About Insert Editing to Tape
An insert edit allows you to individually replace video, audio, and timecode tracks on a
tape, using In and Out points. Insert editing is frame accurate and never creates breaks
in the control track. For example, you could record new music to audio track 1 while
keeping the existing video track and audio track 2 intact. This requires a precision,
professional deck. (For more information, see “
About the Control Track
” on page 200.)
Note: This term is not at all related to making an insert edit in the Timeline; insert
editing is a tape-to-tape editing term that predates nonlinear editing systems.
To perform an insert edit, your tape needs to have a signal already recorded on it. You
can prepare a tape for insert editing by blacking the tape, which means recording
control track, timecode, and a black video signal. You can also perform insert edits on
any tape with an existing, unbroken control track. Having timecode on the tape is also
necessary to set In and Out points for the edit. For more information about blacking a
tape using Final Cut Pro, see “
Preparing Your Videotape with Black and Timecode
” on
page 194.
Important:
DV devices do not support insert editing because the tracks are too narrow
to be precisely replaced. DVCAM and DVCPRO formats support insert editing because
they use wider tracks.
200
Part III
Output
Requirements for Assemble or Insert Editing to Tape
Before you can edit to tape:
 Your video equipment must support either FireWire or serial RS-422 remote
device control.
 Your deck must support recording; you cannot perform edits on play-only decks.
 Your camcorder or deck must support insert editing, if you wish to do that type
of editing.
For details about the capabilities of your video equipment, check the documentation
that came with it. For more information about equipment requirements for output to
tape, see “
Output Requirements
” on page 189.