The ETT inaccuracy with BM continues. In a multi-FCP, multi deck facility wired with rooms far away from the decks, I've managed to tweak specific decks and specific FCPs to come out quite accurate. But never really repeatably accurate.
As an aside, the exact same machine with the BM card installed, also has Avid Media Composer Mojo (Mac version). And using Digital Cut, Avid can layoff to tape accurately, each and every time. So the Mac, the OS, the deck and the genlock have no part in this.
It is the BM serial port and the BM card itself - maybe even FCP.
From my earier post in this thread...
http://forums.creativecow.net/thread/124/866188
This isn't a workaround, just a precaution.
I often have to lay-off 9 entire film reels (22 mins or so) to tape starting at specific timecodes.
Its very vexing to lay-off a whole reel and then find one is 1 frame late and you find that out only after the entire dump of 22 mins.
So what I do is this.
Connected the output of the deck (with TC burn-in on) to a broadcast monitor so I could see the deck TC burn-in.
Do an ETT.
While the ETT happens, shoot the broadcast monitor screen with a handycam.
Then while the lay-off continues, I rewind the DV tape in the handycam and play it back frame by frame to check if the insert was 'on time'.
If it is, I let it continue.
If not, cancel ETT and repeat.
This way I know within a minute or so if it is off. Instead of a Handycam you can even use a MacBook Pro with its iSight.
Again, this ain't a workaround, just means to lessen frustration.
Neil
FCP Editor, Mumbai, India.
Completely PAL.
