At my wits end: Need Video Satellite LE help!

[Maskeeper]

I have purchased 3 mac minis w/ SSD drives, 2.3 GHZ i7 (server model) running PT10 with Black magic Ultrastudio Express Thunderbolt video interfaces supplying HD Video from Pro Tools to video monitors-- these are intended to be satellite systems running Video Satellite LE (hd picture in QT: Prores format in timeline)- slaves to my main HD rigs and away we go.

Those 3 systems run rock solid, zero issues. Have them chasing PTHD10 systems all day, 7 days a week, exact same video format (prores 422 1080), no issues.


I bought a 4th system for a second location, otherwise very similar system (the other ones that work are running PT 10.3.2- this one is a bit newer so has OSX 10.8.5 as a result I can only run 10.3.7, 10.3.8 or 10.3.9 and I've tried all 3), however this one fails to lock in and chase 1/5th of the time.


I can see the PT10 system with the video receive the play command (the transport blinks to PLAY button, but it blinks back and forth to stop then play then stop and then never starts running. I have to stop the HD rig, wait a second and then try again to get it to actually play.

I'm matched the playback engine settings from my other systems that work. I've tried it both with the primary system having a sync i/o and without, no difference. I've tried updating blackmagic firmware, no change.

Has anyone seen this behavior before? Is there anything I can do to try to make the second system more reliable?

I have a client review in about 36 hours and I'm basically screwed unless I can sort this out.

[Nathan W.]

Try using the protools helper application and strip all databases and preferences. Reboot. Second thing I'd try is reinstall the Blackmagic drivers, if you update ProTools you gotta reinstall the drivers. Also, I'd try replacing the ethernet cable, could be damaged. Also, I've had bad hard drives before cause video streaming problems, try a different drive for your video see if that makes a difference. A faulty drive sometimes starts to experience performance problems before it dies. Finally, you might want to try disk utility and repair permissions, that could help.

[Brandonx1]

Originally Posted by Nathan W.

Try using the protools helper application and strip all databases and preferences. Reboot. Second thing I'd try is reinstall the Blackmagic drivers, if you update ProTools you gotta reinstall the drivers. Also, I'd try replacing the ethernet cable, could be damaged. Also, I've had bad hard drives before cause video streaming problems, try a different drive for your video see if that makes a difference. A faulty drive sometimes starts to experience performance problems before it dies. Finally, you might want to try disk utility and repair permissions, that could help.

What monitor are you using? Don't those minis have 2 video cards in them? One video card works well with tools and another does not and if you are not using a video monitor at all and are just using remote desk top, don't the minis default to the bad video card?


I used to work at a facility that connected a dvi to VGA to the mini with no monitor attached to it. They said it was because they needed to get the mac to use the video card that works with pro tools. I might be way off.

[minister]

Hmmm....

I would try uninstalling then reinstalling Pro Tools. (And maybe the OS).

[Maskeeper]

Thanks for the thoughts guys!

- Had done database trashing/restarts several times, and on every reinstall of pt for different versions (I have tried everything from 10.3.2 through 10.3.9, some installed more than once)-- every time I did a full CLEAN uninstall as well. Never made a diff, performance has been the same.

- Downloaded newest blackmagic software and let it update firmware on box. Did nothing. Current firmware matches the boxes at my other location that work fine.

- I'm using blackmagic thunderbolt video interface for video ( https://www.blackmagicdesign.com/pro...diothunderbolt ), not using either of the internal video outputs for HD signal to the display. And again have 3 other rigs wired identically that work without issue.


So most recent development:
- I gave up, took the machine to the home office and used CARBON COPY to clone one of the "working" satellite machines onto this hardware. So all versions of everything would be identical to my working stations.

- I sat down, linked the cloned machine to one of my HD rigs and it behaved exactly the same as it did before, probably 1/5 times it would not chase. If I clicked and played too quickly it would hang every time.

- So I tried a different video file, one that was working PERFECTLY in one of the 3 primary rigs. Again this new rig, that is simply a clone of the other working one, it would hang just as it always had.

- So I tried swapping blackmagic interfaces, using one of the ones from the other rigs that worked fine. NOW WE'RE INTO SOMETHING. Suddenly when using the Cloned rig, with the borrowed BlackMagic interface behaves as expected: 100% chase. Couldn't trip it up no matter how fast I pressed play.


So problem solved right? Must be a bum blackmagic interface; I can sort that out with Black Magic later... clock is ticking for my review with clients. So, I took the working interface and the cloned mac back over here to my new facility and it's back to misbehaving. I retraced my troubleshooting and realized when I was testing, I swapped the hardware AND the thunderbolt cable for the test-- but when I actually packed up the gear I took the ''working' interface and the original thunderbolt cable...

So I'm heading to the apple store to get another thunderbolt cable in hope that THAT is the actual issue... Next time on Serial.

[Maskeeper]

And new cable, nope...

Guess tomorrow morning I wire up a sandbox network and just have these two machines on a switch and see if it makes a difference.

My kingdom for a tool to actually debug these issues, like a report from the LE system on why the transport failed to play. A logfile for failures. Running out of time and patience for the inevitable tail chasing that comes with Avid products.

[TVPostSound]

What happens if you use the HDMI direct to the monitor?