Ultimate PC Server Build- SDI Inputs- 4k Frame Sync

Bro, does your rig even lift?
Post Reply
VoyagePro
Met Resolume in a bar the other day
Posts: 1
Joined: Wed Feb 28, 2018 15:28

Ultimate PC Server Build- SDI Inputs- 4k Frame Sync

Post by VoyagePro »

Hello,

We are building our next server racks and I am looking for insight on SDI throughput and 4k framesync on multiple outputs. The playback is typically simple with timecode content and layer blending cameras. We will need the ability to output multiple 4k outputs with frame sync for screen blending and take up to 4 camera inputs.

Here are the main points of the build:
- Less concerned with budget and more focused on performance and reliability
- At least 4x HD-SDI inputs with the fastest throughput to the outputs
- Up to 3x 4k outputs with frame sync on outputs for screen blending

Below is the first version of the build spec. Any information helps as I have read most of the posts related and could not find anything with solid answers on these two main topics. GPU frame synced outputs and best SDI PCIe Capture.

CORE--
Core i9-7960X 2.8GHz 16-Core
PRIME X299-DELUXE ATX LGA2066
Dominator Platinum 64GB (4 x 16GB) DDR4-3200
2x Samsung 1TB SSD
1200W 80+ Platinum Certified Fully-Modular ATX

GPU--
2x Quadro P5000 16GB & SYNC II w/ Mosaic Frame SYNC
VS.
2x GTX 1080Ti without FrameSync

CAPTURE--
1x Datapath VisionSC-SDI4
VS.
1x BlackMagic Quad 2

lightbx
Hasn't felt like this about software in a long time
Posts: 144
Joined: Thu Oct 29, 2015 21:05

Re: Ultimate PC Server Build- SDI Inputs- 4k Frame Sync

Post by lightbx »

Generally speaking:
- GTX1080 over Quadro P5000. Arena performs much better with GTX cards/GeForce drivers than Quadro. Quadro drivers limit Arena’s GPU usage, usually around 3.33%.
- Why 2x cards? With one GTX1080 you can output 3x 4K displays + 1x GUI Monitor (probably best at 1920x1080 or 1920x1200). If all outputs are on a single card your frames will be in sync. Arena works best with a single super-powerful card.
- Either capture card will work fine, but I would rather spend less and get the Blackmagic, which works natively with Arena. You also have expansion for 8 inputs. Don’t use the Quad as an output card, if anything they might make nice loop-thru outputs to monitor cameras (I wouldn’t route this thru Arena though).
- Arena 6 performs slightly better with fewer cores af higher clock speed. As long as this is just a media server, you might be better off with an something like an i7-8700K (6 cores, 4.0GHz).
- 2x Samsung Evo 850 in RAID-0

Happy blending and broadcasting!

User avatar
drazkers
Wants to marry Resolume, and Resolume said "yes!"
Posts: 968
Joined: Wed May 18, 2011 10:54
Location: Brady V up in Canada

Re: Ultimate PC Server Build- SDI Inputs- 4k Frame Sync

Post by drazkers »

lightbx wrote:Generally speaking:
If all outputs are on a single card your frames will be in sync. Arena works best with a single super-powerful card.
This isn’t true, gaming cards sometimes are off by a frame randomly. You’ll notice with blends and cuts. It happens rarely but does pop up. It’s why quadros allow your outputs to sync to a single cards output.

Ladin
Hasn't felt like this about software in a long time
Posts: 52
Joined: Tue Apr 14, 2015 12:07
Location: Prague

Re: Ultimate PC Server Build- SDI Inputs- 4k Frame Sync

Post by Ladin »

drazkers wrote:
lightbx wrote:Generally speaking:
If all outputs are on a single card your frames will be in sync. Arena works best with a single super-powerful card.
This isn’t true, gaming cards sometimes are off by a frame randomly. You’ll notice with blends and cuts. It happens rarely but does pop up. It’s why quadros allow your outputs to sync to a single cards output.

I can confirm that.
One graphic card, two outputs, one LED wall, left and right halves connected to two sender cards, no scaler or processor..
With multioutput machine (switcher, mixer), like Analogway, Barco, or Rolland connected to sendercards everything ok, and synced.
With Resolume computer, connected directly to sendercards, sometimes one output is faster (1-2 frames) then other.. With slow footages it is not visible, but when footages are fast, there is a movement, you can see it. Strange is, that it happens randomly an then everything is ok. Most cases I saw, when I´ve displayed a PIP with livefeed (or something from capturecard) in the middle of LED.

Post Reply