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A
Anonymous
September 18, 2012
Open for Voting

Batch syncing audio and video using timecode

  • September 18, 2012
  • 14 replies
  • 35247 views

I'm having an impossible time locating what I thought was a very basic feature.

I have two cameras and one set of audio files, all containing synced SMPTE timecode.

How do I sync them all up?

Here's the audio, here's the video. Sync them for me using the timecode. Pretty straightforward right?

The "merge clips" function only lets me sync one video clip at a time to one audio clip. At this rate, it will take me hours to select each file individually. Is there seriously not a batch function?

      14 replies

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      producerjeph
      producerjeph
      Participant
      June 2, 2014

      The solution is actually pretty easy. Multiclip sequence, unclick put in to single timeline and make sure the name convention block is empty at the top and bam, you got TC synced files, faster than Plural eyes and accurate. It nets it into a bunch of sequences. you can then drag them into a timeline, edit, whatever, and if you have to upres, just replace the original files. its thaattt simple.

        Dragonspear
        Dragonspear
        Participating Frequently
        June 2, 2014

        What version of Pro are you using?

        producerjeph
        producerjeph
        Participant
        June 2, 2014

        CC

        I was dumped a tonne of footage, and was scratching my head, wondering why there isn't an auto sync to TC function in Premeire. But I remembered the Multicam, and how it matches to TC and can do multi-timelines or just one.

        you can even open up the sub clips and edit those pieces.

        I just managed to sync 9 days in an hour and except a frsme off here and there, its pretty spot on.

        A
        Anonymous
        November 13, 2013

        Hi, have you tried using the "create Multicamera sequence function"? Yes I know it's not technically multicam, but see a multicam sequence as a container for multiple streams of video and audio. You can edit without turning on Multicamera mode. I sync up my dual system sound interviews that way, but I usually use the audio sync function. Timecode sync works the same way.

        Dragonspear
        Dragonspear
        Participating Frequently
        November 14, 2013

        Not a bad work-around method Strypesinpost, you've just given me one more tool for my belt. Thanks! For those curious, though, this method is still quite considerably more cumbersome than a straight up import and align function that keeps things to minimal tracks.

        The downside to the method strypesinpost mentions is that it creates a seperate A/V track on your timeline for every single clip. I have one camera that shot for a full uninterrupted 30 min., so that was an easy track to move/edit on the timeline...but my other SMPTE synched tracks (although they are on the correct spot/time in the timeline, they are on their individual track...and I have about 60 of them, so moving them around or getting them on the same timeline track for easier editing is a royal pain.

        It's the difference between working with timeline 1 and timeline 2...I prefer 2 Adobe ;D

        [1]

        [2]

        By the way...here's the answer I received from Adobe regarding my feature request...

        "We have much improved syncing in Premiere Pro CC

        Cheers

        Dave"

        Really Dave? Really? ...And just what are those tantelizing new sync featuers that will pursuade me to update?...

          Kevin J. Monahan Jr.
          Community Manager
          Kevin J. Monahan Jr.Community Manager
          Community Manager
          November 14, 2013

          Dragonspear,

          Dave is the Engineering Manager of Premiere Pro. We can't be specific about new features until they're officially announced nearer to the release date. In other words, stay tuned!

          Thanks,
          Kevin

          Kevin Monahan - Sr. Community and Engagement Strategist – Adobe Pro Video and Audio
          Dragonspear
          Dragonspear
          Participating Frequently
          November 13, 2013

          Ugh! I've got the same issue. I believe there should be a simple feature to do this. I'm no big programmer, but it seems to me that it's just a matter of telling a clip to align itself to the proper position on a timeline based on the medias existing timecode. PPro already shows the start/end time of the media timecode in the project panel...soooo...It seems reasonable to think that a simple simple IF/THEN script to do this would be easy to implement!

          Thank you in advance to Adobe for addressing this much needed feature!

          Here's what I sent Adobe in the feature request:

          *******Enhancement / FMR*********

          Brief title for your desired feature: Audio/Video Sync feature

          How would you like the feature to work?

          TIMELINE SYNC - Allow users to select a batch of audio and/or video clips and have them placed on the TIMELINE relative to their SMPTE Timecode embeded in the file. In the case where multiple clips occupy the same, or overlap, the same time on a timeline, move the overlapping clip to a new A/V track to allow all clips to remain at full length.

          Why is this feature important to you? As far as I know there is no way to sync multiple files at once, much less sync them to the timeline itself. When you do a multicam shoot and have SMPTE on all footage it should be as simple to sync as drag and drop! Currently users are required to do it one file at a time and sync to a clip vs. a timeline. Additionally, allow users to sync all footage based on clip timecode or media timecode (much like the existing timecode effect)

          Thank you in advance!

          azret23
          azret23
          Participant
          July 24, 2017

          You can use Avid Media Composer: select clips from one camera, go to menu Bin->Auto Sequence. It will allign all clips to one track with gaps in between. Do that to all cameras and export sequences to .aaf file. Than import those sequence to Premiere.

          When importing to Avid Media Composer use "Link to AMA files"  command to avoid converting tour footage to DNxHD.

          E
          excited_Genie16B8
          Legend
          September 18, 2012

          Not that I know of.  It's one at a time.

          A
          Anonymous
          September 18, 2012

          Premiere Pro: the choice of editors with 36 hour days.

          Thanks anyway Jim. Feature request on the way.

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