Desktop Video 10.6.2 and Media Express problem

I've been using Media Express with the Teranex 2D on a Mac for a couple of years now, and up until recently I had no major problems. However, since upgrading to Desktop Video 6.0 I've been experiencing really annoying intermittent problems with the Capture window display, and now I've done a clean update to 10.6.2 I'm still having the same problem.

I'm currently capturing Digi Beta source tapes via SD/SDI into the Teranex, with pictures being upscaled to 1920x1080p50 ProRes422 [HQ] files on a Sandisk SSD in a MultiDock over Thunderbolt. Up until recently, this configuration has never been problematic. However, I'm now getting glitches in Media Express such as the animated red arrow "Capture To Tape" icon freezing mid capture, or at other times the audio level meters freezing. This happens whether I'm performing a Batch Capture or capturing on the fly. It's a real nuisance because it makes it difficult to, at a glance, check that things are running OK. The problem is that when these freezes happen during a 90-minute capture it's difficult to decide whether to continue with the cvapture and hope for the best or abort it and reset. Time is money!!

It has only been happening when having updated to Desktop Video 10.6.0. I stripped the whole application and Media Express off the Mac and installed 10.6.2 from scratch, but no difference. It still happens.

Has anybody else had any experience of this? Any thoughts, Blackmagic people?

Yeah, same thing here, with the h.264 pro recorder (multiple units -- I think we own 8 or 9 of them now).

I've made multiple reports to BM with detailed logs, etc., with zero response.

We also have one machine (out of 6) which is running El Capitan and Media Express crashes on it at random intervals, often when sitting idle. On OS X the software is now unstable enough that we've had to turn to using some Windows 7 machines we had on hand to get work done.

Yes, I have a H.264 Pro Recorder as well, but I haven't yet tested that since the Media Express update. Because it's USB I can also use that on a Windows 7 box but I only have Thunderbolt on the Macs (for the Teranex, etc). I might end up rolling back to a previous version of Media Express because this is just silly!

Interestingly, I successfully performed a lengthy DigiBeta batch capture earlier and it grabbed the sequence from the in and out point OK, but the on-screen display components had all frozen - audio levels, "red arrow" animation AND "tape remaining" indicator.

This is really annoying and I'm getting really fed up with it because I have a huge pile of transfers to do.

Edit: Another problem - when batch capturing, I've noticed that the audio input levels will disappear at random just as the system is cueing for another capture. I have to save the batch list, exit the program, re-open it and then resume the batch capture in order to correct it.

Blackmagic - sort it out please. I'm about to install three new workstations dedicated to capturing from various Betacam formats and I might just opt for AJA hardware instead.

we aren't ingesting from tape, just live capture, but in general we are seeing the same issues you are. Wish I had a solution for you.

It's encouraging to know that it's not just me! Thanks.

Same problem here - freezing half way through a live capture using H264 encoder or not starting a capture at all. Only started happening in the last two weeks.

Wow, thanks for posting. I'm glad that the problem persists with others (although regretful that you're pulling hair out as well).

As it stands, I have three hardware set-ups:

1. Teranex 2D running latest updates
2. Thunderbolt Intensity Shuttle
3. H.264 Pro Recorder

All three systems are running on their latest respective updates etc., and the latest Desktop Video software has been installed. Blackmagic Media Express runs with problems on all three systems and these problems have only started in the last couple of weeks - even before I started updating drivers, etc.

I run a business that relies on this stuff running properly - which it has done for a long time - but when it all stops working at the same time through no fault of my own it makes me really angry.

I really need BM to sort this out now - as do others, it is now evident.

[Tony Rivera]

We've ran a few different tests with 10.6.2 and haven't had the same results. I'm not sure if you've been in touch with the US office or your respective region but you may want to provide the person you have spoken with exact details on your system builds and what it is you're trying to do as well.

I did put in a support request but didn't even get a reply, so I've just persevered (much Googling) and have rolled back Desktop Video installs one by one on two Mac systems. Various symptoms experienced - the worst of which is a complete crash when batch capturing from tape sources under RS422 control in Media Express - the capture fails after it has been running for a while.

I have managed to resolve most of the problems on one system (Teranex 2D, thunderbolt connection to Mac Book Pro running El Capitan) and I have now installed Desktop Video 10.6.1 which has hopefully resolved the main problem, being the crashes occurring when trying to capture ProRes422 in any shape or form.

What I don't understand is why these problems started last week, given that I had made no mods or updates to software at all. And, eventually, on two independent systems.

I'm touching wood at the moment and praying that I'll get them running again because I have a very large client archiving job to undertake and if the hardware/software stops this process I'm stuffed.

Thanks for your post, anyhow.

I experience the same problems with the windows version of 10.6.2: Arrrow freezing, capture time freezing, audio meter freezing.

I'm running Windows 7 / x64 Ultimate with all the latest updates and a Decklink 3D Extreme. Latest Nvidia drivers for my graphics card (GTX580). Capture in PAL SD AVI with 10 Bit. "Continue playback when in the backround" is activated.

No problems with versions <10.6, so this seems to be a new bug.

There seems to be also another issue with the newer Media Express versions which capture 24 Bit audio. The audio part of these files is not recognized in every software (no audio in Vegas 13 for example). I already contacted Blackmagic on this issue, but they only told me Vegas is no longer supported, so there will be no fix for it. But as this seems to be a error in the format of the file header, there should be a fix as Vegas and other software is able to read 24 Bit audio AVIs in general, but not the ones created with newer Media Express versions. This has nothing to do with the missing software support for capture, etc. in my opinion, as the files should have proper headers, so please get this fixed.

I experience the same problems with the windows version of 10.6.2: Arrrow freezing, capture time freezing, audio meter freezing.

This is really interesting because I had convinced myself that this was a MacOS 10.11 (El Capitan) issue. I hadn't experienced any such problems before upgrading to the latest OS X and even then the problem has only recently started.

I also thought that perhaps the problem was being caused by my Teranex 2D, connected via Thunderbolt, to a Late 2011 Mac Mini, 2.3 GHz Intel Core i5, 8GB RAM with Desktop Video 6.1 installed - which has been used only to capture tape-based video formats without a hitch for 4 years - so I swapped out the Thunderbolt cable to ran signals through a Intensity Shuttle instead. Same problem.

So then I disconnected the Shuttle and connected it to a Mid-2012 MacBook Pro (2.5Ghz Intel Core i5) running Desktop Video 6.1 and attempted a capture of the same video footage as above. By the way, the video is Timebase Corrected using a Snell & Wilcox TBC11 broadcast grade TBC.

Although capture started OK, after a few minutes the behavior was the same, with either the red "capture" arrows freezing, or the tape capture time freezes or both. Alternatively the audio level meter freezes, and sometimes all three freeze together. This is most annoying, especially when a lengthy capture is in progress.

The fact that this works on one isolated system is bad enough, but when the same symptoms are realized on two separate systems it becomes a problem.

Question: When we use the BM uninstaller in the Desktop Video package, does this pull absolutely everything out of the system or are any hidden legacy files remaining that could cause a problem for a newly installed app?

Update: There's definitely something wrong with the Desktop Video drivers and/or Media Express software.

I've been running 10.6.1 on one system (MacBook Pro) connected to the Teranex via Thunderbolt. I can even capture to ProRes422 files, but after a few minutes the "Recording Duration" counter will stop for no apparent reason. Then, soon after, the "Capturing to Disk" animation ceases to be active. Perhaps a while later, or even simultaneously, the audio level meter indicators will freeze. So all three have frozen, but the software is still capturing the tape contents. If I click "Capture" to stop capture, it will write the content to file. Having done so I can then start to capture a new sequence - and the meters are all working again. For a while. And then all is repeated.

I've then run 10.6.2 on a MacMini (which has previously captured many hundred hours of video source material). Media Express will appear to be capturing throughout - all meters working intact right to the end of a 11-min sequence. But when I click "Capture" to stop and write file the program crashes out and all is lost - just like it did pre-10.6.1.

Tonight I'm going to load 10.6.1 onto a friend's MBPro running Yosemite to see whether this is indeed a El Capitan related problem. Everything worked fine with my systems before upgrading to El Capitan. Watch this space!

Again, exactly the same problem here running:

El Cap 10.6.3 on a Mac mini
H.264 Pro Recorder

problem now includes: "I'm now getting glitches in Media Express such as the animated red arrow "Capture To Tape" icon freezing mid capture, or at other times the audio level meters freezing."

Update update!!

I think I know what the problem is: El Capitan!

I managed to borrow a family member's MacBook Pro running Mavericks (I now respect those users who never update to the newest until all the problems are ironed out!). I downloaded and installed Desktop Video 10.5.4, selecting an older one that's about a year old because I know that a year ago everything worked OK.

With the MacBook connected to the Teranex 2D and controlling a Sony J-3 Betacam multi-format player via RS422 and taking an SD/SDI feed, I have been able to capture a number of different tape sequences perfectly. I've used manual "on the fly" capture and also programmed batch captures - everything from 4:3 SD PAL as DVCPro50 and ProRes422 to upscaled 1080p50 sequences at 10-bit Uncompressed.

What does that point to? Blackmagic's El Capitan drivers!

I'm going to carry out more tests while I have the second MBP - you can't be too sure.

As this problem exists on both plattforms (Mac & Windows), I guess the problem may be in the programming of Media Express 3.5 vs. 3.5.1

As this problem exists on both plattforms (Mac & Windows), I guess the problem may be in the programming of Media Express 3.5 vs. 3.5.1

Yes, that's certainly possible. I can't test either my Teranex or Intensity Shuttle on Windows because my only PC doesn't have Thunderbolt connections but given that others have experienced a problem with their H.264 Pro Recorder units (USB) I might try mine with the latest Desktop Video 10.6.2 on Windows 7.

Blackmagic Support has now acknowledged to me that they have problems with the more recent versions of Desktop Video and MacOS El Capitan due, in part, to changes that Apple has made deep down in the OS code of late. They are, apparently, "working on it".

Can confirm: media express & el capitan are a bad combo. Have tried ME versions back to 3.5 with no joy.

Windows 7 & 8.1 seem to be happier though 8.1 once in a while will throw an "unexpectedly quit" message (not nearly as often as el capitan version). Fortunately we are running many backup machines, but it's still a royal PITA to have to do so just to be sure we'll get at least ONE good recording.

I'm in the process of rolling back my main Mac (of three currently updated to El Capitan) to Yosemite. It needs a clean-out anyhow so this is a good excuse!

Confirming that Desktop Video 10.5.4 installed on Yosemite is running fine - so far!!

Hi Colin
I have also the exact same issue with the counter freezing during capture. I have found though that although the capture is happily recording still if you re size the Media Express window the counter actually updates. As soon as you stop moving the window around the counter stops again.

Very strange indeed

Thanks
Paul

Do we know then BlackMagic is going to release an update to Desktop Video so that everything will work with El Capitan?

Have you tried the 10.6.4 drivers?

Have you tried the 10.6.4 drivers?

I'm not risking it on a production machine yet - too much work with tight deadlines to do!

This is still happening with the 10.6.4 drivers except now it sometimes crashes Media Express as well.

This is still happening with the 10.6.4 drivers except now it sometimes crashes Media Express as well.

yeah it has really hosed us here, too

That confirms it for me - I'm sticking with Yosemite and 10.5.4 on my main capture system until the coast is clear!!

Ive been having exactly the same issue since updating my mac minis to El Cap. The Media express has been freezing but the record is still going in the background. its very concerning not really knowing if the software has crashed or its just a bug. I've done the last two updates and I'm still having this issue (currently running DV 10.6.5).

I use Mac minis (2015 model), with a h.264 recorder running on el cap. I've ceased updating all of my computers for this very issue. It would be good to get an update very soon to fix it please.

Thanks,

Tim

Not wishing to burst any bubbles here but we have seen and reproduced this exact freezing issue on both Mac and Windows. It may be related to the OS but my money is on some core program code that is common to both platforms. Whatever it is BM need to get this sorted. We have 30 ProRecorder units on their way to Rio for the games and this sort of problem is going to cause havoc with the local operators.

If you don't want a lot of adverse criticism form the operational crew at the Rio Olympic games in a few months time you might want get on and fix this.

Happy to help if I can.

Hell - I have enough nightmares with just one Pro Recorder. Having 30 is enough to drive one to copious amounts of beer!

Let's hope you have indeed burst some bubbles, although i do wonder.....

We have had exactly the same problem. UI freezes, recordings fail when Media Express quits unexpectedly. Lots of hassle ... Have a huge event coming up, which Media Express is an integral part of. We have now rolled back to Yosemite and Desktop Video 10.5.4 and will test thoroughly. Will follow up with result.

Also can confirm that Yosemite and Desktop Video 10.5.4 working great for us! Media Express working fine now - UI not locking up anymore and no 'unexpectedly quit application' incidents. Thanks Colin!

Also can confirm that Yosemite and Desktop Video 10.5.4 working great for us! Media Express working fine now - UI not locking up anymore and no 'unexpectedly quit application' incidents. Thanks Colin!

My pleasure!

We have around 20 or so of the H264 Pro Recorders, and the best solution I've found so far is rolling back to Desktop Video 10.5.4 for Windows 7, 8, and 10.

Problem is, even rolling back to that version on El Capitan, it still seems to randomly fail. Did any of you come up with a solution that would allow for reliable recording on El Capitan besides rolling back the OS version? These are systems out of my control as for OS, so the only thing I can change is BMME versions.

Any assistance is appreciated!

You will indeed experience problems when running El Capitan. As mentioned above, the only way I could solve the problem was to clean the Mac down and install Yosemite instead. There are still problems with El Capitan and I won't be upgrading until I see decent evidence that it's now OK.

The problem, of course, is that users won't be able to roll back on a machine which came supplied with El Capitan as new. It's only possible to roll back to the OS supplied with the machine.

Would these issues with El Capitan and Desktop Video explain why I'm getting no feed from my 700d despite trying like every setting and encoding possible? Can BlackMagic confirm this is a bug?

Would these issues with El Capitan and Desktop Video explain why I'm getting no feed from my 700d despite trying like every setting and encoding possible? Can BlackMagic confirm this is a bug?

No, that's a different cause. See my reply in your other thread.

We have the same issue with Windows 7. Recently updated to Desktop Video 10.7 (Media Express 3.5.2) hoping this issue would be fixed, but it's not. The GUI freezes. Sometimes you can open windows explorer in the folder where the capture file is being stored and the GUI will begin working again. Sometimes Media Express will hang and then crash making the capture file corrupt. We had to add a Matrox HD as a backup for capture. I would appreciate it if this could get fixed.

Can anyone post a link to download the latest version of DTop Video please?

It's on the main support page
https://www.blackmagicdesign.com/support

just click on the 'capture and playback' section and it will come to the top of the downloads list

Confirmed that the H.264 Pro recorder has a lot of amateur and non-consistent drops when recording with Mac OS 10.11.4, 10.11.5, and 10.11.6.
I rolled back to a great and stable old Mac running OS 10.8.5 ( mountain Lion). Absolute non-drop success with Atem 6.1 drivers and the Pro recorder. Most of my work is still done on this antique system. I waited 5 years to upgrade from 10.6.8 to 10.8.5 and have never lost work due to driver inconsistencies. Working systems just work! I am trying out El Crapitan on several machines now and must say that I am NOT impressed.

I have rolled back to Yosemite on two of my three Mac systems running Blackmagic Desktop Video and Media Express. I'm reluctant to roll forward again anytime soon - there seems to be a lot wrong with El Capitan. Is Apple losing its way?

Is there any update on the problems described in this thread with the H.264 recorder and Media Express on OS X El Cap (10.11.x)?

This is a major source of pain.

I'm still having the same problem with Desktop Video 10.8 under El Captain, is it me or ? ....

I'm still having the same problem with Desktop Video 10.8 under El Captain, is it me or ? ....

Nope, it's not you!!

Thanks. I've done a complete reinstall of OS 10.10, and Desktop Video 10.8, same problem. I've uninstall Desktop Video 10.8 and installed 10.6.2, same problem.

Thanks. I've done a complete reinstall of OS 10.10, and Desktop Video 10.8, same problem. I've uninstall Desktop Video 10.8 and installed 10.6.2, same problem.

Delete Desktop Video 10.8 completely (use something like App Zap to clear out all components - very important), reboot and then install version 10.5.4. Reboot again once installed. That should work OK.

I have three Mac-based capture systems running Desktop Video and Media Express and I can't rely on any version after 10.5.4. All seem to have weird little bugs.

It's incredible, but things seems to be working correctly with the new 10.8.2 under Sierra !! No freeze for now...

I'm also having the problem with the freezing Red arrow when capturing footage to my intensity shuttle in 720p. Is anyone losing footage when this occurs?

No footage lost