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[Craig Hauber]

I have a client that wants a triple screen video column -three 50" samsung plasmas each in landscape orientation stacked 3 high.

The samsungs have a built in video wall processor, but I need something that can format a live camera video of a go-go dancer and put it as one image across all three screens with no distortion/stretching/squishing of the image (crop image then expand to fill screens)
But sometimes they also want to see 3 separate images, or three of the same images on each screen.

How is this done?  is there an all-in-one solution or a whole stack of gear.  They already have a nest of gear in the control booth (large nightclub) and already have live video switching DJ's and computer music playback so if this could be done with a computer and some add-on cards or extrnal firewire boxes or similar (mac would be a plus)

any help would be appreciated, I'm installing the audio and trying to help out a friend by pointing them in the right direction with expected budgets and gear.

Thanks

Craig Hauber
CSA Productions Inc
Simi Valley CA
(805)701-8213

[Austin Parker]

Craig,

Samsung's video wall processor will do all of what you want it to do - if im reading it correctly. As far as incorporating multiple sources, you may want to think about putting a small matrix "infront" of the screens. You could then do a loop out from each screen to the others. this would allow you to target individual screens if needed, as well as doing a "video wall".

I think the video wall software is called MCD..

lastly, another idea is to use displays offered from samsung that have a network jack (rj-45) and push content to the screens using their magic net software - this would let you push content over a network on a timed basis (note that this is limited to files stored on a network drive).

[Craig Hauber]

The video wall in the samsung sets is built into the menu structure of each individual set.  To go between formats (all 1 image or 3 separate images) would involve the client wrangling through alot of steps to change each set back-and forth between modes.

I didn't know about any software, but I can look over the cd-rom that comes with each set (probably have a couple-hundred of them by now - I just assumed it would just be product PDF's and advertisements

Still looking for something to format an image for portrait mode so that when it gets put up on the 3 vertical screens it isn't stretched really bad.

Thanks for your help

-Craig

[Austin Parker]

Put a matrix + window processor infront of the displays...

[Karl P(eterson)]

I will assume that you will be using a looped, pre-produced video to do this. (aka, a single video is made that would fit the aspect ratio of the three screens as installed, and it would contain at times a single image, at other times 3 of the same image, and at other times yet three distinct images.)

If this is the case you can use ProVideoPlayer HD on a MacPro http://www.renewedvision.com/cart.php?bun=5

With a triple head to go box http://matrox.com/graphics/en/gxm/products/th2go/digital/hom e.php

This will let you take a video (any resolution or aspect ratio will work, but in order for it to not look stretched and compressed, you need to make sure it is at least the right aspect ratio) and then it will play out one of the dvi outputs on the macpro with the triple head to go splitting the thirds up for you.

If you wanted to get more savvy, you could kill the ProVideoPlayer and just use quicktime pro and write an applescript.

This option is good because it is under 5 grand and relativly reliable. It does not however contain any scheduling, although that could be added with either a custom application or an applescript with quicktime pro.

If pre-produced video is not the case, and you will be pulling from a variety of video files including the possibility of a live feed, you need something different altogether. A much more expensive something different....

Your other option is to use DATATON Watchout.

This is more complex because it requires shows to be programed rather meticulously. Figure 25'000 for a watchout starter kit and the needed hardware.

The good news is that I do believe that Watchout can be scheduled....


Hope some of this helps?