sync sound while previewing to external monitor
 

You know how in a "real" edit suite you can watch what you're doing on an external monitor, and the sound from your video stays in sync with what you're watching?

Ok, so when I edit, and have the signal going to an external monitor, it may stay in sync for a little while, but will usually start to drift within half a minute. I can't really use the monitor, then, unless I don't care about the sound. How do I remedy this?

I use Vegas 6, firewire out to an XL2/Canon ZR80, and RCA/BnC into the monitor. If the answer is "a faster computer", too bad.

Hi Josh

I have the same problem, running Premiere Pro, firewired via my 'holiday' Sony camcorder ( Not my XL2 ). Tried it with the XL2 and have the same problem.

My PC is fast - I run Intel Dual-Core 3GHz's. 1GB Memory.

If I require any 'lip sync' work, I use the Timeline monitor on the PC monitor - this is always 'lip-sync'd'..... The ext monitor is then the primary tool for colour correction.

It also helps if you render the timeline ( or part there-of ) before you watch the footage on the ext monitor.

Hope this helps a little.

Can you help me with my Q?

Please see: http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=83869

Is your ext monitor picture 'steady' or does it 'flicker' as though between frames? What I find is that if I move the footage on a few frames, the picture steadies, and then I can perform the necessary colour corrections.

Cheers

Steve

Granted, but there must be some way to remedy this. . .whatever pro edit suites use, or a cheaper solution---do I need a real DA converter instead of using the camera?


Flicker issue: sounds like you're looking at interlaced footage. That's just how it looks when paused, if there's much movement in the paused frame; you're looking at two fields of video at once, two pieces of two different images-the odd lines from one image, the even from another.

Josh,

Don't know about Vegas, but PPro has an option which lets you output the audio preview through the firewire in the same way as you are doing with the video. You can then take the analog audio from your camera and stick it into an amp/mixer/whatever. I have mine going into the aux input on a normal home hifi system. The result is that the audio and video on the external monitor are synced.

Hope that helps.

cheers - James

That sounds like more on the right track. Does anyone know how that works (if possible) in Vegas? I'm not familiar with the process. I don't have another pair of speakers, either, besides my computer speakers and the little speaker on the monitor.

Thanks for the feedback, Josh. Looks like it's something I just have to put up with. If I shoot 25p, I guess the problem goes away?

Hello again to James, who was sharing his views on this topic, so hopefully this clears up our issue.

I agree with James' input on the sync issue. PPro does indeed allow you to output audio to ext device. Just that I dont have an ext amp, and use my PC sound system as my preferred means of monitoring the audio, which does generate a time delay / sync issue while watching the monitor.

Thanks to your both for the support.

Cheers

Steve

Afternoon all,

Just found this on Steven Gotz's site http://www.stevengotz.com/premierepro.htm

'Video on external monitor one second behind the one on your PC screen? Try this!
Start Windows XP (SP2) in safety mode and then copy the file msdv.sys (windows\system32\drivers) from SP1 (5.1.2600.0) over the SP2-version (5.3.2600.2180). Then reboot. Windows (SP2) now uses the SP1-firewire-driver to communicate with the video equipment. Someone posted a copy of the file in case you need it here http://members.chello.se/averdahl/msdv.zip

I haven't tried this, and don't know if it would make any difference to your audio sync problems or not, but if it reduces the time lag going to the monitor it might be worth a go.

cheers - James

Josh,

Does Vegas have a 'delay' setting for audio? Don't know if it's the same thing as in my AVID, but there should be some sort of 'delay' setting that you can use to synch them up?

Vegas does have a delay setting. I believe I messed with that a long time ago, doesn't seem to help much.

As for using an external whatever, I have a behringer mixer, just no other speakers besides the computer's own. Could this work?

I'll try the copy file thingy too.


As for the interlace/flicker issue, doesn't have to be 25p, just some kind of "p". Progressive footage has no fields/ so you wouldn't have the problem.

Josh,

You should be able to get something working with the mixer and the speakers. Depending on what inputs you have available on the mixer you might need to get some adapters so you can plug the phono leads from the camera in (assuming that your analog output is phono). You may also need a jack adapter to plug the speakers in, but all these are readily available and quite cheap.

I'm assuming your external monitor doesn't have speakers built in?

James

It does, actually.

Can you plug the audio output from the camera into the monitor then? It probably won't be as good for mixing sound as your computer speakers but if it sorts out the synch issue then it would be the first step towards a workaround.

Keep us updated.

James

That should work, but how do you set that up?

What sort of lead have you got coming out of the camera? Is it phonos on the end?
What choice of input sockets have you got on the monitor?

James

Just found this thread http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthrea...=audio+preview after a quick search in the vegas forum. Turns out that Vegas won't let you preview the audio through firewire. Sorry Josh but I don't know what to suggest. You might try asking in the Vegas forum to see how other people get round syncing issues.

James