[Rich Rubasch]

One more thing….if you were thinking I would use Firewire to get timecode accurate outputs, I don’t have the firewire option on the deck…DOH.

Knew I should have ordered that 6 months ago!

Rich

[Rich Rubasch]

Thanks Larry…..I knew that that was also an option….I had done that before….just roll to the beta and take the TC out to the 1200. The Horita was going to be a simple in between. I am going to do the Firewire tests and will post back.

Rich

[Rich Rubasch]

Gary said:
“However you are not doing an assemble edit – you are doing a crash record with timecode in, and that is capably handled by the kona card when attached to any deck. ”

What is the timecode input to the deck from Kona? The RS422 cable? If you tell the deck to take external timecode isn’t it going to look at the Timecode input BNC connector? The Kona card does not have a timecode out right?

Or are you thinking firewire?

Curious,

Rich Rubasch
Tilt Media

[Rich Rubasch]

Right….I assumed that Gary was thinking I could get the 1200 to see the timecode from the RS422….if I use firewire as machine control I can figure out the offset and do the assemble edit. I was only using RS422 as control up until now.

Perhaps Gary just assumed I would use Firewire to get the timecode out to the deck, (he never mentioned it however) but with the Horita I could easily convert the timecode from the remote to a useable timecode to feed the deck’s timecode input.

We have been taking HD P2 card files off hard drives and stringing them onto a timeline making sure that the timecode remained continuous from clip to clip, which it does. Then we want to output the timeline to a DVCProHD tape with matching timecode so the tape has an exact Timecode match to the files. we set the start time of the sequence with the first clip’s timecode and we are all set.

If I go with Firewire as my output and machine control to the deck, and if the clips have a 23.98 timecode, should I drag the clips to a 29.97 sequence, or output the 23.98 right off the 23.98 sequence? I’m going to do a few tests today to see what the deck does with the 23.98 once it gets out to tape. But the P2 files definitely have a 23.98 timecode.

Thanks guys….let the testing begin (right after the Packers game).

Rich Rubasch
Tilt Media

[Rich Rubasch]

The AJ 1200 is not an editing deck and therefore cannot accurately assemble edit to tape. I can control the deck just fine for uploading, but I cannot edit to tape or Print to tape with accurate timecode matching to the sequence.

However, if the Horita box creates the timecode signal for the deck, and the deck is in external regen, I can simply crash record and get a timecode match on the tape. Brilliant if it works.

I also use the Horita to make timecode-matching downconverted anamorphic dubs to DVCAM from my SonyM25U. I have the Convergent MBox which converts the firewire to RS422 which I run to the Horita which outputs a timeocde signal for the DVCAM dubs. the M25U does not have timecode out, but with the Convergent and the Horita it does!

I was curious if the Quicktime Timecode setting in the Kona Control Panel was the one to use if I wanted to take the timecode from the sequence…

Thanks,

Rich Rubasch
Tilt Media

[Rich Rubasch]

I have done it with an XML export in the past. Give an XML workflow a try.

Rich Rubasch
Tilt Media

[Rich Rubasch]

No help from me except to say compressor has the most convoluted, clunky and flawed interface of any compression program I have used.

I also had a similar project to crop….I think I finally got it, but not after taking several trial and error attempts….finally getting an acceptable encode. Could not, and did not, trace my steps to figure out how in the world I ended up doing it.

Now I will sometimes use MPEG Stream clip or cleaner or even AfterEffects to prep a clip to the proper dimensions…nice to have a complete toolbox to pick up the pieces that compressor does so poorly.

Rich Rubasch
Tilt Media

[Rich Rubasch]

Not sure I agree it is a game-changer. I see it as more of a niche service. Some will pay for the software and set it up, then train all their clients to use it. Will work great for them. But many of our clients, especially agencies, have their own sites where we put our sample clips and elements etc and they don’t want our solution. We might be different in that regard.

Thier short demos don’t hit on any real groundbreakers. It mentions that you can approve a clip, but it looked like it could be approved by only one person. Sometimes you need approval by many. In some ways this looked like a souped up .Mac account. Sure, I have to build the skin, but I still have to train clients where to go to see the clip.

What has workded for us is to send a web link and description to the client which plays off our web site in an FTP directory. We also send emails with JPEGs of the sample layouts or designs. I don’t have too many issues with workflow here, except sometimes I agree that certain clients are phobic or untrained in using FTP sites. That has been an issue.

Rather than these services, I wish our browsers would become more compatible with simple FTP transfers with easily customized interfaces. FTP in general seems like it hails from the ero of the Fax. Long gone. But we still use it more than ever. I think Media Batch solves the interface problem.

Our clients have peace of mind knowing that their sometimes sensitive media elements are on our site and not a public site where others might see them. Corporate clients can be pretty particular where we are putting their media files.

Finally, I thought the sight had about 30% too much “glitz” for me. A few less animated buttons and slick Flash interface. It had a bit of the “look at me” affect and was a slight turn off for me.

Rich Rubasch
Tilt Media

[Rich Rubasch]

I think even better than Shane’s suggestion is this. We have added a 500 gig drive to the open bay in our G5s. This is in addition to an internal 3-drive RAID in the Jive. We also have an external 4-drive Raid that our rooms can share via removable sleds.

Our System, apps and user settings etc are on the internal System drive. All project files for After Effects, FCP, DVDSP and the rest go on the 500 gig internal drive.

All media files and render files go on our Raids. Desktop basically has three drive icons. All of our edit bays are pretty much the same, so it’s easy to stay organized between systems.

Has worked for us…

Rich Rubasch
Tilt Media

[Rich Rubasch]

I let the tech know about the info from the Panasonic guy. The tech did fix my deck however, and the tape that would not play was in fact recorded on a camera that was just a bit out of alignment…my deck just wouldn’t play it…now it does.

So, NO, I am not going to fire my tech. His work is fine, he is a reputable guy. I am in Madison WI and we don’t have many options. He literally fixed my deck’s tape path in about 4 hours….it is working flawlessly. I did not have to ship it anywhere and rent a deck while it was out….they got me in right away and I could show him the problem tape firsthand. It was an ideal situation.

He was under the assumption that the tape stock was different….this might be because originally he was told that the red stock was for HD, lavendar for DV50 and yellow for DV25. What he wasn’t told is that the difference was in tape length labeling.

Not a huge error and it didn’t impact the repair of my deck, so, your advice notwithstanding, I am NOT going to fire my tech!!

Rich Rubasch
Tilt Media