decklink Live Video not working with Black Magic DeckLink 4K Extreme Capture Card

[RyanD]

Hi I am hoping someone can help me.

 

We have tried almost everything we can think off to get Live Video up and running. 

 

We have three WO computers receiving an SDI input (we are using a DVD from a blue ray payer for now for testing purpose) 

 

We have DeckLink 4K Extreme Cards in all 3 computers. 

 

The cards and driver can be seen from the Windows device manager. 

 

Our WO version is 5.5.2 and the driver version 10.1.0.0

 

It used to work long time ago but stopped some time back. 

 

We have multiple display connected to the two display computers. I've checked the device input settings and DeckLink Video Capture is selected. (There is only one device to select in any case) 

Inside our WO production PC our live video media is set to Device 1. 

The part I don't know is refresh rates, input formats output formats and so on.  Do I need to change these settings? I have no idea what these settings should be. 

We have a DVD signal incoming via the SDI input. What settings should I have to just see something on the screens? Knowing that it's a settings thing will give me comfort knowing our hardware has not failed, or something along those lines. 

BTW WO is working properly with media played directly from the production computer on all our displays. 

We need Live Video to work.

Please help! 

- Ryan D

 

 

 

 

[artboy]

The first thing to check is whether the signal is confirmed in the BMD's own program (Media express??). 

If you see a signal there, set the exact properties of the signal in WO. (Resolution, Refresh Rate, etc.)

 

 

One more questionable thing is that the source of the signal is the Blu-ray player. 

In this case, HDCP encryption is performed, but the capture card is a device that does not support it. 

If HDCP is hung, the screen will not appear in BMD's own program.

Check using a camera or other signal source

To turn off HDCP, you may need to add equipment such as splitters and matrix switcher.

[RBeddig]

Hello Ryan,

Two things to consider here.

a) Blackmagic graphic cards are unfortunately not the best choice since the cards drivers usually don't analyse the input signal format and one usually needs to play with the driver settings of the Blackmagic software and the settings in the input in WATCHOUT for a while to get those cards working. More professional cards like those from Datapath identify incoming signals correctly and it usually doesn't make much difference if the settings in WATCHOUT are wrong. They will still show an image. We have seen cases where we needed to set the input in WATCHOUT to e.g. 720p25 when the source sent signals at 720i50 etc.

b) Testing the signal from a DVD on a Blueray player might not be the best idea. Blueray players usually use DRM coded outputs which will usually work on monitor inputs but never on capture cards, no matter what product. The manufacturers of capture cards are usually not allowed to capture content from DRM protected outputs. The better source would be a camera with SDI output or a normal HDMI signal from a computer desktop converted using a HDMI > SDI converter.

Hope it helps.

[RyanD]

Brilliant, thank you so much for this useful information. 

I'll not use the Blue Ray player for testing purpose and connect a computer via HDMI > SDI 

Are there specific settings I should set manually to get my computer working? Will the Blackmagic cards identify the signal automatically? 

I'll let you know the results.

Dying to see something on the screens.

 

[RyanD]

Hi Everyone,

So, I'm still not having much luck 😕 

 

I changed my input to a laptop via HDMI > CAT5 extenders > to the Converter > out to SDI 

I can confirm the signal in Black Magics Media Express program on the WO display computer. See below.... 

The settings are:

Project Format: HD 1080i 59.94

Capture File Format: AVI 8-bit YUV

When capturing DPX files, use 8 digit numbers in the first frame count. 

Then I checked the Black Magic Design Desktop Video Settings. I copied the settings from Media Express.

Set output: SDI & HDMI & Component

Set input: SDI Video & SDI Audio

At 7.5 IRE for use in the USA (is selected)

Use 4:4:4 SDI on video output when possible is slected. 

Remove filed jitter when video is paused is slected. 

(BTW I have tried to on/off all the above settings).

Set default video standard as: HD 1080i 59.94

On the processing page...

Select output processing is Off.  

Select input processing is Off. 

Select A-frame VITC reference Frame 0 

Again, I did try play around with the different options. 

And finally, below in my WO this is what my Live Video is set on:

 

I have also checked the Devie in WO display computer, Input device is correct DeckLink Video Capture.

 

So, I can see my laptop in the WO display computer! But it just doesn't seem to want to communicate with the WO production computer and output to the screens. 

 

Any idea, or suggestions I can try?

 

 

 

 

 

[jfk]

The BMD capture utility uses a proprietary BMD driver. WATCHOUT requires a generic Windows Driver Model (aka WDM) driver. So while the BMD utility confirms the physical connection, it does not tell you if the WDM driver is correct.

2 hours ago, RyanD said:

…  I have also checked the Devie in WO display computer, Input device is correct DeckLink Video Capture. …

Someone correct me here, if the WDM driver is correctly installed, shouldn’t you observe at least two choices per BMD input in watchpoint’s video input menu - one for the proprietary driver and one for the WDM driver? If the BMD utility works and watchpoint only offers one choice, does that then mean the WDM driver is not correctly installed and watchpoint can not capture?

BTW fps may be an ambiguous term here - BMD = fields per second, Dataton = frames per second. 50 fields per second = 25 frames per second.

 

[RyanD]

Is there a way to confirm the WDM driver is working properly? 

 

 

[jfk]

46 minutes ago, RyanD said:

Is there a way to confirm the WDM driver is working properly? 

Post a screenshot of watchpoint’s video input choices.

[RyanD]

 

[artboy]

On 12/24/2022 at 1:35 AM, RyanD said:

 

I have also checked the Devie in WO display computer, Input device is correct DeckLink Video Capture.

 

So, I can see my laptop in the WO display computer! But it just doesn't seem to want to communicate with the WO production computer and output to the screens. 

 

Any idea, or suggestions I can try?

 

 

 

 

 

Does it mean that you can see BMD live on WO display computer, but you can't see BMD live on WO production? 

Does WO production have a BMD capture card and the same signal is being input?

In order to use LIVE media, capture cards must be installed on all servers regardless of role.

[RyanD]

Hey All,

 

I'm stuck and I have tried almost everything I can think of now.  Any ideas?

[jfk]

On 12/23/2022 at 3:51 PM, RyanD said:

 

Pretty sure that indicates the driver required by WATCHOUT is not available. Possibly someone who has successfully used a BMD capture card can provide a screen capture of what a correct setup looks like on the watchpoint video input menu?

[RyanD]

Hi artboy,

We have BMD capture cards installed on all 3 computers (2 display and 1 production).

All 3 WO computers get exactly the same SDI input signal.

I can see my laptop in the BMD (media express) on all 3 WO computers including my production computer..

Hi jfk,

I have the same Watchpoint video selection in all 3 WO computers. This is not a new WO installation, and the WO installation was installed a long time ago in our theater. I believe it was working back in the day.... somewhere along the way it just stopped working 😕  

I guess maybe we need to confirm if the driver Watchout needs is available and working properly? But how do we do that?

Thank you both for your help with this, I really apricate it. 

 

[Alex Ramos]

You better reinstall the Blackmagic Desktop vídeo installer on the display computer.

And you should see 2 driver options WDM and Decklink driver.

Some inputs work with WDM others with Decklink driver.

I always have to try to know.

Remember if you want to see the capture on the production PC you need to have a card there to.

[RyanD]

3 hours ago, Alex Ramos said:

You better reinstall the Blackmagic Desktop vídeo installer on the display computer.

And you should see 2 driver options WDM and Decklink driver.

Some inputs work with WDM others with Decklink driver.

I always have to try to know.

Remember if you want to see the capture on the production PC you need to have a card there to.

Thanks Alex,

Are you saying I should reinstall Blackmagic Desktop video installer on ALL 3 WO computers? 

Just to reiterate, I have 3 WO computers (2 display and 1 production)

ALL 3 WO computers have a BMD capture card installed.

ALL 3 WO computers have the same hardware setup, they are identical. Same Capture cards, same input. (Not a new installation, it worked back in the day.) 

And, I only have the one device, Decklink Video Capture to choose from in all 3 Watchpoint application... 

Do you think it's possible for the WDM driver to disappear/ stop working on ALL 3 computers? 

[RyanD]

What about the input resolution and frame rate settings, how can I make 100% sure that I got this part right? 

From what I understand, the settings in Black Magic Media Express must match what I have set on the production computer in my Live Video? 

Blackmagic Media Express says my input format is DH 1080i 59.94 / file format AVI 8-bit YUV

But is this a true detection on my actual input signal? I don't know what my input settings should look like. (I am sending from my laptop via HDMI and into an SDI converter out to the capture card). 

On 12/28/2022 at 11:14 AM, Alex Ramos said:

You better reinstall the Blackmagic Desktop vídeo installer on the display computer.

And you should see 2 driver options WDM and Decklink driver.

Some inputs work with WDM others with Decklink driver.

I always have to try to know.

Remember if you want to see the capture on the production PC you need to have a card there to.

Thanks Alex,

Are you saying I should reinstall Blackmagic Desktop video installer on ALL 3 WO computers? 

Just to reiterate, I have 3 WO computers (2 display and 1 production)

ALL 3 WO computers have a BMD capture card installed.

ALL 3 WO computers have the same hardware setup, they are identical. Same Capture cards, same input. (Not a new installation, it worked back in the day.) 

And, I only have the one device, Decklink Video Capture to choose from in all 3 Watchpoint application... 

Do you think it's possible for the WDM driver to disappear/ stop working on ALL 3 computers? 

[RBeddig]

Some HDMI converters know two versions of SDI. I recently had to play with the settings of my Decimator interfaces until I found the right combination.

[RyanD]

On 12/28/2022 at 2:19 PM, RyanD said:

Thanks Alex,

Are you saying I should reinstall Blackmagic Desktop video installer on ALL 3 WO computers? 

Just to reiterate, I have 3 WO computers (2 display and 1 production)

ALL 3 WO computers have a BMD capture card installed.

ALL 3 WO computers have the same hardware setup, they are identical. Same Capture cards, same input. (Not a new installation, it worked back in the day.) 

And, I only have the one device, Decklink Video Capture to choose from in all 3 Watchpoint application... 

Do you think it's possible for the WDM driver to disappear/ stop working on ALL 3 computers? 

Hey guys,

I re-seated my cards and removed Desktop Video installer. Re-installed the BM driver and software successfully but I still get exactly the same results.

Video can be seen in all 3 computers in BM Desktop. 

Still only 1 input device to choose from in Watchpoint. 😕 

[RyanD]

Ladies and Gentlemen, I got it working!!!

I updated BM Desktop Video to the latest version that works with my Windows 7. (Decklink Video Version 10.4.2) 

Some older BM Desktop versions were not giving me the WDM driver option.

I can now see the Blackmagic WDM Capture and the Decklink Video Capture in the Watchpoint Device input. 

I have just one last question... 

I still don't have Live Video capture inside my Production computer. I updated my BM capture card in the production computer exactly the same as I did with my display computers. 

I have both Blackmagic WDM Capture and Decklink Video Capture options to choose from inside WO Production> Preference> Video Input. 

I've ticked Live Video in the media box, but nothing is showing in my stage pre-review screen.

Any ideas how to fix this?