Question for a show

I am going to be doing a show which uses a little bit of imag and a lot of playback. In the past, we have played back off of DV decks, but I would much rather use a media server to just play back clips, that way I know it will always work and play back on time.

My switcher is a ForA sdi switcher. I was wondering if I should go out of the switcher and go into the catalyst and just switch between the media and the input from the cameras when I need to. I am not sure of how much delay that would put in. Either way, it would work out to my advantage to do it that way because I am still going to have to use a converter to go from SDI to 5 wire to the projectors so the catalyst would just do that for me.

Or, would it be possible to rent a cat server with 2 of the decklink cards, and I can just run 2 of my sdi cameras straight into it? What would you recommend?

What DMX consolle do you want to use ?

If you feel confortable to do Video Mixing using a DMX consolle , you can even use the switcher in DMX mode ( using catalyst serial controller ) .

If I ware you I wount use the same dmx consolle for both light and catalyst .

You problably can do it , it all depends by the time you can dedicate to programm the dmx consolle .

this is my option .

I am going to be using Hog pc with a bcf2000 as a fader wing. It will be dedicated to just this as the movers will have its own hog 2k. I will probably just make a cue stack triggering the play back of clips in sequence, and then a couple of faders to fade in a video input layer. I am probably going to try to get a v4 server since I am more comfortable with that, and it can have more layers. I will probably use 2 top layers for the video inputs, and the next 2 layers for the video playbacks and maybe a 5th for slides like titles and maybe lower thirds and such. I am not going to be using effects but if I do, not many since I really don't want to slow down the g5. I do know that a couple of clips do have audio attached to I would need to clear all the layers to ensure that they play back at normal speed. The rest are just visual stuff projected on a screen or 2 that is stationary that will compliment the acting/dancing/singing that will be happening.

Oh, and with the switcher though, I wouldn't be able to go between the cameras which I would need. Like cross-fading directly. Do you know about what the delay is if I were to run through the cat with imag? is it going to be too much? This isn't going to be a huge room, only one of the biggest ball rooms in southern california so both are in clear view.

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Originally Posted by ryanww

Do you know about what the delay is if I were to run through the cat with imag? is it going to be too much?

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I've used a SDI video input from a Video control room , where they was sending me the camera feed .

To be honest , from my experiance it's not real time 100% , it's not bad .

I used to project the face of man while he was talking on stage , if you look the lips on the screen and you ear the words , you may see that there is a bit of latency . Not much but ( as far I know ) there is a bit of delay .

But I THINK this all depends on the system you are going to rent . a Mac Pro it's much more faster and powerful then the old g5 . This is not strecly retalted to the video input delay . I think it's all about the video aqusition card .
Can't you ask for a system profile b4 you going to rent it and report it in here ? That will be handy , I'm sure many users will share their experiance about a specific system profile .

Did you know you can use a Midi controller directly with Catalyst ? the bcf2000 it's already mapped into V4 .

With a decent system you should have a minimal lag - no more than 1-2 frames from the Catalyst side of things.

Hugh

I am going to be finding out tomorrow morning if I am going to have a budget for it. I am going to push for it. Either way, I might even consider getting some projectors capable of taking SDI and then I will just go out of the cat with a rgbhv to sdi into the switcher, then out of the switcher to the projector. My other option is just using 2 cameras and getting 2 decklink cards and connecting them SDI right into the cat then I can switch it and it will just go to the projectors rgbhv.

I know that the cat can use the bcf2000, but I haven't really found out much of the mapping side of it, nor am I really familiar with the whole preset building in catalyst. I am very comfortable with Hog 2 and running the cat, so I know I won't go wrong unless I can get it to work really well and someone can explain it. I was hoping for a v4 manual, but it looks like that isn't happening any time soon even though it was promised long ago.

I think I can pretty much get any system configuration I could ever want around here. I have VER right down the street, CW Productions, PRG, ELS, and other smaller companies with Cats. I am in Southern California so there is a lot around. The show is the following weekend, so I am trying to get this all figured out.

Thanks for the help!

Ok, never mind. they aren't doing near the amount of playback that they have in the past.. So they didn't want to rent it.. Which makes sense.

Thanks for your help though!

Ryan