Thomas Leong
Forum Replies Created
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My personal choice to go with Wings was not so much the politics and whatever behind the competition, but that –
1. Prima facie it looked more complicated for any client seated next to me such that it seemed worth paying my fees to do multidisplay work :);
2. It actually does more than just multidisplay work (inter alia Show Control); and
3. There is (has been so far) no extra charge for updates from version 1.00 to 2,40a to date whereas Dataton has been charging extra for each whole digit update.Sincere apologies. This is getting a bit OT. So evaluate one’s own need properly. (Demos are available from each option). But if budget is a primary consideration (as in my own case), then Wings is a cheaper alternative since the Master PC can also be used as a Slave/Display PC, saving the cost of one licence. With ATI graphics cards, Wings can save more as it can be configured to use the dual-head of the graphics card to output 2 differing videos with the one licence whereas the competition are one licence per output, peroid. In other words, the Master/Production PC cannot be used as a display output. It can only be the control program. For us poor blighters with no-big-budget clients, the $$’000s saved can be significant.
Thomas Leong
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For a relatively cheaper multiscreen software programmer (shareware), try SyncMaker Pro.
But for the best reliability, Bob has given you the options. I would like to add one more though – Wings Platinum (Module Version) from AvStumpfl which I use.
Thomas Leong
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Er…which solution did you choose?…’cos you later mention that there are 10 PCs to 10 displays when initially you were talking of Pioneer DVD players. Enquiring minds would like to know.
As for cable choice…sorry, I’m not an expert on cables, but I would think that BNC is more secure than 15-pin VGA, though likely more expensive. Since the Pioneer supports upconversion, have you considered CAT-5 runs with transmitters/receivers at either end. The boxes/converters will add to your costs though.
ThomasLeong
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Try asking at https://groups.yahoo.com/group/Show-Control
There are many members there who make, design and custom design show controllers for devices at reasonable prices.
Thomas Leong
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This is a pet peeve of (if I may quote) Douglas Mesney – that Watchout and Stumpfl’s Wings Platinum were never designed with full widescreen video in mind. Instead, they were originally intended as the 21st Century way of doing multi-image widescreen slide shows, albeit with added functionality such as including video and other media without having to resort to external playback units and timecode synchronizers.
If you want fullscreen 3:1 video, you will have to compromise on cropping and resolution with a single camera shoot. Else proceed as Alexx has indicated. With 2 true-blue 16:9 parallel-mounted HD cameras and an overlap of 320 pixels between them, you will get full height without cropping top and bottom. Anything more or less than that will require cropping or scaling to fit the 3:1.
Whoever sold the idea of 3:1 fullscreen video to the client ought to be shot, or made to pay big money for the costs involved.
Thomas Leong
Co-owner/Moderator of https://groups.yahoo.com/group/multidisplays -
NT
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“Or you leave it all up to an expensive and sophisticated outboard DVE/ scaler box, like a Stumpfl or something, which makes shooting and post a non-issue, but adds a lot of cost and possibilities for failure to the playback side. For a long-term installation, might not be cost-effective.”
Don’t want to start an argument, but I feel compelled to correct an error or two in the above comment especially since I use AVStumpfl’s software for multidisplay work.
AFAIK, Stumpfl does not make nor sell DVE/scaler boxes. Perhaps the reference should have been directed towards Folsom, Extron, Analog Way and others…but Stumpfl is not it. And it’s products can be cost-effective for long-term installations as they are designed for such purposes.
If the reference to Stumpfl was to imply that its software, Wings Platinum (Module version) can scale, edit, apply basic DVE, and turn a horizontally shot video(s) 90 degrees either way in post, and output it as such through the PC’s graphics card’s VGA or DVI out, or even output it as a composited presentation video file from the results, then that would be correct.
Thomas Leong
Co-owner/Moderator of Yahoo Multidisplays Group -
Don’t be confused between the Core Duo and Core 2 Duo names. The processor code (EXXXX or TXXXX) would be the one to go by.
AFAIK, laptops based on the newer and more powerful Core 2 Duo (EXXXX) are not out in the market yet. The processor has just been released in July. Might be another month or more before we see the first laptops out and chances are the Taiwanese and Dell will be the first.
On the other hand, there are many choices with the older Core Duo (TXXXX), some way overpriced for a measely INTEL 945GMA graphics chipset that steals/shares RAM from the rest of the system. If you want a graphics GPU with its own unshared RAM, look for the ones with an Intel 945PM chipset. You pay more, but generally the OpenGL and 3D rendering performances are faster and better.
Thomas Leong
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I wonder what plasmas they use for these? Probably for short runs, and extremely tough and mounted really securely.
Thomas Leong
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All the plasmas used for digital signages that I have seen in my locality have been horizontally mounted. Perhaps the vertical ones that you have seen are made for that orientation, or that there may be models from some manufacturers that do cater for that. For any user, it would be safer to check with the manufacturer as a caution.
Thomas Leong