Pro Tools cannot play. Network clock is not locked.

[Erik Olsson]

We've been using Video Satellite LE with great success for over a year. Now, all of the sudden, this message has been starting to pop up really frequently, as often as one-third of the times we try to start playback. It will usually resolve itself after a few seconds, and if not I can speed things up by manually resetting the clock, but it is really frustrating and a big disturbance to our workflow.

Anyone know what can be causing this and how to resolve it?

Help is much appreciated.
Thanks,
Erik

[quadraphonics]

It happens with Satellite Link as well. We have found that going to the Admin system, removing all of the Satellite systems, closing the page, and then putting the Satellite systems back usually takes care of this.

Randall

[tigas]

You mean the computer's clock? Satellite has issues with computer clock drift?

If that's so, and assuming you do not have a server on the network to provide it, you should point all the workstations to a Network Time Protocol server in the Internet for synchronization.

Your country should have an official NTP ("Legal Hour") server. Input that address in the System Preferences / Date and Time / "Set date and time automatically from" and activate the option.

[mikevarela]

Tigas is right on the clock thing, you can resolve all machines on a network to one clock server, but this is actual human time, not word clock. This seems pretty weird that PT would do this, as human time shouldn't wreck a sample dependent system.

Have to ask, is your network congested? Not sure if possible, but wondering if you could just run a switch between the 2 mac pros and have a direct Ethernet connection, bypassing the general network all together.

maybe others can chime

[Postman]

I'm pretty sure there is some time-stamping of data as it goes between satellite systems. Without time stamping I don't see how playback can be sample accurate when network latencies are variable and unknown. I believe it is a more certain protocol than one that simply says, "okay everyone, start playback right now!". Instead, the message is probably more like, "okay everyone, go to sample number xxxxxxx and start playback on clock tick number xxxxxxxx."

Also, realtime data exchange should be done using a common clock so there is no data overrun or underrun. The network's clock can be used to synchronize the exchange of data.

And that's about all I know of it except that the message pops up here on rare occasions, like when I overslept and the client is due any second as I'm rushing to get everything booted and ready. I just reboot the PT and Avid machines and the problem is fixed. I only remember one time it popped up during a session, and it fixed itself after a few seconds.

[Bob Brown]

Erik,

The primary thing to investigate is network congestion/traffic.

This type of error usually means the network is pretty slow (latent).

Are all of your systems connected to the same router/switch?

Are you doing other network intensive things on the same router/switch?

Another trick you can try to clear up the problem is to command-control-option-click on the link button. This should reset the "network clock". (You might have to add shift to that. I don't remember exactly what the combination of keys is off the top of my head).

[tigas]

Good thing that I was totally wrong, as I expected. It would beggar belief that Satellite Link had issues with the computer clock.

[dbEditorial]

I am unable to chase a Media Composer to ProTools. My PT is an XW8600 with Win7. The MC is on an approved HP notebook running the latest MC 6. To view on a client monitor I am using a Matrox MX02 Mini that works great when just the MC is in the workflow.

When the PT systems is connected to the MC without the MX02, it seems to work normally. Scrubbing the timeline on PT seems to drive the MC without a hitch, hitting play on PT and you see the MC timeline cue, add marks if needed, and it plays in what to my eye looks frame accurate. But the playback is just on the MC computer display, not the client monitor.

Adding the MX02 the PT will still cue and add the marks but hitting Play on PT the Play icon blinks but does not roll. However, scrolling the timeline on the MC will drive PT and you can play the PT timeline in synch by hitting Play on the MC. You can also set marks on the MC and hitting Play In/Out will transfer the marks to PT and it will play.

The error message is “ProTools cannot start playback. The network clock is not locked”

Assuming this has to do with the computer clock time, I have tried different internet clock sources and have updated the machines to a single clock.

Any ideas?

[dbEditorial]

I should add, I have also tried using a crossover cable as opposed to connecting via the network hub, no difference.