I Got my new Macbook Pro a couple weeks ago (the newest version, built in March 2008). 2.6 MHz, 4GB Ram, 15" display, 7200 RPM drive.

It ran flawlessly all night with the CPU running at just under 50%. No audio glitches or USB dropouts. I ran the video buffer and quality at the highest settings and all the audio settings at the most aggressive levels.

Truth be told, while I practiced during the week, I wanted to see at what point the program would start to glitch, so I had Visual Hub converting files in the background and was running Serato Video with effects on both sides...and just for good measure I had Safari open so I could check my Myspace at the same time over the wireless network…Serato Video was rock-solid (and the CPU was pegged).

2 ISSUES I’ve found:

Issue #1: Using Serato Video and the 57 mixer, with the fader linked and set to "scratch", if I do a transform scratch with either side, the audio transforms fine, but the video doesn't quite keep up. If fact sometimes, as I'm scratching on the left side, I'll see mostly the left video, with an occasional flash of the right video. I know I'm moving the fader far enough to the left and right to activate. The weird thing is, my friend bought a Macbook Pro just before the recent upgrade (he got his in Jan 08) and his video switching keeps up perfectly. I made sure all my settings are exactly the same as his and we put his laptop on my system so it's using the same mixer, cables, video output adaptor, TV monitor, etc. We even used the same files. His works flawlessly and has the exact same look as transforming using a DVJ setup with VS1 video switcher, yet mine is a little off. For testing purposes, just to see if for some reason my processor or video card isn't keeping up, I disable the v-sync. The result was the video output then keeps up with how fast I move the fader, but because v-sync is disabled, there is mad flicker on my screen. Any suggestions on a setting I could try to get the video to keep up with my rapid-fire fader movements?

Issue #2: When I'm mixing, I keep the fader link set to "scratch". Often times while I'm riding a mix, for say 32 beats, with the fader in the middle, I want to switch the video between the left input and the right input. Easy enough - with the 57 set to the video group and "deck 1" I use the B2 & B3 to switch to video left and B4 & B5 to switch to video right. (Or activate "deck 2) on the 57 and then bumping the right joystick left or right does the trick). So say I'm playing a song on the right and I'm mixing in the song on the left. Fader is in the middle...which means the left side video is outputting (because the fader just moved to the left)...if I push the B4 the right side video outputs...but usually no more than a moment later (and there is no pattern or consistency to how long), it switches back to the left. This happens in both directions, using both the buttons or the joystick. The only time this doesn't happen is if the fader is all the way to one side or another, in which case the buttons override the fader and stay that way until I move the fader. My guess is the fader moves very subtly from the vibration of the music, and the movement of the fader takes control of the video. So I tried it with the master volume all the way down to eliminate any vibration and I got the same result. Any ideas? I'm guessing that the resolution of the fader is so fine that it's always in some state of motion and therefore affecting the video output. I think this issue should be addressed. Let me know if you have any ideas for solving this or working around it.

Thanks.

C

Not sure... do you mean it does not react quickly enough? Or do you mean you have to move the fader far more to the middle to make the right side appear? If latter then you have to choose a different transition.



Your guess is correct. I saw a mod confirming this "issue". How about disabling the cross fader link for the time?

It doesn't react quickly enough...but my friend's computer does which is the weird part.

I don't have enough hands free to mix with the fader, hit a button, disable the fader on the computer, re enable it and complete my mix...do you have the link to the discussion where the mod chimed in? I'd like to read it.

Chris when I am riding long mixes and switchin between video without effecting the audio, I use latch transition.

yo chris for #1 that's an issue with the acutual framerate of the output...a mod said somewhere they limited this because it wouldn't be able to see much or something along those lines...

Could it be low key frames for #1?