AV Power Macintosh: Built-in Video Cannot Display Video (6/95)


When using Fusion Recorder, Video Monitor, or other 3rd party Video Applications, I get the message "Built in Video Can Not Display Video While in Current Number of Colors." What does this mean and how do I correct the problem?


This message is generated on Power Macintosh AV computers when trying to use the digitizing capabilities of the AV card. The message is ambiguous in that it really means that there is not enough video memory available on the AV card to use it for digitizing (inputting) video. In most cases, this is because the number of colors the AV card is producing for the display is using too much video memory. The error message applies only to the monitor attached to the AV card.

To make more video memory available on the AV card so you can use the digitizing feature, adjust the following settings :

- Reduce the number of colors the monitor is configured to display with the
 Monitors Control Panel. It is best to set the color depth to 256 or
 Thousands of Colors. The digitizer will never work when monitor color
 depth is set to millions. This setting does not affect the number of
 colors that are captured during video input. After capturing video, you
 can set the depth back to millions for playback.

- For multiple scan or multiple resolution displays, change the resolution

 of the monitor to 832x624 or less with the Monitors Control Panel.
 Higher resolutions require more video RAM.

- For NTSC televisions attached to the AV card, turn off the 'Flicker Free"
 mode using the Monitors Control Panel. Using the "Flicker Free" mode also
 uses up extra video memory and prevents the digitizer from working.
 Even though the image on the television flickers, the input video signal
 does not, and the captured image appears normal on playback after flicker
 free is re-selected.

If you have tried all of the above settings and still see the error message, you have the monitor attached to the HDI-45 video port. You need to attach the monitor to the AV  card's DB 15 connector, then perform the setting changes again.

Apple recommends that you monitor all video capturing on a monitor or television attached to the AV card. There are some additional benefits when you attach a monitor to the AV Card. When the monitor is attached, to the AV Card, the computer doesn't have to perform as much video processing, providing you with a better frame capture rate.



Article Change History:
28 Jun 1995 - Changed reference from multiscan to multiple scan.

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Published Date: Feb 19, 2012