MC5 & DVCPro HD sync pb problems

[Jeff Greenberg]

What kind of Avid project is it in?

The green dot means that you have a motion effect because it detects a difference in speed. It’s not ‘bad’ per se – just something that automatically happens with rate differences.

Best,

Jeff G

Apple Master Trainer | Avid Cert. Instructor DS/MC
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[Paul Dougherty]

Thanks Jeff,

The Avid “project type” is 1080i/59.94 & “raster dimension” is 1280×1080.

What is really puzzling is that when I edit a clip from tape 1 Qt of an interview not only go I get the green dot but I neglected to mention that the Timeline says 29.96 fps (?) Start a new seq with a Qt clip from the part 2 interview tape, no green dot. I hear you Jeff about the green dot but if all the material is uniform (tbd) and the project type is set correctly to match, there should not be any speed jive in the TimeLine right?

What is adding to the spookiness is that I had the green dot & 29.96 fps TL display with two different Seq tests in a row using intv tape 1, and now with no changes to the proj settings I just repeated the process with a new sequence and ….no green dot!

Yes I’m only knee deep in trouble shooting this and I don’t have access to the facility or their people this weekend but in these tests FCP has been a champ and MC (that I’d like to edit with) has been bizzaro.

Paul

[Jeff Greenberg]

Paul,

Couple of things – You’re in an HD project (correct timing) – change the raster size to 1280×1080 to match the footage.
-FCP is whatever the timeline is and scales the clip.
-Avid outputs everything full 1080, but corrects for the pixels (invisibly) dimensions. Generally, you get the best performance when your raster type matches your footage.
-Motion Adaptors (just couldn’t remember the name this AM while teaching an Adv. FCP class) are usually a sign of a speed mismatch – and showing you exactly what sort of work is being done under the hood to handle the speed differences – as well as let you change the way it’s handled (if you don’t like the method.)

[Paul Dougherty] “FCP has been a champ and MC (that I’d like to edit with) has been bizzaro.
“
Well, it’s mostly that you’re comfortable in one and the other isn’t behaving as you’d expect. Do I sound like I work both sides? Good – cause I consider myself a mercenary – and I think all the tools are flawed.

Other notes/thoughts
Technically 1080 60i, is 60 field pairs being played back at 29.97 frames per second (in other words, they’re equivalent.)

I don’t think I can look at it until tomorrow, but I could throw similar stuff in a timeline here – I suspect with AMA that it’s not seeing the speed of one of the QuickTime files correctly (hence the motion adaptor.)

Best,

Jeff G

Apple Master Trainer | Avid Cert. Instructor DS/MC
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[Paul Dougherty]

Thanks Jeff,

It always was 1280×1080. And as I mention in my earlier post the the green dot phenom is intermittant. “new sequence and ….no green dot!”

As to the two edit systems, it’s ironic I’m far more experienced with Avid (though not necessarily with MC5) but that is the one that is not cooperating! Someone replied elsewhere to transcode to DNx but the programmers asked me to stay in the native DVCPro HD or ProRes. (Yes I guess I could do a blanket conversion)

Paul

[Jeff Greenberg]

Paul – sorry – took me a bit to find specific 1080i DVCPro HD footage

Here’s what I learned: With AMA, the timeline is sensitive to the format ONLY WHEN it hits the timeline.

When I have the avid format set to 1080 29.97 – (which is ONLY Progressive) anything non progressive (not full 1080) gets a motion adapter. Switching back and forth? The Motion adapter stays.

When I have the Avid’s Format set to 1080i 59.94, the items come in fine – no motion adapter.

It’s 100% repeatable (and makes sense.)

If you’re working in a progressive format, a motion adapter may be needed to reintegrated interlaced material. Once on the timeline, avid doesn’t ever remove it.
When you’re working in an interlaced format, it takes your interlaced material when it hits the timeline, and leaves it alone.

Best,

Jeff G

Apple Master Trainer | Avid Cert. Instructor DS/MC
Come See me speak at NAB!
Compressor Essentials from Lynda.com
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[Paul Dougherty]

Thanks so much Jeff. I think I have the project set up right for the 1080i material but even in the play window (no seq, no TL) the AMA linked DVCPro HD Qt plays way out of sync. (Why!?! 😉 Ditto if I consolidate to a DVCPro HD mxf file.

However if I convert to ProRes in Compressor, sync is ok. But I’m not sure where that gets me re. Avid as I don’t want to transcode to DNx as per the coder/developer specs

[Jeff Greenberg]

Going down a different route: what happens to the DVCProHD footage if you Import?

Best,

Jeff G

Apple Master Trainer | Avid Cert. Instructor DS/MC
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Compressor Essentials from Lynda.com
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[Paul Dougherty]

Thanks Jeff, I’ll try that later today, the Qts in question are pretty long. Sadly my sessions with the client start today and I had to bail on MC5 and go with FCP. In spite of that I’m determined to get to the bottom of this but baring some straightforward fix or workaround, I’m pretty disappointed that the highly touted MC5 can’t play something that Qt Player Pro (and FCP 6) can handle.

Paul

[Jeff Greenberg]

Can’t be disappointed in MC – I have to be a defender here (keep in mind I’m a trainer ALSO on FCP amongst other things…) There’s something intrinsically wrong if it doesn’t work; Try importing; that sort of footage is native and should import very quickly.

DVCProHD was the first/second HD working in the MC world (version 1.0 or 2.0 of this release cycle) – somewhere around 2004-5.

When you can, message back. Oh, if you want, I can give you a place to upload that clip to see if I have the same sync problems.

Best,

Jeff G

Apple Master Trainer | Avid Cert. Instructor DS/MC
Come See me speak at NAB!
Compressor Essentials from Lynda.com
(older but still good) Marquee, Media Composer (3.5) and Basic/Advanced Color DVDs (1.0) from Vasst.com
Contact me through my Website

[Paul Dougherty]

Jeff, import seemed to work, sync ok. (took may hours) Pb via AMA link did not, nor did consolidating a sub-clip made from the Qt linked via AMA.

Paul