Microframe Corporation D8009 User manual

Time Code Sync Master
Models 8009 & 8010
Microframe Corporation
Operating Manual
*D8010-7010*
June 2014 Revision 1.1

Microframe Corp Page 2 D8010 Manual r1.1
Limited Warranty Agreement
Your Microframe System is warranted against failure due to defects in workmanship or material for a period of one (1) year
from the date of purchase. Microframe Corporation will repair or replace any defective unit. Obvious abuse or mishandling
of the unit is NOT covered by this warranty.
Merchandise Return
If your Unit does not work satisfactorily, please give us a call. We may be able to clear up the problem by phone. If it
becomes necessary to return your Unit to the factory, please observe the following:
1. Call Microframe for an RMA number. This will authorize you to return the unit.
2. Place Unit in a sturdy box with sufficient packing material.
3. If requested, include the AC power adapter. It is not necessary to return the cable and connectors unless they are the
problem.
4. Return the system insured and prepaid. Microframe is not responsible for shipping damages and losses on returned
Units.
Warranty Service
For warranty service, please contact Microframe toll-free at 800-635-3811. One of our technicians will be glad to assist
you.
Assistance
For any product assistance or maintenance help, contact Microframe by either calling 800-635-3811 or e-mailing us at:
[email protected].
Safety
Do not install substitute parts or perform any modification to the product without first contacting Microframe.
Disclaimer
We constantly strive to improve our products. Specifications are subject to change without notice.
Warning
All power adapters, line cords, and electrical equipment should be kept out of the reach of children and away from water.
(If you are installing cable in an air plenum area, such as a drop ceiling used for air return, you must use plenum-rated
cable. The cable supplied from Microframe is rated CL2 and is approved for indoor installation everywhere except plenum
areas.)
Life Support Policy
Microframe's products are not authorized for use as components in life support devices or systems without the express
written approval of the President of Microframe Corporation. As used herein:
1. Life support devices or systems are defined as systems which support or sustain life, and whose failure to perform when
properly used in accordance with instructions for use provided in the labeling, can be reasonably expected to result in a
significant injury to the user or any one depending on the system.
2. A critical component is any component of a life support device or system whose failure to perform can be reasonably
expected to cause the failure of the life support device or system, or to affect its safety or effectiveness.
FCC Notice (for wireless products only)
Note: This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to part 15
of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential
installation. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in
accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no
guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to
radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to
correct the interference by one or more of the following measures:
— Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
— Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
— Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected.
— Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.

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Time Code Sync Master
Models D8009 & D8010
Table of Contents
Table of ContentsTable of Contents
Table of Contents
Quick tart Instructions ...................................................................................................................................... - 4 -
Quick Tips .......................................................................................................................................................... - 5 -
etting the time and changing the settings ......................................................................................................... - 6 -
Using MPTE “ ync in” and “ ync out” ............................................................................................................... - 8 -
Workflow Recommendations ............................................................................................................................. - 8 -
Battery Life Essentials ........................................................................................................................................ - 9 -
D8009 vs D8010 Differences ............................................................................................................................ - 10 -
Model D8009 pecifications ............................................................................................................................. - 11 -
Model D8010 pecifications ............................................................................................................................. - 12 -
Microframe Corporation; Broken Arrow, OK
Tel: [phone] Toll free: 1.800.635.3811
www.microframecorp.com
[email protected]

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Quick Start Instructions
1) Remove the Time Code Generator from packaging, place battery in unit. Inserting battery
backwards causes no harm and is an easy way to carry around a battery until needed.
2) Position the battery correctly to start Sync Master Time Code Generator. Do this for each unit you
wish to activate for this shoot. The Sync Master Time Code Generator will go through a calibration
cycle on power-up for about 30 seconds, there is no “OFF” Switch. The 2
nd
row of numbers will
indicate the current battery voltage.
3) After each unit completes the calibration cycle it displays “Hr, Min, Sec, Even Frame, Odd
Frame” for 15 Seconds and then go to “Sleep” until you press the Mode/ON button (middle button on
end of unit).
The clock is still running and will remain in Sync (+/- one Frame) for 8 hours or more or until you remove the attery.
Pressing the “Mode/ON ” utton will turn the display on for 15 seconds (or the current Sleep Time).
4) To Set/Check Frame Rate: Press MODE/ON , then hold Down “Mode/ON ” and “–“ to enter “Option
Set”. Scroll through options by pressing “Mode/ON ”: When the option you want to change is
selected, press + or – to change value. When all options are correctly set, hold down “Mode/ON ” to
save and exit. Do nothing for 15 seconds and the Sync Master Time Code Generator will revert back
to normal operation and not save any option changes. See back decal to change Time.
Sleep Sets Display time 5 to 60 Seconds (Factory Default 15 Sec)
Rate Sets Frame rate 23.976, 24, 29.97, 29.9DF, 30 (Factory Default 23.976)
rite Sets the Default Display Brightness 5% to 100 % (Factory Default 50%)
If you change the frame rate the Sync Master Time Code Generator will go through another cali ration cycle. The new
frame rate will e the default Frame Rate on all future turn-on’s. The frame rate must e changed on each Sync Master
Time Code Generators one at a time.
5) Pick one unit to be “Master.” Connect the “Master” “SMPTE OUT” to all other units “SMPTE IN”
one at a time for about 3 seconds each to sync all units together. This SMPTE OUT signal is industry
standard SMPTE time code and may be connected to any camera or audio recorder to lay down a
time code track.
6) All units are ready to go. Give one Sync Master Time Code Generator to each camera operator
who will video the display for a short 2 second tag at the beginning of each camera shot. This will
make post editing much easier because each clip from each camera has a visible time code tag at
the beginning.

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Quick Tips
C ecking Sync
When the display is “asleep” you will notice a dash sequence running across the top of the display. This
sequence is a reflection of the frame rate and current frame. Holding two displays next to each other and
observing this sequence will give you a rough idea if the displays are still in sync.
To accurately check sync, simply take a picture of all devices running side-by-side with a camera. NOTE: if
you camera or phone has a slow shutter speed it will pick up multiple frames, but you should still be able to
determine sync to +/- 1 frame.
C ecking t e Battery Level
While the display is sleeping (showing no time-code), the same dash sequence mentioned above for
checking sync also indicates the current battery health. From left-to-right, each segment represents
approximately 20% battery life. All 5 segments means 100% battery, 4 lights means 80%, 3 lights means 60% and
so on. Also note that when a battery is first inserted into the display, while the unit is Calibrating the 2
nd
row will
show the battery voltage.
C anging t e Brig tness (Quick C ange)
Tap the middle button to turn the display on. While time-code is displayed, press the plus (+) button to
increase brightness or the minus (-) button to decrease brightness. Remember, increased brightness uses more
power and shortens the battery life during production. Be sure to keep an eye on the battery level. If you try to
turn the brightness past what your current battery will allow, a light will begin to blink to indicate that you do not
have enough battery to achieve the desired brightness. NOTE: this “Quick change” brightness is not being saved I
memory, so when you replace the battery the unit will reset to its “memory” brightness. To change the “memory
brightness” see the “ ettings” section.
C anging t e Battery on set
If a display needs to have its battery changed during a shoot, simply replace the battery and then re-sync
to any other unit. You can then use the fresh battery unit as the master and change all of the other batteries if
you wish. If you have the large D8010 model, you can plug it into the optional power supply and change the
battery without the unit shutting down. (Note: the external power supply does not charge batteries).

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Setting t e time and c anging t e settings
Setting Start Time: To set the start time simply press and hold both the “Mode/ON” and “+” buttons for 3
seconds. Once in the time set mode, the display will stop counting and await your input. From this point you can
quickly set each digit on the display. imply press “+” or “-“ to increment or decrement the digit and “Mode/On”
to move to the next digit. Press and hold “Mode/On” to save and exit or do nothing for 10 seconds to time out
and exit without saving. NOTE: The display always starts at zero when a new battery is inserted.
C anging t e settings
To enter program memory mode: hold both [Mode/On] and [-] buttons. Use the [On] button to select an option.
Use the [+] and [-] buttons to change a value. Press and hold [ON] button to exit. Options are retained even if the
battery is removed.
1) leep: How long before the screen blanks. 5-60 seconds.
2) Frame Rates: 23.98 (23.976), 24, 25, 29.97, 29DF (drop frame), 30
3) Percent brightness for the display. Running at a high brightness will shorten the battery life. 5-100%.
4) Flip the display direction. Note: the frame count ends up on the top row. (D8010 only)
Set Sleep Time: The sleep time is actually how long the time is shown when the “on” button is pressed
before the display goes back to it’s off state, to conserve battery. The factory default is 15 seconds. You can
change this from 5 to 60 seconds. imply press and hold “on” and “-“ to get into Options mode. The display will
show “ LEEP”. imply press “+” or “-“ to change the value, then press and hold “on” to save settings.
Set Frame Rate: The available frame rates on the ync Master are: 23.98 (23.976), 24, 25, 29.97, 29DF (drop
frame), 30. To set the frame rate simply press and hold “on” and “-“ to enter Options mode. The display will
show “ LEEP” as that is the first setting. Press the “on” button to advance to the “rate” setting. From here press
“+” or “-“ to scroll to the desired frame rate, then press and hold “ON” to save the setting.

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Setting Brig tness: There are two ways to set the brightness: “on the fly” and “in memory”.
- To change the brightness “on the fly”, simply press the”+” or “-“ buttons when the display is on. You will see
the brightness change immediately. Brightness will remain at this setting until the battery is removed.
However, when the battery is removed and re-inserted the brightness will go back to the “in memory”
setting.
- To change the “In memory” brightness press and hold “ON” and “-“ (minus) together when the display is on
to get into the options mode. The first option you will see is “ LEEP”. Press “ON” to scroll through options
until you see “brite” (the 4
th
option). From here, press “+” or “-“ to increment or decrement the brightness
and then press and hold “ON” to save. This new brightness setting will be used any time a new battery is
inserted.
Remember, the higher the brightness the shorter the battery life.
Set Flip Direction: As a personal preference or for cable concerns, one may want to change the orientation
of the ync Master to have the buttons on the right instead of on the left. This can be achieved by simply
changing the “Flip” memory location. etting this memory location to “1” instead of “0” will change the
orientation of your display. imply get to Options mode by pressing and holding “on” and “-“, the unit will show
“ LEEP”. Press the “on” button until you see the “FLIP” setting. Press “+” or “-“ to change this setting, hold “on”
to save. Note: the Frame count ends up on the top row. The “Flip Direction” option is not available on the
D8009, as that model is missing a digit.
Info Mode
To enter info mode, while the display is on, press and hold [+] and [-] buttons. Use the “ON” (mode) button to
toggle between options. Press and hold “ON” (Mode) to exit.
1) Model and software revision.
2) Battery voltage – can be used to gauge how fresh the battery is. This is affected by the display brightness.
Reset to Defaults
To reset to factory defaults, press and hold all three buttons while inserting the battery. The prompt “Reset 0”
will show on screen. Press [+] once to confirm, then press and hold [On].

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Using SMPTE “Sync in” and “Sync out”
ync in and out are industry standard MTPE in and out signals. Connecting any standard MTPE out, including
the ync out of another ync Master, to the “ ync in” will cause the ync Master to sync its internal time to the
incoming signal. After about 5 seconds, the ync Master can be unplugged and it will stay in sync to +/- 1 frame
for up to 8 hours.
In addition to using the “ ync Out” to sync other ync Masters, you may connect the ync Out to any standards
MTPE input such as those found on high end audio and video recorders, causing these devices to stay in sync
with the ync Master. The ync Out is active regardless of the state of the display.
Workflow Recommendations
1) ASSIGN A PERSON FOR TIME-CODE DEVICE MONITORING – ince time-code is dependent on battery life
and attention to synchronization procedures, it’s highly recommended one person is the “time-code gate-
keeper” in the production team. Camera teams have a full-time job being creative with their tools and
keeping them operational and verifying time-code operation can easily fall through the cracks.
A designated “Time-code PA” might perform the following:
a. Writing dates and identification on each device.
b. Take pictures before each major scene to verify time-code start time.
c. Document time-code start times for the DP, editor, or FX team.
d. Ensuring fresh batteries are installed before each day begins.
e. Plugging devices (D8010 only) into AC wall power to sustain time-code (and preserve battery life).
2) CHECK TIME-CODE BEFORE FILMING A NEW SCENE – This may vary depending on how many times
locations are changed but may provide the following essential elements.
a. Data Wranglers can document time-code ranges with media files while copying to storage.
b. Frequent time-code snap shots are a great reference for DP’s, editors, script supervisors & special
FX teams because each picture has a daily time-stamp with camera time-code.
c. Allows for checking battery life and changing batteries as needed.
3) TEST VISUAL TIME-CODE WITH EACH NEW CAMERA YOU USE – Remember, visual time-code uses the
same principle audio sync procedures use but with a different reference: “we trust the cameras ability to
record the frame-rate accurately.” Just as we trusted the camera to record an accurate frame-rate for
video and audio (…and audio sync later), we use visual time-code with the ync Master to provide the first
frame of recorded video with time-code. Essentially this is the same way audio files are recorded where
meta-data is added at the beginning of the file and time-code is conformed throughout the duration of
the audio file. It’s highly recommended you test the accuracy of your cameras with visual time-code to
ensure they perform as expected. Because many D LR’s have a limited record time, this limits common
errors in frame-rate drift that might be exhibited over an hour or more of record time. Testing is always
the best option to ensure you get the right results for your production.
Additional workflow recommendations can be found on our web site

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Battery Life Essentials
UNDERSTANDING RUN TIME
The ync Master D8010 unit is designed to run approximately 8 hours on a new 9V battery. Rechargeable battery
life may vary considerably compared to a standard alkaline battery. The battery life is also strongly influenced by
the display brightness and how long the display remains on.
A setting of 100% brightness uses 5 times more power than a setting of 20%.
The battery voltage can be gauged by watching how many dashes are displayed while the screen is blank. Five
dashes means 100%, 4 means 80%, 3 means 60% and so on.
When the battery voltage begins to fall below 6.3 Volts this unit will automatically dim the display brightness to
prolong run time. This dimming function is designed to alert the operator that the battery has about 10% life
remaining.
If the unit cannot achieve the set brightness, an led will blink, indicating that the battery is not allowing the set
brightness.
The ync Master is designed to provide time-code continuously, and does not have an off switch. Remove the
battery when not in use.
U ING THE AC ADAPTER (Applies to the D8010 Only)
The AC wall adapter is NOT designed to charge any battery while connected to the ync Master D8010. The AC
adapter allows for a convenient way to change batteries or sustain time-code for a longer time throughout the
production day without losing time-code.
If a unit loses power and time-code is lost, simply plug it into AC power (or put in a fresh battery), follow the easy
synchronization steps in the Quick tart guide and it’s ready to go.
____________________________________
Based on our testing, we recommend the batteries highlighted below. Test parameters: 50% brightness, display
on 25% of every minute until battery voltage dropped below 6.3V.
Battery
Duracell
(consumer)
Duracell
Procell
Duracell
Quantum
Energizer
(consumer)
Energizer
Industrial
Rayovac
ony
Run Time (hrs)
4
8
9
8
8
2
3

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D8009 vs D8010 Differences
D8009
D8010
Hours Digits
1 LED (10’s of hours)
plus 1 Digit
2 Digits to show up to 23 hours
Dry Erase Area for cene Notations
NO
YE
External Power Option
NO
YE
Flip Display
Orientation
Option
NO
YE
Holster with Belt
Clip Available
YE
NO
LED Brightness
Ultra Bright
Regular
ize
Pocket ized
Portable

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Features
•Built in time code display with illuminated red digits
•eparate even-odd frame digits to eliminate frame blur
•Colons to separate hours/minutes/seconds
•yncs to MPTE time source
•Generates MPTE time code
•Pocket sized form factor
•“On the fly” brightness control
•Automatic/configurable sleep mode
•Optional: protective case/belt holster available
In the Box
(1) D8009
(1) 9V Battery
(1) 3.5mm M/M audio cable
(1) BNC to 3.5mm adapter
(1) Manual
Model D8009 pecifications
Power………………………………….
9V Alkaline Battery
Battery Life………………………….
4
-
12
hrs, depending on usage. Typically
8+
hrs.
upported Frame Rates………
23.976, 24, 25, 29.97, 29.97 DF, 30
MPTE Input Range…………….
0.4Vpp to 5Vpp
MPTE Input Loading………….
AC coupled signal into 33K
MPTE Output…………………….
3Vpp w/ no load, AC coupled
Weight…………………………………
0.30lbs (0.14kg), including 9V battery
Dimensions………………………….
4.96” x 2.72” x 0.95” (12.6cm x 6.9cm x 2.4cm)
Clock Accuracy…………………….
2ppm from 32F to 104F (0C to +40C)
3.5ppm from -40F to 185F (-40C to +85C)
ynch Accuracy……………………
Within +/
-
0.25 frames of source
Timer Drift…………………………..
Not
more than +/
-
1 frame in 8 hours
Timer Limit
Rolls over at 19:59:59
Operating Temperature……..
-
4F to 131F (
-
20C to 55C) Limited by battery
Model D8009 Specifications
Model 8009

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Features
•Built in time code display with illuminated red digits
•eparate even-odd frame digits to eliminate frame blur
•Dry-erase front label
•yncs to MPTE time source
•Generates MPTE time code
•Portable form factor
•“On the fly” brightness control
•Automatic/configurable sleep mode
•Power jack input allows for external power or battery
changes without losing the time
In the Box
(1) D8010
(1) 9V Battery
(1) 3.5mm M/M audio cable
(1) BNC to 3.5mm adapter
(1) 9V power adapter
(1) Manual
Model D8010 Specifications
Model 8010
Model D8010 pecifications
Power………………………………….
9V Alkaline Battery
Battery
Life………………………….
4
-
12
hrs, depending on usage. Typically
8+
hrs.
upported Frame Rates………
23.976, 24, 25, 29.97, 29.97 DF, 30
MPTE Input Range…………….
0.4Vpp to 5Vpp
MPTE Input Loading………….
AC coupled signal into 33K
MPTE Output…………………….
3Vpp w/ no
load, AC coupled
Weight…………………………………
0.50lbs (0.23kg), including 9V battery
Dimensions………………………….
7.25” x 3.62” x 1.26” (18.4cm x 9.2cm x 3.2cm)
Clock Accuracy…………………….
2ppm from 32F to 104F (0C to +40C)
3.5ppm from -40F to 185F (-40C to +85C)
ynch Ac
curacy……………………
Within +/
-
0.25 frames of source
Timer Drift…………………………..
Not more than +/
-
1 frame in 8 hours
Timer Limit
Rolls over at 23:59:59
Operating Temperature……..
-
4F to 131F (
-
20C to 55C) Limited by battery