Syntrillium Backup Forums :: View topic - Latency, how do I sync CEP with Audiowerk2 card?

BCS · Posts: 3

I use an Audiowerks2 soundcard with CEP and during multisession recording, I can not get 'newly' recorded tracks to sync with the playback tracks. The newly recorded track needs to be manually 'moved' forward .355 to .470 seconds to sync correctly. Is there a way to correct this so that the soundcard's analog input (containing the new material to be recorded) syncs properly with the playback track (which is monitored during the recording process through the digital output of the audiowerks card into Sony DAT recorder)once the recording process is completed, without having to manually 'slide' the new track into sync with the playback track? Both the soundcard and CEP have areas within the software to adjust 'latency' but neither manufacturer discusses how or why adjustments are necessary and CEP's help files don't even mention the word 'latency'. I also have an SB AWE 64 ISA card (still required for some older audio software applications) in this system, and it also does not sync correctly during duplex recording in CEP multitrack sessions, using analog I/O during the process. It is very inconvenient to have to manually sync each track of a multitrack session, not to mention that this process does not allow for 'precise' mulit-track performance. Thanks in advance for any thoughts or suggestions.

Syntrillium M.D. · Location: USA Posts: 5124

Hello BCS. I would first begin by downloading the latest driver for your audiowerks card, as that can sometimes resolve such issues.

Regarding adjusting latency, from within the Multitrack View, if you go to Options>Device Preferences, you will notice fields for latency, where you can input values (in milliseconds). Click on the help button and it will give you some info on adjusting the latency field. If you've already calculated the amount of latency (and there is a brief description of how to do that) then it should be relatively simple to rememdy the problem.

As far as the AWE 64 and full-duplexing in MT view; to my knowledge, that card is only half-duplex anyway and again, is not really optimized (nor designed) for multitrack environments. In any event, you might also consider getting the latest driver for it, as creative/soundblaster are very good about updating and posting new drivers for all of their hardware line of soundcards.

---Syntrillium Support

BCS · Posts: 3

Syntrillium Support ... thanks for these insights. I'm a bit ahead of your reply, as I decided last night to do what you have just suggested, but do have a followup question.

I ran the loop back test suggested by the CEP Help file after downloading and updating the drivers to my Audiowerks2 card and re-setting up the card for optimum speed and performance. Based upon Audiowerks 'latency' setting (92ms) for the buffer size I use (4096) I began the loop tests (output from card to input of card and recording a test playback track to a new track within a multitrack session) and after making several different adjustments in the CEP latency column under Devices, I got very close to sync ... infact one test track actually was 'ahead' of the playback track.

Finally deciding upon the setting (165 ms) with the 'double buffering recording option' in the Audiowerks MME driver set to ON ... I ran the loop back test seven times (leaving 10 seconds of 'dead air' within the test playback track so that 'everything' could get up to speed prior to the auctual test audio start point) and here are the results of where each test track's test audio start point ended up being placed for multitrack playback:

Playback test audio start point = 00:10:180

Test 1 playback test audio start = 00:10:110
Test 2 playback test audio start = 00:10:156
Test 3 playback test audio start = 00:10:248
Test 4 playback test audio start = 00:10:203
Test 5 playback test audio start = 00:10:157
Test 6 playback test audio start = 00:10:203
Test 7 playback test audio start = 00:10:109

Each test was conducted exactly the same way each time and as you can see, each start point 'drifts'a few hundreths of a second different from the original playback track of 00:10:180 test audio start point.

My question: is this 'drift' normal or is there a way to consistantly get each track to match precisely? While this settting is very close, the drift is still not precise, particularly for 'double track' recording applications. Any further insights on achieveing consistant sync with multitrack sessions?

As far as the SB AWE 64 card goes, I don't use that for these purposes but had tested it to see if it also had 'latency' issues ... by the way it claims to be "full duplex", but in reality, one half is 16 bit the other half is 8 bit in full duplex operation ... thus the reason for CEP's 'open order' and 'recording order'.

Thanks again in advance for your insights and help ... I appreciated it and am a big fan of your product, as I reccommend it to many of my broadcast clients instead of ACID, SAW, etc. for their production studio applications.

Dave Norton · Posts: 19

I have the sane problem with my Audiowerk8.
After trying all suggestions from Syntrillum and Emagic here is how I resloved the problem.
I also have a SB live installed. By assigning 'Playback' (In Multitrack Mode)to the SB live and 'Record' to the Audiowerk8, all track stay in sync, when played back. I can playbck the tracks on the SB Live or the Audiowerk8 or both with all tracsk staying in sync. Who knew!