Media Servers for Lighting Programmers

Media Servers for Lighting Programmers

by Vickie Claiborne
Released February 2014
Publisher(s): Routledge
ISBN: 9781317938217

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Book description

Media Servers for Lighting Programmers is the reference guide for lighting programmers working with media servers – the show control devices that control and manipulate video, audio, lighting, and projection content that have exploded onto the scene, becoming the industry standard for live event productions, TV, and theatre performances. This book contains all the information you need to know to work effectively with these devices, beginning with coverage of the most common video equipment a lighting programmer encounters when using a media server - including terminology and descriptions - and continuing on with more advanced topics that include patching a media server on a lighting console, setting up the lighting console for use with a media server, and accessing the features of the media server via a lighting console. The book also features a look at the newest types of digital lighting servers and products.

This book contains:

  • Never-before-published information grounded in author Vickie Claiborne’s extensive knowledge and experience

  • Covers newest types of digital lighting servers and products including media servers, software, and LED products designed to be used with video

  • Companion website with additional resources and links to additional articles on PLSN

Table of contents

  1. Cover
  2. Title
  3. Copyright
  4. Contents
  5. A BIT ABOUT ME
  6. INTRODUCTION
  7. CHAPTER 1 How Did We Get Here? A Brief Look at the Beginnings of Digital Lighting
  8. CHAPTER 2 Why Do LDs Want to Control Video from a Lighting Console?
    1. Pros
    2. Now for the Cons
  9. CHAPTER 3 Convergence and the Role of the Lighting Programmer
    1. The Responsibilities of the Media Server Programmer
  10. CHAPTER 4 Getting Familiar with Hardware
    1. Parts of a Media Server
    2. Mac Versus PC
    3. How Does a Media Server Connect to a Console?
    4. Video Elements of a Server
      1. Outputs
      2. Signals and Cables
  11. CHAPTER 5 What Does that Piece of Equipment Do?
    1. LED Wall
    2. Projector
    3. Video Scaler
    4. Scan Converter
      1. All in One
    5. Video Switcher
    6. VDA
  12. CHAPTER 6 Programming a Media Server from a Lighting Console
    1. Assigning DMX Addresses
    2. Accessing Media from a Lighting Console
    3. DMX Default Values
    4. DMX Control Channels per Layer
    5. Fixture Personality
    6. Programming with a Personality
    7. Challenges are Just Opportunities to Learn
  13. CHAPTER 7 It's All About the Content
    1. Stock Content
    2. Obtaining from Client and/or Purchasing Content
    3. Real-World Applications
    4. Garbage in, Garbage out
    5. Creating Your Own Content
    6. Image Resolution
    7. Display Resolution
    8. Image Resolution on LED Walls
    9. Image Compression
    10. Format
    11. Frame Rate
    12. Tips for Optimum Playback Performance
  14. CHAPTER 8 Optimizing Content Playback from the Console
    1. Luminance
    2. Gamma
    3. Brightness
    4. Contrast
    5. Alpha Channel
  15. CHAPTER 9 Content Gone Wild: Unexpected Playback Results
    1. Artifacts
    2. Interlaced vs Progressive Scan
    3. Aspect Ratio
    4. Dropped Frames
    5. Slow Loading Speeds
    6. Choppy Video Playback at Slower FPS
  16. CHAPTER 10 Video Editing Applications
    1. Re-Encoding a Video Clip
    2. No All in One Solution
  17. CHAPTER 11 Video Copyright Laws
    1. International Copyright
  18. CHAPTER 12 Preparing for a Show
    1. Prep Step #1. Determine the Gear You Need for the Project
    2. Prep Step #2. Optimizing Your Media Server Hardware for Better Performance
      1. Display Resolution
      2. Display Refresh Rates
    3. Prep Step #3. Loading Content on a Server
  19. CHAPTER 13 Networking Servers
    1. Network Basics
    2. Art-Net
    3. Media Server Support Applications
      1. Content Management
      2. Remote Monitoring
      3. Built in Network Monitoring
  20. CHAPTER 14 Streaming Video
    1. CITP Protocol
    2. What is CITP?
    3. MSEX: Media Server Extensions Layer
    4. Proprietary Video Control
    5. Advantages of Streaming Video Integration in Lighting Consoles
    6. Syphon
    7. HMap2
  21. CHAPTER 15 Managing Content across Multiple Outputs
    1. Projectors
    2. Collage Generator (Axon/DL.3)
    3. VideoMapper (Hippotizer)
    4. UberPan (Hippotizer)
    5. ArKaos Video Mapper (MediaMaster Pro)
    6. Internal Blending (Ai)
    7. Internal Blending (d3)
    8. Edge Blend (Pandoras Box)
    9. Panoramic Wide/Dual (Mbox Designer and Studio)
  22. CHAPTER 16 Creative Raster Planning
    1. The Raster
    2. Working with HD Content
    3. Adding Live Video
  23. CHAPTER 17 Synchronizing Frames
    1. Syncing Without a Network
    2. Syncing Media Servers over a Network
      1. Syncing Frames to MTC
    3. Genlock
  24. CHAPTER 18 3D Objects
    1. X, Y, Z
    2. Creating 3D Objects
  25. CHAPTER 19 Multi-Dimensional Controls
    1. 3D Warping
    2. Hippotizer
    3. 3D Mapping
    4. Large-Scale Structural Mapping
  26. CHAPTER 20 Pixel Mapping
    1. Mapping Pixels
    2. DMX Merge
    3. Pixel Mapping Control
  27. CHAPTER 21 Using Audio with Media Servers
    1. Internal Control
    2. Hardware
    3. Stereo or Mono
  28. CHAPTER 22 Timecode, MIDI, and TouchOSC
    1. Timecode
    2. MIDI Notes
    3. Touch OSC
  29. CHAPTER 23 The Evolution of Media Servers
    1. Timelines
    2. Presets, Cues, and Cuelists
    3. Stand-Alone Applications
  30. CHAPTER 24 Inside a Virtual Environment
  31. CHAPTER 25 DMX Controlled Digital Lighting
    1. Why Use a Digital Moving Light?
    2. Understanding the Tools
      1. DL.1 by High End Systems
      2. DL.2 by High End Systems
      3. DL.3 by High End Systems
      4. Robe DigitalSpot DT™
      5. Orbital Heads and Projector Yokes
  32. CHAPTER 26 LED Display Devices
    1. Innovative Technology
    2. LED Color Wash Fixtures
    3. Lo-Res Graphics LED Fixtures
    4. Creative LED Technology
    5. Scenic Alternatives
  33. CONCLUSION: Embracing New Technology
  34. APPENDIX A: Prepping for a Show: NYE in Las Vegas
  35. APPENDIX B: Common Troubleshooting
  36. APPENDIX C: Glossary
  37. APPENDIX D: Digital Lighting, Consoles, and Media Servers
  38. NOTES
  39. BIBLIOGRAPHY
  40. INDEX

Product information

  • Title: Media Servers for Lighting Programmers
  • Author(s): Vickie Claiborne
  • Release date: February 2014
  • Publisher(s): Routledge
  • ISBN: 9781317938217