5 Known Problems and Workarounds
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1. Introduction
The VideoFramer option provides a single-frame input and
output capability for IRIS workstations, in a variety of
different video formats. You can record single images in a
frame-by-frame recording mode to produce computer-generated
animation, or capture single frames from a video source and
convert these to image files for subsequent processing on
the workstation.
Note: Packaged with this software is a separate sheet that
contains the Software License Agreement. This
software is provided to you solely under the terms
and conditions of the Software License Agreement.
Please take a few moments to review the Agreement.
This document contains the following chapters:
1. Introduction
2. Installation Information
3. Changes and Additions
4. Bug Fixes
5. Known Problems and Workarounds
1.1 Release_Identification_Information
Following is the release identification information for
VideoFramer:
Software Option Product VideoFramer
Version 2.3.1
Product Code SC4-W4D-5.2
System Software Requirements IRIX 5.2 or later
1.2 Hardware_Requirements
This software is intended to accompany the VideoFramer VME
board, D4-VF9U or D5-VF6U. The board must be installed and
the IRIX kernel must be reconfigured for this software to
function properly.
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1.3 On-Line_Release_Notes
After you install the on-line documentation for a product
(the relnotes subsystem), you can view the release notes on
your screen.
If you have a graphics system, select ``Release Notes'' from
the Tools submenu of the Toolchest. This displays the
grelnotes(1) graphical browser for the on-line release
notes.
Refer to the grelnotes(1) man page for information on
options to this command.
If you do not have a graphics system, you can use the
relnotes command. Refer to the relnotes(1) man page for
accessing the on-line release notes.
1.4 Product_Support
Silicon Graphics, Inc., provides a comprehensive product
support maintenance program for its products.
If you are in North America and would like support for your
Silicon Graphics-supported products, contact the Technical
Assistance Center at
1-800-800-4SGI.
If you are outside North America, contact the Silicon
Graphics subsidiary or authorized distributor in your
country.
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2. Installation_Information
This chapter lists supplemental information to the IRIS
Software Installation Guide. The information listed here is
product-specific; use it with the installation guide to
install this product.
2.1 VideoFramer_Subsystems
The VideoFramer software includes these subsystems:
vfr.man.relnotes VideoFramer release notes
vfr.man.vfr VideoFramer manual pages
vfr.sw.diag VideoFramer diagnostic software
vfr.sw.vfr VideoFramer product software
2.2 VideoFramer_Subsystem_Disk_Space_Requirements
This section lists the subsystems (and their sizes) of the
VideoFramer software.
If you are installing this option for the first time, the
subsystems marked ``default'' are those that are installed
automatically when you choose ``go'' during the installation
procedure.
Subsystem Name Subsystem Size
(512-byte blocks)
vfr.man.relnotes (default) 22
vfr.man.vfr (default) 117
vfr.sw.diag (default) 7553
vfr.sw.vfr (default) 8020
2.3 Installation_Method
All of the VideoFramer subsystems can be installed using
IRIX; You do not need to use the miniroot. Refer to the
IRIS Software Installation Guide for complete installation
instructions.
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2.4 Software_Requirements
VideoFramer 2.3.1 software requires IRIX 5.2 or later.
2.5 Configuration_Files
The VideoFramer installation process automatically updates
the configuration file /usr/var/sysgen/master.d/mem to allow
the VideoFramer software to map in the VME address space
used by the VideoFramer. The installation script
/usr/video/vfr/install/vfrinstall allows you to reconfigure
this file if you install system software after you install
the VideoFramer software.
A setup file, /usr/video/vfr/.vfr_setup, contains video
format-specific calibration parameters used whenever the
VideoFramer is initialized. The executable
/usr/video/vfr/bin/setup allows you to interactively modify
these parameters; consult the VideoFramer Programming Guide
and Man Pages for more details on how to use this program.
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3. Changes_and_Additions
This chapter lists the changes to the VideoFramer software
since its last release.
3.1 New_Platform_Support
VideoFramer 2.3.1 software now supports CHALLENGE and Onyx
computer systems.
3.2 New_Utility_Scripts_and_Program
o The script vlan.rotoscope allows you to capture
sequential frames from a V-LAN controlled source, in
any video mode of operation. It computes the
appropriate timecodes and color frame bump sequences,
and issues the SY 1 V-LAN command to put the V-LAN
transmitter into a mode where the color frame bump
commands shift the VTR's video output timing by one to
three frames as needed.
o The script vlan.rotopaste iteratively ipastes each
sequentially grabbed frame so that you can verify the
frame accurate nature of the grab.
o The utility program tc_arith allows you to add or
subtract an increment factor from a specified timecode;
it rounds the result to the nearest color frame
boundary when a composite mode of operation has been
specified.
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4. Bug_Fixes
The following bugs have been fixed in this release:
o The grab program programmed the V-LAN processor to
initiate a coincidence pulse triggered frame grab
operation, then delayed a long time before starting to
poll for the frame grab completion. On some decks, the
grab completed before the grab program began polling
for the ``grab complete'' status, and so the program
hung forever, waiting for an event that had already
gone by. Removing the lengthy delay solved the
problem.
o Several bugs were fixed that caused frame accurate
grabs to fail (that is, to not grab the specified
frame) in the composite video modes (NTSC, S-Video
[YC-358], PAL). These bugs are listed below:
- The library no longer performs VideoFramer
register writes when the ``no initialize'' option
has been specified in vfr_open(), grab, or
display.
- The library check to see if the V-LAN controller
is alive and running the proper microcode when
vfr_vlan_init() is called. If so, the V-LAN
controller is not reinitialized.
- The grab program now leaves the VideoFramer in a
``grab'' state whenever grabbing from a remotely
triggered frame accurate source.
- The grab program no longer reinitializes the V-LAN
controller when the ``no initialize'' option has
been specified.
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5. Known_Problems_and_Workarounds
Known problems and their workarounds in version 2.3.1 of
VideoFramer are listed here:
o Many problems with recording on VTRs can be traced to
using poor quality videotape with inferior cables.
While not recommending any specific products, Silicon
Graphics encourages use of the highest quality media
and cables with the VideoFramer device.
o PAL line-locked encoding always interpolates from 768 x
576 to 948 x 576, that is, display option -n does
nothing in PAL operation. You must provide RGB data in
the nominal resolution of 768 x 576 when invoking the
PAL encode functions.
o If you liked the borderless windows under IRIX 4D1-3.3
for the setup program, but now have borders, use setenv
GLRES "*noBorderBug: true to restore borderless
windows.
o The program autofreq doesn't work in NTSC mode.
Fortunately, setting this by hand isn't difficult.
Continue to use the setup program to adjust the genlock
frequency.
o Old .vfr_setup files are incompatible with the new
release. Discard or move aside the old .vfr_setup
files and copy the sample with the defaults from
/usr/video/vfr.
o Due to a mistake in VideoFramer release 1.0.3, the
function vfr_getImageXsize() wasn't exported. Because
it has been eliminated, there is no replacement.
However, the sample program display from release 1.0.3
used this function, and therefore dumps core due to the
missing function. Programs developed using display
source code as an example should be examined for
reference to the vfr_getImageXsize() function and
fixed, then recompiled to not reference the function.
o setup displays incorrect numbers for blanking and front
porch timing values in all modes. Refer to the tables
in the VideoFramer Programming Guide and Man Pages for
the correct values.
o The blanking and front porch values deviate from the
standard by the following numbers (``Std.'' is what the
various standards specify; ``VFR'' means as measured on
the VideoFramer):
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Std. VFR Std. VFR
Button Blanking Blanking Front Porch Front Porch
(uSec) (uSec) (uSec) (uSec)
A: RGB-, R-Y-525 10.9 11.1 1.5 1.3
A: RGB-, R-Y-625 12.0 12.0 1.5 1.5
A: NTSC, SVIDEO 10.9 10.9 1.5 1.5
A: PAL 12.0 12.0 1.5 1.5
B: RGB-, R-Y-525 10.6 10.7 1.5 1.3
B: RGB-, R-Y-625 12.0 12.0 1.5 1.5
B: NTSC, SVIDEO 10.2 10.2 1.5 1.5
B: PAL 11.4 11.4 1.5 1.5
C: RGB-, R-Y-525 10.5 11.4 1.1 0.9
C: RGB-, R-Y-625 11.4 11.4 0.9 0.9
C: NTSC, SVIDEO 10.6 10.6 1.2 1.2
C: PAL 11.1 11.1 0.7 0.7
D: RGB-, R-Y-525 10.1 10.8 1.1 0.9
D: RGB-, R-Y-625 11.1 11.1 0.9 0.9
D: NTSC, SVIDEO 10.0 10.0 1.2 1.2
D: PAL 10.5 0.7 10.5 0.7
o The program hinv doesn't list the VideoFramer device.
You can use the program vfr_vlan_alive with the program
vfr_vlan_init to check for the existence of a
VideoFramer in a system.
o Root permission is required to access the VideoFramer
in Challenge and Onyx systems. The standard commands
and demos achieve this by running in "setuid root"
mode. If you compile your own programs that access the
VideoFramer in one of these system, you must either run
them as root, or configure them for setuid mode. The
following sequence of commands will modify the program
"myprog" to run with root permissions:
su root
chown root myprog
chgrp sys myprog
chmod 4755 myprog
exit
o Attempting to use the digital modes (D1, D2) without a
signal connected causes a bus fault on the VME bus.
This is caused by the DRAM writes timing out when there
is no clock signal (it is derived from the digital
signal on the cable). Be sure to have the cable with
signal connected before using the digital-mode input
functions.