Timecode not following protools

[Kaibin Wang]

I'm working in a studio with dolby atmos production environment. The protools computer is connected with a SYNC HD through HDX connection, and my protools could recognize the SYNC device (and it seems that I could change my project settings on protools and my SYNC will follow, and the LOCK mode is enabled). However, when I play in protools or I move my playhead, SYNC doe not respond and it always shows 0:00:00.000. Thus, SYNC doesn't send any LTC signal to my dolby renderer computer, and I could not export a correct ADM. What could be the problem with this system?

[its2loud]

Can you be more specific regarding “Atmos production environment”?

Are you using Atmos Production Suite on the same system as Pro Tools?

Do you have separate Renderer machine running Dolby Mastering Suite?

Are you generating LTC in your session? Do you know how to turn this on in the session?

[Kaibin Wang]

For the Dolby Atmos Environment, I'm using two MACs.

One is hosting protools and is connected to two HDX cards, which further connects by digilink to a MTRX, and connect using serial to SYNC HD.

Another computer is hosting Dolby Atmos Renderer with DAPS, it has a Focusrite RedNet Pentacard, and connect to the MTRX by Dante.

The SYNC HD device provides Word Clock to the MTRX, connected with BNC. And its LTC output is connected to a RedNet 2XP, which is also connected to the Dante network and further routed to the DAR computer (Channel 127).

I think I don't need to generate LTC in protools because if SYNC locks timecode with protools, it should generate LTC and send it to my DAR computer (is that true? I'm not sure.)

[its2loud]

Thank you for all of that info

I think I don't need to generate LTC in protools because if SYNC locks timecode with protools, it should generate LTC and send it to my DAR computer (is that true? I'm not sure.)

Not true. You need to generate LTC from the session you’re working in if the SYNC HD is sending TC to other devices. Also, that TC signal needs to get to the Renderer system.

[espron]

For the Sync HD/Sync X to generate LTC in Protools you need to press the "LTC" button to the right of the transport. Have you done that?

[Kaibin Wang]

That's exactly the problem, thank you. Someone de-activated LTC and hide that button. Now that the DAR started to follow the protools, another problem occurs that in some projects, the time code often jumps to 00:00:00:00 and then jumps back. Is it caused by timecode rate mismatch? Is there any methods to set timecode rate (which is different from frame rate in that setup)?

[its2loud]

Frame rates need to match always between Pro Tools and the Renderer. Both are set independently.

Pro Tools in the Session Setup Window
Renderer in the settings.