Workshops on disk arrays and video input

[samsc]

In April. Aiming for April 20th.

We are going to do a 1 day workshop in the following areas:

1. Setting up a hard disc system.
Will include hands on scsi and sata raid array setups. use of the Wiebetech G5 Jam, setting up external disc arrays.
Fitting internal scsi drives.
Fitting internal Raptor drives.
Will include benchmarking of different systems.

2. Video input
Use of firewire video input
Miglia card.
Decklink card sdi and non-sdi versions.
Control of rs422 decks.
Midi time code support

3. Rendering content with different codecs.
DV codecs, photjpeg. MJpeg, pixlet, mpeg. etc. different techniques - use of Compressor - cleaner, quicktime player, final cut - to render movies in different formats.
What the advantages and disadvantages are of each different codec.
Performance and visual testing.

Please send me email indicating interest.
Workshops will be held in london, probably in conjunction with Projected image digital.

I will be doing the workshop ( Richard Bleasdale )

Send email to:
Rob@projectedimagedigital.com

put 'Catalyst Workshop' in the subject title

[samsc]

In April.

Im going to try and do 2 or 3 1/2 day workshops in the following areas:

1. Setting up a hard disc system.
Will include hands on scsi and sata raid array setups. use of the Wiebetech G5 Jam, setting up external disc arrays.
Fitting internal scsi drives.
Fitting internal Raptor drives.
Will include benchmarking of different systems.

2. Video input
Use of firewire video input
Miglia card.
Decklink card sdi and non-sdi versions.
Control of rs422 decks.
Midi time code support

3. Rendering content with different codecs.
DV codecs, photjpeg. MJpeg, pixlet, mpeg. etc. different techniques - use of Compressor - cleaner, quicktime player, final cut - to render movies in different formats.
What the advantages and disadvantages are of each different codec.
Performance and visual testing.

Please send me email indicating interest.
Workshops will be held in london, probably in conjunction with Projected image digital.

richard@samsc.com put 'Catalyst Workshop' in the subject title

Rob and myself might try to do this all in a single day. All the equipment everything.

We are possibly aiming for the 20th April.

Richard

[RobF]

Rob and myself might try to do this all in a single day. All the equipment everything.

We are possibly aiming for the 20th April.

Richard

The 20th of April is now set as the date for the workshop.

Please express interest to at the email below:

Rob@projectedimagedigital.com

or add to this thread.

The workshop will take place at the Offices of Projected Image Digital in East London.

Address:

Rush House
Three Mills Studios
Three Mill Lane
Bow
London
E3 3DU

Nearest tube Bromley by Bow (District Line)

For anyone interested in attending from further afield I can provide hotel details in the area (Holiday Inn, Travel Lodge etc). Also there are directions and maps on our web site:

www.projectedimagedigital.com

[litemover]

Hi Richard,

Checkout Promaxx' SataMAXISystem instead, fits 5 drives instead of 4 for $399 kit includes a card as well.

The SDI input from the Decklink standard card i tested on a 20'x18' screen and worked perfectly, the sound played back from the truck's digibeta in perfect sync with the layer's output in CAT 3.2 F15 4 layer version.

So far my findings with a 4 drive raptor arrray is that it ranges from 200 to 118 mbs depending on how full the array is, this is the speed test that comes with the decklink card so I'm not so sure how accurate it is. It does say I can un 1 layer of 1080I full speed and 2 layers of 720p full speed. Going to add 2 more raptors and make a 6 drive array.

Pixled for HD works well, endcodes slow, 86 quality plays back good, looks a tad fuzzy. Will try photoJPEG HD. DVCpro50 at 1280x720 works really well too, I've noticed at full quality, plays back full speed. 3:3:2 quality. The Blackmagic Codecs work but sometime slant and do funny things, they encode very quick though.

Will report more as I find out.

Christian Choi

[samsc]

Hi Richard,

Checkout Promaxx' SataMAXISystem instead, fits 5 drives instead of 4 for $399 kit includes a card as well.

The SDI input from the Decklink standard card i tested on a 20'x18' screen and worked perfectly, the sound played back from the truck's digibeta in perfect sync with the layer's output in CAT 3.2 F15 4 layer version.

So far my findings with a 4 drive raptor arrray is that it ranges from 200 to 118 mbs depending on how full the array is, this is the speed test that comes with the decklink card so I'm not so sure how accurate it is. It does say I can un 1 layer of 1080I full speed and 2 layers of 720p full speed. Going to add 2 more raptors and make a 6 drive array.

Pixled for HD works well, endcodes slow, 86 quality plays back good, looks a tad fuzzy. Will try photoJPEG HD. DVCpro50 at 1280x720 works really well too, I've noticed at full quality, plays back full speed. 3:3:2 quality. The Blackmagic Codecs work but sometime slant and do funny things, they encode very quick though.

Will report more as I find out.

Christian Choi

Thanks christian.
The G5 jam is horrible.... i got one. it almost wrecked by computer.

The current limits are definitely processor related - looking at the testing i did last week, i dont think the processor will do more than 1 1080p layer and 2 720 p - even if you had infinitely fast drives.
I couldnt get dvcpro50 to work at 720p-- or rather you seem to be able to encode at this resolution - but actually it doesnt work at 720p only standard def. I tested 68 codecs last weekend.

[litemover]

Richard,

Suppose there was a way to have a playmode that would turn off all effects, strip down the Catalyst mode to a bare minimum with full maximization of the acceleration and processor functions with the exception of cross dissolves for HD content while keeping the stop if at zero function in there. Would this speed things up enough to get more juice flowing?

Sort of get it gown to a basic stripped down version of Catalyst -- similar action as opening up a bunch of quicktime segments, while just using quicktime to open them.

Don't know if this would be worth the effort but i certainly notice that I can open more QT streams (outside of cat) simultaneously without losing playback rate, than in catalayst.

I do have 2.5 g of Ram though, and I think QT caches to ram. That's it, nevermind, I forgot, it does cache to ram cause after a while, i stop hearing my disks spinning.

Sorry.

CC

[litemover]

I couldnt get dvcpro50 to work at 720p-- or rather you seem to be able to encode at this resolution - but actually it doesnt work at 720p only standard def. I tested 68 codecs last weekend.

It does -- Use AE , build a 1280x720 comp using square pixels and export to DVCPRO50 using current size. I made a piece especially for you to analize. The current HDV standard is extracting out to square pixels, at least using Heuris xtractor.

You can download it at: http://homepage.mac.com/choimation I named the movie DVCpro50.

Can't wait to buy my new Sony 3ccd HD Cam at NAB next week!

CC

[samsc]

Can't wait to buy my new Sony 3ccd HD Cam at NAB next week!

CC

next week!

I want one too.

[samsc]

Richard,

Suppose there was a way to have a playmode that would turn off all effects, strip down the Catalyst mode to a bare minimum with full maximization of the acceleration and processor functions with the exception of cross dissolves for HD content while keeping the stop if at zero function in there. Would this speed things up enough to get more juice flowing?

CC

doing the dissolve is an effect. the primary effect.
fading movies in real time iis the primary design problem.

[samsc]

Richard,

Don't know if this would be worth the effort but i certainly notice that I can open more QT streams (outside of cat) simultaneously without losing playback rate, than in catalayst.

I do have 2.5 g of Ram though, and I think QT caches to ram. That's it, nevermind, I forgot, it does cache to ram cause after a while, i stop hearing my disks spinning.

CC

i have had this discussion many times,

other programs, final cut, quicktime player, dont have to instantaneously change frame position - in response to an external event.
They can buffer ahead -you press the play button, or the space bar - they dont start playing immediately - they preload or preroll movies.

I cant preload anything - because i have to start playing - as soon as possible - because this has to work as fast as possible, when you hit the bump button on your lighting console, you want it to happen - now - not in a quarter to a half of a second.
So - i cant buffer ahead like these programs do.
These programs can schedule ahead- because they know whats going to happen next.
I cant - i dont know whats going to happen
final cut or quicktime player dont instantaneously jump from one part of the timeline or movie to another - if you do this, everything stops, it doesnt continue playing. the time spent prerolling affects instantaneous performance.
I cant do both. Designs involve compromise.
This is the result of the compromise between speed of reponse, and playback layers - which has been necessary to get anything working.
---

quicktime caching - is a very big problem, its something i have no control over. it does it, it doesnt do it- who knows when what or how.
i dont have access to anything to monitor it - or turn it on or off.