To achieve real-time playback of BCC AVX RT plug-ins without dropped frames, make sure your Avid project meets the following criteria:

• - Use BCC filters from the BCC Real Time and BCC RT Static Textures categories in your Effect Palette.

• - Select a lower playback quality from the 'Video Quality Menu' at the bottom of the Timeline window. Right click and select Draft Quality (yellow-green mode). This will also enable 8-bit processing during playback, which is faster than 10-bit processing (Full Quality).

• - Make sure 'Real Time Update' is selected inside your Effect Editor settings.

• - Open your Video Display settings and reduce the 'Stream Limit' value in Maximum Real Time Streams.

• - Use the 'Expert Render' command on parts of the sequence where the system has difficulties during playback. The system marks these sections of the sequence in the Timeline. For more information, see the section in your Avid Help called "Using the ExpertRender Command After a Real-Time Playback Attempt".

• - If possible, start playback earlier in the sequence, before the effects that cause difficulties. This allows the system to process some of the effect frames before displaying them, decreasing the chance of playback difficulties.

• - If you still experience dropped frames, open your project's Video Display settings and set the 'Pre-Filled Frames' amount to a few seconds. This preloads the specified amount of video and can help if the system has trouble maintaining real-time playback.

• - Use the Submaster Effect or Perform a Video Mixdown.

When should you preview BCC RT Effects in Full Quality
Some aspects of BCC AVX RT effects appear a bit different during real-time preview than non-real-time preview and final render. This is particularly true of effects using geometric distortions (Scale, Tumble, Spin, Rotate) and effects that blur and choke edges. While fine-tuning these parameters, it is recommended to change the Video Quality Menu to 'Full' (green-green) to check the quality before final rendering.

BCC RT Effects and Avid Titles
Note: BCC AVX RT filters are not fast enough to apply to Avid titles and play back in real-time. Therefore, the real-time version of BCC AVX filters do not include a Title Matte parameter group. Use the non-real-time version to apply to a title or matte.

Supported Real-Time Systems
The filters in the BCC AVX RT category play back in real-time on Avid systems with Adrenaline or Mojo hardware. BCC AVX RT filters apply, render and use presets the same way that BCC AVX filters do. The real-time filters are a subset of the existing filters.

Supported Real-Time Avid Hosts
Supported real-time systems include Xpress Pro 5.1.4 or later, and systems with Adrenaline hardware. Real-time playback is largely determined by the speed of the system hardware. These filters are intended to provide real-time Draft-Quality previews. You should render these filters before outputting to tape, even on systems with Mojo or Adrenaline hardware. You do not have to replace the real-time filters with the corresponding non-real-time filter. Simply render the real-time filter.

Supported Operating Systems and Hardware
The BCC AVX RT filters requires the following operating systems and hardware:

• Windows

The BCC AVX RT plug-ins require a Pentium 3 or Pentium 4 processor running Windows XP® as well as Avid Adrenaline or Mojo hardware.

• Macintosh

The BCC AVX RT plug-ins requires a Macintosh system running a minimum of Mac OS™ X 10.4.0 or above as well as Avid Adrenaline or Mojo hardware.

Important Notes on the BCC Real-time Effects
The real-time effect playback is largely determined by the speed of the system hardware.
Additionally, real-time playback depends on the settings you adjust in the effect. If you adjust multiple parameters, it is likely the effect will not play back in real-time. For example, if you apply blur and choke to a PixelChooser matte, the filter may require rendering. When you work with the real-time filters, the Fields menu only applies when you render the effect. It does not affect previews and playback. Although some real-time filters may include the Motion Tracker parameter groups, you should not use the real-time version of a filter to motion track. Use the non-real-time version.

Post by John Lafauce, Avid Customer Support Representative