HDV Timecode strangeness

PeterWright wrote on 6/8/2005, 5:51 PM
I just captured some HDV from Z1, using the in-camera downconvert to DV.

In Vegas I applied Timecode FX to the clip in the Project Media Tab so that I could make a TC DVD for the client displaying camera timecode, but the numbers which come up are completely different. For instance - one identifiable frame on the camera is T/C 00:00:11:16 whereas in Vegas the number comes up as 22:26:38:10.

Has anyone else experienced this?

Comments

BrianStanding wrote on 6/9/2005, 8:20 AM
I don't know jack about HDV, but in DV land, it's best to apply the Timecode Effect to the Media in the Media Pool/Project Media window. That way, you get camera timecode instead of timeline timecode.
filmy wrote on 6/9/2005, 6:07 PM
I wish I could point you to the link now but HDV has some TC issues overall. I belive there wa sinformaiton on the Cineform site - I did post some HDV / TC things in a thread. you could try to do a search in these threads but I warn you it ain't what it used to be when it comes to searching.
PeterWright wrote on 6/9/2005, 6:51 PM
Thanks guys - Brian, I already did that - that's what I meant by "Project Media Tab".

And Filmy, thanks - I couldn't find the previous thread but I just did a test and found that this anomaly only happens when using in-camera down convert to DV. The same footage when captured as HDV has the correct camera TimeCode, so I don't know if it's Sony Camera or Sony Media!
Spot|DSE wrote on 6/9/2005, 8:55 PM
It's the camera. I just tested this in another app as well, because you're the third person to bring it up. I don't use the downconvert, but apparently there is something in the conversion doing this. Try your cam in 60i, see if it does it there. My cam loses the original code from HDV, so I suspect that in the downconvert, it's creating new code but having some sorta hiccup from the old.
PeterWright wrote on 6/10/2005, 12:06 AM
Thanks Spot

I find camera down-conversion very handy for fast turnaround on some jobs, and when I know HDV is not required.

I'm just off to a shoot - will try 60i later & see if it works any different.
PeterWright wrote on 6/10/2005, 7:24 AM
Well, I haven't done any 60i shooting yet, but the 50i footage I shot today I downconverted in camera to DV when capturing and what do you know - the time code came through correctly!

So, there's something inconsistent going on here ......