Product Review

DM is an extremely handy piece of software dedicated to making all your Edit Decision Lists a lot easier to deal with. DM allows you the flexibility to use and create EDLs on other platforms (provided they use the common Grass Valley or CMX Formats) and transport them to your Amiga for further use. Or, you can go the other way - you can create EDLs with DM on your Amiga and transport them for use in a Dedicated Edit Facility with equal ease.

But there's lots more to DM than just that. Here's the NEW features:

• New interface for Flyer users. For those not used to the Amiga Hi-res Flicker, the DM screen - while pretty - can drive you crazy from the jitter. We have redrawn the screen to look like the Flyer interface and we also used their palette. This drastically reduces the amount of flicker on the screen.

• Rename option now allows you to rename ALL files, just selected files, or just the path names. This is very handy if you move your files from one drive to another. Now you can just change the path to match the project. Also works for subdirectories.

• Set Duration - The new button allows you to enter the duration of a clip. If you know the In point and know exactly how long you want the clip to be in length, this will automatically set your OUT point for you. Manual mode also lets you use this feature.

• Print EDL - You now have the option to send your EDL to your printer.

• DM now checks available space left on hard drive before digitizing begins.

• Entries are highlighted as they are being recorded. This makes it easier to follow along with the recording.

• Moved Flyer Input & Compression Selection to menu. Usually you will always have these the same each time, so it saves a step in digitizing. This is also saved in the config file so DM remembers its last settings.

• Offsets are now saved with each EDL, so if you use various settings on each project, the program will remember them when you load in that EDL.

• You can now set an In or Out point first then set the other before you add it to the EDL.

• On Insert new tape, has option to eject current tape. This saves you from having to change some decks to manual control from remote then back again.

• Checks for subdirectories on Flyer Drives. If not there it asks to create them.

• Calculate time code - This allows you to select entries in the EDL and total their time codes together.

• You can now select the color of the time code font on screen. This is edited in the config file.

• We also added an option in the menus for those who have a variable speed deck. This allows you to record slow motion and such.

• Node number for VLAN users can now be changed. Since the VLAN can handle up to 32 decks, this makes it handy if you need to access a different deck without having to disconnect & reconnect cables.

• Frame adjustment is also in there. Since the Flyer is not quite as acurate as Newtek would like us to believe, this allows you to tweak your system. If your In & Out points seem to be off a little, this allows you to put an offset in there to help resolve the problem.

• Function Keys act like Flyer Screen To Select Main Video Output.

• Merlin's Software has made a link with Ozware's great CoPilot Video software. They have a routine called "Remove Waste", that removes unwanted or unneeded video from clips once the project has been created. When you use our redigitze option, it only records the clips that were actually used in a project but it digitizes the entire clip. Now if you have CoPilot, it allows you to save a new DM EDL list out that matches the cuts you made in your new project. This can greatly reduce the amount of hard drive space being used. If you do not own CoPilot, contact Michael Holten at 360-805-0148. If you do own it you might want to give them a call to get an update to the version that saves out the DM EDL list.

With the Newtek Flyer or the V-LAB Motion Board in conjunction with your single-frame controller (or a frame-accurate VTR) you can do ALL of your editing directly from your friendly local Amiga screen. Furthermore, DM's extremely handy REDIGITIZE function means that you no longer have to backup your clips to DAT. You can ReDigitize instead with no loss in quality or speed. Decision Maker will keep track of all of your source tapes as well. DM even offers a nifty Time Lapse Record function.

However, the Big News with DM 2.0 is that it now supports the Control-L (LANC) protocol! With the addition of Addenda's Rosetta Stone 232 to LANC cable plugged into your Amiga serial port, you can talk directly to the Sony VX1000 Digital Camera right from the Amiga screen. Decision Maker also supports the 422 protocol with an additional Addenda cable.

By way of further illustration, here's a li'l tutorial demonstrating how easy Decision Maker is to use:

The first thing you need to do before you start DM is to make sure that your nonlinear system software is up and running first. Of course you'd also do well to make sure that your VTR is also hooked up and ready to roll.

Here's a run-down of DM's buttons:

LOAD EDL - Those users who are particularly keen of perception will have surmised that this button is the one to use if you want to LOAD an EDL. When you click on this button, DM will display one of our Patented Friendly Requesters and ask you to select the EDL to load. By default DM will look first in the DM:EDL directory. DM can load any EDL provided it is in the common CMX or Grass Valley formats.

SAVE EDL - Those same shrewd users will have figured out that this is the button you click when you wanna SAVE an EDL. As with the LOAD EDL button, by default DM will open its requester in the DM:EDL directory and prompt you for a name. Any EDL saved by DM can be used on other platforms utilizing CMX or Grass Valley EDL formats.

CLEAR EDL - Care to guess what this button does? - yep, it actually CLEARS the EDL. Just in case you click it by accident, DM will ask if you're really sure you wanna clear the EDL.

CLIP NAME - DM offers Flyer users the flexibility of choosing a BaseName for clips or selecting an individual path and name for each clip added to the EDL. When you click the CLIP NAME button, a requester will appear and ask which you want to choose - BaseName or Individual. If you choose Individual, then every time you add a new clip to the EDL a requester will appear and ask you to choose a path and ClipName. If you choose a BaseName, then when you add a new clip to the EDL it will automagically be named BaseName.001, BaseName.002, BaseName.003, etc. If you find that you need to choose a different path and name for a clip in the EDL, you can also use this button to toggle between the use of a BaseName or naming clips individually. By the way, the CLIP NAME button is not needed for use with the V-LAB.

TAPE NUM - During the construction of an EDL it is common to utilize footage from several source tapes. DM keeps track of the source tapes used in the creation of an EDL for you. Whenever you switch tapes, click the TAPE NUM button and assign a number to the next tape.

MANUAL - This button allows you to bypass the tape transport controls completely and create an EDL manually. When you click on the MANUAL button, DM will ask if you want to select a BaseName or name your clips individually (This applies only to Flyer users. V-LAB users will always use the Default). Then you will be prompted to type in the SMPTE time (in Hours:Minutes:Seconds:Frames) for the clips IN point. Then you're prompted to type in the SMPTE time for the OUT point. Finally DM asks you which tape number the clip is coming from. After this step, the clip is automatically added to the EDL and appears in the big black area at the bottom (if you opted to use a BaseName, otherwise you'll be prompted for a path and name for the clip first). The whole process then begins again as DM asks you for a new IN point. If you want to stop adding clips manually, just hit return without typing an IN point.

ADD - This button is utilized after you have used the tape transport controls, clicked the SET IN and SET OUT points and defined a clip. When you click the ADD button the most recently defined clip appears at the end of the EDL after any other clips (if any - otherwise it'll be the first clip in the EDL). After a clip has been added to the EDL it will be highlighted in case you need to edit it. V-LAB users use the default name for clips, but Flyer users have the option of either using a BaseName for all clips or to name each clip individually before adding it to the EDL.

EDIT - This button allows you to make changes to any clip in the EDL. If the clip you wish to edit is not highlighted, just click once on it. Then you'll want to click the EDIT button and a series of requesters will appear allowing you to change the IN and OUT points, the tape number, and the name of the clip.

DELETE - This 'un allows you to remove any clip from the EDL by simply highlighting it and then clicking on this button. You will first be asked if you're sure that you wanna delete the clip.

Now, ya load up the source tape. Presumably you'll want to call this tape #1. If you want to assign it a new number, click on the TAPE NUM button and type in the new number (just remember to correspond these numbers to the tapes in question so you won't forget which tape is which).

At this time you're ready to start twiddlin' with the tape controls in order to find the first clip you want to digitize. From the DM screen you can perform all of the standard VTR functions - just click on 'em. When you get fairly close to the place where you wish to begin a clip, you can use the JOG and SHUTTLE buttons to fine-tune the exact location. Once you find the frame you want the clip to begin on, click the SET IN button. This defines the current frame as the beginning of your clip. The Message Window in the center of the screen verifies your selection.

Next you wanna again use the tape controls to find the end of your clip. When you find the end frame, click on the SET OUT button. Again the Message Window verifies your selection.

In addition to using JOG, SHUTTLE, and the other standard tape controls, another way of finding the frame you want to use as a SET IN or SET OUT point is to use the GOTO FRAME button. If you already know where the frame is that you want to begin or end on (or you know a frame real close to that one), you can always just click on the GOTO FRAME button, type in the location in Hours:Minutes:Seconds:Frames, and DM will roll the VTR ahead to that point.

Whatever way you use to arrive at the frames you want, once you have specified a SET IN and a SET OUT point you have defined a complete clip. Now you're ready to add it to the EDL. To do this, click once on the ADD button.

Depending on the nonlinear system in use, clicking on the ADD button will have slightly different effects. When V-LAB users click on ADD, the currently defined clip will appear highlighted at the bottom in the EDL using the Default path and name. When Flyer users click the ADD button, a requester will open on the FLYERA: directory and ask for a name to give to the clip. If you don't want to go through this process every time you add a clip to the EDL, Flyer users have the option of selecting a BaseName which will automatically be used for each clip. This is the function of the CLIP NAME button. Click on it and when the requester appears, tell DM what path and name to assign to clips. Once you have defined a BaseName, all clips will automatically appear in the EDL as BaseName.001, BaseName.002, etc.

Once you have added a clip to the EDL, you can tell at a glance all relevant information about the clip by noting the column headings above the EDL.

ENTRY TAPE SOURCE IN SOURCE OUT CLIP LENGTH FLYER CLIP NAME

Now you're ready to go ahead and start reviewing more footage in order to define another clip to add to the EDL. All subsequent clips added to the EDL will appear highlighted at the end of the list below the last added clip.

If at any time you discover that you messed up some parameter of one of the clips, all you need to do is click on it (which causes it to be highlighted) then click on the EDIT button. A series of windows will then appear and allow you to change anything about the clip you don't like. If you decide to remove the clip from the EDL, highlight it and then click on the DELETE button.

If you have footage on several tapes, when you're done reviewing one tape, click on the EJECT TAPE button and then load in the next tape. Don't forget to tell DM the new number of this tape so that everything will remain in order.

You can continue on in this fashion, loading, reviewing, and adding clips to the EDL from tape after tape until the machine gets blue in the face - except the machine won't ever get blue in the face. If you need to stop and shut down DM for some pressing reason (perhaps Aliens have landed or elected officials have told the truth, unlikely as that may sound), all you need to do is click on the SAVE EDL button. A window will respond to this request and prompt you for a name to give to the EDL. Next time you start up DM, click on the LOAD EDL button, re-type the name of the EDL and you're back where you left off and ready to do s'more work.

When you're finally done creating and manipulating your EDL and you're ready to start pulling clips off of tape to the hard drive, now's the time to click the DIGITIZE button. But you should probably click the SAVE EDL button and save your creation first.

Once you click the DIGITIZE button, DM will request some last-minute info before starting the digitize process for real. The first 3 questions apply only to V-LAB users.

1. Do you want to start a new project or open a pre-existing one? - choose yer poison.
2. If you choose to start a new project, DM will ask you to name it.
3. Next DM will ask you to name the new scene that will be created as part of your new project.
4. Then DM will ask you for 2 offset numbers. One to be used on IN points and one to be used on OUT points. These offset numbers represent frames. (For additional information about this, see DIGITIZE above.)
5. Next, DM will read the EDL and ask you to insert "Tape Number X" - "X" depends on which clip in the Edit Decision List DM is presently digitizing.

Once you stuff in the requisite tape, click OK and then go get a cheeseburger or push DM in the background and keep on working while the little Motorola Leprechauns automatically take over and crank the handle for you. DM will quietly, efficiently, and auto-magically start pulling the clips off of tape and copying them to the hard drive. During the digitize process DM will display a status window and a nice abort button if you need it. When DM needs for you to insert a new tape it'll pop its screen to the front and politely ask you to cough it up.

Of course, you also have the option of not digitizing but instead saving the EDL to disk. This way you can take it along with the source tapes to a Dedicated Edit Facility and do your digitizing and editing there. You can also build the EDL on some other platform and import it directly into DM for use. It's your choice.

And that is how it be done. As you can see, Decision Maker is an invaluable tool for Flyer users, and it saves you so much time you might even have to take up botany, lepidoptry, or particle physics to fill your spare time.......

Well, maybe not.