Keenan925 Posted May 30, 2011 Report Share Posted May 30, 2011 I'm working with a script supervisor on a short film who asked me to jam her laptop with my timecode. I said, "sweet let me grab that cable." I jammed timecode to her ScriptE software using a iDevices cable (3.5mm 4 conductor TRRS Male to 3-Pin XLR Female Microphone Input Jack) because the new Mac Book has the same headphone/microphone jack as an iPhone. Both her's and my other cables didn't show timecode at all (1/4 inch female to 3.5 stereo jack). With my iDevice cable, timecode would show up when I was plugged into her Mac, but her timecode window would show zeros across the board every few seconds and once I'm unplugged her timecode is lost. I didn't want to always be plugged into because I'm operating as a one man sound army so I tried to send her timecode through a set of my G2s. Of course the timecode shows up but was very intermittent so her timecode window would show zeros about a 1/3 of the time. WHAT GIVES! I am hoping this is just a glitch we see all too often in new software these days. Has anyone jammed timecode to this software before successfully? or jammed to an older version successfully? I'm running the usual timecode (23.98), she is running version 1.5.7. I couldn't find where the timecode setting were in the ScriptE software either. Any clues? her software http://www.scriptesystems.com/ScriptSupervisingSoftware.aspx my cable that worked when plugged in http://www.kvconnection.com/product-p/km-iphone-micx-a22.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avpettine Posted May 31, 2011 Report Share Posted May 31, 2011 Hello Keenan925, Tony Pettine, one of the creators of ScriptE. A mixer friend of mine, let me know you were inquiring about timecode. I believe you are the same mixer working with a customer that contacted me just before the weekend. Thanks for trying to help her out. I checked with the sound mixer that makes our cables for the proper wiring configuration: These were his notes: The tip on the 1/4" female is connected to the ring on the 3.5mm mini plug. The ground (sleeve) on the 1/4" female is connected to the ground (sleeve) of the 3.5mm mini plug. The tip of the mini plug is not connected and its wire is dead-ended inside the shell of the 1/4" female. The end result is that TC shows up on the ring on the mini plug with the common-ground on the sleeve. Sounds like the timecode is being tripped on the pullout. Have you tried establishing t/code, then disconnecting from the t/code source before pulling out of ScriptE. If you haven't been able to get t/code into ScriptE via the timecode cable we sell. Then I'm guessing your t/code output is sending the hot signal is not getting to the ring on the mini plug. Please write or call me tomorrow and I'll do my best to help get you up and running. All the best, Tony Pettine ScriptE Systems tony@scriptesystems.com 917-991-7465, 310-744-4987 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Smith Posted May 31, 2011 Report Share Posted May 31, 2011 I've done a couple of shoots recently using ScriptE with the new MacBook. With the correct cable, I haven't run into any issues. I do know some people had problems when using a cable wired with tip as the hot. Also, you might want to check the level feeding the input. Sometimes it can be a bit cranky. --Scott Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keenan925 Posted June 2, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 2, 2011 Yeah I think the whole issue is the combination of the cable and her computer, they don't work together. The 13.3 Mac Book Pro model uses the headphone/microphone 3.5mm jack (TRRS), and the cable that she is trying to use is a 3.5mm (TRS). The cable is built correctly for any other size Mac Book Pro, but her computer needs the special (TRRS) so the TC is on the second ring. My signal could have been a little too hot so maybe thats why the programs TC window would show (00:00:00:00) in between the correct TC. That could be why it doesn't hold TC. How long are you plugged in for the TC to keep locked? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philip Perkins Posted June 5, 2011 Report Share Posted June 5, 2011 What do you mean by locked? I doubt the Mac internal clock is any more accurate than it ever was--I wrote the makers of ScriptE about this and they haven't gotten back to me. If you want the TC on that computer to be accurate then my guess is that you should either leave your wireless RX or a jammed TC box hooked up to it. I've mostly done the latter and it has worked out very well. The ScriptE program is very deep. Have you folks been finding that script supes dig it? phil p Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keenan925 Posted June 5, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 5, 2011 The correct term I meant is synced not locked, thanks Phil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan H. Chang Posted June 5, 2011 Report Share Posted June 5, 2011 Hey Keenan, I believe the cheapest option to sync with ScriptE on a MBP is to use your SennRx to jam-lock the TC everytime the cams are rolling. I wouldn't want to even cable to the laptop for safety sake and to free myself from any other departments. Go with what Philip suggested and have a lockit box attached to the laptop. Was ScriptE the only thing that needed TC? What about the cameras? Alan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keenan925 Posted June 5, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 5, 2011 Totally Alan, I already had a G2 system set for her TC feed, but the connection was too glitchy for her liking. For this shoot they were using the Red so my Lockit box was already in use. In my experience most script sups still use the old fashion pen and paper to keep their notes and logs, this program is new to me and I was very baffled when I heard it could hold TC sync while not keeping a continuous connection to a TC generator. Other than the TC error it maybe a great tool for script sups. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keenan925 Posted June 7, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 7, 2011 So I made some headway with Tony, one of the creators from ScriptE systems, at this point their software isn't compatible with the framerate 23.98 which we were using. He said the update should be out soon and also noted that the computer will need to be rejammed about every two hours to keep in sync. I think I'd rather leave a Lockit box with the script sup and call it a day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philip Perkins Posted June 8, 2011 Report Share Posted June 8, 2011 So I made some headway with Tony, one of the creators from ScriptE systems, at this point their software isn't compatible with the framerate 23.98 which we were using. He said the update should be out soon and also noted that the computer will need to be rejammed about every two hours to keep in sync. I think I'd rather leave a Lockit box with the script sup and call it a day. I sort of don't think they should be selling a TC-based piece of software for film/video that can't deal with 23.98 TC--that's probably the mist common frame rate anymore. phil p Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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