What's New in Miscellaneous

DVI Monitoring on Flare

You can now use a DVI output from your graphics card for broadcast monitoring on Autodesk Flare.

During the installation of Flare (INSTALL_FIRST or the Flare software installer), you are asked if you want to use a second monitor as a broadcast monitor.

The installer configures the xorg.conf file for the two monitors assuming that both monitors are of the same resolution.

- If the monitors are the same resolution, you just have to enable the DVI Output in the Flare Preference | Broadcast Monitor menu.
- If the monitors are not the same resolution, you must modify the xorg.conf file after installation.

NoteThe bigger monitor must be configured to display the Flare UI. The smaller monitor must be used for broadcast monitoring.

This is the workflow to set up DVI monitoring on Flare when the two monitors are at different resolutions:

1. Identify the DFP port number that each monitor is plugged into on the graphics card. You can do this from the nvidia-settings window or by searching the xorg log file.
2. Edit the xorg.conf file.
   - Remove the comment from the MetaModes option in the Device Section.

   # Option "MetaModes" "DFP-0: 1920x1200 +0+0, DFP-1: 1920x1200 +1920"

   - Edit the "MetaModes" line to identify the DFP port number of the bigger monitor and the starting pixel for the Flare UI. Flare must start at pixel 0,0. For example, if the larger monitor is plugged into DFP port 4, the entry for that monitor would look like this: DFP-4: 2560x1400 +0+0
   - Edit the "MetaModes" line to identify the DFP port number and starting pixel for the second monitor. The starting pixel position for the broadcast monitor is the same value as the x value of the resolution of the bigger monitor. For example, if the smaller monitor is plugged into DFP port 0, and the bigger monitor is 2560x1400, then DFP entry for that monitor would look like this: DFP-0: 1920x1080 +2560+0
3. After you have made the changes to the xorg file, restart your system (or the xserver), start Flare, and enable the DVI Output in the Preference | Broadcast Monitor menu.

HDMI Output on the AJA Kona 3G

You can now use the HDMI output of the AJA Kona 3G card if you select one of the HDMI compatible AJA video raster. You can use the output for Video I/O, but be aware that you could witness a slight delay between the DVI monitor and the AJA HDMI output.

HDMI compatible AJA video rasters

- NTSC
- PAL
- 720/50p
- 720/5994p
- 720/60p
- 1080/2397p
- 1080/24p
- 1080/25p
- 1080/2997p
- 1080/30p
- 1080/5994i
- 1080/60i

HDMI output does have the following limitations.

- You cannot output PsF through HDMI.
- You cannot output stereoscopic material through HDMI.
- You cannot output 1080@60p/50p/59p through HDMI with Flame.
- On Linux, since the broadcast signal is from the SDI board, the HDMI output only works when you are in the Output Clip (VTR) menu. This makes for a less than ideal Broadcast Monitor solution.
- Some HDMI LCD monitors show tearing during playback.

Software Initialisation

Shaders are now loaded on demand instead of being loaded all at once during Flame start up. Therefore, it is normal to experience a small delay when an object that requires a shader is added for the first time.

Improvement to 2D Histogram

A Negative Clamping option is now available in the 2D Histogram.

Python Hooks to Monitor Archiving and Manage Batch Exports

Two new python hooks are available, defined and detailed in /usr/discreet/flame_2012.1/python/hook.py

Python Hook for Archiving

This hook allows you to monitor archive progress, including when segments are complete, and the file paths for file archives.

You can use it to generate checksums for files, and incrementally move segments off to secondary storage during an archive. Or use it to report archive process to a task tracking system, or send an e-mail when the task is complete.

Python Hook for the Batch Export Node

This hook allows you to sanitize and substitute the user entered path with a programmatically designated one.

Use it in environments where the export destination is governed by strict naming conventions, and might require other facility specific operations to be done before the export begins.