Timecode?

[Ken Tanaka]

In a sense, yes. The second segment will begin at 00:00:00:00 .

[David Ho]

What happens with two timecodes? Does it show it via camcorder VCR or after capturing to computer? I guess then if it shows up as two after capturing, then it will cause conflict through an NLE program (vegas/premiere/pinnacle/etc)... ?

And, there is one last question/mystery that remains unsolved.. I wrote it in my previous notes, but still no successful answer to be found. This incident occurs back when I had my 1997 Sony TRV22 and a camcorder I had borrowed from school which was I believe a Canon ZR20. On certain occasions of error, when I fast foward or rewind on either/both the DV/Hi8 tapes ...If I fast fowarded past where I had record, the timecode just pauses. The rewind/fastfoward will freeze until a few minutes later, and the timecode comes back again. I guess an easy way to put this is when I recorded some footage -- on certain instances, I would try to rewind or fastfoward, but the timecode/counter just froze until a few minutes later, it resumes. It seemed like I had to fastfoward/rewind up to a certain "part" perhaps.... It's weird cause it happened on both a Hi8 and DV tapes.

[Adrian Douglas]

David,

The timecode used by DV/D8 etc is not an actual timecode as with Beta. With Beta the timecode is recorded on a seperate space and as Jeff said earlier is locked to an absolute address. With miniDV the timecode is not locked and is mearly a time counter that is set down as data is recorded. The timecode freezes when there is no data on that portion of the tape, VHS does the same thing whereas video formats with a locked timecode will keep rolling as the time code is seperate from the video data.

[Jeff Donald]

Adrian, what you're referring to are the differences between SMPTE timecode and DV timecode. VHS may have SMPTE timecode recorded to a spare linear audio track or VITC timecode. DV timecode is an absolute address, just not recorded to a sperate track. DV timecode is multiplexed with the video signal. VHS machines count control pulses that are recorded to a separate track. The control pulses are identical are counted sequentially to create hours, minutes and seconds.

The VHS counter can be reset to zero at any time and the counter starts over. DV timecode is not user re-setable on most cameras. DV timecode will reset if the tape is ejected, stopped and FF etc. as previously stated.

[David Ho]

Ok, but what will happens with the dual or two timecodes being present? Does it show it through the camcorder (on VCR/playback mode) or after capturing to computer? I mean, would it show up as two "times" after capturing. What conflicts will arise from this when viewed through a video editing program such as Vegas, PP, Avid, etc?

[Jeff Donald]

What two timecodes? I don't follow what you're saying.

[David Ho]

Ken stated that it would "begin at 00:00:00:00" again.... wouldn't there be two timecodes?

[Ken Tanaka]

Your confusion is purely semantic. It's probably easier for you to think of timecode as a "counter". The "counter" will reset to zero if there's an intervening blank space between recorded clips.

[Chris Hurd]

Ken has statement is much better than thinking of it as "two timecodes." It's the same timecode, re-set to the zero point.

[David Ho]

So, the timecode will just reset again if this occurs. What will happen if you have this happen and try to import to the computer and edit from there? Timecode conflicts?

[Ken Tanaka]

David,
This is really such a simple matter that at this point the best learning medium for you will be 10 mins of experimentation. Record two clips to a new unrecorded tape and then try to capture them with your editor. All of your current and prospective questions will be answered.

[David Ho]

Well the reason I am asking the questions that I do is try to learn from really other's experiences. I also want to be safe and ensure that I am doing it properly. I am afraid if I try what you said, I'll ruin tape (which I don't have much of right now, I need to get some more), and then I might mess up everything else. I just want to make sure I know all the before-hand dangers or correct methods before I do anything crazy...

[Tom DelRosario]

You ask a lot of questions. As a newbie myself, I've had some experience here with your problems and I'll try to help.

1. Let's say you tape 8 minutes of footage and the time code gets to 8:00:00. If you record again (past the existing time code), the counter will go back to 0:00:00.

2. The tape isn't "ruined" by doing so. It makes it slightly harder to capture video to your computer (e.g., Pinnacle Studio has difficulty capturing short segments)., but Scenalyzer will capture it with no problem.

3. For example, when shooting "family movies," you often shoot something, then show someone else, then go back to shooting. I have tapes that start at 0:00:00. Go to 24 minutes. Then start at 0:00:00 again to start over. Then starts over again.

4. The advantage of continuous timecode is that you can refer to scenes merely by timecode. If you filmed your daughter's birthday party at 0:00:00 and your son's birthday party at 30:00:00, it is easy to find which ever party you wanted to capture merely by telling your editor that you wanted to capture starting at 30:00:00. OTOH, if there is a break in timecode, you have to capture using a program that can handle breaks in timecode.

5. Storage is cheap. Buy a bigger hard drive and capture entire tapes at once, and you won't have to worry about time code. Similarly, buy multiple tapes so that your daughter's birthday party and son's birthday party are on separate tapes.

Trying this out is really painless. Tape something. Pause. Change scenary. Tape again. Then stop the tape, fast forward for a few seconds. Tape again. The timecode display in your camcorder will be continuous through the first scene transition. But will go back to 0:00:00 at the second transition.

[Alessandro Machi]

<<<-- Originally posted by Jeff Donald : David, I can appreciate your desire to save resources and tape costs. However, putting finished edits back on the tape with camera original footage is not a good idea. If anything happens to that tape (lost, stolen, damaged, etc.) you have not only lost your finished product, but also the original footage and any chance of rebuilding your project. Spend the $3 or $4 and use a new tape for your finished projects. -->>>

I got one for you. I worked on a production once where the director, the demented director may I add, decided that once the edit was done, NOBODY would ever be able to change any of her decisions. So unbeknownst to anyone else involved in the production, she made the broadcast copies by copying over the camera masters.

[Ken Tanaka]

Haw. Perhaps an over-confident and over-resolute lady, eh? That's analogous to Cortez burning his ships after reaching the "New World".