Audio out of sync?

[joshhatcher]

So - the local theater has asked me to help convert commercials so they will play on their projector.

Unfortunately - they don't know anything at all about it - so we've been having a tough time getting it right.

I know very little about it too... which doesn't help.

Typically - I am adding a .mov file into DCP omatic2 - and making a DCP on a thumb drive, and bringing it to them to ingest.

After a lot of issues getting the dimensions right - now the audio is delayed by 5-10 seconds.

Unfortunately - I can't seem to find a way to preview the DCP files that I'm making - so it's a lot of trial and error and they are getting frustrated.

1. Is there a way I can preview the finished DCP files?

2. Any ideas what could be causing the audio to start late?

[carl]

1. Is there a way I can preview the finished DCP files?

Not easily, unfortunately; there are some options here.

2. Any ideas what could be causing the audio to start late?

Can you can send one of your .mov files and the metadata.xml from the project that you made for it? That would probably be the easiest way to find the problem. My email is carl@dcpomatic.com

[joshhatcher]

Well - I deleted the offending one and was trying it again...

I can send you that - but I don't know for sure yet if it is messed up.

[carl]

Sure, well send it anyway and I'll have a look

[carl]

Thanks for sending the file. I made a DCP out of it and it looked fine. The only possible problem I can see is that it's 30fps, which could possibly be throwing the projection system out (some earlier systems were only designed to play 24fps files).

Is is possible to send me one of your out-of-sync DCPs?

[Carsten]

Yeah, many ads now pulled from the internet have 30 or 29,97 fps. Many systems play these at 30fps, but not all. Recently someone called me who said a DCP he created for a local party played in 3D (that's what it looked to him). Turned out the source was a flash-video created at 59,94 fps. Technically, it is fine to create a 60fps DCP from this, but their projection system uses a classic media block with twin-HD-SDI connections. No way to play 60fps with it...

Many beginners are not fit in recognizing all the various parameters of source and target DCP. DCP-o-matic is actually doing a good job in making many decisions, but there is not a one-size-fits-all conversion.

- Carsten