Xpress Pro Timecode question

[James Osman]

I'm trying to upgrade my project from 15:1 to full quality but the capture is off and I'm trying to figure out why.

some people have suggested that I compare the timecode from the original tape with that of the captured footage. I did this and discovered that the timecode on my captured footage is off by a few seconds when compared to the original tape. what are the implications for this?

any info is much appreciated. thank you.

[Vito DeFilippo]

What format is the project?

Are you trying to batch capture a sequence, or recapuring full clips?

Capturing to internal or external drive?

What deck/camera are you using to recapture?

[James Osman]

Originally Posted by Vito DeFilippo

What format is the project?

Are you trying to batch capture a sequence, or recapuring full clips?

Capturing to internal or external drive?

What deck/camera are you using to recapture?

hey,

I'm trying to batch capture a sequence to an external drive using a Sony DCR-HC21. The format is NSTC and Mini DV.

thank you for the reply.

[Vito DeFilippo]

Hi James,

A consumer camera like that could very likely be having trouble capturing frame accurate clips. Might also be the external hard drive, especially if its USB.

You could try recapturing the full clips instead of the sequence. That gives the camera fewer times to shuttle/preroll etc, with less chance of error.

You could also try capturing to an internal drive instead.

Or borrow a better camera or deck and try with that.

Cheers,
Vito

[Vito DeFilippo]

I forgot to mention you could increase the preroll in the capture window settings. This could help as well.

[Adam Bauser]

Originally Posted by James Osman

I did this and discovered that the timecode on my captured footage is off by a few seconds when compared to the original tape. what are the implications for this?

Wow, a few seconds or a few frames? DV capture is often not frame accurate, especially if you're using firewire for deck control, but a few seconds sounds like a lot. If it was only a few frames, you'd probably be fine just setting some handles and tweaking any edits that needed fixing after batch capture.

What are you using for a deck? I tend to find consumer cameras are really fussy with batch capturing. They have trouble cueing up to the right in point. When using a camera like this, I usually end up having to recapture one clip at a time and rewind to before the in point before trying to capture. Usually if the XpressPro doesn't have a specific deck setting for the device you're in for batch capture woes.

If you're footage really is off sync by more than a few frames, you don't have many options. You can recapture the footage and just try to manually replace the edits in your timeline with the new footage or you could get crazy and try to modify the timecode on your master clips to match the original tapes, but that has it's own set of headaches.

[James Osman]

hey guys, thanks very much for the information.

For this project I used a UBS external drive and captured with a consumer camera so it looks like I may be out of luck. It is very frustrating because it is a 90 minute movie that I painstakingly edited in 15:1 mode and now it seems it was all for naught.

oh well.

[Vito DeFilippo]

Good lord! You chuck it in the garbage just like that? Did you try any of our suggestions?

There's no reason you should lose your edit. Just need to figure out how to recapture successfully.