Blackmagic Decklink Quad issue *fixed*

Bro, does your rig even lift?
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Supernova
Is taking Resolume on a second date
Posts: 39
Joined: Tue Nov 03, 2015 18:05

Blackmagic Decklink Quad issue *fixed*

Post by Supernova »

Hey Guys,
I just installed a Blackmagic Deckling Quad SDI card into my computer to handle inputs. I am experiencing an issue that I wonder if anyone else has come across.

Once I installed the card, I wanted to test the 4 inputs. I am at home and only have one sdi cable available, so I was just going to check the inputs one at a time. What I found out though, is that if I plug into input 1, and I take that source into Arena and take it live, it is fine. But if I place any of the unused sources in any of the columns, suddenly I lose the active source #1. It just goes black until I delete the other "empty" source from the column. That seems strange. I don't have a way to test if this would still be the case if the second source actually had something plugged into it, but I wouldn't think an inactive input would cause an active one to stop working. I tried this on Arena 5 and 4, and with several versions of the Blackmagic software and drivers.
I am trying to figure out if this is just a known quirk, or if my Decklink card is faulty.

Have any of you seen anything like this?

Thanks for any help given.
Last edited by Supernova on Thu Nov 12, 2015 17:55, edited 1 time in total.

dcaiman
Is taking Resolume on a second date
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Joined: Mon Sep 21, 2015 17:53

Re: Blackmagic Decklink Quad issue

Post by dcaiman »

The biggest problem of resolume. Switch random inputs card.
I explain. This occurs in Resolume 4 and 5.

I have a Deckling Quad SDI. I entered 4 video signals.
Input 1 Camera 1
Input 2 Camera 2
Input 3 Camera 3
Input 4 Camera 4

After saving the project, without touching anything, if I restart the machine, the system is misconfigured.

Input 1 Camera 3
Input 2 Camera 1
Input 3 Camera 4
Input 4 Camera 2

After another computer restart

Input 1 Camera 2
Input 2 Camera 3
Input 3 Camera 1
Input 4 Camera 4

Without any sense.
It may be the same as happens to you.
I'm looking for a solution.

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Oaktown
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Joined: Tue May 08, 2012 15:19
Location: Oakland, CA

Re: Blackmagic Decklink Quad issue

Post by Oaktown »

First, make sure you've got the most recent firmware, drivers and software for your Decklink products. If you don't, update and test again.

Then I'm not sure I understand your problem. The Decklink quad is hardware and getting its inputs from the cables plugged into the inputs. It works as if you had 4 separate cards. So as long you're still getting the right format in your input clips you should have the right Decklink SDI input and be good to go.

Supernova
Is taking Resolume on a second date
Posts: 39
Joined: Tue Nov 03, 2015 18:05

Re: Blackmagic Decklink Quad issue

Post by Supernova »

I had sort of a fix if anyone is interested. After many hours with blackmagic, and trying multiple drivers and programs I still had no luck. If I took in one source everything was fine, but as soon as I loaded a second input onto the resolume "timeline" then I would lose both inputs. Since I was on show site and desperate, I opened up my rig, took out an unused audio card and moved the blackmagic card to the newly available pcie slot and whoi la. It works perfectly like it should now. No idea why this did the trick. Both of these pcie slots are 16 lanes. Unless the first one I had the card in just happened to be bad.

So if anyone sees this issue, just try another slot.

philmcrackin
Hasn't felt like this about software in a long time
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Re: Blackmagic Decklink Quad issue

Post by philmcrackin »

dcaiman wrote:The biggest problem of resolume. Switch random inputs card.
I have this exactly same problem, I always thought it might have to be a Hackintosh quirk since I was running run but it appears that other people have this issue. Every time the computer restarts it switches the inputs, BTW i'm using a Blackmagic approved motherboard too. Anyway this problem made it a real bitch to be constantly swapping inputs while on tour.

Joris
Doesn't Know Jack about VJ'ing or Software Development and Mostly Just Gets Coffee for Everyone
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Re: Blackmagic Decklink Quad issue *fixed*

Post by Joris »

So does Blackmagic's software keep the inputs correctly ordered?

Warspite
Hasn't felt like this about software in a long time
Posts: 151
Joined: Thu Nov 01, 2012 14:36

Re: Blackmagic Decklink Quad issue *fixed*

Post by Warspite »

If your computer can not provide enought bandwidth for capture cards (free pci-express lanes) your will expirience all sorts of troubles with puzzled and incoplete inputs detection and other glitches. Better to go to lga2011 PLATFORM, but ever there your must be precautious and prepared.

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Oaktown
Resolume honorary member
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Joined: Tue May 08, 2012 15:19
Location: Oakland, CA

Re: Blackmagic Decklink Quad issue *fixed*

Post by Oaktown »

Yes make sure your PCIe slot whether it's a x4, x8 or x16 has enough bandwidth to support the PCIe 4 lane required to run the BMD Declink Quad. You should easily find the PCIe max bandwidth in you motherboard spec sheet and it will depend on what's in the other PCIe slots such as GPU, M.2 SSD, etc....

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