Serato Video General Discussion

Talk about Serato Video and Video-SL.

Buy recommendation for best video quality

michamarcel 5:07 PM - 4 August, 2017
Hello everybody,

I own a MacBook Pro Mid 2014 with integrated Intel Iris Pro (1536 MB). When testing with a SmashVision music video on a Serato video deck with best output settings, the output was significantly worse than playing the video with a normal player (QuickTime). I have tested the picture quality with an external 4K OLED-display. The SeratoVideo output is much more blurrier than playing with a normal player. The video does not run smoothly and jerks from time to time. Unusable…

1) How close can you get to the original “QuickTime quality” with Serato Video when using a new Macbook Pro with dedicated graphics card? Is there always a visible loss?
2) How useful is it to spend more money? Currently you can get the MacBook Pro with the following graphic cards:
- Radeon Pro 555 with 2 GB GDDR5
- Radeon Pro 560 with 4 GB GDDR5
3) Does the larger model have visible advantages? What can you recommend?
4) I would also consider an older MacBook Pro with dedicated GPU if theres no disadvantage.
5) I have read in the forum that Nvidia graphics cards provide the best. How can this be explained, especially since the current MacBook Pro's only have Radeon GPUs?

Thanks in advance and many greetings from Germany
Micha
DJ Tecniq 12:00 PM - 5 August, 2017
Are you using the 13" or 15" MacBook Pro? I have a Mid 2014 but it has two video cards the intel iris pro & nvidia card for high performance. The nvidia is actually the dedicated graphics card and the iris Pro is the integrated which is ok but not as good performance wise. If your laptop has the other video card you can use graphics switching and use the faster card.
DJ Tecniq 12:06 PM - 5 August, 2017
DJ Tecniq 12:08 PM - 5 August, 2017
Also since you're getting into video download a program called SMCFancontrol it is free for Mac and keeps your Macs fans cool while running intense applications like HD video.
DJ Tecniq 12:09 PM - 5 August, 2017
This video may help with performance and best settings. This will differ esp on machines that aren't powerful enough. Hope it helps
youtu.be
DJ Tecniq 12:19 PM - 5 August, 2017
If your machine can't run on "best" I recommend setting it to "high" it takes a very powerful laptop to run Serato Video and usually the 15" MacBook Pro's are best as they have two video cards for graphics switching and higher performance. However def check out www.inklen.com it uses less CPU and may run video 2x better than Serato video. It is the best choice for video DJ's as most VJ's are using it. Cheers
michamarcel 9:56 PM - 6 August, 2017
Many thanks for your help DJ Tecniq!

I use the 15 inch MacBook Pro without dedicated graphics card. It has only the integrated intel iris pro. I think I should invest here in a model with dedicated GPU.

Would you recommend an older one with nvidia GPU or the newer with Radeon Pro? Any difference, pros and cons?


Thanks for the recommendation SMCFancontrol.

MixEmergency is very interesting. Is it also possible to play music videos with ME (as with serato video) or only visuals?

Best regards
Micha
DJ Tecniq 3:42 AM - 7 August, 2017
M.E. can do a ton of more things with built in video recording, more fx and less CPU. I must be mistaken I thought all 15" MacBook pros have the dedicated graphics card but maybe it's only the Retina's as I have one. I would say any 15" MacBook Pro w/dedicated graphics card would be best. The new MacBook pros with USB-C ports have been causing dropouts I'll try to link you to that post. Something about the dongle adapter having issues. But just be aware. When you get a Mac w/the dedicated graphics card you'll notice less CPU w/video I mean I barely use 15% or less CPU with SDJ. Make sure you unlink Serato Video from your old machine however it can be run on 2 machines as well.
DJ Tecniq 3:44 AM - 7 August, 2017
Here's part two of M.E. w/SDJ
youtu.be
DJ Tecniq 3:46 AM - 7 August, 2017
Here is the discussion on the new 2016 MacBook pros serato.com
michamarcel 5:40 PM - 8 August, 2017
Thank you DJ Tecniq.

Just downloaded the testversion of M.E. yesterday. Absolutely impressive scope of functions! Unfortunately I still have the same problems with my external 4K OLED.

First I had no problems with the small preview output screen on the external 4K OLED, but if I press the full screen button into M.E., the video and the waveform in serato jerks.

Here are two videos:
youtu.be
youtu.be

1) My current MBP processes a maximum of 30fps at 4K. But it works with quicktime flawlessly. Think this can be excluded.

2) Does the GPU needs more power at all if the external panel has 4k, but the video "only" 1080p?

3) Maybe the 4K resolution (in combination with the integrated Intel graphics) is the problem. However, assuming for a new MacBook Pro with dedictaed GPU would be, that I could use the existing 4K OLED at home. Has someone already successfully tested?

Best regards
Micha
popnwave 11:11 PM - 8 August, 2017
OLED is going to expose any shortcomings in a video that is encoded. Proper 1080p is hard enough to get unless you use one of the good pools and even the bitrate on those is nothing compared to a good Blu-ray movie which will handle the upscale better.

It just like when the jump to HD was made and people realized that awesome Laserdisc looked like soft mush on their plasma tv. Actual music videos have to catch up before it's going to look "great".