[Redford Givens]

Re: audio sync problem with DVX100B
by Dave LaRonde on Aug 18, 2008 at 11:09:28 am

On those very rare occasions when I have to deal with 24pa, I’ll stick with the tried and true: DON’T capture entire tapes. DON’T capture groups of takes. Log individual shots only.

Yes, it takes longer, but the batch capture is a breeze, and it always comes out right.

Dave LaRonde

Thanks Dave. You are exactly right about batch capturing.

Now that we figured out how to do batch captures, the sound and TC problems have vanished.

Batch capturing saves us time because there are many bad takes that have to be removed. With an accurate video log we just capture the good stuff and it saves some time.

One thing though, how can we use the original TC to determine fine editing. Some clips have a few seconds in the middle that need removal. As it is we must play the clip to find these points. If we could use the camera TC we could stop a few seconds ahead of the edit and save a lot of time going back and forth until we find the precise cut points.

Thanks to everyone for the suggestions. We went round the bend with sound-sync and TC breaks, but due to you folks we now know more about TC breaks and sound-sync problems than we ever wanted to learn.

You fellows probably already know this, but it’s worth knowing.

The batch capture in FCP for the final clip on the reel should stop a few seconds before the taping ends. Trying to go all the way to the log out on a final clip can cause a TC break if your end count doesn’t fall in the right spot in the cadence. If there are some seconds recorded on the tape after your out point and it falls in a bad cadence position FCP will add a frame or so to make it right. When we set the capture to the very end of the shoot and it landed on a bad cadence frame, no capture was possible until we moved the out point back a few seconds.

For some reason, I always seem to find the most aggravating glitches in a program right off to bat. That’s why I hate robots.

Kill all robots
Redford Givens

[Redford Givens]

Thanks for all the suggestions. Before coming here we had Apple and Panasonic double check the settings etc. There is no problem with the camera. The problem is the way FCP captures after timecode breaks.

Michael Sacci provided the solution.

To prevent TC breaks the camera needs to be set on REC REGEN and as long as you are just stopping and starting without rewinding and forwarding you should not have TC Breaks. You get your breaks when the camera is set to FREE RUN.

We ran a cassette with more stops and starts than a traffic jam in LA. No problems PROVIDING we do not capture (say half a cassette) and then rewind to the end of the capture and shoot more video. That almost guarantees a timecode problem with a sound sync disaster.

Starting and stopping the camera, even multiple power downs have no effect unless the tape is rewound to continue shooting after the first capture. So long as we continue recording without rewinding there are no timecode breaks.

We were capturing after every shoot, even 15 minutes, and then using the rest of the cassette the next day. This was apparently the cause of our troubles.

Thanks to everyone for the ideas.

Incidentally, I was somewhat aware of what a cadence is, but without the right word. Thing is I count on robots to keep the frame counts right. If Apple and Panasonic cannot get the settings right, we are all lost.

Kill all robots

[Redford Givens]

By starting and stopping, do you mean shutting the camera down (as at end of day’s shoot) and restarting next day? Or will merely pausing the camera between takes cause problems?

Does cadence mean the sync between video and sound?

[Redford Givens]

What’s a cadence break?

When a timcode break is detected by FCP 6.0.1, it searches until it finds a new code to begin capturing again. There is a gap where the timecode break occurred.

The real problem is that clips sometimes, but not always, have audio sync problems associated with timecode breaks.

[Redford Givens]

Are there any big problems in converting NTSC to PAL?

We have a DVD on the US market and are looking to expand to Europe and Asia where PAL is the DVD standard.

Sample clips of the DVDs are available at: https://www.8-ballbible.com/bankdvd.html

If the PAL conversion is not too big of a hassle, we’ll do it.

[Redford Givens]

[Todd at Fantastic Plastic] “Yeah, that’s going to pretty much be standard.

Any tripod that you buy in your size/price range is going to have 1/4″ thread (small video tripod, still photography tripod).

Consumer camcorders and smaller prosumer camcorders will have 1/4″ thread. Big pro camcorders will have a larger 3/8″ thread.
T2”

THANKS. Computer accessories often have different connections. Didn’t know if tripods were standardized. It’s good to eliminate one variable.

[Redford Givens]

THANKS to everyone for the input. Already I’m learning more about tripods than I wanted to know. My art is teaching. Videography is a new venue, so I don’t know much (studying every day though).

Most of the shooting we will do is on a set with no pan etc. So we’re going to settle for a cheap tripod at first. That’s all the budget will permit.

There’s only one question. Do all tripods have a standard screw size to attach the camera??

When I worked with still cameras everything was standardized.

The manual says that a Panasonic AG-DVX100B requires a 1/4

[Redford Givens]

[Chris]

“I’ll second the B&H recommendation and in fact most of the time thier prices are in line if not cheaper than most. Usually thier package deals are untouchable by anybody.”

THANKS for your input.

CAVEAT EMPTOR – buyer beware

The extent of criminal Internet camera dealers shocked me. I have mostly dealt with catalog outfits until now and they have been rock solid. Now I’m suspicious of any super low Internet prices.

I checked the satisfaction ratings for a bunch of companies at :

https://www.resellerratings.com/

B & H Photo had a 9.44 satisfation rating which is very good.

I bought the Panasonic AG-DVX100B from NEWEGG which has a 9.89 satisfation rating.

The deciding factor was that NEWEGG’s price was $100 lower.

The camera they sent is definitely a Warranteed Panasonic for the US market in the factory box and in perfect condition as far as I can see.

Dealing with NEWEGG was not without problems. Their credit card policies seem paranoid in the extreme. To wit: they made a special check with my credit card company which triggered an “unusual activity” alert that delayed the process two days

[Redford Givens]

[Steve Wargo] ”

$100? Why not just run down to Target andnget one? Or Walmart.Steve Wargo
Tempe, Arizona
It’s a dry heat!”

I did a lot of still photography years ago and the only thing I needed from a tripod was a solid platform.

Being new to videography I don’t have a clue about tripods.

Doing videos may require panning across a scene etc. A smooth traverse would be a good idea.

Can I get an adeqate tripod from Target or Walmart?

I see tripods running from $40

[Redford Givens]

[shotsave] “Many of the so-called “criminals” advertise a complete camcorder, but upon calling them to confirm your order, claim that the advertised price is only for the camera body, and not the lens, viewfinder, shotgun mic, etc. This practice was popularized for camcorders after decades of similar practices in the still camera sales industry.

B & H Photo in New York is extremely reliable and highly regarded by many folks in our industry. Their prices may not be cheap, but you know what you are getting and their shipping is usually prompt. They also have hundreds of hard-to-find accessories and peripherals (like rubber feet for my outdated Bogen tripod).”

Thanks for the input. I’ll check them out.