SMPTE not generating or recieiving.

My 3k has the SMPTE chip installed but is not generating or receiving timecode. I have tried trouble shooting it and have determined either I am doing something wrong on the MPC side or something is wrong with the MPC. Trying to sync with Pro Tools via Sync I/O with PT being the master but even if I could get the MPC to be the master, that would work for the time being. Any suggestions?

Thanks.

Why don't you try MTC?

To the best of my knowledge smpte is the tightest lock. I know from expereince that midi beat clock drifts quite a bit, I have not tried MTC for myself.

At any rate. Anyone have this problem with there MPC3000?

*Also note that a tech has tried 2 different smtpe chips with no luck.

Smpte is the tightest lock. If you're goin down to tape then U gotta use a sync like mtc or midi clock or smpte. If you're going to pc, then you can put a sequence at the beginning of the song where you have the same kick sound or something at the same place on every track and record the song with one active track every time. Then when you have all ur separate tracks you can zoom down to the sample level and line up those 1st kicks and your track will be synced up. Then all you gotta do is cut off that beginning.

Thanks for the advice, but heres the thing. In the middle of a session, I don't have time for that. In most cases the higher the client the lower the patience and thats what I am working with.

Thank though.

I feel ya on that, but the only thing is in order to get your individual tracks out to mix without using the 8 outs and and having 8 ins to your DAW, you gonna have to play them individually anyway and just have smpte sync them up. You just wont have to line them up yourself, although thats not the longest part, the recording your song times however many tracks u have is. Either way, the bottom line is find what works in order to keep the client happy cuz thats really what matters.

How tight is MTC in comparision to SMPTE and Beat Clock? I was reading through the Mpc3k manual and it makes it sound like MTC is the same as SMPTE except for over MIDI in a digital form.

Thanks for the tips.

Idk about beat clock, but I believe SMPTE is roughly 30 fps where MTC is somewhere in the 20s. From what I've heard is you may notice a tiny bit of a difference in your swing, but not really anything to cry about.