Pro Tools 10 Field Recorder Workflow

[mediaroo]

The short version of what I have found in Pro Tools 10.2 Field Recorder workflow as it applies to "Expand to new tracks> By match criteria"

I will post a longer version of this so the AVID folks can replicate what I have found.

In Pro Tools 9 I can right click on my AAF clip called"23A-2a.new.01" and select "Field Recorder Channels> Expand to new tracks> By match criteria"
The result of that gives me 7 new tracks of audio. 1 has the 2nd channel of the apparently 2 channel AAF file…clip in sync. The other 6 are all the clips from the matched sound roll 23AT02 slit into its individual sync pieces …i.e.
23AT02_01.wav (TrkA Mix)
23AT02_02.wav (TrkA Mix)
23AT02_03.wav (TrkA Mix)
23AT02_04.wav (TrkB BOOM)
23AT02_05.wav (TrkC BOOM)

This is a good result. And works as expected (though often the new tracks are staggered and out of numerical order and several frames out of sync).

In Pro Tools 10.2 I must use any one edit tool (not in multi tool mode) and ctrl + option + Left click on the AAF file to get to the Field recorder options.
In The window that pops up I can see all 6 of the 23T02 options as well as the original AAF options any one of which, if I click on it, will replace the current clip in place. Indeed if I copy the AAF clip and Paste it to 6 other tracks I can replace each clip any of the 23T02 recorder options.

That's a useful tool if you know which Clip is the best sounding one.

In Pro Tools 10.2 the same menu (ctrl + option + Left click on the AAF file) gives the option to Expand Channels to New Tracks > By Match Criteria
Whereas Pro Tools 9 works as I described above, I get varied results. In this case i performed the "Expand Channels to New Tracks> By Match Criteria and successfully got 7 new Tracks with 23T02 clips in sync….just as it did in Pro Tools 9. Sometimes, seemingly for no good reason (because it shows me that the matching Field Recorder Channels are there) I get a pop-up screen that says "Could not create new tracks because there are no matching channels."

For Example I try to perform the same exact routine (Expand to new Tracks> By match criteria) on the next AAF clip and thats the message I get while I am able to select any of the recorder tracks as replacements.

Even more "buggy", if I go back to the first mentioned clip and try it again (having worked the first time) i now get the "Could not create new tracks because there are no matching channels" message.

HERE IS THE BIGGEST CLUE IN Pro Tools 10.2 Field Recorder Workflow>expand to new tracks>By match criteria

Now, having NOT saved and restarted the session, I tried something new. I did a right click on the Track Name and selected an option "Field Recorder Guide Channel" (its hidden under "Hide", "Hide and make Inactive"…etc) I don't know what that did but now that clip works on the first try. The next clip works too.

I hit undo twice
I selected a range of clips (20 or so) and they all expanded to new channels perfectly.
I hit undo
I selected a larger range of clips (about 40 spanning about 3 minutes of the show) and they all expanded to new channels perfectly.
I hit undo"
I selected an even larger range (about 4 minutes of the show…feeling pretty good about this now) and I got a screen that reads ""Could not complete your request because Assertion in "Volumes/Development/ws.Encore/AlturaPorts/PT4_App/MacBuild/../..NewFileLibs/Time/Time_TypedLenght.h" line 56.""

I haven't seen "Assertion errors in years.

I've discovered some other new or odd things.
Having gone to the Track label and sleeted the "Field Recorder Guide Track" option, I can now get to the Field recorder menu options by merely doing a right click on the AAF clip like I used to in Pro Tools 9 (No More command + option + left click…although that option is still there)

I can also right click on the Track Name and there's an option to "Expand Channels to New Tracks > By Match Criteria" which yielded the same "assertion error" after the spinning rainbow wheel spun or a minute or so…It looks as though it tried to expand out the entire Track…I saw everything appear for a moment before the assertion error happened.

The assertion error aside, I'm liking Field Recorder work Flow in Pro Tools 10. But there are many undocumented "Features"…and/or bugs depending on what method you use to get to your Field Recorder Options.

Hey AVID, how about updating the Field Recorder Work Flow Guide? Quite a bit has changed since Pro Tools 7!!

My Assertion error aside, some new documentation would be a lot of help

Chris Elam
Editor/Mixer NCISLA

[mediaroo]

Pro Tools 10.2 Field Recorder Workflow as it applies to "Expand to new tracks> By match criteria...The long version for those who want to go deeper.

Hey AVID, Please read this one. It takes a lot of time and effort to document this.


I have an AAF clip named "23A-2a.new.01". It sits at show TC 01:29:05.23
Project Browser shows the metadata says
Name = 23A-2a.new.01.A3.wav
Original Time Stamp = 11:12:50:14
Clip Name = 23A-2a.new.01
Tape = 12Y07M18
Channel Name = TrkA Mix (A3)
Scene = 23A
Take = 02
Sound Roll = 12Y07M18
Sound Roll TC = 11:12:50:14

There is a corresponding poly file sound roll named "23AT02.wav" which I have dragged into my audio files bin.
Project Browser shows the files within the poly file as:
Name = 23TO2_0.WAV
Original Time Stamp = 11:11:59:00
Clip Name = 23AT02_0
Tape = BLANK
Channel Name = TrkA Mix (A3)
Scene = 23A
Take = 02
Sound Roll = 12Y07M18
Sound Roll TC = 11:11:59:00

Name = 23TO2_1.WAV
Original Time Stamp = 11:11:59:00
Clip Name = 23AT02_1
Tape = BLANK
Channel Name = TrkA Mix (A3)
Scene = 23A
Take = 02
Sound Roll = 12Y07M18
Sound Roll TC = 11:11:59:00

Name = 23TO2_2.WAV
Original Time Stamp = 11:11:59:00
Clip Name = 23AT02_2
Tape = BLANK
Channel Name = TrkA Mix (A3)
Scene = 23A
Take = 02
Sound Roll = 12Y07M18
Sound Roll TC = 11:11:59:00

Name = 23TO2_3.WAV
Original Time Stamp = 11:11:59:00
Clip Name = 23AT02_3
Tape = BLANK
Channel Name = TrkA Mix (A3)
Scene = 23A
Take = 02
Sound Roll = 12Y07M18
Sound Roll TC = 11:11:59:00

Name = 23TO2_4.WAV
Original Time Stamp = 11:11:59:00
Clip Name = 23AT02_4
Tape = BLANK
Channel Name = TrkB BOOM (A4)
Scene = 23A
Take = 02
Sound Roll = 12Y07M18
Sound Roll TC = 11:11:59:00

Name = 23TO2_5.WAV
Original Time Stamp = 11:11:59:00
Clip Name = 23AT02_5
Tape = BLANK
Channel Name = TrkC BOOM (A5)
Scene = 23A
Take = 02
Sound Roll = 12Y07M18
Sound Roll TC = 11:11:59:00

My Field Recorder Channels Match Criteria is set to:
Match Timecode Plus "ANY" of the following:
Shoot Date
Scene
and Take
Sound Roll Name
Sound Roll Name to Tape Name
Tape Name to Sound Roll Name

In Pro Tools 9 I can right click on the AAF clip and select "Field Recorder Channels> Expand to new tracks> By match criteria"
The result of that gives me 7 new tracks of audio. 1 has the 2nd channel of the apparently 2 channel AAF file…clip in sync. The other 6 are all the clips from the matched sound roll 23AT02 slit into its individual sync pieces …i.e.
23AT02_01.wav (TrkA Mix)
23AT02_02.wav (TrkA Mix)
23AT02_03.wav (TrkA Mix)
23AT02_04.wav (TrkB BOOM)
23AT02_05.wav (TrkC BOOM)

This is a good result. And works as expected (though often the new tracks are staggered and out of numerical order and several frames out of sync).

In Pro Tools 10.2 I must use any one edit tool (not in multi tool mode) and ctrl + option + Left click on the AAF file to get to the Field recorder options.
In The window that pops up I can see all 6 of the 23T02 options as well as the original AAF options any one of which, if I click on it, will replace the current clip in place. Indeed if I copy the AAF clip and Paste it to 6 other tracks I can replace each clip any of the 23T02 recorder options.

That's a useful tool if you know which Clip is the best sounding one.

In Pro Tools 10.2 the same menu gives the option to Expand Channels to New Tracks > By Match Criteria
Whereas Pro Tools 9 works as I described above, I get varied results. In this case i performed the "Expand Channels to New Tracks> By Match Criteria and successfully got 7 new Tracks with 23T02 clips in sync….just as it did in Pro Tools 9. Sometimes, seemingly for no good reason (because it shows me that the matching Field Recorder Channels are there) I get a pop-up screen that says "Could not create new tracks because there are no matching channels."

For Example I try to perform the same exact routine (Expand to new Tracks> By match criteria) on the next AAF clip and thats the message I get while I am able to select any of the recorder tracks as replacements.

Even more "buggy", if I go back to the first mentioned clip and try it again (having worked the first time) i now get the "Could not create new tracks because there are no matching channels" message.

HERE IS THE BIGGEST CLUE IN Pro Tools 10.2 Field Recorder Workflow as it applies to "Expand to new tracks>By match Criteria".

Now, having NOT saved and restarted the session, I tried something new. I did a right click on the Track Name and selected an option "Field Recorder Guide Channel" (its hidden under "Hide", "Hide and make Inactive"…etc) I don't know what that did but now that clip works on the first try. The next clip works too.

I hit undo twice
I selected a range of clips (20 or so) and they all expanded to new channels perfectly.
I hit undo
I selected a larger range of clips (about 40 spanning about 3 minutes of the show) and they all expanded to new channels perfectly.
I hit undo"
I selected an even larger range (about 4 minutes of the show…feeling pretty good about this now) and I got a screen that reads ""Could not complete your request because Assertion in "Volumes/Development/ws.Encore/AlturaPorts/PT4_App/MacBuild/../..NewFileLibs/Time/Time_TypedLenght.h" line 56.""

I haven't seen "Assertion errors in years.

I've discovered some other new or odd things.
Having gone to the Track label and sleeted the "Field Recorder Guide Track" option, I can now get to the Field recorder menu options by merely doing a right click on the AAF clip like I used to in Pro Tools 9 (No More command + option + left click…although that option is still there)

I can also right click on the Track Name and there's an option to "Expand Channels to New Tracks > By Match Criteria" which yielded the same "assertion error" after the spinning rainbow wheel spun or a minute or so…It looks as though it tried to expand out the entire Track…I saw everything appear for a moment before the assertion error happened.

The assertion error aside, I'm liking Field Recorder work Flow in Pro Tools 10. But there are many undocumented "Features"…and/or bugs depending on what method you use to get to your Field Recorder Options.

Hey AVID, how about updating the Field Recorder Work Flow Guide? Quite a bit has changed since Pro Tools 7!!

My Assertion error aside, some new documentation would be a lot of help.

Chris Elam
Editor/Mixer NCISLA

[mediaroo]

An Addendum to Last Nights post on "Pro Tools 10.2 Field Recorder Workflow as it applies to "Expand to new tracks> By match criteria"

I found that if you have your task manager window open when you right-click on your AAF/OMG guide track and select the "Field Recorder Guide Track" option that the system quickly begins searching that track for metadata. I also found that you can select multiple tracks as "Field Recorder Guide Tracks" such that Pro Tools 10.2 will have searched out the metadata in each track you select. In my case, editing Dialog, I was interested in 3 tracks of the show's AAF session.
Now having waited for the system to finish that metadata search (watching it in the Task window), subsequent attempts to "Expand to new tracks> By match criteria" happen much faster, and with better success.

In another experiment using this technique I found that I was able to pull in EVERY matching Sound Roll Take for the entire 42 minute show (hundreds of clips..I didn't count but I know there were at least 300 edits (AAF "Field Recorder Guide Track" clips) in the first 13 minutes of the show.

I still had some errors. I had to "Expand to new tracks> By match criteria" less than 5 minutes of clips at a time or Pro Tools "Quit Unexpectedly". I was only successful (error free) in doing this by 5 minute chunks and without trying a clip "here and there" (which still sometimes gives the "Could not create new tracks because there are no matching channels" message when clearly the metadata and the menu option shows the matching channels are there. I haven't identified this as a memory issue (I'm running 16GB) or perhaps just too may clips at once.

I'm about to turn over another episode of NCIS LA and will get to experiment more.

I want to reiterate to AVID the need for new documentation on this feature set.

Though I'm getting better at this workflow, the hidden features are not easily discovered. A simple revision of the manual would be a lot of help.

Dear AVID, can I give you a session or better data to help you see these "issues"?

Chris Elam
Editor/Mixer NCISLA

[andrep]

Please excuse resurecting this old thread...I have searched and can't find the answer I'm after.

I'm running PT10.3.8, without CPTK. Should I be able to get these Matching Alternates/Field Recorder guide track functions working for me?

If I right click, or left with control + option and select Match Alternates, I can select MAtch Criteria but the options then are these..
Track ID
Track Name
Clip Rating
In addition to
All
Clip Start
Clip Start and End
Within Selection
None

There are no timecode options, and that is how I'm hoping to find the original field recorder file.

Also when I right click on the Track name of the AAF clips track, I can not see "Field Recorder Guide Track" as an option.

Can anyone say why I can't get this working? I am somewhat behind with my knowledge of PT's requirements, and the whole CPTK/PT10/PT11 deals. Pretty confusing actually...

[Craig F]

AFRW is a HD/CPTK feature not accessible in your vanilla version

[actualsizeaudio]

Quick question:

I use this feature a lot with very good results. Today however I'm having issue with an OMF I was given out of a DS. It appears that the files from the OMF have retained their original TC, but the user TC for all the files is 00:00:00:00. I didn't think this mattered, but when I do my expand to field recorder tracks like I often do, I'm getting matches of all the files in the session, since they all start at 00:00:00:00. Is this correct? It would be a bear, but I could re stamp the user time stamp as the original timestamp for each file, but in 11 when you click on the file and look at it's metadata it doesn't allow you to.

Any suggestions? Shouldn't it be looking at original TC anyway?

[Craig F]

if a non TC recorder was used on set (Zoom, Roland) all files get a 00:00:00:00 stamp

[actualsizeaudio]

Originally Posted by Craig F

if a non TC recorder was used on set (Zoom, Roland) all files get a 00:00:00:00 stamp

Thanks Craig,

I was also the field recordist (thankfully) and a Zaxcom Nomad was used on set. I also used a Metric Halo ULN8 as well. All field files from both recorders have properly stamped TC. In fact, I should clarify my post: those are the only files that DO NOT show up as one of the matches.

[actualsizeaudio]

So, I'm stumped.

The clips from the OMF, once I have them imported as .WAV files, have original TC, but no user TC. My audio files recorded in the field have only original TC, but I can consolidate them once spotted in the timeline so they will have user time stamp as well.

Shouldn't this be working? Doesn't the match to field recorder option look at original TC?

I'm running PTHD 11.1.2. I'm properly setting my track as field recorder guide track, and I'm positive the original TCs as showing in the field track match the TCs that show up in the OMF clips. I can option spot a clip from the OMF and have it spot in the timeline perfectly in sync with the original recorder file. I can't for the life of me figure out what I'm missing. I've done this dozes of times successfully, but always with AAF files from another mac. This is an OMF from an Avid DS on a PC. I can't imagine that should make a difference.

[actualsizeaudio]

Another test:

Made a new session.
I imported only one scratch dialog track.
Then I imported one track from the field recorder.
Then I highlight the first region in the dialog track and select: "Matching Field Recorder Channels" - "Expand Channels to new tracks" - "By Timecode Only"

I get 27 new tracks each with one region, the same amount of clips that are in my scratch dialog track. So, every single audio file EXCEPT audio from the field recorder is showing up as a new track. Every single one of these clips have a different original TC, and the field recorder track also has original TC that spans the entire shoot. It appears to be looking at the user time stamp and not the original time stamp.

Arg.