Heres the problem! When I dub audio over a dv tape recorded with 12 bit audio, I understand the dubbed track is in the 16 bit realm. All this is good, especially when I copy out in analogue to vhs decks. The Jap unit I prepare the dv tape on, allows the dubbed track and the native track to be mixed using a slider, so I can get one, both or optional mixed levels of the 2 tracks onto the outgoing audio line. All this is well and good too, but when I attempt to send the whole video/audio bannana down a firewire to a DV tape deck or a DVD burner, the mixing part of the equation is out the window! Everything goes down the firewire ok, but all in their own little boxes. The 12 is there, the 16 is there, the video is there, but in order to utilize either of the 2 audio tracks, you must choose, in advance, the track you want to record (16, or 12). Obviously this doesn't work as the dubbed portions of the tape are in 16 and the undubbed portions are in 12. Sure, if you dubbed entirely over the entire tape this would be fine, but it never works out this way. I have not yet seen a dv tape deck which allows for a select mix of 1 & 2 to go down the firewire How is this done! ?

-- Ron Davis (rdvideolab@aol.com), January 25, 2002