PD 15 - Produce makes clips out of sync

mikiek

Newbie Joined: Oct 05, 2020 12:44 Messages: 7 Offline

Solved by

Nov 01, 2020 22:01

I hope I can explain this. I have 2 long clips (mts) from a theater performance recorded on video cam - each has the video and audio as recorded by the camera. I also used a separate audio recorder to get better sound and this guy produced .wav files but the recording was so long it actually produced 2 files. However the break for the audio and the break for the video are in different places.

So in PD I imported all then put the first MTS on timeline 1 and the first WAV on timeline 2. Then I did an audio sync which worked very well. After that I scrolled out to the end of the video and split the audio there and pulled the additional audio off timeline 2.

On timeline 3 I dragged the 2nd video - placed where the first video ends - and on timeline 4 I put the remainder of the split audio and synched those. Again it worked like a charm. Then I dragged the 2nd audio file onto timeline 4 and butted it up against the end of the first audio. When I play the recording from start to finish it looks and sounds great inside PD. The syncing is perfect.

Then I went to Produce it. Didn't do anything fancy there, used the mpeg-2 1440x1080/24p profile and that produced the .mpg.

When I play the .mpg it all goes well, audio seems to be synched up nicely with video until it gets to the place where I joined the 2nd audio file to the first. And at that point the audio gets badly out of sync with the video.

What I can't figure out is why does it play perfectly in PD but get out of sync in the .mpg?

If this can't be resolved is there some software that might join the 2 audio files into 1?

Thanks in advance....

optodata

Senior Contributor Location: California, USA Joined: Sep 16, 2011 16:04 Messages: 8630 Offline

Nov 04, 2020 12:51

Thanks for all the details. I'm not sure why the audio gets out of sync, but you can easily combine the two tracks in PD before producing your full project.

Save your project, then go to File | New Workspace. This will give you a clean timeline and keep your media library contents.

Drag the two audio clips to the timeline then go to the Produce page. Click on the music notes near the top left and choose the default. WAV profile (Waveform Audio). Make sure the Output folder (below the preview window) is set to an appropriate location, then produce.

When you return to the Edit room, the new clip will be in the Media Library. Reopen your original project (no need to save this temporary one) and let PD merge the project libraries (if prompted). If you didn't get that prompt, use Import Media Files to browse to the newe clip then drag it to the timeline and overwrite the two separate clips.

Everything should now work as expected when you produce the full project.

mikiek

Newbie Joined: Oct 05, 2020 12:44 Messages: 7 Offline

Nov 07, 2020 12:14

optodata - I was so hoping this would work. Your process worked fine and I figured with 1 audio file the movie would play without a hiccup but it's not to be. The movie gets out of sync at or around the same spot where those 2 audio files were joined.

I'm thinking now maybe the only option is to break up the entire clip into many smaller pieces and audio sync each one of them.

This is getting extremely frustrating, particularly as I originally described, the whole thing plays perfectly if I view it in PD.

Anyways, thank you for your help.

optodata

Senior Contributor Location: California, USA Joined: Sep 16, 2011 16:04 Messages: 8630 Offline

Nov 07, 2020 12:54

What devices are you looking to view your finished video on? The output profile you've chosen is fine for DVD/Blu-Ray discs but there are many other choices for YouTube and direct playing on devices.

Try producing to H.264/AVC MPEG-4 1920x1080/24p (16Mbps) and see how that looks and sounds.

tomasc

Senior Contributor Joined: Aug 25, 2011 12:33 Messages: 6464 Offline

Nov 07, 2020 19:37

Quote The movie gets out of sync at or around the same spot where those 2 audio files were joined.

This tutorial with an explanation may help: https://youtu.be/F1tO_zx4LA8 . I would combine all those mts files to one continuous file first if that is so and you may no longer have an audio lip sync issue. This eliminates the spot that you are refering about seeing the problem. Do a search on how to do it. I use a dosbox in windows to combine it. It would be easier to place the 2nd audio file on a still lower track and then check the sync after the above is done.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at Nov 07. 2020 20:29

mikiek

Newbie Joined: Oct 05, 2020 12:44 Messages: 7 Offline

Nov 13, 2020 13:25

Optodata - my goal for this project was to produce DVDs for the actors (students) so that is why I chose that format. Considering your suggestion I tried a different format (H264 AVC) and low & behold the sync problem is gone! I suppose that will go on a DVD just as well.

I wish I knew more about the various formats and what they do.

Thank you for your help with this. I was pulling my hair out trying to come up with a solution.