Transferring Beta SP Tapes. How do I remove Time Code from screen?

[Ayrfield]

Hello. I was wondering if anyone could help me please. I rented a Sony Beta cam SP CVR75 for a couple of days to transfer some Beta SP tapes I had. I use an Honestech Vid Box to digitise videos onto my computer. I connected the Beta SP player to the Honestech box using a BNC to phono connection into the VIDEO OUT (Super 3) and connected a video phono lead from there into the Honestech. I connected to XLR to Phono leads into the Honestech box for Audio. The video and audio signals are coming into the computer (through USB) perfectly. The only problem is the huge black bar with the time code across the screen. Is there anyway to turn off the Time code on the Beta Player so the video signal is coming into the computer without the time code across the screen? If anyone could help I would really appreciate it so much. Thank you.

[DB83]

That is 'pro-studio' equipment. I doubt if anyone on here as ever used this.

But I did find one rather unclear photograph of the unit. If it is the correct unit there appears to be four buttons on the front with the word 'Time Code' just above. All the buttons have a label (cannot read these) but try pushing them and see what happens.

[Arnold_Layne]

You may want to try one of the other two video outputs. I'm thinking the SUPER might stand for superimpose and that's why the time code is showing up in the video stream. My Betacam SP (BVW-22) has a superimpose button to turn off/on the timecode in the video output.

A_L

[Ayrfield]

Thanks for getting back to me DB83. I can't find a manual for the Beta SP CVR 75 online. There are three options on the front of the deck with a switch to choose between the three. Under Time Code you have the option you can switch between CTL, TC, and U-Bit. I've tried switching between the three when importing the video and they all have the black bar across the screen with burnt in time code, although each option gives a different type of time code, time elapsed, time left etc. My worry is that the time code is hard wired into the video out signal and there is no way of removing it.

[Ayrfield]

Thanks Arnold. I'll try that. Could you tell me where on your deck the superimpose button is located please?

[Ayrfield]

Actually got it working. The video output I'd tried before wasn't working. It is now. Without timecode. Thank you very much Arnold and DB83. Much appreciated

[DB83]

Fine.

But in the OP you wrote "The video and audio signals are coming into the computer (through USB) perfectly. "

Strange definition of 'not working'

[Ayrfield]

By not working they were coming through with large time code burned into screen in a big black box at the bottom of the screen. Everything else worked but that fact wasn't ideal.

[Cornucopia]

You were using SUPER output. Super, as in superimposition, as in overlay. If you had used a direct video output jack, you wouldn't have even had to worry about that.

Glad to hear you got it worked out.

Scott

Btw, DB83, speak for yourself. I know of no less than 6 people on this site (myself included) who are quite familiar with this class of machines, if not that particular model.

[DB83]

I stand corrected about the number of users who might know about this class of machine.

But even now the OP is more than unhelpfull of how he fixed his problem. He has not indicated ANYTHING he has done to fix the issue. If you merely read his words the fix is just by magic.

If the issue was, and probably is, the SUPER output then at least he should acknowledge that.

[Ayrfield]

I'm sorry I wasn't clearer in my answer and I am very appreciative of all the posters who tried to help. I haven't touched a Beta SP deck in over 12 years and, because I've only rented this one for a couple of days, I was in a panic that I wouldn't be able to get a clean video signal without the burnt in time code on the screen.

There are three bnc video outputs on the back of the deck. When I was first playing out the Beta tape I tried all three outputs. The only signal I could get was from Super 3. I presumed the problem lay with one of the switches on the front of the deck relating to time code.

Eventually switching the BNC / Phono lead into the 2nd output was to give me the video signal free from time code.

Thank you to everyone who commented and tried to help. Much appreciated.

[DB83]

Thank you for clearing that up. This sort of information is useful for others who might have similar issues in the future.

The following might be irrelevent due to your limited access to the unit but I worry about the quality of the captures you will get from the capture device which is geared to VHS etc.

Am I correct in assuming these are beta-cam tapes rather than consumer betamax ?. The capture device is hardly going to give you the best results - is this straight to mpeg2 ?

[Ayrfield]

The quality is far from ideal I have to say. These were college projects sitting in a bag for the past twelve years and I got a very good deal on renting the unit for a couple of days.

They are commercial Beta SP tapes rather than the old domestic Betamax. The Honestech box brings in the footage as Mpeg files and there is a marked difference in quality. Definitely not broadcast quality.

I would use the Honestech box to digitise VHS tapes and have found it to be a very user friendly system.

Quality isn't my main concern with the Beta tapes. Just really to have a copy of the work I've done that I can upload it to Vimeo.

[Cornucopia]

Besides using a better capture chain, next time I would STRONGLY suggest you ask to get the manual when you rent a complex device.

Scott