This IS the Avid L2: [Avid-L2] Re: Kona 4: Latency & Playback Issues ?

Wednesday, February 18, 2015

[Avid-L2] Re: Kona 4: Latency & Playback Issues ?

Thanks everyone.

After two hours on the phone with AJA, it seems some of what I am seeing with the Io 4k has been reported by another Windows user of this Thunderbolt 2 device.

For the record, I am running MC Symphony 8.3 on an HP z820 running Windows 7 Professional 64-bit. As mentioned in my original post, the version of AJA I/O being used is the Io 4k. And we have experimented with both driver versions available for this product (High Frame Rate & 4k).

Also for the record, the installation order was performed correctly and Avid's Video Tool option correctly launches the AJA ControlPanel.

At this moment in time, I am seeing the following:

1. In a 1080p23.98 project, 1/6th of a second of latency between the Avid Composer Source/Record screens -- and the HD-SDI and HDMI output of the Io 4k. This happens with both AMA and transcoded MXF media. This latency does not happen in 29.97 projects.

2. Absolutely no HDMI output in a 1080p29.97 project. Changing the ControlPanel's setting to 1080i29.97 framerate correctly produces video output on the HDMI port.

3. <SFPlayConsumer: Execute TIMEOUT> errors when Avid is operated in 8-bit mode (Green) in specific project types and with specific media. These problems unilaterally disappear in both Draft and 10-bit playback modes.

I will update at the troubleshooting progresses.

---In Avid-L2@yahoogroups.com, <mactvman@...> wrote :

When you find the behavior that clicking "more" in the video output tools doesn't launch the AJA I/O panel, it is an indication that the AJA software wasn't installed properly. When AJA software is installed correctly, this works.

Absent in the OP's info is the version of AJA I/O being used, and the version of MC/Symphony.

AJA I/O is very sensitive to the sequence of software install...

Media Composer must be installed first, before ever installing AJA software and I/O plugin for AVID.

If MC is not installed first, the links don't fully work, and you get buggy behavior from AJA I/O. If the install sequence wasn't followed, the only way to fix it is by un-installing AJA software using their uninstaller, not the one built into Windows 7 in control panel (add/remove programs).

The latest version of AJA software installs the AJA drivers and AVID I/O plugin automatically. Older versions, you had to install them separately (after MC), first the drivers then the I/O plugin.

To reiterate, if you MC setup won't launch the AJA I/O panel from Media composer then it is installed wrong. Uninstall with AJA uninstaller then re-installing should fix this issue. This also appears to eliminate that nasty popping sound on the audio outs of AJA when moving between AVID MC and the desktop. Audio still does pop when changing project formats in the AVID, however.

Dave Hogan

Burbank, CA