Live Camera Capture

Avid Media Composer

Live Camera Capture

Posted by Richard Wirth on February 14, 2010 at 1:35 am

I’d like to be able to capture live cameras all with a common timecode so we can edit in MultiCam.

I know the high end solution are Airspeeds and Multisteam. Can’t go there.

Does disabling the deck still provide the solution? What about timecode? Any other known stumbling blocks?

We’ll be using Media Composer 4.0 on Mac with Mojo DX’s.

Thanks,

Richard

Bouke Vahl replied 16 years, 2 months ago 2 Members · 3 Replies
3 Replies

Bouke Vahl
February 14, 2010 at 9:40 am

Richard,
There are two options:

If you have audio channels to spare, record an LTC track to all the decks. Later on you can use the ‘read audio timecode’ function to get a common TC.

Next option is to have all your computers on internet time.
If you capture free run, the TOD will be the starting TC.
So if all machines are locked just before the capture, you’re golden.

Now this trick won’t work for a long period. Usally computers don’t hold their time so well. (My MacPro drifts 4 seconds over 24 hour if it runs free, and that’s when it’s doing close to nothing. Things are worse when a computer has to work, as it thinks work is more important than housekeeping.)
So if you start / stop the capture a lot, and don’t have time to sync again before the new capture, you’re in for a lot of problems.

But i’ve made a workaround for that, (for another TC related project), a small applicatoin that syncs the computer to internet time every minute.
Another application i have in stock (well, also another project, but could be altered in an hour or so) is to have one computer’s clock as master, and syncs all other computers to it over a network. (if there is no internet available)

Contact me direct if you’re interested.

Bouke

https://www.videotoolshed.com/
smart tools for video pro’s
Richard Wirth
February 17, 2010 at 1:04 am

Thanks, Bouke.

Had a chance to check out the options. Seems like internal timecode (computer time) might be the way to go.

Although I did run across this item today.

Has anyone used the Adrienne Electronics MicroBox with Avid and Keyspan?

It is marketed as an FCP add on to make it act as a virtual VTR.

Thanks,
Richard
Bouke Vahl
February 17, 2010 at 9:40 am

I don’t see how it will make an FCP set a ‘virtual vtr’
Only thing it does is translating LTC to 422.

I’ve toyed with other boxes from Adrienne, they work fine.

But i fail to see the logic of using them for your work.
If system time works, you’re sync.

If you need a master TC generator, reading the LTC and translate it to system time can be done in software, see this:

https://www.videotoolshed.com/product/58/ltc_systime

But i have not tested it with a running Avid.
(i can imagine Avid taking over the audio input port. Just toy with it…)

Bouke

https://www.videotoolshed.com/
smart tools for video pro’s

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