Decklink-anybody got it working?

quokka wrote on 6/7/2005, 11:26 PM
I'm a new Vegas user getting pretty frustrated trying to get Vegas-Decklink Capture and PTT working. Has anybody actually got it working consistently?
We have half a dozen Decklink cards and have been using them since they first came out - using the very basic BlackMagic Deck Control utility (it doesn't record timecode, can't lay back sound independently etc, so isn't a great way to work, but is accurate)
We can control our tape machine (DigiBeta DVW500P) with the tape controller within Vegas, capture in and print out, but its never consistent. The 'Record Engage Delay'/'Timecode Offset'/Timecode tolerance(?)' settings don't seem to do what there meant too - every capture or PTT gives different results no matter what these settings are.
Its not a PC issue - we have dual 3.4GhzXeons/2GB Ram/Dual Ultra SCSI320's/FX1300/XP-SP2.... etc. (our systems scream)
Any one got any suggestions or is it a software issue?

BTW we had full uncompressed HD720P playing realtime from our disks through Vegas and previewing through the 'Video Preview' out through a DL SD card(downconverting on the run).
We also got it playing out realtime using Vegas' secondary display option going out through DVI - connected straight into a Hi Res Sharp 42" LCD screen - pixel for pixel - was amazing quality.
I get the feeling from the questions on the forum that this software gets used by consumers-prosumers-and-professionals. It really is a very professional editor - justs needs a bit of tidying up around the i/o end.

Comments

Spot|DSE wrote on 6/7/2005, 11:54 PM
Working here, but only can capture SD/SDI, don't have an HDCAM here right now. I'm using the HDLink, not the SD, are your cards SD or HD? Previewing to SDI most of the time here.
quokka wrote on 6/8/2005, 12:55 AM
We only have the SD/SDI cards.

Preview works a breeze. Are you capturing timecode accurate?
Spot|DSE wrote on 6/8/2005, 1:09 AM
Via the Convergent Design, yes.
farss wrote on 6/8/2005, 3:24 AM
But at the moment they'll only give you 4.2.0 or 4.1.1 right?
Bob.
Spot|DSE wrote on 6/8/2005, 6:44 AM
Yeah, I wish we had the uncompressed stuff for Vegas.
ForumAdmin wrote on 6/8/2005, 6:47 AM
guokka- are using Vegas 6.0b?
rmack350 wrote on 6/8/2005, 7:42 AM
So does that really mean "no"? The topic was BMD.

Rob Mack
quokka wrote on 6/8/2005, 5:57 PM
Yes, we are using 6.0b build 115.

We are having a few crashes on different things. Had to reduce the memory usage to below 1Gb to stop a lot of the crashes.

Its a little frustrating that someone from Sony wont actually state if it is or isn't running frame accurately and crash free. I don't know whether to pursue trying to get it working it not - its rather time consuming.

I think when it does run properly it will be sensational, it has all the right tools.
norgeworks wrote on 6/9/2005, 5:32 AM
In another thread a Sony guy told me that Printing to Tape is frame accurate, while digitizing is accurate "most of the time".

I've been anticipating this since v5 and REALLY want to use decklink. I have a feeling it won't be ready for prime time until v7, but that's just my humble opinion...
farss wrote on 6/9/2005, 6:13 AM
Can someone explain to me just what that means, assuming of course it's true.
If digitizing is only accurate "most of the time", just what happens when it isn't accurate, are frames dropped?

quokka wrote on 6/9/2005, 5:48 PM
On our systems we can PTT to accurate positions on the tape i.e. the in point and outpoint on the tape are always accurate.
Its just that what is being put out is offset i.e. frame 1 of the clip being output ends up as frame 1/2/3 or 4 on the inpoint on the tape.
Likewise when we capture it doesn't start capturing at the marked point, but 1/2/3 etc frames later. This normally would be fixed by the delays that can be put into the settings but because each capture comes up with different results you can't work out what these delay settings should be.
The capture/PTT doesn't drop frames (this would be a Hard Disk i/o speed problem), it just doesn't put the clip in/out at the specified time code - a must for edl's/xml's. This is important if you need to do versions or revisions at later times. Instead of having to archive all the grabbed footage (for us this could be 20 - 100 Gb of SD footage - Sony YUV 4.2.2) we normally just save the EDL/XML/capture log and if the project is needed to be opened again at another time we simple put the original DB tape back in and re-grab it.

I am getting the feeling with the lack of responses from other uses and silence from Sony that no one else can get this to work either?
norgeworks wrote on 6/9/2005, 8:38 PM
"I am getting the feeling with the lack of responses from other uses and silence from Sony that no one else can get this to work either?"

I wouldn't jump to that conclusion--but I certainly can't blame you for it. I feel the same way about Decklink support--and AAF for that matter.

I wrote a rather long post here, but decided to nuke it as I just began bitching about AAF. Suffice to say, I know your pain.
Spot|DSE wrote on 6/9/2005, 8:45 PM
Quokka, I'm not ever needing to drop into tape at a set point, so haven't tested this recently. It wasn't working frame accurate ALL the time back in beta, but I've not played with it since. It was sometimes a frame off, but I also wasn't deeply testing for this, I was more looking at Convergent Design I/O issues for broadcast.
When I get some time, I'll dig into this if you still don't have answers.
quokka wrote on 6/10/2005, 12:36 AM
Thanks Spot
farss wrote on 6/10/2005, 1:07 AM
I'm just flying a kite here so bear with me if this a totally nuts idea.
If one starts the capture say 10 frames before and after the required clip wouldn't this solve the problem? The EDL could would still specify the correct in/out points of the clip, all that's happened is you've captured it with handles.
I realise it might doesn't work that way at the moment but it would seem a trivial coding exercise to implement and could be a simple workaround to what might be an intractible problem.
This might also be a solution to a similar problem with HDV batch capture?
In fact from my understanding isn't this how things work internally in a deck? The deck doesn't just go into play from a precise frame and instantly start sending you frames, it positions itself x frames before the in point to give the mechanics time to spin up and the electronics time to get into sync.
Bob.