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Optimal Settings?
Hey guys,
Recently the organization that I work for purchased a PowerMac G5 and a Blackmagic DeckLink Extreme to capture video onto in order to distribute it as a high quality presentation to be used on large projector screens.
I’m not familiar with this equipment at all and we’ve been having some quality issues. The picture we get is very small and of poor quality when projected out onto our ten foot screens.
I’m sure there is a way to fix this. I’ve tried messing around with some settings but haven’t been able to narrow anything down. Our setup is kind of strange whereas we have cameras going through a switcher to a DVR, for a “raw” hardcopy, and then to our Mac.
I’m not sure what other information you guys would need to better help me out. I guess I’m just looking for some advice on how to use the settings to their full potential.
Any help or criticism is very welcome.
Thanks in advance,
Josh -
7 Replies
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[scaryinternetguy] “I’m not familiar with this equipment at all and we’ve been having some quality issues. The picture we get is very small and of poor quality when projected out onto our ten foot screens.”
Sounds like you need to check your projector settings.
To my knowledge the decklink products operate perfectly out of the box.
Adjustments for quality would be in FCP. -
Oh, I’m sorry. When I said the picture is small, I mean on our desktop. When I review the file before we project it it is very small and if we view it full screen, on our desktop, it’s of very poor quality.
I’m sorry that I wasn’t very clear.
What do you mean by FCP?
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Final cut pro.
Please be more specific about what it is you are doing now and what the issue is. It sounds a bit vague to be helpful.
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If this gentlemen is unfamiliar with the term “FCP”, I think we are in trouble with being able to help him.
It would be nice to know if he is working in SD or HD, as “10 foot screens” will never look terrific with SD material. If he cannot provide more specifics (what resolution he is working at, what is the original video material, etc.), it will be impossible to assist him. For all I know, he is trying to use the Decklink to output a powerpoint presentation.
Bob ZElin
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I know I’m being vague, and I’m sorry. I just wasn’t sure what info you guys would need. It will be hard to help me. I’m really not that familiar with this equipment at all. I appreciate you guys being so patient.
Our material is that from three cameras, through a software switcher, to the deck link. Our switcher is Video Toaster, which we know is a major problem to start with. We record a live presentation on our Mac using DeckLink and then distribute it. I’m not sure what resolution we are working with. My original thought was that if I could find a setting that would up the resolution then it would look a lot better. I could not, however, find that option within Deck Control.
Again, I appreciate you guys taking the time to help me. I promise I will catch on fast 🙂
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I would love to know how the output of your video toaster looks directly going into your 10′ projection system. Becuase if it does not look good, the Blackmagic is not going to help it. If you have an old composite video Video Toaster, with old composite video cameras feeding it, this is not a sharp image, and you will never get a good looking image with the Balckmagic.
I don’t even know how you are capturing into the Blackmagic card – are you using the composite input (the Y input), analog component – SDI via a A/D converter ? What capture software are you using ?
BobZelin
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I believe that’s it, my friend. We do not have SDI output from VT. I guess that’s the problem. I just asked around about whether or not VT can handle SDI output and it can. So, I’ll be buying one of those soon. I won’t ask how to put it in, though 🙂
Thanks, guys. You’ve been very helpful.
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