Direct feed from camcorder to beamer?

[PeterVerhaert]

Hi,

I need to get a life feed from a camcorder to a beamer to show live action on a bigger screen. However, the venue where this is going to take place forces me to hook the camera up to my laptop and connect the laptop to the projector.

I have two questions: How do I do this from a hardware point of view (a new camera can be purchased for this project, which ports should it have to pull this of e.g.) ?

What software do you recommend to get a full screen camera feed that can be sent to the projector?

Thanks a lot,

Peter

 

[Chris15]

From what I read, it seems we are talking about camera and projector in the same room, yes?
You're going to have an amount of latency with a software solution that may range between perceptible and slightly annoying - a lip sync error to several nseconds which will make people want the screen turned off because it's messing with their head...

What is the constraint from the venue preventing you from inputting to the projector without using a PC (and I'm guessing perhaps a network too)?

 

[PeterVerhaert]

The live action won't be visible for all members of the audience and does not contain audio (there is a seperate music track playing during this performance, so latency won't be a major problem, even when it's big.

I could go directly to the beamer (if I use my own, but the venue kind of insists using their projector, which is controlled from the back of the room. As it happens, there is no cable to cover the distance between the onstage camera and the control room in the back. However, by linking up to the network, that problem could be solved. Linking up to the network, in turn requires a laptop being introduced into the loop...

Thanks a lot,

Peter

 

[metti]

Using a network protocol is going to introduce extremely significant latency and it is going to be very noticeable. Look at using existing ethernet wiring with a Cat5 balun for the camera feed.

 

[ruinexplorer]

Do you need to convert the video into an IP video and then back to a baseband video? What type of network are you talking about and how is it connected to the projector? What quality of image do you require?

The more information that you can provide, the easier it will be for us to help you. If you can provide models of the camcorder and projector as well as the equipment between that you are working with, it also can provide the community with the information to better assist you.

 

[NicktheEvil]

Qlab 2 can handle a live video feed. you just need to get a video input device for the computer.

 

[derekleffew]

PeterVerhaert, are you using the term beamer as a synonym for projector? Is that a standard term in your locale?
In the US, it's slang for a BMW motorcar, or a mirror device for a stage light (ala I-Cue).

 

[ruinexplorer]

I thought Antwerp was in Belgium. Maybe I need some geography lessons.

 

[metti]

PeterVerhaert, are you using the term beamer as a synonym for projector? Is that a standard term in your locale?
In the US, it's slang for a BMW motorcar, or a mirror device for a stage light (ala I-Cue).

Beamer is a widely used term for projector in most, if not all, of Europe. The term hasn't caught on in the US but elsewhere it is the norm.

 

[museav]

Beamer is a widely used term for projector in most, if not all, of Europe. The term hasn't caught on in the US but elsewhere it is the norm.

The first time I encountered that was when Mercedes-Benz was building their Vance, AL plant and they kept mentioning hanging a beamer from the ceiling. Given that it was M-B it took some time to realize they weren't talking about actually hanging a BMW from the ceiling. BMW also happened to be the one car brand you were probably best to not drive on to the job site, probably exactly the opposite over at the Spartanburg, SC BMW plant.

Peter, so are you talking about going from a laptop at the stage over the data network to another computer at the booth whose output then goes to the projector? Or is there a computer video input to the projector at the stage and you would connect the laptop to that?