Instruction manual

Capturing and Playing back Video
18
It's a good idea to run a quick test to ensure you can capture and play back video before you need to use
your Blackmagic video hardware for anything important:
• Connect a video monitor or TV to the video output of your Blackmagic video hardware. An HDMI TV
is very convenient for this test as both video and audio can be monitored without needing external
audio connections.
• Connect a video source to the video input of your Blackmagic video hardware, especially a camera or
deck. DVD players shouldn't be used for this test as they typically have copy protection on their HDMI
and analog outputs so you won't be able to capture from them even if you're using home-made DVD's.
• Use the Blackmagic system preferences to set your video and audio connections for input and output.
See the previous "Using Blackmagic System Preferences" section for details.
• Locate Blackmagic Media Express and open it:
 on Mac OS X, look in the Applications folder.
 on Windows 7, go to the Start menu and choose Programs>Blackmagic Design>Media Express.
 on Linux, go to Applications and look in the Sound and Video folder.
Video Playback test using Blackmagic Media Express
Import a test clip in to Media Express. If you see a message that the selected video format is not compatible
with the current project, click "Don't save" to discard the current project and create a new project for
the test clip.
Double-click the test clip and you should see the video on the monitor connected to the output of your
Blackmagic video hardware. Audio output can also be monitored.
Video Capture test using Blackmagic Media Express
• Go to Media Express>Preferences on Mac OS X or Edit>Preferences on Windows or Linux.
• Select a project format which matches your video source and choose a capture file format.
• Set the storage location for your captured video and audio and choose whether to stop capture or
playback if dropped frames are detected. Choose a compressed capture file format so you can capture
to any disk.
• Close the Preferences and click on the Log and Capture tab. You should immediately see your video
source in the video preview pane of Media Express.
• Click Capture to perform the capture test. Click Capture again to finish the test. Double-click on the
captured clip in the Media List to play it back on screen and on the outputs of your Blackmagic video
hardware.
Camera Outputs
HDTV
Click the "Capture" button to commence recording
Connect a video monitor and source to your Blackmagic video
hardware