Audio Setup Considerations: Pops

All “deliverable” sound elements must have both head and tail pops, exactly two seconds before and two seconds after the last frame of picture.

These pops must match the exact length of one frame according to the frame rate, no more, no less. For 24.0 fps, it’s 2,000 samples and for 23.976 fps it’s 2,002 samples.

Tail pop is placed 48 frames from the leading edge of the last frame of picture (LFOP). Many people confuse this spec and place the sync pop 48 frames after the last frame of picture, which is incorrect. Thus, the tail pop starts 47 frames after the last frame of picture.