Build workstation 6x 1080p (or 4k?) outputs

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westframe
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Build workstation 6x 1080p (or 4k?) outputs

Post by westframe »

I’ve been a long time Resolume user (@Amsterdam NL), but lost track of updates passed 10 years.

For a theatre production I want to buy a new Resolume Arena 7 license and a new workstation PC to drive it. I need 5x 1080p outputs + monitor (5th output), 2x SDI 720p (or 1080p) inputs and stream 2x iPhone NDI-signals into Resolume through local Wifi network.

Who has the golden tip(s) for best/cost effective hardware parts for this setup?

Goals:

1. Mix HD and 4k footage in DXV3-codec on local HDD, with 4x 720P inputs (2x SDI cam cabled, 2x iPhone through NDI-wifi sources)

2. map Resolume's output to 16x 1080P (or 720P) HDMI LED-flatscreens on stage (using splitters add another 16 screens to max out to 32 TVs in total > sync is NOT priority, but pref not more then 8 frames latency / off-sync...) ++ 5th output to video-projector (++6th output to monitor for Resolume interface)

Floor plan image:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/lmj2oeqwyetfj ... n.jpg?dl=0

--------
Solution I'm thinking of now:

Find a graphics card solution that outputs at least 4x Display Ports (e.g. https://www.amazon.de/VisionTek-7750-Gr ... 115&sr=8-3 ), to each of the 4 TV clusters with a: "InLine® DisplayPort to HDMI 2x2 Video Wall Splitter 1 IN 4 OUT 4K UltraHD" https://www.amazon.de/dp/B00TI7OOF8/ref ... 2429200000 (total 4 clusters, so 4x Video Wall Splitter)

Questions:
* What the most stable workstation setup in general to run Resolume for a live show? (Run Windows, or OSX on PC-workstation possibly, or Apple Mac workstation?)
* Whats graphics card fits best with this setup? Find a card with 6 outputs (incl 4x DP to the Wall Splitters) or is it more efficient to install 2 or 3 separate graphics cards for example?
* Are there other, more (cost) efficient ways to run 16 TV-screens from Resolume, that I might not have thought of here?
* What's the best way to stream video through wifi from 2 different iPhones on stage and mix inside Resolume? (I assume setting up a unique WiFi frequency for the space, a heavy duty Wifi router and the iPhone app: https://apps.apple.com/nl/app/ndi-hx-ca ... 1477266080 )?
* My experience with video-input-latency for live applications, it's still best to use 720P over 1080P is possible. Any new insights on latency within this context / hardware etc?
* I want a Monitor+Mouse front of house and the workstation running on-stage, what's are the most effective cables/tools to fix this distance challenge of 50 to 60 meters?
Last edited by westframe on Sat Feb 06, 2021 22:35, edited 6 times in total.

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Arvol
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Re: Build workstation 6x 1080p+ outputs

Post by Arvol »

Does your outputs need to be in sync (ie. large LED wall or multiple blended projectors) or will each output be independent from each other and not close enough to each other to notice screen tearing?

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westframe
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Re: Build workstation 6x 1080p+ outputs

Post by westframe »

Thanks Arvol for your reply, I just updated my post/questions. Sync is not priority. I want to drive total of 16 to max 32 flatscreens (older/new mix LED-screens) of different sizes; but all HDMI input minimum 720P. But I also have more general questions about what is the most efficient Resolume hardware now...? Would be great to hear more.

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Re: Build workstation 6x 1080p (or 4k?) outputs

Post by Arvol »

If all the connected screens are going to be independent from each other I would just get a RTX3080 and a few 8 port SDI cards. Let the RTX do the rendering, and output to your tv's via SDI.

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westframe
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Re: Build workstation 6x 1080p (or 4k?) outputs

Post by westframe »

Arvol, good idea, 3080 + DeckLink

What other computer parts are most “Resolume friendly”? HDD / Mother board / NDI-WiFi stuff...? Hackintosh OSX or regular Windows?

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Re: Build workstation 6x 1080p (or 4k?) outputs

Post by Arvol »

Mac is no for me dawg lol.

I just built a machine that is driving 3 LED walls, and 8 TV's. I'm installing it this week at a venue.

I went with a threadripper (3960x). 64GB of ram, 2TB nvme, a RTX 3070 and a Decklink quad (the AJA Corvid 88 is a much better card, but this project couldn't justify the extra cost).

The 3070 is doing the rendering and sending out the large rasters to the TV video walls (to prevent screen tearing that SDI will introduce). And all the video walls are medium res walls so each of them fits into a 1080p raster, so I'm sending out the led walls on sdi (about $150 a cable) as well as the random one tv setups across the venue.

I'm using display port fiber (about $125 a cable) to get to the FX4's.

I went threadripper for the PCIe lane count, so if you find another processor that's cheaper, go with that, but make sure it has enough PCIe lanes for the cards you're going to be using. I wanted to leave plenty of room for future expansion cards incase the venue wanted to expand/upgrade in a year or so.

I also used a water cooling system for the CPU.

If you want to buy a CPU and GPU, you might wait until mid-march/april, otherwise you'll be looking at a lot of scalpers charging twice or 3 times as much as the MSRP of the products.
I used this:
https://stockdrops.net/
But had to babysit my computer for a day to find deals at original MSRP (no fun)

Hope this helps.

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westframe
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Re: Build workstation 6x 1080p (or 4k?) outputs

Post by westframe »

Arvol, awesome info thanks.

Because the 3080 (or 3070) is not for sale (in Europe) shall I go for the Nvidia RTX 4000 instead? Why yes/no?

Or should I buy a second hand game workstation with 3080 (of course check it physically before buy in my home town Amsterdam) and fine tune it for this application...?

Let me also post the graphics card question a new thread...

Thanks again!

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Re: Build workstation 6x 1080p (or 4k?) outputs

Post by Arvol »

I would stick with Geforce cards rather than Quadro, you'll get more out of that investment. The only time I would go Quadro is when you need multiple 4k-8k outputs for a single raster without screen tearing. But a typical 8GB Geforce card is more powerful than a 8GB Quadro card, so you'll need like a 12GB Quadro card to equal the same performance as the 8GB Geforce card (If that makes sense).

I know there are a LOT of cards coming out of Turkey right now. (marked up of course). You might try that discord link I sent you. There are different region channels in there, I'm sure you can get international shipping. A RTX 3070 is about $500 USD so Shipping would probably be around $50-75 USD on top of that.
Still much cheaper than the $1,200 price tag for scalpers on Ebay ;)

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