Cheap solution for syncing video with Logic (+Gst) ?

[PeterRoos]

Hi all,

I\'d like to be able to do some experimenting with playing an external video that drives my Logic/Gst setup, so that I can try to write music synced to video scenes (for study, not for projects).

I know a good approach is to get a Emagic Unitor, create a copy of a movie with SMTP code \'striped\' onto an audio channel of the 2nd video. But, this approach is beyond my budget (for now).

Anyone familiar with handy alternatives? I\'m afraid that my PC can\'t cope with any additional video handling (trying to crunch out orchestral arangements).

FYI, I have a network and (slow) P-II/350 laptop available as well. Maybe I can play mpeg files and control the audio PC over the network?

Any pointers to background info on syncing music with video also very much appreciated!

Thanks for any creative suggestion, cheers,



------------------
peter e. roos
personal site www.xs4all.nl/~deltaw (\"http://www.xs4all.nl/~deltaw\")
company site www.deltaworks.com (\"http://www.deltaworks.com\")

[Chadwick]

Peter,

Your first suggestion was probably the one to go for. If you want to involve the laptop, you\'re still going to need to get sync out of it somehow.

What midi interface do you use for your PC?

Perhaps you don\'t have to go as far as getting a Unitor.

I\'m wondering if someone does a cheap, dedicated smpte>mtc converter which you could put between the video recorder and your pc\'s midi interface.

[Chadwick]

Peter

Phil Rees makes a little converter called the TS1 which is only $99 which will take a smpte signal and give you midi sync:
http://www.philrees.co.uk/products/tapesync.htm (\"http://www.philrees.co.uk/products/tapesync.htm\")

[PeterRoos]

Hey Chadwick,

thanks for this tip. I just checked the Rees info and it seems the box can do exactly what I want (I may need a temp 2nd video player for writing out the Smtp code onto a copy of the video I want to play with).

I mentioned the laptop because maybe there is some kind of mpeg playing application that can send out Midi time code. This might a handy alternative. I will see what I can find on that.

I am still using GigaStudio and Logic within one system. For the few synth units that I hardly use I have a cheap Midi-in/out splitter. I will probably build at least one other Gst PC this year, so I guess I first have to plan on how I will connect the PC\'s with low latency. AMT and Unitor seem the best (but expensive) solution.

I don\'t know yet if a dedicated GigaPC can be driven using simple PC-Midi cards.

Cheers,

Peter

[Chadwick]

Just treat a dedicated Giga PC (no sequencer) like any other sound module (except that it has four ports of 16 channels. No need for smpte or even MTC.

I\'m not sure what you meant by using an extra video as a source for you smpte, but be careful about \'dubbing\' timecode from one machine to another. Often it will work ok, but best practice is to use first generation code where possible.

good luck

[PeterRoos]

sorry, maybe I wasn\'t clear on the copying. I meant to rent a video or dvd, make a copy onto a (another) video recorder of some scenes without dialog and print the Smtp along on one of the audio tracks.

Maybe I can locate a used Philip Rees TS1 and postpone the Unitor.

To paraphrase KingIdiot: I need more Bidgit!

thanks,

Peter