Brian Conner
Forum Replies Created
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Alex,
It’s not a simple answer. First, my client’s system needed to use firewire for the audio from the deck (and an iMic for audio out of the MacPro). The source of the problem appears to be the Kona Audio.
My MacPro, OTOH, seems to have been corrected by installing the Aja Kona 3.4 software. That solution did not resolve my client’s problem, however.
Rudy at Aja Tech Support has been riding herd on this since Hector handed it off to him, but nothing he’s suggested has resolved the problem for my client. The firewire audio workaround is the only thing that’s kept my client from throwing the system off the top of a high-rise building. That’s how passionate they’ve become about this issue.
Brian Conner
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[gary adcock] “have you ever configured the slot utility?”
Gary,
That is actually listed as #1 in the troubleshooting steps at the very top of the thread.
Expansion Slot Utility is set, and has been set, to the second choice: X16 Graphics slot, two X4 slots (slots 3 & 4), and one X1 slot (slot 2). The Kona card is in slot 3.
I also spelled that out in another reply on this thread.
As you can see from my recent reply to Vince, his suggestion has provided the workaround that resolves both issues. I’m waiting for Hector to call me back, so I can tell me about this development.
Brian
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[gaffney film] “I had the exact same problem with a m15u. I finally switched to capture audio over f/w instead of analog into the LHe and now it’s fine – perfect sync. I spoke to AJA several times but we never figured it out.”
Vince,
It’s pretty darned amazing, but it turns out that you are correct. Not using the Kona card for audio in either direction seems to be the workaround for the moment.
In fact, as soon as I changed the audio output in Audio Video Settings > A/V Devices from Aja Kona to iMic USB Audio System (which is fed into my Mackie audio board), the dropped frames stopped completely.
I’m waiting for Hector to call me back so I can lay this bombshell on him.
Thanks, Vince, and I’m sorry I didn’t take your solution more seriously as first.
Brian Conner
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The firmware on both MacPros shows up in System Profiler as MP11.005C.B04. Is that the firmware you’re referring to? That’s supposed to be the latest.
You ask whether I’ve updated the PCIe Slot Utility. A search on Apple’s download site doesn’t bring up any updates for Expansion Slot Utility.
A few minutes ago, Hector at Aja made two suggestions that I haven’t tried yet:
1) Remove 3rd party RAM
2) Move the Kona LHe to Slot 4
Brian
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Both the client’s MacPro and my demo MacPro are configured the same, and both exhibit this problem.
I created am 8 bit NTSC sequence and dropped a 720 X 486 clip into it. When External Video is set to None, I get no dropped frames or sync problem. But when I set External Video to the Kona card (720 X 486), I get the dropped frames warning.
If I drop NTSC Bars and Tone from the FCP Generated Items menu into a 720 X 486 Timeline, and play it back, it drops frames with External Video set to the Kona card.
This happens even if nothing is connected to any output from the Kona card.
Hector, Aja Tech Support, is going to try to duplicate my configuration and test it there.
Brian Conner
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More troubleshooting:
I installed the original LHe in my MacPro (same specs as the client’s MP), installed the Kona LHe 3.3 software, restarted, and amazingly no dropped frames. At that point, it looked like there was a problem with the client’s MacPro. Not a pleasant discovery, but at least it looked like I was getting some place.
However, I restarted again and captured a clip. Looked fine going in, but when I played it back, the A/V sync problem was back. I dropped it in the Timeline, and I got the dropped frames warning.
So, I’m back at square zero. And frustrated.
Also, I found the Panasonic/Apple DVD with the DVCPRO HD clips that Apple handed out a few NABs ago, back when FCP 4.5 came out. Copied the 1080i clips into the client’s MP and tried to play them in a sequence. Dropped frames warning. That means the client’s clips, that he shot on his Sony Z1U, are not the problem.
Anybody got a Quad 3Ghz MacPro working well with a Kona LHe? Please tell me about it.
At this point, I’m thinking the configuration is the problem, and that Aja has got some serious work to do. But my sample size is exactly two MacPros, so it’s kinda small.
HELP.
Brian Conner
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OK, I have the client’s system now. All of my testing so far has led me to absolutely no solid conclusions.
Yes, when I set External Video to None, the dropped frames problem goes away. That seems to indict the Kona LHe. But, I’ve replaced the LHe card, and the replacement behaves the same way. Plus, the A/V sync problem is still here.
If I create a DV NTSC project, there is no dropped frame problem when playing out to external video. No A/V sync problem either.
Now I’m thinking the problem is the MacPro itself. It doesn’t seem to be able to push out DVCPRO HD video/audio frames properly in either direction.
Brian Conner
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Also, I had her invoke the ‘secret’ Internal Tools’ menu and open Playback Meter.
Playback Meter gives zero indication that any frames are being dropped.
Almost makes me think the dropped frames warning is in error . . . except for the A/V sync problem (unless the two are not related, which seems unlikely.)
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Problem has morphed into dropped frames warning, per client. In Safe RT, she gets dropped frames warning, in Unlimited RT she sometimes gets sync problem, but not always. So, in the troubleshooting steps outlined below, ‘dropped frames’ is in Safe RT, ‘out of sync’ is in Unlimited RT.
More troubleshooting:
1) Disabled External Video – No problem, no dropped frames, sync OK
2) New User Account – Dropped frames, out of sync
3) Move media file to other internal drives – Dropped frames, out of sync
4) Kona System Test, Read/Write Test – 150 MB/sec read & write. No indication of low data rate on any individual frames in the Text window of System Test
5) Kona System Test, Playback file – 150 MB/sec read. No indication of low data rate on any individual frames in the Text window of System Test
Hector, Aja Tech Support and I agree that all the above tends to indict the Kona LHe card.
My plan is to have the client ship me the system so I can replace the LHe and test/repair until it’s resolved.
So, we still can’t conclude anything, but at the moment it looks like the LHe card might be the culprit.
Brian
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I agree 100%, Gary. I have never figured the LHe was the culprit.
Problem is, this client is a total neophyte, knowing zero about video, editing, Apple computers, troubleshooting.
I’ve got my hands full on that side of the thing, never being certain they have done exactly what I’ve told them to do for a given troubleshooting step.