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Auto capture time-of-day tapes
I’m currently capturing a few full tapes that are recorded time-of-day. I’ve seen discussion here about that here and I understand the issue of non-continuous timecode but in this case I don’t need to preserve original tape timecode.
My problem is that even when I tell FCP to ignore timecode breaks, it still will not capture the tape properly. It seems to be doing a calculation of how long the captured shot should be, based on the specified in and out points, rather than stopping on the outpoint. So even after it reaches the output, that calculation tells it to keep trying to capture — even after the tape runs out. I have to abort.
My solution is to do this manually, which works but requires my attention to make sure I’m there at the end of every tape. Is there a way to get FCP to capture a full tape with time-of-day timecode other than doing it manually?
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14 Replies
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I don’t think so… If you use non controllable device, then capture now, it will go thru a whole tape and capture it sans the correct timecode…
Jerry
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If you tell FCP to ignore TC breaks, then your TC will not match. Period. FCP will start to assign new TC as soon as it hits the 1st change or break in TC.
If you actually do need your original TC, then your best bet would be to actually spend the time needed to properly log the tapes.
Arnie
Now in post: Peristroika, a film by Slava Tsukerman
https://www.arniepix.com/blog -
As I mentioned in my post, I understand timecode breaks and what it means to ignore them. As I said, I don’t need original timecode. I just want FCP to start capturing where I tell it to start, and stop where I tell it to stop. I would prefer that it not calculate how long it “thinks” the shot will be and then abort when the shot length doesn’t match its calculation (because it’s T-O-D, not continuous).
I think I may deduce from the responses that this is a feature that FCP does not offer. Pity. It should.
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Without the original TC, there’s no way for FCP to know where to stop.
Your only option is to set a limit to the Capture Now feature that matches the length of your tape.
Arnie
Now in post: Peristroika, a film by Slava Tsukerman
https://www.arniepix.com/blog -
Just use Capture Now and get the whole tape. Then in FCP use the “DV Start/Stop Detect” function to break it up into individual takes. Then you can pick and chose what you want, and what you don’t need. Here’s my tutorial on it from Event DV magazine:
https://www.eventdv.net/Articles/ReadArticle.aspx?ArticleID=11431
– Apple Certified Trainer
– Tutorials at http://www.bbalser.com
– South Louisiana FCP Users Group
– NOVAC Digital Filmmakers Institute
– Event DV magazine -
[bbalser] “Just use Capture Now and get the whole tape. Then in FCP use the “DV Start/Stop Detect” function to break it up into individual takes.”
In my experience, start/stop detect won’t work past the 1st TC break if you capture across the breaks. It seems to mess with whatever metadata is used to enable this feature.
Arnie
Now in post: Peristroika, a film by Slava Tsukerman
https://www.arniepix.com/blog -
It’s not reading SMTE TC, it reads other metadata, and works 100% of the time I’ve used it. This is NOT the setting most folks mistakenly use during capture. This is AFTER the capture is done. I use it all the time and have never had a problem. That’s not to say no one else has had a problem.
If your metadata is that messed up, well, time to check the heads on the camera or deck, eh?
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Thanks for the thoughts and advice. But, honestly, these are workarounds. I want a process; not a workaround. And I don’t want FCP to cut up my file into shots; that’s actually a time waster for me. (Your mileage may vary.) I’m pleased that the workarounds here have added to my store of FCP knowledge but I think this is an issue that Apple should address as an FCP feature: capture a full tape in time-of-day timecode automatically, with the timecode recorded, nonstop, period. That seems pretty straighforward to me.
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I’m not sure exactly what your goal is, but what does a simple Capture Now not give you? Just think I’m not understanding what the ultimate goal is here. I can be a tad slow at times.
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I’m a tad slow a lot of times…
I would like to capture full tapes that are recorded in time of day timecode. I don’t want to have to sit and monitor the process; I want FCP to start and stop recording on the timecodes I assign as in and out points. If FCP will do that, I’ve been too slow to figure out how. I have been able to make the recordings only by manual start and stop keystrokes, which require me to waste my time monitoring the capture process.
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