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  • 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 :)

weird playback on new 17" Macbook pro

C

Chris Pickle

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www.savinggracethefilm.com
New 17" Macbook Pro 3.06 Gh
8 GB of Ram
FCP 6.06
Apple Pro Res HQ 720 media

We are getting intermittent weird video playback in Canvas or Cinema desktop. It's as if an odd scan line is "rolling" down the screen. The project has been fine for months on old machines--even an old 15" Pro 1.8. When went to a new 17" the issue started. It's not always, but almost always.

The new 17" line now has those goofy new mini display port, so we use an adapter to get to full size DVI. But it happens in the canvas when we drag it to the second screen. Switching desktop to the Dell and using the computer as Cinema desk top doesn't help either, so that makes me think it might not be the DVI adapter.

The video will plays back normal speed without dropping frames per say, it's just this weird rolling scan line thingy. We've double checked every setting, but no luck.

The clips play fine in QT on either screen, it just happens in FCP.

Any ideas out there.

Thanks
 
Check to see if you are using the "Battery" settings in your "Energy Saver" preferences. If it is set to that the MBP uses the less powerful graphics card which I have found causes problems with display. When you switch it to "Power Adapter" you'll have to log out and re-log in as the MBP switches to the more powerful graphics card.
 
Chris Henze said:
Check to see if you are using the "Battery" settings in your "Energy Saver" preferences. If it is set to that the MBP uses the less powerful graphics card which I have found causes problems with display. When you switch it to "Power Adapter" you'll have to log out and re-log in as the MBP switches to the more powerful graphics card.
Click to expand...

Ok, so the Energy Saver was set to the lower graphics. Very interesting. I hope this fixes it. I'll let you know.

Thanks,
Chris
 
So I discovered the problem.

The new MBPs with minidisplay port are not happy with using a different color profile on an outboard monitor. If you match the outboard, say a Dell 24", to the computer's profile os say LCD, then the problem goes away. I even tried all the other profiles, and as long as they are both the same, then FCP will play back fine. If they are different then you get dropped frames and weird rolling scans lines, and some choppy video.

My question is, which profile should I use? Adobe RGB, Generic RGB, LCD,...?

If I force the Dell to use LCD, it looks very sepia. I suppose I could just force it, then do a calibration?

Chris
 
How do you have the secondary monitor set up? If it's mirrored (same image as on the MBP), then it should only allow for one color profile for the primary MBP LCD. If you have it set up as an extended workspace, you should be able to use individual color profiles just fine. Also be sure you're using the more powerful nVidia GPU.
 
Jeff Kilgroe said:
How do you have the secondary monitor set up? If it's mirrored (same image as on the MBP), then it should only allow for one color profile for the primary MBP LCD. If you have it set up as an extended workspace, you should be able to use individual color profiles just fine. Also be sure you're using the more powerful nVidia GPU.
Click to expand...

I have the Dell as extended, however... in FCP under Audio & Video settings / A/V Devises "Playback Output", I have "Mirror on Desktop" checked, but it doesn't actually mirror on desktop. If I uncheck "Mirror...." it won't playback through Digital Cinema, all I get is a single frame on the Dell when I hit play. When I hit stop, the single frame catches back up to the playhead.

Thoughts & Thanks

Chris
 
Jeff, what color profile do you use with the Dreamcolor. I am trying to calibrate my Dreamcolor and to actually display 10bit. I have Apple display for my FCP timeline space, then the dreamcolor for grading. I also have the RedRocket . thanks
 
Lonzo,

I don't have a Dreamcolor. However, it seems the only way to feed 10bit color to it is to use a supporting video card and driver set that actually supports 10bit. So right off, that eliminates everything on the Mac except a few of the BMD and AJA cards that can output 10bit via HDMI. there is no 10bit solution for DisplayPort on the Mac that I am aware of.

With my MBP, I typically connect a 24" DELL 2407WFP or a 1080p plasma. I use the mini displayport adapters (DVI and HDMI variants) from monoprice. Work great.

For color profiles, I calibrate and create my own for the LCDs - I use the Spyder3 Elite. For the plasma, I have someone come in and calibrate.
 
Jeff Kilgroe said:
Lonzo,

I don't have a Dreamcolor. However, it seems the only way to feed 10bit color to it is to use a supporting video card and driver set that actually supports 10bit. So right off, that eliminates everything on the Mac except a few of the BMD and AJA cards that can output 10bit via HDMI. there is no 10bit solution for DisplayPort on the Mac that I am aware of.

With my MBP, I typically connect a 24" DELL 2407WFP or a 1080p plasma. I use the mini displayport adapters (DVI and HDMI variants) from monoprice. Work great.

For color profiles, I calibrate and create my own for the LCDs - I use the Spyder3 Elite. For the plasma, I have someone come in and calibrate.
Click to expand...


Hi Jeff,

Thanks for this info. Another question--since this calibrations tuff is new to me.

As I mentioned, FCP chugs if my Dell is on a different profile then my MBP. If I use the Spyder kit on both, I wonder if that would be the same as them being on the same profile?

Thanks,
Chris
 
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