Capturing from Blacmagic UltraStudio SDI (UPDATED)

[pezgordo]

Hi.

I'm trying to open a stream coming through a Blacmagic Ultrastudio SDI USB3 device but I can't open the stream.

I've tried setting resolution, aspect ratio, fps but I keep getting an error about VLC not supporting audio or video «u8 »

I think U8 would stand for uncompressed 8 bit (wich is what the BM sends in).

The stream I'm trying to capture is a 1920x1080 59.94i coming out of a canon camera an through a HDMI to SDI converter.

I can open the stream without problem using Flash media encoder live (after I set the correct resolution and FPS settings) but I need to be able to open it with VLC.

I know people have been successful using Blacmagic cards with VLC and since it seems to be the same driver for all, I think (or hope) this should work with this one too but nothing seems to get by that U8 error thing.

Any help will be deeply appretiated.

(UPDATE)
I forced the settings on blackmagic's windows control panel settings and now I get video.
I do not get audio though.
I see this is a usual problem but could not find a working solution yet, ideas?

Thanks.

[Jean-Baptiste Kempf]

can you share the complete logs?

[pezgordo]

Sorry Jean-Baptiste I've just moved to a different country and haven't got time to look into it.

I'll share the logs as soon as I can but mainly I think the issue is that, at least with this black magic, it uses 2 driver options for the same capture device.
If I use the WDM I get only Video.
When I use the Decklink Video Capture I can not make it work so far video or audio.
If I choose WDM for video and Decklink Audio Capture for audio it also does not work.

In Flash media Encoder I can use Decklink Video Capture as long as I specify the correct FPS / resolution, and then I choose that driver for both audio and video and it works.

I'm guessing from what I've read on other posts that I might get it to work if I use Decklink Video/audio driver and I specify the resolution and fps or soemthing like that.

But so far no luck.

I'll try again and post the logs as soon as I can unpack the equipment and connect it.

thnks

[pezgordo]

Well I finally had some time to test things.

Using this command that i found on another post, I managed to open the stream from the card using the Blackmagic:

Code: Select all

"C:\Program Files (x86)\VideoLAN\VLC\vlc.exe" -vvv dshow:// :dshow-vdev="Decklink Video Capture" :dshow-adev="Decklink Audio Capture" :dshow-size="1920x1080" :dshow-aspect-ratio=16\:9 :dshow-chroma=UYVY :dshow-fps=25 :no-dshow-config :no-dshow-tuner :live-caching=1000"

This works Video and audio, no problems.

If I try to do anything after opening, weird things start to happen.
Any duplicate or anything that I add after that code causes the video display to freeze either with a black frame or a fixed (assuming first) frame from the camera but whatever else you had running (transcode, rtp, dump file) keeps running in the back most of the times.
I tried every step by itself and using different combinations of duplicates and chains.

This code summarizes most of the things I tried:

Code: Select all

"C:\Program Files (x86)\VideoLAN\VLC\vlc.exe" -vvv dshow:// :dshow-vdev="Decklink Video Capture" :dshow-adev="Decklink Audio Capture" :dshow-size="1920x1080" :dshow-aspect-ratio=16\:9 :dshow-chroma=UYVY :dshow-fps=25 :no-dshow-config :no-dshow-tuner :live-caching=1000 --sout="#transcode{venc=x264,vcodec=h264,vb=2200,fps=25,width=640, height=480,acodec=mp3,ab=128,channels=2,samplerate=44100}:duplicate{dst=std{access=file{append},mux=ts,dst="g:\prueba2.mp4"},dst=std{access=udp,mux=ts,dst=127.0.0.1:1234}} --sout-keep"

Log:

Code: Select all

main debug: VLC media player - 2.1.2 Rincewind main debug: Copyright © 1996-2013 the VideoLAN team main debug: revision 2.1.2-0-ga4c4876 main debug: configured with ../extras/package/win32/../../../configure '--enable-update-check' '--enable-lua' '--enable-faad' '--enable-flac' '--enable- theora' '--enable-twolame' '--enable-quicktime' '--enable-avcodec' '--enable-merge-ffmpeg' '--enable-dca' '--enable-mpc' '--enable-libass' '--enable-x264' '--enable-schroedinger' '--enable-realrtsp' '--enable-live555' '--enable-dvdread' '--enable-shout' '--enable-goom' '--enable-caca' '--disable-sdl' '-- enable-qt' '--enable-skins2' '--enable-sse' '--enable-mmx' '--enable-libcddb' '--enable-zvbi' '--disable-telx' '--enable-nls' '--disable-dirac' '-- host=i686-w64-mingw32' 'host_alias=i686-w64-mingw32' x264 warning: invalid DTS: PTS is less than DTS x264 warning: invalid DTS: PTS is less than DTS x264 warning: invalid DTS: PTS is less than DTS mux_ts warning: packet with too strange dts (dts=24210278356,old=36314887356,pcr=36314887356) mux_ts warning: packet with too strange dts (dts=24210278356,old=36314887356,pcr=36314887356) main warning: late buffer for mux input (1266644) mux_ts warning: packet with too strange dts (dts=12105699913,old=24210318268,pcr=24210318356) main warning: late buffer for mux input (1266644) mux_ts warning: packet with too strange dts (dts=12105699913,old=24210318268,pcr=24210318356) main warning: late buffer for mux input (1267644) main warning: late buffer for mux input (1269644) main warning: late buffer for mux input (1266644) main warning: late buffer for mux input (1267644) access_output_udp debug: late packet for UDP input (867644) access_output_udp debug: late packet for UDP input (856074) access_output_udp debug: late packet for UDP input (844504) access_output_udp debug: late packet for UDP input (832934) access_output_udp debug: packet has been sent too late (867644) access_output_udp debug: late packet for UDP input (821364) access_output_udp debug: packet has been sent too late (684533) access_output_udp debug: packet has been sent too late (679672) main warning: late buffer for mux input (1268644) main warning: late buffer for mux input (1268644) main warning: late buffer for mux input (1266644) main warning: late buffer for mux input (1266644) main debug: incoming request - stopping current input main warning: late buffer for mux input (1268644) main warning: late buffer for mux input (1268644) main debug: control: stopping input main debug: incoming request - stopping current input main debug: finished input main debug: removing module "rawvideo" main debug: killing decoder fourcc `UYVY', 0 PES in FIFO main debug: removing a sout input (sout_input:029398a0) main warning: late buffer for mux input (1577644) main warning: late buffer for mux input (1577644) main warning: late buffer for mux input (1537644) main warning: late buffer for mux input (1539644) access_output_udp debug: late packet for UDP input (1143811) access_output_udp debug: late packet for UDP input (1139354) access_output_udp debug: late packet for UDP input (1137319) access_output_udp debug: late packet for UDP input (38082) access_output_udp debug: late packet for UDP input (33064) access_output_udp debug: late packet for UDP input (28046) access_output_udp debug: late packet for UDP input (23028) access_output_udp debug: late packet for UDP input (18010) access_output_udp debug: late packet for UDP input (12992) access_output_udp debug: late packet for UDP input (7974) access_output_udp debug: late packet for UDP input (2956) main warning: late buffer for mux input (515644) main warning: late buffer for mux input (515644) main warning: late buffer for mux input (475644) main warning: late buffer for mux input (475644) main warning: late buffer for mux input (435644) main warning: late buffer for mux input (435644) main warning: late buffer for mux input (395644) main warning: late buffer for mux input (395644) main warning: late buffer for mux input (355644) main warning: late buffer for mux input (77644) main warning: late buffer for mux input (77644) main warning: late buffer for mux input (37644) main warning: late buffer for mux input (37644) main debug: removing module "rawvideo" main debug: removing module "x264" x264 debug: framecount still in libx264 buffer: 0 access_output_udp debug: packet has been sent too late (275861) access_output_udp debug: packet has been sent too late (272131) x264 info: frame I:16 Avg QP:10.82 size: 71992 access_output_udp debug: packet has been sent too late (267401) x264 info: frame P:962 Avg QP:12.15 size: 25081 access_output_udp debug: packet has been sent too late (262672) x264 info: frame B:2829 Avg QP:14.74 size: 5870 access_output_udp debug: packet has been sent too late (257942) x264 info: consecutive B-frames: 0.7% 0.4% 0.6% 98.3% x264 info: mb I I16..4: 7.8% 58.8% 33.4% access_output_udp debug: packet has been sent too late (253212) x264 info: mb P I16..4: 0.2% 1.2% 0.2% P16..4: 34.9% 32.5% 28.3% 0.0% 0.0% skip: 2.8% access_output_udp debug: packet has been sent too late (248482) x264 info: mb B I16..4: 0.0% 0.4% 0.0% B16..8: 53.4% 0.0% 0.0% direct: 6.1% skip:40.0% L0:50.1% L1:37.4% BI:12.4% access_output_udp debug: packet has been sent too late (243753) x264 info: final ratefactor: 12.87 access_output_udp debug: packet has been sent too late (239023) x264 info: 8x8 transform intra:74.9% inter:59.9% access_output_udp debug: packet has been sent too late (235293) x264 info: coded y,uvDC,uvAC intra: 93.7% 98.4% 97.0% inter: 34.8% 48.8% 37.5% x264 info: i16 v,h,dc,p: 12% 3% 2% 83% access_output_udp debug: packet has been sent too late (230563) x264 info: i8 v,h,dc,ddl,ddr,vr,hd,vl,hu: 22% 8% 44% 3% 5% 5% 4% 5% 5% access_output_udp debug: packet has been sent too late (225834) x264 info: i4 v,h,dc,ddl,ddr,vr,hd,vl,hu: 32% 17% 11% 5% 6% 7% 9% 6% 8% access_output_udp debug: packet has been sent too late (221104) x264 info: i8c dc,h,v,p: 64% 9% 17% 9% x264 info: Weighted P-Frames: Y:4.0% UV:3.2% access_output_udp debug: packet has been sent too late (216374) x264 info: ref P L0: 38.0% 2.6% 43.5% 15.6% 0.3% access_output_udp debug: packet has been sent too late (211644) x264 info: ref B L0: 55.8% 35.2% 9.1% x264 info: ref B L1: 85.8% 14.2% x264 info: kb/s:2200.55 access_output_udp debug: packet has been sent too late (206915) access_output_udp debug: packet has been sent too late (202185) access_output_udp debug: packet has been sent too late (197455) access_output_udp debug: packet has been sent too late (44064) access_output_udp debug: packet has been sent too late (39046) access_output_udp debug: packet has been sent too late (34028) access_output_udp debug: packet has been sent too late (29010) access_output_udp debug: packet has been sent too late (23992) main debug: Filter 13679054 removed from chain main debug: removing module "swscale" mux_ts debug: removing input pid=69 mux_ts debug: new PCR PID is 68 mux_ts debug: removing input pid=69 mux_ts debug: new PCR PID is 68 main debug: removing module "packetizer_copy" main debug: killing decoder fourcc `s16l', 0 PES in FIFO main debug: removing a sout input (sout_input:043cf3d0) avcodec debug: Flushing.. avcodec debug: Flushing.. main debug: removing module "araw" main debug: removing module "avcodec" main debug: removing module "ugly_resampler" mux_ts debug: removing input pid=68 mux_ts debug: new PCR PID is 8191 main warning: no more input streams for this mux mux_ts debug: removing input pid=68 mux_ts debug: new PCR PID is 8191 main warning: no more input streams for this mux main debug: removing module "dshow" dshow debug: CaptureFilter::Pause dshow debug: CaptureFilter::Pause dshow debug: CaptureFilter::Stop dshow debug: CapturePin::EndFlush dshow debug: CaptureFilter::Stop dshow debug: CapturePin::EndFlush dshow debug: releasing DirectShow dshow debug: DeleteDirectShowGraph: Removing filters dshow debug: DeleteDirectShowGraph: Removing capture filter dshow debug: CaptureFilter::EnumPins dshow debug: CapturePin::QueryDirection dshow debug: CapturePin::ConnectedTo [OK] dshow debug: CapturePin::Disconnect [OK] dshow debug: CaptureFilter::SetSyncSource dshow debug: CaptureFilter::JoinFilterGraph dshow debug: CaptureFilter::GetState 0 dshow debug: DeleteDirectShowGraph: Removing device filter dshow debug: DeleteDirectShowGraph: Removing capture filter dshow debug: CaptureFilter::EnumPins dshow debug: CapturePin::QueryDirection dshow debug: CapturePin::ConnectedTo [OK] dshow debug: CapturePin::Disconnect [OK] dshow debug: CaptureFilter::SetSyncSource dshow debug: CaptureFilter::JoinFilterGraph dshow debug: CaptureFilter::GetState 0 dshow debug: DeleteDirectShowGraph: Removing device filter main debug: Program doesn't contain anymore ES main debug: incoming request - stopping current input main debug: dead input main debug: destroying useless sout main debug: destroying chain... (name=transcode) main debug: removing module "stream_out_transcode" main debug: destroying chain done main debug: destroying chain... (name=duplicate) main debug: removing module "stream_out_duplicate" stream_out_duplicate debug: closing a duplication main debug: destroying chain... (name=std) main debug: removing module "stream_out_standard" main debug: removing module "mux_ts" main debug: removing module "access_output_file" access_output_file debug: file access output closed main debug: destroying chain done main debug: destroying chain... (name=std) main debug: removing module "stream_out_standard" main debug: removing module "mux_ts" main debug: removing module "access_output_udp" main debug: destroying chain done main debug: destroying chain done qt4 debug: IM: Deleting the input

Note: I removed thousands of "access_output_udp debug: late packet for UDP input" and "main warning: late buffer for mux input" from the log to save space, since it's like thousands of those messages for under a minute of video stream.

This command line causes the following behaviour:
- Only 1 frame gets shown and stays fixed
- The stream gets transcoded and send to localhost through udp (same if I use rtp)
- I can open that udp source on a second vlc instance.
- The file prueba2.mp4 gets created.
- That file can't be open in anynthing else other than VLC, and in VLC it starts as only audio for about 5 seconds and then video shows up to the party.
- When executing the command twice for the first vlc instance. The file created (due to the "append") ends up with 2 blocks of audio only; one at the beggining and in the middle, where the second part was appended.
- File is pretty much useless since I can't do anything with it other than playing on vlc, tried to fix it with several mpeg tools with no luck.
- If I stop instance number one (the one transcoding and streaming to localhost), the second instance keeps playing in an andless loop the stream received.

Tried lots of variations with the following results:
- If i add anything to the command line that opens the card, video always gets freezed at a frame. If I disable and then re-enable the video track without stopping VLC, frame gets updated to a new one but also stays freezed.
- If I try to dump the file on the second instance that's playing the localhost stream, it also gets screwed the same way.
- If I add "tune=zerolatency" option to the x264 encoder nothing gets to the second instance and processor usage goes high (not 100% though, about 50% or 60%). Then, after I stop and close the first instance, the second one starts displaying screwed frames with green sections and blocks from different frames.

I tried using MPEG2 instead of h264. Used the following command and several others similar ones.

Code: Select all

"C:\Program Files (x86)\VideoLAN\VLC\vlc.exe" -vvv dshow:// :dshow-vdev="Decklink Video Capture" :dshow-adev="Decklink Audio Capture" :dshow-size="1920x1080" :dshow-aspect-ratio=16\:9 :dshow-chroma=UYVY :dshow-fps=25 :no-dshow-config :no-dshow-tuner :live-caching=1000 --sout="#transcode{venc=ffmpeg,vcodec=mp2v,vb=8000,width=1280,height=720,fps=25,acodec=a52,ab=128,channels=2,samplerate=48000} :rtp{caching=100, ttl=128,mux=ts,dst=127.0.0.1,port=1234} --sout-keep"

MPEG 2 doesn't get out of the first instance, and VLC hangs up, doesn't let me do anything other than force quit from task manager.

Everything was tried for several resolutions in the transcode settings.

Most of this behaviour was replicated both in a laptop using a Blackmagic Ultrastudio SDI and on a desktop using a Blackmagic mini recorder. Both machines are big enough to handle the task (i7 with 4 cores, doubled by the HT, 16GB ram, etc.)

Most of the desired behaviour (that would be: being able to open a camera feed, transcode it and stream it and/or save it to disk, both in Mpeg2 and h.264 and using "zerolatency" settings) works perfectly when using HDV camera through a IEEE 1394 interface, and also with webcams.
In this case, it works both from command line and (with some troubleshotting) from C# code using libvlc.

I would need to add SDI/HDMI support cause firewire/1394 is not being used anymore and I know people have succesfully used blackmagic cards with vlc before for several tasks.

I'm kind of stuck with this, so any help is appreciated.

Thanks.

[dlukic]

For beginning, try with "live-caching=3000". Hope it will help.
One more thing: you mentioned that you are capturing 59.94i signal. However fps parameter you use is for 25 fps.

[pezgordo]

Thanks dlukic.

This command is one of many that I tried.

Among them, I already tried different caching values with no luck, problem doesn't seem to be there.

I've used several different cameras. now I'm using a 50i xdcam that works with 25fps. Also Problem is not there.

It seems to be something that stops working when a process + display gets used at the same time. Process gets done but display freezes.

[dlukic]

ok.
However, based on my experience, live-caching needs to be greather than 2500 for sure.
On the other side, I can confirm that specifically VLC capture using DeckLink Studio over USB3 works nice (as well as other BMD cards , no matter if it is internal or Thunderbolt based).
More precisely, under VLC 2.05 following command works perfect on DeckLink Studio over USB3:

vlc dshow:// :dshow-vdev="Decklink Video Capture" :dshow-adev="Decklink Audio Capture" :dshow-size="720x576" :dshow-aspect-ratio="16:9" :dshow-chroma="UYVY" :dshow-fps=25 :no-dshow-config :no-dshow-tuner :live-caching=3000 :sout=#transcode{venc=x264,vcodec=h264,vb=2200,fps=25,scale=1,acodec=mp3,ab=128,channels=2,samplerate=48000}:duplicate{dst=display,dst=std{access=file,mux=ts,dst=c://file.ts}}

It displays video internally, encodes it and saves it in file.ts file.
It also works for HD video. Just put HD resolution, of course, and eventually increase value for vb parameter.