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Gear / Technical Help => Ask The Tapers => Topic started by: rojarosguitar on July 05, 2018, 11:20:21 AM
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Hello,
Is there anyway I could synchronize TASCAM HS-P82 with Sound Devices Mixpre-6 during recording, so that the audio tracks would be in sync for mixing.
I have never worked with syncing, so my question may be naive, but maybe somebody has some actual experience and could share his/her knowledge.
Thanks anyway...
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The MixPre-6 does not generate a timecode signal but will accept one over its mini-HDMI input. I believe it also has a camera trigger which means that once it senses a timecode signal it will auto-record. The MP-6 manual is your friend.
If the Tascam can generate a timecode signal there may be a way to sync them up through timecode. Sorry if that was not much help.
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Thanks, that is at least one track to inquire into...
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If the Tascam can generate a timecode signal there may be a way to sync them up through timecode. Sorry if that was not much help.
That tascam has time code in and out on BNC connectors, as well as word clock in and out. I read about someone using a converter to get their time code into the mini input for channel 5-6 of the MixPre6, but I don't recall the details.
If you don't get this working, you can go poor-man's timecode and use a clapperboard or some handclaps at the start and end of each recording, and do the squash/stretch thing. But since these two machines WILL do it, it would be great to figure out how. It might take more gear (and more $) so I'm not unserious about the poor bloke's way. I even have a spreadsheet to do the math if you want. You can enter a length and offset, or two lengths, depending which line of the spreadsheet you use.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1pQGfYwPgBFFzcY5m6aRj-Zbu9HsRumLy-tJB1d8Eufg/edit#gid=583050244
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Thanks; currently I'm looking for a BNC to HDMI time converter, which seems possible. If I find a solution, I'll let you know. Meanwhile maybe somebody who has already solved it chimes in...
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Thanks; currently I'm looking for a BNC to HDMI time converter, which seems possible.
That seems the most appropriate route if it works for the MP6.
If you need to do the "manual sync/squash/stretch thing" for two free-running machines and have a extra open recording channel available on one of them, you can make the post work easier and confirm exact sync at any point by splitting one signal and recording it to both machines.
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MixPres accept SMPTE with LTC coding on the "Aux Input" jack.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linear_timecode
Just a simple D/A converter?
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As I'm totally ne to sync issues, could please somebody explain LTC in relation to digital audio to me? If Tascam is able to send LTC, and Mixpre is capable to receive and record it, does that mean that the audio of Tsacam, and the Audio of Mixpre is in sync?
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Did I reply you on Gearslutz as well? ;)
Just in case copying my text here.
I am not an expert myself but I think this cable might do the trick. I would check the Tascam manual anyway. I would set the BNC Out 1 to "timecode" instead of "AES3id". I think "timecode" is the audio encoded SMPTE which the MixPre will recognize. (HS-P82 User Manual, page 42).
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/751718-REG/Remote_Audio_CATCIPBNC_BNC_to_1_8_3_5mm.html
What I _do_ know is: that timecode input is SMPTE LTC, which encodes a clock signal that offers a timestamp (HH:MM.SS.ff where ff is frame number). That timestamp is used by the recorder to timestamp the start of the BWF files.
So, when you import those timestampted BWF files in a timecode capable audio/video editor it will know how to align them.
However: it's not a wordclock, which means that the clocks of the A/D converters won't be synchronized. The drift and jitter of two high quality clocks should be really minimal anyway. But I would do a test before doing some real work.
Depending on how you configure the timecode you can also use it as a trigger to start recording on the MixPre. So pressing record on the Tascam should start feeding timecode to the MixPre and make it start (you need to configure it, check the manual).
SMPTE timecode is accurate enough to sync audio to picture, but different audio files might have some phasing issues. At worst you will need some tweaking (adding a minimum delay to the files of one of the recorders).
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Thanks, I saw it.
I asked in different places hoping that it reaches to different people and somebody might come up with THE ANSWER :lol:
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Thanks, I saw it.
I asked in different places hoping that it reaches to different people and somebody might come up with THE ANSWER :lol:
Hmm let's see if I can come up with a different and entirely wrong answer, just to make it more interesting :P