Production Switchers

I have a client that has sent material (mov files) to me and I am able to play them from the Blackstorm, they work correctly as far as the fill and matte are concerned. The problem is they left about a second or two of dead time, and not the same amount for every file, before the effects and I have no means to edit the files.

I have the blackstorm set to use "Use Server-entered Trim points" and I am controlling it to cue / play with a Carbonite 2 via custom controls. The manual states "Regardless of this check box being selected, the BlackStorm Server always uses trim points received from an upstream controller." Is not the switcher an upstream controller?

I have set the in and out trim points of the effects (mov files) and while I am able to manually drag them to the player they cue up correctly to the trim point I assigned. However, when I use the switcher to load the file and cue / play the same file that worked properly before it now goes to the head of the file and cues up and NOT the trim point assigned, even though when I look at the player I see the trim point is there. I have about 75 effects for one show (one client) and I do not have time while on-air to manually cue each effect since any of the effects could be used at a moments notice.

With the switcher recalling the file using the custom control, there is a delay (depending on how many frames the original file has before the effect is seen). This is greatly affecting the show, getting to / from sources and missing live action.

Am I missing something?

Can what I need to do even be done?

My custom control dialog is:

Aux 5 (sends audio out to aja) "“ Blackstorm 1

ME2 Key4 "“ State OFF

ME2 Key4 (selects key input since I change this a lot during the show) "“ Blackstorm 1

Cue (file name)

Pause 3 frames "“ (have noticed the Blackstorm works better "“ time for it to think)

Play (file name)

Pause (amount of frames before the effect "dead time")

ME2 Key4 "“ State ON

Pause (amount before under cut)

Cut

Pause (amount of frames the effect takes to finish the move)

ME2 Key4 "“ State OFF

ME2 Key4 (select source "“ telestrator)

ME2 Key4 "“ State ON

Hi Gordon,

Apparently you have uncovered a bug in the system, you should indeed be able to run trimed clips from Carbonite and as a result of you post our dev teams are looking into this. They have discovered that the trim points are not getting passed via the AMP protocol and should be. WE are looking at this now and will update you soon. Our apologies.

You mention that the files are MOV, do you know what codec was used?

#Carbonite

Nigel:

Thanks for the response.

I had a thought -- However I have no switcher to test this theory. (Will have one Thursday)

Can you try building this custom control and see if it works?

Cue (trimmed in-point clip"name")

pause 3 frames

Cue (and not point it to the clip "name")

pause 3 frames

play

Maybe the double cue will Cue the clip into the blackstorm player and the second cue command will advance it to the trim point

#Carbonite

Gordon,

Unfortunately that idea will not work as each time you send the cue command it will re-initialize the clip on BlackStorm.

I know its a pain but the only current solution will be to physically trim each clip in an NLE. We will provide a real solution asap.

Nigel

#Carbonite

Forgot to tell you the CODEC you asked about: DVCPRO HD

The HD export in the Exporting Final Cut Pro® Clips for Playout by a BlackStorm Server guide

#Carbonite

If there is a Key channel then it is Animation Codec not DVCPROHD100.

Les

#Carbonite

I can confirm this bug. it's been a known bug to me for a while. I always assume that there are smarter guys than me out there, so I did not report it. I've learned my lesson and will report all bug from now on.

#Carbonite

Have you tried putting the clip into a playlist (just it) setting the In/Out points. Then having the switcher learn the playlist name instead of clip name? Just load playlist to channel like a clip then build your Macro.

Does this solve the issue?

Also note that I use Playlists a lot for my Macros. This allows me to make an Open Playlist or A, B, C, D, E etc playlists. Then I just change the playlist from show to show but the Macros never have to change. Even when I am just using a single clip. Only issue on this thread is that I don't remember using the In/Out points in the playlist to achieve what you desire. All of my clips were already the correct length.

Les

#Carbonite

Unfortunately that is a known bug with BlackStorm. When clips are cued over AMP the trim points are not used, even when the configuration option is enabled. We're hoping to have this fixed soon.

Les, your suggestion of using a playlist to cue the clips with the desired in/out points is a good idea as a workaround.

Joel

#Carbonite

The playlist sounds good in theory, and I will give that a go in a couple of days when I am back on the truck. The only real problem I see is when others that are not TDs use the system and try to program their custom controls, they might have difficulty in doing so.

On that note, can you either point me to the correct page in the manual or tell me here in the forum, how to make the custom control target the playlist and not the clip.

Please keep in mind I have about 50 effects in my next show and EACH has to be able to be recalled and played at any time. I am assuming I will have a playlist for each effect. I hope the process is quick and not very time consuming, since I will have three different shows, each with their own effects.

Can I build one custom and copy / paste it into another and then go and modify the targeted play list?

#Carbonite

Hi Gordon, setting a playlist in a custom is the same as setting a clip. Simply select the playlist in a BlackStorm channel then when recording the macro hit cue. The playlist name will then be associated with that Custom Control.

Easy :).

Nigel

#Carbonite

Les / Nigel / R&D:

I tried using the playlist method Les stated and here is what I ran into.

1.) If I put a clip into the playlist and do not trim the in nor out points then I can cue and play the item.

2.) If I put a clip into the playlist and trim the in and not the out point then I can cue and not play the item.

3.) If I put a clip into the playlist and trim the out point then I can cue and not play the item.

4.) If I put a clip into the playlist and trim the in and out points then I can cue and not play the item.

Side note - In #2, #3, and #4 if I build a custom with just the cue command for each desired playlist THEN build another custom control with (cue custom control NESTED inside the main custom control), then the run command, key the blackstorm, perform undercut, key off, then I can achieve the desired effect.

However, to park, power, transfer files, build a show with twice as many custom controls as I normally would. I do not believe it is the best way. Of course, if the clients sent the elements to me correctly in the first place..... well all of this would be a mute point.

#Carbonite