HVX200 Vs HMC150 used for reality show? Which one?

JoeJITSU

JoeJITSU

Veteran
I will buy 2-3 of these and will need these to shoot for a possible reality series. Would the editor be able to get away with editing without timecode with the HMC150? just want to hear different thoughts on this....thanks
 
The HMC150 has timecode; in fact, it even has the ability to sync to standard LTC timecode so you could sync with other HMC150s or timecode slates or external recorders or whatnot.

Now, the question is whether your NLE recognizes the timecode in an AVCHD file. That'd be a question for your editor; best would be to have them download an HMC150 file and see if it works for them.
 
Hey Barry...where is that timecode when I try to bring this footage into FCP via Log and Transfer? All the clips come in as CLIP #1, CLIP #2...and all start at 00:00:00:00. Or are you going to say "FCP sucks man, use Premiere!" Hee...sorry. This is the same with Avid...timecode starts at 00:00:00:00 for each clip.

What's the trick?
 
Shane Ross said:
Hey Barry...where is that timecode when I try to bring this footage into FCP via Log and Transfer? All the clips come in as CLIP #1, CLIP #2...and all start at 00:00:00:00. Or are you going to say "FCP sucks man, use Premiere!" Hee...sorry. This is the same with Avid...timecode starts at 00:00:00:00 for each clip.

What's the trick?
Click to expand...
The AVCCAM cameras have it. You can set it, you can see it in the playback, it's in the files. If you use the AVCCAM->DVCPROHD transcoder, the transcoded MXF files have the right timecode in them. But CS5 doesn't recognize it from the original AVCCAM files; all the clips come in at 0:00:00...

Look at this chart, it shows what's supposed to work on the HMC80.

I don't use Avid, but apparently Avid 5.0.3 can do it.

In Premiere 5.0.2, you will see a little footnote that says "* timecode may not be displayed correctly." That corresponds with my experience, the timecode is always 0:00:00.

In the FCP chart, it doesn't have that footnote -- it seems to be saying that timecode should indeed work from L&T, at least in version 7.0.3. Curiously, timecode doesn't work in the standard-def footage(!) And it lists the same with Avid 5.0.3, and EDIUS 6 (except that it says Avid might not work if it's a spanned clip, but apparently it should work on a non-spanned clip).

So of the major NLE's, it's supposed to work in all except CS5.

Now, here's the distinction -- AVCHD, by itself, doesn't support timecode. It's not in the format. AVCCAM is Panasonic's pro implementation of AVCHD, and they added timecode to it. So AVCHD doesn't have timecode, but AVCCAM does. An NLE could advertise that it's compatible with AVCHD, and not recognize AVCCAM timecode. The question is whether the NLE is compatible with AVCCAM or not.

I'll ask Bernie Mitchell and David Jimerson to weigh in, they're much more post guys than I am.
 
EDIT: Okay, you can see the timecode in AVCCAM files in CS5, you just have to use the Media Browser. I viewed a folder in the private directory, looked at some clips, and they had timecode. I imported them, and ...yep. Timecode.
 
Vegas does the same -- each clip starts at all zeroes.

As for the Media Browser in Premiere -- yeah, you get lots of stuff when you import that way that you don't if you import it in other ways.
 
I was just watching some HMC150 videos and some HVX200's.....HVX200 is more filmy footage. HMC150 is more crisp
 
Yes, I am a reality show producer and creator and I hardly ever use timecodes. For more information on creating and developing reality shows I have written several books. The series of books is called THE REALITY OF REALITY TV. The first book covers creating a reality show and writing the business plans called THE REALITY OF REALITY TV: REALITY SHOW BUSINESS PLANS, the second is the workbook by the same name. The third book is 150 WAYS TO FUND A REALITY SHOW and the fourth is THE REALITY SHOW HANDBOOK. You can find the books from my website http://www.therealityofrealitytv.com
 
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