Time Code Breaks in 20-min clip--Ping Marisa--MacDV Digest #1816

[Ted Langdell]

Hi, Marisa...

FCP is trying to tell you that the time code is not continuous in the
section of tape you're trying to capture in one take.

Breaks can happen when a tape is removed from the camera and then put back
in without finding the end of the last video, and backing up a few frames
into it, so the camera's time code generator picks up the time code and
continues on from the place you parked it.

Any small (even one frame) gaps or jumps in the time code can generate this
error.  Also resets to 00:00:00:00 caused by leaving a blank spot in the
tape.

Time code breaks or errors (in DV format equipment) can also happen when a
clogged video head creates a problem either during recording or playback.
you may see the time code in your camcorder viewfinder or LCD screen
"stutter"... freezing for a fraction of a second or so, then "catching up."
The time code It may be accompanied by video and/or audio breakup.

So, what to do?  

Try playing back the tape in another machine and see if the timecode still
has problems.  Try capturing from the new machine and see if that works.

No spare machine?  Try cleaning the tape path with a cleaning tape.  Don't
use it for too long... (Sony's tape says 12 seconds) or you can cause
excessive head wear.

If neither of the above fix the problem, then the tape more than likely was
not recorded properly, possibly due to a clogged or partly clogged head
during recording.

Some possible fixes:

Check the part of the tape you want to capture for breaks... and capture the
parts on either side of the breaks as continuous segments.

If you have to break it up into, say, three pieces... you can try to pull
the three pieces into a timeline, match the frames at the end of each
segment with the beginning of the next, and then export the "combined"
pieces as a FCP or Quicktime Movie, then add the movie to your project bin.

Unbroken time code is important, especially if you ever have to delete the
captured clips and then want to "batch capture" all or some of the clips
again.

If you're dealing with "stuttering" time code, with or without picture
breakup--  Try making either a firewire digital copy of the tape to another
machine... starting the recorder first, and see whether that solves the
problem.

If not... try making an analog copy to a DV camcorder or deck or Digital 8
camcorder that has analog INPUTS.  That should give you a copy with minimal
loss and create continuous time code.

I'm going to have to use one of these methods to save a couple of tapes from
a client's wedding that had a head clog during recording.

At least I have video and audio to work with. The pixellated garbage along
the right hand side of the video is not attractive, but it's better than
losing the whole ceremony.

Hope this is helpful.

Ted.


> From: "Macintosh Digital Video List" <MacDV at lists.themacintoshguy.com>
> Date: Tue, 24 Dec 2002 12:41:39 -0800
> To: "Macintosh Digital Video List" <MacDV at lists.themacintoshguy.com>
> Subject: MacDV Digest #1816
> 
> 
> From: "Marisa D'Vari \(Deg.Com Communications\)" <mdvari at deg.com>
> Subject: [MacDV] Final Cut Pro
> Date: Tue, 24 Dec 2002 13:53:00 -0500
> Message-ID: <005101c2ab84$7318e7c0$fef8fea9 at Marisa>
> 
> I'm a bit new to fcp -- any great lists or help with capturing a twenty
> minute clip?  I can save smaller clips, but this one won't capture --
> message, time code breaks.
> 
> 
> Thanks in advance!