Plural Eyes vs FCP X sync

[Jeff Kirkland]

I’ve used both and Pluraleyes has more features and *maybe* an edge over FCPX in terms of syncing but FCPX works for me 99% of the time. I think I’d only jump to Pluraleyes if I needed one of the things it does that FCPX doesn’t. For me that’s primarily the ability to actually generate new clips with the sync audio attached rather than just doing it virtually like FCPX does.

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Jeff Kirkland | Video Producer & Cinematographer
Hobart, Tasmania | Twitter: @jeffkirkland

[Brett Sherman]

Given that FCP X’s is free that’s a +1. But if you have drift problems it can’t deal with it. PluralEyes can, although I have no experience on how well it works.

And every once in awhile FCP X’s just doesn’t get the sync. But for those rare times it’s not hard to manually line it up. It depends on your cost/benefit analysis. For me the cost of PluralEyes isn’t worth the benefit.

[Ty Ford]

Thanks, Brett.

That’s sort of what I was thinking, but my overall use of that type of technology is very limited.

Plural Eyes changed ownership, or the company changed names, at some point. I wonder if the other software they offer now outpaces PluralEyes. Some of their image software looks very cool, but I have a personal/small business problem with monthly or annual subscriptions because I just don’t have enough need to pull me into such a contract.

What’s your best piece of eye candy software?

Regards,

Ty Ford

Want better production audio?: Ty Ford\’s Audio Bootcamp Field Guide
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[Mark Suszko]

Ty, to answer your question, for me It used to be Synthetik Studio Artist.

[Brett Sherman]

[Ty Ford] “What’s your best piece of eye candy software?”

I’m not sure exactly what you mean by this. I’ve mostly gotten rid of plug-ins. There’s a few I still use but managing licenses on multiple computers and having to pay for upgrades to keep them working has pushed me off of them. I also develop my own Motion templates.

I’d check out AleFX on videohive.net. Incredible value and well-made. And 50% off this week! I have the 700 transitions pack. https://videohive.net/search/alefx

For imparting “looks” on footage, I’ve been using LUTs with the built-in. You can download lots of free LUTs.

[Brett Sherman]

[Ty Ford] “What’s your best piece of eye candy software?”

I’m not sure exactly what you mean by this. I’ve mostly gotten rid of plug-ins. There’s a few I still use but managing licenses on multiple computers and having to pay for upgrades to keep them working has pushed me off of them. I also develop my own Motion templates.

I’d check out AleFX on “video hive.net” (take out the space between the two words, for some reason Creative Cow is blocking that word). Incredible value and well-made. And 50% off this week! I have the 700 transitions pack.

For imparting “looks” on footage, I’ve been using LUTs with the Apple LUT color effect. You can download lots of free LUTs.

[Ty Ford]

Hi Mark,

Before Singular?

https://www.sulainebrodsky.com/pluraleyes3_case_study/

Regards,

Ty Ford
Cow Audio Forum Leader

Want better production audio?: Ty Ford\’s Audio Bootcamp Field Guide
Ty Ford Blog: Ty Ford\’s Blog

[Joe Marler]

[Ty Ford] “Does anyone have an opinion as to how better or worse the FCP X ability to sync clips is to Plural Eyes?”

I described some PE limitations in this post: https://forums.creativecow.net/readpost/344/52614

In general FCPX sync works very well — assuming the material is properly prepped. PE does have better matching algorithms that in *some* cases might work when FCPX sync fails, but most of the time that isn’t needed.

There are edge cases where PE is invaluable — say your sound technician did not set recorder time of day and the files were accidentally not put in corresponding folders with the video content. In that case PE can search across hundreds or thousands of files for a waveform match, thereby determining what audio file belongs with a given A/V file. PE can also do continuous drift correction which FCPX cannot.

However PE is designed for multiple NLEs, not just FCPX. In all the other NLEs the timeline is the center of the universe. By contrast in FCPX you do most of your prep and sync work in the Event Browser. PE does not support that, as described in the above thread.

In theory with the new workflow extensions in 10.4.4, PE could be better integrated with FCPX. I’m not sure if Red Giant is interested in that.