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Sync two or more video tracks to a frame
Charlie8589 [Avatar]
Newbie Location: Los Angeles, CA Joined: Apr 16, 2011 12:53 Messages: 6 Offline
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What's an efficient way to sync two video tracks?

Two cameras shot a piano recital and I can easily identify the "slate" frame where a camera flash fired on each track so I simply want to line up both tracks on that frame. I thought I could somehow mark each track at that point and visually line them up but I don't see a way to do that. I know the exact second/frame from each track that should be lined up but don't know how to sync the tracks to that frame.

This is a classic multi-camera problem that I used to solve easily on a flatbed in 16mm (boy, I'm old!) and am sure there is a way to do this in PD10.

Any ideas are welcome.

Thanks!

Westside Charlie Charlie in LA
Roene [Avatar]
Newbie Joined: Apr 05, 2011 10:39 Messages: 1 Offline
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I have encountered this problem myself and Powerdirector doesn't have a specific function for multi-cam editing. But since you know which frames to sync, maybe the following will do the trick:
- on the first video track, you can set a timelinemark at the frame which is the 'sync pojnt'.
- split the second video track at the other sync point.
- now you can align the second video with the timeline marker

Maybe you have to group the tracks after you synced them, so other editing won't 'destroy' the sync.
An other thing to consider is the sound. Is one of the camera's the source for the sound? You can then split the sound from the video and put it on a sound track. That way, when you change the view of the camera, the sound will still have the same source.

Maybe others have better options or suggestions, but this is how I would do it wuth my current understanding of Cyberlink.

Good luck, hope it helps!
Anonymous [Avatar]
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Another way, without cutting the clips is a simple mathematical calculation:
If you know the exact frame on each clip, where the 'synchronization flash' is, then it can't be difficult:
You have the length of clip A from clip start to flash - let's say - it's 1:23:14 (1 minute, 23 seconds, frame 14)
And you have the length of clip B from clip start to flash - let's assume - it's 1:20:10 (1 minute 20 seconds, frame 10).
The difference in length therefore is 1:23:14 - 1:20:10 = 0:03:04 (3 seconds, 4 frames) - bear in mind, that 1 second equals 25 frames (except you took another frame frequency!).
Now hover the mouse cursor over clip A - the pop.up info gives you the exact start position of clip A
Then work to get the starting position of clip B exactly at position A + 3 seconds and 4 frames.
voilá

That's my way.

Michael.
Charlie8589 [Avatar]
Newbie Location: Los Angeles, CA Joined: Apr 16, 2011 12:53 Messages: 6 Offline
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Thanks for the replies. I have already tried Roene's method and that seems the most promising approach.

Westside Charlie Charlie in LA
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