dsr 11

It hasn't been asked in a while..

TC to DSR-11

Since FCP 4 we have been unable to stripe a new TC such as 00:58:00:00 or 01:58:00:00 to a DVCAM tape with the DSR-11. NO MORE!! I think I found a solution.

Get SimpleVideoOut from the Apple (its free):

http://developer.apple.com/samplecode/SimpleVideoOut/SimpleVideoOut.html

Then create a QT Movie in FCP or Xpress Pro from a sequence which has the starting TC you want on the tape. I just tried it with 00:58:00:00. In the timeline, I just put Bars & Tone for 90 seconds and a black slug for 45 (to take me over 01:00:00:00). You could create a sequence with whatever combination you wanted with the TC set to start at whatever timecode you need for your choice. But the Timeline TC MUST be set to your desired starting code. The exported QT file will have this TC in it.

Then load this DV QT movie into SimpleVideoOut (having selecting Firewire / Apple Firewire PAL or NTSC when you open the app).

Now load a fresh DVCAM tape and set your DSR-11 to:

REC MODE = DVCAM
DV IN TC = EXTERNAL

(Have the TC display turned on for this first test so you can verify it has worked.)

Then just hold the REC and PLAY buttons together on the DSR-11 and press play in the SimpleVideoOut app and the new TC will be recorded to your DVCAM tape. Hey presto you are now able to stripe a tape with what ever timecode you want using a DSR-11.

Remember to turn 'DV IN TC' back to INTERNAL on the DSR-11 when you come to record your edit to tape.

The problem with the DSR-11 is that it is not the best deck and starting recording at the exact TC, but playing with the pre-rolls should eventually get it spot on. I have had some success with FCP's 'Edit to Tape' and very good results with Avid Xpress Pro after a few tweaks.

Also, if you just had a black QT file, you can change the starting TC to suite the tape; i.e. 00:58:00:00 or 02:58:00:00 etc without going back into FCP or Xpress Pro and rendering out another QT. To do this, just use Sebsky Tools to alter the starting TC of the file.
http://www.dharmafilm.com/sebskytools/

Shane

No deck can record timecode that is being fed to it. It was a fluke that the DSR-11 allowed it at all. Digibeta decks, beta decks, HD Decks don't do this. And no NLE feeds TC out...not FCP, not Avid, not Media 100.

Normally what is done is you stripe timecode to the deck with INTERNAL TC generators, then either black the whole tape and insert edit, or black the first couple minutes and Assembe edit.

It was a bug that the DSR-11 allowed this. But this time it was a GOOD bug.

Shane

Niggling? That is a new one...

The DSR-11 isn't able to set a timecode number to stripe a tape, thus the workaround I mentioned. Many decks have internal generators, like the DSR-1500, but the DSR-11 is an inexpensive deck and doesn't offer that ability. The only way to alter the timecode is to create a sequence with the timecode you want and to use the workaround.

Shane

SIMPLE VIDEO OUT for TC pre-striping to DSR-11

This was an oldie I churned up while doing some research this afternoon. Excellent idea! But here's a question. Possible to take your striping concept one better? EG a seven minute full program dv qt export all at once thru simpevideoout. Wouldn't that be a better way to get the show and the TC down without doing a two pass approach (for that exact instance?)

Thanks!

Chris

SimpleVideoOut doesn't send out a properly calibrated signal. The video levels aren't what you have in your timeline.

There isn't a two pass approach. You black a tape for a couple min with this, then send the signal out via FCP.

Shane

Got it. By "two pass" I was referring to 1)putting down black with 00:58:30:00 code, then 2)going back and doing master to tape. But let's not get stuck on nomenclature. Thanks for clarifying what you said about SIMPLEvideoout signal not being properly calibrated.

Chris

Sorry to dig this up again,

I have a sony dsr-11 and will attempt tonite to burn timecode to a blank tape using Shane's methods.

My question is, if this does not work, what is the best way to get timecode striped on my tape? Is my only other option to take it to a production house?

Shane,

You're a genius dude. I tried it tonite exactly the way you said and it worked.

Just a question for you about this part:

"Then just hold the REC and PLAY buttons together on the DSR-11 and press play in the SimpleVideoOut app and the new TC will be recorded to your DVCAM tape."

I noticed when I did this I was off by about a second. Do you press REC and PLAY on the deck at the same time you press play on SimpleVideoOut? And is there a more accurate way to do it?

Also, will this method be acceptable to send out to dub to BETA SP for broadcast? I'm assuming it will be?

Thanks,
Oliver

No, you will always be off by a second or two. Which is why it is good to start this process at 58:00:00. Bars usually begin at 58:30:00, so the fact that you have 29 seconds of black at the head instead of 30...never really bothers anyone.

This method is PERFECTLY acceptable for dubbing to Beta. Just tell them you want them to include the TC and it will all match up fine.

Shane

Thanks Shane,

One last question.. If I didn’t stripe my own tape, what would be the next alternative to get this done? Would the production house do this?

If you have the production house do the output. I suppose you could also have a dub facility dub it and have the proper code on it, twlling them that picture start is at 1;00;00;00 and they should backtime everything from there...but I don't know if they will.

Why are you asking? I mean, you got it to work so what is the issue?

Shane

From reading other posts, most low end decks will not let you record the timecode on the tape, but luckily you were able to find a way to do it with the DSR-11.

I was just wondering what others would do if say they didn’t have the DSR-11 to record timecode onto tape?