-
DA88 into FCP with TC stamp
Hey all,
I’m an assistant editor working on FCP 5.0.4. We have a show that is using DA88 tapes synced with the camera TC. The editor would ideally like to cut with the DA88 tracks grouped to the video. We have an audio suite with ProTools and Soundtrack. We’ve tried capturing the DA88 into the ProTools and exporting a variety of different files and it doesn’t appear to be keeping the TC stamp. I’ve heard that FCP 5.1 will keep the TC stamp intact with a .wav file, but corporate red tape will slow things down before an upgrade can happen. And it hasn’t been tested as we don’t have that version of FCP.
SO… here’s my question. Can you capture DA88 into Soundtrack, keeping the TC intact from the DA88 tape? AND, can you then export a file from Soundtrack that FCP can read and still have the TC intact? If so, please walk me thru the steps. If anyone out there has more expert knowledge of getting it out of ProTools and into FCP with TC, I’ll take that info as well.
Many Thanks,
Suzanne -
10 Replies
-
You should be able to capture directly into FCP with the timecode intact. You might need a capture card or something like an Io to do this though. Just used the RS 422 port for control and bring the audio in directly. It will capture with TC.
-
Please allow me to elaborate. We’ve already tried hooking up the deck directly to FCP. We have a AJA Kona 2 card in the system. We could get deck control, so we know the TC is good, but no audio was coming thru. There was some talk about needing some kind of converter, but I don’t think anyone found the answer to that question. If you have any advice on that subject, I sure would appreciate it.
Thanks again,
Suzanne -
Your DA88 is probably has analog outputs and the Kona 2 has digital inputs only. you will need to get an audio a/d converter (analog/digital). This will convert your analog output to digital and allow you to capture the audio that way. How many channels do you have recorded on the DA88? This will effect the price of the a/d converter that you need. You can get something like the MAudio flying cow (which I use) but it’s only 2 channels. In your case, if you have all 8 channels working on that da88, you will have to either get four flying cows, or recapture all the channels in 4 passes.
Jeremy
-
You either need to bring the sound in as analog audio, or digital audio. If you have 8 tracks, and you choose to bring them in analog, then you need an interface with 8 channels, or you need to bring them in multiple passes through however many channels you have. You also need to set the playback device up properly and assure that the signal path to the computer is good.
I believe the tascam DA-88 has a TDIF digital interface, so if you can get a compatible audio device hooked to your computer with that interface, then the transfer should be relatively simple.
You might want to use the services of a sound company that will do all this, and can deliver the files to you, ready to go, and save yourself a steep learning curve. It all depends on time and budget.
-
Here’s a device that would covert your TDIF from the DA-88 to AES/EBU which the Kona 2 could take in. Perhaps you could rent it?
https://www.tascam.com/Products/IF-AE84.html
-
I also just discovered that there’s was a compatible digital recorder by Sony , the PCM-800 which can play DA-88 tapes, but has built in AES/EBU. So if you had one of those, you could play into the KONA2 from your tapes.
Apparently the PCM-800 was made by Tascam with Sony’s nameplate.
-
Thanks guys,
I’ve turned the information over to my Engineering department for consideration. They’re asking me if Automatic Duck works. I’ve never used the program and don’t know if it will help in this instance. Can anyone tell me if that’s a program I should even be considering?
Thanks again,
Suzanne -
Automatic Duck sells a lot of plugins for Final Cut. One of them lets you import OMF files from Pro Tools without losing the crossfades, etc. Sounds like they’re just trying to get audio from Pro Tools to FCP. But if Plan A was to just capture a DA88, it sounds like you really don’t need all of that.
Ask them to output eight AIFF files and burn them to a data DVD-R. And make sure they write down what the first TC number is supposed to be (eg 00:58:30:00 non-drop). You can then easily just import them into FCP and assign the proper TC values using the “Modify-Timecode” function.
Sean
-
We’ve considered that option and I’ll bring that up again. I have another question which relates to ProTools specifically. A sound house that I was consulting with told me that FCP 5.1 would read the TC stamp on a .wav file from ProTools. Does anyone know if this is true?
Thanks,
Suzanne -
I just dragged some polyphonic WAV files I had from an old project. When I edited that movie in FCP 4.5, I had to use external programs to deal with them. With FCP 5.1, they came in, all 4 audio channels showed up, and they appear to have their original timecode.
Reply to this Discussion! Login or Sign Up