The project I’m working on is recording picture and sound onto separate devices. Actually, reference audio in the form of a mix-down is going to camera’s channel 1, and the actor’s mics are recorded to a four-track wave file.

Because the camera audio won’t be used in the final mix we’ve had to sync our own dailies in Final Cut Pro 6. How exactly does a person take two different media files, audio and video, and combine them in sync as a usable clip? After much searching and asking around this is what we came up with.

Final Cut Pro has a feature called Merge Clips which combines multiple clips into one based on In, Out, or Timecode. Because our timecode is not synced to camera we used In/Out Point. Mark each clip, select them in the Browser, then use the Merge Clips command in the Modify menu.

The result is a new master clip (but not media file) which includes all audio tracks of the other clips in sync with the video. If the clip lengths are different Final Cut Pro will insert black slug as needed.

More details can be found in the Final Cut Pro manual under the term “merge clips.” You won’t find anything under “audio sync” or “dailies.”

During the edit of a 60-second spot using RED footage I used QuickTime proxy files. Although this meant continuous rendering of transitions and effects it was painless. Eventually I needed to conform the proxies to their 1080/24p ProRes 422 counterparts. I didn’t bother with Crimson because there were only about 20-30 cuts.

With speed changes and video effects reapplied I prepared for the final render. It wasn’t long before Final Cut Pro generated this error message:

The effect ‘Scrub’ cannot be rendered in a sequence of this size with the current graphics card.

The Scrub filter had been successfully used throughout the entire edit: from proxy files to scrubbing the timeline in ProRes. I tested different video effects and received the same error message.

A forum post at CreativeCOW describes a similar problem. This was just one of many issues plauging my project so I took the easy way out by replacing the Scrub filter with one from Joe’s Filters.

While I was writing this I found a solution at LAFCPUG. Modify the render depth from 10-bit to 8-bit in the sequence settings.

This solution is also referenced in an Apple Support document. Unfortunately it doesn’t address why late-model Apple video cards generate the error. Lack of 10-bit color support or a bug?

The upgrade from VMware Fusion 1.x to 2.0 was smooth except for an error from Windows XP’s Device Manager. Before I could install the newest VMware Tools, Windows complained about “missing driver for Base System Device.”

Dismissing the error I installed VMware Tools 2.0 but the error persisted. On this tip I reinstalled VMware Tools using the Custom option. The VMCI driver was already selected (a head scratcher since this would suggest it was previously installed) but I continued the installation. Upon restart the missing driver was found.

Digital Heaven’s VideoSpace widget, a disk storage calculator for video footage, has a new home on the ‘net: http://www.videospaceonline.com/. Use it anywhere your browser and iPhone can reach.

When my Motorola H850 bluetooth headset died I was beside myself with agony for a proper replacement. I had grown quite fond of the boom to turn on/off the device and answer calls; it was a real battery saver. My only complaint with the H850 is volume - it was never loud enough.

Side note: most (if not all) Bluetooth headset reviews fail to mention how loud the earpiece gets. I suppose an actual measure of decibels would be nice, but a statement such as “I could hear very well with my car window down” works for me. Even better, “the earpiece is so loud I can’t keep it at the loudest setting, even in my car driving at highway speeds.”

A trip to Fry’s unearthed the Jabra BT5010. What caught my eye: the familiar boom. Most of the BT5010 reviews were positive so I went with it and thus far, satisfied. To top-line it for you:

• Louder than my H850; I have to lower the volume for most calls but driving in the car requires it to be louder
• Easy to use on/off/pairing button instead of a single function answer/power button
• Sliding boom: easily answer/end calls but this does not control power
• Appearance: while the black body might stand out attached to your ear, it’s not chromed out with giant blinking lights
• Attachment: Jabra uses a twisting ear hook which accommodates use on the left or right ear; the hook keeps the BT5010 secure against your face. You can jog with this thing without fear of it falling off. For maximum comfort you might need to adjust the ear hook but I don’t keep anything attached to my ear for an entire day
• Ear piece: Jabra doesn’t use their popular gels with this model; although the gels provide a custom, and comfortable, fit I find they easily fall off in your pocket or as you jam the whole headset into your ear
• Pocketability: the device is solid, the ear hook is strong, and without ear gels, you can easily pop this into your pocket without fear of breakage
• Charging: a big selling point of the BT5010 compared to other units like the BlueAnt X3 is the miniUSB charging plug; no need to carry “yet another” charger or buy a custom tip for your iGo

The headset has been a solid performer for months although I have a few criticisms:

• Sliding boom is too delicate: if you touch it, even slightly, it will hang up the call. It seems the sensor is near full extension which guards against an accidental acceptance of a phone call, however it means an increase in accidental hang-ups
• Replacement ear hooks: the “Gumby-like” ear hook broke after a couple of months of use. Fortunately a five-pack of replacements is inexpensive the Jabra Store
• Answer delay: when a call is placed there is a solid two second delay before the microphone is activated. The other party might ask another “hello?” or wonder if you’ve hung up on them

These issues aside, the headset has worked well and battery life has not diminished with successive recharging. The BT5010 is not the most svelte headset available but it’s a workhorse.