New system on the way, 12 cameras

[Monoscopio]

Preparing for our first live event with Vidblaster. The system we just ordered will be as follows:

Mainframe:
Windows 7 with Vidblaster Broadcast
i7 980x
2 x GeForce GTX 580 in SLI
12gb RAM
2 x 160gb SSD-disks

Capture cards:
EMS XtremeRGB-Ex8
EMS XtremeRGB-Ex4+

Cameras:
4 x Canon Xl2
8 x GoPro HD Hero (4 of them wireless)

For most events we only use 6-8 cameras, but we are looking forward to see what performance we can squeeze out of this system. Hopefully we can use all 12 cameras and 4 replay modules. Possible?

The event we are looking to premiere this system is a pre-season soccergame in the swedish first division. Will post a link later on.

[Sinc747]

Daniel,

There is a built-in limitation with replay modules. Since VidBlaster is a 32 bit program, it is limted to using 3.5 GB of RAM. At HD, you'll get one replay module, maybe. The formula for calculating the amount of RAM needed for a repaly module is vertical resolution * horizontal resolution * frames per second * 3 * 30 / 1048576.

[Monoscopio]

Well we are aware of this bottleneck. But for the resolution we use for our webcasts (720x406 @ 25fps) 4 replay modules would eat up about 2,5gb.

This system is dedicated to the switching. Recording and streaming are made on separate devices.

[Monoscopio]

Attaching an image of our custom control software used with Vidblaster. It allows us to collect all statistics of the teams and players and have it available on the fly in our graphics generator. This is also where we load up and play pre-recorded video.

http://www.gopeking.net/controlcenter.jpg

[Johan Lundberg]

That looks really nice Daniel! Fun to see someone really make use of the API in Vidblaster. I bet this will make it a killer product for you! Also fun to see one more Swede on the forum! :)

[Mike]

Yes, very nice. Are you planning to sell this too?

[Monoscopio]

Maybe in the feature this can be sold. Needs major refactoring since its built around our system and has no error handling or setup options at all. If everything is not in order the program wont even launch...

Our new system should arrive wednesday/thursday. I can then make a video of this software at work.

[Icersman]

Maybe in the feature this can be sold. Needs major refactoring since its built around our system and has no error handling or setup options at all. If everything is not in order the program wont even launch...

Our new system should arrive wednesday/thursday. I can then make a video of this software at work.

Please do - I'd love to have something like this for hockey!

[Monoscopio]

As soon as the soccer season kicks off I will start to develop this software for hockey also since we have the hockey events starting in september. At the moment all focus is on the soccer premiere in april...

[hennings]

@Daniel How do you add your overlay graphics (key)? Are you using the png-overlay feature of the API? What kind of frame rate do you achieve for your animation?

Henning Spjelkavik

[Monoscopio]

The graphics software can output 1080p @ 60fps with either alpha channel or colored background.

We feed this output into the Video Effect module of Vidblaster with chroma key. We then use the API to change the background source of the video effect module to switch cameras.

Still hoping for implementation of a DSK between the switcher and program output so we can get full use of the alpha channel.

Note that this software runs on a separate machine. Rendering full hd flash animations in realtime takes some serious power.

[damn2good4u]

Wow! completely blown away... pls do sell as add-on.. am sure people will buy into it if not too expensive...

[paulgagu]

Daniel,
What are you using for wireless the Gopros?
BTW impressive software you're developing 2 kudos

[Monoscopio]

Paul// Any FPV Transmitter should actually do the work equally well but we use these http://www.eyeofmine.com/gopro/hd/live/index.html#wireless as they have been developed for the gopro.

SD only... We have been looking at HD-transmitters but they go around $4,000

With an open line of sight we can go 3-400 meters with these. Havent tried yet with pointed antennas but i guess we can double the range.

[weconverse]

The graphics software can output 1080p @ 60fps with either alpha channel or colored background.

We feed this output into the Video Effect module of Vidblaster with chroma key. We then use the API to change the background source of the video effect module to switch cameras.

Very impressive Daniel! Thanks for sharing.

But I still do not know if/how you get the feed into VidBlaster through the API? Do you mean that the graphics feed goes into a camera module, and the API is just used to select background.

[Monoscopio]

Yes, this goes into a camera module and the API selects background in video effects module. Video demo is on the way, playing with the new system right now.

[QuinnQuality]

I would really love to see this in action.

[Monoscopio]

Be patient :) I want to mount all the equipment in our new mobile case that arrives on monday/tuesday, then I will give you the grand tour.

Must say Im completely stunned by the performance of this system. A quick test adding 6 camera II modules containing 2 canon xl2 and 4 Gopro Hero, 2 players, Video effect module, TCP Server, Audio, Recorder and streamer. Idle cpu usage clocked in at 8%. Hooking up the Canon cameras via firewire instead of composite took the idle up to 12%. Recording uncompressed took an additional 4-5% and streaming 720x406@25fps took another 8-10%.

[QuinnQuality]

Just VERY curious, when you right click on one of the camera II modules, is the video input choice available?

[Monoscopio]

No, excuse my typo. To be able to use all of the analog connections I still need to use the camera I module.

[QuinnQuality]

Bummer, i hoped for a breakthrough
Have you installed the XtremeRGB-Ex8 as i proposed/suggested?

[Monoscopio]

Yes I installed only drivers and encountered no problems. If I have the time I will try the Datapath version of drivers and see if the input selection can be resolved. Supposedly they should be more up to date.

[QuinnQuality]

Great idea, be sure to let me know your progress, it can help me, but also a lot of other users.

[Monoscopio]

We have thoughts of how to expand the I/O possibilities of our system to accomodate all possible situations. It would be a killer to have the ability to have multiple analog, SDI and HDMI inputs available. Problem is MB:s with enough PCI slots.

Anyone ever used something like this?
http://www.ems-imaging.com/online/products/PCIexpress9%252dKit.html#

[Johan Lundberg]

Interesting find Daniel!
I haven't used anything like that. We are looking at building a new VB rig and I'm looking at the ASUS P6T7 SuperComputer MB (http://www.asus.com/product.aspx?P_ID=9ca8hJfGz483noLk&templete=2), which features 7 PCI-Express slots. This will be enough for our us. If you need even more I guess the backplane you found might be a good solution.

[QuinnQuality]

Took a look at the EMS backplane and thought it might be useful when there was need for more HD camera switching. The HD card of EMS can handle 2 inputs, so starting with 4 cards in the backplane and i would be able to switch between 8 HD camera's and for the future, more cards could be entered. For SD the ASUS P6T7 looks great. Entering 2 XtremeRGB-Ex8 makes it 16 camera's capable and so on. So i think HD or SD is more the question for the solution choice

[Monoscopio]

We have been looking at similar MB:s. Problem was for our system the dual GPU in SLI covers up 4 slots, leaving us with 3 free slots which isnt really satisfying if you want to mount multiple decklink cards for example.

Read up on the P6T7, many MB:s with lots of PCI slots actually use bus clones. Which means slot 5,6 and 7 might be sharing the bus of slot 2,3 and 4 for example.

[QuinnQuality]

Daniel, a question, have you tested the wireless systems for the GoPro already and what are your conclusions on the quality, If these are good, i would like to order 2 of the 1000mw, however Eyeofmine doesn't send overseas, i would have to look for a partner in this for receiving and forwarding.

[QuinnQuality]

I know these guys in the Netherlands who make turn key systems for multiple camera's on VidBlaster
http://www.vidblaster.nl/turn-key-systemen/turn-key-systemen.html

[Monoscopio]

Yes, the wireless system has been tested. For streaming purpose the quality is acceptable. The focus gets a little softened but for wireless use at that range im impressed.

Russell actually send overseas: http://www.eyeofmine.com/gopro/intl.html took it 5 days to arrive.

Last week I found a swedish dealer selling a similar system at half the price of eyeofmine. Not the same range though but I ordered 2 of them before the weekend, should arrive monday/tuesday. Will be interesting to compare.
http://aeronautikhobby.com/epages/Ballou.sf/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/aeronautikhobby.com/Categories/FPV/Videosaendaremottagare_kit

[QuinnQuality]

Russel has came up with a great solution, unfortunately, i have destroyed my paypal account because of several illegal transitions of my account.
I will be in the USA in april, i think i will have them send the wireless systems to my holiday address. Thanks anyway for the other address, i have bookmarked it, however this company is at this time out of stock of all version. Looking at your specs of the ASUS MB, i would go deeper in the EMS system for multiple cards. Try them to bring you in contact with a user.

[Johan Lundberg]

Daniel, thanks for the heads up regarding bus sharing, I guess that's the situation with all the MBs though. Will do some more research and see if I find an even better one. If I can get 4 or 5 fully usable slots it will work out well for us.

[Monoscopio]

As far as I know from the dealers that ive talked to when we built our system most ATX (if not all) only have 4 "true" slots. Note that this doesnt have to be a problem, depending on what cards you mount and how much bandwith each card use.

Actually found another nice expansion system: http://www.magma.com/comersus_viewItemBundle.asp?idProduct=165

Using their expansion card and low profile capture cards could make for a very flexible I/O module for laptops too.

E-mailed EMS this morning for more info on their expansion board.

[weconverse]

just curious re wireless transmission solutions like that, in particular from "overseas" (which sea). Are they legaly, and more important is it not a risk that they will interfer with other equipment, such as wifi, pro wireless mikes/video, etc

[Monoscopio]

They are legal depending on country and frequency. In Sweden everything above 2.4 ghz is allowed. If you have amateur radio license you can also use the frequencies between 1.2 and 2.4ghz.

If used in areas with wifi you should avoid the frequencies around 2.4 ghz. As for wireless microphones im not sure which frequencies they use. Its a trial and error job setting up anything wireless, but when solved its totally worth the effort.

[Monoscopio]

Delivering some photos of the almost finished broadcast box that this system is mounted in. Excuse the iPhone quality pics. With everything finished I will give you a high-def video tour.

Everything you see folds up into one single box measuring 106x50x50 cm. Only the monitors goes into a separate case.

The aluminium boxes at the bottom are indeed the 2 computers. When the rack case arrived it showed out to be 20! cm more shallow than the manufacturers specs. Since we already had the smallest 19" computer chasssi on the market I simply had to manufacture my own chassi.

The open slot in the front will be filled by a stream server and a HDD/DVD recorder.

[EdEstes]

Wow, that is a nice system! I look forward to seeing the high-def video tour with details on all the components.

--Ed

[damn2good4u]

this is brilliant, i am loving it..

[ClementN]

Hello Daniel,

Excellent system !!

Can you, please, give more details about the way you fixed the monitors all together ?

[Monoscopio]

I use a Ergotron Quad Stand: http://www.amazon.com/Ergotron-Quad-Panel-Monitor-Stand/dp/B000E9BY1G

The monitors on the right belongs to one computer and the ones on the left belong to another. I then use InputDirector to use the same mouse and keyboard on both systems. Works like a charm and I can move the mouse seamlessly over all screens as if it was one big desktop. It also shares the clipboard so I can copy and paste text and images between the two systems.

[ClementN]

Daniel, I saw the video of your new office.. Congratulations..!!

I have 2 questions :):)

1) Do you plan to sell your custom program for VidBlaster ?

2) At the end of your video I saw you use a transition (a transparent graphic with an S in the middle).
Can you, please, tall me how you do that ?


Thank you very much for your time!

[Monoscopio]

Thank you!

1) well yes, in the future I might. I have à lot of projects that I need to decide which to focus on. First I will release the tally light software and then I need to to finish the 24/7 playlist scheduler.

2) this is done through the custom software. I have an external cg that is synched through the API to play à transition when I cut to à replay. Will put up à video that explains this better.