Anybody using HDMI out to Ninja Star/Lightweight Pro-Res recorder

[Craig Marshall]

Originally Posted by Craig Marshall

For those of you who use an external HDMI recorder with a camera which does not generate timecode...

The ClipToolz 'Timecode Tool' is not designed to 'sync' anything. It is simply a re-stripe tool for manually setting up timecode on previously recorded ProRes files. (other codecs will work as well)

However, I have used it to successfully 'match' the timecode generated by Convert when I transcode my camera's internal 50P AVCHD to 25P ProRes (for slow motion) to the 25P timecode which I record simultaneously using a Ninja Star attached to the camera's HDMI output.

[Gary Huff]

But that's certainly not a match because the clip is longer. You've been posting this on multiple forums regarding a feature that begs the question as to what its usefulness is.

So what's the exact scenario in which laying in random timecode on clips is helpful? You have focused on the Ninja Star for this go-round. Having matching timecode helps me sync 4K internal clips with 1080 out of the HDMI to the Star, and yet apparently I still get to do it all manually even with this software, so why should I bother exactly?

[Gary Huff]

I have two instances in which replaced timecode would be useful. One, in a certain project of mine where the generated timecode for the audio has drifted from the video and two, in trying to sync up GH4 footage shot 4K internally with an external out to a Ninja Star in 1080. Now, from your description, I can easily change timecode, but I would need to know the exact start of what the opening timecode of the clip would be. That would mean I need to go into my NLE of choice and sync up the footage to get that information. But what now? It's already synced. Why would I bother now that all the actual hard work has been done already in the first place?

[Craig Marshall]

My use for the ClipToolz 'Timecode Tool' is simply to 're-stripe' the Ninja Star's default ProRes 00:00:00:00 timecode which results from using the Star to record from a camera which does not generate timecode internally yet has a 'clean' HDMI signal.

I put your requirements and suggestions to ClipToolz software developer Wayne Norton, who has responded with the latest v2.1.03 update.

If readers have specific questions, requirements or suggestions regarding the ClipToolz software, I suggest you contact the Wayne direct as you'll find him extremely helpful.

Here is Wayne's response:

"I just added one more feature to the timecode tool to make things just a bit easier for timecode matching. Now, to match timecode between GH4 and NinjaStar for example, here is the routine...

Open the timecode tool and right-click or drag in a clip that you want to use as the master timecode (from GH4 for example - to use the GH4 timecode with the Ninja clips).

Click the lock icon to lock in that starting timecode. Now drag in the matching clip from the Ninja - timecode stays the same as it was for the master GH4 clip. Now click on 'run sequence' and drag the Ninja clips in order to reset the timecode to match (provided that the clips are exactly the same length!) No need to open a clip in an NLE to get the start timecode.

Before you could do the same routine, but you would have to record the start timecode somewhere and then enter it manually - now with the lock mechanism you don't have to.

PS: I just released the update so if you would like to pass along the info, please do ; ) I also added a better preview player with the ability to play the previews on either of 2 monitors (in a multi-monitor setup) and it plays 4K quite well with aspect corrections if the ratio is set."

Wayne Norton