No playback in TV monitor when using Cineform Preset
 

I'm having some interesting problems--I can't play video to my HDTV when I use a Cineform preset in CS3. If I use one of CS3's presets for a new project I can import or capture fine and output to my TV, just not when using a Cineform preset for a new project. Also, I'm having major crashes when I use any of the Cineform presets. The computer will freeze up completely after just a few minutes in the project (and often when playing back) and I have to reboot the computer. I've tried several variations of the Cineform playback settings but inevitably I'll experience a hard crash and no sucessful output to my TV. I'm trying to capture (capture seems to work fine thru HDLink) footage shot in 24p mode from a Canon HV30. From there I create a new Project based on Cineform's AspectHD 1440x1080i 24f setting.

Here are my specs:

WinXP w/ sp2
4 gig RAM
Quadcore Q6600
Quadro FX1500 PCIe (w/ component video out to an 1080i HDTV)
CS3
Cineform 5.25
multiple Dedicated RAID 0 drives for media storage.

Can anyone assist? Hopefully it's just some setting I've overlooked.

Bill

There is lots info on setting up video overlays in the forum that goes way back. The trick is to get Window Media Player working for overlay playback, CineForm uses the same mechanism.

Crashes however point to other issues. Hard crashes, where the system freezes, does not point to a software issue. CineForm has no low levels driver components, so we couldn't crash your machine like that even it we wanted to (the worst we can do is hang Premiere, which can be killed and restarted.) The type of crash you describe points to problems with hardware, likely the RAID controller. Move a project to your system drive to see if everything works.

That makes total sense. I just tried the following:

1. Moved my media files to the system drive. Opened Premiere. Tried to play files. Computer Crashed.
2. Disabled the 2nd monitor output on my Quadro card--no crashes (yet)!

I'm going to be checking with PNY (makers of my quadro card) to see if I have the latest drivers.

It's still odd though, that only the Cineform projects seem to crash--the computer doesn't crash if I'm in other Premiere projects. Doesn't Aspect 'take over' the playback settings in Premiere, in turn (somewhat) taking control of the video card?

Not really. We do nothing custom with the card. We let DirectShow's video renderer (Microsoft's component) send data to the card. So it does look like you are a driver problem.

Whew! Finally fixed my crashing problem. I updated the video card drivers and Premiere seems happy thus far. However, I have one last issue--whenever I scrub on the timeline I can see the video in my 2nd HD monitor; however, if I hit the play button, the video goes away and the desktop appears.

Is the overlay enabled in the playback settings of Aspect HD?

'Enable Overlay Surface' is checked. It's also 'on' in '3D settings' in the nvidia control panel.

That is odd, you will likely need to file a trouble ticket with www.cineform.com/support. Try disabling the preview mode, also try both Force YUV on or off, maybe your Gfx card doesn't support all the surface modes.

I'm going to first check with PNY/Quadro support; the playback was working prior to the video card driver update; however, I kept experiencing all those hard crashes. After the driver update, the crashes have gone away (haven't experienced any yet) but I don't have any thing on my output monitor (except when I scrub or pause in the timeline). This really seems to be pointing to a video card issue at this point. Thanks for all the help that you've posted for me thus far on this forum.

PS Anyone out there considering purchasing Quadro 1500 cards should make sure to update their drivers after install or they may be in for some major computer troubles! :)