Apple Final Cut Pro 7 - Manual (Page 37)

Audio Formats Compatible with Final Cut Pro
You can use a variety of audio formats with Final Cut Pro, including audio files transferred
from digital recorders, captured from tape, imported from audio CDs, or provided by
musicians and sound designers. Final Cut Pro is compatible with audio files with sample
rates as high as 96 kHz and a bit depth of 24 bits. You can work with most audio devices,
such as audio CD players, DAT machines, digital multitrack recorders, or audio from
videotape. For more information, see
“Capturing Audio from Tape” and “About Importing
Audio Files.”
Video Format Basics
Most video formats are described by the following characteristics:
• Standard
• Image dimensions and aspect ratio
• Frame rate
• Scanning method
For a more thorough explanation of video formats, see “Video Formats.”
Video Standards
A number of video standards have emerged over the years. Standard definition (SD) video
formats have been used for broadcast television from the 1950s to the present. These
include NTSC, PAL, and SECAM regional video standards, with each used in certain
countries and regions of the world.
• NTSC (National Television Systems Committee): The television and video standard used
in most of the Americas, Taiwan, Japan, and Korea.
• PAL (Phase Alternating Line): The television and video standard used in most of Europe,
Brazil, Algeria, and China.
• SECAM: A video standard that is based on PAL and used in countries such as France,
Poland, Haiti, and Vietnam. SECAM is not supported by Final Cut Pro. However, editing
work is usually done in PAL and converted to SECAM for broadcasting.
Important: When you are specifying your initial settings, make sure you choose an Easy
Setup that corresponds to your country’s video standard. (An Easy Setup is a collection
of settings that determines how Final Cut Pro works with your editing system.) For more
information, see
“Opening Final Cut Pro and Choosing Your Initial Settings.”
Originally, all these formats were analog. Analog video uses a signal that consists of a
constantly varying voltage level, called a waveform, that represents video and audio
information. Analog signals must be digitized, or captured, for use by Final Cut Pro. VHS
and Betacam SP are both analog tape formats.
37 Chapter 2 Video Formats and Timecode