[quote="iduetv"]While we are talking about different truck..... the whole p-buss "patch" thing I don't have a full understanding of it. I tried to move the lance controller to a different buss to retrieve the missing time line of the p-buss portion of the master timeline. It never seems to work. I just end up just rebuilding the missing timeline of the p-buss. I would like to understand what I'm missing when doing all these duals with different lance controllers on different busses.[/quote] One thing it took me forever to learn about the pbus patching is that you have to patch FIRST. If you load your show and then re-patch, the timelines still won't recognize the kf's. Re-patch your pbus, then load your show. Jeremy

As a TD that's done some directing, I'm simply amazed at the amount of TD's out there that start every show from scratch. No disks, no generic setup. There's nothing terribly radical about the way any of these shows are cut. I'm usually built in about 20 minutes with the FFV load, and kinda shocked at how folks can still be crunching to build. Years ago I did an inventory of my time so to speak, and found that I used to do a lot of BS-ing with cams, tape, eng, and other friends that really sent me to crunch time. Now I just reverse that, fly through the set-up then go work the ropes.

[quote="JohnHowardSC"]Believe me, this is something that we all contend with from time to time. There is never enough time to do everything we need to do so prioritizing is the key. For me, the most important things take the most time; building routers, mapping, the monitor wall - get those correct and out of the way first. When it comes to loading a Fast Forward I like to "supervise" the load when possible, but I have a method that saves me a lot of time. First, I start with a cleared Lance and begin at register 101. As the FF is loaded, I will mark a rough "IN" for every element on the reel. First fill, 101A, first key, 101B, second fill 102A, etc. This saves a TON of time for me because I'm doing it as it rips and not waiting until the entire load is complete and going back to figure out where everything is. Just remember to clear the Lance and never hit CUE during this process ... Second, once you're loaded don't worry about building transitions for every wipe on the reel! Obviously take care of the important stuff like opens, replay, sponsored elements, etc, but after that pick only a few transitions that you (and/or the director) want to use. Chances are good there's stuff on the reel that they don't like - figure out what those are and leave them alone. When it comes to building TLs, remember that GET/PUT is your FRIEND! Build a couple of transition timelines and just copy them to other registers. That way you're just modifying KF lengths instead of build from scratch every time. If you need to remove or add a level, just learn/mod the effect and add appropriate KF's. This saves a ton of time. Finally, save the boxes and clocks over cams for LAST. Those are things that most of us can build in an M/E while we're doing pre-pro. Don't waste good "alone" time worrying about boxes - take care of the big ticket items and PGM/PST TLs first. Hope this helps! JH[/quote] John, Well said. Great ideas. Bob..I have done the same thing. I am not on a Kalypso too often, and have just used time on the plane to an event to get used to where all the menus are etc..so I don't waste time during setup.

[quote="greg"]John, Great Idea about "rough clipping" the FF during the rip. I just started doing this in the last month or so and found it saves me alot of time looking for elements greg[/quote] a great tip! showed one of our NBA td's that trick a few days ago. saved him hours after we had to re-load clipstore drives after our traveling key drive came up stupid (or corrupted). just make sure you disable the p-bus enable in case you accidentally recall an e-mem in the middle of your load. i also set the outcue action to none while clipping so i can set the out sometimes as long as the effects aren't too rapid-fire.

Hi Bob - this is a great idea. I already have the frame simulator on my laptop and will give this a try. As for the crosspoint sheet as Mike C stated, the crosspoint sheet had never been updated with the proper names. What was on the sheet was different from what I was seeing on the switcher. The EIC had to explain what I was looking for, which of course slowed me down. Thanks to all of the suggestions. They all seem very helpful. I hope that these things will help me get faster. J

While we are talking about different truck..... the whole p-buss "patch" thing I don't have a full understanding of it. I tried to move the lance controller to a different buss to retrieve the missing time line of the p-buss portion of the master timeline. It never seems to work. I just end up just rebuilding the missing timeline of the p-buss. I would like to understand what I'm missing when doing all these duals with different lance controllers on different busses.

One of the things that makes my life easier is this: On the same disk as the software is the Frame Simulator. I have his installed on my computer, along with the Kalypso Menu software. On your computer, if you run the frame simulator 1st, then run the Menu Software, you can make the menu think that it's talking to a frame. In the SYSTEM menu, replace the frame IP address with 127.0.0.1...be sure to reset it when you get into the truck. Now if you can get the truck layout from your EIC (as was mentioned by Mike C.), you can plug this into the ENG part of your menu. This lets you set up configs (either at home or on the way to the remote) & set up device control, PBus, User/Suite Prefs, etc., on your computer. You can then store all of this and when you load your configs at the truck they will be correct. It's a big time-saver, and lets you focus on effects when you sit down at the switcher rather than spending your time setting up configs.

I carry thumb drive with what I call my basic setup.(for a Kalypso) It maps seven or so cameras and four VTRs and two channels of EVS as well as the CG's and a score bug. I will load one E-Mem, It sets my ME's the way I like, PGM CF and outputs B, C, & D set a certain way, as well as ME keyer durations and auto trans durations. I then change things as needed. This is how I start college hoops and NHL or NBA games. As John said, GET and PUT are the best thing since sliced bread. I also agree about building "extra" stuff during pre pro. [quote]I am also bogging down in mapping. I was on a truck this past weekend that in their default mapping had 3 EVS machines. But when I was mapping I could not find them. Here in the ENG setup they are called DDR's[/quote] Didn't the truck have a crosspoint sheet? That is the second thing I get from the EIC, after the monitor wall sheet. (done at the same time.) The one thing that does drive me nuts is that many trucks I see, the previous TD has not cleaned up after them self and loaded the truck default and cleared the Lance. Burning time doing that pisses me. I will do that, if needed, as I go and get info from tape and the EIC.

John, these are good tips. I never thought of the clipping, although I have been on the spotbox for the last couple of games. The first one was one long clip that I had to cut up, with no clue as to what the Prod / Dir wanted. If they did say what they wanted, I had to figure out what they called a "re-bump" and find it in that long clip. Matt, I feel like I am losing time on the usual stuff like setting up the monitor wall and mapping. I also feel like I am losing time in the builds themselves. I have been using the Put effect to copy and adjusting the TL's, but before I know it I am into lunch, sitting in a quiet truck, plugging away. I am also bogging down in mapping. I was on a truck this past weekend that in their default mapping had 3 EVS machines. But when I was mapping I could not find them. Here in the ENG setup they are called DDR's. Then the Director showed up (late) and wanted to move his cameras around, told the EIC, but not me until an hour before air. I am just getting in the seat and not leaving the truck until the event is over. Is this normal? J

John, Great Idea about "rough clipping" the FF during the rip. I just started doing this in the last month or so and found it saves me alot of time looking for elements greg

Believe me, this is something that we all contend with from time to time. There is never enough time to do everything we need to do so prioritizing is the key. For me, the most important things take the most time; building routers, mapping, the monitor wall - get those correct and out of the way first. When it comes to loading a Fast Forward I like to "supervise" the load when possible, but I have a method that saves me a lot of time. First, I start with a cleared Lance and begin at register 101. As the FF is loaded, I will mark a rough "IN" for every element on the reel. First fill, 101A, first key, 101B, second fill 102A, etc. This saves a TON of time for me because I'm doing it as it rips and not waiting until the entire load is complete and going back to figure out where everything is. Just remember to clear the Lance and never hit CUE during this process ... Second, once you're loaded don't worry about building transitions for every wipe on the reel! Obviously take care of the important stuff like opens, replay, sponsored elements, etc, but after that pick only a few transitions that you (and/or the director) want to use. Chances are good there's stuff on the reel that they don't like - figure out what those are and leave them alone. When it comes to building TLs, remember that GET/PUT is your FRIEND! Build a couple of transition timelines and just copy them to other registers. That way you're just modifying KF lengths instead of build from scratch every time. If you need to remove or add a level, just learn/mod the effect and add appropriate KF's. This saves a ton of time. Finally, save the boxes and clocks over cams for LAST. Those are things that most of us can build in an M/E while we're doing pre-pro. Don't waste good "alone" time worrying about boxes - take care of the big ticket items and PGM/PST TLs first. Hope this helps! JH

[quote="DiverTD"]I seem to be getting my builds done in just enough time to go to air. Can anyone offer tips on how to get my board setup, do my builds, etc. that can give me time to breath before going to air?[/quote] Not to hijack the thread, but I completely get where you are coming from Diver. I have been running into the same problems of getting a show built as well. My biggest problem comes when I am loading in and clipping off 20 or so elements on the fastforward, even with a log sheet (which I rarely get it seems...) I find myself spending the better part of my set-up time just clipping off the FF, then I use lunch to build time lines, clocks, macros, etc.... And it seems producers are becoming less and less tolerant of a new TD trying to learn..... So I too would be interested in how you guys are getting a "normal" size show built in time. (For me anyway) it seems that saving a switcher set-up or using cueman is useless because I am rarely on the same show twice in a season and on different trucks with different software versions and switchers all the time. Thanks, Michael Nice

J ... where do you feel like you're losing time? Is there anything that stands out to you, or is there any particular part of the build that more stressful than any other?