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Activity Forums Apple Final Cut Pro Legacy Sync Drift H4N

  • Posted by Scott Faranda on November 20, 2010 at 10:58 pm

    Hey everyone,
    Ran into a little issue with a play that I’m currently shooting.

    I’ll try and provide you with as much info as possible

    Shot with two cameras (Canon HF20 and HV40) and a Zoom H4n Recorder (for crowd noise).

    One camera’s (HF20) audio was a direct line from the soundboard in the theater.
    The other camera’s (HV40) audio is just the camera’s built-in microphone feed.

    I was able to sync the two camera’s audio perfectly just by dropping the HV40’s audio track backwards 2 frames (because I was in the back of the theater, so there was a slight delay).
    I made a marker when a door was shut on stage to match up all the audio (including the H4n), however the audio from the H4n starts to sync drift after a few minutes and by the end of the sequence it’s completely off. Although no matter how much the H4n sync drifts, the two camera’s audio stay perfectly in sync.

    -Both camera’s are shooting at 29.97fps
    -Audio rate on the camera’s is 48khz
    -Audio rate is 44.1khz on the H4n Recordings (wich are mp3s)
    -Sequence setting is at 29.97 and 48khz for audio rate.

    Is there any way to fix what I already have? and if not I still have two performances that I can shoot, so what should I change so that it all goes according to plan for the next two?

    Thanks in advance.

    Ted Irving replied 14 years, 12 months ago 3 Members · 4 Replies
  • 4 Replies
  • Phil Balsdon

    November 21, 2010 at 2:02 am

    Your audio settings on the Zoom (44.1kHz) don’t match the video (48kHz). They should also be aiff or wav format.

    Try using iTunes or Compressor to convert them to the correct settings and bring it back into FCP.

    The Zoom H4n can be set to record 48kHz wav.

    Cinematographer, Steadicam Operator, Final Cut Pro Post Production.
    https://www.steadi-onfilms.com.au/

  • Ted Irving

    May 19, 2011 at 2:31 am

    i’m using a h4n with a canon 60 day and i have sync drift as well. I just converted all the 41khz audio to 48khz audio, brought them back into FCP7 and I still have drift. The first block of the show I’m editing is 6 minutes. Sync is perfect for about 2 minutes then it starts to drift out of sync by over 15 frames. Is there something else that should be done in Soundtrack other than converting to 48khz? Dither? etc. ? thanks

    Ted Irving
    Content Freelancer
    Media Instructor
    http://www.tedtv.tv
    tedirving@yahoo.com

  • Phil Balsdon

    May 19, 2011 at 2:58 am

    Why did you set the H4n to record at 44.1 and not 48?

    Cinematographer, Steadicam Operator, Final Cut Pro Post Production.
    https://philming.com.au
    https://www.steadi-onfilms.com.au/

  • Ted Irving

    May 19, 2011 at 3:46 am

    i just got the 60d and the h4n and jumped into production. i’m actually changing it now.

    Ted Irving
    Content Freelancer
    Media Instructor
    http://www.tedtv.tv
    tedirving@yahoo.com

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