Method for Doing Multi-Screen Video

[Walter Soyka]

[Clifford Steinberg] “Have you looked at BrightSign? They have cost efficient players that can be synced and respond to external triggers.”

Maybe I misunderstood the interactivity requirement — if you are simply cueing existing motion media, the BrightSigns could be a good choice. I do have a couple of these and I’ve been really happy with their reliability (though I haven’t pushed them being looping and very simple single-screen cues).

Can they return from a single media cue on one unit at its end into the correct point in a synced multi-unit cue?

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

[Pat Ford]

Thank you gentlemen,

I took a quick look at BrightSign…and I have heard of them before. I am a lazy cuss…can someone tell me the difference between the BrightSign and the Adtec SignEdje? I have several of the Adtecs…they are worth considerably more than the Brightsigns…or at least they cost considerably more originally. (!)

[Thomas Leong]

No experience with the Adtec SignEdje, but I have 2 Brightsign HD210. Tested the following so far with:

– One media file (mpeg) looping all day. Perfect seamless loop, better than vlc on a pc which has a visible pause whereas the Brightsign did not. Same file (a Digtial Juice Jumpback).

– Two media files – a panoramic split for bezel, etc., and controlled by an old router (to auto assign the IP addresses to each Brightsign over CAT-5). Perfect looped sync, all day. Brightsign claims 1-2 frames mis-sync may occur, but I did not see any with the media I fed it – a Maria Carey video with Snoop Dog – with lots of flash cuts, easy to see the sync between both monitors throughout.

However, the Brightsigns (both operated as a standalone single unit, and as dual units controlled by a router) took some time to start playing the media on power up. As a single unit, about 1 minute. As dual units with router, about 2 minutes+, probably to acquire the IP addresses. But it is idiot proof operation – power up and play, even if powered down in the middle of playback, i.e. suddenly.

[Thomas Leong]

If you want to add interactivity capabilites to the Brightsign, enquire/check this site out –

https://bcdusa.com/content/view/120/183/

[Clifford Steinberg]

I do not have any experience with the Adtec SignEdjes either.

My experience with BrightSign includes:

-3 units(HD1010’s) looping the same video with synchronization.

-3 units with 3 plasmas to create a video wall, synced with ethernet and switcher – synchronization worked extremely well(as it is quite noticeable if a video wall is out of sync).

-1 unit, controlled by Crestron touchpanel to allow user to play a specific video file.

-BrightSign unit controlling projector over RS-232.

Depending on how you want users to interact with your content on the televisions, BrightSign may be a viable option.

[Walter Soyka] “Can they return from a single media cue on one unit at its end into the correct point in a synced multi-unit cue?”
I have not created such a show, and it sounds quite difficult to do using BrightAuthor(BrightSign software)- I don’t see a command that finds the time of the synced units and is able to seek the single unit to the rest. Possibly a custom script could do it, but that is beyond me.

Cliff Steinberg
Rent Com, Inc.
http://www.rentcom.com
Chicago

[Pat Ford]

I appreciate the information on BrightSign; it is possible that we may take that path. However, in the short run, I would like to have more information on the Adtecs. I do have twenty of them. The documentation for them is not clear…What I need is a “getting started” overview. On another thread, a person emerged who does run Adtecs SignEdje players. He invited me to email him with questions…

However, I can’t find out how to email another member…can someone please tell me how that works?

Thanks!