OT: Edirol R4 field recorder and Sony LANC

Laurence wrote on 1/16/2005, 10:21 PM
It looks to me like using the new Edirol R-4 field recorder along with a Sony cam like my current VX2000 or one of the new HDV models would be really convenient in that record start/stops could be syncronized using a cable between the Sony LANC connector and the R-4 L Terminal connector. In a typical camera guy / sound guy situation there would be one thin cable running between the two operators and while the video wouldn't be time code synced, the starts and stops would be the same so syncing them up during editing would be pretty easy. Does anyone have any insight into this? It looks like a pretty elegant way to record video and high quality audio together.

Comments

Laurence wrote on 1/17/2005, 6:05 PM
(bump)

I'm surprised that such a simple way of recording audio and video together isn't generating more attention!
farss wrote on 1/17/2005, 6:42 PM
I did read your original post and it's an interesting idea but sadly one that I don't think is going to work.

LANC is a full duplex single wire protocol that even Sony don't seem too proud of. That aside I don't think any of the cameras will send out a 'record' command when you push record, they just keep on sending out TC. Now LANC controllers can send them commands so maybe you could use a purpose built device to force both of them into record at once, don't know anything about the Edirol interface, maybe it's smart enough to handle this.

You might have more luck with the 1394 coming out of the camera as it should contain TC and enough data for something to workout that the camera has gone into record.

Other issue is getting them to sync to the frame as they go into record, cameras sure have some startup times and I'd image the Edirol isn't frame accurate either. You'd be much better off recording TC on the Edirol and syncing from that when you load the files except I think Vegas will not sync to TC on a digital audio files, in fact it's got no mechanism for decoding LTC.

Bob.