Live streaming to projector (not internet or hard drive)

[fartheststar]

Hi,

I'm normally an editor but I am doing a theatre gig at the moment.

The director wants:

Sometimes - prerecorded videos that students have made to be projected on a screen on stage. (Quicktime movie)

Sometimes - a live stream (not internet) from a video camera to be projected on a screen.

Sometimes - nothing projected. The videos and live stream NEVER overlap.

Two things I'm not clear about:
1. How to switch seamlessly between a video/nothing/live camera without seeing the desktop. I guess I could pull out the minidisplay port adapter...
2. What kind of camera I need. I did a bit of research and it seems that a DV/HDV camera is ok - I have to try that out on Monday once I have the FW400 to FW800 adapter.

OUTPUT Setup: Macbook pro minidisplay port to VGA adapter to projector. TESTED and OK.

 

[ibennetch]

Two things I'm not clear about:
1. How to switch seamlessly between a video/nothing/live camera without seeing the desktop.

The easiest solution is that you need a switcher. Perhaps a scaler/switcher combo, otherwise you'll need to convert the computer output to your switcher's video format. You should get better quality signal to the projector by using a scaler that upconverts the camera (rather than using a traditional video switcher and downconverting the computer video).

I guess I could pull out the minidisplay port adapter...

Most projectors will not like this.

2. What kind of camera I need. I did a bit of research and it seems that a DV/HDV camera is ok - I have to try that out on Monday once I have the FW400 to FW800 adapter.

As long as it can output video in the same format your switcher can take, no need to worry about anything else. Probably either component or composite video.

 

[martinX]

prerecorded videos that students have made to be projected on a screen on stage. (Quicktime movie)

Mac to projector via VGA, DVI, HDMI or DisplayPort or whatever works best

Sometimes - a live stream (not internet) from a video camera to be projected on a screen.

Video camera to projector via composite (easiest) or component (trickier depending on your equipment)

Sometimes - nothing projected. The videos and live stream NEVER overlap.

Mute video command on the projector. Does exactly what it sounds like: makes the screen black.

Addendum: ibennetch is right, but a HD scaler/switcher may be out of your budget. It also depends on how your system is set up: is it an integrated system or is it just a projector on a table.

 

[lucidmedia]

also, consider a software solution. There are several packages that are designed to trigger video for live performance:

two i have used are Resolume
http://www.resolume.com/

and Modul8
http://www.modul8.ch/

triggering can be done via your keyboard or a midi device. Both can take live video as an input source.

 

[ibennetch]

Addendum: ibennetch is right, but a HD scaler/switcher may be out of your budget.

Technically I never said anything about HD -- the upconverting I referred to is something that most scalers will do when presenting a VGA or DVI output; they take in the analog component or composite signal and scale it to the VGA/DVI output -- there's no way this project is worth dealing with HDSDI.

Thanks for the other thoughts, though, you bring up the good point that a low budget version is just switching the projector inputs if there's really no money to rent a scaler or switcher.

 

[martinX]

Technically I never said anything about HD

If he's presenting a computer-based output, it's HD.

a low budget version is just switching the projector inputs

no school like the old school

 

[RedTomato]

Mute video command on the projector. Does exactly what it sounds like: makes the screen black.

I did something like this for a play way back in the day. We found that the mute or blank screen still left a dim glow on the screen which was distracting. Eventually we rigged up a full blackout via a flap of some paper or fabric which the stage manager could could pull up and down via a long string running back from the projector to the sound booth ...

 

[martinX]

Eventually we rigged up a full blackout via a flap of some paper or fabric which the stage manager could could pull up and down via a long string running back from the projector to the sound booth ...

His name's not MacGyver is it?

 

[notjustjay]

Check out ProPresenter by Renewed Vision. It can do everything you need it to do: select from a set of prerecorded video clips (or pictures, or text slides), blank screen, fixed logos, or (one) live camera feed. Seamless fades between each.

The software is designed for church services where it is desirable to dynamically choose text slides (usually song lyrics) and optionally overlay them on any number of static or moving backgrounds (think spontaneous PowerPoint on steroids) but I have found many other uses for this program.

It is not exactly cheap, but the demo (watermarked) is fully functional and it may well do the job for you. It may be a bit overkill for the needs you specified above but you might find it as useful as I do. There is even an iPhone/iPad remote app so you can trigger everything remotely...