inaccurate EDL times on Vegas timeline

michael_morlan wrote on 8/31/2011, 4:11 PM

Hi all,

I posted this issue to tech support but wanted to cross-post it here as well. I was surprised to find no forum threads about this issue:

I am trying to receive a feature-length project shot on RED One at 23.976fps from an FCP timeline via EDL files. The source timeline is very clean with only video clips, no audio.

I can't figure out why Vegas won't load a 24P (23.976fps) CMX3600 EDL accurately. Here's a very straightforward opening segment:

---------------
TITLE: 03_BEDROOM_CIGARETTE ONLINE PREPPED
FCM: NON-DROP FRAME
*FCM: DIGITAL TV 24P

001 A017C011 V C 19:05:17:19 19:05:20:12 01:00:00:00 01:00:02:17
* FROM CLIP NAME: A017_C011_1229FF.MOV

002 A017C020 V C 20:54:54:16 20:55:00:06 01:00:02:17 01:00:08:07
* FROM CLIP NAME: A017_C020_1229V6.MOV

003 A018C004 V C 22:35:32:13 22:35:37:11 01:00:08:07 01:00:13:05
* FROM CLIP NAME: A018_C004_12294K.MOV

004 A018C018 V C 00:05:01:15 00:05:09:07 01:00:13:05 01:00:20:21
* FROM CLIP NAME: A018_C018_1230XE.MOV

005 A017C019 V C 20:49:46:17 20:49:51:01 01:00:20:21 01:00:25:05
* FROM CLIP NAME: A017_C019_12298F.MOV

006 A018C018 V C 00:05:14:05 00:05:18:00 01:00:25:05 01:00:29:00
* FROM CLIP NAME: A018_C018_1230XE.MOV
----------------

Note, there are no timecodes with frame counts above 23.

-------------------------------
**03_Bedroom_Cigarette_29.70D.veg**

I set the default project (with "Start all new projects with these settings") to;
frame rate: 29.970 (NTSC)
ruler time format: SMPTE Non-Drop (29.97 fps, Video)

and opened the EDL.

The EDL loads accurately (well, close.) In reality, the clip edges are falling at random locations between frame marks so the Vegas time reads as a frame short of each EDL timecode.

Of course, then all clips are also cut short of their proper lengths on the timeline.

-------------------------------
**03_Bedroom_Cigarette_23.976.veg**

I set the default project to;
frame rate: 23.976 (IVTC Film)
ruler time format: SMPTE Film Sync IVTC (23.976 fps, Video)

and opened the EDL.

The Vegas clip edges drift fore and aft of the EDL timecode by some frames.

The timecodes in the EDL are accurate per review of the source 23.976fps timeline in FCP and the rendered Quicktime with timecode window burned in.

I have found no info in forums or online about this issue. I've tried manually modifying the EDL header to read "FCM: NON-DROP 24 FRAME" to no avail.

Thanks, in advance, for any help or feedback you may offer.

Best,

Michael

Comments

Former user wrote on 8/31/2011, 7:28 PM

The reason the frames are off in the 29.97 timeline can be discovered if you look at your CMX record times. In tape editing, one edit can end on a frame number and the next edit begin on the same frame number because of the ends at the end of the previous frame, but is counted as the next trame.

In an NLE the next edit should begin on the next frame.

So in your example

001 A017C011 V C 19:05:17:19 19:05:20:12 01:00:00:00 01:00:02:17
* FROM CLIP NAME: A017_C011_1229FF.MOV

002 A017C020 V C 20:54:54:16 20:55:00:06 01:00:02:17 01:00:08:07
* FROM CLIP NAME: A017_C020_1229V6.MOV

The first edit ends at 17 frames. The next edit should begin at 18 frames, but as you can see it begins at 17 frames. Vegas is doing what it is told because CMX came from the linear world. Now if Vegas handle EDLs correctly, it would know to interpret this correctly, but it doesn't.

Vegas is not good with EDLs.

I think the problem with the 23.97 project is that Vegas is till treating it as 29.97. Here again, a weakness in Vegas.

Dave T2