DAW Sync Overview and Setup Options
Introduction
One of the core main features of ADR Master, is its ability to play back movies accurately & in sync to external timecode sources - such as a DAW. ADR Master is now optimised to work with Pro Tools® | Ultimate™ & Pro Tools | HD™, using Satellite Link - which provides the tightest possible sync integration with Pro Tools® - for incredibly accurate scrubbing, selection and moving of Visual Events in any direction in the timeline, or regions within Pro Tools® - while the picture in ADR Master constantly updates. ADR Master also offers very advanced DAW control functionality with the active Pro Tools® session, which allows remote recording & track control of Pro Tools®.
While ADR Master offers all the features of Video Sync, & hence all the same DAW sync options, the unique advanced ADR feature set in ADR Master has been designed specifically to work with Pro Tools®. For this reason, we have limited the DAW Sync setup options mentioned here to only those covering Pro Tools®, Pro Tools | Ultimate™ & Pro Tools | HD™. They are listed in order of preference of best performance & most compatibility with the advanced ADR recording features. Choose the corresponding chapter for the relevant number of computers & sync type.
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Avid® Pro Tools | Ultimate™ (version 2021.3 or higher only) on the same computer via Avid® Satellite Link
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Avid® Pro Tools on the same computer via MTC, MMC & HUI
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Avid® Pro Tools | Ultimate™ / Pro Tools | HD™ on on a separate computer via Avid® Satellite Link
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Avid® Pro Tools on a separate computer via network MTC, MMC & HUI
Advanced ADR recording tools like DAW Control are only available for options 1 & 2- where ADR Master and Pro Tools® are running on the same computer.
With ADR Master on the same computer as Pro Tools® with Avid Satellite Link, Pro Tools | Ultimate™ is required (minimum version 2021.3).
With ADR Master & Pro Tools® on separate computers, any version of Pro Tools® | Ultimate™ or Pro Tools® HD 11 can be used, although an Avid® HDX or HD Native interface with SyncHD or Sync X are not strictly required. Though if ADR Master is part of a larger Satellite network, at least one of the systems must have a Sync HD™ or SyncX interface attached, and would ideally also be video reference locked.
Avid®'s Satellite Link requirements state that a wired ethernet connection is needed.
For DAWs that do not support Avid® Satellite Link (e.g. Pro Tools® Software), MIDI Timecode (MTC) is used for synchronised playback; while MIDI Machine Control (MMC) is used for locating while not playing and scrubbing. For Pro Tools® (non Ultimate / HD) systems, along with MTC & MMC, HUI is also needed if looped playback is required.
Regardless of DAW sync type, HUI can also be used alongside keystroke commands for DAW Control of Pro Tools® in ADR Master.