Mapping Five projectors to a single computer

[Jay Ashworth]

Sure there are. But those weren't what the gent had already, from his description, and they're probably not germane in a 1200ft blackbox anyway.

VGA is a generic enough term for PC video output that I'm not gonna feel too bad either way on that one.

And 6 port cards are *that cheap* now? Last time I looked, they were still $600+, and that was months ago, not years. You got a link?

 

[Jay Ashworth]

Something like this was the closest hit I've seen:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B009S2F268/?tag=controlbooth-20

 

[techieman33]

Keepa shows that this card has been on amazon since fall of 2013 and supports 6 mini display port outputs. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00C7EPSVS/?tag=controlbooth-20

 

[Amiers]

Something like this was the closest hit I've seen:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B009S2F268/?tag=controlbooth-20

Keepa shows that this card has been on amazon since fall of 2013 and supports 6 mini display port outputs. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00C7EPSVS/?tag=controlbooth-20

Op is running laptops.

Those cards if you read the reviews are a PITA to set up as well as saying adapters blowing if not configured properly. He would hit his budget in adapters alone.

 

[Craig Hauber]

No honestly I have a plan I just need to commit and I can't find two sources that agree with each other 100% and I can't afford to be wrong. I just had to decide between using ab Hp Compau 720 elite (I know trust me but it's my booth computer so the audio is already wired in and it will definitely have the one back projector on it) and then add additional Video Cards or run it off of an Inspiron 7558 with an Intel Core TM i7-5500U CPU with 6 gigs of ram and using a TripleHead2Go.

When running on nonexistent budget, I've done such things as this by just collecting as many loaner older computers -mostly desktops and just ran one computer per projector using long VGA cables.

You could probably scour eBay and find some cheap VGA extender "Balun" sets to use cat-5 instead.

Yes it gets hairy in the booth co-ordinating multiple machines but it saves thousands in rental costs that many small theaters don't have. They usually have an abundance of volunteers so multiple computer operators in addition to the usual sound/light techs is more easier to attain.

I've even gone so far as to use open-source slide presentation software on Linux machines and home-made string & pulley "dousers" to black-out projectors (multiple projectors on single surface -black one out and open another -then change media on the blacked-out one for next cue)

Usually around school & church groups finding projectors and old computers isn't an issue, but finding pro-grade switchers, scalers and software is!

 

[MNicolai]

Yes it gets hairy in the booth co-ordinating multiple machines but it saves thousands in rental costs that many small theaters don't have. They usually have an abundance of volunteers so multiple computer operators in addition to the usual sound/light techs is more easier to attain.

I'm not familiar with SCS and its capabilities but for people who have access to a few Mac Mini's, you can rent multiple Qlab licenses for dirt cheap and go Mini-per-output with Qlab running on each machine, with one Mini that has the master cue list to control the other Qlab instances running on the additional workstations. Crude, and not ideal, but effective. Also pretty easy to park the Mac Mini's right next to each projector so you minimize cabling.

The primary problem here is budget. You could spend $400 just on cables for something like this. Much less sourcing the hardware needed to drive the system or rights to any stock content you may need to hijack and customize. And if you need to buy cables, adapters, or hardware, investing any money in VGA will be a sunk cost. You'll never achieve an ROI and it won't be long before those projectors start dying off and get replaced by HDMI or native HDBT projectors.

Calling in favors is probably a better way to go, and might hook you up with a system that provides more appropriate, professional experience for a college environment.

 

[domiii]

Not to muddy the waters with another suggestion, but this is what I've done in the past is this and it works.

Put the video computer (or two) on the stage connected to your network (using that cat 5 cable you have from the booth). Use that for your projections. Then have your sound booth computer (on the same network) control the video computers using MIDI.

SCS has to be on all computers and, that is the program that controls it all. SCS is capable of MIDI, Telnet and now DMX control. There are free virtual MIDI over Ethernet drivers available for PC and I think Mac. It is a little tricky to set up, but once setup, it works like a charm especially with a wired network connection.

We used this method for two video projections for the play 'A Piece of My Heart'. We have a small lighting/sound/box-office and prefer to use one tech to run sound and lights. We run everything from the 'go' button on the lighting board (ETC Express 48/96).

if you are interested, let me know and I can give more details if you need them.