Bigger, expandable projection system... thoughts.

[james tucker]

Hi there.

I am looking for the next step in our projection/media system.

Our "default" look is three projectors ran off of Song Show plus via a Matrox triple head, and honestly, it works great.

SSP has a pile of funny little features that let us customize our content (adding dithering to stills, countdown timers, etc) .

Over Easter we acquired three Optima ultra short throw projectors and ran them off another Matrox box utilizing SSPs "secondary program". We pointed the projectors onto some cut coroplast to make some fake led wall effects. Our IT guy made a custom mask to keep the projection from spilling onto the back wall. The mask was applied to each item in the secondary list.

Using the Song Show Plus web remote, I can control backgrounds, colors, and the secondary display (video scenery) from a computer next to my lighting console...... basically faking our way into a media server system without spending a pile of cash... pretty cool.

Well, 6 outputs is I think the farthest I can take song show... it has worked well, but I want to be able to expand to architectual projectors around the room as well as scenic elements and our giant three screens above the stage.

Now, I know Pro Video Player with multiple mini macs and licenses can make this happen......

The probem is that it costs a pile of money and still does not give me full control of everything via DMX.... Correct me if I am wrong... I need a mini mac and a separate node license for each mac as well as the base system, right? Which comes to $1000(?) per output plus another mac...

So, I am looking at Arkaos. I can get a license for the $2000 range and build my own server (we have some great IT guys at my church that can make cool things happen). Arkaos works through Artnet so I can have the server near my existing scalers and control from Chamsys upstairs.

To get words on the screen, I was planning on taking 2 inputs from my switcher and routing them through the aux that feeds our center screen..... 1 input would have song show plus with no background, 1 input is an output from Arkaos and then keying the lyrics over Arkaos.

Anyone gone this route and bypassed the whole pro video player package and used something written for the entertainment industry?

Pics of our setup is attached.

[james tucker]

(pictures)

[Esoteric]

Nope. Wish I could help you but we exclusively use Pro Presenter and PvP. Admittedly it has been 6 months since my last Pro Presenter PvP setup, but cant you also get a site license for PvP,

At a certain point however, I have to say you are butting up against the limit of home made systems and it might be time for a true media server setup (which we also install).

We also do setups with several layers of content triggered by one control unit through the advanced control in PP.

My next goal is to replicate Jason Norris's 3x3 video wall with PP and TH2G.

[Gracetech]

Yeah i've used equipment made specifically for the entertainment industry. But it wasn't cheap.

Catalyst Media Server and DL1's and 2's. The last system i setup was 10 DL1's and 4 DL2's and 4 Catalyst servers.

There are also a few video processors out there that may do what you want. Again they will cost alot of money. Vista Spyder and RGB MediaWall.

Still waiting on cheaper solutions i'm afraid.

crt

[Gracetech]

I'm trying to recall an article i read some time back where someone was using PS3's to create some pretty awesome graphics. If i remember correctly the PS3's were not store versions but Sony altered ones. Google it if you are interested.

crt

BTW like the lighting work and projection.