Feature

By
Ray Cronise

Equipment needed: AD516/studio16, SMPTE output module, Toaster/Flyer, and Separate Amigas for Video Toaster Flyer/AD516 - also Recommended: Desktop Images AD516 tutorial tape

ne of my first experiences with video editing was in a really nice BetaCam SP editing suite. They had spent over $2 million on this place and had some fantastic equipment. We had just finished laying the video track down to the V/O cut earlier, and the producer walked in the editing suite. "Can you guys hear that hum?," she said. Then added, "you know, these shots are really boring here, could you add a little nat sound?" I was about to cringe - we had just spent 2 hours on this piece and I was ready to get out of there. The audio engineer said, "No problem, we'll have it done in an hour or so." He then asked the video editor to route the audio to the audio edit suite and he left the editing bay.

Back at what looked like the bridge of the Enterprise, he started a new project in his computer-based audio edit suite, and called for the video editor to switch the record machine to remote. He then jogged through the Master from three rooms over, pulled the audio over to his computer and started whizzing away. After a few filters and adding some "people background noise," he called the producer back in to take a look. He hit play on his computer and the synchronized audio and video played overhead. I was impressed - 45 minutes and we were done-the audio was back to the Master and ready to air.

I was amazed at what I had just seen and instantly realized the power of SMPTE timecode in editing and controlling remote machines. I was envious that I couldn't do this in my home Hi8 editing suite. Well just a few short years later and I can do the same thing with my Video Toaster Flyer and Sunrise AD516 card. I hear you now, "but the Flyer doesn't do timecode," you say - well, yes it does!

First you will need the VT Flyer system and a separate Amiga for your AD516. I use an 040 accelerated 2000 with a flicker fixer for my Studio 16 interface. It allows me much better resolution and I can open more of the Studio 16 modules at one time without crowding the screen. I have a program by the late Sunrize Industries called SMPTE Output which allows a user to generate SMPTE time code out of the Amiga right audio port with a user defined start point. If you don't have this, you may have to connect a SMPTE source from a tape deck and blank a tape with the amount of SMPTE time code needed. The Horita TG50 should work as well.

Be sure to use drop-frame as this is the Time Code used by the Flyer. You can change this in the preferences area of the Studio 16 software.

Once you find a SMPTE source, record a Flyer Clip long enough for the show - I have one that is an hour long. Here's the cool trick: since the timecode audio is recorded on the right channel only, you can feed that audio over to the SMPTE timecode input (top RCA jack) on the AD516 board. Now, whenever you play a project with this clip in it, The AD516 will simply lock to the Flyer via the SMPTE timecode. No matter where you start in the project, your AD516 will be right there. If you own Co-Pilot audio, you can use it to pan all of your audio in your project to the left output. The Flyer audio is typically mono - an interview, a ceremony, or just some nat sound from the B-Roll; typically none of this is stereo. If so, you will need to record the clip's audio to the AD516 and place that clip in the AD516 timeline.

To start your edit, bring up the SMPTE Monitor module in Studio 16. Be sure that the Right flyer channel is connected to the SMPTE timecode in on the AD516 board. Now, lock the SMPTE clip down to the beginning of the project.

If you look on the Studio 16 interface as you jog/shuttle through the Flyer SMPTE clip, you should see the SMPTE Monitor update. You are ready to edit. Even if you do a "play from" on the Flyer, the audio will start on the AD516 perfectly synced, every time. Audio enveloping is now a breeze and you can add unlimited layers - dynamically changing them as you go. In my case, a Mackie 1202 is used to mix the AD516 output and the Flyer left channel, and the mix is sent to the record master. When finished with the mix, I usually record a Flyer clip of the Studio 16 project for backup and place it into the project. Now everything plays right on cue.

Note that this approach is not limited to the AD516; you can use any SMPTE time code based editor. Whether it's a Mac, PC, or deck based, you will be confident that real-time audio layering is never a problem. This opens a new avenue of Flyer Editing. One valuable source of Audio techniques for the AD516 can be found in the Desktop Images series on the AD516. This is a fantastic tape and is what originally inspired me to try this out. ProWave's Flyer Flight Notes, featuring Don Ballance, will also cover this topic in a soon to be released tape on Flyer Audio Editing.

Ray Cronise is president of ProWave, Inc. which produces add-ons for the Video Toaster Flyer, the advanced LightWave 3D tutorial series: LightWave 3D in focus, and the Flyer tutorial series: Flyer Flight Notes. He can be reached by e-mail at ProWave@aol.com or by phone at (205) 830-2767.