Sony Z1 + Kona LHe = Sync problem and clicks

[Bob Cole]

[JeremyG] “Are you sure you aren’t capturing to SD? That could be your problem is you are trying to capture HD.”

frame size: 1280×1080
compressor: DVCPro HD 1080i60

[Jeremy Garchow]

Keep your KOna CP visible when doing your capture and tell me what happens when you try and capture. The setup and Componenet levels should not stick.

Jeremy

[Bob Cole]

[JeremyG] “Keep your KOna CP visible when doing your capture and tell me what happens when you try and capture. The setup and Componenet levels should not stick.”

Capturing now, with Kona CP visible. Component(SMPTE/EBU) and 7.5 IRE are sticking.

And the output from the Z1 is supposed to be Component(Beta).

[Bob Cole]

Well, the plot thickens.

Those settings did stick, and the played-back audio has no clicks.

But it is out of sync, several seconds over a 16-minute capture. If anybody is capturing successfully from a Z1 to DVCPro HD, I’d like to hear what all their settings are, both on camera and computer.

— Bob C

[Bob Cole]

AJA tech support duplicated both of my problems, the more critical one being the capture. Capturing via component (SMPTE) from Z1, using firewire for timecode leads to audio sync drift. After disconnecting the firewire, the sync problem disappeared. But of course, no camera control and no original camera tape timecode in the captured file.

I have been trying to avoid buying an HDV deck; does anyone know for sure that the cheaper Sony decks which use firewire/iLink don’t have this problem?

[Gary Adcock]

[Bob Cole] “using firewire for timecode leads to audio sync drift. After disconnecting the firewire, the sync problem disappeared”

This does not surprise me, FW is not a truely stable control protocol, with tolerances of +/- 6 frames, and the longer you use it the less accurate it gets.

When ingesting audio this over FW and the video is being brought in over a more “stable” or “consistent” connection – yes the audio will drift.

gary adcock
Studio37
HD & Film Consultation
Post and Production Workflows

[Bob Cole]

[gary adcock] “When ingesting audio this over FW and the video is being brought in over a more “stable” or “consistent” connection – yes the audio will drift.”

Audio is coming in via the camera’s analog out, through a mixer.

[Bob Cole]

[gary adcock] “W is not a truely stable control protocol, with tolerances of +/- 6 frames, and the longer you use it the less accurate it gets.”

Gary, I’m bringing video in through the camera’s component outputs, the audio through the camera’s analog outputs (using the stereo pair only, not the composite video that is part of the same port).

Are you saying that any device that uses firewire for control only (not audio or video) is unstable? So, the Sony HDV decks that use firewire rather than 9-pin RS-422 will be just as unstable?

[Gary Adcock]

[Bob Cole] “Audio is coming in via the camera’s analog out, through a mixer. “

I stand corrected, but you are still using differing protocol and pathways that can both cause the timing to suffer.

The old saying was audio follows video but when the audio needs to go through converters and mixers and the like = yes the timing of your signal needs to be re-calibrated since you are not using any sort of “clocking” to generate a fixed sync signal for the audio to lock its timing to.

gary adcock
Studio37
HD & Film Consultation
Post and Production Workflows