How To Layback A 5.1 Program From Final Cut Pro For Dolby E The

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• fcp_5.1_layback.pdf home how to layback a 5.1 program from Final Cut Pro for Dolby E edit page one of two fcp dvd sp prod tape next field fcp/quicktime The current format of choice for HD programming delivered to PBS is Sony HDCam. HDCam however is limited to just 4 audio tracks. If you are delivering an HD show which has 5.1 audio, the 6 tracks of surround sound must get encoded as Dolby E and laid down to tape on tracks 3 and 4 of the HDCam. Tracks 1 and 2 remain the usual left and right stereo pair. In our current workflow, it is usual to do the final output to the HDCam edit master of Dolby E tracks 3 and 4 from an audio sweetening room. This is the final step in the layback process – the video and tracks 1 and 2 having been previously output to tape from the edit suite. There have been occasions however when it has been necessary to do the Dolby E encoding right out of the edit suite onto tape. This can be done, but there are some tricks to doing this correctly. This document will layout the workflow for accomplishing this. The first step in the edit suite is to run some coax. We need to connect the AES output from the Kona breakout box to the Dolby E encoder AES input. The Dolby E encoder unit is part of the HDCam B roll around rack. You will need 4 lines. The AES outputs are clearly marked on the Kona breakout box as well as the AES encoder inputs on the back of the HDCam roll around rack. It helps to have cables that are color coded in some way in order to keep the connections organized. Connect 1-2 AES output on the Kona to 1-2 AES input on the Dolby E encoder. Also run 3-4 to 3-4. Attach 5-6 to 5-6. Connect 7-8 to 7-8. In Final Cut Pro the sequence timeline should be set up for 8 channel output. Audio output is controlled from within the sequence settings in the audio output tab. Choose 8 output channels in sequence settings and set the Grouping to duel mono with Downmix at 0 db. You will have received the 5.1 mix consisting of 6 audio files (probably .aiff or .wav), as well as the two mixed down stereo tracks. The surround tracks will go onto audio tracks 1 thru 6 and the two channel stereo mix will go onto track 7 and 8. Here is how those tracks are to be laid out on the Final Cut Pro timeline: L goes onto track one. R goes onto track two. C goes onto track three. Lfe goes onto track four. Ls goes onto track five. Rs goes onto track six. Stereo Left goes onto track seven. Stereo Right goes onto track eight. On the sequence timeline route the audio tracks 1 thru 8 to Audio Output channels 1 thru 8 respectively. We are going to lay off the show in two passes. On the first pass we will lay down the video and the two channel stereo pair onto HDCam audio channels 1 and 2. On the second pass we will lay off the Dolby E encoded audio to channels 3 and 4 on the HDCam deck. We are going to lay off the show in two passes. On the first pass we will lay down the video and the two channel stereo pair onto HDCam audio channels 1 and 2. On the second pass we will lay off the Dolby E encoded audio to channels 3 and 4 on the HDCam deck. Prepare for the first pass layback. Make sure all of the audio tracks are in sync with themselves and with the video. On the Final Cut Pro timeline turn off audio tracks 1 thru 6. On the Final Cut Pro timeline route audio tracks 7 and 8 into output channels 1 and 2. This will send the standard stereo mix to channels 1 and 2 on the HDCam deck. Make sure that the Kona Control Genlock is set to Ref in. The Kona must be getting a solid reference. Later before our second audio layback of the Dolby E, we will recheck the genlock setting because the Dolby E encoder unit also needs a solid black reference. Initialize Edit to Tape. In the Edit to Tape window turn on the Video track and Audio tracks 1 and 2 only. Audio tracks 3 and 4 will be off. Play the timeline and double check that the stereo going to channel 1 and channel 2 is indeed stereo. It should be if audio output for tracks 7 and 8 is set to dual mono in the sequence settings. Layback the show. After layback check that audio is in sync throughout the countdown. Check that the show starts at 01:00:00:00, and ends properly to the frame. Now prepare for the second pass of the layback. Make sure the Dolby E encoder unit it is set up to 5.1 + 2. page one of two next • fcp_5.1_layback.pdf how to layback a 5.1 program from Final Cut Pro for Dolby E home page two of two edit fcp dvd sp prod tape previous Now we must check to make sure that HDCam is set up to receive Dolby E data. Go here for directions to navigate the HDCam menu and set up for data record to CH3 and CH 4: http://web.me.com/tptpost/TPTPost/hdcamaudio_ccmode.html Once Track 3 and 4 have been set for burst in the menus turn your attention to the front control panel of the HDCam deck. On the left hand side just below the audio meters, there is a button called input. While holding that button down press on the EXT button under CH3 and CH4. Keep pressing repeatedly until AES/EBU and the word DATA appear above the meters for those channels. If all is set up properly, as you play the show on the timeline, you will see channel 3 and 4 audio meters go up to 0 db with the red OVER signal being activated consistently. We will be doing an audio only insert on the tape but first we want to advance the audio on the FCP timeline by two frames. Why? Because dolby encode and decode will subtract a frame each from our in sync audio. Get it? On the Final Cut Pro timeline turn on audio tracks 1-6. Trim 2 frames from the head of all the audio tracks and advance all of the 8 tracks by 2 frames (move all tracks two frames to the left) or < 2. Route audio tracks 7 and 8 to audio outputs 7 and 8. field fcp/quicktime Recheck the Kona Control Panel Genlock to make sure it is still set to Ref in. Initialize Edit to tape. In the Edit to Tape window we are going to insert our 8 encoded tracks onto audio channels 3 and 4 so turn 1 and 2 off in edit to tape window and turn on channels 3 and 4. Do an insert edit onto tracks 3 and 4 for the entire show. There. Voilla! Success! Here is a little bit of additional interesting information regarding 5.1 surround sound. To create a stereo mix down from dolby E surround tracks: Pass the Lf and Rf unchanged and apply -3dB to the center channel and to Ls and Rs channels. page two of two previous