Having a bit of hassle with my system, on some shoots I lock the TC on the cameras to the same TC. I've selected "Capture across timecode breaks" in the preferences menu, but still when the timecode breaks to the next shot the system stops digitizing and pre-rolls again making a seperate clip. What I want to do is capture the entire tape, broken timecode and all to one clip how do I do this?

Hi,

Maguire:

What I want to do is capture the entire tape, broken timecode and all to one clip how do I do this?

You can't.  When the system hits a timecode break, it will stop and then make a new clip starting with the new timecode, as you've described.  It's working like it's designed to.

If you want to capture the tape as one long clip, you might be able to do it by turning off the timecode track on the capture tool, but then you won't have timecode that matches what's on the tape, so I'd advise against doing this.

good luck,
Carl

 Thanks Carl,

 

I shot a film on turbine transport last week and used 2 DVCPRO cameras locked together, I'm trying to cut the sequence using the timecodes. Camera 1 was in the cab of the lorry and camera 2 was out on the road. The driver talks through his task of moving around traffic islands and roundabouts. but the pre-roll is cutting off the first few seconds of his audio. I might try adjusting the pre-roll time.

Garret

Hi Garret,

That sucks.  Depending on how tight it is, you might be able to get away with a 1 second preroll.

good luck,
Carl

 So what does "capture accross timecode breaks" actually do? Strange

 

Garret

you might use the function called "Use control track instead of timecode track" in addition to set the preroll to 1 second. the player should switch to CTL on the breakpoint, set it to zero, preroll and start capturing directly at the inpoint.

regards - Moses

Maguire:

 So what does "capture accross timecode breaks" actually do? Strange

 

Garret

It does what you describe, when it hits a timecode break it prerolls again and carries on capturing instead of just stopping. This is how a professional NLE should behave. You can't have timecode that jumps around in the middle of a clip, and if it 'ignored' the TC break then all TC from that point on would be wrong.

If timecode isn't important to you you can capture with internal TC which will eliminate the problem, if you need TC for conforming etc then trying a 1 sec preroll is the only option other than getting tapes dubbed with continuous TC

Next time make sure you shoot preroll!

Maguire:

 So what does "capture accross timecode breaks" actually do?

Unlike the name of the feature, it stops capture and restarts capture after a recue. Without the option selected, any TC break will result in a full stop, without an automatic recapture.

I think it would be one of the coolest thing if the Avid would actually capture across the breaks, without needing to preroll. Just keep it rolling and whever there's valid video and valid TC, capture it. Even if the result is separated master clips.

 But for now, if you have a critical need for the source timecode, the best option as pointed out before is to set a custom pre-roll for 1 sec and continue the capture process. Yes, you'll wind up wiith a new clip at each timecode interruption, but you will only lose 1 second of material after each broken spot when the capturing resumes.

Job ter Burg:

I think it would be one of the coolest thing if the Avid would actually capture across the breaks, without needing to preroll. Just keep it rolling and whever there's valid video and valid TC, capture it. Even if the result is separated master clips.

Great idea. I have been suggesting this to Avid for as long as I can remember and in the forums since I joined. It just falls on deaf ears for some reason. It would solve the current problem and also make a huge difference to onlining client masters from tapes that were captured the whole length.

 

Maquire:

but the pre-roll is cutting off the first few seconds of his audio. I might try adjusting the pre-roll time.

   I would suggest manual capture. Turn off deck control, roll the deck with it's play buton and hit the Avid record button when you want to start recording.  With a couple of trials over the bad area so you know the footage and timing of the break you can get your Avid capture to start within 5 to 10 frames of the break.

Downside to this method is that you will not be able to batch capture from the same start point subsequently

I can remember discussing this issue with an Avid rep at a local trade show in 1995 or 96.  He thought it sounded a good idea and made a note about it.  I guess that's as far as it went.

I understand that it probably requires verifying timecode stability before capture can truly start.  If the incoming video stream is buffered while timecode is monitored for stability over say, 15 frames this should stop the problem.  An algorithm something like:

Record media stream.  If it's frame 1, repeat.  Check timecode against previous frame(s).  If it's consistent go to normal record mode.  If we haven't reached the end of our check window repeat.  Otherwise quit.  Optionally post user response message.

There you go Avid.  I'll leave it to you to flesh it out and develop the timecode check routines!

jwrl:

There you go Avid.  I'll leave it to you to flesh it out and develop the timecode check routines!

I have been suggesting for several years that they already have the basics written with DV scene detection. 

Embedding TC at capture time and then using a modified "scene detection" to split the captured master clip  into "new timecode continuous masters" at TC breaks during/immediately after capture should be achievable.

AndrewAction:

should be achievable

But from what I can tell will have a major impact on the current way that Avid metadata management is handled.

Job ter Burg:

Avid metadata management is handled

Never been big on anything Meta!. 

Seems absurd you can have 6 layers of HD playing realtime and yet cannot capture offtape TC so we can work with accurate TC.  Geez I had 8F accurate TC on Linnear systems before 286's with 1MB of RAM were around so is it really to much to ask with todays procesing power.

Job ter Burg:

(It) will have a major impact on ... Avid metadata management

 

I don't understand why that should be so.  It will have an effect on the creation of the metadata, but it shouldn't have any effect on the subsequent handling.