External Monitor Preview w/ RF Modulator
 

Long time reader, 1st post! Question: will the external monitor preview in Vegas 6 work with a RF Modulator on an older TV? I followed Douglas’ instructions on the VASST site and I’m using the pass through method with the Panasonic GS-120 camcorder. So far I can see the preview on the camcorder’s LCD, but the TV’s just showing snow. Just wondering if there’s any adjustments I can make with this particular setup or will I need to get a new TV with the proper plugs in the back?

You can always run firewire to the camera, RCA or S-Vid to a VCR, and then coax from the VCR to the TV (if that's what it needs). You just need to find the right combination to convert the signal to what the TV needs.

Turner I used Edward's method PLUS a Dazzle convertor for quite sometime with V3 and V4 - and it worked. But that was before I had a DV camera. Grazie

The snow would indicate one of the following:

1. TV set to the wrong channel
2. bad cable or connection somewhere
3. problem with the modulator itself

Try connecting another video source to the modulator for starters to isolate the problem. The VCR solution is also a good one since it has a modulator built into it. Regardless, I don't think it's a software or firewire problem since you've got an image on the camcorer's LCD.

Thanks for the replies, guys! After tinkering with it a bit more tonight I’ve come to the conclusion that there’s probably something wrong with the Modulator. I’ve tried hooking it up to my DVD player, Laptop, Portable DVD player and the red ON display on the Modulator won’t switch to green. So I don’t think the Modulator is reading the hardware I’m plugging into it. Anyways, I’ll swing by Radio Shack and swap it out to see if there’s really something wrong with Modulator or if I’m just not hooking it up correctly.

Ed, thanks for the VCR info. I’ll try that method out if the new Modulator doesn’t work out tomorrow. Just wondering, though; does it make a difference if the VCR doesn’t have the red (audio?) plug or S-Video capability on the back of the unit?

Naturally S-Vid will give a better signal that RCA. However, you will have to determine how much better. Besides, many TV's don't have S-Vid in so you have to go to RCA anyway.

I got the External Monitor up and working after returning and swapping out the RF Mod I bought a few days ago. Thanks all for the tips and info! OK, now I have a new question about the time/date stamp showing up on the External Monitor preview. If I’d like to remove the time and date stamp of the footage on the External Monitor (doesn’t show up on the editing window); do I need to change the settings for the camcorder before I shoot or can this be removed with a setting in Vegas? Many thanks!

I suppose it depends on the camcorder. Sony camcorders have a "data code" button that will cycle through different options each time you push it. It can show the time/date, the exposure information, or nothing. There is also an option to display this information only on the camera's LCD screen, or both the LCD and an external monitor.

Check your camera manual; in all likelihood you can make it disappear.

"If I’d like to remove the time and date stamp of the footage on the External Monitor (doesn’t show up on the editing window); " .. . . . Your, "(doesn’t show up on the editing window)" .. are you saying here that you have the TDS being displayed on the ExMon, but NOT in/on the Vegas Timeline? That is very strange.


" . . do I need to change the settings for the camcorder before I shoot or can this be removed with a setting in Vegas? Many thanks!" Ok, TDS can be "burnt" into the video at the time of recording. Is this what you want to know? But once burnt in you cannot remove them. This MAYBE what you want and then again this may NOT be what you want. If are wanting to post capture have the TDS available, but not permanently etched into the video, then do as Boyd says - I too can do this with my XM2. Now, here is the rub, and I can only speak for my XM2. I can only display this info directly playing the tape FROM my XM2. If I place the tape in my Panasonic dv deck, I cannot display the TDS. Yeah, bummer.

However, there is a piece of free software that WILL take a dvstream and DISPLAY the TDS once captured onto a PC. I have the link somewhere. If I find it again I post it here.

But none of this above gets to the real crux of the matter, and that is exactly what is it you are wanting to achieve? What is the workflow and the final purpose of all this activity? Meaning, do you just want a reference for the purposes of editing OR are you, for example, needing to present some form of deposition - where TDS is very important? So, let's hear what it is you really want to achieve - yeah?

Now, what I have done in the past is to make a "dummy" VHS - yes VHS which includes TDS - and have then captured THIS dummy to the Vegas t/l. And yes it is burnt-in. But it was a reference, and it could/did include my camera settings so I could analyse my fantastic ( wink! ) camera work. Seriously excellent way to learn about one's settings.

As to Vegas turning the TDS on/off this is not possible. If you have burnt in the TDS, short of creating a "mask" over the area of the TDS - yuck! - it will be there - period. What Vegas CAN do through the Fxs is add a running Timecode ( not the same as a TDS ) so this can be used as a displayable numerical reference. Now THAT you can turn on and off!

In summary:

* Burn it in FOREVER when capturing

* Make copy of output FROM camera with TDS being displayed

* If using purely as an editing reference tool, use the Vegas TIMECODE Fx

. . or . .. when I do find it, lol! the . .

* TDS freeware s/w

So, I hope I have offered you some solutions, to something I am not REALLY sure what you are wanting to achieve - lol!

WARNING! I would never, unless instructed, in writing by a client, burn TDS into the video - unless I had forgotten I had set this up .. and yes this is one of the biggest fears camera people have . . gets very close to Not switching on the mics, pressing PAUSE instead of REC, not having tape in the camera or forgetting to take the lens cap off . .. woah .. . scary stuff . ..

Grazie

How soon they forget :-)
DVdate at http://paul.glagla.free.fr/dvdate_en.htm is probably what Grazie is thinking of. There's several other useful utilities on this guy's site as well.

Mike

. . well at least I went to great trouble in typing out all that stuff . .AND I hadn't forgotten - I DID remember it actually existing! - I just didn't have the link to hand .. . ;-)


Grazie

Grazie, I hope you didn't take any offence to my comments (that's why the smiley was there). Your continuing contributions to this and other Vegas forums is always appreciated.

Mike

Not at all .. not at all . . . Mike, you too give great support . . . Hell, I was just amazed at myself I had EVEN remembered about the Monsieur Paul's s/w at all!

Peace & Love . . .Peace & Love . . . G :)

The time/date issue I was having was just a few simple camcorder clicks a way. I probably should’ve checked that before asking a question about that anyways. Now on to attempting to calibrate the TV and trying to color correct for the first time. Once again, thanks for all that pointed me in the right direction with their knowledge and expertise.

. . .er yeah? Which was what exactly? Please .. . Point being here is that we can ALL learn from somebody's experience. I'm listening Turner .. . truly!

Grazie