I like the fact that I can have date and time in lower left corner. However, I cannot find away to see elapsed time and REC/PAUSE without it shhowing up on the video captured?

Does anyone know how to follow elapsed time without it showing on actual video? Thanks Brian

Hello Brian, welcome aboard DVInfo.net!

This is probably not possible, however, you will first need to tell
us which camera you are actually using. Then this thread will also
be moved to the correct forum (since it is in the general forum now).

Rob, thanks for your response. I own a Canon GL-2. I'm used to being able to see the running tape time and that I'm in the record mode with my Panasonic SVHS. I know this is newer technology, but how does Canon expect one to know where they stand, while shooting, with tape time remaining? As well as knowing that your truely in the REC mode. Thanks Brian

Open the LCD for your GL2. In the recessed area is a button lableled "Display/Data Code" Press the button to activate the display. The button is actually a toggle with three different settings. Push the button until is displays your desired level of information.

Mike, thanks for your reply. I know what you are saying. However, what you see is what you get. I don't want the running time and REC/Pause on the actual video. I use the date/time feature, thats great. I just want to know how much tape time I have left while I shoot a video deposition. So far I cannot find away to view that info wothout it showing up on the tape when you play it back. Thanks Brian

Brian,

I use a GL2 all the time. I can see the running time and record time left on the LCD during recording, and it does not display on playback.

I'm guessing you have the TV display set to on. Go into the menu. Select the menu for Disp. Set Up. Change the "TV Screen" to off. You will then have a completely clean screen on playback.

Thanks Mike, I will try that tomorrow. Will I lose my date and time if I do that? Brian

No, you will not lose your date and time.

Mike, I have tried to do what you said. However, when I get to the "TV Screen" setting, it is in red and will not let me change anything? There are --- following the "TV Screen" setting on the menu? How do I get this in a mode so I can change to "Off". Thanks Brian

Brian,
I could not replicate your display for TV screen. I don't doubt what you see, I just could not do it myself. I tried many, many combination of settings on my GL2, but could not lock the TV Screeen display. The ability to set it to "On" or "Off" was always available. I could turn the display on and see all the information on the LCD and on a monitor connected to the GL2 via the yellow RCA cable. With the TV screen set to off, I could set the camera to VCR and play back video while using the Display/Data code button (in the LCD recess) to turn the date and time display on and off while seeing it on the LCD and a monitor.

I even set the custom key to TV Screen, and by clicking the custom key could turn the TV Screen display on and off.

So I am stumped! Is there something different about how your camera is set up that I am not imagining? For example, do you have a firewire cable connected to the camera. What are some of the other settings in the menu and for buttons on the outside of the camera?

One thing you might try. In the recess for the LCD is a small plastic cover for a battery. This battery provides the power to remember settings, e.g. time and date. By removing the battery and reinstalling it, the camera should revert back to the default settings (the settings for the camera when it came from the factory). That might undo any setting that is keeping you from turning the TV screen on and off. Of course you will lose any settings you purposely choose. For example, I think the audio will be set back to 12 bit and you will have to reset day and time. But it might fix your problem. Note: YOu must disconnect the camera from all sources of power before removing the "backup" battery. If you have a regular battery or AC power connected, the settings will still be remembered even though the backup battery was removed.

Mike, I found out how to turn TV Sreen off. To activate the menu, you first have to select "Off" for the "Char Rec" selection.

So...I turned the TV Screen off and I see, only on the LCD camera screen, the date and time as well as the tape running time in the upper right corner. Thats perfect, however...I don't get the date and time on the tape for playback?

If I select "Char Rec" and put it on, I end up having both the date and time and the tape running time? And I lose the option to turn the TV screen off?

I have also selected the custom key to be programed for the TV Screen, but that didn't solve any of my problems.

Mike....please...help and many thanks in advance for your willingness to help me figure this out.

Thanks Brian

Well, character recognition is not one I tried. Who would have ever thought....?

I won't be back to my studio until this evening. In the meantime, have you checked the menu when the camera is in VCR mode? I'm pretty sure there is an option there to turn the date and time display on.

Also, while in Vcr mode, are you trying to see the remaining time on the LCD while also only seeing ony the date and time on the playback Vcr/monitor?

Mike, No all I want when I playback is to see the date and time in the lower left corner. What I'm looking for is to see the tape running time on the LCD camera monitor while recording, without it showing up on the actual video. Thanks again Brian

I'm almost positive that what you want to do, I was able to do on Sunday. Got too busy last night with family obligations. I'll try it this evening and get back to you.

Mike, I am in a depo all day,Tues, today. I will look forward to your response later. Thanks Brian

Brian,
Try these settings. Have your GL2 connected to a monitor/tv and the LCD open to fully see the effect.

For Recording:
While in record mode (Power button to "Camera", Lock button to "Pause". Open menu. Select the Disp. Set Up menu. Here are the settings I use:

LCD Bright: I don't think the setting matters
EVF Bright: - - - (not available)
LCF Mirror: Off
16:9 Guides: Off
TV Screen: Off
Audio Level: On (only if you want to see the audio level display)
Guide Info: D/T Display: Off, (but set to on if you want to see it displayed on the LCD during recording--it won't display on the monitor/tv if TV Screen is set to Off)
Card Access: Off
Demo Mode: Off

In the system menu, make sure the date and time are set accurately. The screen on the MONITOR/TV should be completely clean of text during recording. You should see data on the camera LCD, e.g. time recorded, time remaining, battery condition, etc. The amount of data displayed on the camera LCD can be set at three different levels using the Display/Data Code button in the recess for the LCD. There are 3 levels. No matter which level you choose by clicking the button, it will affect only the data on the LCD. The screen on the monitor/tv will not display any data--showing you what will be recorded on the visible portion of the tape. Of course, the data and time and timecode are recorded digitally on the tape to be used later during playback in a VCR.

During Playback:
in the VCR mode (Power button moved back to "Play/VCR"):

Open Menu, select the Disp Set Up menu. Here are the settings I use:

LCD Bright: Don't think this matters
Displays: On
6 Sec date: Off
Data Code: Date/Time
Custom Key: On (but I think you could turn it to off)
Audio Level: Off

During playback of a tape, you should will see on the camera LCD information like SP, the play symbol (arrow), timecode of tape, eg. 55:32 minutes, remaining time on tape, battery remaining, 16 bit, and the custom key selection if set to on. Click the Display/Data button in the LCD recess during playback. This will turn the display of date and time to ON or to Off on the Monitor/TV. If you have the TV Screen setting set to Off, you will see nothing else on the MonitorTV.

Also, if you set the custom key to "TV Screen" while in VCR mode, you can click the Custom Key button on the side of the camera which will turn the TV Screen to On or Off, alternately displaying the LCD data on the Monitor/TV, or not displaying it on the Monitor/TV. Remember, if you were to record to tape on a VCR, what you see on the monitor/tv is what the viewer will see later while watching the tape.

Hope this helps.

Brian,
Were you able to display the settings on your GL1 in the manner desired?

Mike, I tried everything you said. If I playback in the GL1 I can show the date and time on the playback. However, I still can't get what I desire and that is to view the tape running time while I'm recording and see the date and time on the TV monitor (which means only the date and time appear on the captured tape), not the running tape time as well. Really don't know where to go from here.

I'm confused, mostly because before I switched to digital, I could view the tape runing time and the rec. mode in the view finder and also display the date and time on the actual tape for playbcak. I really don't understand why this can't be done rather easily with the GL1?

Mike I really appreciate all your input and if you think you have another way to approach this situation I'm all ears.

Thanks Brian