possible to capture a scene (not stage or camera)?

[Lauri]

Hi,

I would need to capture scene (not stage or camera) for an installation, and I’m asking would that be possible. 

I would need to capture one live stream, process that cumulatively with earlier captured material from the same source (in one scene), and then separately in another scene combine this processed material with a second camera stream – or do all this even inside just one scene, if possible, by just capturing the cumulatively processed video stream.

Recording the stage would result the second camera being part of the captured material, and capturing camera would only record the current live feed. I also need to avoid huge video files stacking into the HD and combining infinite number of video files together (slowing the process).

So, how would I capture a scene (instead of stage or camera)? Any advice?

Thanks in advance!

[mark]

@lauri said:

Recording the stage would result the second camera being part of the captured material, and capturing camera would only record the current live feed.

The key to solving this is to open additional stages, with the main stage routed your output to the video projector, and the other stages routed to a display that is not connected to the computer (e.g., Display 6.) That will force the additional stages into in preview mode, and you can use them simply as "canvases" from which you can capture stuff using the Capture Stage to Disk actor. For instance, you the live feed to "Stage B", record from there, and then put the processed result on "Stage A" which is your output.

While this method is a bit of a pain because the Windows must be visible, you can move them so that they are mostly offscreen. (You'll still be able to record the entire stage image, even if most of it isn't visible because it's beyond the edge of the display.)

Does that make sense?

Best Wishes,
Mark

[Lauri]

@mark 

Thanks! That makes a lot of sense.

If the installation has only one screen (projector), the "final" stage fills the whole screen in full screen mode. How then would the other stage act if the final stage is full screen? Or maybe I misunderstood you point?

If the the project is 1080P, I suppose the (intermediate) stage preview has to be 1080P too, right?

[Lauri]

@mark 

Thank you again Mark. I got your point. I tried it, and it works – and as you say, the preview window is there but can be dragged to the corner, a bit visible.

However, I had persistent crashing if the stage was 5 or 6. It works now when I've selected the "extra" stage to number 3 (display number can be what ever non-existent display).

[mark]

@lauri said:

However, I had persistent crashing if the stage was 5 or 6.

That's really strange, given that neither stage 3 nor 4 nor 5 nor 6 exist -- there shouldn't be any difference. If you can get the crash report from ~/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports, thenplease .zip one of them and post it here. I'll have a look.

Best Wishes,
Mark

[Lauri]

@mark 

Sorry for the delay, I've been out of "office". I checked again today that crashing occurs as mentioned before. Here's the latest crash report:Isadora_2017-11-30-135744_Lauris-Mac-Pro.crash.zip

Best,

Lauri