I was under the impression that I could sync two hmc150 cameras with free-run timecode, but it won't let me. I can only sync the time code in rec-run. When I try it in free-run, I get an error.

Is that so? Forgive my ignorance, but how would that help anyone unless the operators hit the record button at the EXACT same time? I thought if I can sync free-run timecodes on 3 cameras, it would be super easy to multi-cam sync in post... correct?

Thanks,
Dan

You must not be doing something correctly. Make sure they're both set to exactly the same recording format, same timecode format (DF or NDF), etc.

You definitely sync them in free run; syncing in rec run makes no sense.

I also had problems getting this to work, and posted about it on another forum. Here are the steps I used to finally get it working:

1. With power off on both cameras, connect the RCA cable to the video out/TC in-out jacks.

2. Power up both cameras.

3. Set camera A to Free Run, and then to Master. 'Outputting LTC Signal' message is visible. DO NOT hit the Menu button to exit--this will cancel the Master setting. (This is what I was doing wrong before, I think.)

4. Set camera B to Free Run, and then to Slave. 'Press TC Reset' message is visible. Press the TC reset button, and the 'TC Link OK' message will appear.

5. Only then can I exit the menus on both cameras by hitting the Menu buttons on each. If I don't do this, after a few seconds, the messages disappear and the LCD display returns to normal, with TC running on both cameras.

6. Disconnect the RCA cable.

Hopefully this will help.

So this is only something you need to do at power up ? Interesting. I'm guessing the video connector is free for video output after this point.

Does this scheme work with any BNC-timecode signal ? Could I sync up to a broadcast camera that offers TC I/O ?

What would the drift be like after a while? What about changing record formats?

You can do it at any time, not just at power up. And yes, the video connector becomes a composite video output port after you're done sync'ing.

Yes, it will work with any LTC timecode signal. It doesn't read VITC but if your device has LTC, you can sync to it, so yes you can sync to broadcast cameras that offer TC I/O.

Drift, well, it's not a jam sync, it's free run, so yes there's the possibility of drift. Also, any time you toggle back and forth between camera and playback mode there's the potential of introducing a few frames' drift. Resync'ing is very easy if you need to.