Synching A1's at DVinfo.net

Barry Gribble · November 7th, 2006, 12:59 PM

I know that the A1 is missing the Genlock and Timecode interfaces, but is there any way to sync two A1's on a shoot? using the same remote? I don't need frame-by-frame synch, just enough to put them on the timeline together with out lining up the clapper.

Thanks in advance.

Chris Hurd · November 7th, 2006, 01:13 PM

Hi Barry,

There is a fairly simple process for this, as described in my article "Using Free Run Time Code as an External Sync Substitute for XL2 Multi-Camera Shoots." I wrote it for the XL2 but the exact same procedure applies to the XH A1.

The location of the article is http://www.dvinfo.net/canonxl2/articles/article11.php

Garrison Hayes · November 7th, 2006, 01:15 PM

I'm not to familiar with the A1 / G1's but when it comes to the Panasonic AG-DVX100B you can Synch video setting and all that good stuff through a Firwire cable...i'd imagine it would be simular with the Canon's

Thomas Smet · November 7th, 2006, 01:15 PM

Using the same remote to start them up may get you pretty close but it may not be perfect. The start time could be off by a frame or two due to how fast the tape gets rolling. Since the heads are not designed for perfect sync they may not be built to start up in the exact same amount of time in each camera. Usually nobody would notice this sort of delay or the amount of time it takes to start rolling a tape but when you are trying to sync two sources you may notice a few frame delay. You may get lucky and they will both start at exactly the same time but I wouldn't count on it.

With that said however you will get pretty close and much closer then you would if two people tried starting them at the same time by hand. It may be close enough for you to be able to just shift each camera in the timeline by a few frames by looking at things such as a camera flash or eye blink.

Chris Hurd · November 7th, 2006, 01:18 PM

My point with the Free Run TC sync is that the numbers will be the same between all cams; it doesn't matter if they're recording at the same time or paused or not. The Free Run procedure will get you close enough to allow for a difference of only a frame or two in post; pretty easy to match them up from there.

Barry Gribble · November 7th, 2006, 01:49 PM

Chris,

Great article, thanks... yeah, that might put me over the edge on buying two of those.

Michael Padilla · November 8th, 2006, 10:45 AM

I have three xl2's and let's just say this feature just isn't much of a feature.
I re-sync the cameras before every shoot in hopes that it will work but it never does.. it starts off perfect.. but in a little while (don't know when or how) it gets way out of sync with each other.. so much so that the matching frames have been up to 45 min apart from each other..

Although I have hopes for this feature on the xh-a1 as I have ordered two of them.. hope canon has made some adjustments so that this will work.

Chris if you have any posible thoughts as to what's going on or a fix it would be much appreciated!

November 7th, 2006, 12:59 PM	#1
Barry Gribble Major Player Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 817	Synching A1's I know that the A1 is missing the Genlock and Timecode interfaces, but is there any way to sync two A1's on a shoot? using the same remote? I don't need frame-by-frame synch, just enough to put them on the timeline together with out lining up the clapper. Thanks in advance. __________________ Barry Gribble Integral Arts, IMDB

November 7th, 2006, 01:13 PM	#2
Chris Hurd Obstreperous Rex Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: San Marcos, TX Posts: 27,366 Images: 513	Hi Barry, There is a fairly simple process for this, as described in my article "Using Free Run Time Code as an External Sync Substitute for XL2 Multi-Camera Shoots." I wrote it for the XL2 but the exact same procedure applies to the XH A1. The location of the article is http://www.dvinfo.net/canonxl2/articles/article11.php __________________ CH Search DV Info Net \| 20 years of DVi \| ...Tuesday is Soylent Green Day!

November 7th, 2006, 01:15 PM	#3
Garrison Hayes Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Atlanta, Ga USA Posts: 110	A1 Synching I'm not to familiar with the A1 / G1's but when it comes to the Panasonic AG-DVX100B you can Synch video setting and all that good stuff through a Firwire cable...i'd imagine it would be simular with the Canon's __________________ I'm in love... With my Panasonic AG-DVX100B. Triple M.

November 7th, 2006, 01:18 PM	#5
Chris Hurd Obstreperous Rex Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: San Marcos, TX Posts: 27,366 Images: 513	My point with the Free Run TC sync is that the numbers will be the same between all cams; it doesn't matter if they're recording at the same time or paused or not. The Free Run procedure will get you close enough to allow for a difference of only a frame or two in post; pretty easy to match them up from there. __________________ CH Search DV Info Net \| 20 years of DVi \| ...Tuesday is Soylent Green Day!

November 7th, 2006, 01:49 PM	#6
Barry Gribble Major Player Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 817	Chris, Great article, thanks... yeah, that might put me over the edge on buying two of those. __________________ Barry Gribble Integral Arts, IMDB

November 7th, 2006, 01:15 PM	#4
Thomas Smet Trustee Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Milwaukee, WI Posts: 1,719	Using the same remote to start them up may get you pretty close but it may not be perfect. The start time could be off by a frame or two due to how fast the tape gets rolling. Since the heads are not designed for perfect sync they may not be built to start up in the exact same amount of time in each camera. Usually nobody would notice this sort of delay or the amount of time it takes to start rolling a tape but when you are trying to sync two sources you may notice a few frame delay. You may get lucky and they will both start at exactly the same time but I wouldn't count on it. With that said however you will get pretty close and much closer then you would if two people tried starting them at the same time by hand. It may be close enough for you to be able to just shift each camera in the timeline by a few frames by looking at things such as a camera flash or eye blink.

November 8th, 2006, 10:45 AM	#7
Michael Padilla Major Player Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: O.C., CA United States Posts: 337	unfortunetly this doesn't work well I have three xl2's and let's just say this feature just isn't much of a feature. I re-sync the cameras before every shoot in hopes that it will work but it never does.. it starts off perfect.. but in a little while (don't know when or how) it gets way out of sync with each other.. so much so that the matching frames have been up to 45 min apart from each other.. Although I have hopes for this feature on the xh-a1 as I have ordered two of them.. hope canon has made some adjustments so that this will work. Chris if you have any posible thoughts as to what's going on or a fix it would be much appreciated!