VideoStudio X5 - Synchronizing Multiple Videos

[MikeSD]

I using the Trial version of VisualStudio X5. I am wondering if there's a "best" way of synchronizing two different videos of the same event. Example: Say I have one camera that is of someone shooting a rifle. The other camera is of the target impact. Now say I want the video to show this person shooting the rifle, with the target impact shown in a smaller window superimposed on the main video. What is the best way to make sure the two videos are in sync with each other?

I'm sure this is a simple problem for users who are familar with editing videos but since I'm not one of them, it's not so simple to me. I guess one way is to just trim the vide by trial and error but there must be a better way.

Thanks,

[TonyP]

What you can do is enable the audio waveform by clicking on the SoundMixer icon. Then you can match up the audio that way.

[BrianCee]

Once you have shot the video then you do more or less have to rely on a bit of trial and error to get them in sync - you can as Tony has suggested line up the sound waveforms and you can get close by doing that - probably the best way is to put a short colour block in both the video tracks - say black for about three seconds - now do not alter the one in the overlay track but adjust the duration of the one in the top track to line up the sounds - the advantage of doing it that way is that you can add or subtract one frame at a time to the colour block thus giving a precise movement of 1/30th or 1/25th of a second depending on whether you are using NTSC or PAL video.

but if you know when filming that you are going to need to sync them then you really need a visual signal (if it also has audio then so much the better) - which is why they still use clapper boards on film sets - but you could use a flash gun fired so that both cameras can see it - or even a digital timer or watch filmed simultaneously with both cameras - then both cameras must be kept running for the whole sequence - that way you have a positive image to align

[MikeSD]

One of the things I was thinking of doing was to have a small light signal, that I turn on for a brief second. This light would be visible in both videos. Then, I can just trim both videos to begin when the light first comes on. This should put me within 1 frame of each other. The audio would work but if the cameras aren't co-located, the audio might be delayed, from real-time.

[BrianCee]

yes visual is better than audio only - both is best but a light bulb is OK except of course with an ordinary filament lamp the increase in brightness will appear quite slow when viewing one frame at a time and you may find it difficult to judge exact brightness of a frame in each video - the quicker the bulb lights the easier it will be.