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Sony FX9


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Hello,

 

I wanted to know if anyone has run issues with running timecode to the Sony Fx9. I didn’t have time to troubleshoot the FX9 last time I worked with it so I ended up just sending a camera hop for reference. I tried to use a jb-1 denecke and a 664 to send timecode to the camera with the settings stated in the manual but had no luck with it acquiring sync. I tried to toggle through the timecode settings in the camera menu but didn’t have time since we were in a crunch. Just curious if anyone has run into similar issues?

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There aren't many TC settings in the FX9 menu, but that's ok.

 

Free Run

Preset

 

will work.

 

The TC plug is the third BNC seen from above, the second one from below. The writings on the camera body are a little irritating, I connected wrong at first and got a little mad for a slight moment. The plug at the bottom is genlock. There is switch a which makes both plugs either input or outputs.

 

I had got it working successfully with a 633. Unfortunately the camera TC drifted away nearly a whole frame per hour! Mounting TC clocks seems essential again.

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7 hours ago, Mungo said:

There aren't many TC settings in the FX9 menu, but that's ok.

 

Free Run

Preset

 

will work.

 

The TC plug is the third BNC seen from above, the second one from below. The writings on the camera body are a little irritating, I connected wrong at first and got a little mad for a slight moment. The plug at the bottom is genlock. There is switch a which makes both plugs either input or outputs.

 

I had got it working successfully with a 633. Unfortunately the camera TC drifted away nearly a whole frame per hour! Mounting TC clocks seems essential again.

I had it on free run and preset but for whatever reason it would not accept incoming timecode. I made sure to plug into the timecode input bnc and check the switch. I wonder if it was just that particular camera or if there is something else missing. I also tried it with my 664 but won’t accept timecode from that either. I’m glad to know it’s definitely possible to get it to work. 

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  • 4 weeks later...

Recently did a job with this exact combo of gear (664, JB-1, FX9). Yes, we did have issues. Once when I first attached the JB-1 to the cam at the start of the day, when the camera was already powered on. Then later, while the JB-1 was still running and connected, but the camera had been powered off between set-ups. Both times we were eventually able to get the FX9 to start reading the timecode, but we never figured out the cause-and-effect -- we just toggled some menu settings back and forth a few times, and eventually it started working properly.

 

We had done a job with this very same gear a couple of weeks before and there had been no problems. I suspect firmware bugs. How do we get Sony on this?

 

P.S. - should also mention that when we had the problem, the timecode at the FX9 did not move, neither when the menu was set to Free Run nor Preset (nor any of the other menu settings which are slipping my mind right now -- regen? rec run?). So it wasn't just that the jack and hardware wasn't seeing the incoming TC -- it just sitting there stationary on a seemingly random number, not running any TC at all. (I don't think we ever tested whether it moved upon hitting record.)

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I have been mixing a lot of political commercials over the past five weeks with half a dozen different DPs. I always try to get a video tap from the camera monitor to my 7" high bright sound cart monitor. This way i can monitor several things going on at the camera. Including frame rate. I'd say one or two times out of five I need to gently remind the DP that we are shooting lines to camera so he might want to take his camera out of slo-mo B-roll mode and go back to 23.975 fps.

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On 9/3/2020 at 11:13 PM, PMC said:

Next time this happens to you make sure the camera isn't in an over-crank frame rate, i.e. 40fps, 48fps, etc.

 

I can say this was definitely not the cause in the case I describe above -- it's one of the first things we check when TC isn't running, and we weren't overcranking at all that day, and neither had the camera hadn't gremlin'ed itself into that mode. I was definitely some kind of bug.

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  • 1 month later...
On 9/5/2020 at 8:31 PM, KenLac said:

 

I can say this was definitely not the cause in the case I describe above -- it's one of the first things we check when TC isn't running, and we weren't overcranking at all that day, and neither had the camera hadn't gremlin'ed itself into that mode. I was definitely some kind of bug.

Your situation is very similar to mine. The timecode never started running regardless of the setting. I am assuming it was a firmware/bug issue. I will try and toggle some of the settings back and forth to see if that helps next time I work with the same client. I’ve asked them to see if they can update the firmware to make sure. If anything comes to mind on what settings you played with just comment below as I need all the help I can get. 

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  • 6 months later...
  • 1 year later...

I was having timecode issues with the FX9 not seeing timecode come in, via lockit box, or Evertz 5600 & Brainstorm… went into the FX9 menu, and S&Q was set to OFF. I turned it ON, and then, back OFF… and immediately the FX9 picked up the timecode. Seems like a firmware update could fix that issue.

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  • 10 months later...

Sorry, but what is S&Q.

Not being a camera savvy person, I am not familiar with this term.

Have worked with Sony Venice no issues regarding TC, but working soon with a FX9.

My instincts would be to look for External Tc in, and Regen and connect a JB-1 or Tentacle Sync E to the TC in BNC.

Of course with matching frame rate settings.

 

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I connected with Sync E no issues with an FX9.

The wide shot FX6, though, would not see the Sync E. Maybe this Slow Motion(S&Q) would've done the trick. I'll try next time as they usually bring me on for special projects.

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Slow and Quick, yes. Under crank and over crank frame rates. You will not have TC lock during non standard framerates. Once the cam op switches back to a standard framerate your tc box will lock the camera back in.

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I interface with FX9s on a regular basis with the broadcast networks. As long as the camera frame rate matches yours on your mixer/recorder /sync box AND the BNC input on the side of the camera is set to IN on the Timecode port it’s a hard switch with a graphic line, you should be good to go. Never had to go into S/Q menu. Like PMC stated when camera is off speed you will not be in synch, when it comes back to your frame rate it will lock in via your tc box. I use Ambient Nanos. 

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  • 1 month later...

User of the Betso TCX-2+ timecode boxes. Never personally had an issue with the FX9. Actually the Sony cameras have been a true friend since they always have BNC (except the FS7 without the XDCA) and have always jammed without a problem for me.

 

Based on my experience with other camera manufacturers (RED...) I would recommend playing with your amplitude settings. If it is set too far below FS cameras sometimes have issues reading the signal.

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