MacroSystem QuadCam - Handbuch (Seite 52)

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Appendix B
FAQs
• How does SmartSync DV technology work?
Every modern camera has a built-in quartz clock,
which makes “time stamping” (adding the date
and time) possible. However, this time is re-
corded on the tape, even if it is not displayed
in the picture. QuadCam uses the digital input
of the Casablanca unit to download the exact
time from each camera and to determine the
difference between “Casablanca time” and the
camera time, with millisecond accuracy. Record-
ings from cameras calibrated in this way are au-
tomatically allocated the correction factor thus
determined when loading from the tape on to
the Casablanca hard disc and thus have a com-
mon reference time - “Casablanca time”.
• Is every device with a DV connection compa-
tible with QuadCam and SmartSync DV?
No. Some recorders (MicroMV, DVD Camcor-
ders and DV(D) recorders may be incompatible
with SmartSync DV and can only be used in
manual mode, although they have a DV (Fire-
wire) port.
• What can be done if the recordings from
different cameras look very different and the
colours do not match?
A (manual) white balance should be carried out
on each camera to be used before every recor-
ding. Line up the cameras at the location, hold
a sheet of white paper in front of each lens and
carry out the white balance. QuadCam com-
patibility with cameras without manual white
balancing is therefore restricted.
• Must recordings be loaded on to the Casab-
lanca using the same camera with which they
were made?
No. In principle, any DV or Digital8 video player
with a DV output can be used. The timecode is
stored on the tape and the player only needs to
read it. The internal clock of the player cannot
affect the result.
• Must a complete recording with a length of
e.g. 60 minutes be edited all at once?
No. SmartSync DV makes it possible to split up
the “background” scene as much as is desired
prior to “live” video editing with QuadCam
and to edit each part individually. SmartSync
DV will locate the parts of the inserts which
correspond to the “background” automatically
as soon as you insert any section as “back-
ground”. If you don’t really have a flair for live
video editing, we recommend restricting your
editing sessions to 5-10 minutes at a time.
• In the heat of the moment, calibrating a came-
ra before recording was forgotten. Must the
editing now be done manually?
No, calibrating the cameras with SmartSync
DV can also take place after recording. Howe-
ver, it should be done as soon as possible, i.e.
not hours later.
• How much time should be left between calib-
rating the cameras with SmartSync DV on the
Casablanca and making the recording?
There should be less than an hour between
them if possible, which is why we say “as soon
as possible”.
• Can some scenes not be fully synchronised
when several scenes are played back simulta-
neously in QuadCam?
There are technical reasons for minimal variati-
ons during playback. However, these variations
will not affect the result, i.e. the finished video
with the inserts.