HELP!!!! Anyone experienced with the Sony AnyCast Station?!

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HELP!!!! Anyone experienced with the Sony AnyCast Station?!

I know this is not especially related to Apple, and it's kind of a long shot, but here goes...

I am about to do a three camera shoot with Sony EX-3 cameras all feeding into a Sony Anycast Station switcher via HD SDI. From the switcher, the signal is going to a Sony XDCAM recording deck. All three cameras will be recording their own iso footage (as a just-in-case backup kinda thing) and will be time code synced. The time code signal (evidently) "piggy-backs" on the HD SDI signal... and I only know that because that is how the deck receives external time code.

My question is... will the Anycast pass the time code (received from each camera via HD SDI) through to the deck, or will it try to overwrite it? This is important for me because if I need to post edit my final footage in FCP, I may need to grab a clip or two from one of the camera's iso recordings, and it would be nice to only have to deal with one time code

Really, the only way this directly relates to Apple is that I will need that time code to edit in FCP. However, I am hoping that someone else out there is experienced using the Sony Anycast and has run into this issue..... Any help is appreciated.

Thanks!

Message was edited by: CitationMonkey

MacBook Pro, Mac Pro, Mac OS X (10.5.3), Using Final Cut Studio 2

Posted on Jun 10, 2009 3:18 PM

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Answer 1

Jun 10, 2009 4:10 PM in response to CitationMonkey

I don't think the deck will record timecode from three different sources once those sources pass through another device (switcher). If it did, capturing would be a nightmare. Will the cameras and VTR you plan to use accept a timecode input (jam sync) so all device will record the same TC?

-DH

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Answer 2

Zebulun

Level 5

6,749 points

Jun 10, 2009 4:18 PM in response to CitationMonkey

You are correct, RP 188 timecode is included in the data stream of the digital video signal. Are you planning on jam syncing the TC of each camera to match a single timecode? I would. I doubt the Anycast switcher will pass on TC but will rather feed your Xdcam record machine a system timecode. What I would do is download the Anycast manual and read through this before you set it up. http://pro.sony.com/bbsc/ssr/cat-switchersdandrouters/cat-switchers/product-AWSG 500HD/

Will your cameras need black to be switchable through the Anycast machine? Even digital sources need to be timed properly to be sent through a switcher. You may need to rent a black generator as well as a timecode generator with suitable distribution amps to, umm, distribute the signals.

I've done the same thing with 3 EX-3 cams but I was using a much larger switcher as well as a TC/black generator.

By the way, get cables with Canare bnc terminations. The design of the EX-3 is not only an ergonomic disaster, the panel mount bnc's on the camera body are set into the angled back piece. The Canare connectors aren't nearly as difficult as King's bnc connectors are to dis-engage. If you'll be doing a lot of shooting and set ups, it may be worth while to make little coaxial jumpers so you can leave the camera end connected and then barrel to the cables leading to your switcher.

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Answer 3

Jun 10, 2009 4:28 PM in response to Zebulun

My initial intent was to use the GenLock and time code ports on the cameras to sync them all together. Once all three cameras are reading the same code, each one would send its own individual HDSDI signal to the switch. I have been successful in using one camera to generate time code and using a two-way BNC splitter to send the time code to the other two cameras, granted (of course) you provide a reference video signal to the GenLock in port.

The Anycast doesnt have a timecode input (or output for that matter), but per the manual, it does allow the user to generate timecode for recording. As for the output, I am assuming it uses the HDSDI signal.

The recording deck also doesn't have a timecode in, but it does sync to external time code by using the signal embedded in the HDSDI signal.... and I have been successful in doing this.

Ultimately, I am trying to get everything - cameras, switcher, and recording deck to use the same timecode. Can you please explain what you mean by "Jam Syncing"?

If I can't accomplish what I am trying to do easily, does FCP allow for "renaming" a clip's timecode? In other words, in the end (and worst case scenario).... if I need to pull footage from a camera's iso recording, can I match its timecode to the switcher/deck timecode?

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Answer 4

Zebulun

Level 5

6,749 points

Jun 10, 2009 4:55 PM in response to CitationMonkey

BNC T's scare me and I never use them for anything other than to split an unimportant analog composite signal.

Do you have to use the Anycast station? Is that little infrastructure set in stone? A [Panasonic AV-HS400A|http://catalog2.panasonic.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ModelDetail?d isplayTab=O&storeId=11201&catalogId=13051&itemId=305234&catGroupId=14632&surfMod el=AV-HS400A] would probably be a better solution.

"Jamming" is what you've already done, providing cameras with the same TC from a single source. You can do that through a TC generator or you can use a [Lockit box|http://www.ambientaudio.com/products/timecode.html]

I would jam your camera tc and then let the Anycast output it's own system timecode, will it do time of day? I would think you could use FCP's auxiliary timecode to match back your iso records to the Anycast record at something like a slate clap. I would not however, change your iso record master timecodes. Hopefully someone more knowledgeable than I can help with auxiliary timecode.

But I would recommend that Panasonic or even the [Sony MFS2000|http://pro.sony.com/bbsc/ssr/cat-switchersdandrouters/cat-switchers/pro duct-MFS2000> over the Anycast.

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