C200: Tentacle Sync E - Fixes Timecode Dilemma?

chris f

chris f

Veteran
One of my final two hesitations for ditching my C500 for the C200 as my A-Camera has been lack of timecode input, but after doing some research today I landed on Tentacle's website and it seems like this would overcome the camera's lack of timecode input right? Would this work on a professional set where you're just handing over cards at the end of the day? Or would sending timecode to an audio channel (and not to a proper in-camera timecode input) only work if the production had the Tentacle software as well to sync in post?

Product Website: https://tentaclesync.com
How To Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o36XYOPp0BE
 
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chris f said:
One of my final two hesitations for ditching my C500 for the C200 as my A-Camera has been lack of timecode input, but after doing some research today I landed on Tentacle's website and it seems like this would overcome the camera's lack of timecode input right? Would this work on a professional set where you're just handing over cards at the end of the day? Or would sending timecode to an audio channel (and not to a proper in-camera timecode input) only work if the production had the Tentacle software as well to sync in post?

Product Website: https://tentaclesync.com
How To Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o36XYOPp0BE
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Exact question I have. Okay, so with this workaround, you have TC on audio 3-4. Which editing programs can access that TC from Ch 3-4? And how do you it?
 
Here's what Curtis Judd replied in the comments of his YouTube video (link above) when I asked him basically the same question:

1) Editor can buy Tentacle Sync Studio. Can purchase a license or it is bundled free with any of the tentacle hardware
2) Avid Media Composer can read audio timecode and convert it to file timecode and sync audio and picture.
3) DaVinci Resolve can read audio timecode and convert it to file timecode.
4) Sound mixer on set could gather all of the footage and audio clips then use Tentacle Sync Studio to create an XML to pass on to the editor along with the synced files. Takes around 20 minutes at the end of a production day on a reasonably capable MacBook.

Seems like if you're handling post or have a sound guy that is on board with the Tentacle system you'd be good to go, but I still wouldn't feel confident just handing over cards at the end of the day on someone else's shoot. Would be great if Premiere did an update to their native synchronization tool that could read the timecode jammed into an audio channel.
 
I used tentacle syncs to jam two c300 mk ii cameras together. I forgot a bnc adapter cable and ended up trying the use audio timecode in one camera and the timecode in in the other. It didn't go so well when trying to reconnect the audio timecode in post with tentacle sync software. Spent some time trying to figure out the glitch, but after multiple attempts, I bailed on it, deleted the audio timecode track, and synced by waveform in Premiere. Not a big deal as it was just a ridiculous experimental 'music video' piece and was only a handful of clips and broll. I wanted to use it as a test run for the tentacle syncs.

That said, the tentacle syncs strike me as pretty amazing devices. They're compact and easy to set up. I intend to use them to sync my c300 mk ii with my 5D mk IV. All the same, I'll definitely practice the workflow several times before I use them on a mission critical project with any kind of budget.

Hope this experience proves useful for your decision.

I guess the negative about them is that it's one more thing that could go wrong in a workflow and it's not as straightforward as 'traditional' jam synced timecode.

Thank you for listing the DaVinci Resolve and XML workflows. I'll give those a test to see how they work.
 
puredrifting said:
So it sounds as if you are on FCP X or Premiere, not such a good way to work?
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I wish I could give a definitive answer, but I can't. Can't say for 100% certain it's not operator error or something in the settings. 95% sure, but not 100%. Could be a glitch in the Windows version of the tent sync software. I got the process to work on about half of the clips. There were a few times when it seemed that the tent sync software linked the audio timecode but then those 'timecode clips' did not import properly through the media browser into Premiere. There were other times when tent sync didn't embed the timecode. I can try it on my Mac in FCPX and see if there's a difference. The software may very well be more OSX friendly.

I'm fairly confident the process should work well once I dial it in. Tent sync software re-embeds the timecode, import into NLE of choice and sync multicam clips by timecode or do whatever one wants to do. The tent sync devices themselves are very cool. Impressively compact. Ran them for 24 hrs and they had negligible drift.
 
Let us know what you discover Kohl. I am presently using FCP X but am going to make an effort to learn Resolve for editing as well as CC over the next few months. Most of my editor friends though have switched to Premiere CC, including my two largest clients so these are all important to my needs.
 
I've got a 4-day doc shoot coming up where there's going to be a lot of longer cinema verite scenes with multiple people mic'd up with a sound guy running external sound mixer and I'm starting to get nervous about the C200's lack of timecode jamming and how to best prep the files for the client that I'm going to be handing over.....anyone try the Tentacle Sync on their C200 yet?
 
I use tentacle sync all the time with my 300Mk2 - sound mixer I work with has that system and haven't had any problems when jamming multiple cameras with TC input like the 300mk2. Unless you can prove a reliable workflow, you might want to go with common slate markers and long continuous takes and let the post people sync with waveforms and common markers. In any case I would have a discussion of the issue upfront with the post people so everyone is in agreement going in. The lack of external TC is one of the deal breakers for me when it comes to the C200. TC is relatively minor issue but can certainly cause workflow issues downstream and is the last thing I want to hear about after a shoot.
 
chris f said:
I've got a 4-day doc shoot coming up where there's going to be a lot of longer cinema verite scenes with multiple people mic'd up with a sound guy running external sound mixer and I'm starting to get nervous about the C200's lack of timecode jamming and how to best prep the files for the client that I'm going to be handing over.....anyone try the Tentacle Sync on their C200 yet?
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I've never used Tentacle Syncs on a C200. But in general, they're reliable. I'd think you could connect the Tentacle to the C200 as you would connect to a DSLR.

As in: Connect the Tentacle Sync via a 3.5mm plug into the 3.5mm MIC jack (not the XLRs) on the C200. It's near the front top of the camera on operator's side right, iirc. Timecode ends up on the left-channel audio.

More info on setting up Tentacles with DSLRs:
https://tentaclesync.zendesk.com/hc...-Does-Tentacle-Sync-work-with-my-DSLR-Camera-


But I'd want to test first, of course... Or have you already thought of and rejected this approach? What am I missing?
 
Having a common slate is a great idea for the longer takes. I talked to my sound guy and he uses Tentacle quite often, so what I think we're going to do is send the Tentacle timecode via the MIC jack as well as send a wireless feed from the mixer to one of my XLR inputs so I've got really good source audio going into the camera that can be used in a pinch, but should make syncing in post easier.
 
You're heading in the right direction using Tentacle Sync AND common slate AND solid source audio recording. If the Tentacle TC works with your NLE then great, if not then you still have common marker for longer takes and a solid audio recording on the camera to sync with your double system sound record.
I use FCPX which has been great in the cases where I needed to sync cameras and one camera did not have common TC. I relied on a common marker in one case to get in the ball park and let the App do the rest and in the other case having a solid audio recording on both cameras made syncing with audio waveforms easy. Have options and make it easy for the next people in the production chain to do their jobs!
 
AlkaliDigital said:
How many of these would I need to sync a C200 and two 5D MKIV cameras? I assume 3? Anyone have any more recent reviews?
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Yes, you'd need three. Assuming you're also using a TC cable recorder such as say a Zoom F4. But if you're not, and using say a Sound Devices MixPre6 or a Zoom H6, then you'd need a fourth Tentacle Sync E.
 
Gotcha, thanks!

Unfortunately, I enjoy working in Premiere Pro most and I don’t want to convert Canon RAW so it’s probabky not for me :/
 
Thanks for the info!

What would my Premiere Pro workflow entail with the following: Canon C200 and two 5D MK IV cameras with 3 Tentacle Sync devices? I haven’t been able to find any good answers online. Thanks in advance!


chris f said:
No need to convert Canon Raw. The beta version of the Tentacle Sync software will work with Canon Raw natively
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