Blackmagic & BM Timecode Accuracy (when will this issue be solved??)

[Chris Borjis]

just an idea, but couldn’t you set your insert timecode on the ett window to be one frame back?

example:

you ett and set the timecode insert time for 59:59:29

would that work?

[Alexander Falk]

i’m having exactly the same problem for a very long time.
bmd doesn’t reply to this theme if you send them a mail.

if you sett the tc-in to one frame earlier you have are sync at 01:00:00:00 but on the frame before you see the first frame, which you don’t want to see there!

my workaround is to set the playback delay in the device control to +5 (fcp-standard is +4) or if you don’t want to change the device-settings then add black (1sec) at the beginning and at the end and edit this to tape one frame earlier.

BUT that’s not the way you should handle this.
the most important thing when working with video-cards is that they are sync in editing and capturing!

by the way, when i edit hd to hdcam-sr-decks the delay differs in time.
in 90% of the cases you have one frame delay. but in 10% of the cvases it is sync!
that’s completly weird!

please bmd, fix this, that’s the most important issue ever for pro-users!

—–

4 x Avid Media COmposer Adrenaline 2.7
1 x Avid Media Composer 2.7
1 x Avid Symphony Nitris 1.6.3
1 x Avid DS Nitris 7.6

1 x Decklink HD Pro PCI-X 4:4:4
1 x Decklink HD Extreme
1 x Decklink SD Pro
2 x Decklink SD Extreme

1 x Workgroup Videohub
4 x HDLink

[Michael Belanger]

This timecode insert/assemble problem has been replicated on systems other than BM from my experience. I have used some Kona stuff and the insert point can be off by a frame some times and be perfect the next attempt. It is fine to relay a 30 second spot but obviously anything longer is really just a pain.
As I understand it , this is a FCP issue not a driver issue from BM. The driver does not tell the computer when to release sequence, FCP does.
BM has been great so far and I find it hard to believe that they would leave this issue without coming out with a fix. Apple really should address this.

Mike Belanger
Dandelion Editing

[Sam Goetz]

I, too, have heard from some people that this is a FCP bug, not a BM bug. STILL, if this really is so, BM should AT LEAST address it, and put it in their support database.

Any word from anybody whether this issue was fixed with FCP 6?

p.s. Both workarounds described by a_falk work for me as well, but like a_falk also mentioned, there is no excuse for high-end users to be jumping through hoops for timecode accuracy.

[Alexander Falk]

if you try the blackmagic deck control it has the same delay.

so -> no fcp-problem -> decklink-problem!

—–

4 x Avid Media COmposer Adrenaline 2.7
1 x Avid Media Composer 2.7
1 x Avid Symphony Nitris 1.6.3
1 x Avid DS Nitris 7.6

1 x Decklink HD Pro PCI-X 4:4:4
1 x Decklink HD Extreme
1 x Decklink SD Pro
2 x Decklink SD Extreme

1 x Workgroup Videohub
4 x HDLink

[Chris Borjis]

I just want to say for the record that my insert ett has worked perfectly and I have randomly tested from time to time to verify.

I have had no 1 frame off issues at all,

What I have had, once in a blue moon (this morning it happened) is where you ett and it is a whole 3 or 4 seconds off (behind).

I can always tell when it happens because the pre-roll begins at the wrong time.

I know its not my deck because my discreet smoke* never did this in the 5 years we used it.

[Sam Goetz]

What is your set-up (BM card type? FCP version? Drivers version? Computer type?)?

Although this problem occurs with every computer in my studio, on all kinds of BM drivers, with all kinds of BM cards, I do believe that it might also have something to do with long cable drops, which my studio certainly has.

Still, I have Black ref running to every computer and to every deck in the studio… BM should work with long cable runs, it’s SOP for high-end work.

[Chris Borjis]

[sammyg] “What is your set-up (BM card type? FCP version? Drivers version? Computer type?)?”

Multibridge Extreme

FCP 5.04 & now 6

black magic drivers 5.x to the current 6.2

Mac G5 Quad with 4gb ram and an atto 4gb fibre channel card coupled to a ciprico 4210.

My cable runs are pretty short. The multibridge, sdi-router, digibeta deck and G5 are all within 4 feet of each other. The ciprico disk array is rack mounted in our machine room 50ft away.

[Neil Sadwelkar]

OK this isn’t a workaround, just a precaution.

We once had to lay-off entire film reels (22 mins or so) to tape at specific timecodes. And we need to sometimes insert from in between.
Its very vexing to lay-off a whole reel and then find one is 1 frame late and you find out only after the dump.

So what we did.

Connected the deck out (with super) to a broadcast monitor so I could see the deck TC burn-in.
Do an ETT.
Shoot the broadcast monitor screen with a handycam.

Then while the lay-off continues, we rewind the DV tape in the handycam and play it back frame by frame to check if the insert was ‘on time’.
If is was, we let it continue.
If not, cancel ETT and repeat.

This way we know within a minute or so if we are off. You can even use a MacBook Pro with its iSight.

Again, this ain’t a workaround, just means to lessen frustration.

Neil

FCP Editor, Mumbai, India.
Completely PAL.

[Michael Belanger]

Neil
That is an UNBELIEVABLY creative solution to this problem Neil. KUDOS Superb!!
Never would have thought about it. Still no response from the folks at BM?? Odd

Mike Belanger
Dandelion Editing