New to the forum. I have a hypothetical system question. We'd like to live stream two separate camera feeds. What I'm wondering is if we use two identical external single camera capture cards (from identical cameras), will Isadora recognise them as two distinct devices or will it just see one device / confuse them?any advice greatly appreciated. At this stage it seems the only way to know is to buy the capture devices and try, but that's the expensive way to find out!
System for reference would be as follows
2016 Macbook Pro running the software, 2 x Blackmagic Ultrastudio Mini Recorder through thunderbolt (or similar) to 2 x Canon Legria G25 cameras.
…nobody? I’m surprised.
Has anybody experimented with the patch to try to recreate the issue? I would be interested if I’m the only one. Also interested if it happens with PC (I’ve no access to windows machines). I’m convinced it will happen also with 25fps, 30fps,… and will test it soon. I will test it soon myself also with BM UltraStudio Mini Recorders (which I have, but have very poor functionality with Sony cams).
However, it would be valuable to know if others get the same results.
By the way, there was a slip in the image of the patch: the Trigger Value actor does not do anything, it’s unnecessary. So here’s a new image of a corrected patch.
I just brought a Blackmagic UltraStudio Mini Recorder and it partially works. HDMI or SDI to thunderbolt
How are you getting Isadora to Blackboard in the first place? Syphon Virtual Camera? Or?
First, the only way to guarantee audio sync is to plug the mic into the camera. If you take the audio into a different input, they will likely be out of sync as you discovered. But I don't understand why you'd get such bad audio by going into the camera. That's what the mic input on the camera is for!
In any case, does the input chain look like this:
Video Camera (Sony α7R II) -> HDMI Cable -> BlackMagic UltraStudio Mini Recorder -> USB -> Computer with Isadora, using BlackMagic driver in the Live Capture settings
I'm assuming here that the Isadora patch has a Video In Watcher that is putting the video on Isadora's stage.
- Are you experiencing blackouts on Isadora's video input?
- Are you experiencing blackouts on Isadora's stage or stage preview?
What's missing here is how you are getting Isadora's stage output to Blackboard. Please fill us in on that.
Best Wishes,
Mark
Hello gang,
A few years ago I made an interactive dance film in a box called Duet for Three that toured to various venues, festivals and conferences in the UK from 2011-2013. A few of you may have seen it - I remember Mark getting into it at Digital Futures in Bournemouth. Anyway, the box is long gone, but the film still exists. I've rebuilt it for Skype, and its currently online. All you have to do is search in Skype for Duet For Three and then - if it is online and not busy - video call it.
Basically, there's two dancers on screen, and the playback of each one is determined by the amount of movement your webcam receives (the input feed is split into left and right, and the dancers never cross the central line) - there are 5 scenes to choose from - all based on everyday gestures and pedestrian movement - that can be selected by pointing to the titles at the top of the screen. The system should auto-calibrate 5 seconds after you connect.
Its built in Isadora, with help from Syphon Screen Capture and a BlackMagic Ultrastudio Mini Recorder.
It would be great if you could check it out and let me know if it's working ok for you. (initial tests have been a bit mixed)(I'm hoping to leave it online over the weekend, but on Monday i'll be using Isadora for another project)
All the best,
John
Here's an odd one:
I have a couple of Blackmagic Thunderbolt devices, an Ultrastudio Mini Recorder, and an Intensity Shuttle. Windows 10, Isadora 2.6.1
As input devices they work just fine with the Video In Watcher actor, however I cannot get the input to capture to disk at all using the Capture Camera To Disk actor. I can capture the input using a video in watcher to a stage, and using the Capture Stage to Movie actor, but not the input directly.
In the Live Capture Settings I have Driver: Blackmagic selected, and can see the preview image.
When I trigger the Capture Camera To Disk actor Isadora goes through the motions: the red "camera" flashes in the lower right hand corner, but when I stop capturing, no file has been created in the specified captured media folder, and nothing appears in the media bin.
If I try and switch the driver from Blackmagic to Apple, and choose either Blackmagic WDM capture or Decklink Capture from the dropdown list Isadora crashes or quits instantly.
Is anyone able to test this for me so I can try and figure out if it's my systems or an issue elsewhere?
Thanks
Mark (t'other one)
The new Isadora 2.2.1 looks freaky awesome--big thanks to those who helped produce it!
Hello All,
@eMTv said:
about the Sony camera with proper nightshot mode : would a still camera be ok ? like an old DSC-F717 for instance, with a/v connection to the intensity shuttle to input the live feed into my computer ?
My notes say "Use an IR B&W security camera or a Sony Nightshot camera. Sony owned the IR Nightshot patent so the camera HAS to be a cheap Sony SD camera for this to work or a good quality B&W security camera."
@eMTv said:
about the additional IR filter that @mark talks quickly about in the tutorial, mentioning Lee 87 reference, which will only fit on the Lee 100 filter system whereas ideally I'd like to use a Hoya R72 or SRB Photographic IR720 filter that can be found in various diameters, and therefore fit directly on the camera lens, so I'm wondering if any of you would have some user experience to share about this ? (both references block all visible light below 720nm, when Lee 87 blocks visible light below 730 nanometres. I'm wondering if these 10nm make such a big difference ?
In relation to the IR filter for the camera, my notes say that one should add a Lee 73 (IR filter) gel over the camera.
I can't share much in the way of recent experience because it's been a few years since I've done this, but my notes about creating an IR source say that you can use ETC Source 4 ERS's (Profiles/Leekos) as with R19 (x2) + R81 (x1) + R90 (x1), but to make sure that you have lots of extra cuts around to replace them when they get melted, and to never bring the lighting instruments with these gel combinations above 50% intensity otherwise you're guaranteed to melt the gels. My notes also say "This is a fire hazard! Always check the gels often for heat damage and replace as needed. Alternatively buy or rent SPECIALIST IR LED lights instead."
@eMTv said:
we might want to acquire several video feeds on the same computer (at least 2 : the IR one for tracking purposes + a regular live video feed from another camera operated on-stage). any advice on the right video capture card to do that ?
The Blackmagic ultrastudio mini recorder is one I've used extensively for productions in the past; they've been solid for me (once you figure out the right settings and leave them like that). If you end up using an analog B+W security camera, you'll need an analog-to-digital-convertor (often called "ADVC") in order to get the analog signal from the camera and get it into your computer as a digital signal. I've seen Canopus ones used a while ago, but I'm sure that Blackmagic makes something that can handle this as well.
@eMTv said:
2x MSI GEFORCE GTX 1060 GAMING X 3G video cards and would be glad to have any advice on these
Isadora does not support the use of multiple graphics cards, so be careful. @DusX is better at explaining the nuts and bolts of this than I am.
Best wishes,
Woland
@leben said:
And the fact that I cannot get an HDMI signal to show in izzy is puzzling..
- Quit Isadora.
- Unplug the device from everything
- Plug an HDMI cord into your computer, and the other end into the device's HDMI IN
- Plug the Thunderbolt OUT from the device into your computer
- Go to System Preferences and make sure it sees the device as another display (so you can verify that you're actually sending HDMI out). If it's there, proceed. If it's not there, try outputting HDMI from a different computer and capturing it with the original computer. (I can't remember which way I've done it before.)
- Launch Isadora
- Open Stage Setup
- Set Stage 1 to the display that's your Blackmagic device
- Put a Video Noise + Projector
- Go to Live Capture Settings
- Scan for Devices
- Select the Black Magic Device
- Try the different options to see what's being captured via HDMI.
I know I've done this before
@Michel said:
You have to send a SDI signal as far as I know. Composite is a analog signal and will not work. If you are sending SDI over the composite cable it may not work because of the specs of the cable.
As Michal said, the device may not be able to handle an analog signal, or the cable or converter may be the issue. You may need an ADVC (analog-digital video converter) device between the VCR and the capture device.
@leben said:
I'm feeding a composite signal into a BNC adapter that fits onto the ultrastudio, I presumed this would work as I got the adapter of my old digital mixer, that did accept a composite feed into it.
Just because it plugs in, doesn't mean it'll work. I can plug my USB computer keyboard into the USB battery bank that I use to charge my phone, but that doesn't mean that it'll actually do anything.
@leben said:
Also I've noticed that on channel 1 in the live feed preferences I have 2 different options for the black magic, with one "offline"...these options are reversed when using channel 4.....is this any clue?
No, it probably just means the device was unplugged after Isadora found it, (likely while you were trying different things), and so it "lost" the "original" device (which became labeled "offline") and found a "new" device that's not offline (even though they're the same device). If you quit and relaunch Isadora, I'm pretty certain the "offline" option will disappear.
@Michel said:
I have a mini Recorder and it works fine when all settings are right
This has been my experience too. You have to make sure everything in the chain is on the same settings/is compatible so it can be a matter of changing multiple settings to make them all match your source (meaning things have to have the right setting in multiple places and there's only one "correct" combination that'll allow you to get a video feed). Once the settings all match, I've found these devices to be very reliable.