Steinberg Cubase Le 4 Manual

							25
Video 
						

							232
Video
Background
Cubase LE plays back video films in a number of formats. 
Under Windows, video playback can be done using one 
of three playback engines: Video for Windows, Direct-
Show or Quicktime. This ensures compatibility with as 
wide a range of video files as possible. The following file 
formats are supported: AVI, Quicktime and MPEG.
Under Mac OS X, Quicktime is always used as playback 
engine. QuickTime supports the following video file for-
mats: AVI, MPEG, QuickTime and DV.
There are two ways to play back video:
Without any special hardware.
While this will be fine in many situations it does put a limit on the size of 
the video window as well as the quality of the image.
Using video hardware that, for example, connects to an 
external monitor.
Mac OS X: Using a FireWire port, you can play back video on an external 
monitor using a DV-to-analog converter or a DV camera.
You can play back DV video. QuickTime is used for playback.
Windows: Multi-head graphics cards that support overlay functionality 
can be used to display the video picture on an external monitor. The fol-
lowing manufacturers have working (and tested) solutions available: 
nVIDIA and Matrox.
Before you start
When working on a project involving a video file, there are 
several points to bear in mind:
Have you selected the right player? (Windows 
only)
The player is used not only for playback of the video file, 
but also to provide file information in the Pool and in the 
Import Video dialog. Therefore, to make sure that you have 
chosen the right player for a particular type of video file, 
check the file information displayed in the Import Video 
dialog or the Pool prior to trying to import or playing back 
the file.When this information reads “0x0 pixel”, “0.000 s” and “0 
Frames”, the video file is either corrupt, or the format is not 
supported by the codecs available to the selected video 
player. You will either have to change the video player, or 
install the required codec.
Editing a video file
Video clips are played back by events just as audio clips 
are. You can use all the basic editing operations on video 
events, just as with audio events. The following operations 
are not possible on the video track:
Drawing, Gluing, and Scrubbing.
Note that when you activate the Mute button for a video track, the video 
playback will be stopped, but playback of any other Project events will 
continue. See below.
The video track has no editor and does not make use of 
parts.
Cubase LE allows you to cut, copy, paste and trim video 
events, i. e. your video track may contain more than one 
video event. However, when using the DirectShow video 
player (Windows only), you may find that only the first event 
on the video track is played back correctly. In such a case 
make sure that the video track contains no more than one 
video event.
Under Windows, you may find that you are unable to 
edit a video file copied from a CD. This is because files 
copied from CD are write protected by default. Right-click 
the file and deactivate the “Read-Only” option in the File 
Properties dialog.
When you have a video file in a format not supported by 
Cubase LE, use an external application to convert the file 
to a format that Cubase LE can import.
!Trying to import or play back a file not supported by 
the selected video player leads to unpredictable re-
sults – if no information on the number of frames, the 
length and the pixel resolution is available in the Im-
port Video dialog or the Pool, you cannot import/play 
this file properly with this particular video player.
!You can change the video player in the Device Setup 
dialog. After having done so, make sure to remove 
any previously imported video file from the Pool first, 
and re-import it. 
						

							233
Video
Operations
About the video playback engine
In Cubase LE for Windows, you select a playback engine 
in the Device Setup–Video Player page:
Make sure to read the section “Before you start” on 
page 232.
Generally, you can expect most Windows hardware to 
work with DirectShow.
On a Windows system, the DirectShow and Video for Windows players 
are provided by the operating system, so you don’t have to install any ad-
ditional software.
Under Windows, QuickTime must be installed on your 
computer for Quicktime playback to be available.
There is a freeware version (a QuickTime installer is included on the Cu-
base LE DVD if required, or you can download it from www.quick-
time.com) and a “pro” version, which offers additional video cutting 
options. The player engine is the same in both versions, so for mere play-
back in Cubase LE there is no need to purchase the “pro” version.
Under Mac OS X, only the Quicktime playback engine is 
available, supporting the formats AVI, MPEG, QuickTime 
and DV. If your system has a FireWire port, there is also a 
FireWire option – see below.
Importing a video file
Video files are imported in the same manner as audio files.
By using the File menu (Import–Video File).
By using drag and drop from the Windows Explorer/
Mac OS Finder or the Pool.
This requires that a video track has been added to the Project and that 
you drop the video file onto this track.
By importing the file to the Pool first and then dragging 
it into the Project window (see the chapter “The Pool” on 
page 129 for details).
Note:
 You can only have one video track in each project. The Video 
track is added like other tracks in the Project window by using 
the Add Track submenu on the Project menu. If a project does 
not contain a video track when you import a video file via File–
Import–Video file, this is added automatically.
 All video files on the track must be of the same size and com-
pression format.
Video import preferences
In the Preferences dialog (Editing–Video page), there is 
an option that affects the import of video files:
Generate Thumbnail Cache on Import Video File
When this is activated, a thumbnail cache file will be created automati-
cally when you import a video file. This is handy, as a cache file will also 
be created when you import a video file using drag and drop.
Advantage of thumbnail cache files
ÖTo display video thumbnails in the Project window, the 
option “Show Video Thumbnails” has to be activated in 
the Preferences dialog (Event Display–Video page).
When working with video in Cubase LE, video files are 
displayed as events/clips on the video track with thumb-
nails representing the frames in the film. These are calcu-
lated in real time, i. e. they have to be redrawn during 
scrolling or moving. As this consumes quite a lot of pro-
cessor power, reaction sometimes may be sluggish. To 
remedy this, you can generate a thumbnail cache file.
The cache file is used in situations where the processor 
load is very high and the correct redrawing or real-time 
calculation might use system resources necessary for ed-
iting or processing. When the cache file is used and you 
zoom in on the thumbnails, you will see that they are in a  
						

							234
Video
lower resolution, i. e. the pictures are not as clean as when 
they are calculated. When the processes that rely heavily 
on the computer CPU are finished, the frames will be au-
tomatically recalculated, i.e. the program automatically 
switches between real-time calculation of the pictures and 
using the cache file.
The generated thumbnail cache file will be stored in the 
same folder as the video file and will get the name of the 
file with the suffix “.videocache”.
Generating thumbnail cache files during video import
A thumbnail cache file will be created automatically before 
the file is inserted in the Project window, if you activated 
“Generate Thumbnail Cache on Import Video File” in the 
Preferences (Editing–Video page). 
A window will be displayed, showing you the progress 
and the estimated time for the process.
The thumbnail cache file is created.
After the cache file is created, the window will be closed 
and the video clip is inserted as usual. When you now 
start video playback and perform processor consuming 
operations, the thumbnail file is used to display the video 
frames in the Project window. When enough processor 
power is available, the “real” calculated thumbnail frames 
are displayed again.
Generating thumbnail cache files from within the Pool
When you have video files without thumbnail cache files 
(e.g. if you did not create a thumbnail cache file during im-
port or if you are working with an older project), you al-
ways have the possibility to generate the thumbnail cache 
file at a later stage. This is done from within the Pool.Proceed as follows:
1.Open the Pool window and locate the video file you 
want to create a thumbnail cache file for.
2.Right-click on the file to open the context menu and 
select “Generate Thumbnail Cache”, or select “Generate 
Thumbnail Cache” from the Media menu.
Just as when creating the file during import, the status window opens 
(see above).
After the file is created, the window will be closed and the 
thumbnail cache file is used when necessary, i.e. under 
high load.
Playing back a video file
Video files are displayed as events/clips on the video 
track, with thumbnails representing the frames in the film 
(if the option Show Video Thumbnails is activated in the 
Preferences, Event Display–Video page).
A video event on a video track.
In the track list and Inspector, you will find the control 
“Mute Video”. When this is activated, video playback will 
be stopped, but playback of any other events in the 
project will continue (to decrease the processor load).
To view the video on the computer screen (as opposed to 
on an external monitor, see below), proceed as follows:
If you’re running Mac OS X, open the Device Setup dia-
log from the Devices menu, click “Video Player” in the list 
and make sure “Onscreen Window” is selected in the 
Video Output section of the dialog. 
Under Windows, either pull down the Devices menu 
and select Video, or use a key command – by default [F8], 
or double-click the video clip.
A video window appears. In Stop mode, this displays the video frame at 
the project cursor position.
!Please note that the cache file will not be automati-
cally updated if a video file is edited. Whenever you 
change a video file (e.g. in a video editing applica-
tion), you need to create a new thumbnail cache file 
manually, as described above. (To refresh the “real” 
thumbnails of an edited video file, resize the video 
track so that they are calculated again.) 
						

							235
Video
The video will be played back together with any other 
events in the Project window as usual.
Setting the Window size
If you are playing back video in a window on your com-
puter screen, you may want to adjust the size. 
On a Mac, this is done by dragging the borders, just like 
resizing other windows.
Under Windows, proceed as follows:
Open the Device Setup dialog from the Devices menu, 
click Video Player in the Devices list and use the buttons 
in the Video Properties section to select a size.
Playing back video in full screen mode
When viewing video on the computer screen, you can 
choose to let the video occupy the whole screen during 
playback or in Stop mode:
Right-click in the video window to switch to full screen. 
Click again to exit full screen.
Playing back video file using graphics cards
(Windows only) 
Multi-head graphics cards that support overlay functional-
ity can be used to display the video picture on an external 
TV or computer monitor in full screen mode. The manufac-
turers nVIDIA and Matrox have working (and tested) solu-
tions available. Check the card’s documentation for 
information on how it handles video output and how to set 
it up for multi-monitor display.
Playing back a video via FireWire (Mac OS X only)
For Apple computers equipped with a FireWire port, you 
can easily connect external video hardware via this, as 
OS X has built-in video support for the most common for-
mats (NTSC/PAL/DVCPRO). FireWire is capable of high 
data-transfer speed and is the most common standard for 
communicating with video-related peripheral equipment.
To play back a video file via hardware connected to the 
FireWire port, select “FireWire” in the Outputs pop-up of 
the Device Setup–Video Player dialog.
When FireWire is selected as output, a number of format options appear 
on the Format pop-up, allowing you to select between various video for-
mats and resolutions.
Video playback preferences
In the Preferences (Event Display–Video page), there are 
two options for video playback:
Show Video Thumbnails.
When this is activated, thumbnail frames of the video contents are shown 
in the track.
Video Cache Size.
This determines how much memory is available for video thumbnails. If 
you have long video clips and/or work with a large zoom factor (so that a 
lot of frames are shown in the thumbnails), you may have to raise this 
value. 
						

							26
File handling 
						

							237
File handling
Working with Projects
New Project
The New Project command on the File menu allows you to 
create a new project, either empty or based on a template:
1.Select New Project from the File menu.
A list of templates is displayed. When you install Cubase LE, templates 
for various purposes are included, but you can also create your own (see 
“Save as Template” on page 238).
2.Select a template from the list or select “Empty”.
A file dialog opens, allowing you to specify a folder for the new project.
3.Select an existing project folder or click on Create and 
enter a name for a new one in the dialog that opens.
A new, untitled project is created.
Open
The Open command on the File menu is used for opening 
saved project files.
1.Select “Open...” from the File menu.
A file dialog opens, allowing you to select a project.
2.Click Open.
The project opens in the Project window.
Several projects can be open at the same time.
The active project is indicated by the blue Activate button in the upper 
left corner of the Project window. To make another project active, click 
its Activate button.
An active project.
You can also open project files by selecting an entry 
from the “Recent Projects” submenu on the File menu.
This submenu lists the projects you have recently worked with, with the 
most recent one at the top of the list.
Projects can also automatically be opened when you 
launch Cubase LE (see “Startup Options” on page 239).
About the “Pending Connections” dialogs
If you open a Cubase LE project created on another setup 
(other audio hardware), the program tries to find matching 
audio inputs and outputs for the i/o busses (this is one of 
the reasons why you should use descriptive, generic names 
for your input and output ports – see “Preparations” on 
page 10).
If the program cannot resolve all audio/MIDI inputs and 
outputs used in the project, a Pending Connections dialog 
will open. This will allow you to manually re-route any ports 
specified in the project to ports available in your system.
Close
The Close command on the File menu closes the active 
window. If a Project window is active, selecting Close will 
close the corresponding project.
If the project contains unsaved changes, you will be 
asked whether you want to save the project before closing 
it.
If you select “Don’t Save” and have recorded or created new audio files 
since saving, you get the choice to delete or keep these.
Save and Save As
The commands Save and Save As allow you to save the 
active project as a project file (file extension “.cpr”). The 
Save command stores the project under its current name 
and location, while Save As allows you to rename and/or 
relocate the file. In case you haven’t yet saved the project 
or it hasn’t been changed since it was last saved, only 
Save As will be available.
A word about file extensions
Under Windows, file types are indicated by three letter file 
name extensions (such as *.cpr for Cubase LE project files). 
Under Mac OS X, it is not necessary to use file name ex-
tensions, since the file types are stored internally in the 
files. However, if you want your Cubase LE projects to be 
compatible with both platforms, you should make sure the 
!Generally, we recommend that you save project files 
in their project folders, to keep the projects as 
manageable as possible. 
						

							238
File handling
option “Use File Extension in File Dialog” is activated in 
the Preferences (General page). When this is activated 
(default), the proper file name extension is automatically 
added when you save a file.
Save New Version
This function is only available as a key command, by de-
fault [Ctrl]+[Alt]+[S] (Windows) or [Command]+[Op-
tion]+[S] (Mac). When you use this function, a new 
version of the project is saved under a new file name. 
The new file will have the same name as the original project, 
but with an incremental number attached. For example, if 
your project is called “My Project”, you will get new versions 
called “My Project-01”, “My Project-02”, and so on.
Save New Version is useful if you are experimenting with 
edits and arrangements and want to be able to go back to 
a previous version at any time. The newest versions are al-
ways listed on the Recent Projects submenu on the File 
menu for instant access.
Save as Template
This function allows you to save the current project as a 
template. When you create a new project, the available 
templates will be listed, allowing you to base the new 
project on a template.
Proceed as follows:
1.Set up a project.
2.Select “Save As Template...” from the File menu and 
save the project template with a name of your choice.
Templates can contain clips and events just like regular 
projects.
If this is not what you want, make sure to remove all clips from the Pool 
before you save the project as template.
Templates are always stored in the Templates folder. 
On a Windows system, it is located at \Documents and 
Settings\\Application data\Steinberg\Cu-
base LE 4\templates. On a Mac system, it is located inside 
Users//Library/Preferences/Cubase LE 4.
Setting up a default template
If you always want the same default project to open when 
you launch Cubase LE, you can save a default template. 
Proceed as follows:
1.Set up a project.
2.Select “Save As Template...” from the File menu and 
save the project template with the name “default”. 
3.Open the Preferences dialog and select the General 
page.
4.Open the “On Startup” pop-up and select the option 
“Open ’Default’ Template”.
The next time you launch Cubase LE, the default template 
is automatically opened. For details on the other Startup 
options, see “Startup Options” on page 239.
Save Project to New Folder
This function is very useful if you want to move or archive 
your project. 
1.Select “Save Project to New Folder”. 
A file dialog opens in which you can choose an existing, empty folder or 
create a new folder to save the project.
2.Click OK to confirm your choice.
The “Save to Folder Options” dialog opens with the following options:
Option Description
Project Name Enter a project name if you want to change it from the de-
fault (the current name of the project).
Minimize Audio 
FilesIf this is activated, only the audio file portions that are ac-
tually used in the project will be included. This can signi-
ficantly reduce the size of the project folder (if you are 
using small sections of large files), but it also means you 
cannot use other portions of the audio files if you con-
tinue working with the project in its new folder.
Freeze Edits This will perform a Freeze Edits operation, making all pro-
cessing and applied effects permanent to each clip in the 
Pool, see “Freeze Edits” on page 105.
Remove 
Unused FilesWhen this is activated, only files in the Pool that are actu-
ally used in the project will be stored in the new folder. 
						

							239
File handling
3.Make the desired settings.
4.Click OK. 
The project is saved in the new folder. The original project is not affected. 
However, now you could e. g. delete the original project without losing 
your project data.
Startup Options
Auto Save
If you activate the Auto Save checkbox in the Preferences 
(General page), Cubase LE will automatically save backup 
copies of all open projects with unsaved changes.
Backup copies of projects are named “-
xx.bak”, where xx is an incremental number. Unsaved 
projects are backed up in a similar way as “UntitledX-
xx.bak”, with X being the incremental number for unsaved 
projects. All backup files are saved in the project folder. 
Use the “Auto Save Interval” option to set the time inter-
vals in which a backup copy will be created.
Use the “Maximum Backup Files” option to specify how 
many backup files will be created with the Auto Save func-
tion.
When the maximum number of backup files is reached, the existing files 
will be overwritten (starting with the oldest file). 
On Startup
The “On Startup” pop-up menu in the Preferences (Gen-
eral page) allows you to specify what should happen each 
time you launch Cubase LE. 
The following options are available:
Cubase LE Open Document Options Dialog
This dialog will open in two cases:
If you launch Cubase LE with the option “Show Open 
Options Dialog” selected on the “On Startup” pop-up 
menu in the Preferences (General page).
If you hold down [Ctrl]/[Command] while launching Cu-
base LE.
Option Description
Do Nothing Cubase LE launches without opening a project.
Open Last 
ProjectThe last saved project is opened on launch.
Open ’Default’ 
TemplateThe default template is opened, see “Setting up a default 
template” on page 238.
Show Open 
DialogThe Open dialog opens on launch, allowing you to manu-
ally locate and open the desired project.
Show Template 
DialogThe Template dialog opens on launch, allowing you to 
create a new project from one of the templates.
Show Open 
Options DialogThe Open Document Options dialog opens on launch, 
see below. It allows you to make a different choice each 
time you launch Cubase LE. 
						

							240
File handling The Open Document Options Dialog.
The dialog lists your recently used projects.
To open a project, select it and click the “Open Selec-
tion” button. 
To open another project not listed here, click the “Open 
Other...” button. 
A file dialog opens that allows you to look for the desired file on your disk. 
To create a new project, click the “New Project” button.
Revert
If you select “Revert” from the File menu, you will be asked 
whether you really want to revert to the last saved version 
of the project. If you click “Revert”, all changes you have 
made since saving will be discarded.
If you have recorded or created new audio files since sav-
ing, you will be asked whether you want to delete or keep 
these.
Importing audio
ÖFor exporting Audio, see the chapter ““Export Audio 
Mixdown” on page 211”.
Importing audio files
For information on audio file import preferences, please 
see “Audio file import options” on page 26. For informa-
tion on import into the Pool and import options, see “Im-
port Medium...” on page 137.
Importing ReCycle files
ReCycle by Propellerhead Software is a program de-
signed especially for working with sampled loops. By 
“slicing” a loop and making separate samples of each 
beat, ReCycle makes it possible to match the tempo of a 
loop and edit the loop as if it was built of individual 
sounds. Cubase LE can import two file types created by 
ReCycle:
 REX files (export file format of the first versions of ReCycle, 
extension “.rex”).
 REX 2 files (file format of ReCycle 2.0 and later, extension 
“.rx2”).
Proceed as follows:
1.Select an audio track and move the project cursor to 
where you want the imported file to start.
You probably want to import REX files to tempo based audio tracks, 
since this will allow you to change the tempo later on (having the im-
ported REX file automatically adjust).
2.Select “Audio File…” from the Import submenu on the 
File menu.
3.Select REX files or REX 2 files with the file type pop-
up menu in the file dialog.
4.Locate and select the file and click Open.
The file is imported and automatically adjusted to the current Cubase LE 
tempo. 
Unlike a regular audio file, the imported REX file will con-
sist of several events, one for each “slice” in the loop. The 
events will automatically be placed in an audio part on the 
selected track and positioned so that the original internal 
timing of the loop is preserved.
5.If you now open the part in the Audio Part Editor, you 
can edit each slice separately by muting, moving and re-
sizing events, adding effects and processing, etc.
You can also adjust the tempo and have the REX file automatically follow 
(provided that its track is tempo based).
ÖYou can achieve similar results by using Cubase LE’s 
own loop slicing features, see “Working with hitpoints and 
slices” on page 122.