Projection Software?

[Robert F Jarvis]

Any one have any real experience with BMD's StagePlayer software?

 

[TimMc]

"Our buffer-free playback software Stage Player takes the complexities and cost of a media server and puts your show in the cloud..."

Cloud? Uh... my show is more important than to rely on an internet connection to AWS or Azure... and the failure fall over is more complicated compared to local playback sources.

I'd need a much better understanding of how this actually works before passing judgment.

When it comes to controlling things I'm a big fan of Isadora.

This thread belongs in Multimedia/Projection/Show Control forum...

 

[FMEng]

I agree with Tim that relying on an internet connection during the performance wouldn't be advisable. Happily, it appears they use the cloud for content acquisition and creation, but the files are downloaded and played from your hardware. Quoting from their web page...

Once downloaded, users have the ability to edit cue order, duplicate images and videos, edit timing and more! When you’re done designing, you're ready for opening night. Simply run projections by pressing “cue”.

There's nothing wrong with that approach.

 

[TimMc]

I agree with Tim that relying on an internet connection during the performance wouldn't be advisable. Happily, it appears they use the cloud for content acquisition and creation, but the files are downloaded and played from your hardware. Quoting from their web page...

Once downloaded, users have the ability to edit cue order, duplicate images and videos, edit timing and more! When you’re done designing, you're ready for opening night. Simply run projections by pressing “cue”.

There's nothing wrong with that approach.

Thanks for reading further than I did.

There are multiple remote content acquisition services (Frame i/o, just purchased by Adobe is one of the better). What's the pricing like on Stage Player?

 

[Robert F Jarvis]

Not sure what the replies had to do with BMD's StagePlayer. But if you need to add the odd slide or move clips between acts forget it. Just got BMD to admit that editing their show files was a pain in the . . . most of the time and impossible at other times. They reckon they are having their programmers (Personally if I had written this program I would drown myself. Who ever did write it needs to visit a theatre during rehearsals to see the real world!). BMD offered to take all our additions and re-compile a show file especially for us. But I'm warning our director to forget it. He likes to keep making changes every few minutes and once compiled we will be back to square one! Give me a handful of MP4's and my tried and trusted SC and I'll build a show in minutes with the flexibility to make changes right up to the last show.

 

[TimMc]

Not sure what the replies had to do with BMD's StagePlayer. But if you need to add the odd slide or move clips between acts forget it. Just got BMD to admit that editing their show files was a pain in the . . . most of the time and impossible at other times. They reckon they are having their programmers (Personally if I had written this program I would drown myself. Who ever did write it needs to visit a theatre during rehearsals to see the real world!). BMD offered to take all our additions and re-compile a show file especially for us. But I'm warning our director to forget it. He likes to keep making changes every few minutes and once compiled we will be back to square one! Give me a handful of MP4's and my tried and trusted SC and I'll build a show in minutes with the flexibility to make changes right up to the last show.

"So, other than THAT, what did you think of the play, Mrs Lincoln?"

/nudge, wink

Generating and firing cue lists: we have software for MacOS, Windows, and *nix. Projection mapping and control? Ditto. All together? Kinda/sorta...

Work flow is everything - that's why there are at least 3 ways to do something on almost every device and in every OS. BMD (not to be confused with Black Magic Design) hasn't "gotten it" yet, it seems.

 

[NickVon]

Many Years ago, (maybe not that many, like 8?) when I think BMD was new, and maybe pioneering in the industry you did not have to use there player. We did Mary Poppins back about 8 years ago and leased there video content, which we thought look and worked great. But we ran everything in a Qlab session. We where able to loop, some of hte travel montages with in Qlab or more scene change time, and able to reverse clip for travelling back the other direction. It was not a simple Qlab show file, far from it, I handed of the mixing Audio for the show to friend so I could focus solely on the Qlab playback. The show was great, but it did require a dedicated Qlab "expert" to get it compatible with the directors vision.

I believe that BMD is kind of doing what MTI is doing but with less finesses, by forcing their playback program on you. With a lot of the 'tracked' shows for high school kids and younger, where the licensees holders require their secured program, or physical external HD, then send you the files, and when the time is up, the files get removed/locked.

I'm sure this functionally to protect there IP, which is important. But some form of secure files program like MTI has adopted, which allows the use of your own playback softweare preference seems a better route for them to invest in. Why Re-invent the wheel BMD, when SCS, Qlab, SFX have already got great wheels.

 

[Jay Ashworth]

I agree with Tim that relying on an internet connection during the performance wouldn't be advisable. Happily, it appears they use the cloud for content acquisition and creation, but the files are downloaded and played from your hardware. Quoting from their web page...

Once downloaded, users have the ability to edit cue order, duplicate images and videos, edit timing and more! When you’re done designing, you're ready for opening night. Simply run projections by pressing “cue”.

There's nothing wrong with that approach.

Except that it should be labeled GO.

#IWillDieOnThisHillYes