Playing a DVD?

[Gian]

I have the similar issue here all the time... Clients want play a DVD during a Catalyst show or whatever. You have some ways to do it....

If you have a Blackmagic installed... you can use a conversion box from composite to SDI and use the SDI input. like told before here.

You can use either the Component input of your card or even use only the Y cable and that is a Composite input. to do that you also need to your System Preferences, Blackmagic and configure what Input are you using.
I am assuming you have a Blackmagic Decklink Extreme.

another way... easy one, is to buy any cheap capture box, what has a composite input and a Firewire DV output.
Catalyst reconises all those cheap boxes since they are Mac compatible.
I use all the time one PINACLE DV, is really cheap and to play a DVD or insert a DV camera does the job.

Is nece when you play a DVD heve only ONE layer active at the moment, or may be you experience a DELAY.

I also use that to leave a question, I tried before import a DVD to the computer, but playing from the Catalyst, the time of the movie changes from one play to the other... even with only one layer selected.
Is a way what i can tell Catalyst he needs to keep on the real movie time.
I know catalyst skips frames, and slow some movies to do not freeze, that is great feature, but is a way to play a movie and say to stay on the movie timeline or so. Even using a external Timecode source. Thanks

Gian

[samsc]

I also use that to leave a question, I tried before import a DVD to the computer, but playing from the Catalyst, the time of the movie changes from one play to the other... even with only one layer selected.
Is a way what i can tell Catalyst he needs to keep on the real movie time.
I know catalyst skips frames, and slow some movies to do not freeze, that is great feature, but is a way to play a movie and say to stay on the movie timeline or so. Even using a external Timecode source. Thanks

Gian

dont know exactly what you are describing here?
please give more information?
there are many ways to 'import' a dvd, and most of them will not work well.

you have to convert the dvd files to something that plays back well.

[Gian]

The DVD file plays back pretty well, the problem is from one time (playing back) to another, sometimes the duration of the real TIME changes a bit...
Like, if the DVD movie has 3.23 minutes... I do import that to my computer.
In the Quicktime, he plays 3.23 minutes, but on the Catalyst, one time plays
3.23, another time plays 3.26, another time 3.28. Is a way to say to the Catalyst he needs to stick on the REAL time ???

Thanks

Gian

[samsc]

The DVD file plays back pretty well, the problem is from one time (playing back) to another, Gian

what codec did you use?

[Gian]

normaly DV...

I get arround this by using a external DVD player, and use a Video Input for that, is just testing things.

BTW we did install the v. 3.31 on a 10.4.4 Tiger G5 Cat and so far so good.
Also v4 is looking great, i did not had the time to play, but looks amazing.
Loved the 4 submixes.

Gian

[samsc]

normaly DV...
Gian

when using a file imported from a dvd?

can you check what you did?

it makes a big difference.

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and did you play back off internal or external hard drive?

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I know catalyst skips frames, and slow some movies to do not freeze, that is great feature,

catalyst is designed to preserve visual integrity and flow of images- NO DROPPED FRAMES - whatever else goes on in the computer.
It slows the playback down rather than skips frames.

Almost every other piece of playback software - DROPS Frames to do accurate timing.

this produces visual glitches.

Computers are not designed to playback video with a regular rhythm, they do many other things at the same time.
Outside of catalyst worlds - Normally these visual glitches do not matter.
But when playing back graphics or visual FX in the types of shows this has been used on - DROPPED frames can look really bad.

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If you use one of the Audio playback modes, then it will keep accurate time.

[Gian]

Thanks, that's exactly what happens....

Regarding your questions, Yes i can check the Import on the regular Quicktime player, and either Internal or External drives....

whatr heppens is the second part, he does change the timming on the Catalyst, I did understood now, he does not Skip frames, thats why sometimes the video gets longer etc...

Thanks

Gian

[samsc]

Thanks, that's exactly what happens....

Regarding your questions, Yes i can check the Import on the regular Quicktime player, and either Internal or External drives....

quicktime player - does not work like catalyst in any way at all.

please describe the complete process you used to "import" your dvd.

whatr heppens is the second part, he does change the timming on the Catalyst, I did understood now, he does not Skip frames, thats why sometimes the video gets longer etc...
Gian

video gets longer if the computer or hard disc is overloaded - it will not be overloaded playing back up to 4 layers with a scsi drive on a dual g5. or timing will change by only a few frames.

computers and their hard disc systems can vary between 5x and 10x performance.
a powerbook works very very differently from a dual g5 with scsi.
but a powerbook can be usable if you are careful.

[samsc]

The DVD file plays back pretty well, the problem is from one time (playing back) to another,Gian

How did you import your dvd?

[Gian]

Normaly thru a small software called DIVA. (is Freeware)
Than just to have all using the same Codec, i do open the File in Quicktime PRO and Export using the DV PRO Codec.

Works pretty well.

Gian

http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/macosx/17899
http://diva.3ivx.com/