Welcome to our community

Be a part of something great, join today!

Log in
  • Hey all, just changed over the backend after 15 years I figured time to give it a bit of an update, its probably gonna be a bit weird for most of you and i am sure there is a few bugs to work out but it should kinda work the same as before... hopefully :)

How to genlock two Red cameras

Christer Engstroem

Christer Engstroem

Active member
Joined
Mar 18, 2008
Messages
27
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
Gothenburg, Sweden
Website
www.fandev.com
We have a setup with two red cameras (build #16, I think), on a stereo rig displaying the content on a transvideo 3D monitor.
We have tried to genlock the cameras with a blackburst sync generator and with a tri-level sync generator without success.
Yes, we have ticked the genlock checkbox.

Any suggestions appreciated.

Cheers
Christer
 
Genlock and 3D

Genlock and 3D

If you can check your recorded frames from the .R3D files they probably are Genlocked.

The more likely issue is the 720p Preview outputs don't Genlock, i.e. you get a different 3:2 pulldown sequence from each of the cameras...
 
Deneke SB-T boxes are pretty standard for this. They constantly feed the camera timecode/sync pulse. Remember to turn off the outgoing timecode from the camera before pluggin them in with some cables it can confuse the box.
 
My problem here is that my 3d monitor got an unstable picture when I have connected the two cameras into it. If I feed the monitor with two signals from just one camera, the image stable and fine.
.c

Stuart English said:
If you can check your recorded frames from the .R3D files they probably are Genlocked.

The more likely issue is the 720p Preview outputs don't Genlock, i.e. you get a different 3:2 pulldown sequence from each of the cameras...
Click to expand...
 
We are doing a test the end of the month for this exact reason. We will be doing two things using 2 RED cameras. Taking the 720 SDI outputs, recording them into the stereo Rave and uprezing to 1080 on the outputs to go into the SDI inputs of the 3d Live (this is a real-time process where the record and the uprezed output happens at the same time.

and going direct from the REDs 720 SDI ports into the 3d Live.

We will be announcing soon the support of r3d files and of course the ability to sync those for stereo (3D) work, like we do now with DPX files. This particular test is so that real-time, live 3D viewing can also be had :)

I will respond back with what we find out.

Cheers,
Ramona
 
fuel said:
My problem here is that my 3d monitor got an unstable picture when I have connected the two cameras into it. If I feed the monitor with two signals from just one camera, the image stable and fine.
.c
Click to expand...

Does that apply to both cameras? (test 2 outputs from Acam, then the same from Bcam) (just making sure one camera isn't set for an improper sdi signal)


Try rebooting with the sync generator active?
 
fuel said:
We have a setup with two red cameras (build #16, I think), on a stereo rig displaying the content on a transvideo 3D monitor.
We have tried to genlock the cameras with a blackburst sync generator and with a tri-level sync generator without success.
Yes, we have ticked the genlock checkbox.

Any suggestions appreciated.

Cheers
Christer
Click to expand...

Try here.

http://www.paradisefx.com/pages/news/red3d.html
 
It would be nice if there were an "LED" in the RED Menu system that lit-up and showed when the Camera was properly locked to Sync from the Genlock source.

Many pieces of gear in the Video industry have this simple yet very helpful feature.

Stuart, any chance it can be added in the next build?
 
I saw that build #17 has some improvements on the genlock side, maybe that helps. Worth a try.
btw. What are the specs for the genlock, is it blackburst or tri-level.

.c
 
We updated the cameras to build #17, still no change.
But changing the output framerate from 50fps->59.97fps and back again did the trick and locked the cameras perfectly.

btw. We tried the Sony EX3 on the rig and they worked on the first try.

.c
 
Cail Young said:
There should be a padlock in the GUI...
Click to expand...
What Cail said. If Genlock is enabled in the menu there should be a padlock in the top portion of the LCD. If Genlock is working it'll show as just a padlock, if it is activated but NOT Genlocked properly it'll be a padlock with a red crossed circle. If neither is there then Genlock isn't activated in camera....

HTH

Paul
 
3D Monitoring

3D Monitoring

My problem here is that my 3d monitor got an unstable picture when I have connected the two cameras into it. If I feed the monitor with two signals from just one camera, the image stable and fine.
Click to expand...

Yes, that's as I suspected. The way the camera operates is the camera's shutter does Genlock - hence the recorded images between the two cameras will be in perfect sync - but the HD-SDI and HDMI video monitoring outputs don't.

So any single camera will cause the monitor to lock, and any two outputs from a single camera will cause a camera to lock, but looking at two outputs where one is from one camera and one from another may cause the monitor to unlock.


The only guaranteed solution to this is to place a dual channel video synchronizer in front of the video monitor.
 
fuel said:
We updated the cameras to build #17, still no change.
But changing the output framerate from 50fps->59.97fps and back again did the trick and locked the cameras perfectly.

btw. We tried the Sony EX3 on the rig and they worked on the first try.

.c
Click to expand...


Good to know! My guess is the video output starts long before the genlock is listened too in the boot sequence. You essentially "restart" video output when you swap the Hz back and forth, and then it comes in line with the genlock.
 
The padlock icon (genlock on) was showing on the LCD, on both cameras.
But for some reasons they were not genlocked until we did our little trick.

.c

Paul Leeming said:
What Cail said. If Genlock is enabled in the menu there should be a padlock in the top portion of the LCD. If Genlock is working it'll show as just a padlock, if it is activated but NOT Genlocked properly it'll be a padlock with a red crossed circle. If neither is there then Genlock isn't activated in camera....

HTH

Paul
Click to expand...
 
Paul Leeming said:
What Cail said. If Genlock is enabled in the menu there should be a padlock in the top portion of the LCD. If Genlock is working it'll show as just a padlock, if it is activated but NOT Genlocked properly it'll be a padlock with a red crossed circle. If neither is there then Genlock isn't activated in camera....

HTH

Paul
Click to expand...

Thanks.

Is this is the Operations Manual? I couldn't find it. Which Build?
 
Try this...

since the 720p feed out is not genlock'd, re-genlock it. Get two sync boxes and take the same genlock feed from the tri-level sync generator, and feed it into the sync boxes. then feed the 720p into the sync boxes as well. viola.



3-drealtimegenlock.png
 
Hello....

WE just spent two days with two REDs a Tri level sync and a 3d Live system to see exactly what was coming off the ports and can confirm that you can get both SYNC and GENLOCK out of the SDI ports. I am working on posting the details and will provide the link shortly.

I can also confirm that you can get SYNC and No GENLOCK with certain combinations, which makes for un-usable 3D

Cheers,
Ramona

Thanks to Eli Jarra for the use of his REDS :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top