Avid® Xpress® DV FAQ
This document is an attempt to provide quick, easy access to frequently answered questions (FAQ) from Digital Media Net’s World Wide User Groups (WWUG) Avid Xpress DV forum. This FAQ was compiled by a carefully selected group of experienced Avid editors, integrators, and technicians. The FAQ will begin with Xpress DV release 2.0. We may, in the future, include some release 1.x material but initially the FAQ will concentrate on release 2.0 and beyond. For clarity, the FAQ is divided into sections such as Integration, Operational, etc. We hope you find this document useful.
The Xpress DV-FAQ Team;
Dale Reeves, George Graves, John Kilgour, Patrick Harris, Scott Carnegie, Corey T. Burns, Gary Bettan, Olias Sunhillow, Aaron Busalacchi
FAQ Avid Xpress DV 2.* - 2-9-2002
FAQ Avid Xpress DV 1.* - Never released
1. Pre-sales
1.1 Why are Avid's system requirements so strict?
1.2 What operating system will Xpress DV run on?
1.3 Will Xpress DV run on Windows XP Professional?
1.4 Will Xpress DV run on Windows 2000 Server or Windows 2000 Advanced Server?
1.5 What other types of computers will Xpress DV run on?
1.6 What are the added features in the 2.0 PowerPack version of Xpress DV?
1.7 What are the minimum system requirements?
1.8 Can I use other manufacturer’s video capture (Pro One, RT-2500, etc.) like I use in my Premiere® system?
1.9 What kinds of drives can I use for media?
1.10 Can I use Iomega’s new Peerless Firewire drives for media?
1.11 Will Xpress DV work with my brand/model camera or deck?
1.12 What resolution does Xpress DV use?
1.13 Does XDV support DVCpro25?
1.14 Is there a demo version of Xpress DV?
1.15 Can I edit 16:9 footage with Xpress DV?
1.16 Where can I get a custom keyboard for Xpress DV?
1.17 Does Xpress DV have real time audio scrubbing?
1.18 Does Xpress DV have Match Frame Function?
1.19 Does Xpress DV have a built-in titler?
1.20 What 3rd party AVX plug-in CG's are available?
1.21 What audio effects are real time and what is rendered?
1.22 What video effects are real time and what is rendered?
1.23 Does Xpress DV have the ability to lock audio & video tracks in the timeline?
1.24 Does Xpress DV have color correction?
1.25 Does Xpress DV have Boolean searches of bins and media?
2. Integration
2.1 Can networked drives be accessed in Xpress DV?
2.2 Can I use RAID-0/striping for Xpress DV?
2.3 I’m not seeing motion video playback on my right computer monitor on my dual monitor system. I am seeing stills when in pause.
2.4 Can I install Xpress DV and Premiere on the same system?
2.5 I’m seeing delay between what is showing on the computer monitor versus what I see on my NTSC/PAL external monitor. Why? Is this normal?
2.6 I’m getting a delay between the audio and video during playback. Why?
2.7 Is there a method for obtaining in-sync video and audio between both the computer and client monitor?
2.8 I installed the Xpress DV software and launched the application. It tells me that a dongle was not found. What’s a dongle?
2.9 Can I run other applications like Microsoft Office on my system?
2.10 Can I run anti-virus software on my Xpress DV system?
2.11 My Maxtor FireWire drive is not being seen when I boot my computer. What should I do?
3. Operational
3.1 The analog inputs are grayed out in the Record Tool. Why?
3.2 I’m not able to do an Audio Punch In. I try but it’s not working.
3.3 I want to add some CD Audio to my project. Can I use the CD-ROM/DVD-ROM/CD-RW in the computer?
3.4 I can’t seem to be able to add keyframes to the audio tracks in the timeline. What am I doing wrong?
3.5 I just created a title in the title tool and saved it. It appeared in a bin. However, when I double click the title and it opens in the window, it is black. Nothing is there. What happened to my title?
3.6 My Xpress DV interface/program seems buggy.
3.7 I’m getting errors when I start Xpress DV. It’s telling me something about OMFI Domain Failure?
3.8 I just install a new (IDE, SCSI, Firewire) drive for extra storage. I formatted the drive with Disk Administrator and the OS recognizes the drive. However, when I try to digitize to the new drive in Xpress DV, it appears grayed out. What do I need to do?
3.9 Where is the countdown in the Digital Cut?
3.10 I have four video tracks and I want to add more. The system is not allowing me to do so. Why is this?
3.11 Should I defragment my media drives?
3.12 I can't hear Audio scrubbing when I scrub the timeline. Why?
3.13 How are motion effects rendered?
3.14 Does Xpress DV have Avid's "archive to tape" feature?
3.15 What happens if I break or lose my application key (dongle)?
3.16 Ever time I double click a clip in a bin it opens up into a new source monitor. Is there anyway to prevent this?
3.17 I just finished a project on my Xpress DV. Can I somehow get that same project into a different Avid system like a Media Composer®?
3.18 Does Xpress DV have a built in Waveform/Vectorscope?
3.19 How do I edit 16x9 material on Xpress DV?
3.20 How do I effectively delete media from old projects?
3.21 How do I delete unwanted Effects?
3.22 My system seems sluggish and very slow to commands. What can I do to speed it up?
3.23 How do I create special characters in the Title Tool?
3.24 What can I do about projects with source material in both NTSC and PAL?
3.25 What specifications should I use when rendering in After Effects for importing into Xpress DV?
4. Miscellaneous
4.1 How do I spell Avid Xpress DV?
4.2 Are there books to learn more about Avid editing?
4.3 What Internet user forums are there for Xpress DV?
4.4 Is everything in this FAQ correct?
1. Pre-sales
1.1 Q. Why are Avid's system requirements so strict? Top
A. If you're new to Avid systems you are probably feeling a little frustrated about Avid's strict systems requirements. You must remember that Avid has priced this product very competitively to make it affordable for professionals, DV filmmakers, event videographers and even enthusiasts & hobbyists. Initially they have kept the certified systems list very small in order to insure that your system will have the same rock solid stability and performance that all Avid editors demand and expect. As Avid and their dealers become more experienced with Xpress DV on a wider variety of systems a broader compatibility last is being created. A good example of this is Avid's new Hardware Compatibility database. These are non-certified systems that dealers and end-users have reported back to Avid are working without any problems.
We do have some very specific compatibility issues / system recommendations that we would like to address in the FAQ.
1. Windows XP® is not currently supported. XP support will be added in the near future, probably with the next major version release.
2. Avid does not recommend Athlon systems. While some users are reporting good success with these systems, many more are having problems. If you are going to get an Athlon, make sure you or your dealer install all the latest BIOS upgrades and chipset patches prior to installing Xpress DV
3. Xpress DV 2.1 is now compatible with dual processor systems. Xpress DV 2.0 does have a bug which will result in crashes on dual processor systems. We expect the next major version release to have some dual processor optimization.
4. Make sure you use a certified graphics card, we recommend the following dual head cards: Matrox G550 or ATI Radeon 8500 VE
5. You want plenty of memory. 256 MB is the minimum, for best results put in 512 MB.
6. If you plan on putting Xpress DV on a laptop, stick with the tested and approved models. Unlike a desktop, laptops are loaded with proprietary technology.
Here are your best bets for getting Xpress DV up and running ASAP
1. Get a certified system. It's also a safe bet to get the latest version of a certified system. (IE Dell Precision 410 workstations are approved, but no longer available. Dell Precision 340 workstations work great.)
2. Get a turnkey system from you local Avid dealer or one of the many NLE turnkey specialists throughout the country.
3. Buy Xpress DV from an authorized dealer who can review your system specs with you and offers you free tech support if you run into problems.
1.2 Q. What operating system will Xpress DV run on? Top
A. Release 2.x runs on Windows® 2000 Professional with Service Pack 1 plus a Hotfix included on the Xpress DV CD-ROM or Service Pack 2. Release 1.x runs on Windows NT® 4.0 with Service Pack 5 or Service Pack 6a.
1.3 Q. Will Xpress DV run on Windows XP Professional? Top
A. It will load and attempt to run but Avid’s CustomDV.sys file was written for Windows 2000 Professional and does not work on XP so control of DV cameras/decks is not possible. Running Xpress DV in Windows 2000 emulation mode will not work either.
1.4 Q. Will Xpress DV run on Windows 2000 Server or Windows 2000 Advanced Server? Top
A. Simply put, no. Now the rhetorical question, why would anyone want to put out the extra money for the server editions of Windows 2000 when it runs on the less expensive Pro edition?
1.5 Q. What other types of computers will Xpress DV run on? Top
A. In general, any machine that has an Intel CPU and Intel chipset will be fine. AMD CPUs also work but try to avoid VIA chip sets as they are known to cause problems.
1.6 Q. What are the added features in the 2.0 PowerPack version of Xpress DV? Top
A. Includes all elements in basic package plus additional software: Avid ePublisher Companion Edition, Knoll LightFactory AVX, Pinnacle Commotion DV 3.1, Sonic Solutions DVDit! SE, Image Stabilize AVX, and the DV Filmmaker's Toolkit
1.7 Q. What are the minimum system requirements? Top
A. Officially there isn’t a list of minimum system requirements since Xpress DV is only supported on Avid approved systems. However, if Avid were to write a set for Xpress DV release 2.x, it would look something like this;
Pentium® III – 600MHz or faster CPU
Windows 2000 Professional
256MB RAM
4MB or greater AGP or PCI Display that supports video overlay
200 MB free HD space
Texas Instruments based IEEE1394 (OHCI) card
such as the ADS Pyro.
Additional ATA100, LVD160, or FireWire® hard drive for media highly
recommended
1.8 Q. Can I use other manufacturer’s video capture (Pro One, RT-2500, etc.) like I use in my Premiere® system? Top
A. Only Texas Instruments based IEEE1394 (OHCI) cards as well as the Canopus DV Raptor will work with Xpress DV 2.x. The use of the DV Raptor beyond release 2.x is in serious doubt so it is recommended to not set new systems using the DV Raptor.
When you install Xpress DV, it takes over the IEEE1394/Firewire device, so any other NLE applications that use it stop working. (Note: you can set up a dual boot system which would keep the Xpress DV drivers isolated).
It is easy to understand why so many are interested in combining one of these popular real-time solutions with Xpress DV. What you need to understand is that these cards are more like Premiere accelerators. They add a subset of real-time capabilities and features to Premiere using its plug-in architecture. They DO NOT make the core Premiere 6 application, features, transitions and FX real-time.
Xpress DV is a professional NLE solution that gives you an editing environment suitable for long format editing - day in and day out. It is a software based solution, so there is no need for a real-time capture card or the complexity and problems they can create. The more you use Xpress DV the more you will realize how much more productive it is. If and when Avid makes Xpress DV real-time, you can bet that they will make it real-time across the board. You won't be forced to use a limited subset of real-time features.
1.9 Q. What kinds of drives can I use for media? Top
A. 7,200RPM ATA100 type drives, 7,200RPM or faster LVD160 SCSI drives, and 7,200RPM Firewire® drives
1.10 Q. Can I use Iomega’s new Peerless Firewire drives for media? Top
A. Even though the throughput of those drives would be sufficient for DV media, Xpress DV excludes removable drives for media use. This may change in future releases.
1.11 Q. Will Xpress DV work with my brand/model camera or deck? Top
A. The current Avid officially supported list of DV devices is always available at Avid’s web site. Click here to view the list.
1.12 Q. What resolution does Xpress DV use? Top
A. DV25 is the only resolution at this time. Future releases may include other resolutions.
1.13 Q. Does XDV support DVCpro25? Top
A. Yes, version 2.1 upgrade does support Panasonic’s AJ-D250 and AJ-D250E via Firewire.
1.14 Q. Is there a demo version of Xpress DV? Top
A. At this time no. There is however a excellent Product demo CD that you can request from avid. Visit Avid's Xpress DV web site for more information. If you would like to see Xpress DV in action contact your local Xpress DV dealer. However, don’t just “use” your local reseller for a demo then buy it on-line. That’s really not fair to the reseller, is it?
1.15 Q. Can I edit 16:9 footage with Xpress DV? Top
A. Yes.
1.16 Q. Where can I get a custom keyboard for Xpress DV? Top
A. You can buy the PostOp EZ keyboard for Xpress DV from many on-line retailers or ask your local Avid dealer to order you a regular Xpress keyboard.
1.17 Q. Does Xpress DV have real time audio scrubbing? Top
A. Yes.
1.18 Q. Does Xpress DV have Match Frame Function? Top
A. Yes.
1.19 Q. Does Xpress DV have a built-in titler? Top
A. Yes, a basic Title Tool. For more elaborate titles, consider a third party plug-in CG.
1.20 Q. What 3rd party AVX plug-in CG's are available? Top
A. Currently, the following:
All the above have downloadable demos which employ some type of protection when any title is rendered such as a red X, jail bars, etc. until the plug-in is registered. Photoshop® can be used for title work too but obviously will be run outside the Avid application.
1.21 Q. What audio effects are real time and what is rendered? Top
A. Audio EQ and level adjustments are RT. All Pro Tools® Audiosuite™ plug-ins are rendered but since it's audio the render times are extremely fast.
1.22 Q. What video effects are real time and what is rendered? Top
A. All video effects are rendered. However, this is not like Premiere where there is a "Make Movie" command to be issued before the project is complete. Xpress DV uses a "smart render" so only effects are rendered and, once rendered, that's it.
1.23 Q. Does Xpress DV have the ability to lock audio & video tracks in the timeline Top?
A. Yes. Click the small button to the left of the tracks you wish to lock together. A small "/" will indicate which tracks are locked.
1.24 Q. Does Xpress DV have color correction? Top
A. While there is some minor control with the color effect, traditional color correction (such as Avid Symphony™ has) is not in Xpress DV.
1.25 Q. Does Xpress DV have Boolean searches of bins and media? Top
A. Yes.
2. Integration
Q. Can networked drives be accessed in Xpress DV? Top
A. You can access them for import and export functions only. Record or playback from networked drives is not possible. This may change in future releases.
Q. Can I use RAID-0/striping for Xpress DV? Top
A. Certainly you can but why put that kind of risk on your media when a single ATA100 or LVD160 drive provides more than enough bandwidth for DV media. Anytime you put a RAID on a system the chances of failure go up exponentially by the more drives you have in the array. It’s not worth the risk in the FAQ team’s opinion.
Q. I’m not seeing motion video playback on my right computer monitor on my dual monitor system. I am seeing stills when in pause. Top
A. Motion video playback only works on the left computer monitor. Move the Composer and Pop-up Source windows to the left monitor. In release 2.1, the left monitor is the default for these windows.
Q. Can I install Xpress DV and Premiere on the same system? Top
A. No. Xpress DV replaces Microsoft’s DV driver. Xpress DV need it's own custom DV driver to run. A workaround would be to dual boot to two separate installations of Windows 2000.
Q. I’m seeing delay between what is showing on the computer monitor versus what I see on my NTSC/PAL external monitor. Why? Is this normal? Top
A. The delay is normal. The delay is caused by the amount of time it takes a DV device to convert the digital signal (which you see on the computer screen) versus what you see on the external monitor.
Q. I’m getting a delay between the audio and video during playback. Why? Top
A. Basically for the same reason as above. If you want to use the computer monitor to see your video, then connect your speakers to the back of the computer. If you want to use an external video monitor, connect your speakers to the DV device (transcoder, camera, deck) that your video monitor is connected to. Some clever folks have built switch boxes to route the audio while others have purchased inexpensive audio mixers to route the audio depending on where they want to hear it from.
2.7 Q. Is there a method for obtaining in-sync video and audio between both the computer and client monitor? Top
A. Yes. Get a Matrox G-450 video card (G-550 may work as well). Use the G-450 to power your main monitor from the right port on the card. Use the supplied Matrox VGA/S-video/Composite cable on the other port, and connect it to your client monitor. To use a dual-monitor setup, use a PCI video card and connect your secondary desktop monitor to that card. In the Matrox settings, make sure your monitor is set at 1024x768 32-bit TrueColor, and both the Use This Device as Primary Monitor and Extend My Windows Desktop Onto This Monitor are both checked. On the Dual-Head option tab, make sure the DualHead Clone or DVD-Max radio button is selected. Check both Use Dualhead Clone and Use DualHead DVD-Max boxes. On your secondary PCI video card, make sure Use This Device As Primary Monitor is NOT checked, and Extend My Windows Desktop Onto This Monitor is checked. Resolution and bit depth should match the Matrox card. Reboot your system.
This will play the video overlay in real-time to your client monitor. The resolution and color levels may be suspect but this method can be useful for real-time in-sync playback. Note that the sync issue may become moot with XDV Version 3.0.
Q. I installed the Xpress DV software and launched the application. It tells me that a dongle was not found. What’s a dongle? Top
A. The dongle is your system key and is plugged into a USB port. A dongle works primarily the same way a serial number works but on a higher level. When launched, the Xpress DV software reads the dongle and the features available for your particular system. If the dongle is not connected, the software will not launch. If the dongle is removed while the application is running, a dongle not found error will occur. The
Xpress DV application “looks” for the dongle approximately every two minutes. Every dongle has a unique system ID which is registered at Avid under the registrant’s name.
Q. Can I run other applications like Microsoft Office on my system? Top
A. Yes and no. You may install and run other applications on your system. However you should not run those applications while the Xpress DV application is running. This will cause less CPU time for Xpress DV and cause slowdowns. Install at your own risk. . This is not to say that you shouldn’t install other types of software. Some software will actually enhance your Avid. Applications such as Photoshop, After Effects, Corel DRAW!, and Sound Forge, just to name a few, will allow you more creativity and more options in your editing. Trying to run your business on the same computer should be avoided, however. Remember this is a creative workstation not an office machine. Why risk bringing your money-making computer down by catching a virus via e-mail?
2.10 Q. Can I run anti-virus software on my Xpress DV system? Top
A. If you insist on using your Xpress DV system to get your e-mail, then it would be highly recommended.
Q. My Maxtor FireWire drive is not being seen when I boot my computer. What should I do? Top
A. Shutdown. Disconnect the drive. Connect just the problematic drive. Reboot. Disconnect firewire cable from back of drive--but still connected to the back of the computer. Take out power cable from the drive and let the drive spin down and turn off. Power drive back on and let is spin up. Reconnect the firewire cable and Windows should launch the New Hardware Wizard.
3. Operational
Q. The analog inputs are grayed out in the Record Tool. Why? Top
A. Turn off deck control and they will be accessible.
3.2 Q. I’m not able to do an Audio Punch In. I try but it’s not working. Top
A. This happens for the same reason as the previous question, turn off deck control in the Record Tool and then Audio Punch In will work.
3.3 Q. I want to add some CD Audio to my project. Can I use the CD-ROM/DVD-ROM/CD-RW in the computer? Top
A. As long as your CD-ROM/DVD-ROM/CD-RW supports digital audio extraction (most modern ones do), insert the CD into the drive, select File | Import, change the file type to Audio, direct the finder to the CD drive, select the track(s) you want to import, click OK. The import will take place in two stages. First is the audio extraction and then there will be a sample rate conversion from 44.1 kHz to your project’s sample rate, 32 kHz or 48 kHz as applicable.
3.4 Q. I can’t seem to be able to add keyframes to the audio tracks in the timeline. What am I doing wrong? Top
A. Turn on Audio Clip Gain in the Fast (hamburger) Menu in the timeline.
3.5 Q. I just created a title in the title tool and saved it. It appeared in a bin. However, when I double click the title and it opens in the clip window, it is black. Nothing is there. What happened to my title? Top
A. In the Avid application, select the "Clip" pulldown menu at the top of the boot screen. Make sure that "Render-on-the-fly" is selected.
3.6 Q. My Xpress DV interface/program seems buggy. Top
A. Try trashing the MCState file and restarting the Xpress DV application:
<Drive>\Program
Files\Avid\XpressDV\supporting files\MCState.
3.7 Q. I’m getting errors when I start Xpress DV. It’s telling me something about OMFI Domain Failure? Top
A. Trash your media databases. Click Start|Search|For Files and Folders. In the name box, type *.mdb and have it search all local hard drives. When the search is complete, delete all of the *.mdb files that are inside an “OMFI Media” folder. Repeat the process for *.pmr files. Once that is complete, relaunch Xpress DV. Xpress DV will take a few extra seconds to open as it rebuilds the media databases.
3.8 Q. I just install a new (IDE, SCSI, Firewire) drive for extra storage. I formatted the drive with Disk Administrator and the OS recognizes the drive. However, when I try to digitize to the new drive in Xpress DV, it appears grayed out. What do I need to do? Top
A. In the Avid app, go to settings in the project window. Select Media Creation and uncheck drive filtering based on resolution. Your new drive should appear in the digitize tool.
3.9 Q. Where is the countdown in the Digital Cut? Top
A. For whatever reason, countdown is not in Xpress DV, you’ll have to create one yourself.
3.10 Q. I have four video tracks and I want to add more. The system is not allowing me to do so. Why is this? Top
A. Xpress DV 2.* is limited to 4 video tracks and 8 audio tracks. The workarounds are by doing a video mixdown and/or nesting.
3.11 Q. Should I defragment my media drives? Top
A. It is not recommended to defragment your media drives. The Xpress DV application can handle fragmented drives.
3.12 Q. I can't hear Audio scrubbing when I scrub the timeline. Why? Top
A. You'll need to activate the "cap lock' key on your keyboard. You may experience degraded scrubbing on slower systems.
3.13 Q. How are motion effects rendered? Top
A. You have a choice of how motion effects are rendered. You can set Xpress DV to default to anyone of the following, and still be able to change the settings before creating each effect;
Duplicated fields
Interpolated fields
Both
fields (rendering motion effects with this setting will usually cause very
jerky motion)
VTR Style
3.14 Q. Does Xpress DV have Avid's "archive to tape" feature? Top
A. No, not as of version 2.x
3.15 Q. What happens if I break or lose my application key (dongle)? Top
A. A non-functioning dongle will be replaced free. Contact Avid’s Customer Response Team at 800-800-AVID (2843) in the US or the Response Team for your country. A deposit on a credit card will be needed in advance of shipment, which will be refunded when you return the broken one. In the case of a lost dongle, Avid will replace your dongle for a fee. You can not run the Avid software without it.
3.16 Q. Ever time I double click a clip in a bin it opens up into a new source monitor. Is there anyway to prevent this? Top
A. Once you have at least one source monitor open you can drag a new clip onto it to open it. Some people find this method helps reduce screen clutter. Or, if you prefer to use the double click method, you can go your user settings, select "Bin", and change "Double Click Loads Clip In; New Pop-up Monitor" to "Double Click Loads Clip In; Existing Pop-up Monitor". Also, holding the ALT key while double-clicking the clip will open the clip in the active pop-up monitor will work for a single use.
3.17 Q. I just finished a project on my Xpress DV. Can I somehow get that same project into a different Avid system like a Media Composer®? Top
A. Yes. You can navigate to your project folder, copy that and open the same project on a different Avid system. You will however have to do a batch digitize on the other system as media is not transferable. You can also use the Recreate Title Media function to restore your titles created in the Title Tool.
3.18 Q. Does Xpress DV have a built in Waveform/Vectorscope? Top
A. As of version 2.0, Xpress DV does not. If you need to monitor your signal simply plug in the Vectorscope/waveform monitor into the analog output of the DV device connected to your Xpress DV system. Many editors and motion graphics artists doing work for broadcast rely heavily on their waveform monitor/vectorscope to not only keep their video looking great, but also to meet broadcast legal levels and colors.
3.19 Q. How do I edit 16x9 material on Xpress DV? Top
A. Click on the Composer Window to highlight it. Pull down Bin and select 16x9 monitors.
3.20 Q. How do I effectively delete media from old projects? Top
A. Under the Tools menu, click on Media Tool.Highlight the desired project. Highlight all drives. Make sure to check Master Clips, Precomputes, and Media Files. Click Ok. A new window will have opened with all the media associated with that particular project. CTRL+A to highlight all and delete.
3.21 Q. How do I delete unwanted Effects? Top
A. Open Media Tool. Check all drives and current project. Check Precomputes and leave Master Clips and Media Files UNCHECKED. Click Ok, a new window will open. Keep it open and visible. Open the bin with the sequence(s) and highlight them. In the hamburger menu (lower left corner of the bin window) select "Select Media Relatives". Any clips in the open bins, including the media tool bin that are used in the sequence will be highlighted. In the hamburger menu of the media tool bin select "Reverse Selection" The precomputes that are not associated with that sequence are now highlighted. Hit delete and enjoy some more free space!
3.22 Q. My system seems sluggish and very slow to commands. What can I do to speed it up? Top
A. Make sure you have the required amount of RAM – 256MB. If you do, then you may want to try setting your playlength command. Open the console and type the word playlength followed by a whole number (ex. playlength 2). What this does is sets the amount of the timeline loaded in RAM to be played back behind and in front of the position indicator. The whole number represents minutes.
3.23 Q. How do I create special characters in the Title Tool? Top
A. Minimize Xpress DV. Navigate to Start|Programs|Accessories|System Tools|Character Map. Select a font. Select the character you wish to use. Press select. Press copy. Minimize Character Map. Maximize Xpress DV. Press CTRL+V to paste the character in the Title Tool. An alternative method for some special characters is to memorize the ASCII number. If you know the ASCII number, hold down the ALT key and type the number on the numeric keypad (the numbers above the letters won’t work), then release the ALT key. Viola, your special character in the current font! Some common ones are:
| © = Alt 0169 | ® = Alt 0174 | ™ = Alt 0153 |
| ¼ = Alt 0188 | ½ = Alt 0189 | ¾ = Alt 0190 |
|
· = Alt 0183 (small bullet) |
¢ = Alt 0172 |
|
|
• = Alt 0149 (large bullet) |
° = Alt 0176 (degrees) |
When using the character map, note the keyboard shortcut in the lower right corner so maybe next time you won’t need the character map again.
3.24 Q. What can I do about projects with source material in both NTSC and PAL? Top
A. You'll have to choose one or the other then have the tapes of the opposite color system converted.
3.25 Q. What specifications should I use when rendering in After Effects for importing into Xpress DV? Top
A. Make sure your compositions are 720x480. NTSC at 29.97fps or PAL at 25fps. For best quality render with these specs;
NTSC
| Render Settings | Output Module |
| Quality: Best | Format: Quicktime |
| Resolution: Full | Video Output: Checked |
| Field Render: Lower Field First | Format
Options: Compressor;
1. choose codec 2. Channels - RGB or RGB + Alpha 3. Depth - Millions of Colors 4. Color - Premultiplied |
| 3:2 Pulldown: Off | |
| Framerate: Use comp's framerate (should be 29.97fps) | Audio Output: Checked
(if using audio) 48.000 KHz, 16bit, (match to your Avid project settings), Stereo or mono |
PAL
| Render Settings | Output Module |
| Quality: Best | Format: Quicktime |
| Resolution: Full | Video Output: Checked |
| Field Render: Upper Field First | Format
Options: Compressor;
1. choose codec 2. Channels - RGB or RGB + Alpha 3. Depth - Millions of Colors 4. Color - Premultiplied |
| 3:2 Pulldown: Off | |
| Framerate: Use comp's framerate (should be 25fps) | Audio Output: Checked
(if using audio) 48.000 KHz, 16bit, (match to your Avid project settings), Stereo or mono |
4. Miscellaneous
4.1 Q. How do I spell Avid Xpress DV? Top
A. Just like that. Not Express DV or DVExpress or even DVXpress. It's Avid Xpress DV.
4.2 Q. Are there books to learn more about Avid editing? Top
A. There are three books that are an excellent source for the Avid editor wishing to learn more. Although none of the books discuss Xpress DV directly, all three are great resources. Newbies and seasoned editors alike can pick up any of these books and learn.
The Avid Handbook, Techniques for the Avid Media Composer and Avid
Xpress - by Steve Bayes
The Avid Digital Editing Room Handbook - by Tony Solomons
Avid Editing, A Guide for Beginning and Intermediate Users - by Sam
Kauffmann
4.3 Q. What Internet user forums are there for Xpress DV? Top
A. There are three forums that may interest the Xpress DV editor.
Another site that will be of interest to all Avid users is Avid’s Knowledge Center.
4.4 Q. Is everything in this FAQ correct? Top
A. Hopefully! The Xpress DV FAQ team has done everything it can to make sure that the information here is correct. If you find anything you know to be an error please contact mailto:xdvfaq@hotmail.com?subject=Re: XDV FAQ
Avid, Avid Xpress, AVX, Digidesign, FilmScribe, IllusionFX, Media Composer, MediaLog, OMF Interchange, Pro Tools, Symphony, and Unity are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Avid Technology in the United States and/or other countries. Windows, Windows NT, and Windows XP are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Microsoft in the United States and/or other countries. Firewire is a registered trademark of Apple Computer in the U.S. and other countries. Photoshop and Premiere are registered trademarks of Adobe Systems in the United States and/or other countries. Pentium is a registered trademark of Intel Corporation in the U.S. and other countries. All other trademarks from these or other manufacturers referenced in this document are property of their respective owners.