Try the steps:
1. Add 2 videos and the recorded clip to timeline
2. Select added clips
3. Click the "Sync by audio" ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PowerDirector 365

As I stated in the OP, if I select the video tracks PLUS the audio track the Sync by audio button is greyed out. If I only select the 2 videos the button lights up fine and works correctly.

Wow, no one has an answer for this? I figured this would be a simple question but Im getting the impression that its not?

Strikes me that this is working as advertised; no need to select the audio track. From a WEB article...

"Drag and drop your target clips onto the timeline, select two or more, and a "Sync by Audio" button appears; click this, the audio of each track is analyzed, the earliest is placed first in the timeline, and everything else is positioned appropriately."

A CyberLink video tutorial shows this in action.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=YazEBOU5oW0

so what youre saying is that you can only sync video and audio clips together in the multicam editor but on the timeline you can only sync video clips? That doesnt even make sense. If youre gonna put a "sync by audio" button on the timeline then it should work for both video and audio clips not just video clips

ok so heres the reply from CL themselves and quite frankly Im floored that such simple functionality was left out or overlooked by the design team. I mean they went to the trouble of letting you sync videos right on the timeline using their audio tracks but if you also want to sync an audio track you have to use the multicam editor? /sigh The multicam editor isnt even very handy for what I do. Oh well, I guess some functionality is better than none. Guess I'll still have to sync my audio track by hand

"Thank you for contacting CyberLink Technical Support.

I understand your concern that you want to know how to sync audio files with video files.

In regards to your concern, I would like to inform you that you cannot Sync video and audio automatically from the timeline, you ahve to do it manually. I suggest you to lease use Multicam feature to sinc Video and Audio."

Quote: Im trying to make a video that has 2 videos and a seperate audio track from my zoom h1. If I highlight both video files I see the sync using audio button light up but if I also include the separate audio file the option is greyed out. Im assuming there has to be a way to do this.

I use PD and have never seen this option Synchronize audio tracks on time line.
This is done with Plug In MULTICAN, two or more audios must be of the same program. AMD-FX 8350 / 8GB DDR3
SSD SUV400S37240G / 2-HD WD 1TB
AMD Radeon R9 270 / AOC M2470SWD
Windows 7-64 / PD16 Ultimate

It's normal. Multicam was build as an 3rd party tool, and it contains the sync. It is not enabled on "Deluxe" version of PD.

Timeline is part of main software, it didn't have the sync feature. If it did, it was no need for "multicam" to be added...

Hi,
I don't want to appear dumb here and as a workaround it might appear so.
For example some editors have 3 video in MultiCam and want to sync it to an audio track that is recorded independently and cant because of the way MultiCam is set up.
Well the answer is pretty simple to me, make the audio track a video. This can be done in various ways and if you're a capable editor you'll probably think of some different ones. A simple solution is drop the audio into a track in PDR, take a color board and stretch it to the length of the audio and select the video output you want and match the audio to the original (make your own custom template).
You then have 4 videos for MultiCam and can match up the audio to one track and edit the other three to overlay the sound.

I hope this all makes sense and i'm not being dumb with my solutiion workaround.
Dafydd

@Playsound - PD 13 has a button for sync by audio that appears if two or more videos are selected in the timeline.

@Dafydd - This is an excellent idea! I should be able to do exactly what you said and then use the audio track on a video line and then it should allow me to sync all of them at the same time. Its kind of a hastle but probably less than syncing the audio by hand.

Quote: @Playsound - PD 13 has a button for sync by audio that appears if two or more videos are selected in the timeline.

Thank you.

I have no material for testing now, just added 2 songs, same with music studio and one live recording, PD placed one in front of another.
Added the same music on 2 track, synchronized perfect.
AMD-FX 8350 / 8GB DDR3
SSD SUV400S37240G / 2-HD WD 1TB
AMD Radeon R9 270 / AOC M2470SWD
Windows 7-64 / PD16 Ultimate