STAGE SETUP: two different resolution outputs as one double wide stage

[ijevansdesign]

So I am working a 4 beamer setup, 3 connected through a Matrox triple head, one directly plugged in. The directly plugged is scaled down (unknown mac issue). Two beamers hit one wall as one stage and the other two on another wall. How can I use the triple head beamer, and the directly plugged as one double-wide surface without scaling down all three triple heads to match the directly plugged. It cuts the resolution significantly and Im trying to keep the wall thats double triple head at its higher resolution, but I cant figure out how to use the other triple head beamer at a scaled resolution in the program without it cropping the projectors actual throw, which then makes it impossible to map the two into one even stage. Any help would be appreciated. (mac issue- if used at the higher resolution, the beamer just starts glitching and the only resolution it will stay stable at is very low (640x480) and haven't gotten an answer back yet from apple). 

[Woland]

@ijevansdesign

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Please tell us:

1. What version of Isadora you are using
2. What the operating system of your computer is

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Please correct me if any of my assumptions below are wrong:

1. All the projectors are the exact same make and model (If the lone beamer is different from the other three, that may be the problem)
   -OR-
2. The lone beamer is different from the other three but you've confirmed via the specs or something like Projector Central that it's capable of the resolution you're trying to use
3. You've already googled "[INSERT PROBLEM BEAMER MAKE AND MODEL] resolution issue".
4. All the projectors are using roughly the same signal chain (e.g. they're all using identical adaptors, cables, and converters).
   1. If, for example, the lone beamer is using HDMI extended over ethernet and the three TripleHead Beamers are all using HDMI-to-SDI convertor --> SDI --> Beamer, then that's important to know in terms of troubleshooting.
5. The projectors you have hooked up to the TH2G are 1920x1080 (which is a 16:9 aspect ratio).
   1. If this is the case, the biggest problem I can see is that your lone beamer is not only a different resolution (640x480) but it's also an entirely different aspect ratio (4:3). This will make your life incredibly difficult both blending and content-wise.

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Troubleshooting Ideas (in the order I'd try them, one at a time)

1. Try the Problem Beamer on a Different Computer by Itself
   1. Using all the same adaptors, cables, extenders, and repeaters plug the problem beamer into a different computer and see what the result is. 
      1. If it works fine at higher resolutions, that points to a problem with the computer you are using rather than any external hardware, and if possible, just switch to using the new computer (after testing it still works fine with the TripleHead and the lone beamer plugged in at the same time).
2. Try Different Resolutions
   1. Using the original computer and all same original setup, Go to Apple > System Preferences > Displays > Window for the lone beamer > Display tab > Resolution: then hold option and left-click "Scaled" to see if you get a better list of resolutions to try.
3. Swap Your Computer Output Ports
   1. Swap the port you are using for the Beamer A (Lone Beamer) with the port you are using for the TripleHead and see if that solves anything.
      1. If you have the same problem with Beamer A regardless of port, then you may need to replace the beamer or something in its signal chain (adaptors, extenders, repeaters, cables, input port used on the beamer).
4. Swap the Lone Beamer with a TripleHead Beamer
   1. Swap one of the Triplehead beamers with the lone beamer to see if that solves anything
      1. If you still have the same problem with what was originally the lone beamer even when it is coming out of the TH2G, then you may need to replace the beamer or something in its signal chain (adaptors, extenders, repeaters, cables, or the input port used on the beamer).
      2. If what was previously the lone beamer works fine in the TripleHead but now the beamer you've moved from the TripleHead to its own input presents the same problem as before, it points to a problem with that port or your computer, not the beamer or any hardware in the signal chain.
5. Troubleshoot the Signal Chain
   1. One by one, swap out every cable, adaptor, extender, and repeater in the signal chain for the lone beamer and test after swapping out each piece to see if any of them are the problem.
   2. If you are using extremely long signal cables, try swapping them out for shorter ones to see if that might be the issue.
   3. If the beamer has multiple input ports, try a different one (e.g. if it has HDMI 1 and HDMI 2 input ports and you are using HDMI 1, switch to HDMI 2 and see if that changes anything).

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Ideas that Require Additional Hardware (in the order I'd try them, one at a time)

1. Use a TripleHead for each side (each TripleHead with two beamers)
2. Use a Matrox QuadHead2Go or a Datapath fx4 so you can get all four outputs from the same device
3. If you have three outputs on your computer, do two direct outputs to individual beamers and one output to the TripleHead for the other two beamers.
4. Get a second computer and use one computer for each wall, then have one tell the other what to do via OSC

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Software-centric Ideas

Again, the biggest problem is going to be how to create content that's going to span one display that's 640x480 with a 4:3 aspect ratio and one display that's 1920x1080 with a 16:9 aspect ratio.

Once you figure out how to solve that puzzle, you can just put the two displays that make up the oddball wall into separate Stages in Stage Setup, then use the Global Edge Blend Mask actor and eyeball the edgeblend until it looks good. Example file --> DOWNLOAD 
(What I described is the file named "Blending TripleHead & Small Display Option 1". I went down a rabbit hole that I eventually realized was pointless with the Option 2 file but the User Actors I created might actually be useful for edge blend calculations so I included that file and the User Actors as well.)

[ijevansdesign]

@woland

We are ordering another triple head. All of the beamers are the same make / model and all are 4:3 so on that front eveerything is equivalent. The problem is that the trouble beamer starts spasming (literally like green matrix static type thing) at the resolution the triple heads are at, and at any other resolution except randomly 640x480. It appearssssss as though it's a mac issue because the beamer itself is fully functional its a signal problem. Were hoping the extra beamer, like you said, wont connect in the weird way the direct-in seems to cause and well be able to "trick" the mac into giving us what we want on that last display. Thanks for the other options if this fails!

[ijevansdesign]

@woland version 3.2.5 and MacOS Mojave 10.14.6

[Fred]

@ijevansdesign What kind of converter are you using to:

1. convert from a port on your mac to the connection on the beamer?

2. Extend the signal from your mac to the beamer?

3. Possibly decode a signal from an extension system to the beamer?

The issue you report (unavailble resolutions) sounds like part of your chain is not able to handle the bandwidth you are transmitting over a the cable/convertor setup you are using. Can you test the directly plugged in port and cable/convertor chain piece by piece with different convertors and cabling (the ones you know work)?