Weird BlackMagic card audio issues

Hi Everyone,

Here's the deal.

Spec:
FCP 7.0.1
Mac Pro 8 core
BlackMagic Deck Link card w/breakout cable
Apple ProRes 422 HD
48k, 16bit audio (though some of the music I'm getting is 44.1k)
Project: storyboard animatic for feature (so, there's several projects, one for each sequence in the film). Most of the sequences have 5-6 video tracks, and up to 12 audio tracks. Simple stuff.

I am getting serious popping and snat noises from the BM card during playback. The sequence sound (DX, FX, MX) isn't distorted or even bad quality. But I am getting massive pops generated on top of the sound.

Troubleshooting the BM card:

1. I switched audio output settings to try both the mac outputs (front and back) to check if it may be FCP's problem, or the Mac. Result: no pops. Theory: not the Mac's fault.

2. I converted some of the music from 44.1 to 48k, 'cause most of the audio is 48. No change, still pops.

3. Tried using FCP outputs 3 & 4 and used the 3 & 4 outputs on the BM card breakout cable. No change, still pops.

4. Tried turning off all video tracks, and all but 1 or 2 audio tracks. No change, still pops.

So, for now, I'm just using the Mac outputs, but eventually I really want to route the dial and fx to 1&2, and music to 3&4. It's just nicer to have the immediate control during director and exec screenings.

Thanks in advance for the advice,
Mark

Any MP3s in the timeline? Did you do an Audio Mixdown (OPTION-APPLE-R)?


www.derekmok.com

Hi Derek,

No mp3's. And the audio mix down didn't help. Still pops.

Thanks though,
Mark

ALL the 44.1 tracks need to be converted not just some. The audio mixdown should of done it but if not those are what are probably causing the pops.

Michael Horton
-------------------

Thanks Michael,

I also have some sequences that have no music yet, thus no 44.1k audio present. It still pops.

BTW, I forgot to mention that this is my second BM DeckLink card. We returned the first one because of the pops. So, that to say that I don't think it's a bad card either.

Probably a user error somehow, just can't pin it down.

Have I left out any info or missed any other troubleshooting ideas?

Thanks all,
Mark

Also to reiterate, I'm getting noise-free, pop-free playback out of the Mac outputs. If it was really a sampling rate issue, wouldn't you hear it through those too?

Thx,
Mark

Try exporting the timeline to a self-contained, full-quality movie file. Play that in QuickTime Player with the computer's built-in audio output to make sure it doesn't have the pops. Now import that into FCP and play it back, without a project file open, using the Blackmagic outputs. See if the pops are still there. Chances are they will be, but that will help rule out file corruption.

My guess right now is that there's a bad connection somewhere. Are the pops consistent (same spot every time)? I'm betting they're not.


www.derekmok.com

Is it Audio clipping?

How are your speakers connected? Both with and without the BMD?

Tim, the audio isn't clipping. It's just being joined by an annoying digital random popping. I can hear the sequence audio (behind the popping), and it's a reasonable quality and not overdriven.

The speakers aren't at fault either, 'cause when I output from the built-in line output, it goes to the speakers and sounds fine.

Derek, I'll try your test when I get a chance. And yes, the popping is completely random. The card is seated well in the mac, and all audio connections are tight, and with good cables. Again, when the sound comes from the built-in outputs, it's sounding fine.

Is anyone else here using the Blackmagic DeckLink Studio card? This experience makes me wish I had insisted on a Kona.

Thanks again for all of your answers,
Mark

Might want to call BMD support and see if they know of this issue.

Michael Horton
-------------------

I sent a copy of my first post to their support guys. Haven't heard back as of yet.


Thanks,
Mark

> Is anyone else here using the Blackmagic DeckLink Studio card? This experience makes me wish
> I had insisted on a Kona.

I'll have to say, one place where I edit also switched from a Kona 2 card to using a Blackmagic Decklink, and I'm utterly underwhelmed by it. Even plain old DV clips stored on a RAID 0 played back with much more latency than before, and this was on a brand-spankin' new Quad Mac Pro. The old PowerPC 2GHz G5 actually did a better job with those DV clips. Plus, we didn't get single-frame effects previews; even after a full render effects only played as they were supposed to look when playing in real time, which was not an issue the Kona 2 had. I've been meaning to check if it's an FCP7 quirk or an AJA/Blackmagic issue. So far, I'm tempted to think that the much lower cost of the Blackmagic just wasn't worth all these performance issues.


www.derekmok.com

Check the BM drivers are up to date: [www.blackmagic-design.com]

Check you have your FCP - User Preferences set to:

Real-time Audio Mixing: 99 Tracks

Audio Playback Quality: High

If it hasn't already been suggested you might want to change which PCI slot the Decklink is in.



For instant answers to more than one hundred common FCP questions, check out the LAFCPUG FAQ Wiki here : [www.lafcpug.org]

I had that happen to me before.

Do an uninstall and then reinstall the drivers like Ben said.

That did it for me.

God Bless,

Douglas Villalba
director/cinematographer/editor
Miami, Florida

[www.DouglasVillalba.info]
[www.youtube.com]
[vimeo.com]

Real-time audio mixing is at 99. Audio playback quality is set to high. No dice.

I will try the driver reinstall.

Thanks,
Mark

Let us know if it works - make sure you run the UNistaller first! Don't simply overwrite the old driver.



For instant answers to more than one hundred common FCP questions, check out the LAFCPUG FAQ Wiki here : [www.lafcpug.org]

A quick question- are you able to get a video signal out from the card? Coz I'm also having a BMD issue here, and I've used BMD cards on quite a few occasions, twice in the last couple of weeks off the same machine. The weird thing was that it played back fine- i checked random points in the timeline for sync, and no issues. Then i went to tape. bam. Stuttering audio even when i'm playing an mpeg4 from the desktop, then it doesn't record, and it drops frames, and the most it did was let me go to tape for 2 minutes. I've trashed FCP preferences, repaired disk permissions, updated the drivers, checked that the card is seated firmly in the slot... No dice.



www.strypesinpost.com

Okay, new driver and firmware update were unsuccessful. I really thought this would be the key, but no.

Any more ideas, or should I make my "Down with BlackMagic" signs now?

Thanks to all who have tried to help.

Oh, and BTW, BMD has not replied to me still. I first contacted them 6 days ago. Hmmmm.


Mark

> BMD has not replied to me still. I first contacted them 6 days ago.

Yipes. Not good for Blackmagic's reputation. Good customer response is an AJA trademark and pretty crucial in cases like these. You should write them again and use a firmer tone this time. Six days is two, three, even six deadlines in post-production.


www.derekmok.com

Call them, don't write them. Anything can happen with an email

+1 408 954 0500

Michael Horton
-------------------

True that. I'll call 'em now that I have no more ideas.

Thx,
Mark

JIMINY CRICKETS!!! (excuse me)

Here's the solution. Apparently the 1/4" outputs ONLY work with TRS ends, even if you're coming out analog and wanting to use out 1 as L and out 2 as R, etc from FCP. I guess since the outs double as AES/EBU and analog outs, they can't ever run simple mono connections. Who knew?

Bizarre, since now I'll have to hook up four 'TRS to dual mono' cables on all the outs to get my (1) stereo DX/FX tracks (DX run up the middle, of course), and (2) stereo MX tracks.

Here's the link:
[blackmagic-design.com]

Thanks for the phone number Michael, I shoulda tried that first.

Thanks again to all...

Mark

Did you give them some hell for failling to get back to you? Seems to me like Blackmagic could have sent you to that FAQ with one e-mail and saved you six days of waiting.


www.derekmok.com

Hey Guys,

I believe I spoke to Mark on the phone earlier and got him resolved. We are a few days behind on emails so my apologies for not hearing back sooner. However, phone calls have priority so you can always feel free to reach us and we will be more than happy to assist.

Hours of operation are Mon-Thurs 9am-5pm and Friday 9am-4pm, Pacific Standard Time.

Regards,

Albert