SGI: Video

I recently ran across some conversations regarding this product and thought I would give it a try. It sounded like I could use it for high resolution uncompressed playback. I've been kind of watching for something to do that.

It took me a while to figure out how to get a license. You can now get a permanent, complementary license at:
http://www.sgi.com/support/licensing/courtesy_keys.html

If you try to follow the normal procedure through key-o-matic (support/licensing or mailto:[email protected] ) you hit a dead end because none of the software lists contain shotmaker anymore. There were some posts here earlier this year that sounded like the normal process was still in place back then.


I have now tried shotmaker on several systems: an O2, a couple of Octanes, and an Onyx2, and I always get the same result. When I try to play anything, I get the following message:
"ShotMaker library warning: ShotMaker engine error: can't find a suitable image playback route"

My clip will show up on the left hand side, but it won't, of course, play. All of the clips I've tried can be played with mediaplayer (just not at full speed). I have tried capturing a 640x480 region of the screen. The capture seemed to work ok, but I have the same result when I try to play it back. I've also used smconvert to create clips from file-per-frame sgi files (2K and HD), again with the same result.

I spent some time searching around looking for clues, but the closest I've come is someone else reporting the same symptoms, but with no solution. Something about this message is naggingly familiar, but I can't put my finger on it.

I haven't hooked up any really high speed storage to support hi-res playback yet. I wanted to see if it was going to work at all first. The storage I have used is more than adequate for NTSC though (50+ MB/S).

Here's the hinv from one of the Octanes:
2 195 MHZ IP30 Processors
CPU: MIPS R10000 Processor Chip Revision: 2.7
FPU: MIPS R10010 Floating Point Chip Revision: 0.0
Main memory size: 896 Mbytes
Xbow ASIC: Revision 1.3
Instruction cache size: 32 Kbytes
Data cache size: 32 Kbytes
Secondary unified instruction/data cache size: 1 Mbyte
Integral SCSI controller 0: Version QL1040B (rev. 2), single ended
Disk drive: unit 1 on SCSI controller 0
Disk drive: unit 2 on SCSI controller 0
Integral SCSI controller 1: Version QL1040B (rev. 2), single ended
CDROM: unit 3 on SCSI controller 1
CDROM: unit 4 on SCSI controller 1
Tape drive: unit 5 on SCSI controller 1: DLT
Integral SCSI controller 8: Version Fibre Channel AIC-1160, revision 1
Disk drive: unit 4 on SCSI controller 8
Disk drive: unit 5 on SCSI controller 8
Disk drive: unit 7 on SCSI controller 8
Disk drive: unit 8 on SCSI controller 8
Disk drive: unit 9 on SCSI controller 8
Integral SCSI controller 2: Version Fibre Channel AIC-1160, revision 2
Disk drive: unit 3 on SCSI controller 2
Disk drive: unit 6 on SCSI controller 2
IOC3/IOC4 serial port: tty1
IOC3/IOC4 serial port: tty2
IOC3 parallel port: plp1
Graphics board: MXI
Integral Fast Ethernet: ef0, version 1, pci 2
Iris Audio Processor: version RAD revision 12.0, number 1

Does anyone out there know what's going on with this?

Thanks,

Denver

denver wrote: I have now tried shotmaker on several systems: an O2, a couple of Octanes, and an Onyx2, and I always get the same result. When I try to play anything, I get the following message:
"ShotMaker library warning: ShotMaker engine error: can't find a suitable image playback route"

Hi Denver; thanks for sharing, it looks really interesting to me to give it try to shotmaker on non-Onyx platforms...

By the way, do you have noticed this?:

HD I/O (XT-HDIO) Video Subsystem Software (xthd) Users: If you are are user of xthd, you must have at least version 1.2 installed. ShotMaker 1.1.1 is NOT compatible with xthd 1.0 or 1.1. If you are an xthd user but don't yet have version 1.2 installed, you may install it from HD I/O 1.2

I'm not a ShotMaker user, hence I don't know if it is realy related to these error. The full text is on: http://www.sgi.com/products/evaluation/6.5.10_shotmaker_1.1.1/

GeneratriX wrote:

denver wrote: I have now tried shotmaker on several systems: an O2, a couple of Octanes, and an Onyx2, and I always get the same result. When I try to play anything, I get the following message:
"ShotMaker library warning: ShotMaker engine error: can't find a suitable image playback route"

Hi Denver; thanks for sharing, it looks really interesting to me to give it try to shotmaker on non-Onyx platforms...

By the way, do you have noticed this?:

HD I/O (XT-HDIO) Video Subsystem Software (xthd) Users: If you are are user of xthd, you must have at least version 1.2 installed. ShotMaker 1.1.1 is NOT compatible with xthd 1.0 or 1.1. If you are an xthd user but don't yet have version 1.2 installed, you may install it from HD I/O 1.2

I'm not a ShotMaker user, hence I don't know if it is realy related to these error. The full text is on: http://www.sgi.com/products/evaluation/6.5.10_shotmaker_1.1.1/

Yes, I saw that, thanks. I do have all those bits and pieces installed, except for the HD I/O board. But I've read elsewhere that all you really need is the xfsrt.

denver wrote:

GeneratriX wrote:

denver wrote: I have now tried shotmaker on several systems: an O2, a couple of Octanes, and an Onyx2, and I always get the same result. When I try to play anything, I get the following message:
"ShotMaker library warning: ShotMaker engine error: can't find a suitable image playback route"

Hi Denver; thanks for sharing, it looks really interesting to me to give it try to shotmaker on non-Onyx platforms...

By the way, do you have noticed this?:

HD I/O (XT-HDIO) Video Subsystem Software (xthd) Users: If you are are user of xthd, you must have at least version 1.2 installed. ShotMaker 1.1.1 is NOT compatible with xthd 1.0 or 1.1. If you are an xthd user but don't yet have version 1.2 installed, you may install it from HD I/O 1.2

I'm not a ShotMaker user, hence I don't know if it is realy related to these error. The full text is on: http://www.sgi.com/products/evaluation/6.5.10_shotmaker_1.1.1/

Yes, I saw that, thanks. I do have all those bits and pieces installed, except for the HD I/O board. But I've read elsewhere that all you really need is the xfsrt.

Oh; I see... I've installed ShotMaker a couple hours ago by very first time on one of my SGI boxes. Tomorrow I'll check with a couple clips to see how it works, or if it works on my setup. We'll see!

kind offtopic, but its common SGI releases courtesy keys? free is always good!

choza wrote: kind offtopic, but its common SGI releases courtesy keys?

I don't think courtesy license keys are a common thing from SGI, but this is what turns these event specially more relevant. I'm awared that SGI distributed Temporary courtesy keys on the past for ShotMaker and a few other tools; but I think the current ones on these page posted by "denver" are Permanent .

choza wrote: free is always good!

Yes; it is really a cool attitude from them. And it is even more cool when you watch the degree of activity that Supportfolio shows actually for IRIX. Out of joke; these guys are working hard releasing patches, overlays for their development environments, and so on. GOD bless them!

i noticed they give away free licenses for impressario as well, is that one still useful? never tried but i'm curious to know how well current laser and inket printers might be supported (being an sgi user for a few years, i somehow guess: none but prehistoric models ).

of course i'll have a look at shotmaker, too.

GIJoe wrote: i noticed they give away free licenses for impressario as well, is that one still useful? never tried but i'm curious to know how well current laser and inket printers might be supported (being an sgi user for a few years, i somehow guess: none but prehistoric models ).

of course i'll have a look at shotmaker, too.

Works like a charm, it uses ppd, so there are quite a few models that can be used...

GIJoe wrote: i noticed they give away free licenses for impressario as well, is that one still useful? never tried but i'm curious to know how well current laser and inket printers might be supported (being an sgi user for a few years, i somehow guess: none but prehistoric models ).

doesn't have to be a loss.
the hp scsi scanners e.g. are terrific.
none of these slim, light usb toys can keep up there.

GeneratriX wrote:

denver wrote:

GeneratriX wrote:

denver wrote: I have now tried shotmaker on several systems: an O2, a couple of Octanes, and an Onyx2, and I always get the same result. When I try to play anything, I get the following message:
"ShotMaker library warning: ShotMaker engine error: can't find a suitable image playback route"

Hi Denver; thanks for sharing, it looks really interesting to me to give it try to shotmaker on non-Onyx platforms...

By the way, do you have noticed this?:

HD I/O (XT-HDIO) Video Subsystem Software (xthd) Users: If you are are user of xthd, you must have at least version 1.2 installed. ShotMaker 1.1.1 is NOT compatible with xthd 1.0 or 1.1. If you are an xthd user but don't yet have version 1.2 installed, you may install it from HD I/O 1.2

I'm not a ShotMaker user, hence I don't know if it is realy related to these error. The full text is on: http://www.sgi.com/products/evaluation/6.5.10_shotmaker_1.1.1/

Yes, I saw that, thanks. I do have all those bits and pieces installed, except for the HD I/O board. But I've read elsewhere that all you really need is the xfsrt.

Oh; I see... I've installed ShotMaker a couple hours ago by very first time on one of my SGI boxes. Tomorrow I'll check with a couple clips to see how it works, or if it works on my setup. We'll see!

Ok, hope yours works. It looks to me as if shotmaker isn't able to access my graphics for output. And since I have no video hardware, at least on the Octane, there's nowhere for it to go during playback. So is there something I have to do to configure my graphics so shotmaker can use it for playback?

foetz wrote:

GIJoe wrote: i noticed they give away free licenses for impressario as well, is that one still useful? never tried but i'm curious to know how well current laser and inket printers might be supported (being an sgi user for a few years, i somehow guess: none but prehistoric models :D ).

doesn't have to be a loss.
the hp scsi scanners e.g. are terrific.
none of these slim, light usb toys can keep up there.

damn straight. my HP scanjet 5P cranks over the USB ones...

double post removed

denver wrote: Ok, hope yours works. It looks to me as if shotmaker isn't able to access my graphics for output. And since I have no video hardware, at least on the Octane, there's nowhere for it to go during playback. So is there something I have to do to configure my graphics so shotmaker can use it for playback?

I've with video, and I got:

"ShotMaker library warning: ShotMaker engine error: Can't find a suitable image playback route"

I've noticed that you can setup the input device from:

ShotMaker>File>Settings>Graphics Screen Recording>Video>Graphics Device>[...]

...On which we have only: "O2 Graphics Screen" as a valid option.

But I can't see any available Tab to setup the output device. In fact: ShotMaker on my O2 does not seems to have any output node for playback, and even what seems an OpenGL viewport on the app remains void... perhaps only Onyx-grade graphic/video options are supported, hence the absence of any valid route to play/decode the images?

Looks as the more logical explanation. But please probe me that I'm wrong and I'll be a lot more happy to have ShotMaker working on my desktop!

GeneratriX wrote:

denver wrote: Ok, hope yours works. It looks to me as if shotmaker isn't able to access my graphics for output. And since I have no video hardware, at least on the Octane, there's nowhere for it to go during playback. So is there something I have to do to configure my graphics so shotmaker can use it for playback?

I've with video, and I got:

"ShotMaker library warning: ShotMaker engine error: Can't find a suitable image playback route"

I've noticed that you can setup the input device from:

ShotMaker>File>Settings>Graphics Screen Recording>Video>Graphics Device>[...]

...On which we have only: "O2 Graphics Screen" as a valid option.

But I can't see any available Tab to setup the output device. In fact: ShotMaker on my O2 does not seems to have any output node for playback, and even what seems an OpenGL viewport on the app remains void... perhaps only Onyx-grade graphic/video options are supported, hence the absence of any valid route to play/decode the images?

Looks as the more logical explanation. But please probe me that I'm wrong and I'll be a lot more happy to have ShotMaker working on my desktop!

This afternoon I tried the Onlyx2 again, and it works - I don't know what was wrong yesterday. So that supports your theory that it can only use IR type graphics. What you describe is exactly the same as what I see on O2 and Octane.

I have an indirect sgi contact that might be of some help. Let's see what I hear back from him. Hopefully there's a way to use the desk machines. After all, I've seen Piranha playing uncompressed HD on an MXI Octane, so that much is technically possible.

denver wrote: This afternoon I tried the Onlyx2 again, and it works - I don't know what was wrong yesterday. So that supports your theory that it can only use IR type graphics. What you describe is exactly the same as what I see on O2 and Octane.

I have an indirect sgi contact that might be of some help. Let's see what I hear back from him. Hopefully there's a way to use the desk machines. After all, I've seen Piranha playing uncompressed HD on an MXI Octane, so that much is technically possible.

Well, ShotMaker is a nice app to try on any system even if you can't have it working with video. On my own case, I'll leave it anyway installed on my O2 box because I really like the way on which it handles the screen capture, so there'll be a useful app for me.
But hey!; feel free to share with us any other news about it!

any news on this? shotmaker doesn't like to play back here, too. i can't see any mentioning on the manpage regarding onyx-only support. there's a utility "smsetup" that apparently wants to create a framestore. i canceled the setup but maybe it writes out config info that shotmaker depends on for normal operation?

foetz: thanks, but i rather not want to buy any old scanner/printer model, of course that stuff works, too. but not everyhing new and usb or x86, manufactured since the fall of sgi, is junk either.

i'll look into impressario anyway.

GIJoe wrote: any news on this? shotmaker doesn't like to play back here, too. i can't see any mentioning on the manpage regarding onyx-only support. there's a utility "smsetup" that apparently wants to create a framestore. i canceled the setup but maybe it writes out config info that shotmaker depends on for normal operation?

The smsetup utility is a script that sets up a stripe and filesystem optimized for the kind of video you are going to be doing. There's nothing in there that I saw that has anything to do with the graphics hardware.

So far all I've gotten back from sgi is that the graphics hardware shouldn't matter, but he's going to look at the code. He did confirm that the error message you get about not finding a suitable playback route does indicate that it isn't able to use the system's graphics.

Hopefully there will be a positive answer for this soon.

Hi,
Does anyone know if this question was ever answered?

So far all I've gotten back from sgi is that the graphics hardware shouldn't matter, but he's going to look at the code.

Did anyone actually get this software to successfully work on other graphics systems?

Specifically an O350 with an IR4?