Seeking Software to Control Screens Blind

[rickap]

Hi,

I'm looking for software that will easily allow one to control content on screens that cannot be seen.

We're using a computer (in the audio booth in the sanctuary) for EasyWorship and want it to supply media to two 32" LCDs in the foyer. I've been looking for simple software that will allow the foyer displays to be controlled without seeing them. Perhaps software with small reproductions of them on the main display.

Right now I have MultiScreen Manager from 9XMedia installed. I works well but does not completely meet our needs.

Any suggestions or recommendations?

Thanks,
Rick

[Richard Tarr]

If you just want to show the same image as the main screen you could use a VGA splitter or DA (assuming you are sending VGA to the main screen).

[NdEd]

Questions are easier than answers at this point.

What images are you wanting to show on these screens? Is it just an echo of the sanctuary projector, or are there multiple sources involved? Do you want the ability to show different images on the screens at the same time (i.e. a matrix function)? What is the distance from the booth to the screens, and what resolution are you running at?

If you can give us the details, I'm sure several solutions will become apparent.

[rickap]

No. We want different images.

Right now the computer has two, dual-head, video cards. One output supplies the main display. The second output feeds the projector. We use EasyWorship and EasyWorship control is on the main with the image (lyrics, verses, etc.) on the projector. We want the other two to supply VGA to two 32" displays in the foyer, out of sight of the operator. We want to be able to mirror the projector content or just run PowerPoint announcements or even display video from our video suite. The operator won't be able to see the 32" displays and the 32" displays won't have the same content as the main display, hence the need for some software.

Thanks,
Rick

[rickap]

You were typing as I was so....

We want to echo the sanctuary projector and have unique content on the remote screens.

Matrix function? That would be very nice but not absolutely essential right now.

The distance from the booth to the displays is about 30" of cable.

Capable resolutions are VGA-1360x768, HDMI(1080i)-1920x1080.

Thanks,
Rick

[NdEd]

Originally Posted by rickap

No. We want different images.

Right now the computer has two, dual-head, video cards. One output supplies the main display. The second output feeds the projector. We use EasyWorship and EasyWorship control is on the main with the image (lyrics, verses, etc.) on the projector. We want the other two to supply VGA to two 32" displays in the foyer, out of sight of the operator. We want to be able to mirror the projector content or just run PowerPoint announcements or even display video from our video suite. The operator won't be able to see the 32" displays and the 32" displays won't have the same content as the main display, hence the need for some software.

Thanks,
Rick

I think you may have a problem doing this all on the same computer with PowerPoint running a slide show in the background, while the operator is using EasyWorship. It has been my experience that the PowerPoint show will stop moving unless it is the focus of the PC. When you make EasyWorship your focused application, the PowerPoint will pause.

We want to echo the sanctuary projector and have unique content on the remote screens.

At the same time (Picture in Picture) or switch between the sources?

The distance from the booth to the displays is about 30" of cable.

Did you mean feet or inches?

[NdEd]

Originally Posted by rickap

...snip....Capable resolutions are VGA-1360x768, HDMI(1080i)-1920x1080.

Do you already have both cables (VGA & HDMI) run from the booth to the monitors?

[rickap]

I'm still new here so I'm not familiar with the quote box. I'll try to get all the questions here.

Do we have cables run? Not yet.

EasyWorship vs. PowerPoint focus issue. I'll test it. Thanks. That would be a problem.

Picture in picture? Not exactly but that's not out of the question. More like video from the sanctuary camera feed on one display and verses from EasyWorship on the other. Putting those side by side on each display would be great.

Feet or inches? Feet. 30'. I hit Shift when I shouldn't have.

Here's the real problem. Our church only has about $1,000 to spend on this. The two 32" displays were donated and naturally we want to use them. One person wants to go the broadcast video (HD) route. I had an integrator come in and the estimate was $12,000+ for scaler, switcher, signal amps, assorted hardware and labor. Probably not unreasonable but definitely out of our budget. I found comparable hardware (scaler, switcher, etc.) for about $2,500. Still way over budget. My next idea was a new computer for EasyWorship with plenty of PCIx slots for Matrox cards. Still way out of budget. So I built a donated computer and we've got two GForce 6200 cards in it with plans to add a WinTV card to capture the feed from our video gear. My belief is to stick with VGA to the screens so we don't down-mode the signal. The other person wants to go TV through a converter/channel switcher. Either way we really need to see, at the computer, what's on the screens in the foyer.

Matrox has software for managing multiple displays but it's for displays you can see. 9XMedia.com also has similar software and we're using their demo Multi Screen Manager but once again, it's for screens you can see. What I'd love is software that will show me what's on screens I can't see but that are connected to the same computer. Some of the digital signage software I've seen does this but for screens attached to remote computers. We don't have the budget for that and most of that software is not advertised with a price which, in my experience, means it will be over our budget.

When it comes right down to it we've got the technical ability to do this. We don't have the budget. What I'm trying is a workaround that we can grow with. So my main question is still "I'm looking for software that will easily allow one to control content on screens that cannot be seen." Sorry if I wasn't clear on that.

I really do appreciate the help.

Thanks,
Rick