To print more than two channels of audio *out* to tape simultaneously would require software (and sometimes hardware) capable of handling multi-channel audio.

On the software side this would require either multichannel audio NLE software such as Cubase, Pro Tools or Cool Edit Pro or A/V software such as VV4 that can handle 5.1 audio.

I suppose it is *possible* to kludge it in VV3 if you have external sync (e.g. house black or other time-base sync) by printing out only two audio tracks at a time and then switching tape audio inputs for the second pass, but this is only really feasable with proper clocking and if your hardware has the ability to non-destructively punch the second two tracks without overwriting the first two tracks or video.

Thanks guys,
Perhaps I'm confused but as I understand it, the XL1s can actually lay down 4 separate tracks ( I already have the adaptor that accepts 4 XLR mics) just like the old 4 track audio recorders. I would like to be able to remix these 4 tracks in post preferably in VV3. I would like to capture these 4 channels preferably through firewire. Does that make more sense?
Thanks again,
Randy

Capturing the 4 channels is no problem - use Scenalyzer. However, I know of NO way of outputting 4 channels back to the camera - unless you sent the second stereo track through the soundcard - vegas might be able to do that.

Thanks jetdv, when you say >Capturing the 4 channels is no problem - use Scenalyzer.< do you mean it will capture the 4 channels via firewire in separate wavs to where I can remix in post?

>However, I know of NO way of outputting 4 channels back to the camera<
No problem, I just need one stereo track back to the camera.

Thanks again,
Randy

jetdv pointed me to scenalizer awhile back -- nice application. It pulls one stereo set in as part of the DV AVI file, and the other (you choose which) into a seperate .wav that you can import into Vegas. It does this in one pass.

Luxo

Thanks Luxo,
That's worth $33 in itself, what else do you guys use it for (considering VV3 has a scene analyzer that works great).
Thanks again Luxo,
Randy

If you are using it to capture analog pass-through, it will optically detect scene changes (as opposed to time-code scene detection for DV capture). Works pretty well.

Yes, it captures all 4 channels via firewire in one pass.