Production Switchers

Hey guys, (probably Les.)

We just recently had our switcher upgraded to the most recent versions of frame and dashboard software.

We use a 25 frame TGA sequence as a media wipe to a rollclip-enabled video server with a cut under the middle of the transition. Before the upgrade, we used to hit the auto trans button, the effect would start and the clip started rolling about midway through the transition. In hindsight, it seems like the rollclip command was sending the play command to our video server at the time of the cut, or when the video source hits program.

Since the upgrade, we have noticed that when we hit the auto trans button, the video clip starts immediately, with the first 25 frames of the package covered by a transition. This leads me to assume that the roll clip function now sends the play command to the video server as soon as you touch the transition key as opposed to when the source is taken online.

Is anyone aware of this change, and if it was planned, or a bug as a result of the upgrade? Also, is there any way to change when rollclip sends the play command. We know you can delay the cut to video with preroll, but we cant seem to delay the play of the video server after hitting cut. I hope that all makes sense.


Thanks for the help.

Yup that does sound like there is a bug. Your Correct that it was originally implemented so that the Play would be sent on the Pre-Roll but back timed from the cut Point. It seems that this changed when we introduced the ability to have transitions other than a Cut.
#Carbonite

Nice!!! We found a bug! Sorry, they are fun to find. Can you put that on a list for the next update?

In relation to that, we have noticed that with roll clip on, if you start a media wipe that is 25 frames for example, any source you preset during the end of that wipe also auto rolls. Meaning if I effect from deck 1 to camera, then preset deck 2 before the 25 frame transition is complete, deck 2 will start rolling even though its only preset. Sometimes we go from deck to deck quickly and its hard to train yourself to have to wait almost a second before being able to preset your next deck. I assume thats part of the bug of roll clip sending the play command throughout the entire transition period instead of only when a cut to air takes place.
#Carbonite

No it will not be in the next update.. It's way more complicated since the addition of the other than Cut transitions were added (so this has been there for a couple of releases now.)

As for the last part -- If the transition has not completed then the PST Bus is going to be "red" or still marked as on air. So yes you need to delay selecting another source on the bus until after the Transition has completed otherwise that source is going to be flagged as ON AIR and will thus roll.
#Carbonite

Ah, this might explain an issue we've had since last August, that I thought was a network latency issue (roll clip activated a server on the network, and the server would always start after switching to it, even with a decent pre-roll delay). I'm working around this a different way now.
#Carbonite

Ah, this might explain an issue we've had since last August, that I thought was a network latency issue (roll clip activated a server on the network, and the server would always start after switching to it, even with a decent pre-roll delay). I'm working around this a different way now.

I don't think that is the same. The issue here is that the Play command is going too early. It is now going based on when you start the Auto Trans and not back timed from the "cut point" in the Media Transition. So they are seeing an issue where the server is already rolling. If you had a server that needed a little extra time this would not be an issue as you would just compensate by setting the preroll to a lower number than needed -- ie say it was 25 frames for it to Roll then you would set it to like 10 frames and it would still work since the actual cut point is 10-15 frames after the transition started.

This issue means that if you have a server that only needs 0-5 frames of Pre Roll your going to have video playing for a few frames already.
#Carbonite