Any nerds care to help me preserve timecode? Sound Devices PIX

[kevcarlson]

Audio is my first love, but I also do a lot of one man band interviews. I love my Sound Devices PIX-E5 with the XLR module and meters.  It allows me to have SD preamps and pro audio features and a video monitor, and eliminate the mixer.

However, the video recorded on the PIX is only 4k, plus it records the supers and false color I use while monitoring.  
Anyway, I record on the recorder the smallest file size option for video, and use these files for my audio tracks, just like I would from an audio mixer.  I wish I could just record audio and not video but I can't.

Anyone know how I can export or extract the audio from these files--AND PRESERVE TC--so I can then trash the .mov files and not have to store all that video data I don't need?  

I'm sure it's simple, but I don't know all the proper buttons to push or boxes to tick.  I use Adobe, so can use Media Encoder or Audition...

[fieldsound]

I’m not an expert but in my experience as a sound mixer I will say that maintaining embedded timecode is not so simple unless you are willing to use pro tools. One approach would be as follows, which may or may not be what you’re already doing: 
 

1) drop your camera files into your NLE

2) drop your PIX video+audio files into your NLE 

3) with them all on the timeline, sync with timecode

4) delete your pix video file from the timeline. Now you’re synced without extraneous video

 

Other option would be to use the outputs on the PIX to send the audio back into camera during production. Thus you would be able to use the preamps and video monitoring on the PIX, run it as a “backup recorder” and work exclusively from your on camera files without having to sync anything later. It requires a bit more cabling and signal flow attention on the day but if done thoughtfully would save you time in post. 

hope this helps! 

 

[kevcarlson]

4 hours ago, fieldsound said:

I’m not an expert but in my experience as a sound mixer I will say that maintaining embedded timecode is not so simple unless you are willing to use pro tools. One approach would be as follows, which may or may not be what you’re already doing: 
 

1) drop your camera files into your NLE

2) drop your PIX video+audio files into your NLE 

3) with them all on the timeline, sync with timecode

4) delete your pix video file from the timeline. Now you’re synced without extraneous video

 

Other option would be to use the outputs on the PIX to send the audio back into camera during production. Thus you would be able to use the preamps and video monitoring on the PIX, run it as a “backup recorder” and work exclusively from your on camera files without having to sync anything later. It requires a bit more cabling and signal flow attention on the day but if done thoughtfully would save you time in post. 

hope this helps! 

 

Thanks Fieldsound!
No issues with the editing, or making it sync up.  I just don't want to store and hold on to the video files that aren't needed, so was going to convert or extract to have smaller audio files.
I do what you are suggesting, and run line audio into the camera, but my camera only has 1 xlr, and even at line level, there is still a pre amp, and it doesn't sound good.  When I can run into AES audio into the camera, that's awesome, but my camera doesn't have that (Pyxis 6k).

[Movies by Matt]

Only 4k for interview…where are you displaying your interviews that this limitation is an issue? Is it about reframing, or some extra ability the 6k offers? 
 

Using a quick google search said the Pyxis can be configured for a clean video output.

 

[The Documentary Sound Guy]

Two thoughts, neither of which is tested:

1. This is the kind of thing that I'll bet @Bouke has written an app for.  Maybe he can speak up about more.
2. I'll bet you could write an ffmpeg script to do this as a oneliner.  If you're comfortable with a command line tool, this is where I'd start.  It has *some* timecode capabilities, but I will admit, it's not a tool I use for production workflows; it's an incredibly useful tool in post though (and it powers a *huge* amount of software under the hood).

Those are really just starting points for further research.

I also wonder if Halter Technical's new software recorder can handle this elegantly.

Good luck, I'm curious what you end up with.

[LDstudios]

I know just the audio nerd. I dropped you a message. 

[Bouke]

15 hours ago, The Documentary Sound Guy said:

1. This is the kind of thing that I'll bet @Bouke has written an app for.  Maybe he can speak up about more.

 

Yup, my LTC convert can do this, but is a bit overkill.

FFmpeg can do this for sure, but it's not as straightforward.
BWF does NOT carry TC, but a frame number, with the SR in mind. (Video does that as well, but is shown as HH MM SS FF)

In order to calculate the correct timestamp for BWF, you must know the frame rate, calculate the HH MM SS FF to frames, multiply that by the frame duration (1 / frame rate), multiply that by the sample rate, and add 1.
(As video starts with frame 0, while BWF for 'some' reason starts with sample 1. No logic in that, but this is what it is. The 1 frame difference is totally unimportant in real life though....)

 

Example, (the most simple one), TC 00:00:10:00 in 24 FPS:

In frames:  240
Framerate = 24

240 * (1 / 24)  = 10 * 48000 + 1 = 480001

 

For the OP:
To make it simple and cheap, you can use QT change to transfer TC from the sources to 'any' converted Wave files, by using the 'save / load attributes' function.

This will be lightning fast and fool proof.

 

[kevcarlson]

15 hours ago, Movies by Matt said:

Only 4k for interview…where are you displaying your interviews that this limitation is an issue? Is it about reframing, or some extra ability the 6k offers? 
 

Using a quick google search said the Pyxis can be configured for a clean video output.

 

Thanks for the response Matt!
I have my reasons for wanting to use full resolution--don't need to clutter up the conversation to address that.  The  question is about extracting audio with TC.
And you are right about the Pyxis, but that's not what I'm asking about.

3 hours ago, Bouke said:

For the OP:
To make it simple and cheap, you can use QT change to transfer TC from the sources to 'any' converted Wave files, by using the 'save / load attributes' function.

This will be lightning fast and fool proof.

 

This is awesome, Bouke--thank you so much, and for the other info.  I'll have to sit with it for a while to get it figured out.  I really appreciate the help.

[Bouke]

5 hours ago, kevcarlson said:

I'll have to sit with it for a while to get it figured out.

No, you don't.
Set QTchange to the proper frame rate
Import the PIX files, then press 'save attributes'
Then you end up with .att files next to your video files.

Extract the Wave files, and make sure the file name stays intact or is longer.
So, Pixfile_name_0002.mov will get a Pixfile_name_0002.att file, and you might end up with Pixfile_name_0002_awesomeSettings_custom.wav

This will still work.
Move the .att files next to the wave files, load the wave files, press 'load attributes'.
on the left of QTchange, have the TC set to 'source TC', then on the right, set TC to 'as chosen', and press do it.

This will work in batch and will be lightning fast.