Hello all,

I have an old Media Composer, Version 7.1, which was working great, but now has problems with effects.

The video clips in the record monitor display fine until I try to do an effect, such as a dissolve. When a dissolve is rendered, the video playback is scrambled. When the effect is removed, everything is fine.

I already tried:
Deleting all media databases

Deleting the MCSTATE file

Deleting the Digisetup file

The same thing occurs on old clips with effects that were rendered months ago. Once the effects are removed, everything else is fine.

I was thinking about re-installing the software,but I don't know much about these systems, and have limited documentation.

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

 

 

Hi,

I've never seen the problem but two possibilities come to mind:

1. you're rendering to a hard drive that isn't fast enough to play back the effect
or maybe
2. you're rendering at a resolution that isn't compatible to the one you're using in the sequence, eg rendering at an offline single field AVR in an AVR77 sequence.

Strange though that the old effects are playing up...

Since my dear old v7.2 isn't connected I can't check my hunches.

BTW reinstalling software is easy, as long as you've got the original disc(s).

Good luck!
Rodney

Are the "old" effects rendered?  That might explain them playing.  Perhaps you effects hardware has gone bad, i..e, Mandrill or Genie.

Actually, the old effects are not playing either. The effects are rendered to "Effects Drive", but I tried rendering them to an AVR-77 drive, without any success either.

I am not sure about the effects hardware.

I have a 3D effects processor, but aren't the basic effects (dissolves, fades, etc), just rendered using the software? I haven't tried any 3D effects yet, since I am still very new to this.

I am a little reluctant to reinstall the software. I have the original disks, but I have not figured out a way to backup any data. I haven't been able to get ethernet working, but that is another problem!

Do you think its still ok to reinstall the software?

Thanks a bunch!!!
JIm

Hi Rodney,

I am not sure what you mean in number 2. How do I change the rendering resolution? How do I check to see if maybe I am "rendering at an offline single field AVR".

Everything was working fine, up until a week ago.

The only thing that I messed with was the the composite output settings, but that is all that I remember changing.

Thanks for the help!
Jim

Also, my console display the following:

Warning!! effect parameter mismatch: EFF_BLEND_PIP ; eff 168 rt 176

Warning!! effect parameter mismatch: EFF_BLEND_RESIZE ; eff 168 rt 176

Could this be part of it?

Thanks,

Jim

 

Did you try creating a new User and see if that worked?  Long shot, but may be something.

Hi Jim,

sorry not to be able to give you more precise info. I can't remember whether v7.1 asks for rendering resolutions. Check out the compression tool (tools/compression) and make sure the current setting is compatible with your sequence.

One thing you may want to try is to go into the media tool, select the effects in your sequence and trash them. Then rerender the effects. It might help.

I've found my CD of MC v7.1 online help. Zipped it's 3.5 MB. Shall I email it to you? let me know at [email protected]

BTW you can back up to any non-striped SCSI disc or a Zip drive or burn a CD on a SCSI CD writer.

Regards
Rodney

One of the easiest ways to diagnose a problem with the 3D effects hardware (no, the effects are not rendered with the sofrtware but with the Janus board set.) is to hold down "F" and "X" while launching the AVID. This will disable your 3D hardware. If, after the hardware is turned off, the effects play in the timeline, then you have a hardware failure in either the 3D card/Pizza Box or your Janus set.

Great news! The problem went away! I did like you said, and disabled the 3D hardware and the effects played fine, but obviously no 3D menus.

I then shut down, turned the "Pizza Box" on and off a few times, tightened the cables, and now everything is working great including the 3D effects.

Thanks everyone for all of the help. I would really be bummed out now if it wasn't for all of the tips.

Jim

Rodney,

I think that I'm ok with the online help. It looks like it is already installed, but thanks for the offer.

Also, can I just use any SCSI CD writer, or does it have to be MAC compatable? I guess I would have to look on eBay for something like that, since it is so old? If I find one, do I need to make sure that it has a MAC driver with it?

Thanks again for all of the help.

Jim

Hi Jim

sorry I was sending you up the wrong path with my resolution fears.

I used to use a SCSI CD-writer with Toast v4 on my v7.2 MCOffline PowerMac 9600 Mac OS8.1. According to roxio.com

"SCSI:
Mac OS Version: 8/9 Drive Connection: SCSI Toast 5.1 or later and Jam 5 or later should support all SCSI drives."

I just checked Ebay Germany and there are literally dozens of SCSI CD writers available for about US$10 so you'll have no trouble finding one.

It would be a worthwhile investment, not just because of project back ups but should you ever need to online a project somewhere else, you'll be able to easily transfer data.

Enjoy your wonderful old workhorse!

Rodney