Linking problems with Live Character

[farshizzo]

Add the following code to the end of your script:

lc1.lastUpdateTime = 0.0
def CheckUpdateTime():
	t = lc1.getLastUpdateTime()
	if t == lc1.lastUpdateTime:
		print 'Did not receive new update from server on frame',viz.getFrameNumber()
	else:
		lc1.lastUpdateTime = t
vizact.ontimer(0,CheckUpdateTime)

It will print out a message if the character did not receive an update from the server during that frame. If you are getting a lot of these message, then packets are being dropped.

Also, make sure that MotionBuilder is able to sustain the requested stream rate. When you go to the LiveCharacters device screen it will display the actual stream rate underneath the Online checkbox.

Also, what hardware is MotionBuilder connecting to? In reality, there is no point in setting the stream rate higher than the rate of the hardware device. If the hardware is generating new data at under 60Hz, then setting the LiveCharacters stream rate higher is not going to make any improvements at all. You will just end up sending the same data multiple times. So make sure your input device is generating new data at 60Hz.

[Frank Verberne]

Packages are indeed being dropped:

Did not receive new update from server on frame 2
Did not receive new update from server on frame 21
Did not receive new update from server on frame 40
Did not receive new update from server on frame 57
Did not receive new update from server on frame 63
Did not receive new update from server on frame 69
Did not receive new update from server on frame 103
Did not receive new update from server on frame 111
Did not receive new update from server on frame 117
Did not receive new update from server on frame 122
Did not receive new update from server on frame 140
Did not receive new update from server on frame 143
Did not receive new update from server on frame 148
Did not receive new update from server on frame 156
Did not receive new update from server on frame 175
Did not receive new update from server on frame 187
Did not receive new update from server on frame 194
Did not receive new update from server on frame 225
Did not receive new update from server on frame 233
Did not receive new update from server on frame 247
Did not receive new update from server on frame 260
Did not receive new update from server on frame 275

MotionBuilder is able to sustain the streamrate, so that's not the problem. The motionbuilder computer connects via the dtrack listener plugin to the dtrack computer. It also has a setting of framerate and it's set on 60 Hz. Dtrack itself is also set on 60 Hz and the program receives it's data from 16 IR ARTtrack camera's. I don't know if you have enough technical specifications now, so please let me know what else you have to know.

Yours, Frank

[farshizzo]

In general, you would want the hardware to generate data at twice the rate of the client framerate. When the hardware and client are running at the same rate, it is common to run into timing issues where the client will miss new frames. This is especially true in this case, since the data is going through MotionBuilder, then over the network, which is going to add even more delays. There is no easy solution to this other than having hardware that can generate data at a faster rate. Streaming the LiveCharacter data at more than 60Hz will not do anything at this point.