Virtual Tracking Stutters During Playback

 
  • Using a ​​laptop + external BMD (Blackmagic) capture card​​ to receive SDI feed from the camera.
  • Aximmetry occasionally throws the error: ​​"Can't keep latency..."​
  • Testing in an ​​AR scene​​:
    • ​RECORD mode​​: Tracking works fine, both video and tracking data are stable.
    • ​PLAYBACK mode​​: Video plays smoothly, but ​​virtual elements stutter in a rhythmic pattern​​ (not smooth).
  • ​Sync is connected​​, but the issue persists.

​Question:​
Could this be a ​​sync signal issue​​, even though I’m using genlock? Or is there another underlying cause

   CUC_STU

 
プロフィール画像
Eifert@Aximmetry
  -  

Hi,

If you receive the "Cannot keep latency" message, you need to increase the In-to-out latency. You can find more information on how to adjust this here: https://aximmetry.com/learn/virtual-production-workflow/inner-workings-of-aximmetry/in-to-out-latency/ This issue likely arises because the default latency settings are not tailored for external capture cards.

However, when using Playback, In-to-out latency generally shouldn't affect it unless the problem also occurred during recording. If this is not the case, it's probably a performance issue. To fix it, ensure that nothing in the Processor Load Display panel is red.
Additionally, during playback, using Genlock is usually unnecessary.
When conducting post-production work in Playback, you can record in non-realtime mode, which allows you to record frames slowly without being limited by your hardware. You can find more about this process here: https://aximmetry.com/learn/virtual-production-workflow/setting-up-inputs-outputs-for-virtual-production/video/recording/how-to-record-camera-tracking-data/#offline-rendering 

Warmest regards,

 
プロフィール画像
JohanF
  -  

CUC_STU: By “Sync Signal” do you mean timecode or genlock? When you say that Sync is connected, where exactly is it connected? Genlock and timecode are completely different things. Unlike timecode, genlock isn’t a signal that gets embedded with the video signal. Genlock simply makes all equipment run with the same clock pulse reference, so when you (for example) genlock several cameras to an external clock source (not timecode), they will capture a frame at the exact same time. The genlock isn’t embedded with the signal itself, it just locks the camera on a hardware level. When using (most) camera tracking systems, genlock is important since it ensures that the tracking data is captured at exactly the same time as the camera captures a frame. With a 24 fps frame rate, not having genlocked tracking data would mean the tracking could be misaligned to the camera by up to 1/24 of a second. While this doesn’t seem like a lot, it will be quite noticeable in practice. 

Syncing the Decklink card doesn’t help with this at all, since it just genlocks the output of Aximmetry, after the camera signal and 3D environment have already been combined. 

;