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sacha_G
sacha_G
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Full screen preview drops frames

Jul 27, 2011 1:51 AM

Hi all,

 

A continuation of the thread I opened here (with hardware specs for information):

 

http://forums.adobe.com/thread/657008?tstart=0

 

Whilst I resolved the tearing issue secribed in the previous thread I still can't get smooth playback on the third full screen preview display and I'd like some basic advice as to what I could do:

 

A couple of things I have tried - firstly I tried a basic sequence with a spinning graphic (in order to rule out any issues with disk/network access), and then also tried two screens rather than three (so only one graphic card was in operation), a 60p/30p project with screens set to 60Hz and a 50p/25p project with screens set to 50Hz.

 

All to no avail - the full screen preview drops frames, especially with 50p content - 25p is better but every 20 seconds or so frames are dropped. Audio is always fine, regardless of the source, BTW.

 

As a reminder, this is a 12 core i7 with 2 x Quadro FX3800, all unnecessary services disabled, 12Gb RAM, CS5 5.0.3, latest WHQL Nvidia drivers.

 

Not sure if 5.5 improves this in any regard as I'm still waiting for my licence key.

 

Video playback outside of premiere is perfect, 1080p50 plays fine full screen on any display through windows media player/VLC.

 

Any suggestions please - again I wonder if a Blackmagic Intensity or similar would help?

 

Has anyone else seen this behaviour? Could anybody have a go a reproducing the issue (a simple spinning or sliding jpg demonstates the issue easily and simply)

 

Thanks all

 

Sacha Goodwin.

1022 Views   4 Replies   Latest reply: sacha_G, Aug 17, 2011 2:22 AM
 
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  • sacha_G
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    1. sacha_G,
    Aug 15, 2011 4:33 AM   in reply to sacha_G
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    Anyone??

     
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  • Harm Millaard
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    2. Harm Millaard,
    Aug 15, 2011 5:31 AM   in reply to sacha_G
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    As a reminder, this is a 12 core i7 with 2 x Quadro FX3800, all unnecessary services disabled, 12Gb RAM, CS5 5.0.3, latest WHQL Nvidia drivers.

     

    There exist no 12 core i7's. The max is hexa-core, but in your previous thread you said Xeon X5670. So what is it?

     

    I still suspect your Editshare NAS. Can you try with a couple of internal disks? What happens when you increase memory to 24 GB?

     
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  • sacha_G
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    3. sacha_G,
    Aug 15, 2011 6:35 AM   in reply to Harm Millaard
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    There exist no 12 core i7's. The max is hexa-core, but in your previous thread you said Xeon X5670. So what is it?

    Well spotted, my bad - it is indeed 2 x hexa-core X5670's - which of course is 12 cores in total.

     

    I still suspect your Editshare NAS.

     

    I'd say unlikely since - we've replaced it with something else, also:

    I tried a basic sequence with a spinning graphic (in order to rule out any issues with disk/network access)

    and at any rate I tried it as a local project on local disks and it made no difference.

     

    For graphic read plain color matte and basic SD res JPG (same results with either)

     

    What happens when you increase memory to 24 GB?

     

    No idea as I don't have access to any - strikes me as odd though to think anyone would need 24Gb or RAM just to display a rotating still smoothly.

     

    Premiere is showing 300Mb of RAM, total RAM in use when everything is loaded and running is 3Gb, 9Gb free sitting there twiddling it's virtual thumbs.

     

    BTW I should also mention that this happens even on SD projects, not just HD ones. Also watching the task manager shows virtually CPU usage, no disk and no network access during playback (as I would expect). No peaks in any graphs correllating with the dropped frames. Also enabling/disabling MPE Hardware assist makes no difference.

     

    Sacha.

     
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  • sacha_G
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    4. sacha_G,
    Aug 17, 2011 2:22 AM   in reply to sacha_G
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    Ok, got a bit more scientific with the tests and discovered that even playback through windows media player full screen also isn't smooth when dual video cards on three screens are enabled - Windows Media Center though is (very nearly almost) perfect - I also did a quick test on our second system (a Mac with a second monitor connected over HDMI) and even that jittered and failed to playback 50p content, although as that is a lower spec box I'm happy to accept there could be another reason for this.

     

    Oh, and no improvement under CS5.5 either.

     

    Here is an output file which can be used to illustrate the issue: (720p50)

     

    http://www.bath.ac.uk/lmf/download/53038

     

    So, I'll rephrase the question:

     

    Would a Intensity/Decklink or Matrox MXO box display smooth content from the timeline with 50i/50p content over HDMI on an external display?

     

    If so, are there any caveats/compromises with using this hardware - as an ex-Axio and RTX user I never had problems with output stability but had numerous problems with general stability instead and vowed never to use a Matrox card again if I could possibly avoid it - could anybody share their experiences with using external interfaces?

     

    Thanks


    Sacha.

     
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