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Video freezing up
I’m having a strange problem on Xpress 5.0
Here is my system setup:
HP xw8000 twin 2.3 Xeon Processors
3GB RAM
3 x 400 GB 7200rpm external USB 2.0 drives (freecom)
Nvidia Quadro4 380XL video cardI have been using this setup for almost two years now and never had any problems playing back video. I recently purchased a new monitor with higher resolution (1650 x 1280) than it’s predecessor (1280 x 1024). The external drives are starting to fill up too. One of them on has 21GB of space left (on a 400GB drive).
Sometimes when I start the Avid and try to play a timeline, the video freezes on the first frame. The clip carries on playing (you can hear the sound) and if you stop it, the new frame shows in the record monitor. One way of fixing this is to quit the app then restart (works sometimes). Another way is to play the timeline on low/draft quality (by clicking the yellow/green button in the bottom left of the timeline until it is completely yellow) and then clicking again to set it to the next quality level up (half yellow/half green). Again, this works sometimes. Generally after a bit of fiddling it stops playing up and starts running smoothly.
Does anybody have any idea what might be causing this? I’m pretty sure it’s not the ‘core’ machine spec (twin processor, 3GB RAM, SCSI drive for OS) so I’m guessing it must be either the video card (which is having trouble dealing with the new higher resolution) or the fact there are three fairly full external drives plugged into the machine which is causing it to choke a bit. Of course, it could be something unrelated to either of these two things.
Anybody have any ideas or experience of this happened on their machines?
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1 Reply
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As I recall from when I set up my home XpressProHD system awhile back, Avid has to run at 1280×1024 resolution on the computer monitors. (Mine is set to 1280×1024/75Hz.) Set your system back to this resolution to see if the problem goes away. If not, then there is another problem. I don’t think the specific brand/model of computer monitors would be an issue, as most displays run at the specs Avid needs. There should be some specifics on setting up the computer monitors either with the documentation that came with your Avid software or on Avid’s website.
Avid needs the displays to be set up correctly because the motion video in your source/record “monitors” are created as overlays sitting on top of the computer graphic interface.
Bill Stephan
Senior Editor/DVD Author
USA Studios
New York City
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