betaSP to DV w/Timecode??

I'm starting an edit this next week with all the source materials being on BetaSP. It's for a pretty important project, so my boss is justifyably concerned about unnecessary wear to the Beta tapes while I'm logging them (an absolutely necessary step in this project). I'll be doing the offline edit this week and they'll be taking it to a post house next week to do the online.

my question is this: is there a way to dub the beta tapes to DVCAM transferring the TC so that I can do the offline edit from the DVCAM tapes, thus producing an accurate EDL for the online edit?

One alternate option that may be the easiest way to go would be to capture the complete BetaSP tapes into FCP using our Kona LS card, trim clips, then export an EDL for the online edit. At this point, we do have plenty of drive space to do this (I think), and we'd be able to clear off the space pretty quickly after the edit is done. We'd only have to run the BetaSP tapes through the deck one time to capture, and we wouldn't have to use a bunch of DVCAM tape either. Logging the footage from the computer will also give us easy access to any point on any tape quickly rather than having to shuffle through tapes.

The downside of capturing all the tapes is that we get a lot of footage that we don't need and the drive space is essentially tied up in this one project. So, I'd like to at least see if there is another good option.

Ideas??

Sure thing. Go round the back of the machine, depending on which machines you have, it'll either be an XLR or an RCA or even a BNC connection. Feed timecode out of the BETA into the DV. Then on front of the DV, switch to EXT timecode, whack your tape in, rewind both, and hit play|record... you have a clone...and only use the BETA once...

M

thanks Marcus! It seemed like there should be a way to do it, but I just didn't know exactly how it would be done. I'll give it a try tomorrow when I go into the office.

Thanks

Capture Offline RT, FCPs offline resolution. That will give you TONS of space.

I'm back in the office to try and get this setup working before Monday morning, and I'm having a little trouble.

First of all, the model#s of the decks:
BetaSP playback deck - Sony UVW 1600
DVCAM deck - Sony DSR-20

I switched the sync on the back of the DV deck to "EXT". I also found the "TC Out" connector on the back of the Beta deck. It uses a BNC connector. However, I'm not sure exactly how to get the TC from the Beta deck to the DV deck. There doesn't seem to be any way to actually get the TC to the DV deck--i.e., there's no "TC In" port or anything that I can see. Here's a photo of the back of the deck that I found in google(It looks the same as my deck):
[www.rentcom.com]

I've already tried recording from Beta to DV, but the DV just generates its own TC. How should this work?

Thanks so much!

[proapptips.com]

You can't transfer TC that way. the DVCAM deck you are using, as you noticed, has no TC in port. You need a converter like I suggest in the linked workflow.

Shane, in this workflow, where are you generating the black burst?

Oh...looks like I didn't mention that.

A black burst generator. Usually a small box that you get and connect to the REF inputs.

If you get a capture card, the black burst is part of the card.

Ta. I thought maybe you had found a way to generate it internally.

Thanks, Shane for linking to your other article. Since we have a Kona LS card, what we ended up needing was a rs-422 cable to go direct from the card to the deck. I did some research, and discovered that the rs-422 is exactly the same as a DB9 male - male serial cable commonly used in computers (at least in years past).
[forums.creativecow.net]

I found one of these cables at a local computer store for $1, although they could also be found on ebay or at a variety of other sources for cheap as well.

Thanks again for all your help!