Using firewire device control – Apple Final Cut Pro 6 User Manual
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Chapter 26
Device Control Settings and Presets
355
IV
 Sony VISCA
 Sony LANC (via Addenda RS-4/L)
 Panasonic RS-232 and RS-422
 JVC RS-232
Note: RS-422 uses serial cables that are different from RS-232 cables. For more
information on cables and their availability, see the information that came with your
device. You can buy these cables at specialty video equipment or electronics retailers.
Using FireWire Device Control
FireWire (also called IEEE 1394 or i.LINK) is a standard supported by many professional
and consumer-level camcorders and decks. FireWire transmits device control data,
timecode, video, and audio signals over a single cable. Using FireWire, you can capture
video directly from DV camcorders with a built-in FireWire port and from older analog-
only equipment using a DV converter.
Final Cut Pro also outputs video, audio, and timecode to your camcorder or deck
through the FireWire connection so you can record sequences to tape. All DV-format
tapes record DV timecode. Final Cut Pro uses this timecode when capturing footage
from tape.
Video devices vary greatly in their adherence to FireWire specifications for device
control. For this reason, there are several versions of the FireWire protocol you can use
for device control and capture in Final Cut Pro:
 FireWire: This is the default.
 FireWire Basic: This is a simplified device control protocol for camcorders and decks
that aren’t compatible with the complete Apple FireWire protocol. Using this
protocol doesn’t affect the quality of captured video or audio.
For more information about changing the FireWire protocol that Final Cut Pro uses, see
“
After you connect a camcorder or deck to your computer, switch it to VCR mode. You
can record to a camcorder from Final Cut Pro in Camera mode, but to do so, you need
to turn off device control in Final Cut Pro, which limits your control during output.