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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 :)

How to Access Jam Sync Mode on Epic

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alex herter

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Hey everyone,
I tried posting a similar question in another audio forum. I am trying to sync an Epic with a Sound Devices 552, Decode GR-1 box and a Decode TS-2sb smart slate. I have the RED 3 cable w/ time code, genlock and start. Most of the information I am reading about doing the Jam sync says I need to access Jam Sync Mode. However, I can't find it in the menu. Is it there or is there a better way to perform this sequence. Thanks.
 
You will need to connect your timecode source to the yellow BNC of that cable. Plug the lemo into the SYNC port on the back of the brain. Then in menus, go to Settings->Project->Time Code and
select Time Code Source = Use External

When timecode is then supplied, the camera will be jammed to that time code at every :00 crossing. While connected, the TC icon will turn green indicating successful time code jam is occurring.

NOTE: This only jams the time code and in no way affects sensor sync.
 
Dave Winder said:
You will need to connect your timecode source to the yellow BNC of that cable. Plug the lemo into the SYNC port on the back of the brain. Then in menus, go to Settings->Project->Time Code and
select Time Code Source = Use External

When timecode is then supplied, the camera will be jammed to that time code at every :00 crossing. While connected, the TC icon will turn green indicating successful time code jam is occurring.

NOTE: This only jams the time code and in no way affects sensor sync.
Click to expand...

Hey Dave,
Thanks alot. The TC is green on the camera and it looks to be jamming. However, the camera's time code isn't moving the way the GR-1 and TS-2sb slate are.
 
Are you in edge time code mode? That will only 'move' when recording.
 
Hi Alex

Can you describe what you mean about "all devices to talk to eachother"? As you have said you are getting the green TC icon. That means you are jamming the time code successfully. if you switch the displayed TC over to TOD, you can verify that it matches your time code source. When you are displaying Edge TC, that only increments for each recorded frame and spans files without gaps. For instance, your second clip edge code will pick up one frame after the edge code of the end of your first clip. There really isnt much else to this.
 
Dave Winder said:
Hi Alex

Can you describe what you mean about "all devices to talk to eachother"? As you have said you are getting the green TC icon. That means you are jamming the time code successfully. if you switch the displayed TC over to TOD, you can verify that it matches your time code source. When you are displaying Edge TC, that only increments for each recorded frame and spans files without gaps. For instance, your second clip edge code will pick up one frame after the edge code of the end of your first clip. There really isnt much else to this.
Click to expand...

Hey Dave,
It turns out the splitter connecting from the BNC was bad and that was causing the green TC code to not read correctly. Everything seems to be working now. Thanks for your help with this.
 
Can I ask, as we are doing the same at the moment between three Epics/Scarlets. The TC seems to slip badly and especially after shutting the camera down and restarting, obviously we are not leaving it jammed...just connecting the tc cable then disconnecting. I know keeping it connected is the best way but commonly on most cameras this is enough for shortish periods and holds true after shutdown and power up.
 
With the cable disconnected after initial jam, we check TC every time we turn on the camera (it usually stays jammed if turned off for a short time, but NOT always...). When the camera is on for a long time, we still check TC every hour, just to be sure. Advice: do not trust the TC when cable is not connected (In our case, we rarely keep it connected, but have learned to keep vigilant and always use a slate).
 
I need to set up my Scarlet like this soon.

Any tips using a Sound Devices 744T?

What do I need as far as sync boxes go?

Any suggestions?
 
Presuming you're pulling directly into the brain?

Any good sync box should work, it's the cable you need to worry about (a BNC-to-REDEpic/Scarlet jam/sync cable -- which is 5pin instead of the traditional 4pin... $60-80 to buy, dollars a day to rent)... Sound guy should know about it and where to get it (a bunch of the local audio shops make/sell/rent them).

Set your timecode to "Brain Exterior" (or something like that; I forget the exact wording)... When connected right the "TC" logo turns green (and stays green with as long as the sync box is always connected)... and then just re-jam the sync box every half-day or so (though I think they're fine for 12hours+, it's just good practice to keep them from slipping). OH, and I seem to recall RED's in general have a tendency to be a frame off for some reason (those this could have been an old issue).
 
Ha, yeah, I remember that thread. You don't need the RED breakout cable (which is super expensive, and would take a while to ship)... You can get the cable pre-made from any decent audio shop in the city for ~$60 plus tax... Maybe less. It's only one BNC-to-5pin Lemo and only for timecode though (where as RED's is Jam/Sync/Trigger or whatever), but I think the RED cable is like $250...

While I can see why the sound person would claim it's the camera guy's issue (because the cable is proprietary to RED cameras), REDs are used on so many shoots that it's kind of an oversight for him/her *not* to have one. It's little things like that that will make everyone else on set happy to use said sound person again...

ALSO, while I did that project by jamming directly from the 744t to camera as often as possible (every boot), a lockit box is a much better option and far less of a hassle for the sound person.
 
Thanks Mike very helpful tips ;)

At the moment its a stop gap fix to make the Director happy.

He is not comfortable with using NLE sync options and would like the actual TC.

Another topic of discussion I am sure :)
 
A quick look at the specs show the TC port is 5 pin LEMO. This would require a LEMO to BNC adapter (sound devices XL-LB2), or a custom cable for 5 pin Lemo to our 4pin spec.
 
Dave Winder said:
A quick look at the specs show the TC port is 5 pin LEMO. This would require a LEMO to BNC adapter (sound devices XL-LB2), or a custom cable for 5 pin Lemo to our 4pin spec.
Click to expand...


Thanks again Dave :)

Now with this setup, the audio recorder takes the clock off the Scarlet correct?
 
No the TC port on the Scarlet is input only. So you will be sending timecode to the Scarlet from the 744T. Audio Recorder will be the master, or perhaps at least jammed from some other master, but Scarlet is always a slave to TC source.
 
Dave Winder said:
No the TC port on the Scarlet is input only. So you will be sending timecode to the Scarlet from the 744T. Audio Recorder will be the master, or perhaps at least jammed from some other master, but Scarlet is always a slave to TC source.
Click to expand...

Thanks again, this is all new to me ;)
 
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