Recall time and date for a tape?
 

Hi Guys

Is it possible to bring up a time and date for a tape recorded on the XHA1, so I verify what date my footage was recorded please?

I didn't originally record with a time and date onto tape, but was hopeful of this information being 'invisibly' recorded onto the tape?

Warm regards


Peter

see "Displaying the Data Code" in the manual.

Hi

You can chose to display the data code either by:

- Select to view the data code in the menu: Menu > Display Setup > Datacode.
- Pressing the Data Code button on the wireless remote control.
- Assign the Data Code display to one of the Custom Keys.

- The data dislayed is date, time and camera settings as shutter speed, gain and exposure.
- It's only displayed on the LCD/EWF or an external monitor, not on the video itself when you capture it to a computer.
- Unfortenately the Data Code doesn't contain info about which scene file you are using. By setting the Custom Function "Simult.IMG.REC" to 02 (=ON+CP DATA) and if you take a still picture while recording there will be a text file on the memory card with the same number as the still picture. This text file describes what scene file you are using and also each parameter setting for this scene file. This info in combination with the Data Code gives more or less all info there is about the camcorder settings used in that moment. The only info that's missing is the White Balance setting.


Regards,

/Bo

Of course its accuracy relies on you setting the clock correctly and changing it for summer and winter time, or for when you cross continents.

I've found it incredibly useful when people have given me bundles of tapes that they want put onto DVD. Lots of customers have no idea which tapes were taken when, and its at times like these I praise the foresight of the meta-data designers back in the early 90s.

I'll offer a tip that admittedly probably has limited appeal. I set all of my cameras' clocks to GMT and keep 'em there. That way, no matter where in the world the image was taken, whether it was Daylight Time or Standard time, I always have an unequivocal date and time hack with no muss, no fuss.

I agree with that. In South Africa I had both D200s, the Sony HVR-A1, the Nikon P6000, the Netbook, the GPS unit, the Edirol, etc, all on GMT and checked that they were all saying the same times before I left. It makes it much easier to match pictures to places, and if everything is always on the same zone, you don't have to worry about forgetting to change everything when you get back home.

That's great guys, thanks for all your valuable feedback.

Warm regards


Peter