Non-drop frames

[Chaz Shukat]

No, turning off the time code button is not the correct thing to do, you need to capture the time. Without time you may as well not even digitize the footage if you plan to re-digitize it later at a higher resolution. The problem is that you are probably trying to batch digitize clips that were logged somewhere else on a logging station and they entered all the numbers in the TC that doesn’t match the TC that’s on the tape. That’s why it’s “expecting” non-drop tape. And it’s invariably always that TC is incorrectly entered as non-drop instead of drop, not the other way around. Anyway, you need to highlight all the clips with the wrong TC and go under the Bin menu (I think it’s bin, I’m not infront of my Avid) and go to Modify Clip. Then select drop-frame from the pull down menu in the Modify Clip window. That should do it. If it’s a drop frame tape, it needs to see drop frame numbers. In case you don’t know drop frame TC has a semi-colon between the numbers and non-drop has a colon. If you were manually capturing the clips you wouldn’t have this problem because the Avid wouldn’t have any pre-conceived idea of what the TC is or should be.

[Jon Zanone]

Chaz is exactly right. Another way to get around this (especially if you are logging your own tapes, and your tapes haven’t been logged somewhere else) is to make sure your tape is in the deck, and you’ve rolled it forward for about 5 seconds. Also, try inserting your tape and THEN opening the digitize tool. If you still get the error (and you haven’t logged anything off of this tape), eject it, pop it back in and rename it. This will only work for a tape you havn’t logged shots from. Make sure your settings reflect your TC of choice. Look in settings > capture menu – you can set it there.

FYI, drop frame is considered broadcast, or real-time TC. You’ll also see it referred to as 29.97. Through a complicated formula involving the rising of the moon and how many times a cat licks it’s whiskers (not really, but I can never remember how it works), it actually ‘drops’ a frame every (I think) minute of video (the video is still there, the TC isn’t – I told you it was complicated!) This was developed because in non-drop frame, for every hour of video you actually had 1 hour and 1 minute (I think) of real time video – imagine trying to set your broadcast scedule and sell ads like this!

Anyway, I hope I didn’t confuse you more!

Jon

[Chaz Shukat]

I don’t know if I’m “exactly right” but that’s for the backup on the Jon. But one thing I feel pretty certain about is that drop frame drops a frame every 10 minutes (Where’s Charlie King when we need him).

Also, if you change a tape from DF to NDF or the other way around, the tape is then identified as, let’s say, Tape 1DF, or Tape 2NDF. Can I get an Amen on that Jon?

Chaz S.

[Jon Zanone]

You know, I’ve never had a TC issue I’ve not been able to resolve. I think because we generate our own footage, and very rarely rely on outside sources. We’ve been a DF facility since 1997, and we don’t use much shot before then. Therefore, I fully support your statement…

Jon

I bet if I’d searched the Broadcast forum, Charlie has posted DF/NDF info many several times. I’ll be back…..

[Jon Zanone]

….Whew! I ran all over the pasture and found this in the FCP forum:

https://forums.creativecow.net/cgi-bin/new_read_post.cgi?forumid=8&postid=878158

Although Charlie’s name was nowhere to be found, I’m positive he could have posted as succint a post as these gentlemen did.

I’m laying down. All that running. At my age. I’ve got to rest up for NAB….

Jon

[Trevor Hands]

I realize this is an old post. Hopefully I can still get a response because I believe this is what is my problem.

I have an old timeline that I am trying to “revive” and redigitize the clips back to the timeline.

So I have no master clips, just the timeline info.

So when I have been digitizing, 11 tapes got spit right back out and the console said that a drop frame tape had been inserted and it wanted a non-drop tape.

I don’t have any way of modifying my main clips…I tried modifying my sequence, and it said I couldn’t modify clips that way.

So if all I have in my bin is the sequence (and the clips I’ve already redigitized NOT the original clips) how would I go about solving the drop/non-drop issue?

Trevor Hands

“Anything that can possibly go wrong, does.” — Murphy’s Law