Hyperthreading for Adrenaline

Software: Avid Adrenaline 1.x
Platform: Windows XP
Skill Level: Intermediate

I've just noticed that Avid has recommended activating Hyperthreading for Adrenaline on the XP platform, with some caveats. As this advice runs counter to what they initially advised, I thought it was worth posting.

Disclaimer

Easy custom wipes with Sync Point Editing

Software: Avid Media Composer
Platform: All Platforms
Skill Level: Intermediate

I apologize for the possibly arcane nature of this post, but this is a technique I use in virtually every online I do, and it's a real timesaver.

I often create or borrow custom wipes that I animate onto screen, and at a specific time (i.e. 10 frames) the wipe covers the entire frame. So that I can easily position these wipes every time, so that the cut point on video layer 1 is always at the point where the wipe is full frame, I use the following technique. First, you have to create a wipe (possibly including sound effects) and then create a subsequence in a bin so that it can be re-used. I usually do the first wipe edit manually and then I can re-use it as many times as required.

1. Load the sequence you will be placing the wipe on in the record monitor.
   
2. Load the wipe clip into the source monitor by dragging it.
   
3. Mark an in and an out point at the start and end of the clip.
   
4. Park your location bar right on the frame where you want the cut to happen.
5. Patch the Wipe Video to Video 2 (or any clear video track at that location - make sure to do the same for any audio tracks in your wipe)
   
6. On the record side, clear and mark in or out points.
   
7. Park your location bar on the cut point that you want the wipe to cover.
   
8. Select the Special > Sync Point Editing.
   
9. Click the overwrite button.
   

Avid will insert your wipe clip with cut point exactly aligned to the wipe.

In the following diagram, I've just inserted the wipe on Tracks V2, A3 and A4 to align with the cut point on V1.

You can also map the Sync Point Editing Command to your Composer window to speed this process up. In the diagram below I've just turned on Sync Point Editing, and the overwrite button now has a red bar in the centre to show that the mode is on.

Remember to turn Sync Point editing off after you've added your wipe, or Avid will behave a bit strangely for other overwrites.

Disclaimer