[Jeff Markgraf]

What format are you playing? What drives are you playing from?

FCP, like most NLEs, buffers a bit of the video before playing. It takes longer to buffer a bit of HD or uncompressed SD video than DV, for example. Playing HD or uncompressed SD off anything less than a SATA or eSATA drive is going to be problematic & sluggish, at best. Playing back an h.264 file or some other highly-compressed file format will likely introduce a slight delay as the CPU does the calculations to un-compress the file.

Also, is your system set to NOT put the drives to sleep? If not, and there is enough time for the media drive to go to sleep, there will be a delay of several seconds before playback as the drive comes back up to speed (you’ll probably see the spinning beach ball as well).

[Jeff Markgraf]

If I recall correctly, D2 decks could be fitted with serial digital I/O. Special order. Not sure that it was “SDI” as we know it today.

Tom, I actually worked in a bay like you describe: Abekas switcher with 2 integrated DDRs, 2 channels of A53-D DVE…even an A72 CG. And the D/ESAM digital audio board. Boy, what a room! Everything run by the Accom Axial 20/20, complete with the source video right in the EDL display.

Never has it as good before or since. I felt as if I could do anything in that bay. Avid — who needs a stinkin’ Avid?!

Wait – am I that old?

[Jeff Markgraf]

Finally, an apparent solution:

The system had been set up with the picture monitor setting as “extended desktop.” Changing it to “last frame played” effectively brought the picture monitor into synch with the audio. (Actually, just a 1 frame offset.) I’m told this tells the computer that the video is being handled by the hardware, rather than involving the computer to process the video.

This setting is on the first page of the Decklink preferences pane. The pix monitor and the computer monitor are still offset, but that is apparently normal for this kind of system.

So there ya’ go.

[Jeff Markgraf]

Well, here are some interesting results.

Changing the frame offset from 4 (default) to 6 brings the external video perfectly in synch with the canvas (record) window on the computer monitor. Changing the offset to 8 appears to bring the audio into synch with the external monitor.

Now, of course, the synch when watching the footage through the viewer or canvas windows is quite off with these settings.

So the current choices seem to be:
6 frame offset = video playback that matches, with audio out of synch with external video monitor;
8 frame offset = video playback that is offset, with audio in synch with external video monitor;
4 frame offset = video playback is offset, plus audio is noticeably out of synch with external monitor.

I would guess that the 6 frame offset ought to work, except for the (presumed) inherent delay in the LCD display on the broadcast monitor.

This seems to argue for 1 setting for editing without external viewing (or with the broadcast monitor clearly out of synch), with a different setting for watching the broadcast monitor with audio in synch.

Yikes. Not really the way I’d like to work.

[Jeff Markgraf]

Thanks for the input, Ray.

>>Some people have changed the ‘frame offset’ in system setting from 4 to 6 with seemingly better results.

Perhaps this is what I’m looking for. Is it intended to be used as a delay or advance for just this issue?

In the broadcast world, there would definitely be an audio delay patched into any feed (live remote, etc.) that had to go through a frame synch and/or DVE, so as to compensate for the 1 or 2 frame delay introduced. (Look on with horror at those multi-hop satellite remotes with 4 and 5 frame delays.)

I’d hate to have to use an outboard delay box just to get my audio in synch!

Hoping someone from Black Magic will weigh in here…

[Jeff Markgraf]

Audio monitoring is through the BM card’s monitor out. SDI to and from the deck, and to the monitor. The monitor doesn’t de-embed the SDI audio, so I couldn’t listen to audio via the monitor. Are you suggesting that the SDI output is delayed relative to the card’s analog monitor audio output? That shouldn’t be…

[Jeff Markgraf]

I guess this is a good time to clarify system specs.

MacPro Quad 2.66 6 gigs RAM
3 internal 1TB drives, striped RAID 0 (Apple RAID card)
BlackMagic DeckLink HD Extreme
Sony LMD-whatever 24″ HD LCD monitor

Used for a mix of SD & HD promo work. Graphics mostly from the graphics department, so I don’t need a hot rod setup. CPU under desk, monitor close by. Pix monitor (via SDI) is farther away, but not really an issue. I’m not likely to be using Color.

So given all this, it seems a single card should be sufficient. What do you guys think?

[Jeff Markgraf]

Not sure if they’ll go for non-Apple, since we get it through a corporate discount (TelePictures = Warner Bros, which has a setup with Apple). If they’ll do Dell, which models do you recommend?

As I said, my preference is still a single 30″ monitor – frankly, I’ve rarely used 2 monitors since I switched from Avid. Is there a comparable Dell in that size?

Regarding graphics card, when you say better, I assume you mean the ATI Radeon card?

[Jeff Markgraf]

True. I’ve had occasion to refer the client to a “here’s what it looks like at my mom’s house” monitor for a reality check. I’ve already suggested that this monitor could be used for this purpose. The bean counters are not likely to be agreeable.

Not to hijack my own thread, but can anyone (esp. Walter, et al) run down the practical differences between the Grade 1 and Grade 2 LCD panels on those Flanders monitors? Obviously the Grade 1 is better, but is it $1500 better? The grade 2 24″ is about the same price as the Sony, and money is unfortunately a constant issue here.

Thanks again for everyone’s input.

[Jeff Markgraf]

Thanks for the info. Please keep me/us posted on your side by side look.