Timecode Sync FS700

[Vince Manganello]

Has anyone been able to jamsync 2 FS700s? I've read there's no timecode in, but I was wondering if anyone has found a workaround. I will rent a couple pix240s if I have to, but was hoping to figure something out with just the cams. Thanks.

[Tim Dashwood]

No actual timecode sync is possible, but you could use the old FREE RUN preset trick with the IR remote and just reset it if (when) it begins to slip.

[Paul Gale]

Apparently TC is output on the HDMI connection? Maybe that could be a route to something. No TC input though I don't think.

Just got an Odyssey 7Q and that apparently can output TC from the LTC IO. Again, no input to the 700 though :(

[Dan Keaton]

Dear Paul,

We designed the Odyssey7Q so that it can take in Industry Standard Timecode (LTC) as input, via a BNC connector and also designed it so that it can output LTC over the same BNC connector.

While the LTC input is currently supported, I do not think that our LTC output is enabled yet in the firmware.

I hope this helps.

Respectfully,

[Paul Gale]

Thanks Dan,

Do you know when LTC out is due to be enabled? Is it a simple option to enable or does it require a lot of coding and testing?

For me, I plan to use this to drive the ios app movieslate via a BNC to 3.5mm cable. I use this on my other cameras (pmw-350 and ex3 etc) and is a truly excellent way of logging and organising shots. I miss that on the FS700 as there's no LTC output. Being able to finally do this via the odyssey will be great.

If you've not had a look at movieslate, I'd recommend a look.

Just thinking - would be good to have even a few of those logging features inbuilt to the O7Q. Such as marking shots as good/no good, text notes etc. Maybe by a connected smart phone as the keyboard. If the O7Q has the CPU power to do this, that could be a whole extra feature set for it?

Cheers,

Paul.

[Chris Medico]

On my shoot yesterday we used a F3 and a FS700 for an interview setup. Since the FS700 doesn't accept timecode we used a PIX240 to record the FS700 and took TC from the F3 to drive the TC on the PIX. Worked perfectly. We dialed in 3 frames of offset due to the delay in the FS700s output.

Unfortunately my 7Q just sat on top of the F3 as a monitor:(

[Dan Keaton]

Originally Posted by Paul Gale

Thanks Dan,

Do you know when LTC out is due to be enabled? Is it a simple option to enable or does it require a lot of coding and testing?

For me, I plan to use this to drive the ios app movieslate via a BNC to 3.5mm cable. I use this on my other cameras (pmw-350 and ex3 etc) and is a truly excellent way of logging and organising shots. I miss that on the FS700 as there's no LTC output. Being able to finally do this via the odyssey will be great.

If you've not had a look at movieslate, I'd recommend a look.

Just thinking - would be good to have even a few of those logging features inbuilt to the O7Q. Such as marking shots as good/no good, text notes etc. Maybe by a connected smart phone as the keyboard. If the O7Q has the CPU power to do this, that could be a whole extra feature set for it?

Cheers,

Paul.

Dear Paul,

Our Priority has been to get our compressed codec finished, tested and certified.

I do not expect that enabling Timecode Out will be time consuming, but I do not know, at this moment, when we will add this feature.

We will be adding more features, such as some of the items you have suggested, in the future.

Respectfully,

[Dan Keaton]

Dear Friends,

I just learned from our team that our Odyssey7Q will support Timecode Out in our next firmware release.

Thus, unless you are using our Timecode BNC I/O for Timecode Input, the timecode output function, over this BNC will be enabled.

Thus, if timecode comes in to our unit via HD-SDI then we will output this as LTC (Linear Time Code) via the timecode BNC.

Respectfully,

[Paul Gale]

Thanks Dan, that's great news.

I presume the connector auto senses so no settings needed in the menu?

Cheers,

Paul.

[Dan Keaton]

Dear Paul,

If you set, in the Menu System, Timecode source, to LTC (Linear Time code input from the BNC connector), then the Odyssey7Q will use this connector for timecode input.

Otherwise, timecode is sent out via the BNC connector.

Respectfully,

[Paul Gale]

I just got around to trying the TC out - and was very surprised to see that it actually does work now, without the next firmware update.

Have a look at the attached image - shows the O7Q feeding MovieSlate on the iPad.

Works really well with one technical issue - when the camera is in the paused mode, the O7Q seems to output either nothing or 00:00:00:00. I think it should be outputting the same TC as is shown on the screen.

Dan - I'll submit this to tech support too.

It is useable though. Wonder what he actual changes are for the next firmware?

Paul.

[Sami Sanpakkila]

I will be out on a shoot next week with the O7Q and we'd like to sync it to our soundguys Sound Devices 744T The 744T Portable, Four-Track Audio Recorder with Time Code | Sound Devices, LLC

Would that work and what would be the settings if anyone knows?

[Dan Keaton]

Dear Sami,

You can connect a timecode cable, with a BNC connector, to the Timecode Input on the Odyssey7Q.

Be certain to use 1.11.100 firmware, our latest.

Then setup the timecode source to be LTC (which is the BNC Timecode input connector).

Keep the timecode cable connected.

Respectfully,