Recording experts might understand this? Out of sync after import into PC

[Starstreams]

This regards a sound engineer I know who uses Logic 5.0 on a PC with a Delta 1010 and 66 PCI

He doses all his recording directly into hardware units like Tascam, and then he imports the audio into Logic to be mixed and automated.
Nether one of us knows why this is but he said that whenever he imports his audio, his tracks are not exactly in synch as they are on his hardware unit. So he has to go into logic and nudge the tracks.
What’s even worse is that: he can open the same file another day and they will be out of synch again even though he saved them. (Only by a little bit, but still)

He believes it’s something to do with the nature of PC-hardware , M-Audio or any of them for that matter. and it’s not like he hasn’t tried different driver versions. It’s just the way the hardware on PC’s encodes I guess.

So my question is:
What could cause something like this? Could there be a setting in WindowsXP Pro that cause studio sound cards to throw tracks out of synch?
Again it’s only a little bit but it still has to be fixed daily.

This is not a latency issue I’m referring to either, its hardware or on the brighter side maybe a software setting: Any ideas?
This would be very interesting to nail down.

Advanced thanks

 

[Ford Van]

Tell your buddy that they make drugs to help with those dillusions.



If he needs to assure himself, have him record something VERY short lived, like a woodblock onto two tracks at the same time of his "hardware unit" and import them into his DAW and take a look.

I am about 100% sure that they will be at the EXACT same time in the time line.

 

[Bulls Hit]

Does he import using the 1010 & the 66 at the same time?

How is he syncing the 2 cards?

 

[Starstreams]

No, the 1010 is in his main system I think... hmm good question.
What do you mean how is he syncing them?
Can you use two cards without IRQ conflicts? and is there a procedure to synch the two together?


I know from my own computer experience that two soundcards is bad but maybe not the case with Delta Cards?
I'll have to ask him. You know now that you mention that, there was an issue with the Delta1010 units and sync problems when you stacked them three high, but I think he is only using one 1010 so it can’t be that.


@Ford
He’s been a sound engineer for only 25 years, He could probably explain better then me, maybe I’ll have him post in here.
I believe he mentioned that it seems to be an issue on larger files but I could be mistaking from our last conversation. I'll talk to him later today.
But either way, if you finish re_Aligning the tracks and then you save the file, how could it be out of synch the next day?

As a side note:
He’s not exactly using the fastest computer to date thats for sure. He’s still using a PIII 1Ghz with one gig of PC133 ram which I believe could be the case right there.
I myself am on a P4 with Twinx duel channel DDR but I just don’t have the hardware he has to test this.
I'll get back on this after I talk to him.
maby I can get him to make a few posts.

Thanks so far guys! I'll be back

 

[Starstreams]

last comment

Never mind
I talked to him. He said it’s not just with midi, it’s with analog stuff.

I guess its more about synching computer systems together that he was talking about. He said "There will always be some kind small sync problem when synching computer together" due to hardware nature. Midi or not midi.
It's more about phases being shifted I guess.

This guy has worked on million dollar SSL councils in top notch studios and tried every kind sound card from 8 thousand dollor Pro Tools sound cards down to M-Audio stuff.
believe me I'm sure he has tried everything.
I was trying to get him to come here to post but we'll see.

Thanks anyway guys.

 

[Ford Van]

I don't give a hoot what kind of stuff he has mixed on. I have done mixes on nice consoles too, and have about as many years working in audio.

Most all digital gear is capable of sample accurate sync! PERIOD.

I have no idea what his exact problem is, and it would appear that you don't either because you are just spouting off a bunch of stuff about what "he said", and you obviously don't understand what he is saying, or something.

So, let's back up.

What is he origianlly recording the tracks onto. You said he records onto hardware units like Tascam. WHAT Tascam?

Then, how is he transferring the audio from his "Tascam hardware" to the computer?

What software is he using in the computer?

 

[Starstreams]

--edited--

 

[2lim]

He is transferring them all at once right? Also, I would assume that he is using the analog outs on whatever tascam unit he has, to the ins on the deltas? The deltas do play nice together, they are stackable to the extent of the computers limitations. Also latency should affect all the tracks equally assuming they are transferred all at once. So really.... if he is transferrinbg it properly, I may go with the drugs suggestion.


Simon

 

[DavidK]

So he has to go into logic and nudge the tracks.
What’s even worse is that: he can open the same file another day and they will be out of synch again even though he saved them. (Only by a little bit, but still)

This doesnt make any sense. I dont work with Logic, I work with SONAR but I would assume all software works about the same way. I could put in 20 different sources, but once I line them up and hit SAVE, they stay saved. He must be doing something drastically wrong in Logic to have this happen.