4-channel DV switcher software available for download

[JameySchultz]

John,

It occurs about 40% of the time. It seems to happen much more often when using sync 1 or 2 or follow. I don't know if that has anything to do with it or not but sync 3 didn't do it near as often. Out of about 30 test I
only recall it happening once with sync 3.

[JameySchultz]

John,

It occurs about 40% of the time. It seems to happen much more often when using sync 1 or 2 or follow. I don't know if that has anything to do with it or not but sync 3 didn't do it near as often. Out of about 30 test I
only recall it happening once with sync 3.

[JohnnyMalaria]

Is it always the same cam connected to #3? What happens if you hook them up differently? Presumably, if you are just sending the output to a video renderer then things behave?

[JameySchultz]

During all the tset I've had the Sony as #3. I'll switch them around ad do some more test to see if it makes any difference and let you know this afternoon.

[JameySchultz]

John,
Here are the results of the testing I've done this afternoon switching the Sony HDR-HC3 around from positions 1,2 and 3.

With the Sony in the #1 Position the error occured within 1 to 10 switches on Sync 1, Sync 3, and Follow. After 100 switches NO error with Sync 2.

With the Sony in the #2 position the results were the same as position #1.

With the Sony in the #3 Position the error occured within 1 to 10 switches on Sync 1, Sync 2, and Follow. After 100 switches NO error with Sync 3.

Hope this helps.

[JohnnyMalaria]

Thanks for doing that.

Something I had forgotten about is that the filter dumps some information into a file at c:\switcherlog.csv. Could you let the graph run for about 10 seconds with all three cams hooked up - don't switch, just let it run. The file contains timing information such as when each frame arrives etc. I have noticed that occasionally a frame is delayed and arrives almost on top of the next one. i.e., instead of the time differences between frames being something like 33ms, 33ms, 33ms, 33ms etc, it is more like 33ms, 33ms, 61ms, 2ms, 33ms etc. I don't know yet if that is a DirectShow 'feature' or jitter from the camcorder(s). The contents of your file will be helpful to compare against what I am seeing. You can zip the file and send to me (johnATenosoft.net)

[JohnnyMalaria]

I think I've cracked it

http://www.enosoft.net/dl.php?filename=EnoDVSwitcherFilter_12Apr2009.zip

And it should behave with AVI sources (I haven't tested that yet).

[JameySchultz]

John,

I tested the new switcher for an hour or so tonight. I switched back and forth forty or fifty times each on Sync 1,2,3, and Follow with no errors.
However the file writer is back to writing asf files instead of avi files.
Looks like your getting close!

[JohnnyMalaria]

The file writer will create .asf files by default. You have to explicitly provide the .avi suffix. Why MS did it this why I don't know. But I'm pleased to hear that the errors have gone.

[JameySchultz]

Thanks, I went back and added the .avi on the writer and it works great now! I tested it again today recording for about 6 minutes switching about 80 times and it didn't miss a beat. This week I'm going to order several 15' firewire cables. I plan to do a live shoot in a couple of weeks.

John, thank you very much and I'll be looking forward to the HD version some day.

[marceloruiz]

John, I sent you 2 emails today with some ideas over your product and a project we're developing here in Brazil. Thanks1

[marceloruiz]

Hi John, I got the new switcher and will test it . I sent you 2 emails with some ideas in editing with HDV video. I hope we could work toghether in future. I waiting your reply and considerations. Thanks!

[vealti]

I've been trying this out. Is it possible to split the output of the switcher to record an avi and send it out to a DV deck? I've tried but no matter how I do the graph the output to the DV deck stutters, almost like it is a lower frame rate. The avi that is recorded is fine.

[JohnnyMalaria]

Hi,

Yes, it is possible. What happens if you just try to capture to an AVI file?

[vealti]

Hi John,

I can capture an AVI file with or with out the output to the DV deck in the graph. I've attached a JPEG of my graph I'm using. The problem I am having is the output to the DV deck stutters. I've tried all kinds of combos with and with out the Smart Tees and the program video window. The issue seems to be the Smart Tee. Whenever I run the output of the DV Switcher through a Smart Tee and then into my deck the video is bad. If I run it direct from the output of the DV Switcher into the DV deck the video is good. I tried a different DV device for the output with the same results just to make sure it wasn't the Sony.

Thanks,
Tim[/img]

[hiflyinskiier]

Whenever I try to switch the active feed using the switcher, GraphEdit Crashes. Any reason why this may be?

[videoham]

Hi Johnny, wow! I've been working on this for a few weeks now! I've actually started building a new computer specifically to run this software.

I first bought a motherboard with 5 pci slots, then bought 4 VIA chipset firewire cards, and had a load of trouble getting them recognised in windows. so I bought 4 belkin firewire cards with Texas Instrument chipsets, and they worked fine. - selling via's on ebay..

I linked them up in Graphedit, and all's ok.

Firstly, I got all 4 cameras (Canon MV30's) to preview in 4 windows, and a 5th window for the output. All ok.

Now just last night, I connected 3 cams to the 3 inputs of the switcher, and send the switched output to one of the cams with DVin, all worked fine and showed up on the cams lcd.

I've tried to install a 5th FW card in the computer - identical to the others, because I want at least 4 cameras to switch, and output to a 5th card (actually planning to send out of that card, and into a laptop for Flash Media Live Encoder through your DV Processor), but windows says in can't allocate resources or something.

I've a PDF from ptgrey.com ( http://www.ptgrey.com/support/downloads/documents/TAN2008001_Multiple_Camera_Arrays.pdf ) that says:

DMA contexts
The number of cameras that can be used to stream images continuously is limited by the IEEE1394 chipset used. The LSI (Agere) chipset used in the Point Grey PCI Express card is able to support 8 simultaneous DMA contexts. This means that 8 cameras are able to stream at any given time, with a combined total bandwidth of 800Mb/s. TI chipsets are able to support 4 simultaneous DMA contexts.

Also on that same site here: http://www.ptgrey.com/support/kb/index.asp?a=4&q=146&ST=

MAXIMUM NUMBER OF DMA CHANNELS
The number of simultaneous DMA channels (also known as isochronous transmit / receive contexts) supported by the card determines the number of IEEE-1394 cameras that can be running (streaming images) at the same time. Although the 1394a standard limits the maximum number of simultaneous isochronous channels to 16, there is currently no host adapter that is capable of supporting 16 channels.

I know this is talking about a specific, unrelated card, but, it says that the FW cards with TI chipset only has 4 DMA channels. This hints at why I wasn't able to install 5 FW cards with TI chipsets. Also from this, I see that the Lucent/Agere chip can handle 8 DMA's, would this mean I could install up to 8 cards with this chipset?

Do you think it would be possible to do 4 FW cams switched to a 5th FW card - maybe not with TI chipset cards, but LSI/Lucent/Agere chipset?

Is it possible to put more than 4/5 FW cards in a computer? I've seen PCI extenders would that work?

On that note, it's quite hard to find a motherboard that supports a cpu with SSE2 (as your minimum spec for DV processor) AND 5 PCI slots. Infact any modern motherboard rarely has more than 3 PCI (usually 1xPCIe and 2 PCI)

I've already mentioned this PDF from Ptgrey.com, but it explains a multicam array with 16 cams through daisy chaining etc, through just one PCI express card here:

http://www.ptgrey.com/support/downloads/documents/TAN2008001_Multiple_Camera_Arrays.pdf

The PDF goes on to show an array with 32 cameras!

Last question then: Assume that all of the above is possible (imagine I get 8 FW cards working!) could the ENOSoft switcher be daisy-chained/modified to switch more inputs?

Any help/comments to ANY of the above would be greatly appreciated!

I'm live streaming a conference in November

[JohnnyMalaria]

Hello,

Any standard 3-port FireWire card should be able to connect to at least two camcorders without any problem (usually). I have successfully captured from four camcorders connected via two cards.

If you have XP then there is a fairly simple way to test if multiple sources per card will work. Basically, XP adds an icon to My Computer when a camera is connected. Opening the 'folder' will show the live video.

There is a troubleshooting article here:

http://www.enosoft.net/products/enodvproc/help/htm/_troubleshootingdvdeviceconnectivity.htm

With four cards, you really shouldn't have a problem with getting 4 inputs and a single output to work.

John.

[minidv2dvd]

johnny have you tried a firewire card with that lucent agere chipset? there are some on ebay pretty cheap. if you used that and firewire hubs could it possibly handle 16 cams like mentioned above?

[JohnnyMalaria]

johnny have you tried a firewire card with that lucent agere chipset? there are some on ebay pretty cheap. if you used that and firewire hubs could it possibly handle 16 cams like mentioned above?

I think the issue lies with how DV camcorders behave on the interface bus. Each cam wants to take ownership and be the busmaster. Negotiation is usually successful between two cams but results in a stalemate beyond that. Often, just one cam on the same bus as a FireWire drive can lead to deadlock. The order that devices are added and even the port used can mean the difference between success and general knashing of teeth.

And I couldn't justify getting 16 camcorders

[videoham]

I did see the troubleshooting page before, and have now retried with all different combinations of cams in different sockets etc. The result is always the same, the camera that I connect second, always takes over the first.

I suspect this is because I'm using identical camera's (Canon MV30i's) on identical FW cards, and the cams are as stubborn as each other at wanting control (reminds me of one or two people I know..!)

I did however manage to get 2 cameras to HALF-work on one interface:

I connected 1 cam to one FW card, and 2 cams to another FW card setting one of them to DVin. When I connected the switcher (2 cams on input, and output to DVin on 3rd cam. I can switch okay, and it doesn't lock up, but I get digital interference (only) when switched to the shared cam - not blocky picture like you get with a dodgy tape, but small white pixels, and digital noise from the sound...

But don't worry, I think I'll keep the 4 separate cards, I just thought you'd be interested in the above, as your intention in sharing the switcher is probably more for beta testing than tech support!

I'm now thinking of sending the output from the switcher to EnoNetDV tx/rx with the laptop... this would help me keep the 4 cams.

Keep up the good work, it's appreciated!

[richrow2]

is it possible to use your switcher to output existing video files on my computer to a projector? I need to be able to switch between several different videos without returning to the desktop. couldn't find instructions for this in the downloaded instructions. thanks.

richrow2

[Chad T]

I realize this thread is old, but I'm hoping someone still looks at it. I just discovered this switcher and am trying to use it in a high school TV Productions class. We have been using Adobe Premeire Elements 4 to capture and edit video with a Canon XL-1 DV camcorder. We're now trying to add a second DV camcorder so we can include multiple viewpoints during our TV announcements each day.
I have the graph set up and working for the Canon camera, but when I add the second camera's filter, the video that comes up when I play the graph is the second camera and it is just a frozen still image. The switcher doesn't switch back and forth at all.
I installed the latest switcher I saw on this thread, so I'm wondering what the problem is. My computer recognizes both cameras, but will only show the second camera. Any ideas from anyone?

[JohnnyMalaria]

Hi Chad - I've replied to your PM about this.

[andy springs]

I tried the switcher, but it is a bit awkward..has a GUI been developed yet for this..it looks so promising....it seems quick and clean, but without a GUI, it is a bit unusual to use...