Catchin' Sync -new sync-checking app

[apple-q]

Originally Posted by mikerophonics

Funny how everyone is quick to dismiss this app and the iPhone camera as not very accurate when people are readily also dismissing the mojo (which is the most accurate video solution for Pro Tools - albeit SD) and playing rubbery quick times in Pro Tools.. Mojo for me and 100% accuracy thank you

Cheers

There are also people who say syncheck is dead based on a product announcement

I guess we'll have to wait till someone has actually measured the accuracy of the app.

Whould also be important to check if the accuracy differs depending on the hardware (iphone, iPad and the generation of hardware).

The good thing about the syncheck is that it's accurate and will always be since apple can't change the achitechture running under the hood.

[danijel]

Originally Posted by Mundox

Sure, they are free to use for anyone.

Thanks!

[dkerins]

I gave it a shot yesterday. And I should also state that I have never used a Syncheck on my system (though if anyone in St Louis has one, I'd love to rent/borrow it from you).

By eye, my native based PT system was always about 9qf out. This app says 1qf... Loaded up a few clips that I know are in sync and played them back. Things look a bit off now...

However, this very well likely could just be user error on my part. The app is a bit touchy, and I wish I could zoom in more on the video scrub, as well as the wave form to line things up more accurately.

[tom_lowe]

Originally Posted by dkerins

I gave it a shot yesterday. And I should also state that I have never used a Syncheck on my system (though if anyone in St Louis has one, I'd love to rent/borrow it from you).

By eye, my native based PT system was always about 9qf out. This app says 1qf... Loaded up a few clips that I know are in sync and played them back. Things look a bit off now...

However, this very well likely could just be user error on my part. The app is a bit touchy, and I wish I could zoom in more on the video scrub, as well as the wave form to line things up more accurately.

Are the videos that now look out of sync the same CODEC as the video you used to calculate the offset?

[dkerins]

Used ProRes for everything. Routed into my typical post-prod template so that everything would be the same. I think I just need to mess with the app a bit more.

[mixerguy]

Good thread...

so my situation is..... i can luckily afford a Syncheck3.... i own and run a very nice mix room... some work for film & tv.

and i dont want to take any chances.... i want stuff to look spot on.

should i just buy a Syncheck3? and not mess around with the $14 app?

yes i understand that Syncheck3 will be more accurate than the app.



?

[Mundox]

A heads up guys.
We have come across some irregularities on iphone4's.
We are working on sorting this out, until then iPhone 4 users should hold back on measurements.
We'll announce fix and update soon.

[dkerins]

Originally Posted by Mundox

A heads up guys.
We have come across some irregularities on iphone4's.
We are working on sorting this out, until then iPhone 4 users should hold back on measurements.
We'll announce fix and update soon.

That might be my issue then.
Can't wait to see the update!

[idris]

(Sorry for bouncing an oldish thread.)
Does anyone have any experience of using this with an iPhone 3Gs?

[rfnoise]

I do not own an iPhone so I cannot answer you directly, but last year I bought the app and ran a couple of short, admittedly informal, tests using an iPod and iPad Touch 4, which are listed in the iTunes store as being compatible.

www.pharoahaudio.com/ideviceapp.html

There is a small chart toward the bottom of the page. The variety of results were obtained from the same flash-pip source.

Disclaimer: I am biased. I would encourage others who have the app and an iPhone to do similar tests with hand claps and report them.

[Mundox]

We are about to finalize an update to the app. We replaced the video engine which was giving mixed results on certain devices as stated on the Apple Store and our website.
Iphone 5 users are getting good accuracy.
In the latest version each device's error amount will be compensated.
As soon as I get my hands on a 3Gs, I will be exposing it to our test environment.

[rfnoise]

I look forward to your update.

[apple-q]

wow. thanks for posting that test. pretty much renders that initial claim that it's accurate down to 1/4 frames obsolete.

if the reliability of the app is dependent on hardware and software it's already useless for me. a meter is a meter is a meter and needs to be a reference at all time not just a "kind of accurate, but not always, and only after the next update 4 weeks from now"-app. that's exactly what QT in PT is at the moment and I need one reliable reference not another variable.

also a meter without specs about accuracy beyond "pretty accurate" is not really a serious contender.

[RecRoom]

Originally Posted by apple-q

also a meter without specs about accuracy beyond "pretty accurate" is not really a serious contender.

+1000

[Mundox]

Hi guys. So we have a new version up. Sorry it took a while.
This version fixes the video capture to 30fps. Apple's capture engine was unreliable that sometimes the resulting video could be anywhere from 24fps to 30fps. Now Catchin' Sync measurements are more accurate.

There's also a device offset field now in the settings, where you can enter the known device offset to compensate for the outcome.
The current list can be found here
I will put other devices as I get to test them, but for now it's only the listed ones that are tested.

Cheers

[apple-q]

Originally Posted by Mundox

I will put other devices as I get to test them.

I hope you're using syncheck to test them.

[Mundox]

Originally Posted by apple-q

I hope you're using syncheck to test them.

We use a device that also utilises opto-electronics.

[macaholic]

I just purchased this for my iPhone 4S after this latest update, and can confirm (once entering the appropriate offset for my device) that I'm getting results that ARE consistent with our Syncheck 2. Don't have a Syncheck 3 to compare it to.

Yes, I know having both the Syncheck 2 and CatchinSync are redundant, but I was curious to see how the two compared. I used both the video files on the QuietArt site as well as the ones supplied by Pharoah Audio for my (very unscientific) tests.

I don't have a bias one way or the other since they both approach it from two different directions, but just wanted to share my results of the two, since I had both available.

[zvenx]

appreciate that.... since I couldn't justify buying a syncheck to use just once or maybe once a year....
thanks
rsp