Release note for viz|artist™/viz|engine™ 2.8 on Microsoft Windows® 2000/XP™

Date: 21.05.2008



1. Introduction

This release note documents viz|engine™ Version 2.8 for Windows® 2000/XP™. viz|engine™ is a real-time, 3D, live-to-air versatile graphics system, which can be used for a variety of tasks ranging from simple two dimensional character generation to complex 3D animation and virtual set productions for television broadcasters.
This product has been packaged to work in conjunction with a variety of different hardware and operating systems. Therefore please make sure that you read this release notes before running the product.

This document contains the following chapters:

1.Introduction
2.Installation information
3.New features
4.Fixed bugs
5.Known problems and workarounds
6.Recommended settings
7.Documentation errors
8.Activating your viz|artist™/viz|engine™ license

1.1 Release identification information

Following is the release identification information for viz|engine™:

Software Product: viz|engine™ 2.8
System Software Requirements:Windows 2000 or later

1.2 Product support

Product support for viz is available through your local viz distributor (first level support). In emergencies you can also call [vizrt] Austria directly at +43 5242 73225 or (preferred) email your request to support@vizrt.com. To be entitled for support including bug fixes and maintainance release versions you need to have a valid support contract (please contact your local distributor).

2. Installation information

This chapter lists supplemental information to the Documentation on how to install Software on a Windows NT system. The information listed here is product and release specific; use it with the Installation Guide to install this product. This viz version uses a installation wizard, which guide you safely through the installation process. This simplifies the installation process and enables you to do easy re- and/or de-installation of the software. Before you begin, you should note the following things:
Be sure that you have administrator rights on the system where you are installing viz.
Close any running viz, before you begin to install this version.

3. New features


New features in version 2.8 pl4 TWC

Support for timecode reader card.
Enabled deleting of timed commands.
Added timed commands based on UTC.
added external command SHOW_CURRENT_TIMECODE for getting the current timecode.
added function for getting message when clip can be played out in commmandfeedback.

New features in version 2.8 pl4 Hotfix 4

  • Matrox:
  • added output repeat mode in configuration file.

    New features in version 2.8 pl4 Hotfix 3

    Increased the number of parallel client connections to 30.
    Relative paths for clip playback. Now it is possible to use the keyword "<clip_root>" in order to utilize the clip data directory variable of the Configuration - Video Board menu as a relative path for the Setup - Video Channels in the Clip Name text field.
    Matrox:
  • Removed clip pipeline size.
  • Removed flickering in DVE mode at start of video input and clip playback.
  • Added texture delay possibility to clip playback.

  • New features in version 2.8 pl4 Hotfix 1

    added support for nvidia fx1700.

    New features in version 2.8 pl4

    ImageClip:
  • Thread Mode now supports multiple frame delay to increase time for image processing while in thread mode.
  • added support KeyOnBlack Images.
  • Autofollow: added several new options. See info box for more details.
    Support for new Matrox Dsx.Utils 4.0.0 SP1 has been added.
    Changed genlock adjustment:
  • Former h-phase unit was ns, now the value is multiplied with a granularity value. The granularity has differing values for the positive and negative h-phase range.
  • The current value and possible range for all affected settings and granularities will be printed to the console.
  • The positive range is smaller than the negative one.
  • When upgrading genlock settings have to be adjusted!
  • Support for Nvidia 91.xx drivers. This fixes non-working combination of Matrox and FX5500.
    Added support for Nvidia FX4600 and FX5600.
    ImageMask: added object space coordinates mode. Now this shader allows combination of a RGB clip with an alpha clip.
    Matrox:
  • added support for RGBA video input. Has to be activated with configuration parameter Matrox.VideoIn1.ContainsAlpha = 1.
  • added support for RGBA clip playback. Has to be activated with configuration parameter Matrox.ClipIn1.ContainsAlpha = 1.
  • Added NTSC 487 compatibility mode.
  • Dv file reader support (Targa compatibility): it is now possible to playback .dv and .dif files with matrox.
  • reduced DVE delay for Matrox (2 frames)
  • reduced texture delay for Matrox (3 - 3.5 frames)
  • support for separate clip file (Targa compatibility).
  • VBI WSS workaround in PAL.
  • Support for Nvidia FX1500 added.
    Activation of Ringing Filter is now available in Scene Default Configuration.
    New configuration for RGB to YUV conversion in Render Options.
    Removed the obsolete Interlacing Window in Scene Setup.
    New Trio View in Control Editor. It gives an overview of all control plugins in current scene. Needs support from ExtraVizPlugins version.
    Config editor: Renamed Section 'DVE & Codec Configuration' to 'Video Board'.

    New features in version 2.8 pl3

    Support for Matrox has been added
    2DRibbon
  • Cleanup of the GUI - show/hide buttons according to various modes
  • Support spline modes
         - Ribbon (the default)
         - Filled
         - Double outline
  • Rotation of spline in 3D space to support graphs
  • Weather specific support to allow 3D fronts (enabled only by WEATHER license feature)
  • New plugin 2DTextFollow (Text follows a 2DRibbon spline)
    GraffiTex
  • support shape recognition (disabled by default). The recognized shapes are circle, ellipse, cross and arrow.
  • support undo.
  • RealFxSmoke support reset of spawn container.
    New command line option '-g' to start viz with a configuration file. The configuration becomes the one for saving.
    Support for 720p50Hz on Nvidia SDI boards.
    Text Box: new option to wrap on any character and not only space.
    On viz crashes a dump file will be written, that allows better error diagnosis.
    Support for DeepBlue LT as preview board on Targa systems.
    New shader for ringing elimination. Background color for DVE needed to be changed for the shader to work with autokey.
    New command GUI_TEXT: same as TEXT_FROM_GUI but allows for leading spaces.
    Matrox: Two fullscreen DVEs in HDTV possible. Background graphics has to be disabled.

    4. Fixed bugs


    Fixed bugs in version 2.8 pl4 Hotfix 4

    fixed config scene default setting flicker filter.
    fixed deadlock when loading scenes with video input texture with input configuration set inactive. Thisd was introduced in pl4 hotfix 3.
    proper error messages in viz log, when clip was not found.
    CGP500:
  • Background-image did not display on CGP500 output. (#7722)
  • Middle/Back layer flush back screen in 1-2 field. (#7970)
  • fixed preview command "RENDERER PREVIEW SCENE*... name" for output resolutions PAL, NTSC and 720p.
    audio did not play at first invocation. (SF 3088)

    Fixed bugs in version 2.8 pl4 Hotfix 3

    Dexter:
  • escaping characters was not working as stated in the manual.
  • fixed a buffer overrun bug when text exceeds about 2500 characters.
  • Fixed white texture problem with video inputs.
    NLE: VGA version renders poor quality for NLE plugin in 1080i.
    Radial Blur: inner range was surrounded by a 1 pixel border.
    Enable autokey mode, no matter which layer specifies it. This worked for main layer only.
    Matrox:
  • Fixed a crash when switching color conversion from shader to matrox.
  • Delay setting for video input as DVE did not work.
  • Fixed a memory leak (out of on board memory) in case of a scale/crop error.
  • UDP command feedback: now sending correct clip playmode.
    Autofollow: reference mode "first" did not work in merged objects.
    Make use of the priority default settings in config for scene setup priority reset.
    Watershader: The shader was not animated in render window unless you provide the window with some events.
    Stage: Added the SOUND device type to the audio key frame.
    Fixed a crash during Trio cleanup.

    Fixed bugs in version 2.8 pl4 Hotfix 2

    CGP: show interlacing video scene setup editor.
    Matrox: Fixed memory leak due to interlaced clip source and progressive caller.
    Matrox: fixed wrong video output in 1080i (introduced in hotfix1).
    Fixed SNAPSHOT function for video version.
    Configuration: enabled configuration setting Renderoptions - Full Scene AA.

    Fixed bugs in version 2.8 pl4 Hotfix 1

    Matrox: IMX clips with height 608 (PAL) and 512 (NTSC) where rejected due to a wrong height.
    Autofollow (v1.3): renamed the button names for X Previous Center like it was before.
    Moviz: clips without audio could not loop, if Audio Device - Format was set to Default Device.
    CGP: performance meter was wrong.
    CGP: viz crashed when shadow (caster) plugin was set.
    Loading of the following plugins failed: BlendImage, CelShader, Sepia, WaterShader, PathFinder.
    Creation of an animation in a director with offset was wrong.
    Emboss shader: plugin ignores materials.
    Matrox: when enabling video input as DVE in onair mode, a few black frames were displayed.
    Matrox: frame drops in 1080i60M when using 2 video inpus as DVE due to too small output manager size. The minimal output manager size is now adapted for this resolution during startup.
    Matrox: fixed black frames when using video inpus as DVE in onair mode.
    Matrox: removed black frames at the end of clip playback.
    Matrox: fixed missing video output in HD resolutions when configuring offscreen rendering.
    NLE: viz didn't capture fields in 1080i. Fixed for stdpc version.
    Matrox: fixed juddering animation.
    ImageClip (v4.6.3): a string variable was too short causing memory corruption in some cases.
    Updated plugins BlendImage, CelShader, ImageMask, Sepia, WaterShader, PathFinder and TextFxPlusPlus which failed to load.

    Fixed bugs in version 2.8 pl4

    TextFX plugins: fixed a memory leak and improved cleanup.
    ImageClip: Thread Mode sync problem caused viz to crush when images were very heavy (large size).
    Cell shader: silhouette color, width and alpha didn't work.
    Image Mask: fixed texture clamping.
    Sepia shader: Alpha setting for dark and light value didn't work anymore.
    Water shader: fixed several issues.
    Blend image shader: fixed texture clamping.
    Moviz (v2.15): resource leak during construction in DirectShow Filtergraph fixed.
    Configuration: clip data directory was not loaded correctly.
    Fixed unspecified scene for callback PLUGIN_EXEC_ACTION invoked for push button.
    Fixed a problem in stage when audio starts playing by itself, when placed on time 0.0.
    Changed clip playback for stage stop and continue to diminish black fields at the beginning in DVE mode.
    Import of .dfont files works properly now.
    Audio: audio volume on clip channel 2 fixed. Set audio volume on clip channels to zero when inactive.
    Fixed capture command in NLE mode.
    Fixed quality problem with video output in PAL and NTSC.
    Wrong materials were applied during .OBJ import.
    Nvidia FX-SDI: Fixed autorun for clip playback.
    Fixed crash when picking from Trio with video version.
    Fixed a memory leak in plugins 2DFollow, 2DPatch and 2DRibbon.
    When a textbox contains an unicode font, the text was not clipped at the box's boundaries.
    Matrox: clip playback delay configurable and volume control for clip playback enabled.
    Matrox: Key mode AutoKey in HD produced wrong output.
    Text: cursor at line end was not correct from Trio.
    Matrox: wrong color in SD resolution when ringing filter was disabled.
    License Client: license client didn't allow a license requested by a plugin.
    Viz did not complain, when importing an archive to a readonly filesystem.
    VizGeo: Fixed an optimization bug for geotiff files. This optimization used a cached version of the geotiff data for faster performance, but did not work for the mapServer.
    Radio buttons in generated plugin editors where not enabled or disabled correctly.
    Command Interface: when adding an event to a director it is now possible to set the event type.
    VRML import could not handle absolute image paths.
    Fixed crash when importing 16bit Tiff images.
    Volume settings for audio input channels enabled.
    Inca live video texturing added.
    Fixed a viz crash during vrml import.
    Switching from IME editor to standard text editor did not update text.
    Fixed the "restart on crash" functionality for onair engines on Windows XP systems.
    RGB-Palette picture import.

    Fixed bugs in version 2.8 pl3

    FX4000-SDI: with release 80 Nvidia drivers the color conversion was wrong (colored fill).
    Audio:
  • Selection of the DirectX audio driver works now.
  • Channel selection flag in surround wav's works now.
  • Stop command sent to a director by an action keyframe or an external application did not stop audio replay.
  • Hiding sound system window and removal of debug messsage box.
  • Improved performance of GET_DETAIL command.
    Resolved crash when merging geometries containing animated materials.
    Fixed problem of sending SET_OBJECT during a scene transition.
    Foreground texture was not drawn in video output.
    Fixed viz crash: allow Polygon extrusion only if there is more than one point in the spline.
    Live video textures did not work during post rendering.
    Audio:
  • 3d sound doesn't change position when set to remote.
  • changed position calculation for 3d objects.
  • position calculation for 3d objects limited to main layer.
  • add command SOUND*SHOWWAV SET true/false to hide wav in stage.
  • Wildcat Systems: disable pbuffer and the CAP_GENERATE_MIPMAP and CAP_TEXTURE_COMPRESSION on wildcat since they don't work.
    CGP500: fixed broken video input.
    Fixed wrong time calculation for Targa clip in stage mode.
    ImageMask Shader: viz crashed when this shader was used OnAir in more than one scene and when the same image was used on both instances.
    Fixed manual per-character kerning (alt-key plus cursor keys in artist) for TopToBottom direction.
    Fixed a viz crash when a plugin references a missing external image. This can happen for plugin MagnifyGlass. .
    Fixed viz crash in NLE mode when computing the stop to pause time.
    FX4000-SDI: Still preview image was corrupt on FX4000-SDI when running in HDTV.
    FX4000-SDI: fixed wrong color conversion on FX4000-SDI.
    Fixed bounding box calculation when using MaxSize and TextFX on the same container.
    On a few systems resizing the Pilot preview window failed.
    Audio: Targa audio plays mono wav files now.
    Fixed orthogonal camera aspect 16:9
    Bottom line was repeated on top of a frame when flicker filter was enabled.
    Text: two byte font had different bounding box then one byte font.

    5. Known problems and workarounds


    Driver related

    For latest driver related information please consult the "Vizrt - Driver Reference Guide.pdf" document. It is available for registered users on
    ftp://ftp.vizrt.com//customer_Drivers/.

    If viz is restarted very fast on Quadro FX 4000 SDI machines the NVidia driver locks the video output and viz can not start. You have to reboot the machine when this happens.
    Sometimes after upgrading viz the NVidia driver is corrupt. In this case viz crashes during startup. If you open deskop/properties/advanced you will also see some strange messages from the graphics card driver. You have to reinstall the graphics card driver.
    Switch off anisotropic filtering on all nvidia graphics cards, otherwise live video input will look blurry.
    viz 2.8 pl1 requires nvidia driver version 81.67.
    Quadro FX 4000 SDI machines require at least nvidia driver version 83.62. Otherwise viz will hang at startup.
    Quadro FX 3400 machines must not use nvidia driver version 83.62. Use nvidia driver version 81.67 instead.
    Quadro FX 1500 machines require at least nvidia driver version 91.36.
    Quadro FX5500 SDI machines require at least nvidia driver version 91.36.
    For Matrox setups driver version 4.0.0.132 (SP1) of Matrox Dsx.Utils is strongly recommended. Viz|engine will print a warning to the console. When encountering a major version mismatch a dialog box has to be acknowledged.
    When using Nvidia FX SDI as video output board the v-phase has to be adjusted due to a delay introduced by the Nvidia driver. Measured v-phase setting for blackburst genlock and SD is either +18 (PAL) or +12 (NTSC). Adjustments in HD should be in the same range as SD. Please be aware that when adjusting the h-phase the v-phase setting may change and has to be readjusted.

    Viz related

    Starting with Viz 2.8 pl3 support for Wildcat systems is stopped.
    Matrox setup, Audio: audio is send to all outputs (emb. + AES) no matter what configuration is selected.
    Calculation of performance meter (max fps) has been improved. Therefore, max. performance values are not comparable between different patch levels anymore.

    Please report any problems with this release to support@vizrt.com. Your feedback is highly welcome.

    6. Recommended settings

    Matrox setup: when using 2 fullscreen DVEs, set configuration Renderoptions - RGB to YUV to Shader. Otherwise set it to Matrox.

    Settings for the Nvidia driver:


    (Display properties -> Settings -> Advanced -> Quadro FX nn -> Performance & Quality Settings)

    Use Antialiasing settings x4 (best in terms of quality/performance).
    Disable anisotropic filtering (not used by Viz).
    Disable Vertical sync if a video board (e.g. Targa) is installed in the machine or else leave it activated.
    When using NVIDIA for HD resolution the Antialiasing settings must be switched OFF.

    It is also highly recommended to run Viz|Engine in a screen resolution of 1280x1024, 60 Hertz, color quality 32 bit (highest), as this is the resolution Viz uses for rendering anyway. Higher resolutions/Hertz will make the graphics board work harder displaying everything to the screen. This will influence Viz performance as well.

    7. Documentation errors

    Please report any documentation errors you experience to [vizrt] using support@vizrt.com

    8. Activating your viz|artist™/viz|engine™ license

    This software requires a license in order to operate. The first time you start up viz|artist™/viz|engine™ after installation, you will be asked to input your license key in order to be able to continue. If you have received your license key already, please input the license string as it appears in your license sheet.
    To purchase a license or to get an evaluation license please contact your local viz distributor or call [vizrt] directly (++47-55 90 84 20) or send an e-mail to license@vizrt.com.
    If you experience any problems regarding the licensing system, please report directly to [vizrt] using the number above.
    viz|artist™/viz|engine™ for NT uses a dongle system to handle licenses. This enables you to use viz|artist™/viz|engine™ on different machines just by plugging the dongle with a valid viz|artist™/viz|engine™ license on it to the parallel port or usb connector (for usb-dongle) of the pc. You should never disconnect a dongle from a machine where viz is still running.
    Never plug more than one viz|artist™/viz|engine™ dongle to your computer at the same time!