Using tape's timecode?

[Jeremiah Rickert]

We just shot a live event, multi-camera shoot using Canon XL2's. On each camera we set a running time-code that was based on the time of day. I've captured two of the tapes so far into Vegas, but can't seem to get Vegas to display that running timecode. It always starts at 0:00.

I noticed if I right-clicked on the file on the timeline, that there was an option to use a "custom time code" and in the little box it had the one we'd gotten from the running timecode (beginning about 7:11pm so it's 7:10:58:11, but vegas still displayed 0:00. I'd like to use this running timecode to sync the footage.

Anyone know if there's some other setting I'm missing?

Thanks!

[Edward Troxel]

Try adding the timecode to the media on the Project Media tab. There's actually a script to add the timecode to all media in the Project Media and another script to remove them. That will show the actual timecode in the clip.

[Jeremiah Rickert]

That did help considerably. Amazing how some of those features can stay buried in the menus and you never think to go looking for them. :)


The other workaround I found was to have the counter start at the beginning timecode from the tape.

When I go into Multi-cam editing mode, will Vegas see the common timecode from the three tracks and automatically sync them, or do I still need to line them up by hand?


Thanks again.

Jeremiah

[Edward Troxel]

Vegas has some syncing options there but I've always done it by hand.

[Seth Bloombaum]

Like Edward, I do this by hand as well.

Here's the speedy method I worked out:

Turn on Options | Preferences | Video | Show Source Frame Numbers on Event Thumbnails as | Timecode.
(this gives you a new default timeline display of timecode on each event, no need to apply a filter)
(if you like this sort of thing, you might turn on View | Active Take Information as well, I always have both of these turned on)

Note the starting timecode, eg. 16:21:01.

Hit ctrl-g. Notice that the counter in the lower right of the timeline is now highlighted and editable.

Type in that TC, separated by periods, eg. 16.21.01, hit Enter. Your timeline cursor is now parked at that TC.

Either drop a marker and snap the event to it, or, just (carefully) drag the event and snap it to the cursor.

Done! And it's very fast...

For this example, the time of day code might have started about 4pm. You can have your timeline start at 4pm (16.00.00) or any other time by right clicking the large Time Display usually docked at the upper left of the timeline and select Time Format | Set Time at Cursor. This has the added advantage that field logging can be done by anyone with a watch, eg. 2nd set 2nd song started at 5:38pm, this matches to 17.38.00 on the timeline.

[David Seguin]

Cool. This is something I had been wondering about for a while now. Thanks for the neat tricks.