Audio out of sync on export

I have a DV clip that drifts out of sync. I cut it in a DV sequence and sync'd up the portion of the interview I wanted (about 2 seconds offset), linked the video and audio tracks and cut it into my current cut sequence (also DV).

Upon exporting a Quicktime Conversion with the Broadband Medium setting the clip is out of sync. I get the audio I want but the video seems to be the actual video that shares the audio timecode.

Any ideas on why this is happening and how to fix?
Thanks,
Michelle
FCP 6.0.6

First off, if the DV clip was captured out of sync, you should have gone back to the capture stage to fix the problem. The most common explanations are:

a) You tried to capture over 30 minutes as one long clip, resulting in drift;
b) Your Capture Scratch drive couldn't keep up;
c) You had dropped frames.

At this point, many things could be wrong. You have to work backwards.

Don't Export Using QuickTime Conversion. Do File - Export - QuickTime Movie into a full-quality, self-contained QuickTime movie. Check that in QuickTime Player and see if sync is okay. I assume you already watched the timeline carefully, with proper Audio/Video Settings, and sync is okay there.


www.derekmok.com

Thanks Derek.

Yeah, I figure it was in the capture but source is on the west coast, I'm on the east coast, was trying first to find a fix here.

I did the export you recommended above and still out of sync. And yes, sync is good in timeline.

I selected the (correctly sync'd) audio and video and Modify - Make Independent Clip but that didn't seem to do anything either.

Is my only solution to go back and re-capture? I can't believe there isn't a way to make my export look exactly as my timeline. Any other suggestions?

Thanks!

Another very common cause of this is that your FCP Audio/Video Settings are set wrong. You have to monitor sync in FCP while making sure video and audio are coming out of the same source. If you're using Digital Cinema Desktop to judge sync, you have to use "Built-In Audio" to monitor; if you're using external video (eg. capture card, deck with monitor), then you have to set Audio Playback to whatever the video is set. Take a look at your settings and list them.

Also, I wouldn't try to mess with linking. Start a new timeline, resync audio and video, and just leave them alone. Linking clips with disparate sync relationships can lead to issues. Just treat them as if they were, say, video synced to music, and leave them as separate clips in the timeline.


www.derekmok.com

In the View menu: (Bold are bold, unbolded are shaded)

Video Playback -

None
checked [Missing] Apple Firewire NTSC (720x480)
Digital Cinema Desktop Preview - Main

Audio Playback -
Default
Built-in Output
Logitech Z-5 Speakers
checked Firewire DV
Firewire DV (DV50)
HDV

I'm monitoring video on my laptop screen and audio thru usb speakers.

That's problem #1. Where are you watching your video? You can't judge sync on the Canvas, and you especially can't watch sync based on image from the Canvas but audio from FireWire.

Plug your speakers into your computer CPU directly. Set Video Playback to Digital Cinema Desktop Preview - Main and Audio to Built-In. Now turn on External Video (APPLE-F12) and watch the timeline's audio/video sync on the computer monitor. See if it's actually on.


www.derekmok.com

I've never had a problem monitoring sync on the Canvas before.
Speakers are plugged in usb to my MBP laptop.
Set the settings per your suggestions above and sync in timeline is perfect on laptop screen.

I appreciate all your help Derek. I'm going to sign off now and troubleshoot a bit more but also request a recapture from the source. I'll report back if I figure it out.

Thanks,
Michelle

> Set the settings per your suggestions above and sync in timeline is perfect on laptop screen.

That may mean you have a corruption of some sort.
Copy just that section that was resynced to a new timeline. Render All (OPTION-R) and do an Audio Mixdown (OPTION-APPLE-R). Export - QuickTime Movie from the new timeline, see if the resulting movie file has the same problem.


www.derekmok.com

what happens if you do a very simple export from the timeline?

Export as a QuickTime movie, same settings.
open that into quicktime and have a look at it.
if it's fine, do your broadband export from that file.


nick