Sync Recorded Video

[alexadamson]

I’m after some help with a request a director come to me with for a show at work.

 

She wants to take three recorded video sources on DVD, that will run continuously through the hour long performance, the problem being that the three separate sources need to be synced with each other, as there are number counting sections in each video that have to all play at the same time. The three video feeds will be sent to two monitors and the third will be projected. We have a Video Distribution Amp, that we use to split one video source into many outputs, but I don’t think that will help me !!

 

Thanks for your help, hope to hear from anybody with an idea soon.

 

Cheers Alex

[marky]

I think splitting one source is the best option for you without spending a lot of money. Presuming that it's the same DVD that need's to be played at each destination? Locking three standard DVD players together would prove tricky unless they have External Sync connections, which most cheap ones wont have.

 

Keeping all the cable lengths the same from the Video Amp with reduce the slight time delay to each source....

[Instantdeath]

Just a quick simple idea three identical DVD players and one remote. Okay may be not the most sophisticated solution.

[peternewman]

A similar issue has been covered here.

[James]

I’m after some help with a request a director come to me with for a show at work.

 

She wants to take three recorded video sources on DVD, that will run continuously through the hour long performance, the problem being that the three separate sources need to be synced with each other, as there are number counting sections in each video that have to all play at the same time. The three video feeds will be sent to two monitors and the third will be projected. We have a Video Distribution Amp, that we use to split one video source into many outputs, but I don’t think that will help me !!

 

Thanks for your help, hope to hear from anybody with an idea soon.

 

Cheers Alex

 

 

Alex.

 

Don't know how much budget you have for this,

 

You can do it reliably and it will cost money to hire the kit you need or it can be done on the cheep with 3 identical machines and 1 remote.

 

What is the risk of it going wrong?

How Frame Accurate does it have to be?

 

If you want it perfectly reliable hire an LSM, Doremi, Profile, Max-s, Geevs or whatever.

 

James

[Tomo]

The 'Proper' way to do this is with timecode sync.

One deck generates a LTC or LVTC, the other two listen and synchronise.

 

However, this is only available on professional decks - normal DVD players don't do this.

 

Assuming you don't have the budget to hire timecodable DVD players, then your choices are thus:

 

a) If all screens show the same info, use your VDA and split from one source - best solution.

b) Manual sync. Cue up all DVD decks to be paused (important) at the start of the track, and hit 'Play' simultaneously on all three - the remote is the easiest way to do this.

 

You must start from 'paused', not from a menu or from stop, as there are no guarantees of even supposedly identical players taking the same length of time to seek.

[Solstace]

Also, don't forget that your projector may "delay" it's output in relation to the monitors - might not be a problem unless all screens are visible from one place or you've got a source with fast cuts