recording timecode out via firewire

Hey all!

So it seems my co-director apparently lost one of our mini-dv source tapes. Luckily, it was one of the few tapes that we digitized start to finish.

The first frame of the clip i want to lay is 00:00:06:01

So now I want to lay a new "master" that has matchin timecode. I have a JVC deck that can slave to timecode or lay its own timecode, and the deck connects via firewire.

How can I get frame accurate TC out of FCP via firewire? I set the deck to "read" timecode, but couldn't figure out how to get FCP to send timecode out. So then I tried putting the clip in a sequence starting at 00:00:06:01, and using the print to video function, but I couldn't get the deck to accurately synch with the output. it was always behing by at least a second or two, so that the clips first timecode would come in at 00:00:07:15 or so.

Is there a way to do this?

Thanks for all your help!!!


Greg

yes, you can do what you need,
but not with FCP,
you need a little app called "Simple Video Out"
[developer.apple.com]

and it IS really simple.

set your deck to accept external TC
quit FCP (it conflicts with SVO)
open the clip in SVO,
start your deck recording,
hit play in SVO.

if you need some pre-roll on the clip,
you should drop it in a timeline, with some black or bars & tone at the head.
why not put 6.00 of black or B&T (so the clip starts at 01.00.06.01)
then change the sequence TC in it;s settings to 00.00.00.00
and export the sequence as a reference move,
then use that in SVO.

oh, yes, put at least 5 seconds of black at the end of the clip, too.
SVO just brutally stops right at the end of the play-out

just so you know, your new tape will not have any Time-Of Day break in it,
so if you like to use DV Start/Stop detect, the captured file well worth hanging onto,
at least until you've got it all broken down the way you want



cheers,
nick

> So it seems my co-director apparently lost one of our mini-dv source tapes. Luckily, it was
> one of the few tapes that we digitized start to finish.

And I assume you're looking on eBay for a good guillotine?

In my opinion, you shouldn't rely on the original timecode. FireWire is not that accurate with timecode and I don't know if you'd want to trust the new tape's timecode to match your old tape. With a one-hour clip, there might be slippage.

I'd strongly consider outputting that entire clip to tape with new timecode. Then batch-recapture it. Basically, make a completely new master tape with new timecode. Then use the recaptured clip with new timecode as the basis for the edit. Lots of work? Yes. But lots of peace of mind as well.

And yes, whatever method you use, guard that captured clip with your life.


www.derekmok.com

don't waste your time.
SVO is accurate.
if you suspect it might not be, check a frame or two here and there on the new tape.

it is not relying on FW deck control.
that is NOT accurate,
rather it is sending the TC of the file down the FW cable along with the video and audio signals.

if you then recapture off the tape you will lose all hope for DV Start/Stop detect.


nick

thanks so much for the info guys. the guillotine has already been ordered :-)
greg

Nick
just checked th new tape. the first frame is spot on, but over the course of the 18min of recorded time the TC drifts by about 32 frames. it seems to occur evenly throught the tape, ie: at minute 10 it had already drifted by about 20 frame. Am I doing something wrong? the original footage was shot on the dvx at 24p settings, ingested at 29.97, and i told SVO that the footage was ntsc dv.
any ideas?

thanks!
greg

"the original footage was shot on the dvx at 24p settings, ingested at 29.97, and i told SVO that the footage was ntsc dv"

that might complicate things.
i've only ever used it in simpler situations

but it does seem like a regular slippage.

another approach without using SVO is to play-out to tape with FCP,
then modify your clips; TC to match that of the new tape.

i;d also make a back-up of your clip if you haven't already
sorry it wasnt as Simple as suggested.


nick

nick
thanks for the ideas. iven what's on the tape, i think i might do as you suggested and lay a new tape and then amend the tc of the clips that i'm using to match the new tape

greg