Tony continues Wrapn wit' Capn...
Synching with analog devices could be useful in the fact that putting video on tape is much much cheaper and more convenient.
Capn...
We are shooting on 8mm and vhs and editing on the PC with Adobe Premiere. For the final product I would be concerned about going back and forth from analog to digital to analog to digital to analog.... but I see how it could be useful as you describe below...
Tony...
Example: Let's say you have a scene you've finished and you'd like to see what other people might do with the soundtrack and you need it synched with action in the scene.
Digital only; audio/Video in digital format takes huge space so tape backup, removable HD or CD-ROM is the only practical way to exchange media.
Capn...
We burn to cdrom for exchanging our digital video files between animator and editor, etc.
Tony...
Synching; Analog video synched to a computer running the sound program reduces the amount of digital data required to exchange quite substantially. What you would do is send the video tape the has the video on it but one of the sound tracks contains a tone that is generated by your sequencer combined with a MTC(midi) box like the pocket sync by Anatek.
When the recipient gets the tape he uses his VCR to see the video and it is also the master midi device to trigger his sequencer or multitrack-recorder or both. When the music is completed he only has to send the music portion. When you get the music portion back in either sequencer format or digital audio format or both. All you have to do is plug the music in where it belongs.
If you are unsure as to where the musician intended the parts to go you can use the video tape with the sync track to re-create exactly what the musician intended. (pretty cool.)
Capn...
Ahhh, but how much is that little black box that generates the signal? Or are you saying that we wouldn't need one on our end?? (yet)
We are planning a video shoot sept. 20 with a live band. It will be a 3 or 4 camera shoot, the audio will be recorded on DAT and then will be made into a cd or cdrom for transfer to the PC. Do you have any ideas for syncronizing the audio... with all 4 cameras, without lots of wires and additional cost?
Tony...
There was a MIX Magazine article that explained how the guy who does the music for the Seinfeld show he used this exact technique. He used SMPTE exclusively although. Capn...
I had done some research on SMPTE, but that was a couple of years ago.
Tony...
The difference between SMPTE and MTC(midi) is SMPTE is a standard set up by the SMPTE group it deals in hours minutes and seconds. It can also determine where you are so you don't have to rewind the tape completely to go to a specific section. PC sequencers handle SMPTE less efficiently then MTC(midi).
MTC(midi) does exactly what SMPTE does but it tracks the beats rather than hours minutes and seconds. Virtually ALL sequencers support this format. You need a device that will convert your midi signal to MTC which is an analog sound. You then record this MTC signal on you video tape.
I've experimented with its capabilities by taping an old movie with little or no music using the left channel for the sound and the right channel for the sync track. Once you get the sync track recorded you can lock your sequencer with the video tape. To start recording music you use the VCR to start and stop your VCR.
Capn...
Can you elaborate on that last sentence?
Tony...
I use cakewalk and Digital Orchestrtator for sequencing and Digital multitrack recording.
Capn...
I use WaveStudio for digital recording and Adobe Premiere for multitracking.
Tony...
I use Turtle Beach Quad Studio for multitrack digital recording.
Capn...
Do you need a special sound card for Turtle Beach??