Non-drop frame TC

[deandec]

I'm really getting a hard time from the other edit house I'm working with on my mainstay client / project. Everyone (including us) is working non-dropframe except my damn Video Toaster. It's causing a lot of matchback etc. problems because my codes aren't matching everyone else's. This is a huge priority 1 problem. If you guys can't fix it immediately or give me some kind of workaround I'm going to have to jump to a different platform. Is there anything I can do??????

Also starting editing projects at a TC other than 00:00:00:00 would be good.

How is everyone working around these basic limitations?

[ted]

You can start the timeline at any point you want.

The Drop Frame issue has caused us some issues with other houses. But after telling them, this is what we use, they have gotten over it and we've never lost an account.

I'd love for it to be addressed also. But I'm loving the other stuff NewTek is putting in, so I'm dealing with it.

I'm assuming you've sent it to feature request?

Drop Paul or Andrew an e-mail and ask where this sits on their list. I'm sure they will give you a straight answer. Then you can make your decision based on the facts.
I wish you well.

[deandec]

Telling them I'm working in DF just means my timecodes are BS. The material I record on to the NDF tapes does not match what is in my Toaster. This is a serious problem. For example the editor from the other house just called and said there looks to be a head clog on my tape at frame 01:02:47:23. He emails me a jpeg and asks that I just email him back the single frame rather than outputting a whole new tape. Great idea. Ok, first I know it will be frame 00:02:47:23 on my system since VT cannot start at one hour straight up. Problem is when I eye match his frame to what I've got it's actually at 00:02:47:27 because of the damn DF! Makes me look incompetant that I can't trust my own TC and that I have to end up eyematching stuff.

[tmon]

deandec,

We are a 29.97 NDF facility. We print to pre-striped 29.97 NDF BetaSP.

The biggest problem is with EDL exchange. I don't know what the best workaround is. I don't think there is one, presently. Newtek needs to fix the NLE.

I do think it helps to let NewTek know exactly how this causes problems. My impression is that many of the aliens do NOT come from pro post-house type environments.

Selectable timecode mode in the timeline is something thing that should be a "given" in a Professional NLE.

We'll see what happens. Keep squeaking the wheel.

[deandec]

SQUEAK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[deandec]

Having said that we ship stuff on pre-blacked NDF digibetas. Jeez, it's a good thing I don't have to output edl's for anyone. That could be a real hassle. We're an effects house. If I was doing more edit work I'd probably have to move to another system. The editors at the other house we're working with think I'm a lunatic to be using something with these basic limitations. I can't help but think they might be right.

[deandec]

I read in supplied EDL's all the time and that seems to go off without a hitch. It's the TC on my deliverables that has been causing problems. The backplate footage that I've digitized through the supplied edl's all seem to be correct. Thankfully.

[bradl]

I have worked 10 years at a predominantly NDF post house and now the last 10 years at a predominantly DF post house as senior editor. We actually intermix both pretty regularly. Most editors can handle both without any problems.

It seems that many short form houses, like spot and promo production, prefer NDF and most long format, like hour and half hour broadcasts, prefer DF. We do both but our main product out the door is for broadcast so we stick with DF, also because we have a library of 4000 or so DF BetaSP's. Most stations and networks require DF TC on air masters.

[deandec]

That's all well and good but the show I'm working on is ndf through the entire production except .... me and my toaster. Yeah, it's workable. I get them the finished tapes with my animation and effects on it but I am the odd man out because of this very basic limitation of the software. Is it that big a deal to add this functionality? Premiere has it for Pete's sake.

[bradl]

I agree it should be added.

Send your request here:

vidfeatures@newtek.com

[johnq]

I fully agree that the VT3 should allow you to select th TC type. This is so basic that the fact that it cannot is not a "new" feature, but a fundamental usability bug/defect. Anyway, just in case you don't have a TC calculator for converting between TC formats, you can get a free one at http://www.sssm.com/tools/tools.html

John

[deandec]

Many thanks for that link!

[James Moore]

Ya, DF vs NDF is just a counting formality, so it shouldn't be to hard for Newtek to implement. I think in the old days (VT1) it actually counted in NDF.

As far as outputting lists, your screwed there as well. All the info is in the VT (you can see most of it in the spreadsheet view) but for some reason there is no way to output a simple edl. I've yelled about it before, and got a reply from our Mr. Lara that it should be in there but.....

These seemingly little things can kill ya in the big time post world, but the VT is a real kick a** little box in other respects.