One of the great features of the Roland video presenter products is that it plays back clips in full DV stream format. This provides for ultimate quality, especially on bigger screens. This feature requires that all your video material be imported in as DV stream whether from CD or via the network.
There are three ways to do this:
1. Use the network card. The PRs are networkable to allow you to push or pull your data to and from the unit. Make sure your clips are in the DV stream format. An example of this is in QuickTime Pro with the Export to DV Stream feature. Place your DV clips in the IMPORT folder that shows up on your network. Once copied, use the Import material... in the PR to import the clip into the project of choice. Likewise to export a clip from the PR, using the System Utility window, drag and drop the video clip of choice from your project into the IMPORT folder.
2. Us the CD drive or card reader. Make sure your clips are in the DV stream format. An example of this is in QuickTime Pro with the Export to DV Stream feature. Once copied, use the Import material... in the PR to import the clip from the drive or card reader into the project of choice. Likewise to export a clip from the PR, using the System Utility window, drag and drop the video clip of choice from your project into the device's folder.
3. Use the DV-7PR or PR-50 like you would a DV camera or deck. The PR units show up as a DV device when you plug it in your computer via the DV in/out port. With the Capture function enabled in the PR, use your video editing system of choice to playback the material out to DV. Depending on your software, this is sometimes called Print to Video... or Export to Tape.... The fastest way to import a large amount of video (i.e., 30 min+) is to dump your material to DV tape and then capture it to the PR. Remember at DV stream rates you are around 1GB for every 4 minutes or so. That means an hour of material is going to be around 15GB. CDs and memory cards are limited in space and speed. Network cards, even at 100Mb, are slower than simply dumping it to tape and capturing it back in.