I'm encountering time code breaks with the recordings done on my camera.
What are the possible reasons why my camera's time code would break during recording?
What are the possible reasons why my camera's time code would break during recording?
Time Code Breaks
The most common cause of this is watching back during the shoot. While you have been shooting, you may have looked back at what you were viewing and allowed the tape to over run after the esction you have recorded thus encountering a section of the tape thats blank. The camera then sees blank tape and starts a new time code.
The solution: Roll in/out. When you are shooting start recording but let the tape run for 5-10 seconds before you let the action begin. secondly and more importantly when the action is over let the tape continue recording for another 5-10 seconds. That way if you do look back on the footage you can stop it before the footage runs out and goes in to a blank section of tape.
The solution: Roll in/out. When you are shooting start recording but let the tape run for 5-10 seconds before you let the action begin. secondly and more importantly when the action is over let the tape continue recording for another 5-10 seconds. That way if you do look back on the footage you can stop it before the footage runs out and goes in to a blank section of tape.
Actually, the problem is worse than that. It happens while the camera is rolling!
I couldn't believe it myself when it happened and I had to scroll through each frame to find the part where it breaks. The only reason I know I have a TC break is because FCP can't import a clip with breaks in the middle.
Kinda frustrating.
I couldn't believe it myself when it happened and I had to scroll through each frame to find the part where it breaks. The only reason I know I have a TC break is because FCP can't import a clip with breaks in the middle.
Kinda frustrating.
Did you "black and time-code" your tapes first? I assume you're using DV tapes. Just close the lens cap, put the camera in a quiet room, and let it record through the entire tape. Do this to new tapes before you do any other recording on them. Then you should be able to record and re-record without problems. If you do that already then, I'm afraid I don't know what's wrong.
Hi,
If you absolutely can't get the tape to digitize (you might try iMovie on a Mac, if possible, it doesn't seem to care about timecode), you could make a clone of the tape by playing it on one camera while recording it to another. That would result in a new tape with your footage that has a good timecode.
I just usually make Avid (my editing system of choice) digitize it in chunks, though. Avid complains loudly.
-robin
If you absolutely can't get the tape to digitize (you might try iMovie on a Mac, if possible, it doesn't seem to care about timecode), you could make a clone of the tape by playing it on one camera while recording it to another. That would result in a new tape with your footage that has a good timecode.
I just usually make Avid (my editing system of choice) digitize it in chunks, though. Avid complains loudly.
-robin
Ya, I'd black and code your tapes....that is pretty much standard procedure for pros. I have a deck, and in Final Cut Pro there is a setting for blacking and coding your tapes....you just click one button and your deck does the rest. If you have a "pro" level editor I would bet it would have this option. If not you could use the low tech version of putting the lens cap on your cam and recording. Once you do that, you shouldn't have timecode break issues.
Hmmm... I don't get this on blacked tapes.
If I use a tape that hasn't been blacked, my camera TC settings would be on preset.
I suspect it's a camera problem though. Hate to think that it is, but all signs point towards it.
sigh....
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If I use a tape that hasn't been blacked, my camera TC settings would be on preset.
I suspect it's a camera problem though. Hate to think that it is, but all signs point towards it.
sigh....
___________________________________________
www.digitalvideolessons.com
Resource Centre for Digital Video Productions
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