Quick start guide

This section provides a very quick overview of the main features of CatDV. Each feature is described in more detail by following the links (use the back button at the top of this window to return to this page). Please refer to the separate PDF user manual for additional details.

Screen layout

• The main window in CatDV shows all the clips in a catalog (or database) of clips. Each clip represents either a media file or a scene within a movie and usually has a thumbnail image, as well as Name, Format, In and Out timecode values, and various other attributes.
• The toolbar at the top of the window and the menu bar provide commands to save and load catalogs, import media into the catalog, and to change the way the catalog is viewed.

Importing clips

• To get started, use Import directory (from the File menu) or the button to import all the images and movies from a directory and build up a thumbnail catalog. The files are analysed as they are imported and, for movies, a separate clip record for each scene or shot within the movie is created.
• If you have QuickTime-compatible capture hardware use the Live Capture command to scan a tape and create a clip for each scene. Alternatively, create a whole tape capture log and use your existing capture application to batch capture a tape to disk, in short segments if necessary, then import the resulting files. (Scenes are automatically joined up if they span more than one file.)
• Specify the directory and size for previews in Preferences then use Build preview movies to build up low resolution preview movies of all your video clips. These are small enough to be kept permanently and are therefore available to show you the contents of your entire tape library - even when the original DV capture files have had to be deleted to make space for the next project.

Viewing clips

• Use the toolbar buttons (or View menu) to view the catalog in different ways (for example as a list , or as a storyboard-like grid of thumbnails only ). To navigate your clips you can group them (according to tape, subject, bin, etc.), and sort or filter them as required.
• Use the button, to bring up the details dialog. This provides full details of a clip and is used for logging. You can enter a name or description, make a selection within the clip using the Movie tab, mark it as good or not, and so on.
• Use the button to play the contents of a clip.
• Rearrange the order of clips by dragging and dropping them within the main window, or assemble a rough cut program by including them in a sequence.

Outputting clips

• Once you have selected clips of interest or created a rough program you can use them in various ways. You can: play a full screen media presentation or slide show, export the clips as a QuickTime movie, export them as an EDL or batch list to import into your NLE video editing application, save them as a sequence within your catalog, print them out as a thumbnail "storyboard" or "contact sheet", and more.
• To split a large DV capture file into separate files for each scene, or to trim unwanted material from the capture files, first create clips for each scene you want and make selections within them. Then select the clips you want to keep and use Consolidate footage. This will write a separate self contained movie file for each clip before deleting the original capture files.
• Import projects, EDLs and batch lists from popular editing systems and then export them in a different format to exchange data between different applications or build up a library of logging information from different sources.