Editing a simple video using AVID MCXpress (PC)

Easy version

AVID MCXpress is a full-featured nonlinear video editing system. There's no hope of covering the full functionality on this page. I've concentrated on a lot of the stuff specific to our setup, and tried to cover most of the gotchas that I've found. There's not much here about the main function of MCXpress itself, namely working with clips and editing. That's covered in the manual and online help, which you'll want to also read.

Starting up

Log in to Kinora (NLEPC)
The icon for AVID MCXpress should appear on the desktop. Double click to start the application.
The following error message will most likely appear. Simply click OK - there is not in fact an incompatability.
AVID MCXpress will load, and the Organizer window will appear. You will now want to create a project for your video.

Creating a project

When you start MCXpress, the Organizer window should appear:
if this window does not appear, select the Organizer... option from the Tools menu.
Create a new project, using the New Project... option from the File menu. The naming of the project is important: there will are typically a large number of projects active in MCXpress, and we need to be able to determine the owners for each project if we need to move or archive projects. The current naming convention is (name) Conference, for example: (cstolte) INFOVIS 1999.
Once you create the project, it will appear in the Organizer. Double-click the project entry to start working on that project. The Organizer will disappear and be replaced with the three windows used for creating and editing videos: the Timeline Viewer, the Project and the Timeline. Consult the AVID manual for detailed documentation on how to assemble and edit your video.

Capturing video

If you have some video on tape that you need to digitize, you can do so from inside MCXpress

Startup AVID MCXpress, and open your project file.

Pick Tools->Digitize..... The digitize window will appear.
If you are digitizing using the Sony Digibeta, you can use remote deck control for more accurate control of the digitizing process. See below for more information.
Route the appropriate deck to Kinora. For example, to route the digibeta deck through the Web interface middle-click on the digibeta deck and left-click on NLEPC Kinora (PC) entry that appears in the text list on the right-hande side of the web page. There is no image for Kinora. Telect: telect -lsdi -idigibeta -onlepc. See the capture page for more on routing.
If your clip has sound, make sure to also route the audio to Kinora. If your input is the digibeta, this will happen automatically. If you are using a non-digital source as input, you will have to route the video signal through either FS1 or FS2. However, when you route through either of these transcoders, audio will not automatically follow the video signal. You need to first route your audio signal directly to Kinora, and then route the video signal to Kinora through the transcoders. You must route audio first - this will not work if you route audio after video. If your clip does not have audio, disable the audio channels by unchecking those signals in the digitize window:
Click the record button. MCXpress will immediately start digitizing the input to the disk. When you are done digitizing, click the stop button. You must then immediately name your digitized video clip -- the new clip will appear named Untitled in the list of clips that appears at the bottom of the digitize window:
You can now either digitize additional clips, or close the digitize window to return to editing your project.

Importing existing content

Pick File->Import->Import File(s)... and select a still image, video clip, or audio clip that you want to import. You'll see it appear in the Project window. You can drag it into place in the Timeline window. To make a simple video, just import your all your pieces and drag them into the Timeline window in the right order. If you just want straight cuts with no fancy transitions you can just shove them all back-to-back on the (V1) track.
You can use a clip more than once by just dragging it from the Project window to a new place in the Timeline window.
To set the duration of a still image, you can either double click on the image in the Project window and set In and Out markers, or you can clip it after placing it into the Timeline (again using In and Out markers). Still images default to a duration of two minutes.
Note that you can make title frames and such with the button in the Timeline window.
You can fade from one clip to another by using effects. Place both clips back to back on the (V1) track, and then select the transition between them. You can then insert effects such as dissolves and wipes. If you want to overlay two clips using transparency, then place one clip on (V1) and the other on (V2), and insert an overlay effect.

Video output

You can preview your video on viewmon simply by setting viewmon's input to be Line B and pressing the button in the timeline window.
Select Tools->Print to Tape... The print to tape window will appear.
Although it is possible to print to tape without using the deck control, I highly recommend using the deck control. See below for instructions on setting up the remote deck control.
You'll want to record 10 seconds of black, but not the countdown:
Route Kinora to the relevant deck. For the digibeta deck and the Web interface, middle-click on Kinora and left-click on the digibeta deck. Telect: telect -lsdi -inlepc -odigibeta.
Position your tape where you would like to start recording. Make sure you have blacked the tape, and put down timecode. You should also have at least 10 seconds of tape preceeding where you would like to record so that the deck can preroll.
Click the record button. MCXpress will then remotely control the deck to write out your video to the digibeta. You can then create SVHS copies from your digital master copy. If no video or audio appears on the tape, you may need to power off and on the Targa board - some times it gets into a weird state, and must be rebooted.

Remote Deck Control

I highly recommend using the remote deck control for both digitizing video from tape, and for recording video output.

Set the local/remote switch to remote on the digibeta deck.

Use the RS422 patch bay to route the deck control to Kinora/NLEPC.
From the digitize window or the print to tape window, select the deck control button:
The deck control window will appear:
Select the Sony Digibeta deck from the top pulldown menu:
If the Sony Digibeta deck does not appear in the pulldown menu, then click the update button. If it still does not appear, then make sure you properly patched the deck control in the RS422 patch bay.
Click OK in the deck control window. Now when you either digitize or print to tape it will use the deck control. If you need to manually position the tape, you will need to turn off the remote control on the deck by pressing the remote button on the digibeta.

More detail

Additional notes

Troubleshooting

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Last modified: Mon Feb 28 16:19:18 PST 2000