FCP editing suite setup?

C

celluloideyes

Member
I am looking to put together my own nonlinear editing suite (using FCP) just like this one: http://www.flickr.com/photos/averagejane/1023176171/sizes/l/

I am curious all the components needed. Here's a list of things, let me know what I'm missing:

-my PowerMac G5 Dual 2ghz w/ 5gb RAM (and FCP, etc.)
-2 lcd monitors for editing (1 for clips, 1 for timeline)
-1 broadcast monitor
-BlackMagic DeckLink SP (for the broadcast monitor)

Now--I need studio monitor speakers. How do I hook up studio monitors to my computer?

-Do I need audio levels? Like, in the picture, on the far left behind the girl.
-Do I need a VCR or anything hooked up, too? If so, how?

I will be using an older minidv camera as my deck for importing footage, so I don't need a new, expensive deck.

-What are the devices under the LCD monitors?

Can I have 2 LCD monitors and 2 broadcast monitors hooked up? How?
 
I'm sure there are a lot of people out there wondering what ALL it takes to put together a great editing suite.

Imagine $$$ is no issue. What equipment would you need AND why?
 
If you don't plan on doing uncompressed online work the blackmagic card might be a waste of money. You can just stream via firewire out to your camera, and hook the camera up to a monitor.
 
hoarp001 said:
Or get this that does the same thing but is neater and cleaner to use...

http://www.dvbuyer.co.uk/details.php?mn=8&sb=42&PID=174
Click to expand...

icky- that is a piece of junk, avoid avoid avoid! :zombie_smiley:

Seriously though you didn't say what format/camera you'd be shooting and what your budget is. You don't say price is no object and then I can't even afford a $1500 DV deck in the same thought. Clarify so we can give you suggestions.

For one thing a G5 is increasingly outdated. Sure it will work with FCP and all that but if you wanted state of the art it's time to move up to Intel.

Second- I'd probably get a nice outboard piece of gear like an AJA IO HD. That way you can expand while maintaining viewing options in DV and HD- should you need them.

noah
 
Don't meant to sound like a noob, but what's the difference between offline and online editing?

Aren't I editing uncompressed footage now?
 
The whole offline / online thing comes from back when people used to edit in a linear way using tapes. The offline editor would sit there with a pen and paper with a bunch of VHS tapes and write down the TC in and out of every shot in order. They would then take this to the online editor who would compile it into a big list and the very basic computer would then go through and copy the clips onto one tape in sequence.

As video editing evolved the offline / online thing took on different meaning, and nowadays it usually means someone offline edits on a simpler system using low quality files. They set the order and the style, then they send this to the online editor who copies it using the highest quality media and then outputs it in its final format.
 
I will be using my dvx100a.

This editing suite is for home use and I have a G5--it might be outdated Noah, but it's what I have.

I looked in the AJA IO HD, but I will only be editing SD material, so I decided on the DeckLink SP. I didn't say I can't afford a $1500 deck; I said I will just be using another dv camera as a deck.

I will be editing online.

Based on the picture in my first post there, what all equipment is being used there? It's an editing bay from "On the Lot".
 
celluloideyes said:
I will be using my dvx100a.

This editing suite is for home use and I have a G5--it might be outdated Noah, but it's what I have.

I looked in the AJA IO HD, but I will only be editing SD material, so I decided on the DeckLink SP. I didn't say I can't afford a $1500 deck; I said I will just be using another dv camera as a deck.

I will be editing online.

Based on the picture in my first post there, what all equipment is being used there? It's an editing bay from "On the Lot".
Click to expand...

If you will only be editing DV, importing and exporting from a DV deck, there is no point to having a Decklink SP card. You would use that if you were importing from an analog format like BetaSP, or Digibeta via SDI, but it will afford you no advantage with DV. Just use your DV deck to monitor from. And although many people shoot in DV these days, it really isn't considered an online format.
 
celluloideyes said:
Based on the picture in my first post there, what all equipment is being used there? It's an editing bay from "On the Lot".
Click to expand...

Er- that's an Avid/ProTools rig. :cry: Do we want that or do we want a Final Cut Pro system?

-Noah
 
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celluloideyes said:
I will be using my dvx100a.

This editing suite is for home use and I have a G5--it might be outdated Noah, but it's what I have.

I looked in the AJA IO HD, but I will only be editing SD material, so I decided on the DeckLink SP. I didn't say I can't afford a $1500 deck; I said I will just be using another dv camera as a deck.

I will be editing online.
Click to expand...

In that case you won't need the AJA at all. You use the second camera as your playback deck. The G5 is fine and you can connect speakers to the deck as well. Then you want a nice production monitor- I like Sony- though they only have CRTs used now, LCDs new. I go over this in detail on my DVX100 disc btw. :)

Noah
 
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NoahK said:
icky- that is a piece of junk, avoid avoid avoid! :zombie_smiley:

Seriously though you didn't say what format/camera you'd be shooting and what your budget is. You don't say price is no object and then I can't even afford a $1500 DV deck in the same thought. Clarify so we can give you suggestions.

For one thing a G5 is increasingly outdated. Sure it will work with FCP and all that but if you wanted state of the art it's time to move up to Intel.

Second- I'd probably get a nice outboard piece of gear like an AJA IO HD. That way you can expand while maintaining viewing options in DV and HD- should you need them.

noah
Click to expand...

http://www.dvbuyer.co.uk/details.php?mn=8&sb=42&PID=174

I have this converter and it works great for me using DV-25 and Edius. Edius is true RT using only OHCI.


Celluloideyes, with any converter you can run the audio into your stereo or into your audio mixing board. Here as some converters that might suit your needs.

http://www.canopus.com/products/ADVC1000/index.php

http://www.canopus.com/products/ADVC300/index.php

http://www.canopus.com/products/ADVC3000/index.php


As some one else mentioned you can loop through your camera but a conveter is more handy.
 
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So, since I won't be use a DVCAM deck or BetaSP, then I don't need a DeckLink SP card? Okay.

Most of the broadcast monitors by Sony don't have AV jacks in the back. That's why I thought I needed the DeckLink SP card.

How would I hook up a broadcast monitor (Sony CRT) to my minidv camera I'm using as a deck? The connections on broadcast monitors have different conections (not AV/yellow input RCA connections). I can hook it up to just a regular tv, but I'd like a broadcast monitor that's calibrated correctly for color correction.

If I was to get studio monitors for audio, would those plug directly into my tower or do I need any kind of special connection for that?
 
celluloideyes said:
So, since I won't be use a DVCAM deck or BetaSP, then I don't need a DeckLink SP card? Okay.

Most of the broadcast monitors by Sony don't have AV jacks in the back. That's why I thought I needed the DeckLink SP card.

How would I hook up a broadcast monitor (Sony CRT) to my minidv camera I'm using as a deck? The connections on broadcast monitors have different conections (not AV/yellow input RCA connections). I can hook it up to just a regular tv, but I'd like a broadcast monitor that's calibrated correctly for color correction.

If I was to get studio monitors for audio, would those plug directly into my tower or do I need any kind of special connection for that?
Click to expand...

There more you pay the more I/O options you have. If you edit DV-25 any NTSC TV should work decent but it depends on your needs. With these converters you can send the audio any where you want (stereo or audio board).

http://www.canopus.com/products/ADVC1000/index.php

http://www.canopus.com/products/ADVC300/index.php

http://www.canopus.com/products/ADVC3000/index.php
 
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So, with, say, that Canopus converter--I would hook up my deck (older Sony minidv camera) to the convertor, then be able to hook up a tv through the RCA (yellow) jack, the audio (using the white and red jack), AND another broadcast monitor through the other connections.

This is a monitor I'm thinking of:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Sony-PVM-1341-1...ryZ21517QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

See those connections in the back--seeing those is the reason I thought I needed a
DeckLink SP card--to hook this type of monitor into the card.

Is there another way to hook this type of monitor up to the computer (or my minidv camera deck) without the DeckLink card? Can I hook it up through the Canopus
converter?

But what's the price of that converter? It might actually be cheaper to just buy a DeckLink SP card even though I wouldn't be "properly" using it (as of yet). Maybe eventually I'll use BetaSP or Digibeta...

I just want to have my 2 LCD monitors for editing, a studio broadcast monitor for
viewing the product and CC'ing (as well as looking at my AE effects and CC'ing in
realtime).

(I now realize that first picture in my first post was an AVID setup)
Please look at these 2 images, which are FCP editing suites:

http://rtf.utexas.edu/images/resources/facilities/cmb/kona/2.jpg

http://www.uncp.edu/wncp/photo/facility/edit3.jpg

In the 2nd image he is using DVC Pro, miniDV, S-VHS, and 3/4" formats to edit. He also has 2 studio broadcast monitors, as well as 2 CRT monitors used for editing. How does he have all these monitors hooked up and running together? What does he have them running through? What are the audio levels and video equipment on the bottom left all hooked up to?

These are the kind of questions I have. I really do think others reading this (just not posting) are curious, too. These may seem obvious, but for a lot of people wanting to set something like this up, it may be more complicated.


**I have my BFA in Film Studies from Arizona State and have been editing with FCP Studio for years, but was editing on a 17" PowerBook. Now that I have a G5 PowerMac I'm just looking to get myself a nice little editing suite. That's why I have all these noob setup questions. Has nothing to do with my editing capabilities.**
 
celluloideyes said:
How would I hook up a broadcast monitor (Sony CRT) to my minidv camera I'm using as a deck? The connections on broadcast monitors have different conections (not AV/yellow input RCA connections). I can hook it up to just a regular tv, but I'd like a broadcast monitor that's calibrated correctly for color correction.
Click to expand...

They usually have BNC connectors. Just pick up a BNC female to RCA female adapter from radio shack for a few bucks.
 
If you edit DV-25 you can connect the cheap Canopus ADVC 300 converter into your Fire Wire (OHCI) port and then connect I/O of the converter to the NTSC monitor. There is no need for a deck. You can also get a BNC to RCA or even BNC to S-Video adapters.

If you have bootcamp try the Edius demo with the ADVC 300 converter and be amazed. Edius is true RT. There is no such things as a preview mode with Edius. I use the DAC-100 but the Edius ADVC 300 is much better. All converters will work the same way with DV-25. I am not sure if FCP will give you a realtime preview to the NTSC monitor like Adobe PP CS3 and Vegas Pro. I know the converters work great for PP CS3, Vegas Pro and Edius. Premiere Pro gives decent RT previews on the NTSC monitor but Edius is true RT back to tape even when using several layers with effects applied. PP CS3 and Vegas look much better when render out as opposed to the realtime preview on the NTSC monitor. The RT previews can look real choppy or real pixilated when using several layer with effects. I image FCP will work like PP CS3 and Vegas as oppose to Edius. For DV-25 anything more than the Canopus ADVC 300 or DAC-100 is overkill. Also a basic NTSC TV should work OK for monitoring DV-25 footage. I hope this helps.

My system has 2 LCD monitor and an NTSC monitor just like in the photo but I also have a sweet ass mixing board for my system.







celluloideyes said:
So, with, say, that Canopus converter--I would hook up my deck (older Sony minidv camera) to the convertor, then be able to hook up a tv through the RCA (yellow) jack, the audio (using the white and red jack), AND another broadcast monitor through the other connections.

This is a monitor I'm thinking of:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Sony-PVM-1341-1...ryZ21517QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

See those connections in the back--seeing those is the reason I thought I needed a
DeckLink SP card--to hook this type of monitor into the card.

Is there another way to hook this type of monitor up to the computer (or my minidv camera deck) without the DeckLink card? Can I hook it up through the Canopus
converter?

But what's the price of that converter? It might actually be cheaper to just buy a DeckLink SP card even though I wouldn't be "properly" using it (as of yet). Maybe eventually I'll use BetaSP or Digibeta...

I just want to have my 2 LCD monitors for editing, a studio broadcast monitor for
viewing the product and CC'ing (as well as looking at my AE effects and CC'ing in
realtime).

(I now realize that first picture in my first post was an AVID setup)
Please look at these 2 images, which are FCP editing suites:

http://rtf.utexas.edu/images/resources/facilities/cmb/kona/2.jpg

http://www.uncp.edu/wncp/photo/facility/edit3.jpg

In the 2nd image he is using DVC Pro, miniDV, S-VHS, and 3/4" formats to edit. He also has 2 studio broadcast monitors, as well as 2 CRT monitors used for editing. How does he have all these monitors hooked up and running together? What does he have them running through? What are the audio levels and video equipment on the bottom left all hooked up to?

These are the kind of questions I have. I really do think others reading this (just not posting) are curious, too. These may seem obvious, but for a lot of people wanting to set something like this up, it may be more complicated.


**I have my BFA in Film Studies from Arizona State and have been editing with FCP Studio for years, but was editing on a 17" PowerBook. Now that I have a G5 PowerMac I'm just looking to get myself a nice little editing suite. That's why I have all these noob setup questions. Has nothing to do with my editing capabilities.**
Click to expand...
 
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You really won't need the Canopus or the DAC thingy- your cheapie ingest camera does the exact same thing- convert DV to analog video. You can connect via S-Video connector that looks pretty solid or as Batutta says through RCA/BNC adapter.

Noah
 
NoahK said:
You really won't need the Canopus or the DAC thingy- your cheapie ingest camera does the exact same thing- convert DV to analog video. You can connect via S-Video connector that looks pretty solid or as Batutta says through RCA/BNC adapter.

Noah
Click to expand...


We have all stated Celluloideyes can loop through the camera but it is much easier to use the converter. With the DAC-100 you do not have to keep hooking your camera back up and you can edit while somone else gets more footage with the camera. In a nut shell the converters are handy to have but everyone will have different needs. I posted the other converters to show the options they can provide (SDI, component, 3/4 Umatic, BetaCam etc).
 
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