[QLab] Camera Cue Glitches Video

[Mark Valenzuela]

I'm currently teching a show and have run into a problem with videos
and camera cues. We have several sequences where we are playing a very
short video accompanied by an audio cue. The video is .mov, and the
video designer and I have tried a couple of different compression
formats with the following result:

When the video is triggered, if the next cue sequence contains a
Camera ON cue, the video will glitch (stall) for a moment before
continuing. Even if we preload the subsequent Camera cue sequence
before firing the video sequence, the moment the sequence advances to
that next Camera cue sequence, the behavior is the same. The same
video, when followed by a complex cue sequence containing about 10
cues (audio, video, and fade cues), but which DOES NOT contain a
Camera cue, will play perfectly with no glitches.

If I create a dead cue in the middle of the video and camera cues, the
video will play perfectly, but if I GO on the dead cue to advance the
cue sequence so the Camera cues is on deck, and the video is still
running, the video will stall exactly as described above. I have done
a bit of experimenting with different variables, and have determined
that it is only with the Camera cue. I have been able to replicate the
problem 100% of the time when the aforementioned sequence in place,
and have NEVER experienced a problem with this video when the next cue
sequence doesn't contain an Camera ON cue.

This is being run by a MBP 2.33GHZ, 3GB RAM, RaedonX1600 graphics card.

Any thoughts or ideas would be really helpful!

Best,
Mark V.

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[Christopher Ashworth]

Hi Mark,

Here's one thing that might work while I try to determine what might
be going on: Try starting up the camera cue before the previous video
sequence is running, so any heavy startup costs from the camera are
spent before it will disturb the video playback. Then keep it running
at an opacity of 0%, and bring it up with an animation cue when you
want it to actually "start". Will that work?

Also, what is the camera hardware you're using for this camera cue?

-C

On Oct 22, 2009, at 11:24 AM, Mark Valenzuela wrote:

> I'm currently teching a show and have run into a problem with videos
> and camera cues. We have several sequences where we are playing a
> very short video accompanied by an audio cue. The video is .mov, and
> the video designer and I have tried a couple of different
> compression formats with the following result:
>
> When the video is triggered, if the next cue sequence contains a
> Camera ON cue, the video will glitch (stall) for a moment before
> continuing. Even if we preload the subsequent Camera cue sequence
> before firing the video sequence, the moment the sequence advances
> to that next Camera cue sequence, the behavior is the same. The same
> video, when followed by a complex cue sequence containing about 10
> cues (audio, video, and fade cues), but which DOES NOT contain a
> Camera cue, will play perfectly with no glitches.
>
> If I create a dead cue in the middle of the video and camera cues,
> the video will play perfectly, but if I GO on the dead cue to
> advance the cue sequence so the Camera cues is on deck, and the
> video is still running, the video will stall exactly as described
> above. I have done a bit of experimenting with different variables,
> and have determined that it is only with the Camera cue. I have been
> able to replicate the problem 100% of the time when the
> aforementioned sequence in place, and have NEVER experienced a
> problem with this video when the next cue sequence doesn't contain
> an Camera ON cue.

[Mark Valenzuela]

> Hi Mark,
>
> Here's one thing that might work while I try to determine what might
> be going on: Try starting up the camera cue before the previous
> video sequence is running, so any heavy startup costs from the
> camera are spent before it will disturb the video playback. Then
> keep it running at an opacity of 0%, and bring it up with an
> animation cue when you want it to actually "start". Will that work?
>
> Also, what is the camera hardware you're using for this camera cue?

Great suggestion. I'm heading into the theatre now, and will try this.
I'll send you the camera info too.

Mark V.