Timecode

[cx11]

Hi all,

 

Im designing a show and planning on using a multitrack for some of the tracks. I want to locate and trigger etc via time code from software (CSC). I was wondering how I go about this. Is it just a sime connection from the pc to the multitracker. Obviously I would need a sound card with an smpte connecter on it. This is something ive never done before so any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

Many thanks.

[dbuckley]

You've got your terminology slightly askew which makes the question a littloe hard to answer, other than by guessing exactly what you mean.

 

Are you using CSC to play the multiple tracks, or dfo you simply want CSC to lauch an external multitrack machine, either hardware or software (on the same or another PC)

 

I'm assuming CSC will start the multi-track playback (we'll get to how once the other questions are answered); Once you've got the playback from multiple tracks going, what (if anything) do you want to cue in response top that?

[mervaka]

afaik, SMPTE can be output from a standard audio connection.

[dbuckley]

afaik, SMPTE can be output from a standard audio connection.

Indeed one form of timecode, Linear Time Code, is generally treated like an audio signal; you can record it, play it back etc, and when "multi track recorder" meant "multi track tape recorder" then we often used to dedicate an audio track for timecode, so an eight track would give you seven audio tracks plus timecode. Or six tracks, plus an unused track, then timecode, as LTC is a horrible signal and tends to bleed across tape heads.

 

However, now most digital recorders can happily output, and many can input MIDI time code directly, without sacrificing an audio track. Thus audio LTC timecode is less popular than it once was.

 

Thats not to say you cant record and play back LTC onto a digital audio track just like the old days; you can, though not all LTC readers like digitally replayed LTC, as the waveform hasn't had its edges knocked off it by tape sogginess...