“I Have an Otari UFC -24, a Sony PCM-3348 and a Pro Tools 24 Mix Plus. To dump from the Sony to the Pro Tools I need 2 passes, so I need to sync. What is the best way to sync, and who should be the master and… Please help!”
It’s usually better to slave the hard disk system to the tape system. Tape machines have to move a lot of mechanical parts to chase and sync, and therefore don’t do it as quickly. The 3348 has a time code output, which will need to be connected to a synchronizer that works with Pro Tools. You’ll need something like a USD (Universal Slave Driver) or MOTU DTP (Digital Time Piece) for best results (there are some other boxes that work as well). When the 3348 plays make sure it is outputting time code. Connect word clock from the 3348 and this time code to the synchronizer. It will use those signals to generate MTC and Superclock signals that Pro Tools needs. You need to have the synchronizer set up correctly to do this, but it isn’t difficult.
If you simply can’t or don’t want to buy or rent a synchronizer, there is a poor man’s method. While the tracks are in the Sony, record a few bars of click track or some other short duration pulse on all 48 tracks. This will serve as a guide you can use to line them back up in Pro Tools later, which is very easy to do. Since the tracks will all be resolved to the same time reference (word clock and Superclock) they will not drift from one another once they are lined up.
