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Recording timecode before shooting


    You can also ensure that a tape will have continuous timecode by recording timecode onto the tape before using it. This process is called striping the tape. When you stripe a tape, you must be careful not to change the camera's settings before recording; otherwise, you can record discontinuities onto the tape. For example, if you stripe a tape with the camera set to record in 12-bit/32-kHz audio, and then just before you shoot the video you change the camera's audio setting to record at 48 kHz, you may record a sample rate discontinuity onto the tape. Such discontinuities do not capture well and can only be fixed by dubbing the tape with analog connections.

To record timecode onto a tape before shooting:

  1. Load a tape into your DV camcorder or deck, and make sure that it is fully rewound.
  2. If you are using a camcorder, completely cover the lens using a lens cap or opaque material.
  3. Begin recording. Let the camcorder or deck run until the entire tape has been recorded.
  4. Make sure that your camera's settings remain the same for striping and for shooting.