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Edit to Tape inaccurate?
Hi, I’m trying to “edit to tape” a DVCPRO HD 720p sequence, using the Panasonic 1200A deck. I black the beginning of the tape with timecode, set the in point in the edit to tape window, drag the sequence from my browser onto the assemble icon, and off it goes without any errors.
However, it is NOT frame accurate. It seems to be making the edit between 15 and 20 frames early. So, a program that is supposed to start at 01:00:00;00 is actually starting on the tape at 00:59:59;15 or thereabouts. This happens even when I’m printing the provided bars/black/slate/black options.
Do I have an incorrect setting?
Any help would be appreciated!
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8 Replies
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It sounds like you need to calibrate the device control on the deck. There are offsets in the device control preferences that let you change that. You should be able to get it consistent a lot closer than 15 frames.
All the best,
Tom
Author: “Final Cut Pro 5 Editing Essentials” and “Final Cut Express 2 Editing Workshop” Class on Demand “Complete Training for FCP5” DVD
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Hannah,
Are you blacking a few extra seconds before the start of your timeline? May also want to check your preroll.
Have a wonderful day.
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Thanks, I still haven’t worked it out, but it may be a timecode setting on the deck, perhaps? Something to do with the timecode generator maybe. I would think that the factory settings would be correct for this function, though. It’s not the preroll as I have 30 seconds of black on the tape before my in point.
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Hannah,
What you said could be, but also check your video card settings, don’t know what you’re using, but if it’s a Kona card or something similar, you want to check that everything is set right.
Have a wonderful day.
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The 1200A is not an editing deck. You cannot do frame accurate layoffs to tape. You can do a weird, not very accurate firewire layoff, but that’s about it. What do you expect for $30,000? Just kidding. A lot of people found out the hard way on this one. You need the 1700 studio deck for frame accurate inserts/assembles.
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Thank you so much for the info on the 1200A. It’s bad news about the deck, but good news for my sanity! It’s better to know a limitation than to sit there banging your head against the thing (muffled by the padding of the manual).
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[Hannah E.] “However, it is NOT frame accurate. It seems to be making the edit between 15 and 20 frames early. So, a program that is supposed to start at 01:00:00;00 is actually starting on the tape at 00:59:59;15 or thereabouts. This happens even when I’m printing the provided bars/black/slate/black options.”
Yep, but I have found the deck to be pretty consistent without about 2 – 4 frames here. So do about 6 layoffs of about 10 seconds or so and go back and find out what your average +/- frame offset is. Then simply move your In Point on the editing deck by that much. that’s what I do here and I can generally land within 1 frame of where the shows need to start.
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
https://www.biscardicreative.comDirector, “The Rough Cut”
https://www.theroughcutmovie.comNow Posting “Good Eats” in HD for the Food Network
“I reject your reality and substitute my own!” – Adam Savage, Mythbusters
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