Audio sync, but only with audio and not embedded timecode

The scenario is - single shoot with 3 cameras and 7 mics.

There is no audio on the cameras at all, other than audio timecode on both L/R tracks - syncs up lovely with "update timecode from audio track" .

The audio itself is recorded multitrack on a laptop, with audio timecode on one of the tracks.

In the past, I've recorded 4-channel audio on my Tascam DR-701D, which has direct TC input, so I have metadata TC, and everything syncs beautifully.

But this time I have a 7-track multitrack, with audio timecode on track 8, and obviously I need to synch this up with the video.

And my question is - how can I do that? I've spent hours hunting online, but I've no found a solution.

As a workaround, I'm thinking that I could create a dummy video track exactly the same length as the timecode audio file, render them, update the TC from the audio track, sync that with my video, then manually align the 7 audio tracks to the TC track - but is there an easier way that I'm just not seeing?

Replying to my own question - I haven't found a proper solution, but the workaround does work:

Stick the multitrack's timecode WAV file on a timeline, add one of the video generators and drag it to the exact same start and end of the timecode - and render it as a video file (video size doesn't matter of course).

Now they can be brought into Resolve, timecode updated from audio and the individual brought in and aligned with the timecode track.

Not ideal - and I've love to know of a better way.

love to know of a better way

Best thought I have is to replace the Laptop with a proper Field Recorder that can accept timecode. A Zoom or Sound Devices model perhaps.

And then send an output of such to at least one camera.

...render it as a video file (video size doesn't matter of course).

Now they can be brought into Resolve, timecode updated from audio and the individual brought in and aligned with the timecode track.

Not ideal - and I've love to know of a better way.

The limitation is Resolve does not update the clip's "file timecode" from LTC audio timecode for audio-only files. I think the utility LTC Convert will do that but I haven't tested it: https://www.videotoolshed.com/product/l ... ert-auxtc/

love to know of a better way

Best thought I have is to replace the Laptop with a proper Field Recorder that can accept timecode. A Zoom or Sound Devices model perhaps.

Thanks for the thought

But by taking the audio segments (with timecode track), adding a video track to it, it all got synced. It was just a pain - and since embedded TC in audio is a thing, I made the dumb assumption that Resolve would do the heavy lifting.

Although I've worked in TV and Radio for many decades, I'm now retired and don't have much experience with timecode - so it's a learning experience, and I'll need to rethink using the Tascam for audio and the Deity units.

I experienced this issue just recently but found an easy workaround (still, this should be in Resolve and would be easy to add, and a big benefit to people shooting without expensive field recorders that have internal timecode).

I am using Deity TC-1 timecode generators (which have been awesome so far). My camera has a timecode input, so the video already has it. I am recording audio with a TASCAM Portacapture X8 (which I love - 32-bit float FTW!). This recorder only has timecode if you buy into Atomos' proprietary timecode system. I record the timecode as an audio track (it comes as stereo - one channel is from the built in mic on the TC generator, the other the audio LTC). The output is a 96kHz 32-bit float WAV file.

I tried to make a dummy video file muxing this audio, but it was more trouble that it's worth. What ultimately did work is to drop the audio files (timecode and the mic tracks recorded together on the recorder) into Tentacle Timecode Tool. It's free, and with just one click the timecode is detected and the file updated. Then I could bring the updated WAV files into Resolve and it would sync perfectly.

This recorder only has timecode if you buy into Atomos' proprietary timecode system.

Wireless timecode sync is available with Atomos AtomX SYNC, UltraSync BLUE and other compatible products...

The Tentacle isn't one of those "others"?