Production Switchers

Help me understand why a firmware update has not been developed to fix this problem.

I have had this screen issue come twice during a live SEC broadcast and believe me it is no fun.

The Dev Team is working on Resolving this. Basically after 600 Transfers from the XPression into the Media Store for the Preview it is somehow leaking into the Memory Space for the Overlay of the MV. If you make a change to the MV causing it to "refresh" the Overlay -- could even be as easy as a name change to a source or if you have an AUX Bus in a Window you could change the source feeding the Aux causing a MV update -- This will send it back to normal again.

If you would like to downgrade to Version 9.1 you will be able to avoid this happening while they work on the fix.

Version 9.1 can be downloaded at this link

https://www.dropbox.com/s/v7bdnf8syj9av4g/upgrade-9.1.0.11223.carbonite?dl=0

Les

#Carbonite

Hi Les and Steve

We've had the same problem when we did load in on one of the RAM players today. Even though the RAM player was NOT selected as MV overlay, it still did some vetical lines with jitter, and then went totally fucked up...

Important: After that, the RAM players could NOT play with TGA sequence - The Video + alpha channel sync and pictures are totally messed up and the only thing to do is to reboot the frame.!! This is very important for Ross to know, because the problem is NOT solved only by refreshing the MV items, changing a label or so... There is still a totally malfunctioning RAM player afterwards!!

PLEASE SOLVE THIS PROBLEM!!! We have downgraded to 9.1 today ... SO SAD!!

#Carbonite

Hi Jonas,

Yes there is an issue with Memory Overrun. This requires a change to the FPGA. The work is being done. It will then need to go through a QA/PV pass of a couple of weeks to make sure that did not break something else. Basically you need to stay below about 2GB of Ram use.

I was just informed that 9.1 also does have this problem. If your using 9.1 but are not in 3G mode then you should actually drop to 9.0 to get all of your Media Store back.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/1262k0pbf8qzkmm/upgrade-9.0.0.11182.carbonite?dl=0

I would suggest you go to version 9.0

Les

#Carbonite

Hi Les

Seems like there is no problems with the 9.1 firmware with the clips I'm using.. I've had 2 x 8 seconds of 1080 TGA sequences running in RAM PLAYER 2 and RAM PLAYER 4 (They share memory) and that works for me... Still, I will download 9.0 from your link, just in case!

And can I share a thing I've had on my mind since I first looked in the specs: Why on earth are you guys talking in gigabytes when you refer to the Ram Player capacity??? When I import 350 mb's of TGAs into the system, that is equal to 19 seconds of content... If I try more than 19 secons, it will not import. So I've figured out that that is the limit per shared memory. So why do you refer to 2 gb. of memory, when us as users cannot compare it to the content we want to import - Insteed why not give us the specific amount of frames including audio ??

#Carbonite

Jonas,

The Issue you have is that those TGAs are RLE encoded (even if they were not they would be about 8 MB per frame as they are 8bit and not 10bit) so when the Media Store loads them it has to covert that into Uncompressed Video Space at 10 Bits. So in 1920x1080 x 40bits (RGBA x 10) then Divide by 8 (8 bits in a byte) a frame is 10.3 MB of actual video space in the Ram per frame with alpha. The WAV audio file is then added at the exact size it is because it is uncompressed.

So in a way you could potentially get to say an "approx." number of Frames however depending on the audio this could be larger or smaller than that count and if your do or do not have an Alpha will also skew this number. The other issue is that it is also relative to the format that your working in so if you were in 720p then the frame of video with alpha is more like 4.6 MB per frame.

Also you are correct that version 9.1 is fine as long as your not running 1080p3G formats. So you can do 9.1 or the 9.0 version of software. Feel free to chose.

Les

#Carbonite

Hi Les

Thanks for the explanation of the ram player calculation - I know that there are a lot of different factors here, but I would love a chart that states an estimat in all the different formats... But I know it is hard to make it 100% acurate.

Back to the firmware: Okay, I will stay on 9.1 then, working in 1080i50 ... I just read your former post wrong then.. Thought you ment that if I did NOT run in 3G, then I should downgrade to 9.0 :) but as I read your latest post, I can stay on 9.1 when in 1080i50 until you guys figure out a fix for the problem in 10.0

#Carbonite

We do have a fix -- but we need time to test it so that we can release the version of software.

You did not read that post wrong. Because it was broken in version 9.1 if your in 3G data Rates (1080p50/60) but not in 9.1 1.5G data rates. This is that you load a different Bit File to run that mode. However the issue then would be that there is no 3G support in version 9.0 (that is what the 9.1 release was for).

So for 1080p3G users they would have a bug that they would have to try to stay under.

Les

#Carbonite

Hi Les

Any news on when the update will be released? :)

/ Jonas

#Carbonite

It's in QA/PV now. Hopping to get it out soon.

Les

#Carbonite

Hi Guys,

For those tracking this version 10.0.2 fixes this issue and a few others that might have been related -- potential memory leak type items.

This will go up on the website soonish today. But for those that get this notification tracked then you might want it right away.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/mobfd0fpfmmbq2w/upgrade-10.0.2.12118.carbonite?dl=0

Les

#Carbonite

Hi Les!

Great - just downloaded it, I will install it in the OB truck tomorrow and hopefully everything works :D

I just want to say that it is totally awsome that you guys are so active on the community! Thanks

/ Jonas

#Carbonite

Hi guys - big issue after upgrading to 10.0.2. Multiviewers and PGM out on our Carbonite Extreme keep flickering on and off every few minutes. Tried the upgrade file 10.0.2.12118 but no better. If I send anything else (other than MV or PGM) to our HDMI monitors, they are fine. MV1 MV2 and PGM flicker.

We are running at 720p50 mode

Is this also related to the same issue?

Cam.

#Carbonite

Hi Cameron,

Not related.

Have you tried setting your ANC Data to Strip? Do that in the System Menu on the panel. Does this resolve it?

Who makes your SDI to HDMI converters? Have you tried see if you can "force the convert" to a format? Some times they do an Auto Sensing and that could be what is happening.

Les

#Carbonite

Hi Les,

Damn. Yes I found the Strip ANC data solution on another thread after I posted and have tried that. It lasted about 20min stable then went into flicker central. Also tried all the other ANC modes. No difference I'm afraid. Flickering happening every 5 min or so and lasts up to 30 sec of mainly black screens. We are using Roland HDMI->SDI convertors (VC1SH) going to Samsung 40" LED's.

Tried a software update on the HDMI->SDI convertors. No effect.

Weird thing is that it is only the MV1, MV2 and PGM outputs. I can route any other signal direct to those monitors and it is stable as. The convertors have LED lights that indicate HD-SDI input. When lit, we have proper input, then they start flashing when the flickering starts, which according to the manual means unsupported signal is input.

cam.

#Carbonite

Cameron, thanks for the info, sorry for your problems.

I may hold off on updating till others report whether the issues were resolved.

Anyone else had problems with the updates.

#Carbonite

Ok. Where do I find links to older versions of the Carbonite Software to download? I will try downgrading, since the system is un-usable in its current state.

Thanks,

Cam

#Carbonite

Earlier post in this thread

https://www.dropbox.com/s/1262k0pbf8qzkmm/upgrade-9.0.0.11182.carbonite?dl=0

Les

#Carbonite

Is there an archive of all versions somewhere? I upgraded to 10.x from 7.x, so would like the option to roll back to last known working state if we get really stuck.

Cheers,

cam

#Carbonite

Rolling back to the v9 file in the link does not solve the issue....

#Carbonite

Hi Cameron

When you look at the PGM og MV signals in a waveform monitor, is the signal steady then?

I have a Carbonite+ frame, and everything works great with the new 10.0.2, but I know that it is now the same hardware so we cannot compare it 100%...

Sorry to hear that you have problems.

/ Jonas

#Carbonite

Hi Cameron,

We have a Carbonite Extreme running here in the Lab on 10.0.2 and in a WFM700. We can't seem to find any errors with the video at all.

What Switcher Mode are you running? MiniME or the older mode so you could have the 6 FrameSync?

Les

#Carbonite

Hi Les,

Firstly - I appreciate that you guys have setup a system and done a test for me. Thankyou.

This is all very weird at my end. Yes We are running the standard mode (older mode) with no MiniME, just the 6 FrameSyncs.

System Overview is:

* Ross Carbonite Extreme 48/48

* 2 x Ross OG 3.0 Frames (various BMD audio embedders, sync generator and ross DA cards)

* Sync is supplied via BMD Open Gear Sync Generator

* System running at 720p50 mode

* Sync signal is PAL from BMD sync generator (this is to work with our Panasonic PTZ SDI cameras)

* Dashboard 6.2.5

* System was upgraded from 7.0x which was very stable. Nothing else has changed in the setup.

I've upgraded back to 10.02 and will run as many tests today as I can think of to get to the bottom of the issue. Will report back again later.

Cam.

#Carbonite

Well if you can set outputs of the Sync Gen differently you might want to try setting the switcher to 720p50 TriLevel.

Also any chance you have done a Full power Reboot of the entire eXtreme system?

Les

#Carbonite

Hi Les,

Might have found the culprit. After trying all sorts of sync combos including (external sync @ 720p50) with no success - I rebooted the OG 3.0 frame that contained the sync generator......and so far it's been an hour, and no flickering!

So far so good. Hopefully that has resolved the issue, I will report back if I have any problems.

Simply rebooting the Extreme Frame multiple times, did not resolve the issue. But it looks like the OG frame reboot has. All stable for 60mins now on 10.02

Cheers - cam.

#Carbonite

....update. Still not working. The "fix" is still a random one. It lasted a few hours, then started flickering again. By hard rebooting the OG3.0 frame, we get anything from 30min to a few hrs of flicker free, but it still comes back. Finding this difficult to troubleshoot, and we have been trying for days. I would really like to get my hands on an archive of Carbonite software going back to v7 so we can at least try and roll back to a last known working state. Does an archive exist?

Cheers, Cam.

#Carbonite

Cameron,

When the flicker occurs are you seeing in dashboard the status of the reference being lost?

This sounds like your having to reset your sync generator to re establish a steady lock.

Les

#Carbonite

Hi les - the BMD sync generator light is always "locked" we don't see any reference being lost. Likewise the Carbonite status page also says that the external sync is "locked" when the flickering occurs.

#Carbonite

I just downloaded the 7.3.4 build from the server.

This was the last build that was released for the version 7 system.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/1i8ln3vpq8a72mc/upgrade-7.3.4.9987.carbonite?dl=0

I don't think your issue is software. If it was we would have lot's of complaints regarding this.

have you reseated every card in the eXtreme frame yet?

Les

#Carbonite

RESOLVED.

Hi Les - sorry for the delay in posting - we have had a hectic schedule. Turns out we had a faulty BMD audio embedder card in the OG frame. (One of about 16 BMD audio embedders in the system). It wasn't showing up in dashboard and was only picked up after seeing that a light on the card itself wasn't illuminated. Once removed - all issues went away immediately. Was good to get to the bottom of the issue. Not sure why it only appeared as an issue the second we upgraded to v10, because under v7 the system was fine, and we can only assume the BMD card was faulty sitting in the frame the whole time.

Anyway - we are all up and running and thought I would post to let you guys know. Many thanks for all the help on here.

Cheers, Cam.

#Carbonite