Hi, I've digitized some DV tapes into my new Avid Media Composer (Version 3.5.4) but the captured pictures look really flat. Compared to the footage in the camera viewer they look kind of milky and have much less contrast and colors. I don't have a separate monitor, just using the Avid window. I know this is not 100% accurate but I've done it a million times before on my old Avid XPress and the picture always looked pretty much the same as in the camera viewer. I'm digitizing in DV25 420 MXF (PAL). Any idea what could have gone wrong?!?!? Is it maybe a camera fault?

Thanks so much

iMac 2.8 GHz Core 2 Duo, 4 GB 800 MHZ DDR2 SDRAM, OSX 10.5.8

Avid MC Version 3.5.4

How are you capturing?

Hi there,

I'm capturing via firewire straight off the camera. Thanks 

hmmm... That's basically 1s and 0s copied over. Not really a way to change the look there. You mentioned this is your new MC. Maybe this is the way you have it set up. Import color bars and see how they look or open a known project if you have one and see how it looks. Avid uses the graphics card overlay feature to create that image. That is adjustable in the graphics card software. This may be an area to check also. But first you have to establish if this is your Media Composer or the source.

See my post here:

http://community.avid.com/forums/p/74147/415059.aspx#415059

Strongly suspect it is the same issue..

It is a long standing issue  and only concerns the preview in the src/rec monitors.  Hook up a client monitor via a Mojo or via DV and the image will be as shot. 

Janusz

Wow, this is a shocker! Yes, the export looks fine but the picture in the monitor is terrible. How does AVID get away with that? I don't have a client monitor, not even a mojo, mainly do interent clips. I've been working with AVID for so many years and I never noticed that anywhere else but on my brandnew one... But it seems doing it in DV projects only, all the HD stuff looks fine. I'm so disappointed...  

I'd love to hear any suggestions for a simple 'client monitor' setup to run out of a Macbook Pro when working at base rather than on the move. (Used to run AV out to a big CRT television which has just been donated to a junkie rehab centre in my absence... hmmm)

If it's worth getting a professional-level monitor, any specific models? On the other hand, as I'm mainly a PD/cameraperson who cuts, rather than a fulltime editor, are there cheaper options that won't be too misleading?

Thanks for any suggestions. I'd been thinking the manky look was a Mac thing!

Is it possible you have the quality switch on the Timeline set to Draft?