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  • Hey all, just changed over the backend after 15 years I figured time to give it a bit of an update, its probably gonna be a bit weird for most of you and i am sure there is a few bugs to work out but it should kinda work the same as before... hopefully :)

Anybody here using Scarlets time code to sync external audio recorder?

Joel Arvidsson

Joel Arvidsson

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Just curios if you have great experience with this and what external recorder you are using?
 
Timecode output will not be available until the ProIO module. The Scarlet (and Epic) brain timecode connection is input only.
 
On my shoots the mixer typically sets the timecode and then jams to the other devices including the camera, slate, timecode box and other recorders. It's typical to either jam the camera directly or to jam the timecode box and attach that to the TC input of the camera for a constant feed. On some shoots jamming is done twice a day to prevent possible drift. Unfortunately, RED has chosen a non-standard input (standard is lemo or BNC) so an adapter is required.

The production mixer that your project hires should, obviously, have a timecode enabled recorder. Most of the normal recorders (a Zoom is not a normal production recorder, FYI) you'll see being used by a Production Mixer will have timecode. Sound Devices: 702T, 744T, 788T (the T denotes timecode). Zaxcom Deva and Nomad have it, as well as some of their wireless mic systems. Also the Aaton Cantar, of course.
 
Thanks for clearing that up. I thought I got a timecode generator inside the body. Do you know how the sound devices pix 240 communicate with epic/scarlet then? I thought it got the timecode from the red camera but maby it was the other way around.

Arnold F. said:
The production mixer that your project hires should, obviously, have a timecode enabled recorder. Most of the normal recorders (a Zoom is not a normal production recorder, FYI) you'll see being used by a Production Mixer will have timecode. Sound Devices: 702T, 744T, 788T (the T denotes timecode). Zaxcom Deva and Nomad have it, as well as some of their wireless mic systems. Also the Aaton Cantar, of course.
Click to expand...

TASCAM HD-P2 have time code inputs but no generator. So I guess it would not work but I have mailed Tascam about this.
 
Just curious: What happens afterwards, when you have your RED footage in one folder, and audio in another folder. Can you automaticly synch this up, using some kind of batch process? What programs to use for this?

Another question:
Is REDCINE-X able to synch audio tracks to the RAW file? So that when you import the .R3D file, then the audio file follows along into the editing program?
 
I have not used either of the PIX recorders but here is the page at their website for it. Sound Devices make fine gear.

EDIT: The Pix 240 has a TC out via BNC, like the Dencke time code box I linked to earlier. I assume that it just feeds the camera timecode the same way any other like device would.
 
The JUMPSTART LTC iPhone app works great. Get the Red sync cable, adapt the end to 1/8" and it will work with everything. I have used it to sync multiple Red Ones, Epics, Scarlets, audio recorders. Best $19 I ever spent!
 
This is intriguing. My assumption is that it's not as accurate as a real Ambient timecode clock but useful for starting multiple devices if you do so within a relatively short amount of time? Or can you only start one device with it? It would certainly help start my Denecke TS-C slate, which is a real pain to set to a particular time.


jimhare said:
The JUMPSTART LTC iPhone app works great. Get the Red sync cable, adapt the end to 1/8" and it will work with everything. I have used it to sync multiple Red Ones, Epics, Scarlets, audio recorders. Best $19 I ever spent!
Click to expand...
 
Thomas Koba said:
Just curious: What happens afterwards, when you have your RED footage in one folder, and audio in another folder. Can you automaticly synch this up, using some kind of batch process? What programs to use for this?

Another question:
Is REDCINE-X able to synch audio tracks to the RAW file? So that when you import the .R3D file, then the audio file follows along into the editing program?
Click to expand...

In RedCineX Pro, you select a bin of R3D files, select the folder where your audio files reside, and click 'sync'. It's done so fast that the first time I did it I didn't think anything happened. Perfect sync.
 
The Movie Slate app also has a TC synch module that can send or receive LTC.

It can also synch other devices running the app continuously via WiFi. http://www.movie-slate.com/FAQs They don't currently offer cables with a Lemo connector, but surely they could be custom made. They have a few links here: http://www.movie-slate.com/Timecode_Cables/ you should be able to use this: http://www.kvconnection.com/product-p/km-iphone-bnc-a22.htm and this: http://www.red.com/store/cables/product/3bnc-to-00-lemo-sync-cable.
 
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Scott Crawley said:
The Movie Slate app also has a TC synch module that can send or receive LTC.
It can also synch other devices running the app continuously via WiFi. http://www.movie-slate.com/FAQs They don't currently offer cables with a Lemo connector, but surely they could be custom made. They have a few links here: http://www.movie-slate.com/Timecode_Cables/ you should be able to use this: http://www.kvconnection.com/product-p/km-iphone-bnc-a22.htm and this: http://www.red.com/store/cables/product/3bnc-to-00-lemo-sync-cable.
Click to expand...
Wow ... this is perty impressive stuff ( http://www.movie-slate.com/Timecode_Sync/ ) ... only cable I don't have is the iphone to bnc ... so i will order that and try this out. Anyone actually using this app?

[ you need the plugin for this app to work ... so is 24 + 50 $ ... i.e. basically 75$ ... kind of expensive for a ipad app, with the ipad connector ... is another 30$ .... so I'm at 100$ ... hmmm ]
 
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Note that you still need a crystal-controlled timecode generator as a source for MovieSync (mentioned in the FAQ).

There is a new wireless timecode system being introduced at NAB by a new British company, Timecode Buddy, and this is the real deal: real timecode, transmitted in packets, and the receivers automatically jam in the event of a break in transmission. It looks good on paper; we'll see how it is in real life.

Note it's not cheap: $995 for transmitter, and I believe $350 per receiver. But this means cameras, sound recorder, slate, and script supervisor could all have identical, reliable timecode wirelessly.
 
Hi Arnold. I use it to sync up to 7 cameras plus the sound recorder. I try to sync them all within about 5 minutes of each other and have always found them to be accurate to the frame. Possibly some subframe variances going on but for me it's more than close enough. All depends on what you're trying to do.

Arnold F. said:
This is intriguing. My assumption is that it's not as accurate as a real Ambient timecode clock but useful for starting multiple devices if you do so within a relatively short amount of time? Or can you only start one device with it? It would certainly help start my Denecke TS-C slate, which is a real pain to set to a particular time.
Click to expand...
 
Do you know how the sound devices pix 240 communicate with epic/scarlet then? I thought it got the timecode from the red camera but maby it was the other way around.
Click to expand...



You are correct. In that example the PIX240 is getting the camera generated timecode via HD-SDI .

i.e. the timecode, audio and clip name are all embedded into the camera's HD-SDI video output, so the PIX240 picks up all of those from there ( or in the case of audio, it can record from it's own XLR audio inputs and ignore the camera's digital audio output)

So no need for external timecode generators in this example.
 
Marc raises a good point to note for those who might be new to timecode. At this time, I would not rely on an iphone or ipad app to maintain accurate timecode. One mentioned above could be useful for starting timecode on multiple devices that have real timecode generators/clocks within them if, say, you didn't have the cables to jam everything together or, like my slate, starting at a particular time is a clunky process. But, like my slate, any device that must keep timecode must have a timecode clock/generator.

In my experience, it is (for whatever reason) typically the Production Mixer who sees to sync and has the appropriate cables. This is not meant to be a dig at anyone, but I've noted a lack of interest in sync amongst camera operators. Perhaps it's because they have come rely on the mixers to handle it. Chicken/egg question maybe.


Marc Wielage said:
Note that you still need a crystal-controlled timecode generator as a source for MovieSync (mentioned in the FAQ).

There is a new wireless timecode system being introduced at NAB by a new British company, Timecode Buddy, and this is the real deal: real timecode, transmitted in packets, and the receivers automatically jam in the event of a break in transmission. It looks good on paper; we'll see how it is in real life.

Note it's not cheap: $995 for transmitter, and I believe $350 per receiver. But this means cameras, sound recorder, slate, and script supervisor could all have identical, reliable timecode wirelessly.
Click to expand...
 
Arnold F. said:
I have not used either of the PIX recorders but here is the page at their website for it. Sound Devices make fine gear.

EDIT: The Pix 240 has a TC out via BNC, like the Dencke time code box I linked to earlier. I assume that it just feeds the camera timecode the same way any other like device would.
Click to expand...

It also has a lemo connector.
 
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