MOTUnation.com

I am working on a film project in one of the better post facilities in LA and last week brought in some bwav files that would not locate on the film's master timeline in Pro Tools. We had to manually place the files, which was a major PITA, to say the least. Due to production considerations I didn't have to output an OMF. A few files did locate correctly after a bit of massaging, but a few dozen didn't.

The producer requested revisions and I did have time to make OMFs - and they did locate correctly, but they were being read from the OMF as mono files instead of the bwav, interleaved stereo that they actually were.

When we imported the files manually to PT and bypassed the OMF, they imported the correct format and to the correct time after importing just the OMF and not the files. Apparently, DP8 has resurrected the OMF problems of the past. Next time I'll try AAF exports, but I am having serious... I mean SERIOUS concerns about DPs ability to correctly output file formats via OMF and even via simple bwav files.

This has caused not only embarrassment but now substantial additional expense for the producer and is leading me to consider moving to PT just to have the compatibility be correct. I'll keep DP for scoring, but having to buy PT so I can interface with a PT studio is really not sitting well with me at all.

You could always get a smaller (cheaper), PTLE rig for yourself. (Or even set it up on the same computer using native if it is PT9 or 10). And do the import yourself (where you can haggle in private with the apparent quirks without them knowing about it)...then just take that to the delivery.

Thanks for the suggestion, Brian. PTLE is probably best but I will also try an AAF next time.

For the past few years DP has either worked well with AAF or OMF, but never both in the same DP release.

I appreciate your taking the time to respond. MOTU hasn't responded to my latest addition to the techlink but to their credit, they did say they would investigate the initial problem of the bwav files not locating.

It's always something... <sigh> I suppose that keeps us on our toes and makes the work... interesting. ☺

MIDI Life Crisis wrote:I'll keep DP for scoring, but having to buy PT so I can interface with a PT studio is really not sitting well with me at all.

Yes, while I was troubleshooting plugins today, I messed around with Protools 9 (native). I got into the MIDI, some of the editing. It's so.. ummm.. stark.

I would hate to try to compose on that, I don't see how people do.

I've been noticing that PT and DP have been going separate ways over the past few releases, but I didn't know it had become this bad. I guess if anyone has been thinking about making the jump, now's the time.. for myself, after working with that lame-ass dog of a DAW today, I don't think I'll get on the Avid conveyer belt of wallet suck for nothing today. If I ever do though, it will be the absolute cheapest way to get the job done. In my dreams the client will pay for it, as a penalty for drinking the Protools

MIDI Life Crisis wrote:... This has caused not only embarrassment but now substantial additional expense for the producer and is leading me to consider moving to PT just to have the compatibility be correct. ...

Sadly this is exactly what I've been thinking lately. DP 8's OMF has real problems that were fine in 7.xx. I've been confirmed that 8's volume curve bug is corrected in 8.02 and also fade in/out length bug. But that was nearly 3 months ago, still no 8.02. I still have to open all OMFs first in DP 7.24.
DP 8 OMF is also very picky to open files if OMF includes some wrong format or corrupted files. These kind of OMFs open fine with 7.24, but not with 8. I really hope they could fix the OMF because it's pretty important feature for many.