SMPTE and Protools Transport

[Rmersegu]

Hey all, I am really struggling with something that is supposed to be very simple however, I am stuck for more than a week on the matter.

I build a mobile jig for Field Film recording and music live recording. I am tired of carrying those field recorders and it is a pain in the arse when we need 5-6 lavaliers and 4 different wireless headsets, and everything Timecoded. So I built this rack case with everything I need.

My problem is. I want my Protools HD 10 to be able to record according to an SMTPE time code I am generating. What I mean is, I want to press RECORD and my timeline will jump to wherever the TC is at the moment and start recording..... At the same time, I need that the Protools Audio track embeds the TC to the metadata.

I am already recording the TC to an Analogic Audio channel so this is NOT the solution I need.

First of all, I have a MOTU 828x and a V4HD connected to two different computers. I can connect both to the same computer but I prefer that way. 828x is generating the SMTPE TC and connected to the computer with PT 10HD. I send from the 828x to the V4HD the TC to the LTC (TC port to LTC Port) port and also a word clock (WC out and WC In), so I can have the TC in the visor and word clock to supply the cameras.

Maybe the solution is to convert the SMTPE to MTC on my computer. I tried using an SMTPE Software generator and didn't work. I can not make my TL move according to the TC and I cannot record in the track the SMTPE values even if PT and STMPE gen is in the same computer.

What should I do?

Thanks in advance.

[BScout]

The only way to do this right is using an Avid Sync HD. It's the only peripheral that will enable the full functions you need. Then you can slave to incoming timecode.

You could also turn on MMC and MTC (both). MMC will move the playhead and arm tracks while MTC will track with SMPTE -- but it will not be as accurate as using a Sync HD for positional info.

[Rmersegu]

Hi BScout, I have tried MTC and MMC both in vain.... maybe I am missing a configuration under Peripherals. What settings do you recommend for MMC?

[BScout]

When MMC is setup, it is always on. For MTC to work, it needs to be "online".

So in peripherals, machine control, set up MIDI Machine Control (master) enabled and with an id (and no preroll frames) that matches your controlling device. Doesn't really matter which is master and which is slave, but the other device needs to be able to do machine control and the id number needs to match (you can use the same midi port as what is being used for MTC.) MMC is usually a loop. From a logicial standpoint, it might make more sense for ProTools to be the slave.

On Synchronization tab, set the reader tab to listen to the MTC coming in.

In Preferences, under Synchronization, turn on both Machine Chases Memory Location and Machine Follows Edit Insertation/Scrub.

Then on Pro Tools main transport, turn on Online (this is specifically to get MTC to follow.) MMC works with or without online being on.

You can check from Session Setup to see if incoming timecode is coming in on MTC. Obviously you need framerates for the session to match MTC incoming. How this all works is MTC give SMPTE positional reference but MTC takes 4 messages while the transport is active (in play or record). MMC gives relative location when the transport is not active so jumping around from another device, Pro Tools playhead moves. MMC does not give SMPTE position but only relative position.

So both need to be set up for this to work.