Preparing for a gig! Help with checklist!
  • Magnum
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    Preparing for a gig! Help with checklist!

    by Magnum » Thu Mar 09, 2006 1:53 pm

    Hello guys!

    Its been 5 hours since I've heard of Modul8, 4 hours since I've tested almost all of its features, 2 hours since I've decided to purchase it and about an hour since I decided to VJ an upcoming gig.

    8)

    First of all, the app rocks!!! Im a graphic designer with motion/video background, and AfterEffects is going bye-bye for me for a while! Hello the world of projections and realtime motion!

    Please help me prepare for an upcoming gig. I have my trusty Powerbook G4 and a 3000 Lumen projector inside a club. Ive never done this projection thing before, so what will I need? Do I need any VGA cables? Once I plug the Powerbook into the projector, will the OUTPUT be automatically projector full-screen while my Modul8 interface will stay on my Powerbook screen when I go into full-screen mode?

    Umm..also, how do I plug live audio into Modul8? What plug/cable should ask the DJ?

    Please help out, as this is the first time Im doing this, though Im ready to pump out crazy visuals out there and I know what Im doing regarding everything else.

    its about 7 AM now, Im off to bed. ;)

    peace,

    Magnum

    [/i]
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    The Midi Thief
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    Re: Preparing for a gig! Help with checklist!

    by The Midi Thief » Thu Mar 09, 2006 3:55 pm

    Magnum wrote:Please help me prepare for an upcoming gig. I have my trusty Powerbook G4 and a 3000 Lumen projector inside a club. Ive never done this projection thing before, so what will I need? Do I need any VGA cables?


    It's of course depending on what input the projector takes and the distance between your powerbook and the projector.
    You will get an even better signal if you can go digital with a DVI cable. Anyhow, both DVI and VGA cables will get at bit expensive at that lengths above 5 meters, and I'm not sure how well they carry the signal when they get above 3 meters. Your safest bet is to get a long Composit cable (fat video cable with male RCA connectors in each end). That will work with most projectors and picture quality will be totally ok. Some people use S-video cables, but i've had problems where I've lost the color info.

    If you have the 15" inch model you probably have S-Video output. I think you got a S-Video to RCA female converter with the computer, use that with your video cable. If you don't have one, buy one!

    Magnum wrote:Once I plug the Powerbook into the projector, will the OUTPUT be automatically projector full-screen while my Modul8 interface will stay on my Powerbook screen when I go into full-screen mode?


    Yes, if your computer recognizes the new screen (the projector) it will.
    To be sure, plug in the video cable to the projector and turn the projector on before plugging the video cable in to the computer.

    Magnum wrote:Umm..also, how do I plug live audio into Modul8? What plug/cable should ask the DJ?


    It's depending on the output of the DJ-mixer (or other soundmixer involved). Usually you can get two RCAs (left and right) out from the VJ mixer and in the other end of the cord you want a mini phono connector that plugs in to the sound in on your PowerBook. Some mixers have XLR output (and the RCAs could be used for something else) and then you have to figure out how to go from two XLR connectors to a mini phono. I carry a bunch of converter cables/connectors with me to be prepared for almost anything.

    Also think of the distance between you and the DJ. You might need a pretty long cord.

    And you also have to have the correct settings for your sound input (in OSX System Preferences) and have the in volume turned up in Module8.

    One thing to have in mind is that the in level is usually very low if the DJ isn't blasting the volume. So you might not get a correct reading when setting up your equipent at the beginning of the night if the music isn't very loud at that moment.

    Checklist summary:
    S-video (male) to RCA (female) converter
    Long Compostite Video cable RCA males in each end
    Long audio cable: 2 x RCA (male) to 1 mini phono stereo plug (male)

    (you could of course join several cables to to achive the results above)

    Good luck!
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    chromafresh
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    by chromafresh » Sun Mar 12, 2006 2:31 pm

    Regarding audio input.
    I've had passable results using the mic on the powerbook for audio input. We do a fast mix between my A/B and my partners A/B, with alot of info onscreen so we're probably getting away with alot of imprecision, however its totally passable 90% of the time.
    I actually recently bought a portable behringer equalizer to select the sound I want to affect from, should I decide to run audio from the PA.
  • Magnum
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    Re: Preparing for a gig! Help with checklist!

    by Magnum » Fri Mar 24, 2006 6:39 am

    Fry_up wrote:It's of course depending on what input the projector takes and the distance between your powerbook and the projector.
    You will get an even better signal if you can go digital with a DVI cable. Anyhow, both DVI and VGA cables will get at bit expensive at that lengths above 5 meters, and I'm not sure how well they carry the signal when they get above 3 meters. Your safest bet is to get a long Composit cable (fat video cable with male RCA connectors in each end). That will work with most projectors and picture quality will be totally ok. Some people use S-video cables, but i've had problems where I've lost the color info.

    If you have the 15" inch model you probably have S-Video output. I think you got a S-Video to RCA female converter with the computer, use that with your video cable. If you don't have one, buy one!


    Hey man, thanks alot for the feedback. Just came from the club, was talking to the lighting/visuals guy there, since the gig is tomorrow, in less than 24 hours. They got 6 projectors there and when I asked to test it he gave me an S-Video cable...i plugged it into S-Video output on my powerbook...nothing. I didnt have that S-Video > RCA adapter on me ( just found it at home, does it mean it will work now? ).

    Anyway he told me I need to rent a SCAN CONVERTOR to make this work. Im arranging one for tomorrow but Im still clueless whats gonna be plugged into what.

    Any idea?

    Yes, if your computer recognizes the new screen (the projector) it will. To be sure, plug in the video cable to the projector and turn the projector on before plugging the video cable in to the computer.


    Will this work witht he SCAN CONVERTOR? Have you tried it? No more chances tomorrow, I will have only an hour to test/setup everything.

    It's depending on the output of the DJ-mixer (or other soundmixer involved). Usually you can get two RCAs (left and right) out from the VJ mixer and in the other end of the cord you want a mini phono connector that plugs in to the sound in on your PowerBook. Some mixers have XLR output (and the RCAs could be used for something else) and then you have to figure out how to go from two XLR connectors to a mini phono. I carry a bunch of converter cables/connectors with me to be prepared for almost anything.


    Well, I'll be sitting at the 2nd floor control room, DJs will be quite far away unless I got a 150metre s-video cable which Im still not sure will work. Gah!!

    And you also have to have the correct settings for your sound input (in OSX System Preferences) and have the in volume turned up in Module8.


    Oh man! Could this have been the reason direct S-video plug didnt work today??? Which exact settings?


    One thing to have in mind is that the in level is usually very low if the DJ isn't blasting the volume. So you might not get a correct reading when setting up your equipent at the beginning of the night if the music isn't very loud at that moment.


    Mmm....will have to scrap live feed for now, too much stuff to think about for the debut gig at this point.


    Checklist summary:
    S-video (male) to RCA (female) converter ( OK )
    Long Compostite Video cable RCA males in each end ( UNCLEAR AT THIS MOMENT )
    Long audio cable: 2 x RCA (male) to 1 mini phono stereo plug (male) ( SCRAPPED UNTIL I MOVE CLOSER TO THE DJ )


    Gah, thanks for the advice bro!!!

    Hope you'll be able to read this in time!

    peace,

    Magnum
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    haye
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    by haye » Fri Mar 24, 2006 10:08 am

    hi :)

    i'll try to help with my experiences...

    regarding the s-video cable the guy handed to you.
    i would try this:

    -plug it in
    -go to system prefernces / displays
    -push "detect displays" button (i'm not sure if that is the exact name, in german it reads "monitore erkennen")
    -wait for the powerbook display to turn black, then blue for a second (means the computer adjusts the new display configuration)
    -check in system preferences / displays / arrangement if the checkbox "mirror displays" is turned OFF
    -if everything worked well up to this point, you should now have two displays configured, your powerbook-display and the output.
    -problems that can arise now are:
    · wrong primary display
    · wrong resolution, refresh rate for the s-video out

    as for the wrong primary display your place to got to fix this is again system preferences / displays / arrangement. there you will see two blue rectangles respresenting your screens. one of them has a white bar at the top. this is your primary display. drag&drop the bar to the other rectangle to change it.

    the resolution and refresh rate options for the s-video out should now display on all the projectors around you. (if you cant see anything on the projectors right now try the button under "detect displays" in german it reads "fenster sammeln" probably translates into "collect windows" or something, this should bring the options window of the s-video out to your main display) now select what you need. this differs from equipment to equipment. my bet would be 768x576 50hz (PAL) or 640x480 60hz (NTSC)

    if everything worked well now it's the time to fire up modul8 and switch it to full screen mode
    the interface stays on your primary display, while the output fills the secondary one.

    if you can't get it to work, i would suggest to try the above procedure with a single tv-set for example. the whole thing tends to be a bit tricky. i've seen a lot of people who can't get such things to work...

    if i underestimated your skills and just told you something you already knew, well, then excuse me and carry on.

    have a nice gig! :-)
  • Magnum
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    by Magnum » Tue Mar 28, 2006 1:04 pm

    Hey Everyone! The gig went fantastic! I used both custom and default movie libraries for the non-stop 6-hour show with multiple projectors at The Mod Club, Toronto, Canada for the Russian Spring trance party.

    Here are some pictures:

    Image

    Image

    Image

    Image

    Image

    Here's also a short music video from the event

    http://propagandaentertainment.com/russianspring/musicvideo/russianspring.wmv( 21 MB )

    Thanks for all your input, the S-Video cable worked once I adjusted the monitor settings. Modul8 rocks!

    Magnum
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    haye
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    by haye » Wed Mar 29, 2006 1:51 am

    rock and roll!

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