a NewsCutter XP Release 3.0 Release Notes for the Windows 2000 Operating System Important Information Avid recommends that you read all the information in these release notes thoroughly before installing or using any new software release. This document describes compatibility issues with previous releases, hardware and software requirements, software installation instructions, and summary information on system and memory requirements. This document also lists known bugs or limitations. Contents Symbols and Conventions.................................... 3 New Features in Release 3.0................................... 4 Avid Storage Manager Support................................ 8 Hardware and Software Requirements......................... 9 Installation Check List...................................... 10 Installing the Software...................................... 11 Removing Previous Releases of the NewsCutter XP Application........................................... 12 Installing NewsCutter XP Software....................... 13 Updating Your Application Key........................... 15 Performing a Custom Installation......................... 16 Modifying, Repairing, or Removing Avid Applications...... 17 Installing the Companion Applications....................... 19 Installing EDL Manager................................. 19 1
Installing MediaLog..................................... 21 Installing Avid Log Exchange............................. 23 Screen Resolution....................................... 24 Suggestions for Optimum Performance....................... 25 Accessing the Knowledge Center for Information.............. 27 Special Notes............................................... 28 Creating a DVD......................................... 29 User Settings........................................... 29 Goodies Folder.......................................... 29 Linking OHCI Drivers................................... 30 Information for NewsCutter XP Users..................... 31 SCSI DVD Burner....................................... 31 Antivirus Applications................................... 32 AVX Plug-Ins and Memory............................... 33 Importing QuickTime Files Created with an Avid Codec.... 34 Black Striping Your Tape................................. 34 Hardware Configurations.................................... 35 Slot Assignments........................................ 35 OHCI Support.......................................... 36 FireWire Support........................................ 36 Storage SCSI LVD Controller Support..................... 37 Upgrading the ATTO Firmware........................... 37 Documentation Issues....................................... 39 Using Match Frame to Locate the Source Clips of Motion Effects........................................ 40 Using Advanced Keyframes.............................. 40 Known Bugs and Limitations................................ 41 Audio.................................................. 42 Camera................................................. 43 Compatibility........................................... 44 Digital Cut............................................. 45 Editing................................................. 47 Effects................................................. 47 2
Import and Export....................................... 49 Play.................................................... 51 Recording.............................................. 52 System................................................. 54 Timeline............................................... 55 Title Tool............................................... 56 Workgroups............................................ 56 If You Need Help........................................... 59 Technical Support Information............................... 60 Symbols and Conventions These release notes use the following special symbols and conventions: Courier Bold font identifies text that you type. t One arrow indicates a single-step procedure. Multiple arrows in a list indicate that you perform one of the actions listed. n A c note provides important related information, reminders, recommendations, and strong suggestions. A caution means that a specific action you take could cause harm to your computer or cause you to lose data. 3
New Features in Release 3.0 Table 1 to Table 5 lists the new features that were added for NewsCutter XP Release 3.0. For more information about each feature, see the Avid NewsCutter XP What s New for Release 3.0 guide. This guide also includes features that were introduced in NewsCutter XP Release 2.1 that are not documented in the current NewsCutter XP documentation set. All of the features are included in the context-sensitive Help. Table 1 Feature Project and Bin Window Features Description Project window and Bin window SuperBin Sorting clips Changing font size in windows Choosing preferences Toolsets menu General settings Media tool The Bin window and Project window have changed for this release. Now you use tabs to access different bin views and different portions of the Project window. Allows you to open different bins in a single window and switch between the bins, keeping them open with only one bin visible at a time. Allows you to sort a column by ascending or descending order from the column heading. Allows you to change the default font and point size of a Project, Bin, Composer, or Timeline window. Allows you to view in one step the settings for your project from the Edit menu. Predesigned work environments have been added that are suited to your most common NewsCutter XP tasks. Several options have moved from the user interface (UI) to the General settings dialog box. Now displays four views; similar to those in the bin. 4
Table 2 Feature Timeline Features Description Desktop play delay Timeline settings Alternate Edits Slip or slide trim Eight video and eight audio tracks Allows you to adjust the offset that occurs between audio and video playback on the NewsCutter XP system. A new option, Highlight Suggested Render Areas After Playback, has been added to the Timeline settings dialog box. Allows you to overwrite a selected clip in a sequence with several clips located in a special bin called Alternate Edits. Allows you to select slip or slide trim through the Timeline shortcut menu. Allows you to create up to eight video and eight audio tracks in the Timeline. Table 3 Feature Audio meters Low latency audio Volume control Audio Features Description Allows you to monitor audio directly from the Timeline. Allows you to adjust the delay that might occur when you play audio. Allows you to adjust your speaker or headphone volume from within the NewsCutter XP application. Audio sample rate color coding Audio Project settings Allows the system to identify different audio sample rates by color. Several options from the General settings dialog box have been moved to the Audio Project settings dialog box. 5
Table 4 Feature DV50 support Input and Output Features Description With this release, you can edit DV50 video. Although you cannot directly record DV50 video over IEEE 1394, the NewsCutter XP has the ability to play back and edit media that has been recorded using NewsCutter effects or the Editcam camera when in a shared storage workgroup. NewsCutter XP also has the ability to import DV50 for use in the system. Pausing a deck while logging DV Scene Extraction Transcoders added to Deck Configuration Loaded cues Associated sequences Post to Web Allows you to pause a deck to enter the name and comment for a clip. While recording, DV Scene Extraction allows you to automatically generate subclips and locators based on time-of-day information contained in the DV video format. A list of transcoders has been added to the Deck Configuration dialog box. Allows you to add cues to your NRCS script that point to media files in NewsCutter XP. Allows you to associate your NRCS script to sequences and clips in NewsCutter XP bins. Allows you to reformat and export a story in a Web-ready format through the NRCS tool. When using the Post to Web feature in the NRCS tool, use the Browse button to obtain an HTML template. Avid provides generic HTML templates in the following location: drive:\program Files\Avid\Utilities\ PostToWeb_Sample_Templates Contact your Web designer to obtain the template used by your organization. 6
Table 4 Feature Input and Output Features (Continued) Description Selecting the preroll method Client monitor display Import layered Photoshop files Exporting OMFI and AAF files Avid NetReview Notes field in Deck settings Automatic Duck AfterEffects New options allow you to record more efficiently when a source tape contains timecode breaks. Allows you to connect a Client monitor directly through a dual-head video card to play back real-time effects. Allows you to import both single-layered and multilayered graphics created in Adobe Photoshop. The options for exporting OMFI and AAF files have changed. Allows you to obtain the required reviews and approvals for your material during the production process. The Deck Settings dialog box now includes a Notes field. Supports Automatic Duck AfterEffects. QuickTime 5.0.3 Supports QuickTime Version 5.0.3. 7
Table 5 Feature Effects Features Description Video Real Time effects ExpertRender Top and Tail Fader buttons New keyframe model Avid IllusionFX plug-ins Allows you to preview real-time effects in NewsCutter XP. Determines which effects you need to render to achieve successful playback of a sequence. Allows you to use the Head Fade and Tail Fade buttons to add a fade (or dissolve) for audio and video tracks. The new key-framing capability available with the Picture-in-Picture (PIP) effect. Included with the NewsCutter XP. Contains 29 AVX plug-in effects. Avid Storage Manager Support c Avid Storage Manager (ASM) is the next-generation disk exerciser and diagnostics utility used for testing Avid media drives. In NewsCutter XP Release 3.0, ASM replaces the Avid StorEx utility. ASM includes a context-sensitive Help. Most windows in the ASM utility include a Help button that when clicked, will open a browser window and provide information about the current ASM window displayed. Avid recommends you do not run ASM unless instructed by Avid Customer Support. Many of the utility s functions can destroy the data on the drives. 8
Hardware and Software Requirements The NewsCutter XP application is available in a software only version as well as a complete system. Avid has qualified the NewsCutter XP software to run on the following platforms: Dell Latitude C610 and C810 laptops Dell Precision M40 Mobile Workstation laptop Compaq Evo N600c laptop Compaq Evo W8000 desktop (Avid ships this platform when you purchase a complete system) Supported but no longer available: Dell Latitude C600 and C800 laptops IBM ThinkPad A21p and A22p laptops c IBM IntelliStation Z Pro 6866 desktop (Avid shipped this platform on earlier releases) If you have purchased the software version only and are building your own system, install the OHCI 1394 board before you install the NewsCutter XP application. Avid has qualified the following OHCI 1394 boards to run on laptops: ADS PYRO 1394DV for Notebooks, API-601, or API-602 SIIG CardBus PC Card, NN-PCM012, or dual port, NN-PCM212 IBM 1394 CardBus PC Card, 19K5678 NewsCutter XP systems require the following system configuration: Windows 2000 Workstation Service Pack 2 Minimum 256 MB of RAM (512 MB of RAM ship standard in the Compaq W8000) 9
c Your system must have the Windows 2000 operating system installed and the required amount of RAM before you install NewsCutter XP Release 3.0. Purchase additional memory based on the manufacturer s documentation. To verify the version of the operating system and RAM: 1. Double-click the My Computer icon. The My Computer window opens. 2. Choose About Windows from the Help menu. The About Windows dialog box appears and displays the version of Windows, the service pack, and the available memory. 3. Click OK to close the dialog box. n If you do not have Service Pack 2 (SP2), contact your authorized Avid representative or visit the Microsoft Web site, www.microsoft.com, to download the service pack. Service Pack 2 is the only service pack qualified for this release. Installation Check List This check list covers the major steps required to install or upgrade the NewsCutter XP application. For more detailed information about each step, see the section referenced in these release notes. To install or upgrade your system: 1. Read these release notes completely. 2. Make sure your system meets the hardware and software requirements. See Hardware and Software Requirements on page 9. 3. Turn on the system components as described in the Avid NewsCutter XP Setup Guide. 10
4. If you are upgrading an existing application, you must use the Control Panel to remove the old version of the software. See the Avid NewsCutter XP Setup Guide. n If upgrading from NewsCutter XP Release 1.5, you must update your Windows NT operating system to Windows 2000. 5. Install the application as described in the Avid NewsCutter XP Setup Guide and the last-minute instructions on Installing the Software on page 11. Installing the Software You must remove any previous release of the application before installing NewsCutter XP Release 3.0. If you have a new NewsCutter XP system, go directly to Installing NewsCutter XP Software on page 13. n To install or remove the application software, you need to use a login account with administrative privileges. This section includes the following topics: Removing Previous Releases of the NewsCutter XP Application Installing NewsCutter XP Software Updating Your Application Key Performing a Custom Installation Modifying, Repairing, or Removing Avid Applications 11
Removing Previous Releases of the NewsCutter XP Application n To install or remove the application software, you need to use a login account with administrative privileges. If you are currently running an earlier release of the NewsCutter XP application, remove the application before installing the new release of the application. You can use the earlier or new Avid application CD-ROM to uninstall the application. See the Modifying, Repairing, or Removing Avid Applications on page 17 for instructions. Be aware of the following concerns when removing the application. Avid Projects, Avid Users, Settings, and AVX_Plug-Ins folders will not be deleted when you remove the earlier NewsCutter XP release. However, as a precaution, you might consider making a copy of these folders. To completely remove all of the folders and files associated with the NewsCutter XP application, browse to the location that previously held the application and remove all files and folders from the application folder. For example: drive:\program Files\Avid\NewsCutter XP If supporting AVX plug-in files are deleted with the NewsCutter XP application, the plug-in might not appear in the Effect Palette. Reinstall the plug-in. For more information, see the Avid NewsCutter XP Effects Guide. If a dialog box appears asking if you want to delete a shared file, do not delete it. Other applications might be using that file. You might see dialog boxes asking if you want to replace existing files with the new version. Always accept the newer files. Delete the msmmmob.mdb and msmfmid.pmr files from the NewsCutter XP\SupportingFiles\Avid_MediaFiles folder. Delete any shortcuts you might have created on your desktop. 12
Installing NewsCutter XP Software You can install NewsCutter XP Release 3.0 software on new Avid systems without any preparation. If you are upgrading from an earlier NewsCutter XP release, uninstall the old software first. See Modifying, Repairing, or Removing Avid Applications on page 17. To install the NewsCutter XP software: 1. Quit all Windows applications. 2. Insert the NewsCutter XP CD-ROM into the CD-ROM drive. If the installer doesn t start automatically after you insert the application CD-ROM, do the following: a. Double-click the My Computer icon. b. Double-click the CD-ROM drive icon. c. Double-click Launch.exe to start the installer. The Main Menu window opens. 3. Click Install Products. 4. Click Install Avid NewsCutter XP. The Welcome window opens. If the NewsCutter XP application is already installed, the Welcome window for the Setup Maintenance program opens. Follow the steps in Modifying, Repairing, or Removing Avid Applications on page 17. 5. Click Next. The Country Selection for License Agreement window opens. 6. Select the country in which you purchased this product, and then click Next. The License Agreement window opens. 13
7. Read the agreement, and then click Yes to accept the terms of the agreement. c The Choose Destination Location window opens. Do not install the NewsCutter XP application on a drive that will be used to store media. 8. Click Next to accept the default path for the application folder and proceed to the next window. The default path is: C:\Program Files\Avid\Avid NewsCutter XP The AVX Plug-in Location window opens. 9. Click Next to accept the default path for the AVX_Plug-ins folder and proceed to the next window. The default path is: C:\Program Files\Avid\AVX_Plug-ins The Application Data Location window opens. 10. Click Next to accept the default path for the location of the application files (project folders and user folders). The default path is: C:\Program Files\Avid\Avid NewsCutter XP 11. Select the type of installation: t Select Typical to install all components. This is the recommended installation. t Select Custom to select the components you want to install. See Performing a Custom Installation on page 16. 12. Click Next. The installation starts. When the NewsCutter XP software installation is complete, the Setup Complete window opens and asks if you want to restart the system. 14
n If c 13. Select when you want to restart the computer: t To restart the computer now, select Yes, and then click Finish. t To restart the computer later, select No, and then click Finish. your system does not have DirectX 8.1 installed, a dialog box appears stating that some functions in the application will not work properly without DirectX 8.1 installed. See Creating a DVD on page 29 for more information. You must restart the NewsCutter XP system before the NewsCutter XP software will work properly. Updating Your Application Key c The application key, commonly referred to as a dongle, allows the Avid software to run on your system. Protect your application key from loss or theft. Your Avid software does not function without it, and acquiring a new key from Avid involves a fee. There are two different programs to update dongles: A dongle versioner is a software program created to update many Avid systems and is normally included in a software Maintenance Kit. A dongle updater is a software program created to update a specific Avid system. n If you are upgrading from NewsCutter XP Release 2.1 to NewsCutter XP Release 3.0, you will not be getting a dongle updater disk because your dongle does not need to be updated. 15
To update your dongle: t t If you received a dongle versioner floppy disk with a Version Protection Kit or Maintenance Kit, you will need to use this floppy disk to update the dongle after installing the new software. If you purchased this version as an upgrade, you have received a unique dongle updater disk that reflects a specific System ID. You will need to use this floppy disk to update the dongle after installing the new software. The floppy disk includes instructions for running the dongle versioner or updater. Performing a Custom Installation You can perform a custom installation to install particular files from the NewsCutter XP CD-ROM. For example, you might want to install only the serial drivers or only the utilities. You can also reinstall an individual component of the NewsCutter XP application if it becomes lost or damaged. Depending on which file or application you want to install, the NewsCutter XP Installation CD-ROM provides two different procedures for installing the components from the CD-ROM: Selecting the component from the Avid Technology window Using the Custom option in the Avid Application Installer To perform a custom installation: 1. Follow steps 1 to 10 in Installing NewsCutter XP Software on page 13. 2. In the Setup Type window, click Custom, and then click Next. The Select Components window opens. 16
3. Select the components you want to install. A check mark indicates the component is selected. 4. After you have selected the components to install, click Next. The installation starts. 5. When the installation is complete, a message asks if you want to restart the system. t t If you do not want to install any other Avid applications, click Yes. The system restarts. If you want to install other Avid applications, click No. The Avid Technology window reopens. Select the next application for installation. Modifying, Repairing, or Removing Avid Applications If you have the NewsCutter XP application installed (or any other Avid application) and need to modify, repair, or remove it, use the Setup Maintenance program. To modify, repair, or remove an Avid application: 1. Quit all active applications. 2. Insert the Avid application CD-ROM into the CD-ROM drive. The installation starts. 3. If the installation program doesn t start automatically: a. Double-click the My Computer icon. b. Double-click the CD-ROM drive icon. c. Double-click Launch.exe to start the installer. The Main Menu window opens. 4. Click Installers. 17
5. Click Install NewsCutter XP (or other Avid application). The Welcome window for the Setup Maintenance program opens. It presents three options: - Modify: Select this option to add new program components or to remove currently installed components. n If n If you select Modify to remove currently installed components, this option does not remove registry entries or icons from the Start menu. To completely uninstall NewsCutter XP, select the Remove option. you want to remove Avid Codec for AVI or QuickTime, use the Add/Remove Programs dialog box. To access Add/Remove programs, click the Start button, point to Settings, click Control Panel, and then double-click the Add/Remove Programs icon. The Control Panel Add/Remove program can also be used if the Avid application CD-ROM is not available. - Repair: Select this option to reinstall the components you previously installed. - Remove: Select this option to completely uninstall all components of the Avid application. 6. Select one of the three options, and then click Next. c - If you selected Modify, the Select Components window opens. Components that are already installed are selected. Select the new components you want to install. The installation proceeds, as described in steps 12 and 13 in Installing NewsCutter XP Software on page 13. If you deselect an installed component, the installation program will remove the component from the Avid system. - If you selected Repair, the installation proceeds, as described in steps 12 and 13 in Installing NewsCutter XP Software on page 13. 18
- If you selected Remove, a message box asks you to confirm that you want to delete the files. Click OK. When the Maintenance Complete window opens, click Finish. Click Exit to quit the installation program. If you receive a message about removing shared files, click No. Installing the Companion Applications This section describes how to install the NewsCutter XP companion applications included on the CD-ROM. The topics include: Installing EDL Manager Installing MediaLog Installing Avid Log Exchange Installing EDL Manager EDL Manager is an application that allows you to generate EDLs (edit decision lists) from sequences exported from any Avid video-based editing product. For information on using EDL Manager, see the Avid EDL Manager User s Guide. You can install EDL Manager on another computer. For example, you might want to install EDL Manager on a portable computer that you can take with you to an online suite, or on a computer located at the online suite. 19
To install EDL Manager: 1. Quit all active applications. 2. Insert the Avid NewsCutter XP application CD-ROM into the CD-ROM drive. The installation starts. 3. If the installation program doesn t start automatically: a. Double-click the My Computer icon. b. Double-click the CD-ROM drive icon. c. Double-click Launch.exe to start the installer. The Main Menu window opens. 4. Click Installers. 5. Click Install EDL Manager. The Welcome window opens. If EDL Manager is already installed, the Setup Maintenance Program window opens. Follow the steps in Modifying, Repairing, or Removing Avid Applications on page 17. 6. Click Next. The Country Selection for License Agreement window opens. 7. Select the country in which you purchased this product, and then click Next. The License Agreement window opens. 8. Read the agreement, and then click Yes to accept the terms of the agreement. The Choose Destination Location window opens. 9. Click Next to accept the default path for the application folder (on drive C) and proceed to the next window. The default path is: C:\Program Files\Avid\EDL Manager The Setup Type window opens. 20
10. Select Typical, and then click Next. The installation proceeds and the Install Wizard Complete window opens. 11. Select when you want to restart the computer: c t t To restart the computer now, select Yes, and then click Finish. To restart the computer later, select No, and then click Finish. If you select No, the EDL Manager software will not run properly. You must restart the NewsCutter XP system before the EDL Manager software will work properly. Installing MediaLog MediaLog is an application that allows you to create a log of your media and import that media based on the log to your system or another Avid video-based editing product. The log is used to record media automatically using your IN and OUT points. For information on using MediaLog, see the Avid MediaLog User s Guide. To install MediaLog: 1. Quit all active applications. 2. Insert the Avid NewsCutter XP application CD-ROM into the CD-ROM drive. The installation starts. 3. If the installation program doesn t start automatically: a. Double-click the My Computer icon. b. Double-click the CD-ROM drive icon. c. Double-click Launch.exe to start the installer. The Main Menu window opens. 4. Click Installers. 21
5. Click Install MediaLog. The Welcome window opens. If MediaLog is already installed, the Setup Maintenance Program window opens. Follow the steps in Modifying, Repairing, or Removing Avid Applications on page 17. 6. Click Next. The Country Selection for License Agreement window opens. 7. Select the country in which you purchased this product, and then click Next. The License Agreement window opens. 8. Read the agreement, and then click Yes to accept the terms of the agreement. The Choose Destination Location window opens. 9. Click Next to accept the default path for the application folder (on drive C) and proceed to the next window. The default path is: C:\Program Files\Avid\MediaLog The Setup Type window opens. 10. Select Typical, and then click Next. The installation proceeds and the Install Wizard Complete window opens. 11. Select when you want to restart the computer: c t t To restart the computer now, select Yes, and then click Finish. To restart the computer later, select No, and then click Finish. If you select No, the MediaLog software will not run properly. You must restart the NewsCutter XP system before the MediaLog software will work properly. 22
Installing Avid Log Exchange The Avid Log Exchange (ALE) utility allows you to quickly convert shot logs created by other sources. You can then import the files directly into a bin. For information on using the ALE utility, see the Avid NewsCutter XP User s Guide. To install the ALE utility: 1. Quit all active applications. 2. Insert the Avid NewsCutter XP application CD-ROM into the CD-ROM drive. The installation starts. 3. If the installation program does not start automatically: a. Double-click the My Computer icon. b. Double-click the CD-ROM drive icon. c. Double-click Launch.exe to start the installer. The Main Menu window opens. 4. Click Installers. 5. Click Install Avid Log Exchange. The Welcome window opens. If Avid Log Exchange is already installed, the Setup Maintenance Program window opens. Follow the steps in Modifying, Repairing, or Removing Avid Applications on page 17. 6. Click Next. The Country Selection for License Agreement window opens. 7. Select the country in which you purchased this product, and then click Next. The License Agreement window opens. 23
c 8. Read the agreement, and then click Yes to accept the terms of the agreement. The Choose Destination Location window opens. 9. Click Next to accept the default path for the application folder (on drive C) and proceed to the next window. The default path is: C:\Program Files\Avid\Avid Log Exchange The Setup Type window opens. 10. Select Typical, and then click Next. The installation proceeds and the Install Wizard Complete window opens. 11. Select when you want to restart the computer: t t To restart the computer now, select Yes, and then click Finish. To restart the computer later, select No, and then click Finish. If you select No, the Avid Log Exchange software will not run properly. You must restart the NewsCutter XP system before the Avid Log Exchange software will work properly. Screen Resolution Avid requires a minimum Desktop Area of 1024 x 768 pixels, the Color palette must be set to True Color, and a Refresh Frequency of 75 Hertz (Refresh Frequency not applicable to laptops) as your screen resolution when running the NewsCutter XP application. For more information and a procedure on setting the resolution, see the Avid NewsCutter XP Setup Guide. n Higher screen resolutions can be used. Screen resolutions will be limited by the system graphic board and the monitor specifications. 24
Suggestions for Optimum Performance Windows is a multitasking operating system. However, background tasks can interrupt time-critical operations, such as recording, playing, or rendering. Make sure that background tasks are not running while you are running the NewsCutter XP application. The following list contains suggestions for ensuring optimum performance when running the NewsCutter XP application on Windows systems: Do not enable the Windows Display setting Show window contents while dragging. This setting hinders redraw performance on the NewsCutter XP system. Do not leave the Console window open when you are editing. The NewsCutter XP system performance slows considerably when the Console window is open. Do not leave a Windows Explorer window open. Windows Explorer will try to update file information. Do not leave an e-mail application open if it is set to do periodic checks for mail. Do not run any application that periodically wakes up and performs an action (for example, virus scanners and disk fragment utilities). Disable screen savers. Do not insert a compact disc in a drive during operation. Most CD-ROM drives and software perform an autoscan or autostart operation. n The NewsCutter XP system ships with Autorun disabled. Do not keep media on the same partition that the application is installed on. Avid recommends external media drives. Always disable system sounds in the Windows Sound Control Panel. 25
Always use small fonts with the display driver to avoid missing characters in the application dialog boxes. After moving a drive from one system to another, you should restart your system. Windows will not recognize the drive until you restart the system. To ensure you do not accidentally delete locked items through your desktop, right-click the Recycle Bin icon on your desktop and select Properties. In the Recycle Bin Properties window, click the Global tab. Select the option Display delete confirmation dialog. When you are advancing by single frames through the Timeline, turn off Render On-the-Fly in the Clip menu to enable faster response time. Do not name files with special characters (/ \ :? < > *) because Windows does not recognize special characters in file names. Bin names are now limited to 27 characters (not including the four characters reserved for the file name extension). Do not schedule automatic backups at times when your NewsCutter XP system might be in use. Do not run any application that includes prescheduled or automatically scheduled activities, such as a calendar program. Do not leave other applications running. Some applications, such as Microsoft Office, run background processes. Do not allow the Find Fast background process (find.exe) to run. The process will try to update its cache of file and folder locations. Check your Startup folder, and delete the file if it is there. n Locate the find.exe file using the Search function from the Start button. 26
Accessing the Knowledge Center for Information The Avid Customer Support Knowledge Center (Knowledge Center) provides additional information that is frequently updated. n Some locations on the Knowledge Center require you to log in as a registered user, but you can access most of the information in the Knowledge Center without registering and logging in. To access the Knowledge Center: 1. Go to www.avid.com. 2. Click support. 3. Click online support. 4. Click Documentation under the Avid Knowledge Center heading. The Knowledge Center opens to the Documentation tab. 5. (Option) Click Login. n If you are not already a registered user of the Knowledge Center, click Register and follow the on-screen registration instructions to register now. Registered users can access more information. 6. Choose your product from the Current Product pop-up menu at the top of the Web page. You can access the following information from the Knowledge Center: Latest Supported Decks List For a list of supported decks, search for Supported Decks in the Knowledge Center. Latest Supported Cameras List For a list of supported cameras, search for Supported Cameras in the Knowledge Center. 27
Latest Supported Transcoders List For a list of supported transcoders, search for Supported Transcoders in the Knowledge Center. Compatibility with Avid Video-Based Editing Products For a complete description of moving projects, media files, and graphics to and from Avid products, see the Avid Products Collaboration Guide, which is available from the Documentation tab in the Knowledge Center. White Papers To access white papers, click the Documentation tab for your Avid product, and then click White Papers. Special Notes This section contains important information about system-level changes that affect the way your NewsCutter XP software and hardware operate. n You can have multiple users editing on a NewsCutter XP system, but all users must have administrative privileges. Without administrative privileges, certain functions such as accessing projects and recording might not work correctly. You cannot change users permissions in the operating system while the NewsCutter XP application is running. Quit the NewsCutter XP application, make permission changes, and then restart the application after making the permission changes. 28
Creating a DVD You will need DirectX 8.1 to create a DVD. If you plan on using the Create DVD option from the File menu, you might receive a message stating you need to install DirectX 8.1. Avid includes DirectX 8.1 (dxsetup.exe) in the DirectX81 folder for you to install when using the DVD AuthorScript application. The DirectX81 folder is in the Goodies folder located on the Avid NewsCutter XP CD-ROM. User Settings User settings are not backward compatible. Avid recommends creating new user settings for this release. Goodies Folder c Avid supplies a Goodies folder located on the Avid NewsCutter XP CD-ROM. Access the Goodies folder by browsing the Avid NewsCutter XP CD-ROM. This folder contains programs and files you might find useful when trying to perform functions beyond the scope of the NewsCutter XP software. The information in the Goodies folder is provided solely for your reference and as suggestions for you to decide if any of these products fit into your process. Avid is not responsible for the manufacture, support, or sales of these products. Avid is also not responsible for any loss of data or time, or any other adverse results related to the use of these products. All risks of using such products or accessing such Web sites are entirely your own. The Web sites listed in the Goodies folder are not under the control of Avid, and Avid is not responsible for their content, any changes or updates to them, or the collection of any personal data or information by the operators of such Web sites. All information and product availability is subject to change without notice. 29
Linking OHCI Drivers The NewsCutter XP application does not use the default Microsoft OHCI/1394 driver; instead, Avid uses a custom OHCI driver developed by Texas Instruments. When you first connect a camera or deck (DV device) to the system via OHCI 1394, if the NewsCutter XP application is running, it will install the custom Texas Instruments driver automatically. When you plug in the DV device (such as a camera) and the application is not running, the Hardware Wizard will appear. Either manually install the driver using the wizard, or click Cancel and start the NewsCutter XP application. NewsCutter XP will recognize the DV device and install the custom driver. Use the DVSelect utility to link the Microsoft driver if you want to use the Microsoft driver with a third-party application. To connect DV devices with a particular driver: 1. Click the Start button, point to Programs, point to Avid, point to Utilities, and then click DVSelect. The DV Driver Select dialog box appears. 2. Select one of the following: t t Microsoft DV Camera and VCR Driver NewsCutter XP/Texas Instruments 1394 DV Camcorder Driver 3. Select Switch drivers for only those devices that are currently turned on. 4. Connect and turn on any DV devices you want to link to the selected driver. 30
5. Click OK. The selected driver is linked to the currently connected devices that are turned on. If you do not select this option, the driver is linked to all devices you have ever connected to the system. Information for NewsCutter XP Users Avid has made the user interface and functionality of the NewsCutter XP application resemble the NewsCutter application. Because of the physical differences in the hardware, some of the selections or capabilities in the NewsCutter system might differ. Some differences you might see include: NewsCutter XP systems do not provide an LTC input connector to accept an external timecode signal. Without this ability, you cannot add timecode to incoming external media. When deck control is disabled, the system s internal time-of-day clock will be used to generate an internal timecode. In Trim mode, use the arrow keys below the Trim monitor to move to the next and previous frames. The keyboard shortcut keys J-K-L do not operate in Trim mode on the NewsCutter XP system. SCSI DVD Burner If you plan to use a SCSI DVD burner (such as a Pioneer S201) to create DVDs (on desktop systems only), you need to install a driver. When you attempt to use the SCSI DVD burner without installing the driver, an error message appears stating that the ASPI drivers are not installed. 31
To install the driver: 1. Locate the Sonic_driver folder where the Avid application is installed. 2. Copy the pfc.sys file from the Sonic_driver folder to: C:\WINNT\system32\drivers folder 3. Double-click the pfc.reg file in the Sonic_driver folder to add the driver to the registry. The Registry Editor dialog box appears. 4. To add the information to the registry, click Yes. 5. After you are informed that the information has successfully been added, click OK. Antivirus Applications Antivirus programs containing autoscanning features can interfere with the operation of the NewsCutter XP application. For example, some antivirus programs can be configured to run in the background and scan all files for viruses whenever they are opened, copied, or moved. Since virus scanning is a processor- and disk-intensive activity, it can interfere with recording and playing real-time effects in the NewsCutter XP application. Avid recommends you do not scan all files or schedule any background tasks such as virus scanning when you are using your NewsCutter XP application. File deletion protection utilities also consume system resources and could interfere with the proper operation of the NewsCutter XP application. These utilities automatically back up any files that are deleted, even temporary files created and deleted by the NewsCutter XP application. This consumes a large amount of disk space. 32
c When you are in a workgroup environment using an Avid Unity MediaManager server with the Norton AntiVirus utility, you need to turn off the Auto-Protection feature when you access Avid Unity MediaManager. You can then turn the Auto-Protection feature back on. You need to perform this each time you access Avid Unity MediaManager. In addition, do not perform a Live Update. To turn off the Auto-Protection feature: 1. Start Norton AntiVirus. The Norton AntiVirus window opens. 2. Click the Options button in the Norton AntiVirus window. 3. Select the Auto-Protect option under the System list. 4. Deselect the following options: - Start Auto-Protect when Windows starts up - Run or opened - Create or downloaded 5. Click OK. 6. Close the Norton AntiVirus window. AVX Plug-Ins and Memory Multiple AVX plug-ins you have applied to a sequence are now kept resident in memory at the same time. When you close a bin containing the sequence, the plug-ins are also closed, freeing the memory. 33
To close all currently opened plug-ins: 1. Choose Console from the Tools menu. The Console window opens 2. Type closeallavxplugins, and press Enter. This command closes all currently opened plug-ins. They will automatically open again when needed. Importing QuickTime Files Created with an Avid Codec If you are importing a QuickTime file created with an Avid codec, and the file s resolution does not match the current Import setting, a dialog box appears by default. This dialog box asks which resolution you want to select, and to which files you want to apply your choice. Make your choices, and then click OK to continue with the import. See the limitations listed in Import and Export on page 49. Black Striping Your Tape Before you perform a digital cut, Avid recommends you black stripe your tape. This allows for timecode on your tape. To black stripe your tape: 1. Rewind the tape to the point where you want to begin the black stripe. Put the camera into Record Pause mode. You will have to do this manually, without deck controls. 2. In the NewsCutter XP application, load a clip with audio into the Timeline. 3. Deselect video, and select audio (both tracks) in the Track Selector panel. 34
4. Play the clip for a few frames and stop. In your Client monitor, you should see a black frame. Once you stop, there should be silence. That s what you will use to stripe your tape. 5. Press the Pause button to start the camera recording. 6. Stop the camera at whatever point you want to stop the black stripe. n The silence you record will match the sample rate of your current project setting. Hardware Configurations NewsCutter XP Release 3.0 ships from Avid on the Compaq W8000 system. Detailed information on this platform includes: Slot Assignments OHCI Support FireWire Support Slot Assignments Table 6 lists the supported slot configuration for the NewsCutter XP application on the Compaq W8000 system. Slot 1 is dedicated to the AGP board that Compaq uses for its systems. Slots 2 to 5 represent the 32-bit bus segment, and slots 6 and 7 represent the 64-bit bus segment. 35
Table 6 Slot Compaq W8000 Slot Assignments Description 1 AGP slot Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP) 2 PCI slot (32-bit bus) (Optional) Fibre Channel to Avid Unity system or second SCSI controller 3 PCI slot (32-bit bus) OHCI slot 4 PCI slot (32-bit bus) (Optional) Fibre Channel to playback device 5 PCI slot (32-bit bus) (Optional) Dual-channel SCSI controller 6 PCI slot (64-bit bus) Available slot 7 PCI slot (64-bit bus) Available slot OHCI Support The NewsCutter XP application supports Open Host Controller Interface (OHCI)-compliant IEEE 1394 chip DV boards with Texas Instrument (TI ) based technology. The TI 1394 Link and PHY chip is the only OHCI chip that Avid has qualified to use with the NewsCutter XP system. FireWire Support n This At this time, Avid only supports the use of one FireWire port at a time. You can only have a single device connected to the NewsCutter XP system at one time. For example, if you have a camera connected to your system and want to use a video deck, you will have to disconnect your camera and then connect the video deck. limitation does not pertain to FireWire drives. 36
Storage SCSI LVD Controller Support The SCSI LVD controller included on the system board in the Compaq W8000 and the IBM IntelliStation Z Pro 6866 systems can be used for media drives on the NewsCutter XP application. Avid also offers an Ultra 160 LVD SCSI controller board if you want to add a second controller. This Ultra 160 LVD SCSI controller board offered by Avid is a dual-channel LVD SCSI controller board. If you already have an Ultra 160 LVD SCSI controller board, you need to upgrade the firmware on that board. See Upgrading the ATTO Firmware on page 37. The following Avid MediaDrives are currently recommended for the best performance with your NewsCutter XP system: Avid MediaDrive rs LVD enclosures Avid MediaDrive rs 160/LVD enclosures n If you connect single-ended, fast-and-wide drives to the Ultra 160 LVD SCSI controller board, the controller reverts to fast, wide mode and you lose the LVD mode throughput. Upgrading the ATTO Firmware If you are upgrading from an earlier release and have a SCSI UL3D ATTO controller board installed in your system, you must update the firmware (Flash and NVRAM) before using this Avid release. Avid ships the required updated firmware on the Avid NewsCutter XP Release 3.0 installer CD-ROM. The upgrade can only be performed using a firmware floppy disk. n When the SCSI UL3D ATTO controller board is purchased separately, the firmware is included on a floppy disk as part of the installation kit. To create the firmware floppy disk: 1. Install a blank formatted floppy disk into the floppy drive. 37
2. Copy the DOS folder from one of the following locations: n You t t If you have not installed the Avid application, copy the DOS folder from: CD-ROM:\UpgradeDriver\ATTOSCSI\DOS If you have installed the Avid application, you can also copy the DOS folder from the application s Utilities folder. The default location is: C:\Program Files\Avid\Utilities\ATTOSCSI\DOS must copy the DOS folder and its contents to the floppy disk. Do not copy just the files inside the folder. 3. Remove the ATTO floppy disk from the floppy drive. To upgrade the ATTO firmware using the nonbootable floppy disk: 1. Restart the system. 2. Press Ctrl+Z when the ATTO banner appears on the screen asking if you want to enter the Setup utility. The Main menu appears on the screen. 3. Use the arrow keys to select number 1, Adapters Menu, and then press Enter. The Adapters menu appears on the screen. 4. Use the arrow keys to select number 4, Update Flash Rom, and then press Enter. 5. Insert the ATTO floppy disk into the floppy drive, and then press Enter. The Flash Update File list appears on the screen showing the files that will be updated. c 6. Press Enter to start the Flash update. Do not reboot the system during the Flash update. 38
7. When the Flash update is complete, you might see the following message: RAID has been enabled for your adapter(s). Remember to Save Parameters when you exit. Press Enter. The message disappears and you are returned to the Adapters menu. 8. Press the Esc key. The Adapters menu goes away and you are placed in the Main menu. 9. Remove the floppy disk from the floppy drive. 10. Use the arrow keys to select Save Parameters and Exit, and then press Enter. The changes are saved and the system automatically restarts. Documentation Issues The documentation set for NewsCutter XP Release 3.0 includes an Avid NewsCutter XP What s New for Release 3.0 guide. This guide describes the features that were added for this release. In addition, NewsCutter XP Release 3.0 now ships from Avid on the Compaq W8000 system. The Avid NewsCutter XP Setup Guide has been updated to include this platform change. The Avid NewsCutter XP Online Publications CD-ROM was not updated to include the new What s New and setup guides. An online.pdf version of these guides can be downloaded from the Knowledge Center. For more information on accessing the Knowledge Center, see Accessing the Knowledge Center for Information on page 27. The following sections outline the changes that have occurred since the documentation was printed. 39
Using Match Frame to Locate the Source Clips of Motion Effects You can locate the source clip (a master clip or subclip) of a motion effect using the Match Frame feature. For information on using match frame, see the Avid NewsCutter XP User s Guide or the Help. To use the Match Frame feature to locate the source clip of a motion effect: 1. In the Timeline, place the position indicator on the motion effect you want to match. 2. Select the track for the motion effect you want for a match. 3. Alt+click the Match Frame button in the Other tab of the Command palette. The source clip of the motion effect is loaded into the Source monitor. Using Advanced Keyframes The effects guide describes how to use the new Advanced Keyframe model. An additional document, Supplemental Information for Standard Keyframes and Advanced Keyframes discusses some of the differences between standard keyframes and advanced keyframes, and provides suggestions about when you might want to use one or the other. Refer to Supplemental Information for Standard Keyframes and Advanced Keyframes for the most up-to-date information on using advanced keyframes. This document is available on the Knowledge Center in the White Papers section. For information on accessing the Knowledge Center, see Accessing the Knowledge Center for Information on page 27. 40