VIDEO Satellite LE: Network Clock Error

[RenderBot]

Has anyone run into the "Cannot start Playback. Network Clock is not Locked" Error?

All machines are locked with identical ref settings and all share the same Ethernet Switch.

Any ideas what may be generating this error?

Thanks,
Frank

[Postman]

It isn't just an LE thing. I have no idea what that means but I've seen it here once in a while with each version of Pro Tools and Media Composer. It is a network error, not a PT hardware error. A reboot of the audio and video systems always fixes it. Something gets reset and life is good until the next time. I haven't seen it often enough to make a big fuss but it is puzzling.

[Bob Brown]

You can reset the network clock by control-option-command clicking on the main link button (big green link button).

In Pro Tools 8.0, you must do this on all of the systems.

In the next version of Pro Tools, this behavior has been improved slightly in that you will only need to do this on one system and all other systems will reset their clocks.

Once the clock has been reset, it only takes a few seconds to reset.

Typically, you should never notice the network clock becoming unlocked. There are a few things that cause it to reset such as opening a session with a different sample rate. The relocking of the clock typically occurs before the session finishes opening (1 to 3 seconds).

I have seen cases where due to a slow network (or not having all systems on the same router/switch/hub and on a slow network) where the network clock takes longer to lock or might become unlocked.

[Danny Caccavo]

Originally Posted by Bob Brown

You can reset the network clock by control-option-command clicking on the main link button (big green link button).

In Pro Tools 8.0, you must do this on all of the systems.

In the next version of Pro Tools, this behavior has been improved slightly in that you will only need to do this on one system and all other systems will reset their clocks.

Once the clock has been reset, it only takes a few seconds to reset.

Typically, you should never notice the network clock becoming unlocked. There are a few things that cause it to reset such as opening a session with a different sample rate. The relocking of the clock typically occurs before the session finishes opening (1 to 3 seconds).

I have seen cases where due to a slow network (or not having all systems on the same router/switch/hub and on a slow network) where the network clock takes longer to lock or might become unlocked.

Hey, Bob. How about a right-click menu on the big-ass green link button so users can find the reset?

Hope you're well....

-Danny

[Eric Seaberg]

Bob I get something like that almost every time I open MC satellite. On this particular system, both PT8 and MC Nitris are running on HP8600s with Nitris playing an HD sequence. Everything is ref'd to 59.94, NOT Tri-Level. As soon as I click on the MC link I get a message stating the two systems are running at different rates and may not play in sync.

Now I realize this is a different error than what the OP is seeing, but thought I'd mention it. Satellite between the two systems is on a closed network with their own DHCP router and nothing else connected.

[Bob Brown]

Eric,

We do various checks to notify users is there are mismatches with reference rates or video/timecode formats. It sounds like that's what you are seeing.

Check all of your ref rates and timecode formats to make sure everything matches up. There might be something small that you are missing. Things get a little tricky when dealing with SD and HD mixed together.