Synchronization Please

[modumscrotum]

I am having a heck of a time trying to sync this gear....I am time-code unsavy to say the least. I am very frustrated to tell the truth and any help you guys/gals could offer would be much, much appreciated. MUCH!
Ok...I am trying to sync a 192 I/O/Pro Tools HD-3 (PowerMac G-4 Quicksilver 933) with a PC
(P-3/900mhz) running Acid Pro 4.0 and LOgic platinum through a MOTU 2408. I would like to be able to use them all with the MOTU MTP AV we have.

192 I/O
Pro Tools HD-3
MOTU 2408
MOTU MTP AV

I'm sure you can see why I am so frustrated.

I can do without the MPT AV if I could just get the two computers synched up.
Would Word Clock be the best option??....Does it matter what ohmage the BNC cable is (50 or 75)?

Many tools...Many questions... Thanks in advance for any help at all!

[georgia]

each machine will require a timecode interface... You can use Midi timecode or Smpte timecode or a mix of both as required. Just select the master and send out either or both from the master sync unit. Set the other units to slave from incoming timeocde. The HD system can use an HD sync box, or MOTU unit as can the others.... Also make sure you use identical timecode frame rates and if possible lock all the devices to the same studio clock ( 96, 48, 44.1, whatever, video clock, aes black, ) to allow for sample accurate sync.

Cheers
georgia

[cmaynes]

I can give you a groovy secret solution that we use to sync up our synclavs to Pro Tools-

Record a track of timecode (whatever hour you like) in Performer with your 824 (from your MTP) set that track to output to say D/A channel 8 in DP- connect that output to the timecode in jack on the MTP (which is used by PT) go online in PT- thats it. Of course if you want PT to be the master do the TC track in PT and route to the SMPTE in on the 824. In this second method, the MTP would not be needed.

It should work like a charm.

charles maynes

[Rail Jon Rogut]

You need to have 2 things to synch.. speed and location.. You need to send MTC from the one system to the other so that it has location information.. and for speed you need to have both clocked off the same digital clock - the PC will accept S/PDIF.. so feed MTC from the Pro Tools rig to a MIDI input of the PC and feed S/PDIF via a 75Ohm S/PDIF cable from the HD rig to the audio card in the PC and set the software on the PC to clock off the digital input. Place the software on the PC online in synch mode.. and in Pro Tools in the Session Setup window set up Pro Tools to generate SMPTE. Put Pro Tools online and play.

Printing SMPTE as an audio track won't work for doing digital transfers because the leading edge of the SMPTE is unlikely to be synchronous with the word clock.

Rail

[cmaynes]

Printing SMPTE to a track will actually be more consistent I would think, since it is always going to playback in the same sync.

One other major benefit of using the recorded smpte is that you can loop protools and have the slave program loop with it- this is not possible when sending out MTC.

Rail's other comments were entirely on the money (as they usually are!)

charles maynes