Steinberg Nuendo 5 Manual
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501 Synchronization The two Project Setup sections The Project Setup sections at the bottom left of the Project Synchronization Setup dialog are related to the active project in Nuendo. Therefore they are only visible if you have opened a project in Nuendo. Here you can change timecode parameters and project options that affect syn - chronization. These settings are identical with the settings in the Project Setup dialog, see “The Project Setup dialog” on page 57. Unlike the other settings in the Project Synchronization Setup dialog, which are applied globally, the Project Setup options are saved with the active project. Applying changes to the project setup When you change any of the parameters in the Project Setup sections, the title bar of the top section changes to “Apply”. Click anywhere on that title bar to apply your changes. If you close the Project Synchronization Setup dialog without applying your Project Setup changes, these will be lost. Changing the Project Setup settings in the Project Syn- chronization Setup dialog instead of the Project Setup di- alog allows you to test your changes without having to exit the dialog. Project Setup - Time The “Project Setup - Time” section has six settings that relate to timecode and playback speed in Nuendo. Project Start Time This setting determines the timecode value at the start of the project. For example, many video timelines start at 01:00:00:00 to allow for pre-roll and test tones prior to the one hour mark. In that case, a start time of 00:55:00:00 might be appropriate. Project Length This setting determines how much timeline Nuendo allo- cates to the project. Note that the more time is allocated, the more resources are used. Therefore it is advised to set the length to a reasonable amount for the current project. Project Frame Rate This setting determines both the timecode standard and frame rate for the project. Make sure that this setting matches the frame rate of any incoming timecode. Sample Rate This setting determines the sample clock speed of Nu- endo’s audio engine. Ensure that this setting matches the sample rate of incoming word clock signals or other audio clock sources. For further information about this setting, refer to “The Project Setup dialog” on page 57. Pull-Up/Pull-Down This setting affects the speed of the audio transport in Nu- endo. If Nuendo’s playback is slowed down or sped up via an external sample clock source, you need to adjust the time displays accordingly by selecting the correct pull fac - tor. For detailed information on audio pull-up and pull- down operations, see “Adjusting audio playback speed” on page 531. Video Pull This setting affects the video playback speed in Nuendo. The video playback rate may also be pulled up or down, depending on the need. For more information on video pull, see “Video pull-up and pull-down” on page 533.
502 Synchronization Project Setup - Display Regardless of the technical needs of a project’s timeline, the user might want to see time information displayed in a different format. The settings in the “Project Setup - Dis - play” section allow you to change how Nuendo’s timeline is displayed, but not the underlying timeline itself. Display Format This setting determines how Nuendo displays time in the Project window and the primary display of the Transport panel. Display Time Offset The value set in this field will be added or subtracted from the current timeline position. This setting is used for dis - play only. Bar Offset This setting allows you to specify timeline display offsets in musical terms instead of timecode. The Bar Offset value is independent of the “Display Time Offset” value. Timecode Source The Timecode Source setting determines whether Nuendo is acting as timecode master or slave. When set to “Internal Timecode”, Nuendo is the timecode master, generating all position references for any other device in the system. The other options are for external timecode sources. Selecting any of these, makes Nuendo a timecode slave when the Sync button is activated. Internal Timecode Nuendo generates timecode based on the project timeline and project setup settings. The timecode will follow the format specified in the Project Setup section. MIDI Timecode Nuendo acts as a timecode slave to any incoming MIDI timecode (MTC) on the port(s) selected in the MIDI Time - code Settings section, now visible to the left of the Time- code Source section. Selecting “All MIDI Inputs” allows Nuendo to sync to MTC from any MIDI connection. You can also select a single MIDI port for receiving MTC. 9 Pin Sync 1 & 2 Timecode polling over Sony’s 9-Pin RS422 protocol can be used as a timecode source. For more information, see “Machine Control Output Settings – 9-Pin Control 1 and 2” on page 505. When you select one of the 9-Pin options, further settings become available in the “9-Pin Device Settings” section to the left of the Timecode Source section: !Using 9-Pin timecode is not recommended without using Steinberg’s SyncStation hardware. In other sce - narios it should only be used if no other timecode source is available. OptionDescription Serial Port pop-up menuUse this pop-up menu to select the serial port corre-sponding to the source of the 9-pin timecode.
503 Synchronization ASIO Audio Device This option is only available with audio cards that support ASIO Positioning Protocol. These audio cards have an in - tegrated LTC reader or ADAT sync port and can perform a phase alignment of timecode and audio clock. VST System Link VST System Link can provide all aspects of sample-accu- rate synchronization between other System Link worksta- tions. For information on configuring VST System Link, see “Working with VST System Link” on page 512. Steinberg Time Base The Time Base is a hardware synchronizer that can provide sample-accurate sync for Nuendo. Please refer to the doc - umentation that comes with the unit for setup instructions. Steinberg SyncStation The SyncStation is a full-featured hardware synchronizer with extensive machine control capabilities that provides sample-accurate sync with a variety of external devices. Please refer to the documentation that comes with the unit for setup instructions. Timecode Preferences When MIDI Timecode, Steinberg Time Base, or Steinberg SyncStation is selected, the Timecode Preferences sec - tion becomes available, providing several options for working with external timecode. Lock Frames This setting determines how many full frames of timecode it takes for Nuendo to try and establish sync or “lock”. If you have an external tape transport with a very short start- up time, try lowering this number to make lock-up even faster. This option can only be set to multiples of two. Drop Out Frames This setting determines the amount of missed timecode frames it takes for Nuendo to stop. Using LTC recorded on an analog tape machine can result in some amount of drop outs. Increasing this number allows Nuendo to “free- wheel” over missed frames without stopping. Lowering this number causes Nuendo to stop sooner once the tape machine has stopped. Inhibit Restart ms Some synchronizers still transmit MTC for a short period after an external tape machine has been stopped. These extra frames of timecode sometimes cause Nuendo to re - start suddenly. The “Inhibit Restart ms” setting allows you to control the amount of time in milliseconds that Nuendo will wait to restart (ignoring incoming MTC) once it has stopped. Jam-Sync When the Jam-Sync option is activated, Nuendo will ignore any changes in timecode once it has started playback. This can be useful in special situations, such as synchronizing to broken timecode. Control Play-back SpeedWhen this option is activated, Nuendo will attempt to control the playback speed of the 9-pin device. Displays follow locating deviceWhen this option is activated, the Project cursor will follow the incoming timecode’s position. This is very helpful with tape-based devices as they locate much slower than non-linear systems. The cursor gives you a visual indication of the position of the tape machine at all times. Option Description !When Jam-Sync is enabled, the “Drop Out Frames” value is ignored so that Nuendo does not stop if timecode is interrupted.
504 Synchronization Auto-Detect Frame-Rate Changes Nuendo can notify the user when the frame rate of time- code changes at any point. This is helpful in diagnosing problems with timecode and external devices. This notifi - cation will interrupt playback or recording. Deactivating this option will avoid any interruption in playback or re - cording. Machine Control Output Destination When the Sync button on the Transport panel is activated, all transport commands (including movements of the cur - sor in the Project window) are translated into machine con- trol commands and routed according to the settings made in the “Machine Control Output Destination” section. No Machine Control When this option is selected, transport commands are not routed or sent to any device. This does not affect the op - eration of the individual 9-Pin and MMC Device panels. They can still function regardless of the machine control destination. The machine control output destination only defines the routing of transport commands from Nuendo while sync is enabled. MIDI Machine Control When this option is selected and sync is enabled, all trans- port commands from the Nuendo transport are routed to MMC devices connected to the MIDI ports that you de - fined in the “Machine Control Output Settings” section (see “Machine Control Output Settings” on page 504). 9-Pin Control 1 and 2 When one of the 9-Pin Control options is selected and sync is enabled, transport commands from Nuendo are routed to the 9-Pin Device 1 or 2, as configured in the “Machine Control Output Settings” section (see “Machine Control Output Settings” on page 504). Steinberg ‘Time Base’ and Steinberg SyncStation When this option is selected and sync is enabled, trans- port commands from Nuendo are routed to a connected Time Base or Nuendo SyncStation unit (respectively). Please refer to the documentation that comes with your unit for complete information on its operation. Machine Control Output Settings Each machine control destination has settings associated with it. These settings configure how the remote device will respond to transport commands from Nuendo. Machine Control Output Settings – MIDI Machine Control There are four settings associated with MIDI Machine Control Operation: MMC Input and Output The MMC Input and MMC Output settings determine which MIDI port in your system will send and receive MMC commands. Set both the input and output to MIDI ports that are connected to the desired MIDI device. MMC Device ID The MMC device ID should be set to the same number as the receiving device. You can also set the device ID to “All” if more than one machine is receiving MMC commands or if the device ID is not known. !If there is a discrepancy between the project frame rate in Nuendo and incoming timecode, Nuendo might still be able to lock to the incoming timecode. If the user is unaware of these differences, problems can arise later in postproduction.
505 Synchronization ÖSome devices can only listen to their specific IDs. Therefore, using the All option will not work with such devices. Number of Audio Tracks The number of audio tracks should be set to match the amount of available audio tracks in the destination device. This setting determines how many record-enable buttons are shown in the MMC Master panel (see below). MMC Master panel The MMC Master panel can be opened from the Devices menu. In order to use the MMC Master panel, proceed as follows: •Open the Preferences dialog, select the MIDI Filter sec- tion and make sure SysEx is activated in the Thru section. This is necessary since MMC uses two-way communication (the tape re-corder “replies” to the MMC messages it receives from Nuendo). By fil- tering out SysEx Thru, you ensure that these MMC System Exclusive replies are not echoed back to the tape recorder. •On the MMC Master panel, activate the Online button to use the transport buttons on the panel to control the transport of the device. It is not necessary to have this activated in order to synchronize with the MMC device. It only affects operation of the MMC Master panel. •You can use the buttons to the left on the MMC Master panel to arm tape tracks for recording. •The “A1, A2, TC, VD” items refer to additional tracks usually found on video tape recorders. Refer to the manual of your VTR device to see if these tracks are sup- ported. Machine Control Output Settings – 9-Pin Control 1 and 2 Serial Port The two 9-Pin devices connect to your computer from available serial ports. Use the Serial Port pop-up menu to select the appropriate serial port. Audio Track Count Use this option to specify how many audio tracks are available. The 9-Pin Device panel will then contain the same amount of record-enable buttons. ‘Try to Recognize Device’ vs. ‘Use Generic Device’ The RS422 9-Pin protocol can control a wide variety of devices. Each device may have differing features. Nuendo has a library of device profiles that can be used with 9-Pin devices. You can choose whether Nuendo will try to recognize the device by polling it and comparing that to its library, or you can use a generic device profile. Auto Edit PRE/POST Auto Edit is a feature of 9-Pin devices that allows for auto- matic punch in and out on record-enabled tracks. The pre- roll and post-roll times determine where the 9-Pin device will start and stop playback during an Auto Edit proce - dure. For more information on Auto Edit, see “9-Pin Auto Edit” on page 508. !PCs and Apple computers use different types of se- rial ports. PCs typically provide a RS232 interface on a 9-Pin Dsub connection that must be converted to RS422 in order to interface with Sony 9-Pin de - vices. Apple computers require a USB to RS422 se- rial converter such as the Keyspan USA-19W.
506 Synchronization Master Machine Control Preferences There are five preference settings for Nuendo’s master machine control operation. They affect how the machine reacts to various commands from Nuendo. Machine follows mouse edits When this option is activated, moving the project cursor with the mouse results in transport commands so that the machine continuously locates to the new cursor position. If this causes a great deal of unnecessary tape winding, you can deactivate the option. In that case transport com - mands are only sent to the machine when the mouse but- ton is released. Machine follows jog When this option is activated, turning the jog wheel on the Transport panel or on a remote controller results in trans - port commands so that the machine continuously locates to the new project cursor position. Again, this might cause a great deal of unnecessary tape winding. If disabled, transport commands are only sent to the machine when the user stops moving the wheel. Send ‘Shuttle’ instead of ‘FF/Rewind’ Many video decks respond differently to Shuttle com- mands or FF/Rewind commands. FF/Rewind commands often result in the tape being released from the heads and the motors entering a high-speed wind mode. This takes a great deal of time, and the machine cannot read the time - code on the tape while winding. Therefore position infor- mation is lost. Activate this option if shuttle commands are preferred. Send ‘Still’ instead of ‘Stop’ Similar to FF/Rewind commands, Stop commands result in the tape being released from the heads. Still commands on the other hand, also cause the transport to stop, but without releasing the tape from the heads. Activate this option if you want the picture from the video deck to be visible also in Stop mode or if you want the machine to enter playback mode faster. Allow machine controlled cycle When this option is activated, Nuendo starts playback at the left locator minus the pre-roll time and stops playback at the right locator plus the post-roll time. When repeating a section, Nuendo locates back to the pre-roll position and waits for the machine to reach that position before is - suing a start command. If this option is deactivated, the machine will not follow when Nuendo cycles. Upon reaching the right locator, Nu - endo locates back to the left locator, but the machine con- tinues playback. Machine Control Input Source Nuendo can respond to machine control commands from external MIDI and 9-Pin devices. Nuendo can follow in - coming transport commands (locate, play, record) and re- spond to record-enabling commands for audio tracks. This allows Nuendo to easily integrate into larger studio systems with centralized machine control and synchroni - zation such as theatrical mixing stages. MIDI Machine Control When MIDI Machine Control is selected as the input source, several settings become available in the Machine Control Input Settings section: OptionDescription MMC InputSet this to the MIDI input that is connected to the master machine control device.
507 Synchronization Steinberg ‘Time Base’ When the Time Base unit is connected to Nuendo, there are various settings for machine control input. Please refer to the documentation that comes with the Time Base for complete information on its use. Steinberg SyncStation When the SyncStation is selected as the machine control input source, there are several options for how these com - mands are routed within the SyncStation itself. Please re- fer to the documentation that comes with the SyncStation for complete information on its use. MIDI Timecode Destinations Nuendo can send MTC to any MIDI port. Use this section to specify the MIDI ports to which MTC is routed. Devices that can lock to MTC will chase Nuendo’s timecode posi - tion. ÖSome MIDI interfaces send MTC over all ports by de- fault. If this is the case, only select one port of the interface for MTC. MIDI Timecode Follows Project Time Activate this option to ensure that the MTC output follows Nuendo’s time position at all times including looping, lo - cating, or jumping while playing. If not, MTC will continue on without changing locations at a loop or jump point until playback stops. Timecode Offset This option allows you to specify an offset to be applied to outgoing MTC. The amount of offset will be added or sub - tracted from the project’s current position before being transmitted. MIDI Clock Destinations Some MIDI devices like drum machines can match their tempo and location to incoming MIDI clock. Select any MIDI ports that you wish to output MIDI clock. MIDI Clock Follows Project Position Activate this option to ensure that the MIDI clock device follows Nuendo when looping, locating, or jumping while playing. ÖSome older MIDI devices might not respond well to these positioning messages and could take some time synchronizing to the new location. Always Send Start Message MIDI clock transport commands include Start, Stop, and Continue. However, some MIDI devices do not recognize the Continue command. By activating the “Always Send Start Message” option, you can avoid this problem with specific MIDI devices. Send MIDI Clock in Stop Mode Activate this option if you are working with a device that needs MIDI clock to run continuously in order to operate arpeggiators and loop generators. MMC OutputSet this to the MIDI output that is connected to the master machine control device. MMC Device IDThis determines the MIDI ID number that is used to identify the machine in Nuendo. !The MMC protocol involves polling devices (request- ing information) for their status which requires two way communication. While some functions may work with only one way communication, it is best to con - nect both MIDI ports (input and output) of MMC devices. Refer to “MMC Master panel” on page 505 to ensure that the MIDI filter is set up correctly. Option Description
508 Synchronization Synchronized operation Once you have connected all the devices that will be syn- chronized, it is important to understand how Nuendo op- erates in Sync mode. Sync mode is enabled by activating the Sync button on the Transport panel. Sync mode When you activate the Sync button, the following happens: •Transport commands are routed to the machine control destination output as specified in the Project Synchroniza - tion Setup dialog. Locate, Play, Stop, and Record commands will now be sent to an exter- nal device. •Nuendo awaits incoming timecode from the chosen timecode source defined in the Project Synchronization Setup dialog in order to play. Nuendo will detect incoming timecode, locate to its current position, and start playback in sync with the incoming timecode. In a typical scenario, an external tape machine (e.g. a VTR) has its timecode output connected to Nuendo. Nuendo is sending machine control commands to the deck. When Sync is activated and you click Play on the Transport panel, a play command is sent to the VTR. The VTR in turn starts playback, sending timecode back to Nuendo. Nuendo then synchronizes to that incoming timecode. If the “Machine follows mouse edits” option is activated and you change the project cursor position with the mouse or key command, machine control commands are sent to the remote deck so it will locate to the new position. In this way, synchronized operation is somewhat invisible to the user. Just go about editing and mixing while the syn - chronized devices chase all movements of the cursor au- tomatically. Nuendo’s Edit Mode will take advantage of this feature by locating the VTR to the start of the first selected event. For more information about Edit Mode, see “About the Edit Mode” on page 527. 9-Pin Auto Edit Most 9-Pin devices such as VTRs have the capability of performing very accurate punch-ins and punch-outs on audio tracks. These punches are tied to video frames and are programmed using timecode. This type of recording is called an “Auto Edit”. Nuendo can use its auto-punch feature to program Auto Edit functions of a VTR via 9-Pin control. The left and right locators in the Project window define the punch in and punch out of the Auto Edit. Provided that Nuendo is in Sync mode, pressing the Auto Edit button on the 9-Pin Device panel causes the punch-in to happen automatically. ÖAuto Edits can only happen on a timecode frame. Punching in or out in between video frames is not possible. Auto Edit Pre-Roll and Post-Roll Since VTRs require some amount of pre-roll time in order to get tape up to speed for proper recording, each 9-Pin device has options for setting a pre-roll and post-roll amount in seconds. The default values of 5 seconds pre- roll and 2 seconds post-roll should work in most cases. You can change these values in the “Machine Control Output Settings” section, see “Machine Control Output Settings – 9-Pin Control 1 and 2” on page 505. !With tape-based devices, synchronized operation will be slower due to the winding time necessary for the tape machine to locate to a new position. !In order to use the 9-Pin Device panel to control an external deck, the Online button must be activated and tracks must be armed.
509 Synchronization Example scenarios To better understand how synchronization options can be utilized, three example scenarios are provided. Personal music studio In a personal music studio, the user might have the need of synchronizing with an external recording device such as a portable hard disk recorder used for live remote recordings. In this example, MIDI will be used for timecode and ma- chine control while the audio clock will be handled by Lightpipe digital audio connections. •When the Sync button is activated, Nuendo sends MMC commands to the hard disk recorder. Nuendo can remotely start playback of the recorder. •The hard disk recorder is using audio clock from Nu- endo’s audio interface as the speed reference. It is also possible for Nuendo to use the audio clock from the recorder. The audio clock is carried over the Lightpipe digital audio connection that also carries audio signals. •The hard disk recorder sends back MTC to Nuendo. When the recorder begins playing, MTC is sent back to Nuendo which will sync to that timecode. Sync settings for a personal music studio To synchronize the devices in this example scenario, pro- ceed as follows: 1.Make the connections as shown in the diagram above. In this simple example, any device that uses MTC can be substituted. 2.Open the Project Synchronization Setup dialog and select “MIDI Timecode” as the timecode source. When recording from the hard disk recorder into Nuendo, Nuendo will be the machine control master and the timecode slave, locking to incom- ing MTC. 3.In the “Machine Control Output Destination” section, select the “MIDI Machine Control” option. Nuendo will now send MMC commands to the hard disk recorder to locate and start playback. 4.In the “Machine Control Output Settings” section, as- sign the MIDI input and output ports that are connected to the hard disk recorder. Since MMC uses two-way communication, both MIDI ports should be connected. Be sure the MIDI filter does not echo SysEx data. 5.On the Transport panel, activate the Sync button. This routes transport commands to the hard disk recorder via MIDI and sets Nuendo as the timecode slave. 6.On the hard disk recorder, enable MMC and MTC. Follow the instructions on how to set up the unit to receive MMC com- mands and transmit MTC. 7.In Nuendo, click the Play button. The hard disk recorder should start playback and send MTC to Nuendo. Once Nuendo syncs to MTC, the status on the Transport panel should read “Lock” and show the current frame rate of incoming MTC.
510 Synchronization Postproduction suite In audio for video postproduction, synchronization needs are an everyday concern. Very often users need to synchro - nize with a 9-Pin VTR in order to work with video material. At the same time the audio clock has to be synchronized with the video clock source to ensure that both audio and video run at the same speed. Finished audio can then be recorded back onto the digital audio tracks of a VTR in perfect sync with the video (known as a “layback”). In this example, 9-Pin machine control is used. The audio clock is a word clock signal generated by the house sync generator that also gener - ates the video sync signal. Timecode is handled by a SMPTE to MTC reader (e. g. in the audio interface). •The house sync generator creates both the video sync and audio word clock so that the VTR and Nuendo play at the same speed. When laying back digital audio to the VTR, the AES signal will already be in sync with the VTR’s digital audio inputs. •9-Pin machine control is used to manipulate the VTR’s transport. The VTR can shuttle, locate, play, and record from commands issued by Nuendo. Also, Nuendo can arm audio tracks on the VTR for layback. •When the VTR enters play, LTC is fed back to Nuendo which locks to that incoming timecode. If the LTC reader is part of an audio card that is APP compatible, sample- accurate synchronization is possible in this scenario. Sync settings for audio layback in a postproduction suite These steps outline the process of “laying back” finished audio to the VTR. To configure Nuendo for this example setup, proceed as follows: 1.Make the connections as shown in the diagram above. Ensure that video sync and word clock are tied to the same generating source! 2.Open the Project Synchronization Setup dialog and select either “ASIO Audio Device” or “MIDI Timecode” as the timecode source. Depending on your system’s configuration, the sound card might have an LTC reader built into it or you may have to use a LTC to MTC converter interface to get timecode into Nuendo. 3.In the “Machine Control Output Destination” section, select 9-Pin Control 1 or 2. Nuendo’s transport buttons will send commands to the VTR over the 9-Pin RS422 connection. 4.From the Devices menu, select the 9-Pin Device 1 or 2 option. Using the Auto Edit feature, you will be able to perform laybacks to the VTR via digital audio connections. VTRs with digital audio tracks use 48kHz as a standard sampling rate. Some decks only have 20 bit depth capacity so make sure to dither properly for the intended delivery format. 5.Click the Online button. Now you can use the device panel to control the VTR. 6.Test the transport with the 9-Pin Device panel. Ensure that all connections are working properly by testing the various transport buttons on the 9-Pin Device panel. 7.Record-enable the audio tracks that you wish to record to. Most professional VTRs have four audio tracks. Many high-definition VTRs have eight for recording 6-channel surround sound plus a stereo downmix all on the same tape. 8.Play back the project and look at the meters on the VTR to ensure that proper recording levels are set. That way you can also make sure that the digital audio connections are working properly. 9.Set the left and right locators to the punch in and punch out points. Auto Edit uses the left and right locators to program the record in and out points of the VTR.