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OT: cloning tapes
I posted this over at dvxuser and got one answer. I would like to feel a little more secure in more responses.
I am having footage shot over in India on a DVX100a (NTSC) camera, in 24pa mode. We are having the tapes shipped back to us. But we want to have copies made so that if something goes wrong in shipping, we have a backup copy.
What I was thinking of doing was sending over an inexpensive dv camcorder (something like a $400 Canon) and having them clone the tapes using a dv cable. My understanding is that if they use firewire, it will be an exact clone so that timecode (and breaks!) would be exactly the same on the copy. If they used s-video, it would be a duplicate/copy and not have matching timecode.
I’m also told that the 24pa footage is not an issue because the footage is recorded at 29.97 anyway and that the “flags” for the advanced pulldown get carried over onto the copied tape.
Can anyone confirm that this is a decent way to have copies made simply and inexpensively?
Thanks,
PK
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7 Replies
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You might have to set a menu or something in the camera to clone the timecode, but you for sure can clone the tapes, no loss.
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Sorry.
You will NOT get the Timecode to transfer using a second small camcorder as a recorder.
You won’t get the Timecode “breaks” to transfer, as the recorder camera will substitute continuous new TC of its own.The QUALITY will not “lose a generation” so your audio and video will be perfectly duplicated, but the camcorder that is in the “record” mode will ignore the TC on the master tape.
The only way to make copy WITH matching TC is to use a recording DECK with a feature that allows setting for “external TC.”
A camcorder does not have that feature.
BUT, since all you want is a “back-up” just in case something happens to the camera originals, the TC should not matter… unless you’ve already done an “offline” with the original and you DO lose the masters.
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Thanks for the response.
Offhand, do you know of any inexpensive decks that have that feature?
PK
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Sony DSR-11
Sony DSR-25 -
Will,
Was just checking my DSR 11 to see about external TC, and using the menu could not get it off internal. What could be the problem?
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Try switching to DVCAM speed.
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Yes Matte,
I looked that up in the manual, thanks.
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