Jump to content
Light-O-Rama Forums

Who is running video in their show with S2??


Paul Roberson

Recommended Posts

I am just now getting around to setting up my show to use video.

I am using MPEG files. I have my .LMS files set to use the MPEG file. The video plays when playing a sequence with the sequence editor. However the video or even the sequence plays when using the scheduler.

When using the scheduler to run the show it just skips the sequences that have videos with them and plays the ones that have mp3s.

I have a Nvidia 6200 graphics card capable of 'duel view' monitor set up. If the video would just play.

I know I am missing something or have something set wrong.

Thanks for your help


Using some other companies hardware last year, video was the only thing I did not have problems with. LOL :shock::)

btw, I just reread the above sentence and thought some might take it as a slam against LOR.....ITS NOT..... I have enjoyed my swap and am glad I did it. I know this problem with video I am having is not with LORs stuff.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Paul,

Try converting your video file to .wmv file and instead of loading a mp3 like you would with a musical sequence. Load the .wmv file instead, of course the audio will need to be on the video file. Then you just sync your lights like you would a mp3. That way when the video plays, the music will play and the lights and video will be synced. Hope that wasn't confusing.

Check out this tut on using video with S2. It really is very easy to do, a lot easier then I thought it was going to be.

http://lightoramasequences.com/content/view/55/79/

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Are you saying that S2 has trouble with MPEG files? I understand how to and have added my sequence mp3 files to video and produced MPEG files. I then changed the media in each routine from mp3 to the MPEG. The sequence with the MPEG runs fine and shows the video if I use the sequencer. It don't play trying to run the show thru the schedular.

You think it is the MPEG file it is haveing trouble with huh?

I will try and convert all the MPEGs to WMVs and see what that does.

Thanks

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I can't be sure, if it has problems with MPEGs or not. It is one way to troubleshoot it just in case so you know it is not the media you are using. I use .wmv files and it works fine. There might be something that causing S2 to not work right when using MPEG but I can't say for sure. If it doesn't work with .wmv then you know you have other problems elsewhere.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

)(#*$)(&%*&%$#)(*

I work on sequencing and videos on my laptop then transfer everything over to the show computer.........I forgot to go into the sequence and tell it where the media file is...........

Anyway now that works, but some of the sequences using video stop running during the sequence.....I am going to go ahead and redo my videos to WMV because the files are smaller than the MPEG I am using.

One question though....In my Windows Movie Maker I don't see how to make the WMV CBR......It wants to "publish" them as VBR.......Is this going to be a problem?? I am thinking it will.

I normally use CyberLink PowerDirector to make my videos. It is a very nice program. I don't however see a way to make it produce WMV.

What program are you using to make your videos?



Thanks again

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you have problems converting it let me know and I will run it through my Vegas 9 software. That is what I use and it plays with no problem at all. Of course depending on how long the video is, it could take it a few hours to mix it down and convert it. It took about 5-6 hrs for it to mix down my 15 mins video.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Paul:

Here's a "how to" I wrote a couple of weeks ago. I am at work now and will try to duplicate some of your issues when I get home to see if I get the same problems. I don't recall any if you use the "types" of files S2 will use.

http://lightorama.mywowbb.com/forum72/17744.html

Texan78 uses a different approach with very awesome results and his own custom graphics.

I used the "single" file method which lets me change the order and mix in standard music sequences as well.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Paul Roberson wrote:



What program are you using to make your videos?



I use Sony Vegas 9 Platinum edition for all my video editing. It will allow you to mix down to any format. Vegas 9 standard and Vegas 8 are really cheap right now like $50-60 with the 9 PL edition about $99 but so much worth it no matter which one you go with. It blows Windows Movie Maker out of the water and you can do so much with it. You can make some pretty professional videos. Some have seen mine and they will tell you how good they turn out.

If you go to the Sony Vegas page you can download a full working demo to try out. I promise you though once you try it, you will want to buy it so be careful...LoL Also you can overlay your music within that program so all you have is one file to work with in the end.

Here is the link...

http://www.sonycreativesoftware.com/products/vegasfamily.asp

I recommend the Vegas Movie Studio Platinum Pro Pack, but the Vegas 9 will work fine too.


Link to comment
Share on other sites

I use several programs for creating my musical videos for LOR. When I use Premiere Pro, Vegas, or Avid Liquid. I render them to a Microsoft AVI file or a H.264 format. Make sure you have the correct codecs in your Windows Media Player to play the format your export to. i.e. WMP does don't do H.264 or MP4 by default.

I have used both NTSC DV as well as the 24 progressive with no issues.

If I use Windows Movie Maker I export as the 'More Settings' and select the DVD Quality or HD Quality.


Tips:

1) Make sure you have the Codec to Play video in WMP. Simple is Best for loading time. If you can play your video with WMP than LOR will be able to play it.


2) On larger files run through the Windows Movie Maker to convert to the WMV format. I have noticed on videos over 3 min long the sound doesn't always stay synced. I'm sure it has to do the VBR and the number of Passes I tell my editing software to do during rendering. But I find WMM can convert a file to WMV faster than rendering takes. And for a Light Show WMV is good enough quality.

3) ALWAYS RESELECT MEDIA FILE for each sequence just prior to creating your show file to ensure the .LMS files knows where to look for media. I put my video files in a self created 'Video' folder within my LOR. LOR by default looks in Audio file for the music.

The prior two years I always made my videos HD progressive and maxed out the resolution for best picture quality. This year I just did simple 720x480 DV quality. With the outdoor screen and lighting you can not tell the difference like you can inside on a true projection screen. (Plus it has cut my rendering time down by over 3 times...B))


Don't forget about Ken Good's video exchange for some nicely created videos for use that others have shared.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I appreciate all the replies!!

I use Cyberlink PowerDirector to do my videos. I did them the same way this year as last year. I use MPEG-2 with custom settings of 640x480 with a CBR @128 set to Dolby Digital codec.

I was not using LOR last year. Maybe LOR software takes more processor speed, and my computer is not fast enough. I am using a 1.2 gig AMD processor with 128 megs of ram, and a Nvidia 6200 with 256 megs of ram.

I may see what my laptop will do, it is allot faster.

Yeah, I know about Ken's video coop. I have a few videos there myself.

I will also try and convert my videos to one of the settings mentioned above and see what that does.



Thanks

Paul

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well I have found out that my new laptop, the one that I produced the videos on, will run the show with video just fine.

While my show computer has trouble with only 3 of the videos. I changed one of them to a WMV and it will work. The other two sequences I really do not want to make a VBR video for them, as I am pretty sure this will cause other problems.

Not sure if my show computer is not fast enough, not enough ram, or what. It is strange that all the videos were made the same but 3 of them will not work right. I even went back and redid them, but it produced the same results.

My show computer was having real problems playing the video smooth, when telling S2 to play full screen on the projector. I set S2 to play video on the computer monitor, but not at full screen. Then I can set my Nvidia card to "play video full screen" on the projector. The show computer seems to run video smoother set up this way.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Paul,



You may try to let the nVidia card handle the second screen by itself and not use the video capabilty of S2. The nVidia card can be set to display full screen on your video monitor ( projector) anything that is playing in media player. That is how we did video with LOR the last few years. This works with S2 as well and may unburden your processor on the show computer. I've done it both ways with s2 this year and both seem to work well. Hope this helps.



Marshall

Radiomarsh

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks Marshall,

That is what I have found out. If I let the Nvidia card do the full screen video on the projector it does all right.

Am still having problems with a couple videos not wanting to play. Looks like I may just have to use my laptop to handel the video.:shock:

The wife will really like that....since I told her I bought a new computer so I can dedicate the old one to the show:D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I too, am using video this year. I noticed that a blue outline of a box appears in the upper left corner in-between songs. I'm not sure what it is, but I assume that LOR is displaying something. I wish it could be turned off. Anyone experience the same?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

WayneKremer wrote:

I too, am using video this year. I noticed that a blue outline of a box appears in the upper left corner in-between songs. I'm not sure what it is, but I assume that LOR is displaying something. I wish it could be turned off. Anyone experience the same?

Does the blue outline show up on your monitor or just when you use the projector?
Link to comment
Share on other sites

See my "how to" in above posts. It is slightly annoying, but if you put another video and/or a wallpaper it only lasts for a split second. Maybe it is the two programs switching from one to another...media player to background or another media file???

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have mine set to show the video in a small window on my desktop monitor. I have my video card set to "show video full screen" on the projector.

I have a picture set as my desktop background and all my videos start and end with this same picture. I see just a flicker when it switched from video to background. The same could be accomplished using just a black screen with the videos ending and starting with a black fade.

I did notice a window showing on my projector at some point. I was able to drag it back onto the desktop.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I do the same thing. I have a background video that will run between shows that is just a simple video animation loop with my display name and tune to 95.7 FM so it is not a black screen. The video runs during the entire show and it starts and ends with the same clip that runs in the background animation between shows.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's a small window that LOR must be running that say's 'Light-O-Rama Video', then it quickly disappears and the full screen video begins. I would say that the dialog box lasts for about 1/2 second to 1 second. It is quick, but a little annoying.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...