Hello,

All this summer, everything I've shot on my DVX has given timecode breaks after about 20 minutes of shooting on a fresh tape. The video appears fine when I view it, but upon capture I often can't get more than 30 seconds before I have to capture a new clip.

I have tried restarting the camera, telling Final Cut 4.5 to ignore timecode breaks, cleaning the heads of the DVX and trashing FCP4.5 Prefs. Sometimes I get lucky but the problem keeps cropping up (I can see the timecode break indicator in the DVX viewfinder).

Please, I need advice, if anyone can think of something to solve this recurring problem.

-Craig

Info:

I shot on TDK tapes first for a year of camera ownership, then used a couple of Maxells (ran out of tapes one week), then switched to FujiFilm DVC60. I performed cleaning upon each switch and have always "packed" my tapes (fast forward to end and rewind to end before shooting).

Also, my current project involves shooting in 24P-Advanced mode which complicates the capture somewhat.

go to the menu and in recording options turn the TCG change Free Run to Rec Run
this will solve you problem

It's been set on Rec Run. I've tried Free Run in the past with some limited success.

wtf?
you got me.

the anti time code break tutorial for the DVX:
(or, how it works for me)

* after setting your time code preset, record the first 10 seconds (with bars or whatever you feel like).

* go back to the menu and change time code setting from PRESET to REGEN
this will regenerate the existing timecode from wherever you start to record, rather than go on from the last recorded timecode, in PRESET

* record another second or two.

* you're basically fixed. what you need to do now, whenever the camera switches to STNDBY, before hitting record again, push the FFW (>>) jog slightly, and let go before the last timecode appears. take same procedure after switching camera off>on
train yourself to:
1. look at the last time code BEFORE hitting the ">>", so you're ready in time to leave the jog
2. always to leave a little "tail" before you stop recording. that will make it easier to recognize an end of a shot


no more timecode breaks here ever since ;)
hope it helps...