How to? Add digital to analogue without converting analogue?
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Posted on Nov 25, 2007 11:41 pm
DavidR
Member Since: Nov 25, 2007
I have an analogue recording on VHS Hifi tape. I want to mix this with a similar track from my hard drive without converting to digital. How do I sync the tracks onto an analogue recording medium? I assume that an adjustable time delay of some type would be needed.
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Nov 26, 2007 03:40 am hmmm ok is this a VCR type tape you're working with? i'll assume so...
second question is what is your final recording medium (what are you recording to when you mix the two tracks together?)?
and did you record the digital track while listening to the analogue? when you say "similar" this can't be 'close', it's gotta be exact timing.
to be honest, beyond hitting play on both at the appropriate times on both tracks (which CAN be done with a bit of practice) there's not much else that can be done, unless you've got a "word clock" or "SMPTE" signal embedded in the analogue track....
really the easiest way is to digitize the analogue track by recording the audio outs into your computer's "line in" and using a simple multi-track audio editor to line them up.
hope that helps a bit
and welcome to HRC!
wyd
zekthedeadcowEat Spam before it eats YOU!!!Member
Since: May 11, 2002
Nov 26, 2007 07:01 am Without spending thousands of dollars... hit play and hope for the best.
Otherwise you need an interface with LTC or Sony 9pin or something similar that matches your VCR so you can lock them together.
Is this a consumer VCR or a broadcast one? it will HAVE to be a broadcast VCR and you will probably need the video mixer to go along with it... then you will need the interface to lock the computer to the mixer controls...
DavidRMember
Since: Nov 25, 2007
Nov 26, 2007 07:07 am Thank you for response. Yes, a VCR is used for playback of original and for final recording medium. Digital track was recorded while listening to analogue. My goal is to keep the original analogue track from ever being converted to digital. I want to hit play on the vcr, sync up the track from pc(if possible), and record on a second vcr. I am not familiar with SMPTE, but will look it up. Thanks, again.
DavidRMember
Since: Nov 25, 2007
Nov 26, 2007 07:32 am Although I have thousands of dollars sitting around... I just wanted to record simultaneously from one consumer vcr to another, adding a track from my pc's hard drive. I do have access to a couple of JVC HIFI Duplicators(BR-7000UR) which might be considered "broadcast"?
zekthedeadcowEat Spam before it eats YOU!!!Member
Since: May 11, 2002
Nov 26, 2007 03:48 pm yeah the 7000's will work nicely... the main thing that makes a broadcast VCR what it is is the ability for something else to control it...basically if you look on the back of them there will be a gigantic plug that would go to a video mixer... you would need a PC interface with that type of plug... that reads that information obviously...
My analog video work doesn't require locking to PC so I'm not sure which interface you would need...
ah wait wait... let me think...
...
...
In your last post you said you basically wanted to go from one VCR to another... that could relatively easily be done with a video mixer for two of those VCRs... that will control both of them and should be able to program each one so it syncs up well...
HOWEVER - If they were not locked together with timecode when you made the recording they will probably drift... you might be able to compensate for that depending on the mixer... and I'm not sure if a Time Base Corrector will help... so the mixer should allow you to program then to start at the same time... but being that they were recorded on separate clocks they will probably have to play back on separate clocks...
a better forum for information on video equipment would be cinematography.com ...either in the newbie or Standard Definition section... really really really talented and experienced guys there... it might take them a bit to get past the "WTF were you thinking!?" mentality though. :)
Noize2uCzar of MidiAdministrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002
Nov 26, 2007 06:06 pm Ya, without an original VCR tape striped with time code it is going to be a hit or miss on the first transfer getting the PC track to line up perfectly with the video tape on the first machine. One thing you can do is put a tone or stripe time code to a transfer from the original tape to the second tape. Then if the tape machine you have can send a time code it can be hooked to the PC that way to send a start signal. But your best bet is to transfer the original tape with a tone just before the beginning of the audio and simply hit play when the tone sounds. It will get you close or much closer then just watching the counter.
zekthedeadcowEat Spam before it eats YOU!!!Member
Since: May 11, 2002
Nov 26, 2007 08:14 pm Also... being that is is VHS tape... make a digital backup as soon as possible anyway...especially if it's more than a year old... as each time it passes though the heads some of the magnetic film wears off... usually the timecode section is the first to go as it's on the edge...
