Alex Ramos

Thanks for the reply, The mute function should be done without updating the screens, so conditional layer is no good, as requires you to update the screens and this will result in black screens. And this is where my point 4 comes in. Some times I need to add a new video to a certain screen or screens during the presentation (Live TV show), and I can't afford to get all the screen black. So if I can select witch screens to update I can minimise the damage by switching to a different camera and not showing the screen being updated. With the new 5.5.1 I can use the "Use this screens" function, but I can't do this for 50+ displays, when I have only a few second to do this. See the picture for an example of a show. About point 5. Lets say we have 35 time lines and each time line 15 layers and each layer 1 movie. If I need to control live Colour, Bright and Contrast individually for each video, I will need 1575 knobs on the MIDI control surface, and will need to create 1575 different Input commands. Because if I use the same knob for all the videos, when Im adjusting one all the other will be adjusted as well. So my request is: We create an Input command to control Colour, not assign to a specific media. Only when we select a media in a time line the Colour control will be activated, but only for that specific media. As soon as you click on a different media the Colour control will be released from the previous and only active on the new click. I believe the is called "contextual MIDI" Midi commands only work on the select media.

Christian, Those are the cards I use, W7000 and W9000. To maximise performance I don't use all the outputs.

1 - Possibility to create groups/folders on the task window 2 - Select a media from media windows, click mouse right and select find it on the Aux time lines 3 - Mute Aux time lines layer playback on displays, without the need to update. 4 - Select witch displays to update, possibility to arrange displays in groups 5 - Midi support, "active layer" mode. Meaning that midi command will be linked to the Tween and not to the layer. So that the Tween will only actuate on the select layer at the moment, this makes possible to use the same Midi input in any layer. 6 - Midi feedback to motorised faders. ex Behringer B-Control BCF2000 When using midi to control Tween track, and playing the Aux timeline, Tween track will send feed back to the faders. 7 - Possibility to move displays on stage with cursor keys. 8 - Keep showing media information (Tween track) when clicking out of the Aux time line window. 9 - Stage ruler and guide lines, same as in photoshop. 10 - Possibility to pause live video and keep the last frame as a still, until play again.

Is the same happening in the watchpax ? Its on the pax description "Hardware accelerated video playback (H.264)" How is the Watchout of the pax different from the downloadable version ? Alex

Hey all, Im using watchout to drive LCDs video walls and LED screens. When working with LCD video walls some times I need to used multiple outputs from the same machine or from multiple machines. To keep every thing in sync Im using S400 cards, but.....not always this is working good. Some times I can't make the ATI cards outputs to sync. Even with the S400 card installed and powered I don't get the option to select the outputs to follow the master. Lets say we have a 9 wide x 5 tall video wall config. OOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOO Now each area (number) is connected to a different DVI output and the screens are DVI looped. 112222233 445555566 445555566 445555566 445555566 Being all the monitors the same brand and model, even from the same batch. Should be possible to sync the outputs. But no, its not. After some testing in the workshop Ive found that: Its not posible to sync outputs with different screen EDID. and For some reason the ATI card can see that some outputs have more screen than others, and considers this to be like different screens model. Even if in windows setting for resolution the multiple outputs show the same EDID, "sharp monitor". The only way Ive managed to sync everything was using DVI Parrots loaded with the monitors EDID to fake that only one monitor is connected to the output. Hope this can help anyone in future projects. Alex

Thanks Thomas, Just to clear a doubt. To start a AUX time line we don't need a specific string, right? By creating a generic input we can use any string to trigger any thing. Meaning that what ever the string is coming from the control panel, we can use it in a generic input. Please correct me if Im wrong.

Hi Thomas, Thanks for the support. Ive decided to leave the serial buttons from audiovisualdevices.com, and start my own project. This way I got no "middle man" software, converting protocols. Im using visual basic to send UDP generic inputs and production protocol. Going good so far.

Thanks for the the reply. Midi controller is what im using at the moment and it's not enough. 1* watchout can't reply to the midi controller confirming the action. Ex change the button's color when the time line runs. 2* This is used in a broadcast invoirement, so I need the same kind of hardware used in matrix switchers and video mixers. So my idea is, case videohub control can work stand alone, to use the broadcasted messages sent by the BM when a button is pressed to trigger WO events. And at the same time send tcp/ip from WO to trigger lights in the BM videohub controller. Basically what I'm looking is for forum support developing this idea. Tkx Alex

ThomasL Can you give some more info on how you configured the VSPE. Im trying but I cant route the serial data to the TCPserver. Been using a serial monitor, so I can see that the serial buttons are sending data. Been using a UDP tester, so I know watchout is receiving commands. On VSPE I first create a new comport, after create a TCP client, and assign the virtual comport to the IP and port from watchout production (ex. 192.168.0.1 3040) But.... not working, I get a double serial message on the serial monitor when using tcp client on VSPE. Any help appreciated Alex

Hey all, Im working a in a project that will involve control panels to trigger Aux time lines. My idea is to use Blackmagic videohub control panels. What I mean is I need to control Dataton Wachout timelines, for this I must send UDP TCP IP strings, and the software can reply to the control panel to confirm the action. Any one as experience in something similar, or can recommend control panel, other than blackmagic, that can do this? Tkx Alex

Tks for the info Jonas. Alex

Im about to order 70 cables, can you please lois any WatchPax compatible models. On asking this because Ive tried some apples stuff that dint work with WatchPax, and I don't want to buy 70 cables that will not work with the Pax. Tks Alex

Ok, Im using the samsung 55" UD monitors whit display port input, in this case I can just get mini display port to display port cables, right ? You got any link for this? Tks again Alex

Is there any way we can use passive adapters? This way will not burn.

Hi all, Iv been using this converters for the Wathpax. I have about 80, but they keep "burning" and stop working. Can any one advice a different model, more reliable model brand. Tks Alex

Don't know about the CPU. But there is a huge benefit on the Firepro cards over the Radeons. Only the firePro will allow you to use the S400 sync card. I'm aware that not all aplication will need the S400, but being you a retal company you must be prepared for anything. Even if you are using just one display engine you will need the S400 to sync all the outputs in that card. I'm using all 6 output on the firepro w9000 to drive LED screens, and the only way to make it look like just one screen is to use the s400. I use a lot of HD layers running in background and chose the one i need with a MIDI fader controlling Opacity. With this setup the Radeon HD cards dont perform as well as the Firepro.

You must configure the Linsn sending card EDID to a resulution that WachPax can display, lets say 1920x1080. To do this you must connect the TX card USB to a pc and run Ledstudio. Go to: Option > Software setup type "lins" and use the password "168" Sender > dispaly mode > 1920x1080 and press Save on sender. Don't forget you must now set the same resolution on watchout production.

Sorry don't know what happened. Try here. http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=669261729757884&set=a.118306948186701.19403.100000221888764&type=1&theater

Hello all, I've been reading the Recommended codecs for stable WATCHOUT playback doc. But still have some doubts. Im using procoder 3 to make the mpeg2hd files from uncompressed graphics. Procoder as to many option to play whit, so can any one please check my settings and advice. This is the linck to a puic of my setting http://img90.imageshack.us/img90/3564/bc5.png Thanks Alex

Situation: running a fullHD movie on one machine wile using 2 outputs of the same vga card. Doubt: Will the pc run 2 time the same fullHD movie, one for each output, or one movie divided over the 2 outputs? Thanks Alex

All my WO are driving LCD walls in TV studios. The gold here is to make the system from end to end in 50hz in order to minimize processing, delay and increase performance. All my captures sources are 25hz or 50hz, all media is 25hz or 50hz, WO internally at 50hz, display PC synced at 50hz via ATI S400, displays at 50hz and cameras at 1080i50hz. Is this the right philosophy? Even if the Sharp PN-V600 screens convert to 60hz this will not influence WO performance. (will cheek this with Sharp) From what I understood. WO will always display at the preferred timing of the connected display !! So if I use a EDID emulator with only one timing, lets say 1366x768 "native resolution of screen" only change the refresh rate from 60 to 50hz, this will be the signal send to the screens. But we can chose displays resolution on stage, and refresh rate under Preferences, custom FPS.!! How is this affecting the screens? If the selected seeing are available we have a picture, if not we get a error message. Right? One thing I still don't get it, why is the firepro only giving the 50hz option with one screen? Alex

Thanks Jonas, But, isn't hardware EDID managers to override a resolution, refresh rate, when the monitor is not "capable"? In this case the monitor can take the resolution, refresh rate. The problem is " I guess" the FirePro v7800, that when I plugin the second monitor disables the 50hz option. Is this possible, 2x 1366x768@50hz ou 1280x720@50hz is a very low resolution, refresh rate. A $800 VGA card MUST do this. The must be a solution. Alex

Hello, Any one with experience using the AMD Custom Timing Tool and the FirePro 7800? For some reason Im can't make the card output 2x any resolution @50hz Only if I use just one output I can get the 50hz option, when I'm with 2 screens "Sharp V600" only get the option for 60hz. I'v emailed to AMD and they send me the AMD Custom Timing Tool, http://www.amd.com/us/products/workstation/graphics/tools/Pages/tools.aspx But again if I create a new preset, 1280x720@50hz or 1366x768@50hz, I get an error message saying "could no apply video mode". The monitors accept 1280x720@50hz. WO is running on 50hz. And the reason for the me using 50hz, is that the installation is in a TV studio running on 50hz, and I'm using HDSDI capture 1080i50hz. Any trick to force the card giving the 50hz refresh rate? Best regards Alex

Then again WATCHOUT Systems Manager requires Adobe Flash or similar programming knowledge, this is not accessible to all. I need a integrated in WO tool, similar to ECUE's Action Pad, http://www.ecue.com/fileadmin/downloads/new2010/Product_Documentation/LIGHTING_APPLICATION_SUITE/System_Manual_LAS_55SR1.pdf page 118. With a tool like this we can create a control panel on the fly for all parameter in WO that can have an external control. Alex

Thanks, Iv tried those app before and they work great. But some times latency can be a problem, and using the finger to move the faders is not as precise as the mouse. I prefer something for the PC so i can use the mouse to control the faders. Alex