Timecode and avi question

mikemo wrote on 8/11/2003, 5:19 PM
Hi everyone -

I'm wondering if Vegas reads the timecode information in uncompressed avi's? I captured a bunch of uncompressed avi's in Premiere 6.5...and when I build a basic timeline and export a CMX 3400 EDL from Premiere, everything looks and works fine.

HOWEVER, when I use the exact same clips in Vegas 4.0c...I can edit and view them fine, but the only visable timecode reference is the length of the clip (e.g. 00:00:06:21 length clip). Is there a way for Vegas to read the original timecode in the avi's so that when I use the CMX EDL script it will have the information necessary in it to rebuild the timeline from tape?

Thanks for you help!

Mike

Comments

filmy wrote on 8/13/2003, 1:56 PM
VV does not 'seem' to read any TC info. If you haven't seen the other thread here about the EDL issues do a search. Best i can tell that VV will only read a CMX 3600 EDL correct if all media is "in the same folder" as the project. There is another, newer, thread on the recapture issue and it seems from testing that if you choose "recapture all media" it will actually recapture correctly. However my results in exporting and importing EDL's has been that no TC or tape informaiton is saved / imported. (And yes this included testing with the CMX EDL script for VV)
Jsnkc wrote on 8/13/2003, 2:02 PM
Yeah, I was the one who did the test, there is no info in the EDL about the Time Code, but if you want to re-capture media it does it right down to the frame so the time code info muct be sored somewhere, it just seems that it is not accessible when you are editing on the timeline.
SonyEPM wrote on 8/13/2003, 2:13 PM
Just wondering: Were these uncompressed .avi files captured? if so, with what board (Matrox etc)?
Zulqar-Cheema wrote on 8/13/2003, 3:44 PM
Mikemo, if all you get on the clips is, 00:00-06:21, 00:00-07:12 on all clips then you have more then likely captured with no device control.
If you capture with device control then you will get 00:12-06:21, 6:22-12:09, and if you trim in the trimmer you can see the time code in the boxes at the bottom of the trimmer. I have doen a job just with time code readings from a printed tape and it worked fine.
mikemo wrote on 8/14/2003, 1:36 PM
Hi SonicEPM -

The clips were capture as uncompressed avi's with a Matrox Digisuite LE setup. Again, when I use "view properties" in Premiere 6.5 I can see the time code info that correctly matches the point it was captured on Tape (e.g. 04:23:15:15).

We're wondering about this because we'd like to find a way to pass just simple edit decisions back and forth between our Vegas setup and our Discreet Edit 6 setup. Ideally being able to offline on vegas, and finish/print to BetaSP on the Discreet.

Thanks for your help!

Mike
filmy wrote on 8/14/2003, 2:24 PM
>>>We're wondering about this because we'd like to find a way to pass just simple edit decisions back and forth between our Vegas setup and our Discreet Edit 6 setup. Ideally being able to offline on vegas, and finish/print to BetaSP on the Discreet.<<<

You should do a search and look for the other threads about EDL's and VV as well as VV and offline/online. I have been a fairly vocal person around here with the whol EDL issue. I get a lot of "Who uses EDL's anymore?
type of questions tossed back at me.

Here is a very recent/new thread that includes the EDL issue:

Recapturing from just .veg file

Here is a thread from June about another NLE and VV but I brought up the EDL issue and got asked questions on it, including one from SonicEPM:

http://sonicfoundry.com/forums/ShowMessage.asp?MessageID=192761&Replies=40&Page=3

**Side note - In the above thread something I had said in reply to SonicEPM's question was an even earlier quote from SonicEPM which actually answers the question you just asked:

"Just so everyone is clear about edls and Vegas: Vegas 4 has minimal project interchange support. We have never claimed otherwise. If on a regular basis you need to generate a rough cut for finishing in another app, or the reverse (import a rough cut from some other app), Vegas 4 is probably not the right tool for you."

However people have said that a CMX3600 EDL exported with the "exportedl.js" script will work within certian guidelines. (supports only 1 video and 1 audio track, supports cuts and cross fades (dissolves) only, assumes all audio is stereo and after export "all media" needs to be "in the same folder" as the EDL for the EDL to work) I did try this but did not have too much luck. I sent the EDL to an online editor who uses an Avid and while he did get the EDL to open it was useless as it only contained VV time and not the orginal SMPTE TC and all source tape numbers were 'unknown'. Thusly your results will vary.
BillyBoy wrote on 8/14/2003, 3:08 PM
The problem as I see it.... trying to put square pegs in round holes. Obviously trying to do so, you'll knock off the corners in the process.

Hint #1: Vegas wasn't designed to transport internals between various applications, IE decision lists for example. I swear, some day soon somebody is going to ask how do I plug my coffee maker into the firewire port?

Hint #2: Aside from you filmy and a few others I don't see a lot of "requests" for EDL's and other seldom used exotic features sometimes found in ultra high end editing software.

Hint #3: I hope those that make the most noise in the forum don't hope/expect to get the lion's share of attention simply because they are more vocal.

Hint #4: Wished for features more appropriately belong posted in the area set aside for requests elsewhere on the site.

Wondering if I'm the only one noticing that the tone of the forum seems to be moving more towards I want this and I want that, rant, rant, rant, Vegas SHOULD do (plug in biased opinion) as opposed to what use to be which was this is HOW you do such task as Vegas is presently configured.

BTW, WHO DOES use EDL lists?