Is there anyone doing 5.1 mixes for Fox?  There requirements are that we deliver them an 8 channel master. The first 6 channel need 5.1 mix. Channels 7 and 8 need a stereo mix. I am assuming i will need to do two passes on every master?

If i am using embedded audio for the D-5 dub, can i do an insert in channel 7/8? Or will i need to lay video down again?

Richard Riley

Bradley David Productions

www.bradleydavid.com

Yes you can do this in one pass.  The embedded signal will pass more than 6 channels of audio.

5.1 goes on Ch.'s 1-6, stereo on 7 and 8. 

Layoff with 8 channels with picture in one pass and you are done.

 If i switch my 5.1 mix over to 8 direct out, i will loose all of my 5.1 mix (ie; pans, levels, pan animations)

Richard

Huh, why would you loose those?

Unless you are trying to create a 5.1 mix within the Avid (which I feel is nearly impossible), you should have a 6-track mix, which routes discrete channels to discrete tracks. Pannings should have been done in the 5.1 mix.

 Yes, i am doning a 5.1 mix in the avid. Our show are simple enough. It may take me a little longer to do, but it is working out ok.

So i guess my original thought was correct. if i am using the Avid to make the 5.1 mix i will have to go back and make a stereo mix also and do a second pass on the master tapes with channel 7/8 selected along with video. I assume this will not wipe out channels 1-6?

Richard

I work in 5.1 regularly and also output a "+2" from that 5.1 Mix.  For what its worth I have only rarely ever used a 5.1 mixer config in DS.  Typically i work in an 8 stream setup.  To be clear, I am not doing full mixes of 5.1 in DS, but I am working with 5.1 stems.  I am typically delivered final stems (DME) that are fully mixed for levels that I am simply comping together in the DS to create a finished 5.1 PM on output.

For our +2 we usually just pass our 5.1 through a pro logic encoder that we have our audio guys configure. 

It sounds like you are doing a more complex "mixing" type of work than what our typical work is, so even taking your 5.1 down to a stereo isnt going to be a simple fold down and adjusting the levels globally, it will probably be more in depth.

Would it be possible for you to edit your 5.1 in the same sequence setup in an 8 channel mixer config, editing the 5.1 essentially twice - one set for your 5.1 and one set for your stereo output?  That may increase your edit time up front, but it sounds like you would have to do those adjustments once your original 5.1 was output to tape anyways - so this way you do both the 5.1 and the stereo at the same time, output to tape at the same time and be done with the project. 

Just route your "5.1" mix to 1-6 and your "5.1 stereo" mix to 7-8.  Output SDI to a deck (or embedded, it doesnt make a difference) and you are good to go.  Of course, this may not work entirely for whatever your project is, but its just a guess.  I know how annoying it is to do two passes of audio for output.  With HDCAM-SR's having the ability to record 12 channels of audio all of our clients are requesting masters be delivered with 5.1 on 1-6, LTRT on 7&8 and Stereo M&E on 9&10, all sourced from the same 5.1 audio.  Due to the DS' limitations in matrixing audio cannot do this in one pass, it must be 2.

-Brian

Yes, i am doning a 5.1 mix in the avid. Our show are simple enough. It may take me a little longer to do, but it is working out ok.

Can you describe how you are doing this?

I don't see how you can pan anything across a 5.1 config in Avid, but I must be missing something.

No Problem.

In Avid DS you can do mixes in mono, stereo, Quad, LCRS, 4 channel direct, 5.1, 6.1, 7.1 and 8 channel direct. Our company does the My Classic Car show or Speed channel. Speed (a Fox channel) is requiring HD and 5.1 mixes for all 2009 shows. MCC is very simple when it comes to audio. So instead of hiring another person and buying Pro Tools, we are doing a simple 5.1 mix inside of DS. We have setup our room with Yamahas Promix 01v96 and BlueSky speaker setup in 5.1. inside DS when you choose the 5.1 mix you can take any mono channel and to a Pan animation to where ever in the 5 channel world (excluding LFE) just like you would do a volume animation. It is really very easy to do. once you have the room setup. But like i said earlier the show is pretty easy to mix in the first place. at most, anytime in the sequence i may have 2 channels of on camera audio stereo music and maybe a SFX. Or i may have a car passing by the camera, i can do a pan to the rear speakers (Left right or both,) all of those mixes stay with the sequence. I can then switch to a stereo mix and because i do most of my "level" mixing with audio clip effects the stereo mix is pretty close

Hope this answer you question

Richard

Damn me. I did not realise we were in the DS forum. My apologies.