Intensity Pro + NEO + Audio Out of Sync at DVinfo.net

Roger Akers · July 8th, 2008, 08:30 AM

Hey guys I've been googling myself to death over this and hope someone here can help me out.

I've gotta Decklink Intensity Pro and I've been capturing my HDMI signal from an XBOX 360. I've used Decklinks native tool and NEO HD capturing tool. The video works great but the audio is out of sync.

I've exhausted all my tests with different settings and just don't know what to do anymore. I've updated all my drivers for decklink..so I'm at a loss.

David Newman · July 8th, 2008, 08:50 AM

How much out of sync in which direction? We haven't tried capturing from XBOX ourselves, focusing on camera outputs, yet we have a customer that does video game trailers without such issues.

Roger Akers · July 8th, 2008, 09:26 AM

Thanks for the response David,

It's as if the audio is getting recorded at a different rate than the video. It is out of sync 'late' (to the right) But after manually syncing it to a certain event. It un-syncs a few moments later.

So this means to finish my product I would need to manually sync the audio every 10 seconds or so.

I'm recording at 720 60p 8bit 4:2:2 with 2 channel audio with the remove 3-2 pulldown checked.

David Newman · July 8th, 2008, 09:58 AM

Don't use remove pulldown, if your source doesn't have it, it might could audio issues.

Jack Zhang · July 8th, 2008, 10:07 AM

If you can, you can always do that in post, not on-the-fly.

Also, check your HDD speed and CPU speed. if the HDD is slow (due to either not enough bandwidth or too small allocation size) or the CPU is too slow (always at 100%), upgrade your CPU and/or use a SATA HDD at a minimum allocation size of 4096bytes. If problems are caused on both pieces of software, it's most likely hardware that is to blame.

Roger Akers · July 8th, 2008, 10:23 AM

If I don't click remove pull down the video gets choppy beyond belief and the audio gets garbled.

I'm using an AMD64 Opteron 2.0ghz
The Hard drives are quick (SATA-2 in a RAID 0)

edit: Alsom fixing this in post isn't really an option because I would manually have to sync everything ever 10 seconds. My productivity here at work would be shot.

David Newman · July 8th, 2008, 10:34 AM

You computer is simply not keeping up, you are way underpowered for real-time capture. Live capture requires two Opterons (or any modern two core system) and preferably 2.4Ghz or better.

Roger Akers · July 8th, 2008, 10:41 AM

My processor on the machine in question (in my studio) is a dual core 2.01 ghz opteron. (I didn't mention the 'dual' above)

My workstation in my office is a dual quad core XEON 2.66 ghz, so I suppose I could try it in here. I was under the impression I met the requirements for everything on my 'studio' computer tho.

EDIT: Just checked the processor usage while capturing and it's at an even 75 to 80% with the occasional hike to 90%.

David Newman · July 8th, 2008, 11:08 AM

Not fast enough sorry. For live capture we recommend 2.66GHz Intel Core 2 Duo E6700 or better. See more info here http://www.cineform.com/products/Tec.../Intensity.htm If you are seeing anything at 90% you are likely dropping video frames (causing you audio sync issues), averaging 60%-70% or lower will more typical for a suitable system (without removing pulldown.) That Xeon system will work fine (overkill really.)

Roger Akers · July 8th, 2008, 12:39 PM

For the record David,

If I play the video in 25fps it syncs up fine. I don't see anywhere that suggest I've clicked a PAL setting.

Jack Zhang · July 9th, 2008, 03:13 PM

A Q6700 would give much more reliability for capture for any live capture environments.

Richard Leadbetter · July 10th, 2008, 03:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roger Akers

For the record David,

If I play the video in 25fps it syncs up fine. I don't see anywhere that suggest I've clicked a PAL setting.

By selecting pulldown you are lowering the CineForm workload significantly by only encoding a lower amount of frames. Unfortunately, games consoles run at 60fps, not 24fps or 25fps.

Basically your CPU is waaaay too slow for realtime capture from Xbox 360. An E6600 at 2.4GHz or E6550 at 2.33GHz is the lowest end these days for 8-bit YUY2 720p60 capture at 60fps (which is what your Intensity is providing).

Bearing in mind how behind the pace AMD is compared to Intel, a 3.0GHz X2 CPU or else a Phenom would be my recommendations for 60fps capture from a 360.

Jack Zhang · July 22nd, 2008, 02:14 AM

Well, just as a heads up Roger, don't post your final edit on Vimeo, they just banned gaming related videos there.

Henry Olonga · July 22nd, 2008, 08:05 AM

Hi Roger,
I hope I am stating the obvious but do make sure you have the latest drivers for both the intensity and also the software from cineform.I had perpetual audio sync issues until the most recent batch.I am now on 1.8 of the intensity drivers and the issue is resloved - haven't upgraded to the latest yet which is version 2 I think.And on the latest Cineform version as well.Ironically the issue came and went with each upgrade so some versions play nicer than others.This issue did not exist with Blackmagic Designs' mjpeg codec though.
Hope it helps.

July 8th, 2008, 08:30 AM	#1
Roger Akers Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Lexington, KY Posts: 103	Intensity Pro + NEO + Audio Out of Sync Hey guys I've been googling myself to death over this and hope someone here can help me out. I've gotta Decklink Intensity Pro and I've been capturing my HDMI signal from an XBOX 360. I've used Decklinks native tool and NEO HD capturing tool. The video works great but the audio is out of sync. I've exhausted all my tests with different settings and just don't know what to do anymore. I've updated all my drivers for decklink..so I'm at a loss.

July 8th, 2008, 08:50 AM	#2
David Newman CTO, CineForm Inc. Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Cardiff-by-the-Sea, California Posts: 8,095	How much out of sync in which direction? We haven't tried capturing from XBOX ourselves, focusing on camera outputs, yet we have a customer that does video game trailers without such issues. __________________ David Newman -- web: www.gopro.com blog: cineform.blogspot.com -- twitter: twitter.com/David_Newman

July 8th, 2008, 09:58 AM	#4
David Newman CTO, CineForm Inc. Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Cardiff-by-the-Sea, California Posts: 8,095	Don't use remove pulldown, if your source doesn't have it, it might could audio issues. __________________ David Newman -- web: www.gopro.com blog: cineform.blogspot.com -- twitter: twitter.com/David_Newman

July 8th, 2008, 10:34 AM	#7
David Newman CTO, CineForm Inc. Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Cardiff-by-the-Sea, California Posts: 8,095	You computer is simply not keeping up, you are way underpowered for real-time capture. Live capture requires two Opterons (or any modern two core system) and preferably 2.4Ghz or better. __________________ David Newman -- web: www.gopro.com blog: cineform.blogspot.com -- twitter: twitter.com/David_Newman

July 8th, 2008, 11:08 AM	#9
David Newman CTO, CineForm Inc. Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Cardiff-by-the-Sea, California Posts: 8,095	Not fast enough sorry. For live capture we recommend 2.66GHz Intel Core 2 Duo E6700 or better. See more info here http://www.cineform.com/products/Tec.../Intensity.htm If you are seeing anything at 90% you are likely dropping video frames (causing you audio sync issues), averaging 60%-70% or lower will more typical for a suitable system (without removing pulldown.) That Xeon system will work fine (overkill really.) __________________ David Newman -- web: www.gopro.com blog: cineform.blogspot.com -- twitter: twitter.com/David_Newman

July 8th, 2008, 09:26 AM	#3
Roger Akers Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Lexington, KY Posts: 103	Thanks for the response David, It's as if the audio is getting recorded at a different rate than the video. It is out of sync 'late' (to the right) But after manually syncing it to a certain event. It un-syncs a few moments later. So this means to finish my product I would need to manually sync the audio every 10 seconds or so. I'm recording at 720 60p 8bit 4:2:2 with 2 channel audio with the remove 3-2 pulldown checked.

July 8th, 2008, 10:07 AM	#5
Jack Zhang Inner Circle Join Date: May 2005 Location: Burnaby, BC, Canada Posts: 3,053	If you can, you can always do that in post, not on-the-fly. Also, check your HDD speed and CPU speed. if the HDD is slow (due to either not enough bandwidth or too small allocation size) or the CPU is too slow (always at 100%), upgrade your CPU and/or use a SATA HDD at a minimum allocation size of 4096bytes. If problems are caused on both pieces of software, it's most likely hardware that is to blame.

July 8th, 2008, 10:23 AM	#6
Roger Akers Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Lexington, KY Posts: 103	If I don't click remove pull down the video gets choppy beyond belief and the audio gets garbled. I'm using an AMD64 Opteron 2.0ghz The Hard drives are quick (SATA-2 in a RAID 0) edit: Alsom fixing this in post isn't really an option because I would manually have to sync everything ever 10 seconds. My productivity here at work would be shot.

July 8th, 2008, 10:41 AM	#8
Roger Akers Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Lexington, KY Posts: 103	My processor on the machine in question (in my studio) is a dual core 2.01 ghz opteron. (I didn't mention the 'dual' above) My workstation in my office is a dual quad core XEON 2.66 ghz, so I suppose I could try it in here. I was under the impression I met the requirements for everything on my 'studio' computer tho. EDIT: Just checked the processor usage while capturing and it's at an even 75 to 80% with the occasional hike to 90%.

July 8th, 2008, 12:39 PM	#10
Roger Akers Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Lexington, KY Posts: 103	For the record David, If I play the video in 25fps it syncs up fine. I don't see anywhere that suggest I've clicked a PAL setting.

July 9th, 2008, 03:13 PM	#11
Jack Zhang Inner Circle Join Date: May 2005 Location: Burnaby, BC, Canada Posts: 3,053	A Q6700 would give much more reliability for capture for any live capture environments.

July 22nd, 2008, 02:14 AM	#13
Jack Zhang Inner Circle Join Date: May 2005 Location: Burnaby, BC, Canada Posts: 3,053	Well, just as a heads up Roger, don't post your final edit on Vimeo, they just banned gaming related videos there.

July 22nd, 2008, 08:05 AM	#14
Henry Olonga Major Player Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: London Posts: 201	Hi Roger, I hope I am stating the obvious but do make sure you have the latest drivers for both the intensity and also the software from cineform.I had perpetual audio sync issues until the most recent batch.I am now on 1.8 of the intensity drivers and the issue is resloved - haven't upgraded to the latest yet which is version 2 I think.And on the latest Cineform version as well.Ironically the issue came and went with each upgrade so some versions play nicer than others.This issue did not exist with Blackmagic Designs' mjpeg codec though. Hope it helps.