Specifications

Chapter 35: Working with Synchronization 549
Chapter 35: Working with
Synchronization
Synchronization allows one system to output
time code and the other device to follow that
time code. Pro Tools is synchronized to other
devices using SMPTE/EBU time code or MIDI
Time Code. For more information on different
SMPTE/EBU formats, and other concepts related
to time code, refer to Chapter 34, “Synchroniza-
tion Concepts.”
Pro Tools Synchronization
Options
There are several options for synchronizing
Pro Tools to an external source or using
Pro Tools as the master device. Not all options
are available on all Pro Tools systems, as noted.
SMPTE Trigger Only
This solution is useful for short projects if both
systems are extremely close in speed, but even
the best systems will rarely stay perfectly syn-
chronized for longer than a couple of minutes.
SMPTE Trigger Resolved with
SYNC I/O
(TDM Systems Only)
You can use the optional SYNC I/O, or an equiv-
alent third-party device to resolve Pro Tools re-
cording and playback speed with any of the fol-
lowing clock reference sources while slaving
Pro Tools to time code:
•LTC
•Video source
• House video reference
• VITC
• 1x Word Clock
• AES/EBU “null” clock
• Pilot Tone
• Bi-Phase
This enables long-term, high-fidelity synchroni-
zation when all transports within the system are
resolved to this common synchronization
source, or by resolving to any variations in in-
coming time code while slaving to time code.