This Video Tip is .... Editing. Well, a "PREP" step to make life easier when you edit footage later. Pre-striping your tapes to be exact. Mini-DV and some other camcorders lay down a timecode while shooting. If the time runs from start to finish without interruption capturing and editing is fast and easy. If your camera is started and stopped (not paused) or you change batteries you run the risk of the timecode being restarted and two or more different scenes having the same timecode. That (discontinuous timecode) can lead to a confused editing system and a stressed operator.
| SMPTE timecode is what we will talk about here and the method is based on current Mini-DV camcorders (works with many others as well) - BUT check you own instruction manual before trying this on a shoot for the first time. (Remember test and learn before you need to use the tip in the real world) This is an editing tip - in that it makes "Batch Capturing" a reliable part of the process. |  |
Most camcorders reset timecode to zero when a new tape is loaded. Timecode looks like this; 00:00:00:00 (HH:MM:SS:FF) Hours, Minutes, Seconds & Frames. Cameras read the timecode track just before they start recording video information. If they find the timecode "track" blank they lay down timecode from "00:00:00:00". When you stop shooting they stop laying down timecode. If you begin recording on that last frame all is right in the timecode world. Some cameras even backup a few frames when they stop recording. When the power is turned off the tape transport allows the tape to go slack in the guides (in some cases pulled back into the cassette). When the camera is restarted and the transport re-acquires the tape it may have slipped ahead to a blank area and the timecode is reset to 00:00:00:00.
If the camera finds timecode at anytime during start-up it uses that timecode for the new video footage. It still lays down timecode with the new footage, but, set to the timecode it just read. That is why some cameras backup a few frames when stopped. It is also why instructions explain backing up into old footage when inserting a tape with some footage already in place.
Pre-striping serves several purposes. It provides unbroken timecode from beginning to end. It exercises the tape. The action of running the tape and rewinding makes for a smoother transport the next time (when shooting the real footage). It also may reduce dropouts. This relates to dust and surface oxides and there are arguments on both sides of this issue.
How to go about pre-striping your tapes. Grab the number of tapes you expect to use and add 10% to 25% extra tapes. Never stripe just one. Need four, stripe at least five. Need ten, stripe twelve, maybe thirteen. Yes, it takes that many hours to do the job.
| Power the camcorder from the AC adapter. Load a tape in the camcorder. Place a black lens cap on the lens. In "camera" mode start recording. Most 60 minute tapes will record for 62 to 63 minutes. Rewind the tape (a separate rewinder is best) right away. You now have a ready to use pre-striped tape. When it comes to editing this footage, the extra step can save you hours of frustration and headaches. | |  |
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