2 computers, 2 video sources, 2 projectors. Sync?

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2 computers, 2 video sources, 2 projectors. Sync?

Posted by Kevin Reiner on June 16, 2011 at 4:47 pm

Hello, hope someone can help. We have 2 videos that need to play in sync with each other and a music track. It is for a preview of a live production that will actually have 6 screens. The live production is already taken care of as far as projections etc. What we’re doing is giving the art director a preview of the entire show using 2 projectors on a scale model of the theater.

Long story short – I’m looking for is an inexpensive way to sync 2 videos. We’re running off of 2 macs, have 2 projectors. Since it’s only for previsualization, I don’t want to overkill it.

Our initial thought was to have to people hitting play at the same time, but if the art director has us stop often to take notes, it might get dicey.

Thanks,
Kevin

Mac Pro 2 x 3 GHz 6-Core Intel Xeon
32GB Memory
Dual-channel 4Gb Fibre Channel PCI Express card
Dell Display (23″ flat panel)
ATI Radeon HD 5770
AJA Kona LSi SD/HD capture card
Rourke 16 TB
Flanders 2460

SOFTWARE
Mac OS X 10.6.5
FCP 7
After Effects CS5
Boris Continuum
Sapphire Plug Ins
All Trapcode Plugs
Zaxwerks Invig

Rob Duncan replied 14 years, 11 months ago 4 Members · 5 Replies
5 Replies

Walter Soyka
June 16, 2011 at 4:56 pm

Prepare your two separate movies as a single double-wide movie, get a Matrox TripleHead2GO, and use a single Mac running a single video player to drive two projector outputs together.

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
Kevin Reiner
June 16, 2011 at 5:33 pm

Thanks Walter. Just curious, why not just the DoubleHead? I guess 3 heads are better than 2. 🙂

Mac Pro 2 x 3 GHz 6-Core Intel Xeon
32GB Memory
Dual-channel 4Gb Fibre Channel PCI Express card
Dell Display (23″ flat panel)
ATI Radeon HD 5770
AJA Kona LSi SD/HD capture card
Rourke 16 TB
Flanders 2460

SOFTWARE
Mac OS X 10.6.5
FCP 7
After Effects CS5
Boris Continuum
Sapphire Plug Ins
All Trapcode Plugs
Zaxwerks Invig
Walter Soyka
June 16, 2011 at 5:39 pm

[Kevin Reiner] “Just curious, why not just the DoubleHead? I guess 3 heads are better than 2. :)”

Fair point — of course the DoubleHead would work. The TripleHead can work in either 2-screen or 3-screen mode, so it’s a lot more flexible for future use — but it also costs a bit more.

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
Thomas Leong
June 17, 2011 at 9:21 am

Freeware for Mac. Works only with Quicktime files –

https://www.zachpoff.com/software/multiscreener/
Rob Duncan
July 5, 2011 at 6:13 pm

One word of warning to those using a TripleHead as a Dual (from one who should have known better, but painfully forgot) — the 2 screens come out of Output ONE and Output THREE of the TripleHead2Go.

I’m sure it’s documented, but I’ve rarely been accused of using my brain for solutions.

R.

————–
Freaky People Productions,
Live Event Technical Production
Toronto, CANADA

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