Sync X: Changing between external and internal video reference

[kosmokrator]

tl;dr: How can I have an external video card being locked to the internal video ref generator of the Sync X when using NOT PAL, while at the same time having both the Sync X AND the video card being locked to external video reference when working on PAL projects, all without recabling?

Hey all,
we have several studios with HDX and Sync X devices.
Since we're part of a bigger broadcast/post facility with a digital audio router, we normally sync to incoming PAL blackburst.
This is all working fine for 25fps projects.

We're working on a lot of NTSC and 23.98 projects (with some true 24 and HFR projects mixed in).

For this scenario I'd like to switch to internal video ref generation by the Sync X, feeding the Aja Kona cards with ref from the Sync X to keep the system frame edge aligned.

Problem is: Just one of the scenarios works, but not both of them.

The Kona card is only seeing reference in when the video ref is being generated by the Sync X, not when the Sync X is using external video ref.

That only works when using the reference output BNC connector to connect the Aja Kona card to the Sync X, but then it only mirrors the PAL blackburst house reference.

I cannot every time change the cabling.
I would expect the gen ref output to simply mirror the external ref input when external source is selected.

Is this somehow possible?

Thanks!

[anuj]

Use Sync X as your Master Video Reference generator for both scenarios.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[kosmokrator]

Originally Posted by anuj

Use Sync X as your Master Video Reference generator for both scenarios.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Since other digital equipment we're connecting to (AES router etc.) is clocked via external video ref, this would result in glitches.

@Avid, any comment on this?

[MCorbin]

Hey all

The Vid Ref Gen outs only output generated reference video, they physically cannot output a vid ref input pass through.

Even if it could, it sounds like you would still have issues as your AES router is clocking off of house vid ref.

Other facilities that require house ref at multiple frame rates tend to have routers that are able to output different frame rates to different destinations.

m

[kosmokrator]

Originally Posted by MCorbin

Hey all

The Vid Ref Gen outs only output generated reference video, they physically cannot output a vid ref input pass through.

Even if it could, it sounds like you would still have issues as your AES router is clocking off of house vid ref.

Other facilities that require house ref at multiple frame rates tend to have routers that are able to output different frame rates to different destinations.

m

Bummer.
Would it be possible to somehow include this functionality into an update? Would be really handy..

Out AES router wouldn't be a problem since we only use it for certain functionality like VO recording, not for mixing.

I know the traditional workflow of different house refs on a BNC patchbay, but that's somehow very 90ies.. :-D
In our case that would also mean serious recabling efforts, something the tech team wouldn't do unless there's a serious business case behind it.

[MCorbin]

I'd love to be able to make it a software update, but it is a physical limitation on the hardware that would require a rework on a circuit board.

When I mentioned other facilities will have a house ref generator that can output different video varieties, this was all remote controllable rather than on a patch bay. So from a piece of software you would be able to change the vid ref that was being sent to a specific room without effecting the other rooms.