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Video and Audio Output Debacle
This may be long-winded, so bare with me.
I was running some workflow tests using Alexa footage in Premiere. Everything seemed to work out find except my monitor playback. I’m running a Mac Pro, with CS5.5 and a Blackmagic Decklink Studio 2 card outputting to a Panasonic plasma. Could not get a sequence to work in 1080p. I tried AVCHD, DVCPROHD, 10-bit YUV, 10-bit RGB, everything, all under the Blackmagic presets. But, it always worked when set up under a 720p preset, without fail. Per the suggestion of someone in the Adobe forums, I took a clip and dragged it to the “new” sequence button. Still no luck, it didn’t even route to the BM card. But I took the sequence settings it auto-created and used them in a custom sequence with BM presets. 25fps, 1440×1080, BM Extra. Done, 1080p playback. Okay! Out of the woods?
Few days later I have a project with 5D footage, H.264s and ProRes. Same problem. 720p playback but nothing in 1080p. Okay, that’s not too bad, 720p is the output format anyway. But now there is a new problem. My BM card creates terrible pops and fuzz whenever it’s routed any other way except analog, which means that to control volume I must get up, walk over to my monitors and manually turn them up or down depending on the shots. I have no headphone output either. My mixer is more or less useless (though this is more BM’s driver’s fault than Premiere’s). Doesn’t sound too bad but it’s something I anticipate could get obscenely annoying as time passes. In Final Cut Pro, I go to View and there are separate options for Video and Audio playback. Is there an equivalent to that in Premiere?
The two questions of this post:
1. How can I get 1080p playback through my Decklink card without the added hassle of testing preset after preset and settling with 720p?
2. How can I route the audio through something other than the BM card (“Build-In Line Out” is what I’d select in FCP instead of “Blackmagic Audio”)?That was a bit long. Thanks for any and all help and if you need more details let me know. This is just another chapter in my long battle with getting acquainted with Premiere.
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10 Replies
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This sounds like Blackmagic issues more than anything. Have you talked to their tech support?
Kevin Monahan
Sr. Content and Community Lead
Adobe After Effects
Adobe Premiere Pro
Adobe Systems, Inc.
Follow Me on Twitter! -
Brittany,
I think your problem may have to do more with the plasma/connection than BM. All the problems I’ve had were usually traced to HDMI, our SDI monitor always work. You could try getting an HDMI to DVI adapter and do some testing.
On the audio issue, keep in mind that you are connecting from a pro audio card, and the levels cannot be handled by consumer speakers or mixers. My advice on this is to go to your nearest audio store or online and order a couple of audio pads or a DI box.Here is one that will work. You could probably route the audio through system settings, but you will then get a lag due to the video being processed separately.
Hope that helps.
Cheers,
Vince Becquiot
Kaptis Studios
San Francisco – Bay Area -
On my previous post, I mentioned a DI box, I should probably find out what equipment you are using before I recommend a 1/4″ out box.
Vince
Vince Becquiot
Kaptis Studios
San Francisco – Bay Area -
Myself and their tech support are on a first name basis at this point. They have sent an RMA just in case and told me it would take their engineers 6 to 8 weeks to work out a new driver. I know this sounds more like a BM issue, but I was able to work around it in FCP and hope I can do the same with Premiere.
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Would it still be a connection issue if I can get the same video to play back in 1080p in both Final Cut Pro and After Effects?
Here’s an image of the set up that I currently have running. Like many others I’m trying to switch to another NLE since FCPX, hence it being an FCP Setup.
The mixer is a Mackie ProFX 12-channel and the monitors are M-Audio BX5a’s.
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[Brittany DeLillo] “Would it still be a connection issue if I can get the same video to play back in 1080p in both Final Cut Pro and After Effects?”
It certainly could be related to Premiere, but the issue on our end has always been with the HDMI connection. It has issues with 1080/30P and 1080/24P
Are you sure that FCP was not sending out 60i at all times? Plasmas are very picky about what you are sending to them through HDMI.
On the Mackie mixer, unfortunately, it doesn’t not have a pad. If you are taking the signal in the 1/4″ channels (9/10?), you are not seeing the red peaking light, since there isn’t one, but it’s definitely peaking.
Vince Becquiot
Kaptis Studios
San Francisco – Bay Area -
I checked my settings in FCP. Video output is set to 1080p, 23.976 to 59.94. But, that made me wonder if changing from Progressive to Interlaced would make a difference in Premiere. And it does. AVCHD, Interlaced, 59.94i sends Alexa and 5D footage to the monitor in 1920×1080 sequence. Why would it differ from one NLE to another?
As for the mixer, are you saying that it would experience peaking when outputting through the BM card?
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[Brittany DeLillo] “I checked my settings in FCP. Video output is set to 1080p, 23.976 to 59.94. But, that made me wonder if changing from Progressive to Interlaced would make a difference in Premiere. And it does. AVCHD, Interlaced, 59.94i sends Alexa and 5D footage to the monitor in 1920×1080 sequence. Why would it differ from one NLE to another?”
I honestly don’t know how FCP processes the output, but it is very differently than Premiere in that is integrated while Premiere requires presets instead.
[Brittany DeLillo] “As for the mixer, are you saying that it would experience peaking when outputting through the BM card?”
Yes, the input is peaking, as the mixer can’t handle the high gain input. if you want to test that theory, you can get a 1/2″ to XLR adapter and plug it into the Mic input. You will get a bit more control since you’ll have access to the trim knob, but you will see that peaking red light on most of the time.
Cheers,
Vince
Vince Becquiot
Kaptis Studios
San Francisco – Bay Area -
Hi Brittany,
I have a very similar setup to you and am able to work pretty well. I use Arri Alexa footage quite often and also am working @ 23.976. Lets start from the beginning:
1) Arri Alexa Pro Res files should be 1920 x 1080. I havent seen any in the dimensions you outlined.
2) Choose a BM sequence preset of Uncompressed 10bit @ 23.976 1920 x 1080I suspect your Panasonic monitor is not capable of displaying true 23.976 and it will not sync to it. My Panasonic Plasma is a VT-25 and it is capable of displaying a 23.976 signal. Thats the first thing to confirm.
The next option would be to use a BM Uncompressed 1920 x 1080i at 59.94. That is a broadcast standard that your TV should be able to display.
Your audio issues also seem to be suspect. That mixer should easily give you the flexibility to connect to your studio monitors and control the room volume and give you headphones.
Ray
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I will definitely try out your suggestions. Thanks for all your help. I should have paid more attention to these finer points when working with my media. Still learning as I go along.
As for the audio issues, it SHOULD work fine but it’s a problem that has been painstakingly troubleshooted with two sets of monitors, two sets of cables, two BM cards and a lot of tests. It’s either analog or built-in audio out, bypassing the BM card. I had the assistance of someone who has set up this kind of suite many, many times and he’s never encountered the issue before. We had email chains with BM Tech Support a mile long. All parties involved are a bit baffled by the problem.
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