User manual

424
Synchronization
If you aim to perform synchronization to external signals,
we strongly recommend that you obtain proper synchroni-
zation equipment. This encompasses:
• An audio card that can be slaved to external word clock.
• A synchronizer that can read timecode (and possibly house
clock) and generate the required sync signals from that, such
as the Steinberg TimeLock Pro.
or...
• An audio system with complete built-in synchronization possi-
bilities, preferably supporting the ASIO Positioning Protocol
(see “About the ASIO Positioning Protocol (APP)” on page
427).
Using timecode without word clock
Of course, it is possible to set up a synchronization system
where you lock Cubase to timecode without using word
clock. However, please note that the timing of audio vs.
MIDI cannot be guaranteed and that fluctuations in speed
in the incoming timecode will not affect the playback of au-
dio events. This means that synchronizing to timecode may
work in the following situations:
• When the timecode was originally generated by the au-
dio card itself.
• When the source providing the timecode is extremely
stable (such as a digital video system, a digital tape re-
corder or another computer).
• When you remain synchronized to that same stable
source throughout the entire process, both while record-
ing and playing back audio.
Making basic settings and
connections
Setting the Frame Rate
The frame rate is the number of frames per second in a film
or on a video tape. Just as there is always sixty seconds to a
minute, there is always a certain number of frames to each
second. However, the frame rate used varies with the type
of media (film or video), which country the video tape has
been produced in, and other circumstances.
In the Project Setup dialog are two settings for frame rates:
• The Frame Rate pop-up is automatically adjusted to the
frame rate of the incoming timecode.
There is an exception to this when you are synchronizing Cubase to MIDI
Timecode: If you have selected 29.97 fps or 30 dfps as Frame Rate in
Cubase, this selection will be kept, since these frame rates are not in-
cluded in the MTC format.
The following frame rates are available:
• The Display Format pop-up contains a number of for-
mats that when selected work as the “master” setting for
the display format used in the various windows’ rulers and
position displays.
The item “60 fps (user)” on this menu represents a user-definable frame
rate. To make editing with frame accuracy correspond to the actual frame
rate in an external sync source, you need to set this frame rate to the
same value as the Frame Rate pop-up.
Proceed as follows:
1. Open the Preferences dialog (accessed from the File
menu under Windows or the Cubase menu on the Mac)
and select the Transport page.
2. Enter the desired frame rate under “User Definable
Framerate”.
Either type in the desired value directly or use the arrow buttons to in-
crease/decrease the value. You can enter any value between 2 and 200.
3. When you’re done, click OK to close the dialog and
save the settings.
The Frame Rate you specified will now be used in the Dis-
play Format pop-up.
Frame Rate Description
24 fps The traditional frame rate of 35mm film.
25 fps The frame rate used for all video and audio in Europe
(EBU).
29.97 fps Straight 29.97 frames per second.
29.97 dfps “Drop frame” code running at 29.97 frames per second,
most often used in the United States of America for work
with color video.
30 fps Straight 30 frames per second. This is often used in the
United States for audio only work.
30 dfps Very rarely used.