Blackmagic Forum

I note in the URSA broadcast manual (page 65) the timecode status info which suggests there is a jam sync function in the camera. Can't find how to jam sync to an external clock source, can anyone point me in the right direction? Also, what is the tolerance of the URSA broadcast internal clock.

It will jam sync the moment you add external ref to it's REF BNC connector. (And the setting in the Menu is set to REF = TC ) And you hit the Timecode button on the LCD flipout.

Xtreemtec wrote:It will jam sync the moment you add external ref to it's REF BNC connector. (And the setting in the Menu is set to REF = TC ) And you hit the Timecode button on the LCD flipout.

Thanks. I've unplugged the external TC generator and can see the INT status, hadn't thought of doing that as I was looking for an explicit "jam sync" type function in the menus. Will do some sync tests to see what the drift over time is.

Xtreemtec wrote:(And the setting in the Menu is set to REF = TC ) And you hit the Timecode button on the LCD flipout.

You don't need to touch your reference settings for the camera to jam to the external code. The reference setting just adjusts whether you are referencing Internally, External (Ref In), or from Program (SDI In). It is for reference... not for timecode.

As long as you are sending in timecode into the TC In and the frame rate matches the camera will automatically switch to the external code when you plug it in. Showing 'EXT'. Then when you unplug, the camera keeps that time of day code but runs from its internal clock and hence the EXT changes to INT.

Pressing the 'timecode' button on the outside of the camera, or tapping the numbers in the HUD will merely toggle between Counter display and Timecode display. The time of day code will always be recorded.

Drift should be less than a frame up to 8 hours while the camera is powered up.

Good to know Tim, thanks.
Cheers

Great info Tim, Sometimes these things get lost in mind when you not use these functions all day.

Tim Schumann wrote:
As long as you are sending in timecode into the TC In and the frame rate matches the camera will automatically switch to the external code when you plug it in. Showing 'EXT'. Then when you unplug, the camera keeps that time of day code but runs from its internal clock and hence the EXT changes to INT.

Drift should be less than a frame up to 8 hours while the camera is powered up.

Thanks Tim. It works perfectly with the Utltrasync One, and as long as the camera is on, it keeps time. Would be nice if the internal Time of Day clock could be set by EXT TC. Is that clock frame accurate ?