(I also asked this at the bottom of a long related thread. Hope that's OK.)


When recording directly from HVX to Powerbook via firewire in FCP using capture now :

Is there any way to get the camera's timecode?
Every clip I get starts at "O" regardless of the camera settings even with camera at Freerun.

If you can't get the camera's timecode, how does one set a new or alternate timecode on your clips?

The question I have is, why do you need it? You aren't coming from tape so you won't need to be recapturing that footage again...this IS the footage. So the timecode is irrelevant at this point.

OR...are you trying to set up time of day code to match other cameras or so that you can better find your footage, knowing it was shot at 3PM?

There are a number of reasons to want it.
1. So producer can have timecode for their own purposes which are many. They could do this with secondary code in FCP but its an extra step.
2. On a multicam live shoot it would be essential and makes use of the fact that you can jam sync these guys.

I've posted this question at DVX User for a few days and nobody seems to want to answer. It seems pretty important to at least know the answer.
I was told at a seminar that it can do it, but I can't get it.

See page 78 in the Operations manual; this should answer your questions.

Well I guess I'm dense.
P. 78 seems to tell me that I can get timecode but its not clear to me.
I am capturing images but not timecode.

Am i doing something wrong?
Is it the order with which I am connecting the firwire cable? that's all I see on p 78.

All i'm really asking for here is some confirmation from others.
2 days of questions on the DVX user site and I get lots of responses but none from anybody who works this way.
At a seminar I was told I could get timecode. So I 'm spending alot of time screwing around with this.

Robert, you've done this alot - do you get timecode from the camera? Yes or No will tell me a lot.

Sorry if I sound frustrated.

Well I guess I'm dense.
P. 78 seems to tell me that I can get timecode but its not clear to me.
I am capturing images but not timecode.


I haven't been able to do this ... and, Page 78 seems to be referencing "dubbing" not live capture.

The main reason I'd like to do it is for multicamera shoots. You can lock both cameras together in free run ... it'd be great to get that to transfer out Firewire to both of my PowerBooks recording an hour long live event. That's why I think it would be cool.

I'm 99% sure you can't do it though ... please, someone proove me wrong!

Hans,
I agree. Its a convenience on a single camera shoot, but for multicamera it kills the powerbook way of shooting. Unless you just go back to film style and have somebody up front with a clapper or a timecode slate just for syncing up purposes. big pain though.

To be honest Leonard, I don't remember. Since FCP is assigning it's own timecode during capture I just never bothered to look for the data out of the camera.

My PowerBook is on loan to another production house so I can't retest this weekend however Barry Wan Kenobi knows of someone who actually shot an entire TV spot using the PowerBook HVX solution - he may have an answer for you before I do.

That's Evin Grant, or "Evinsky" on DVXUser. Might try sending him a private message, he does the powerbook thing all the time, shot a couple of national commercials and just shot something like 55gb of footage for a music video and I think he said it's all done straight to the powerbook.

On a side note, if you've seen the big ad brochure Panasonic stuffed into Studio Monthly magazine, Evin is the guy pictured on the back cover of that brochure (with the jib arm in the back of the SUV).

If you put the HVX200 into freerun and set the device settings in FCP to "Firewire", you can capture a few seconds with timecode before FCP drops out and says you have reached the end of the tape.

I would imagine this could be easily fixed, but needs to be requested by enough people to be implemented.

Allan Barnwell
Omega Broadcast Group

I've forwarded this to the guys at Apple Pro Support to be put into their research cue. Historically things like this (if it gets addressed) will be "fixed" when an update for FCP is released.

I think this is an important functionality that should be available without FCP becoming fussy about it, so hopefully this and others submitting the same problem will get the techs attention.

Thanks Robert,
Jan responded that she spoke to Apple and they confirmed - no timecode.
If enough people ask maybe we can get them to do it.

Is there a central place to make requests for "reasonable" changes in FCP and HVX upgrades.

Has any one tried setting the UB Mode to TCG in the recording setup menu? I don't have a camera to play with, and don't know how to access this data later, but I wonder if this is at least a possible solution? Are the User Bits sent over FW?

Hi Leonard:

I know for a fact that many of the improvements and changes in FCP over the years have come from feedback from the Los Angeles FCP User Group www.lafcpug.org

Every year, Michael runs a list of the top ten most requested new features for FCP and many of them make it. I do know that several Apple FCP staffers are regulars over there, check it out.

Best,

Dan

Thanks I will.
Made the request pretty clearly at the Panasonic /Apple seminar in SF this week. - see new thread