Audio sync problem

[Simon Rees]

Hmm... I tried, but FCP just doesn't recognize the camera. I've read before about this type of incompatibility issue between FCP and certain Canon cameras. I don't know the cause of it, but I tried different capture settings (e.g. FireWire vs. FireWire Basic), and even though the camera (an old XL1) was hooked up, it was as though it was invisible to Final Cut Pro. I even tried a tip I read somewhere, which was to hook up the camera and THEN turn on the computer. Still no joy...

This is why, after playing around for a while like this getting frustrated, I in the end went out and bought a different, cheap camcorder specifically to upload the footage from... I also made sure to choose a new camcorder which plays the footage correctly on itself, i.e. I can play all the tapes on this new camcorder without a problem and the audio is in perfect sync when played through the camcorder itself...

So in case you are both right that this would be the best solution, then how can I get the camera to be recognized? This had me stumped before...

[Brooks Harrington]

Did you try taking the "device control" off. Look for fW control or basic FW control, should have option of "non controllable device" Restart FCP. Play on camera and hit capture now. Can't log this way. no TC, but if it works you'll be able to see (hear) if the problem is fix.

[Garrett Jackson]

I know that this sounds funny, but Have you tried importing using iMovie? If you use the latest iMovie FCP and FCE 4 can read the files without an import.

Garrett

[Ty Ford]

More sync stuff....

Last week I ran into another sync problem...something different.

I was transferring some VHS to FCP. At first, through the composite inputs of my JVC unit and from there, firewire to the mac and FCP.

FCP reported that a sample rate error might cause sync problems. The sample rate of the clips in the browser was 48kHz. So, I'm thinking, "?!?!?!! The JVC unit is doing something that is kicking out a funky sample rate that FCP doesn't like but will still report as 48kHz?

OR, that's the only way FCP can report the problem even though the cause is something else.

Tried something else yesterday. I have an old PyroLink AV box I stopped using on my other, older G5 Mac because it was unreliable; FCP dropping out in mid-capture on analog VHS and DVD clips. I had pretty much relegated it to the "bad purchase" pile.

I hooked it up to the new Mac Pro and tried transferring. No bad sample rate reports! BUT still sync issues. So I'm thinking maybe the system is not compensating for latency differences.

Back at the beginning of DTV I was at NAB in Vegas and the sync on a lot of demos was off. When I asked why, I was told that it took slightly longer to convert analog video to digital video than to convert analog audio to digital audio. As a result audio would always be ahead of video after conversion.

How this relates to your XL1 is a mystery to me. I have an XL2 and have not seen any sync issues. I have transferred by firewire directly from the camera to FCP, to iMovie with no problems. Can iMovie see your XL1?

Did you try transferring the tape shot on the Xl1 from another deck?

(BTW: I have heard a lot of problems with 32 kHz audio, or if the setting was at 12-bit. I saw a camera recently that allowed 12-bit while also at 48 kHz, I have no clue why you would want that. I can think it would only cause problems.)

QUESTION: If the video was actually drop frame versus non-drop frame. Would that cause a shift in sync?

This is a great string for me.

One other thing. I did see a Canopus transfer box that says it handles sync issues. http://www.canopus.com/products/ADVC300/index.php

I don't know if it would help anyone here, but it seems to have TBC and other corrective circuits. Anyone know anything about it?

Thanks,

Ty Ford

[Petri Kaipiainen]

Originally Posted by Simon Rees

Upon capturing, the A/V sync drifts progressively on long clips, no matter what I do... (Long = more than about 15-20min).

Isn't this something older Canon cameras do, their video and audio timing circuits (crystals) are out of sync. All fine as long as you look at the tapes (A & V locked), but when imported to editor and audio and video are separated the audio drifts. It is the fault of the camera, only way to correct it is to use short clips where drift does not manifest itself, or adjust the duration of long audio clips to match the video (Pro Tools etc).

Which camera was used for capture makes no difference, "capture" is actually a file copy.

Did not some editors actually have a tool for this fairly common problem?

Never shoot 32 kHz 12 bit 4 channel...
--------

Edit: the link to Apple board gives more or less the same explanation.

[Ty Ford]

I'm not having sync problems with my Canon XL2 after transferring to FCP via firewire.

Regards,

Ty Ford