play a 4,800 x 600 video across 2 graphics cards outputs

[Thomas Leong]

That’s ONE video file assigned to 2 gfx cards each with a TripleHead2Go.

I only know of one software-cum-player that allows you to assign one file to two gfx cards (max 4 outputs, 2 from each card), but not sure if it works with a TripleHead2Go. It is AvStumpfl’s Wings Platinum 4 Multi-display version with 4 outputs, read “2 dual-display licences (USB-keys)”. The software will auto sense the 2 licences and combine to give you 4 outputs from one PC. BUT…price might be a factor for you.

One possible alternative is freeware Multiscreener from zachpoff.com. It can run Server and Client player on one PC, but seems to work only with Quicktime-playable video files, eg. .mov, .qt, .mp4, etc. There is an option in lower right corner for ‘Device Options’ – not sure what it is as my laptop does not have 2 gfx cards, but at a guess, hope it allows one to select the gfx card or output device for the Server and the Client separately.

Thomas Leong

[Thomas Leong]

Forgot to add –

With Multiscreener, you will need to pre-split your ONE video file into 2 files (with After Effects).

[Walter Soyka]

[Maxim Moisseev] “I’ve recently encountered a problem I can’t resolve now. How to play a 4,800 x 600 video file across 2 graphics cards outputs with a triplehead to go on each on a PC, using openGL output? Is there a player capable of this?”

That seems like it’d be very taxing on a single computer — it’s the sort of thing I’d usually split across a network. I’d be curious to hear if Thomas’s suggestions work for your application.

The only other thing that I’d note is that 4096 (4K) is a “magic number” in video: OpenGL and DX9 hardware is typically limited to 4K x 4K (though some newer OpenGL and DX10 cards double that in each dimension to 8K x 8K). Some codecs may not support raster sizes beyond 4K, so compression and playback could be a challenge, too.

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

[Maxim Moisseev]

There is no magic in this number, Walter.
This is maximum size of the Direct3D texture, so if player outputs using OpenGl it’s a limitation, as it treats any raster as a texture.
There’s a simple player for OSX – MSAQTPlayer, that can override this limit. But seems no one for PC.

http://www.transscreen.ru – clear projection films and touchscreen.

[Walter Soyka]

I’ve used the term “magic” colloquially, of course. Again, note that the texture size has been increased to 8192×8192 in DX10.

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 Soyka]

[Maxim Moisseev] “There’s a simple player for OSX – MSAQTPlayer, that can override this limit.”

I’ve never used this tool before — thanks for brining it up. Do you have any experience with it?

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