Can't capture camera to disk with blackmagic intensity shuttle driver

[Fred]

@videosmith First determine exaclt what your output is, youcan do this fast by pluggining into a modern LCD, usually they will show you the input format, like 1080p25 or whatever the camera is outputting (often this is not the same as the recording mode). Use that info to select the correct Blackmagic setting, each of the settings in the blackmagic capture represent a single resolution and refresh rate, you need to know this, it does not automatically select it for you.

Some resolutions that the blackmagic can use are not listed by the apple drivers, that is one of the reasons we have the choice, for example the 25p resolutions available to the BM capture drivers are not seen by the apple drivers. Trust that Isadora will show you the resolutions available to each system. It is up to you to know what resolution you camera is outputting and some manufacturers (of consumer and prosumer) are not clear on this, the BM gear is aimed at a different market and requires you have some info about your capture source.

[mwasser]

I’ll add that I usually use Blackmagic Media Express to get the video input settings - with the device selected, it should show the resolution and framerate it’s capturing at near the bottom of the window.

Blackmagic’s Desktop Video Setup is supposed to do this too, but I find that it lies frequently. 

[Videosmith]

@fred thankyou for this - I realise that you have to match the correct input format.  I've previously been using @mwasser's suggestion of using Blackmagic Media Express to get the settings.

I am able to get a live feed into izzy. My objective is to use the CAPTURE CAMERA TO DISK actor, to record a clip to the hard drive, for playback in another scene. However, this only appears to be possible using the Apple driver, not the Blackmagic driver.

To compound things, on the install machine at the museum, it can't see any live feed available through the Apple drivers :S

I know we must be missing something simple...

[DusX]

@videosmith

I will run some tests, but are you able to use 'capture stage to disk' as a work around?

[DusX]

@Videosmith 

I have reproduced the issue. There is a problem recording the camera when the BlackMagic driver is being used.

I am able to record when using the Apple driver.

If possible use the Apple driver, or use the 'Record Stage to Movie' function (this works with either driver).

I am entering the bug report, so that this can be fixed for an upcoming release.

[Videosmith]

@dusx unfortunately I can't use capture stage to disk as I need to also capture the sound.

An odd thing - I can capture using the Apple driver on my laptop (see above), but the Mac Pro at the museum cannot even see the camera using Apple. We have now bought an intensity shuttle but no joy. I have tried adding all my quicktime components to their machine, but still no joy.

:S

[Michel]

@videosmith

As far as I know Isadora does not record sound at all. What I did use is soundflower and send video and sound to the syphon recorder that captures video and sound. So you route video to syphon and the sound to soundflower and set the sources you want to record in the syphon recorder.

Best Michel

[Woland]

I think Soundflower is now defunct, isn't it? I've started using iShowU Audio Capture successfully.

Best wishes, 

Woland

[DusX]

@videosmith
The codecs not showing up under Apple, is a Quicktime registration issue I believe.
I would uninstall all BM software on the machine where the options are not listed and reinstall it, hopefully updating the quicktime driver in the process.

[Michel]

@woland

Just tried it on Sierra and it works.

Best Michel

[Videosmith]

@dusxthanks for the tips

[Videosmith]

@michel I can usually capture camera to disk (both audio and video as one file). I know capture stage to disk does not include sound though.

[Fred]

@dusx did you also test this on windows. I gave it a go and capture camera does not work. The capture driver still says apple or blackmagic (pretty sure it is using direct show on windows), just a bit messy. Capture settings are flaky as hell and many combos give crashes with blackmagic hardware and non blackmagic driver (this combo did give a capture camera to disk for a few seconds once, but I could not get it back, and blackmagic driver and capture camera to disk straight up does not work). Codec settings seem not to stick. Seems like the capture camera stuff with blackmagic hardware is a mess/not tested before distribution.

[Videosmith]

@dusx this worked! thankyou so much. I can now see the camera using the Apple driver on the Mac Pro, and so capture to disk using this.

I also installed Quicktime player 7 on the machine at the same time, and upgraded to Pro with my serial, so it could have been a factor. However, I think ultimately it was your advice to deinstall and reinstall the Blackmagic Desktop software.

thankyou!

[mark_m]

@fred
I'm not 100% sure I understand what you're saying, but I'm not having any trouble capturing to disk or to stage using  Blackmagic Intensity Shuttle on Windows. I'm using the Thunderbolt version, not the USB one. Here are my settings in Isadora for the capture.
Capture Camera to Disk works fine.

[it shows it as Blackmagic WDM Capture 2 as I also have a Blackmagic Mini Recorder attached, which Isadora sees as Blackmagic WDM Capture 1].


BUT when I try and use the Blackmagic (as opposed to the Apple) drivers, the video in works fine (as you can see from the preview), but I can't capture the video stream with Capture Camera to Disk

[DusX]

@mark_m

This is the same as what I found. 

I have entered a bug report regarding capture camera to disk with BM.

[DusX]

@videosmith

I am glad you have it working now.

[Fred]

@mark_m strange, I am using a Duo 2 card with the latest drivers and winver 1803. With Blackmagic drivers I get capture fine from all 4 channels, but no recording from camera, with windows drivers I get crashes, generally I enable capture, there is no image as the resolution and framerate are wrong, I go to change the framerate and then Isadora crashes on confirmation. I have reinstalled the blackmagic hardware driver and tried a bunch of resolutions.

[DillTheKraut]

@fred

Last Year I had a similar issue on Windows. Isadora crashed incomprehensible when the Input of the Decklink where chosen or shortly after. I had contact with Ryan Webber about this, but we couldn't find a solution. This wasn't about record to disk, but the input settings itself. As it was a rental Windows machine, and time ran out for the project we decided to switch to another system and could not investigate further. On the same Hardware Watchout and Resolume worked flawless with the decklink Duo 2, even with 4 inputs in parallel. The fun part: Izzy where working fine on a 2009 Mac Pro, with very low Hardware specs and the very same Decklink. Though with very low frame rates, it was rock solid!

I think it would be good to have deeper investigation into the compatibility with this card!

Best
Delil