DVD player with sync

[Maxim Moisseev]

IT must not nesessary be DVD players! This will be a museum installation. Any possible player that can output video – maybe hard disc player – will do.

I know Pioneer pro DVDs are used for such purposes. Maybe there’s already something new on the market?

[Thomas Leong]

For 24/7 playback, I’d recommend Compact Flash players – no spinning parts, plays forever! Plenty of choices out there – just google for Compact Flash video players, most not expensive. Not high def though, only Std def video. For high def the costs go up – from Electrosonics, AvStumpfl, and ???.

But in your first post, you asked for genlock? genlock to what?…timecode? to drive/sync with other devices? eg. lighting controllers?? or is that irrelevant now?

Thomas Leong

[Maxim Moisseev]

Hi Thomas!
My task is to run 5 videostreams in perfect sync between each other(this will be panoramic video).

I look for a simle way to do it. Don’t propose Catalyst – it’s too complicated for museum people to operate.
This must be something very easy to turn on and off. That’s why I’m looking at synced players.

[Thomas Leong]

hi Maxim,

5 synced players…ok, various ways.

Dvd players or solid state players under a controller.
There were some solutions for these at Show-Control Group some time ago.

Here’s one –
Show-Control message 9339. Some of the guys who replied are manufacturers themselves and do/supply museums all the time. I’m confident Doug, Mark and Dan (in those replies) should be able to give you a solution at a reasonable price.

If you have no other choice but the Pioneer DVD players, then this controller software should do it – https://www.videobotics.com/frpolydvd.html

Other solutions.
Dataton’s Watchout – playback does not require the Master present.
AvStumpfl’s Wings Platinum – for playback, Master can be one of the Displays. Can also configure 2 videos out of a dual-head graphics card, thereby saving one licence and one PC for every 2-outputs, i.e. for a 5-screen setup, you would need only 3 licences and 3 PCs where PC1 is Master Timeline and Display1, PC2 is Display2 and Display3, PC3 is Display4 and Display5.

AvStumpfl also has a playback hardware solution where, after the show/sync is finalised, it can be transferred to Compact flash, and playback can then be via their SC Master unit controlling solid-state players such as their SCVideo Player 9 (single or dual player), and their new solid state compact flash HD Player. Going this way, and without investing in the production side, you could hire a production house that has the Wings Multi-Display version to sync up your 5-screen panoramics and transfer your show to compact flash for you for playback on Stumpfl’s hardware.

For Mac, there is Renewedvision. Works similar to Watchout and Wings in that a Master controls Slave Displays via ordinary Ethernet, but in this case, you can use Mac minis as the Slaves.

For Mac, there is also freeware such as multiscreener from https://www.zachpoff.com but since you are doing panoramics, I have my doubts if freeware and shareware stuff are frame-accurate over time and when repeated.

hope that helps,
Thomas Leong

[Walter Soyka]

Dave Jones Design and Technovision both make DVD synchronizers that will work with the DVD-V5000; they are accurate to within 2 frames, which could be ok if there’s no fast motion, the monitors are spread out, and you always dissolve instead of cut. If you need perfect frame accuracy, you need the 8000 with genlock.

Thomas’s advice about the compact-flash based players is great. I think Technovision makes them too, although I don’t have any personal experience with them.

Walter Soyka, Principal
Keen Live, Inc.
Presentation, Motion Graphics & Widescreen Design
RenderBreak: A Blog on Innovation in Production

[Maxim Moisseev]

Thanks Walter,

I contacted Technovision – they seem to make exactly what I need. CF HD players, sychronisable up to 40! As for the sync accuracy, I will order a couple and test’em.

[Walter Soyka]

Hi Maxim,

Glad I could help. I’d love to hear how well these work out.

Walter Soyka, Principal
Keen Live, Inc.
Presentation, Motion Graphics & Widescreen Design
RenderBreak: A Blog on Innovation in Production

[Rick Sebeck]

What if I need to sync two HD signals? Are there controllers for blue ray discs? I have seen the RaveHD – but that seems to be a bit overkill for just two streams.

-Rick

Editor

[Walter Soyka]

Hi Rick,

At least one of the manufacturers has units in development, but there are no Blu-Ray synchronizers available that I am aware of.

I think your best shots here are synchronized hi-def compact flash players, a computer-based solution like Watchout, Wings, or Pro Video Player, or sync-rolled DDRs like the Turbo.

Walter Soyka, Principal
Keen Live, Inc.
Presentation, Motion Graphics & Widescreen Design
RenderBreak: A Blog on Innovation in Production

[Franciscodauhajre]

Walter,

I just got in a Pioneer DVD-8000, but it has been impossible to Sync it with my BetaCam SP decks and Sony Cameras with a Studio Switcher. Any helo would be great as I just spent 1,100 dollars on a DVD player just for its GENLOCK feature. Thanks.