Machine control and v6.9

[JasonO.]

Hey All!

I am trying to make machine control work. I have an HD1 with sync i/o and I am trying to control a BVW-75 beta SP. I can actually control the machine and even drop it into record, and I can control my PT but when I try to sync them together - they don't. The time code from the beta shows up in the session setup, but the pt does not roll (when online). PT shows that I have correct reference and I am using the com1 port on the computer into the 422 in the beta. Any insight on this is appreciated!

Oh, I am using XP Pro, and I have a 96i (until Digi sends my backordered 192!). I have downloaded the CS1 update for 6.9.

Thank you!
Jason

[DigiTechSupt]

Does it give you an error message or does it just not sync?

What are your session start times and incoming times?

Are you absolutely sure the frame rates match from the deck and in Pro Tools?

Are you using serial timecode or some other tc reference?

Is Transport set to Machine or Pro Tools?

When you roll the deck, does the 'Online' button continue blinking, go solid blue or turn off?

[MDog]

Just an observation: usually time code on a video deck is started at hour one. If Pro Tools is expecting hour zero, that could explain why it's not locking up. If you haven't already, try offsetting the timecode in Pro Tools to hour one.

[JasonO.]

Thank you for the quick reply.

Poster: DigiTechSupt
Subject: Re: Machine control and v6.9

Q: Does it give you an error message or does it just not sync?

A: PT just doesn't start rolling.


Q: What are your session start times and incoming times?

A: The time codes for the session and what's on the tape match (does that answer your question?).



Q: Are you absolutely sure the frame rates match from the deck and in Pro Tools?

A: Yes


Q: Are you using serial timecode or some other tc reference?

A: I'm not sure what you are asking here. I am using the com1 port out of the computer connected to the 422 input on the beta SP.



Q: Is Transport set to Machine or Pro Tools?

A: I have tried both. Transport set to Machine and transport set to PT. I get the same results for both. However if both machines are rolling (I can do that by rolling each individually using the transport - not in sync however); I can hit stop and they will both stop.



Q: When you roll the deck, does the 'Online' button continue blinking, go solid blue or turn off?

A: I'm not sure on this one. I am out of the studio until tomorrow but I think the online button continues to blink.

[JasonO.]

Hey MDog!

Both the project in PT and the TC on the tape (beta SP) start at 58:00 with program material starting at the 1 hour mark. Would PT give an error message if the TC didn't match the project or would it have similar symptoms?

Thanks!
Jason

[MDog]

Sorry, I don't have a 100% sure answer since I don't lock Pro Tools to tape any more. In the old days, say version 5 and below, it just wouldn't lock up, no error message. PT had no way of knowing if you meant to start the tape at that point or not.

Are you slaving PT to the deck, or trying to slave to Beta SP deck to PT? If you set the deck to Free Run or Time of Day, do the numbers follow in PT? Also, check the deck and see if it's in EtoE since I think this may be kind of a jamsync issue.

Good luck!

[JasonO.]

Hey MDog!

Q: Are you slaving PT to the deck, or trying to slave to Beta SP deck to PT?

A: I tried both ways, but I would prefer to control the beta sp and have PT slave to it. It seems that if PT can act as a 422 device, it should behave both ways, right?

Q: If you set the deck to Free Run or Time of Day, do the numbers follow in PT?

A: If I use the TC generator in the Beta SP, those numbers don't show up in PT (I haven't hooked up LTC). If I roll the Beta SP, the TC shows up in the "Session Setup" window (I assume that it gets that number from the VTC in the 422).



DigiTechSupt:

I was wrong about the 'Online' button. It goes solid blue when I roll the PT.

Thanks for all the suggestions!
Jason

[DigiTechSupt]

Thank you for the quick reply.

Poster: DigiTechSupt
Subject: Re: Machine control and v6.9

Q: Does it give you an error message or does it just not sync?

A: PT just doesn't start rolling.

Q: So the transport bar doesn't move? Does it show 'Waiting for Sync' in the lower left of the Edit window?


Q: What are your session start times and incoming times?

A: The time codes for the session and what's on the tape match (does that answer your question?).

Q: Your session start time should start before the TC coming from your deck. For instance, if your TC coming from the deck starts at 01:00:00:00, your session should start at least 10 seconds before that.

Q: Are you absolutely sure the frame rates match from the deck and in Pro Tools?

A: Yes

Q: Not to belabor the point, but this particular issue has been a real kicker for several people - they THINK the frame rates match, only to find out the tape was marked incorrectly or someone inadvertently set it incorrectly when creating the tape.


Q: Are you using serial timecode or some other tc reference?

A: I'm not sure what you are asking here. I am using the com1 port out of the computer connected to the 422 input on the beta SP.

Q: In Setups>Peripherals>Machine Control is 'Use Serial Timecode' checked? Or do you have LTC coming from your deck and, if so, are you using a SYNC IO or some other sync device?


Q: Is Transport set to Machine or Pro Tools?

A: I have tried both. Transport set to Machine and transport set to PT. I get the same results for both. However if both machines are rolling (I can do that by rolling each individually using the transport - not in sync however); I can hit stop and they will both stop.



Q: When you roll the deck, does the 'Online' button continue blinking, go solid blue or turn off?

A: I'm not sure on this one. I am out of the studio until tomorrow but I think the online button continues to blink.

[/QUOTE]

Q: With Tranport set to Machine, if you press play on the deck, does the 'Incoming Time' start to scroll in the Session Setup window?

[JasonO.]

Poster: DigiTechSupt
Subject: Re: Machine control and v6.9


Q: So the transport bar doesn't move? Does it show 'Waiting for Sync' in the lower left of the Edit window?

A: Yes, it shows "waiting for sync".

Q: Your session start time should start before the TC coming from your deck. For instance, if your TC coming from the deck starts at 01:00:00:00, your session should start at least 10 seconds before that.

A: They both start at around 00:58:00:00.


Q: Not to belabor the point, but this particular issue has been a real kicker for several people - they THINK the frame rates match, only to find out the tape was marked incorrectly or someone inadvertently set it incorrectly when creating the tape.

A: I checked on this and yes, they both have the same frame rate. Does PT just not roll when the TC doesn't match or does it "hiccup" to try to keep up?


Q: In Setups>Peripherals>Machine Control is 'Use Serial Timecode' checked? Or do you have LTC coming from your deck and, if so, are you using a SYNC IO or some other sync device?

A: I have the 'Use Serial Timecode' box checked. I do have a Sync I/O and I am using Video Clock Reference from the BetaSP.


Q: Is Transport set to Machine or Pro Tools?

A: I have tried both configurations and I can roll the PT using the transport then select the Machine and roll it. They can both be rolling at the same time, but they do not sync. If I roll the machine only, the lower left says "waiting for sync". If I roll PT the message here is "play generate tc".



Q: When you roll the deck, does the 'Online' button continue blinking, go solid blue or turn off?

A: I'm not sure on this one. I am out of the studio until tomorrow but I think the online button continues to blink.

A: I was wrong; the online button actually goes solid blue

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Q: With Tranport set to Machine, if you press play on the deck, does the 'Incoming Time' start to scroll in the Session Setup window?

A: Yes, I see the "Incoming Time" in the Session Setup window when the machine rolls, and it matches what's on the tape.

[JasonO.]

Anyone have any ideas on this?