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  • Hey all, just changed over the backend after 15 years I figured time to give it a bit of an update, its probably gonna be a bit weird for most of you and i am sure there is a few bugs to work out but it should kinda work the same as before... hopefully :)

Avid Auto sync with Red footage

David Hudson

David Hudson

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Using Avid Auto sync and there is some drift.

I have manually synced for years and there always was some
drift between the code on the smart slate and what is on the TC track (1-5 frames). Is there a way to adjust the new subclip's audio to get accurate sync?
 
In all my years of syncing on productions using a smartslate, only in about 2 clips out of 12 did I ever see sync and timecode match. Most of the time there is anywhere from 1-10 frames difference depending on the day, weather, gear, operator, etc.

What is more important is sync, regardless of timecode relationship to smartslate display. Timecode is on the audio file, for lists, etc.

Michael
 
While I agree that in the basic sense TC is not the important thing, getting it in sync can be achieved, we've done it for years with film and a Nagra and the slate clap, but the auto sync in the Avid is a wonderful, ie extremely fast way to sync vast amounts of footage but it relies on the TC of the audio and the picture to be the same, that is it's way to lock and once it makes the sub clip I can't slide it like I would have if manually syncing.

So I'm wondering if other editors use auto sync? and if so how do they deal with the several frame discrepancy?
 
You actually CAN slip synced clips, as long as you are in a 35mm project. It's called Perf Slip and it allows you to slip the sound at 1/4 frame increments. Only works in the source monitor, only on synced clips.

I've been using it for at least a decade to get stuff in sync. And I use the sticks as the point of reference. Timecode is just for ballpark syncing. Too many variables involved. I don't care for smart slates neither. Plain vanilla sticks.
 
Like Job, the common timecode is great for AutoSync and gets you in the ballpark with a very small percentage actually being in sync! But I always create a 35mm film project even if film is not being tracked in order to do a 'perf slip" for exact sync with 1/4 accuracy taking into consideration speed of sticks, frame boundaries, etc.

Michael
 
Saaaaweeeeeet!!!! Never too old to learn a new trick! Love it!
thanks guys.
 
I don't think I've ever had a Denecke slate accurately clap a scene, in 15 years.

I use the code to get to the ballpark and then always sync by eyes/ears.

I use autosync all the time but I use in points to sync, not TC, for the reason mentioned above. I put the whole video roll in a sequence then lay the audio based on clap, not code. Mark in/out and auto sync away. Works perfectly every time and also provides the project with a striped sequence which I then lay back to the rushes tape (audio only).
 
Autosync ONLY

Autosync ONLY

Hi,

I have been involved in delivering offline to about 4 features, 14 dramas and over 50 adverts all shot on RED as part of my DIT duties. When Sound is involved we clock the camera to an external clockit and genlock the shutter.

We have a routine of changing the batteries in the clockit once in the morning and once after lunch... Autosync has worked everytime without fail.

On location if you get into the routine of doing this with genlock and timecode I can not see why there should be any miss match. I am not an editor but I am work directly with them when I deliver offline so I am the first to know when sync is off... never been a problem. After more than 250+ TB of material

Part of my service includes synced material at the end of the day, if I did not have genlock, timecode and autosync this would be another 20% work for me

regards

Marcus
 
Also, can't you record LTC from the audio recorder (assuming it has a TC genreator) to an extra camera audio track and use this in Avid to sync? I don't see how there could be any drift being that there's only one timecode source being used. Now maybe you don't want to tether the camera to the recorder, but you could use a transmitter from the recorder to wirelessly connect to the camera.

Is this right, or am I missing something?
 
Peter,

What I do is no matter how many cameras is use the sound as the timecode generator, jam this to lockit boxes I then connect these to the cameras. The clockit has crystal timecode clock, which red does not. This keeps the audio in sync with all cameras. A timecode clapper is also an extra security, but these seem to drift I have found !!

The genlock is just make sure when camera record button is pressed that shutter runs completely in time with frame, that way you do not get half frame difference

Lockit is quite a small box and nothing I that gets in anyones way...

http://www.ambient.de/produkte/timecode/lockit/lockit_e.html

is what we use.... found that link and sync is rather a nice tool for fcp users

regards

Marcus
 
Media Composer does have a nice "Read Audio Timecode" feature that will decode the LTC and track in it in the AuxTC column to be used for syncing, lists, etc. in v5 that has been updated to also work with file based sources and not depend on having an A1 or SoundRoll declared beforehand.

The AutoSequence that Job is referring to was designed back in the mid-90's for exactly that purpose - Sync double system in Media Composer and instantly create a virtual reel for frame accurate audio only layback to sources on tape. I use it for dailies management as well outside of audio workflows, as many features can do double time.. ;)

The new AutoSync features in v5 also benefit the LTC method as it can, in one sync process, remove tracks from original sources and only sync with a selected span of tracks on BWF. Makes for very fast dailies prep and retains all metadata for all sources.

Michael
 
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