For PAL mix work - do I need a PAL blackburst?

[citysoundman]

My setup: I'm using my TDM system with the Microlynx. My Microlynx accepts video ref from a blackburst and puts out the PT Superclock that feeds the 888/24. The 888 always stays in Slave mode.

Let's say I'm working on a PAL project (25 FPS) and I receive a Quicktime and OMF from a client. There is no tape involved at all on my end. I know that the media will sync up. But my question is - do I need to reference to a PAL blackburst to be running at the proper SPEED? I know that a PAL blackburst generates a 50 Hz sync (whereas NTSC is 59.94 Hz). If I do not have a PAL blackburst connected to my Microlynx, will Pro Tools then be using its own internal sync (which I'm assuming is referenced to 60 Hz?). If this is true then wouldn't the SPEED and PITCH both be higher than they should be?

I'm sure someone here is a bit more up to speed on PAL than me!

Thanks in advance.

[Frank Kruse]

My setup: I'm using my TDM system with the Microlynx. My Microlynx accepts video ref from a blackburst and puts out the PT Superclock that feeds the 888/24. The 888 always stays in Slave mode.

Let's say I'm working on a PAL project (25 FPS) and I receive a Quicktime and OMF from a client. There is no tape involved at all on my end. I know that the media will sync up. But my question is - do I need to reference to a PAL blackburst to be running at the proper SPEED? I know that a PAL blackburst generates a 50 Hz sync (whereas NTSC is 59.94 Hz). If I do not have a PAL blackburst connected to my Microlynx, will Pro Tools then be using its own internal sync (which I'm assuming is referenced to 60 Hz?). If this is true then wouldn't the SPEED and PITCH both be higher than they should be?

I'm sure someone here is a bit more up to speed on PAL than me!

Thanks in advance.

In your setup (no tape involved) you would neither need the Lynx nor a BB-generator. Switch PT to internal (wich means the session runs at 100% of the chosen sample-rate) and you are ready to go. Don´t forget to unplug the clock-cable from the Lynx otherwise you might be force-clocking the interfaces to a different clock than you session is set up. If you do want to use the Lynx (for what ever reason) you HAVE to switch the BB generator to PAL otherwise it will feed the Lynx with a wrong reference that will be translated to a wrong Superclock.
PT doesn´t resolve QTs anyway.
You only need BB if you have to supply a clock to more than one device.

frank.

[Kuba Pietrzak]

Frank,
you are always faster than me
you've written exactly, what I wanted to...

best,
Kuba

[citysoundman]

Frank,

Thanks for the reply.

The reason for my Microlynx is that I'm using it to send PT Superclock, and 48K wordclock to my tascam dsm surround controller. (I also used to use it to lock up my video decks, back in the days when I had to have decks!)

I think that I can work this way (no PAL BB) if my Microlynx is set to Internal, 25 FPS. Shouldn't it then put out 48K clock at the proper 50 Hz reference? I just looked at the Lynx, and when it is set to 25 FPS it sets both the frame rate (not important for this) AND the system speed (what I need).

[TVPostSound]

Bob, unless the Microlynx has the optional Video Slave Generator, all its doing is changing the frame rate on the counter.

If you're not driving with the Microlynx, it doesnt matter what frame rate you set it to, except pull up or pull down,
48k is 48k is 48k per second at any frame rate.

[Frank Kruse]

Frank,

I think that I can work this way (no PAL BB) if my Microlynx is set to Internal, 25 FPS. Shouldn't it then put out 48K clock at the proper 50 Hz reference? I just looked at the Lynx, and when it is set to 25 FPS it sets both the frame rate (not important for this) AND the system speed (what I need).

Like DIAFX said. Just make sure the superclock and regular WC you feed to the Tascam are based on 48.000Hz. The TC-rate of the Lynx doesn´t matter. Just set the clock of the Lynx to internal 48k. You don´t need the BB-generator since you only use the Lynx like a regular WC/superclock-master. The TC-rate doesn´t matter because you don´t use the TC of the Lynx. Just set PT to 25fps and you´re done. The TC-rate in PT is nothing but a counter. It has nothing tio do with the playback speed.

As long as you make sure PT gets true 48k as a reference you´re fine.

You could also just drop the Lynx and clock the Tascam to the digital-in fed by PT. That way you would be slave-clocking the Tsacam from PT´s AES-out.


frank.

[citysoundman]

Cool, thanks for the help.