This article explains audio playback configurations available in Final Cut Pro.

Note: This article primarily describes configurations involving digital video (DV). However, the information may also apply to other configurations.

Configurations

There are two basic audio configurations which can be used in video editing, audio playback from the internal Macintosh speaker (or external speakers connected to the Macintosh Speaker output connector) and audio playback from an external device.

Figure 1 , Typical Video Editing Configuration

When External Video is set to All Frames, audio and video are sent to the external video device attached to FireWire interface. The Macintosh Speaker is disabled in this configuration to prevent an echo effect caused by the latency of video and sound through the FireWire interface. If external speakers are not connected to the video device, no audio can be heard.

Because of delay in the audio coming from a device connected using FireWire, the audio on the external device is not synchronized to the video playback on your computer monitor. Externally connected audio only synchronizes to externally connected video.

For additional information on configuring your digital video system to work with an external monitor, see article 58635 " Final Cut Pro: Viewing DV Video out of an NTSC or PAL Monitor ".

Monitoring Audio

Having All Frames selected will send both the video and audio out through FireWire. You would monitor audio using whatever video device is connected to the FireWire port. This can include:

1. A built-in camcorder speaker

2. Headphones or externally amplified speakers connected to your camcorder

3. A NTSC/PAL monitor's built-in speaker connected to your camcorder

1. A video monitor's built-in speaker

or

2. Externally amplified speakers

When External Video is set to Off under the View>External Video menu, the audio plays back only from your computer's speaker (or any external speakers or headphones connected to the speaker connector on your computer). This is true even if you do not have Mirror on desktop during Playback selected in the General Preferences tab under the Edit pulldown window.