GH5 Issue with 4K 10 bit clips
WHen rewrapping the files wit TimecodeTool by using both passtrough options (Video/Audio), the Tool is rewriting TC correctly icluding mute of the Audiosignal BUT somehow the VideoCodec is changed from the original AVCi to something aivx I never heard of. And so Media Composer (tried on 2018.3 and actual Version) wont recognize it. Long-G Clips the same … 1080p isnt an issue at all. ANY IDEAS?
I’m having the same issues, two GH5’s using 4K All-I 422/10bit recording at 23.98 using MOV recording setting.
Using timecode tool on PC Windows 10, Adobe premiere pro CC 2020
Tentacle sync E-s set at 23.98 jam synced from a mixpre-3. When I bring all the video clips into Timecode tool and using pass through, I get similarly sized files, but when importing the files into Premiere pro, two issues occur: 1) timecode in the file has a few seconds added to it and no longer agrees with the audio timecode that was noted in the original files. (original file imported to timecode tool showed Audio timecode of 12:13:52, when imported into Premiere Pro now has a media start of 12:14:36. Also, I can only playback audio. Error message generated from Premiere Pro says “Files use unsupported video compression type AIVX.”. If I try to use another wrapper from the timecode tool, such as quicktime – DNxHR HQX (10Bit), the timecode tool just craps out.
If Tentacle is not going to support a version of the Sync Studio for PC or keep their timecode tool up to date, then I just bought two useless little timecode generators, or I am going to have to spend another $300-400 Cdn to purchase a reliable software such as PluralEyes.
I submitted a ticket to Tentacle support desk about this issue. Their response was as follows: “This is a special problem only occurring with the Panasonic GH5 and Sony FS5. If you use those two cameras and record in 10 bit and wrap it, it wont work with the timecode tool. This problem only occurs with FS5 and GH5 10 bit 422 footage. This codec is something special. Timecode tool uses ffmpeg under the hood for transcoding and rewrapping. This is a bug in ffmpeg. However when you transcode it to DNxHD 185 it works. I hope that helps.”
My simple answer is No, that does not help to tell us to transcode our high quality 4K footage to a 1080p codec. Helps as much as a new hole in our heads that we weren’t born with.
if this is a bug with ffmpeg, then why can a software program called LTC Convert by Videotoolshed work just fine when it also makes use of ffmpeg to do the conversion (and a lot faster I might add).
I followed up to the original response to see if there was a patch planned to fix this issue with timecode tool, only to be told “Not right now or anytime soon, I’m afraid. I am sorry”.
So software support for the tentacle sync for PC based users is going to always be a non-priority with Tentacle it seems.
I mentioned LTC Convert by video tool shed. It works, but costs 135 euros to buy (almost $200 Cdn). The demo version will allow you to convert the audio TC to file TC on one file at a time. That will suffice for now, and when the very next big project comes around, I will budget in the $200 to go and buy that piece of software, and leave Timecode tool in the trash bin.
update in 2021… In late 2020, I went ahead and purchased a license for LTC Convert from Video tool shed. It works perfectly to convert Audio TC on all my footage to file TC. Then creating a multi-camera sequence in Premiere Pro. This workflow allows me to align an entire weekend shoot consisting of several hundred clips along with audio files in about 2 minutes. I can then provide the PP project file and a FCPX XML file to the editor as the final product. The only time I ran into an issue trying to convert any files with Audio timecode to file TC was when the camera operator shot in in a Sony AVCHD format which LTC convert does not support. A much better solution for Windows users than the Tentacle timecode tool.
I don’t know about the current Toolshed version, but when i tested the syncing program from Toolshed a few years ago i found two major downsides for me;
1. It made new clips with the length of the video file. So all audio that was recorded when the camera was not running was not transferred. I have the habit to keep rolling after camera stop and try to get some setnoise straight away. Now we have to look up for the take to see what the handles contain. Too much hassle, so it gets lost.
2. It dropped my audio metadata. So all track names and scene/take info was lost.
DaVinci Resolve (free) also has a LTC reader.
I wish Tentacle was able to make a Windows version. TSS is superior to any other syncing program that i know of (and i tested some…)