Time code for depositions

[v1deoguy]

Hi all, new here and this is my first post. I'm getting into the deposition business, or trying to and I need info on time date stamping the video. I film with a sony hdr fx7. I can see the time and date in the viewfinder of the camera on playback but not when I load the footage into my sony vegas program. I know here in NY the time and date has to be stamped into the footage. Is there anything I can get that will do this or do I need to buy a camera that will. I have an older gl2 but I think it does not overlay the time and date stamp either. Please help, thanks.

[aedipuss]

you can buy the pro version. http://www.dvmp.co.uk/

[v1deoguy]

ok, sounds like the ideal thing for post production, what about to make it visible on the tape while its recording so I can give my clients (lawyers) the tape directly from the camera right after the deposition has been filmed...thanks for the help on this btw..

[aedipuss]

can't be done with HDV or any current consumer/prosumer cam i know of. it really shouldn't be used in court anymore anyway, as timecodes can be changed on digital tapes/files.

[dLee]

When I was doing it, we had a box that went between the camera and the VTR. It superimposed the date and time on the video while it was being recorded. This was the court's solution for detecting edits.

Today, you'll probably have to record through a computer running software that supers the time / date while it's capping in realtime.

[v1deoguy]

I think the idea of running it through my laptop as I film it maybe the best. The software DVMP looks like it can do just that, thanks for the tip!!...My laptop does not have a firewire connection that is required by the software to capture but I did find that you can buy a firewire to usb cable really cheap ($5 or so). Will this cable bridge the gap from my Sony HDRFX7 to my laptop and will the software detect my camera inorder to capture footage from it. Then I wonder if I can export the footage as its being filmed from my laptop say to the Card slot it came with or to the DVD burner. I use to film video depositions years ago and used my SONY Hi8 camcorder, wich has long since been retired and is now my sons toy. But the Hi8 camera does work and does timecode. Also it will take my mixer and external mics and with the right light still works pretty well, at least well enough for depositions. Is it crazy to consider useing it for that?

[Cornucopia]

Firewire to USB will not work the way you want it to.

Get either a PCcard/Expresscard or a different PC that does have firewire.

Scott

[v1deoguy]

Hi Scott: what do you mean it won't work the way I want it to, will it work at all?..thanks for the reply

[Cornucopia]

If you have plain data to be moved from one block-based device to another with no time constraints, yes it should work (e.g. Firewire-based HDD file copy).
DV cameras are NOT block-based devices. They STREAM the data, using a very strict protocol that requires specific timing and handshakes. This is where it WILL NOT WORK (which is what you wanted it to do).

Scott

[v1deoguy]

thanks Scott. I was just wondering if there was any chance at all or if it would be very slow etc...I think I will just make the investment into a new laptop that can do it, thanks again for the help.

[usually_quiet]

thanks Scott. I was just wondering if there was any chance at all or if it would be very slow etc...I think I will just make the investment into a new laptop that can do it, thanks again for the help.

Most of the laptops currently in production don't have either Fire Wire or an ExpressCard slot. If you have trouble finding a suitable laptop, Dell still makes some models with ExpressCard. I saw the feature listed for the E6520, E6220, E5520 and E5420.

[v1deoguy]

I just realized that my Dell Inspiron has a SD slot....thank GOD for small favors....thanks all!!!!

[aedipuss]

thanks Scott. I was just wondering if there was any chance at all or if it would be very slow etc...I think I will just make the investment into a new laptop that can do it, thanks again for the help.

just to clarify - HDV cam -> firewire cable -> usb adapter -> computer will NOT work at all.

[deadrats]

you could just do it the poor man's way: when you start recording hold up that day's newspaper...