Video dropout when laying off to digibeta deck

[Jeremy Garchow]

Bob, I’m sorry, I keep stealing your posts. My email is running slow this evening.

[Jennifer Jones]

Ok, so I’ve come across an oder thread where Bob recommended the Horita BSG-50. (Please forgive me, I was not aware of the crucial nature of the black burst box with regards to IO usage – as a few others weren’t either, I see!)

Anyhow, I will have them order it promptly. As for your suggestion, Jeremy, about locking the ref to video (Freerun??) – I tried to change the setting in the Control panel, but it keeps popping back? Am I missing something?

I’m again going to say, I’m very thankful for the help (and, will again be reminded that although I’ve been editing for a number of years, and have been staring at burst / sync generators at various facilities, I assumed the IO had taken care of the sync in some other way… which goes to prove you’re never too old or too experienced to keep learning)
🙂

[Rafael Amador]

A black/sync generator makes no sense when printing to video . When a VTR records, only need to be in sync with the very video that is recording. As Jeremy suggest, you must set the desk external reference to “off”.
However, I think that this is not an issue when printing to video. If the VTR would be hook to a external reference instead to the video-in, your image would jump and shake for a few frames, but after the rest of the program should be record OK.
The reference may be more critical when capturing (although I haven’t had the experienced) because could make abort the capturing. When capturing I don’t know the AJA, but at least the BM send a black (optional) to the desk video-in.
BTW wouldn’t be better to export 10b Unc?

PPC G5 2x2Gh 4GbRAM/BlackMagic SD/PMBP 17″Core2Duo 4GbRAM
JVC DTV-17″/FCS2/AE CS3/COMBUSTION/SHAKE

[Jeremy Garchow]

I’d order the AJA Gen10 (the older thread you found was probably before the Gen10 came out).

Also, set you ref to VIDEO IN (not ref in or freerun). You then have to make sure your deck reference is set to incoming video not external. What model number deck are you using? I can try and dig up some exact settings for you.

I would still order the gen10, but if you need to get this stuff on tape immediately, locking video to SDI should work.

Jeremy

[Jennifer Jones]

Thanks again, guys. I just ordered the Gen10.

We are using the DVW-A500 digibeta deck (with the TC reference set to external – I’ll try “internal” (?) (although, I’ll be honest I’m still not 100% clear on why I would be referencing the internal TC/video for a layoff – is there a link to an article I might read up more on this?)

The problem only happens on layoffs (capturing is always flawless).

And, here’s my last ignorant question for this post: I only have two choices in the AJA Control Panel (in the control tab, under the “Genlock” panel my only choices are “Freerun” and “Ref In” (no “Video In”). On the upper portion of the control panel on the left, I’m unclear on how to set it to “Video In” (as per Jeremy suggestion)? Again, I’m probably missing something completely obvious, and I apologize. I just looked for some sort of guide for the Control Panel online, an was unable to find anything except for the (limited) documentation that came with it…

Again, thank you for the advice – I’m always amazed at the kindness / thoughtful-ness of the participants on this forum…

[Jeremy Garchow]

[Jennifer Jones] “with the TC reference set to external”

No, not the TC set to external, you need the REF set to incoming video.

Let me see if I can dig up the settings. Stand by.

[Jeremy Garchow]

Here you go:

The DVW-A500 has a reference switch that needs to be set appropriately
based on your system configuration. You access this switch by gently
pulling out the front control panel on the Digital Betacam deck. The
switch will be on the far left hand side of this “hidden” area when the
panel on the front of the unit is pulled forward. (For clarity, we are
not talking about flipping the panel up, but rather pulling it out to
access the switch).

You will see two choices near the Ref switch: “Input Video” and “Ref
Video” The correct selection is based on whether you are trying to
lock/reference the deck to the incoming SDI video or to reference video as
provided by a blackburst generator/sync generator. So if you have no
blackburst/genlock/sync connected to your configuration, you may need to
change this switch to “Input Video.”

Another strong indicator as to whether the deck is set up and recording
correctly is to watch the status indicator lights on the front of unit.
If you see orange or red and not green light up for the channel condition
during your recording, then the reference setting is likely set
incorrectly.

Additionally, if you don’t know how the Digital Betacam VTR’s EE (input
passthrough) mode is configured, you might want to NOT route SDI signal to
the AJA Io from the deck’s output while you are routing SDI signal out of
the Io to the VTR. If both items are connected (both input and output)
and the deck is in certain EE modes, you might create a signal loop
(resulting in feedback or distorted image).

Jeremy

[Jennifer Jones]

Ahhh… okay. Yes, the Out Ref is (and has always been) set to “input video”.

I’m not sure how the digi’s EE mode is configured, however my channel condition light is always green, so we have been assuming the reference setting is correct (the green channel condition light is also what lead us to believe it was an issue with the IO borad and not the digigeta deck or tape heads etc).

As for the SDI, yes both items are connected – And, again, I assume you can change the routing through the AJA Control panel, (without unplugging the cables), but maybe I’m wrong? Does that mean flip “SDI” to “Analog” in the input panel so there’s no conflicting SDI signal?? (Or, are they suggesting to pull the cables based on weather you are outputting or inputting?) That seems unlikely(?)

Another colleague suggested we have a 75 OHM BNC terminator on the deck, which there isn’t (again, something that is probably obvious to the more connection-savy editor / technicians out there, but relatively new to myself) Thoughts on this?

In case I haven’t mentioned it yet Jeremy, you are sparing me at least 50 grey hairs at this point… Thank you again, and again… and again.

[Bob Zelin]

Hi –
Please ignore any post that says that you do not need a black burst generator to operate with a Digi Beta VTR. I don’t give a crap if you are not even using a non linear editing system, and are in a CMX linear suite from 1989 – you NEED a black burst generator to operate your equipment without issue. This especially applies the the Sony DVW-A500 series.

I am really getting sick and tired of so many people on these forums, saying “you dont’ need this, you don’t need that, you can do 2K or uncompressed on firewire 400 drive, you can do shared storage on a firewire drive – just hookup 2 cables -, you don’t need a professional montior, you can use a VGA monitor with an adaptor from Office Depot – you dont’ need a black generator”.

All of these people are complete mis informed, and spout information that is competely inaccurate. Let me once again assure you that you absolutely need a NTSC black generator for your system, and if this still does not resolve your problems, please post back, and we will go thru further tests. As you know, the Digi Beta VTR has LOTS of setup menus and settings, and there are other variables as well.

Bob Zelin

[Jeremy Garchow]

[Bob Zelin] “you NEED a black burst generator to operate your equipment without issue. “

Bob, she ordered one.