HDV, Kona LHe, & A/V Sync

[Brian Conner]

Both the client’s MacPro and my demo MacPro are configured the same, and both exhibit this problem.

I created am 8 bit NTSC sequence and dropped a 720 X 486 clip into it. When External Video is set to None, I get no dropped frames or sync problem. But when I set External Video to the Kona card (720 X 486), I get the dropped frames warning.

If I drop NTSC Bars and Tone from the FCP Generated Items menu into a 720 X 486 Timeline, and play it back, it drops frames with External Video set to the Kona card.

This happens even if nothing is connected to any output from the Kona card.

Hector, Aja Tech Support, is going to try to duplicate my configuration and test it there.

Brian Conner

[Gary Adcock]

Brian

Has the Firmware been updated on the computer?

Have you updated the PCIE slot utility?

gary adcock
Studio37
HD & Film Consultation
Post and Production Workflows

[Brian Conner]

The firmware on both MacPros shows up in System Profiler as MP11.005C.B04. Is that the firmware you’re referring to? That’s supposed to be the latest.

You ask whether I’ve updated the PCIe Slot Utility. A search on Apple’s download site doesn’t bring up any updates for Expansion Slot Utility.

A few minutes ago, Hector at Aja made two suggestions that I haven’t tried yet:

1) Remove 3rd party RAM

2) Move the Kona LHe to Slot 4

Brian

[Brian Conner]

[gaffney film] “I had the exact same problem with a m15u. I finally switched to capture audio over f/w instead of analog into the LHe and now it’s fine – perfect sync. I spoke to AJA several times but we never figured it out.”

Vince,

It’s pretty darned amazing, but it turns out that you are correct. Not using the Kona card for audio in either direction seems to be the workaround for the moment.

In fact, as soon as I changed the audio output in Audio Video Settings > A/V Devices from Aja Kona to iMic USB Audio System (which is fed into my Mackie audio board), the dropped frames stopped completely.

I’m waiting for Hector to call me back so I can lay this bombshell on him.

Thanks, Vince, and I’m sorry I didn’t take your solution more seriously as first.

Brian Conner

[Gary Adcock]

Brian

have you ever configured the slot utility?

it upgrades with the OS it does not have a separate upgrade.

and I said was it updated- if it has never been configured it is most likely your issue.

gary adcock
Studio37
HD & Film Consultation
Post and Production Workflows

[Brian Conner]

[gary adcock] “have you ever configured the slot utility?”

Gary,

That is actually listed as #1 in the troubleshooting steps at the very top of the thread.

Expansion Slot Utility is set, and has been set, to the second choice: X16 Graphics slot, two X4 slots (slots 3 & 4), and one X1 slot (slot 2). The Kona card is in slot 3.

I also spelled that out in another reply on this thread.

As you can see from my recent reply to Vince, his suggestion has provided the workaround that resolves both issues. I’m waiting for Hector to call me back, so I can tell me about this development.

Brian

[Vince Gaffney]

Happy it’s working for you. I spent a few days with AJA support as well and we never resolved the issue. In my case I believe that the digi 002r was the problem. But since that’s where I want my audio to end up, the f/w solution is fine for me. i will be watching this to see if there is a real solution though.

vince

[Loops]

Hi Brian,
I would like to know if you finally solved this problem because i’m geting the same thing here.

[Brian Conner]

Alex,

It’s not a simple answer. First, my client’s system needed to use firewire for the audio from the deck (and an iMic for audio out of the MacPro). The source of the problem appears to be the Kona Audio.

My MacPro, OTOH, seems to have been corrected by installing the Aja Kona 3.4 software. That solution did not resolve my client’s problem, however.

Rudy at Aja Tech Support has been riding herd on this since Hector handed it off to him, but nothing he’s suggested has resolved the problem for my client. The firewire audio workaround is the only thing that’s kept my client from throwing the system off the top of a high-rise building. That’s how passionate they’ve become about this issue.

Brian Conner