Jump to content

Sound Devices Metadata


T Spear

Recommended Posts

Hi,

I am trying to solve an issue with files recorded on a 644 when imported into an Avid pic editor.

My setup is a Sound Devices 664 with a CL12. I have a lectro venue going into line inputs 7 through 12.

Say for example, I record a poly wav file with a mono mix on TrL , a boom on input channels 3 and record 4 radios on input channels 7 8 9 10. Then when these are imported into the Avid composer window they appear as expected as A1 through A6, however in the source window, which the picture editors use to see the tracks they may want to audition, they are spaced across the entire tracks 1 through 12 as columns. Picture edit have asked for only recorded tracks to appear in the source view tracks consecutively. This was how tracks recorded on a Zax Nova would appear. 

 

Would anyone have experience in how to configure the Sound Devices 664 metadata to enable this? 

Thanks,

Tony.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What you see is the result of a choice SD made about what would be less confusing for post when getting production sound in which various tracks are used or not used thru a series of scenes.  I believe the idea was that cast member A would stay on track X all the time, thus if A was not in a scene their channel would be turned off.  But actor B, who is in all scenes, has a channel that stays on all the time.  Especially if actor B's channel is a higher number one (like in the "2nd batch" of a 664) and the lower number tracks were going on and off thru a day, if the metadata didn't work this way then their track # in the metadata would keep changing from scene to scene even though they still occupied the same input channel.  So the SD metadata scheme, at least for the 664, accounts for all channels all the time.  I realize this is no help to you re: the request from post, but the only way I found to deal with this was to either re-patch, or to keep the most used channels in the "first 6" of the 664 and/or to roll all channels all the time and note in the notes fields which were really active at a given time.  If you are on an ongoing show I guess I'd see which of these or other possible options doable with a 664 the posties like best.  I assume you are on the "last" firmware rev for the 664?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Phillip,

Thanks for your informative post. This is as I expected. I was fishing in case there was something that I had missed in my setup.

And Ollie you are right about the Avid issue but the dream is to keep the whole post team smiling.

 

Cheers,

Tony

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 1/19/2021 at 8:21 AM, T Spear said:

...but the dream is to keep the whole post team smiling.

And a fine dream it is! And you're doing the best you can to your knowledge and equpiments' capabilities. It's their equipment that's not doing what they want, in my opinion. 

If post wants you to use a specific mixer for this particular reason, then opt for the post company or even production company to rent one for you. But I can't imagine that's going to be worth it for anyone. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...