• Apple Final Cut Pro Legacy

  Blank frames while captuing

  Posted by Suresh Narayanan on May 12, 2009 at 7:50 am

  Hi,

  I have some DigiBeta tapes, which give me blank frames(with no audio and video) here and there when I capture for the first time. If I try for a second time, blanks may appear somewhere else, not this position.

  I am using a DVW M 2000P VTR, Black Magic Pro with Final Cut Studio 2.0.

  Hope somebody could help me to resolve this problem.

  Regards,
  Suresh Narayanan

  Suresh Narayanan replied 17 years, 4 months ago 2 Members · 4 Replies
• 4 Replies

• 

  Arnie Schlissel

  May 13, 2009 at 3:35 am

  This could be a number of things. The most likely is dropped frames because your drive system is too slow. It might also be a cabling problem. Or maybe a genlock issue.

  Arnie
  Post production is not an afterthought!
  https://www.arniepix.com/
• 

  Suresh Narayanan

  May 13, 2009 at 6:49 am

  Thanks Arnie,

  But, could you explain me the genlock problem please. I am ignorant on this.

  And this happens only with the tapes from a particular client.

  Regards,
  Suresh Narayanan
• 

  Arnie Schlissel

  May 14, 2009 at 1:31 am

  Genlock means using an external sync generator, also known as a blackburst generator or black generator. It creates a video sync pulse that locks the deck & your capture card together. Without it, you need to set both of them to lock to the incoming video signal, and if there’s any kind problem with the tape you’re digitizing or the file you’re laying off, it can cause these & other problems.

  That’s not to say your black frames are definitely being caused by lack of genlock, but it’s one thing to check.

  The fact that it’s only on tapes from one client is interesting, though. Find out if they’re using recycled tapes. Also, do you have other technical problems with their tapes? Are their audio or video levels to hot? Do they have other weird artifacts in their video?

  If you want to get a synch generator, the best option right now is either an AJA Gen10 or a Black Magic sync generator. Both will do either HD or SD at any standard frame rate. The AJA is around $400, the BMD is around $300. A Horita, which would be only SD PAL or SD NTSC would run your around $250, any other HD generator would probably be $1k or more.

  Arnie
  Post production is not an afterthought!
  https://www.arniepix.com/
• 

  Suresh Narayanan

  May 14, 2009 at 5:42 am

  Thanks Arnie,

  Your inputs are really enlightening.
  Thanks.

  Regards,
  Suresh Narayanan

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