Gina's Realtime Recording into PT via iChat

[GFantSaez]

Gina's Realtime Recording digitally using iChat Discovery!!!


This was accomplished with a G5 using the built in TOSLink digital i/o ports and Pro Tools HD. I successfully recorded into Pro Tools HD digitally, in realtime, in sync, from a remote laptop using an mbox and the spdif ins and outs.

The G5 is the hypothetical recording studio

The mBox is the hypothetical player

The player simply sets his core audio hardware's inputs in the preferences of iChat and partakes in an audio chat. (I had an API mic-pre with a Manley mic going to the XLR in of my mBox)


G5 Setup Steps

In G5 Sound System Preferences - Set ins and outs to Optical Digital

Connect lightpipe cables to and from the lightpipe in & outs of your 192 interface to the lightpipe inputs of the G5. You don't need to go both directions... but I wanted to try both ways....


Open iChat

go to Preferences - click the video icon - make sure Microphone input is set to Digital

Start an audio or video chat with the player- (video causes more delay)


Open Pro Tools

1. In Pro Tools Hardware Set-up - set channels 1 & 2 Digital inputs to Optical. Make sure you also choose Optical as your digital format.

2. Create a Stereo Aux or create an Audio track (with input on) and set it to input 1 & 2 - you should hear iChat thru this channel. (now you can also monitor iTunes through your Pro Tools Hardware- digitally)

3. Plug-in a microphone and put the channel in input for a talkback mic


To record a song in-sync:

You must FIRST measure the delay time between systems in order to work in sync.

To measure the delay:

1. Create a mono track and insert a click

2. Record the click onto a track for a few bars

3. Turn down your speakers

4. Ask the player to plug-in a microphone and turn up his/her speakers

5. Solo the click track and press play

6. Using input 1 & 2 - record a track of the players microphone returning your click through his/her speakers in the timing delay as he/she hears it.

7. Put the players recorded click track next to the newly recorded accurate click and measure the number of sample difference between them. Write down this number.



In the session in which you want to record:

1. Create 2 Stereo Aux Inputs

Name Aux 1 "W/ Delay"

Name Aux 2 "No Delay"


2. Set "W/ Delay" to Outputs 1 & 2 - Set "No Delay" to Outputs 3 & 4

3. Set the Input of "W/ Delay" to Bus 3 & 4 and Set the Input of "No Delay" to Bus 1 & 2

4. On the "W/ Delay" Stereo Aux, Insert the Time Adjuster Long plug-in and set it to the number of samples measured.

6. On the "No Delay" track, bus out to Bus 3 & 4, bring up bus fader with Pre turned on

7. Send the output of your click track and ALL of your music tracks to Bus 1 & 2 - this will be the mix you want the player to hear.

8. Create a mono or stereo track to record the player and set the output to 1 & 2 - also bus this track to Bus 3 & 4, turn up bus fader

9. Now - the player will hear only the delayed music via outputs 1 & 2 and play to that.

10. Do Not send outputs 1 & 2 to your monitors. This is only sent to the player. Monitor from outputs 3 & 4 which should now be perfectly in sync.

RECORD AWAY!!!!!

Yes - I know iChat uses Mpeg4 compression but it still sounds amazing.... for co-writing or voiceovers and demos...

If anyone wants to do some testing - please contact me at [email protected]

[Drew Mazurek]

wow, awesome work. not sure I'll ever do it but thanks for taking the time to tell us about it.
drew

[gives]

Hmm.

Interesting.. Getting a new 2.5 G5 this next week if it arrives. Maybe we can try this in a couple of weeks. Just coming of a bunch of work.

Saw your site..nice work..!

G

[RobMacki]

Wow! Could this possibly substitute for ISDN? (too expensive to use in my area, not even offered)

OT:
Hey Greg! I can't wait to hear your composition on the "Skin Horse" Congratulations!!

[Vaphoron]

I will also be getting a Dual 2.5GHz G5 in a couple weeks and would love to give this a shot then. Thanks for letting us know about this. I have always been really impressed with what iChat was capable of and this really proves it.

[GFantSaez]

thanks guys

Keep me posted when you get your G5's and want to test it.

Gina

[GFantSaez]

bump

i'd love to get more feedback on this...

[markjohn]

Very cool, definitely very handy. I'm willing to give it a whirl in a couple of days if you're still available. I'm tied up till about Friday but, Friday or first thing Monday I'm available. By the way, I noticed you're local (Austin), if we successfully "connect" since we are in the same city how representative would this be for let's say, LA, NY, or Miami? Curious as to what effect will distance and heavier online traffic due to the larger metropolitan areas will have. Very, very interesting. Thanks for the useful post.

MMJ

P.S. I'm doing kinda something similar with QTSS, (Quicktime Streaming Server), with the quality at 128k, mp3 but, the delay is anywhere from 5 to 15 seconds depending on where I'm connecting to, usually east coast or Atlanta. Therefore pretty useless for VO or overdubs, but very useful for monitoring and client approval on the spot.

[GFantSaez]

MarkJohn,

I would love to test this with you. Just contact me via email [email protected] or call me at my studio 888.958.2583.

Thanks so much,

Gina