Advice with Video Gremlins

[aldenf]

Hi gang,

Have a show onstage at the moment that is utilizing our video install for what, essentially, is a home slide show/videos. Driven by QLab on a MacMini, I boot the system and it's solid for 2-5 hours, then starts flaking out. It usually starts with some light static flickering into an occasional solid pink flash and finally craps out completely. Sound continues fine. Re-seating the HDMI or the CAT6 cable seems to make everything right again. I have been unable to recreate the issue outside of showtime. So I haven't been able to methodically diagnose.

System:

2013 Quad-Core MacMini; DVI to control monitor and HDMI for projectiion.
QLab v3.0.11 (Haven't updated further due to known video issues.)

3' Pearstone HDMI cable (http://www.pearstone.com/detail?sku=751034) from MacMini to extender transmitter.
KanexPro HDBaseT Extender (http://www.kanexpro.com/item/?id=HDBASE100M)
Less than 200' of CAT6 between Transmitter & Receiver
Another 3' Pearstone from receiver to projector.
BenQ SH960 (http://www.benq.us/product/projector/sh960)


I have:

Tested/swapped out all cables.
Made sure transmitter/receiver are in the open and able to use convection for cooling. (The receiver was getting warm to the touch.) Stays barely above room temp now.
Checked QLab forums.
Checked Mac forums.
Googled all products in chain looking for listed issues from other people.

I installed the line extender last March and added the MacMini in May. This is the first issue I've had with video.

Any advice/thoughts are appreciated.

Thanks!

~Alden

 

[Amiers]

After a quick read about the extenders I would check your Cat6 cable to make sure it is terminated properly.

 

[aldenf]

Thanks, Amiers! That's one of the first things I did. My cable tester says it's fine... Could I be experiencing a video card issue?

 

[aldenf]

Well guys. Video was up and running for over six hours today without a single problem. Just powered down. We'll see what showtime brings us...

 

[aldenf]

Fail! Started the system 45 min before curtain. Right at places, projection starts flaking out. Reset and re-seat everything and all is fine. Eight minutes from end of show flickering and then no image... Maybe it's a heat issue at the MacMini. But everything was solid for over six hours this afternoon. I wish I could recreate the problem without an audience...

 

[Amiers]

What did you run for the 6 hour stretch? Was it show content or was it just test material. Can your projector and Mac Mini handle the formats of the show content. 720p/1080p. Yes heat could be an issue but if it ran for 6 hours then for only 45min + show - 8mins just doesn't add up. If you tested all your hardware I would look at your content next.

 

[aldenf]

Thanks, Amiers... First of all, this is a rental and not my programming. I did clean up some QLab programming, especially because video surfaces were wonky... For three of the 6+ hours yesterday, I looped a 720p video (MAC scaling to 1080p) with no problems. Then the PSM came in and ran through all 140+ of their cues twice (for the 2nd 3 hours) without any issues. Their image/video files are not native 1080p. There is scaling happening on the Mac/QLab side of things. In fact it's programmed mostly in 4:3 except for video files which are in 16:10 or 16:9. They do the show all over the country in different spaces, with different projectors/systems... They are new to QLab and had been running Power Point (Mac) with varying degrees of success. Power Point really doesn't like much video and would often crash. We tried PP for the second show and... it crashed.

I just wish I could recreate the issue when I have time to diagnose it; not when their is an audience waiting to be entertained...

Are there any utilities for Mac that will display/record gpu temps, cpu/HDD usage, etc? I can't find one.

 

[Amiers]

Temp Monitor link

That is quite a gremlin if they were able to run all the cues twice. I guess I would look at the specific cues that are close to the times in which the system fails. Clock temps and content and weed it out that way.

 

[AudJ]

A few brainstorming curiosity questions:

What is the hvac or room temperature variation between a performance and an empty-room test? Never had an issue like this, but if I were testing, I might try to re-create a similar scenario. Lights alone can cause a huge difference. Add an audience and everything else... Maybe put a fan on the CPU to see if anything changes?

What else is running on the circuit(s) the failing equipment is getting power from? Power clean? Circuits wired properly? Load?

I know older Mac laptops have a known display issue that can behave as you describe, and requires a new video display card of some sort. I don't know if the same card is installed in the mini.

Weird problem.

 

[aldenf]

Ran the show flawlessly this afternoon... From a MacBook Pro. The only difference was the computer and HDMI cable. I had swapped two brand new cables in before to no effect. Unless we can believe that all three brand new HDMI cables are bad, it is a MacMini issue.... Anyone know of software based hardware monitor for OSX (particularly heat)?

This is either an overheating issue, a bad HDMI port or a bad GPU. The HD 4000 graphics integrated on the CPU die should be able to handle two displays; one at 1440x900 (via DVI) and one at 1920x1080 (via HDMI), no? If it's an overheating issue it should take out both the GPU & CPU, no? That would leave a bad HDMI port... But only occasionally bad? Brought on by heat? Solid for hours on end, then suddenly bad? QLab has never suggested that it has lost the display surface at any time things went wrong.

I have been building PC based playback systems for 15 years (SFX, SCS, etc). This is the first Mac/QLab system I have any real experience with and it has been nothing but trouble from the beginning. QLab is incredibly powerful. I was ready to purchase a new MacBook as I need to replace my laptop. Now, I'm not so sure, especially with the way Apple deals with it's customers...

The Apple Store is a PITA. This Mini was shipped to me with a bad HDD. It took me three separate trips to the Genius Bar for them to finally replace the HDD & SATA connector. They couldn't reproduce the problem even though I told them it was a bad HDD... The MacMini was purchased in May and still under warranty. Now I loathe the prospect of dealing with the Geniuses all over again. Anyone have any advice/suggestions as to how to most effectively deal with Apple?

Thanks!

~Alden

 

[carproelsofly]

What else is running on the circuit(s) the failing equipment is getting power from? Power clean? Circuits wired properly? Load?

I'm not a video guy, so this may be off-track, and the issue totally resolved above, but I'll point out that the laptop is more isolated than the Mac Mini from any power issues.

When you did your show tests, did you have your lighting system up and running as well? Are your AC feeds to lighting and sound separate, or is everyone using the same power?

How about com? Or anything else that might be sharing conduit with your video cables?

Did it happen at the same point in the show each time? If so, what else is going on in the room at that time?

HTH,
Jen

 

[AudJ]

The Apple Store is a PITA. This Mini was shipped to me with a bad HDD. It took me three separate trips to the Genius Bar for them to finally replace the HDD & SATA connector. They couldn't reproduce the problem even though I told them it was a bad HDD... The MacMini was purchased in May and still under warranty. Now I loathe the prospect of dealing with the Geniuses all over again. Anyone have any advice/suggestions as to how to most effectively deal with Apple?

If they know about a potential problem, they may be quicker to solve your issue, especially if you report similar symptoms under warranty. Calling Apple directly gets you a claim #, and with multiple issues on a single unit, I would suggest asking for a replacement. At the store if the first person does not satisfy you, ask for a manager, and tell them you are not happy, and what it would take to make you happy. Apple likes happy.