Visual QuickStart Guide [Electronic resources] : Final Cut Express HD for Mac OS X

Input and Output Windows

Although you perform most editing tasks in Final Cut Express's main editing and effects windows, you'll need to use a couple of other windows to shape your program's input and output.

Capture

Use the Capture window (Chapter 5, "Capturing Video."

Print to Video

Use Print to Video to output a Final Cut Express sequence or clip to videotape. The Print to Video function lets you configure pre- and post-program elements such as color bars and a 1-kHz tone, leader, slate, and countdown. Print to Video's loop feature allows you to print your sequence multiple times automatically.

For more information on the Print to Video window, see Chapter 19, "Creating Final Output."

Import and export options

Final Cut Express's media handling is based on Apple's QuickTime, and that means you have a lot of import and export format options. If QuickTime can handle it, so can Final Cut Express.

• You can import QuickTime-compatible media files into a Final Cut Express project.

• You can import an iMovie project and convert it into an FCE project.

• You can import audio directly from a CD.

• You can import still images in a full range of formats.

• You can import a layered Adobe Photoshop file (Figure 1.17 ). Final Cut Express preserves the layers, importing the file as a sequence. Each layer in Photoshop corresponds to a video track in the sequence.

  Figure 1.17. When you import a layered Photoshop file into Final Cut Express, you can maintain control over the individual layers.

• You can export clips, sequences, or portions of either as QuickTime movies or in a variety of image and sound formats, including export to iDVD.