Poor performance in Event Library with Blackmagic Mini Monitor

Hi,

I'm having some issues when outputting with a Blackmagic Mini Monitor.
For some reason I have different performance when playing back from the Event library and the timeline. While my files play back on the Blackmagic output with no problems from a timeline, I can't get the same files to play back from the event library. All I get is a freeze frame. Playback is fine if I disable A/V output.

These are 50P files from a Sony A7S in a 50i project, and the files are not optimized. I am doing tests for news production, so spending time optimizing files is not really an option. 50i files play back just fine from the library with Blackmagic output enabled.

I don't see why playback from the library and a project should be any different.

Maybe I have too high demands, but I'm not really impressed with fcpx + broadcast output.

Thanks!

When I had my older MP, my AJA Kona LHi card worked flawlessly. Now I'm on a nMP with a BMD Mini Monitor, and it has never, ever worked right. I may go back to AJA hardware.

Make sure that

1. you have the most up to date Desktop Video for your hardware. Should be 10.2.3.

2. Check your output settings under System Preferences / BlackMagic Design for proper frame size and rate. You need to quit and restart FCP X to enable these new settings.

I have the latest drivers, and the BM settings seem correct.
There is obviously some kind of different processing when playing from the library since the same clips works as they should on a timeline.

This is on a maxed 5K iMac, so the machine should be good enough. I used to only have a MB Air, so I always thought it was because it was underpowered that it didn't work.

It's not Final Cut, and it's not the Mac hardware- running one of these doesn't take loads of bandwidth. My BM Intensity Extreme is working fine.

The only clinical difference between playback from the Library and playback from the Project timeline are the timeline's settings.

Combined with whatever Monitor you're using, there might be a setting awry somewhere. Perhaps interlaced vs progressive.

I agree with Marcus.

I don't see why playback from the library and a project should be any different.

Because your original footage in the library is 50p (=50 frames per second) and your project is set to 50i (=25 frames per second)?

- Ronny

Depending on your requirements, I know alot of FCPX editors are using display port to HDMI adapter to use a HDMI monitor as there "broadcast out" and not using an external box (aja, black magic, matrox) for that purpose. On many systems, the performance is night and day compared to those solutions. All Macs with mini display port will support HDMI broadcast out. I personally now only use my Matrox MXO2 for when I need to drive a CRT, which is very infrequent. I know some resolve users keep their BlackMagic output for that use too.

As far as I know, a BlackMagic Box is the only way to do broadcast out from Resolve.

It's not FCPX. The Blackmagic Mini Monitor doesn't support 1080p 50, simple as that. It will support 1080i 50, which is why your timeline plays fine, but your footage doesn't (and if you stick it in the timeline, it's doing a conversion for playback). You have to get an UltraStudio 4k or Decklink 4k to get 1080p 50/60. I do a lot of spots/trailers for videogames, and the only way we can capture 1080p 60 is with our Decklink 4k Extreme. Also, I'm a big fan of Aja and used to use all the Kona's, but since we started using DaVinci Resolve, we had to go with Blackmagic. Their devious plan worked!

Well, it's a shame that fcpx can't do the same processing in the library as in a 50i timeline. This means it is impossible to use the 50mbit XAVC-S codec on my Sony A7S since it doesn't support 50i and I have to use avchd instead.

One workaround is to place all the 50p clips on a 50i timeline and make a compound clip of them. This allows you to play them back from the library. Not very elegant but it works.

Hm, well I would imagine shooting 50/60p is unusual for news crews, although I'm guessing you guys are testing out the A7S for its low-light capability which I'm sure would be useful in some situations. For news, I would go ahead and just use avchd at 50i instead, since it's doubtful you will need the extra oomph of the XAVC. It's all about the convenience, speed, and content, not the image quality. Personally, I don't know why news doesn't shoot at 25/30p. I guess it's just the live news "look" they want.

Well, it's a shame that fcpx can't do the same processing in the library as in a 50i timeline.

No NLE in the world does that. Original footage in the browser is always played in its original format, and footage in the timeline is played at the project settings. The BM Mini does not play 50p. So you are either using the wrong codec or you are using the wrong interface. FCP X has nothing to do with this.

- Ronny

ronny courtens wrote: Well, it's a shame that fcpx can't do the same processing in the library as in a 50i timeline.

No NLE in the world does that. Original footage in the browser is always played in its original format, and footage in the timeline is played at the project settings. The BM Mini does not play 50p. So you are either using the wrong codec or you are using the wrong interface. FCP X has nothing to do with this.

- Ronny

In Avid that I use daily, all clips/bins follow the project setting and scales/converts in real time no matter where you play them from as far as I know. You set the format for the project and not on the timeline and all clips act the same way whether they're played from a bin in the source window or from a timeline. If it plays in the source or record window, it outputs on the Mojo DX scaled to the resolution/framerate set in the project.
Avid have other performance issues with different formats, but that's another story

That's correct, I should have said: no modern NLE in the world does this I haven't touched an Avid in awhile now and I'm surprised it still has these limitations.

So let me rephrase: in any modern NLE you have to make sure that your video interface supports the format you are shooting in. Shoot in a format your BM Mini can work with or get an interface that can work with 50p, and your problem is solved. FCP X has nothing to do with this.

- Ronny

Some say it's a limitation, I would say it is a good thing to have all your footage displayed the way you're delivering it no matter what frame rate it was shot with. I would like to see fcpx be able to do real time conversion from the library like Avid as well...

Anyway, one of the reasons why I would want to shoot 50p is that it converts easily to both 50i and 25p, and even 50% slowmo 25p.

In the timeline you see all your footage the way you're delivering it, no matter what frame rate it was shot with.
And in the browser you can view the same footage at its original size and frame rate.
In FCP X you have both options, not in Avid. So yes, this is a limitation of Avid without any question and I'm sure FCP X will never be downgraded to this level

Shooting in 50p is no problem. But if you do this and you use a video interface you just need to make sure this interface can handle 50p. Simple as that.

- Ronny