CompuServe Messages

Chris, I currently have a similar setup to yours. Though not using A/B roll right now ( I only have one TBC), I do use 2 Vdecks source and record and sometimes 1 vdeck source and 1 Sony R5 record. I do all this through VISCA but with your TR-700 you should be able to use the RCTC also through CTL-L and a V-box. I know nothing about the JVC deck but if it has CTL-L you could also use the V-box I guess. I have mixed emotions about the Mediaphile. It has all kinds of possibilities but as someone else once said about it I think they try to make it do just a little too much. It has good control of the toaster, through their own commands I assume. I , however, use the T-REXX pro for controlling the toaster through Mediaphile. It works really good. They send you updates quite often. I bought the MediaEditor software last summer and it has been updated about 4 times since then. The last few updates have been significant. Before these the program used to crash on me quite often. Now it doesn't seem to go bye-bye at all. I still don't care a whole lot for the interface. The mode is 640 x 400 interlaced whether you like it or not. No options for low res. This is a problem for me when using the toaster since I can't use a flicker device with it. However, with the newer colors it isn't that bad. Sometimes the screen seems a little cluttered with the Mediacontroller VCR controls sitting on top of your Edit decision list . I found I was always dragging them around getting them out of my way. Now, though, the program seems to support higher resolutions and virtual screens so you can put them at the bottom out of the way but they are hard to grab when they first come up on this virtual screen. There is no shuttle mode on the VCR control (MediaController). Just forward , rev, frame fwd, frame back, stop, pause and record. If you want to shuttle you have to click forever on the mouse or use the F9 and F10 function keys ( bang , bang, bang, bang oops there's the frame.) I would suggest gettting real familiar with the keyboard controls for the program. It has helped me considerably. Also, the first thing I do now when I start the program is either turn the Mediaphile keyboard off for one of the VTR's or require it to use a qualifier key. If you don't do this you will be issuing the same command to both (or all three) VTR's at the same time. Also it will take some time to remember to diable the keyboard or while you are typing in scripts you will be putting the decks in pause with the spacebar etc etc. etc. It gets about +/- 2 frames with my Vdecks and I am a little disappointed with this. I used to use VideoDirector and I think I was more in the neighborhood of +/- 1 frame most of the time. Another thing , for me anyway, is that lately with the updates I've had to reconfigure my Vdecks in their Device file setups. As this last version was shipped, the driver for my Vdecks was putting my edits off by about 15 – 19 frames. It was easy enough to fix by changing the startrecord and stoprecord frame offsets but just one thing that points to me that they really don't have a good handle on this VISCA control. When talking to Jim in their Tech support ( he is the one you will want to talk to if you ever need help ), he said it mattered how many Vdecks were in the system. He stated that the tests were for just one deck. He also stated that someone else had called in with a 3 Vdeck system and that his edits were off even more than mine with the shipped driver. Simple cut edits are just entered by pressing the return key at the desired in and out points. ( Why they don't also have the option of just clicking the mouse in the IN and OUT window I don't know). Anything more than that requires Script writing. Ex: of a toaster transition with a TREXX pro script.. Player A In 00:04:24:10 Amiga:Arexxscript(dh2:Trexx/trans1.rexx) Player A Out 00:05:00:13 Line by line the story goes. I've really gotten winded hear. It certainly does a lot for the money. But I wouldn't call it a professional program. And you are not really paying that kind of money anyway. There is another fellow here who uses MediaEditor long before I got it and it would be good to talk to him too. His name is Tom Wheeler. Drop him a line. His user # is 73766,3644. If you are serious about the MediaEditor program. I would be willing to sell it to you for a lot less than $400. Drop me an E-mail. I doubt if there is another program that gives you as much control for anywhere near the money. But, you must learn to have patience. And they do try to improve it. When I first bought it last summer it was version 3.8.2 now it is up to 3.9.8 All they ask for the upgraded disks is to return your old ones. They don't even ask for shipping. They really are a very generous company. BTW, I am selling because it is a little too slow for me now that I have a customer who expects results a little faster than I can churn them out with MediaEditor. I would be selling the MediaEditor Utilities program and Manual only, which I believe is all you need, except for a Serial cable maybe to a Visca port. You shouldn't need any of their controllers. Rocky (whew that was long)