Michael Samarin
Forum Replies Created
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Martin,
I think what you described in your original message can be achieved with just standard PowerPoint on both Mac and PC. With combination of embedded into slides audio files and video playing fullscreen. Audio files can be looped, configured to play across several slides, stopped after some slides etc. Fullscreen video playback in PowerPoint is really good, old complains are really thing of the past.
Looping aidio files across slides and “smartly” stopping them after some slides was in fact available from PowerPoint 2010. There is super simple tutorial here:
It also contains links to older video tutorial on Mac PowerPoint 2011, describing starting audio in loop and stopping after X slides:
I just tried it, it works just fine with PowerPoint 2016.
Of course, putting my sales hat on, you can script all of that with my KeyShowX (scripting QuickTime to play audio and Keynote/PowerPoint to do the slides/video), but this is really unnesessary in your case:
https://www.keywebx.com/keyshowx/
All the best,
Best,
MichaelSoftware for multi-screen shows and presentations
https://www.keywebx.com -
There is also possibility to have a low-end and quite inexpensive, but reliable setup with my KeyShowX:
https://www.keywebx.com/keyshowx/
Essentially, you can drive in sync as many slideshows as you want in a loop, or with a script. The version on website is for Mac version of PowerPoint or Keynote, however, I do have a private beta of client for Windows. So, in case of Windows, for your scenario you can have 4 Intel PC Sticks (150$ each), 4 monitors with HDMI for PC sticks and PowerPoint on each. Of course you can always go with Mac Minis (even very old or refurbished) and screens. You can design slideshow for each screen, so they look like one gigantic when running side by side. And a controller machine, which can be as low end as possible.
I maintain this software for many years and you would be surprised in which movies, TV shows, trade shows, museums, keynotes etc it was in use ☺
Contact me through the website if you are interested in experimenting with private beta of Windows version.
Sorry to plug my product in here, but your scenario is pretty much what it was designed for.
Best,
MichaelSoftware for multi-screen shows and presentations
https://www.keywebx.com -
Andreas,
If your canvases don’t have to be blended and show production can afford several Macs:
the way how my customers are doing this for the past 12 years is rendering super-widescreen video in several pieces, embeding each part into Keynote and sync them with my KeyShowX. There are no limitations on how many Macs (thus, video parts) you can sync. You can overlay all standard Keynote objects, images, text etc and animate them as well.
First reaction is usually – “Ouch, embedding videos into Keynote? This is so unprofessional”. You will be surprised, how well it works and in which movies, TV shows and media installations it was used.
Hope this helps, best
Best,
MichaelSoftware for multi-screen shows and presentations
https://www.keywebx.com -
Hi Chantel,
If you are on a Mac, make those three videos like you are planning, put them into three different Keynote’s or PowerPoint slide decks and then, have three Macs ready and loaded with those decks. In order to trigger / control /script those target Macs for simultaneous playback, use my KeyShowX. It’s been used this way for many scenes in a lot of moves and TV shows, where multi-screen / multi-monitor setup is in use:
https://www.keywebx.com/2015/02/keyshowx-in-movies-and-tv-shows/
Best,
MichaelSoftware for multi-screen shows and presentations
https://www.keywebx.com -
Hi Martin,
You can try out my software KeyShowX https://keywebx.com I’ve created it exactly for this scenario – when you have to sync playback of multiple video files or Keynote/Powerpoint presentations on several networked Macs. There is also very simple scripting facility included, for making a bit more complex multiscreen installations. For the past ten years, it’s been used in many movies / tv series / shows as a simplest solution without any special hardware / pre-production requirements.
Based on feedback from my clients, the easiest and most controllable solution would be actually to embed your videos into Keynote or PowerPoint presentations with fullscreen playback option enabled. You can use 1080p video files and despite gigantic presentation file sizes, on relatively modern macs (2010 – 2014), it should playback as embedded video without any hiccups. There is also direct support for QuickTime Player syncing, but for simplicity, I still would recommend Keynote/PowePoint.
Best
Michael -
Hi Dan,
Are you planning to show actual live camera streams on any of these displays during the show? If the answer is no, and you are always going to use some kind of pre-generated sources (slides, videos, images), consider exploring just a software solution (without hardware switchers) which I make for many years, it’s called KeyShowX:
It is Mac OS X based, so instead of Windows PCs, you have to use Macs running either Apple Keynote or MS PowerPoint. From controlling application, you will be able to control all source Macs in sync or individually. It is done over the network.
Depending on when is your show, you might be able to use also Windows version (with PowerPoint) which is going to be out somewhere in August.
This solutions is used quite a lot in various TV shows and movies, whenever there is a multi-screen scenes, or during the concerts.
Best
MichaelBest,
MichaelSoftware for multi-screen shows and presentations
https://www.keywebx.com -
“2. Green screen the car in motion. Have wide-angle background that can cover the 5-6 monitors without looking unusual to composite over.”
I agree with Thomas, that’s probably the best solution. If the final video composition is split into multiple parts, as a maker of KeyShowX, of course I would like to recommend it to sync multiple playback machines/monitors if setup is on Mac https://www.keywebx.com
Best
Michael -
Andy,
for such simple needs and only single laptop playback I would really recommend just Keynote or PowerPoint with embedded videos. I had no problems embedding up to 1080p H246 encoded video files into my presentations. On more or less recent MacBook (2 – 3 years old), you can expect smooth video playback on presentation screen, and have controls and presenter view on laptop screen. Even if overall presentation size will go way over 1GB or more, it is not a problem.
If needed, you can also jump directly to specific slide with embedded video, without exiting presentation mode.
If you will use PowerPoint on Mac, make sure that for every embedded video in “Format Movie” tab use “Play Full Screen” in “Playback Options”. It will make playback much smoother and will use correct letter boxing if your video is not the same aspect ratio with slides.
Best,
MichaelSoftware for multi-screen shows and presentations
https://www.keywebx.com -
Just to bump this thread, new version of KeyShowX is available:
Supports unlimited amount of controlled Keynote and PowerPoint presentations, QuickTime Player, Apple DVD Player and scripting.
Best
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Hi Steven,
Are there any other special requirements for the playback? Why are you thinking about special dedicated video playback software? Do you have to sync slideshow on one computer with video playback on another and control them from single remote?
I had great success using Keynote with tons of embedded HD videos. Is there anything special about your lectures that prevents you to use just regular multiple Keynote installation?
Best,
Michael