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[Craig Hauber]

I'm looking for a digital video playback system for a large restaurant chain we install for.  They want to have a 12-hour playlist for every day of the week with mixes and crossfades between videos, adverts&info and other clips (music tracks)
Right now they all have macs running automatic jukebox software with specific playlists -all administered remotely from thier head office.  Video is currently 8 direct TV boxes running through an autopatch box with 4 output channels feeding anwhere from 20 to 40 plasmas and other smaller monitors throughout each facility.
So i'm thinking of a large library of videos and clips and something to generate playlists with like itunes, except in a more Pro timed playlist format with transitions.  It would have to be 100% automated so that each morning at 10 a manager can just hit 1 play button and everything else happens on auto from there until closing at 11. Mac based would be nice because our whole company is and so is the client, but standalone hardware would be fine as well.

Any ideas where I should even begin looking, google hasn't been of much help

thanks in advance

Craig Hauber
No Static AV, Burbank CA

[Kit Hannah]

That's a tough one. I'm curious as to where they are getting the content for all of that. I do know that Promo Only has pre-mixed DVD's that have songs / videos mixed on them...

That reminds me - The Hard Rock Cafe in Las Vegas appears to have a system like that (which I'm sure most of them do). It continuously plays music videos and ads, I wonder what they are using.

Winamp with a plug-in may be a very cheap (free) solution. There are plugins for that kind of stuff...

And does it have to have crossfades and everything or can it just go from one clip to the next?

There may be some sort of VJ software out there that you can drag and drop things into and it will crossfade automatically. I did a google search for VJ Video Software and came up with a few things:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_VJ_Software

http://dmoz.org/Computers/Multimedia/Digital_Video/Products_ and_Tools/Software/


I'll ask some of my employees tomorrow - They may have a better solution.

[Austin Parker]

You could set up a system that is controled via crestron or amx (232 control), which would essentially allow for that "one button does it all" idea. Use some kind of media server like say, a VRQ or a kelidascape, add in a matrix (auto patch) and a bunch of screens and control the whole thing with the afore mention companies and there ya go; you have your system. remote control is easy, set up a system with a vpn, static ip everything and then the end user can access the system remote via IP.

[Brad Weber]

Might want to look at Alcorn McBride and Focus Enhancements.  Alcorn McBride is very common for media playback in the themed entertainment world (theme parks, casinos, etc.) while Focus Enhancements has the Media Messenger and Firefly/Mantis players used for a lot of kiosk, hospitality and health care applications.

As Austin suggested, AMX and Crestron offer options.  Safari Video Networks also offers a media retrieval system focused on educational market use.

You also may want to investigate DMX as it looks like they have expanded to multimedia services.

When you get into recording and playback of media then copyright issues enter the picture, especially in a commercial environment.  Be very careful when transferring formats or recording anything, even if just to control the playback time.

[Craig Hauber]

The audio software we use for the client already plays quicktime videos too, without any fancy transitions though, but it's worth exploring, the quality is excellent and not what I expected.
In lieu of that, we will be looking into the server, player, autopatch and crestron solution.  We are 100% crestron illiterate, but that's just a small detail

Thanks for all your assistance with some product names

-Craig Hauber
No Static AV
Burbank CA

[Austin Parker]

Craig Hauber wrote on Fri, 13 October 2006 02:09

We are 100% crestron illiterate, but that's just a small detail Thanks for all your assistance with some product names -Craig Hauber No Static AV Burbank CA

Crestron has certified programmers on file located throughout the US. 1 phone call and you too can become part of the wonderful world of creston (and it's quirks).

[Ken Freeman]

http://www.360systems.com/imageserver2000.html

Lots of hours..., but not a Tivo.

The Menu system of control is very powerful and easy to use.  Playlist can be pre-made and just run at whim.

Ken

[Karl P(eterson)]

Austin Parker wrote on Fri, 13 October 2006 19:11

1 phone call and you too can become part of the wonderful world of creston (and it's quirks).

I think you meant to say and possibly open yourself up to unbelievable pain

(:

Karl P