Cursed!! - Weekly Builds?

lotech · Post by **lotech** » Tue Nov 30, 2004 00:33

We hosted a VJ microfest over the weekend - featured talks, workshops and demos. We did a performance section at night and it all down really well - except we also planned a talk on Resolume2.
Could have been a great talk but alas - First clips wouldn't display on the screen - then there were missing effects and to top it all off the dual screen output showed nothing under its preview & output resolution.
This made it near impossible to really sell anyone on the program. We used this same setup the previous weekend with few problems (3 crashes that night).

All of Resolume users are trying to use this software live and by giving us the much improved Resolume2 - you've also cursed us with a no reliability - something that is paramount in a VJ program.
If you've fixed bugs then release a patch or weekly build - if you're to busy to fix everything then fine - just fix SOMETHING.
None of us can go back to 1.51 but I cringe everytime I open Resolume2 - what should have been a 5min setup turns into 30mins and, in the case of a VJ performing on Saturday night, not being able to play at all.

[Edited on 30-11-2004 by lotech]

VJ Nexus · Post by **VJ Nexus** » Tue Nov 30, 2004 03:33

I've used v2 many times for extended periods of times without a single problem ever(After a month of nothing but tweaking it for resolume)... It's all about configuring the machines properly first. If the box is tweaked just right, the results are incredible.

vjBrye · Post by **vjBrye** » Tue Nov 30, 2004 07:00

I would like to know what kind of tweaks you have done? Maybe a thread on this subject would help many people.

I generaly have good results myself, but still experience a bug or two and a crash almost every performance. The crashes I atribute to the fact that I have many clips using a multitude of codecs and I believe this is what causes my serious problems. But the bugs... no clip preview window (except SOME flash movies); don't browse a file containing divx movies! Res bugs out; occasional loss of the ability to "hang on" to a slider when using the mouse... small stuff.

lotech · Post by **lotech** » Tue Nov 30, 2004 08:16

NexusIntent, We've been using Resolume from way back v1.0 and have seen it improve steadily but the new releases of 2.0 introduced as many bugs as it seems to have solved. V1, despite its more awkward output setup, at least always allowed some form of tv output.

We're now 3 weeks past the release date of the final version/next beta but are still forced to attempt to perform live on what feels like a house of cards.

Oh and speaking of bugs.. I also love when I save tabs/decks they often just disappear like magic and clips often never relink to their original video files... but hey, I suppose I'm just picky wanting a program that functions.

[Edited on 30-11-2004 by lotech]

VJ Nexus · Post by **VJ Nexus** » Tue Nov 30, 2004 08:18

You definately want to spend the time to encode all your clips to the same codec. I personally use Indeo5.10 - this has given me good results, and increased stability. A dedicated installation of Windows is great - no virus protection, firewall, etc - only codecs, drivers, 7 resolume. Make sure you have all the latest directx drivers, video card drivers, and onboard agp controllers.

Having fast hard drives, configured in a stripe 0 Raid array, with the clips evenly distributed among them. Spin speed is key. I hear people say it's all about gigahurtz, but I'm running on an Athlon64 3000+, 1gb 400Mhz ddr, radeon 9800 pro 256, 3x 7200 8mb buffer hd in Raid 0 stripe. Hauppauge WinTv capture card, ATI TV Wonder Pro, USB 2.0 webcam.

The Athlon64, despite it not truly processing in 64 bit, really seems to perform for me, I'm curious what a P4 3.0 + would be like.

Read some threads on RAM management. If you can find a stable ram drive program, try using it to load clips.

As far as performance, avoid inputs that require processor use. DV or firewire inputs eat up cpu and slow down resolume. I find tv cards work best because they have their own processors. Even the USB camera I use slows down resolume a little when loaded in a layer.

Keep your computer as cool as possible. Heat will slow you down, and possibly shut you down. I've got 3 120mm fans around my hard drives, which now sit on heat syncs. 12 fans total in case.

I'm processing at 640x480 and outputting at 800x600 all in 32 bit.

See link
http://midevilrecords.com/v-web/gallery2/TCMVideos
I am pleased for the most part with the results.

lotech · Post by **lotech** » Tue Nov 30, 2004 10:13

I'm sorry nexusintent, as I mentioned we've been using Resolume for some time - none of the problems I discribed is to do with any of the solutions you offer (but are mostly correct - just off the topic) - all the problems with Resolume are due to stupid bugs and some bad design. All the bugs I listed have turned up on seemingly random setups and ruined a few sets no doubt - which is why I voiced my concern. It sucks when, as an very experienced user of Res, you're trying to show some great features only to find you can't even get a tv-out going.....

btw - All our clips are in MJPEG and 640x480, 25fps - with absolutely no variation EVER - indeo looks aweful and has been superseeded (and also dropped from windows). MJPEG is considered by all the very active VJs as the best codec for scrubbing, image quality and cpu usage.
Also Making clips 640x480 and outputing them at 800x600 is a bit silly as you're forcing your CPU to have to rescale the videos to your output resolution.

[Edited on 30-11-2004 by lotech]

Post by **bart** » Tue Nov 30, 2004 15:39

lowtech this probably sounds like i,m trying to be smart but we are not calling our new baby beta for nothing. you can easily have all versions installed so there is no reason not to use 1.51 of r2b2 is giving you problems.

Edwin is working on resolume fulltime now so expect a new release one/two weeks.

[Edited on 30-11-2004 by bart]

Post by **bart** » Tue Nov 30, 2004 15:48

Originally posted by lotech
Also Making clips 640x480 and outputing them at 800x600 is a bit silly as you're forcing your CPU to have to rescale the videos to your output resolution.

this is not correct. if your clips are 640x480 you need to set your process resolution to 640x480 to get the best performance. But your output resolution can be 800x600 without any negative impact on the speed because the final scaling is done with trilinear scaling by the videocard.

Rincevent · Post by **Rincevent** » Tue Nov 30, 2004 15:49

Originally posted by bart
Edwin is working on resolume fulltime now so expect a new release one/two weeks.

I almost Yelled "Yipeeeeeeee !" when I read this (but I didn't, I feel my boss would not appreciate this news as I am

)
I just hope this time it will be for good.

Originally posted by bart
there is no reason not to use 1.51 of r2b2 is giving you problems.

Actually there are lots of reasons, when you tried V2 you never want to use V1 again and you should understand this as a big compliment because when there was only V1 (or 1.5) a lot of ppl was thinking "it's the best / a very nice VJ software." and now they think "V2 is sooooo much better, I can't work with V1.5 now that I've seen V2"
So you realy raised the bar with V2.
(as Joel S. Would have said "there is no bar anymore"

)

cheers.

VJ Nexus · Post by **VJ Nexus** » Tue Nov 30, 2004 20:04

As far as a weekly patch or build - that's a bit much to ask for. Although the idea of it would be great, a good build of the program is tricky I'm sure. When the next release does come out I'm sure there will once again a big cheer from some, and complaints from others. We just have to see...

[Edited on 30-11-2004 by NexusIntent]