Has anyone had any luck getting VOR to hear MSC commands from Isadora?

It seems to stay "...waiting"

@maria said:

The sensor lights red (connected to power source and via hub, because this Mac model doesn't have an internal standard USB port) Status output unit in OpenNI BETA actor says resolving uri. I tried to download the Kinect-test-macOS folder, found in the forum, but cannot run it because of security. I'll be very happy to hear a suggestion from you.

 Sometimes the order and configuration of things matters for finicky hardware like the Kinect, for example you can try:

Launching Isadora then plugging in the KinectQuitting Isadora, plugging in the Kinect, then launching IsadoraPlugging in the Kinect, restarting the computer, then launching IsadoraNot having the OpenNI Tracker actor in the very first Scene of your file so Isadora finishes all startup processes before you move into a Scene with the OpenNI Tracker actor.Trying with an unpowered hub (avoid putting anything else on the hub)Trying with a powered hub (avoid putting anything else on the hub)Trying with a USC-C converter instead of a hub (this is what I would personally recommend because it removes all the variables that come with using a hub)

You get the general idea, trying things in a different order or a different configuration sometimes has different results when it comes to hardware-specific issues.

@thatmattrogers said:

TH2go seems to only display as a single screen

As @Skulpture wrote, this is the expected behavior. It's for Isadora 3, so the exact names and appearance of things might have changed from what's in the article, but the general information/idea explained under the heading "For users working with a Matrox TripleHead or DualHead only" in this support article of ours about working with multiple displays might still be helpful to you.

@gertjanbn hello, since the obsbot are supposed to be UVC so it should work with the video in ptz image control. Did you try ? I guess it is not possible out of usb c cable connection but I'd love to know about it.

I've also just logged this in our issue tracking system.

@tim_f Hi, ah, I just realized the frequency band actor works with the default mac device, not with a variable audio input. But you'll find quite some actors with audio input in the audio category of the actors list, such as all or most actors starting with AU on macOs, they come from the default Core plugins, at least on recent macOS versions), as well as audio plugins you might add yourself to your mac sytem (for example through the MPluginManager - opens quite a big range of possibillity). 

For example, I had a multichannel video and wanted to manage the gain and routing of each sound channel in Izzy. The movie player doesn't allow that, but using Blackhole as device for the MP and as input in the AU Input actor, I was able to do pretty much anything I wanted to the video´s sound. Have fun with that! 

Best,

Jo

I'm always happy if somebody wants to chime in here to correct me, add to what I have to say, but here's a summary of what I believe I know about this subject.

TLDR: As far as I know, using one computer with a single, powerful GPU in combination with display-extending hardware tends to be better than using a computer with multiple discrete GPUs (and also better than trying to synch multiple computers if you care about your outputs being frame-synched).

@armando said:

having multiple graphics cards is supported on Macs right now?

I should have been more specific. It actually says, "Computers with multiple discrete GPUs that have not been properly configured" and "Computers with external graphics cards (eGPUs)".

So yes, actually, Apple and Windows computers with multiple internal graphics cards are supported but only when configured properly. To the best of my knowledge though, there are very few recent Apple computers that support the use of multiple internal graphics cards. The only ones I know off the top of my head are:

The old, "cheese grater" Mac Pro towers (which at this point are more than a decade old).The 2013 Mac Pro (commonly called "trash cans" because of the shape), which are also over a decade old and also have the issue that few, if any, programs can actually make use of the dual graphics card setup. One of these has been my main show computer since 2015 and, while I've needed to get it repaired a few times, I found that the number of outputs it offers is usually enough, and when it isn't, one can use display-extending hardware or BlackSyphon + direct output to Blackmagic hardware to get more outputs.The newer "cheese grater" Mac Pro towers (which are so expensive I've never even considered trying one out).

Frankly, I believe there are better options. For Windows it's optimal to go with a single, powerful graphics card with as many outputs as possible then use display extenders like the Matrox TripleHead2Go DP Edition, Matrox QuadHead2Go, or Datapath fx4 (which has the added benefit of being daisychain-able) as this is (as far as I understand) is more efficient since textures don't need to be passed between multiple graphics cards. I've heard from other people, (who are more experienced with Windows than I am), that if you can figure out the proper configuration, using multiple discrete internal GPUs isn't an issue, but personally I still prefer the external display-extending hardware because it can easily be used with different computers for different projects, which I find more flexible than building a computer with multiple, discrete internal GPUs.

For macOS, I've heard that the Mac Studios are quite powerful and, again, you can use display extending hardware to get more outputs if needed. These display extenders can also make it easier to keep your outputs frame-synched (important when using multiple beamers or displays to create a larger, composite image) as the computer sees each display extender as a single, large display. So, with the example of a Datapath fx4 or Matrox QH2G, instead of sending four separate videos to four separate displays, your computer sends different parts of the same high-resolution video to something it sees as single display, resulting in all four displays connected to the display extender being frame-synched.

So overall, I personally think there's better, more efficient, options than trying to work with a machine that has multiple graphics cards. Again, though, I'm happy to be corrected if anyone knows more about this than me. I'm always open to learning, especially when it results in finding out about a better way to do something.

@dbini said:

I would like to take this opportunity to fully recommend Pipo Interfaces. I've been helping to test the prototypes during the Dance Hacks, and they are the most stable and practical movement sensors I have used in 15 years of plugging dancers into Isadora. 

Just to give some additional context to @dbini's comment for anyone reading this who doesn't know him:
John is a long-time Isadora power-user and *really* knows what he's talking about, so what I've quoted above should be considered *extremely* high praise.

@dbini said:

Media Thumbnail resolution up to 640px

 This resolution is created (when you use file/Rebuild Media Thumbnails). If you are using the 'Bin Picker' control, you will see an immediate update to the thumbnails, since the default of 48px is less than the default thumbnail size of the bin picker (64px). Of course if you set the preference to 256 and the Bin Picker thumb size to 256, you have large clear images.

... and here is what we got up to during the residency:

thanks to Troikatronix, Pipo Interfaces and Basti Kuhz for supplying tech, and Valve Cultural Centre for the space.

hello,

i own a blackmagic video assist 7" 12G HDR monitor and i wouldn't want to be without it. on the one hand, i use it for almost every setup - i do rather complex (live) video installations as part of live performances - to check whether HD-SDI or HDMI signals are sent or arrive at the end and in which resolution and frame rate (both are displayed by the monitor).

i have also used the device several times to record signals, mostly as throughput, both as an “extended display” on the HDMI output of a mac and to record a single live video signal via HD-SDI before the input in isadora. in this case, i connected the incoming camera signal to the HD-SDI input and the HD-SDI output to an HD-SDI-capable capture card on/in the computer.

i have also done the second (throuput via HD-SDI) during live shows and did not have the impression that this increases the latency of the live video. however, i have not really tested this yet.

with the first variant (throuput via HDMI), i had the impression just yesterday, when i used the video assist as a second external monitor on my mac for a quick test, that there was a slightly higher latency than with the second connected “normal” monitor. however, the “normal” monitor was also connected to the native HDMI output of the mac book pro, while the assist was connected to the HDMI output of a small noname thunderbolt dock. this could also be the reason for more latency.

of course, the latency issue is only important in live situations. i also often use the device to record content developed in isadora cleanly and without additional cpu load. but actually only video. the blackmagic video assist can of course also record sound via HDMI.

what i don't quite understand is what you mean by “could it take video signal straight from Izzy”. does that mean you would want to connect the device to the output of a computer-internal video card, for example, so that it is not connected via a normal graphics output but from isadora directly via the video card? that should of course also work. 

as far as the stupid orange dot is concerned: since i don't work much with live sound, i'm not quite up to date. isn't it somehow possible to switch it off anyway?

so much for now, if you have any further questions, please feel free to ask.

greetings,
benjamin

@juriaan Thanks for your input on this! I have the Enttec and am working with it. Look forward to seeing this work around. Much appreciated!

@crystalhorizon said:

Is there an example file

The example file is available on the add-ons page: TROIKATRONIX : ISADORA - Pythoner Example File

Regarding the monitor window, I open it and check it because, Pythoner will print out any errors to the monitor window, so it is very helpful to have it open when you are working with Pythoner.
!! open it before running your code, otherwise you can lose the output.
Also, when writing Python, any print() calls you add will print directly to the Monitor window, which is very helpful in figuring things out.
The other thing I am doing at the same time as opening the Monitor window is opening and closing the Pythoner code editor, this is because that forces the code to initialize and can provide feedback about missing modules or other issues.

@jandraka

Thankyou! that totally works. I had tried adding different actors in that position, but not a Video Mixer. : )

@woland, I wasn't sure how to incorporate the hold range and scale actor. I created what appears to be a workaround, as I am now receiving a signal. What issues do you see this workaround potentially causing?

@woland , Yes, I’m aware that they are separate accounts, and even though I’ve already created one, it won’t let me access it — I keep getting a 'Login failed. Wrong username/password combination' message, and when I try to reset the password, I get an error as well. I’m not sure what’s going on, so I’m adding it here just in case someone wants a dark mode.☺

Hallo Hallo,

I am trying to export a stage with alpha channel and I am setting the codec to ProRes444.

It doesn't seem to work though. The file in the end doesn't have alpha. Does anyone know why?

Thanks

Elena

@woland said:

I am afraid of snakes*

 me too.

thanks

@bonemap said:

I could not get a matching set of resolutions for each display area, perhaps because of the different model projectors.

Just re-reading this now and for anyone reading this in future, in my experience, the Matrox TH2G DP editions don't like it when you connect displays that don't all have matching resolutions, and I think they even suggest connecting three displays that are all the exact same make and model.

@dbini

Is this not the same as the lock feature? When I choose this, I get the exact same options.

The issue is, if I activate the option "User can save changes", the only difference is, that one could save the patch to a backup file, but not to the original.
Second; In non of the options the scene editing is available.
Or am I wrong here?

@DusX 
I'm working for a big city theatre, where the main system is a bigger media server (pixera). But for smaller productions on the little stages and the rehearsal rooms, we need a system, which isn't to complex. As we are a small team for video and can not be there all the time for all rehearsals and productions, we like to give the prepared hard and software to the production team. But they often doesn't have any technical background beyond playing a youtube video or maybe using VLC. Therefore it needs to be as noob proof as possible. But then sometimes there are more complex productions, with multiple outputs and often live cam inputs, etc.
This is where Isadora could come in handy. We would build a basic patch with a specific GUI for the production, limited to the settings they need. To avoid irritations and braking things, it would help to deactivate all parts, which could lead to issues.

At the moment as far as I could try it, these are the available options:

1. No option activated at all:
Controls can change values
No actors view/ control edit
No adding of new Scenes
Media library locked
No save option at all

2. "User can edit controls"

Controls can change values
Controls can be edited
Actor view is available and actors can be manipulated (Which is not obvious reading the options text)
No adding of new Scenes
Media library locked
No save option at all (still)

3. "User can edit media"

Controls can change values
No actors view/ control edit
No adding of new Scenes
Media library UNlocked
No save option at all (still)

4. "User can save changes"

This works as an addition to the other options and gives "Save Backup" option. But not saving to the same project.
But still no Scene adding/editing (Maybe with an option to lock the first X scenes to keep them save)

Actually I am wondering why there is no Scene editing available at all...

What I'd need:

Controls can change values
No actors view/ control edit
Adding/ editing Scenes with an option to lock the first X scenes to keep them save
Media library UNlocked
Save to the same project