TimeCode drifting/not matching when navigating timeline

[cornellb]

Hi everyone -

I've noticed since my upgrade from DP7 to DP8 that there is an issue with timecode not matching up when I browse or navigate through a project.

For example: when I press play and stop after a few seconds, the timecode (t/c) in DP is always/most of the time, one frame ahead of the t/c on the video.

This is not always the case though. Sometimes (I'd say one out of 8 times) the t/c matches up perfectly. Even grabbing and scrolling the playback wiper left and right through the project, and stopping at various locations is causing the same problem.

It's almost like DP is stopping a frame too late after video playback stops.

At first I thought it was a problem with the video clip that I got from the editor, but DP is behaving the same with all the video clips I sync up with my projects.

Also an interesting thing... when I put the conductor/metronome on 120BPM and scroll through the project measure by measure, it seems to be slightly more "stable" in the sense that the t/c matches, but still not every time.

It's probably not a train smash since I'm relying more on the t/c on the video, but it is annoying when I need to navigate to exact frames using the DP counter to enter time relevant data.

Anyone else having this "problem"?

[frankf]

Check the frame rates of both the film and DP to make sure they are the same, but note there may be sub frame rounding going on in either. Also, don't rely on burn in time code, as it could have been rendered with a small offset. Also try locating to a spot by typing in a location in DP control panel. What do you get? 1 frame, btw, is well within the normal range of human eye/ear synch perception. Let us know what you find.


Frank Ferrucci

[cornellb]

Hey Frank - yeah it's not a frame rate issue. That was the first thing I checked. DP is set up correctly. When I was working in DP 7 the timecode was rock solid and I never had this issue before.

I also don't think it's a video rendering issue. I work on multiple A/V projects with a host of different editors, and this is an issue with all the video clips I get from everyone.

I've even tried experimenting with entering different numbers in the "plus timecode bits" section of the "Set Movie Start" settings, but no luck. It just moves the whole video out of sync, but the same problem still exists...

I can only assume it's an issue with the way that DP "communicates" with the video playback engine.

One frame is probably fine for some composers/directors out there. I guess it depends on the impact it has on workflow and turnaround time. I do a lot of scoring for animation, and the one director I work with is very difficult and an extreme perfectionist. His notes are to the frame, and he sits with a ruler (pardon the pun) checking up on hits and cues. So I'm afraid that argument won't hold with him.

I'm planning on upgrading to DP9 very soon, so hopefully this problem will be a thing of the past.

I am however curious to know if other people are having the same problem.

[MIDI Life Crisis]

It sounds like the counter is off by a few frames when you stop, is that correct? But if you continue to playback, the frame rate is OK?

In that case I'd suspect a simple graphics slowness and the screen is not updating, while DP is still accurate in terms of sync. THe counter graphics do seem more reliable in DP 8 & 9. There's also a different playback engine for Quicktime and other video. They don't use QT, and BTD has less features (no more "referenced" .mov files, for example) which I don't like loosing.

So again, I'm NOT saying it's not DP's fault here, but that its possibly sluggish graphics updates that make it appear the playback is drifting. Maybe not... just a guess.

[cornellb]

It sounds like the counter is off by a few frames when you stop, is that correct? But if you continue to playback, the frame rate is OK?

The counter is off (ahead) by exactly one frame... but not every time - roughly one out of every five or six times DP lines/syncs up with the t/c on the video when I stop/navigate through the project. Every other time it ends one frame ahead... even when I'm browsing/skipping/scrolling through the timeline. It plays fine with the t/c on the video. So, it's not drifting while playing or anything... only when I'm scrolling/navigating or stopping.

Interesting thing is, I've got DP8 running on two MacPro's with different specs, and both are behaving in exactly the same way. As I've mentioned in an earlier post, DP7 never used to do this. Only after I updated to DP8 this started happening. So basically nothing on the hardware side changed, except for the update from DP7 to DP8.

I can only suspect it might be a lock/sync bug between DP and the video playback engine. The one is not accurately reflecting what the other one is showing when navigating or entering t/c information in the counter area...