Latest update on Version 7.2

Hi everyone,
I just come back from a 5 weeks holiday but I have not neglected the blog. So here is the latest update from Avid on version 7.2.

Avid Liquid™ 7.2

Version 7.2 Fixes

Audio:

Ø Resolved an issue with SmartSound clips repeating samples on each clip edit

Ø Audio time warps now play back in sync when there is another audio track below

Ø Adjusting the pan and volume via mouse control now functions properly

Capture/Print to Tape:

Ø Vertical Lines no longer occurred in captured SD SDI footage in Avid Liquid Chrome HD

Ø HDV scene detection during capture is now functioning correctly

Ø In the following 720 60P format, stripe tape no longer fails with the error message “Command can not be executed at specified position on tape" This has been resolved

Ø Panasonic P2 files can now be recorded to tape successfully

Ø With the ProBOB, capturing DVCPRO25.AVI with i.Link no longer has reversed fields at output. This has been resolved

DVD:

Ø Resolved an issue where compiling a DVD would hang at the “Compiling VOB Files” status (around 60% complete)

Ø DVD Export: Resolved an issue with default settings for media size. You can now modify the image size on machines without a DVD burner

Ø DVD Export: You can now allow 18/15 maximum GOP sizes for NTSC/PAL to avoid re-encoding of 18/15 GOPs

Ø Resolved an issue with the navigation in the DVD menu, where it jumped to the wrong chapter in the VOB files. This is now resolved

Ø DVD burners are now recognized on a clean Windows XP operating system install on an HP XW8200 workstation

Effects:

Ø Applying the following combination of time warp + sequence container + cross fade would result in a black inlay. This is now resolved

Ø Opening the BAS-Clapper transition in Hollywood FX no longer causes an abnormal exit to the desktop. This has been resolved

Import/Export:

Ø SmartSound clips now export in MPEG-2 with audio

Ø Exported MPEG-2 clips that are then imported no longer display the “file or compression is not supported “error

Ø Previously, when exporting Avid Liquid codecs in Adobe After Effects 7, a slight pixel shift occurred. This has been resolved

Ø When in Adobe After Effects 7, the Avid 2VUY HD QT codec now exports at the correct frame rate

Ø Previously, DVD Export would fail with an "Export Failure (render error)" when audio settings were set to Dolby Digital and Matrix Surround. This has been resolved.

Ø DivX import and export’s aspect ratio is now correct for 16x9

Ø The ALE link path is now remembered correctly after another import when using FireStore drives

Ø Addressed an issue with silent audio in the clip/source viewer with MPEG1 imported clips in Liquid Chrome Xe

Ø Resolved an issue where XReceive of XDCam clips were not importing consistently

Ø Re-encodes are no longer needed when you export IBP extended resolution media. This is resolved

Ø Resolved an issue where certain AVI files (type 1, for example) could not be imported correctly

Ø Exports to PlayStation portable devices now correctly export as 16x9 instead of 4x3.

Ø XDCAM DVCAM proxy clips are no longer overwritten by additional XReceive/imports.

Ø Resolved an issue with copied clips being unable to verify via the “verify imported media” feature. This now works correctly

Ø IBP-Codecs now support SD Extended Resolutions

Ø Resolved verify media issues – including an issue with the dialog window as well as the verify media/copy option

Ø XReceive of Panasonic P2 clips now supports reel names that use 20 digits of creation/update time in XML. Previously this was 10 digits

Ø Resolved an issue with the MPEG output settings for HD/HDV 1080

Ø Imported animations that were copied into projects now have the correct file path in the project backup

Ø XReceive XDCAM Studio files no longer abnormally exit to the desktop.

Ø Liquid Chrome XSend to Avid Media Stream Server no longer produces eight .wav files

Ø Clip Xsend no longer creates black clips. This has been resolved

Ø Importing BSI files no longer causes an abnormal exit to the desktop. This has been resolved

Ø XSend to Avid Media Stream Server now correctly includes the audio files

Ø An XReceive on more than 12 clips no longer causes a system crash

Ø XSend to Adobe After Effects 7.0 is now functioning correctly

Installation:

Ø Reinstalling Liquid no longer removes HollyWood FX from Liquid

Ø The Spanish version of Liquid installations no longer enumerate all effects on the first start

Ø Installation on a clean system no longer adds a wrong path to the render/capture directory

Ø Resolved an issue with installing Hollywood FX; no longer requires a C:/ directory path

Playback/Timeline/Trim/Scrub/Editing Functions:

Ø Resolved an issue with new slices for trimmed video clip

Ø Avid Liquid 7.2 can now import projects from the latest version of Studio

Ø Audio scrub in trim editor now works correctly with ProBOB output

Ø Audio key frames can now be set properly at the start/end of clips using the “add key frame” button

Ø Resolved a performance issue in HDV when fusing green slices

Ø Resolved the following error “Bad Slice Count”; when building sequences

Ø Resolved the following issue - with a ProBOB connected, the video output monitor was 8 frames behind the inlay after shuttling had stopped in the timeline

Ø HD1080/60i MPEG-2 is no longer field reversed in a NTSC SD timeline. This has been resolved

Ø Setting Mark In during play no longer causes Liquid to lock up. This has been resolved

Render/Consolidate:

Ø Resolved issue with the SmartSound render folder changing to the c:/ directory

Ø Resolved a problem where Liquid would become sluggish while rendering in HDV

Ø A color shift no longer occurs in the rendered result of 1080/59.94 HD media with over-layed titles

Ø Selecting Consolidate Sequence via the right click menu now works correctly

Ø Applying a RT FX 3D CPU effects will no longer render pixilated. This has been resolved

Ø Applying a DMC filter now renders correctly when there is more than one keyframe applied

Ø Improved the process for converting projects from Liquid v7.1 to Liquid v7.2

Ø SmartSound clips, when placed underneath a track with an IPB clip, now renders and plays back correctly

Ø HD render times are now improved with sequences that contain multiple color correction clips

Ø A fuse of a 16:9 sequence now correctly shows clip properties as 16:9 rather than 4:3

Ø With “export separate audio streams” selected in the export settings, fused sequences no longer generate eight .wav files. This has been resolved

Ø Inlay (playback) no longer freezes after 1-2 seconds when used with unique render/fuse codecs

Settings:

Ø Selecting manage project->save a copy now correctly prompts for duplicate folder names

Ø Changes to motion detection settings no longer creates unwanted edit changes.

Ø Removed second head restrictions for older catalyst ATI drivers

UI:

Ø Resolved an issue in the Spanish version of Liquid; where a Mixer tab was missing from the keyboard settings

Creating Media Files

Creating Media Files

Although it is true that media files need to either be imported or digitized to be used in Liquid, the exceptions are certain types of media you can create inside Liquid.

These fall into five categories:

• Creating a color clip
• Creating a signal clip
• Creating a DVD menu
• Creating a title
• Creating a SmartSound clip

You'll learn how to create a DVD menu in Chapter 12, a title in Chapter 10, and a SmartSound clip in Chapter 7. This next section explains how to create color and signal clips.

Creating a color clip

You'll often create a color clip to function as the background in an effect or to be used for the lead-in to start a video or the lead-out to end it.

To create a color clip:

1. Do one of the following:
   • Select the Rack inside which you want to create the clip, and right-click in the right window of the Project Browser.
   • Right-click on the Rack Window button at the top right of the Project Browser.
2. From the contextual menu, select Create > Color Clip ( Figure 3.31 ).
   

   Figure 3.31 Accessing Create > Color Clip.

   This brings up the Color Matte Clip box.
3. On the right side of the box, choose from three settings: Single color: A standard color clip made from the color of your choice ( Figure 3.32 ).
   

   Figure 3.32 Choosing a single color.

   Linear Gradient: Uses two colors and creates a gradual fade from one color to the next on a user-defined path. A path is created by clicking the mouse inside the color window and dragging the cursor around to create the desired effect ( Figure 3.33 ).
   

   Figure 3.33 A linear gradient color clip.

   Circular Gradient: Uses two colors and creates a gradual fade from one color to the next in a circular pattern from a user-defined radius. To create a user-defined radius, click anywhere inside the colored area and drag the point of the circle outward or inward ( Figure 3.34 ).
   

   Figure 3.34 A circular gradient color clip.

4. Choose which color you want by clicking the small colored rectangle to bring up the color picker ( Figure 3.35 ).
   

   Figure 3.35 The color picker tool.

5. Once you have decided on a color, click the check mark to exit the color picker.
6. Click the check mark to exit the Color Matte Clip window. A color clip is created in the Rack you have selected. You can insert this new media clip into the Timeline or the Source Viewer and use it just like any other media clip.

Creating a signal clip

The use of a signal clip is somewhat esoteric; all you actually create is a WAV file with a single beep inside it. Some editors use this to give the end of scenes an audio mark or to create an audio queue that they can use as a guide while editing. The rest of us will find its functionality less remarkable.

To create a signal clip:

1. Do one of the following:
   • Right-click inside the right window of the Project Browser.
   • Right click on the Rack Window button at the top right of the Project Browser.
2. From the contextual menu, select Create > Signal Clip. The signal clip is created inside the Rack you have selected.

Resizing Images

Resizing Images

Converting images can be achieved at three different times:

• During Import
• While it is in the Project Browser
• When it has been placed on the Timeline

To resize during Import:

1. Select Edit > Control Panel ( Figure 3.22 ).
   

   Figure 3.22 Selecting the Control Panel.

2. Click Image Import ( Figure 3.23 ).
   

   Figure 3.23 The Image Import icon on the Control Panel.

   This brings up the Image Import Properties box ( Figure 3.24 ).
   

   Figure 3.24 The Image Import Properties window.

   Most of the settings here are for various specialized image-related problems and configurations. Details on this can be found in Chapter 6 of the Avid Liquid Reference Manual. The two areas of greater interest are
   • Scale to fit: When selected, this will import images to the current TV standard.
   • Image Duration: This defaults to 3 seconds, but most editors prefer a minimum duration of at least 10 seconds. You can set this here and dynamically resize it on the Timeline at a later point.
3. Click the Scale to fit check box.
4. Close the Image Properties box and import your image. Figure 3.25 shows the original image imported with this setting. Don't worry too much about the black border running around the outside of the screen; remember, not all of the Inlay will be shown on most TV screens. Trial and error is required here to see what works for you and what doesn't.
   

   Figure 3.25 The original image reimported using the new settings.

TIP

• The Lizard JPEG is one of the sample files that can be downloaded from www.peachpit.com/liquid7vqp.

Classic Interface

Users of the Classic interface gain access to the Control Panel by clicking the Start button, moving the mouse up, and clicking once on the Control Panel icon ( Figure 3.26 ).

Figure 3.26 Accessing the Control Panel in the Classic interface.

After that, each operation is identical to the descriptions given in this chapter.

To resize in the Project Browser or on the Timeline:

1. If you have already imported your images and you now want to resize them, right-click the image in the Project Browser (or on the Timeline) and select Properties from the menu ( Figure 3.27 ) to display the Properties of that image.
   

   Figure 3.27 Accessing the media clip's properties.

2. Select the V tab to display the visual settings and select Fit largest - Keep Aspect from the Scaling Menu Bar ( Figure 3.28 ).
   

   Figure 3.28 Selecting Fit largest - Keep Aspect from the Menu Bar.

3. Click the plus button to apply this, and then click the check mark button to exit the Properties box ( Figure 3.29 ).
   

   Figure 3.29 Click on the Apply button to apply the change.

Files that won't import or display correctly

Import problems

If you do come across a media clip that is not one of the recognized file types, or you have one that does show up in the Liquid file browser but will not import, then you will have to convert it before you try to import it.

Usually Liquid gives an error message telling you why it can't import the file, and you can use this information to help you find a conversion program. The popular program TMPGEnc (www.tmpg-inc.com) is good place to start, but other conversion programs are only an Internet search away.

Playback problems

Video files, particularly those downloaded from the Internet, are encoded with a variety of different codecs to help reduce their overall size. You may end up importing a media clip and then only seeing a blank screen when you try to play it back. If your system is working correctly, there are only two reasons for this:

• The clip needs to render before it can play back. Check this by clicking the Render icon to see if the clip is rendering and how long it will take.
• The clip uses a codec that is not installed on your computer. Check this by trying to play the clip in Windows Media Player. Media Player will give an error message if it doesn't recognize the codec. If you are very lucky, Media Player will download the correct codec automatically. But only if you are lucky—in the real world this rarely works.
• Google is the place to search for the codec you are looking for, but be aware of what you are downloading! Viruses and Adware programs proliferate the codec market.

Which One Is Best for You?

This will depend on the original physical dimensions of the image, but because NLE is nondestructive, you can freely experiment to find out which setting works best for each image.

Figure 3.30 shows the six different options you have for stretching a photograph with the original image at top center.

Figure 3.30 The six different options for adjusting an image after it has been imported.

• Fit largest - Keep Aspect: Stretches each side equally
• Fit X: Stretches only the vertical and ignores the horizontal aspect ratio
• Fit Y: Stretches only the horizontal aspect and ignores the vertical aspect ratio
• Fit X - Keep Aspect: Stretches the vertical to fill the screen but keeps the horizontal aspect ratio correct
• Fit Y - Keep Aspect: Stretches the horizontal to fill the screen but keeps the vertical aspect ratio correct
• Fit Both: Stretches all sides, ignoring both aspect ratios