Video/Audio sync problems in Sonar Platinum with mp4 video

Hi guys,
I'm trying to clean up the audio of a piano performance captured on a Windows phone. The video format is mp4. and the file is 160MB.
When I import it into Sonar Platinum, the video and audio start going out of sync with each other after about a minute. It's very noticable.
Is there something I need to do to prevent this from happening?
Any advice welcome.
 
BTW: I've had the same problem with Magix Sound Forge 12 too.

Most likely due to mismatched or incorrect clock/sync/framerate settings in Sonar.
 
I assume the file plays correctly in a standard player application like windows media player?
 
I would suggest installing something like "MediaInfo" https://mediaarea.net/en/MediaInfo/Download and use this to inspect the original video file. MediaInfo will show you the video frame rate (30fps / 29.97fps etc.) and audio information. I don't think it will tell you whether it's "drop frame" or "non-drop frame" though.
 
Once you have the frame rate, check the project settings. Preferences->Project->Clock and select the correct frame rate for your video file. Unless you're using an external clock source, the clock setting would normally be set to "audio".
 
You might also want to check your preferences under Preferences->Audio->Sync and Caching.
 
Let us know how you get on.
Cheers - Cliff
 
 

Magix now owns Vegas ad it's always on sale. I've seen it as low as $19. 
http://forum.cakewalk.com/Magix-Movie-Maker-Pro-Premium-2018-m3737893.aspx
 
Sonar is not a good movie editor. I bought Vegas  for $30 and it seems the way to go. 
 
I use a wave editor on the audio tracks. 
 
If you need to extract the audio download and use Gold Wave. It will convert any movie format into a MP3 or Wave file for editing. It can actually convert anything into anything . It's free to try forever but well worth the $50 lifetime update. 
 
http://www.goldwave.ca/release.php
 

burgerproduction
Thanks Cliff.
 
I've inspected the file and this is what I get.
MPEG-4 (Base Media/Version 2):119 MiB, 2 min 20 s
1video stream: AVC
1 audio stream: AAC
 
first video stream
6 888 kb/s, 1080*1920 (0.563), at 30.000 FSP, AVC ([link=mailto:Main@L4]Main@L4[/link]) (2 Ref Frames)
First audio stream
192 kb/s, 48.0 kHz, 2 channels, AAC (LC)
 
When I go to Sonar's Preference>Project>Clock what would be the optimal slection?

Make sure your project is set to 48k sample rate under Preferences->Audio->Driver Settings.
Set Preferences->Project->Clock settings to;
Source = Audio
Timecode = 30fps ndf
 
See if that makes a difference and let us know. Good luck :-)

Hey Philip, you can flick me the file if you'd like and I can take a look at it for you.
 
If you have a drop box or somewhere I can download it from, just private message me.
I'm happy to take a look and see if I can figure it out - sometimes the quickest and easiest way for me.
Can't say I've dealt with video from a Windows phone before. Then again, maybe I have but just didn't know it :-)
 

The reason I was directing to the Vegas editor is it is integrated with Sound Forge a very powerful wave editor. Sonar is a great midi sequencer and multi track recorder. It is not a video or audio editor even though it can do a little bit of simple stuff. The right tool for the job and Vegas is what people use. 
I do believe you can use your plug ins in Sound Forge/Vegas

Hey Philip, what's your workflow for this?
 
I just pulled into Sonar and it doesn't display the video, and I'm guessing that's probably because it's in portrait mode - 1080x1920.
 
What video editing software are you using?
I'm just going to rotate 90deg to see if sonar displays the video to see if I can see what you're experiencing.
But I was wondering how you're seeing it drift out of sync, since I can't see any video in sonar at all. It's standard AVC codec, so works ok in premiere, vegas, after effects OK, just no display in sonar.
 
Let me know as much as you can about how you're process.
 
Cheers - Cliff

OK that's interesting.
 
So are you rendering the "new video" out from Sonar ?
Do you have a video editing application you can use, I would never use and audio app for rendering video.
 
I would simply import the audio into Sonar, and do whatever audio processing I wanted, then render out the new audio.
Then load the video into a Video NLE app like Premiere, Vegas, After Effects etc, (I have done this with your video and it all works perfectly) and drop in the new audio track. Then render out new video from a video app.
 
I suspect that the issue you are seeing is likely related to problems with the video stream, rather than the audio. Since you've had the same issue in Sonar and Magix, it all points in that direction. Especially given that (besides the fact that portrait video won't display in Sonar for me) no matter what I do on my system, everything works perfectly as far as audio goes.
 
Also, your original source video plays fine in Win Media player or Quicktime here, and 
I'm still back on Windows 7 here - it's solid as a rock :-). So there may be something Win10 or video codec version related that's happening which allows you to see the video as portrait inside of Sonar. And may also be the source of the sync issue you're having.
 
Your original source video is at 30fps.
Frames = 4163.
4163 / 30fps = 138.766 secs. = 2min:18sec:23frames  (NLE will show 22 because frame numbers start at 0)
 
-- What is the length of your import to Sonar ?
  When I import your original source video into sonar, the video thumnail header shows it is 00:02:18:23 which is correct.
 
-- So I guess you're rendering from Sonar ?
-- If so, what length is the resulting render ?
 
It should be 2min 18 and a bit seconds.
If it's not, then you are having to stretch the audio to fit a "video problem".
 
Here's something interesting you should also try if you are rendering the video from Sonar (which personally I wouldn't be doing).
**Ignore that you see a sync issue**, don't stretch your audio, just render it out from Sonar at the length of the audio track.
 
I can pull your original video into any video NLE, rotate it 90deg and render it out in landscape, and then use the resulting video inside Sonar without any sync issues whatsoever.
 
Here are some interesting points.
--  If I import your original (portrait) video file into Sonar (latest platinum) using File>Import>Video I cannot display the video at all. The video window shows as frame 0, with no video, won't show me any video, but shows the correct length (with Sonar set at 30fps) as 02:18:23. Same results regardless of whether I use the Media Foundation or DirectShow video engines.
 
-- If I use any NLE to rotate your source file 90deg and render out in landscape (1920x1080 30fps), I can import that into Sonar and it works perfectly, no video/audio sync issues. 
 
I think you're most likely seeing a video issue of some sort, the telling point will be the length - 2minutes 18 seconds 23 frames.
 
Let me know how you go, and if you have a video NLE app that should help you sort out or investigate what's happening here.
 
Let us know what you find.
 
If the audio is the correct length when you import to Sonar (which it should be), you could just clean up the audio (no stretching!), render it out, and send me the audio. I could then sync and render a new video in whatever format you need (portrait/landscape h264 or whatever, target file size etc).
 
Cheers - Cliff

rogeriodec
Forget Sonar if you want a perfect sync for MP4.
I work daily with soundtracks for animations that I receive in MP4 format and the timecode printed inside the video never matches 100% with Sonar (before you ask me, the video is at 24 fps and Sonar also).
What I'm saying is that even in Sonar it's positioned at 00:00:000, the video is sometimes shown at frame 00:00:001, 2 sometimes up to 3. It depends on the mood of the moment ...

Interesting, I do all kinds of sound and video work including for animations, and I know there are plenty of other people who frequent these forum who do as well. It's interesting that some people (like myself) don't encounter these issues, and others do.
 
Like I said earlier, I'm still back on Windows 7 here which continues to serve me really well. I wonder what the differences are that cause these "strangers in the dark".
 
Makes me nervous about the day I decide to build a new workstation :-)