There is a trick that will not work on the XL1 as it will not read a dvcam tape, but will work on most of the Sony line.(posted 9146 days ago)IF you have access to someone with a DVcam system that supports Setable TC you can have a tape made up with this timecode on the beginning of the tape> the system then reads this timecode uses thisto set the counter and will then even thougth it is recording in DV not DVCam use this as the starting point. It is worth a try, again this WILL NOT WORK ON THE XL1 but will work on a TRV900.