Feed from Computer

[HamCam]

I've always wanted to know from those that edit in the field using (insert your program of choice here) on a laptop computer... how do you output it to feed back to the station/network whatever?? Back to tape/disc and then feed? Some sort of direct feed out of the NLE??

Thanks for the help in advance.

[Coug86]

With our system...Dell laptops with Avid DV program...we can dub back to DVC tape then feed...we have also fed directly from the computer through the MOJO..just have the correct video and audio adaptors. We are now moving to XDCAM...we will be able to feed directly from the laptop by firewire...using the R1 Deck...the deck has normal video and audio conectors for output. The only thing a bit different with doing this, is that you have to change a setting in the deck menu from FAM (file access mode) to A/V mode.

[woodberry]

we feed straight out of our laptops (Dell, using Avid Liquid) by firewire into a Canopus box, which converts the video into a composite signal, then out of the Canopus box into an AV router, which feeds the microwave transmitter, then back to the station, etc. Works every time, the only draw back is the composite signal coming out of/into the Canopus box. It's a shame to shoot pretty digital video and then dumm it down to composite to get it in and out of the laptop. We are currently shooting Beta SX, but are expecting the HD XDCAMs sometime this year, which will hopefully elimate the need to downconvert to composite, as the XDCAMs have a firewire out.

[mknisely]

How about this... we are P2 and each camera has a Avid Laptop. We can Log and Edit as soon as were done shooting - and not have to wait for a live truck. When we have I truck we feed via the Avid through a MOJO or a Canopus which is a direct tape into the mircowave signal. Newer COFDM microwave transmitters also have a firewire patch on the front of them which bypass the D-A.

Now the cool part. If the truck gets yanked we can send pkgs back to the station using an Internet connection via WiFI or a Verizon vCard and ProTools DigiDelivery system. The story goes to an FTP (file transfer protocol) server before it finally hits the station's Avid Unity server. I can admit sometimes I have been guilty of trolling around in my news vehicle, looking for a wireless "hot spot" that I can tap into. No time is wasted driving back to the station with the finished story. The upload takes between five and 10 minutes for a 30 Meg File. This process for us, sending stories via the Internet, is still in the experimental stage. You could just use the FTP site for your stations webpage instead of the Avid solution which automates the push to Unity via a producer email link.

I have been also tooling around with going live using the vCard via some thrid party products and Quicktime Broadcaster.

[OmegaRed]

FTP Servers. I know thats how the freelancers send their stuff around here too.

[Charlie Grisham]

we feed straight out of our laptops (Dell, using Avid Liquid) by firewire into a Canopus box, which converts the video into a composite signal, then out of the Canopus box into an AV router, which feeds the microwave transmitter, then back to the station, etc. Works every time, the only draw back is the composite signal coming out of/into the Canopus box. It's a shame to shoot pretty digital video and then dumm it down to composite to get it in and out of the laptop. We are currently shooting Beta SX, but are expecting the HD XDCAMs sometime this year, which will hopefully elimate the need to downconvert to composite, as the XDCAMs have a firewire out.

The ADVC-110, which has the composite I/O, is $399. But Canopus also sells the ADVC-700 which does component and balanced audio for something like $1800. The ADVC-1000 does SDI for $1900.

Most stations use the 110s because they can afford to replace them when they get trashed. The more expensive ones can be rack mounted if you've got that set-up in your truck...so they won't get trashed.

The ADVCs are awesome. The 700 and 1000 are bi-directional AND have 422 deck control. I'm selling loads of em to stations as a kind of mojo replacement.

The XDCams will totally rock your world. But you could still use the ADVCs in the truck for a live feed from the laptop to the station through ENG, assuming you have a real-time NLE.

[SandRat]

FTP servers will be the way it's done soon. Our station will be using a similar setup for a bureau soon...fiber optic lives and FTP (big e-mail attachment) directly into the playback server (just like sending a NLE pkg to any playback server, but long distance)

[acton]

Hey ho Flipper.

Back in afghanistan as of January 3rd.

I'm filing ftp and sat. I take the tapes, (not shooting P2 or Disc yet) FW to my mac, output mpeg 2 and AIFF files then cyber duck the stuff to Vancouver servers. They then reconvert it to quicktime or what ever they are now using as they went to a digital system within the last month or so. If it is going to Ottawa, then they use Media Streamclip to convert it back to quicktime and put the audio and video back into Final cut.

Shoot me an email if you want more info, or want to get caught up.

BTW the blog is back up.

http://acton-afghanadventures.blogspot.com/

see ya.

Barry

[wtv]

Here in Somali we are cutting on a DV cam tape to tape machine (quicker than sticking it in laptop to cut). Then download to the M-link Voyager Lite program on the laptop, then bgan it back to London.

Works well, apart the constant crashes of the bgan.

[HamCam]

Thanks for all the input gang! And Barry... stay safe and keep the photos coming eh!