Edirol R-4 Pro
 

I am thinking of getting an Edirol R-4 Pro to record audio with my JVC HD100 camera. I have two questions.

1. I know I can record 4 channels of audio, but can I mix them all down to one channel to send to the camera as reference? I want to be able to record the boom and three lavs to the Edirol and at the sametime send a mix of all four channels to the camera for reference.

2. What is the best way to sync timecode between my JVC and the Edirol?

The best way is probably a digital slate, like one of the Denecke models.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...Time_Code.html

I thought I remember seeing a device that would take out of your camera and convert the timecode to LTC SMPTE to use with other devices. I did some searches and can't find anything, so maybe I am wrong.

The slate you are talking about would be synced to the R-4 and I would have to manualy sync my picture and sound. Correct?

Yes. The slate's digital time-code display would be visible in every shot you use it in, so it would be pretty easy to sync sound with image.

1) Sure you can send a your audio to a camera as a reference. Pan your boom mic to one track and your lavs to the other.

2) Another method...since the jvc100 doesn't have TC in or out for slavage...is to run both units at time of day TC, free run, non-drop frame. Start them running at the same time to get you in the ball park.

The TC will be discontinuous, so you need to allow for extra pre-roll and post roll for the editing system.

Before each take, send a reference tone from your mixer to be recorded on ALL tracks. A series of three beeps should give you enough to visually line the waveforms up on the Editing timeline for syncage.