Self Contained Quicktime audio out of sync

Thanks in advance for your help.

MBP 2.5ghz 4 gigs ram Core Duo 2
Mac OS 10.5.6
FCP 6.05

I have a 22 minute project shot in HDV edited on an HDV 1080i60 time line and exported as a self contained Quicktime using current settings.

I have a nested timeline.

Client claims audio goes out of sync with picture after about 2 minutes.

Quicktime Video Settings are:

Compressor HDV 1080i60
Field dominance: Upper (odd)

Audio Settings:
Rate: 48khz
Depth 16-bit
Config: Channel Grouped

Client seems to think audio is at 29.97
and Video is at 60i.
Is this a problem? If so what should my settings be?
Should this run through compressor? If so what settings?

I am stumped?

Barry

Barry-

Is it safe to assume that the sync problem does not happen on your computer? Have you tried the QT on other machines than your clients?

-V

Thanks for the reply V

I ran the sequence through compressor and played the show played back. It is in sync using quicktime player. Now to get the right settings for the frame controls and all should be good. Fingers crossed! Any suggestions?

I am going to also try making a self contained file again and recompress all the frames. Fingers crossed on that as well.

Barry what is the client playing back on?

Oh and 60i IS 29.97fps with 59.94 fields per second.



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Thanks for the clarification on 60i

Client is using final cut 6.05. Same version as I am using.

Should I recompress all frames when I make a self contained Quicktime?

Not recompressing the frames shouldn't do it.

In all likelyhood it's because the client is watching the audio and video via different outputs on FCP - they must make sure that the audio is monitored via the same output. ie if via a video card then both audio and video via the card, if via the desktop then audio via the audio directly connected to the Mac.

Get them to check it in Quicktime too and check it doesn't go out of sync.

If it plays back fine then its FCP or the audio settings - if it does fall out of sync on their QT then there is another issue which could be the file that was saved to their system (very unlikely) but transferring a new SCQTM that you have checked might solve it.



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I thank you for your help, Ben.
I will send them out a new Self Contained quicktime again and triple check that it works here.

Is using compressor a waste of time?

If all you are doing is giving them an HDV 1080i60 file from the same CODEC source then yes.



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"In all likelyhood it's because the client is watching the audio and video via different outputs on FCP"

yet being IN sync at the beginning, then OUT of sync later, might point to something else.

"Client claims audio goes out of sync with picture after about 2 minutes."


(Unless it just took them 2 minutes to notice, which ISNT impossible)

nick

For sh*ts and giggles I made self contained quicktimes again using another project, same type of HDV 1080i60 timeline and did NOT engage recompress all frames and lo and behold the audio slowly drifted out of sync as the show progressed.

Why do I need to need to "recompress all the frames if everything is rendered within the timeline?

I need to start drinking so I can learn not to want to understand how some of this stuff works.

Thanks all for your help and the the first and last round is on me.


Barry

Hmm thats interesting Barry - I never have this issue when I do it and on much longer timelines.

Anyone else had this issue?

What version of QT are you running?

Quote

(Unless it just took them 2 minutes to notice, which ISNT impossible)

Actually that would depend what's in the timeline - if the subject didn't have obvious sync at the start.



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Ben, I am running Quicktime 7.6

Do you think because the footage was captured via firewire might have anything to do with it?

I

I just thought I'd run another couple of tests.

Without select re-compressing frames I exported one of my 45 minute docs that was shot in HDV 1080i50.

I then did the same test on an HDV 1080i60 30 minute program that was HDV 1080i60 native.

No audio sync issues in QT or FCP via Cinema Display, on the Canvas (at various zooms) or output via the Blackmagic Multibridge.

I think you have an issue that should be checked at as it might indicate a more serious problem with your FCS or system.

But in the meantime recompressing frames is working so thats a plus.

Of course I'm running 10.5.7 but when these projects where done originally it was on 10.5.6 and there was no sync issue then either and the old exports worked and still work just fine.



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Quote

Do you think because the footage was captured via firewire might have anything to do with it?

Nope - both my projects were captured HDV via firewire.

I have to admit that I haven't seen a sync drift issue for getting on for 8 years on FCP and then only with consumer DV and not DVCAM.

I have to say I'm a bit baffled but you could try checking all the usual things like Repairing Preferences, deleting FCP prefs, deleting the render files and re-render even checking with DiskWarrior and/or Techtool Pro 5 and if you have another Mac hooking your MBP and checking there isn't an issue with the MBP System Disk using Disk Utility.

Sorry I can think of something more specific but its 4:10am here and unless I can replicate the bug then I'm at a bit of a loss and my brain is shutting down!

You might try doing the same test with this and another project on a different Mac if you can to see if it is just a corrupt project file or a conflict on your MBP.



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Wanna trade systems javascript:editor_tools_handle_smiley()

My drive has about 20% free space perhaps that is part of the issue?
anyway, I am glad that recompressing has hopefully resolved the problem temporarily until I can delve into things deeper.

I see a bottle of tequila in my future.

Quote

Wanna trade systems javascript:editor_tools_handle_smiley()

Being in the UK might be a bit awkward for you to pick up

I'll try a test on my MBP tomorrow if I get time (which still has 10.5.6) and see if maybe its an issue specific to that. Only mine is 2GB and 2.33Ghz Core 2 Duo...

Quote

My drive has about 20% free space perhaps that is part of the issue?

Whilst I have seen weird things happen to HDDs at high loads I think 20% isn't really a biggy its really the cut off point I recommend that gives you a 5-10% safety margin before the wacky stuff really starts.

Quote

I see a bottle of tequila in my future.

Urrrrgh - I had a very bad hang-over after tequila and champagne the other day so I'll stick to my port this morning



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Actually, I'm experiencing a similar problem.

I received a self-contained QT from someone (a very competent shooter and editor so user error isn't a factor here) to burn to BD through Encore.

Original footage is Z1/FX-1 captured into FCP 6.0.5, HDV 1080i60. In FCP, project is in perfect sync. Export a self-contained QT and audio gradually drifts out of sync, and that is exacerbated by the H.264 compression to BluRay.

My friend is editing on a G5 so I thought that might be the issue. He media-managed the entire project and brought to me on external drive. I copied project to a raid on a MacPro. Opened in FCP with timeline set for ProRes renders (which he cannot do, of course on a PPC machine). Perfectly in sync with audio/video output through Blackmagic card to SDI monitor.

Export self-contained QT current settings and play through QT player, both with audio going through Mac. It's out of sync again.

I'm running another test dropping the HDV sequence into a ProRes timeline and rendering just to see if that makes a difference.

But the phenomenon that the OP is describing does seem real since I'm getting the same results on two different systems.

Ned Soltz

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My friend is editing on a G5 so I thought that might be the issue.

Barry is on a MBP and I haven't had this issue on either my G5, MBP or MacPro.


Have you asked your editor/shooter to do what Barry did? That is, export and select recompress frames?

Let us know if you do and if that works.

"It is a capital mistake to theorise before one has data. Insensibly one begins to twist facts to suit theories, instead of theories to suit facts."

~ Sherlock Holmes



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As soon as the client gets the disc I sent them I will update all.

Ben- Thanks for putting your time and effort into this.

Well even though it's not affecting me at present its always good to know of potential issues before they arise - its something that has kept me relatively trouble free to years!!!





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