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[NIckM] “play back to camera with TC set to read EXTERNAL (can you do that with XL1?)”

Nope.
Nor can you do that with virtually any camcorder.

That’s why I gave the first answer about needing a deck with “external TC” setting.

There is no need to dub the tape into FCP and then use “SimpleVideoOut” (which IS a great little app) because:

Its NOT that there is no timecode going OUT directly from the TAPE playback (there IS, that’s how FCP receives it) its that camcorders don’t “look for it” and instead always just record “fresh” internal TC when they record.

There may be a few high-end camcorders that have an “external TC” setting, but not many. That’s the province of a deck.

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I just thought of another method that goes along with the above.

Burn a “special” CD of the track(s) you are using for your audio base. On it, have an audible (spoken) countdown to the beginning of the actual MUSIC on any track (say 15-20 seconds of spoken countdown) This will help the musicians know when to start and give the cameras time to “get ready” (which I’ll explain next).

Have the CD player on-set and start both cameras roll-recording at about the same time.
CALL OUT a take number and hit play on the CD player.
BOTH cameras start by shooting the TIME COUNTER on the CD player (just for the first 5 sec of the audible countdown).
Then whip the cameras into place to begin the take.

In post, just slide both cameras’ images so the CD player’s TIME COUNTER matches exactly.

This should work PERFECTLY for exact sync.

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[Peter Ralph] “I believe that including recorded music in a wedding video is covered by fair use.”

The key part of that sentence is the “I believe…”

I’m not trying to argue the point (OK, a little bit), but it can be very dangerous to the pocketbooks of those “tuning in” here to say that “fair use” means you can do anything your client wants you to do with copyrighted works.

Hey, BOTH can get prosecuted, cha-CHING!

I wish it were simple, but it is very unclear.

Remember that the Disney Co. sued and won against a small daycare center for painting Mickey and other Disney characters on the walls.

Its not the “evil” corporations trying to stick it to the little guy. They MUST defend their property. The law holds that if one does NOT PROTECT a copyright, over time, the work(s) can fall into Public Domain.

But, as you said, this has all been rehashed to infinity.

(Google “copyright law” for even more confusion).

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[alex] “the problem seems to fade in and out a bit rather than just cut in and out.”

Again, that sounds like the power supply voltage is intermittent to the pre-amp stage/card (cold solder joint or loose component).

The supply voltage would cut off, and the amplification would “ramp down”.

But it COULD BE… anything!

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This is a VERY Frequently Asked Question.

There is so much info stored on the COW that can be accessed 24/7 in SECONDS using “Search Posts”.

Here’s how I do it:

Click on the “Search Posts” at the left of the screen here on the COW.

Under the “Advanced Search” section:

1. Type in the name of the term(s) you want to search.
(In this case, just type “Pan Zoom”).

2. You can leave the “forums to search” alone (it will automatically “stay” with the forum you are currently in).

3. OR > You can choose to add other forums to the search (be sure to click on the one you are currently in if you do this)

4. How far back… Choose “All Active Posts”

5. Search the Archives? “Yes”

Click: “Advanced Search” button and read the “wisdom of the COW”.

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Roll-record on Cam 1 (which is feeding its output w/TC overlay into a video monitor).

Roll-record on Cam 2 which starts by shooting the MONITOR coming from Cam 1 so you can read the TC on it for a few seconds.

Don’t stop rolling until you stop BOTH camcorders at the end of a take.

When you want to start up again, do the above procedure each time.
Keep the on-board MICS open throughout the shoot.
Just have someone CALL OUT the TAKE NUMBER each time you roll.

If you play from a CD it will be “dead-on” accurate for sync with your camcorders’ footage in post.

If you start the CD from the beginning each time for each take it will be simple to slide the video into sync with the audio track each time.

If you want to start the CD “deep” within a cut for a given “insert shot” just pause the CD a bit before the actual audio that you’ll be shooting, and have someone CALL OUT the time number (reading on the front of the CD player) where you’ll start from that time.

Capture the audio directly from the CD into the edit system and use it as your base audio track. Then slide the video into place using the audio from the ON-CAM MICS as a reference.

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From what you’ve described, it sounds like a loose internal connection.

Could be a card edge but more likely (if the unit is an oldie) its a “cold” solder joint.

If both channels stop/start working at the same time, it might be that the power supply is intermittently getting to the pre-amp section.

Plug in headphones and make sure that its not just a dirty/defective speaker output switch.

There’s not much we can do from “way out here” without benefit of getting to work on the unit itself.
Better find a local HAM operator or similar kind of engineer-type to take a look.

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Easy SetUp > DV NTSC

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[tony salgado] “…if indeed you don’t value your own personal time involved to gerry rig your home brewed intercom system.

Maybe $100 will break your bank but for real world jobs in which I deal with the amount spent on rental gear is worth it especially given the fact I can have program audio injected into the PL as well as having two separate channels for talkback.

I’am glad your MacGyver solution works great for you but for others renting higher end professional gear may be a viable alternative.”

Real world jobs, my A$$!

I have been in the professional production and broadcasting business for decades.

As a (local and network) producer, director, camera operator, sound operator, lighting designer, stage manager, tech director, video engineer, tape operator, and editor, I have used dozens of “professional” com-systems in literally hundreds (thousands?) of events: sports, news, telethons, musicals, dramatic and dance programs, both recorded to tape and in live broadcasts.

I personally own a set of Clear-Com/RTS headsets, boxes, a base station, and hundreds of feet of XLR cables.

I also own a full set of professional “Star-set” and “operators headset” type communications devices.

I also own many wireless simplex-type communications units.

There have been many times over the years when the crew and I would hash over “why the heck the pro stuff costs SO MUCH for so little technology”.

I have built many low-cost solutions to high-dollar needs.

I had an especially good time (and not very MUCH time, either) putting together this little
“near-no-cost” telephone “headset” system, which works GREAT!
I thought it might benefit others to know how well it works for such a low dollar investment.

Please don’t think that a “gerry-rig” is not a suitable solution to a problem, even to a “professional”, especially if money is an issue.

I always assume there are others “lurking” who can pick up a few points here… But if saving a few bucks by collecting a few off-the-shelf parts and adapting them is “beneath your professional standards” then rent whatever you want.

From the OP:

[Kurt Schuette] “I do video for a live concert about once a year. It is a three camera shoot that I direct and switch. Does anybody have any suggestions for communication devices to use. I have been using FRS radios, which actually do the job, but it is only one way communication, and I have to push the button on my radio every couple minutes in order to continue broadcasting from my end, which is pretty annoying. Since I only do this once a year for a non-profit concert (I don’t get paid). I don’t want to spend a lot of money on a system. Is there any cheap system out there, or is there something that I can wire up myself that would work.”

As you can see, I was responding directly to this question.
My solution fits the situation exactly.

Tony, your last post was decidedly nasty.
If its beyond your tech skills or available time to build it, I’m sorry to have disturbed your professional sensibilities.

-MacGyver (and proud of it)

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The import SIZE can make a difference, too.
If you do not intend to “ZOOM IN” on an image, then (assuming a 4:3 aspect, SD) a 720 pixel width is just fine for video. No need for high-resolution image.
A PICT or TIFF is better than a JPEG.

[Johan van Oyen] “Will the result be different if I use a beamer with PC DVD player or beamer with stand alone DVD player?”

The reason you should “always” monitor FCP via an External Video Monitor (not just on the computer screen) is that the EXTERNAL will show you what your edit will look like after export to tape or DVD.

Assuming normal operation, if you play the DVD on a stand-alone player it will look virtually identical to image on the external monitor (not accounting for “blowing the image UP too far”).

For highest quality, its best that you NOT attempt to play a “standard video DVD” (one that plays on a standard DVD player) on a PC connected to a “beamer” (“projector” for us Yanks) or other external video monitor.
That’s because the computer will “worsen” the DVD image as it attempts to convert it to a “computer-scan-rate” image from PAL (or NTSC).