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Theatrical event, multiple sources on four different projector outputs
Hello everyone,
I’m about to do a show for theatres and I’ve to manage in realtime several video contents (all prerecorded, maybe a live camera on stage) to up to four digital projectors, every projector should be able to output independently content from the others.
I need a suggestion for the hardware needed for such challenge because I was wondering if a mac pro computer with 2 new display cards (each one up to three video outputs), 12 Gb ram, 8 cores at 2,4 ghz and modul8 software could be a good solution in terms of performance and money saving.
The other way possible in technical therms would be a whole hardware solution but for that i don’t know wich kind of hardware I need to manage in real time.
Reading some posts here I suppose that an edirol v440 colud control several v44sw video switchers, but I’m not shure if there are other solutions less expesive in therms of hardware needs and money.
A fact is that I’ve to stay in a budget limit and renting those equipement also for over a month (all the preparation of the show and the playouts) could be very expensive.
Another question:
does anyone ever used those kind of projectors:
https://www.robe.cz/it/products/article/digitalspot-3500-dt/
https://www.highend.com/products/digital_lighting/dl_3.asp ? Does anyone knows how much could be the price for rent one of those?
Thank you very much, every help will be very appreciated
Igor -
2 Replies
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Igor, multiscreen display can get expensive pretty quickly. You’ve outlined a pretty low-cost solution, and I don’t think you’ll to lower that cost all that much. Don’t forget that you will need two playback systems (one main and one backup). If you don’t run a backup, a computer crash could ruin a performance.
If you need real video switching, I would highly recommend a dedicated multi-destination video switcher like a Spyder or Encore.
If you don’t need live switching, and you are really pressed for money, you might be able to get away with a much simpler router to allow you to switch over from your main playback system to your backup playback system.
If you want to use a Mac Pro for playback, some other options you might consider are Figure53’s Qlab and Renewed Vision’s ProVideoPlayer.
DL.3s are essentially projectors on moving luminaires with a built-in media server; as such, they’d integrate very nicely into your show’s lighting department. For rental prices, you should talk to your LD or contact a local staging rental company.
Walter Soyka
Principal & Designer at Keen Live
Motion Graphics, Widescreen Events, Presentation Design, and Consulting
RenderBreak Blog – What I’m thinking when my workstation’s thinking
Creative Cow Forum Host: Live & Stage Events -
Walter, many thanks for your answer this could be very useful.
You tell that I may run a main system in parallel with a backup system.
So for instance I could use 2 mac pros with every video output connected to a 2 channel switch and synch them via osc or other protocol, or ther is a much easier way?
I’m sorry but I’ve never used a backup system for a live performance and I don’t know how I could manage it.
I think that qlab is very interesting for live application, I’ve to study a bit in it.
Thank you again
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