Printing Captions to Tape with NLE

Quick Link: Best Practices for Avid Users

---

CPC MacCaption and CaptionMaker can add captions directly to a video tape using your NLE system. Once you know the exact settings either for the known compatible NLE systems or, using our caption encoded calibration movie, you can export a caption encoded black movie for your SD 720x486 project.

Typically, this method of NLE captioning is used to print closed captioned Digital Betacam and Betacam SP masters directly from your timeline. But it can be used to caption any other SD videotape via your NLE capture card (not Firewire).

Follow these simple steps to closed caption your SD 720x486 NLE project:

Step 1. Once you have done all your caption preparation inside our CPC software, you will have to export a caption encoded blackmovie from either MacCaption NLE or CaptionMaker NLE.

To export a caption encoded blackmovie for your NLE system follow the instructions in these video tutorials.

click here for a brief video tutorial for Windows (CaptionMaker NLE).

click here for a brief video tutorial for Mac OSX (MacCaption NLE).

Step 2. Launch your NLE application (Avid, Final Cut Pro, Premiere, etc.) and import our caption encoded blackmovie into the asset bin. (Avid users: You must import 720x486/Non-Squared/Upper or Lower Field First with "ITU601" Effect Aperture and "1:1" resolution render settings.

Step 3.Make sure that your video timeline or sequence settings are 720x486  non-squared, upper or lower field first, uncompressed codec.  Below is an example of what your NLE sequence should be set to in Final Cut Pro.

Fig. 1: Sequence settings from Final Cut Pro 

(Upper or Lower field dominance will work)

Blackmagic Decklink users: You must optimize your settings in order to caption with our software solution. For a complete list of BlackMagic settings in a Final Cut Pro system click here. 

Step 4.Place the caption encoded blackmovie into your video timeline on top of the video.  For example, in Final Cut Pro, if your video material is in "V1", place your caption encoded blackmovie on "V2".

Fig. 2: Caption encoded blackmovie on top of your video layer in Final Cut Pro

Step 5. Crop the caption encoded blackmovie on the timeline to reveal the video material below it.  The caption encoded blackmovie contains a special code at the top of the screen that contains the closed caption information.  To marry your video material and the caption encoded blackmovie you must crop the bottom of the blackmovie and maintain the code at the very top.  Typically, video editors crop up to 98% of the blackmovie from the bottom up.  However, cropping the caption encoded blackmovie past "action safe" on the top will suffice (see Fig 3).

Avid users: Use the "3D Warp Effect" and set the Crop > Bottom to 980.  (Leave Crop > Top at 999), then Render the effect.

Fig. 3: Cropping the caption encoded blackmovie inside Final Cut Pro.

Step 6. Connect the video output of your NLE capture card to a NTSC television set. (any Composite, Component, SDI, S-Video outputs will work)
Avid users: Enable "VBI Preserve" in the Video Output Tool.

Step 7. Turn on your caption decoder to CC1 on your NTSC television set.   (consumer grade TVs may require a remote control to turn on the caption CC1 decoder)

Step 8. Play your new caption encoded video from your timeline out to your television.  Spot check the captions to make sure they are in sync with the video.

Step 9. Print to tape via your NLE capture card to your VCR.

---

Best Practices for Avid Users

These instructions were tested with Avid Media Composer 5.0 and later versions. The screenshots were taken on a Mac but they are substantially identical on Windows.

1. From CPC software, export the QuickTime 720x486 black movie using "Avid Meridien Compressed" codec, as this codec seems to work the best even in the latest Media Composer versions. Use Row 1, Column 26 for your NLE settings. As of Media Composer 5 and later, most Avid systems now use this setting rather than the presets listed in our software. If you don't have "Avid Meridien Compressed" available, you can download Avid codecs here: Avid Codecs LE download


2. In the Avid Import window, there is a dropdown menu to choose the codec. It might be set at 1:1 MXF which is uncompressed. Change it to 2:1 MXF (which is Avid Meridien Compressed) and it should import faster.

3. Also, in the Options… button, under the Image tab, make sure “File Pixel to Video Mapping” is set to “601 SD or 709 HD”, not Computer RGB. Set Alpha Channel to “Ignore.” And in the OMF/AAF tab, select “Use the source file’s resolution”.


4. After placing the black movie on the upper most video track, apply "3D Warp Effect" and set the Crop > Bottom to 980. (Leave Crop > Top at 999), then Render the effect.
5. You may need to enable "VBI Preserve" in the Video Output Tool, if this option is available for your hardware.