digital slate without built in timecode?

M

matthewd5

Veteran
hello.

i'm just getting into the whole timecoded sound thing.

i have had my sound device 302 for maybe six months and i just went through the ordeal of picking a recorder...

started with the tascam hd-p2, returned that and got the 722 because the price of the 744t scared me.

i loved the 722 but quickly realized that for future use/growth i really ought to have gotten the 744t.

i returned the 722 and got the 744t (thanks mikah at gotham sound, he is a lot like Rush at evs except they only do sound and Rush doesn't carry sound devices)

so now i am very happy with my 4 channels of input, i got some nice custom cables that feed the sound back out to a camera and i have some other custom input cables that let me feed my wireless sennheisers into the non-xlr inputs (channel 3 and 4)

the question is slates...

i love the denecke smart slate and $1,100 probably isn't that bad considering all that it does BUT my 744t already does the timecode.

my understanding is that with the 744t and a smartslate you just jam sync the time once and then maybe a couple time throughout the day if it is a long day.

the benefit being that you don't have to stay connected to the slate from the recorder with the timecode generator.

is there a "less smart slate" that i can stay connected to that will just display the timecode that the 744t is sending it?

matthew
 
there are tc readers only slates - so you will need send the tc by cable or aditional wierless
as i see it, tc slate for you is a waist of money - buy another wierless and send the tc to camera audio channel than export it in the editing for synchronization
 
^^^^^ What Excile said. Mainly because TC slates are often the most abused pieces of equipment you will find on set. If you are shooting actual film (not video) rent the TC slate, charge the production for it, and make sure it goes on their insurance policy. No matter how much you remind a PA what it's worth, they invariably dropped it at some point while juggling their camera notes, 2-way, and your slate.

It simply is not worth the headache (IMHO). It really is stupid that the sound mixer is suppose to supply the TC slate in the first place. Since the camera dept is the one with possession of the slate most of the day, they should be the one responsible for bringing the slate and dealing with the headaches when it is abused. But that is a debate for another day. :)

Good luck
 
I hope the 744T works out for you. I went another route when i bought my setup 2 months ago and that was the Tascam HD and I got a denecke TS-3 Smart slate.. That way I have timecode and a slate. it woked for me. But you should give denecke a call that have some reader slates and they charge less if you buy direct from them
 
i'll have to call denecke.

thats good to know.

i use premiere pro 2.0 and it doesn't support the timecode on an audiotrack.

i know there is that program for final cut. it would be nice if there was a way to do that for premiere...

a reader only slate would be perfect for my use. running a wire to the slate for the timecode doesn't seem like that big a deal, and having wireless as an option to connect the timecode to the slate could be nice.

matthew
 
Waist Of Money
Just work free run tc on both devices , slate whith rgullarclap every 2 hours or after battery/casset change
 
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It is not a waist of money.. You can fun it in free mode and clap every time you change tape. But when you shoot long takes and you are an editor it is so much easier to see what the clip is off and assosiate it with the time code for the clip. If you are an editor nothing is wores then haveing to spend more time captureing clips and finding out what they are. but if you have a slate with the info on it you are set.
 
you can run 2 tc devices in free run tc and slate with regullar sticks for identification only or for sync
still - waist of money
my dear- in the last 5 years the only time someone wanted tc slate for shooting was on commercials with non tc film camera, then we even not slate , just put the running slate in and out
since you are working with cripple tc equip (tascam ) you need some sort of tc generator which is your slate is - if i was working that way the horita 400 $ tc box was much cheaper solution to stamp tc on the hd-2 http://www.horita.com/pictures.aspx?Product=PTG
 
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imgentertainment@mac said:
I hope the 744T works out for you. I went another route when i bought my setup 2 months ago and that was the Tascam HD and I got a denecke TS-3 Smart slate.. That way I have timecode and a slate. it woked for me. But you should give denecke a call that have some reader slates and they charge less if you buy direct from them
Click to expand...

Don't buy it direct from Denecke. Go to www.colossalsound.com you can find a used one that came serviced from Denecke and with the upgraded firmware or buy it new at Lentini communications. 1068 for a TS-3A, which is not bad at all.
 
i have a friend who sells allot of equip and have ts-3 whith new chip
so these ho interest can email me and ill pass it to him

the equip is located in spain by the way

for sale following items

Fostex PD-4 in near mint condition includding headphones matrix, PB
bag, manual, 2 PSUs, in original box, many blank DAT tapes (Maxell and
Sony)

- Denecke TS-3 in excellent condition with back light includding new
EPROM chip

- SoundDevices MP-2 in excellent condition and PB bag

- Beyerdynamic DT-48 headphones, new.

- VdB boom pole, large, in excellent condition (near mint)

- Sony M1 DAT with accesories as new, but needs small repair in the
analog input jack, with digital input cable

-AudioHarness, new,
 
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I don't know about that. Alot of the shoots I do audio for Network TV, Commercial, and film all want a timecode slate. True we do not clap them. we just put it in front of the camera with the code running and the info they want on the slate. But we do jam sync everything to the slate. So if you didn't want the visual info. Yes it would be cheeper to just get a small sync box and jam to it.
 
I too work with the Tascam, and purchased a TS2-SB from Trew for about $600 (it also came with a pelican case). Works great for me and the projects I'm on.

Watch eBay and Coffey and Trew and Colossal...you'll get a good deal.

Phil
 
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