SMPTE timecode stops

[Digi]

Hey, the cable is about 6ft
I tried 2 new SMPTE files from the site you linked. I downloaded one and then tried live off the site.
I tried 29.97fps at 48khz 8bit. I got a lot more activity and I can see Resolume is trying to read it but its jumping around the time code it should be at. It's not a a rock solid clock for sure. But the new SMPTE wav's made a bit impact on actually getting some activity.

This is testing on another tower with a even higher end motherboard. I've been double checking there isn't any wine in the mic or line in. It seems pretty clear.

I'm also carefully adjusting volumes on the line in, the sending laptops out put volumes. Even testing to see if Resolumes FFT impute gain effects it. I want to say there is interference but I can't hear it at all and if there is I'm shocked out perfectly tuned the audio has to be since I've sat here for over a hour moving volumes. Best I can get is it fluctuates within a average of 5 seconds of where it should be in time code.

For the connections I don't have a thunderbolt or firewire, or capture card in any of the machines I have here atm. So not really a option but yeah it did cross my mind but I figured that would be ridiculous.

[Digi]

just a thought.... if you are playing your SMPTE (LTC) timecode backwards, resolume may not follow it.

Only been working forwards

[Zoltán]

a good way to check the signal quality would be to record the input with a sound editor where you can see the waveform.
the signal should be a perfect square wave with the signal low and high symmetrical to the zero level ideally,

[Joris]

I'm shocked out perfectly tuned the audio has to be since I've sat here for over a hour moving volumes.

It's an analog signal that needs to tell a digital device what time it is. This is why saying 'I can hear it coming in...' means very little. For instance, when using Traktor as a player, you even have to make sure you're in legacy EQ mode, because the slight differences in the new EQ will throw it off.

Do you have any audio devices in the chain, or are you going straight jack to jack? The less devices and software players in the chain, the better. Try playing the SMPTE file from your phone and go out from the headphone jack straight to the line input of your PC.

[Digi]

a good way to check the signal quality would be to record the input with a sound editor where you can see the waveform.
the signal should be a perfect square wave with the signal low and high symmetrical to the zero level ideally,

Ofc this might not be super accurate because I used windows 10 voice recorder to record the system sound of the incoming line in from the laptop. I have no idea how badly it effects the sound. (The tower I'm testing on only has resolume installed on it so no recording software other then defualt windows stuff)
http://s32.postimg.org/nbsnyluk3/Audio.png
Top is the recording of the wav below. Wav below is the original.

But comparing the recording to the original wave that's what it looks like.

[Digi]

I'm shocked out perfectly tuned the audio has to be since I've sat here for over a hour moving volumes.

It's an analog signal that needs to tell a digital device what time it is. This is why saying 'I can hear it coming in...' means very little. For instance, when using Traktor as a player, you even have to make sure you're in legacy EQ mode, because the slight differences in the new EQ will throw it off.

Do you have any audio devices in the chain, or are you going straight jack to jack? The less devices and software players in the chain, the better. Try playing the SMPTE file from your phone and go out from the headphone jack straight to the line input of your PC.

It's jack to jack no other devices. I'll try with a phone but originally I think I started testing that way last month then I dropped it because I was having issues then to come back to later which is now lol. I'll also try a different cable.

[Digi]

Joris's suggestion shed some light on whats going on. Btw I didn't doubt Resolume this time.
The phone method works and plays back very smooth. Also just to test I cranked the crap out of the volume on it and it didn't effect the time code. At low volume yeah it stops working but the margin for error was what I was expecting and hoping for.


So now I need to figure out why the heck my laptop is putting out dirty sound. If I can get a cable to reach I'll try tower to tower next in attempt make sure its not a problem with all my pc's.

[Zoltán]

zoom in to the recorded waveform so you see about 100 samples to screenshot,
or you could upload the recorded file, maybe we could check out what happens.

[Digi]

zoom in to the recorded waveform so you see about 100 samples to screenshot,
or you could upload the recorded file, maybe we could check out what happens.

At this point it's not worth chasing after data that was recorded in a pretty ghetto fasion that can't be trusted.
Its pretty obvious whatever is coming out of the laptop isn't right when the results coming out of a cell phone is as dramatic as I experienced. ><

[Digi]

So far using a USB Dac I've gotten it to work from the laptop. Still trying to figure out if there is a problem with the actual 3.5mm jack on the laptop. ><