the maximum true peak All these measurements may be checked against the recommendations delivery requirements or local regulations in force regarding loudness When Level Magic is combined with Final Check Meter the measurments are made on the output of Level Magic so that the measurements are always consisitent with the content of the wrapped file Further information about the EBU R 128 recommendations http www merging con On the way to Loudness Nirvana EBU20R128 pdf Further information about FinalCheck http www merging com products Report Files A Final Check report file will look something like this when opened in Notepad or a text editor lt xml version 1 0 encoding UTF 8 gt lt FinalCheck_Metering gt lt Stereo gt Loudness INT 70 Loudness INT
61. drop down a list of all fonts available on the system Font Size Field shows the font size in current use Click in the filed and type to enter an alternative value Font Style Field shows current style Click to drop down a list of alternatives Regular Bold Watermark and Text Text Clip AMERGING Trimming Alignment Line Alignment Text Color Text Opacity Back Color Background Opacity Frame Color Frame Opacity Frame Size Auto Size VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Italic Bold Italic Underline Strike out Field shows current selection Determines how excess text which will not fit in the Text Box will be dealt with Please see Trimming Setting on page 76 Field shows current justification Click to drop down list of alternatives Left Center Right Field shows current Line Alignment Click to drop down list of alternatives Top Center Bottom Field shows current Text Color Click to open the Color Picker Please see Color Picker on page 17 The field is a slider showing the current opacity between 1 and 255 Click and drag the slider to change the value Field shows current Text box Background Color Click to open the Color Picker Please see Color Picker on page 17 The field is a slider showing the current opacity between 1 and 255 Click and drag the slider to change the value Field shows current Text box Frame Color Click to open the Color Picker Please see Color Picker on page
62. duration in the current Composition Double click in field to modify Fade In Is the length of the Clip s fade in for the current Composition Double click in the field to modify Fade Out Is the length of the Clip s fade out in the current Composition Double click in the field to modify Destination In Shows the TimeCode for the first frame of the Clip used in the current Composition Dou ble click in the field to modify Level Shows the Gain ratio in dB of the Clip in the current Composition Double click in the field to modify ft Gain icon appears on the Audio Clip when gain setting is other than unity Lock Locator E Lock Locator prevents editing actions on the selected Clip A selection including a locked clip will also be locked Control Settings Page View Tab Page 119 AMERGING Media File Browser Media Name Media File Sampling Rate Audio Word Length Original Timecode Length vM Could be different from the Media File name In an OMF Composition Shows the path to the Media File Is the original Media File Sampling Rate Is the original Media File Bit Depth The Timecode stamped into the Media File when it was created Is the total duration of the Media File Control Settings Page View Tab VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Page 120 VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Re link Media Clip Info Re link Media The Re link Media button will appear if one or more Media Files are missing or offline Zebra
63. end code When enabled a program end code is written at the end of the file This setting only applies to the last file if the splitting option is enabled or if there is only one file generated Align sequence headers When enabled the sequence headers present in the video stream are placed at the beginning of a PES packet this makes it easier to find the sequence headers and the start of aGOP When a sequence header is aligned it is possible that the previous video PES packet will need to be padded to make it the correct size so this option can consume a little of the total bitrate This option is required for SVCD and DVD Add SVCD scan offset SVCD defines some navigation information that is put into the video stream to help play ers jump back and forth or skip ahead easily The info is called scan offsets this option is normally required for SVCD This option also consumes a little of the video bitrate Note this option will be ignored if the user mux rate is set higher than allowed for SVCD Appendices MPEG Settings MainConcept Encoder Page 259 y ne VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Media Storage Requirements Generic MPEG2 4 2 2 6 25 0 37 21 9 32 9 MPEG2 4 2 0 2 5 0 15 8 7 13 1 MJPEG 8 bit 21 1 23 73 8 110 7 MJPEG 10 bit 26 1 52 91 4 137 1 DV25 3 6 0 21 12 6 18 9 DV50 7 2 0 42 25 9 37 9 DV DVCAM 3 6 0 21 12 6 18 9 DVCPRO 50 7 2 0 42 25 3 37 9 DVCPRO HD 14 4 0 84 50 6 75 9 Digital 8 3 1 0 18 10 8 16 3 SDTI QSDI 8 44 0
64. every hour to maintain synchronization of TimeCode with clock time This is necessary because the actual frame rate of NTSC video is 29 97 frames per second rather than an integer 30 frames VCube displays drop frame TimeCode in this form 00 00 00 00 Notice the semi colon separator before the frames instead of the normal colon Appendices PullUp PullDown Page 237 vM VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Video Codecs Supported File formats Codecs H Supported j w E LLL rl PT T vv EM ee eee e a i M LH LLLI hits E p mre E HiH My a a a ame iad eo M ff ff tf MJPEGI 777 lt Avid wee m M em LLL rl Dv 25 EE ff ff S 1L aa e A ff ff fp s E 1 f L1 n EE HEEE ll AN 707 Ew EE LLL Ll 100 Ec fff et py HD m yen ff fet pf 145 and T Po 1 uim T L LL LLL Ll sland T ee ee West SS as WIPEG p Pet td ee eee prorest e nee ff Pf ff ff ff ow E E pp pb Lll veci j f p i p rs e EX Direct playback NO CONVERSION REQUIRED Direct record up to 30 fps needs VCube model with AJA video card Note For DV video in QuickTime files we recommend using standard sizes such as 720x576 for PAL in order to use the Windows DV codec which is better optimized than the QuickTime DV Appendices Video Codecs Supported Page 238
65. files the files are split on a GOP boundary so that the previous P frame of the first few B frames is not present in the new file it is in the previous file If the files are played one after another and the last P frame of the first file is kept by the decoder the decoder can correctly decode the first few B frames of the sec ond file The Set broken link setting just allows one to specify whether the Broken link flag is set or not and it depends on whether you intend to play the files one after another or separately Write sequence program end codes When enabled sequence and program end codes are written to the old file when switching to a new file If the files are meant to be played one after another the streams should not be ter minated This option only applies to the files that are split it does not apply to the last or only file generated Pad VCD Audio Some VCD burning programs require this flag to be set and some do not VCD video packs are 2324 bytes long but the audio packs are only 2304 bytes long When the data is written to a VCD disk the audio packs are put in normal 2324 byte sectors Some VCD burning programs deal with the extra 20 bytes themselves while others require the extra 20 bytes to be present When this setting is enabled the audio packs are padded with 20 zero bytes so they are 2324 bytes long if not enabled the audio packs are only 2304 bytes long This set ting is only meaningful for VCD Write program
66. has been changed then opens a new Composition with the same Settings as the previous Composition No Places the selected Media File on the selected Layer at the current Playhead Cursor position Load amp Auto Config Loads the selected Media File in a new Composition and sets Composition settings from the Media File properties Shift L Place to Cursor Pastes the selected Media File into the selected Layer at the current Playhead cursor posi tion Place at Original Timecode Pastes the selected Media File into the selected Layer at its original TimeCode location Place in New Layer at Cursor Pastes the selected Media File into a new Layer at the current Playhead cursor position Place in New Layer at Original Timecode Pastes the selected Media File into a new Layer at its original TimeCode location Place in New Track at Cursor Pastes the selected Media File into a new track at the current Playhead cursor position Place in New Track at Original Timecode Pastes the selected Media File into a new Track at its original TimeCode location Note Media Files can also be drag and dropped into the Timeline Note Still images are stored in RAM when dropped in the Timeline The Alpha channel is pre served The Convert Still Image function Ctrl I is the preferred option for numbered still image Sequences The Alpha channel is not preserved when image sequences are converted into video Clips Drag amp Drop Drag amp Drop of Media
67. is possible to play out any video file at any frame rate in combination with any other without rendering VCube is an open solution that can import OMF AAF Apple XML Compositions VCube is also able to convert and render Media A password protected watermark feature enables the administrator to tag both video and graphic outputs The administrator can also protect VCube settings and editing with a second password VCube will be your Swiss Army Knife for video Introduction Thank you Contacting Merging International Office UK USA Merging Technologies S A Le Verney 4 CH 1070 Puidoux Switzerland Phone 41 21 946 0444 Fax 41 21 946 0445 Merging UK St Clare House St Clare Business Park Holly Road Hampton Hill Middx UK TW12 1QQ Phone 44 0 20 894 16547 Fax 44 0 870 1231747 Merging USA Independent Audio 43 Deerfield Road Portland ME 04101 1805 United States of America Phone 1 207 773 2424 Fax 1 207 773 2422 For all documentation inquiries or suggestions for improvement http www merging com Introduction Contacting Merging VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM vM VCube Keys amp Options VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM VCube is currently supplied with RGBA RGB YUY2 DV25 MJPEG codecs DVCPRO 50 DVCPRO HD 100 DNxHD and IMX MPEG2 are optional OMF is provided as a Timeline exchange format MXF AAF and Apple XML are optional vCube vcube IO
68. m BE B aa M Li Goto Previous Edit Lock Selection Unlock Selection Group Selection Ungroup Selection Ungroup All VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Shift Tab Ctrl K Locks Selected Clip s Ctrl Shift K Unlocks Selected Clip s Ctrl G Groups Selected Clips Ctrl U Ungroup Selected Clips Ctrl Alt U Ungroup all Groups in Composition Tool Bar Tools and Toolpickers Page 164 vM VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Applications Non Compensated Telecine at 24 fps A non compensated telecine can be used with VCube A film frame corresponds to a video frame VCube can play back a 25 fps video capture at 24 fps in order to respect the real duration of the film and to avoid typical pitch time audio processing After a regular PAL capture the Composition must be set to 24 fps The fps information embedded in the Media File cannot be changed from 24 fps to 25 fps to give correct playback However it is possible to change the play back speed of the Clip in the VCube Timeline To change the Composition frame rate Settings gt Format amp Sync Composition Video Format Composition Frame Rate To change the Clip Playback Speed Double click on the corresponding Clip in the Timeline to display Clip Info Clips Speed set to 24 gt 25 96 Note 1 VCube can still be synchronized to a 25 fps house clock Note 2 Both external 25fps or internal 24fps TimeCodes can be displayed 24fps Compositi
69. manner to a VTR Different In and Out points can be set on the VTR and in VCube When an edit is initiated the Chase offset is set automatically The recorded material duration corresponds exactly to the VCube In to Out duration External Controller When the last track arming button on an external controller is switched off Record mode is disabled When Record mode is inactive arming a track from an external controller switches Record mode on Recording and Acquisition Recording AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Record Settings Tab page Enable When checked recording is possible using the settings in the rest of the Tab Note The Enable button must be disabled unchecked in order to see captured Media in the Timeline Auto Edit When lit Auto Edit Mode is active This enables VCube to automatically control a VCR via the Sony 9 Pin P2 protocol and to record a range of the video tape from In point to Out point set in the Transport Tool User Interface gt Toggle Transport Tool T Please see also Transport Tool on page 55 Note During this process VCube needs to be in chase mode To bypass possible drop outs in the Reference TimeCode source Soft Chase Mode can be selected in Formats amp Sync In this case the Video Card MUST be referenced to an external reference signal ASMBL Click on the ASseMBLe button to use VCube s Assemble edit mode Please see Assemble ASMBL on page 58 Analog Xena L
70. option Clock Master ON VCube can Chase on LTC VCube can Chase a Sony 9 Pin Machine TC VCube can Follow VT2 Clock Master OFF VCube can Follow VT2 PyraCube Setup VCube SE Mode with AJA Card and WITHOUT USB Sync PRO option Clock Master ON VCube can Chase Sony 9 Pin Machine TC VCube can Follow VT2 Clock Master OFF VCube can Follow VT2 PyraCube Setup XE LE SE Mode without AJA Card and WITHOUT USB Sync PRO option VCube is NEVER Clock Master and TC Master VCube follows VT2 without using its internal Chase Syn chronizer because both Clock and TimeCode is sourced from VT2 Important Note In order to ensure optimum sync the Mykerinos AJA and USB Sync cards must all be locked to the same Video Reference Synchronization Timeline AMIERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Quick Settings Overview In order to ensure that VCube is as versatile as possible there are a very large number of settings To make it easier to configure VCube for common formats there are two Quick Settings options These two dedicated Settings panels enable one click setting of the Video Input format the Composition format the TimeCode frame rate and the Video Output format When VCube is configured by using Quick Settings it behaves like a VCR for the format selected Quick Settings can also form a useful basis for more complex configura tions Using Quick Settings Set Up To set up VCube using Quick Settings Ope
71. pane 4 Shift Click and Drag a red corner handle to reduce the Destination Rectangle to the size desired 5 Click Drag the center red handle to position the Destination Rectangle as required 6 Press Enter to accept the Destination Rectangle changes E The Motion Rectangles icon in the Layer Header turns green to indicate that the layer position and or size has been modified Controls and Shortcuts The Source Rectangle is accessed from the Destination Rectangle Source button at top left and determines the shape and size of the portion of the Clip frame which will be sized and positioned on screen The Destination Rectangle determines the shape and size of the Source Rectangle contents on screen Playback is still possible while Destination or Source Rectangles are being adjusted With Motion Rectangles active red sizing box displayed Tab steps Layer selection from top to bottom Shift Tab steps Layer selection from bottom to top Layer number Top and Left corner positions Width and Height are displayed in red at bottom center Crop Editing Editing in the Timeline AMERGING Alt Click and Drag Resize Click and Drag Shift Click and Drag UP DOWN LEFT and RIGHT VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Both Source and Destination Rectangles can be cropped by using Alt Click and Drag on resize handles This permits the useful part of the source Layer to be chosen while pre serving the
72. playback speed of Clips This function allows VCube to accomplish both PullUp and PullDown operations PullDown All the story is around the NTSC video standard In the NTSC world a second lasts 1001 mS That means that 30 fps SMPTE norm media is displayed at 29 97 frame per second This conversion is called pulldown e VCube can convert a 30 fps Media to 29 97 fps In the Timeline 29 97 fps select the Clip s you need to change the frame rate properties of Double click on the selection to display the Clips Information page Here the speed can be set to 99 996 PullDown Once done the Clip s length remains the same in the Timeline Now 1 frame will be missing every 1001 frames You can use the Clip s handle to extend the Clips duration reflecting their new fps value Film production in the NTSC zone uses 24 to 23 98 fps conversion to facilitate transfers to tape etc In this case the speed value is also 99 996 PullDown With this new frame rate an integer number of film frames corresponds to an integer number of video NTSC frames for telecine This telecine technique is called the 3 2 pulldown There are 4 frames of film for every 5 frames of NTSC video PullUp Is the reciprocal process 1001ms becomes one second Drop Frame Drop Frame is a SMPTE TimeCode format that counts 30 frames per second continuously but drops 2 frames from the count every minute except for every tenth minute l e it drops a total of 108 frames
73. routing for HD Click and Drag connects the different elements Right click accesses the context drop down list of settings for every element User configurations can be saved as presets The configuration last used is recalled automatically when the PC is started up Appendices AJA Video Cards and Plugins AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Xena LHe SD SDI HD SDI Analog 60 pin connector amp BNCs Analog Connections Can be Configured for Component or Composite TC Analog Video Y CVBS In BNC Pb T In BNC Pr C In BNC T G CIBS Out BNC Pb B f Out BNC Pr R C Out BNC eeN iM LI T i T T3 red a ae green e n blue a no red Reference Input BNC J 7 Balanced Audio Analog Audio Channel Input Elea ha beri ata Analog Audio Channel 2 Input ell PAL and NTSC complying to SMPTE 259 292 296 m i Genlock BNC Component Composite S Video Input 3 x BNC Analog Audio Channel Output S L3 Component Composite S Video Output 3 x BNC ae j ier Audio s x XLR i Analog Audio Channel 2 Output e O Balanced Audio Out 2x XLR 8 channels 24 Bit 48Khz of embedded audio SDI HDSDI AES Input Channels amp 2 gt C 2 AES audio channels In 1XLR 2 AES audio channels Out 1XLR AES Output Channels amp 2 2d 1 Appendices AJA Video Cards and Plugins Page 213 AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM SD Video Formats Supported PAL 4 3 D1
74. settings supported by the computer graphics card are not sup ported by the video card If an unsupported setting is selected a warning message will be dis played on the video output Please see Video Formats and Bandwidth on page 231 in the Appendices to find the correct settings for your specific needs Any Format conversion required is applied to the entire Composition including resized Layers on both Pre view and Video outputs Width Enables Width in pixels to be trimmed for the Composition Height Enables Height in pixels to be trimmed for the Composition Field Order Offers the choice of whether Upper or Lower Field is displayed First when interlaced or None if the Media is formatted as Progressive Scan Pixel Aspect Ratio The field show the current Pixel Aspect Ratio This is the shape of the individual pixels HD video systems mainly use a square pixel with aspect ratio of 1 1 NTSC uses an aspect ratio of 0 9 1 resulting in a 648 x 480 display NTSC 16 9 uses an aspect ratio of 1 2 resulting in an 864 x 483 display PAL uses an aspect ratio of 1 07 resulting in a 768 x 576 display PAL 16 9 uses an aspect ratio of 1 42 resulting in a 1024 x 576 display Note Anamorphic Wide Screen formats do not use a greater number of pixels to produce the picture It is the Pixel aspect ratio which determines the shape of the frame Assuming the cor rect flag is set Composition Frame Rate Link Composition Frame Rate and Synchroni
75. so if a specification like the DVD spec says only Main Profile Main or Low Level is allowed the decoders can safely assume what the bounds of some settings are going to be A DVD player does not have to account for the resolution being 2 14 x 2 14 because the DVD spec only allows a maximum of Main Pro file Main Level which only enables for a maximum frame resolution of 720x576 Noise Sensitivity and Noise Reduction The NR button toggles between Noise Sensitivity and Noise reduction The box deter y vM mines the value Noise Sensitivity specifies how sensitive the video encoder is to noise in the source video it does not reduce the noise in the source video at all It sets a motion search threshold at which point the encoder will stop the search for matching blocks of pixels from one frame to another Higher values mean low sensitivity faster search times less quality while lower values mean higher sensitivity longer search times better quality Typically this option is set in the 1 14 range as follows 1 5 Computer animation VCD from DV Source after a line filter or noise reducing filter virtually no noise in the source video 3 7 Digital video DV quality Hi8 quality etc 5 14 Analog captured video Video 8 Hi8 broadcast TV The setting is based entirely on the condition of the source video it has nothing to do with the type of output DVD SVCD or VCD If you are only concerned with quality at the ex
76. to replace an NLE It is basic and intended to facilitate the editing required when using Video for playback and presentation Editing in the Timeline The Timeline is the place in VCube where Audio and Video Clips can be edited faded up and down and otherwise arranged into an audio visual Composition Clips ina Composition Clips in a Composition are just pointers to the original audio and video Media File s Any actions performed on a clip in a Composition will not affect the original Media File s Clips can be edited shortened split into 2 clips moved have level or transparency adjusted be copied deleted etc and all actions will ONLY affect the Composi tion Once placed in the Composition each Audio clip by default displays a Waveform of the Media file to which it points This Waveform display can be enabled or disabled by the user Selections and Groups Selection Selections can be made of individual Clips or of a Range Click on a single Clip to select it If it is a member of a Group the entire Group will be selected Shift Click enables multiple Clips to be selected Region Click and drag anywhere in the Timeline to create a Region Any Layer dragged over will be included in the Region The Region will be shown highlighted Click on the Region to create a Split in all Clips at the beginning and end of the Region in all Clips included in it The resultant Clips are Selected and can be moved as a group regardless of
77. to select an alternative Compression The field shows the type of Compression selected currently Click on the down arrow to select an alternative The exact composition of the list will depend on options purchased Width The field shows the Width of the output Video in pixels Click in the field to enter a new value manually Height The field shows the Height of the output Video in pixels Click in the field to enter a new value manually Frame Layout Field shows the current setting Click on the down arrow to select an alternative Progressive Frame 2 Fields Interleaved Lower First 2 Fields Interleaved Upper First 2 Fields Separate Lower First 2 Fields Separate Upper First Single Field Word Length Fixed at 8 bits currently Bit Format Recording and Acquisition Recording vence VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Down Sampling Field shows the current color sub sampling scheme 4 2 2 is the default Up Conversion Mode Field shows current conversion mode Options will vary with the Pixel Aspect Mode set ting E g Anamorphic Letterbox Pillarbox or None Pixel Aspect Ratio Field shows the current Pixel Aspect Ratio and the format associated with this Click on the down arrow to select an alternative Resize Quality Field shows the resizing algorithm selected currently Click on the down arrow to select an alternative Nearest neighbour Fastest but poor quality Linear Bi Linear Fast and poor quality
78. type is already selected for you Interchange file format xml Type a suitable name in the File name drop down list box or choose from the list if overwriting a previ OUS export Click the Save button to begin the export Conversion Rendering and Wrapping The Conversion Rendering and Wrapping toolbar icon is a modal Toolpicker l e the icon shown will be for the process last invoked from the adjacent drop down list All these options are also available from File Export function Convert Media Files Render Composition Convert Still Images Wrap Audio Convert Render and Wrap toolbar icon menu Convert Media Files y vM File Export Convert Media Files Convert Media Files allows selected Media Files to be converted into a number of file formats including cube file s This file format is optimized for the VCube playback engine Media Files can also be converted to AVI MPEG2 or QuickTime files for compatibility Conversion and Rendering Export Composition VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM The Convert Media Files dialog has three tabbed pages The first of these is Main Convert Media Files Main Output Output Path T Kerberos Kerberos 6 Log Overwrite existing files Askuser before overwrite Keep Original Filename Range AllMediaFiles Media Files of Selected Clips TC Position New Save Rename Delete Proceed Cancel Convert Media Files dialog Main tab page Ou
79. whether they are members of other Groups Shift Click and drag will select all clips partially or totally included in the Region Enter sets the Range to the beginning and End of the Region Ctrl ENTER selects the Range contents as a Region Double click on the Range Tray will set the Range from the beginning of the Composition to the end Groups The most common Groups are created automatically when a Video Clip and its associated Audio with the same source Timecodes and lengths is placed in the Timeline Ctrl G Groups the Clips selected currently Ctrl U Ungroups the Group selected currently Multi level Grouping VCube supports multi level grouping l e a Group or Groups may in turn be grouped Such a multi level Group will need to be ungrouped as many times as there are levels in the group to be able to select indi vidual Clips A Group number e g G12 is displayed inside a grouped Clip in the Timeline The number will be the number of the highest level Group that the Clip is a member of Editing Editing in the Timeline vM VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Note A Group including a Video clip is constrained to a one frame grid Nudge Ctrl UP or DOWN Moves the Selected Clip s Up or Down a Layer If the destination Layer already has a Clip the Clip moved is laid over the existing Clip for the duration of the moved Clip If transpar ency is set appropriately both will be visible Shift UP o
80. with the frame setting and it must be a multiple of the P frame setting When frame is set to 1 all frames in the video will be frames When frame is larger than 1 it specifies the size of the GOP and the P frame setting specifies how often P frames occur in the GOP If P frame is set to 1 the video will consist of only and P frames If P frame is larger than 1 B frames are placed between the P frames and the video will consist of I P and B frames Larger GOPs will yield greater compression but will possibly cause a loss of quality We recommend using the default settings Auto GOP This function always starts a new GOP when there is a scene change l e the encoder sets an frame If you choose None from the drop down menu there will be no scene detection The Fast option is a quick method of scene detection where no VCSD happens During the motion search the application checks if a scene change occurs and if yes the P frame is encoded as an I frame Then the encoder starts a new GOP VCSD is the abbrevi ation for Visual Content Scene Detection which is a better way of doing scene detection At first the VCSD is carried out l e the analysis of the frames and then the GOP planning It will yield a slightly slower encoding Closed GOP interval This value specifies how often the GOPs should be closed and is only of importance if there are B frames present in the GOPs A value of 0 means do not close any of the GOPs a value of
81. 0 Adding Tracks and Layers 50 Dolby E on the Timeline 50 Transport and Navigation 51 Navigation 5 Time Ruler 51 Zoom 51 Locators 51 Transport Control 54 Transport Control Bar 54 Transport Tool 55 Go To TimeCode 57 Recording and Acquisition 58 Recording 58 Virtual VTR 58 Record Settings Tab 60 Editing 64 Editing in the Timeline 64 Clips in a Composition 64 Contents AMERGING Selections and Groups Nudge Editing Functions Trim Edit Context Menu Motion Rectangles PiP Watermark and Text Watermark Text Clip Generated Clips Countdown Clip Wipe Clip Video Test Pattern Clip Audio Tone clip Conversion and Rendering Export Composition XML Conversion Rendering and Wrapping Convert Media Files Render Composition Convert Still Images Wrap Audio Wrap Audio Dialog Level Magic from J nger Audio J nger Level Magic Expert Settings Final Check Meter MXFix Batch Export Re Wrapping MXFix Quick Procedure MXFix Folders dialog MXFix Wrapper Dialog Running MXFix MXFix Web Monitor Frame Rate Management Control Settings Page File Tab VCube Compositions Media File Browser Locator Tab View Tab Clip Info Video Clip Audio Clip Shortcut Workspace Edit Contents AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM 64 65 65 66 67 69 72 72 74 77 77 79 80 81 82 82 82 82 82 89 90 91 92 97 97 99 100 101 102 103 107 108 111 112 113 114 115 115 115 115
82. 0 fe 23 2f 23 32 35 21 23 24 oq 32 35 aa 22 24 25 29 34 38 46 23 28 27 35 38 46 56 24 ef 23 Cancel j When you activate the User quant matrices checkbox you can click the Edit button in order to adjust the param eters for Matrix for Intra Block and Matrix for non Intra Block In the following window you can change these set tings These values must be in the range 16 256 with the exception that the first entry in the intra block matrix must be 8 Intra blocks are macroblocks coded using only information from the current picture I frames non intra blocks are macroblocks coded using information from the current picture and other pictures B and P frames If the bitrate is high you should not change the parameters Ultimately these values depend on the source material If the bitrate is low you can change the parameters to get better results Additional Settings The different options are displayed in the tree You can change the settings by using the Value parameter box Depending on the setting you have to adjust the appropriate option in the corresponding tree A short definition of the selected option is offered under the display Under Sequence Header you find the following option VBV Buffer size This value specifies the size of the Video Buffering Verifier VBV buffer in KB 1024 bytes Decod ers can use this value to determine the largest buffer needed to decode the video stream
83. 00 Hz 1080p 30 00 Hz 2048 x 1080p 23 98 Hz IM 2048 x 108p 23 98 Hz 2048 x 1080p 24 00 Hz 2048 x 1080p 24 00 Hz 2048 x 1080p sf 23 98 2048 x 1080p sf 23 98 Hz 2048 x 1080p sF 24 00 2048 x 1080p sf 24 00 Hz Notes SDI embedded audio and the Merging Technologies audio option cannot be used to capture audio simul taneously VCube does not use the RS422 connector on the breakout cable currently Appendices AJA Video Cards and Plugins Page 209 AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM 2K Plug in The LH i and 2K 3G plug ins are almost identical 2K is one of the possible AJA video capture hardware options inside your VCube station It supports Analog Component Composite S Video SD SDI and HD SDI video for both SD and HD formats Enable XENA LHI 0 F a mm 1 A x LEurg company AJA Video Syst Product XENA LHi 0 Serial Product Version 7 1 1 build 21 Description AJA Xena Card SupportforVCube Main FPGA bitfile at PCI FPGA version AJA Engine Format status none SDT Input 1 status none Locked Video Reference Source Free Run Internal Video Input Selection HOMI Analog InputFormat 525 Component SMPTE US 1 Field when Stopped Analog Output Format Audio Source etting F aii che AES SRC pen Xena Advanced Router Panel AJA LH i Video I O Settings The LH i version is shown above Options available in drop down lists will reflect the different capabilities Plug in Enabl
84. 1 means close every GOP and a value of 2 means close every other GOP etc If a GOP is closed it can be decoded by itself If a GOP is not closed the first few B frames of the GOP will be dependent on the last P frame of the previous GOP and cannot be decoded correctly without decoding the previous GOP first When a GOP is closed the first few frames of a GOP are encoded so they only depend on the frame in the GOP the previous GOP is not required This can be useful for setting chapter points so a player can jump to these GOPs and can start decoding immediately without hav ing to read the previous GOP or discarding the first few B frames Bitrate Shows current Bitrate mode Constant Variable or Constant Quantization Constant bitrate CBR Fixed bitrate the relevant input prompt will be enabled if selected Variable bitrate VBR The minimum and maximum values define the bitrate range the encoder should stay within while encoding The average value is the desired average bitrate of the video stream The relevant input prompts will be enabled if selected Constant quantization affects the macroblock quantization value approximately the compression of the macrob locks Lower numbers yield better quality and larger files larger bitrate results in less compression The range is 1 31 1 is probably excessive in that the quality does not improve much but the file size increases quite a bit A range is probably 3 15 for constant quan
85. 25 1080i 29 97 1080i 30 1080PsF 23 98 1080PsF 24 1080PsF 25 PC 1080PsF 29 97 PC 1080PsF 30 PC 1080P 23 98 1080P 24 1080P 25 1080P 29 97 1080P 30 1080P 50 1080P 59 94 1080P 60 Appendices AJA Video Cards and Plugins VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Page 204 VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM LH i Plug in The LH i and 2K 3G plug ins are almost identical LH i is one of the possible AJA video capture hardware options inside your VCube station It supports Analog Component Composite HDMI and SDI video for both SD and HD formats Enable XENA LHI 0 F a mm 1 A x LEurg company AJA Video Syst Product XENA LHi 0 Serial Product Version 7 1 1 build 21 Description AJA Xena Card SupportforVCube Main FPGA bitfile at PCI FPGA version AJA Engine Format status none SDT Input 1 status none Locked Video Reference Source Free Run Internal Video Input Selection HOMI Analog InputFormat 525 Component SMPTE US 1 Field when Stopped Analog Output Format Audio Source F aii che AES SRC etting pen Xena Advanced Router Panel AJA LH i Video I O Settings Plug in Enable When lit the plug in card selected in the drop down list is active Card and plug in details are shown under the Enable button AJA Video Engine AJA Video Engine Format The current internal AJA Engine format is shown Alternatives are selected in the drop down list Input Video amp Reference External Refer
86. 5 29 6 44 5 NTSC 150k frame 4 5 0 26 15 8 23 7 PAL 180k frame 4 5 0 26 15 8 23 7 NTSC 300k frame 9 0 52 31 6 47 4 PAL 360k frame 9 0 52 31 6 47 4 Uncompressed YUV 21 1 23 73 8 110 7 Uncompressed RGBA 30 1 75 105 4 158 4 Apple FCP DV PAL NTSC 3 6 0 21 12 6 18 9 CineW ave HD Mac 125 7 32 439 4 659 1 CineW ave SD 21 1 23 73 8 110 7 D1 Desktop 64 8 bit 21 1 23 73 8 110 7 D1 Desktop 64 10 bit 30 1 75 105 4 158 2 D1 Desktop 128 HD 10 bit 170 9 96 597 6 896 4 RTMac DV 25 3 6 0 21 12 6 18 9 Avid Avid DS HD Nitris 125 7 32 439 4 659 1 Avid DS 21 1 23 73 8 110 7 Media Composer Offline XL 4 5 0 26 15 8 23 7 Media Composer AVR75 6 3 0 37 22 1 33 25 Media Composer AVR77 9 0 52 31 6 47 4 Media Composer Uncompressed 21 1 23 73 8 110 7 Symphony 21 1 23 73 8 110 7 Xpress 9 0 52 31 6 47 4 Xpress DV25 3 6 0 21 12 6 18 9 Incite Digisuite LX DV 25 3 6 0 21 12 6 18 9 Digisuite LX MPEG2 25 Mbit 3 1 0 18 10 8 16 3 Digisuite 21 1 23 73 8 110 7 Digisuite LE 15 0 88 52 7 79 1 Digisuite DTV DV 25 3 6 0 21 12 6 18 9 Digisuite DTV DV 50 7 2 0 42 25 3 37 9 Digisuite DTV MPEG2 25 Mbit 3 1 0 18 10 8 16 3 Digisuite DTV MPEG2 50 Mbit 6 2 0 36 21 7 32 6 Media100 Media 100 i 150 180 Kb frame 4 5 0 26 15 8 23 7 Media 100 i 300 360 Kb frame 9 0 52 31 6 47 4 iFinish 150 180 Kb frame 4 5 0 26 15 8 29 7 iFinish 300 360 Kb frame 9 0 52 31 6 47 4 CineStream 3 6 0 21 12 6 18 9 Cleaner 3 6 0 21 12 6 18 9 Pinnacle CineW ave HD Mac 125 7 32 439 4 659 1 CineW ave SD 21 1 23 73 8 110 7
87. 6 Goto Previous Locator SUBTRAC Goto Next Locator ADD Auto Create Locators Set Mark In Set Mark Out Set In Out Marks to Selection Goto In Goto Out Set New Locator Move Selected Locator to Cursor Goto Locator Goto Previous Locator Goto next Locator Auto Create Locators gt Auto Create Locators All layers Destructive Auto Create Locators Selected Layer Destructive Auto Create Locators Selected Layer Add Menus Locator AMVMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Goto Composition Sat Ctrl NUMPAD 0 Goto Composition End Alt NUMPAD 0 Goto In Goto Out Goto Locator Goto Previous Locator Goto Next Locator Goto NextEdit Goto Previous Edit MUMPAD 4 NUMPAD 5 NUMPAD 6 SUBTRACT ADD Shift 4 TAB Goto Timecode Ctrl NUMPAD 6 Goto FootFrame Ctrl NUMPAD 5 Cursor Step Goto Composition Start Goto Composition End Goto In Goto Out Goto Locator Goto Previous Locator Goto Next Locator Goto Next Edit Goto Previous Edit Goto Timecode Goto Foot Frame Cursor Step gt Step Forward 1 Frame Step Forward 1 Second Step Forward 10 Seconds Step Forward 1 Minute Step Backward 1 Frame Step Backward 1 Second Step Backward 10 Seconds Step Backward 1 Minute Menus Goto AMVMERGING Page 180 VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Transport Transport af Toggle Transport Tool NUMPAD 1 Forward Stop Toggle Play Paus Toggle Play S Tog
88. AM IMX Is the Sony version of the D10 Embedded AC3 audio isn t supported by VCube for this format XDCAM HDC Is the HD version of the XDCAM IMX It uses GOP to fit into almost the same bitrate as SD Embed ded AC3 audio isn t supported by VCube for this format Inconsistent Settings Inconsistent settings are highlighted in red in the MPEG settings summary Render settings or codec settings must be adjusted to match e Mpeg settings using long GOP should be avoided for use in VCube to ensure a responsive seeking e MJPEG or DV codecs are preferred because of their intra frame compression Appendices MPEG Settings MainConcept Encoder Page 245 VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Export Choosing an MPEG format in the Convert Media Files Video File Format field makes the Advanced Settings button available Clicking it opens the Advanced MPEG Settings dialog Advanced MPEG Settings hi i MAIN MPEG Encoder 4 4L o wwwmainconcept com Basic Settings Video Settings Advanced Video Settings Audio Settings M ultiplexer settings Format type MPEG settings summary DVD Relaxed standards Preset Internal DYO PAL Format sub type Video settings video stream type DVD a uaa frame size 20 4 576 PaL MPEG 5 frame rate 25 000 aspect ratio 4 3 Display bitrate variable avg 6 00 mas 8 00 estimated size 43 MB minute Audio settings MPEG layer 2 Video bitrate kbps i at
89. AM installed in the system This is especially critical in 32 bit versions of Windows as only the first 3 gigabytes of RAM are actually addressable by Windows and therefore VCube should never take so much of the RAM for itself as to hinder Pyramix and Windows itself Exceeding the 8096 mark of memory con sumption for any reason can render any system unresponsive and even critically unstable The Playback buffer can be either an ally or an enemy in cases where HD video files do not seem to playback well Increasing the Number of Frames in the Buffer helps to remedy playback stalls but increases the memory con sumption footprint of VCube proportionally leaving less memory for Pyramix and Windows When determining what the optimum size should be begin with the default value of 7 Frames and increase the number of Frames incrementally until playback is satisfactory whilst keeping an eye on memory consumption during playback There is no point pushing the buffer to an excessive value in the hope that you will have smooth playback all the time if it means sacrificing precious memory elsewhere and causing the system to become unsta ble For this reason keep the buffers as small as possible without stalling If an increase in Playback Buffer size does not remedy playback stalls then investigate further to determine if your media volume is adequately outputting media to VCube or use a smaller more efficient version of the HD video encoded in a different format or a
90. Alt 1 Alt 2 NUMPAD 7 NUMPAD 8 RETURN NUMPAD 4 NUMPAD 5 NUMPAD 9 Ext DIVIDE NUMPAD 6 SUBTRACT ADD Ctrl Alt NUMPAD 9 Alt NUMPAD 9 Ctrl NUMPAD 9 Ctrl NUMPAD 0 Appendices Default Shortcuts VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Page 225 y ne Goto Composition End Go to In Go to Out Go to Locator Go to Previous Locator Go to Next Locator Goto Next Edit Goto Previous Edit GoToTC Goto Foot Step Step Forward 1 frame Step Forward 1 second Step Forward 10 seconds Step Forward 1 minute Step Backward 1 frame Step Backward 1 second Step Backward 10 seconds Step Backward 1 minute Transport Show Hide Transport Frame Chase Enable Rewind Forward Stop Toggle Play Pause Toggle Play Stop Toggle Play Reverse Pause Toggle Play Reverse Stop Pause Record Loop Overlay Toggle Burn In Timecode Toggle External TC Toggle Mask On Off Settings Show Quick Settings for SD video formats Show Quick Settings for HD video formats Show Settings Preset Show Format amp Synchro Settings Show LTC VITC Settings Show Video I O Show Overlay Settings Alt NUMPAD 0 NUMPAD 4 NUMPAD 5 NUMPAD 6 SUBTRACT ADD TAB Shift TAB Ctrl NUMPAD 6 Ctrl NUMPAD 5 Ext RIGHT Ext Alt RIGHT Ext Ctrl Alt RIGHT Ext Shift Alt RIGHT Ext LEFT Ext Alt LEFT Ext Ctrl Alt LEFT Ext Shift Alt LEFT T Ctrl F1 NUMPAD 1 NUMPAD 2 NUMPAD 0
91. Audio References are optional Remote Control Remote Control VCube with a Sony 9 pin Controller Page 168 AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Synchronizing VCube to a Sony 9 pin Chase Synchronizer VCube can chase a Sony 9 pin Chase Synchronizer 1 Inthe Format amp Sync Tab Synchronization section configure as below Formats amp Sync Tab Synchronization section Toggle Chase Unchecked Sony 9 Pin Remote Control Checked 2 The RS 422 configuration switch must be set to From Controller if you use the RS 422 port This port is named COMS3 in the Settings dialog This port is named COM2 in the Settings dialog for early VCubes using an ASUS motherboard The RS 232 port is named COM1 3 In this configuration both Audio and Video references must be used Audio should ideally be referenced to the same source of Video syncs as the Video Sony P2 Protocol over IP Pyramix and VCube can now be synchronized over an ethernet LAN VCube does not require any configuration No special Settings are needed e g no Port Name field Just turn on Sony 9 Pin Remote Control It only works with VCube as the machine Please see the Pyramix User Manual for all relevant details Remote Control Synchronizing VCube to a Sony 9 pin Chase Synchronizer Page 169 AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM VCube Controlled by Sony 9 pin Chasing an LTC Source VCube can be controlled by Sony 9 pin while chasing an LTC source 1 In
92. Bold Bllipsis Charade Center Center _ 1000 10 1 Watch Name Color Opacity Alignment Type Auto Range Wipe E 255 Left to Right Gauge Countdown and Wipe Settings dialog Double clicking on the Countdown or Wipe title bars will break the panes away into free floating Tabs Double clicking the title bar once again re docks Note When you have finished making changes to Countdown and Wipes settings Click on the X close box at top right to accept the changes and close the dialog Note Please see also Countdown Clip on page 77 and Wipe Clip on page 79 Settings Settings Page vM VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Buffer amp Cache The Buffer amp Cache manages the buffers which affect VCube performance Buffer amp Cache Number of Frames Multi Thread Seeking 512 kB 512 kB 51 kB 512 kB Buffer amp Cache Settings Playback Buffer Number of Frames The drop down list offers a choice of values between 3 and 20 frames for fine tuning Playback performance to the specific configuration The lower the number the greater the demand will be on hard disk or network streaming performance A setting of 5 is good starting point Multi Thread Seeking When checked enables VCube to run several simultaneous threads in order to reduce overall disk access time Local Read Cache Enable amp Cache Size drop down Local Write Cache Enable amp Cache Size drop down Network Read Cache
93. Clip New Audio Tone Clip New Video Test Pattern Nudge gt Nudge Left Nudge Right Nudge Up Nudge Down Nudge Overwrite gt Nudge Left Overwrite Nudge Right Overwrite Nudge Up Overwrite Nudge Down Overwrite Tracks gt Nudge Up Track Nudge Down Track Send gt Send Selection to Mark In Send Selection to Mark Out Send Selection to Cursor Send Selection to Original Timecode Trim gt Trim Selection In to Cursor Trim Selection Out to Cursor Jog Trim Selection In to Cursor Jog Trim Selection Out to Cursor Fade gt Fade In Selection to Cursor Fade Out Selection from Cursor Delete Delete Selected Tracks and Layers Split Selection Group Selection Ungroup Selection Ungroup All Lock Selection Unlock Selection VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Page 177 Menus Edit AMVMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Selection RangetoRegion Ctrl RETURN Select Previous Layer Ext UP Ext DOWN cted Layers ESCAPE Range to region Select Previous Layer Select Next Layer Select All Clips on Selected Layers Select All Clips Unselect All Clips Zoom oom In Zoom Qut Fit SelectionZoom A zoom Undo Zoom In Zoom Out Fit Selection Zoom Zoom Undo Menus Selection ANVERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM t Mark In NUMPAD t Mark Out NUMPAD 8 n OQut Marks to Selection RETURN Goto In NUMPAD 4 Goto Out NUMPAD 5 t New Locator NUMPAD 9 at oO L a cat Df N L M PA D
94. Cube Files Ctrl O Projects Compositions AMIERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM 1 Browse and select a destination folder 2 Clickon New 3 The New Composition opens with the same settings as the last Composition opened Load Selective Load Selective enables Composition objects or properties to be loaded into the current Composition Load Selective Composition Properties Clips From Layer A Layer 4 Layer 5 Layer 6 5 Locator Keep Existing a Replace MainVtube Settings Workspace Timecode shortcut Original Timecode At Timecode Load Selective dialog Options are grouped into boxes Each black box header has a button which when checked turns on import of the properties or objects selected in the box itself Selection can only be made when the box title button is checked Composition Properties Format amp Frame Type When selected Format and Frame rate will be imported when the new Composi tion is loaded Range When selected the current Composition range markers will be overwritten by new values when the new Composition is loaded Watermark When selected the current Composition Watermark If any will be overwritten by the Watermark the new Composition when it is loaded Locator Keep Existing Mutually exclusive with Replace Existing Locators can either be retained and merged with the imported ones or replaced by the ones in the Composition to be loaded Replace See above Main VCu
95. Depending on the model of graphic card this function may or may not need to be enabled to allow correct refresh of the Preview area If split artefacts are evident try the opposite setting Size Width Information only Set in User Interface E g by Click and dragging Splitters Height Information only Set in User Interface E g by Click and dragging Splitters Show Video Frame When checked a white hairline frame is shown around the edges of the selected scan for mat Show Safe Area When checked the standard cut off on a consumer display is shown as the outer dashed box The inner dashed box shows the Graphics safe area Floating Preview Size The button checked determines the size of the Preview Window when in Floating Mode F4 toggles Double Size Normal Size Half Size Quarter Size Color Color settings are only applied to the graphic card They don t affect the AJA cards video output Default values are set by Double clicking on the corresponding slider Brightness IRE Shows current Brightness Value Contrast IRE Shows current Contrast value Hue Shows current Hue value in degrees Kelvin Gamma Shows current Gamma value Settings Settings Page Page 142 AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Note Preview size can also be changed by clicking and dragging the splitter under the preview pane and at the splitter between the Preview pane and the Settings pane when visible w JJ Preview Engine Type Dei
96. Ext RETURN SPACE Ext Ctrl RETURN Ctrl SPACE NUMPAD 3 DECIMAL L Alt B Alt F5 Alt F6 P Alt P Ctrl F2 Shift Alt P Ctrl P Appendices Default Shortcuts VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Page 226 y ne vM Show Preview Settings Show Composition Settings Show Disk Cache amp Playback Buffer Settings Show User Interface Settings Show Isis Settings Show Encryption Settings Show Media Settings Show Timeline Settings Show VCube Preferred Search Directories Show All Settings Toggle VCube version User Interface Refresh Simple Mode Advanced Mode Show Hide Transport Frame Show Timeline Show Record Page Page Previous Page Next Page Show Files Page Show Locators Page Show View Page Show Edit Page Show Settings Page Folder Show Prior Folder Show Next Folder File Show VCube Files Show OMF Import Show Media Files View Show Clip Info Show Shortcuts Show Workspaces Edit Show Edit Main Show Clip Edit Show Layer Edit Show Track Edit Appendices Default Shortcuts Ctrl Alt P Shift P Ctrl Shift P Ctrl Shift Alt P Alt K Ctrl F4 F5 Alt F1 Alt F3 T F11 F12 Ext HOME Ext END F6 F7 F8 F9 F10 Ext PRIOR Ext NEXT Ctrl O Shift O Ctrl Shift O Ctrl W Shift W Alt W Ctri D Shift D Alt D Ctrl Shift D Page 227 VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Settings Show Setting
97. Files from Windows Explorer browser windows is supported as follows Drop Into Preview Screen When the file is dropped the current Composition will be closed after a confirmation dialog is accepted A new Composition is then created to suit the characteristics of the Media File being dropped Image Size Frame Rate Aspect Ratio Interl acing The Media will be placed at its original TimeCode in the Timeline Drop Into Timeline Drag amp Drop into the Timeline adds Media to the current composition If more than one file is dropped they are placed in sequence in the Timeline Place to Cursor Place to Cursor is the default behavior The Media will be placed at the current cursor position in the Timeline Insert Mode If the Ctrl key is held down while dropping the file s the files are inserted at the Cursor position and all subse quent clips are rippled Enqueue Mode If the Shift key is held down while dropping the file s the files are placed after the last Clip in the Composition or at the current TimeCode if the Composition is empty Media Management Drag amp Drop vM VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Media Handlers QuickTime QuickTime is a very popular file format Media Handler for audio and video media QuickTime 7 4 or above MUST be installed to allow VCube to manage this file format VCube features complete support of QuickTime for both Playback and Record Render Convert Media Files Any QuickTime sp
98. Fix also allows loudness levels to be corrected through the use of the Final Check Normalizer or J nger Audio s renowned and exclusively licensed Level Magic Levelizer algorithm as part of the MXFix suite in the form of a software plug in MXFix re wraps the corrected and measured audio channels to embedded audio channels as discrete 16 bit or 24 bit PCM channels that in turn may also contain Dolby E encoded audio streams Tasks performed by MXFix MXFix may perform any or all of the following tasks in combination with each other as needed in association of a single Watch folder Scan multiple video files in multiple Watch folders to determine process priority and compatibility Decode Dolby E audio streams to PCM for re wrapping or measurement with the SurCode for Dolby E decoder plug in Scan and correct loudness levels to user defined target values of stereo and surround channels with J nger Audio s Level Magic MXFix Batch Export Re Wrapping Final Check Meter Page 100 AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Measure EBU R 128 ITU 1770 ATSC compliant loudness levels of any stereo or surround channel with Merging s Final Check technology Generate a loudness level report file in xml format with Final Check Correct MXF aspect ratio metadata Correct audio word length values Correct audio track counts to fit MXF hardware manufacturers standards Encode Dolby E audio streams Wrap it all to a new video fil
99. Hi 0 This section shows the Audio Hardware currently selected for recording The number of record channels available will vary accordingly to a maximum of 8 Insert V1 Click on the V1 button to arm Video for recording in Insert mode When lit as above Video is armed for recording Please see Insert INSERT on page 59 12345678 Click on the numbered buttons to arm Audio Channels for recording in Insert mode Here Channels 1 amp 2 are armed The number of Audio Channels available will depend on the hardware Multiple Audio Channels appear as Layers in a single Audio Track Level meters are above each arming button After Capture The field shows what will be done with the recorded material after capture Options are None and In Current Composition Place Clips at Original Timecode If None is selected the recorded fields are simply added to the Output folder If the in Current Composition option is selected and no Track is selected in the Timeline a new Track or Tracks will be created Output Output Path The field shows the current Output Path Click on the button to open a Windows browser to change the path The Path defaults to the current Composition Media Files Path File Name The field shows the Current root File Name Click in the field and type to enter a new File Name Counter Field shows the start number for the incrementation process Click in the field and type to enter a different start number Record Settings Recordin
100. Hz Audio Sampling Rate E g 48000 Hz Reference Source The Reference source Panel features two or three drop down lists Video Reference Source Field shows the current Video Reference source Click on the down arrow to select an alternative This line is only present when a Video card is fitted Quick Settings Using Quick Settings AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Audio Ref Field shows the current Audio Reference source Click on the down arrow to select an alternative TC Clock Ref Field shows the current TimeCode Reference Source Click on the down arrow to select an alternative Note Except in exceptional circumstances it is highly desirable if not essential that all the refer ences are the same and ideally sourced from external video syncs PAL PAL 4 3 D1 PAL 4 3 DV PAL 16 9 D1 PAL 16 9 DV NTSC NTSC 4 3 D1 NTSC 4 3 DV NTSC 16 9 D1 NTSC 16 9 DV Note The terms PAL and NTSC are not strictly accurate in the context of Digital Video but are used commonly as a convenient shorthand to differentiate between European and US standards Quick Settings Using Quick Settings vM VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Quick HD Settings rete Le Progressive Frame 1 000 FILM 23 98 P TE AA i PAL 625 50 001 Tu 8000 Hr Hz Audio Ref Internal Mykerinos dad TC Clock Ref Internal Mykerinos dad gt Wormal DP 720p 50 00 Hx 720p 59 94 Hz 720p amp 0 00 Hz 108Di 50 00 Hz 1080
101. IDEO SYSTEM Menus File RI m Ctrl N Ctrl 0 Ctrl Shift Q Save Ctrl 5 Save As Ctrl Shift 5 Capture Alt R Import Export Exit the Application New Open Close Save Save As Capture Import Media File Browser Composition Create new Composition Add to Existing Import Composition amp Export Changes Import Layer Convert Still Images Export Export Composition Convert Media Files Render Composition Wrap Audio MXFix Exit the Application Menus File Page 175 AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Edit 1 P P P Undo Edit Redo Edit Cut Cut amp Ripple Copy Paste Paste amp Ripple Paste to Previous Timecode Paste to Original Timecode Create New Timeline Object New Video Track New Audio Track New Layer New Text Clip Undo Edit Redo Edit Cut Cut amp Ripple Copy Paste Paste amp Ripple Paste to Previous Timecode Paste to Original TC Create New Timeline Object Nudge Delete Selected Tracks and Layers Split Selection Group Selection Ungroup Selection Ungroup All Lock Selection Unlock Selection New Sticky Memo Text Clip New Countdown Clip y vM Menus Edit Ctrl Z Ctrl Shift Z Ctrl X Ctrl Shift X Ctrl C Ctrl V Ctrl Shift V Ctrl M Ext DELETE Ext Ctrl DELETE Ctrl T Ctrl G Ctrl U Ctrl Alt U Ctrl K Ctrl Shift K New Wipe
102. Layer Compositing order is from top to bottom Thus the top Layer takes precedence Track and Layer Order For those users unfamiliar with NLEs it is important to understand that video on the TOP Layer of the top Video Track in the Timeline takes precedence l e when there is video present on the top Layer in the Timeline any video placed on lower Layers or Tracks will be hidden unless the top Layer is made transparent partially or completely using the Layer opacity setting available in the Layer Header or if the video in the top Layer is reduced in size e g for Picture in Picture purposes Please see Motion Rectangles PiP on page 69 Tracks and Layers Media Handlers AMIERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Audio Tracks and Layers Audio Tracks appear below the Video Tracks in the Timeline Each Audio Track can contain a number of Layers individual Channels E g a 5 1 Audio Track will have six Layers As with Video Tracks the Track Mute and Solo but tons affect all the Layers in the Track Each Layer also has it s own Mute and Solo buttons which only affect the Layer Each Channel can be routed to any physical Mykerinos or ASIO output present on the system The number of Tracks and Layers is effectively unlimited Audio Bit Depth VCube plays 8 16 20 24 or 32 bit audio files and captures in 16 24 or 32 bits Sampling rate options for capture are 44 KHz and 48 KHz Tracks and Layers Created Automatically A new Com
103. MPEG Encoder Variable Bitrate When checked VBR is on This option sets the muxing mode to variable or constant bitrate If it is turned off constant bitrate the output data stream will contain padding packets if needed to maintain the constant bitrate In variable bitrate muxing no pad ding packets are added Pack Options Under this heading you find the options Size bytes and Packets Pack Pack size is the number of bytes in each pack or sector VCD and SVCD use 2324 bytes DVD uses 2048 and general MPEG 1 2 can use up to 4096 bytes 4096 is our limit not MPEG s limit The muxed bitstream is broken up into these packs with a pack header start ing each one and they contain 1 or more PES Program Elementary Stream packets chunks of the video or audio stream The Packets Pack setting specifies the number of PES packets that are placed in each pack VCD SVCD and DVD always want 1 PES packet per pack Mux Rate kbps Appendices MPEG Settings MainConcept Encoder Page 257 AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM The Mux Rate is the total bitrate i e video bitrate plus audio bitrate plus muxing overhead bitrate This option specifies the bitrate of the multiplexed program stream Startup delays ms The Pack value specifies the starting TimeCode of the muxed stream this can be different than the starting Time Code of the video stream It is the starting SCR System Clock Reference in ms of the program strea
104. Miser in the systern VS3 Control Panel Application In a system with a Pyramix in addition to VCube choose VCube from the drop down list Platform The drop down list will contain options for all ASIO devices on the system Mykerinos cards if installed MassCore RAVENNA if installed and No Audio Select the desired output Audio Engine from the list 1 O Selection Select the appropriate Driver from the drop down list Info Keep the default settings here Audio Bridge If you are using an ASIO device choose ASIO Device Mode Click on OK to apply the settings and close the dialog When the VS3 panel Do you want to save routing dialog box appears click on OK Appendices VS3 Control Panel Page 221 AMVMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM VCube Hardware Sync Connections A VCube chassis is equipped with these sync connections LTC In XLR LTC Out XLR 75 ohm switch Terminates the Video Reference Input Video Ref In BNC Ref VITC Video Ref Out BNC Ref VITC Audio Word Clock In OutBNC RS 422 Config switch RS 422 In Out 9 pin D Sub 15 1 Connections for synchronization RS 422 The switch labelled To Machine and From Controller helps to configure this port correctly depending on what is connected to it To Machine means that VCube will control an external Machine From Controller means that an external controller will control VCube This connection is used by the Sony 9 pin P2 protocol COM 3 COM 2 on ea
105. PAL 4 3 D1 PAL 4 3 DV PAL 4 3 DV PAL 16 9 D1 PAL 16 9 D1 PAL 16 9 DV PAL 16 9 DV NTSC 4 3 D1 NTSC 4 3 D1 NTSC 4 3 DV NTSC 4 3 DV NTSC 16 9 D1 NTSC 16 9 D1 NTSC 16 9 DV NTSC 16 9 DV HD Video Formats Supported 720p 50 00 Hz 720p 59 94 Hz i 720p 59 94 Hz 720p 60 00 Hz 720p 60Hz TOS 50 00 Hz 1080i 50 00 Hz LOG 59 94 Hz 1080i 59 94 Hz 1080i 60 00 Hz 1080p sf 23 98 Hz 1080p sf 23 98 Hz 1080p sF 24 00 Hz 1080p sf 24 00 Hz 1030p 23 98 Hz 1080p 23 98 Hz 1060 p 24 00 Hz 1060 p 25 D Hz 1080p 29 97 Hz 1080p 30 00 Hz 1080p 24 00 Hz 1080p 25 00 Hz 1080p 29 97 Hz 1080p 30 00 Hz Appendices AJA Video Cards and Plugins Page 214 AMERGING y ne VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Notes SDI embedded audio and the Merging Technologies audio option cannot be used to capture audio simul taneously The SDI embedded audio is not available for capture if the analog video input is selected for recording SDI embedded audio cannot be captured if the analog video input is selected for recording The video card analog Video Reference Input is not connected internally to the VCube video Reference input Both must to be fed by the same video reference signal Reference Input video card This BNC connector allows you to synchronize outputs to your house reference video signal or black burst If you have a sync generator or central piece of video equipment to use for synchronizing other vi
106. Playback Current FPS Reduced Flickering Video Output Matrox Parhelia Settings Frozen Image on Matrox Parhelia Output Poor HD Image Quality Frame Shifting with Virtual Transport Sony 9 pin Not Controlling VCube Recorded Media Files have incorrect Timestamp Video Playback is shifted User Interface with ATI Graphic Card NTSC Video Output Exhibits Some Dropped Frames with PAL Media Files Apple Compatibility 2GB Limitation Appendices AJA Video Cards and Plugins LH i SD SDI HD SDI HDMI Analog 2K SD SDI HD SDI 2K Analog Xena LHe SD SDI HD SDI Analog LSe SD SDI Analog VS3 Control Panel VCube Hardware Sync Connections USB Sync Board Option External Connections Driver Installation Default Shortcuts HDTV Recorded Media SDTV Recorded Media Video Formats and Bandwidth Audio PullUp PullDown Drop Frame Video Codecs Supported Frame Rates Supported Contents AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM 181 181 182 183 185 186 186 186 189 189 192 195 195 195 195 195 197 198 198 199 199 200 201 201 202 203 203 203 208 213 218 221 222 222 223 223 223 230 230 231 237 237 237 238 239 Page vii Interchange Protocols Supported Resolutions Supported MJPEG Compression Ratios Files Supported AVI 1 AVI 2 and AVI ref MPEG Settings MainConcept Encoder MPEG Overview Export Media Storage Requirements Installation Examples A Great Solution for Audio
107. Post for Film Basic VCube Operation Pro Tools amp VCube Operation Pyramix VCube and ProTools Avid Unity and VCube Fairlight Controlling a VCube Fairlight DREAM MFX3 Fairlight DREAM Satellite Fairlight DREAM Station Pro Tools and VCube Pro Tools 6 4 1 Mac OS 10 3 and a KeySpan Pro Tools HD Sony 9 Pin RS422 Wiring Chart Glossary Index y wn Contents 239 240 242 243 244 244 244 246 260 261 261 262 263 264 264 266 266 266 266 266 266 274 2 8 286 VCube VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM VCube HO VIDEO SYSTEM Document revision 23 Date 2nd April 2014 vM VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Introduction Thank you Congratulations on your purchase of the VCube HD Video System More than just a powerful video solution VCube is part of a comprehensive range of Audio Video and Show Control products software and hardware Wel come to the worldwide community of users who have already discovered the Merging Technologies advantage Note IMPORTANT The first thing you need to do is register your software to acquire your VCube key s and to be included in our user support list Please also subscribe to the User Forum at http www merging com forum Overview What is VCube y ne VCube is a hard disk based video player recorder system with real time editing and resizing functions It is designed to be an easy to use flexible high quality and reliable video file play out an
108. ReelTime 14 4 0 84 50 6 75 9 ReelTime NITRO 14 4 0 84 50 6 75 9 Targa 2000 DTX RTX SDX 14 4 0 84 50 6 75 9 Targa 3000 MPEG 6 25 0 37 21 9 32 9 Targa 3000 YUV 21 1 23 73 8 110 7 Targa 3000 RGB 42 2 46 147 6 221 4 There is no specific information for VCube in this table because it supports almost all SD and HD standards and codecs DVCPRO and IMX are available as options Appendices Media Storage Requirements AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Installation Examples A Great Solution for Audio Post for Film This is an example of SD streaming configuration Pro Tools workstations control VCube via Sony 9 pin protocol Pyramix workstations control VCube via Ethernet Virtual Transport Note that one VCube can be controlled by two editing workstations T000BaseT J USB __ ow e Serial Analog Video F C 22Gb LIU E LE gi reese A Network Solution For Film Audio Post d F P Rig Soy i Ris Roe e The Video Server is fed through the network by an Avid Nitris even while audio editors are using the streaming video flow from this server The same network can be used for both Virtual Transport chasing and video streaming In this example an extra Ethernet card for Pyramix and VCube was preferred because both racks were in the same machine room Appendices Installation Examples Page 261 AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Basic VCu
109. Sync options set the fundamental Composition and Synchronization parameters Format amp Syne Format amp Sync Tab page Settings Settings Page Page 133 vM VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Audio Ref Status Note This section will not be present except in a system with Merging Technologies Audio hard ware e g a Mykerinos card Audio Ref The field shows the Audio Sync Reference Source selected Currently Use the drop down list to choose the source The choices available will depend on the VCube version and the hardware available for example Internal Mykerinos clock Video Input Wordclock Input Audio Input lists all available digital audio inputs e g AES EBU VCube will check each channel for a valid signal and lock to this TC Clock Ref The field shows the TimeCode Sync Reference selected Currently Use the drop down list to choose the appropriate source Show Mykerinos Settings Tab Note This button will only be available when a Mykerinos card is fitted Composition Audio For mat Sampling Rate The field show the current Audio Sampling Rate Use the drop down list to choose the Audio Sampling Rate Contents of the list will depend on the hardware if any and the VCube version E g a system with a Mykerinos with AES EBU daughter card will accom modate anything from 44 1kHz to 384kHz Composition Video Format This section determines how the video signal is displayed Note that the all the possible
110. System Output Page System Tab System displays processor and memory activity On Pyracube systems running MassCore expect to see one or more cores maxed out This is a function of how MassCore works and is not a matter for concern CPU In order to understand what is to be investigated while comparing the CPU consumption and the other indicators in the diagnostic tabs it is first necessary to understand the two extremes of the HD video file scale At one end of the scale is video that is encoded with a high data compression ratio and therefore uses a large amount of CPU resources at the moment of decoding but has a very small file size and therefore a reduced bit rate requiring less disk performance At the other extreme are totally uncompressed RGB YCrCb YCbCr type video formats that require almost no CPU usage due to the absence of decoding but require huge amounts of disk data throughput do to extreme bit rates So if your CPU is exceeding 100 while playing a certain file the file is most likely highly data compressed or encoded with a codec that is too CPU intensive for your system Try increasing the Playback Buffer or use a file that is encoded with a lower data compression ratio higher bit rate or encoded with a different and more efficient codec altogether Memory Below the CPU graphs is a graph showing the estimated memory consumption of VCube This memory consump tion graph does not include the other processes runni
111. The skipped file is placed in a Skipped sub folder created automatically in the Watch Folder To exit the MXFix Batch Mode immediately and abort the process in progress click on the Cancel All button MXFix Batch Export Re Wrapping Final Check Meter Page 107 AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM MXFix Web Monitor Scope The Web Monitor is available from the moment VCube is running in MXFix mode Alt M It is accessed through any Web Browser such as Internet Explorer Safari Firefox Chrome or a mobile device s Web browser You simply need to be logged onto the same network domain as that of VCube running MXFix Log on to your VCube s IP address and add the following URL of 7777 as in the example below eoo MXFix Merging Technologies MXFix IQ htep 10 0 0 80 7777 On the local machine running MXFix you may also log on to the MXFix Web Monitor from a browser by entering the following URL in your Web Browser YC Browser Safari http localhost 7777 MXFix Batch Export Re Wrapping MXFix Web Monitor Page 108 vence VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Web Monitor Web Page The Web Monitor appears as in the screenshot below ao MXFix Merging Technologies SE MXFix d 4e g n 106080777 coo Sl 5jMostVisited Getting Started J Latest Headlines Apple 3 fj Bookmarks
112. To change the Zoom level use Alt Mouse wheel or Alt Click into the Time Ruler and Drag Alt Drag in the Timeline Zooms to the Region selected Double click on the Time Ruler acts as Zoom All and deselect selected clip s Zoom All Alt 1 Undo zoom Alt 2 Zoom In Alt 3 Zoom Out Alt 4 User Interface Program Screen VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Timeline User Interface gt Show Timeline Page F11 brings the focus to the Timeline Tab below the Preview pane Dou ble clicking the Timeline Tab breaks it away as a floating window Layer Select Area Opacity Control Mute Solo Source and Destination Rectangles Locator Bar Range Loop Play Head and Time Ruler Timeline l Luoator 2 Locter 0 3 Locator 00 00 01 14 QUHOU 01 02 hace Clip Name Group Number Audio Output Audio Level Control Vertical Zoom Control Slider Timeline floating Tab The Locator Tray is above the Timeline Locators can be dragged with the mouse Double click in the Locator tray to open the Locators page Below is the TimeCode Scale A Double click in the TimeCode Scale acts as Zoom Fit Alt 1 and Dese lects All Clips Underneath is the Range Tray The Range can be dragged and trimmed with the mouse Double clicking in the Range Tray sets the Range from the Start to the End of the Composition Video Track 1 has 2 Layers and is locked Track 2 has only one Layer User Interface Tim
113. VCube on A oe User Manual wn vM VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM No part of this documentation may be reproduced in any form whatsoever or be stored in any data retrieval system without prior written permission of the copyright owners This documentation is supplied on an as is basis Information contained within this documenta tion is subject to change at any time without notice and must not be relied upon All company and product names are or Registered Trademarks of their respective owners Windows 7 Windows Vista and Windows XP are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation Merging Technologies makes no warranties express or implied regarding this software its qual ity performance merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose The software is supplied as is you the purchaser are assuming the entire risk of the results of using this Merging Technolo gies software In no circumstances will Merging Technologies its owners directors officers employees or agents be liable to you for any consequential incidental or indirect loss or damages including loss of time loss of business loss of profits loss of data or similar resulting from the use of or inability to use the Merging Technologies hardware and or software or for any defect in the hardware software or documentation Copyright Merging Technologies Inc 2014 All rights reserved Merging Technologies Le Verney 4 1070 Puidoux Switzerland Te
114. VI avi MPEG mpg MPEG mpeg MPEG mpa PMF pmf WAV wav BWF bwf AIF aif QUICKTIME mov Number of Channels Indicates the number of physical outputs fed by Audio layers in the Composition Word Length Field shows the Word Length selected currently The drop down list offers a choice of 16 bits Fix 24 bits Fix Recording and Acquisition Recording AMERGING Compression VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM 32 Bits Float Field shows the Compression scheme selected currently The drop down list offers a choice of schemes depending on the selected Audio File Format QuickTime offers vari ous solutions for compressing audio data Note The AVI and QuickTime MPEG2 Media Handlers support multiple audio channels in a sin gle file When recording more than 2 channels in an AVI2 or QuickTime file each channel is treated as a separate mono channel l e if you have 4 channels in VCube they will appear as 4 mono channels in an AVI file The Windows Media Player from Microsoft and the QuickTime player from Apple will playback a 4 channel audio file into a stereo mix of the 4 mono channels Using Video files with embedded audio decreases playback performance For Compositions with complex compositing two or more separate Media Files one for video one or more for audio are preferable Recording and Acquisition Recording vM VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Editing Scope Editing in VCube is not intended
115. VIDEO SYSTEM Audio Processing The Audio Processing Tab enables you to manage optional VCube audio processing features LevelMagic by J nger Audio Final Check Meter by Merging Technologies Dolby E SurCode Decoder Wrap Audio Audio Processing Level Magic Loudness correction by J nger Audio Target Loudness Presets Max Peak 3 dBFS Standard Level Magic Light Movie 5 EBU R128 Strong Live oF 3 1770 ATSC No Expert settings T na m eT Expert settings FinalCheck Loudness Normalizer 2 pass 23 LUFS FinalCheck Meter amp report Process On Off Channels in put descri ption ch 1 6 ie J SurCode Decoder ta 1 8 ch 3 4 SurCode Decoder ch 5 6 SurCode Decoder ch 7 8 stereo SurCode Decoder ch 9 10 SurCode Decoder ch 11 12 SurCode Decoder ch 13 14 ch 15 16 Cancel Wrap Audio dialog Audio Processing Tab page Note For full details please see Level Magic from J nger Audio on page 97 LevelMagic Loudness correction by J nger Audio Click on the label to toggle the process on off The green LED indicates process ON Target Loudness Field shows the selected Target Loudness The drop down enables values between 23LUFS and 27LUFS in 1LUF increments to be selected Max Peak Field shows the selected Maximum Peak level permitted The drop down enables values between OdB and 20dB in 1dB increments to be selected Level Magic When selected blue LED lit processin
116. Video Projector lt lt Sony 9 pin Protocol Pyramix BRe Ethernet 100BaseT Gigabit X Video gt Gra phi C Avid Unity and VCube VCube can import OMF Compositions and stream linked referenced Media Files directly from a Unity server There are two ways of accessing the Unity server Install a Fiber Channel Adapter in the VCube and connect to an available port on the server The currently rec ommended Fiber Channel Adapter is the ATTO FC 3300 Note Never install the ATTO drivers delivered with the adapter but use those delivered by Avid along with the current version of the Unity server to connect to Please ask the system adminis trator responsible for the server for the proper drivers installer 1 Page 264 Appendices Pyramix VCube and ProTools AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM 2 The Unity server can include a so called Port Server Pro which allows connection through a standard Gigabit Ethernet network In this case just plug the VCube into this network to access the server files Note This configuration does not always allow for streaming Media Files very efficiently The use of a Port Server Pro should be limited to copying files from the server to the local VCube hard disks When connecting to the Unity server with a Fiber Channel Adapter directly some settings can be adjusted to opti mize the streaming performance in a multi user environment On the VCube side go to Settings gt
117. XFix can decode and encode embedded Dolby E audio tracks transparently as well MXFix is a paid for option which requires the MXFix key to be activated in MTSecurity File Formats Supported The first version of MXFix as of version 3 2 of VCube allows for audio and video wrapping of MXF files as well as compatible QuickTime MOV files and compatible AVI files Measure amp fix loudness fix metadata and wrap it all up with SurCode for Dolby E MXFix fixes MXF files metadata as well as the content of embedded audio channels of files For example a specific MXF metadata correction parameter of the video aspect ratio allows for cross compatibility of files which do not have this field properly defined by the machine that originally created them If a series of MXF files does not dis play at the proper aspect ratio MXFix will fix them without degrading the original video essence at all by simply re wrapping the metadata fields of the MXF concerning the aspect ratio MXFix allows for detailed EBU R 128 ITU 1770 ATSC compliant loudness measurement of any audio content in the embedded audio channels of a video file including channels that are contained within a Dolby E encoded audio stream through the use of Merging s Final Check loudness measurement technology and the SurCode for Dolby E OEM plug in In addition to measuring and generating a detailed loudness report file of audio present in either discrete PCM or Dolby E encoded channels MX
118. a data compression codec Compression Codecs The previous computations show that video is a bit gluttonous This bandwidth requirement has its price That why a data compression is frequently applied in order to reduce the data flow demands Loss less Loss less codecs are mathematical solutions which regenerate the compressed data exactly The compression ratio is often lower than 3 1 Lossy Lossy codecs are also mathematical solutions But they are a compromise between efficiency and quality The compression ratio can vary from 3 1 the quality is almost the same as the original to more than 100 1 with visible artefacts Intra Frame DV MJPEG IMX Every frame is processed individually Appendices Video Formats and Bandwidth Page 236 Audio PullUp VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Inter Frame MPEG with groups of pictures GOPs The use of GOPs is a very efficient way to compress video But for post pro duction purposes intra frame codecs are to be preferred since every frame is individually encoded allowing instant access with a lower computional overhead VCube features a DV codec compression ratio 1 5 and a MJPEG codec possible compression ratio from 1 2 4 to 1 23 if required during capture or render processes Since video media can also feature a sound track audio data flow must be added to the video streaming require ments PullDown One of the key features of VCube is the capability of changing the
119. a dedicated video card However it is possible to use the S Video output of a graphic card to feed a video monitor Open the Graphic Card Control Panel from the Windows desktop In Display Properties see the Settings page Only screen one should be used Now click on Advanced In the Monitor Tab uncheck Hide modes that this monitor cannot display In the Displays Tab enable Monitor com puter as Main and TV S Video output as Clone Then go to Overlay and set Theater mode as follows Overlay Theater Mode on Full screen Video and 4 3 or 16 9 depending on your video monitor Now the S Video output will only display the VCube overlay content without any graphic user interface Note 1 Thisfeature can also be used to generate a regular SD PAL or NTSC video output from an HD 24p Composi tion 2 The minimum display requirement for the VCube user interface is 1024 x 768 pixels The 720 x 576 or 720 x 480 pixels displayed by a video monitor is insufficient for both monitoring and software control 3 The quality of this S Video output cannot be compared to that of a dedicated video card unless you have the Matrox Parhelia equipped VCube Note For Canopus video card users The two S Video Composite adapters small cables featuring an RCA plug and a mini Din plug cannot be used to convert the graphic card S Video output to Composite because of a special pin out The third adapter that doesn t have a cable must be used to perform this conver
120. a the Advanced Settings dialog box Note VCube can record both video and audio multiplexed in a single MXF file when MXF is selected as the File Format for both Video and Audio VCube uses the Mainconcept MPEG Encoder Please see MPEG Settings MainConcept Encoder on page 244 Media Management Media Handlers y ne File Extensions Supported y vM cube avi gen omf om mov qt bmp jpg jpeg tif tiff PNg gif emf tga mng jng psd pcx womp jak jp2 jac jbg JC pgx pnm pgm ppm wmv mp4 mpg mpeg mi1v mpe m2v mpv2 m2t vob mxf aaf xml dv dif aif mpa Wav bwf pmf ac3 Sd2 Sdii VCube native format Audio Video Interleave AVI is defined by Microsoft AVI is the most common format for audio video data on the PC AVID Nitris file format AVID Open Media Framework AVID Open Media Framework Apple QuickTime Apple QuickTime Microsoft Windows Bitmap file Jpeg Jpeg Tagged Image File Format owned by Adobe created by Aldus It s a bitmap raster file format Tagged Image File Format owned by Adobe created by Aldus It s a bitmap raster file format Portable Network Graphics A Turbo Studly Image Format with Lossless Compression CompuServe graphics interchange format Microsoft Enhanced Metafile Truevison Targa image file formats Multiple image Network Graphics A PNG like Image Format Supporting Multiple Images
121. ab Ctrl F10 Show Sync Status Tab Ctrl F11 Show Audio Meters Tab Ctrl F12 Tool Bar Tools and Toolpickers VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Opens the Encryption Tab Opens the Media Settings Tab Opens the VCube Preferred Search Directories Tab Toggles the Transport Control Panel Open Close Shows the Record Page in the lower pane Shows the Timeline in the lower panel Opens the Clip Info Tab Opens the Keyboard Shortcut Tab Opens the Workspace Tab Opens the System Tab Opens the Buffer Tab Opens the Playback Info Tab Opens the Sync Status Tab Opens the Audio Meters Tab Page 159 VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM View Toolpicker Tool Bar X G Fx Toggle Show Hide F a 3 Toggle Fullscreen Preview ow Toggle Floating Window Double Size Normal Siz Half Size Quarter Size Toggle Show Hide Settings F2 Toggles the Control Settings pane Show Hide Toggle Fullscreen Preview F3 Toggles VCube between the User Interface and Full Screen Preview Toggle Floating Window F4 Toggles VCube between the UI and Preview Float ing floating at half size default Double Size Shift F5 Doubles the Floating Window size Normal Size Shift F6 Default indicated by Tick Half Size Shift F7 Halves the Floating Window size Quarter Size Shift F8 Quarters the Floating Window size Convert Toolpicker Tool Bar F l E es INN 8l Convert MediaFiles Ctrl R Render Composition
122. ace 8 Generate WorkSpace 9 Generate WorkSpace 10 Help Show Help Credits Ctrl 5 Ctrl 6 Ctrl 7 Ctrl 8 Ctrl 9 Ctrl 0 F1 Appendices Default Shortcuts VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Page 229 HDTV Recorded Media Tape HDTV Recording Standards D9 HD DVCPRO HD HDCAM 12 14 TA Video Rate 100 Mbps 100 Mbps 140 Mbps Audio Tape ax 48 KAZ 16bits Sxi 48 Khz 16hite 128i 48 Khz 24bits Durations S L 52 min 46min 40 24 min Disk Requirements 45 Gbytes 33 7 Gbytes 41 171 27 2 Gbytes CODE S call Tape Video Audio Tape C Vv B 7 1 v B 7 1 M JPEG 4 4 1 7 2 p 80i T2 pM sni 24 amp 25p 1080i 24 amp 25p HDCAM SR D5 HD Db VooDoo Tar E NEA ade Rate 600 Mbps 235 Mbps 470 Mbps 12x 48 Khz 24bits 8x46 Khz 15hite 12x 48 Khz 24bits Durations S L 4024 min 124 min B4 min Disk Requirements 175 545 Gbytes 213 5 Gbytes 431 2 Gbytes CODE Scan C MPEG 4 2 7 1 M JPEG 4 1 hone 1 80i 2425p POP 080i 24p 1080i 24p SDTV Recorded Media vM SDTV Uncompressed Recording Standards DI Sony BTS D5 Panasonic Tape 34 12 Video Rate 172 Mbps 218 Mbps Audio dxi 48lKhz 20bits dxf 46Khz 20bits Tape Durations S M L 6 34 94 min 23 5311 24 min Disk Requirements T B 42 84118 5 Gbytes 35 81 00 51 38 Gbytes Appendices HDTV Recorded Media VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Page 230 y ne VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM SDTV Compressed Recording Standards Digital Betacam 152 44
123. ace to use Left Entering a positive value reduces the width of the VCube display on the left hand side by the number of pixels entered Top Entering a positive value reduces the height of the VCube display at the top by the num ber of pixels entered Right Entering a positive value reduces the width of the VCube display on the right hand side by the number of pixels entered Bottom Entering a positive value reduces the height of the VCube display at the top by the num ber of pixels entered Note The VCube Window size reduction feature above can be useful with certain models of video projector Language Language The drop down list offers the following languages for the VCube User Interface Chinese Simplified Chinese Traditional English Francais Settings Settings Page Page 148 AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Deutsch Japanese Russian Encryption Locking Encryption and Decryption of Media Files can be performed in real time by VCube This process is based on MTAK technology Merging Technologies Active Key Active Key does two things 1 Protects non encrypted Media Files from un authorized use This enables Media Files created by VCube or Pyramix to be locked out from Playback or Processing in a VCube or Pyramix Timeline by using a metadata flag in the files themselves This first level of security prevents media files from Playout but the actual data streams in the files are not encrypted so the
124. ade in fade up field Half of the interlaced horizontal lines 262 5 in NTSC 312 5 in PAL needed to create a complete frame A correct field order must be applied to produce a smooth motion Odd Upper Top or Even Lower Bottom are fortunately the two possible solutions flywheel Condition in which a sync generator has been locked to an outside source which is no longer present Sync generator continues to provide sync on the basis of the last rate received from the outside source related to its own internal clock Mykerinos Internal Clock in Soft chase mode frame A complete video picture composed of two fields two complete interlaced scans of the monitor screen A frame consists of 525 interlaced horizontal lines of picture information in NTSC 625 in PAL In HD a frame can consist of 720 or 1080 horizontal lines of pixels which may be interlaced or progressive non interlaced free run Condition in which a sync generator is not locked to any outside source but is providing sync on derived from its own internal clock Mykerinos Internal Clock gen lock genlock To phase lock the timing of one piece of equipment to another Appendices Glossary Page 280 y ne VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM H house sync Video sync signal generated within the studio and used as a reference for generating and or timing other video signals I IMX is the Sony implementation of the MXF for the D10 video format interlaced S
125. al after reset is active When the MXFix process is running in single shot mode l e Continuous Watch is NOT selected then all VCube functions other than Cancel and Cancel All are locked out until the process is complete Cancel Cancels processing of the current file and continues with the next If any Cancel All button Stops the MXFix process MXFix Batch Export Re Wrapping Final Check Meter Page 101 vM VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM MXFix Folders dialog MXFix Folders E WCubetest files BATCH TEST Input HD E WCubetest files BATCH TEST Output HD E WCubetest files BATCH TEST Input 5D E VCube test files _ BATCH TEST Output 5D Input Folder E WCubetestfiles BATCH TEST Output 5D Output Folder E VCube test files _ BATCH TESTXOutput 5D Add Folder Pair Continuous Watch Mode Delete Original after Export D Overwrite Existing files Ok Cancel MXFix Folders dialog Input Folder The field shows the current source folder if any is defined The button opens a browser to select a path Output Folder The field shows the current destination folder if any is defined The button opens a browser to select a path Add Folder Pair Adds a new Folder Pair to the main frame Remove Deletes the selected Folder Pair Update Paths Updates the Paths of the selected Folder Pair to the Paths in the Input Folder and Output Folder fields when a path has been altered manually Settings Opens the MXFix Wrapper settings dia
126. alue It may also be due to a conflict between the frame rate of VCube and that of Pyramix or Virtual Transport Remedy Verify that all three are running at the same frame Note Buffer amp Cache Tab The Buffer and Cache Tab located on the Settings Page is crucial to the proper setup of VCube and as discussed in the previous section must be carefully adjusted for the type of Media being played back by VCube It has been found that the best general default parameters are 1 Start with a Buffer value of 7 for SD picture and 15 for HD picture 2 Deactivate all four of the read and write caches and restart VCube for the cache changes to take effect Adjustments may be made to facilitate certain HD files that prove to be problematic during playback but the Buf fer itself should be gradually increased and not just set to it s maximum value at all times which like any buffer may seriously hinder the performance and reliability of the system by consuming excessive amounts of precious RAM especially on a 32 bit operating system Note The Multi Thread Seeking button has negligible effect due to the vast improvements in IT hardware in general since the introduction of VCube v1 0 and may be left off Output View Output Page Diagnostic Tools Page 191 vence VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Sync Status Sync Status Mykerinos Wideo Ref Format 1060p sF 23 97 Hz gt 10804 59 94 Hz Audio Ref Video input Audio Ref Status TC Clock R
127. ame for the Preset in the File name field and navigate to a suitable location to write an Export file of the current Settings as a Pre set When the desired location is established Click on Save to save the Preset or Cancel to exit the dialog without saving Please uncheck options that you do not wish to restore This is a filter Items with unchecked buttons will NOT be changed when Presets are recalled Composition Video Format y vM Settings Settings Page Page 131 VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Synchronization Video I O Record Record Path amp Capture File Name Buffer amp Cache Preview Overlay Reload Reload Last Composition at Startup When checked VCube will reload the last Composition loaded when the application is started Creating Global Presets 1 Enable the video I O Shift Alt P plug in according the video card present in the machine 2 Choose an HD or SD video standard according to your requirements The simplest manner is to use the Quick SD Settings Alt F5 or Quick HD Settings Alt F6 3 Set the synchronization Alt P for VCube 4 Set the Record settings F12 5 Save this configuration It can be recalled later if you have to deal with different video formats different video I O or synchronization configurations Settings Settings Page Page 132 AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Format amp Sync One of the most important Tabs in the Settings Tab Page Format amp
128. andards 232 Selection 64 Selection Menu 178 Selections 64 Settings 131 Settings Imported With Composition 33 Settings Menu 182 Settings Page 19 131 Shift Fields 141 Shortcut Tab 122 Show Settings Tabs Toolpicker 158 Show Hide Control Settings Pages 19 Simple Mode 16 Simple Mode Options 126 Sony P2 Protocol over IP 169 split artefacts 142 Still Image File Formats 36 Still Image Import 38 Support 16 S Video Output 166 Sync Connections 222 Sync Status Tab 192 Synchronization 24 Requirements 24 Synchronization TimeCode Incoming and Outgoing 135 Synchronize Editing With PYRAMIX 144 Synchronize VCube with a VITC Source 172 Synchronize VCube with an LTC Source 171 Synchronizing VCube to a Sony 9 pin Chase Synchronizer 169 System Tab 186 T TC Clock Ref 134 Text Clip 74 Time Ruler 51 Time Scale 18 TimeCode Sources 24 Timeline 18 21 151 VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Timeline Tools 161 Tool Bar 157 Toolbar 18 Tools and Toolpickers 157 ToolTips 16 Topmost 148 Track and Layer Order 49 Tracks and Layers 48 Adding 50 Created Automatically 50 Tracks Tab 130 Transport Control 54 Transport Control Bar 54 Transport Control bar 18 Transport Control Panel 20 Transport Menu 181 Trim 66 Trimming Setting 6 Troubleshooting 195 U Unprotect 145 USB Sync Board Option 222 USB Sync Status 193 User Interface 17 User Interface Menu 183 User Interface Tab 148 User Workspaces 124 V VCube Compositions 114 VC
129. annel is selected in the current Composition Unless you wish the imported Layer to Control Settings Page Edit Page 129 AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM overwrite existing Video or Audio then create new Tracks Layers and Channels to accommodate the Import and select these one by one to import the required material Layers Import Properties Clips From Layer Timecode Original Timecode At Timecode Tracks When checked the Layer Properties will be imported When checked the Clips on the selected Layer will be imported Click on the Layer you wish to import When the button is checked the Layer will be imported When checked the Clip s on the selected Layer will be imported at the same Timecode they are positioned at in the donor Project When checked the Clip s on the selected Layer will be positioned to start at the Time code shown in the field The field shows the current Playhead Cursor position in the desti nation Project Double click in the field to enter an alternative Timecode The Tracks Tab manages and manipulates Tracks New Video Track New Audio Track Move Up Selected Move Down Selected Delete Selected vM Edit Tracks Tab page Creates a new Track for Video Clips Ctrl Shift T Creates a new track for Audio Clips Ctrl Alt T Note that a New Audio Track is automatically created when a Video Clip with embedded Audio is placed in the Timeline Moves select
130. ansport streams recordings and playback HDV HD1 720p 720p is a HDV High Definition Video format for digital video which has been introduced by several companies Canon Sony JVC and Sharp HD1 has a resolution of 1280x720 pixels progressive frame based and it always has an aspect ratio of 16 9 Depending on the video standard 720p uses 60 50 30 or 25 frames per second HDV is an MPEG 2 format which can store high resolution HD video footage on a normal DV tape HDV HD2 1080i 1080i has been developed along with the HDV format 720p and it is not quite certain yet which of the two standards will establish itself in the end HD2 has a resolution of 1440x1080 pixels interlaced field based and is always displayed in 16 9 Depending on the video standard 1080i uses 50 or 60 frames per sec ond HDV is an MPEG 2 format which can store high resolution HD video footage on a normal DV tape ATSC This is the abbreviation for Advanced Television Systems Committee the name of the group who origi nated the standard for digital television in the USA ATSC offers norm specifications for high definition digital tele vision HDTV as well as for normal standard digital television SDTV in MPEG format It supports resolutions such as 720p and 1080i The i stands for interlaced field based and the p for progressive frame based D10 Is a professional video format using a I frame every picture No GOP with a constant bitrate XDC
131. ap Audio AMERGING Audio Word Length 16 24 Output Output Format Use Original Timecode Use Clip Position Timecode File Path button Output File Name OK VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM more tracks are present in the source then the extra tracks will be omitted If there are less tracks present in the source then extra tracks of silence will be added Sets Output Word Length to 16 bits Sets Output Word Length to 24 bits Note Dolby E requires 20 bits MXF files with Dolby E audio commonly use 20 bits in a 24 bit file Field shows the current Output Format Click to drop down the list of alternatives MXF QuickTime Avi When checked Output file will correspond to original Video file TimeCode stamp When checked the current TimeCode of the Video Clip in the Timeline will be used in the wrapped file Field shows the current Output File Path Click to type an alternative or Opens a Windows File Browser to enable a different File Path to be selected created Click in the field to type a name for the Output file Click on OK to accept the settings and start the Wrap Cancel Click on Cancel to abort the Wrap and close the dialog Note Settings made in the dialog are retained when the Wrap is cancelled Note QuickTime files using the following codecs are supported for wrapping H 264 MPEG 4 M JPEG M JPEG2000 HDV IMX XDCAM Conversion and Rendering Wrap Audio y ne VCube HD
132. ard Paste Pastes the contents of the Clipboard to the current playhead cursor position starting on the Selected Track Layer If no Layer is selected a new Layer will be created If Clipboard content includes both Video and Audio both Video and Audio Layers must to be selected to avoid creating additional Layers Paste amp Ripple Pastes the contents of the Clipboard to the current Playhead Cursor position starting on the Selected Track Layer and Ripples all subsequent Clips to the right in the Timeline later by the amount corresponding to the Clip s inserted If no Layer is selected a new Layer will be created If Clipboard content includes both Video and Audio both Video and Audio Layers must to be selected to avoid creating additional Layers Paste to Previous Timecode Pastes the contents of the Clipboard to the position in the Timeline it was last positioned at Delete Deletes the Selected Clip s leaving every other Clip in place Note Use Shift Click to select multiple Clips to be Grouped Ctrl G Groups Ctrl U Ungroups A Clip with embedded Audio appears in the Timeline as a Group with one Video Track with one Layer and one Audio Track with as many Channels as there are in the Media File A Group of this type can be moved synchronously in the Timeline until such time that it is Ungrouped If the order of Video Clips needs to be changed for Preview Nudge Up Down Layer is used Select the relevant Video Layer s and use
133. at Video Output 1 Field when Stopped Video Analog Output Format Displays the video format of the incoming genlock signal if present Otherwise none is shown Displays the format of SDI video arriving at SDI Input 1 if any Otherwise none is shown Displays the format of analog video arriving at the analog input Displays the current Video Reference Source The drop down list offers a choice of all available sources If no external source is available this defaults to Free Run internal External Genlock or Analog Input video input are possible Displays the video Input selected currently THe drop down offers a choice of Analog Component Composite or SDI digital Displays the Analog Input format selected currently Alternatives are selected in the drop down list Must be Enabled to allow a stable picture for interlaced video formats on stop Displays the Analog Video Outpput format selected currently The drop down list offers a choice of all available formats Down Conversion HD gt SD Down ConvertMode Down Convert HD Input Down Convert SDI Output 1 Down Convert SDI Output 2 Down Convert Analog Output Audio Audio Source AES SRC Audio Analog Level Displays the Down ConvertMode selected currently Alternatives are avaioable in the drop down list Can be Letter Box Crop or Anamorphic for picture resize When lit Down Conversion is enabled Individual Output enable for SDI output 1 Individual Ou
134. at 24 fps 165 NTSC Frame Rates 111 Nudge 65 Nudge Tools 163 O OMF 39 One Field When Stopped 141 VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Options 12 Out channels Re ordering 155 Output Page Diagnostic Tools 186 Output View 186 Overlay 139 Overlay Menu 181 Overview 10 p Page Flipping 142 Parhelia Settings 195 Picture in Picture 69 Pixel Aspect Ratio 134 233 Playback Buffer 147 Playback Info Tab 189 190 Poor HD Image Quality 198 Preset 131 Preset Tab 20 Preview 141 Preview Context Menu 19 Preview Drop Counter 191 Preview Size 142 Primary Monitor Select 148 Pro Tools amp VCube 263 Pro Tools 6 4 1 266 Pro Tools 6 4 1 Mac OS 10 3 and a KeySpan 266 Pro Tools and VCube 266 Pro Tools HD 271 Program Screen 18 Projects 30 Protect 145 Pulldown 247 PullUp PullDown 237 PyraCube 167 Pyramix VCube and ProTools 264 Q Quick HD Settings 28 Quick SD Settings 26 Quick Settings 25 Using 25 QuickTime 45 Import Settings 150 wrap codec support 93 R Range Bar 18 Read Drop Counter 191 Read Drops During Playback 195 Read Time Average 191 Record Assemble Auto Edit 58 External Controller 59 Insert Auto Edit 59 Page 288 vM Virtual VTR 58 Record Settings 60 Recording 58 Recursive 43 Region 64 Re link Media 121 Remote Control VCube with a Sony 9 pin Controller 168 Render Composition 89 Rendering 82 89 Resize 1 Resize Quality 153 Resolutions Supported 240 RS 422 222 S SD Video St
135. ative The exact composition of the list will depend on options purchased The field shows the Width of the output Video in pixels Click in the field to enter a new value manually The field shows the Height of the output Video in pixels Click in the field to enter a new value manually Field shows the current setting Click on the down arrow to select an alternative 2 Fields Interleaved Lower First 2 Fields Interleaved Upper First 2 Fields Separate Lower First y vM Projects Import VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM 2 Fields Separate Upper First Single Field Word Length Bit Format Down Sampling Fixed at 8 bits currently Field shows the current color sub sampling scheme 4 2 2 is the default One of the next two entries is shown as appropriate Up Conversion Mode Down Conversion Mode Pixel Aspect Ratio Resize Quality Nearest neighbour Linear Bi Linear Cubic Lanczos Supersampling Advanced Settings Field shows current conversion mode Options will vary with the Pixel Aspect Mode set ting E g Anamorphic Letterbox Pillarbox or None Field shows current conversion mode Options will vary with the Pixel Aspect Mode set ting E g Anamorphic Letterbox Pillarbox or None Field shows the current Pixel Aspect Ratio and the format associated with this Click on the down arrow to select an alternative Field shows the resizing algorithm selected currently Click on the dow
136. audio tracks as well as TimeCode D1 was notoriously expensive and the equipment required very large infra structure changes in facilities which upgraded to this format Early D1 operations were plagued with diffi culties though the format quickly stabilized and was renowned for its superlative image quality D10 is the SMPTE specification for a professional video format it is composed of MPEG Video 4 2 2 I frame only and8 channel AES3 audio streams These AES3 audio usually contain 24bit PCM audio samples It is possible to find video bit rates of 50 40 and 30 MBits s DV uses DCT Discrete Cosine Transform intraframe compression which is similar to MJPEG at a fixed bit rate of 25 Megabit per second which amounts to roughly 3 6 Megabytes per second or 4 minutes per Gigabyte The chroma subsampling is 4 1 1 for NTSC or 4 2 0 for PAL which reduces the amount of color resolution stored Therefore not all analog formats are outperformed by DV The lower sampling of the color space is also a reason why DV is sometimes avoided in applications where chroma key will be used However a large contingent feel the benefits no generation loss small format digital audio are an acceptable trade off given the compromise in color sampling rate DV allows either 2 digital audio chan nels usually stereo at 16 bit resolution and 48 kHz sampling rate or 4 digital audio channels at 12 bit res olution and 32 kHz sampling rate For professional or broadcast
137. ay Tab settings enable external or internal Composition to be selected for Burnt In TimeCode The Composition will remain in sync A second lasts a second for both Composition and TimeCode Note The video engine must produce enough frames to match the chosen video standard of the video card E g Using a 25 fps frame rate for the Composition produces video drops out on an NTSC video output The Composition frame rate must be set to 29 97 fps and the Clips must be pulled down and resized into the Timeline expanded time While playing a PAL frame will be duplicated every six NTSC frames to preserve the overall duration Using a 24 fps frame rate for Composition produces video drops out on a PAL video output The Composi tion frame rate must be set to 25 fps A frame will be duplicated every second to preserve the overall dura tion Note If the graphic card output is used the Composition frame rate need not match any SD video standard 24 fps can be used as the Composition frame rate Only HD video formats allow film frame rates for the Composition on HD video cards MXFix Batch Export Re Wrapping Frame Rate Management Page 111 y ne VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Control Settings Page The Control Settings Page gives access to the main settings for the VCube working environment User Interface gt Toggle Show Hide Settings F2 Brings up a Pane to the right of Preview with all the Control Settings Tabs down the l
138. ay Text Type any text required in the field Position The drop down list offers a wide range of positions on screen for the text Horiz Offset Offsets the text by the number of pixels typed in the box to the right or left vM depending on the anchor position chosen above When Center xx is chosen no offset is possible Vertical Offset Offsets the text by the number of pixels typed in the box downwards or upwards depending on the anchor position chosen above When xxx Center is chosen no offset is possible Color The field shows the color selected currently Click in the field to pop up a color picker Please see Color Picker on page 17 Settings Settings Page Page 145 VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Countdown amp Wipe Auto Countdown to Mark In When active the countdown clock with be shown before the In marker of a range This feature uses hidden Clips not visible in the Timeline Auto Wipe Between Marks When active a wipe will be superimposed on the picture range between the In and Out markers This feature uses hidden Clips not visible in the Timeline Settings Click on the Settings button to open the Countdown and Wipes Settings dialog Countdown and Wipe Settings Name Font Name Font Style Trimming Alignment Line Alignment Text Color Text Opacity Back Color Background Opadty Frame Color Step Length mullisec First Count Number Last Count Number Type Auta Position Auto MarkIn m al Black
139. be Operation Basic VCube Operation sD Video Source HD Video source VCube Pyramix HD SD Video Projector lt lt Ethernet 100BaseT Gigabit Video This is a typical VCube set up The network is used to synchronize VCube and Pyramix DAW It s also used to transfer HD or SD material on the VCube s local hard disk A SD VCR is connected to the video input allowing SD capture The graphic output is connected to an HD video projector allowing compressed HD to be displayed authorization key required at full resolution Note Due to the storage transfer speed limitation of the single SATA disk only MJPEG 1 10 9096 quality compressed 2K HD can be used You also need the 2K for Composition authorization key Uncompressed 2K HD can be converted to 1 10 compressed by VCube render feature HD Media Files can be used into a SD Composition without this authorization key Appendices Basic VCube Operation Page 262 AMERGING Pro Tools amp VCube Operation ProTools amp VCube Operation SD Video Source HD Video Source VCube ProTools HD SD Video Projector sony 9 pin Protocol Ethemet 100BaseT Gigabit 4 P Video gt Graphic Appendices Pro Tools amp VCube Operation Page 263 AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Pyramix VCube and ProTools Pyramix VCube amp ProTools SD Video Source HD Video Source VCube ProTools HD SD
140. be Settings Projects Compositions AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Workspace When selected the Workspaces in the current Composition will be overwritten with the ones in the Composition about to be loaded Shortcut When selected the Keyboard Shortcuts in the current Composition will be over written with the ones in the Composition about to be loaded Clips From Layer All When selected All Layers in the current Composition will be imported Layer All layers present in the Composition to be imported are listed When the All but ton is not checked you can select any of the Layers listed to be imported by click ing on the buttons Timecode Original Timecode When checked Clips will be imported at the original TimeCode in the source Com position At Timecode When checked you can enter a Timecode starting point in the field If this option is used then Locator positions will also be shifted Settings Imported With Composition Settings Composition TC Enable Ext TC Enable TC Position amp Size TC Color TC Transparency Enable Mask Enable Mask Size X XK KK X XK X Deinterleave Video Frame Safe Area X X X Lock Editing Watermark Enable Copyright Position Watermark Color Media Path Link to Composition Path Auto Wipe amp Auto Countdown X XK X XK X X X Audio Sampling Rate Video Size Field Order Pixel Aspect Ratio x X X X Composition Saved Settings If you use the Load
141. card y ne v ES S fd 5590 ee S E SE df S ISI 5503 S 555 555301 ISI S ISI SS ISI ES SU ES v Ed Vee I ee a S S ES S S ESSI S SS D S S S S S IS SS S S Appendices Video Codecs Supported LE E E S S E EE EU EIE EU S Co ORO ce ug hs SPS ES ES PS Pd Pe ES ES SPS PSPSPS PS PSP Ps Ps bss euo eS SS 90 E59 5599 es Ps ES SE ES ES Oo Ku eS eaae y ne AJA Card I O Formats VCube Models PAL 4 3 D1 PAL 4 3 DV PAL 16 9 D1 PAL 16 9 DV NTSC 4 3 D1 NTSC 4 3 DV NTSC 16 9 D1 5s 5S S gt gt t gt SS ES SPST SSD SISSIES v v v v v v v v v v v v v v v v v v v v v S 5S SS SS ES S S SS S EE SS S ES SS SS S SS SEIS SS 2048x1080p 23 98 2048x1080p 23 98 2048x1080p 23 98 2048x1080p 23 98 3 ESSI SS SS S SS SS IS ES Fs SS IS ES SS S ISI SS SS SS SS S SS S IS Note VCube is now supplied with AJA LHi or AJA 2K cards depending on model Appendices Video Codecs Supported MJPEG Compression Ratios MJPEG Quality 100 99 98 97 96 95 94 93 92 91 90 85 80 75 70 60 50 Average Compression Ratio 2 4 5 5 6 4 7 7 4 8 4 9 9 8 10 5 10 9 11 3 13 5 15 5 17 18 4 21 23 Appendices Video Codecs Supported VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Page 242 y ne Files Supported VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM y ne cube avi gen omf om mov qt bmp JP9 jpeg tif tif f png gif emf tga mng jng psd pcx
142. card refer ence input are referenced to the same genlock black amp burst or video signal This is the only way to ensure precise timing for the video signal Troubleshooting Output Page Diagnostic Tools Page 199 VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Video Playback is shifted Problem VCube displays the correct image at the correct TimeCode on the PC monitor preview But the video output is not synchronized correctly A shift of one or more frames appears to be present on the output of the video card Solution 1 Ensure that both reference video input on the synchronization panel of the VCube and the video card refer ence input are referenced to the same genlock black amp burst or video signal This is the only way to ensure precise timing for the video signal 2 Besurethat the specification of the video display you use does not feature some latency All plasma displays and some LCD displays introduce significant video delay If this is the case VCube features independent com pensation offset for graphic and video cards Settings Formats amp Sync Synchronization TimeCode Graphic Card Delay Compensation Video Card Delay Compensation 3 It is equally possible you will observe the same delay with the PC preview To compensate use Settings gt For mats amp Sync Synchronization TimeCode Graphic Card Delay Compensation Troubleshooting Output Page Diagnostic Tools Page 200 vM VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM
143. ce 9 Hide Nothing Hida Chace Tah Workspace settings Note Use the right hand scroll bar to view the rest of the Tab Shown below User Workspaces Workspace 1 to 10 Click on the G buttons to Generate the respective Workspace Or use Ctrl Key Number Generate Workspace Generate Workspace dialog Type a name for the Workspace and Click on OK to Generate Workspace 1 to 10 Click on the Lo buttons to Load the respective Workspace Or use Shift Key Number Control Settings Page View Tab Page 124 AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Delete All Workspaces Deletes all the Workspaces loaded currently Reset VCube User Interface Resets the entire VCube User Interface to the factory defaults Default Workspaces UlMode Simple Click the button to change the UIMode to Simple UlMode Advanced Click the button to change the UIMode to Advanced Protect If the User Interface is Unprotected clicking on the Protect button pops up the Protect vM dialog to enable a Password to be entered and Protection to be activated Protect Ok Password Protect dialog Lock If the User Interface is already Protected attempting to change the User Interface mode pops up the Protect dialog to enable the Password to be entered to unprotect the UI Protect Enter Password Kerberas Ok Password Protect dialog Unlock Note The Simple Mode password is different from the Composition protection password
144. ce Sourc Status USB Sync Reference Output View Output Page Diagnostic Tools Page 193 AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Audio Meters Buco Playback Meter Output Page Audio Meters Shows audio Playback levels Output View Output Page Diagnostic Tools Page 194 AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Troubleshooting Note Please read this section in conjunction with Output Page Diagnostic Tools on page 186 Read Drops During Playback If Read Drops occur during playback the Disk Cache must be adjusted Settings gt Show Buffer and Cache Tab Local Read Cache For replay from a local disk this value should be set to around 64k Network Read Cache if streaming over a network this value should be set to around 8k These values may vary depending on the specific network or storage configuration and the video format Current FPS Reduced If Current FPS goes down the number of frames should be increased Settings Show Buffer and Cache Tab Playback Buffer For regular SD video formats and DV codecs 5 is the recommended starting point Flickering Video Output Problem The video output video card displayed on a CRT monitor flickers during playback Solution The Field order in the Media Files doesn t match the Field Order of the Composition s video format Go to Settings Formats amp Sync Composition Video Format and set the correct Field Order Matrox Parhelia Settin
145. ctions performed by the encoder to represent the video in a smaller number of bits The quantization matrices determine the divider used by the quantization function for each DCT coefficient Lower numbers mean the coefficient will be quantized less better quality closer to the original DCT value but more bits are needed while higher numbers mean the coefficients are quantized more lower quality but less bits are needed The default intra matrix values are biased towards the low frequency coefficients they are repre sented better while the high frequency coefficients are not represented as well The numbers on the top left han dle the low frequency regions and the numbers on the bottom right handle the high frequency regions The human eye is less sensitive to the high frequencies so that region can be compressed to a higher degree this is why the values are higher there If the whole matrix consists of 1 there would be virtually no compression at all Appendices MPEG Settings MainConcept Encoder Page 251 AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM but a very large number of bits If you set all numbers of the matrix to 255 you will obtain a very bad picture because it has been compressed to such a degree that it will lead to a significant loss of quality Quantization matrix Matris For intra black Matris For nan intra black 13 22 2b 27 13 20 22 24 27 29 16 20 21 26 27 29 34 18 19 21 22 26 27 24 34 2
146. d the sampling frequency for D1 and D2 audio tracks is 48 kHz alpha channel is really a mask It specifies how the pixel s colors should be merged with another pixel when the two are overlaid one on top of the other It all allows transparencies inside a picture aspect ratio The ratio of television picture width to height In NTSC and PAL video the present standard is 4 3 Autoconform Where the Audio media files associated with an EDL are not available to the Pyramix PC Pyramix can control a tape deck or other device to import the required audio AMI an acronym for Audio Video Interleave is a file format designed to store both audio and video data in a standard package to allow its simultaneous playback It s part of the Video for Windows technology B black level The lowest transmittable luminance level that can occur during the active picture portion of a video signal When viewed on a monitor this signal level portrays the color black buffer A digital storage device used to compensate for a difference in the rate of flow of information or the time of occurrence of events when transmitting information from one device to another C caption Text or titles to be inserted in video chrominance That portion of the video signal which contains the color information hue and saturation Video picture information contains two components luminance brightness and contrast and chromi nance hue and saturation
147. d Length to 24 bits Note Dolby E requires 20 bits MXF files with Dolby E audio commonly use 20 bits in a 24 bit file OK Clicking on OK accepts the changes and closes the dialog Cancel Exits the dialog without saving any changes MXFix Batch Export Re Wrapping Final Check Meter Page 104 AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM MXFix Wrapper Audio Processing Tab MXFix Wrapper Audio Processing Level Magic Loudness correction by J nger Audio Target Loudness Presets Max Peak 3 dBFS Ls Standard Level Magic Light Movie EBU R128 Strong Live ITU 1770 ATSC No Expert settings T na m Expert settings FinalCheck Loudness Mormalizer 2 pass 3 LUFS FinalCheck Meter amp report Process On Off Channels input description chi Stereo 5 SurCode Decoder ch 3 4 SurCode Decoder ch 5 6 SurCode Decoder ch 7 8 Stereo 5 SurCode Decoder ch 8 10 ch 11 12 ch 13 14 ch 15 16 Cance MXFix Wrapper dialog Main Tab LevelMagic Loudness correction by J nger Audio Click on the label to toggle the process on off The green LED indicates process on Target Loudness Choose the required loudness value from the drop dopwn list Max Peak Choose the required maximum peak level value from the drop down list Loudness Compliance Standard mode Level Magic When selected blue LED lit processing will be in accordance with the overall default Lev elMagic processor settings allowin
148. d audio format which offers higher quality but it also uses far more of the total bitrate consequently less bitrate is available for the video stream PCM is only available for MPEG 2 type streams and is seldom used for PAL DVDs MPEG details De Emphasis Shows current de emphasis option Click to choose from None 50 15 uS ccitt j 17 This is a flag to the player specifying what kind of de emphasis to perform on the audio DVD and SVCD specify None VCD can be either None or 50 15 uS Mode Shows the current mode Click to choose Stereo or Standard stereo Joint Stereo Dual Channel or Single Channel Appendices MPEG Settings MainConcept Encoder Page 255 AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Joint Stereo This option can convert the sound to mono in the lower frequency range which can hardly be per ceived by the human ear This results in an enhancement of the stereo quality in the median and higher fre quency ranges The setting is useful if the audio bitrate is below 200 Kbps Dual Channel In this case both audio channels are output separately as mono channels itis normally used for two channel sound The compression of the channels takes place separately Single Channel Another expression for mono audio Audio Bitrate kbps 32 384 This specifies the bitrate of the audio stream Depending on the MPEG type selected some values may not be available Increasing the bitrate will yield better sound quality a
149. d capture device synchroniz able with any time reference standard For example In Sound for Picture Post Production ADR etc Theatres Theme Parks Museums Trade Shows AV Presentations Film Festivals are just a few of the possible applications for VCube VCube can operate as a standalone unit or as part of a multi system network fully integrated with Pyramix or Ovation over standard Ethernet networks Like Pyramix it offers sync to PAL NTSC 24fps Film and all the HDTV frame rates The Turnkey versions of VCube are also able to sync to a different TimeCode and reference than the internal frame rate This enables for example playing in 24 fps while syncing to a 25 fps TimeCode Pro versions of VCube can also be controlled via the 9 pin Sony P2 protocol by any third party DAW system as well as controlling any device equipped with 9 pin remote control for capture VCube fully supports the Merging Technologies Virtual Transport technology The integrated video editor with multi track multi layer features enables the VCube user to remove add or trim Media Files imported from a Composition VCube native Composition or OMF AAF and Apple XML are optional VCube is able to mix different video file formats at different resolutions and frame rates in the same Timeline It is only necessary to specify the output format All video Clips are resized and the frame rate compensated as neces sary to this format in real time Therefore it
150. d in Europe Describes the way in which color used to be encoded in analogue signals Phase Alternating Line It has a frame rate of 25 fps pixel A single picture element The smallest element in a graphic image Pixels are combined with other pixels to make up a graphic image Picture quality increases as the number of pixels increase in a mea sured area of an image postroll is a preset period of time during a preview when a Clip will continue to play past the OUT point before stopping or rewinding preroll is the process of rewinding videotapes to a predetermined cue point for example 6 seconds so the tapes are stabilized and up to speed when they reach the selected edit point during recording or dig itizing of source material from a video deck pulldown In countries that use the PAL or SECAM video standards film destined for television is photo graphed at 25 frames per second The PAL video standard broadcasts at 25 frames per second so the transfer from film to video is simple for every film frame one video frame is captured Theatrical features originally photographed at 24 frame s are simply sped up by 4 to 25 frame s This can cause a noticeable increase in audio pitch which is sometimes corrected using a pitch shifter In the United States and other countries that use the NTSC television standard film is generally photographed at 24 frame s Color NTSC video is broadcast at 29 97 frame s For the film s motion to be accurat
151. deo DVDMax Settings Depending of the BIOS version of the Matrox graphic card Preserve source cropping may require disabling to ensure correct video output Troubleshooting Output Page Diagnostic Tools Page 196 AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Frozen Image on Matrox Parhelia Output Problem The Matrox Parhelia graphic card video output is frozen but the preview display is OK in VCube Solution Ensure that the settings of the graphic card are in accordance with this screen shot a Matrox PowerDesk HF Eg PureVideo DVDMax Settings Aspect ratio Advanced setings O Always scale to full screen p 7 Preserve source cropping S Preserve aspect ratio Detect video aspect ratio based on incase field arder with a TV Video source TV aspect ratio 43 traditional x mE PCIE C C Apply OK 3 Cancel CO Preserve source size Matrox PureVideo DVDMax Settings If Scale only on page flip is enabled in the Matrox dialog then Settings Show Preview Tab Page Flipping must be active in the Composition enable the Matrox graphic card video output Page 197 Troubleshooting Output Page Diagnostic Tools AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Poor HD Image Quality Problem The PQ Picture Quality on screen does not come up to expectations when using an HD video projector plugged into the graphic card output Images are stepped on diagonals and curves Jaggies They also features a random horizontal slice o
152. deo equipment in your studio then connect its composite output here When Xena outputs video it uses this reference signal to lock to For 1080i and 720p modes only you may also use analog 525 or 625 black amp burst Sampling Rate The Composition Sampling Rate must be set to 48 KHz when the Xena audio channels are used for cap ture or playback During capture audio monitoring must be done from the card outputs where audio inputs are connected Appendices AJA Video Cards and Plugins Page 215 VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Xena LH Plug in Xena LH is one of the possible AJA video capture hardware options inside your VCube station It supports Analog Component Composite and SDI video for both SD and HD formats Video I O i J a l p m LJ T p CL ras 1 a LJ OL or c rti HI ri Embedded SDI Enable AJA LH Plug in Plug in Enable When lit the plug in card selected in the drop down list is active Card and plug in details are shown under the Enable button AJA Video Engine Appendices AJA Video Cards and Plugins Page 216 vence AJA Video Engine Format VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM The current internal AJA Engine format is shown Alternatives are selected in the drop down list Input Video amp Reference External Reference status SDI Input 1 status Analog Input status Video Reference Source Video Input Selection Video Analog Input Form
153. desirable if not essential that all the refer ences are the same and ideally sourced from external video syncs Mode The three Mode buttons enable video card memory usage to be optimized depending of the type of HD media recorded on tape DVCPRO HD and HDV require specific settings to achieve maximum performance in Record and Playback Quick Settings Using Quick Settings vM VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Projects Compositions The top level of organization in VCube is the Composition A Composition is a set of instructions to VCube These include format information screen layout and an EDL indi cating what Media is to be played and when It also determines fades levels and other parameters A Composition does not contain Media Files Compositions are portable between systems Note Only one Composition can be loaded at a time However it is possible to load elements of other Compositions into the current Composition File Extension Vcube Compositions are saved with a VCube extension Video Files in VCube format are saved with a cube extension Composition File Tab Page To open the File Tab Page in VCube Compositions mode File gt Open or Ctrl O or the File Open Icon in the Toolbar E VCube Compositions Composition Pain SKerberosiKerberos Complete 3 5 Kerberos Kerberos Complete 34 S Kerberos Kerberos Complete 3 SUKerberosiKerberos Complete 3ycOMPLETE 3 V Cube File Page floa
154. e The Frame Type drop down menu allows for the cadence and temporal subdivisions of the feet amp frames counter to be changed independently of the Composition frame rate or incoming timecode By far the most popular foot age counter temporal rate is 24 fps which corresponds to a standard 35 mm frame rate but you may also need to compensate for picture that has been accelerated frame for frame 24 gt 25 fps or pull down frame rates 23 98 film so that feet amp frame values actually match frames in the Timeline regardless of the Composition s or incoming TimeCode s frame rates The Use Composition frame rate button locks the feet amp frames counters to the Composi tion frame rate Use Composition frame rate When checked the time base is the same as the Composition Frame Rate When unchecked the time base can be selected from the drop down list above User Interface Timeline y ne First foot position Reset Reset Feet Every Hour vM VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM The Time field enables an offset to be entered if required For example when a 15 foot 10 second leader starting at 01 00 00 00 00 precedes the first frame of action and the first frame of action should show 0 00 Feet amp frames at 01 00 10 00 00 TimeCode then enter an offset of 01 00 10 00 00 When checked the footage counter and footage ruler will return to 0 0 after every hour This is useful if there are several film reels in a composition with first fra
155. e Push that newly wrapped video file to an Output Folder for deployment Erase or move the original file away from the watch folder for archiving MXFix Quick Procedure 1 Start the process by going to File gt Export gt MXFix or Alt M This opens the MXFix Folders dialog See below for full details 2 Usethe Input Folder and Output folder buttons to open browsers to select a suitable Input Output pair of folders The Input folder is the Watch folder 3 Click on the Add Folder Pair button to add the folder pair to the main frame 4 Clickon the pair you ve just added to select it 5 Clickon the Settings button to open the MXFix Wrapper dialog See below 6 Make any necessary changes to settings 7 Clickon the OK button to save the settings and exit the dialog 8 Click on the OK button to start the process and close the dialog Note The Input Folder must be different to the Input Folder in any existing Folder Pair when adding new Folder Pairs If you attempt to add a Folder Pair with the same Input Folder as an existing Folder Pair the Add Folder Pair button will not work Each pair of Input and Output folders defined will have its own unique settings associated with the Input folder defining what tasks will be performed on the video files placed in that folder When Continuous Watch mode is active Processed files will be placed in a new sub folder DONE on the path selected or will be deleted if Delete Origin
156. e 224 kbps frequency 46 0 kHz mode stereo CAL on Video encoder quality estimated size z MB minute Multiplexer settings A program stream type DVD Basic Settings The Basic Settings Tab enables standards compliant MPEG2 files to be produced using only a few settings Format type Choose an appropriate format from the list Format sub type Choose an appropriate Video bitrate kps Increasing this value can improve the picture quality but the file will be bigger Video encoder quality Increasing this value can improve the picture quality but encoding time will increase Appendices MPEG Settings MainConcept Encoder Page 246 AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Video Settings This Tab enables settings to be made for Frame rate Aspect ratio and GOP Group of Pictures structure You can also make various adjustments to the Bitrate Advanced MPEG Settings wai MPEG Encoder i A wwwmainconcept com TED i p N n Basic Settings Video Settings Advanced Video Settings Audio Settings Multiplexer Settings Frame rate Fulldaown Aspect ratio a Bitrate T3 Dipa rss Deinterlacing Bitrate type Maximur kbps Disabled Variable S000 GOP structure interval between frame types Hate control mode Average kbps frames Auto GOP Closed GOP interval Minds 1 EDD Mone w Quantization Minimum kbps Example 3825 BBIBBPBBPBBP
157. e for the phrase The Rain In Spain Falls Mainly in The Plain and for a given Text Box size the options will display as follows Ellipsis Character default The Rain In Spain F None The Rain In Spain Falls Character The Rain In Spain Fall Word The Rain In Spain Ellipsis Word The Rain In Spain Ellipsis Path The Rain The Plain Watermark and Text Text Clip vM VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Generated Clips Countdown Clips Wipe Clips Video Test Pattern Clips and Audio Tone Clips can be generated by the VCube application from Edit gt Auto Create or the Tool Bar Pyramix ADR capabilities can create Wipe and Countdown clips automatically in the VCube Timeline This feature either works internally in a PyraCube machine or uses the network connection between separate Pyramix and VCube machines to send the corresponding information Note Dedicated shortcuts can be defined in the Shortcuts editor section Shift W Deor c NS a ch ae n pet FT Lu J Countdown Clock and Wipe Here Auto Countdown and Auto Wipe are enabled Countdown Clip Countdown clips can be generated automatically by VCube Edit Auto Create New Countdown Clip or C In the Toolbar Generated Clips Countdown Clip AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Once created in the Timeline Double click on the Clip to access its settings in Clip Info Clip Info Clip Name source In Font Name Arial Black Font S
158. e handle moved in Pyramix Please see the Pyramix User Manual for details Remote Control VCube Chasing Pyramix Via Virtual Transport 2 in the Same PC PyraCube Page 167 VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Remote Control VCube with a Sony 9 pin Controller VCube can be remote controlled by a Sony 9 pin compatible device 1 Inthe Format amp Sync Tab Synchronization section configure as below TC Frame Rate PAL 25 fps Chase TC Source sony 9 Pin se Mode Hard Show LTC VITC E Sony 9Pin Remote i ettings Debug Log Sony 9 Pin Machine Control Settings Formats amp Sync Tab Synchronization section Toggle Chase Unchecked Sony 9 Pin Remote Control Checked 2 The RS 422 configuration switch must be set to From Controller if you use the RS 422 port This port is named COMS3 in the Settings dialog This port is named COM2 in the Settings dialog for early VCubes using an ASUS motherboard The RS 232 port is named COM1 Port COM Settings COMI amp Var Shuttle with Speed 0 Pause Stop Port COM Settings COM1 Current COM Port Click to drop down a list of available COM Ports Var Shuttle with Speed 0 When checked VCube issues a Var Shuttle 0 Speed command when stopped Pause When checked VCube issues a Pause command when stopped Audio data is retained in buffers Stop When checked VCube issues a Stop command when stopped Audio data is flushed from buffers 3 Inthis configuration Video and
159. e Video and Audio Therefore screenshots in this document may differ from what you see on screen PLEASE DO NOT PRINT THIS DOCUMENT UNLESS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY SAVE TREES AND INK BY USING THE HYPERLINKS Introduction Important Note vM VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM User Interface Overview VCube is organized with a Tabbed Page interface Every Tab can be displayed in a broken away window on top of the Preview if required even while Preview is full screen Classic pull down menus complement this user inter face In VCube there are usually at least three ways of accessing everything E g Menu Icon Tab or Keyboard Shortcut To display a Page Tab separately Double click on its Title Label The floating Tab Page can now be Click and dragged anywhere on the screen s To restore the Tab Page to its default position just Double click again on the Title Label or use the close window X icon To display an individual Tab separately Ctrl Double click on its Title Label To restore to the default position just Double click on its Title Label or use the close window icon Individual Tabs can also be displayed separately by a Double clicking on their Title Labels Color Picker Several VCube Settings Tabs use a Color Picker Sta ndar d Pick one of the standard colors by simply clicking on it Alternatively Click on Custom to edit the colors in the first row of the Color Picker Em Click in the bottom bar t
160. e When lit the plug in card selected in the drop down list is active Card and plug in details are shown under the Enable button AJA Video Engine AJA Video Engine Format The current internal AJA Engine format is shown Alternatives are selected in the drop down list Input Video amp Reference External Reference status Displays the video format of the incoming genlock signal if present Otherwise none is shown Appendices AJA Video Cards and Plugins AMERGING SDI Input 1 status Analog Input status Video Reference Source Video Input Selection Video Analog Input Format Video Output 1 Field when Stopped Video Analog Output Format Audio Audio Source AES SRC Audio Analog Level VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Displays the format of SDI video arriving at SDI Input 1 if any Otherwise none is shown Displays the format of analog video arriving at the analog input Displays the current Video Reference Source The drop down list offers a choice of all available sources If no external source is available this defaults to Free Run internal External Genlock or Analog Input video input are possible Displays the video Input selected currently THe drop down offers a choice of Analog Component Composite or SDI digital Displays the Analog Input format selected currently Alternatives are selected in the drop down list Must be Enabled to allow a stable picture for interlaced video formats o
161. e field editing the existing or typing a new TimeCode value and clicking outside the field or hitting Enter 3 Transport Controls e Rewind First press Second press Third press Fourth press e Fast Forward First press Second press Third press Fourth press Stop Play Reverse Play Forward Pause Record Num 1 40090 100090 200090 500090 Num 2 400 1000 2000 5000 Num 0 Ctrl Enter or Ctrl Space Space Toggles Play Stop or Num Enter Toggles Play Pause Num 3 Decimal Transport Status and Speed 4 5 When the button is active the Transport will Loop between In and Out markers 6 Dolby E Status Only when the SurCode for Dolby E option is present and active Shows SurCode for Dolby E ENC DEC or THRU 7 Current Format and Frame rate Note Read Drop and Current FPS are useful diagnostic tools when trimming Disk Cache and Playback Buffers Transport Tool A VCR like Transport Tool is available from the Toolbar It collates all the information and controls relating to Trans port incoming TimeCode and Chasing Toolbar Transport Control Panel Icon Note that the Icon displayed on the Toolbar may differ since the last tool chosen from the drop down list will be displayed Alternatively the Transport Tool can be accessed from User Interface gt Toggle Transport Tool T or Transport and Navigation Transport Tool y ne Transport
162. e used to generate the new Media File s Depending on the codec chosen Compression Settings may be available in Advanced Settings The exact contents of the list will vary according to the selected File Format the keys you have purchased and the Windows codecs you have installed Advanced Settings Specific will be the only available choice with certain File Formats YCrCb YUY2 YCrCb UYVY RGB MJPEG Standard Avid AVID MJEPG 1 AVRn Avid AVID MJPEG 2 ADVJ Panasonic AVC Intra DV Standard DV Canopus DV dv25 DV DV25 Panasonic DVCPro 50 dv50 Panasonic DVCPro 50 DV50 Panasonic DVCPro 50 DVCP Panasonic DVCPro 50 dvcp Panasonic DVCPro 50 NTSC dv5n Panasonic DVCPro 50 PAL dv5p Panasonic DVCPro 100 dv10 Panasonic DVCPro 100 NTSC dv1n Panasonic DVCPro 100 PAL dv1p Panasonic DVCProHD 720 dvhp Panasonic DVCProHD 1080i 60 dvh6 Panasonic DVCProHD 1080i 50 dvh5 Avid VC 3 DNxHD VFW Microsoft Video 1 VFW Intel IYUV codec VFW Cinepak Codec by Radius Width Height Width and Height determine the number of pixels used to display the frame The fields are filled in automatically by the choice of Compression codec and Pixel Aspect Ratio but can be altered manually by clicking in the fields and typing Frame Layout Only available with certain File Format choices Conversion and Rendering Convert Media Files y vM 2 Fields Interleaved Lower First 2 Fields Interleav
163. ec This will automatically select the D 10 Sony IMX MPEG 2 fla vour for SD formats and the MPEG2 HD Sony XDCam HD for HD formats To record or render in VC 3 or AVC Intra simply choose the codec in the codec list In Video Advanced Settings Aspect ratio can be Transparent Force 4 3 or Force 16 9 A checkbox enables WSS Widescreen Signaling on the first visible line To record audio embedded in the MXF file Select MXF in the Audio tab 16 bit and 24 bit PCM formats are supported Alt O File Import Composition Create New Yellow The Clip is a rendered effect Green VCube can render the effect in realtime Red The VCube does not support the effect Projects Import y vM VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Note The Fx icon shows when an imported Clip has an effect The color of the icon denotes VCube treatment of the effect as above 1 If the path to media is included in the Composition VCube asks the user to specify a network location for those Media Files Workspace OMFI Media Files or a specific user path If OMF Media Files are on the local storage press Cancel when the dialog appears 2 Ifthe Media Files remain unlocatable the VCube software looks for Media Files in the sub folders of the Com position file location on the local storage 3 Lastly VCube uses the database to re link Media Files If the path to Media Files is not available in the OMF Composition then the Scan function mus
164. ecific codec can be used in VCube for both Playback and Record Render Convert Media Files once installed on your VCube machine To use QuickTime specific codecs with VCube when generating a new media file Record Render Convert Media Files follow the method below Select QuickTime mov as the File Format for video or audio Select Custom Media Handler Specific as the Compression option Set the Compression Settings as desired Compression Settings Compression type Animation 4 Avid 1 7 Avid DN HD Codec Key frame every Avid DM q Avid ETUCD Codec Avid Meridien Compressed Avid Meridien Uncompressed Compressor Avid Packed Codec Blackmagic 10 Bit 1 uality Blackmagic 8 Bit WI Blackmagic 8 Bit 2 uu bose bbs Blackmagic HGB 10 Bit BMF Cinepak Component Video Motion Frames per second DV D VCPRU NTSC D VCFRU PAL Graphics H 261 H 263 H 264 Intel Indeo Video 4 4 JPEG 2000 Motion JPEG 4 Motion JPEG B MPEG 4 Video None Photo JPEG Planar RGE Compression Settings Note The list shown above includes a number of downloaded options Please refer to the spe cific codec documentation for settings options Note also that some QuickTime codecs are not real time capable for recording or playback espe cially third party codecs Media Management Media Handlers AMERGING MXF MPEG VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Note Selecting QuickTime as the file fo
165. ected and set in the VS3 Control Panel The VCube Audio Engine Tab Sets Audio Outputs Quick Routing Audio Engine Settings is also where settings for the optional SurCode for Dolby E decoding and SurCode for Dolby E encoding are made Audio Engine Ea oe oe Routing of 8 first channels Default Monitor Stereo Enable SurCode for Dolby E decoding Dolby Einput Audio channels 1 amp 2 Out channels Re ordering ITU no reorder 1L2R 3C4LFE SLs 6Rs 7LEBRt Dolby E Status Enable SurCodefor Dolby E encoding Audio input 8 channels Audio channels 1 8 x Input channels order IMU na reorder 1L2R SC 4LFE 5Ls 6Rs 7LESRE _ Output Dolby E tracks Audio channels 1 amp 2 settings Audio Engine Tab page Audio Outputs Quick Routing Routing of 8 first channels Applies to the first 8 Layers Channels in an Audio Track Default is Monitor Stereo Select from the drop down list to route to Mykerinos or AJA outputs etc where these are installed ASIO Driver The ASIO Driver is selected and set in the VS3 Control Panel Dolby E Decoder Enable SurCode for Dolby E decoding When the correct SurCode for Dolby E authorizations are present on a Minnetonka iLock or the correct Merging Technologies Keys are present click on this button to enable SurCode for Dolby E decoding Note The SurCode for Dolby E Decoder is NOT installed with VCube It comes as a separate installer Page 154 Settings Settings Page AMERGING
166. ed Upper First 2 Fields Separate Lower First 2 Fields separate Upper First Single Field Word length Currently limited to 8 bits fix Bit Format Down Sampling Shows the color sub sampling scheme Please see Color Sampling on page 233 Pixel Aspect Ratio May be filled in automatically by the choice of Compression codec or choose from the list below Square Pixels 1 0 D1 DV NTSC 0 9 D1 DV NTSC Widescreen 16 9 1 2 D1 DV PAL 1 067 D1 DV PAL Widescreen 16 9 1 422 HDV DVCProHD 720p 1 333 DVCProHD 1 5 Anamorphic 2 1 2 0 Cinemascope 2 35 D4 D16 Standard 0 948 D4 D16 Anamorphic 1 896 Up Conversion Mode Title can be Up or Down Conversion depending on the output picture format selected for rendering Down Convert Letterbox Crop Anamorphic Up Convert Anamorphic Pillarbox 4x3 Letterbox Resize Quality Offers a choice of different methods for computing the image in the desired format Nearest neighbour Fastest but poor quality Linear Bi Linear Fast and poor quality Cubic Slow but very good quality Lanczos Very Slow but excellent quality Supersampling Slow but very good for large downscaling Conversion and Rendering Convert Media Files VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM y ne VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Audio Convert Media Files Audio Audio File Format FMF pmf Word Length 32 bits Float Compression PEM Proceed Cancel Convert Media Files dialog Audi
167. ed Track Up Ctrl Shift UP Note that the Track number is not linked to a specific Track but to its position in the Timeline layout Moves selected Track Down Ctrl Shift DOWN Note that the Track number is not linked to a specific Track but to its position in the Timeline layout Removes the selected Track from the Timeline Ctrl DELETE Control Settings Page Edit Page 130 Settings Page VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Settings The Settings Tab Page gives access to the many parameter Tabs Settings F New Import Composition Video Format Synchronization Video YO Record Record Path amp Capture File Name Buffer amp Cache Preview last composition at startup Save Rename Delete Export Dl aser s e p eee ee m mnt T ee Please uncheck options that you do not wishto resta ie 1 t Preset Settings Tab page P A VCube Preset gathers all current Settings together in a global preset Note The specific codec settings are not included in Presets except for the VCube MJPEG stan dard codec Otherwise only the codec type is included and specific Settings must be made for the Project in hand Presets VCube Operational Settings New Save Rename and Delete Import Export Work as normal Opens a Windows File Browser to locate an existing Preset When a Preset is selected click on Open to load the Preset parameters Opens a Windows File Browser Type a suitable n
168. ef video input Show Farmat amp Synchro Settings XENA 0 Video Format 1080 59 94 Hz Reference Source SOT Input 1 External Reference st Mot Detected SDI Input 1 status SDI Input z status Mot Detected Show Video DO Quick SD settings Quick HD settings Output Page Sync Status Shows all video audio synchronization and clock status This panel also appears when clock format or sync are inconsistent The mismatched parameter flashes red until a valid setting is made whereupon it changes to green Note The devices displayed depend on what you have installed on the system Output View Output Page Diagnostic Tools Page 192 AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Sync Status with XENA LH and USB Sync Option Sync Status Video Format PAL 625 50 00 Hz Analog Input USB Sync Reference Sourc USB Sync Reference Status Frame Rate Show Format amp Sync Tab Quick SD Settings Quick HD Settings Output Page Sync Status If the USB Sync Reference Source is Video one of the following statuses is possible e Locked to the Video USB Sync Reference Status Locked to the Video but the framerate is incompatible with the video framerate US6 Sync Reference Status Framerate mismatch Locked PAL 625 50 00 Hz No video present or video is not decoded If the reference source is Internal USB Sync Reference Sourc Internal If the reference source is LTC USB Sync Referen
169. eft hand side Preview is resized to suit and the size of the Pane can be adjusted by hov ering over the left and bottom splitters borders When the cursor changes to a double headed arrow Click and drag to resize AT aber F ri 1 444 1 Waeetaeie Bur ke o0 01 09 17 00 a i F rT a Control Settings The Tabs on the left access Tab Pages each with several Tabs or where there is only one Tab the Tab itself When the Control Settings Tabs are in this position and form Home End steps through the different Tabs Or User Interface Settings Pages Previous Settings Page Next Settings Page Page UP DOWN steps through the different Tabs in each Tab Page Or Control Settings Page Frame Rate Management Page 112 AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Click on the down arrow in the header to see all the Tabs in the Folder Click on the desired entry to open Preset Format amp Sync Video I O Overlay Not Available Wot Available Mot Composition AJA Xena Card Support for VCube Preview Buffer amp Cache e Merging Technologies 5A User Interface Encryption Media Settings Timeline Video Engine Audio Engine Isis Controller Tab Icons with text labels drop down list or Click directly on one of the Icons to the right of the header or Click on the Left Right arrows far right on the header to step forwards and backwards through Tabs Individual Tabs The Control Setting
170. eline ANVERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Layer 1 is selected in Video Track 1 Track 1 is also selected Sting Clip is set to Fade In Opacity of every Layer is set to full 100 Layer 2 in Video Track 1 has been modified in Size or Position In Video Track 2 the Red Blue Clip crosshatched or zebra striped means the Media is missing but despite this the Clip can still be edited Audio Clips and Video Clip Sting belong to the same group G2 Click and drag on the Vertical Zoom Control to vary the Track height Click on the Audio Output indicator to pop up a list of all available audio outputs Note Right clicking in a blank area of the Timeline pops up a context menu Right clicking on a Clip pops up a different context menu Note In the Video Layer header the button labeled Normal and associated drop down are for a future feature under development Film Footage Ruler Settings Show Timeline Tab Feet Ruler When checked the Show Feet Ruler entry shows the Film Footage Ruler above the TimeCode Scale The Footage Ruler Settings dialog can be accessed by Right clicking the Film Footage Ruler or via Settings gt Show Footage Ruler Options Dialog Footage Ruler Options Use Composition frame rate 00 00 00 00 00 0 k Footage Ruler Options dialog Footage type 16mm When checked Film Feet are counted in units of 40 Frames 35mm When checked Film Feet are counted in units of 16 Frames Frame Typ
171. ely rendered on the video signal an NTSC telecine must use a technique called the 3 2 pulldown to convert from 24 to 29 97 frame s The 3 2 pulldown is accomplished in two steps The first step is to slow down or pulldown the film motion by 0 196 This speed change is unnotice able to the viewer and makes the film travel at 23 976 frame s The second step of the 3 2 pulldown is the 3 2 step At 23 976 frame s there are 4 frames of film for every 5 frames of NTSC video 23 076 4 2097 5 e These four frames are stretched into five by exploiting the interlaced nature of NTSC video For every NTSC frame there are actually two complete images or fields one for the odd numbered lines of the image and one for the even numbered lines There are therefore ten fields for every 4 film frames and the telecine alternately places one film frame across two fields the next across three the next across two and so on The cycle repeats itself completely after four film frames have been exposed and in the telecine cycle these are called the A B C and D frames thus Appendices Glossary Page 282 VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Original Video Field Video Field Resulting Film Frame Odd Even video Frame quantization The process of sampling an analog waveform to convert its voltage levels into digital data QuickTime is a multimedia technology developed by Apple Computer capable of handling various for
172. en checked VCube issues a Pause command when stopped Audio data is retained in buffers Stop When checked VCube issues a Stop command when stopped Audio data is flushed from buffers Debug Log Please see Sony 9 pin Not Controlling VCube on page 199 Sony 9 Pin Machine Control When checked 9 pin Machine control is active Settings Opens the Port COM Settings dialog Port COM Settings COMI Port COM Settings dialog COM1 Current COM Port Click to drop down a list of available COM Ports Note The Transport Panel T can also be used to select the TC Source for Chasing and to enable the Chase function Midi Time Code Input When checked Midi TimeCode MTC is active Settings Settings Page Page 135 AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Settings Opens the Midi Port Selection dialog Midi Port Selection 1 Ethernet MIDI Midi Port Selection dialog 1 Ethernet MIDI Current Midi Port Click to drop down a list of available ports LTC VITC Settings LTC 7 VTC Settings 00 00 00 00 m J Off When Stopped 10 00 00 15 Line 1 LTC VITC Settings Synchronization LTC Reader Incoming LTC Information only Synchronization LTC Generator Out Level Shows the current LTC output level Click in the field to drop down a list of output level options between 24dB and 9dB plus off Synchronization VITC Reader Incoming VITC Information only Line 1 When checked VCube looks at the video line s
173. en without prompt ing This may be desirable if a process or series of processes was launched with improper param eters and you do not wish to clean up the output folders manually before launching a new MXFix pass with the proper parameters Otherwise newly processed files with conflicting names will be incremented numerically without overwriting OK Clicking on OK will begin the MXFix process Cancel Exits the dialog without saving any changes MXFix Wrapper Dialog MXFix Wrapper Main Input Folder F Output Folder G WCube MXFix Output Output Format Myf spe Force 16 9 Use Audio Card Connection Layout Use TrackNumber Instead Of Audio Card Output Connection Forceoutputtracks countto 4 Audio Word Length 16 MXFix Wrapper dialog Main Tab The MXFix Wrapper dialog has two tab pages Main and Audio Processing Main Tab General Wrap Configuration Input Folder Field shows the Input Folder Output Folder Field shows the Output Folder Click on the button to open a browser if you wish to change the Output folder Output Format Field shows the current Output Format The down arrow drops down a list of available Output Formats currently MXF MOV or AVI Note This setting also determines which type of video container file MXFix will scan for and pro cess in the Input folder Aspect Ratio Field shows the current setting The drop down list offers the choice of Transparent which retains the current aspect ra
174. en xxx Center is chosen no offset is possible Color The field shows the color selected currently Click in the field to pop up a color picker Please see Color Picker on page 17 Note Watermark when activated is present on all video outputs both computer screen and video card No VCube feature including Mask can hide it Watermark and Text Watermark ANVERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Text Clip There are two types of Text Clip The only differences between the two is the text pre entered and the Font size etc To create a Text Clip or a Sticky Clip Edit gt Auto Create gt New Text Clip Shift T Creates a new 5 second Text Clip in the Layer selected currently Edit gt Auto Create New Post it Text Clip Alt T Creates a new 5 second Text Clip in the Layer selected cur rently Double Click on the Text Clip created in the Timeline to open the Clips Info Tab Clip Into This scene to bereplaced Font Name Tahoma Font Size 48 Font Style Regular Trimming Ellipsis Character Alignment Left Line Alignment Top Text Color Text Opacity Back Color Background Opacty Frame Color Frame Opacity Frame Size r A m d AUTO Size Clip Info add text Text Text Click in the box to highlight the field and type the Text you wish to see on screen The result will be visible in the Preview Text box when the field is no longer highlighted Font Name Field shows Font selected currently Click to
175. ence status Displays the video format of the incoming genlock signal if present Otherwise none is shown SDI Input 1 status Displays the format of SDI video arriving at SDI Input 1 if any Otherwise none is shown Appendices AJA Video Cards and Plugins AMERGING Analog Input status Video Reference Source Video Input Selection Video Analog Input Format Video Output 1 Field when Stopped Video Analog Output Format Audio Audio Source AES SRC Audio Analog Level VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Displays the format of analog video arriving at the analog input Displays the current Video Reference Source The drop down list offers a choice of all available sources If no external source is available this defaults to Free Run internal External Genlock or Analog Input video input are possible Displays the video Input selected currently THe drop down offers a choice of Analog Component Composite or SDI digital Displays the Analog Input format selected currently Alternatives are selected in the drop down list Must be Enabled to allow a stable picture for interlaced video formats on stop Displays the Analog Video Outpput format selected currently The drop down list offers a choice of all available formats Displays the Audio Source selected currently Alternatives are selected from the drop down list When lit Sample Rate Conversion is enabled for the AES EBU inputs Displays the Analog A
176. enus User Interface Page 184 y ne VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Load gt Load Workspace 1 to Load Workspace 10 Generate gt Generate Workspace 1 to Generate Workspace 10 UI Mode Simple UI Mode Advanced Toggle transport Tool Show Timeline Page Show Record Page Help Help Show Help Compile Settings for Diagnosis Check forUpdates Ctrl Shift U Credits C The Help Menu gives quick on line access to this document Show Help Opens this document Compile Settings for Diagnosis This function collects the Vcube registry settings from the installation for use by Merging support This can speed up the process of understanding a bug dramatically so please use it when reporting a bug When the process is complete a dialog opens which offers the choice of sending the file directly on a connected computer or saving it to the desk top for attaching to an email Check For Updates goes online to check for more recent versions of the VCube Software If your VCube PC is connected to the Internet Credits pops up a Window with the VCube logo Credits and version information scrolls upwards on the left hand side Menus Help Page 185 AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Output View The Output Page is one of the three Tabs below the Toolbar It can also be accessed by Ctrl F7 This Page is intended to help expert users to fine tune their VCube configuration to suit local circumstanc
177. eo Reference Source Free Run Internal Video Input Selection HDMI Analog InputFormat 325 Component SMPTE US 1 Field when 5topped Analog Qutput Format f Aar a om Audio Ource etting E EC n KES SRL Video I O Tab page The plug in corresponding to the video card installed must be chosen from the drop down menu Depending on the optional hardware if any inside the VCube workstation any of a variety of Plug ins will be shown here Once the plug in has been selected it must be enabled in order to make it available for the VCube software Please see AJA Video Cards and Plugins on page 203 for detailed information about the various qualified Video Cards and plugins Settings Settings Page Page 138 AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Overlay Timecode External amp f Frames S Frames Normal Horiz Offset 10 Vertical Offset TE Color 2 Enable Horizontal Vertical Overlay Tab page Timecode Enable When checked a TimeCode counter is inserted into the overlay and Video output External Timecode When checked the TimeCode Counter displays the incoming TimeCode This feature is useful with a 24fps Composition synchronized to an external 25 fps TimeCode A dot precedes the TC counter when the source is external Alt B Feet Frames When checked the counter displays film Feet and Frames instead of TimeCode Please see Film Footage Ruler on page 22 for details and setti
178. eo engine only produces 25 frames per second and the video card needs 29 97 This is the source of the dropped frames The Composition frame rate must be set to 29 97 fps in order to feed the video card This can be done even if 25 fps media files are used Troubleshooting Output Page Diagnostic Tools Page 201 VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM If the Media File frame rate is lower than the Composition frame rate then some frames will be duplicated to match the number of pictures that the video engine must produce every second to feed the video card This means that the Media File duration won t be changed when played at a higher frame rate Note VCube does not interpolate missing pictures to achieve the frame rate management It only duplicates or omits frames in order to match the Composition frame rate which must reflect the frame rate of the video standard in use In all cases the VCube video engine provides the exact number of frames required when they are required Apple Compatibility 2GB Limitation Problem QuickTime files generated by Apple Final Cut copied on DVD can t be read once transferred to VCube Solution Only DVD ROMs complying with the UDF format can be used to transfer Media Files bigger than 2 GB Using the Mac PC compatibility option when burning a DVD on an Apple computer leads to an error 2048 on the PC Quick Time player and an unmounted media file in VCube media browser The DVD ROM UDF option must be c
179. erates MPEG 2 output suitable for burning to a Super Video CD This for mat is similar to Video CD but offers higher quality The disadvantages are that Super Video CDs require more pro cessing power when played back on computers They are generally not as compatible with standalone DVD players and they cannot hold as much video as standard Video CDs DVD Please select this MPEG type to produce high quality MPEG 2 output for DVD Digital Versatile Disc which can be played back on normal DVD Player CableLabs_ Produces a very low constant bitrate and can be used for both SD or HD formats DVB Is the abbreviation for Digital Video Broadcast l e it is a standardized process for digital video and televi sion transmission Using this method the video and audio streams are combined The data will be compressed in MPEG 2 There are several DVB standards for different transmission methods such as DVB T DVB S DVB C etc MicroMV The MMV format is generated by Sony MICROMV camcorders The video footage is recorded in MPEG 2 format with a data rate of 12 MBit It needs less space in a quality which is only slightly worse than DV When you convert video files with the MPEG Encoder into MMV you can play them back to the MIRCOMV cam corder afterwards DVHS D VHS Digital Data Video Home System is a specific extension of the popular VHS format It can process ATSC HDV and DVB data streams D VHS allows digital high definition MPEG 2 tr
180. es There are five Tabs Output Page Diagnostic Tools The Output page has five diagnostic monitoring pages which enable you to read the current status of different points of system resource consumption synchronisation and audio levels and can potentially detect a bottle neck which is hindering smooth and reliable playback of the most demanding HD video files 1 2 3 4 5 System Buffer Playback Info Sync Status Audio Meters So if you encounter a file that just does not play out smoothly or as you expect check these diagnostic tools first in order to determine where the bottleneck or problem is so that you may find a solution such as 1 2 3 System Tab Changing the buffering scheme of VCube Moving the Media file to a faster drive Replacing the Media File itself in favor of a new version encoded using a faster more efficient codec than that used for the original encode Correcting the sync sources settings or sync source Replacing the audio Media File s with alternative versions The first diagnostic tool in the Output page is the System Tab This shows a real time graph of the overall CPU usage and the Memory consumption of VCube itself The CPU display shows a graphical percentage plot of each y vM Output View Output Page Diagnostic Tools Page 186 VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM CPU core for use by VCube under Windows to the right and on the left an average percentage of all cores com bined
181. f the input loudness increases The drop down lists offers a range of val ues from OdB to 6dB in 1dB increments Normal value is OdB Release Time Sets the time it takes for gain to reach maximum The drop down lists offer a range of val ues between 10s and 2h 40s is a good starting point with larger values for looser control smaller for tighter control Max Gain Sets the maximum gain which the Leveler will apply Attenuation applied may be higher The drop down lists offers a range of values from OdB to 40dB in 2dB increments 10dB is normal 14dB for more control 6dB for less control Freeze Level Stop value for gain changeof the Leveler and Transient Processor to prevent unwanted increase in noise The process freezes The drop down lists offers a range of values from 60dBFS to 20dBFS in 5dB increments 40dB is average 50dB for tighter control and 35dB for looser control Transient Processor Response Determines the grip of the Transient Processor The drop down lists offer the choice of soft mid or hard Max Gain Sets the maximum gain which the Transient Processor will apply Attenuation applied may be higher The drop down lists offers a range of values from OdB to 15dB in 1dB increments Limiter Max Peak Sets the maximum peak output level The drop down lists offers a range of values from 20dB to OdB in 1dB increments Processing Determines the processing program which will be used by the Limiter The drop
182. fer Tab entry and Click References to VCube Settings Tabs are shown thus Settings Formats amp Sync Composition Video Format Height Which means In the Settings Page accessed via Settings gt Show All Settings click on the Down Arrow and Click Format amp Sync to open the Tab In the Composition Video Format Section the Height field is the one we are interested in Keyboard Shortcuts are shown thus Ctrl Num 9 The VCube User Interface uses a number of buttons These are dark when unchecked inactive not selected and orange when checked active selected The state of these buttons is referred to as checked or unchecked i al Iransparent Overlay Box VCube button states In the screenshot above the Transparent Overlay Box is inactive unchecked and Chase TimeCode is active checked Documentation Automatically installed with VCube and available under the Help menu or F1 this manual is intended to be a comprehensive reference source for all the standard features and functions in VCube To ensure the documentis visible please uncheck TopMost in Settings Show User Interface Tab Display Manual Resize or use Ctrl Shift Alt P to open the page All the documentation is in the Adobe Acrobat pdf format pdf file extension In order to read the documentation you will need to have Adobe Acrobat Reader V5 or later installed on your computer Other documentation can be found in
183. field OK Click on the OK button to commence the search and close the dialog Cancel Click on the Cancel button to cancel any changes and close the dialog Note The VCube Preferred Search Directories dialog can also be reached directly from the Settings Menu It enables VCube to re link Media Files spread over different workspaces or serv ers Projects Import AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Media Management Scope VCube supports Video only Video Audio Audio only single Still Image and Still Image Sequence Media Files VCube has a pair of File management Tabs for managing Compositions and Media Files Media Files can dragged and dropped into the Preview screen or the Timeline Please see Drag amp Drop on page 44 Media File Browser To open the Media File Browser select File gt Import gt Media File Browser or Ctrl Shift O or choose the Media File Browser Icon in the Toolbar Media File Browser File Path Merging from Dark Materials Recursive 6 1MR projects S Merging from Dark Material BBC SFX S Merging from Dark Materials Get You House in Order S Meraing from Dark Mate Kerberos S Merging from Dark Mate S Merging from Dark Materials 5 Merging from Dark Materials Ovation Edit S Merging from Dark Mi Ovation video S Merging from Dark Materials vation Videos S Mergina from Dark M Buubturze r 5 Merging from Dark Mat S Merging from Dark Materials Studiomana Files S
184. fields 2 fields etc 3 2 is the reverse frame 1 tff 1 rff 1 fields displayed TBT frame 2 tff 0 rff O fields displayed BT frame 3 tff 0 rff 1 fields displayed BTB frame 4 tff 1 rff 0 fields displayed TB In this case you get the sequence of fields TBT BT BTB TB or grouped as frames TB TB TB TB TB In most cases the MPEG Encoder adjusts the necessary settings automatically so that the Pulldown option remains disabled GOP structure interval between frame types I frames These frames are also called Key Frames All GOPs start with an frame frames contain information for a complete picture and can be decoded independent of any other frame frames are the largest and least com pressed frames P frames P frames are encoded using information from the previous or P frame and can only be decoded cor rectly if the previous P frame is available P frames are smaller than frames B frames B frames are usually encoded using information from the previous or P frame and the next or P frame In this case B frames can only be decoded correctly if the previous and the next P frames are available B frames are smaller than P frames In addition B frames can be encoded using only information from the next I P frame but then they are larger than if they were encoded using both the previous and next frame information As a general rule for practical settings The GOP size in frames is specified
185. for non standard SVCD video Under Rate Control you find the following options The options Reaction Parameter Initial Average Activity Initial Global Complexity Measure and Initial Virtual Buf fer Fullness are very complex as well as highly mathematical These values are default to 0 and should not be changed unless advised to do so by MainConcept support Minimum Frame Percentage This option is basically the target number of bits as a percentage of the VBV size for the first frame in the stream Pad Frame Percentage This function is used when the VBR bitrate drops below the specified minimum bitrate It is only applicable for VBR if this field is 0 no padding occurs and the minimum bitrate is permitted to drop below the specified minimum If the field is 100 the stream is padded to keep the minimum bitrate near the specified minimum Motion Estimation offers the following options P Frame Motion Vector Forward Search Width Forward Search Height B Frame Motion Vectors Forward Search Width Forward Search Height Backward Search Width Backward Search Height The search width and height settings set the half width of the window used for motion estimation Here is an example of how to set these values assuming a maximum motion of 10 pixels per frame in horizontal direction and 5 pixels per frame in the vertical direction and M 3 I B1 B2 P Table 1 Search Width and Height values Forward Horizontal Vertica
186. g Component Composite or SDI digital Video Analog Input Format Composite S video Component SMPTE or Component Beta are possible Video Analog Output Format Composite Component SMPTE or Component Beta are possible Audio Analog Output Level Sets the analog audio level referring to the digital full scale 0 dB during playback External Status displays the video format of the incoming genlock signal SDI Input 1 Status displays the video format of the incoming digital video signal Analog Input Status displays the video format of the incoming analog video signal Appendices AJA Video Cards and Plugins VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM VS3 Control Panel The VS3 Control Panel is a separate application It can be found in Start gt All Programs gt Merging Technolo gies gt VS3 Runtime It must be used to select and set up the Audio Engine before launching VCube or to change the Audio Engine Merging Technologies Virtual Studio Settings Application vcube ti Platform Native ASIO Native ASIO Wo Sakae Se Driver name ABIDMAL 2 o om Info SampleRate 44100 Inputs 1 Outputs Buffer size an pes T opmast priority Audio Bridge Disable Number of Channels HALTE 15 ASIO Device Mode to create a virtual ASID Device in the system Secondary Audio Device Host Mode to connect to an existing Audio Device in the system as a secondary 10 Hewire Miner Made to create a Hewire
187. g and Acquisition Recording AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Note These settings apply to Auto Edit mode See above Preroll Field shows the current VCR Preroll Click in the field and type to change the value Postroll Field shows the current VCR Postroll Click in the field and type to change the value Offset Field shows the current Offset between the incoming and recorded Timecode This value Audio Offset samples Report Errors Stop on Error Use RP188 to Stamp only affects the Time Stamp of the recorded Media File s Click in the field and type to change the value Field shows the current Audio Offset in samples Click in the field and type to change the value Enables sync errors to be corrected at Capture When checked a list of errors and their corresponding Timecodes is created When checked Capture is terminated when an error is detected When enabled uses the incoming picture Timecode to Timestamp the recorded Media File s Skip Sony 9 pin Track Arming Command Prefer Mykerinos track for Assemble Video File Format Field shows the Output File format selected currently Click on the down arrow to select from CUBE Cube AVI avi MPEG mpg MPEG mpeg MPEG m2v MPEG mit MPEG m2t MXF mxf QuickTime mov Note If Quicktime MPEG mpg or mpeg are selected then a single audio video file will be pro duced Frame Rate The field shows the Frame Rate selected currently Click on the down arrow
188. g for modification of the Target Loudness and Max Peak values from their drop down menus EBU R128 When selected the resulting files will be processed in accordance with EBU R128 toler ances and you may still modify the Max Peak value but not the Target Loudness ITU 1770 ATSC When selected the resulting files will processed in accordance with ITU 1170 ATSC toler ances loudness standard and you may still modify the Max Peak value but not the Target Loudness LevelMagic Dynamic Presets MXFix Batch Export Re Wrapping Final Check Meter Page 105 AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Standard Standard processing is deemed by J nger Audio as a suitable all around dynamic preset setting for correction of most basic audiovisual programs ready for broad cast with a relatively restrained dynamic range that need to meet loudness compli ance standards Light Movie Light Movie processing is intended to be suitable for cinema content with a higher overall dynamic range than typical television or radio content where smooth perceptual transition is preferred over tight control of broad dynamic tran sitions more commonly found in dramatic movie content and not TV action films or rock concerts etc Strong Live Strong Live processing is intended to be suitable for content with high overall levels and extreme dynamic transitions common to live events action films and sporting events that need to be tightly contained wit
189. g will be in accordance with the Level Magic option chosen below Conversion and Rendering Wrap Audio AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM EBU R128 When selected the resultant files will be in accordance with EBU R128 ITU 1770 ATSC When selected the resulting files will processed in accordance with ITU 1170 ATSC toler ances loudness standard and you may still modify the Max Peak value but not the Target Loudness LevelMagic Dynamic Presets Standard Standard processing is deemed by J nger Audio as a suitable all around dynamic preset setting for correction of most basic audiovisual programs ready for broad cast with a relatively restrained dynamic range that need to meet loudness compli ance standards Light Movie Light Movie processing is intended to be suitable for cinema content with a higher overall dynamic range than typical television or radio content where smooth perceptual transition is preferred over tight control of broad dynamic tran sitions more commonly found in dramatic movie content and not TV action films or rock concerts etc Strong Live Strong Live processing is intended to be suitable for content with high overall levels and extreme dynamic transitions common to live events action films and sporting events that need to be tightly contained within specifications No Expert settings When selected the settings will be in accordance with the settings made in the Expert Settings dialog No
190. ge 100 Conversion and Rendering Wrap Audio y ne VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Wrap Audio Dialog File gt Export gt Wrap Audio or the Wrap Audio Main Name IFS 1 File Path S Merging from Dark Materials Kerberos kerberos complete 4 Number of audio track s 14 Use Audio Card Connection Layout UseTrackNumber Instead Of Audio Card Output Connection Forceoutputtracks countto 4 Audio Word Length Output Format Mxf Use Original Timecode Use Clip Position Timecode File Path G IV Cube MXFix Output File name WRAP IFS 1 mxf Ok Wrap Audio dialog Main Tab page Video Name Field below Information only shows the Clip name of the Video to be encapsulated Flle Path Field below Information only shows the path to the Media File underlying the Video Clip Audio Use Audio Card Connection Layout Toggles with Use TrackNumber Instead Of Audio Card Output Connection Note Note that the audio card connection layout in Wrap Audio is associated with the Routing of 8 First Channels drop down menu in the Audio Engine tab The options available in this drop down vary in relation to the type of audio hardware present in your VCube system AJA Mykerinos ASIO Force output tracks count to When active the number of Output Tracks will equal the number shown in the field selected from the drop down list 4 or 8 This may be required for certain hardware If Conversion and Rendering Wr
191. geometry and the field order if the selected window is not moved the external handles to adjust rectangle size the external handles to adjust rectangle size while preserving the aspect ratio keys can also be used to move the rectangle Ctrl UP Ctrl DOWN Ctrl LEFT and Ctrl RIGHT keys resize the rectangle In this mode the Top Left handle is the fixed reference point Shift UP Shift DOWN Shift LEFT and Shift RIGHT keys resize the rectangle In this mode the Bottom Right han ENTER Esc Move Click and Drag Double click Ctrl Double click Alt Double click Shift Double click dle becomes the fixed reference point accepts Rectangle settings and removes the red frame etc accepts Rectangle settings and removes the red frame etc the central handle to adjust rectangle position on the central handle centers the rectangle on the X amp Y axes on the central handle restores the Layer to its original size on the central handle centers the Layer on the vertical axis on the central handle centers the Layer on the horizontal axis Editing Editing in the Timeline vM VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Watermark and Text Watermark Copyright and Text Clips can be added to a Composition These functions are useful for security and other purposes Watermark Overview The Watermark function enables a still image and or Copyright Text to be added to the current Composi
192. gle Play Reverse Pause Ext Ctrl RETURN Toggle Play Reverse Stop Ctrl SPACE Pause NUMPAD 3 Record DECIMAL Loop L Toggle Transport Tool Toggle Chase Turns Chase On Off Rewind Forward Stop Toggle Play Pause Toggle Play Stop Toggle Play Reverse Pause Toggle Play Reverse Stop Pause Record Loop Overlay Activate Burn in Timecode B Toggle Burn in Timecode External Alt B Toggle Mask On Off M Activate Burn in Timecode Toggle Burn in Timcode External Toggle Mask On Off Menus Transport Page 181 AMERGING Quick SD Settings Quick HD Settings Show Record Settings Tab Show Record Log Tab Show Preset Tab Show Format amp Sync Tab Show Video I O Tab Show Overlay Tab Show Preview Tab Show Composition Tab Show Footage Ruler Options Dialog Show Butter amp Cache Tab Show User Interface Tab Show Encryption Tab Show Media Settings Tab Show Timeline Tab Show Isis Controller Tab Show VCube Preferred Search Directories Show All Settings Restart in Software Only Mode Quick SD Settings Quick HD Settings Show Record Settings Tab Show Record Log Tab Show Preset Tab Show Format amp Sync Tab Show Mykerinos Settings Tab Show LTC VITC Show Video I O Tab Show Overlay Tab Show Preview Tab Show Composition Tab Show Footage Ruler Options Dialog Show Buffer amp Cache Tab Show User Interface Tab Show Encryption Tab Show Media Settings Tab Menus Settings AMERGING
193. gs Note The Parhelia is NOT supported in VCube v5 x and above This information is left here for any legacy systems still in use VCube hardware can include a Matrox Parhelia graphics card instead of the regular ATI This option allows a perfect control of the de interleave process for the video output especially useful when using a Band Rythmo lip sync band system and without a video card installed Depending on your specific screen configuration please refer to the Matrox instructions Troubleshooting Output Page Diagnostic Tools Page 195 vM VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM If you plan to use the video output to feed an additional monitor settings must be made as in the following screen shots Matrox PowerDesk HF Video Playback Settings v Use video overlay v Use PureVideo DVDMax E PureVideo DVDMex settings Adjust video playback image for computer monitors Adjust video playback image fora TV JAssistvideo motion compensation Assign keyboard shortcuts Matrox Video Playback Settings m Matrox PowerDesk HF PureVideo DVDMax Settings Aspect ratio Advanced settings Always scale to full screen 4 Preserve source cropping O Preserve aspect ratio Scale onhy on page flip Detect video aspect ralio based on C Reverse field orderwith a Tv TY aspect ralio El Apply EJ OK lel Cancel O SET Pla ice your mouse pr inter ave era an ite em to see a description n B e Matrox PureVi
194. he Clip s duration in the current Composition Double click in field to modify is the length of the Clip s fade in for the current Composition Double click in field to modify is the length of the Clip s fade out in the current Composition Double click in field to modify shows the TimeCode for the first frame of the Clip used in the current Composition Dou ble click in field to modify is the opacity ratio in percent of the Clip in the current Composition Double click in field to modify Level appears on the Clip when the opacity value isn t equal to 100 value adjusts the playback speed of the selected Clip A drop down list offers preset val ues This setting affects only the speed of the Clip in the Timeline There is no picture interpolation The Media File is just played with another frame rate Sped up Clips have their duration shortened in the Timeline Slowed down ones keep their original duration in the Timeline l e Slowed down Clips are truncated opeed appears on the Clip when the Timeline playback speed is different to the original fps of the Media File can be set for a particular clip in order to correct improper flag indicates a particular effect name attached to an OMF Composition Selector Buttons a be E EJ Lock Locator prevents editing actions on the selected Clip A selection including a locked clip will also be locked Note Actions such as Cut and Copy which affect the entire selectio
195. he logarithm of a physical quantity instead of the quantity itself This is often used if the underlying quantity can take on a huge range of values the logarithm reduces this to a more manageable range Some of our senses operate in a logarithmic fashion doubling the input strength adds a constant to the subjective signal strength which makes logarithmic scales for these input quantities especially appropriate This type of scale is use in digital cinema to emulate the 35 mm film capability of high light transmis sion Frame Rate 23 98 HD 24 Film HD 25 PAL HD 29 97 NTSC HD 30 HD 50 HD 59 94 HD 60 HD We are using the term frames but most common video formats use 2 fields per frame since they re interleaved This means that a frame is constructed from 2 fields one for odd lines one for even lines displayed at twice the frame rate of the video standard To simplify the bandwidth computation the frames value will be used Bandwidth Computation Number of pixels per frame x color sampling value x bit depth x frame rate number of bits per second We will compute the required bandwidth for NTSC format with 8 bit 4 2 2 broadcast color sampling and 1080p with 12 bit 4 4 4 for processing quality NTSC gt 159 5 Mbps gt 20 MB s 1080 29 98 fps gt 2133 6 Mbps gt 266 7 MB s These are the absolute minimum sustained performances required for network and storage These data rates can be reduced by using
196. he overall transfer time in milliseconds displayed in the upper right corners of each graph as well as plotted out in red should never exceed the delay in milliseconds of the duration of one frame of video of the cur rent VCube playback engine Just to be on the safe side it should even be considered that a safe ratio of Disk Read delay to a single frame of video should be about half that of the time of a single frame to allow for occasional media volume transfer bottlenecks These bottlenecks may occur in very short periods of time but must never exceed the remaining number of frames in the Playback Buffer That is what the Playback Buffer is there for Here is a quick table to show the length of a single frame of video in milliseconds for each major frame rate and the subsequent approximate target Disk Read delays that should give reliable play out performance If the Disk Read delays systematically exceed the safe delay values then the Buffer will quickly empty out causing stalling and skipped frames during playback Remedy Use higher performance disk volumes that transfer the media files uninterrupted and fast enough for VCube to process them and put them into the Play Buffer continuously or use a Media File with a lower bit rate Output View Output Page Diagnostic Tools Page 190 VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Read Drop Counter The Read Drop Counter shows a continuous display of how many frames of video were dropped due to insuffi
197. he start time set to zero then encode another hour of video with the start time set to 3600 seconds Then when the two videos are played one after the other the TimeCode will be continuous between the two files Input video is RGB 16 235 When checked particular black and white values are preserved During encoding and decoding the RGB color space with R G B 16 is used which corresponds to the color black Furthermore the RGB color space with R G B 235 is used which corresponds to the color white Normally the values for white are R G B 0 and for black R G B 255 The specification ITU601R now defines black Y 16 and white Y 235 i e the real video signal receives values which are blacker than black or whiter than white so called super black and super white values These super black and super white values get lost in the normal PC RGB 0 255 color space but they are preserved with the Input video is RGB 16 235 option User Quant ization Matrices When checked a user defined quantization matrix is used The matrix can be edited by clicking on the Edit button Each 8x8 block of pixels in the image is run through a DCT Discrete Cosine Transformation function which yields an 8x8 block of DCT coefficients These coefficients are arranged in the 8x8 array with the lower frequencies in the upper left corner of the array and the higher frequencies in the lower right corner The numbers of these 8x8 blocks are the results of mathematical fun
198. hecked when burning a DVD on an Apple computer in order to override this 2 GB limitation Toast 7 from Roxio offers this option Troubleshooting Output Page Diagnostic Tools Page 202 vM VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Appendices AJA Video Cards and Plugins LH i SD SDI HD SDI HDMI Analog hime SD SDI HD SDI and HOMI Video Audio SDI Output BNC F SDI Input BNC HOMI Input 1 and Quput 1 R5422 Machine Control to YTR mm epin CU I F 6 BNCs Analog Connections Can be Configured for Component Composite or Y C Analog Video Y CVBS In BNC giro Pb YInBNC tra A oem PU CIn BNC i oue Y G CVBS Out BNC HETO k T Pb B YOutBNC A Tit Pr R COut BNC GE fo E Reference Input ENC IE fir Balanced Audio Analog Audio Channel 1 Input eR Analog Audio Channel 2 Input el dL J Analog Audio Channel 1 Output E O Analog Audio Channel 2 Output S LE Digital AES Input Channels 1 amp 2 8 Digital AES Output Channels 1 amp 2 S Ea Notes SDI embedded audio and the Merging Technologies audio option cannot be used to capture audio simul taneously VCube does not use the RS422 connector on the breakout cable currently Appendices AJA Video Cards and Plugins Page 203 AMERGING y ne Video Formats Supported Video Formats 525i 29 97 625i 25 720p 23 98 PC 720p 24 PC 720p 25 PC 720p 29 97 PC 720p 30 PC 720p 50 720p 59 94 720p 60 1080i
199. hin specifications No Expert settings When selected the settings will be in accordance with the settings made in the Expert Settings dialog Note These four mutually exclusive options apply to whichever Loudness Compliance Standard Mode is chosen above Level Magic EBU R128 or ITU 1770 ATSC FinalCheck Loudness Normalizer 2 pass When selected this invokes a two pass normalizing process The first pass measures audio loudness according to the channels description The second pass applies the required gain correction to achieve the loudness value set in the Target Loudness drop down When required a True Peak limiter is also activated to ensure that the maximum True Peak value is below 1dBTP The gain correction is however limited to 15dB to avoid excessive correction of channels containing only back ground sounds etc Note If correction of over 15dB is required then no gain adjustment will be applied and the MXFix reports will signal a warning The gain correction is applied to the entire channel to avoid altering the original balance and is of course linked across the entire group of channels to maintain image veracity Target Loudness The drop down list offers a choice of average loudness target values from 20LUFS to 30LUFS FinalCheck Meter amp report Click on the label to toggle the process on off The green LED indicates process on The output of Final Check Meter is an XML report file in the same directory a
200. hin strict video line toler ances and that the overall VCube video format corresponds to the video file used If the Dolby E frame boundaries are not placed with this level of accuracy the stream is detected as out of sync and will not be decoded Dolby E Notes Encode Decode Status Indication When either SurCode for Dolby E Decode or Encode are active a notification SurCode for Dolby E DEC or Sur Code for Dolby E ENC appears in the Transport Bar When both Decode and Encode are selected Dolby E THRU is shown but in fact the stream is decoded and re encoded Plug In Status Indicator Audio Monitor SurCode for Dolby E Decode ON SurCode for Dolby E Dolby E Playout DEC SurCode for Dolby E Encode ON SurCode for Dolby E PCM Playout ENC SurCode for Dolby E Decode amp Encode ON SurCode for Dolby E Dolby E Playout THRU SurCode for Dolby E Decode amp Encode OFF ee PCM Playout Please see also Dolby E Decoder on page 154 Tracks and Layers Media Handlers AMIERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Transport and Navigation Navigation VCube offers a number of ways of navigating around a Composition Time Ruler In the Timeline panel under the Locator Bar is a larger horizontal gray area with Timecode numbers and gradua tion marks This is the Time Ruler On the left above the track headers the Composition Frame Rate is shown The simplest way to move the Playhead Cursor within the Timeline is to position the mouse I
201. hin the Layer s The selected element s will be placed before or after the existing element in the Track or Layer depending on where you move it This is also valid when you move a Group In Audio Layers moves with Alt are constrained to a one frame grid Note that a group with both video and audio can only be moved horizontally in the Timeline To change the order of video Clips vertically for preview Nudge Up Down Layer must be used Select the desired video Layer s then use Ctrl Up Ctrl Down or Edit gt Nudge gt Nudge Up Nudge Down A selection in a Track or Layer can be dragged and dropped onto another element already present in a Track or Layer The default mode when you move a Clip in between two elements is unconstrained within this space anywhere within a one frame grid except in audio Layers where the grid is one sample A moved Clip can overlap a Clip already placed in the Layer When a Video Clip is placed over another in the same Layer the incoming Clip takes precedence Use Ctrl Click and Drag to create an automatic cross fade between the Clip moved and the adjacent Clip Editing Editing in the Timeline AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM F d Features Trim handles On the left The bottom handle controls the In point for the selected element The center one just moves the fade in without shifting the Clip content The top one enables you to create a real time fade in
202. hort for interlaced scanning Also called line interlace A system of video scanning whereby the odd and even numbered lines of a picture are transmitted consecutively as two separate interleaved fields IRE Institute of Radio Engineers Units of measurement dividing the area from the bottom of sync to peak white level into 140 equal units One hundred and forty IRE equals 1 volt peak to peak The range of active video is 100 IRE ITU R BT 601 2 Formerly known as CCIR 601 An international standard for component digital television from which was derived SMPTE 125M was RP 125 and EBU 3246E standards This International Telecom munications Union ITU recommendation defines the sampling systems matrix values and filter charac teristics for both Y B Y R Y and RGB component digital television ITU R BT 656 Formerly known as CCIR 656 The physical parallel and serial interconnect scheme for ITU R BT 601 2 CCIR 601 ITU R BT 656 defines the parallel connector pinouts as well as the blanking sync and multiplexing schemes used in both parallel and serial interfaces Reflects definitions in EBU Tech 3267 for 625 line signals and in SMPTE 125M parallel 525 and SMPTE 259M serial 525 J jog jogging Process of moving the video forward or backward one field or frame at a time Also refers to the use of a jog wheel to move the picture slowly backwards and forwards K L LAN Local area network Layer A single video image that
203. i 59 94 Hz LOEN 60 00 Hz 1030p sf 23 98 Hz 10 amp 0p sf 24 00 Hz 1080p 23 98 Hz Apply itip 24 00 Hz Appty 1020p 25 00 Hz Appty 1020p 29 97 Hz Appty 1080p 30 00 Hz Apply 2048 x 10300 23 38 Hz Apply 2048 x 1080p 24 00 Hz Apply 2048 x 10500 sf 23 98 Hz Apply 2048 x 1080p sf 24 00 Hz Apply Quick High Definition Settings page Current Configuration The Current Configuration section summarizes the current state of VCube in terms of Size Shows the number of horizontal and vertical pixels Field Order Shows Progressive Frame for non field based formats or field order and type Pixel Aspect Ratio Shows the shape of pixels as a ratio Composition frame Rate E g FILM 23 98 fps TC Frame Rate E g FILM 23 98 fps Mykerinos Video Ref Format E g PAL 625 50 00 Hz Quick Settings Using Quick Settings AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Audio Sampling Rate E g 48000 Hz Reference Source The Reference source Panel features two or three drop down lists Video Reference Source Field shows the current Video Reference source Click on the down arrow to select an alternative This line is only present when a Video card is fitted Audio Ref Field shows the current Audio Reference source Click on the down arrow to select an alternative TC Clock Ref Field shows the current TimeCode Reference Source Click on the down arrow to select an alternative Note Except in exceptional circumstances it is highly
204. iP on page 69 Layer Name Field shows the current Layer Name Click in the field and type to change Audio Track Header Lock When checked the entire Track is locked for editing Track Number Track Mute Mutes all Layers channels in the Track Track Solo Solos the Track Layer Number Layer Gain Shows the current Layer Channel output gain Click and drag the pointer to vary the playback gain between 60dB and 24dB Double click the pointer to restore the OdB default value Ctrl Click and Drag constrains to 6 dB increments Layer Mute Mutes the Layer channel Layer Solo Solos the Layer channel Layer Name Field shows the current Layer Name Click in the field and type to change Layer Physical Output Field show the physical output the Layer is patched to currently Click to drop down a list of all valid outputs available on the system Some operations only apply to a selected Video Layer track or Audio track channel A Video Layer or Audio Track channel is selected by Clicking in the Timeline or on the Layer or Channel number in the Header The Layer Chan nel area of the selection is highlighted and the color of the bar at the left of the Track Header changes to light gray Video Tracks and Layers Video Tracks appear at the top of the Timeline Each Video Track may contain a number of Layers The Track Mute and Solo buttons affect all the Layers in the Track Each Layer also has it s own Mute and Solo buttons which only affect the
205. ift K Shift A Ctrl A ESCAPE uild Waveforms of Selected Clips Edit context menu Ctrl Shift X Ctrl Shift V only available if the Clipboard isn t empty Ctrl V only available if the Clipboard isn t empty Ctrl M only available if the Clipboard isn t empty only available if the Clipboard isn t empty Send Selection to Original Timecode Delete Group Selection UnGroup Selection Lock Selection Unlock Selection Select All Clips on Selected Layers y vM DELETE Ctrl G only available if more than one Clip is selected Ctrl U only available if more than one Clip is selected Clip Ctrl L Clip Ctrl Shift K Shift A m n n n n r Editing Editing in the Timeline VGube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Select All Clips Ctrl A UnSelect All Clips ESCAPE Build Waveforms of Selected Clips Forces waveform generation for selected Clips whe disables in Settings Editing Editing in the Timeline AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Motion Rectangles PiP Motion Rectangles enable a Layer s position and size to be altered The Motion Rectangles interface is only visible on the computer screen The Video Output only displays the results This feature can be useful when different versions of the same video or film project need to be compared When used in combination with the Import Composition function 2 versions of the same video or film projec
206. ighted thumbnail Type in the field to change the Locator Position Name Type in the gray field to the right of Name to add a name to the Locator Shortcut Transport and Navigation Navigation AMERGING vM VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Color Click in the Color field to open the Color Picker Please see Color Picker on page 17 Lock locator Click on Lock Locator to protect the selected Locator from changes The button is checked when active Notes Field The gray panel at the bottom of the page is a free text field for notes Simply Click in the field and type Locator Bar At the top of the Timeline panel lies the Locator Bar id d IER G 1 OOO Ss A Xx m wem 1T tT Leo 17 Real 01 00 15 00 LB Packer 29 Good Cons 01 02 32 20 Reel 7 01 12 20 00 rU PTE w B ae a O rr m Fa ae Locator Bar All set Locators are shown Locators can be moved by clicking and dragging at the junction cursor changes to double headed horizontal arrow lt gt Press and Hold Shift to update the corresponding thumbnail continuously while dragging Transport and Navigation Navigation VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Locator Goto Tool As an alternative to the main Locator panel VCube offers a more compact Tool Locator Goto Tool 1 2 Whitney Reel 2 Armstrong Kely with Burns Menaci Reel 3 Cat Vinnie 10 Burns 11 Reel 4 Locator Goto Tool Open the Locator Goto
207. imeline Insertion Play Start Marker Follows Playback Edit Insertion Follows Scrub Shuttle Audio During Fast Farward Rewind Latch Forward Rewind V Play Start Marker Follows Timeline Selection Reserve Voices For Preview In Context Custom Shuttle Lock Speed 800 Custom FF REW Speed 300 Back Forvard Amount 00 00 05 00 00 Timecode Numeric Keypad C Classic e Transport _ Use Separate Play and Stop Keys A Shuttle Auto Backup Vf Enable Session File Auto Backup Keep 10 mostrecent hackups Backup every 2 minutes Video High Quality QuickTime Image DV25 Only vM Editing Mixing Processing MIDI Synchronization Record ul Latch Record Enable Buttons we Link Record and Play Faders v Audio Track Record Lock Transport Record Lock v Disable Input when Disarming Track In St p _ Mute Record Armed Tracks while Stopped PEC Direct Style Input Monitoring _ Automatically Create New Playlists When Loop Recording Online Options Record Online at Timecode or ADAT Lock Record Online at Insertion Selection DestructivePunch File Length 5 minutes Misc Clip Auto Fade In Out Length msec Calibration Reference Level 18 dB Delay Compensation Time Made Samples z Appendices Pro Tools and VCube VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Sony 9 Pin RS422 Wiring Chart 1 RS232 to from RS422 acting as a Slave Port RS422 gt R5232 VCube Slave from Controller Maste
208. in individual Control Settings Pages Show Next Settings Tab Steps through the Tabs available in individual Control Settings Pages File gt Show VCube Files Opens the VCube Compositions Browser in a floating Tab Window Show Media File Browser Tab Opens the Media File Browser in a floating Tab Window Menus User Interface Page 183 AMIERGING View gt Edit gt Settings gt System gt Mykerinos gt Output gt Script gt VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Show clip Info Tab Show Shortcut Tab Show Workspace Tab Show Edit Main Show Clip Edit Show Layer Edit Show Track Edit Show Preset Tab Show Format amp Sync Tab Show Video I O Tab Show Overlay Tab Show Preview Tab Show Composition Tab Show Buffer amp Cache Tab Show user Interface Tab Show Isis Controller Tab Show Encryption Tab Show Media Settings Tab Show Timeline Tab Show Windows Display Settings Dialog Show Virtual Transport Redundant thanks to Virtual Transport 2 Show Mykerinos I O Opens the I O Status Window Show Output Page Show System Tab Show Buffer Tab Show Playback Info Tab Show Sync Status Tab Show Audio Meters Tab Show Script Page Under Development Toggle Fullscreen Preview Toggle Floating Window Floating Preview Size gt Double Size Normal Size Half Size Quarter Size Toggle Show Hide Settings Toggles the Control Settings Tab pane Show Hide in the right hand side of the Preview Pane Show Shortcut Tab WorkSpace gt M
209. ips can be placed Blocks representing placed or recorded Clips will appear on the Track as soon as a Clip has been placed The Track itself extends horizontally beneath the Time Scale bar and multiple Tracks are stacked vertically Video Track Number Track Mute Track Solo Layer Number Opacity Compositing under development Layer Mute Layer Solo Motion Rectangles PiP Layer Name Timeline 1 Locator 2 Locator KO 3 Locator QO 4X 01 14 40 01 02 3 m Audio Layer Solo Audio Layer Mute Audio Output Audio Gain Audio Layer Name Audio Layer Number Audio Track Solo Audio Track Mute Audio Track Number Track Locks Track and Layer Headers On the left side of each Track is a Header panel with various controls and information displays Tracks and Layers Media Handlers AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Video Track Header Lock When checked the entire Track is locked for editing Track Number Track Mute Mutes Hides all Layers in the Track Track Solo Solos the Track Layer Number Shows the Layer number Normal Under Development may be used for compositing Layer Opacity Field shows the current Opacity value Click in the field and type to enter a value between 0 and 100 Layer Mute Mutes Hides the Layer Layer Solo Solos the Layer Compositing Under development Motion Rectangles PiP Switches to Motion Rectangles Set up mode Please see Motion Rectangles P
210. is button to cancel the conversion and close the dialog Video Convert Media Files Video Video File Format Frame Rate Compression Width Height Frame Layout CUBE cube YCrCb YUY2 1440 IIT Progressive Frame Word Length Bit Format Down Sampling HDV DVCProHD 720p 1 333 None Pixel Aspect Ratio Conversion Mode Resize Quality Linear Fast Good Quality Praceed Convert Media Files dialog Video tab page As with other VCube settings dialogs clicking on a field with a down arrow pops up a list of choices available Note Further settings specific to the chosen output may be available via the Advanced Set tings button at the bottom of each Tab File Format Determines the file type of the video Media File to be generated None Cube cube AVI avi MPEG mpg MPEG mpeg MPEG m2v MPEG m1v MPEG m2t QUICKTIME mov Note If any of the MPEG options are selected the Advanced Settings button becomes available This will open a new dialog with settings specific to the codec Conversion and Rendering Convert Media Files y vM VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Note When QuickTime is selected together with the MJPEG codec progressive scan must also be selected in the Frame Layout field to ensure compatibility with the QuickTime player Frame Rate Fixed by Composition Frame Rate not adjustable here Compression Enables the user to select which codec will b
211. is processed so that it can be inserted into the final composite image There may be other Layers in the image and they can be prioritized as to Layer location LTC Linear TimeCode TimeCode recorded on a linear analog track on a video tape It is audible and can be read at high speeds but not when the tape is stationary luminance is the measure of the intensity of the combined color white portion of a video signal M Metadata is data about data An example is a library catalog card which contains data about the nature and location of a book It is data about the data in the book referred to by the card e MJPEG is a video codec where each video field is separately compressed into a JPEG image The resulting quality is independent from the motion in the image which differs from MPEG video where quality often decreases when footage contains lots of movement M JPEG is best suited for broadcast resolution inter laced video 720x486 D1 NTSC or 720x576 PAL Because it is designed for interlaced video M JPEG is not well suited for movies that are smaller than television resolution Movies designed to be viewed on pro gressive scan computer monitors like web movies or CD ROM video games are ill suited for M JPEG MPEG Compression standards for moving images conceived by the Motion Pictures Expert Group an international group of industry experts set up to standardize compressed moving pictures and audio The moving picture coding syste
212. ither click on the Locator Page icon in the Toolbar double click on the Locator Bar or choose User Interface Settings Pages Show Locator Page or F7 Select Next Previous Locator Next Numpad Previous Numpad Transport and Navigation Navigation AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Locator Tab Page Locator 73 00 00 05 00 00 06 12 19 00 10 13 09 00 12 33 05 00 15 31 13 1 Reel 1 2 Whitney 3 Reel 2 4 Armstrong 5 Kely with Burns Ne hi SMEs at u A E i 3 E E m i i 1 00 26 06 06 00 28 07 20 00 26 34 16 00 28 56 2727 00 35 03 00 f 00 39 12 1272 7 Reel 3 8 Cat q Vinnie 10 Burns 11 Reel 4 12 Crackhoust d i E REL mM fa 00 443 44 08 00 46 05 01 00 46 06 2721 00 49 48 14 01 00 15 00 01 06 21 06 13 Good Cop 14 Reel 5 15 Minder 16 Chase F Reel 6 18 Peckerwood s Timecode 00 28 56 22 Name Burns Shortcut Color et Lock Locator We need to Fix a dialog junction here Locator page The Locator Tab Page displays all the Locators set in the Composition In the upper section thumbnails of all set locators are displayed Any change in the Timeline edit is reflected in the Locators thumbnails immediately The Tab Page can be resized by clicking and dragging on the edges or the bottom right hand corner Double Clicking on any of the thumbnails locates to that position Timecode The field shows the Timecode of the Locator selected currently Highl
213. k Areel3 20010424 19 04 46_CPY0 av I NIERS NUI S Merging from Dark ui s s Ds RU e 20010424 Av 1 24 19 06 03 a lerging from Dark Matena reel3 20010424 1 0424 193 05 50 av 5 AMerging from DarkMateria reel3 20010424 1 24 19 08 43 a i S Merging from Dark Matena reel3 20010424 19 10 12 avi S Merging from Dark o E 1t S Merging from DarkMateria Areel3 20010424 S Merging from Dark Matera reel3 20010424 S Merging from Dark Matena reel3 20010424 1 S Merging from Dark Matera reel3 20010424 S Merging from DarkMatena reelS 20010424 S Merging from DarkMatena reel3 20010424 19 a BM nmi Ernim Marl TET L d bt ra Load amp Auto Confi a TImec ode nal IMecod Media File Browser Recursive File Path Field shows the current Path js Opens a Windows browser to change the Path to a location on local storage or via a net work Up arrow steps up the path tree to the root directory Refresh Updates the list of Media Files in the current location F5 Recursive When checked all Media Files in the folder specified will be shown including those in sub folders Load Opens the Create New Composition dialog Ctrl L VCube Create New Composition Cancel VCube Create New Composition dialog Cancel Aborts the Load Media Management Media File Browser AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Yes Closes the current Composition with a dialog inviting Save it if it
214. l 41 21 946 04 44 e Fax 41 21 946 04 45 www merging com Introduction Thank you Overview What is VCube Contacting Merging International Office UK USA VCube Keys amp Options Installation Early VCube Systems VCube Concepts Project Composition Track Video Track Layer Audio Track Layer Video and Audio Outputs About This Manual Assumptions Conventions Important Note User Interface Overview Program Screen Context Menus Navigating the Interface Zoom in the Timeline Timeline Synchronization Requirements Important Note Quick Settings Overview Using Quick Settings Contents 10 10 10 10 11 11 11 11 12 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 15 15 15 16 17 17 18 19 19 20 21 24 24 24 25 25 25 Page iii Contents AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Quick SD Settings 26 Quick HD Settings 28 Projects 30 Compositions 30 Composition File Tab Page 30 New Composition 31 Load Selective 32 Settings Imported With Composition 33 Import 34 Import Composition and Export Changes 34 Import Layer 34 Import Images Sequence 35 AAF 38 MXF 39 OMF 39 Media Management 42 Media File Browser 42 Drag amp Drop 44 Media Handlers 45 QuickTime 45 MXF 46 MPEG 46 File Extensions Supported 47 Tracks and Layers 48 Video Tracks and Layers 49 Track and Layer Order 49 Audio Tracks and Layers 50 Tracks and Layers Created Automatically 5
215. l Backward Horizontal Vertical gt B1 10 Bi gt P 20 10 gt B2 20 B2 gt P 10 5 l gt P 30 The search window settings are values for instance if a search window value is 10 the actual search for a matching pixel is done from x 10 y to x 10 y for each pixel x y These values are usually set automatically by either the Video encoder quality sliders Search method and Search range or the Motion search pixel movement settings but can be set manually here Appendices MPEG Settings MainConcept Encoder Page 254 vence VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Audio Settings This Tab offers adjustments for audio export Advanced MPEG Settings www mainconcept com Basic Settings Video Settings Advanced Video Settings Audio Settings Multipleser Settings Audio type MPEG details MPEG Layer Mode Bitrate kbps eed PCMAAES details Set copyright bit _ Set original bit Psychoacoustic model 7 OK i a m Load Settings Save Settings File Settings Lancel The Audio Settings include the following options and parameters Audio type Shows the current Audio type Click to change the type None If you do not want to encode audio select None here MPEG 1 Layer 1 Not used commonly MPEG 1 Layer 2 Used for VCD SVCD and PAL DVD PCM Used for NTSC DVD NTSC DVDs use LPCM Linear PCM audio or AC3 as the standard audio type instead of MPEG Layer2 LPCM is an uncompresse
216. l Search When this option is activated the Motion Search operation also looks for pixels that move only 1 2 of a pixel from one frame to the next a subpixel search This should usually be enabled and should only be disabled if speed is desired above quality Set motion search areas from pixel movement These settings specify the maximum movement of a pixel from one frame to the next They are used to calculate the Motion Search Areas the maximum area the encoder will search in an attempt to find a match for a block of pixels from one frame to the next If the video has quite a bit of movement it is useful to raise these values Unfortunately this also extends the encoding time These settings are an easy way to manipulate the Motion Search vectors The motion search vectors can also be manually manipulated in the Motion Estimation section of the Additional Settings tree The motion search vectors are different and optimized for the different frames and frame types Start Time seconds This option specifies the starting TimeCode in the GOP header of the video stream It isindependent of the TimeCodes in the program stream This TimeCode is specified as a frame number which is converted to a hr min sec frames type TimeCode and placed in all GOP headers automatically incremented For instance with 25 fps and a Start Time set to 300 the first TimeCode would be 00 00 12 00 or 12 seconds As another example one could encode 1 hour of video with t
217. lace it in the Timeline A 5 seconds Clip will be created from a single frame image Alpha Channel transparency is supported AAF VCube can import projects in AAF Advanced Authoring Format About AAF AAF is a set of specifications for project interchange aaf files Media files can be embedded or referenced by link Note that VCube only handles Media Files referenced by link currently Projects Import y vM MXF OMF VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM AAF Import follows the Interchange Import Settings These help deal with AAF projects which contain large numbers of files improving project opening times etc Please see InterChange Import on page 151 Alt OJFile gt Import gt Composition Create New If VCube cannot find a Media File the VCube Searching for Media File Tab pops up Use this to point VCube at the file location s Cancel opens the Composition with the missing Media shown as zebra Clips MXF Material eXchange Format The VCube MXF Module has full support playback render record up to 30 fps for D10 Sony IMX MPEG 2 in SD format MPEG 2 HD Sony XDCAM HD MPEG 2 in HD 1080i format VC 3 Avid DNxHD in HD 1080i format AVCIntra Panasonic P2 class 50 and 100 For the latest MXF interchange information please see http forum merging com viewtopic php f 23 amp t 2094 MXF Configuration To record or render an MPEG 2 flavour in MXF Select the Custom Media Handler Specific cod
218. log See below Continuous Watch Mode When selected this special mode will process all files found in the input folders continu ously When running the process is stopped with Cancel All The intended usage of this mode is to keep VCube running and watching a folder or folders where you will place files to be processed whenever required VCube will look at the selected folders regularly to see if any new file to be Wrapped has been added If Continuous Watch Mode is not selected MXFix operates in one shot mode l e when the MXFix process is started every file in every input folder will be processed and the process will be terminated when complete In MXFix mode all other VCube functions except cancel are disabled Delete Original after Export As it says Note This button should only be activated if you are certain to be working with copies of your original files in the input folders and notthe true originals because this will literally erase the files in the input folders once the MXFix process is completed Overwrite Existing Files When selected existing files in the Output Folder will be overwritten if they have the same file names as the files written If this option is not selected an error message will be logged in the Output window MXFix Batch Export Re Wrapping Final Check Meter Page 102 AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Note This button allows files remaining in an output Folder to be overwritt
219. lows Edit Insertion Scrub Machine Cues Intelligently Ei Stop At Shuttle Speed Zero Delay Before Locking To LTC y vM Processing MIDI Machine Control Remote Mode Punch In Frame Offset Punch Out Frame Offset Delay After Play Command _ Ignore Track Arming Done J Appendices Pro Tools and VCube VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Preferences Machine Control tab Disable Machine Cues Intelligently Enable Stop At Shuttle Speed Zero In Session Setup Ensure that Serial Time Code is used as Incoming Time also ensure Video Ref is set correctly and Choose the correct fps setting VCube configuration In Settings gt Format amp Sync Synchronization TimeCode Incoming and Outgoing verify that Toggle Chase is OFF In Settings gt Format amp Sync Audio Ref Status check that Audio Ref is set to Video Input if you have connected the Video ref to VCube otherwise it should be Internal To verify if the Video reference is pres ent and correct in the VCube click on the Show Mykerinos Settings Tab button The Video Green Led Highlighted If the Audio Ref is set to Video Input set Video Red Led should be highlighted too Sampling Rate As required Width 720 in SD Height 480 in SD Field Order Lower Field First Pixel Aspect Ratio 0 9 or 1 2 if you are in WideScreen Composition Frame Rate NTSC 29 97 Link Frame Rate On TC Frame Rate NTSC 29 97 TC Clock Ref Video Input
220. m The Video and Audio delays are respective to the Pack delay For example if you set the Pack delay to 500 ms and the Video as well as the Audio delays to 300 ms the first SCR of the stream would be 500 ms and the first video and audio PTS Presentation Timestamps would be 800 ms If you make the Pack delay five seconds 5000 ms and the Audio Video delays 400 ms the first SCR would be 5000 ms and the first audio video PTS would be 5400 ms The Video Audio1 and Audio2 delays actually specify the starting time of the respective stream relative to the pack delay If these settings do not match the streams will start at different times Normally they are the same but say you have a video stream and an audio stream where you know the audio actually starts 500 ms after the video you would set the video delay to some value and set the Audio delay to Video delay 500 this would then synchro nize the two streams when played For example if you specify the Pack delay as 0 ms the normal case the Video delay as 200 ms and the Audio delay as 300 ms the first SCR will be O the first video PTS would be 200 ms and the first audio PTS would be 300 ms This would shift the audio video synchronization so the audio is 100 ms behind the video Video Options Buffer Size kB These settings specify the size of the buffers needed to decode the video If it is too low you will get buffer over flows which could show up as stuttering video
221. me of picture of each reel at the beginning of each hour E g reel one starts at 01 00 00 00 00 reel two at 02 00 00 00 00 and so on Thus enabling each reel to count from 0 00 feet User Interface Timeline VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Synchronization Settings All the relevant synchronization settings can be found in the Settings gt Show Format amp Sync Tab Requirements In order to be synchronized properly VCube requires the following as a minimum A Chase TimeCode Source Virtual Transport Network Sony 9 pin P2 protocol or external LTC VITC MTC A TimeCode Clock Reference VCube s Video Reference In BNC connector or internal Mykerinos clock A Clock for audio sampling rate sync Internal Mykerinos or external Video WordClock or Audio Input TimeCode Sources LTC VCube XLR connector Network RJ45 Ethernet connection VITC VCube Video Reference In BNC connector Sony 9 pin protocol RS 422 serial port RS 232 on COMI port is also possible MTC MIDI TimeCode from a suitable hardware MIDI interface or IP MIDI etc Note that an Ethernet connection used as a source of TimeCode is also able to feed VCube with an SD stream from a Video Server simultaneously Virtual Transport 2 TimeCode Chase whilst effective is slow Virtual Transport 2 enables VCube and Pyramix to be locked together In effect this is a built in Chase Synchronizer for VCube VCube SE with AJA Card and WITH USB Sync card PRO
222. mp 199 Installation 14 Installation Examples 261 InterChange Import Clip limitsetting 151 Interchange Protocols Supported 239 Introduction 10 Isis Controller 156 J J nger Level Magic 97 J nger Level Magic Expert Settings 97 K Keys 12 L Language 148 Layer Import 34 Layer Audio Track 14 Layer Video Track 14 Layer Order 49 Layers 49 Layers Import 130 Layers Tab 129 Level Magic from J nger Audio 97 LevelMagic Loudness correction by J nger Audio 94 Load Selective 32 Locate Toolpicker 163 Locator 179 Page 287 vM Locator Bar 18 53 Locator Goto Tool 54 Locator Menu 179 Locator Page 19 Locators 51 Lock and Group Toolpicker 164 Lock Editing 144 LTC VITC Settings 136 LTC Generator 136 LTC Out and LTC In 222 LTC Reader 136 M Mark and Fade Toolpicker 163 Mask 140 Mask On Off 19 Matrox Parhelia Settings 195 Media File browser 118 Media Handlers 45 Media Path 145 Media Settings 150 Media Storage Requirements 260 Memory 187 MJPEG Compression Ratios 242 Motion Rectangles 69 Move 71 Mp3 Import Settings 150 MPEG 46 MPEG Settings MainConcept Encoder 244 Multiple Monitors 16 MXF 39 46 MXFix 100 Audio Processing 105 Continuous Watch Mode 102 Folders dialog 102 LevelMagic 105 Quick Procedure 101 Web Monitor 108 Wrapper Dialog 103 Mykerinos Settings Tab 134 N Navigating the Interface 19 Navigation 51 New Clip Toolpicker 162 New Track Toolpicker 162 Non Compensated Telecine
223. ms such as MPEG 1 MPEG 2 and MPEG 4 add an extra step where the pic ture content is predicted from past reconstructed images before coding and only the differences from the reconstructed pictures and any extra information needed to perform the prediction are coded MXF is a container or wrapper format that supports a number of different streams of coded essence encoded with any of a variety of codecs together with a metadata wrapper which describes the material contained within the MXF file MXF has been designed to address a number of problems with non profes sional formats MXF has full TimeCode and metadata support and is intended as a platform agnostic sta ble standard for future professional video and audio applications VCube supports currently OP Atom a very simple and highly constrained layout for simple MXF files and OP 1a the layout options for a mini mal simple MXF file Appendices Glossary Page 281 AMERGING vM VCub HD VIDEO SYSTEM NTSC signal The standard composite video signal adopted by the NTSC that has 525 interlaced lines at a frame rate of 29 97 frames per second AKA Never Twice the Same Color due to the constantly changing color rendition in early analogue TV broadcasts overscan A video monitor condition in which the raster extends slightly beyond the physical edges of the CRT screen cutting off the outer edges of the picture PAL signal The most common composite video signal use
224. n are still allowed Invert Fields rearranges the field order on a wrongly defined video file Invert Color transforms the Clip to or from a negative Last Frame Cache keeps the last read frame in memory to reduce disk or network requirements when playing a low frame rate Media File at a fast frame rate Flip Horizontal flips the Clip around the vertical axis Flip Vertical flips the Clip around the horizontal axis Shift Fields has to be used to playback an upper field first Media File in a lower field first video format or the inverse Revert displays the Clip s frames from the end to the beginning Control Settings Page View Tab Page 117 vM VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Note All options for Clips listed above are shown as a small icon inside the Clip in the Timeline when at anything other than the default value Media File browser Media Name Media File Frame Rate Original TimeCode Length Still Image Clip options icons Could be different from the Media File name In an OMF Composition Shows the path to the Media File is the original Media File frame rate is the TimeCode stamped in the Media File at its creation is the total duration of the Media File is true when the selected Clip is an unconverted Still Image File otherwise false Note A single Still Image File is always imported as a 5 Second Clip Compression Word Length Size Source Rect Dest Rect Frame Layout Aspect Ratio Down Sam
225. n arrow to select an alternative Fastest but poor quality Fast and poor quality Slow but very good quality Very Slow but excellent quality Slow but very good for large downscaling The button is only available when MJPEG or Avid VC 3 DNxHD are selected as the Com pression scheme or when MPEG is selected in File Format A dialog appears with com pression settings Proceed Click on Proceed to begin the Import and Conversion process Cancel Click on Cancel to abort the Import Notes When either QuickTime or MJPEG codecs are chosen Progressive Frame must be selected in Frame Layout to ensure QuickTime player compatibility Frame Rate must be set to match the frame rate of the Composition where the generated Video file is to be used Compression allows the user to select the CODEC used to generate the new Media File s Depending on the chosen CODEC it is possible to adjust the Compression Settings For full details about the MPEG Settings please refer to the dedicated section We recommend using only regular Format Types in the Basic Settings dialog for trouble free operation MJPEG codec A value of 100 corresponds to an average 1 3 compression ratio and a value of 50 corre sponds to an average 1 20 compression ratio Still Image Import To import a single still image not a sequence into the Timeline use Files gt Import gt Media File Browser Use the browser to select the image to Import and use an appropriate option to p
226. n rapid movements Horizontal Slicing and jaggies Solution Ensure the Composition settings correspond to the HD format used Double click on the video clip in the Timeline to display Clip Info This includes the native format of the media file e g 1980x1080 pixels at 24 fps Ideally the projector s native resolution DLP or LCD should match this format and the frame rate should be an integer multi ple of the composition frame rate e g 24 fps composition and 72 fps projector graphic card settings To avoid slice artefacts in slow progressive mode 23 98 24 25 fps Settings Show Preview Tab Page Flipping should be active Frame Shifting with Virtual Transport Problem Your VCube is controlled by a Pyramix via the Virtual Transport protocol The transport controls on the Pyramix are transmitted to the VCube But you experiment with some shifting when you re using a jog command on the Pyra mix and discover VCube is not frame accurate Solution In the VCube application press T to display the Internal Machine panel LTC VITC and EXT TimeCode Sources for chasing should be disabled Then the Virtual Transport protocol becomes the default source for the TimeCode to chase Enable Chase on the Internal Machine panel Now VCube will be frame accurate when you are jogging in Pyra mix Troubleshooting Output Page Diagnostic Tools Page 198 AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Sony 9 pin Not Controlling VCube
227. n stop Displays the Analog Video Outpput format selected currently The drop down list offers a choice of all available formats Displays the Audio Source selected currently Alternatives are selected from the drop down list When lit Sample Rate Conversion is enabled for the AES EBU inputs Displays the Analog Audio Level selected currently Alternatives are selected form the drop down list Note During capture the reference source is toggled to the active video input Appendices AJA Video Cards and Plugins Page 211 y ne VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Open Xena Advanced Router Panel Click the button to open the Advanced Router Panel F MENA LHi 0 x Preset None x Rediscover Hostname localhost x QUSE 1 LUT 1 J m uc ful er Kewer LCSC 2 m LUT 2 m E ER 36 In 4j EA 86 Dut 1 m 1020 50 00 3eIndb 10807 50 00 36 Dut 1b amp Bit HPV YCbCr Uer VPE Analog In pr Ps ia i Analog Out g In i Store B25 50 00 Lor IE 0807 50 00 HEMI Ini p NE HDMI Cut eo 480 S0 00 Pour p P25 50 00 10801 50 00 10 Bit YCbCr Converter a venlo Freerun 10501 50 00 Video Audio Info Control Input Tvpe Select Embedded Source Embedded Ch 1 8 amp amp Input 1 Embedded Ch 9 16 Input 2 amp AES Analog c HDMI Loop Audio Input AJA LH i 2K Router Control Panel The screenshot shows the default playback
228. n the relevant Quick Settings Page using Quick SD Settings for Standard Definition formats Settings gt Quick SD Settings Alt F5 Quick HD Settings for High Definition formats Settings gt Quick HD Settings Alt F6 Ensure that the two or three Reference Sources are set appropriately Click on the Apply button for the appropriate format Verify in the Current Configuration section that the settings are as you desire Click on Close to finish and close the Page Please see subsequent pages for screenshots and details Quick Settings Overview vM VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Quick SD Settings Quick SD Settings Field Order Progressive Frame Pixel Aspect Ratio 1 000 Composition Frame Rate TC Frame Rate Mykerinas Video Ref Format Audio Sampling Rate Audio Ref Internal Mykerinos clock TC Clock Ref Internal Mykerinos clock PAL 4 3 D1 PAL 4 3 DV PAL 16 9 D1 PAL 16 9 DV NTSC 4 3 Di NTSC 4 3 DW NTSC 16 9 Di NTSC 16 9 DV Quick Standard Definition Settings page Current Configuration The Current Configuration section summarizes the current state of VCube in terms of Size Shows the number of horizontal and vertical pixels Field Order Shows Progressive Frame for non field based formats or field order and type Pixel Aspect Ratio Shows the shape of pixels as a ratio Composition frame Rate E g FILM 23 98 fps TC Frame Rate E g FILM 23 98 fps Mykerinos Video Ref Format E g PAL 625 50 00
229. nal USB cable makes the connection to the motherboard External Connections 9 pin D Sub Connector RS422 Sony 9 pin P2 protocol 15 pin mini D Sub Connector VGA type for Breakout Cable Video Reference Input BNC 2 x Biphase I O 4 connectors DIN 5p 180 2 x MIDI I O uses the Biphase connectors LTC In XLR LTC Out XLR Driver Installation The necessary Drivers are installed with VCube Default Shortcuts Shortcut File New Ctrl N Load Ctrl L Appendices Default Shortcuts Page 223 AMVMERGING y ne Easy Load Load Selective Show VCube Files Close Delete Save Save As Capture Exit the Application Import Media Files OMF MXF AAF Apple XML Import Create New Import Composition amp Export Changes Import Layer Convert Still Images Export Export Composition Convert Media Files Render Composition Wrapper Edit Undo Redo Cut Cut amp Ripple Copy Paste Paste amp Ripple Paste at Previous TimeCode Paste at Original TC Delete Selected Delete Track s or Layer s Split Clip s Group UnGroup UnGroup All Lock Selected Clips UnLock Selected Clips Add New Video Track New Audio Track New Layer New Text Clip New Post it Text Clip New Countdown Clip Appendices Default Shortcuts Shift L Ctrl Shift L Ctrl O Ctrl Shift Q Ext Shift DELETE Ctrl S Ctrl Shift S Alt R Alt F4 Ctrl Shift O Alt O Ctrl Alt L Ct
230. nd result in larger files or if the total bitrate is limited it will mean less of the total bitrate is avail able for the video Set private bit Set copyright bit Set original bit Enable CRC Psycho acoustic model PCM AES details Dynamic range control Mute flag Emphasis 48 KHz only Gain dB y vM Just a spare bit in the audio headers which is user defined DVD specifies it shall be O Specifies whether the audio is copyrighted or not this setting is completely arbitrary it has no effect whatsoever Specifies whether the audio is a copy or an original this setting is completely arbitrary it has no effect whatsoever Specifies whether a CRC is embedded in each audio frame both SVCD and DVD specify enabled Two different models 1 and 2 specified by MPEG to compute the just noticeable noise level The option is a recommended gain value which can be applied to all audio samples decoded from the first access unit Ticking the checkbox enables the Dynamic range con trol The setting does not affect the encoding of the audio at all It is simply a value decod ers may use when playing the audio Flag to the player whether to mute or not when all samples in an audio frame are zero Flag to the player whether emphasis is to be applied to all audio samples from the start of the audio stream The Gain value X and Y is a recommended gain value to be applied to all audio samples by the player where
231. ndices AJA Video Cards and Plugins Page 218 AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM SD Video Formats Supported PAL 4 5 D1 e PAL 4 3 D1 PAL 4 3 Dv PAL 4 3 DV PAL 16 8 D1 PAL 16 9 D1 PAL 16 9 DV PAL 16 9 DV NTSC 4 3 D1 NTSC 4 3 D1 NTSC 4 3 DV NTSC 4 3 DV NTSC 16 9 D1 NTSC 16 9 D1 NTSC 16 9 DV NTSC 16 9 DV Notes SDI embedded audio cannot be captured if the analog video input is selected for recording The video card analog Video Reference Input is not connected internally to the VCube video Reference input Both must to be fed by the same video reference signal Reference Input video card This BNC connector allows you to synchronize outputs to your house reference video signal or black burst If you have a sync generator or central piece of video equipment to use for synchronizing other video equipment in your studio then connect its composite output here When Xena outputs video it uses this reference signal to lock to Sampling Rate The Composition Sampling Rate must be set to 48 KHz when the Xena audio channels are used for cap ture or playback Xena LS Plug in Xena LS is one of the AJA video capture hardware options inside your VCube station It supports Analog Compo nent Composite and SDI video formats Native resolution is 720 X 576 PAL D1 720 X 486 NTSC D1 Appendices AJA Video Cards and Plugins Page 219 AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM y ne Xena SD and Xena LS
232. ne a series of audio and video wrapping tasks to be performed on a specific type of video file and then asso ciates those tasks to a single Watch Folder Input Folder Multiple Watch folders may be created to fit the differ ent types of media in your workflow each with their own specific wrap parameters Once the Watch folders and their tasks are all defined in MXFix it is then either launched to process the files currently present in all Watch fold ers and halts when finished or is placed in Continuous Watch Mode where it processes all files as they are added by users at any time day or night Only in Continuous Watch Mode a Process sub folder is created automatically in the Watch folder which con tains the source file being processed currently After each file is successfully processed newly wrapped video files are pushed to their respective Output Folders The originals are either moved to a sub folder called Done or are erased according to the Watch folder s parameters If for any reason a file does not meet the requirements to be wrapped properly MXFix detects the file and moves the original to a sub folder called Errors and continues pro cessing the next file in the queue In combination with FinalCheck and Level Magic MXFix is a very powerful tool for processing and ensuring the Loudness compliance of multiple files in any number of combinations If the SurCode for Dolby E plug in options are also present M
233. ng applications except calibrated in units of time safe action area and safe title area are the regions of the video image considered safe from cropping for either the action or on screen titles taking into account variations in adjustments for video monitors or television receivers Safe action is 90 percent of the screen measured from the center and safe title is 80 percent SDI Serial Digital Interface standardized in ITU R 656 is a digitized video format used for broadcast grade video It typically uses 75 Ohm BNC coaxial cables which makes it easily upgradeable from analog video setups which use the same cables Uncompressed digital component signals are transmitted The SDI signal is self synchronizing uses 8 bit or 10 bit data words and has a data rate of 270 Mbit s A SDI sig nal may also contain embedded AES EBU 48kHz 16bit audio channels along with the video SMPTE TimeCode TimeCode that conforms to SMPTE standards It consists of an eight digit number specifying hours minutes seconds frames Each number identifies one frame on a videotape SMPTE TimeCode may be of either the drop frame or non drop frame type shuttle is the process of viewing of footage at speeds greater than real time TBC Time base corrector Device used to correct for time base errors and stabilize the timing of the video output from a tape machine TCP IP Transmission Control Protocol Internet Protocol Transmission control protocol Internet pr
234. ng the PC built in RS 232 COM Port Introduction VCube Keys amp Options VCube Versions VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM y ne VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Installation Please see the VCube Installation Guide and the Installation Guides for any hardware you have purchased Early VCube Systems Note Early VCube systems may include AJA Xena LS Xena HS or Canopus ADVX 1000 video cards These are no longer actively supported as of Version 2 If you have one of these cards you may wish to contact your Merging Technologies sales partner to discuss a cross grade solution VCube Concepts Project A Project is the top level of organization Projects are saved with the file extension VCube A Project controls and keeps track of all the various elements you are assembling at a given time A Project always contains a Composi tion viewed on the Timeline Composition A Composition is any number of Clips complete with edits and fades level settings etc placed on a Layer ina Track or tracks in a time relationship to each other and to the Timeline Track In the Timeline Video and Audio assets are placed onto Layers within Tracks Video Track Layer Video Track Layers behave in the same manner as layers in a non linear video editor l e video on the topmost layer of the topmost track will hide concurrent video below it unless there is a compositing blend mode or picture in picture mode in force Audio Track Layer Audio Track Layers
235. ng under Windows so it is good to compare the memory consumption graphs of the Windows Task Manager under the Performance tab with that of VCube for compari Output View Output Page Diagnostic Tools Page 187 AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM son purposes To access the Windows Task Manager key Ctrl Shift Esc or Ctrl Alt Del and choose Start Task Manager and click on the Performance tab E Windows Task Manager File Options View Help Applications Processes Services Performance Networking Users CPU Usage CPU Usage History Memory Physical Memory Usage History Physical Memory MB System Total fi Handles 28429 Cached Threads 1185 Available Processes 70 Free Up Time 0 05 31 00 Commit MB 2604 6140 Kernel Memory MB Paged Nonpaged Resource Monitor Processes 70 CPU Usage 7856 Physical Memory 6375 Windows Task Manager Performance Tab Memory consumption is critical in any system and VCube can potentially consume large amounts of memory depending on three main factors 1 Resolution and frame rate of the VCube Timeline 2 Number of Frames set in the Playback Buffer Settings Page Buffer amp Cache 3 The codecused to encode the video file in question 4 The number of Clips playing simultaneously in the Timeline at any given moment Warning The system memory consumption should be kept as low as possible and never exceed approximately 75 8096 of the total amount of R
236. ngs Nominal TC Shows the current TimeCode display format allows when running at Nominal Play speed Click in the field to drop down the list of options eH M S Hours Minutes Seconds eH M S Frames Hours Minutes Seconds Frames eH M S Samples Hours Minutes Seconds Samples H M S Frames Hundredths of a frame Hours Minutes Seconds Frames Hundredths of a Frame H M S Thousandths of a Second Hours Minutes Seconds Frames Thousandths of a Frame Alternate TC Format Shows the current TimeCode display format when not running at Nominal Play speed Click in the field to drop down the list of options As for Nominal TC Presets Shows the current TimeCode counter position on screen Click in the field to drop down the list of alternatives Left Top Center Top Settings Settings Page Page 139 AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Right Top Left Center Center Center Right Center Left Bottom Center Bottom Right Bottom X Offset Shows current horizontal TC Counter position offset value in pixels Click to type an alter native value Y Offset Shows current horizontal TC Counter position offset value in pixels Click to type an alter native value TC Color Field shows the current TimeCode Counter color Click in the color window to open the Color Picker Please see Color Picker on page 17 Mask The Mask function hides symmetrical areas of the screen Left and Right Horizontal and Top and Bot
237. ngs and Control Pages on the right hand side of the Preview pane The Preview is resized to suit The width of the Control Settings Pages can be changed by clicking and dragging the separator Toggle Full Screen Preview F3 User Interface Toggle Full Screen preview Toggle Floating Window F4 User Interface gt Toggle Floating Window Makes the Preview window float and hides the User Interface except for broken away windows You can choose from Refresh F5 User Interface gt Refresh F6 LII Toggle File Page User Interface Settings Pages Show File Page Toggle Locator Page F7 User Interface Settings Pages Show Locator Page Toggle View Page F8 User Interface Settings Pages Show View Page Toggle Edit Page F9 User Interface Settings Pages Show Edit Page Open Settings Page F10 User Interface Settings Pages Show Settings Page Opens the Settings Page floating Previous Settings Page Home User Interface Settings Pages Previous Settings Page Next Settings Page End User Interface Settings Pages Next Settings Page Show Timeline in lower panel F11 User Interface Show Timeline Page User Interface Program Screen y vM VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Show Record Page in lower panel F12 User Interface gt Show Record Page Toggle Transport Control Panel T User Interface gt Toggle Transport Tool Show Preset Tab P Settings gt Show Preset Tab Zoom in the Timeline y ne
238. nterleave Page Flipping Size CH ye Heig ht hk ia Composition b y Disk Cache amp Playback Buffers PF User Interface X mm E T 1 Locator 2 Locator 0030 3 Locator 0 4 Locator D 01 27 13 D0 00 18 03 Fades Rendet Water Preview Size Adjust Double clicking when the Cursor is in double headed arrow mode resets the positions to the default value corre sponding to the current format Settings Settings Page AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Composition The Composition Tab includes information about Synchronization Formats and Overlays used in the current Proj ect Composition Lock Editing synchronize Editing With PYRAMIX Link Media Path to Composition Path Media Files Sub Folder Name Overlay Text Position Horiz Offset Vertical Offset Color Auto Countdown to Mark In Composition Tab page General Lock Editing Prevents unwanted modifications to the Composition This includes each and every set ting except the locators The Lock unlock Editing button itself is locked when the Compo sition is Protected Locators remain editable when the Composition is Locked Use Save As to preserve Locators Synchronize Editing With PYRAMIX When checked edits are synchronized between the two applications Settings Settings Page Page 144 AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Protect Clicking on the Protect button opens the Protect dialog Pr
239. o sition was saved are discarded Ctrl Shift Q Delete Deletes the selected Composition from the hard drive Shift DELETE Note The associated Media Files remain on the mass storage Load Selective Enables Composition objects or properties to be imported into the current one A dialog determines how the selection will be imported into current one Ctrl Shift L Please see Load Selective on page 32 Open an Existing Composition File gt Open or Ctrl O or the File Open Icon in the Toolbar opens the VCube Compositions Browser Page 1 Ifthe File page is showing the Media File Browser page switch to the VCube Compositions page 2 Browse and select a folder using the button to open a Windows File Browser 3 If Recursive is checked then all files in all sub folders will be displayed 4 Click on a Composition to select it 5 Click on Load to open the Composition in VCube Alternatively simply Double click on the desired Composition name in the list Drag amp Drop It is also possible to drag and drop Compositions and Media Files into the Timeline directly from normal Windows Browser windows For behaviors please see Drag amp Drop on page 44 New Composition File New closes the existing Composition if any is open and creates a new Composition with the same settings as the last open Composition Alternatively open the VCube Compositions Browser Page User Interface gt Settings Tabs gt File gt Show V
240. o tocol TCP IP is a combined set of protocols that perform the transfers of data between two computers TCP monitors and ensures correct transfer of data IP receives the data from TCP breaks it up into packets and sends it to a network within the Internet Every computer on the Internet supports TCP IP telecine A device for capturing movie film as a video signal TimeCode The time measured in hours minutes seconds and frames which is recorded on a tape along with program material and user bit information The TimeCode is used to locate particular points on a tape A method of identifying video frames on a recorded format A TimeCode number is a series of 8 dig its SMPTE TimeCode which represents the hour minute second and frame number of video Two popular systems are Longitudinal TimeCode LTC and Vertical Interval TimeCode VITC Timeline A window within a video editing application where Clips and other production elements can be graphically arranged to create a fully edited production The horizontal axis of the timeline window repre sents a timeline of the show toggle To change back and forth between two states for instance on off on off etc track Levels in the timeline window of an editing application where video and audio elements can be placed to insert them into the production tri level Synchronization signal dedicated to HD The signal consists of a three level sync pulse zero volts OV Blank
241. o choose a Hue value Finally Click in the Saturation area to define the custom color User Interface Important Note AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Program Screen Wobo 2 7 5 1 6017 ahid Gompcition File Gds Seton MEDLINE Eu NES ME ur Hiie ILLI HE VCube Program Screen The main VCube screen appears when the program is launched This screen is NOT resizable in the conventional Windows manner and will occupy the whole screen area of one PC monitor unless Floating Window mode is selected F4 toggles It can also be minimized or closed with control boxes at top right Pull down menus are at the top of the screen By default the entire upper panel is a Preview video monitor Beneath this is the Toolbar and the Timeline panel with the Locator Bar Time Scale plus optional Film Footage scale and Range Bar at the top and the Transport Control bar at the bottom The Timeline area is tabbed with Timeline Record and Output Tabs available on the left The Toolbar can be made floating by double Clicking it Double Clicking the header of the floating Toolbar re docks it Floating Toolbar The splitter dividing line between the panels may be grabbed with the mouse and moved up or down thereby varying the space allocated to each panel User Interface Program Screen Page 18 y ne VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Context Menus Right click in the Preview pane or in the Timeline with the Cursor o
242. o tab page File Format The drop down list offers a choice of formats from the following depending on the container chosen determines the type of the generated Media File for audio If both video and audio are of the same type they are merged inside a single Media File None AVI avi MPEG mpg MPEG mpeg MPEG mpa PMF pmf WAV wav BWF bwf AIF aif QUICKTIME mov Word Length Determines audio resolution possible dynamic range 16 bits Fix 24 bits Fix 32 Bits Float Compression Conversion and Rendering Convert Media Files AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Options depend on selected audio file format QuickTime offers various solutions for compressing audio data Note The AVI2 and QuickTime MPEG2 Media Handler support multiple audio channels in a sin gle file When recording more than 2 channels in an AVI2 or QuickTime file each channel is treated as a separate mono channel l e if you have 4 channels in VCube they will appear as 4 mono channels in an AVI2 file The Windows Media Player from Microsoft and the QuickTime player from Apple will playback a 4 audio channel file into a stereo mix of the 4 mono channels Using video files with embedded audio decreases playback performance For Compositions with complex compositing two separate Media Files one for video one for audio are preferable If the original Media File features both video and audio be sure to select a c
243. oblocks 10 bits usually achieves quality saturation 11 bits can be used if the quantization is very low the bitrate is quite high compared to the frame size rate See ISO IEC 13818 2 This option is only valid for MPEG2 Use Frame Prediction and Frame DCT Set to 1 to have the motion estimation and DCT Discrete Cosine Transfor mation computations done on both fields of a frame in the same pass set to 0 to have them done on each field independently Normally this should be 0 for interlaced frames and 1 for progressive frames Setting this field to 1 will result in slight faster encoding but will yield less quality in interlaced frames This setting can be specified independently for each frame type I B and P See ISO IEC 13818 2 section This option is only valid for MPEG 2 Quantization Scale Type Specifies which mapping to use between the encoded quantization scale factor and the quantizer scale applied in the inverse quantization arithmetic Set to 0 to specify a linear mapping or 1 to spec ify a non linear mapping This setting can be specified independently for each frame type I B and P See ISO IEC 13818 2 section 6 3 10 for more information This option is only valid for MPEG 2 Intra VLC Format VIC is the acronym for Variable Length Coding This option specifies one of two MPEG defined variable length coding tables used for intra coded blocks Table 1 is considered to be statistically optimized for Intra coded pictures coded within
244. ode If your VCube is configured correctly Pro Tools should see it in the node list as a generic2 Set Pro Tools film or PAL or NTSC depending on your project signal Appendices Pro Tools and VCube AMERGING Enable Use Serial Time Code For Positional Reference ProTools must be supplied with a video reference VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Pro Tools Preferences Display Operation Editing Automation Ki Timeline Insertion Follows Playback w Edit Insertion Follows Scrub Shuttle yi Sends Default To INF Audio During Fast Forward Rewind Convert imported wav files ta AES31 BroadcastWave Numeric Keypad Mode Classic fe Transport _ Shuttle Online Options Record Online At Time Code or ADAT Lock Processing l MIDI Machine Control v Latch Record Enable Buttons el Latch Solo Buttons IV Link Mix And Edit Group Enables el Link Recard And Play Faders Use F11 Key for Wait For Note _ Automatically Copy Files on Import AutaSave Enable Session File Auto Backup Keep 10 most recent backups Backup every 5 minutes Open Ended Record Allocation fe Use All Available Space Record Online At Insertion Selection Limit Ta 60 minutes Auto Region Fade In Out Length msec Calibration Reference Level 18 dB Custom Shuttle Lock Speed 200 Pro Tools Preferences Display Operation Editing Automation Machine Control Ki Machine Chases Memory Location V Machine Fol
245. ompatible audio video Media File format for the converted file in order to retrieve both video and audio once con version has taken place Conversion and Rendering Convert Media Files y ne VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Render Composition File gt Export gt Render Composition Render Composition enables the entire Composition or a Range or Region of it to be rendered as a single Media File The render can be to be in any of a number of file formats including cube AVI MPEG2 or QuickTime Selecting Render Composition opens the Render Composition dialog which has three tabbed pages Main Video and Audio When suitable settings have been made the Proceed button starts the rendering process while Cancel closes the dialog without rendering Render Composition Dialog Main Render Composition Main Output Output Path TAUM Stuffi MediaFiles File Name Imagio 2 Log Range All Composition Composition Range Region Burn in Timecode Mask Auto Countdown Auto Wipe TC Position Save Rename Delete Proceed Cancel Render Composition dialog Main tab page Output Output Path xxxxxx Shows current path for output file s Click on to open a browser to change the path File Name Click in this field to type a suitable name for the output Media Log When active a window will appear at the end of the conversion process reporting success and listing any anomalies Range All Composition When selected
246. on Chasing other Timecodes VCube is able to play a 24 frames per second Composition chasing a 25 29 97 or 30 frames per second TimeCode VCube doesn t interpolate frames It only uses its own ultra precise internal clock to manage the Composition playback The external reference TimeCode is only used to synchronize the internal clock i r i a 5 6 7 B a 10 311 12 13 314 15 16 17 1B 19 20 H at 23 3234 3125 3156 27 26 49 30 2 3 4 5 6 7 u 5 i 11 12 13 is 15 16 317 in 19 20 121 22 323 24 25 1 1 z a 4 5 6 7 A 2 10 11 12 313 14 315 16 iz 18 319 20 321 22 3123 14 Frame hiner i Prats Per Scored When the reference TimeCode is different from the Composition TimeCode it produces artefacts when seeking a particular frame in the Composition In the above example red lines indicate that two different 30 fps TimeCode positions can recall the same frame in a 24 fps Composition The blue line does the same for a 25 fps reference TimeCode Note In nominal playback such artefacts will only appear if Clips with mismatched frame rates are included in the Composition The Playback speed can be edited in Clips Info enabling correct playback This feature is very useful at 25 fps for uncompensated telecine frame per frame cap ture on a PAL video Applications Non Compensated Telecine at 24 fps Page 165 AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Using the Graphic Card S Video Output The baseline VCube does not include
247. option all Settings in the table above will be changed as required to those saved in the Com position being opened If you use the Load Selective option it is possible to import just Composition Settings such as Workspaces Keyboard Shortcuts and Synchronization Projects Compositions AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Import Import Composition and Export Changes This feature creates an EDL reflecting the differences between two versions of a project An EDL file is created in the Composition folder This file can also be opened in a text editor e g Notepad Import Layer A particular layer or a selection of layers can be imported from a VCube Composition into the current one Ctrl Alt L Layers Import Properties From Layer Layer 34 Layer 37 Timecode Original Timecode At Timecode Layers Import dialog Properties When checked also imports the individual Clips Properties Locked Invert Fields Invert Color Clips When checked Clips in the selected Layer s will be imported From Layer All Layers available for import from the source composition are listed Checked Layers will be imported Original Timecode When checked Clips will be imported at their Original Timecodes At Timecode When checked a Timecode start value can be entered in the field When unchecked the value shown is the beginning of the first Clip in the selected Layer s Projects Import AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Impor
248. or color than for luminosity For this reason color sampling can be undertaken at a lower resolution than the luminance sampling in order to reduce overall bandwidth requirement with no visible impact 4 2 2 4 2 2 has been widely adopted by the video industry and broadcasters because of its good quality to bandwidth ratio Here for every four luminance samples there are two samples of each color difference channel We have 4 values for 2 pixels leading to 2 for computation purposes Appendices Video Formats and Bandwidth VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM 4 2 0 4 2 0 Is the color sampling mode used in DV PAL It s also used for HD video broadcast There are 6 values for 4 pix els leading to 1 5 for computation purposes 4 1 1 4 1 1 Is the color sampling mode used in DV NTSC There are 6 values for 4 pixels leading to 1 5 for computation purposes Color Space Color space as a color model is an abstract mathematical model describing the way colors can be represented as numbers typically as three or four values or color components e g RGB and CMYK are color models However a color model with no associated mapping function to a reference color space is a more or less arbitrary color sys tem with little connection to the requirements of any given application RGB uses additive color mixing because it describes what kind of light needs to be emitted to produce a given color Light is added together to create form from o
249. ort Ctri N Ctrl L Shift L Ctrl Shift L Ctri 0 Ctrl Shift Q Ext Shift DELETE Ctrl Shift 5 Alt R Exit theApplication Alt F4 Media File Browser Ctrl Shift 0 Keyboard Shortcuts settings VCube Default Drop down Shows the name of the Shortcut file loaded currently New Enables new Shortcut Settings to be defined Save Records current Shortcut Settings Rename Enables the current preset to be renamed Delete Erases the current shortcut settings Import Opens a Windows Browser to load Shortcut Settings from a specific folder Export Opens a Windows Browser to save current shortcut settings in a specific folder Note The current set of Shortcuts is stored with the Project and will be reloaded with it unless excluded by a Load Selective Workspace Workspaces Workspaces are a convenient means of storing alternative desktop layouts The main User Modes Simple and Advanced are built in examples of Workspaces Note The current set of Workspaces is stored with the Project and will be reloaded with it unless excluded by a Load Selective Control Settings Page View Tab Page 123 AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Note The Workspace Tab manages Workspaces Workspace Workspace 1 Play Workspace 2 Import Workspace 3 Edit Workspace 4 a Vial qul o 5 Workspace 5 iin rk Soace 6 aam we p OR wo rk IsT Iu d MES T HE utum J Works Dace B LaF me ma i Workspa
250. ort term loudness values as well as the loudness range and the maximum true peak All these measurements may be checked against the recommendations delivery require ments or local regulations in force regarding loudness When LevelMagic is combined with FinalCheck the mea surements are made on the output of LevelMagic so that the measurements are always consistent with the content of the wrapped files Audio channel content description The sub panel provides sufficient information to the processing plug ins as to how they should deal with the channels to be Wrapped Channels are shown by pairs but this will be modified into larger groups if some are described as 5 1 Surround l e 6 channels involved Process On Off When checked the channel pair or channel group will be processed Channels description Checkboxes determine the Channel type for processing Conversion and Rendering Wrap Audio AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Stereo A pair of discrete stereo channels 5 1 Surround 6 discrete channels in L R C Ls Rs LFE order Dolby E A pair of Dolby E encoded channels corresponding to 8 discrete channels usually 2 stereo and 6 surround When this option is selected the source channel is and will remain a Dolby E stream If corrections are needed the stream is decoded corrected and re encoded to a Dolby E stream SurCode Decoder When selected a Dolby E stream will be decoded to 8 discrete channels by the SurCode fo
251. osition starting with the Selected Track moving existing content to the Right later Paste to Previous Timecode Ctrl M Pastes contents of the Clipboard back to the posi tion it was in before Paste to Original Timecode Pastes contents of the Clipboard back to the original position in the Timeline Timeline Tools New Layer Ctrl Shift N Creates a New Layer in the Selected Track Tool Bar Tools and Toolpickers Page 161 vM VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM New Track Toolpicker X New Video Track Ctrl Shift T Hi NewAudio Track Ctrl Alt T a New Video Track Ctrl Shift T Inserts a New Video Track New Audio Track Ctrl Alt T Inserts a New Audio Track New Clip Toolpicker New Text Clip Shift T Yew Post it Text Clip Alt T Yew Countdown Clip Yew Wipe Clip Jew Video Test Pattern Wew Audio Tone Clip New Text Clip Shift T Creates a 5 seconds Text holder Clip in the Timeline at the current TimeCode in the selected Track The Text Properties dialog appears in the View Tab New Post it Text Clip Alt T Creates an overlaid text box of 5 seconds duration from the current Cursor position in the selected Track New Countdown Clip Creates a Countdown Clip 10 seconds duration corresponding to the current Composition settings Default duration is adjustable in the Clip Info panel New Wipe Clip Creates a Wipe Clip representing a time remaining to the end of the Clip New
252. otect Enter Password X Starship896 Verify Password Starshipa36 Ok Protect Lock dialog Type in a Password in the Enter Password and the identical one in the Verify Password fields Click on OK to Protect the Composition or Cancel to exit Unprotect Clicking on the Unprotect opens the Unprotect dialog Protect Protect Unlock dialog Enter the correct Password in the Enter Password field and Click on OK to Unpro tect or Cancel to exit the dialog WARNING There is no way to unprotect a Composition if the password is lost The XML file is encrypted Contact us for Composition salvage http www merging com Media Path Link Media Path to Composition Path When checked a Media Files folder is created in the Folder selected when Saving or Sav ing As the current composition This Media Files folder is selected by default as the desti nation folder for recording Sub Folder Name Click in the field to enter an alternative name instead of Media Files Enable Watermark When Enable is checked a user selected Watermark image will be added in real time to every video output Both Text and still image are possible Load Watermark Image File Opens a Windows File Browser to locate and open the desired image file Image transparency size and position must be set in the image file in a suitable Image Editor matching the current video format Clear Watermark Image File Unloads the current Watermark Image file Overl
253. oup JPEG 2000 Adobe Photoshop File Targa Graphic File Graphics Interchange Format Windows Metafile Tagged Image File Format Tagged Image File Format PCX Multiple Image Network Graphics Multiple Image Network Graphics Icon File Wireless Bitmap Windows Metafile JBG JPEG 2000 Code Stream PGX Sun Raster Images Portable Bitmap Portable Bitmap Portable Bitmap Projects Import VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM vM VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Video Tab File Format CUBE AVI MPEG MPEG MPEG MPEG MPEG MXF QuickTime Frame Rate Compression Width Height Frame Layout Video File Format Frame Rate Compression Width Height Frame Layout Word Length Bit Format Down Sampling Up Conversion Mo de Pixel Aspect Ratio Resize Quality Progressive Frame Proceed Import Images Sequence CUBE cube 23 976 fps Film Panasonic DVCPro HD 720 dvhp 960 f20 Progressive Frame None HOV DVCPraHD 720 p 1 333 Lanczos Very Slow Best Quality Import Images Sequence dialog Field shows the Output File format selected currently Click on the down arrow to select from Cube avi mpg mpeg m2v mit m2t mxf mov The field shows the Frame Rate selected currently Click on the down arrow to select an alternative The field shows the type of Compression selected currently Click on the down arrow to select an altern
254. pecified in the field Click to select values from 10 to 39 Line 2 When checked VCube looks at the video line specified in the field Click to select values from 10 to 39 Synchronization VITC Generator Enable When checked VCube generates VITC Settings Settings Page Page 136 AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Line 1 When checked VCube inserts VITC into the video line specified in the field Click to select values from 10 to 39 Line 2 When checked VCube inserts VITC into the video line specified in the field Click to select values from 10 to 39 Note Lines 10 and 11 are often used for VITC Alternative VITC codes are sometimes present on different lines E g original and run time Settings Settings Page Page 137 AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Video I O VCube Players do not include a dedicated video card The video is monitored via the graphics card on VGA or DVI outputs VCube Recorders include a Video card The video can be monitored in the same way as a Player and also from the video card dedicated output s Two different video cards can be installed in a single VCube machine but only one can be used at a time HD VCube also supports SD video cards Enable Company Product Serial Product Version Descripton AJA Xena Card Support for VCube Main FPGA bitfile at PCI FPGA v AJA Engine Format 1060 50 00 Hz External Reference status none SDT Input 1 status none Locked Vid
255. pense of speed you should set the value to 1 all the time as this would yield the best results but for noisy video it would slow the encoder quite a bit without any quality benefit Basically what the setting does is set a level in the encoder at which point the encoder will give up trying to match a pixel between two frames If the source video is noisy and the setting is set to a low value the encoder will spend more time trying to match pixels from frame to frame and in the case of noise it may not find a match at all so excessive time is spent trying to find a match when there is none If the source video has no noise at all and the setting is set to a very high value the encoder may give up to soon and not match some pixels from frame to frame wasting bits Appendices MPEG Settings MainConcept Encoder Page 250 VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Noise Reduction is a specific noise filter It reduces the noise in a frame spatial reduction but it doesn t do it from frame to frame temporal reduction The value range is 0 31 It increases the video quality but also the encoding duration Motion Search Mode Motion search mode Defines which method is used to search for pixel movement in the video stream A higher value specifies a better method and will normally yield better quality The practical range is 3 to 11 It increases the video quality but also the encoding duration Do half pe
256. ple Compatibility 202 ASIO Driver 154 Assumptions 15 ATI Graphic Card 201 Audio Bit Depth 50 Audio channel content description 95 106 Audio Clip Information 119 Audio Engine 154 Audio Layers 50 Audio Meters Tab 194 Audio Outputs 14 Audio Outputs Quick Routing 154 Audio Ref Status 134 Audio Tone clip 81 Audio Track Header 49 Audio Tracks and Layers 50 AVI 1 AVI 2 and AVI ref 244 Avid Unity and VCube 264 B Batch Export Re Wrapping 100 Bit Depth 50 Buffer amp Cache 147 Buffer amp Cache Tab 191 VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Index Buffer Tab 189 Burnt in Timecode 19 C Canopus ADVX 1000 14 Clip Context Menu 67 Clip Info 115 Clips in a Composition 64 Clips Tab 128 Color Picker 17 Composition File Tab Page 30 Import and Export Changes 34 Load Selective 32 New 31 Openexisting 31 Properties 32 Composition Rate Differs From Incoming TimeCode 111 Composition Tab 144 Composition Video Format 134 Compositions 30 Concepts 14 Contacting Merging 11 Context Menus 19 Control of External Machine 57 Control Settings Page 112 Conventions 15 Conversion 82 Conversion Rendering and Wrapping 82 Convert Media Files 82 Convert Still Images 90 Countdown amp Wipe 146 Countdown Clip 77 CPU 187 Creating Global Presets 132 Crop 70 Current FPS 191 Cursor Step 180 D Default Workspaces 125 Deinterleave 141 Display Manual Resize 148 Documentation 15 Dolby E 91 Page 286 vM MXFix 106 Notes 50 on the
257. pling shows the codec used with this Media File shows the number of bits used for frame sampling shows the number of horizontal and vertical pixels used to sample the image Source Rectangle displays the Layer s size and position settings Destination Rectangle displays Layers size and position settings shows if the media is interleaved or not shows the original pixel aspect ratio of the media shows how colors have been sampled Please see Color Sampling 4 1 1 on page 278 Component Word Length Black Ref Level White Ref Level Color Range vM shows the precision of the sampling process for each component is the digital value corresponding to the deepest black in the picture is the digital value corresponding to the brightest white in the picture is the number of possible values for the color components Control Settings Page View Tab Page 118 VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Audio Clip Clip Info Clip Name 7 JPEG2000 1 Source In 00 00 00 00 00 14 00 18 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 01 12 15 00 L a C k L F C ato r Media Name JPEG2000 Media File S Kerberos Complete4 JPEG2000 mp4 Sampling Rate Audio Word Lengin 32 Bits Original Timecode 00 00 00 00000 Length 00 14 01 30358 Audio Clip Info Clips Clip Name Shows the name used in the Timeline Source In Is the original TimeCode in point for the Clip in the current Composition Double click in the field to modify Length Is the Clip s
258. ported into the current one A dialog determines how the selection will be imported into current one Ctrl Shift L Please see Load Selective on page 32 Media File Browser For full details of the Media File Browser Please see Media File Browser on page 42 Locator Tab For details of the Locator Panel please see Locator Tab Page on page 52 View Tab The View Tab Page has three Tabs Clip Info Keyboard Shortcuts and Workspaces Clip Info Note The Clip Info Tab can also be opened as a floating Tab window by Double clicking ona Clip in the Timeline Once opened a single Click on a Clip in the Timeline loads that Clip s infor mation into Clip Info Control Settings Page Media File Browser Page 115 AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Video Clip Clip Info reir Pra ote Original Timecode JFE nir L u ae MN Video Clip Info In this section every information field is editable by either Double clicking in it and typing or selecting from the drop Control Settings Page View Tab Page 116 vM VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM down where there is a down arrow at the end of the field Clip Name Source In Length Fade In Fade Out Destination In Level Speed Frame Layout Effect Shows the name used in the Timeline Double click in field to type an alternative is the original TimeCode in point for the Clip in the current Composition Double click in field to modify is t
259. position opens with no Tracks in the Timeline Adding a Media File creates a Track or Tracks to contain the resultant Clip s If the Media File contains video and audio a Video Track and an Audio Track will be created If the Audio is multi channel then sufficient Layers will be created in the Audio Track to accommodate the number of channels in the Media File Certain Media File Browser options and Import options will also create Tracks and or Layers automatically Adding Tracks and Layers Edit gt Auto Create gt New Video Track Creates a new Video Track above the topmost Track in the Timeline Ctrl Shift T Edit gt Auto Create gt New Audio Track Creates a new Audio Track below the bottom Track in the Timeline Ctrl Alt T Edit gt Auto Create gt New Layer Creates a new Layer above the topmost Layer in the selected Video Track Ctrl Shift N Edit gt Auto Create gt New Layer Creates a new Layer below the bottom Layer in the selected Audio Track Ctrl Shift N Dolby E on the Timeline In order to use the optional SurCode for Dolby E decoder to monitor a Dolby E encoded audio stream in real time you must first place the video file into the timeline of VCube according to its original time code by using the Load amp Auto Config button in the Media File Browser Using the Load amp Auto Config button ensures that the Safety Gaps of any Dolby E streams are perfectly aligned at the frame edges of the Timeline wit
260. quence on page 35 Conversion and Rendering Render Composition VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Wrap Audio Scope The Media Wrapper feature enables Audio files to be embedded in to a new file without decoding and re encod ing the video of the original file A new Media File with embedded Audio is created The Media Files to be wrapped one Video up to eight Audio correspond with the Clips selected in the Timeline Any Audio and Video Files which play in the Timeline can be encapsulated in MXF AVI or QuickTime containers provided the output format supports the original file format s SurCode for Dolby E If the optional SurCode for Dolby E encoder is present them Wrap can include Dolby E encoded audio Please see Audio channel content description on page 95 and also Dolby E Encoder on page 155 Final Check Meter Final Check Normalizer amp Level Magic If the optional Merging Technologies Final Check Meter Final Check Normalizer and LevelMagic by J nger Audio are present then audio included in the Wrap can be processed to conform with loudness standards and a report can be generated Please see Final Check Meter on page 99 and Level Magic from J nger Audio on page 97 MXFix If the optional Merging Technologies MXFix batch processor is present then Wrapping and any or all of the above options where present can be applied to an entire folder or folders of suitable files Please see MXFix Batch Export Re Wrapping on pa
261. r FUNCTION RS422 SUB D 9P RS232 SUB D 9P FEMALE NOTE NC NOT CONNECTED CABLE COLOUR CODE SUB D 9P MALE R5422 Sony 9pin SUB D 9P FEMALE RS232 Appendices Sony 9 Pin RS422 Wiring Chart Page 274 AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM 2 RS232 to from RS422 acting as a Master Port RS232 R5422 FUNCTION RS232 SUB D 9P FEMALE dT a a om 3a mo 7s 7 O RA NEN ic pm CONNECTED CABLE COLOUR CODE 5 NC EN NO SUB D 9P MALE RS422 Sony 9pin SUB D 9P FEMALE RS232 VCube Master to External Machine Slave RS422 SUB D 9P FUNCTION MALE ET GND LINKEDTOGETHER rame mm a enam u Appendices Sony 9 Pin RS422 Wiring Chart Page 275 y ne VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM 3 USB Eas 3 ne or PCI RS 485 RS422 industrial Adapter Adapter R5422 VCube Slave from Controller Master H5422 Industrial SUB D 9P FONC TION FEMALE RS422 e lt TXD A TXD B HXD B HX DA GND NC NOT CONNECTED CABLE COLOUR CODE EE SUB D 9P FEMALE RS422 Sony 9pin SUB D 9P FEMALE RS422 Industrial Appendices Sony 9 Pin RS422 Wiring Chart Page 276 AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM 4 USB EasvSvync or PCI RS 485 RS422 industrial Adapter to from a RS 422 acting as a Master port Adapter RS422 VCube Master to External Machine Slave RS422 Ind
262. r DOWN Invokes Nudge Overwrite mode for Selected Clip s The Clip moved will overwrite an existing Clip in a layer for the duration of the Clip moved Shift LEFT or RIGHT Nudges the selected Clip Left or Right in the Timeline Where Clips meet the moving Clip overwrites the stationery Clip Ctrl LEFT or RIGHT Nudges Selected Clips Left or Right in the Timeline Where Clips meet an overlap is cre ated The incoming Clip takes precedence Ctrl UP or DOWN Nudges Selected Layer Up or Down Ctrl Shift UP or DOWN Nudges Selected Track Up or Down Editing Functions Editing Functions are similar to Pyramix To split a Clip at the mouse position use Ctrl Right Click When Clips are Grouped or Selected every Clip present at the mouse position will be split To slip the Clip content inside fixed in out points in the selected Clip Ctrl Shift Click and Drag When Clips are grouped contents of grouped clips are slipped Paste at Playhead Cursor in selected Layer Track Ctrl V Paste amp Ripple at Playhead Cursor in selected Layer Track Ctrl Shift V To split a Selection at the Playhead Cursor position use Ctrl T When Clips are grouped every Clip pres ent at the locator position will be split To move a Selection in a Track or Layer just Click on the selected element and drag it wherever you wish up and down between tracks or layers or left and right to move it in time Use Alt to constrain moves wit
263. r Dolby E decoder 1 8 drop down The drop down sets the channels which will be replaced by the decoded channels Final Check Meter and Level Magic will deal with the audio input based on this description using a different algorithm for Surround If SurCode for Dolby E options are activated the Dolby E pair will be decoded processed and re encoded if needed when Level Magic is on Note If Dolby E is selected this overrides the Process On Off buttons settings Conversion and Rendering Wrap Audio AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Level Magic from J nger Audio Junger Level Magic is the first software implementation of the well known hardware product manufactured by J nger Audio Level Magic combines a limiter and a leveller to correct your files on the fly in one pass so they are ready to broadcast It relies on a sophisticated new adaptive level control algorithm capable of setting the correct audio level from any source at any time It features Transient Processing and Peak Limiting for continuous unattended control of any program material A 2 pass version is under development at J nger Audio since this can be more efficient for offline processing of files Further information J nger Level Magic Expert Settings When Expert Settings is chosen in the Wrap Audio or MXFix Wrapper dialog Audio Processing pages the J nger Level Magic Expert Settings dialog opens Junger Level Magic Expert Set
264. riginals Custom files generated at the specified location When checked new uncompressed Audio Files will be created in the loca tion specified by the user in the field below Clicking on the button opens a browser to navigate to the required location View cached file in Media File Browser When checked the cached file will be visible in the Media File Browser Tab Timeline This Tab allows determines whether the Film Feet Ruler will be displayed in the Timeline and if Waveforms are gen erated and whether they are automatically scaled Timeline Timeline Tab page Show Feet Ruler When checked a Film Feet ruler is displayed above the main Timeline Time ruler The Feet Ruler Options dialog can be accessed via Settings gt Show Feet Ruler Options Dialog or CTRL F Settings Settings Page Page 151 AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Generate WaveForms for audio clips placed into the timeline Checked by default If waveforms are not required uncheck Auto Scale Audio Wave Form When checked the Waveform not the audio of Audio Clips is normalized vM Feet Ruler Options Dialog Feet ruler options Use Composition frame rate US UPS es ede Feet ruler options dialog Accessed via Settings gt Show Feet Ruler Options Dialog or CTRL F Foot type 16mm When checked Film Feet are counted in units of 40 Frames 35mm When checked Film Feet are counted in units of 16 Frames Frame Type Use Composi
265. rl 1 Ctrl Y Ctrl R Ctrl Z Ctrl Shift Z Ctrl X Ctrl Shift X Ctrl C Ctrl V Ctrl Shift V Ctrl M Ext DELETE Ext Ctrl DELETE Ctrl T Ctrl G Ctrl U Ctri Alt U Ctrl K Ctrl Shift K Ctrl Shift T Ctrl Alt T Ctrl Shift N Shift T Alt T Page 224 VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM New Wipe Clip New Audio Tone Clip New Video Test Pattern Clip Nudge Nudge to Left Nudge to Right Nudge Up Nudge Down Nudge Override Nudge to Left Override Nudge to Right Override Nudge Up Override Nudge Down Override Tracks Nudge Up Track Nudge Down Track Selection Range To Region Select Previous Layer Select Next Layer Select All Clips on Selected Layers Select All Clips UnSelect All Clips Zoom Zoom In Zoom Out Zoom All Zoom Undo Locators Set mark In Set mark Out Set Mark I O From Selection Go to In Go to Out Set Locator Set Locator at Cursor Go to Locator Go to Previous Locator Go to Next Locator Add Auto Create Locators All Layers Auto Create Locators on Selected Layer Auto Create Locators on Selected Layer Add Go to Goto Composition Start Ext Ctrl LEFT Ext Ctrl RIGHT Ext Ctrl UP Ext Ctrl DOWN Ext Shift LEFT Ext Shift RIGHT Ext Shift UP Ext Shift DOWN Ext Ctrl Shift UP Ext Ctrl Shift DOWN Ctrl RETURN Ext UP Ext DOWN Shift A Ctri A Esc Alt 3 Alt 4
266. rly VCubes is the designation of this port in the Sony 9 pin Machine Control and Sony 9 pin Remote Control Settings dialogs Word Clock The word clock connection has the same functionality as the one found on the optional Mykerinos TC breakout cable This is a bi directional socket software controlled by VCube directly It has been tested on cable runs of up to 50m in length Note Take care not to connect a word clock signal to this rear connector and to the breakout cable simultaneously Video Reference Out and Video Reference In A switch enables disables the 75 Ohms termination for the incoming video signal Note A Video Reference should be present on the Video Reference Input to enable the VCube to generate a VITC output on the Video Ref Output connector LTC Out and LTC In LTC In accepts balanced signals and unbalanced signals The LTC Out offers a fully balanced output signal The level can be set in VCube USB Sync Board Option VCube SE XE and LE require a dedicated hardware PRO Option to support RS 422 LTC MIDI or optional Bi Phas esynchronization Appendices VCube Hardware Sync Connections Page 222 y ne VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM This Bi Phase option is also supported by VCube turnkey systems ERE RIS pamm MUNSEE a Be y Til We ba Merging Technologies USB Sync board The card can be inserted in a PCI or PCle slot There are no electrical connections to the slot An inter
267. rmat for both video and audio generates a single Quick Time file including both video and audio Note When using the H264 codec for rendering or conversion the Keyframe and Data Rate limi tation must be unchecked Please check also that the frame rate reflects the Composition frame rate VCube also features some codecs DVCPRO DVCPRO HD MJPEG YUY2 that may also be used to produce QuickTime files In these cases select the desired codec directly from the Record Render Convert Tabs and double check that the picture geometry the Field Order and the Pixel Aspect Ratio match the specific codec requirements Otherwise Record Render Con vert may abort VCube supports standard definition and high definition MXF formats for playback at NTSC or PAL frame rates SD Files must be encoded with UYVY DV DVCPro 50 dv50 MJPEG or D 10 AKA Sony IMX codecs HD files must be encoded with DVCPro 100 dv10 VC 3 aka AVID DNxHD AVC Intra aka Panasonic P2 or MPEG2 HD aka Sony XDCAM HD codecs VCube can render or wrap MXF files using all the supported codecs listed above Due to real time constraints Record is not available for AVC Intra To render Ctrl R an MXF file in VCube Select MXF as the File Format for both video and audio Select one of the available codecs for video Compression For Sony XDCAM or XDCAM HD Advanced Set tings will enable you to select the flavour of MPEG 2 and the bit rate Audio settings are available vi
268. s needs 62 145 792 points per second transmission Pixel Aspect Ratio This is the shape of the individual pixels HD video systems use mainly square pixels with aspect ratio equal to 1 1 NTSC uses an aspect ratio of 0 9 1 resulting in a 648 x 480 display NTSC wide uses an aspect ratio of 1 2 1 resulting in a 864 x 483 display PAL uses an aspect ratio of 1 07 1 resulting in a 768 x 576 display PAL wide uses an aspect ratio of 1 42 1 resulting in a 1024 x 576 display Note that wide screen formats don t use a greater number of pixels to produce a larger picture Color Sampling RGB RGB means Red Green and Blue Every pixel is sampled for three values representing Chroma and Luma Appendices Video Formats and Bandwidth Page 233 y ne VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM y ne 4 4 4 means that every pixel is sampled for Chroma and Luma value The two Chroma values are the result of Luma minus Red value and Luma minus Blue value The RGB and 4 4 4 color sampling systems lead to a high bandwidth requirement while preserving color defini tion They are used by graphics and special effects designers The maximum Chroma information is required to avoid artefacts when the picture is processed There are 3 values per pixel Since high bandwidth requirement means expensive equipment video engineers have developed ingenious strategies to reduce these requirements in a transparent manner Fortunately human vision is less acute f
269. s Preset Show Format amp Sync Settings Show Video I O Show Overlay Settings Show Preview Settings Show Composition Settings Show Disk Cache amp Playback Buffer Settings Show User Interface Settings System Show Windows Display Settings Dialog Show Virtual Transport Mykerinos Show Mykerinos I O Mykerinos Settings Output Show Output Page Show System Output Show Buffers Output Show Playback Infos Output Show Sync Status Output Show Playback Monitor Output Script Show Script Page Toggle Fullscreen Preview Toggle Floating Window Toggle Show Hide Settings Show Shortcuts UlWorkSpacesGroup Load Workspace 1 Load Workspace 2 Load Workspace 3 Load Workspace 4 Load Workspace 5 Load Workspace 6 Load Workspace 7 Load Workspace 8 Load Workspace 9 Load Workspace 10 Generate WorkSpace 1 Generate WorkSpace 2 Generate WorkSpace 3 Generate WorkSpace 4 VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM P Alt P Shift Alt P Ctrl P Ctrl Alt P Shift P Ctrl Shift P Ctrl Shift Alt P Alt V Alt Ctrl F7 Ctrl F8 Ctrl F9 Ctrl F10 Ctrl F11 Ctrl F12 Ctrl F6 F3 F4 F2 Shift W Shift 1 Shift 2 Shift 3 Shift 4 Shift 5 Shift 6 Shift 7 Shift 8 Shift 9 Shift 0 Ctrl 1 Ctrl 2 Ctrl 3 Ctrl 4 Appendices Default Shortcuts Page 228 y ne vM Generate WorkSpace 5 Generate WorkSpace 6 Generate WorkSpace 7 Generate WorkSp
270. s Tabs can also be accessed individually via Menus and shortcuts When accessed this way they appear as broken away windows User Interface Settings Pages Show File Page F6 Toggle File Tab User Interface Settings Pages Show Locator Page F7 Toggle Locator Tab User Interface Settings Pages Show View Page F8 Toggle View Tab User Interface Settings Pages Show Edit Page F9 Toggle Edit Tab User Interface Settings Pages Show Settings Page F10 Opens the Control Settings Tab with Tabs in the Preview Pane File Tab The File Tab Page has two Tabs which enable Media Files and VCube Compositions to be managed F6 opens the page as a floating Tab Window VCube Compositions and Media Files can also be dropped directly onto an existing Timeline track from a Win dows folder opened in a Windows file Browser Control Settings Page File Tab Page 113 AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM VCube Compositions 5S Kerperos Kerberos Complete 34 5 Kerberos Kerberos Complete 34 S WKerberos Kerberos Complete 34 S Kerberos Kerberos Complete 3 cCOMPLETE3 VCube File Tab The Compositions Tab can also be opened on its own with File gt Open Ctrl O Composition Path Field shows the current Path Opens a Windows browser to change the Path to a location on local storage or via a net work Up arrow steps up the path tree to the root directory Refresh Updates the list of Files in the curren
271. s are clearly defined Split File Options Max file size You enter the value in MBs here from which a further file shall be written Reset clocks If Reset clocks is enabled the SCR PTS and DTS clocks are reset to the startup delay values the starting values when starting a new file This would make the TimeCodes in each of the files start with the same values If disabled the clocks are not reset and the TimeCodes would be continuous from one file to the next Set broken link flag in GOP This option has to do with the way MPEG compresses frames Usually a GOP consists of 1 frame and several B and P frames frames are not dependent on any other frames P frames are normally dependent on the preceding P or frame and B frames are normally dependent on the preceding and successive or P frames Appendices MPEG Settings MainConcept Encoder Page 258 y vM VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM A standard GOP the default settings are 15 maybe 18 frames long and they look like this in the order the frames are displayed BBIBBPBBPBBPBBP BBIBBPBBPBBPBBBP Here the first two B frames are dependent on both the frame after them and the last P frame of the previous GOP The Broken link flag in the GOP header is there to inform decoders that some kind of action was taken such that the preceding P frame is not present and the first 2 B frames cannot be decoded correctly the decoder may then ignore them When splitting
272. s the wrapped file This file will include measurements of integrated momentary and short term loudness values as well as the loudness range and the maximum true peak All these measurements may be checked against the recommendations delivery require ments or local regulations in force regarding loudness When LevelMagic is combined with FinalCheck the mea surements are made on the output of LevelMagic so that the measurements are always consistent with the content of the wrapped files Audio channel content description The sub panel provides sufficient information to the processing plug ins as to how they should deal with the channels to be Wrapped Channels are shown by pairs but this will be modified into larger groups if some are described as 5 1 Surround l e 6 channels involved Process On Off When checked the channel pair or channel group will be processed Channels description Checkboxes determine the Channel type for processing Stereo A pair of discrete stereo channels 5 1 Surround 6 discrete channels in L R C Ls Rs LFE order Dolby E A pair of Dolby E encoded channels corresponding to 8 discrete channels vM usually 2 stereo and 6 surround When this option is selected the source channel is and will remain a Dolby E stream If corrections are needed the stream is decoded corrected and re encoded to a Dolby E stream MXFix Batch Export Re Wrapping Final Check Meter Page 106 VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM
273. share the same LXXXena dll plug in Plu ein 2 Enable AENA L5 O Company AJA video Systems Inc Product AEMA L5 0 Serial nog39721 ID 10183400 Product Version 6 0 Description AJA sena Card Support Far Cube Main FPGA bitfile 2005 12 05 at 11 20 13 PCI FPGA version 1 Plugin Manufacturer Merging Technologies 5 4 Video Format internal PAL 625 50 00 Hz Audio Source Analog Video Reference Source External Reference Video Input Selection Analog Video Analog Input Format Compos Video Analog Output Format Composite Y C Audio Analog Level 1a dBu External Reference status 625 50 00H2 SDI Input 1 status Mot Detected Analog Input status 625 50 00Hz Locked Field when Stopped AJA Xena SD and Xena LS Plug in Video Format switches the Xena SD card from NTSC to PAL This format is also the output format for the Xena SD video Output The target VTR must be capable of recording in this format A warning message will be displayed on the Xena SD Output if the Composition format is different from the Xena SD E g an HD Composition at 24fps progressive Audio Source can be analog AES or SDI embedded Reference Source offers the choice of which source will be selected as reference Free Run internal External Gen lock or Input 1 video input are possible During capture the reference source is toggled to the active video input Input Selection offers the choice of which source will be selected Analo
274. sion Applications Using the Graphic Card S Video Output Page 166 vM VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Remote Control VCube is extremely versatile in its remote control options Apart from the obvious synergy with Pyramix via Virtual Transport VCube can chase TimeCode be controlled by a Sony 9 pin P2 protocol master and accepts MIDI Machine Control commands via Virtual Transport VCube Chasing Pyramix Via Virtual Transport 2 in the Same PC PyraCube VCube can be remote controlled by and chase Pyramix when both applications are installed in the same PC No special settings are required in VCube Video and Audio References are optional The VCube will show up as a Transport Control Panel in Pyramix when Pyramix is configured correctly to use VT2 in the All Settings gt Settings gt Remote Control gt Virtual Transport 2 Please see the Pyramix User Manual for details VCube Chasing Pyramix Using Virtual Transport Via Network y ne VCube can be remote controlled by and chase Pyramix across a network via Virtual Transport 2 The VCube will show up as a Transport Control Panel in Pyramix when Pyramix is configured correctly to use VT2 in the All Settings gt Settings gt Remote Control gt Virtual Transport 2 When Synchronize Editing with Pyramix is active in the Composition Tab every Video Clip handle move in Pyra mix will be visible in the VCube outputs The frame displayed while moving handles is at the TC position of th
275. t Images Sequence Import Images Sequence creates a Video file from a set of Individual Image Files numbered consecutively A wide range of Image file formats are supported Ctrl I Import Images Sequence Main Output Output Path TAUM Stuff Media Files File Name Kerberos for mix Log Input settings Input path WARUNDEL Kerberos 6 File Format TAGGED IMAGEFILE FORMAT tiff Proceed Cancel Import Images Sequence dialog The Import Images Sequence Page has two Tabs Main and Video Main Tab Output Output Path Field shows the current Path where the new Video File will be written Click on the button to open a Windows browser to select an alternative directory File Name Click in the field and type a suitable name for the new Video file Input Settings Import Path Field shows the directory where the still images are located Click on the button to open a Windows browser to select the directory where the source image files are located File Format Field shows the image file format to be imported Click on the down arrow to choose the required format from the list below Proceed Click on Proceed to begin the Import and Conversion process Cancel Click on Cancel to abort the Import Projects Import AMERGING Digital Moving Picture Exchange DPX YUV RAW YUV 8 BIT RAW YUV 10 BIT RAW YUV 16 BIT RAW Microsoft Bitmap Portable Network Graphics Joint Photograpic Experts Group Joint Photograpic Experts Gr
276. t a differ ent bit rate Output View Output Page Diagnostic Tools Page 188 AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Buffer Tab The Buffer tab shows three graphical plots 1 Available Video Buffer 2 Queued Buffer 3 Available Audio Buffer Available Audio Buffer Output Page Buffers Tab All three of these graphs show a direct correlation of the scale of available buffer resources in relation to the Play back Buffer frame size Raising or lowering the number of frames in the buffer also raises or lowers the scales of the graphs The Available Video Buffer and Available Audio Buffer scales are subtractive and the red line is lower as the buffers are used in playback while the Queued Buffer graph is additive and rises to show the overall headroom of both the Video and Audio buffers None of the three buffers should ever bottom out during play back If they do this indicates a stall in the system due either to a CPU problem a data throughput problem from the Media Volume to the playback engine or even possibly a PCl e bus problem on the Motherboard due to a sat uration of activity in the system although this is rare The Buffers should remain relatively flat and stable without bottoming out so once again watch for dips in buffers and adjust the Number of Frames in the Playback Buffer accordingly without over consuming system memory Playback Info Tab The Playback Info tab shows two graphical plots with Video Disk Read ms
277. t be used to generate the OMF Media Files data base The first scan process can take a very long time on a big media server storing thousands of files Export Settings Current Export 4s Include All video Tracks in Sequence Include All Audio Tracks in Sequence Video Details Audio Details Export Method Consolidate and Link to Consolidated Media Target Drive for Consolidate Handle Length Frames Fender video Effects x WF Cancel Export Settings Current dialog Projects Import AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM If some media files cannot be found by VCube a dialog is displayed Vcube Prefered Search Directories Please Add Directory To VCube Prefered Search Directories Import Path ly Nino ediayomFIOMF Birminghami oM ar Add Remove GAOMF CZI 3 4OMF VeliMatEi OMFI MediaFiles MMinaediayomriomr Birminghami MFI MediaFilesYPALMERE VCube Preferred Search Directories dialog Here one or many paths to the missing Media Files can be specified to allow VCube to reconnect the needed Media Files Import Path Shows the last Import Path added Clicking on the button opens a Windows File browser to enable paths to be selected Add Clicking on the Add button adds the path displayed in the Import Path field to the list of Paths which will be searched Remove Clicking on the Remove button deletes the path selected by clicking on it in the panel below the Import File
278. t can be compared on a single screen without rendering It can also be used to crop unwanted picture information for example a working copy which has several poten tially confusing burnt in Timecodes at the top or bottom Advanced Preview Picture in Picture can also be used to give Re recording Dubbing Mixers an advanced Preview when mixing as below CM3 00 00 28 05 S CT HEN TELE n B L e pi Tep e A e a e Lo LES GO i iiai Sii E Picture in Picture Advanced Preview In this screenshot the selected Clip on Video Track 1 Layer 2 is advanced by one second and the Motion Rectan gles feature is used to shrink and position it at top right To achieve a similar result do this First copy the Clip you wish to see in advance Paste into a higher Layer Create a new one if necessary at the desired position in advance earlier than the original Clip Values of one foot 16 frames or one second are com monly used El Click on the Motion Rectangles button in the Layer header 1 Clickthe Source button now visible at top left The Motion Source Editing pane opens Editing Editing in the Timeline AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Layer Layer 6 Motion Source Editing CM3 00 00 28 05 Layer Layer 5 Source Left L4 Top ERES HA e d Motion Source Editing 2 Alt Click and Drag a red handle or handles to crop the image if required 3 Press Enter to accept the Source Rectangle changes and close the
279. t location F5 Recursive When checked all Composition Files in the folder specified will be shown including those in sub folders Files Panel shows all Folders and Composition files in the current Path New Opens a new Composition with the current settings Ctrl N If a Composition is already open then a warning dialog appears V Cube Composition Has Been Edited Do You Wantto Saveit BeforeClosing VCube Composition Save warning dialog Cancel Aborts the new Composition and returns to the current one Yes Saves the current Composition and opens the new one No Closes the current Composition without saving it and opens the new one Load Opens a pre existing Composition Ctrl L Control Settings Page File Tab Page 114 AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Save saves the current Composition using the current Composition name Ctrl S Save As Opens a Windows browser to enable the Composition to be with a new name or to anew location This feature is useful since it enables you to save many versions of the same Composition with different names Ctrl Shift S Close Aborts the current Composition Any edit decisions made since the last time the Compo sition was saved are discarded Ctrl Shift Q Delete Deletes the selected Composition from the hard drive Shift DELETE Note The associated Media Files remain on the mass storage Load Selective Enables Composition objects or properties to be im
280. te These four mutually exclusive options apply to whichever Loudness Compliance Stan dard Mode is chosen above Level Magic EBU R128 or ITU 1770 ATSC Please see also J nger Level Magic Expert Settings on page 97 FinalCheck Loudness Normalizer 2 pass When selected this invokes a two pass normalizing process The first pass measures audio loudness according to the channels description The second pass applies the required gain correction to achieve the loudness value set in the Target Loudness drop down When required a True Peak limiter is also activated to ensure that the maximum True Peak value is below 1dBTP The gain correction is however limited to 15dB to avoid excessive correction of channels containing only back ground sounds etc Note If correction of over 15dB is required then no gain adjustment will be applied and the MXFix reports will signal a warning The gain correction is applied to the entire channel to avoid altering the original balance and is of course linked across the entire group of channels to maintain image veracity Target Loudness The drop down list offers a choice of average loudness target values from 20LUFS to 30LUFS FinalCheck Meter amp report Click on the label to toggle the process on off The green LED indicates process on The output of Final Check Meter is an XML report file in the same directory as the wrapped file This file will include measurements of integrated momentary and sh
281. the Format amp Sync Tab Synchronization section configure as below TC Frame Rate PAL 25 fps Chase TC Source Chase Mode Show LTC VITC Sony 8Pin Remote Control 2 Sony 9 Pin Machine Control Formats amp Sync Tab Synchronization section Chase TC Source LTC Toggle Chase Unchecked Sony 9 Pin Remote Control Checked 2 The RS 422 configuration switch must be set to From Controller if you use the RS 422 port This port is named COMS3 in the Settings dialog This port is named COM2 in the Settings dialog for early VCubes using an ASUS motherboard The RS 232 port is named COM1 Port COM Settings COMI shuttle Still Setting Port COM Settings COM1 Current COM Port Click to drop down a list of available COM Ports Var Shuttle with Speed 0 When checked VCube issues a Var Shuttle 0 Speed command when stopped Pause When checked VCube issues a Pause command when stopped Audio data is retained in buffers Stop When checked VCube issues a Stop command when stopped Audio data is flushed from buffers 3 Inthis configuration Video and Audio References are optional Remote Control VCube Controlled by Sony 9 pin Chasing an LTC Source Page 170 AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Synchronize VCube with an LTC Source VCube can chase an LTC source 1 Inthe Format amp Sync Tab Synchronization section configure as below PAL 25 fps Debug Log chine Control Formats amp Sync Tab
282. the Windows Start menu in All Programs VCube Docs Please check for the most recent versions at http www merging com Introduction About This Manual y vM VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Note All features described in the documentation are available in the Advanced Mode If the user interface is set to Simple Mode some features may remain hidden or unavailable To change the UI Mode User Interface gt WorkSpace gt UIMode Advanced Alt F3 User Interface gt WorkSpace gt UlMode Simple Alt F1 Navigation In electronic form all the Contents and Index entries and Cross references are hyperlinks l e Clicking on them will jump to the relevant item ToolTips VCube software is equipped with ToolTips Hovering the mouse cursor over a tool icon pops up a box with the name of the function and the keyboard shortcut where applicable Support If you cannot find an answer to a query in the documentation please consult the on line support at http www merging com where you will find answers to F A Q s Frequently Asked Questions and further support Multiple Monitors VCube supports 2 screen extended desktop operation Depending on the Vcube version and the hardware avail able analog and digital video outputs are available to feed monitors and or projectors Important Note VCube is not only a very powerful video player recorder it is also a highly configurable one the User Interface as much as th
283. the specified location S Kerberos Complete4 View cached filein Media File Browser Media Settings Tab page Settings Settings Page Page 150 AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Media Path Media destination paths point to last used Media destination paths point to default composition path InterChange Import Reconnect only Video clips when Interchange composition contains too many clips When checked only Video Clips are imported if the source composition project contains more than the number of clips spec ified in the field below Clip number Limit Type in the field to set the maximum number of Audio clips to be imported Note To force video only import check the option and set the maximum number value to 0 Note In the case of AAF linking to MXF media the maximum number of files which can be relinked is currently 2000 QuickTime Note You will need to restart VCube after changing these settings Import Audio When checked embedded audio if it exists will be imported Render Audio if Compressed Use Avid DNxHD codec included with QuickTime instead of VCube proprietary When checked supports 10 bit DNXHD files Mp3 Locally by the Original When checked new uncompressed Audio Files will be created in the same folder as the originals Sub locally by the Original in a MTDX Cache sub folder When checked new uncompressed Audio Files will be created in an MTDX Cache sub folder in the same folder as the o
284. the sweet spot range e g 0 3 to 0 6 bit pixel of MPEG 2 Normally set to 1 for MPEG 2 video this setting can be specified independently for each frame type I B and P See ISO IEC 13818 2 This option is only valid for MPEG 2 Use Alternate Scanning Pattern Specify one of two entropy scanning patterns which define the order in which quantized DCT coefficients are run length coded Set to 1 for the alternate scanning pattern or 0 for the zig zag scanning pattern The alternate scanning pattern is considered to be better suited for interlaced video where Appendices MPEG Settings MainConcept Encoder Page 253 AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM sophisticated forward quantization is not enabled This setting can be specified independently for each frame type I B and P See ISO IEC 13818 2 This option is only valid for MPEG 2 The General option offers two more parameters you can change Sequence End Code If set to 1 a sequence end code is written at the end of the video stream it terminates the stream Normally this is set to 1 set to 0 if you intend to concatenate video streams together after encoding See ISO IEC 13818 2 section 6 3 2 or ISO IEC 11172 2 Embed SVCD User Blocks If set to 1 user data blocks are placed in the bitstream to reserve space for the SVCD scan information data The multiplexer then fills in the correct values when the video stream is muxed Should only be enabled for SVCD video but disabled
285. the whole Composition will be rendered Conversion and Rendering Render Composition AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Composition Range When selected the range selected in the Composition currently will be rendered Region When enabled render will be from Region In to Region Out Set by placing a Mark In and Mark Out and choosing Selection gt Range to Region Overlay Burn in Timecode Mask Auto Countdown Auto Wipe When any of the above are checked the relevant overlay will be included in the rendered output Presets Complete sets of render settings can be saved as presets and reloaded for future use Drop down The drop down list shows a list of all Presets available New Highlights the Drop down field inviting entry of anew name Use Save immedi ately afterwards to create the new Preset Save Saves the current Settings to the Preset shown in the Drop down field Rename Highlights the Drop down field inviting entry of anew name for the current Preset Delete Deletes the Preset currently listed in the Drop down field N B There is no Are you sure dialog Video The Video Tab options are the same as those found in the Convert Media Files dialog Please see Video on page 84 Audio The Audio Tab options are the same as those found in the Convert Media Files dialog Please see Audio on page 90 Convert Still Images vM This is an ingest function and details can be found here Import Images Se
286. these cases Compositions can be created by importing projects in formats such as AAF Please see Import on page 34 Alternatively empty Compositions can be created and Media Files imported using the Media File Browser Please see Media Management on page 42 Recording Overview Note When Record Enable is checked Quick SD Settings and Quick HD Settings are unavail able Audio recording is only available with Audio or Video I O card options The plug in corresponding to the video card must be enabled and set up in User Interface gt Settings Tabs gt Settings gt Show Video I O Tab Shift Alt P Please see Video I O on page 138 Note Be sure that both reference video input on the synchronization panel of the VCube and the Video Card Reference Input are referenced to the same genlock black and burst or video sig nal This is the only way to ensure precise timing of the video signal The Record Tab Page has two Tabs Record Settings Show Record Settings Tab includes Enable and Record Settings F 12 Record Log Settings gt Show Record Log shows information about each file recorded Ctrl R Virtual VTR Hz nak S vM VCube record functions mirror closely the record functions found on industry standard VTRs Both Insert and Assemble modes are provided During recording both Video and Audio monitoring go into E to E mode Assemble ASMBL WEMA LHI D VCube Captunt THH ies Caches aed ore S eid
287. ting Composition Path Field shows the Path to the current Composition location The button opens a browser which enables VCube Composition files to be selected from local hard disks or via a net work This Composition Path is also used when a Composition is Saved or Saved As Up Arrow moves up one level in the file hierarchy Refresh Updates the list of Media Files in a specific location F5 Projects Compositions AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Recursive When checked all Media Files in the Folder will be shown including those in sub folders New Opens a new Composition with the current settings Ctrl N f a Composition is already open then a warning dialog appears VCube Composition Has Been Edited Do You Wantto Saveit Before Closing VCube Save Warning dialog Cancel Aborts the new Composition and returns to the current one Yes Saves the current Composition and opens the new one No Closes the current Composition without saving it and opens the new one Load Opens a pre existing Composition Ctrl L Save Saves the current Composition using the current Composition name Ctrl S Save As Opens a Windows browser to enable the Composition to be with a new name or to a new location This feature is useful since it enables you to save many versions of the same Composition with different names Ctrl Shift S Close Aborts the current Composition Any edit decisions made since the last time the Comp
288. tings Surround Input Gain 0 dB a Leveler 2 dB On 23 dBF5 23 dBFS 2 dB 2uB 105 at 1 0 fa B xe 50 dBFS w mid 10 dB k d Processing E y vM 105 10 dB 50 dBFS mid 10 dB 8 dBFS uni J nger Level Magic Expert Settings Conversion and Rendering Level Magic from J nger Audio VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM The settings available here offer fine grained control over the Level Magic process Level Magic EBU R128 ITU 1770 ATSC Surround Link Mode Determines which channels are linked for surround processing The drop down list offers the choice of ALL LIVE MOVIE or QUAD Use ALL for loudness control LFE is omitted from the linkage in each case All the rest of the variables can be set independently for Surround and Stereo Input Gain The drop down lists offer a range of values from 20dB to 20dB in 1dB increments Leveler Zero Zone Above Sets the upper boundary for AGC unity gain Input loudness Output loudness from this point downwards if the input loudness decreases The drop down lists offer a range of values from OdB to 6dB in 1dB increments Normal value is OdB Target Level Sets the target loudness level The drop down lists offer a range of values from 50dB to OdB in 1dB increments Set according to the required standard E g EBU R128 is 23LUFS Zero Zone Below Sets the lower boundary for AGC unity gain Input loudness Output loudness from this point upwards i
289. tio Force 4 3 or Force 16 9 if the aspect ratio metadata needs correction This is particularly useful when there are a lot of files archived with the wrong aspect ratio MXFix Batch Export Re Wrapping Final Check Meter Page 103 AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Note If Transparent is selected aspect ratio metadata field content of the original file is copied to the wrapped file If it is blank it remains blank and if it has a value then that value is carried over to the newly wrapped file Audio Use Audio Card Connection Layout Toggles with Use TrackNumber Instead Of Audio Card Output Connection Note The audio card connection layout in MXFix is associated with the Routing of 8 First Chan nels drop down menu in the Audio Engine tab The options available in this drop down vary in relation to the type of audio hardware present in your VCube system AJA Mykerinos ASIO Using the Use Tracknumber option means there is no need to worry about this setting Force output tracks count to When active the number of Output Tracks embedded audio channels will equal the number shown in the field selected from the drop down list 4 or 8 This may be required for certain hardware If more tracks are present in the source then the extra tracks will be omitted If there are fewer tracks present in the source then extra tracks of silence will be added Audio Word Length 16 Sets Output Word Length to 16 bits 24 Sets Output Wor
290. tion Sim ply load a still image file with alpha channel supported and or enter and position the Copyright Text A Water mark image file must be of the same dimensions as the desired output video format to avoid real time stretching Settings Watermark settings can be found in the Composition Tab Overlay Text Position Horiz Offset Vertical Offset Color Watermark Settings Enable When Enable is checked a user selected Watermark image will be added in real time to every video output Both Text and still image are possible Note Enable must be active in order to access the Watermark settings Load Watermark Image File Opens a Windows File Browser to locate and open the desired image file Image transparency size and position must be set in the image file in a suitable Image Editor matching the current video format Clear Watermark Image File Unloads the current Watermark Image file Overlay Text Type any text required in the field Position The drop down list offers a wide range of positions on screen for the text Horiz Offset Offsets the text by the number of pixels typed in the box to the right or left depending on the anchor position chosen above When Center xx is chosen no offset is possible Watermark and Text Watermark ANVERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Vertical Offset Offsets the text by the number of pixels typed in the box downwards or upwards depending on the anchor position chosen above Wh
291. tion can be used during capture 1 Inthe Format amp Sync Tab Synchronization section configure as below Formats amp Sync Tab Synchronization section Chase TC Source Sony 9 Pin Toggle Chase Checked Sony 9 Pin Machine Control Checked 2 The RS 422 configuration switch must be set to To Machine if you use the RS 422 port This port is named COMS in the Settings dialog This port is named COM2 in the Settings dialog for early VCubes using an ASUS motherboard The RS 232 port is named COMI Machine Control VCube Controlling amp Chasing a Sony 9 pin Page 173 AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM 3 The 9 pin machine is controlled from the VCube Transport Control Panel Internal Machine Set otc In In on Ia ey Pin H MENT 22 02 22 PLAY locked 100 00 i Set ata AnW 2800 eut M out Du pg gd Ego Suto lt OD2ZAT Transport Control Panel Vcube Chases TimeCode from the target machine Note Ensure that the Reference Video Input on the synchronization panel of the VCube and the Video Card Reference Input are referenced to the same genlock black amp burst or video signal This is the only way to ensure precise timing for video signal Note The Record button in the Internal Machine control panel must be enabled only when Chasing is no longer displayed in the Preview Machine Control VCube Controlling amp Chasing a Sony 9 pin Page 174 AMERGING VCube HD V
292. tion frame rate When checked the time base is the same as the Composition Frame Rate When unchecked the time base can be selected from the drop down list above First Foot Position First foot position The Time field enables an offset to be entered if required For example when a leader precedes the first frame of action and the first frame of action should show 0000 Feet For example for a film with a 15 foot leader with the cross at 01 00 00 00 enter an offset of Reset Reset Feet Every Hour When checked the Footage count is zeroed every 60 minutes OK Click on OK to accept any changes and exit the dialog Settings Settings Page Page 152 VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Video Engine The VCube Video Engine Tab enables tuning to suit the circumstances Linear Fast Good Quality Phi Ei m Video Engine Tab page When a interlaced video format must be resized VCube offers different algorithms to process the picture depend ing on the CPU capabilities or the visual quality requirements Resize Quality The field displays the option selected currently The drop down list offers the choice of Nearest neighbour Fastest but poor quality Linear Bi Linear Fast and poor quality Cubic Slow but very good quality Lanczos Very Slow but excellent quality Supersampling Slow but very good for large downscaling Settings Settings Page Page 153 AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Audio Engine The Audio Engine is sel
293. tization operation In normal VBR CBR modes the encoder changes the macroblock quantization value to adjust the bitrate in constant quality mode it does not Appendices MPEG Settings MainConcept Encoder Page 248 y vM VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Note The Average kbps and the Minimum kbps bitrate settings must be zero in order to acti vate the Constant quantization option Rate control mode Shows the current Rate control mode Click to choose between Mode 1 Standard mode recommended Mode 128 Experimental will probably cause problems Should only be used for testing Advanced Video Settings This Tab offers professional settings which should not be changed if you are creating MPEG streams for VCD SVCD or DVD These adjustments are designed for use in specific highly technical environments Advanced MPEG Settings MAIN MPEG Encoder EE ww malnconcept com Basic Settings Video Settings Advanced Video Settings Audio Settings Multiplexer Settings Profile ID Additional settings Motion search pel movement Sequence Header Sequence Extension l Sequence Display Extension l Picture Header b Picture Coding Extension General Hate Control 2 gl Motion Estimation me x start time seconds 7c A L Enable Level ID Horizontal Vertical Noise sensitivity E E E E E H H Motion search mode Input video is RGB16 235 l User quant matrices
294. to 23 30 ITU no reorder 1L 2R 3C ALFE 5Ls 6rS 7Lt 8Rt Pyramix 1L 3C 2R 5Ls 6Rs 4LFE 7Lt 8Rt Analog Tape 1L 5Ls 3C 6Rs 2R4LFE 7Lt 8Rt DTS Music 1L 2R 5Ls 6Rs 3C ALFE 7Lt 8Rt Stereo first 7Lt 8Rt 1L 2R 3C ALFE 5Ls 6Rs The field shows the pair of tracks which will be used for the Dolby E encoded output The selection can be changed by selecting alternatives from the drop down list Options are 1 amp 2 3 amp 4 5 amp 6 and soon up to 23 amp 24 SurCode for Dolby E encoder Settings Clicking in this field opens the SurCode for Dolby E Encoder settings window For vM details of specific settings please consult the MinneTonka document available on their website Settings Settings Page Page 155 VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Isis Controller The ISIS remote control from Merging Technologies is supported by VCube VCube SE does not support this fea ture Please refer to the Isis User Manual for full operational and Isis specific settings details Isis Controller Configure Isis Controller Tab page Isis Controller Enable Isis Controller When checked Isis can control the VCube in addition to the on screen controls Configure Click on the button to open the Isis Configuration dialog Jog Wheel Inertial Response Click and drag the slider to change the hysteresis of the Isis Jog Wheel between Hard tight lock and Smooth for greater flywheel effect Settings Settings Page Page 156 AMERGING
295. to inform the decoder how the pictures were represented before encoding If the sequence display header is not present the decoder will assume Unspecified video for mat This setting does not affect the encoding process at all It is part of the sequence display extension and is only used when the Sequence display extension setting is 1 See ISO IEC 13818 2 This option is only valid for MPEG 2 Color Primaries This field specifies the x y chromaticity coordinates of the source picture primaries It is strictly an informative flag to the video decoder and does not affect the video encoding at all DVD specifies a value of 2 ITU R BT 470 2 System M or 4 SMTPE 170M for NTSC or 3 ITU R BT 470 2 System B G for PAL See ISO IEC 13818 2 This option is only valid for MPEG 2 Transfer Characteristics This field specifies the opto electronic transfer characteristics of the source picture It is strictly an informative flag to the video decoder and does not affect the video encoding at all DVD specifies a value of 2 ITU R BT 470 2 System M or 4 SMTPE 170M for NTSC or 3 ITU R BT 470 2 System B G for PAL See ISO IEC 13818 2 This option is only valid for MPEG 2 Matrix Coefficients This field specifies the matrix coefficients used in deriving luminance and chrominance sig nals from the green blue and red primaries when RGB gt YUV conversion if any is done DVD specifies a value of 3 ITU R Rec 624 4 System B G for both NTSC and PAL
296. to move AVI ref files from one location to another typically from one VCube recorder to different Pyra mix DAWSs make certain that the path to files will remain exactly the same E g if AVI ref video Media Files are saved in the folder D Video capture on the VCube station they must also be copied to an identical folder D Video capture on the Pyramix station Otherwise the path inside to AVI referenced media will no longer be valid and DS video player or Windows Media Player won t be able to play the video files Annoyingly Windows Media Player and DS Player are not able to seek fast forward rewind in an AVI ref file This type of video Media File has to be played from the beginning With VCube it s quite different VCube is able to play displaced AVI ref files without any difficulty as long as all the elementary files composing an AVI ref l e the AVI ref file and the referenced Media Files are in the same folder The path to the media must not to be the same as the original path on the recording machine VCube is able to seek in a displaced AVI ref file AVI 2 files recorded with a VCube can be universally read by any standard Direct Show Video applications such as the DS video player option in Pyramix without any of the above limitations Then the path to media can be what ever you want on the playback machine Windows Media Player and DS Player are also able to seek freely in such an AVI 2 file MPEG Settings MainConcept Encoder
297. tom Verti cal Enable When checked Mask is active Horizontal Field shows current Horizontal Mask setting Click and drag the slider to alter the setting Results are shown instantly in the Preview area Vertical Field shows current Vertical Mask setting Click and drag the slider to alter the setting Results are shown instantly in the Preview area Settings Settings Page Page 140 AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Preview Preview shows settings that affect the way the Composition is displayed Preview 1 Field when Stopped Shift Fields Page Ripping Width Height Brightness IRE Contrast IRE 100 00 Saturation IRE 100 00 Preview Tab page Engine Deinterleave When checked interleaved Fields will be integrated into single Progressive Frames Use this option if the source is interlaced and Output is Progressive Note Automatic video resize may produce wave like artefacts when an interlaced Media File has to be stretched to match the output format One Field When Stopped When checked the graphics card is able to output a stable picture on its video output when in Stop Shift Fields When checked Field Order is reversed Thus the Preview and video graphic card output have the converse Field Order to the Composition Settings Settings Page Page 141 AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Page Flipping When checked can cancel split artefacts in slow progressive mode
298. tput Output Path xxxxxx Shows current path for output file s Click on to open a browser to change the path Log When active a window will appear at the end of the conversion process reporting success and listing any anomalies Overwrite Existing Files When active existing files in the target folder with the same filename will be over written automatically Ask User Before Override When enabled a dialog will appear for each file found in the destination folder with the same name as the file about to be created Keep Original File Name When active the main part of the existing file name will be used to name the newly created Media File E g trailer 6 mp4 is written as trailer 6 cube The fields and buttons below are only available when Keep Original Filename is inactive They enable a Prefix anew Name and a new Suffix to be added while Counter allows the first number in the increment sequence to be user defined All new Media Files will have the name selected along with prefix and suf fix if active and an number incremented automatically Range All Media Files When active all files in the current Composition will be converted Media Files of Selected Clips When active only the Media Files associated with selected Clips will be converted Conversion and Rendering Convert Media Files AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM TC Position Proceed Click on this button to execute the conversion Cancel Click on th
299. tput enable for SDI output 2 Individual Output enable for Analog output Displays the Audio Source selected currently Alternatives are selected from the drop down list When lit Sample Rate Conversion is enabled for the AES EBU inputs Displays the Analog Audio Level selected currently Alternatives are selected form the drop down list Note During capture the reference source is toggled to the active video input Appendices AJA Video Cards and Plugins Page 217 y ne VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM LSe SD SDI Analog 60 pin connector amp BNCs Analog Connections Can be Configured for Component or Composite TC Analog Video Y CVBS In BNC Pb T In BNC Pr C In BNC T G CIBS Out BNC Pb B f Out BNC Pr R C Out BNC eeN iM LI T i T T3 red a ae green e n blue a no red Reference Input BNC J 7 Balanced Audio Analog Audio Channel Input Elea ee ee Analog Audio Channel 2 Input ell PAL and NTSC complying to SMPTE 259M SDI i Genlock BNC Component Composite S Video Input 3 x BNC Analog Audio Channel Output S L3 Component Composite S Video Output 3 x BNC ae j ier Audio s x XLR i Analog Audio Channel 2 Output e O Balanced Audio Out 2x XLR 8 channels 24 Bit 48Khz of embedded audio SDI AES Input Channels amp 2 gt C 2 AES audio channels In 1XLR 2 AES audio channels Out 1XLR AES Output Channels amp 2 2d 1 Appe
300. tyle Bold Trimming Ellipsis Character Alignment Center Line Alignment Center Back Color Background Opacty ame Color Auto Position Clip Info Countdown Settings Clips The fields in this section are the same as for standard Video or Audio Clips However Clip Name appears on the Countdown overlay just below the Count number Clip Name Field shows the current Clip Name Click in the field and type to rename Countdown Font Name Field shows Font selected currently Click to drop down a list of all fonts available on the system Font Style Field shows current style Click to drop down a list of alternatives Regular Bold Italic Bold Italic Underline Strike out Trimming Alignment Field shows current justification Click to drop down list of alternatives Default is Center Left Generated Clips Countdown Clip AMERGING Line Alignment Text Color Text Opacity Back Color Background Opacity Frame Color Comments Step Length millisec First Count Number Last Count Number Type Color Auto Position VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Center Right Field shows current Line Alignment Click to drop down list of alternatives Default is Cen ter Top Center Bottom Field shows current Text Color Click to open the Color Picker Please see Color Picker on page 17 The field is a slider showing the current opacity between 1 and 255 Click and drag the slider to change the value
301. ube Controlled by Sony 9 pin Chasing an LTC Source 170 VCube Controlling amp Chasing a Sony 9 pin 173 VCube Hardware Sync Connections 222 VCube Player 138 VCube Preferred Search Directories 41 VCube Recorder 138 VCube SE Auto Sync Settings 24 Video and Audio Disk Read graphs 190 Video and Audio Outputs 14 Video Clip Information 116 Video Codecs Supported 238 Video Engine 153 Videol O 138 Video Outputs 14 Video Playback is shifted 200 Video Test Pattern Clip 80 Video Track Header 49 Video Tracks and Layers 49 View Page 19 View Tab 115 View Toolpicker 160 Virtual Transport 2 24 Virtual VTR 58 Page 289 vM Vista 15 VITC Generator 136 VITC Reader 136 VS3 Control Panel 221 W Watermark 72 145 Watermark and Text 72 Widescreen Signaling 39 Width 134 Window size reduction 148 Windows Vista 15 Wipe Clip 79 Workspace 123 Wrap Audio 91 Audio Processing Tab 94 Main Tab 92 Wrapping 82 89 X XenaHS 14 XenaLs 14 XML 82 Z Zoom 51 Zoom All 20 Zoom In 20 Zoom in the Timeline 20 Zoom Menu 178 Zoom Out 20 Zoom Tools 160 VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Page 290 vM Am
302. udio Level selected currently Alternatives are selected form the drop down list Note During capture the reference source is toggled to the active video input Appendices AJA Video Cards and Plugins Page 206 y ne Open Advanced Router Panel Click the button to open the Advanced Router Panel F EE VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM MENA LHi B x Preset None x i Rediscover Hostname localhost x x CSC 1 LUT 4 1 a UE Mixer Kewer l St 36 In 4j E 36 Dut 4 1080i 50 00 36 In 1b 10807 50 00 36 Out 1b 8 Bit HDV YCbCr UY vor IGI cm IH Frame Pas ia Analog Out gm a Store Ls 625 50 00 Tes 10807 50 00 HDMIIm to HDMI Out B 10801 50 00 pvc pr 525 50 00 1080i 50 00 10 Bit YCbCr Converter a i enlack Freerun 1080 50 00 Video Audio Info Control Input Tvpe Select Embedded Source Embedded Ch 1 8 amp amp Input 1 Embedded Ch 9 16 Input 2 amp AES Analog HDMI Loop Audio Input AJA LH i 2K Router Control Panel The screenshot shows the default playback routing for HD Click and Drag connects the different elements Right click accesses the context drop down list of settings for every element User configurations can be saved as presets The configuration last used is recalled automatically when the PC is started up Appendices AJA Video Cards and Plugins y ne VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM
303. ustrial R5422 Sony 9 pin FUNCTION SUB D 9P SUB D oP FONCTION Adapter FEMALE E FEMALE RS422 EE TXD A o TXD A TI ERN 1x08 o o e gt 8 oe AXD B RXD B RXD4 4 2 RXD A pu gt ee cro e S a ATS B 7 HC 1 4 iw NOTE NC HOT CONNECTED CABLE COLOUR CODE SUB D 9P FEMALE R5422 Sony 9pin SUB D 9P FEMALE RS 422 Industrial Appendices Sony 9 Pin RS422 Wiring Chart Page 277 AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Glossary 4 1 1 Is the color sampling mode used in DV NTSC 4 2 0 Is the color sampling mode used in DV PAL 4 2 2 A commonly used term for a component digital video format The details of the format are specified in the ITU R BT 601 2 standard document The numerals 4 2 2 denote the ratio of the sampling frequencies of the single luminance channel to the two color difference channels For every four luminance samples there are two samples of each color difference channel See ITU R BT 601 2 Appendices Glossary Page 278 AMERGING VGube HD VIDEO SYSTEM 4 4 4 Similar to 4 2 2 except that for every four luminance samples the color channels are also sampled four times A AES EBU Informal name for a digital audio standard established jointly by the AES and EBU organiza tions The sampling frequency for this standard varies depending on the format being use
304. ut of the darkness RGB stores individual values for red green and blue RGBA is RGB with an additional channel alpha to indicate transparency YPbPr also referred to as YPrPb PrPbY and PbPrY is a color space used in video electronics It is numerically equivalent to the YCbCr colour space but is designed for use in analogue systems whereas YCbCr is intended for digital video YCbCr is a family of color spaces used in video systems Y is the luma component and Cb and Cr the chroma com ponents It is often confused with the YUV colour space and typically the terms YCbCr and YUV are used inter changeably leading to confusion In fact when referring to signals in digital form the term YUV probably really means YCbCr more often than not Bit Depth As usual in digital conversion of values the higher the bit depth the higher the resolution As usual more bits means more information higher bandwidth higher technical requirements 8 bit leads to 256 possible values 10 bit leads to 1024 possible values Appendices Video Formats and Bandwidth Page 235 AMERGING y ne VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM 12 bit leads to 4096 possible values More bits for pixel sampling is only used for special cases like film color calibration and other computing intensive processes Linear scale means that the input value is reflected with no change to the output Logarithmic scale is a scale of measurement that outputs t
305. ver the tracks to display contextual menus Note The Timeline menu contents varies depending on circumstances Preview Context Menu In Simple Full Screen or Floating modes several VCube functions can be accessed with a Right Click on the pre view area Toggle Fullscreen Preview Toggle Floating Window s Toggle Show Hide Settings Toggle Burn in Timecode Toggle External TC Toggle Mask On Off Preview Context Menu Toggle Fullscreen Preview F3 Toggles Preview Full Screen Toggle Floating Window FA Toggles the Preview window floating and hides the User Interface except for broken away windows Toggle Show Hide Settings F2 Toggles Control Settings Pages Toggle Burn in Timecode B Toggles the Burnt in TimeCode Counter Show Hide Toggle External TC Alt B Toggles the External TimeCode Input display Show Hide Toggle Mask On Off M Toggles the horizontal and vertical Masking On Off Navigating the Interface Whilst it is perfectly possible to operate VCube without recourse to Keyboard Shortcuts we strongly advise learn ing at least the basics Changing the layout of the User Interface during operation and opening and closing the most common Pages and Folders is much more efficient this way rather than delving in menus The following list gives the most commonly used Interface functions their shortcuts and menu entries Display Control Settings Pages F2 User Interface Toggle Show Hide Settings Displays the Setti
306. when moved to the right If you use Ctrl the fade can be adjusted symmetrically If you use Ctrl while moving a faded Clip an automatic symmetric cross fade is produced within the adjacent Clips On the right Handles act in the same manner for the Out point With Grouped Clips having the same Source In TC and the same In Time in the Timeline actions on han dles are applied to all Clips Click Shift on a handle temporarily unlinks the selected Clips and produces a fade action only on the Clip with the handle clicked After such an operation the handles remain unlinked until all grouped clips fade handles are restored to no fade in at the same Timecode Editing Editing in the Timeline vM VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Edit Context Menu Right Clicking on the Selection displays a contextual menu with editing functions Cut Cut amp Ripple Copy Paste Paste amp Ripple Paste at Previous TimeCode Paste To original TC Send Selection to Mark In Send Selection to Mark Out Send Selection to Cursor Cut Ctrl X Cut amp Ripple Ctrl Shift X Copy Ctrl C Paste Ctrl V Paste amp Ripple Ctrl Shift V Paste to Previous Timecode Ctrl M Paste to Original TC Send Selectionto Mark In Send Selection to Mark Out Send Selectionto Cursor Send Selection to Original Timecode Delet Ext DELETE Group Selection Ctrl G Ungroup Selection Ctrl U Lock Selection Ctrl K Unlock Selection Ctrl Sh
307. y remain CPU efficient since they do not require real time encod ing or decoding when they are created or played back 2 Protects and encrypts media at the time of creation making un authorized use of these files virtually impossi ble 128bit data encryption of the actual media files themselves is applied in real time as well as a metadata flag indicating to VCube and Pyramix that the files in question are protected from playback via Active Key and must be authorized before they may be decoded in real time for playback or further processing Note If you are interested in this optional feature please contact your Merging Technologies Sales Partner for further detailed information Settings Settings Page Page 149 AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Media Settings The Media Settings Tab manages Media Paths InterChange Import options for AAF etc and the manner in which QuickTime and Mp3 files are handled by VCube Media Settings Media destination paths point to last used Media destination paths pointto default composition path Reconnect only Video clips when Interchange composition contains too many dips Clip number Limit 1880 Note Youwill needto restart VCubeafter changingthese settings Import Audio Render Audio if Compressed Use Avid DNxHD codec included with QuickTime instead of VCube proprietary Locally bythe Original Sub Locally by the original ina MTDX Cache sub folder Custom files generated at
308. ze TC Frame Rate Settings Settings Page Page 134 AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Synchronization TimeCode Incoming and Outgoing TC Frame Rate Shows current TimeCode Frame Rate Click to drop down the full list of frame Rates Chase TC Source Shows Current TimeCode Chase Source Click to drop down the list of all sources avail able LTC VITC Sony 9 pin Midi TimeCode MTC Chase Mode Shows current Chase Mode Click to change from Hard to Soft or vice versa Toggle Chase When checked Chase is enabled Show LTC VITC Click to open LTC VITC Settings dialog Please see LTC VITC Settings on page 136 Allow Chasing Across Midnight When checked chasing across TimeCode midnight is possible 23 59 59 24 changes to 00 00 00 00 one frame later Chase Offset Shows current Chase Offset Click in the field to type an Offset Graphic Card Delay Compensation Shows current delay compensation in frames Click to drop down a list of values between 10 and 10 Video Card Delay Compensation Shows current delay compensation in frames Click to drop down a list of values between 10 and 10 Sony 9 Pin Remote Control When checked 9 pin Remote control is active Settings Opens the Port COM Settings dialog Port COM Settings Port COM Settings dialog COM1 Current COM Port Click to drop down a list of available COM Ports Var Shuttle with Speed O When checked VCube issues a Var Shuttle 0 Speed command when stopped Pause Wh
309. ze Tab Hide All Composition Tabs Hide General Tab Hide Watermark Tab Hide All Buffer amp cache Tabs Hide Playback Buffer Tab Hide Read Cache Tabs Hide All User Interface Settings Tabs Hide Display Manual Resize Tab Hide Language Tab Note In Full Screen and Floating modes all VCube functions can also be accessed from a con text menu with a Right Click on the Preview area In Simple Mode only those functions not hid den will be available Edit The Edit Tab Page has four Tabs Main Clips Layers and Tracks Main Main gives access to the other Edit Tabs and provides two buttons to Undo and Redo Edit Main Tab page The other Tabs can be accessed via the drop down list on the left the icons or the left right arrows on the right Undo Undoes the last Edit action Redo Redoes the last Edit Action to be Undone Control Settings Page Edit Page 127 AMERGING VCube HD VIDEO SYSTEM Clips The Clips Tab deals with manipulating and editing Clips Edit HUE Clips Group Selection Ungroup Selection Cut Cut amp Ripple Edit Clips Tab page Group Selection Groups the Selected Clips Ungroup Selection Ungroups all Clips in the current Selection when Grouped Cut Cuts all selected Clips Cut amp Ripple Cuts all selected Clips and Ripples Moves all subsequent Clips to the left in the Timeline earlier by the amount corresponding to the duration of the Clip s removed Copy Copies the selected Clips to the Clipbo

VCube 5.1 User Manual - Merging Technologies

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