Categories
Author: admin
Categories
Determine the WIDTH for 16×9 / 4×3
Categories
Lens coefficient calculator
Categories
USB, How to tell the difference
The Story of How Poor Naming Led to Confusion and Profits for Clever Marketers
USB-IF, the organization responsible for overseeing USB specifications and ensuring compliance, released the USB 3.1 standard and the Type-C form factor in 2013, sparking a lot of debate and misunderstandings. When they introduced the 3.2 generation in 2017, they decided to fix things by renaming all previous generations to 3.2, which only caused more chaos.
Let’s break it down!
We won’t touch on the older generations, although USB 2.0 is still used in budget devices. Let’s note that its speed was 480 Mbps.
USB 3.0
In 2008, USB 3.0 was introduced, significantly outpacing its predecessor with a new data transfer speed that increased more than tenfold, from 480 Mbps to 5 Gbps.
USB 3.1
In 2013, a new Type-C connector was introduced to address the issues with the outdated Type-A connector. The new connector was now reversible, and the new 3.1 standard doubled the speed to 10 Gbps.
At this point, the USB-IF organization decided to rename the standards:
- USB 3.0 became USB 3.1 Gen 1
- USB 3.1 became USB 3.1 Gen 2
However, the new protocol didn’t gain popularity quickly, and many manufacturers sold their products with Type-C, labeling it as 3.1. But we understand that, in reality, it’s 3.0. When customers saw Type-C, they assumed it was the new standard and eagerly bought the products. Marketers were thrilled!
Meanwhile, Intel, in collaboration with Apple, was developing its interface, Thunderbolt. In 2015, it reached its third generation, abandoned its own connector, and moved to Type-C. Externally, you can only distinguish it by the lightning symbol next to the port. The interface itself is very powerful, with an enormous speed of 40 Gbps, four times faster than USB 3.1.
USB 3.2
Then, in 2017, our beloved USB-IF organization released a new generation—USB 3.2—with a speed of 20 Gbps, still twice as slow as Thunderbolt 3, which had come out two years earlier. And what did they decide to do? Of course, rename everything again!
Now, pay attention:
- USB-A 3.0 is now USB 3.2 Gen 1×1
- USB-C 3.0 is now USB 3.2 Gen 1×1 and USB 3.2 Gen 1×2
- USB-A 3.1 is now USB 3.2 Gen 2×1
- USB-C 3.1 is now USB 3.2 Gen 2×1
- USB-C 3.1 is now USB 3.2 Gen 2×2
Confusing, right?
Now imagine the joy of the marketing department when they can now legally print “USB 3.2” on the packaging of the most basic USB-A 3.0 flash drives!
And people will buy them! Of course, the generation will be indicated in small print on the back of the packaging.
The most interesting part is that the USB-IF organization was well aware of the mess they created and the chaos that ensued.
Later, they decided to bring order to the naming conventions and move away from the familiar numerical designations.
Now, manufacturers need to specify the interface speed:
- SuperSpeed USB 5Gbps
- SuperSpeed USB 10Gbps
- SuperSpeed USB 20Gbps
USB 4.0
In 2019, they introduced a generation they could be proud of—USB4 (yes, spelled as one word, without a hyphen). The new generation was based on Thunderbolt 3, which increased the speed to 40 Gbps and allowed for backward compatibility. USB4 only uses the Type-C connector; they decided to finally abandon Type-A.
In 2022, USB4 2.0 was introduced, with a bandwidth of up to 80 Gbps.
| Curent marketing name | Curen tech name | Name in 2017 | Name in 2013 | Name in 2008 | Bandwith | Connector options |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SuperSpeed USB 5Gbps | USB 3.2 Gen 1×1 | USB 3.2 Gen 1×1 | USB 3.1 Gen 1 | USB 3.0 | 5Gbps | USB-A, USB-B, USB-C |
| — | USB 3.2 Gen 1×2 | USB 3.2 Gen 1×2 | — | — | 10Gbps | USB-C |
| SuperSpeed USB 10Gbps | USB 3.2 Gen 2×1 | USB 3.2 Gen 2×1 | USB 3.1 Gen 2 | — | 10Gbps | USB-A, USB-C |
| SuperSpeed USB 20Gbps | USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 | USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 | — | — | 20Gbps | USB-A, USB-C |
| — | USB4 2×1 | — | — | — | 10Gbps | USB-C |
| USB4 20Gbps | USB4 2×2 | — | — | — | 20Gbps | USB-C |
| — | USB4 3×1 | — | — | — | 20Gbps | USB-C |
| USB4 40Gbps | USB4 3×2 | — | — | — | 40Gbps | USB-C |
| USB4 80Gbps | USB4 Gen 4 | — | — | — | 80Gbps | USB-C |
Table is scrollable
Categories
Problems with NDI
It happens that NDI does not work due to different versions included with the software.
You can fix this by installing the latest version of NDI Tools and copying the latest DLL libraries from there:
At the address:
..\Program Files\NewTek\NDI 4 Tools\Runtime\
Processing.NDI.Lib.x64.dll (for 64-bit systems)
Processing.NDI.Lib.x86.dll (for 32-bit systems)
Paths of popular programs where to copy fresh DLLs:
..\Program Files\Resolume Arena\
..\Program Files\Derivative\Touch Designer\bin\
..\Program Files (x86)\vMix\ndi\x64\
..\Program Files (x86)\vMix\ndi\x86\
Here’s the checklist to start with:
- Which video output is the control monitor connected to?
It should be connected to your dedicated graphics card. - Which graphics card is rendering?
It should be your main dedicated graphics card.
You can check this under: Output -> Show Display Info, the details will appear in the top left corner of the screen. - What is the video codec of the clip (e.g., mov dxv3 @25)?
It is highly recommended to use the native DXV3 codec.
Technically, you can use H.264, MJPEG, HAP, ProRes, but stable performance is only guaranteed with DXV3. - What is the frame rate of the video clip (frames per second)?
Refer to the last point. - What FPS is set in the project settings?
Refer to the last point. - What is the signal format being received (if a capture card is used)?
Refer to the last point. - What frequency is set on the video card outputs (e.g., 50Hz)?
Refer to the last point. - What frequency is set on the control monitor (e.g., 50Hz)?
From points 4 to 8, all frequencies and frame rates should be divisible by a common denominator!
- Frame rate of the video clip.
- Frame rate in the project settings.
- Frequency of the input signal on the capture card.
- Frequency on the video card outputs (monitors/displays/processors/sending cards).
- Frequency on the control monitor.
All these points are crucial!
EXAMPLE:
If you are using cameras that operate at 1080p @50, then all the points listed above should be divisible by 50Hz. Monitors should be set to 50Hz, content should be at 50 and 25 fps accordingly.
Categories
Disabling Aero Peek
If you find yourself in situations where you accidentally hover your mouse over a minimized window icon on the Windows taskbar, and suddenly the screen briefly displays a browser window or an open folder instead of your footage from Resolume, it’s likely that Aero Peek is enabled.
This beautiful feature, aimed at enhancing the convenience of working with Windows, becomes a major issue in our field, causing significant frustration for video engineers, VJs, and directors.
Disabling Aero Peek via System Properties
- Go to System in your system Control Panel and press the Advanced System Settings
Or you can use the shortcut:
Press the Windows + R keyboard shortcut to open the Run dialog, then type sysdm.cpl and hit Enter. - On the System Properties dialog box, select the Advanced tab. Click the Settings button under the Performance section.
- Select the Visual Effects tab, look for the option entitled “Enable Aero Peek” or “Enable Peek“, which allows you to turn the Aero Peek feature on or off.
- Click Apply
When choosing a screen size, see how close your size is to the ideal 16×9 or 4×3.
| BEST | GOOD | NOT BAD | BAD |
| < 0,04 | 0,04-0,08 | 0,09-0,13 | > 0,13 |
| 16×9 (1,77) | 4:3 (1,33) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Width | High | 1,77 | Width | High | 1,33 | |
| 2,5 | 1,5 | 1,67 | 2,5 | 2 | 1,25 | |
| 3 | 2 | 1,50 | 3 | 2,5 | 1,20 | |
| 3,5 | 2 | 1,75 | 3,5 | 2,5 | 1,40 | |
| 4 | 2,5 | 1,60 | 4 | 3 | 1,33 | |
| 4,5 | 2,5 | 1,80 | 4,5 | 3,5 | 1,29 | |
| 5 | 3 | 1,67 | 5 | 4 | 1,25 | |
| 5,5 | 3 | 1,83 | 5,5 | 4 | 1,38 | |
| 6 | 3,5 | 1,71 | 6 | 4,5 | 1,33 | |
| 6,5 | 3,5 | 1,86 | 6,5 | 5 | 1,30 | |
| 7 | 4 | 1,75 | 7 | 5 | 1,40 | |
| 7,5 | 4 | 1,88 | 7,5 | 5,5 | 1,36 | |
| 7,5 | 4,5 | 1,67 | 7,5 | 6 | 1,25 | |
| 8 | 4,5 | 1,78 | 8 | 6 | 1,33 | |
| 8,5 | 5 | 1,70 | 8,5 | 6,5 | 1,31 | |
| 9 | 5 | 1,80 | 9 | 7 | 1,29 | |
| 9,5 | 5,5 | 1,73 | 9,5 | 7 | 1,36 | |
| 10 | 5,5 | 1,82 | 10 | 7,5 | 1,33 | |
| 10,5 | 6 | 1,75 | 10,5 | 8 | 1,31 | |
| 11 | 6 | 1,83 | 11 | 8,5 | 1,29 | |
| 11,5 | 6,5 | 1,77 | 11,5 | 9 | 1,28 | |
| 12 | 7 | 1,71 | 12 | 9 | 1,33 | |
| 12,5 | 7 | 1,79 | 12,5 | 9,5 | 1,32 | |
| 13 | 7,5 | 1,73 | 13 | 10 | 1,30 | |
| 13,5 | 7,5 | 1,80 | 13,5 | 10 | 1,35 | |
| 14 | 8 | 1,75 | 14 | 10,5 | 1,33 | |
Categories
Correct DPI/PPI for video production
When producing video content, to ensure that the content is correctly scaled, does not blur, and remains undistorted, it is important to follow this rule:
1px on the screen = 1pt at 72 DPI/PPI
If your workspace allows you to set the DPI/PPI, by specifying 72, you can work with points as pixels. Consequently, when the content is displayed on the screen, there will be no scaling, and the image will remain sharp.
Let’s Understand Why
First, let’s understand the difference between px and pt:
- Pixels (px): The smallest unit of a digital image, representing a single point in a raster image.
- Points (pt): A unit of measurement used in typography, where 1 point equals 1/72 of an inch.
Conversion Formula
The conversion between pixels (px) and points (pt) depends on the resolution of the device, measured in PPI (Pixels Per Inch) or DPI (Dots Per Inch).
DPI (Dots Per Inch): Typically used in printing to describe the number of dots of ink per inch. It affects the clarity and detail of printed images.
PPI (Pixels Per Inch): Indicates the number of pixels per inch on the screen. A higher PPI value means more pixels per inch, leading to finer detail and sharper images.
The general formula for conversion:
px = pt × (PPI / 72)
Conversely
pt = px × (72 / PPI)
Framelock – Synchronization of Video Streams Across Multiple Display Devices
When video content is displayed on multiple screens, it is crucial that all screens show the frames simultaneously.
Framelock helps create a virtual canvas where the continuity of the image is maintained across all screens. This involves the use of hardware devices.
Synchronization can occur both within a single GPU and across multiple GPUs.
The following GPUs have built-in Framelock capabilities:
- Quadro/A/ADA series for NVIDIA
- FirePro/Radeon Pro series for AMD
For combining multiple GPUs in one or several PCs, synchronization cards are used:
- Quadro Sync for NVIDIA
- FirePro S400 for AMD
One synchronization card can connect up to 4 GPUs in a single PC and can also send the sync signal to the next synchronization card via UTP.
These cards can also receive a Genlock sync pulse through a BNC connector.
Providing framelock sync for GPU
Nvidia Sync and AMD s400 Sync cards
