1st day with hc-5 good so far but... at DVinfo.net

Martin Labelle · June 20th, 2008, 07:46 PM

hello
I am very suprised of the result with hc-5 and the spot mode will compensate the lack of shutter control.What I am really missing is audio control and no headphone entrance.
but
There is a problem when I want to playback tapes from A1U, it stop all the time and I am missing a lot of images.
Is somebody experience that?
One of the main reason I bought it was for playback.

Dave Blackhurst · June 21st, 2008, 02:56 AM

WAG, but your tape mech failed on the A1U, right? Pretty decent chance it was drifting out of proper tracking alignment. That COULD explain your playback problems.

One possible "fix" is to fast forward and rewind the tapes in the HC5 before trying to capture and see if that allows the tapes to adapt to the tracking on the HC5. No guarantees, but I've had it work on SD machines, sometimes...

If you're still getting dropouts, open the cover over the tape and see if the tape edges are smooth or crinkled. Crinkled, you're probably out of luck, tracking was far enough off to damage the tape physically...

Martin Labelle · June 22nd, 2008, 04:40 AM

Hello Dave
What mean wag, and by forwarding the tapes I can bring some image but never long sequence 20 second max.And it forward auto from sequence to another sequence, sorry I am not able(don't know)the word to explain it, but it can jump and loose some second.
I think I will wait for A1U to be back from the doctor before playing wit the tapes.

and since I am there
is somebody would know a way to plug a beachtek to the audio control unit(xlr) of the A1U, the idea is to put the audio unit on my HC-5 so I can use my mic and the sounboard.
Is there plug xlr to xlr and would it work?
I would monitor by headphone.
Because I really love the Hc-5 the spot fuction is amazing on rock concert when there a lot of changing and moving lights.And I think hc-5 will be my main camera for concert(front row in the pit)and also some secure shot plugged in the sounboard.
Yesterday I filmed 12 bands(punk), most of them had different light operators and each have their own style. but with the Hc-5 I was catching the punch faster that I ever could with the A1U.lot less procedure and now I don't lose my singer in the dark for 1 or 2 second, I just have to push on the spot nad the exposure is correct.

Dave Blackhurst · June 22nd, 2008, 02:28 PM

WAG=Wild A** Guess - I was theorizing what the problem might be without access to the actual tapes/unit...

Once you have the A1U back you can experiment and see, but I'm suspicious that you will still have playback trouble if the A1U was reset for tracking... If you can actually take the tapes to the repair shop, you might want to have a sample from the HC5 and the A1U tapes both handy.

You probably should release the little safety catch on the part of the tape casette that covers the tape when the casette is outside the cam, tilt the cover back and have a look for physical damage to the tape - crinkled tape edges are a bad sign that tracking was so far off the tape actually was damaged, but if that's not the case, SOMETIMES you can recover by having someone who knows what they are doing manually tweak the tracking...

June 20th, 2008, 07:46 PM	#1
Martin Labelle Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: montreal Posts: 170	1st day with hc-5 good so far but... hello I am very suprised of the result with hc-5 and the spot mode will compensate the lack of shutter control.What I am really missing is audio control and no headphone entrance. but There is a problem when I want to playback tapes from A1U, it stop all the time and I am missing a lot of images. Is somebody experience that? One of the main reason I bought it was for playback.

June 21st, 2008, 02:56 AM	#2
Dave Blackhurst Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Apple Valley CA Posts: 4,874	WAG, but your tape mech failed on the A1U, right? Pretty decent chance it was drifting out of proper tracking alignment. That COULD explain your playback problems. One possible "fix" is to fast forward and rewind the tapes in the HC5 before trying to capture and see if that allows the tapes to adapt to the tracking on the HC5. No guarantees, but I've had it work on SD machines, sometimes... If you're still getting dropouts, open the cover over the tape and see if the tape edges are smooth or crinkled. Crinkled, you're probably out of luck, tracking was far enough off to damage the tape physically...

June 22nd, 2008, 04:40 AM	#3
Martin Labelle Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: montreal Posts: 170	Hello Dave What mean wag, and by forwarding the tapes I can bring some image but never long sequence 20 second max.And it forward auto from sequence to another sequence, sorry I am not able(don't know)the word to explain it, but it can jump and loose some second. I think I will wait for A1U to be back from the doctor before playing wit the tapes. and since I am there is somebody would know a way to plug a beachtek to the audio control unit(xlr) of the A1U, the idea is to put the audio unit on my HC-5 so I can use my mic and the sounboard. Is there plug xlr to xlr and would it work? I would monitor by headphone. Because I really love the Hc-5 the spot fuction is amazing on rock concert when there a lot of changing and moving lights.And I think hc-5 will be my main camera for concert(front row in the pit)and also some secure shot plugged in the sounboard. Yesterday I filmed 12 bands(punk), most of them had different light operators and each have their own style. but with the Hc-5 I was catching the punch faster that I ever could with the A1U.lot less procedure and now I don't lose my singer in the dark for 1 or 2 second, I just have to push on the spot nad the exposure is correct.

June 22nd, 2008, 02:28 PM	#4
Dave Blackhurst Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Apple Valley CA Posts: 4,874	WAG=Wild A** Guess - I was theorizing what the problem might be without access to the actual tapes/unit... Once you have the A1U back you can experiment and see, but I'm suspicious that you will still have playback trouble if the A1U was reset for tracking... If you can actually take the tapes to the repair shop, you might want to have a sample from the HC5 and the A1U tapes both handy. You probably should release the little safety catch on the part of the tape casette that covers the tape when the casette is outside the cam, tilt the cover back and have a look for physical damage to the tape - crinkled tape edges are a bad sign that tracking was so far off the tape actually was damaged, but if that's not the case, SOMETIMES you can recover by having someone who knows what they are doing manually tweak the tracking...