feb@cblpe.ATT.COM (Franco Barber) (08/12/87)
[sorry about cross posting to the amiga group, but this is a topic
that I have seen there often. I think it is revelant.]
In article <603@cblpe.ATT.COM> feb@cblpe.ATT.COM (me) writes:
.I have a Sony SL-HF1000. It prerolls. Honest. I didn't know this when
.I bought it ...
.
.While in recording-pause, a flick of the record switch makes it
.record six frames then go back into record-pause. I haven't made
.extensive use of this feature, so I can't comment on how well it
.works.
.
.If the single frame recording is going to be supervised by a person,
.it should be possible to get better than 6 frame accuracy by
.flipping back into playback-pause and backing up the tape a few
.frames. I have always meant to play with this, but I just haven't
.been able to get around to it.
Well, I finally got around to actually trying to record a frame at a
time on my Sony SL-HF1000. And IT CAN BE DONE!
Honest! There is nothing on the machine or in the manual that claims
it will work, but I got it to work using the insert video mode.
Originally, I thought I could achieve single-frame recording by
using the '6 frame burst' recording feature and cueing the tape
by hand between bursts. This did not work as planned: after cueing
the tape and starting another burst it was found that the machine
would not reliably start the next burst at the point it was put into
recording pause: it would be a couple frames off.
So next I tried to use the video-insert function to start the
recording. This worked much better. The recording started on the
exact frame I wanted it to. Then it was a simple matter to back up
the tape to the next spot and go for another frame.
What follows is a long description of the steps required to perform
this editing function. Hit 'n' now if you are not interested!
Good. Still here.
First of all, I need to explain how the video-insert function is
normally used. The use differs depending on whether you have one
machine working alone or you have two 1000's hooked up with the
control-T jacks. I use mine alone (unless someone wants to donate
another one-I don't mind.)
The video-insert mode can only be used to record over an existing
picture: in order to make the inserted segment track smoothly, the
old control track is used to synchronize the recording. If there is
no old picture (and thus control track,) it is hard to tell what
will happen.
To use video-insert you
0) make sure there is a control track to record over
1) go into playback pause mode
2) zero the time counter at the spot you want the insert to end
3) back up the tape to the spot you want the insert to begin
4) press video-insert to enter insert mode.
(you will see the counter go back a bit as the machine prepares
for a preroll.)
(you are now in video-insert-record-pause mode)
5) start playback of the source
6) press pause on recorder
(recorder starts rolling tape and at the insert start point switches
to recording mode using flying erase heads to lay new video
tracks without erasing old control track or adjacent video
tracks.)
(when zero point on time counter is reached, recorder
stops.)
The important part here was that the machine starts recording at
exactly the right point. It prerolls to sync the playback of the
tape to the source being inserted. The tricky part is pressing pause
at the right time to insert the exact scene you want into the tape.
Although the manual never actually mentions this, if you try to
insert a scene that is too short (say, less than a few seconds,) the
recorder will not see the counter reach 0:00:00:00 and will record
too long. It will start at the correct point, but will not stop
correctly. You will have to stop it by hand.
If you start insert-video with the counter already at zero, you
are practically guaranteeing that it will not stop by itself!
I make use of this feature (or inadequacy, if you must,) to record
single frames. My method is:
a) using the recording speed you plan to use, record a silent black
picture on as much tape as you expect to need (using the built-in
black-screen generator.)
b) pick some random place to start recording. someplace with at
least fifteen seconds of black screen before it.
c) be in playback-pause mode at point this frame is to be recorded
d) zero the time counter.
e) press video-insert to go into insert-record-pause mode
f) make certain image of this frame is ready to be recorded
g) press pause.
(watch machine play tape, pause, record )
h) after one or two seconds, press stop
i) generate the next frame to be recorded
j) go into playback-pause mode, back tape up to starting spot,
repeat from step 'c'
It works. I tried it last night. I didn't have any computer
generated graphics handy (still dreaming of my Amiga 2000 with 9.5
meg of ram, 40meg of hard disk, etc...), so I just recorded from
different channels on the tuner. I recorded single frames (and
double frames for variety) for a while. It's easy but I got tired
after ten or twelve frames (I didn't have this brainstorm until
after midnight last night.)
The most amazing thing of all is that every function you have to use
to do this (well, except for the black-screen-generator) is accessible
from the remote. I didn't think of that until this morning.
I could have been doing it from my east chair instead of my knees.
In case any one doesn't know, the list price on the SL-HF1000 is
about $1700 (at least that's what it was in December.)
I have a vague idea that current discount prices are around $1200.
I expect that the discount price will drop REAL SOON now
that the JVC HR-S7000 (JVC's SuperVHS model) has hit the
streets at $1100.
--
Franco Barber AT&T Bell Laboratories, Columbus, Ohio
..!cbosgd!cblpf!cblpe!feb (614) 860-7803iqbal@pnet01.CTS.COM (Iqbal Hans) (08/13/87)
Franco Barber described how he was able to to single fame recording on his
Sony (something)1000. I just wanted to point out that this also possible on
the Panasonic AG-1950 in case someone needs it on VHS. The list price is $1500
but I got mine easily from a local dealer for less that $1200.
Another thing, the controls that were described for the Sony are exactly
the same for the Panasonic.
Iqbal Hans
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