Dropbox, Drive, Gobbler, oh my

[viaspiaggia]

I've tried everything over the years for delivery to clients, and use whatever someone prefers, but I am ready for a real solution TODAY for cloud-based syncing of ProTools sessions.

eg:

I record a dialog session, upload to shared workspace.
My editor 50 miles away pulls the session down, saves as..., and cleans it up.
She hits save, then I see the session on the workspace, pull it down, GO.
If she added audio files, I can have them sync to my drive at will.

Gobbler says there were going to do this in 2.0, but it's not working yet, and I'm about ready to jump ship. The original version should have been able to do this with the drive backup stuff, but I was never confident that it was tracking my latest version of a saved-as structure.

Dropbox and Drive *could* work, but Drive was working overtime on a test today syncing useless things like a Video Files folder that was "modified" because I opened a session that had no video. They don't understand the file structure. Not to mention having to use the main sync folder, which you can solve with MacDropAny, but then you have a whole new set of issues.

Obviously Avid wants me to think they'll be solving this with their cloud stuff, but I'm not convinced it'll work, not to mention I currently have no plans to move past v10, much less moving all my assistants up to 12 on their own dime...

Is there a workable workflow that anyone is using for this, or do I have to continue doing it by hand with one of these services and just skip the true syncing? Despite the massive speed boosts on Gobbler, it seems DropBox or Drive would actually be better suited for this as you can see your file structure more clearly; on Gobbler it's nearly inaccessible once you upload a delivery.

Thanks!

[reichman]

The few times I tried running a session on Dropbox, Pro Tools gave me errors that I think were related to the sync function, so I never run them hot from Dropbox anymore.

I think it's funny to read your post when Avid is betting the future of Pro Tools on doing exactly this in v12. I'm looking forward to 12, if it works it will be a huge improvement in our workflow.

[lexaudio]

Originally Posted by viaspiaggia

I've tried everything over the years for delivery to clients, and use whatever someone prefers, but I am ready for a real solution TODAY for cloud-based syncing of ProTools sessions.

eg:

I record a dialog session, upload to shared workspace.
My editor 50 miles away pulls the session down, saves as..., and cleans it up.
She hits save, then I see the session on the workspace, pull it down, GO.
If she added audio files, I can have them sync to my drive at will.

Gobbler says there were going to do this in 2.0, but it's not working yet, and I'm about ready to jump ship. The original version should have been able to do this with the drive backup stuff, but I was never confident that it was tracking my latest version of a saved-as structure.

Dropbox and Drive *could* work, but Drive was working overtime on a test today syncing useless things like a Video Files folder that was "modified" because I opened a session that had no video. They don't understand the file structure. Not to mention having to use the main sync folder, which you can solve with MacDropAny, but then you have a whole new set of issues.

Obviously Avid wants me to think they'll be solving this with their cloud stuff, but I'm not convinced it'll work, not to mention I currently have no plans to move past v10, much less moving all my assistants up to 12 on their own dime...

Is there a workable workflow that anyone is using for this, or do I have to continue doing it by hand with one of these services and just skip the true syncing? Despite the massive speed boosts on Gobbler, it seems DropBox or Drive would actually be better suited for this as you can see your file structure more clearly; on Gobbler it's nearly inaccessible once you upload a delivery.

Thanks!

Well it is going to all depend on your internet connections both ways anyway.

I'm not in with this collab thing anyway.

here is what I do and all it requires is a little organization of where your sessions are to be done.

First, I create an ADR REC sessions folder.
This is where all the ADR files live.

Send that via Gobbler to your editor. Now you both have a copy.

Create a new session, with your edit tracks and import (link original audio) your recorded tracks.
Keep this session in a folder called ADR edits.

Now, you have a session without any audio attached to its audio file folder.
When ever you TCE or declick or process, only those files will be in your audio files folder.

So even if you process every file, it will still be smaller, contain all the audio you need and those you don't, and is easy to send back to you.
AS you will be linking your REC files your both have.

I know the next question. They are working in the same session and needed to do an update.
Simple. Rename the original audio files folder to what ever works for you.
I just put AFV1
create a new folder and CAll it Audio Files.
New material goes in there.

Send the session and that folder, you put those audio files into your Audio Files folder, done.

Just a little organization and its quick, simple and easy. I understand the desire for the sync, and not having to deal with that, but it just doesn't work well.
Dropbox has been getting worse lately too.

[FajitaTone]

Build your own cloud. I just bought a Synology NAS and it's pretty great. Don't need dropbox or any of the other services. AND it's MY data.

[lexaudio]

Originally Posted by FajitaTone

Build your own cloud. I just bought a Synology NAS and it's pretty great. Don't need dropbox or any of the other services. AND it's MY data.

Really? Its working well? I've heard mixed reviews on the NAS. And specifics for it working well?

I'd prefer this over anything.

Security? How hard was it to create, meaning the cloud. Any links for start out help?

[viaspiaggia]

Whoa that Synology looks great. Does it require a lot of networking knowledge, or can I just hang it off my airport / Charter modem and roll?

What that makes me realize is that what I really want is just ChronoSync running to a network device. Everyone could set up a "sync from storage" and "sync to storage" operation, and you run the first when you start working and the second when you're done. Looks like it's a theoretical possibility with ChronoAgent, but in the end something like Synology might be easier.

[FajitaTone]

You can go on the Synology website and play with their interface live. They offer many products, but I got one of the small home units. It hangs off my AirPort Extreme base station, and uses 2 ethernet connections to produce higher transfer rates. I had to do some stuff to my AT&T UVerse router in order for it to get going, but all the instructions are online and in their user forums. I have a DS414slim with 4 1TB WD RED NAS 2.5" drives. I get 3TB of protected storage. It sends emails when something may be going wrong with one of the drives. It was around $700 shipped with Amazon Prime. I bought an extra drive in case one was DOA, but now I have a spare in case one of the active drives dies.

It supports SMB, AFP and can be used as a Time Capsule too.

[viaspiaggia]

So, Ray, have you had people outside your Airport network access the NAS as well? Are there tricks to the IP addressing that need to be resolved?

Looks like ChronoSync with ChronoAgent installed would work remotely, I'd just have to fake some IP stuff to let my remote editors get into my network to see my drive.... Wondering if the same voodoo would be required on the Synology stuff.

[FajitaTone]

you can use QuickConnect which is a DDNS service they offer for free, then just add users and they log in with their own permissions etc. UVerse made having an FTP service a pain, but it's all resolved now after creating some DMZs in the router. You don't have to use FTP, just QuickConnect. But I need the FTP type functionality for something my wife is doing.

[noiseboyuk]

Originally Posted by reichman

The few times I tried running a session on Dropbox, Pro Tools gave me errors that I think were related to the sync function, so I never run them hot from Dropbox anymore.

I think it's funny to read your post when Avid is betting the future of Pro Tools on doing exactly this in v12. I'm looking forward to 12, if it works it will be a huge improvement in our workflow.

FWIW no issues running sessions in a Dropbox folder here (win 7 64 bit). The only minor pain is prioritising - if I need to send a mix quickly, it might be fighting for upload transfer bandwidth.