I am new to Mac's and FCP4 and began editing and encountered a slight problem. Ok, here's the set up: G5 w/FCP -> Firewire to Sony ->HI8 - everything is cool with capture - it captures video and sound. Here's the problem: G5 -> Audio Out on back -> 1/8" to Stereo RCA -> Stereo Amp -> speakers = no sound on log and capture in preview. The only way I get sound is the firewire out to camcorder to VTR to Amp. This is fine, but I don't understand why it won't go out of the computer straight into the AMP and play sound while previewing. iTunes works fine out the back of the computer into the amp. All computer sounds work fine out from the computer into the amp. FCP preview does not. I have been in and turned off External Video as it said to do on the FCP site - no worky. I went into Audio/Video Settings and set Audio to "Built in Audio" - no worky. I must be missing something, or it just simply doesn't work like I want it to, but I just don't understand why (is this a Mac illiteracy issue?). After I capture, the sound is there and works just fine through the amp. I have searched several different sites and some people offered some advice, but I tried it all and it didn't work. Anybody have an answer??? Many thanks in advance.

Clay...

You can turn the speaker option on but I don't recommend it.

Get a splitter cable (female - 2male) or move cables around when you capture.

The speaker option in Audio/Video Settings? If so, I did that and it still didn't work. Any other recommendations? Thanks.

Oh, one more thing....the problem isn't in capture, just in logging the clips before capturing. Capturing is fine - audio is fine only after capturing.

In System Preferences>Sound, what is the output set to?

System Preferences>Sound>Ouput>Built-in-Audio

That sends sounds to the Macs internal speaker, not through the connection at the back. Are there other options?

"That sends sounds to the Macs internal speaker, not through the connection at the back. Are there other options?"

Doesn't it send it through both? And, if one is connected, the other is disabled, i.e. if the plug on the back is plugged in, the internal speaker doesn't play sound, but if it is unplugged, sound plays on the internal speaker. As far as I can tell, there is no "setting" to choose between the two. It seems they are interrelated and work off and because of each other. Also, it probably is hooked up to the front head phone jack so that if plugged in, the internal speaker doesn't work...haven't checked that.

There is one other option that says "Digital Out" or something like that. I don't have 20 feet of Digital wire, and probably couldn't afford it, but that's why they also put an analog hook up too, right?

Anyone know????
Thanks again for the help...
Clay

What model Mac do you have? Most of the newer rear outputs are digital. Depending on the model, the only analog out may be the headphone jack.

Hey Jeff,

I have a Dual G5 - it has the digital out and the analog out on the back, and the headphone jack on the front. The sound out on the back works with the computer sounds and iTunes, just not with logging clips in FCP4. Thanks for any input.

Clay...

OK, just making sure. There was a period of about 2 years recently, when Power Macs only had digital out. It probably is an FCP setting not set right. Try using the headphones or a single cable just to isolate the problem. A remote chance your choice of connectors (stereo, mono etc.) could be causing problems. I'm not using FCP 4 yet, neither is the school I teach at.

Just in case you haven't found an answer, you cannot monitor audio when capturing in FCP 4. Only way to monitor during capture would be through your output source, ie: camera. I'm reading that from the FCP 4 manual. Hope this helps,

Michael

Michael,

You can monitor while logging and capturing. I figured it out! The sound is a little off while logging, but works. The only way to line it up would be to go out of the camera into a monitor or amp that way.

To do it, you have to go into your presets and create a new capture preset, copying the one that is set to. In the preset editor go to the advanced button on the audio settings and turn speakers to ON. If you have problems with playback sound (like pops or sync issues), turn them to OFF while capturing.

Hope this helps if you are trying to do the same thing...

For some reason I stopped reading this thread. Sorry I didn't chime in earlier with the location of the speaker option.

Thanks Glenn,

Figured it out, but after using it I think the best thing (I know, I know we all know the the best thing) to do is get a deck and monitor and do sound editing that way! Hopefully I will have that money soon!!!

<<<-- Originally posted by Jeff Donald : There was a period of about 2 years recently, when Power Macs only had digital out. -->>>

Huh? Mac's JUST got Digital Out with the G5. if you wanted a Digital Out solution before this, you would have had to get a PCI card (Like the Revolution Card) or some sort of USB Breakout Box that would allow this. (They only had Analog out!)

As for the other issue being discussed here, yes you found the solution. I have bene monitoring my audio while capturing for a LONG time. I genereally just connect a set of headphones to my camera (Or I am not in the room and it doesnt matter)

On another note that may relate to this later, If you go to Playback your project from the timeline after capturing and you are getting no audio, Disconnect your camera, it is trying to play audio through this (Unless you have an Amp or headphones attached to it). My roommate/editor also found out if you have the Capture window open and in the background you will also get audio (Very strange, not sure why you would do this though)