Pro Tools doesn't read incoming MTC

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skaren

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 19, 2014
Messages
65
Hi there,

I'm having trouble locking Pro Tools 10 to incoming MTC.

What I'm trying to achieve is to start Pro tools when my Tape machine starts so that I can record multiple takes from PT to the tape machine to later mix from the tape machine (I've got 4 channels of D/A)

The following gear/software is involved in this story:

Tape Machine - Soundcraft 760 24 track
smpte to mtc converter - XRI systems XA300mtc
Midi Interface - Akai MPK49
Pro Tools 10 (not hd)
OSX 10.8.5

Also using "MIDI monitor" to test the incoming MTC code.

I've managed to stripe smpte to the tape machine at 30 fps and then playing the code back to the XRI which converts it to MTC. Midi monitor sees the signal so the problem I'm having is with PT or the relationship between PT and the smpte format. At least that is my guess.

I don't know much about how Pro tools read MTC and reading up on it makes me non the wiser (I've tried everything that appears obvious to me).

Any help would be much appreciated!
Marty

Btw, Not sure if this is important but there is not the optin of selecting 30fps for the Feet+Frames rate
 

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does prattolls  reads anything properly  ;D ;D ;D ;D
even its self automation doesnt read the same, they had to steal programers
from steinberg...  8)
 
I've  used PT for tape sync since PTLE 8 going back to version 5, both Mac & PC. Never used PT10 or later versions.

It does work on earlier versions .  It should work properly & follow MTC, it needs MTC code which is an adapted SMPTE code, it won't work with dedicated SMPTE code. Check exactly what code your XRI sync is sending to your recorder sync  channel.

I used the following.

Tascam TSR8 or Fostex E16
Phillip Rees PS1 sync or a Tascam Midiizer MTS-1000
Digi002 running PT.

Also I have synced PT as slave to a Tascam MX2424 recorder sending MTC, PT will slave to MTC.


 
..also depends on whether you're recording or only playing back - at least older versions of PT had different vari-speed possibilities for these modes (making sync'ing even more unpredictable)

Jakob E.
 
The proper way to sync any DAW to a tape machine is by using a synchronizer to control the tape machine, and have it chase the DAW.
Making a DAW vari-speed to chase a tape machine is not a good idea for many reasons, and there is not much more you can do to degrade the converters response that making them vari-speed while recording.
You can get used synchronizers  practically for free these days, so cost of doing this the right way should not be an issue.
That being said, I have never seen Pro Tools work trying to chase without a Pro Tool Sync box (as in Sync I/O, USD, SSD, and so on...) The correct one for your version of PT software is also available for very little $
This is the box that will read MTC and the software responds to, it really is not designed to "see" MTC from a MIDI interface
 
Back in the days any VSD + MTC (LTC converted to MTC by MidiTimePiece or Unitor8) Setup had much faster lock times than any SSD  ;)
It got better with the USD, however, MTC was never a problem for the positional reference.
 
I never synced my DAW with tape any other way but SMPTE. Usually at 30fps unless I am in some way going to have to do cues for video or film with material, then frame rate comes into play. Before you start anything just record SMPTE Tone to last track of tape machine and done.  DAW chases tape. The only thing you must avoid is you don't want to record anything with big transients like highhat or the like on the adjacent track. Truth its best if you let the adjacent track stay empty.

Been doing it this way since Atari running Notator with my trusty Unitor interface.
 

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