Apple Final Cut Pro 5 User Manual download pdf (Page 167)

166 Part III Setting Up Your Editing System

Audio Interfaces

When capturing and outputting audio, your computer needs an audio interface. The

audio interface may be part of the video interface, which may be the built-in FireWire

port (when using DV video), a third-party video interface, or a separate audio interface

(described below). If an audio interface is designed to work with Mac OS X Core Audio,

it is compatible with Final Cut Pro.

Most video capture interfaces also have audio inputs and outputs. This is true for DV

transferred via FireWire (both video and audio can be transferred simultaneously), most

PCI video capture cards, and the AJA Io. However, if you want to capture more audio

channels than your video interface supports, or if you need a microphone preamplifier

for recording voiceovers, you may want to install a separate audio interface.

USB 1.1 Audio Interfaces

Because audio data rates are fairly low (compared to video), USB is an acceptable port

for transferring several audio channels (usually two, but in some cases up to six). USB

audio interfaces vary in quality, so research them carefully before you purchase one.

Make sure you don’t exceed the total bandwidth of the USB bus by connecting too

many devices. USB 1.1 has a fairly low data rate, so be careful not to add too many USB

items to the bus. Also, USB hubs can potentially cause audio problems. If you are

having audio problems with a USB interface connected to a hub, try removing USB

devices and eliminating the hub from the connection.

Note: USB 2.0 audio interfaces are also available. Because USB 2.0 devices can handle

high data rates (similar to FireWire 400), you can treat them similarly to FireWIre audio

interfaces (described below).

PCI Audio Interface Card

If you need additional input and output audio channels, or if you need to connect

professional analog or digital signals to your editing system, a PCI audio interface card

is a good option. There are a lot of PCI audio interface cards available. Many audio

interfaces come with a separate breakout box where the audio input and output

connectors are located.

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Apple Final Cut Pro 5 User Manual Page 167