can't capture or convert to dpx

Hi

I'm posting here after 5 failed attemps to get an answer from Aja (Aja replied once focusing on a detail, then ignored the rest of my requests).

I'm trying to capture hdcam tape to Dpx, using 1080i25 as source, and Aja 10b RGB as compressor, and of course the Aja Kona 3 as a video card.

I have tried with VtrXchange, which stalls if I set it up to capture to image files rather than a quicktime movie.

I have tried with VtrXchange set up to capture to 10b Log RGB. Capture is ok, I have a quicktime file, but Aja QtToDpx translator crashes at the moment I press translate.

I have also tried with Final Cut pro, with the same results (quicktime Aja 10b RGB capture is fine, but cannot be translated to dpx).

I have tried different systems : os x.5.8, x.6.2, x.6.3., with their default quicktime versions.

I have tried Aja drivers version 7.1 and 7.5


Does anybody have a suggestion of what might be wrong ?
I don't have the hdcam anymore, but I do have some sample footage that make QtToDpx crash: http://www.michaelcinquin.com/get/aja10bRGB.mov (269 MB)


I would be very grateful if anybody has some input on this.

regards

Michael Cinquin


Final Cut Pro - Avid Media Composer editor
Baselight - Color colorist
http://www.michaelcinquin.com/tools : tools for FCP | Color | RED | subtitles | Cinema Tools | Timecode - Keycode calculator

Gary,

thanks a lot for your input, and for the tests you've done. It's quite a surprise for me !

OK first off while you are switching between all of these options did you bother to install and uninstall the firmware for the K3 card.- this is a manual process and is required to be able to have the card function correctly.

Yes I did run a complete uninstall & install.

What version of VTRX? the current is v4.1 I believe.

I tried at least 4.1.1 ; perhaps some others, I don't remember

How do you have VTRX set up- what still format have you chosen, have you tried tiffs or tga's?

I chose "save as Numbered Files" is the preferences of the app, and set the video settings to 10 bit Log RGB".


Thanks to your successful attempt of using DpxToQt translator on my movie using your laptop, I know the movie file is ok, and I will be able to hunt down the problem : as long as DpxToQt translator crashes on me, it's no bother trying to use VTRXchange.
It must be some software or setting that I have installed on my 3 computers and their different Operating Systems. I will investigate and keep you in touch.

Woops, a re-download shows it is a movie.

I'm with Gary, works for me.

Jeremy

Gary,

you were right. I did not update the firmware, thanks for insisting on the manual procedure.

But this is not the solution of the problem of the ajaRGB to dpx conversion, which works on your computer, but not on mine, and is supposed to work on any computer, including those without an Aja.

It's a bug in QTToDpxTranslator. I wonder why it happens only here.
I spend hours on this, trying to uninstall, downgrade, upgrade, clear the caches, repair the permissions, re-install the os, delete quicktime components, create new users.

Etc, etc…

To no avail.

But then I watched more closely the error report : QTToDPXTranslator.app was crashing when trying to convert the date to a cString "2010:06:09:11:41:17G…"

So I tried to set my timezone from Brussels time to Chicago Time : it works ! Back to Brussels time : it crashes ! Just try it.

I really resent that Aja took weeks to answer and did not bother to shuffle through the error report, even though I told them I had tried everything (I did get a new generic email from them hours after posting here).
…
but I do appreciate the feedback of the Cow, which was really good help to track the problem



charbon:~ charbon$ /Applications/AJA\ QTToDPXTranslator.app/Contents/MacOS/AJA\ QTToDPXTranslator
ReleaseStreamForApplication error=e00002bc
2010-06-09 11:41:17.320 AJA QTToDPXTranslator[833:903] Let's go Save /Users/charbon/Desktop/01_visite3_appartement2 10b rgb_#####.dpx!!
2010-06-09 11:41:17.322 AJA QTToDPXTranslator[833:4303b] Total DPX Header size = 2048 bytes
2010-06-09 11:41:17.323 AJA QTToDPXTranslator[833:4303b] FileInfo size = 768 bytes
2010-06-09 11:41:17.323 AJA QTToDPXTranslator[833:4303b] ImageInfo size = 640 bytes
2010-06-09 11:41:17.323 AJA QTToDPXTranslator[833:4303b] SourceInfo size = 256 bytes
2010-06-09 11:41:17.323 AJA QTToDPXTranslator[833:4303b] FilmInfo size = 256 bytes
2010-06-09 11:41:17.323 AJA QTToDPXTranslator[833:4303b] VideoInfo size = 128 bytes
2010-06-09 11:41:17.326 AJA QTToDPXTranslator[833:4303b] Frame Count Offset = 0
2010-06-09 11:41:17.326 AJA QTToDPXTranslator[833:4303b] Frame 0: /Users/charbon/Desktop/01_visite3_appartement2 10b rgb/01_visite3_appartement2 10b rgb_00000.dpx
2010-06-09 11:41:17.345 AJA QTToDPXTranslator[833:4303b] An uncaught exception was raised
2010-06-09 11:41:17.345 AJA QTToDPXTranslator[833:4303b] Conversion to cString failed for string "2010:06:09:11:41:17G..."
2010-06-09 11:41:17.345 AJA QTToDPXTranslator[833:4303b] *** Terminating app due to uncaught exception 'NSCharacterConversionException', reason: 'Conversion to cString failed for string "2010:06:09:11:41:17G..."'
*** Call stack at first throw:
(
0 CoreFoundation 0x913edbda __raiseError + 410
1 libobjc.A.dylib 0x96e95509 objc_exception_throw + 56
2 Foundation 0x9762039b -[NSString(NSStringOtherEncodings) lossyCString] + 0
3 Foundation 0x976200c4 -[NSString(NSStringOtherEncodings) getCString:maxLength:] + 103
4 AJA QTToDPXTranslator 0x0000392c -[QTMovieFile saveFrame:] + 426
5 AJA QTToDPXTranslator 0x00003754 -[QTMovieFile saveMovie] + 214
6 AJA QTToDPXTranslator 0x00003644 -[QTMovieFile doSaveInSeparateThread:] + 70
7 Foundation 0x974bf8dc -[NSThread main] + 45
8 Foundation 0x974bf88c __NSThread__main__ + 1499
9 libSystem.B.dylib 0x90ef2a19 _pthread_start + 345
10 libSystem.B.dylib 0x90ef289e thread_start + 34
)
Trace/BPT trap


Michael Cinquin


Final Cut Pro - Avid Media Composer editor
Baselight - Color colorist
http://www.michaelcinquin.com/tools : tools for FCP | Color | RED | subtitles | Cinema Tools | Timecode - Keycode calculator