[Thaxter Clavemarlton]

I just add Bars and Tone edited at the head of my finished timeline.
No need to deal with the “Edit-to-Tape” B&T at all.

[Thaxter Clavemarlton]

[Lee Burrows] “We output from FCP to the Blackmagic cable. Audio then goes from the BM cable to another XLR cable to the Mixer then from the mixer out to beta deck. On note – We had to attach gender switching connectors to the XLR ends of the BlackMagic because they were not configured right.

The video goes from the BM cable to an NTSC monitor where it is looped through the monitor and to the beta deck.

I hope that answers your questions “

You didn’t mention the Black Magic card in your first post, so I didn’t know how you were monitoring or converting to analog. And I don’t know anything about Black Magic… hope someone reading does.

The audio “shift” must be happening during the Black Magic D-to-A conversion (if its OK in FCP).
The way you have your monitor set up (it goes thru the monitor and then to the tape deck is just fine (as is the “gender-changers” on the XLR’s) these short pathways would not affect any timing.

The thing that must be noted is that the sync timing would be visible on the monitor as it is in the same signal path (and timing) as the deck.

You might re-post this question with
“Black Magic audio-sync problems” (or similar) as your Subject Name.

[Thaxter Clavemarlton]

Burst should have NO affect on A/V sync.

How are you monitoring FCP’s output for quaility and Sync?

How do you OUTPUT to Beta? What kind of D-to-A?

[Thaxter Clavemarlton]

I would not trust an (affordably-priced) LCD monitor to judge any kind of video level or color accuracy.

CRT’s are still the most accurate.

[Thaxter Clavemarlton]

[dc] “is there anything i can do to master the sound, make it better than it already is”

Now THERE’S a broad question!
Let me just change a couple of words to demostrate the problem with responding:

“Is there anything I can do to make my cake taste better than it already does?”

You see, there is a bit of information MISSING.

Back to YOU, dc.

[Thaxter Clavemarlton]

There is a function in FCP that is often overlooked.

You should “Mixdown” the Audio for playback before you dub out of FCP, or during the edit, if you have audio/video slipping, drop-outs or freezes.

NOTE: Mixdown has even been demonstrated to help with slipping, skipping problems (or “missing” audio clips) for files being EXPORTED as QT (or similar) files out of FCP.

First, SELECT ALL of your audio tracks (highlight them) on the timeline, then:

Sequence Menu > Render Only > Mixdown.

You should see a dialog box telling you its rendering.

It might seem to make little sense that “Mixing down” even simple audio tracks will “fix” complex video “freezes” or random audio dropouts to tape or export, but it CAN.

NOTE: It does not matter of you only have one audio track, if there are random freezes during output, you should try the Mixdown.

[Thaxter Clavemarlton]

I wouldn’t want to use just any USB “Computer Mic” as they usually have really poor audio quality.
That’s why I’d suggest obtaining a decent-quality “standard” microphone, then adapting/connecting it to a USB or FW converter.

You can use any good-quality standard Mic connected via an audio Mixer connected to the DSR11’s audio inputs (its line-level only) and capture “live” thru the DSR11 (FW).

OR, you can use any good-quality standard Mic connected via an audio Mixer and sent to the mini-input (its compatible with mic-level or line-level) on the Griffin iMic USB adapter. (see link)

OR, you can use any good-quality Dynamic or Electret (they do not require external phantom power) Mic connected directly (you can use an adapter-plug, if necessary) to the mini-input (its compatible with mic-level) on the Griffin iMic USB adapter.

https://www.griffintechnology.com/products/imic/index.php

[Thaxter Clavemarlton]

[mantrafilm] “I’m monitoring on the computer”

I wanted to know so I could emininate the possibility that the “lag” between the Canvas and the External (audio) Monitor was not your problem.

If you’re viewing/listening ONLY on the computer (with no FW deck or camcorder connected to the Mac, I’m stumped.

[Thaxter Clavemarlton]

[Bob] “so I could buy a 2nd mixer just as a control surface… don’t think I’ve ever seen an edit suite with TWO audio mixers. “

Well, the BCF2000 is NOT a 2nd Mixer, it is only a “control surface” (But it does LOOK like a mixer, which I assume is what you meant).

I have worked in Avid suites with a Mackie Mixer and the Avid “audio control surface”.

Its not uncommon at all… just a bit crowded.
(Kind of like the old ANALOG linear edit bays that needed “PILES” of individual dedicated gear.)

[Thaxter Clavemarlton]

[mantrafilm] “the clips have timecode and there’s no “out of sync” label appearing in the timeline but it IS out of sync. “

[Thax] “Are you monitoring on EXTERNAL audio and video (or on the computer for both audio and video) on the second computer?”