Panasonic Memory Card Camera Recorder AG-HPX255P AG-HPX255EN Operating Instructions

							61
Shooting
Using time data
Time data overview
■	Time code
You	can	switch	between	REC	RUN	and	FREE	
RUN	from	the	setup	menu.	(Page	141)
FREE RUN: The	time	code	advances	constantly	whether	the	
camera-recorder	is	on	or	not	just	like	time	itself.	
Recording	using	a	slave-locked	time	code	input	
to	the	 TC	IN/OUT 	or	DVCPRO/DV	connectors	is	
also	possible.
REC RUN: The	time	code	advances	only	during	recording.
This	will	enable	continuation	of	time	codes	in	
previously	recorded	clips	and	when	the	power	
is	turned	off	or	new	P2	cards	are	inserted	to	
continue	recording.
The following events will disrupt time code 
continuity.
•	When clips are deleted
•	 When a 24P or 24PA frame rate is selected
•	 When 24PN or 30PN (25PN) is selected
•	 When a recording is interrupted by a REC 
WARNING or other abnormality
■	User bits
•	 Two	types	of	user	bits	are	provided	internally:	
(LTC	UB:	recorded	as	LTC,	output	via	the	
TC	IN/	
OUT 	connector	as	LTC	embedded	in	HD	SDI)	
and	VITC	(in	DVCPRO	recorded	in	the	VIDEO	
AUX	area	and	output	as	VITC	embedded	in	HD	
SDI).
•	 LTC	UB	enables	the	recording	of	user	settings,	
time,	date,	time	codes	and	similar	values,	the	
frame	rate	data	for	camera	capture	and	external	
input	values	(via	
TC	IN/OUT	or	DVCPRO/DV	
connector	input).
•	 VITC	user	bits	record	the	frame	rate	data	of	
camera	capture.
•	 The	user	bits	in	clip	metadata	record	the	LTC	UB	
value	at	the	start	of	recording.
The	camera-recorder	provides	time	data	such	as	
time	codes,	user	bits,	time	of	day	(real-time)	data,	
which	is	recorded	on	each	frame	alongside	video	
data.	It	is	also	recorded	as	data	in	clip	metadata	
files.
Counter setting and display
Pressing	the	COUNTER	button	to	view	the	counter	
displays	the	counter	value	on	the	time	code	
indicator
	in 	the 	LCD 	and 	in 	the 	viewfinder. 	(Page 	121)
The	counter	value	is	indicated	in	“Hour	:	Minute	.	
Second”	format.	 The	counter	value	is	not	displayed	
during	playback.
The	menu	option	REC	COUNTER	in	the	DISPLAY 	
SETUP 	screen	can	be	set	to	display	two	types	of	
counters.	(Page	149)
TOTAL: provides	a	continuous	count	until	reset	by	
pressing	the	COUNTER	RESET 	button.	The	
counter	value	is	retained	when	P2	cards	are	
replaced	and	when	the	power	is	turned	off.
CLIP: The	counter	is	reset	to	0	at	the	start	of	each	
recording	and	allows	you	to	keep	track	of	clip	
recording	time	while	shooting	the	current	clip.
•	Pressing the RESET button when the 
counter value is displayed resets the 
counter to 0.
•	 The counter value indicates values in 
the range between 0:00.00 and 9:59.59 in 
1-second steps. 
						

							62
Using time data (continued)
■	Date (real time)
•	 The	built-in	clock	calculates	the	year,	month,	day	
and	time	from	the	internal	clock	to	display	on	
video	in	the	LCD,	viewfinder	and	VIDEO	OUT
	
and	other	video	output.
•	 The	internal	clock	is	not	only	used	to	calculate	
the	free	run	time	code	when	the	power	is	off	and	
to	set	the	user	bit	year,	date	and	time,	but	also	
to	set	file	creation	dates	when	clips	are	recorded	
that	determine	the	order	of	thumbnails	and	
playback	order.
•	 It	is	also	used	for	generating	clip	metadata	and	
UMID	(Unique	Material	Identifier).
	
· “Setting	the	calendar”	(Page	26	of	Vol.	1)
Setting user bits
Use	the	setting	menu	UB	MODE	on	the	
RECORDING
	SETUP 	screen 	to 	select 	the 	user 	bits	
to	record	in	the	subcode	area.	(Page	142)
USER: Records	internal	user	values.	 To	set	user	values,	
set 	the	 menu	 UB	PRESET 	screen. 	Set 	values	 are	
retained	after	the	power	is	turned	off.
•	 “Entering	the	user	bits”	(Page	63)
TIME: Records	the	time	calculated	by	the	internal	clock.
DATE: Records	the	year,	month	and	day	time	digits	from	
the	internal	clock.
EXT: Records	the	user	bits	input	to	the	 TC	IN/OUT	
connector.
Recording	of	1394	input	also	records	user	bits	
input	to	the	DVCPRO/DV	connector.
TCG: Records	the	time	code	value.
FRM. RATE: Records	the	frame	rate	information	of	camera	
capture.
A	native	recorded	clip	is	played	back	at	the	
same	frame	rate	as	the	VITC	UB	regardless	of	
recorded	values.	Use	this	setting	when	a	PC	or	
other	editing	device	is	to	use	the	user	bit	frame	
rate.
•	 “Frame	rate	information	recorded	in	user	bits”	
(Page	64)
•	 To	slave	lock	to	the	user	bits	input	to	the	
TC	IN/
OUT 	connector,	set	to	EXT.
•	 In	slave	mode,	the	UB	indicator	is	highlighted. •	
A
	slave 	relationship, 	once 	started, 	continues 	even	
after	input	from	the	 TC	IN/OUT	or	DVCPRO/DV	
connector	ends.	Note	that	the	following	events	
release	user	bit	slave	status.
	
· When	a	UB	MODE	option	is	set	to	something	
other	than	EXT.
	
· When	UB	PRESET
	is	performed
	
· When	switching	to	1394	in	the	menu	option	
REC	SIGNAL
	in	the	SYSTEM	SETUP 	screen.
	
· Turning	the	power	off.
•	 The	internal	user	value	retains	the	slave	values	
even	after	slave	release.
To input an external time code from the TC 
IN/OUT terminal, it is necessary to set TC IN/
OUT SEL on the setting menu OUTPUT SEL 
screen to TC IN. 
						

							63
Shooting
Entering the user bits
The	user	bits	allow	information,	including	memos	
that	use	up	to	eight-digit	hexadecimal	numbers	
(date	and	time),	to	be	recorded	in	the	Subcode	
area.
COUNTER buttonRESET button
Operation lever
MENU button
1 
Open the setting menu RECORDING SETUP 
screen and set the menu option UB MODE 
to USER.
•	For
	details 	on 	menu 	operation, 	refer 	to 	“Basic	
operations	of	setup	menus”	(Page	28	of	Vol.	
1).	
•	 You	can	also	use	the	corresponding	buttons	
on	the	remote	control.	For	details,	see	
“Description	of	parts”	(Remote	control).	
(Page	19	of	Vol.	1)
2 
Select CHANGE for UB PRESET on the 
setting menu RECORDING SETUP screen 
and press SET on the Operation lever to 
open the User’s Bit setting screen.
3 Use Operation lever to set the user bits.
SEL : PUSH    /  +/- : PUSH
0 0000000
UB PRESET
/
PRESET :  PUSH SET\
PUSH  MENU  TO  RE\
TURN 
►	direction:	 	 Shifts	the	target	(highlighted)	
digit	to	the	right.
◄	direction:	 	 Shifts	the	target	(highlighted)	
digit	to	the	left.
▲	direction:	 	 Increases	the 	highlighted 	number	
by	one.
▼	direction:	 	
Decreases	the	highlighted 	
number	by	one.
SET:	 Confirms	the	set	user	bits.
•	 Pressing	the	RESET
	button	while	setting	the	
user	bits	will	reset	any	user	bit	setting	to	0.
4  Press SET on the Operation lever and 
confirm the user’s bit setting value and you 
leave the user’s bit setting screen.
If you leave the user’s bit setting screen 
without pressing SET on the Operation 
lever, the set value is not retained.
5  Use the COUNTER button to display the UB 
and confirm that the value set is displayed.
Retaining the user bits
The	data	set	for	the	user	bits	are	automatically	
saved	and	retained	even	if	the	video	camera-
recorder	is	turned	off.  
						

							64
Using time data (continued)
Frame rate information recorded in user bits
The	frame	rate	value	of	video	data	captured	and	
recorded	at	a	frame	rate	set	in	the	menu	option	
FRAME	RATE	or	other	options	in	the	SYSTEM	
SETUP	screen 	can 	be 	recorded 	in 	the 	user 	bits 	and	
be	used	in	editing	equipment	(personal	computer	
editing	software).
This	type	of	data	is	recorded	in	VITC	UB	at	all	
times.	
Setting	the	setting	menu	UB	MODE	to	FRM	RATE,	
records	the	information	also	to	the	user	bits.
The	same	value	as	in	the	frame	rate	information	
obtained	from	VITC	UB	playback	is	also	output	as	
LTC	UB	during	playback	of	clips	recorded	in	native	
format.
■	Frame rate information
Frame	rate,	video	pull-down	and	time	code	user	
bits	are	related	as	described	below.
Verification	
information	
on	the	right-
hand
six	digits Fixed	
value
Sequence	No.	 	
24P,	24PA:	0-4	
Other	than	above:	locked	at	F
Camera	capture	mode
Example:	
·	60i:	600
·	60P:	608
·	30P:	308
·	24P:	248
·	24PA:	24C
·	24PN:	24C	(recording)
·	50i:	502
·	50P:	50A
·	25P:	25A
·	P:	9	(VFR	30PN	or	over	60P)
·	P:	1	(VFR	over	60P)
·	P:	D	(VFR	24PN	recording)
·	P:	B	(VFR	25PN	or	over	50P)
·	P:	3	(VFR	over	50i)
Media	management	
data
•	 	 Update	frame	flag,	
active	frame	flag
•	REC	mark
1080i, 480i, 576i mode
Frame rate: 24P over 60i (2:3)
	 First	field	of	updated	frame	rate
02 25
00 01 03040506 2324 26272829
AoAeBoBeBoCe CoDeDoDe AoAeBoBe CoDeDo De AoAeBoBeBoCe CoDeDoDe
2 0
0 1 3 4 01 34 12 3 4
01 10
10 10 01001010 0100 10010100
Time	code 	digit
Video
Sequence 	No.
Updated 	frame 	information
Frame rate: 24PA over 60i (2:3:3:2)
02 25
00 01 03040506 2324 26272829
AoAeBoBeBoCe CoCeDoDe AoAeBoBe CoCeDo De AoAeBoBeBoCe CoCeDoDe
2 0
0 1 3 4 01 34 12 3 4
01 10
10 10 00101010 0010 10010010
Time	code 	digit
Video
Sequence 	No.
Updated 	frame 	information
Frame rate:  30P over 60i (2:2)
  25P over 50i (2:2)
02
00 01
AoAeBoBeCo Ce
10
10 10
Time	code 	digit
Video
Updated 	frame 	information 
						

							65
Shooting
720P mode
Frame rate: 24P over 60P (2:3)
	 Updated	frame
02 25
00 01 03040506 2324 26272829
A A B B B C C C
D DD D A A B B B C C D DD
D D A A B B
01 10
10 10 01001010 0100 10010100Time	code 	digit
Video
Updated 	frame 	information
Frame rate:  30P over 60P (2:2)
  25P over 50P (2:2)
Time	code 	digit
Video
Updated 	frame 	information02
00 01
A A B B C C
10
10 10  
						

							66
Using time data (continued)
Setting the time code
1 Switch the menu option TC MODE and TCG 
on the RECORDING SETUP screen to set 
the mode of the time code.
•	TC MODE (in the case of 59.94 Hz) (Page 
141)
Sets	DF/NDF.
Time code
Setting
Drop	frame	mode DF
Non-drop	frame	mode NDF
24P,	24PA,	and	24PN	always	operate	using	
NDF.
•	 TCG (Page 141)
Sets	FREE	RUN/REC	RUN.
2 
Select CHANGE for TC PRESET on the 
setting menu RECORDING SETUP screen 
and press SET on the Operation lever to 
open the time code setting screen.
3 Use the Operation lever to set the time 
code.
•	Range	of	available	time	code	settings:
00	
:	00	 :	00	 :	00	to	23	 :	59	 :	59	 :	29	(60i,	60P),	
00	 :	00	 :	00	 :	00	to	23	 :	59	 :	59	 :	23	(24PN),	
00	 :	00	 :	00	 :	00	to	23	 :	59	 :	59	 :	24	(50i,	50P)
        00 h 00 m 00 s 00
         h    min    s   frm
TC PRESET
SEL : PUSH    \f  +\f- : PUSH REC RUN
\f
PRESET :  SET \b  )PUSH  MENU  TO  RET\HURN 
►	direction:	
	 Shifts	the	target	(highlighted)	
digit	to	the	right.
◄	direction:	 	 Shifts	the	target	(highlighted)	
digit	to	the	left.
▲	direction:	 	 Increases	the	highlighted	
number	by	one.
▼	direction:	 	 Decreases	the	highlighted	
number	by	one.
SET:	 Use	to	confirm	set	time	code	value.
•	 Pressing	the	RESET
	button	will	reset	any	
time	code	setting	to	0.
4  Press SET on the Operation lever and 
confirm the time code setting value and 
you leave the time code setting screen.
5  Select TC display using the COUNTER 
button, and confirm that the value set is 
displayed.
•	When 24P or 24PA is used, the time 
code is adjusted every 5 frames. It is 
adjusted to multiples of four for 24PN 
and to even numbers for 720/30PN. It 
is adjusted so that the seconds plus 
the frames are an even number for 
720/25PN. The time code cannot be set 
during recording.
•	 If you leave the time code setting 
screen without pressing the SET button 
on the Operation lever, the set value is 
not retained.
Time code function during battery replacement
Even	during	battery	replacement	the	backup	
mechanism	keeps	the	time	code	generator	
functioning.
When the POWER/MODE switch has been 
switched ON → OFF → ON, the backup 
accuracy of the time code in free run mode is 
about ±2 frames.
VFR (variable frame rate) time code
•	 In	24PN	mode,	recording	is	performed	at	
24-frame	time	code,	and	output	is	performed	at	
30-frame	time	code	to	match	the	2:3	pull-down	
scheme	used	for	video	output.
•	 At	a	frame	rate	(capture	frame	rate)	of	24P,	the	
speed	of	recording	and	the	output	time	code	
matches	the	actual	time,	but	not	at	any	speed	
other	than	24P.	(Example:	at	60P
	recording	
progresses	at	60/24	speed)
•	 Then	the	camera-recorder	operates	in	
REC	
RUN	mode	and	the	time	code	output	at	start	of	
recording	matches	the	recording	time	code.
•	 This	is	also	the	same	when	shooting	in	modes	
other	than	30P
	in	30PN,	and	25P 	in	25PN. 
						

							67
Shooting
Externally locking the time code
The	time	code	generator	built	into	your	AG-
HPX255P/EN	may	be	locked	to	an	external	
generator.	It	is	also	possible	to	lock	an	external	
time	code	generator	to	the	internal	generator.
Connections for externally locking the time 
code (examples)
As	illustrated,	both	the	reference	video	signals	and	
the	time	code	must	be	input.
■	Example 1: Locking the time code to external 
signals
Reference time 
code
Reference video 
signal TC IN
GENLOCK IN
AG-HPX255P/EN
•	
To input an external time code, set TC IN/
OUT SEL on the setting menu OUTPUT 
SEL screen to TC IN, and TCG on the 
RECORDING SETUP screen to FREE RUN.
•	 In addition to an HD Y reference signal, a 
composite video signal can also be input 
as reference signal.
•	 Input composite video signals when the 
system mode is 480i (576i) (SD) and 720P.
•	 During HD-Y signal input in 720P system 
mode, GENLOCK input for the video signal 
is applied but the time code is delayed by 1 
field.
•	 If the reference GENLOCK input signal 
becomes irregular and recording cannot be 
normally performed, “TEMPORARY PAUSE 
IRREGULAR FRM SIG” blinks in red in the 
viewfinder and on the LCD screen and the 
current clip is divided. The continuity of the 
time code cannot be guaranteed. Recording 
resumes when the signal returns to normal. 
Recording will not resume if interval, one-
shot or loop recording is in progress.
■	Example 2: Connecting two or more AG-
HPX255P/EN with one another, with one 
being used as the reference device.
Reference device
Slave device
TC OUTTC IN
VIDEO OUT GENLOCK IN
•	Set TC IN/OUT terminal to output or input 
using TC IN/OUT SEL on the setting menu 
OUTPUT SEL screen.
•	 For each unit, set TC VIDEO SYNC on 
the setting menu OUTPUT SEL screen to 
RECORDING, and GL PHASE on the OTHER 
FUNCTIONS screen to COMPOSITE.
•	 If you set TC VIDEO SYNC on the setting 
menu OUTPUT SEL screen to RECORDING, 
you can attach the same time code to 
synchronized video on two units when 
recording.
•	 The subcarrier in the VBS signal of the 
VIDEO OUT connector of the camera-
recorder cannot be externally locked.  
						

							68
Using time data (continued)
To externally lock the time code
Follow	the	steps	below.
1 Turn the POWER/MODE switch to ON.
2 Set TCG on the setting menu RECORDING 
SETUP screen to FREE RUN.
3 Use the COUNTER button to set TC display.
4 Supply a phase-relationship reference 
time code (that conforms to the time 
code requirements) and reference video 
signals to the TC IN/OUT and GENLOCK IN 
connectors, respectively.
•	 Now	the	built-in	time	code	generator	is	locked	to	
the	reference	time	code.
•	 When	locked	to	an	external	time	code	generator,	
the	time	code	is	at	all	times	locked	to	the	external	
time	code,	which	is	displayed	as	a	highlighted	
value	on	the	counter	indicator.	Do	not	engage	the	
recording	mode	during	the	few	seconds	it	takes	
for	the	sync	generator	to	stabilize.
•	 Once	a	slave	relationship	is	established,	the	
TC	
IN/OUT 	and	GENLOCK	IN	connectors	stay	in	
slave	status.*
	
· When	
TC	PRESET 	is	performed.
	
· When	the	REC	SIGNAL
	option	in	the	SYSTEM	
SETUP 	screen	is	set	to	1394.
	
· The	power	is	turned	off.
	
· When	the	
TC	MODE	menu	option	is	used	to	
switch	between	DF	and	NDF.
	
· When	the	
TCG	menu	option	is	set	to	REC	
RUN.
	
· When	REC	FORMAT
	and	CAMERA	MODE	
have	been	switched.
*	 	 The	slave	function	is	a	state	whereby	the	unit’s	
internal	time	code	generator	is	locked	to	and	
progresses	with	an	externally	input	time	code,	
and	continues	to	progress	after	input	of	the	
external	time	code	has	stopped. Setting the user bits when the time code is 
externally locked
To	externally	lock	user	bits,	set	the	setting	menu	
UB	MODE	(RECORDING	SETUP
	screen)	to	EXT.
Regardless	of	an	FREE	RUN	or	REC	RUN	setting,	
the	time	code	is	slaved	to	user	bit	values	input	to	
the	 TC	IN/OUT 	connector.
•	 “Time	data	overview”	(Page	61)	·
	
	“Setting	user	bits”	(Page	62)
To unlock the externally locked time code
Discontinue	external	time	code	supply,	then	set	the	
setting	menu	 TCG	(RECORDING	SETUP 	screen)	
to	REC	RUN.
External synchronisation of the camera when 
the time code is externally locked
When	the	time	code	is	externally	locked,	the	
reference	video	signals	input	through	the	
GENLOCK	IN	connector	gen-lock	the	camera.
•	 To lock other devices externally to the AG-
HPX255P/EN, as the master device, make 
sure that the other devices are in the same 
camera mode as the AG-HPX255P/EN. Note 
that if some of the connected devices use 
interlaced scanning while other devices use 
progressive scanning, there may be breaks 
in the video and time code.
•	 When 24P, 24PA or 24PN (native) is selected 
and the time code is externally locked, be 
sure to select a non-drop frame time code. 
The time code cannot be externally locked 
when drop frame mode is selected. When 
the time code is externally locked, the 
video may be distorted, but this is because 
of adjustment to 5-frame segments and not 
a malfunction. 
						

							69
Shooting
GENLOCK and time code input/output connection and setup
Camera-recorder operating conditionsCamera-
recorder setup GENLOCK input and camera-recorder 
output phase 
(In phase: √  Out of phase: ×)
Recordingformat Video and reference 
signal to be output  externally GENLOCK input
GL PHASESDI OUT (HD) VIDEO OUT, 
SDI OUT (SD) TC OUT
1080i SDI	OUT
	(1080i)
1080iHD	SDI
√90H	delay √
VIDEO	OUT COMPOSITE90H	advance √√
SDI	OUT 	(1080i)
SD	(480i/576i) HD	SDI
√90H	delay √
VIDEO	OUT COMPOSITE90H	advance √√
720P SDI	OUT
	(720P)
720PHD	SDI
√120H	delay
×
VIDEO	OUT COMPOSITE120H	advance √×
SDI	OUT	(720P)
SD	(480i/576i) HD	SDI
√120H	delay √
VIDEO	OUT COMPOSITE120H	advance √√
480i/576i SDI	OUT
	(480i/576i)
SD	(480i/576i) DisabledNo	output √√
VIDEO	OUT  
						

							70
Using time data (continued)
Outputting the time code externally
To	output	time	code	from	the	camera-recorder’s	TC	
OUT 	connector	to	a	VTR	or	other	recording	device	
in	sync	with	camera-recorder	picture	or	playback	
picture,	set	the	setting	menu	 TC	VIDEO	SYNC	
(OUTPUT 	SEL)	to	VIDEO	OUT.
Set	the	menu	option	GL 	SELECT	to	HD	SDI	or	
COMPOSITE	as	required	by	supplied	video	output	
in	the	OTHER	FUNCTIONS	screen	and	the	menu	
option	 TC	OUT 	to	TCG/TCR	in	the	OUTPUT 	SEL	
screen.
AG-HPX255P/EN
VTR, etc.
SDI OUT or VIDEO OUT
When the setting menu TC VIDEO SYNC is 
set to VIDEO OUT, the time code is output via 
TC IN/OUT in tune with VIDEO OUT delay.