FS-4 Tapeless operation with a Canon GL2? at DVinfo.net

Kelvin Kelm · March 8th, 2007, 11:07 AM

The manual for the FS-4 says the Tapeless Trigger mode allows the FS-4 HD to be controlled from a camcorder if it features an external control setting separate from the tape transport. The manual says the Canon XL1s and XL2 have this feature. Does the Canon GL2 also have this feature? I would like to control the FS-4 from the oncamera controls without using a tape.

Jim Andrada · March 9th, 2007, 03:07 AM

I have the same question, although what I THINK is that you have to have a tape in the camera to control the FS from the camera.

I also THINK that you can record without a tape if you control the FS locally.

I would like someone who KNOWS to confirm or deny what I THINK.

Kelvin Kelm · March 9th, 2007, 10:31 AM

I found it - you can record directly to the FS-4 without using a Tape.

In the GL2 Menu (from camera tape mode), go to System - DV Control - turn it On.

When another device (such as an FS-4 in Tapeless mode) is connected to the camera, you can operate the FS-4 recording/record pause/stop by pressing the Red start/stop button on the GL2.

When the FS-4 is recording [REC] appears in the display of the camera. When it is stopped [STOP] appears. When the FS-4 is in any other mode (not sure what these may be, but it happened to me once last night), [---] appears in the camera display. [DV IF] flashes if DV Control is turned on and no device is connected (or the power to the device is turned off).

This is going to save me a significant amount of wear and tear on the camera when shooting little league baseball games - no more starting and stoping the tape drive.

Jim Andrada · March 11th, 2007, 08:45 PM

Kevin,

Thanks much for the update. I tried it tonight and it didn't work for me - BUT (big, big, but) I may well have messed up a setting someplace as the camera and FS-4 are still really new to me. I'll have a cup of tea and relax for a while and try it again later and be careful to check all the settings one more time.

Lots of little buttons that I can fumble finger, along with lots of menus that i can confuse.

I'll post the results.

Jim Andrada · March 11th, 2007, 11:27 PM

OK - it worked and I recorded a clip to the FS-4 without any tape in the GL-2

I obviously had messed up some setting before.

Have to admit that I'm not quite sure how I really got it all to work as I was sitting at my desk with the GL-2 manual and the FS-4 manual both open and just reading things and pushing buttons as I went.

But in the end it did indeed work, recorded tapelessly, and transferred the clip to the PC.

Now that I know I can do it it's time to go over all the steps in my mind a few times and then practice until it feels like something I could do without the book.

Have to say that a lot of the way you have to twiddle the controls and interpret the menus on the FS-4 doesn't really make for a very intuitive workflow.

But it does work.

Jim Andrada · March 12th, 2007, 09:53 AM

It's getting easier. I found out how to set the FS-4 so there is only 1 button to push to switch to tapeless mode, and a single button to switch between computer and camera attach.

In the function menu you can set the function keys to do the job.

Bill Spearman · October 30th, 2007, 11:21 AM

Very helpful, guys. I am headed down this road shortly, and feel much more confident having found your posts. Good to know someone has blazed the trail ahead!

March 8th, 2007, 11:07 AM	#1
Kelvin Kelm Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Katy, Texas Posts: 49	FS-4 Tapeless operation with a Canon GL2? The manual for the FS-4 says the Tapeless Trigger mode allows the FS-4 HD to be controlled from a camcorder if it features an external control setting separate from the tape transport. The manual says the Canon XL1s and XL2 have this feature. Does the Canon GL2 also have this feature? I would like to control the FS-4 from the oncamera controls without using a tape.

March 11th, 2007, 11:27 PM	#5
Jim Andrada Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Tucson AZ Posts: 2,211	It worked! OK - it worked and I recorded a clip to the FS-4 without any tape in the GL-2 I obviously had messed up some setting before. Have to admit that I'm not quite sure how I really got it all to work as I was sitting at my desk with the GL-2 manual and the FS-4 manual both open and just reading things and pushing buttons as I went. But in the end it did indeed work, recorded tapelessly, and transferred the clip to the PC. Now that I know I can do it it's time to go over all the steps in my mind a few times and then practice until it feels like something I could do without the book. Have to say that a lot of the way you have to twiddle the controls and interpret the menus on the FS-4 doesn't really make for a very intuitive workflow. But it does work.

March 9th, 2007, 03:07 AM	#2
Jim Andrada Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Tucson AZ Posts: 2,211	I have the same question, although what I THINK is that you have to have a tape in the camera to control the FS from the camera. I also THINK that you can record without a tape if you control the FS locally. I would like someone who KNOWS to confirm or deny what I THINK.

March 9th, 2007, 10:31 AM	#3
Kelvin Kelm Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Katy, Texas Posts: 49	I found it - you can record directly to the FS-4 without using a Tape. In the GL2 Menu (from camera tape mode), go to System - DV Control - turn it On. When another device (such as an FS-4 in Tapeless mode) is connected to the camera, you can operate the FS-4 recording/record pause/stop by pressing the Red start/stop button on the GL2. When the FS-4 is recording [REC] appears in the display of the camera. When it is stopped [STOP] appears. When the FS-4 is in any other mode (not sure what these may be, but it happened to me once last night), [---] appears in the camera display. [DV IF] flashes if DV Control is turned on and no device is connected (or the power to the device is turned off). This is going to save me a significant amount of wear and tear on the camera when shooting little league baseball games - no more starting and stoping the tape drive.

March 11th, 2007, 08:45 PM	#4
Jim Andrada Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Tucson AZ Posts: 2,211	Kevin, Thanks much for the update. I tried it tonight and it didn't work for me - BUT (big, big, but) I may well have messed up a setting someplace as the camera and FS-4 are still really new to me. I'll have a cup of tea and relax for a while and try it again later and be careful to check all the settings one more time. Lots of little buttons that I can fumble finger, along with lots of menus that i can confuse. I'll post the results.

March 12th, 2007, 09:53 AM	#6
Jim Andrada Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Tucson AZ Posts: 2,211	It's getting easier. I found out how to set the FS-4 so there is only 1 button to push to switch to tapeless mode, and a single button to switch between computer and camera attach. In the function menu you can set the function keys to do the job.

October 30th, 2007, 11:21 AM	#7
Bill Spearman Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Florida, USA Posts: 161	Very helpful, guys. I am headed down this road shortly, and feel much more confident having found your posts. Good to know someone has blazed the trail ahead!