[Bob Hassinger]

[topher944] “Name: topher944
Date: Feb 19, 2007 at 12:43:13 am
Subject: Re: Audio export to file problem at about 20 minutes

Could it be ram related – or a limitation of file size on the target drive (nothing larger than 2gig) etc? Just some random thoughts! Kind Regards, Chris K”

It could be of course. But I have tried to look at those factors as well as we can with no luck so far. I would think if those were likely candidates that people here would be familiar with the problem.

The G4 was specifically purchased as a system for running M100 and although I do not recall how much memory it has (maybe Danielle can remind us) I have the sense that it is reasonably well equipped (in fact the G3 actually came directly to us from Media 100 so it should have been a reasonable system too).

On the file size question, I know some issues like that come up for PC/Window systems of certain vintages, but I am not clear if there are any limitations like that on the Mac, particularly under OS X. Can anyone expound on what limits do exist? I think we are using pretty ordinary parameters for inputting and outputting so it would seem likely lots of people outputting similar length programs would get similar sized files and so run into similar problems if it was OS limitiations on file sizes.

[Bob Hassinger]

By the way – really off the wall – I have been thinking about the consistent timing and trying to think of something that relates to a time frame like 20 minutes.

I wonder if somehow there is a conflict somewhere between drop frame and non-drop frame that eventually adds up to a point where it triggers this symptom. I can’t imagine what it would be, but I don’t know the software that well …

[Bob Hassinger]

[Floh] “Name: Floh
Date: Feb 13, 2007 at 5:29:22 pm
Subject: Re: Audio export to file problem at about 20 minutes

Two additional questions: What sample rate do you use? We use 48kHz all the time and never have seen this problem. Do you use 44.1kHz? And do you re-use media files over and over again, e.g. could it be that there is a damaged audio media file that you carry from project to project?
What happens if you e.g. try to export the finished timeline in e.g. 15 minute audio parts (using the “Range” setting in the export window after setting mark in and out on your timeline)? Will it crash/stop always on the same position?
One other thing you could try is to download the Media 100 producer trial version from the Borisfx website and install it on your G4. Then open a copy of your project (and yes, you definitely want to make a copy of your project, bin and timeline files!!!) in Producer and try exporting from there, just to figure out if this maybe was something that got fixed in the lastest Media 100 code. As I said, we never saw that under V8.2.x or earlier, but maybe it is related to something else that has been fixed in the meantime.”

I will need to pass those questions on to the folks at the studio for full answers.

As to reusing files, I don’t think so. Maybe some reuse, sometimes, here and there, but I don’t think there could be anything that would have been consistent over the long time we have been seeing this.

Bob

[Bob Hassinger]

[David C.] “Name: David C.
Date: Feb 13, 2007 at 4:45:30 pm
Subject: Re: Audio export to file problem at about 20 minutes

Bob,

Are you using 8.2.3? Which Mac (G4 p-speed), QT version, RAM and Media 100 version are you using if not 8.2.3? What’s the audio’s origination, CD, Capture from tape, DV capture?

Dave”

Dave,

In the most up to date case – the G4 – we are running 8.2.3a now. But we have seen the same symptoms on all the prior versions too. The G3 is still on OS/9 and V7.(current)

I don’t have the details right at hand – the Mac is the last one that could boot OS/9 as I recall (silver doors?). I think it was towards the top end of speed in that line.

The capture has traditionaly been mainly from tape (S-VHS mostly). Recently we have been using DV too. Apparently the same problems in all cases.

I have to wonder if there is something systemic – something about the way it is being used or some unrecognized assumption about the right way to do things since it has been so consistent for so long, but I know they have tried everything they can think of…

Bob