Online students

For this assignment, you will need access to a computer capable of digitizing video. Most Macintosh multimedia computers can digitize video, and many multimedia Windows machines can as well. Study the hardware and software manuals for the specific system you're using.

On campus students

• Fusion Recorder is located on computer stations #9 and #10 in the IML, in North Education 275 on campus.
• VCR and TV monitors are also located on computer stations #9 and #10 in the IML, NE 275 on campus.
  

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Steps In Using Fusion Recorder

• Switch on the VCR and TV monitor. The video audio selector should be set to 1 or "VCR". Make sure the Audio and Video are playing through the TV set.
• Open Fusion Recorder. It's in a folder called Audio/Video capture. You should see live video in a window like the one below. If the window remains dark, see section 4 (Video Source) of the Settings section of this job aid. Please don't try to alter the cable connections on the machines.
  
  

  You can change the size of the movie you digitize by going to the item Record Window Size under Record on the Menu bar.

  Since increasing the size of the Record window increases the size of the digitized video file, as well as the demands on the computer's memory, you should try to use as small a window as possible. (There is no possibility of working with full screen video.)
  

• Locate a point on your tape just before which you want the digitizing to begin. Let it play. Then click the REC in the Fusion window. Clicked on STOP to end digitizing the video. You will, then, see a new window on your screen:

  Now each frame is being compressed and, depending on the size of your clip and the compression system chosen, this may take some time.
  

• Name and save the file as you would any Mac file.
  
  Settings A. Video -- Setting Preferences

  Click on Record on the Menu bar.

  Check under Record Preferences that "Record directly to disk" is selected and that "Post Compress" is checked.
  
  
  B. Video -- Compression

  Before you digitize... you may want to alter features of your final clip.

  

  Under Record on the Apple Menu bar, you'll find Video Settings. Open it and choose Compression on the pull-down menu at the top of the video compression frame.

  Now can make adjustments to a number of features that will affect your clip's size and quality.

  Choose Cinepak as your compressor if you want higher quality compression. It takes a relatively long time to digitize each frame, but is essential if you are transferring the final product to a CD ROM. Choose Video as a compressor for a quick and dirty option. Ignore the other options.

  Depth relates to the number of colors used. 256 will be adequate for many purposes.

  Quality refers to the coarseness of the picture. Medium is more that adequate for many applications.

  Movement begins to look jerky under 15 frames per second. But again the higher the frame rate, the greater the memory used.

  The key frame and limit data options should appear as in the illustration.

  C. Video - Image Quality

  Under Video Settings choose Image to affect the contrast and brightness of your image.

  

  D. Video -- Source

  Under Video Settings make sure that the Source window looks like the image below - unless you are using an SVHS source tape. Then you should alter input to SVHS.

  

  E. Video -- Sound

  1. Levels

  

  If sound is not satisfactory, then go to Sound Settings. Make sure that the speaker is set to "On", or "Off During Recording".

  The level box should be illuminated with green and possibly red bars. Use the gain slider so that sound signal peaks just into the red sector.
  
  
  If you can't get sound to work after altering settings here, then you may have to go to Control Panels, under the to ensure that the Sound Monitoring Source option is Sound In. See below.

  
  
  2. Audio Quality
  You can also alter audio quality in Fusion under Sample. The setting illustrated here will result in medium quality sound.
  
  

  
  

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