I have imported a video (AVI) at 25fps. The Big Time display on the video window and the transport display are both counting at 30fps. There doesn't seem to be any way of changing this to 25fps in HS6XL. By the time it gets about 1 minute along, there is a 1-frame error, so I'm guessing it is actually working in 29.97 drop frame mode. What am I missing? Surely this must be simple?

Just for the record: the Properties on the video track show that it is 25fps, so the software "knows" this.

I've gone into the Options/Project menu as specified in the Help file but there is NO frame rate option in there.

Just discovered something else FYI: This is purely and simply a calculation error. If I switch to "frames" mode then it says (for example) "50" at 2 seconds.

Anyone else found this problem? Any solutions? I've managed to get around it for now by calculating all my SMPTE codes as absolute frame numbers and working to them, but that's not really ideal! Is there, perhaps, some registry setting that I can alter? Almost all my videos are going to be 25fps.

Just had a reply from Cakewalk support. This is something that can't be done in the Home Studio edition. Therefore the fault lies in the help file, which seems to imply that it can.

Hmmm... thinking about that upgrade now :\

i guess there has to be some limitations in software as good, but as cheap, as hs6. another solution maybe to ignore the smpte counter, just use real time? i take it you are scoring audio?

ORIGINAL: mgh

i guess there has to be some limitations in software as good, but as cheap, as hs6. another solution maybe to ignore the smpte counter, just use real time? i take it you are scoring audio?

I'm doing the Music For The Media course, though I've barely begun so I have some time to sort out all these technical difficulties yet! :)

I agree that it's good and cheap, and I'm not about to change! You're right, but I can't help feeling that it's quite a small thing. After all, it's just a difference in the calculation. If I use absolute frames, then the software "knows" what frame it's on, and I can divide by 25 (which isn't hard) and get the second and frame from that if necessary. I will just have to work that way until I upgrade.

ah well good luck with the course!!!!!!!!!

macronencer,
First:Disclaimer, I am just experienced enough with video to be dangerous.(been messing with it since Win3)
SHS is not a video editor. As you have learned, you cannot change the frame rate inside SHS. You would have to use a Video editing program to re-encode the fila at a different frame rate. This is a very elaborate process.
The AVIs I have seen and made are locked at 29.97fps(NTSC-US standard). Are you working with PAL files?
I have seen mpg. and WMV files at 25fps.
If you import a 25fps file into SHS, it will recognize that. Use the Frames setting on the big clock. If you use the SMPTE setting, it is timing at 30fps, even though the actual video file may be different, at least from what I've seen.

"Just discovered something else FYI: This is purely and simply a calculation error. If I switch to "frames" mode then it says (for example) "50" at 2 seconds. "
This is not an error. If you are playing a file at 25fps, of course you would see 50 frames at 2 sec.
If you must work with 25fps files, use the Frames timer.
I was able to get a 1 frame error at 6 minutes on a test file. I attribute this to variations in equipment, encoders, etc.
If you zoom in horizontally on the tracks, you can pinpoint an event farly precisely.
Do you have any video editing software? If so, I might suggest rendering a work copy of the video with markers in an overlay video track.
Insert a white frame or something to mark critical spots.Hope that helps some.
You are delving into a challenging area .Best of luck to you, and keep it fun.

Thanks for the reply Robert.

ORIGINAL: RobertB
The AVIs I have seen and made are locked at 29.97fps(NTSC-US standard). Are you working with PAL files?

Yes, I'm in the UK and I am using PAL .mov files at 25fps.

ORIGINAL: RobertB
"Just discovered something else FYI: This is purely and simply a calculation error. If I switch to "frames" mode then it says (for example) "50" at 2 seconds. "
This is not an error. If you are playing a file at 25fps, of course you would see 50 frames at 2 sec.

I was actually referring to the SMPTE display when I said that. Sorry if I wasn't too clear!

ORIGINAL: RobertB
Do you have any video editing software? If so, I might suggest rendering a work copy of the video with markers in an overlay video track.

This is one solution, and I'll try it. Not sure I have the right software to do the overlay though.

ORIGINAL: RobertB
You are delving into a challenging area .Best of luck to you, and keep it fun.

Thanks! I'm still thinking I need the upgrade... but I can't afford it yet. But you've given me some ways around the problem, so thanks a lot for that.

I am new to CW forum but did find this discussion helpful and relevant. I run Sonar7 and never even deal in the world of frame rates. However, a close friend records on MOTU and insisted that CW must have frame rate setting somewhere, some menu that I have over looked. I assured him that I have looked thoroughly and it doesn't seem to exsit on early CW DAWs. Apparently this is no longer the case with X1,  X2 and perhaps even back to 8.5 But, he I  agree that Sonar7 must at least default to something, whether it is 30 or 29.7 or whatever. Does anyone know if it does in fact have a default frame and what it is. Thanks for any light you might shed.

In X2 under Preferences-Project-Clock you can set the Timecode format to several options from 24 FPS to 30 FPS and it also has a SMPTE/MTS offset that is variable. If your Sonar7 is Studio or Producer it may have the same setting since I doubt they have changed this much. However, I doubt if this is available in Home Studio since it doesn't support SMPTE which is considered a professional feature.