FS7: Timecode output gadget

Late to the party... Yes, the Tentacles are great. Inexpensive, light-weight, work well and long battery life(40hrs or so). My only real gripe about them is that they don't auto-detect frame rate, so say you did a job on Monday that was 29.97 TC and you're shooting 23.98 today, then you HAVE to use the app to change the TC frame rate of the Tentacles. Not the end of the world, obviously, but steps that could be eliminated and time saved. Supposedly this is supposed to be addressed in a future firmware update and who knows, maybe the new version that they teased at NAB will have this ability. That, in my opinion, would make them just THAT much better and easier to use.
 
Bern Caughey said:
There's a handful of small sync boxes on, or about to be, the market now, including the UltraSync One which will also supports Genlock.

What makes the Tentacle the most popular? Because they were first to market? If so, what would you buy once they're all available?
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Exactly that. Because up until a handful of days or so ago there was no other truly affordable option outside Tentacle Syncs.

Another big massive bonus they have vs all of their past competition is an integrated microphone, so they can pass audio along as well for scratch. Which makes it even better suited for low budget shoots with DSLRs and such.
 
Jim Feeley said:
In my limited experience with the XDCA, it does an OK job maintaining sync. But even then, I'd want to have an accurate timecode box (and preferably a timecode+genlock box) stuck on the XDCA. My preferred workflow is sound guy/gal provides the master clock (and records master audio tracks...especially if audio-to-camera is over an inexpensive wireless system)...and then a TC box on the camera, perhaps also with a scratch audio mix.

If you have the XDCA providing master TC, you'll still need/want to get that TC back to your soundie, right? So you'll still need a TC box.

Ben, I think you're thought about why Tentacle is so common is right: First to market with a cheap, small TC box. But as you say, now there are a bunch of lower-cost options. Here's an audio dealer's page that lists most of them:
https://www.trewaudio.com/product-category/slates-timecode/slates-timecode-syncgen-boxes/

Tentacles seem fine, though I'm not a big fan of their connectors and built-in batteries. Not saying they're bad, because they're not. But if you only use these things occasionally, one of the boxes with replaceable AAA batteries might be a reasonable way to go to make sure you don't get stuck with dead batteries...BTW- this isn't a FUD thing... Tentacles seem well made...

Me, I have a couple Ambient Lockits (expensivish tc/sync boxes)...But camera folks are spoiled by the tiny and decent Tentacles. So I'll probably be buying...um... I"m not sure. The cool thing to me is that all the new tc boxes appear to be decent at doing their job. And it comes down to the implementation and features that appeals most to you. For example, the UltraSync One is really appealing. But those mini COAX connectors means I'd need to build a new set of cables to work with the various cameras I come across... Not a deal killer, but an extra expense that makes me think a bit (less of an issue if you don't already have tc cables and/or will mostly be working with one or two models of camera). Also, I'm kinda getting along better than I expected without genlock these days. I mean, it's nice, but we've been dealing without it for quite a while now... Sigh, I guess. Also: I do a fair amount of work as a location sound guy, so it's easier for me to justify a bit more money spent on TC gak...

Ben, what appeals most to you?

IronFilm, I recall you considering your options before going with Tentacles. What made you choose those over other choices?

Vintegreo, let us know what you end up doing and how it goes during the shoot and post.
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I went for two Tentacle Syncs in the end because I needed them *NOW* for a feature film I'm currently working on.

I might still go for getting a couple of UltraSync ONEs as well anyway??

Built in battery with the Tentacle Syncs is not at all a bad thing, is a good thing in fact? As it keeps it small and lightweight.

As the battery lasts 30 or 40hrs?

Thus even if I forget to charge the batteries one night after a loooooooong shoot day, that is not a problem at all!! Heck, you could even forget two nights in a row and still have enough battery life left for another shoot day.
 
markfpv said:
Seems there surely must be... and I say that simply because I have and use the PIX e5 recorder with my FS7 quite a lot - and it can feed TC to it via hdmi & sdi (need to double check the sdi option)...
In the camera menu - there's a way to set up recorder or monitor output and trigger recording of the recorder and have TC on or off... perhaps this could work with TC system (sorry - not familiar with Tentacle... I'm a FCPX user and syncing audio in post has become such a breeze without using TC)
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The editor on the feature film I'm currently shooting is a massive FCPX fan, & he loves the Tentacle Syncs!! Because there are still many many times when FCPX would have let him down and he'd need to manually sync it. And even when FCPX can figure it out... using TC is just a massively faster process in post for syncing with, & woth the speedy turn arounds he needs every minute matters.
 
There is no shooting day that could possibly drain the battery and it charges via USB I have a USB out on my v-mount so I charge them as I go.
QUOTE=IronFilm;1986707717]I went for two Tentacle Syncs in the end because I needed them *NOW* for a feature film I'm currently working on.

I might still go for getting a couple of UltraSync ONEs as well anyway??

Built in battery with the Tentacle Syncs is not at all a bad thing, is a good thing in fact? As it keeps it small and lightweight.

As the battery lasts 30 or 40hrs?

Thus even if I forget to charge the batteries one night after a loooooooong shoot day, that is not a problem at all!! Heck, you could even forget two nights in a row and still have enough battery life left for another shoot day.[/QUOTE]
 
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