Multiple Video Out & Lighting control for a Museum Installation

michaelpdench

Hi Mark! First time poster here!

I am running a Windows 7 64-bit machine (i7 SandyBridge, an SSD and a bunch of HDDs) that has a AMD Radeon 6970 installed on it.

I'm having no issues running two 22 inch LG Flatron monitors (from the 2 DVI outputs) and using either for playback in Isadora, but adding extra outputs is proving to be a problem.

Ultimately, what I'd like to be doing is using all 5 outputs of the card (2x DVI, 2x miniDP, 1x HDMI) to run different 4 video feeds, and 1 for controls/etc, using Isadora.

So, I tried just selecting the 3rd screen I used for a test (40 inch LCD TV plugged into HDMI out of card) as an output monitor in Isodora, making it the output for Stage 1. But, during scene playback, no feed is coming to the TV.
In the control centre for the GPU, it will only allow me to use the two 22 inch screens to display the desktop/applications, and I can't duplicate the feed or stretch it onto the TV as well (unless I disable one of the 22 inch screens first!).
Could the issue with the drivers not recognising any additional output be the reason I can't use it in Isadora?
Very frustrated!

I tried connecting the TV via one of the mini Display Port connectors on the card, but it made no difference to the results in Catalyst Control Centre, or Isadora.

In the long run and with the application of 5 separate monitors, I understand that there may be issues exist with resolution, CPU overload, etc, etc, etc... But before any of them even arise, I want to get ALL 5 WORKING first.

Thank you for any help! :)

Michael

Fred

The card can support 6 monitors but you need to use 2 of these

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814997003

`they are MST hubs, they are old (the card is not so new) and a little hard to fond sometimes, otherwise you will only get 2 monitors on this card. Isadora will be able to use any screen that is active as part of your desktop.

I think you will not get 3 full HD monitors from each of the outputs on the MST hub.

You should be able to get four monitors with full HD, but only 2 with legacy connectors, in this case DVI AND HDMI are considered legacy. You may have to use active mini display port to DVI connectors, not just passive ones.

fubbi

or the new mac pro, that would be the deluxe option. I have 5x HD running. I believe 6 would be possible too.

http://troikatronix.com/troikatronixforum/discussion/1139#Item_1

At some point its about your drives being able to deliver the frames for it. Lots of data. Another deluxe solution to that:

http://www.lacie.com/products/product.htm?id=10621

michaelpdench

Awesome, thanks so much guys!!

Really appreciated! :)

I'll let you know how that all goes!

mark

@michaelpdench

Well, the story with Isadora is simply this: if it sees a display that can support OpenGL, it will offer it as a possible output. In other words, if you see it as a "screen" on the Mac OS Control Panels display, or in the dialog that appears when you right-click the desktop and choose "Screen Resolution" under Windows, then Isadora will allow you to output to it.

There are a few cases where this isn't true, e.g., some USB video adapters don't work because their OpenGL implementation is so limited – thus Isadora won't consider it as a valid display.

Best Wishes,
Mark

michaelpdench

Excellent, thanks so much Mark!

One other quick question... If I install 2 video cards on the computer (without linking them via Crossfire or SLI), will Isadora be able to recognise all possible outputs on both cards simultaneously?

mark

@michaelpdench

As long as the cards appear to be a display output (i.e., show up in the Displays Control Panel on the Mac, or as a potential "extended desktop" on Windows) then Isadora will be about to send video to them.

Best Wishes,
Mark

Bodo

Hello,

if i want to play a 3072x768 movie - span (one file via chopper to three stages) over three projektor via a mac pro (in sync) and dont want to use a tripple head... - is there a difference in terms of sync (of the three outputs) if i use two graphiccard (1 x geforce 8800 + 1 x geforce 120 gt) with in total three dvi-i outputs for the 3 projector and one mini dp for the Monitor (i dont need adapter to vga or dvi-kabel and get a nativ analog signal) or if i use one graphiccard with three or four outputs like the AMD Readon HD 7970 3gb ATI 7950 - but i have to use / buy a lot adapter and maybe cant use vga/analog connection to the projector...???

thank

Fred

If all you are doing is playing a movie look at the brightsign products they will let you make the movie as three parts and sync them. They are also very cheap and often used for this exact purpose. You can also scale them if you own the by adding more and getting more screens. On top of that they are very reliable and don't require any operation other than turning on

Bodo

...interesting products -but no i need some features of isadora and already have the mac pro - only want to no if it is better to play a three-split screen via one graphic card or is it the same if i play via 2 graphic cards -regarding the sync of three outputs -but as it is one wide mov 3072x768 which is chopped in three parts -it should be in sync anyway - or i`am wrong???