Workprinter XP - image smearing?

Mark · Post by **Mark** » Thu Mar 17, 2005 5:20 pm

Hello,

I recently noticed (yesterday) that the transfers that I am doing contain some smearing of the images every once in a while. In a 400' roll there were about 10 to 15 bad frames. I thought that I had made the proper adjustments in the back to stop this. Previously, before I adjusted the cam in the back of the WP, I was getting some combing on the frames. The adjustment took care of that but now, almost 6 months later, this smearing starts. Are they related? Will adjusting the cam aleviate this problem? I capture to a dedicated pc with a raid 0 (two 80GB maxtor drives). Could it be a camera setting? Anyone else have this problem with a fix?
Thanks,
Mark

Post by **toddguk** » Thu Mar 17, 2005 6:00 pm

Mark,
I had the same exact unit and the same exact problem. What I found out, was that I had been using the wrong take up reel and that this was causing the film to be pulled through the gate too quickly, throwing it out of sync with the microswitch. I later got the correct take up reel from MovieStuff and this helped out immensely. But, upgrading to the DV8 Sniper has proved to be even better. The motor is much better and the calibration issues are less severe.
Todd[/url]

Post by **mwkurt** » Thu Mar 17, 2005 6:06 pm

Well...that probably isn't the case here as I am using the reel that was supplied with the WP. Anyone else???
Thanks,
Mark

Post by **MovieStuff** » Thu Mar 17, 2005 6:17 pm

It is a timing issue. You need to adjust the timing disk inside the unit. There are three places on the diameter of the timing disk that can give you no smear but only one that will lock in and have no pulldown blurs forever. The other two timing positions will drift in and out of phase. Contact me off list and I can help you work out your timing issues.

Roger

Post by **mwkurt** » Thu Mar 17, 2005 6:42 pm

Roger,
Thanks for replying. I really hate to bother you about my problems. But I will take you up on your offer. I will call you later today, if that is okay. What would be a good time to catch you?
Mark

Post by **MovieStuff** » Thu Mar 17, 2005 7:13 pm

mwkurt wrote:Roger,
Thanks for replying. I really hate to bother you about my problems. But I will take you up on your offer. I will call you later today, if that is okay. What would be a good time to catch you?
Mark

Anytime after 4:00 CST. We are generally in a shipping frenzy until then. In general, I like to keep the forum free of WP related tech issues. Just contact me and I'll do what ever it takes to help you solve your problem.

Roger

Post by **Justin Lovell** » Fri Mar 18, 2005 4:55 am

roger, you should really get someone to make ya a workprinter forum/faq.. especially with the number of units that you have out there..

1. It would save you some time in responding to problems, as they may already be addresed in previous posts

2. Will provided a community for current owners to discuss their problems/solutions

3. Will provide an opportunity for people to provided feedback on how the WP can be improved upon in the future

4. May give you some free time, 'cause someone else could be able to answer a question before having to call you!.... and i'm bloody sure you could use some free time!! (I know you've given me enough of your time already!!!)

(I have a forum through "bravenet" at one point, was free, had some banners i think, but got the job done and made it easy for people to communicate).

justin

but anyways, is there any way to setup a workprinter through an analog setup to capture files at a resolution higher than DV's 5:1 compression ratio? (I'm sure this has been asked before...)... and does that mean that the 16mm workprinter can only be brought in at 5:1 compression as well?

Post by **mattias** » Fri Mar 18, 2005 11:53 am

jusetan wrote:is there any way to setup a workprinter through an analog setup to capture files at a resolution higher than DV's 5:1 compression ratio?

the light from the wp hits a ccd, and it couldn't care less what the camera does with the signal afterwards. in fact i'm pretty sure the wp was designed for analog cameras and capture cards to begin with, and it was even kind of hard to get dv to work properly due to timing issues.

/matt

Post by **MovieStuff** » Fri Mar 18, 2005 1:51 pm

jusetan wrote:roger, you should really get someone to make ya a workprinter forum/faq.. especially with the number of units that you have out there..

1. It would save you some time in responding to problems, as they may already be addresed in previous posts....

Actually, it would make my job much harder. One thing this forum has proven is how people often take a little bit of information and suddenly think they understand something they do not. That would be okay, as long as they kept that mistake to themselves. But I see time and again where people repeat rumor or a misunderstanding as if it were fact. The last thing I need is to provide a forum where 1500+ clients can do the same. A collective group of people that are drawn to a forum because they do not understand something is far from the best possible scenario. Asking questions is fine but if the answers are from unqualified people that only think they know, that can cause wildfire rumors that go beyond such a forum. I don't need that kind of problem.

As it stands, anyone that has a question can call me directly and I can accurately solve their problem in a few minutes, at the most. That is exactly WHY I do not like to discuss technical issues on this forum. It takes up bandwidth and it takes me longer to relay answers by typing than it does by talking to someone directly because there is a "give and take" in a verbal conversation that you just do not have in typed correspondence. I find that I can generally cover a week's worth of email in about 10 minutes on the phone. I have a toll free number, so it is about as easy as it can be for anyone that really needs to solve a problem with their unit.

However, I am in the process of creating a "trouble shooting" section on my website, complete with photos and the such, which should provide the kind of help you are talking about. That way the information is directly from me and not from speculation.

jusetan wrote: but anyways, is there any way to setup a workprinter through an analog setup to capture files at a resolution higher than DV's 5:1 compression ratio? (I'm sure this has been asked before...)... and does that mean that the 16mm workprinter can only be brought in at 5:1 compression as well?

There is no reason that you can not capture in analog. As Mattias pointed out, the original WorkPrinter used analog captures until the DV codec seemed to be the most popular for use. However, there may be a speed issue if you are capturing large file sizes. If you'd like to call me, please do. Or forward your number privately and I will call you at my expense, if necessary.

Roger
http://www.moviestuff.tv