generating tone on my dvx100 at DVinfo.net

Ryan Wachter · March 1st, 2004, 05:49 PM

How do I generate tone and the beginning of my tape so I can keep my sound consistent in post....or does it automatically do that since Im not using a second source for sound? I am running sound straight out the camera.
Thanks
Ryan

Rob Lohman · March 2nd, 2004, 03:53 AM

To the best of my knowledge no con / pro-sumer camera can
generate a tone to lay down to tape. You will have to use an
external device that can generate a tone and record from that.

Christopher Go · March 2nd, 2004, 07:59 AM

Perhaps you could bring a mixer capable of producing tone for your shoot? Another option is Fostex's TT-15 Tone Oscillator, which sells for around $60 US. Click on this for information.

Ryan Wachter · March 2nd, 2004, 09:31 AM

Thank you guys very much for your help. I havent really heard much talk on the subject and was wondering if there was an obvious answer or if no one really bothers with it.

Tyler Gred · March 2nd, 2004, 12:58 PM

You can lay down a tone in premiere pro with color bars at the start of the tape. I set my timecode to 00:58:30:00 and record 30 secs. of tone and color bars and a min of black.

Ryan Wachter · March 2nd, 2004, 01:38 PM

I use final cut so I am not familiar with premiere....now you are laying this down on the tape itself? Also how do you set it, what level do you put it at and such.

Tyler Gred · March 2nd, 2004, 02:04 PM

Yeah you just lay down the bars and tone and export to tape at the start. You can adjust it to any level using the mixer within premiere pro, but I usually leave it at -12. I believe 0 is the peak level you can go in digital without it distorting.

Ryan Wachter · March 2nd, 2004, 02:50 PM

Excellent...does anyone know if this is an option on final cut pro 4 as well?

Finally, now that you have set tone to 12 what exactly does this do for you?

Rick Foxx · March 2nd, 2004, 03:56 PM

<<<-- Originally posted by Ryan Wachter : Excellent...does anyone know if this is an option on final cut pro 4 as well?

Finally, now that you have set tone to 12 what exactly does this do for you? -->>>

In FCP 4, look in the Video Generators effects folder. I believe it's called Bars and Tone. The -12db tone is used as a reference when calibrating the playback system. The tone tells the tape operator where to set the levels for playback.

Rick

Ryan Wachter · March 2nd, 2004, 05:16 PM

The operator of what exactly? If it is transfered to say dvd then you dont have tone at the beginning of the movie to tell you where to set your tv volume controls. So where exactly does this helpful tone come into play....again I want to thank you for your help.

Ken Tanaka · March 2nd, 2004, 06:06 PM

By "operator" I believe Rick refers to a technician, perhaps broadcast, who would be using a tape produced by someone else.

Obviously, if you're just producing a personal dvd the bars-and-tone effort is largely pointless.

Barry Green · March 2nd, 2004, 06:28 PM

Yep. Tone is used primarily to calibrate different sources to use a common level. So, if dubbing a DV tape to BetaSP, you'd put tone at the head of your tape, and the technician would then calibrate the BetaSP deck so that the audio input levels were appropriate for the tone that's being sent.

Or, tone is used by a field mixer to calibrate the levels the mixer is seeing to what the camera is recording.

But if it's for your own personal projects, and nobody has to calibrate anything to your video, then tone is not necessary.

Rick Foxx · March 2nd, 2004, 08:28 PM

<<<-- Originally posted by Barry Green : Yep. Tone is used primarily to calibrate different sources to use a common level. So, if dubbing a DV tape to BetaSP, you'd put tone at the head of your tape, and the technician would then calibrate the BetaSP deck so that the audio input levels were appropriate for the tone that's being sent.

Or, tone is used by a field mixer to calibrate the levels the mixer is seeing to what the camera is recording.

But if it's for your own personal projects, and nobody has to calibrate anything to your video, then tone is not necessary. -->>>

My answer was clear as mud. Barry said it much better than I did.

Ryan Wachter · March 2nd, 2004, 08:49 PM

That will do it, now one last thing. If I am planning on sending my project to film festivals am I going to still want the tone? Or say sending it in to a public tc show?

Ken Tanaka · March 2nd, 2004, 08:54 PM

There are no universal answers to those questions. Contact the respective venues to determine what they prefer.

March 1st, 2004, 05:49 PM	#1
Ryan Wachter Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 164	generating tone on my dvx100 How do I generate tone and the beginning of my tape so I can keep my sound consistent in post....or does it automatically do that since Im not using a second source for sound? I am running sound straight out the camera. Thanks Ryan

March 2nd, 2004, 03:53 AM	#2
Rob Lohman RED Code Chef Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Holland Posts: 12,514	To the best of my knowledge no con / pro-sumer camera can generate a tone to lay down to tape. You will have to use an external device that can generate a tone and record from that. __________________ Rob Lohman, visuar@iname.com DV Info Wrangler & RED Code Chef Join the DV Challenge \| Lady X Search DVinfo.net for quick answers \| Buy from the best: DVinfo.net sponsors

March 2nd, 2004, 03:56 PM	#9
Rick Foxx Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Tooele, UT Posts: 78	<<<-- Originally posted by Ryan Wachter : Excellent...does anyone know if this is an option on final cut pro 4 as well? Finally, now that you have set tone to 12 what exactly does this do for you? -->>> In FCP 4, look in the Video Generators effects folder. I believe it's called Bars and Tone. The -12db tone is used as a reference when calibrating the playback system. The tone tells the tape operator where to set the levels for playback. Rick __________________ There is no problem so large that can't be solved with a suitable application of high explosives.

March 2nd, 2004, 06:06 PM	#11
Ken Tanaka Retired DV Info Net Almunus Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 6,943	By "operator" I believe Rick refers to a technician, perhaps broadcast, who would be using a tape produced by someone else. Obviously, if you're just producing a personal dvd the bars-and-tone effort is largely pointless. __________________ Lady X Films: A lady with a boring wardrobe...and a global mission. Hey, you don't have enough stuff! Buy with confidence from our sponsors. Hand-picked as the best in the business...Really! See some of my work one frame at a time: www.KenTanaka.com

March 2nd, 2004, 08:28 PM	#13
Rick Foxx Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Tooele, UT Posts: 78	<<<-- Originally posted by Barry Green : Yep. Tone is used primarily to calibrate different sources to use a common level. So, if dubbing a DV tape to BetaSP, you'd put tone at the head of your tape, and the technician would then calibrate the BetaSP deck so that the audio input levels were appropriate for the tone that's being sent. Or, tone is used by a field mixer to calibrate the levels the mixer is seeing to what the camera is recording. But if it's for your own personal projects, and nobody has to calibrate anything to your video, then tone is not necessary. -->>> My answer was clear as mud. Barry said it much better than I did. __________________ There is no problem so large that can't be solved with a suitable application of high explosives.

March 2nd, 2004, 07:59 AM	#3
Christopher Go Major Player Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Honolulu, HI Posts: 429	Perhaps you could bring a mixer capable of producing tone for your shoot? Another option is Fostex's TT-15 Tone Oscillator, which sells for around $60 US. Click on this for information.

March 2nd, 2004, 09:31 AM	#4
Ryan Wachter Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 164	Thank you guys very much for your help. I havent really heard much talk on the subject and was wondering if there was an obvious answer or if no one really bothers with it.

March 2nd, 2004, 12:58 PM	#5
Tyler Gred New Boot Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: North Carolina Posts: 19	You can lay down a tone in premiere pro with color bars at the start of the tape. I set my timecode to 00:58:30:00 and record 30 secs. of tone and color bars and a min of black.

March 2nd, 2004, 01:38 PM	#6
Ryan Wachter Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 164	I use final cut so I am not familiar with premiere....now you are laying this down on the tape itself? Also how do you set it, what level do you put it at and such.

March 2nd, 2004, 02:04 PM	#7
Tyler Gred New Boot Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: North Carolina Posts: 19	Yeah you just lay down the bars and tone and export to tape at the start. You can adjust it to any level using the mixer within premiere pro, but I usually leave it at -12. I believe 0 is the peak level you can go in digital without it distorting.

March 2nd, 2004, 02:50 PM	#8
Ryan Wachter Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 164	Excellent...does anyone know if this is an option on final cut pro 4 as well? Finally, now that you have set tone to 12 what exactly does this do for you?

March 2nd, 2004, 05:16 PM	#10
Ryan Wachter Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 164	The operator of what exactly? If it is transfered to say dvd then you dont have tone at the beginning of the movie to tell you where to set your tv volume controls. So where exactly does this helpful tone come into play....again I want to thank you for your help.

March 2nd, 2004, 06:28 PM	#12
Barry Green Barry Wan Kenobi Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 3,863	Yep. Tone is used primarily to calibrate different sources to use a common level. So, if dubbing a DV tape to BetaSP, you'd put tone at the head of your tape, and the technician would then calibrate the BetaSP deck so that the audio input levels were appropriate for the tone that's being sent. Or, tone is used by a field mixer to calibrate the levels the mixer is seeing to what the camera is recording. But if it's for your own personal projects, and nobody has to calibrate anything to your video, then tone is not necessary.

March 2nd, 2004, 08:49 PM	#14
Ryan Wachter Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 164	That will do it, now one last thing. If I am planning on sending my project to film festivals am I going to still want the tone? Or say sending it in to a public tc show?

March 2nd, 2004, 08:54 PM	#15
Ken Tanaka Retired DV Info Net Almunus Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 6,943	There are no universal answers to those questions. Contact the respective venues to determine what they prefer. __________________ Lady X Films: A lady with a boring wardrobe...and a global mission. Hey, you don't have enough stuff! Buy with confidence from our sponsors. Hand-picked as the best in the business...Really! See some of my work one frame at a time: www.KenTanaka.com