Manual syncing guestion at DVinfo.net

Robert Lee · February 8th, 2013, 09:58 PM

Hi everyone:

Kind of an embarassing because I'm all thumbs today. Outside of trial an error (with a fine eye and ear) What's the easiest way to sync up an audio clip from one file with another?

Kevin Lewis · February 8th, 2013, 10:08 PM

I would suggest a program called Dual Eyes. You can download a trial version here.

Singular Software - DualEyes

Robert Lee · February 8th, 2013, 10:50 PM

Actually someone had suggested Plural eyes 3, but what is the difference between Plural eyes with Dual eyes?

Juris Lielpeteris · February 9th, 2013, 09:11 AM

Manual syncing works like eyes - using the waveform. Manual syncing is generally faster and more accurate, but requires experience and shooting long clips.

Seth Bloombaum · February 9th, 2013, 01:24 PM

IIRC, Plural Eyes can work within Vegas, and Dual Eyes is standalone. Or maybe I have that backwards.

Users I've talked to say that Plural Eyes is the schizz, and won't go back to any other synching method. I think there is a 30-day trial; try it and see if it works for you!

Roberto Diaz · February 9th, 2013, 10:48 PM

when syncing two audio sources, a technique i use is to pan one source all the way right and the other all the way left, then listen with headphones. it's pretty amazing to hear the difference when they come into sync... suddenly there's no "echo" and the sound is in the "center" of your head rather than off to one side.

Kevin Lewis · February 9th, 2013, 11:22 PM

Dual eyes is the stand alone version of Plural eyes.

Nicholas de Kock · February 10th, 2013, 05:01 AM

Plural Eyes is integrated within Vegas. I haven't manual synced audio in years. Simply drag in all your video in the timeline press Plural Eyes button and walla everything is in sync. Manual sync has to be the most wasteful use of time there is. If you have a stubborn clip that won't sync, you "lock" the one clip and select both clips to be synced & tick "Try really hard" & walla.

Mike Calla · February 12th, 2013, 04:43 AM

Just make sure you sync BEFORE you edit! Plural Eyes won't work the other way. Other than that, its awesome!

Robert Benda · February 12th, 2013, 07:23 AM

I still prefer manually syncing. Find a good common element in the clip and use that.

Mike Calla · February 12th, 2013, 10:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robert Benda

I still prefer manually syncing. Find a good common element in the clip and use that.

No offense, but that's madness! ie I was working on a gig recently with 120min of a talking head, that took plural eyes literally a little more than 60 seconds to sync.

Edward Troxel · February 12th, 2013, 01:19 PM

I usually sync by listening to audio. You can also sync via a frame with a flash or something else of that nature. And there's nothing wrong with using Plural Eyes as well but I'd still double-check by listening.

Nicholas de Kock · February 13th, 2013, 07:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robert Benda

I still prefer manually syncing. Find a good common element in the clip and use that.

Wow really in this day & age? This is like saying "I still prefer to waste time." You must not be filming many events? PluralEyes is dead on accurate unless you have really bad audio footage, I don't even trust my own manual sync's anymore. During a wedding ceremony for example I can have up to 50 cut-way clips all filmed on DSLR at 10-20 seconds a clip & PluralEyes will find & sync them all perfectly with my other stable angles, the very though of doing that manually will drive me crazy.

James Redmond · February 13th, 2013, 10:02 AM

Nicolas, half the time I use Plural Eyes it does not sync up. When it does it works great. I'm looking forward to the new version working within Vegas. All the best, james

Roberto Diaz · February 13th, 2013, 12:30 PM

I record band and orchestra concerts and a 2 hr concert is 8-12 pieces of 5-10 minutes each. So i end up syncing 8-12 pieces and each one takes me only 15 seconds or so. Thus, not a huge time waster *for my workflow*.

The saving grace for me is that i let the camera run for 10 minutes at a time, so i only have 12 syncs to do rsther than dozens or hundreds.

To the poster who has lots of short clips... You may want to try leaving your camera recording nonstop then cut/splice what you want to keep. An added benefit is that you may catch things you'd otherwise miss if the camera wasnt running.

Side comment... A rant... The original poster asked for help on manual syncing. Many people replied with their techniques. Others pointed to plural eyes. IMHO, these are both valid and helpful responses. But saying someone is crazy to do it manually or saying it's a waste of time is not appropriate for a forum. First off, it doesnt *help* anyone. Second, We dont know their situation or their entire workflow or other constraints they may have. For example, in my case i do this as a volunteer. So spending $100 on plural eyes isnt going to happen; it's a waste of money *for me* because (a) i'm not making any money and (b) it only takes me a minute or two to sync manually. As i said, we dont know everyone's situation so we should IMHO keep our posts to helpful responses rather than judgemental or attacking ones.

February 8th, 2013, 09:58 PM	#1
Robert Lee Major Player Join Date: May 2011 Location: W. Roxbury, MA Posts: 206	Manual syncing guestion Hi everyone: Kind of an embarassing because I'm all thumbs today. Outside of trial an error (with a fine eye and ear) What's the easiest way to sync up an audio clip from one file with another?

February 8th, 2013, 10:08 PM	#2
Kevin Lewis Major Player Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Philadelphia, pa Posts: 705	Re: Manual syncing guestion I would suggest a program called Dual Eyes. You can download a trial version here. Singular Software - DualEyes

February 8th, 2013, 10:50 PM	#3
Robert Lee Major Player Join Date: May 2011 Location: W. Roxbury, MA Posts: 206	Re: Manual syncing guestion Actually someone had suggested Plural eyes 3, but what is the difference between Plural eyes with Dual eyes?

February 9th, 2013, 09:11 AM	#4
Juris Lielpeteris Major Player Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Riga, Latvija, EU Posts: 292	Re: Manual syncing guestion Manual syncing works like eyes - using the waveform. Manual syncing is generally faster and more accurate, but requires experience and shooting long clips.

February 9th, 2013, 01:24 PM	#5
Seth Bloombaum Inner Circle Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 3,420	Re: Manual syncing guestion IIRC, Plural Eyes can work within Vegas, and Dual Eyes is standalone. Or maybe I have that backwards. Users I've talked to say that Plural Eyes is the schizz, and won't go back to any other synching method. I think there is a 30-day trial; try it and see if it works for you! __________________ 30 years of pro media production. Vegas user since 1.0. Webcaster since 1997. Freelancer since 2000. College instructor since 2001.

February 9th, 2013, 10:48 PM	#6
Roberto Diaz Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Northwest Chicago, IL Posts: 61	Re: Manual syncing guestion when syncing two audio sources, a technique i use is to pan one source all the way right and the other all the way left, then listen with headphones. it's pretty amazing to hear the difference when they come into sync... suddenly there's no "echo" and the sound is in the "center" of your head rather than off to one side.

February 9th, 2013, 11:22 PM	#7
Kevin Lewis Major Player Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Philadelphia, pa Posts: 705	Re: Manual syncing guestion Dual eyes is the stand alone version of Plural eyes.

February 10th, 2013, 05:01 AM	#8
Nicholas de Kock Major Player Join Date: May 2007 Location: KLD, South Africa Posts: 983	Re: Manual syncing guestion Plural Eyes is integrated within Vegas. I haven't manual synced audio in years. Simply drag in all your video in the timeline press Plural Eyes button and walla everything is in sync. Manual sync has to be the most wasteful use of time there is. If you have a stubborn clip that won't sync, you "lock" the one clip and select both clips to be synced & tick "Try really hard" & walla.

February 12th, 2013, 04:43 AM	#9
Mike Calla Major Player Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Shanghai Posts: 344	Re: Manual syncing guestion Just make sure you sync BEFORE you edit! Plural Eyes won't work the other way. Other than that, its awesome! __________________ boxoutsidemedia.com

February 12th, 2013, 07:23 AM	#10
Robert Benda Trustee Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Crookston, MN Posts: 1,353	Re: Manual syncing guestion I still prefer manually syncing. Find a good common element in the clip and use that.

February 12th, 2013, 01:19 PM	#12
Edward Troxel Sponsor: JET DV Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Southern Illinois Posts: 7,953	Re: Manual syncing guestion I usually sync by listening to audio. You can also sync via a frame with a flash or something else of that nature. And there's nothing wrong with using Plural Eyes as well but I'd still double-check by listening. __________________ Edward Troxel [SCVU] JETDV Scripts/Scripting Tutorials/Excalibur/Montage Magic/Newsletters

February 13th, 2013, 10:02 AM	#14
James Redmond Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Rogers, AR Posts: 86	Re: Manual syncing guestion Nicolas, half the time I use Plural Eyes it does not sync up. When it does it works great. I'm looking forward to the new version working within Vegas. All the best, james

February 13th, 2013, 12:30 PM	#15
Roberto Diaz Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Northwest Chicago, IL Posts: 61	Re: Manual syncing guestion I record band and orchestra concerts and a 2 hr concert is 8-12 pieces of 5-10 minutes each. So i end up syncing 8-12 pieces and each one takes me only 15 seconds or so. Thus, not a huge time waster for my workflow. The saving grace for me is that i let the camera run for 10 minutes at a time, so i only have 12 syncs to do rsther than dozens or hundreds. To the poster who has lots of short clips... You may want to try leaving your camera recording nonstop then cut/splice what you want to keep. An added benefit is that you may catch things you'd otherwise miss if the camera wasnt running. Side comment... A rant... The original poster asked for help on manual syncing. Many people replied with their techniques. Others pointed to plural eyes. IMHO, these are both valid and helpful responses. But saying someone is crazy to do it manually or saying it's a waste of time is not appropriate for a forum. First off, it doesnt help anyone. Second, We dont know their situation or their entire workflow or other constraints they may have. For example, in my case i do this as a volunteer. So spending $100 on plural eyes isnt going to happen; it's a waste of money for me because (a) i'm not making any money and (b) it only takes me a minute or two to sync manually. As i said, we dont know everyone's situation so we should IMHO keep our posts to helpful responses rather than judgemental or attacking ones.