Thumbs up for Singular Software Plular Eyes!

megabit wrote on 9/16/2011, 5:12 AM

Well, I downloaded the trial, and gave it a go... My hopes were not high, though, as the task was pretty difficult:

- 8-camera project, plus one master audio track
- a single piece (Chopin trio for the piano, cello and violin), consisting of 4 moves, each recorded 3 times (with the master track randomly using one of those 3 versions, differently for each of the 4 parts)

Well, first time it failed, saying that it couldn't open some wave file due to it being open in another app (which it wasn't). But in the second try it made it to the "Analyzing..." stage, where all 8 threads of my i7 were some 70-85% busy (which was reassuring, and increasing my expectations).

The result: perfectly synchronized project, ready for multi-camera editing, and final grading :)

Many thanks, Singular Software!

Piotr

Comments

baysidebas wrote on 9/16/2011, 7:40 AM

Yes, I LOVE Plural Eyes, it saves me a ton of time (my recurring projects are 3 camera interviews with separate master audio track).

As to the open file business, I've found that just having an Explorer window open with the file in question just being highlighted can generate that message.

GerryLeacock wrote on 9/16/2011, 8:45 AM

Love it too. Never had a problem with it.

RRA wrote on 9/16/2011, 9:28 AM

Hi,

I have ongoing discussion with them about pricing scheme or licencing. They have very good products (my basic need is connected with Presto). But price is to high in terms of profitability, taking under consideration, that I have one maybe two projects like this annually. Some kind of 'lite' version would be very appreciated.

Best regards,

musicvid10 wrote on 9/16/2011, 9:29 AM

+1

Sometimes you have to be smarter than the software, but it gets the job done like no other. The developer Bruce is a super individual and gives his personal attention to your problems.

i am erikd wrote on 9/16/2011, 9:44 AM

I like the software also. I recommend checking the "try really hard" box for the projects that are relying on camera mics or poorly recorded audio. I got a few "out of memory errors" however sometimes when using this setting.

You do have to baby it a bit but it is worth it if you don't have synced code for large projects.

Erik

Andrew B wrote on 9/18/2011, 11:55 AM

+1

We love plural eyes for our multicamera shoots!

Andrew

paul_w wrote on 9/18/2011, 12:02 PM

Plural Eyes, great!
Last year i did a music video for a band with heaps of cam angles and a main sound track - I wish i had had it then!! Took days to sync up, all by hand and ear.

hurrah for Plural Eyes.

Paul.

Woodenmike wrote on 9/18/2011, 5:31 PM

This is the one plug I can't do without...I have had very few challenges it hasn't handled. I find that muting audience applause in live performances can help it find the sync easier when it stumbles. (I shoot a lot of multi-camera live dance and find the applause sometimes confuses the program)

MUTTLEY wrote on 9/18/2011, 10:36 PM

I don't mind a good deal or saving a buck when I can but gotta totally disagree with RRA, even one or two projects makes the price for Plural Eyes WELL worth the price of admission for the amount of time and headaches it saves. If you can't afford it or don't want to pay fair enough but pretending like they should dumb down their software or drop their price for you is a little silly. It's the same kind of mentality that is behind people who call me for a quote and when I give it to them they tell me that they have a friend who will do it for 1/8 of the price, but of course they don't want their friend to do it because their friend shots with a MiniDV camera and doesn't know the first thing about editing. Heck I'd like a ARRI Alexa for what I paid for my 7D ... and?

What I'm really trying to say is, I like Plural Eyes as well =)

- Ray
Underground Planet

PeterWright wrote on 9/19/2011, 12:03 AM

Even though I'm a bit of a software junkie, I decided it wasn't worth buying Plural Eyes for maybe two projects a year, even though I was quite impressed when I trialled it.
For a 3 camera shoot, it generally takes about 5 minutes to synch up manually, and I quite enjoy the process, but if I were a regular multi cam user, particularly with 8 cams as someone here was, I'd go for it in a blink.

rs170a wrote on 9/19/2011, 12:06 AM

Some kind of 'lite' version would be very appreciated.

Some software can get away with a lite version by taking away some of the features.
This isn't one of them as it either works or it doesn't.

Mike

megabit wrote on 9/19/2011, 5:02 AM

Some software can get away with a lite version by taking away some of the features.

Yeah, well said.

The only way to restrict it to a sort of "lite" version would be to limit the number of projects per year it can be used for, like the 2 Peter is mentioning :)

Piotr

baysidebas wrote on 9/19/2011, 7:07 AM

Peter, I'd like to see you sync up in 5 minutes the product of 3 cameras shooting an extended interview (3 tapes each) plus a master audio mixdown as well as an audience reaction audio. If I were you I'd have the clock in for repair.

ushere wrote on 9/19/2011, 9:08 AM

well i can only fail my trial run with plural eyes - mind you, it was one hell of a test.

2 cameras shooting an industrial process from different angles. huge amount of ambient noise (think standing next to a mack truck) but with quite a number of 'distinct' sounds cropping up during the take (siren, hooter, bells ringing).

all it would do is put one take after the other.

just as well i clap-boarded the roll.

PeterWright wrote on 9/19/2011, 9:55 AM

> "Peter, I'd like to see you sync up in 5 minutes the product of 3 cameras ........"

Come and watch any time - in my case it would be a concert with maybe cams turned off and on again once each. Procedure - find a significant sound or musical beat on one track, insert Marker - find the same on next track, split event and delete left of split, move to Marker then drag back to remove split, repeat for final track ... same again for second half.

bakerja wrote on 9/20/2011, 11:22 AM

In the past I've done many multicamera shoots with minidv foootage and found that manual syncing was not too difficult even with up to 5 cameras as long as the shooter doesn't stop tape. Start all recordings and use a camera flash to sync with and only have to re-sync at tape changes.

I am now dabbling in the world of DSLR cameras, specifically canons that have a 12 minute recording limitation. I wonder how this software would handle say a minidv as a reference for sync, and then multiple .mov's from 2 or 3 canon DSLR's? It could potentially save hours of manual syncing.

Have any of you had experience with this scenario?

jab

musicvid10 wrote on 9/20/2011, 12:32 PM

"I wonder how this software would handle say a minidv as a reference for sync, and then multiple .mov's from 2 or 3 canon DSLR's?"

Like a dream.

Lock your reference (mini DV) track, bring your other clips somewhere close to where they should be, and let Pluraleyes do the work. Has saved me days of hand syncing and does a better job than I can.

If your Canon DSLRs are putting out true 30p, they will drift noticeably from your 29.97 reference. Lots of ways to get around this are linked on the Pluraleyes forums.

Woodenmike wrote on 10/5/2011, 2:55 PM

"...but with quite a number of 'distinct' sounds cropping up during the take (siren, hooter, bells ringing"

Ambient noise is one of the "foolers" with PE, but when there is distinct sounds like you describe, try running a volume envelope on the audio track and pulling down the ambient noise while leaving the "markers" up full. If you only have 2 or 3 cameras or takes, it probably is quicker to find your spikes manually, but with 8 takes from different nights (with the same music in my case), taking down the ambient noise and then running PE works a treat!

[r]Evolution wrote on 10/5/2011, 7:25 PM

I would imagine Plural Eyes to be equally as accurate in Vegas as it is in FCP & Premiere Pro. If so... I too am a believer.

ushere wrote on 10/5/2011, 8:37 PM

thanks woodenmike - good idea.....

rs170a wrote on 10/6/2011, 5:48 AM

I would imagine Plural Eyes to be equally as accurate in Vegas as it is in FCP & Premiere Pro.

A user in a similar thread on the DV Info forum said that Vegas users are fortunate as the way it works in Premiere leavers a lot to be desired.

Mike

[r]Evolution wrote on 10/6/2011, 3:04 PM

I can see where a Start, Stop, Start, Stop, Start, Stop shooter may have problems. Especially if they are unfamiliar with the Plural Eyes workflow for Premiere CS5 as it is a bit different with the XML export/import workflow. Premiere (Mac) sometimes does take 2-3 tries but it runs through it in mere minutes compared to my hours of manual syncing.

warriorking wrote on 10/6/2011, 3:43 PM

I would not part with my Plural Eyes for the world, I am using 4 cams on my shoots.
A Sony NX5U, Sony AX2000, Canon HG21 and Canon HG10.
Plural eyes sync's them perfectly everytime within minutes making my editing process much easier....

musicvid10 wrote on 10/6/2011, 8:08 PM

"I can see where a Start, Stop, Start, Stop, Start, Stop shooter may have problems."
Yes, the biggest of those problems is spelled a-m-a-t-e-u-r.