layoff sequence w/timecode

What is the proper procedure (and/or equipment) to layoff a sequence from FCP 4.5 to a DVCAM deck, bringing the sequence timecode with it? If bringing the code along with it is not possible, is there a way to layoff to a pre-striped DVCAM deck, or is this not possible in dv-land.

Is DVCAM fundamentally able to do this? If so, what deck is required (can DSR11 do it?; dsr45?).

Do I need to use a separate deck control cable?

Do I need to go through a card such as the Decklink?

Is this written down anywhere? Seems like it would be a super-common question.

Any solid, clear guidance here would be great.

Thanks.

You can edit to tape on a DSR-11 over firewire and come in at a specified timecode on a DVCAM tape. Just go to edit to tape, set the in point on the bottom left hand timecode box of the window and drag the sequence to the window, dropping it over the 'Assemble" pop-up.

Quite a few people have said that they find this less than accurate (by a few frames), but I've found it to be nearly 100% on the money. I think I must be a bit lucky.

you have been lucky, Jude!
my succes rate with edit to tape via FW is very low.

the DSR11 cant pre-set a TC, though,
so if you need your tape to start at around 58mins, say, for a show start of 1Hr, it;s tricky.

i;ve been using SimpleVideoOut.

[developer.apple.com]

i build bars & tone, slate, countdown and end sync + black runout into my timline
set the sequnce to have the apropriate TC, and export as a QTmovie.

i then set my DSR11 to read external TC, and play the export into it via SVO.

cheers,
nick

I swear its accurate here, Nick. I've been checking all my outputs since we last had this discussion and since I always start my programs dead on the hour or half hour it's easy to see that they are all frame accurate - except for one show which was not. Actually, thinking about that - it could have been put to tape by a different editor who is not quite as obsessive as I am.

I wonder what the difference is?

maybe i just gave up to early.

but how do you set the TC?

are you starting you tapes at 58mins, or 28mins?

nick

Just checking on Nick's SimpleVideoOut recommendation -- I use a DSR-11 as well. So if I set the DSR-11 to "Read External TC", it can take a pre-set timecode in a QuickTime movie via FireWire? Is there a reason why FCP is unable to do that but SVO is -- for example, FCP's Edit to Tape requires pre-striped timecode, but SimpleVideoOut doesn't?

>>but how do you set the TC? are you starting you tapes at 58mins, or 28mins?<<

My shows are delivered on DVCAM to Broadcasting where they dub them to digibeta, so I don't have to worry about start times. I just do a few minutes of blacking at the head of each new 180 min DVCAM and start at the timecode I want to.

Oh - I made a mistake in my earlier posting - I don't start them at the half hour or hour - I meant I start them at the 30 second mark or dead on the minute mark in terms of frames, so I can tell that they are frame accurate. Also, I've done pickups to tape that didn't miss a beat, so they had to be accurate too.

Do you want to compare settings? I can send you a complete list of our DSR-11s settings and you can see if yours is exactly the same if you like?

>>Is there a reason why FCP is unable to do that but SVO is -- for example, FCP's Edit to Tape requires pre-striped timecode, but SimpleVideoOut doesn't?

There is a reason - a bad one - FCP does not sent out timecode, FCP only reads timecode. So the deck doesn't see any timecode.
SVO does send timecode, so ?

Andreas

How does SVO handle a 23.98 sequence? When FCP plays 23.98 out to tape, it does 3:2 pulldown on the fly to get to 29.97. Does SVO do that as well?

i use SVO in a PAL enviroment, so i cant shed much light on this.
maybe someone else?

nick

SVO (as the name says) does a simple video out with timecode, nothing else, no 3:2 pulldown on the fly.

Andreas