HELP!!!! need advice on how to get timecode from timeline to tape!!!

[Kevin Monahan]

Hi Cindy,
Timeline TC doesn’t get output first of all. You have to trick it with Edit to Tape. You’ll have to back-time your countdown, bars and slate, etc. to make the same TC on the tape that is on your Timeline. I black and code my tapes from 58:00:00 onward and start my backtiming from 58:30:00 usually.

A different problem is to actually use Edit to Tape. If your tape is black and coded, it should work for Assemble Edit mode. Are you trying that?

I have heard that with Edit to Tape that you have to load your sequence into the Viewer prior to dragging and dropping it into the Edit to Tape window. Try that.

Kevin Monahan
Author – Motion Graphics and Effects in Final Cut Pro
fcpworld.com

[Cindy Hill]

Thank you! I will try out your suggestions.

[Nick Meyers]

iv’e heard that (gotta drag from viewer) about ETT, too,
but when i was using ET the other day, i was able to drag direct from the browser

it worked with it’s usual acuracy, which is not great with FW.
it was a frame off, and rather than try and chase offsets, i used another method:

Simple VIdeo Out
https://developer.apple.com/samplecode/SimpleVideoOut/SimpleVideoOut.html

this app DOES send TC out, along with picture and sound.
but you need to have a deck that accepts external TC for it to work

first export your seq as a QTMovie, reference, or self contained.
that will have the TC of your sequnce.
then Quit FCP (SVO wont work otherwise)
open the QTMovie in Simple Video Out (i normaly drag and drop onto a dock icon)
chose Output = Firewire,
and Mode = DVCPro 50
hit record on your deck, and play the file.
audio, video, and TC all play out via FW to your deck.

Simple!

(and accurate)

cheers,
nick

[Bryce Whiteside]

NickM’s Simple VIdeo Out method will probably work better for you, but I thought I would just throw in this old school method from within FCP.

I haven’t tried this on a DVCPRO 50 tape (AJD93 deck) and I can’t remember if I did this with a Sony DSR-45 DVCAM, but it does work for analog Sony Beta decks. Also, if i remember PBS probably wants you to go to the two second mark with a 1 frame tone–the programming method is for making VHS dubs from analog tape and the five seconds of black is to put the VHS machines in record mode. For PBS I would do a variation of my “Commercial spot” formula to their specifications–note that I like my slate to go over (keyed/composited over) my countdown. Note that for DF (drop frame) you would seed your tape with 00:58:50:00 (note the colons-: which indicate DF and not semicolons-; which indicate NDF).

For Commercial spots my formula is:

45 sec of the SMPTE bars with a 1 KHz tone, then 5 sec slug of Black, then 08:15 of countdown plus slate with 3 frames of 1 KHz tone beeps for 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, and a 1 frame 1 KHz tone beep for the 2 sec mark before video finishing with 01:15 Black Slug…and…first video.

For Programming I use:

45 sec of the SMPTE bars with a 1 KHz tone, then 5 sec slug of Black, then 05:15 of countdown plus slate with 3 frames of 1 KHz tone beeps for 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, and a 1 frame 1 KHz tone beep for the 2 sec mark before video finishing with 04:15 Black Slug…and…first video.

Of course for programming you should check where it is going to air. PBS has some standards that some consider industry standards.

I seed my PVW-2800 with bars staring at 00;58;50;00 from its front control panel for about 12 sec and then do an assemble edit at 00;59;00;00 so after the last Black slug spot or programming begins at 01;00;00;00

I master commercial spots as NDF, non-drop frame, programming as DF, drop frame.

Your mileage may vary
Bryce

PS I don’t use the bars and tone in the Edit to Tape. I have a Slate Sequence I built that I nest the spots or programming into.

Don’t worry Mr. B. I have a cunning plan…

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