How to configure Source-Connect 4 to receive timecode via MTC and Pro Tools to receive MTC
Important Note on Pro Tools Synchronization:
Pro Tools handles MTC and LTC synchronization differently:
- MTC (MIDI Time Code): Pro Tools does not continuously chase MTC. Instead, it positions itself to the incoming timecode and then runs at its own sample clock rate, assuming it will stay in sync. There is no continuous adjustment to maintain lock.
- LTC with Supported Hardware: When using Pro Tools' LTC-capable hardware interfaces in the appropriate sync mode, Pro Tools will actively adjust its sample clock to continuously chase the incoming LTC signal, maintaining true continuous synchronization.
For applications requiring tight, continuous sync, using Pro Tools with LTC hardware synchronization is recommended over MTC.
To configure Source-Connect:
- Click the “SYNC” tab to access the Remote Transport Sync panel.
- Click “Receive” if you will be receiving timecode from your side.
- In the “Time Reference Output” dropdown, select the driver you created in step 1.
The setup to receive MTC might look different on the different DAWs - the following setup uses Pro Tools.
On Pro Tools, go to Setup > Peripherals. In the Synchronization menu, under “MTC Reader Port”, select the driver you created in step 1. In our case, that is “IAC Driver, MIDI SC4”.
Lastly, click clock icon next to the “MTC” button.If you don’t see these options, right click the area at the top (next to Play/Pause) and ensure that “Synchronization” is ON.
Table of Contents