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WATCHOUT version 5 - Specifications on InfoComm 2011 SHOW-computers


Jonas Dannert

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Hi all,

 

On popular request, here is the specification on the InfoComm 2011 SHOW-computers,

running four (4) FullHD, 1920x1080, outputs on the WATCHOUT Display Computers.

 

Operating system: Windows 7 SP1, Home Premium, 32-bit English

CPU: Intel Core i7 Hexa 990 3.47 GHz / 12MB / Socket 1366

Graphics Card: Sapphire RADEON HD6970 2GB GDDR5 PCI-E DVI x 2/MiniDP x 2

(needs 2 ACTIVE MiniDP->DVI Single-link adapters for 4 DVI outputs)

Motherboard: ASUS X58 Sabertooth

RAM: Corsair 6 GB, DDR3-1066, 2 GB x 3, triple-channel

HD: Intel SSD 510 Series, 250GB

DVD: NEC DVD-R/RW DL

Power Supply: Corsair HX650W

Chassis: Image Shapetek EYE-4806BK, 19 inch 4U rack-chassie, black

 

Capture DVI: Datapath VisionRGB E-2s

Capture HDSDI: Decklink Duo

Capture HDMI: Intensity Pro

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why have 6gig of ram if your only running a 32Bit OS, it can only address 3gig of it

BTW Microsoft says windows XP or Windows 7 32 bit can address 4 Gb of memory.

True, but these machines is to be used for other purposes, too.

Also, price difference is slim.

I thought one of the reasons for the 3 x 2Gb for 6 Gb memory

was to achieve the enhanced throughput of the triple channel memory as compared to running 4 gb of just dual channel memory?

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Hi. First post here. I was checking system specs for Version 5. I wanted to comment on the 4GB Memory limits in Microsoft 32 Bit Client Operating systems. Note that Most 32 Bit Server Operating Systems made by MS do not have these same limitations.

 

Modern 32 Bit processors and those processors that use AMD64 extensions can access memory above 4GB through the Physical Address Extension (PAE). So, even though these processors can address this additional memory space and the OS can access it through the use of PAE, Microsoft intentionally limits 32Bit Client OS's to 4GB Maximum due to the inability of hardware manufacturers to write drivers that are stable when addressing memory above the 4GB barrier, among other reasons.

 

What this means is that ALL memory consumed by drivers loading is taken from the upper memory area and that there will always be less than 4GB available to the OS. So, when you install more than 4GB, NONE of it will be used by the hardware or OS. This also means that when you install a video card with 2GB of VRAM, that 2GB is subtracted from the 4GB that is installed on the motherboard and it will also not be available to be used by the OS. Since other drivers also load into memory, this means even less memory is available to the OS.

 

There are may articles about this. Here is one of the best: http://www.geoffchappell.com/viewer.htm?doc=notes/windows/license/memory.htm

 

The article has been updated several times.

 

So, the system in the OP of this thread won't have anywhere near that 6GB of RAM installed available to the OS, let alone 4GB. You can verify this by looking at System Properties.

 

Peace.

Dr. Z

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  • 3 weeks later...
  • 3 weeks later...
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...What equipment was used for motion tracking?

Inquiring minds want to know?

i.e. one of our customers is asking the same question. ;)

 

Can anyone provide direction on the non-WATCHOUT section

of the motion tracking solution used at InfoComm?

 

The WATCHOUT side we understand - bitmap media object set to "Optimize For: More Effects and Capabilities",

Inputs, Tween formulas, etc

 

But how was the motion tracking accomplished up to the point

of the position data provided to the WATCHOUT input objects?

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...Graphics Card: Sapphire RADEON HD6970 2GB GDDR5 PCI-E DVI x 2/MiniDP x 2 (needs 2 ACTIVE MiniDP->DVI Single-link adapters for 4 DVI outputs) ...

I thought I might post a clarification here,as I spoke with someone today who may not have interpreted this correctly.WATCHOUT 5 only works with one graphics output card.That one graphics card may have up to six outputs provided the graphics card vendor includes driver support for multiple ouptuts under DirectX in 3D mode.The AMD/ATi Radeon with Eyefinity does support more than two outputs with WATCHOUT 5.Not all vendors do that.
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  • 1 month later...

Dear Mariano,

 

Please read the post above!

 

 

WATCHOUT 5 only works with one graphics output card.

That one graphics card may have up to six outputs provided the graphics card vendor

includes driver support for multiple outputs under DirectX in 3D mode.

 

The AMD/ATi Radeon with Eyefinity does support more than two outputs with WATCHOUT 5.

Not all vendors do that.

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  • 2 weeks later...
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Are the Capture cards required for the Display Computers?

And if you do not need to manipulate the content, do you need them for the Production Computer?

 

No, they are not required, just optional.

But we use them as part in our shows for demonstration purposes.

 

Mainly one uses them in Display computers, but if you want a Live preview of what you capture,

in the Stage Window, instead of the standard placeholder, you can use them in the Production computer as well.

 

Set this in Preferences of the Production software.

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  • 3 weeks later...
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Is there a reason you used a 32bit OS here?

Wouldn't a 64bit system be better?

 

Yes, there is a reason to use 32 bit, and no 64 bit would not be better.

The reason is most movie decoders available today are 32 bit.

Since key components remain 32 bit, WATCHOUT remains 32 bit as well.

WATCHOUT is efficiently coded and is not memory constrained in any way.

So while WATCHOUT will run in 64 bit, it is 32 bit native,

and 64 bit offers absolutely no advantage as a result.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Thanks Jonas,

 

There use to be a list of background processes that were recommended to turn off. Can you provide or point me to a list of recommended tweaks for Windows 7? This would be extremely helpful...

 

 

Below are some obvious ones... Can you provides others? Thanks!

  • Disable Virus Protection
  • Disable Firewall
  • Set theme and power settings for performance
  • Disable notifications
  • Disable automatic updates
  • Disable system tray programs
  • System Processes: ???
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Maybe look here?

 

http://dataton.com/forum/topic/18-watchout-version-5-and-windows-7-32-or-64-bit/page__view__findpost__p__18

 

There is no list for turning off System processes, apart from what is possible through Windows GUI/Control panel.

 

If you feel safe poking around here, by all means feel free to experiment with those settings.

The risk is that you mess things up is quite big, though...

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  • 3 weeks later...
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Jonas,

 

What exactly do you mean when you say "for full functionality of WATCHOUT 5, Windows 7 is required"?

 

Does WATCHOUT 5 require Window 7 ... OR ... Can WATCHOUT 5 run on WIndows XP with partial functionality?

 

WATCHOUT 5 can run on WIndows XP with partial functionality.

That primarily refers to the ability to run display with multi-headed output cards.

If you run WATCHOUT 5 Display as a single head output, XP is fine.

Works OK for WATCHOUT 5 Production too.

 

While we have got two outs to work in testing under WATCHOUT 5 and XP,

the second output had anomalies (tears, scaled with black borders, etc.).

May have been correctable, but how far do you chase those probelms with XP

when Win7 is a quick, known to work, fix ? ;)

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  • 1 month later...

Hello,

 

as we are thinking about assembling some systems according to your recommendations, I just wanted to ask, if there are possibly any updated specs?

I just want to be sure to have a system which is up-to-date.

 

Especially concerning the RAM, I would like to know, if a higher bus clock like 1600 MHz does make sense.

 

 

Thank you in advance.

 

Regards

 

Lars

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