Timecode Trouble..

ImageBrew · Jan 19, 2007

Hey everyone-

I shoot on a DVX100A and have enjoyed the consistent TC display obviously for shooting purposes as well as in post. Although, I may have accidentally changed somethign on my camera and can't get it back the way I want it. Now it records funny Timecode and I can't figure out how to get it back the way it was. What I mean by funny is that I may rewind a tape to the start and the numbers will not be even close to zero. Even blank tapes- if I record for 10 seconds as a test, then try to rewind back to zero, it rewinds the tape (I can hear it) but the timecode remains at 10 seconds. This has messed me up as far as trying to decipher how much accurate recording time is left on my tape.

I've read through my DVX manual a few more times and there's nothing helpful. Is this a common, easy to fix setting that I have it set on? Any help or words would be great.

MarkG · Jan 20, 2007

I don't know about the DVX100, but I do know some cameras have a variety of timecode recording options. Have you checked through the menus to see if you've accidentally enabled some unusual timecode setting?

ImageBrew · Jan 21, 2007

Mark-

Thanks for the idea, but this was one of the first things I did. I have played with all the TC menu settings, and still have troubles gettign it back to normal. I even checked in the manual which menu settings were default. I set them back to default and it's still off. As one last test I put in a brand new tape to see if that would automatically start the TC at 0:00:00:00, and it started at something crazy like 14:23:15:10!!! Weird...

ireallywanttodirect · Jan 22, 2007

Timecode Blues

Timecode Blues

Well, here's a few lines I hope help your timecode challenge. First, I suppose you checked your camera manual for user selectable menu to set the timecode where you like it. Next, are you running nondrop frame tc? (May not make a difference but might come into play.) What I am thinking is this, there may be a setting for "pre-roll" so that when you digitize or edit the machine can go back some and get a "running start" so that the mechanism can be at normal speed when your selected footage will start. Take the tape out and see if you can determine whether it would the tape all the way, or left a foot or so wrapped around the reel part of it. This helps to keep the tape that your taping on scotch type taped to the reel inside the case of the tape you are recording on. Make sense?

So, check to see if there is anything about preroll setting in your manual for your camera. This may solve your problem. If not,...

Look to see if your camera has a lithium battery somewhere. If it does it is what keeps the time setting on your camera just like a computer keeps time in CMOS by having a lithium battery on the motherboard. If you remove this battery long enough for the energy to drain from the camera (out of all the capacitors and all) you will find it is reset as if just out of the box when it was bought originally.

Try these two things and I think you will come out victorious, if not I have a few other ideas for you. Okay? Good luck!

tiel_99 · Jan 22, 2007

I've experienced this before on the Sony Z1, and the reason was simple: I had enabled the UB timecode which reads differently.

You may want to check what kind of TC you are on.

MarkG · Jan 22, 2007

Again, I don't know about the DVX100, but the Sony cameras I've used have a reset switch you can press with a paper-clip which should reset them to factory defaults; if the DVX100 does have one then you could try pressing that to clear out any bad settings.

cesu pro · Mar 13, 2007

there's a menu where you can set your TC if you have TC Preset enabled, in there you can set the TC to whatever you'd like.... i usually 00:59:00;00 then record a minute of color bars to each tape, so when i start recording it is at 01:00:00;00

this should get rid of your weird TC issue.... now, on to the issue of the TC not moving when you rewind, i don't know what to tell you, because i have the same issue with my dvx100a.... so if you find anything out on that, please let me know, it is frustrating when importing

element80 · Mar 14, 2007

tiel_99 said:
I've experienced this before on the Sony Z1, and the reason was simple: I had enabled the UB timecode which reads differently.

You may want to check what kind of TC you are on.

I'm pretty sure User Bit is a Sony-exclusive system