Well, I have used the sm58 and "A mic like the shure SM58"--namely, look-a-likes from A/T, AKG, etc. for interviews and other uses with my XL1 right through the MA100 and it sounded pretty decent to my tired old ears.

Now maybe the Beachtek is not everything I thought it was, I haven't had occasion to use one, so I'll hold off on recommending that item, but the MA provides me the perfect portal to the XL1 for XLR-connected dynamic mics like that, imho.

How much more directional are you suggesting, Glenn? Hypercardioid? Shotgun? The ones I mentioned above are cardioid and have proven adequate for my appications in terms of back rejection, but of course I have no idea how much ambient noise Rick is dealing with.

New software
 

While I was in CompUSA this morning picking up more compact flash I saw a new NLE for Mac OSX. I think it is called Media Pro or Media Editor PRO.

It looks sort of like iMovie with additional plug-ins or maybe a cross between iMovie and FCE. Anyone know anything about it?

www.macXware.com for a few more details. Haven't tried it yet, but flagged the site pending a possible decision to buy it.

Saw that software in CompUSA also- it's available as a "demo" at the site listed above......with it's paint over video feature- seems like a good buy at $79

Plug-ins for Soundtrack and LiveType?
 

I just stumbled across this site

http://www.livetypecentral.com/

which isn't listed under "Resources" on the Apple site, so that got me wondering if any of you know of other sites that offer plug-ins for FCP 4.0, Soundtrack, and LiveType?

Specifically, I'm interested in:

- More sound samples/loops for the Soundtrack library
- Anything available for LiveType (the templates on the site above are pretty nice)
- Any other plug-ins for FCP 4.0 (several of the sites listed under "Resources" on the Apple site have disclaimers saying their plug-ins don't work with FCP 4.0 yet)

John,
I've not (yet) used LiveType. But I have used Soundtrack. Basically you can add any of the Acid loop libraries and darn near any other compatible sound files to the Soundtrack library.

I bought a couple of libraries and was able to add them with absolutely no problem. Even the libraries' metadata imported for categorization sorting.

You could also use the CMI cds as well for SoundTrack

FCP filters

www.nattress.com
Good and solid
http://www.joesfilters.com/
these are good

http://www.kenstone.net/fcp_homepage/fcp_homepage_index.html

go there and look at the filters that he shows and also he shows where to get free ones

http://www.virtix.com/
One of the best also they post samples and freebies
http://www.kafwang.com/EUREKA/EurekaMain.html

this where you can EUREKA and there are freebies there also they are cool looking ones

By the way I like your website...please don't look at mine as I have a professional doing it over as it was done by a rookie being me. By the way I like your website...please don't look at mine as I have a professional redoing it over as it was done by a rookie being me.

musicquestion about IDVD
 

This is a rather strange question. The program IDVD has a "theater" front were you can load films or photo's to. I want to know who wrote or composed the tune you here. It is something which came with the program. I captured it with a program called wiretap and used in an item that will be broadcast on tv. Naturally rights must be paid, so I must know who made it? any suggestions? is it from a film or something apple had made by an artist?

Does anyone know whether Joe's Filter stuff also works for PAL (such as the de-interlace and Broadcast Legalizer)?

Yes, I'm pretty confident that they are all PAL-compatible.

Joe Maller, the suite's author, is a mamber here at DVInfo. Hopefully he'll respond directly.

Dreaded Canon sync problem on capture
 

I currently have quite a bit of tape I am working with that was shot on a Canon GL2. I edit so far on OSX 1.2.6. Final Cut Pro 3.0.2, and Quicktime 6.3. So far I have avoided the dreaded Canon sync problem that has been the subject of past postings by not updating past FCP 3.0.2 ( I think it was the next update that killed sync with anything beyond QT 6.2+). It does seem, from some other more recent posts, that FCP 4 has not really solved this problem, at least for a couple of people. I'd be interested in any other people's experience with the GL2 and FCP 4 for long takes (mine are often hour long interviews), but I'd also be really interested in knowing if Panther plays any role in this problem. If not, I'll upgrade to Panther, but stick with FCP 3.0.2. I'm happy with FCP 3.0.2 for my purposes if that is the key player. Real sync problems would kill me (or at least force a major reinstall). In every other respect, by the way, the GL2 is a great camera, at least for what I do.

thanks in advance for any advice,
Linc Kesler

In the absence of a response here, I can only suggest that you try apple/support/discussions/idvd, as one of the helpers in that forum might know. Or try apple directly.

Sequence Logging
 

A couple of simple questions pls.
1.What is the best way to get a list and the properties of clips that are in a particular sequence?
2. Is there a more efficient way to note on any clip that is has been used in a seq. I have been just putting a note in the description or comment colums of the browser?

I didn't realise I had so many short wildlife shots, and after logging and capturing them, I wanted to make sure that I include all of them in a sequence somewhere.
Thanks
Rick Banfield

WARNING: Panther and Norton Disk Doctor
 

As always when I finish a video project and backup, I Trash everything on my Video Capture HDD and then using NORTON SYSTEMWORKS 2.0 I Run Disk Doctor on it AND my Startup Mac HDD. Then I proceed to do Speed Disk (Defrag) on both drives too. Be good to your Hard Drives and they be good and fast to you, Right?

No! Then OSX 10.3.1 Panther won't boot up.

I had to reinstall Panther again.

In future I might use Dosk Doctor and Speed Disk but only on the Capture Drive. Never again on the boot up HDD.