re: Using Blackmagic Decklink HD Extreme to capture HDCam

Using a Mac Pro 2 x 2.26 GHz Quad, Final Cut Pro 7.0.1, Blackmagic Decklink HD Extreme card, Sony HDW-F500 HDCam deck.

I'm trying to capture HDCam footage. The cables look to be correctly set (HD-SDI output, connects to an HD monitor and I can see the image there). I can control the deck via RS-422. Easy Setup is set to Blackmagic HDTV 1080p23.98 - 10 bit. The Blackmagic controls in System Preferences are set to SDI input. But I don't have a video signal.

Tried using the same cable to the Blackmagic and hooked it up to the input of an HD monitor, and I can see the image just fine. Which makes me think there's a Blackmagic or FCP setting that's not correct. Anybody see what I'm missing?

I miss that Kona card that used to be in here.


www.derekmok.com

You could try using the 8-bit version Decklink preset, or another one, such as the ProRes (HQ) preset. Cycle power on everything, try powering up deck first before Mac, or vice-versa, etc.??? Seems quite frustrating...


-Dave

What version of the Drivers do you have installed D?

[www.blackmagic-design.com]

7.9 is the latest - try reinstalling them and see if that works. BM is usually pretty fool proof.



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

Also check software update - for some reason on a couple of occasions the BMD installer removes or breaks the ProApps 2010-02 update and you need to re-install it.



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

Ben King Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Also check software update - for some reason on a
> couple of occasions the BMD installer removes or
> breaks the ProApps 2010-02 update and you need to
> re-install it.

Good catch, Ben.

Everytime I've installed a BMD driver update this year, it caused Software Update to prompt me to install the latest Pro Applications Update again. It took me a few times to figure this out. I'm not sure if the BMD installer is changing dates on files, etc., or actually damaging something (I haven't noticed any problems). I have reported this to BMD.

Update:
I believe what's happening is that the BMD installers, at least the ones I've checked (Decklink and Intensity), are installing an outdated QuickTime component, which replaces a newer one installed by the Pro Applications Updates 2010-01, and now 2010-02. The BMD installers install version 1.6 of the "FCP Uncompressed 422.component" in /Library/QuickTime/. The current version is 1.6.1, which gets installed by the Pro Applications Updates. This is why Software Update wants to re-install the Pro Applications Updates (after one of the BMD installers have been run).

I did another quick test, swapping the different versions of the "FCP Uncompressed 422.component" file. The older version is enough to trigger Software Update to prompt to re-install the Pro Applications Update. So, the BMD installers are the cause of this behavior.


-Dave

The problem turned out to be a lot simpler...the diagram for the In/Outs was incorrect, so the cabling was wrong. Strangely, I did unplug the cable and try every jack on the Decklink card, with no success, and had ruled out wrong cabling because of that. There was probably also a wrong setting while I tried the different jacks (probably the Video Input within Capture Presets.


www.derekmok.com

Interesting find, D. I remember the Decklink cabling was weird- the RCA/SPDIFF jacks was male, so you needed an adapter, then a cable to hook it up to a speaker. I can't remember too much about the setup, besides running around, finding a cable, then realizing that I need to go back to the store to get an adapter.



www.strypesinpost.com

Glad you got it sorted D (bummer when its the cables and you've double checked already!) but do check the Software update as I can now replicate the ProApps issue on all my Macs.



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