Stutter shows black line next to blue position indicator

[Leisa Bolles]

Does the problem still exist if you pull the position bar back a shot or two and then hit play? The system functions best and gives you more streams of realtime playback when you give it a few seconds to load the info into the buffer by starting playback ahead of the effect composite. Also, what type of drives are you using? Are you getting yellow, blue or red lines at the bottom of the timeline? Is this only happening when you have an effect?

[Mark Adamcik]

Thanks for the response. If I apply an effect and backup the position indicator, say 5 seconds, the playback stutters within a second or two and plays the effect fine! This happens only after I add an effect. No colored lines appear at the bottom of the timeline. The 4 drives are: Avid Ultra 320/LVD (computer: hp xw8200 with 3G RAM). It seems to be some sort of a buffer problem; but the same problem on 3 systems?
Could it be a networking issue? This is the one factor all systems share besides all using Media Composer software?

[Leisa Bolles]

Your 320 LVD’s are plenty fast enough. You ask is it a networking issue. How are the systems networked? Are they sharing additional storage outside the four local LVD’s? Or are they just on a local network to move graphics around? Are they all PC’s? Have they all been calibrated according to the Read Me file as far as settings for Power, NVidia card, ect?

I ask these questions because I am running MC on various PC’s and Mac systems with different types of media drives on each system and not experiencing this type of problem. I suspect a settings issue.

[Mark Adamcik]

Thanks for the followup. The network is used for moving media. All computers are PCs. All setups/settings were done by Avid reseller, so I assume they are “by the book”. I will read the “Read Me” file and check settings AND ask the reseller for some help. Thanks for the troubleshooting help.