Trouble getting sound to play in canvas or in timeline

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Trouble getting sound to play in canvas or in timeline

I'm new to final cut express (have used only imovie before) and am having trouble watching a full preview with sound of my edited movie prior to rendering and exporting. I've read through this forum and saw several references to the need to have View>Video Out>Canvas Playback checked to get sound on my computer when not connected to an external video device. This is checked, but I only get sound on individual clips in the Viewer window, not on the full sequence in the canvas window or timeline. What am I missing?

I am using Final Cut Express HD 3.0, on a Powerbook G4 800 MHz with OS X 10.4.3. If I select View>Video Out>Digital Cinema Desktop Preview - Main I only get sound when the Viewer window is active, not when the Canvas window is active.

Thanks for any advice any of you can offer.

Powerbook 800 MHz G4 Mac OS X (10.4.3) Memory 1GB

Posted on Nov 23, 2005 7:24 PM

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Answer 1

Tom Wolsky

Level 10

152,809 points

Nov 23, 2005 7:36 PM in response to chip_s

Do the meters move when you play back the timeline? Where did the material come from? How did it get into FCE?

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Answer 2

chip_s Author

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Nov 23, 2005 9:09 PM in response to Tom Wolsky

Thanks for such a quick response. The audio meters only move when I play a clip in the viewer window (and get sound). They don't move when I play the sequence in the canvas window.

The clips were captured (using "capture now") from a sony digital 8 handycam connected via a firewire cable. But it isn't connected now, as all the source material is on my hard drive and I am trying to get it edited.

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Answer 3

Tom Wolsky

Level 10

152,809 points

Nov 24, 2005 6:55 AM in response to chip_s

When you edit the clips into the timeline are you editing both the video and audio tracks? If you open the clip from the timeline into the viewer does the clip have an audio track? And you do have output set to View>Video>Canvas Playback.

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Answer 4

chip_s Author

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Nov 24, 2005 7:57 AM in response to Tom Wolsky

I think I am editing both the video and audio in the timeline. There are two audio tracks (A1 and A2), and if I click on a specific clip in the timeline, both audio tracks are highlighted with the video clip. I put transitions (simple cross dissolves) and also cross fades in the audio. If I double click on a clip in the timeline, it loads into the viewer window, and can play it from my in to out markers with sound without any problem. I just can't seem to play the full sequence from start to finish with sound, as it seems only one clip at a time can be in the viewer window. I think I have output set to View>Video Out>Canvas Playback. At least that option has a check mark next to it in the View menu. It seems like I ought to be able to preview the whole project with sound on my laptop without having to export or hook up to an external device...

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Answer 5

Tom Wolsky

Level 10

152,809 points

Nov 24, 2005 8:15 AM in response to chip_s

I don't know why this isn't working for you. Try trashing your preferences and opening the project again and see if it works.

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Answer 6

chip_s Author

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Nov 24, 2005 9:22 AM in response to Tom Wolsky

Thanks for trying. I trashed the preference file, reopened the project, checked to make sure View>Video Out>Canvas Playback was checked, and still don't get any audio from the canvas window or timeline. Guess I could try a reinstall.

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Answer 7

Tom Wolsky

Level 10

152,809 points

Nov 24, 2005 10:19 AM in response to chip_s

Try disconnecting your speakers and see if the audio comes out of the computer speakers.

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Answer 8

Nov 24, 2005 10:39 AM in response to chip_s

Hi chip_s.

The only way I can reproduce your problem is to switch off the sound in the Audio Tracks.

This is done by clicking the tiny loudspeaker icons at the extreme left of each Audio Track.

You haven't got these switched off by any chance? Try clicking them to make sure they are a light, bright green.

I did not notice you or Tom mention these - my apologies if you did.

Ian.

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Answer 9

Alchroma

Level 7

23,918 points

Nov 24, 2005 1:43 PM in response to chip_s

chip_s

Sounds like a real curly problem to me.
The usual deal is, if the Viewer works then the Timeline/Canvas should be all ONline.
Theo nly suggestion I have after reading the others is to check the timeline for Clip Visibility.

Al

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Answer 10

Nov 24, 2005 2:20 PM in response to chip_s

I have double checked and the only way I can get sound from the VIEWER but none from the CANVAS or TIMELINE is when the AUDIO TRACKS are MUTED by clicking the loudspeaker icons off.

Unfortunately when they are OFF they still look GREEN, albeit a DARKER GREEN. Click them on and off and check them out.

Ian.

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Answer 11

chip_s Author

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Nov 24, 2005 2:57 PM in response to Ian R. Brown

Thanks for all these suggestions. I tried clicking the audio mute on and off - it does go from a bright green to a dark green. I did notice something else that perhaps might help you to figure this out. I added music to tracks A3 an A4 and these play fine in the canvas window. The audio that is linked to the video (after capturing it from the camcorder) and is in tracks 2 and 3 is the only audio that won't play in the canvas window. It must have something to do with the way I set up the original capture. I just tried unlinking the audio from the video clip, and moving it to tracks 5 and 6, and it plays just fine. Seems a bit strange, but at least I can work around it.

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Answer 12

Nov 25, 2005 12:50 AM in response to chip_s

Glad to hear you have had some partial success.

Were the Mute Buttons implicated in any way?

I am rather confused by your description. I don't know whether it is a typographical error but you say you have put music in A3 and A4 and the audio from the camcorder is in A2 and A3! I thought the music was in A3? For the camcorder did you mean A1 and A2?

So the sound won't play in A1 and A2 but will work fine when transferred to A5 and A6?

Very strange....the only way I can see that happening is if A1 and A2 have been muted.

Hopefully someone else will come up with a solution.

Ian.

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Answer 13

Alchroma

Level 7

23,918 points

Nov 25, 2005 12:59 AM in response to chip_s

Did you check for Clip Visibility?
If linking is off and the audio has been accidently marked as invisible it will certainly do the mute thing.
Right click the audio in the Timeline and see if the "Clip Visibilty or it might be Clip Enable" from the popup menu has a check mark against it. If it does it then this is not the trouble.

Al

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Answer 14

Nov 25, 2005 1:45 AM in response to Alchroma

Good Morning Alchroma (or should it be "evening" for you?)

I have had a play with the CLIP ENABLE function and it seems to do the same as the Mute Buttons. I wonder what the difference is - or is it just that Apple want to give you lots of different ways to achieve the same end?

Ian.

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Answer 15

Alchroma

Level 7

23,918 points

Nov 25, 2005 3:03 AM in response to Ian R. Brown

Ian

It's evening here.
I suppose the most useful function is if you have more than one clip you think might fit in the timeline you can have them on different tracks and swith between them. It works for video and audio or both.
When a clip is invisble it won't be played back, rendered or exported.
You won't hear it either.

Al

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