machine control and sync

[louisenslinproduce]

Im having a problem with sync and machine controll.
Running PT 7.3.1 cd 1 on mac pro with a unitor 8 MK 2 as my midi IO and LTC reader.
when I pull audio of a tape ( beta sp or digibeta), and I press play on the tape deck, sending LTC to the mac, it works fine , and is in sync. Protools chases the time code. when I open me sesion setup, the "time code in" display, and Protools main display is in sync.

BUT

When I use machine control and do the same ting, it varies. Sometimes it will be in sync, and some times not. When you look at the "Incomming timecode" on me sesion setup, its sometimes about 4 secods out!!!!!!! it will sai example 01:05:00:00 and Protools will read 01:05:04:00. Only wile its running. When I stop, it sync again, and both reads the same.

This results me not being able to use machine controll at all, and I paid R5000.00 for it.
Please help, maybe theres something im missing here.


PS this exact setup worked flawlessly under PT 6.7 and my G5

[louisenslinproduce]

Sorry this post twice, dont know why, forgot to add that the sesion setup view ( TC )is correct, but Protools isn't

[crizdee]

Sorry this post twice, dont know why, forgot to add that the sesion setup view ( TC )is correct, but Protools isn't

You can go and delete the other 2 posts!!

[Eric Seaberg]

Do you have video sync feeding the Unitor? Is that possible? This it CRITICAL to keep the session in sync with the incoming code. Obviously, the session should be running at 29.97DF (I assume you're NTSC and not PAL). Do you have ANYWAY to sync the video black to your Digi IO?

With machine control, can you try using serial timecode instead?

Can you give us a little more info?

[louisenslinproduce]

No I dont have any video ref into the Unitor. Cant do that with the Unitor.
Here in SA we run at 25 fps. Pal.
The setup is as follows. Machine control cable from my PT core card to the digibeta or beta SP.Then LTC comming via balanced line from the tape deck to my Unitor's LTC input, wich is in turn conected vi USB to my Mac.

When I dont use machine control, and use the transport on the deck, and put PT online, it sync's perfectly. Example: Hit play on the tape deck, PT says "waiting for sync", and a second or so later, PT starts playing, Saying "in sync". Perfect!!!

Now , when I swicth Machine controll on, same setup, and use PT to controll the tape deck, it goes all cock eyed. PT will make the deck start playing, but instead of PT chasing the LTC time code, it just does what it wants. The sesion setup window will show that the incomming TC is for instance 01:33:00:00 (while its running, wich is correct, the same as the deck), and PT will be running 4 sec. slower or faster, or wherever it wants ( random)and PT says "in sync" but its not.

Basically, if I dont use machine controll, it works fine in sync, but when I use machine cointroll, its out, PT doesnt chase LTC.

This excact setup work flawlessly on PT 6.7 and my G% a week ago, before I upgraded to Mac pro and PT 7.3.1 CS1