Public BETA testing: ArKaos VJ 3.6.5

[matthieu]

Dear users,

We've been working hard on a new version with minor changes in appearance but important inside:

Mac / Windows:
_________________

- The video path is now using YUV when possible. This has the advantage of using less CPU and twice less bandwidth for the video upload to the graphic board.

- Native MPEG 2 and 4 Decoder to support .MPG .MP4 .VOB .TS .M2V .MKV movies. You can now directly copy the VOB files from DVDs to your hard drive and play it.

We now use FFMPEG to decompress MPEG files (2 and 4). When using mpg, vob, ts, mp4 files nothing more needs to be installed on
the computer.

- The QuickTime player has been optimized to use YUV when possible.

Windows:
___________

- The Direct Show player has been optimized to support multi cores and YUV when possible. A bug that could happen when lot of movies were opened with this player has also been fixed in DirectShow player.

- QuickTime Player 7.3 on windows was crashing with some MOV files loaded into ArKaos.

Mac Only:
___________

- A crash on Mac Intel when editing position has been corrected.
- Sometimes Core Image effects were loosing their parameters when several kos files were opened in the same time.
- It was not open to select mpg, mpeg ... files in the file browser on Mac Intel.
- When heavily loaded it was possible to have horizontal small distortions lines in acceleration mode.
- Graphic Engine improvement (Open GL optimization)
- A problem has been corrected when using 2 graphic cards in acceleration mode.

DOWNLOAD:
___________

(PC) ftp://ftp.arkaos.net/pub/ArKaos/ArKaos_ ... _beta4.exe
(MAC) ftp://ftp.arkaos.net/pub/ArKaos/ArKaos_ ... _beta2.dmg

Some personal comments:
On an Intel DualCore 2.4 GHz with 3 GB memory, we could play two 1920x1080 MPEG2 movies with 30 FPS.
On a G5 which is generally very slow, we get a huge performance improvement, either with QuickTime or using DVD VOB files, MP4 and MPEG2

Please give your feedback replying this post !
Thanks and have fun !
Cheers,
The developper team

[FraKtus]

Sorry we first had a problem with the link, fixed now.

[rikhyray]

Works fine, I am not a geek, not much into beta testing anything .
Dragged some mpg2s into my QT only synth play perfectly, around 60% CPU.
I make all my Arkaos clips QT photo jpg, it is mostly recommended not to mix sizes and formats but I would see much use for me with mpg2 . I have archives of entire songs stored in mpg2 format ( for the use with hardware) looks like there is no problem to use those. My testing today didn't show any aberrations, it all work just like with QT only. I will never play more then 1 mpg2 at a time (since they are to serve as backgrounds anyway) great add on.
But where is the Pinifarina look ?

[matthieu]

Photo-JPEG is recommended if you have to play the movie forward and backward or to scratch it.
If not MPEG-2 will give better performances.

[rikhyray]

What do you mean by better performance ? CPU, other factors ?
As I said it worked perfectly, for test purpose I dragged few mpg2, run them simultaneously, experimenting with lumi, chroma etc, which I am not intending to do in real life, it worked just like old version while using QT only.
This new mpg2 option will be great for me from organizational point of view, will keep my QT- no audio and mpg2 as AV .
I dont use Arkaos with audio till today, but it would be interesting to have notebook only option now, instead of mixing with DVD players, external mixer+FX, having AV running mpg2 with audio in the background instead. Is it realistic, without any negative strain on computer ? Would be great place, weight, time saving, no DVD burning, no packs with DVDs just HD with mpg2s.
The other great aspect, when quality, resolutions are important, going directly via VGA, without degradation to s-video.
When can we expect the new version to be ready ?

[matthieu]

What do you mean by better performance ? CPU, other factors ?

Less CPU and memory usage.

I dont use Arkaos with audio till today, but it would be interesting to have notebook only option now

Audio is working with QuickTime files. The sound volume is not already controllable. It is realistic but is not planned in a short delay.

When can we expect the new version to be ready ?

If we don't find any bug, it could be released soon! Actually no bug have ben reported.

[rikhyray]

>Less CPU and memory usage. <
So mpg2 will work better for my purpose- long clips running as always in the backgrounds ?
It wont have negative effect that they have audio ? I remember reading somewhere that it is better to have alternative no audio QT version of clips to be used with Arkaos.
I never really thought till today about using Arkaos for AV but why not ?
Any plans for adding audio part ? Audio control wouldn't be much of issue, can be always done externally.
While it can be done for particular song easily using extracted audio and Arkaos record functionality. the AV with mpg2 option (size and all what you say about mpg2) would be quick and easier to use.
Testing some more, I tried nearly everything till now, and didnt manage any crash, neither noticing any problems

[matthieu]

It wont have negative effect that they have audio ? I remember reading somewhere that it is better to have alternative no audio QT version of clips to be used with Arkaos.

Yes with some versions of QuickTime, there is a delay when triggering movies with audio. But with our internal MPEG codec, no problem !

Any plans for adding audio part ? Audio control wouldn't be much of issue, can be always done externally.

It is planned to do it, but don't expect it soon.

Testing some more, I tried nearly everything till now, and didnt manage any crash, neither noticing any problems

Cool. Thanks for your feedback.

[preeves]

Hi Matthieu,
What I would really like to know is has the Vista issue of running the software as an administrator been fixed for this release?

Also I would really like to see resizable previews of the live video feeds as per:
http://forum.arkaos.net/viewtopic.php?t=5020
I really need this soon as otherwise I will have to buy a seperate monitor solution which will be expensive, cumbersom, and impratical as I have a mix of composite [video] and RGB [datapath] capture feeds.

Thanks,
Paul

[matthieu]

You are right. Your request makes sense. Thanks.

[paul-h]

Wow! I was just wandering what was going on up there since 3.6.1fc2 was forged long time ago. Unfortunately at the moment I've got no time to help you with beta but my soul is with you
Nice to see Arkaos is going ahead! Now it's a mature software but can still grow a little (uh? interface?)

[matthieu]

We are working on the engine and on the interface, but the new interface will come later

[JJJ]

Tested the beta using 3 simultaneous layers of different lengths. Each layer is 1024X768 coded with Indeo 5.1 100% - keyframes every frame. Had audio input generating controllers 7 and 8 for RGB effects and transparency. Also used a midi controller to rapidly change luminance/filter width/band reject on each layer.

Performance advantage for CPU load was about 15% for identical synth used with 3.6.1 FC2.

Using PC / Dual 2.8 / 3.5 Ram / 512mb video.

This is great - during gigs I have to watch my CPU load like a hawk.

Keep up the good work ArKaos team.



jjj

[matthieu]

Performance advantage for CPU load was about 15% for identical synth used with 3.6.1 FC2.

If you play your movies forward only, you can use MPEG-2 files, it's very efficient if you don't need to play backward or to play with movie speed.

[JJJ]

Hi Matthieu and the rest of the gang at Arkaos,

Regarding the event recorder and rendering engine:

With the BETA - whenever I render an event - my result is an inverted mirror image of what I was supposed to get. I was exporting to Windows Media 9 - 30 fps - 1 keyframe each frame - max bit rate - VBR.

Used the same .KOS file and opened up 3.6.1 FC2 and did a succesful render with the exact same parameters.
----------------------------------------------------------
On another note, whenever I do an event recording and choose an MP3 from my desktop for audio - many effects misbehave and also many effects that are controlled through controllers 7 and 8 misbehave.

When I do an event recording with the audio supplied by an external program or source - my results are successful with all effects responding in time to the music.

Automation is set to use beat detection from audio input and generate controllers 7 and 8. Event recording results are identical when using 3.6.1 FC2 and 3.6.5 BETA.

I don't mind using an external source for audio - however this leaves the problem of syncing up the audio track at a later stage of post production.

All clips are 1024X768 Indeo 5.1 keyframes every frame.

Using PC/3.5 RAM/ATI 512mb/Dual 2.8 GHZ / KP3 as Midi controller

That is all I can think of that might be relevant.
----------------------------------------------------------

Keep up the good work at Arkaos.

If you are interested in seeing how I use Arkaos - visit the attached link.

The file is about 70mb and optimized for play on an IPod.

http://www.mediafire.com/?ezfxnwudif0

-----------------------------------------------------------

Have a nice day.

[matthieu]

With the BETA - whenever I render an event - my result is an inverted mirror image of what I was supposed to get. I was exporting to Windows Media 9 - 30 fps - 1 keyframe each frame - max bit rate - VBR.

You are right. We'll fix this problem soon.

About the automation we'll do something better in a future release.

Thanks for your feedback.
Matthieu

[kaputano]

i tried the beta version today and it is really a big step forward concerning cpu and memory usage.

i run it on a quite outdated dual athlon 1800 machine with 2gb ram and it works flawless. thanx a lot for your work.

[MrH]

I ran a full show on it on 9/12 for an hour 3 layers and 2 effects and it was fine cant wait for the new look have also been playing tonight connecting a video camera and seems fine even though the camera's vista drivers are only beta

[FraKtus]

Yes, with the 3.6.5 we now use YUV buffer when possible and it allows ArKaos to use less memory, it also gives a very good speedup because the conversion YUV to RGB for the effects and composition is now done by the GPU.

The support of MPEG2 does also allow to use HD MPEG stream with a very good frame rate.

[nick c]

running very smoothly across three screens (3072 x 768) 100mb+ clips, am very impressed.

althow i have come across a few problens.

firstly when rapping on to a 3D shape the top and bottom of the shapes are cropped not makeing a perfect circle for example.

secondly in DMX mode when you change a visual on a layer it brings that layer to the front. which means you cant change a background visual and have it stay ing the background. i like to use layers 1-8 in sequence, 1 being back, 8 being front.

as i do not use Arkaos in a disco enviroment, i use Arkaos for conferences and presentations, which i have been haveing great results.

am looking forward to the new interface.

thanks alot guys!

nick c

[matthieu]

firstly when rapping on to a 3D shape the top and bottom of the shapes are cropped not makeing a perfect circle for example.

There is a size parameter on the 3D object effects.

secondly in DMX mode when you change a visual on a layer it brings that layer to the front. which means you cant change a background visual and have it stay ing the background. i like to use layers 1-8 in sequence, 1 being back, 8 being front.

You have to use HTP mode (highest takes precedence) in DMX setup. It is selected per default but I suppose in your case you changed this setting.

[matthieu]

With the BETA - whenever I render an event - my result is an inverted mirror image of what I was supposed to get. I was exporting to Windows Media 9 - 30 fps - 1 keyframe each frame - max bit rate - VBR.

Download the beta 3, it has been fixed. Thanks for the report anyway !

On another note, whenever I do an event recording and choose an MP3 from my desktop for audio - many effects misbehave and also many effects that are controlled through controllers 7 and 8 misbehave.

I think you should disable the "generate controllers 7 & 8" in Automation dialog before rendering.

[JJJ]

Thank you Matthieu.

I will try the changes in a few days when my schedule clears.

[Andy melleney]

Hi guys - is dmx enabled in the beta version. I downloaded but could not see the option to try the new version dmx'd!!
Any pointers gratefully received
Andy

[matthieu]

The beta version allows everything, it just fixes a few problems with QuickTime update and add the described options.
If you have registered arKaos, you have to restart it once to get the serial number activated in the new release.

[Andy melleney]

Cheers!! I'll have a look and see what it can do for me!!
Andy

[MrH]

Hi upgraes to beta 3 and it runs better than ever on my machine I can now edit settings while the main screen is running but can still only use earlier Quicktime 7.4 cashed my vista laptop almost as soon as it loaded up.

H

[matthieu]

Hi upgraes to beta 3 and it runs better than ever on my machine I can now edit settings while the main screen is running but can still only use earlier Quicktime 7.4 cashed my vista laptop almost as soon as it loaded up.

Do you mean QuickTime crashes even outside of arKaos ? Or when you load a MOV in ArKaos ?

Normally the problem on PC with QuickTime 7.3 (which remains in 7.4 I supopse) has been fixed in VJ 3.6.5 beta 3.

Thanks for your feedback

[MrH]

It was only in arkaos tht it crashed it could be that it didn't update to beta 3 properly where does it show me which beta version it is running?

[matthieu]

In the menu Start / Programs or on the application shortcut.
Just uninstall current beta and install latest one.

[MrH]

Thanks for that have followed those instructions and beta 3 is running fine with QT7.4 doing everything that I expect of it

H

[matthieu]

Perfect !

[firestrom]

where can i find beta 3 for Mac, the beta versions at the top of this thread say beta3.exe and beta1.dmg is that just a mistype.

Some feedback on beta 2 :

I ran a show for 4.5 hours friday and saturday about 2 weeks ago, I had to tip out and move my car and put the system on automation, in all i was gone about 10-15 mins, about 5 mins after i got back i switched over to my second machine and left the other running on Auto, When i looked at it about 10mins latter it was stalling and then pressing all the clips it had just missed for the 20secs that it had stalled. Out of curiosity i tried this with the other machine and again the same thing happened .

[matthieu]

The beta 2 is not an installer, it is just a DMX with the application binaries. It does not include content, FlashTexts etc. It just includes a new native Flash Player because QuickTime stopped Flash support.
It is available here: http://forum.arkaos.net/viewtopic.php?t=5113

it was stalling and then pressing all the clips it had just missed for the 20secs that it had stalled.

Had your system switched to Sleep mode ? Was the screen saver activated ?
After how long did it happen ?
Is there a way we can try to reproduce it here ?
(we let the software run in automtion for 4 days with many SWF files and noticed no problem)

[firestrom]

It was just a bad clip in the patch but every time it was clicked it went looking for it for 10-15secs thats how the delay came about.

Another issue i had on a show this weekend was for no reason one of my Macbook pros decided that every time i went to full screen in Arkaos it would only display 640 X480, If i tried to change it i would get just 3/4 of the screen showing on my extended desktop. If i messed around with it some more the extended desktop would land over my preview window on The Arkaos interface.

As soon as i hit end full screen i would check the displays and they would be back up to 800X600. As i say i am running two mac both with 2.4ghz 4gig ram 256 Navidia Graphics but this is only happening on one machine and only in Arkaos. I am running the beta version on both machines. When i last ran the machine on beta two weeks ago ihad no screen res issues and had not changed anything since ?

[matthieu]

The engine resolution is defined in menu Synth / Get Synth Info.

If the option "Try to change monitor resolution..." in menu Edit / Preferences / ArKaos engine is checked, arKaos will change the monitor resolution when starting fullscreen.

[apache]

hello
installed the beta on desktop running XP sp2 , work fine ... no problem .
trying to install it on my laptop running vista ... impossible to install the soft ...
i have admin right , changed everything , tried everything ? it wont install ...
the 3.6.1 fc2 work on my laptop .
but i cant install the BETA .
do u have a another link to another installer for the beta ?
i want to try it on my laptop . cause i got some FPS improvement on my desktop running 3.6fc5 on a P4 , 256ram nvidia gpu .
maybe it s better on my laptop with dual core 2 amd athlon nvidia7000m 256ram.
thank you .
apachon

[matthieu]

What happens when you start the installer ? Do you see at least a window appearing ?
Have you tried to uninstall VJ 3.6.1 before installing the beta ?
Maybe you had an error during download, could you try to re-download the installer ?

[apache]

hi ,
i have already uninstalled all version .
downloaded again the installer .
no windows open , just the process , rapidly appear then disappear in taskmanager (1 sec) nothing happen .
reinstalled 3.6.1 fc2 , it work .
i google for problem installation on Vista , and didnt found any solution , already tried , the TMP , admin right change , password , ect...
forced the xp sp2 mode on vista , the win nt , server , run the application with admin right ect...
not working it wont install .


i have installed the same downloaded file on my desktop running xp sp2 , it works .
vista wont INSTALL IT . no window appearing. nothing happen . just after the confirmation of VISTA for install . the task die . :'(
i wanna use this beta on both comp .

[matthieu]

Hi APache,
I get in touch with you about this problem. Thanks for your feedback. We installed it on several Vista systems, as well as lot of users, so I will need more information about your setup to understand this.
Thanks
Matthieu

[apache]

my setup .
acer aspire 7520
AMD athlon 64 x2 dal core tk-55 1.8gh 2x256kb l2 cache
up to 752MB nvidia Geforce 7000M turbocache
2GB ddr2
160gb hdd
running Vista Edition Familial Premium "ORIGINAL" up to date. windows vista ver 6.0 , buid 6000 sp0.0
indice de performance window -> 3.6

Windows defender running and up to date . system scan clean
Avast V4.7 homo edition running and up to date . system scan clean
pare feu window active .


i m downloading the new arkaos beta installer ...


btw : i have tried to install older arkaos version 3.5.1 FC1 -> install successful and working ,
3.6.1 FC2 -> install successful and working .

[apache]

hi ,
i downloaded the files ,
INSTALLATION succesfull , but cant lunch the application . it keep crashing .
Signature du problème
Nom d’événement du problème : BEX
Nom de l’application: ArKaos.exe
Version de l’application: 3.6.5.0
Horodatage de l'application: 476283eb
Nom du module par défaut: ArKaos.exe
Version du module par défaut: 3.6.5.0
Horodateur du module par défaut: 476283eb
Décalage de l’exception: 0009887a
Code de l’exception: c0000005
Données d’exception: 00000008
Version du système: 6.0.6000.2.0.0.768.3
Identificateur de paramètres régionaux: 1036
Information supplémentaire n° 1: 5137
Information supplémentaire n° 2: 1a875b94b61adeb53f159dbe726ea84e
Information supplémentaire n° 3: 76d1
Information supplémentaire n° 4: 6657cd10864bb847f1f10daad4d1cb10

Informations complémentaires sur le problème
ID du récipient : 170766874


i think this beta3 really dont like my VISTA LAPTOP , or invers , after install ... now it just crash :'( ...
installed on my desktop running XP , working .

[apache]

it worked ,
it was an DEP, Data Execution Prevention probelm , it keep blocking the application and it crash ... i don't know why .
Paneau de configuration-->system-->parametre system avancees -->Option des performances --->DEP, Data Execution Prevention then add ARKAOS.EXE ...
i have tried the same thing for the old beta installer .. but it wont work this way .
any way . gonna test beta3 on y laptop ... now ...

[matthieu]

Mmmm... DEP exists since Windows XP SP2 so I doubt there would be any conflict with ArKaos VJ.
We do some research on that.
Thanks for the feedback !

[matthieu]

I think the problem is that you have a video codec installed that handles Indeo files (which are included in the default ArKaos demo file), and this codec is not compatible with DEP. In that case, as soon as ArKaos will try opening the demo KOS file and then load the visuals it will crash because of the codec. Not 100% sure, but anyway it's due to something on your computer since 3.6.5 has been running on hundreds of computers I think and we never had this report.

[apache]

i m searching for the detailed error report of vista , didn't found it .
do you know where is this report written ? if i found it i can send it to you .
you may found additional info about the crash .

i just installed the new codec for divx hd . it work on wmp and winamp .no crash .

thanks for the support !

[paul-h]

UH, another DEP victim.. I would make this sticky:
If arkaos does not boot or stops working suddently, switch off DEP and UAP and try again.. Beware of machine ID change however as I posted in this topic: http://forum.arkaos.net/viewtopic.php?t ... hlight=dep
I had a similar problem with my aspire 5920

[apache]

i didnt switched off DEP , just put arkaos.exe on the ignore list .
now it work fine

[firestrom]

I was running the Beta 2 again tonight and when on Automation was on with auto change patch on it wipes what ever effects you have on the keys the next time the patch comes around ! The effect logo is still there but when i go to click in to it it crashes arkaos . This happened about 6 times at tonight's gig

Im running mac pro 2.4 ghz 4gig ram leopard 10.5.2.

[paul-h]

oops! my fault.. in fact DEP cannot be switched off but only told to ignore some programs..