Tips & Tutorials

ClipDeko Managing Multiple Clip Databases

The ClipDeko option enables a Deko user to record, import, and play digital video clips, with or without key, and provides tools for the user to edit, loop, trim, and browse these clips. With the advent of Avid Deko ClipDeko option v 5.0 easy transition between multiple clip databases utilizing different video standards is provided. This document explains how to create new or multiple databases and how the databases are managed within the Deko system.

There are two types of clip databases in Deko: Standard clips and Power Clips. Standard clips are full screen, or full resolution, clips. Power Clips (Deko3000 only) are smaller-sized clips, such as ‘moving headshots.’ Power Clips have their own database separate from the Standard clip database. Both types of databases can be managed as discussed in this document.

To import clips, Quicktime Player, a free download application, must be installed on the Deko unit. As a review, there are two steps to importing and using a file-based clip, such as a *.mov file, in Deko:

1. Copy the media to the E drive, organized in your preferred directory structure.

2. Import the clip media into the ClipDeko database (This import process transcodes the *.mov file and the database manages the clip properties for each video standard.)

By default, a single clip database is created when the Clip Editor is launched and is named based on the video standard selection within your Deko settings. The new clip database is named automatically and placed in the C:\Dekoxxx\Database directory. If the video standard is set to NTSC, the database is named DekoClips.mdb. If the video standard is set to any other standard except NTSC then Deko automatically assigns the name DekoClips appended by the video standard setting followed by the suffix ‘.mdb’. For example, if the Deko launches in the 1080iHD standard, a new database is automatically created as ‘DekoClips_HD1080i.mdb’ to distinguish it as a separate database from those created using other video standards.

Each video standard must have a unique clip database for that standard. Consequently, a clip database does not clips with multiple video standards. (i.e. a single database does not contain both NTSC clips and HD clips.)

Regardless of the type of clip database there may be reasons a user may want to create and manage a new database or multiple databases from those that are automatically created on the ‘C drive’.

1. For organizational purposes to allow the user to easily locate a clip for a particular function or show. i.e. sports vs elections

2. For network share purposes to share the clip database without allowing share privileges on the C drive (IT personnel are reluctant to share items on the C drive.).

To create a new database, open the Clip Editor (View>Clip Edit or Ctrl+E).

The illustration below shows the clips editor with a loaded clip using a DekoClips_HD1080i.mdb database (the full database path is shown in the Clip Editor window) . Access a new database by selecting the Clips button in the Clip Editor toolbar.

This opens the dialogue box showing the current clip database structure.

Select New database, and navigate to the drive and/or directory in which you wish to create the new clip database. The name is assigned automatically with a *.mdb extension. Rename the database by right-clicking the name, retaining the *.mdb extension. After renaming the database name, select Open to launch the Clip Editor window. Conversely, you can accept the assigned name, select the Open button, close the Clip Editor and navigate to Windows Explorer to rename the database name.

Import clips as needed once you have completed these steps.

Set this clip database as the default database by selecting Options > Save Settings Now from the main menu.

Manage One Clip Database with Multiple Deko Units:

If you are managing multiple Deko units, save time by setting up all clip attribute functions, such as trim points, looping, etc., in one database, then copy the transcoded media (*.mxf formats) and the database to the E drive on the other Deko units. Remember to navigate to the clip database from each Deko Clip Editor and set the working database as the default by Options>Save Settings Now.

In copying databases from one unit to another, two file types must be copied for each clip database: *.blil and *.mdb.

Avid recommends closing the Deko application while copying databases. If a Deko is on-air during the database copy, the clip editor may not refresh properly.