Rendering Issue

[bpio]

I am receiving a "Error writing File" message when I try to render a project.

Thoughts?

I am new to VT and am still learning. I have not hade problems rendering video prior to two days ago, and am unsure why I am getting this message now.

Thanks

Brian

[slacker]

I don't know if this is related to you, but if I try to manually type in a file path when specifying a render location AND type in a folder path that does not exist I will get this error (I was trying to see if Toaster would autocreate folders as well as files. At least in the render panel it will not).

[Jim Wainscott]

I too am having rendering problems. TED crashes about 3/4ths of the way into the render regardless of the size of the selected clips/project. Always get a video cache size of 17.5+GB on my video drive and an incomplete file on the destination drive (firewire). Had no render problems before using CG for the first time after install, i.e. I used to be able to render an 80 minute clip,DV with uncompressed PCM 48KHZ audio
to DV with uncompressed PCM 48KHZ audio

My system is dealer built, dual xeon 2GHZ Supermicro, 4 SCSI 10Krpm video array, NVidia with good driver, ATA 133's 7200rpm system drive and DVE/spare drive, everything Newtek certified.

Can someone explain, system wise, what goes on during the rendering process and how can I optimize my system for crashless rendering?

I thought clearing enough space on my video array would help but having 56GB free space doesn't seem to help. I know I have enough space on my destination firewire drive. Fresh reboots don't help. Running Chkdsk on my C drive also doesn't help. Clearing out the video cache is no help either.

Any help on this issue would help others, I'm sure.

thanks in advance!

Jim Wainscott

[Paul Lara]

Ted, what happens when it crashes? is there an error message?

[Jim Wainscott]

Somtimes it just locks up. Somtimes it exits the toaster entirely with a message saying that the toaster has generated errors and has shut down but no error codes.

Where can I find the error log file respectively?

Thanks!
Jim

[Paul Lara]

They get logged in your Doctor Watson folder
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Documents

[Jim Wainscott]

Paul,

I went into the doctor watson folder and found two files:
* user.dmp - at least 556MB, too large for any app on my system to open
* drwtsn32.log - 4396KB, mostly Hex code, only programmers can decipher

At the advice of the dealer I have no packet writing software on my VT system (which is intentionally not networked).

Any troubleshooting tips?

Thanks
Jim

[Jim Wainscott]

Update

I installed the Mainconcept DV codec and also disconnected anything USB (my scanner to be specific). when rendering I got the same bad results previously mentioned (including 17.5GB video cache file added to my video drive as previously mentioned).

Seems all my troubles started after running the CG which apparently has overwritten some files.

Anyone else have problems with other toaster apps after running CG for the first time?

[Paul Lara]

Originally posted by Jim Wainscott
Any troubleshooting tips?


A good starting point would be to download and search through the Video Toaster [2] Troubleshooting Guide (ftp://ftp.newtek.com/pub/VideoToaster/Downloads/Troubleshooting_Video_Toaster.pdf)

[Jim Wainscott]

I appreciate the information you put into the troubleshooting guide however it does not address the issue I and others are facing here. I also appreciate the forums.

I have files and apps that are being corrupted (I think mainly by the CG). The problem is not my hardware as everything is Newtek certified and built by one of your dealers. It is your software. I need an full working CG for VT2 that will not corrupt my other apps. The only thing I see different about VT3 are new skins for the same old VT2 (just that things have been rearranged under the appearance of splines and some bugs hopefully removed). I understand that the person who programmed the CG had a drug or alchohol problem and did not finish the CG yet Newtek released it anyway, a violation of the Uniform Commercial Code.

I am frustrated spending the majority of my time troubleshooting bad software and companies releasing products they know are full of major defects, not admitting it, giving their customers the runaround, and blaming other vendors. I don't blame the programmers who have to meet unrealistic schedules, What I do resent are companies advertising a product as fully functional when it is still only a concept on the drawing board.

Its seems when I solve one layer of problems I uncover more problems in the next layer. It is a slow tedious process.

Its hard to learn the software when you are spending most of your time troubleshooting its defects.

In fairness to Newtek, I know you are trying. You just need to fire some greedy marketing/sales managers and VP's and let the technicians/programmers (those who would have integrity) have more say and free reign. My collegues who use AVIDs, FCP, and the like say their software also stinks, and for the same principles I am mentioning here.

Note: Customers having to pay for beta products/contracts is an insult. Newtek should be paying the customers to report bugs (I mean defects - bug is just a nice coverup term for defect).

A customer should not have to wait for their "bugs" to be fixed in the next major release and have to pay for the next release when all they really want is to have what they got working correctly.

Had to vent my frustrations. Hope you can handle it with integrity.

[Paul Lara]

The only thing I see different about VT3 are new skins for the same old VT2

I can assure you, there is MUCH more to it than that.

I am not aware of CG 'corrupting' other apps, since CG runs when launched, and goes away when closed.

Perhaps a call to your Authorized reseller is in order?

Were you provided with a restore CD to return your system to its original OS configuration when it shipped to you?


companies releasing products they know are full of major defects, not admitting it, giving their customers the runaround, and blaming other vendors.

This is clearly not the attitude, nor the policy of NewTek. We are here, offering you free tech support on the forums 7 days a week at no charge.

You just need to fire some greedy marketing/sales managers and VP's and let the technicians/programmers (those who would have integrity) have more say and free reign.

...you said in an earlier post you are 'new to VT' so I am guessing you are not familiar with the integrity and honesty that NewTek holds in high regard when it comes to service, support and shooting straight with its customers. Personally, after being a NewTek customer for more than 8 years, I was so impressed with the company's fair-mindedness toward me, the customer, that I decided to become part of the team. I can proudly say after 4 years on staff, my hunch was well-founded; NewTek is staffed with caring, honest and passionate people. Don't take my word for it, ask our other customers.

Had to vent my frustrations. Hope you can handle it with integrity.

Indeed. As a video producer, I know the stress of deadlines.
If you wish further assistance in investigating this manner, I'm at your disposal.

Paul Lara
NewTek, Inc.
Video Toaster Product Manager

[Paul Goldberg]

Hi Jim

I'm a television show owner/producer/director/editor on Fox Sports Net, with a NewTekian based post-production suite in New York since 1990. I've been a beta tester for many years now, under an NDA so I have to be mindful of the impulse to blurt out what's going on under the hood. Rest assured, you will be more than ecstatic when you get the next release of VT[3]. The product is gold, in my book. Every production I've made with VT2 and now VT3 has been met with great approval on a number of counts, especially D1 quality and speed of use. But there were bugs. Why? Not because NewTek is sloppy, nor uncaring, or even buck-passing. It's because NewTek mapped out a totally new paradigm never before contemplated into execution. Walking the new path, with other technologies co-existing but not coinciding has proved to be a blessing as well as, as you well know, a bit frustrating to say the least. But there's one thing that has set them apart since this was a gleam in Tim Jenison's eye - ardor [Webster's: "extreme vigor or energy : INTENSITY c : ZEAL d : LOYALTY 2 : sexual excitement]. Well anything combining energy and sex has to be pretty intense. The total commitment to see it through to full birth. Every pitfall has been met with money, brains, teamwork and endless hours of toil. I have been on the horn with a conference of 5 team members on a Saturday night at 1 am and been emailing with the head honchos at 4am. They never give up - they never surrender - they have a vocabulary that is specifically devoid of failure. They're not greedy, they don't watch the clock, they don't stop squashing bugs by not adding new features. Just recently, they re-wrote code from the ground up for something that was working perfectly because they thought of a better, sexier way to make it wave. To make it work and work better is nothing to sneeze at. Now with VT[3], if you read the list of new features and imagine them working trouble free and at lightning speed, you will forget all your old frustrations and fly into the new freedom.

The problem of troubleshooting software as you said is compounded by the number of packages you're fighting. Add to that the possibility of a bad stick of ram, an intermittent cpu thermal problem, an OS that has been attacked by a virus partially, drives that may be sticking or dying, low and high voltage surges in the ac, heat, humidity, dust building up on component parts, vibration, oxidation and a few other choice things [voodoo from an ex-girlfriend comes to mind, plus my secret favorite, watching shows on multiple monitors that one of the computers doesn't 'like' which causes it to throw a hissy fit] and you combine that with a CG that has been the Achilles heel formerly but absolutely not anymore, and I can easily sympathize with you. I've had my share of it - and kept using beta software for every one of my shows since VTNT 1 was out - side-stepping the bugs and crashing 1 hour shows with 1 day left to deadline - and by hook and crook, the guys have figured out every way to bail me out. That tenacity lives and breathes in every pixel of their beings.

They don't need to fire anyone, they are built for this - they were born for this. Please make sure you are using the latest build for now and in just a short time, the new 3 will be delivered and blow your mind.

Paul Goldberg
Hollywood New York Ltd
"MuscleSport USA"

www.hollywoodnewyork.com
http://www.musclesport.com
email: hollywoodny at musclesport dot com

[Jim Wainscott]

Finally found a solution to the rendering problem. Many thanks to a C Baldoni at Newtek technical support for recently (June 18+) posting a bulletin board of all sorts of troubleshooting goodies at
Customer Care / Technical Support / VT / troubleshooting
Gee! If only I had noticed this sooner!

The workaround for long renders crashing is to disable background rendering in the Preferences Panel under TED. When I did this, my hard drives stopped going nuts and the AVI to AVI render went smoothly.

Hmmm! This means the CG was not at fault like I accused it of being. The lesson learned here is - just because some things have a strong correlation with each other or the timing of events seem to link them together does not necessarily mean they have a specific relationship.

As the manual doesn’t address background rendering except to say rendering happens in the background could someone address the ins and outs of background rendering and how to use this function properly?

As for the flame I posted earlier - There’s this tooth that has been bothering me for a few years causing all manner of weird physical and psychological disturbances. When it finally broke (naturally on the eve of July 3rd) the symptoms went away. I’m looking forward to a root canal this Friday.

Anyhow, it doth appeareth that Newtek is really trying and is dedicated to their customers!

[Paul Lara]

Glad to hear you're up and running again, Jim!