Print to tape and show time code?

JackW wrote on 5/18/2005, 10:50 AM
Is it possible to print to tape from Vegas and have time code show on the tape?

I have a client who wants a VHS tape with TC so he can work with it at home to create an EDL.

I can do this as a separate (cumbersome) window burn from the VHS record deck, but I'd prefer to have Vegas generate the TC and export it along with the video if that's possible.

Jack

Comments

Liam_Vegas wrote on 5/18/2005, 10:57 AM
Add the timecode FX to the media - or to an empty event on a track above your timeline.

When I need to send a dub of tapes with timecode to allow the client to select clips I will normally line all my clips up on the timeline. Add a new track above these. Insert an empty event. Add the Timecode FX. Stretch the empty event so that it is "active" across the entire timeline. Then I render this out and do a PTT from that.

Doing it this way will allow the client to identify specific portions of clips in a way that I can then directly pull from the timeline I rendered from. If you add the Timecode FX to the media - you'll end up with finding it harder to actually locate the specific clips they are referring to.
Chienworks wrote on 5/18/2005, 11:23 AM
And make sure you instruct your client on how you want them to specify cuts. I gave a VHS tape with timecode to a client and she returned a sheet looking something like:

0:02:13 -- 0:02:25
0:04:01 -- 0:05:32
0:07:45 -- 0:08:26

and so on. We had agreed that i would find the best points around those times to make the cuts, so her choices were understood to be slightly "fuzzy". No problem. I start assembling the clips, put in tasteful transitions, and burn off a new copy. It did strike me as odd while watching the PTT that it seemed like she had chosen the boring and rough parts rather than the interesting and polished parts. *shrug* Oh well, it was her choice.

Sadly, the client didn't preview the tape before showing it to her superiors. She had listed the parts she wanted cut out rather than the sections she wanted included. Fortunately we all figured out what happened right away and everyone was amused rather than upset. I redid the edits and had a new copy to her the next morning.

I guess the moral is never to assume anything!
JackW wrote on 5/18/2005, 11:32 AM
Liam, thanks for the info.

Kelly, thanks for the caveat. I've had this happen too.

Jack