VideoVision and the MacOS

Last updated: 2/3/98

What follows details the compatibility and update status of the VideoVisionproducts with the latest MacOS releases.

Many of the incompatibilities listed here are not common to all users;most users experience different symptoms (or none at all!). If you needto use a particular MacOS version that is not currently supported for yourVideoVision, feel free to try it on your system. However:

1. Make a backup of your complete system folder before you update. Ideally on removable media or a separate hard disk
2. When you install the new OS, use the "clean install" options. (e.g. Command-Shift-K for system 7.5.3, the Options button for 7.6). Only run the updaters (7.5.5 and 7.6.1) on top of a clean installation.
3. If you experience any problems, return to your original, working, supported operating system and see if they still occur before calling Tech Support. Tech Support cannot offer assistance to those using unsupported versions of the MacOS.
4. If you are under tight deadlines, don't mess with a working system. MacOS upgrades seldom go perfectly smoothly regardless of whether you have VideoVision or not, and experimenting with new operating systems is likely to negatively impact your ability to deliver product on time. Find a configuration that works and stick with it.
5. We know of no problems caused by keeping 7.5.1 on one disk drive and 7.6.1 on another disk drive, and booting from the appropriate one depending upon what you are doing. However, we do not recommend doing this if you only have one disk drive to boot from -- keeping multiple system folders on a single volume is dangerous.

VVS, Telecast, and System 7.5.3

Radius does not recommend upgrading to System 7.5.3 on VideoVisionStudio or Telecast machines. There are compatibility issues, although theyvary widely from system to system.

We are currently testing system 7.5.3, but until we can reproduce problemson more than one machine, debugging will be impeded significantly.

If the problems can be narrowed down successfully, we will evaluate thefeasibility of updating the VideoVision/Telecast software for compatibilitywith system 7.5.3, and then make an announcement. As the benefits of thissystem software revision are slight, relative to the potential engineeringeffort that we may require for compatibility, we are not committing to support7.5.3 (but we are making efforts to do so).

Please be advised that even if we can bring VideoVision to compatibilitywith 7.5.3, there will be one unresolvable issue with the ProVtr devicecontrol bundled with VideoVision/Telecast. See PipelineDigital's Web site for details.
 

7.5.5

As System 7.5.5 is an update to the incompatible 7.5.3 system overhaul,we do not expect it to improve matters.
 

7.5.3 and VideoVision PCI/ML

The above is not the case for VideoVision PCI and the PCI Macintoshes.In fact, VideoVision PCI requires a clean install of system 7.5.3or later.<
 

7.5.5 and VideoVision PCI/ML

VideoVision PCI 1.1 is required for system7.5.5 compatibility.
 

7.6 and VideoVision PCI/SP/ML

While testing the 1.2 release of the VideoVision PCI and VideoVisionSP software, we determined that the frequency of mysterious problems suchas random hangs and crashes seemed to reduce significantly when using System7.5.5 instead of 7.6. [Late Breaking News: Apple confirmed a conflict betweenMacOS 7.6 and QuickTime 2.5, and has issued a fix in the 7.6.1 update.]

While we consider the 1.2 release to be compatible with 7.6, we recommendreturning to system 7.5.5 or updating to 7.6.1. VideoVisionPCI 1.1 is required for system 7.6 compatibility. It is important tonote, however, that users must update the drivers on the boot hard drive.This can be accomplished with the System 7.6 installer or a recent utilitypackage such as FWB's Hard Disk Toolkit 2.0.5 (or later). Failure to updatethe drivers can result in a variety of problems. Examples we've seen inthe lab, all of which were fixed when the driver was updated:

• System crash at startup (in QuickDraw GX 1.1.5) with the VideoVision PCI 1.1 software
• System hang partway through startup with the ATTO ExpressPCI/Pro in the 9500
• System hang at startup when ATTO or Adaptec SCSI cards are installed in the bottom four slots of a Umax S900 (when a graphics card is also in the bottom four slots).

Studio Player 2.7 is required for full system 7.6 compatibility. Thisversion of studio Player is included in the upcoming 1.2 release of theVideoVision PCI/VideoVision SP software. Version 2.7 fixes a crash thatcan occur when dragging a file onto the Studio Player icon.
 

7.6.1 and VideoVision PCI/SP/ML

The version of Monitors & Sound that ships with MacOS 7.6.1 no longersupports third party audio hardware, for some reason. Instead, use the olderSound Control panel to select VideoVision as the audio input and output.For further details, please see the workaroundpage.
 

7.6.1 and VideoVision Studio and Telecast

This operating system has not responded consistently in testing. We areleapfrogging this release and focusing on MacOS 8.
 

MacOS 8 and VideoVision PCI/SP/ML

Apart from the now-useless Monitors &Sound control panel, VideoVision PCI, ML and SP v. 1.2 are completelycompatible with Mac OS 8.

<cue Souza music>

MacOS 8.1 appears to be compatible with VideoVision PCI/ML/SP. However,There seems to be a problem with the Use Secondary Interrupts feature ofthe Adaptec 2940 firmware, which is required for compatibility with VideoVision.
 

MacOS 8 and VideoVision Studio and Telecast

We are leapfrogging 7.6.1 compatibility and moving directly to MacOS8 compatibility testing. This is a huge testing job; the OS and the functionalitywithin has expanded considerably since 7.5.1, and every new OS feature addsa variable to our test effort. We are hoping to have better luck findingreproduceable bugs this time than we did last summer. After our experienceslast summer, we are still unwilling to commit to compatibility. However,we want you to know that we are putting all resources on the effort justthe same.
 

As soon as there is a revision for OS8 compatibility we will post itimmediately on the Betas page. In the meantime,the best way you can help us speed up the process is to try it yourself(according to the notes at the beginning of this page) and senddetails about any reproduceable bugs that you encounter under Systems 7.5.5or 7.6.1. Bug reports should include details about your configuration,what software you have installed into your System Folder, a descriptionof the problem, and (very important) a list of steps required to reproducethe problem.
 

Example:

Description: If MoviePlayer 2.5.1 (and the MPEG Extension) isinstalled, any attempt to capture video will result in a system freeze.

Removing ThreadsLib 2.1.5 eliminates the problem, but prevents the QuickTimeMPEG extension from working.

This does not occur under System 7.5.5 or 7.5.1.

Configuration: Power Macintosh 8100/110 with a clean install ofMac OS 7.6.1, plus VideoVision Studio 2.5.1, HammerTime 1.1 and the JackHammercontrol panel 3.2, MoviePlayer 2.5.1 with ThreadsLib 2.1.5 and the QuickTimeMPEG Extension, Adobe Type Manager 3.8.1, and CopyDoubler 2.6. Steps toReproduce:

1. Install the QuickTime MPEG Extension on a Power Mac 8100/110 running MacOS 7.6.1.
2. After restarting, launch Premiere 4.2.1.
3. Cancel out of the Presets dialog and open the Movie Capture window.
4. Under the Movie Capture Menu, select Video Settings.
5. Select the Radius Studio compressor from the compression panel, with a data rate of 3.8MB/sec.
6. Select the appropriate video source and close the dialog.
7. Turn Audio Off under the Movie Capture menu.
8. Click Record in the Movie Capture window.

   WHAT HAPPENS: After stopping capture, the system freezes.

9. Remove ThreadsLib from the extensions folder and restart.
10. Repeat the above steps.

    WHAT HAPPENS: Recording continues normally.