Hardware Buffer question...

[breaktheory]

quick one...the higher my hardware buffer, the higher my audio latency.

Does this latency apply to the period of time between when I hit play and playback/recording starts.

or does it apply to the period between when the playhead passes over a region and the region starts to play...(like the latency from a heavy plugin on a channel).

My concern is that although the latency would apply to all audio tracks equally, with a high buffer setting the video will lose synch on another system with lower latency. I'm sure the difference is minute but I'd like to know all the same.

[Big Andy]

The reason a larger buffer size adds latency is because PTs is looking ahead and that takes time.

It shouldn't effect the video playback on the system you are on or a different system. Whatever form of Timecode you are using will make sure the slaved system is in check.

The time between when you hit play and audio/video actually play is PTs reading ahead to create the buffer.

[breaktheory]

Originally Posted by Big Andy

Whatever form of Timecode you are using will make sure the slaved system is in check.

What about editing to picture without timecode? - I seem to see these more often than not.
I know there's a lot of concern over synch when connecting multple rigs and getting latencies down to the single digits with those apogee clocks.

Originally Posted by Big Andy

The time between when you hit play and audio/video actually play is PTs reading ahead to create the buffer.

So this is different from the latency you're getting from a plug-in...there seems to be much more concern about recording than playback - if the latency applies to the time between hitting play/record and playback/recording beginning why is it more of a problem with recording? It just sounds like recording would start X-Samples after you hit play, is the actual recorded file going to be delayed?

[Big Andy]

Originally Posted by breaktheory

What about editing to picture without timecode? - I seem to see these more often than not.
I know there's a lot of concern over synch when connecting multple rigs and getting latencies down to the single digits with those apogee clocks.

Just because there isn't a TC burn in the video doesn't mean there isn't TC being received by a second PTs rig. There is always communication happening between the rigs.

Originally Posted by breaktheory

So this is different from the latency you're getting from a plug-in...there seems to be much more concern about recording than playback - if the latency applies to the time between hitting play/record and playback/recording beginning why is it more of a problem with recording? It just sounds like recording would start X-Samples after you hit play, is the actual recorded file going to be delayed?

The buffer applies to Plugins as well. The latency applies to what you see and hear, but when you record (say ADR) it will be in sync. *You should read the PDF version of the PTs bible online.*

I understand your confusion, but I'm not sure how to explain this clearly for you. This is like; if a train leaves Dallas headed NE going 23kph, how long would it take to.....
Perhaps one of our elders could enlighten you!

[Big Andy]

Also, don't confuse Time Code with Clocking. They are two very different things.

Time Code is a tangible measurement of time. 1 second, 2 seconds, etc....

Word Clock is a signal used to synchronize all of the digital media and machines in a studio. It gives all the devices a control signal in order to keep your data streams in perfect unison so you don't get digital errors. Word clock tells all your machines when to read and interpret digital information, this can include Time Code.