TECH TIPS
Audio Post Project Interchange:
MM-EDL
by Bryce Atcheson
 Caption here |
Around 1996, TimeLine Vista, a California based company, developed the MMR-8 non-linear dubber. The MMR-8 (Modular Multitrack Recorder 8 Track) and MMP-16 (Modular Multitrack Player 16 Track) was designed as an OEM digital nonlinear replacement for the hundreds of linear DA-88s and Mag dubbers used in audio post. To this day the MM units are still in service and it has proven itself as the world standard for audio post stem recorders or reproducers.
 Multi-track production recording. |
TimeLine Vista was no newcomer to the post-production world. Its Lynx, Lynx-2, and MicroLynx products were already established products used throughout the pro audio industry. The evidence is clearly present in the MMR-8 or MMP-16 with the functional equivalent of an integrated Lynx-2 synchronizer in every MM unit. MM-EDL is a significant portion of the MM operating system plus more. Owning MM-EDL is like experiencing the reliability of an MM dubber (for conversions) without the hefty price tag.
The year 1998 brought the next phase of the MM project, spawning a new stand-alone conversion utility called TransAudio PipeLine (1999), which embodied all the format conversion utilities found in the MMR-8. TAP was the first generation precursor to MM-EDL. MM-EDL was first released on December 5, 2003, making its first appearance at NAMM 2004. MM-EDL (www.mm-edl.com) is a professional utility developed by Bryce Atcheson (marketing and hardware testing) and Teeto Cheema (software engineering). Cheema was the head software engineer for the MMR-8/MMP-16, MX-2424 project, and author of the OpenTL audio interchange format. We promote open standards and this is one of our founding principles for creating the MM-EDL project.
Overview
Based on an equal opportunities workflow, MM-EDL permits sound editorial staff
(or sound technicians) to work on their platform of choice, while still being
100 percent compatible with current dubbing theatre reproducers. Your elements
will play back at their 100 percent sample accurate position with zero shifting
or “holes” in the project. MM-EDL works on the concept of importing
an audio project, manipulating the project, and exporting the project to the
target reproducer format that will play back the project (see Fig. 1).
 Fig. 1: Basic Concept |
Always choose your desired BUS in the BUS Selector box at program launch: [0] ATAPI (ATA-Bus 1 Master & Slave), [1] ATAPI (ATA-Bus 2 Master & Slave, [2] AIC78XX or alternative (Chipset on SCSI HBA or prefix to your MPD-Miniport Driver) [3] UNNAMED BUS 1. [2] would be chosen to access an AHA-2940UW SCSI HBA (see Fig. 2), while [3] would be chosen to access a FireWire/USB2.0 device on BUS 1. A second FireWire/USB2.0 device connected to a separate port would be available as [4] UNNAMED BUS 2.
Brief Feature Set (See website for more detail)
• Conversion between sound editorial, dubber, location sound EDL’s
/ projects (See website for formats)
• Sample accurate project standards conversion (ie, NTSC to PAL)
• Sample rate conversion of audio project
• Bit depth truncation of audio project
• MMR-8 Tape Mode digital noise cleaner (read MM-EDL 4.0 manual)
• MMR-8/MMP-16 ProTools start time error correction (read Quick Guide)
• Work with ProTools Mac HFS+ volumes on the PC
• Firewire and USB 2.0 compatible
• World’s only tape mode convert utility
• All upgrades are free
 Fig. 2: Express Routes |
OpenTL-EDL for Everyone
Establishing open standards in the real world is easier than one would
think. OpenTL is the audio EDL developed by Cheema which permits reliable
project interchange between platforms. It is freely distributed and
can be used by any manufacturer wanting sample-accurate, hassle-free
project exchange at low implementation cost. Currently supported DAWs
and dubbers supporting OpenTL include: Nuendo 2, Nuendo 3, Pyramix
4.2, WaveFrame 7, Logic Pro Audio, Samplitude, MMR-8, MMP-16, MX-2424.
Audio Project Standards Conversion
MM-EDL 4.0 brings a new feature as the worlds first host-based standards conversion
utility at such low cost. This new feature can save productions and professionals
thousands of dollars, and the cost of MM-EDL itself can be covered with just
one conversion. Various current audio standards conversion can alter the pitch
of the audio in certain configurations. MM-EDL does not alter the pitch of
the audio in any way. One facility, for example, explained its slow and laborious
method of conversion by varispeeding the MMR-8 or MMP-16 to merit an NTSC-to-PAL
conversion. Typical current workflows are done in real time and contain a
generation loss.
Additionally, varispeeding a dubber or chasing it to biphase is not as precise as the MM-EDL method, which is sample accurate. You set it and forget it.
Walk away, go grab a coffee. It’s 100 percent digital and the SRC algorithms sound incredible. This gives great benefit to DVD mastering studios or professionals who simply do not want to outsource the audio standards conversion to a costly outside facility. Comparing purely on accuracy and quality, MM-EDL challenges hardware units priced insanely higher than it is. Try some conversions yourself:
Based on a 48K project starting as FILM, NTSC, PAL, or DVD.
1. Select your source EDL
2. Export to a local volume in OpenTL, so you aren’t working on the original project
3. Click CHANGE PROJECT ATTRIBUTES
4. In the list below, choose correct sample rate based on your conversion
and choose target frame rate. Click OK.
NTSC to FILM (48048)
FILM to NTSC (47952)
PAL to NTSC (50050)
NTSC to PAL (46034)
PAL to FILM (50000)
FILM to PAL (46080)
5. Click TAPE MODE CONVERT. Choose desired target EDL type. Choose desired bit depth. Check the Sample Rate Convert box, choose 48K. Click OK.
NTSC above can be substituted with DVD (23.98fps)/24p rate. 24p (1080p/24) and NTSC possess the same ratio of pull-down. 29.97/30 is the same ratio as 23.98/24, which equates to 1000/1001. The MX-2424 and MMR/MMP M2 machines can perfectly play back a 23.98fps project in the OpenTL format, and in fact they have been able to record in the 23.98fps format for years now.
Nuendo 3.0
ProTools continues to be a popular product in North American post. A variety
of customers approach us asking if we can convert between ProTools Mac and
Nuendo PC. We can facilitate this conversion perfectly. Keep in mind we can
facilitate any conversion if the EDL is supported by MM-EDL. Besides
ProTools being a DAW, it is also used as a make-shift dubber. MM-EDL can perfectly complement machine rooms equipped with ProTools reproducers.
To put it plainly, using Nuendo 3.0 for editorial does not have to be seen as a burden and inconvenience. Editors can feel safe that using Nuendo will not be a problem once delivery comes. In fact, any of the following dubbers can play back Nuendo: MMP-16, MMR-8, MX-2424, Sony DADR-5000, AKAI DD16PBplus, AKAI DD8plus, ProTools DAW.
Technology marches on and we are seeing more players come into the DAW game. Competition is good for everyone and I believe it pushes products (as well as MM-EDL) further, benefiting the consumer in the end. New products from a variety of different manufacturers is healthy; it sustains growth in the pro audio industry.
Bryce Atcheson is a post-production assistant based in Toronto, Canada. He can be reached at bryceweb@sympatico.ca or www.bryceatcheson.com.
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