poor playback performance -m171

[kiwi]

hi Richard,
you may have already fixed this but,
I've noticed on all my systems that playback performance is hugely reduced when both outputs are in full screen mode.
I am using both apple intermediate and photo JPEG codecs.
I have a TH2G on DVI2 and a local monitor on DVI1. Playing back one movie on a layer, outputting through the THTG, if I have screen 1 in full screen with the HUD up, playback is noticabley reduced. Taking screen 1 out of full screen corrects this.

Regards
Paul

[Gian]

I had this problem before with a Video Card 7300 ( what comes with the the Mac), I solved that exchange the Video Card to a ATI X1900.

[kiwi]

I had this problem before with a Video Card 7300 ( what comes with the the Mac), I solved that exchange the Video Card to a ATI X1900.

Sorry i should have mentioned, using a Radeon 1900XT Graphics card

[Mr_P]

What Drives are you using? - try SSD if possible
Are you dropping frames? How many movies are you playing back at a time?
Re-code the photoJPEGs to AI should help.
Check the image quality - in most cases 50% will do not 100%
What is your final output? Projector?
What resolution are you running with TH2G - If going to a scan converter, can you reduce the output resolution in to the scan converter?

m171 is a custom version I think - so Richard may be able to suggest more...

Simon

[SourceChild]

It's not the Catalyst software. I'm pretty sure if you're using a different build you will still see the same thing however Simon is right that Richard will have to make that final determination.

The problem you are experiencing is that the video card cannot properly process two TH2G at the same time. There are only three configurations I have had so far that allow for two TH2G to run at the same time without problems for any resolution higher than 2400x600.

1. Gen 2 Intel Mac Pro with nVidia Quatro FX 5600 card
2. Gen 2 Intel Mac Pro with Geforce 8800 GT card
3. Gen 1 Intel Mac Pro with nVidia Quatro FX 4500 card

The x1900 is a solid card. It typically works better on the Gen 1 machines but it won't run 2 TH2G at a resolution higher than 2400x600 on each. Even doing that, it's sluggish.

If you intend to run two TH2G on your machine with the x1900, I suggest you do it running at the lower setting of 1920x480 (3 by 640x480) for each TH2G. If however you want to keep at a higher resolution like 3072x768 (first make sure your content is 25FPS since 3072x768 only works at 75Hz) or at 3840x1024 (which runs 60Hz), I suggest you just run one TH2G at the time or else put one of the Quatro FX cards in your Mac.


Incidentally, I am running m180 which is also a custom version. I don't know what the difference is between your version and mine but I have run m180 in the following environments.

• Gen 2 Intel Mac Pro with nVidia Quatro FX 5600 card
Running 2 TH2G at 3840x1024 (6 screens 1280x1024)
• Gen 2 Intel Mac Pro with nVidia Geforce 8800 GT card
Running 2 TH2G at 3072x768 (6 screens 1024x768)
• Gen 1 Intel Mac Pro with nVidia Quatro FX 4500 card
Running 2 TH2G at 3840x1024 (6 screens 1280x1024)
• Gen 1 Intel Mac Pro with nVidia Quatro FX 4500 card
Running 2 TH2G at 3072x768 (6 screens1024x768)

In each machine, I also ran two 64Gb Mtron SSD disks striped together. If you have any questions, I can review the results of my research and give you feedback.

[kiwi]

What Drives are you using? - try SSD if possible
Are you dropping frames? How many movies are you playing back at a time?
Re-code the photoJPEGs to AI should help.
Check the image quality - in most cases 50% will do not 100%
What is your final output? Projector?
What resolution are you running with TH2G - If going to a scan converter, can you reduce the output resolution in to the scan converter?

m171 is a custom version I think - so Richard may be able to suggest more...

Simon

combination of Mtron SSD and Fujitsu 15K SCSI
The same thing happens for both AI and photo jpeg 50%
final output projector, but makes no difference if I view on a projector a TFT
I'm running each THTG output at 1024x768
it is VGA to direct to the projector

Paul

[kiwi]

It's not the Catalyst software. I'm pretty sure if you're using a different build you will still see the same thing however Simon is right that Richard will have to make that final determination.

The problem you are experiencing is that the video card cannot properly process two TH2G at the same time. There are only three configurations I have had so far that allow for two TH2G to run at the same time without problems for any resolution higher than 2400x600.

1. Gen 2 Intel Mac Pro with nVidia Quatro FX 5600 card
2. Gen 2 Intel Mac Pro with Geforce 8800 GT card
3. Gen 1 Intel Mac Pro with nVidia Quatro FX 4500 card

The x1900 is a solid card. It typically works better on the Gen 1 machines but it won't run 2 TH2G at a resolution higher than 2400x600 on each. Even doing that, it's sluggish.

If you intend to run two TH2G on your machine with the x1900, I suggest you do it running at the lower setting of 1920x480 (3 by 640x480) for each TH2G. If however you want to keep at a higher resolution like 3072x768 (first make sure your content is 25FPS since 3072x768 only works at 75Hz) or at 3840x1024 (which runs 60Hz), I suggest you just run one TH2G at the time or else put one of the Quatro FX cards in your Mac.


Incidentally, I am running m180 which is also a custom version. I don't know what the difference is between your version and mine but I have run m180 in the following environments.

• Gen 2 Intel Mac Pro with nVidia Quatro FX 5600 card
Running 2 TH2G at 3840x1024 (6 screens 1280x1024)
• Gen 2 Intel Mac Pro with nVidia Geforce 8800 GT card
Running 2 TH2G at 3072x768 (6 screens 1024x768)
• Gen 1 Intel Mac Pro with nVidia Quatro FX 4500 card
Running 2 TH2G at 3840x1024 (6 screens 1280x1024)
• Gen 1 Intel Mac Pro with nVidia Quatro FX 4500 card
Running 2 TH2G at 3072x768 (6 screens1024x768)

In each machine, I also ran two 64Gb Mtron SSD disks striped together. If you have any questions, I can review the results of my research and give you feedback.

Todd,
Where did you get the idea that I'm running two THTG? I'm simply running one THTG at 3072x768, nice simple and proven.
I'm pretty sure this is a bug I'm experiencing as I get the same result across different machines of different configurations (Mac Pro, older G5, and mac book pro)
m180 may well have fixed this along with a few other bugs

Paul

[Mr_P]

Paul

Ive certainly had your configuration up an running with no apparent problems on a gen1 intel MacPro with X1900XT and TH2G at 3072x768 @75Hz on OS10.4.11 with QT7.3.1 - running m165 (and m167)

I dont know what customisations you may have in m171 - However, a quick test would be to use the current release version m165 to see if you are still getting the same issues...

There were also some murmurings about quicktime versions recently - Im still running QT7.3.1 - Apple did something in QT7.4, not sure if its fixed in recent QT version - check with Richard.

S

[SourceChild]

Where did you get the idea that I'm running two THTG?

Well, at the time I was reading your post, a few girls showed up to take me to the lake. What can I say... I was distracted.

I'm pretty sure this is a bug I'm experiencing as I get the same result across different machines.

I think you're right because m180 and m165 are working fine with my TH2Gs on Gen2 MP and MBP.

[samsc]

hi Richard,
you may have already fixed this but,
I've noticed on all my systems that playback performance is hugely reduced when both outputs are in full screen mode.
I am using both apple intermediate and photo JPEG codecs.
I have a TH2G on DVI2 and a local monitor on DVI1. Playing back one movie on a layer, outputting through the THTG, if I have screen 1 in full screen with the HUD up, playback is noticabley reduced. Taking screen 1 out of full screen corrects this.

Regards
Paul

this is not my software- its not related to movies playback
its the graphics drivers not liking some combination of screen refresh rates/sizes -when you use both outputs - its not so nice and simple...

you say you are running a dvi monitor and a thtg - you might be running one output with dvi and the other with vga - sometimes it really doesnt like this either.
they have different refresh rates.
running different monitors with different screen sizes and refresh rates can cause the graphics drivers to lock out while they try to figure out which screen they should be updating next....

you need to double check your overall screen size and refresh rates.
for example thtg does not work at 75hz in some modes.
and conflicts with other screen at 75Hz.

you have to find a combination that DOES work - not one that DOESNT - it if doesnt work there isnt anything i can do about it- its not my software - its the OS.

In the stats HUD - you need to check the exact refresh rates.

Please post your HUD stats - showing what i show here-