MiniMad long term reliability and scheduling methods
  • georgeboyx
    junior Member
    Posts: 2
    Joined: Sat Mar 07, 2020 4:14 pm

    MiniMad long term reliability and scheduling methods

    by georgeboyx » Sat Mar 07, 2020 4:18 pm

    Hi, my first post, hope it's ok here.

    I am planning to set up a video installation in a gallery which should run for three months.
    I want to synchronize 3 projectors with MiniMads.

    - are the Minimads reliable for such a long time?

    - would they start up with playback and synchronization via network automatically when powered up? meaning, can the installation switched off and on, just by switching power off and on? are there better ways of scheduling?

    - is there any network/switch which can be recommended for synchronization?

    - the source should be 1920x1080 each. but I read, that Madmapper might reconvert or even downscale the files for better playback. how can I assure best quality playback at full 1920x1080 resolution?

    - when ordered in the shop, will ship the Minimads quickly within a few days in europe, or does shipping might longer?

    thanx so much, for any help.
  • Pierre Guilluy
    garageCube team
    Posts: 451
    Joined: Mon Oct 12, 2015 1:50 pm

    Re: MiniMad long term reliability and scheduling methods

    by Pierre Guilluy » Mon Mar 09, 2020 1:16 pm

    - are the Minimads reliable for such a long time?
    We've got users running installations for months without turning them off (even though I would advice to shut them down during the night / when not used).

    - would they start up with playback and synchronization via network automatically when powered up? meaning, can the installation switched off and on, just by switching power off and on? are there better ways of scheduling?
    Playback and synchronization happens automatically when powered up.
    So far the best way is to turn them off using controlled power plugs.

    - is there any network/switch which can be recommended for synchronization?
    Any 100+ Mbps ethernet switch will do the job.

    - the source should be 1920x1080 each. but I read, that Madmapper might reconvert or even downscale the files for better playback. how can I assure best quality playback at full 1920x1080 resolution?
    MadMapper always converts video files to H264/420 for miniMAD compatibility, and may also downscale movie depending on the the movie resolution and framerate and the output resolution.
    Starting with MadMapper 4 (currently in beta), fullscreen display on TV / monitors and straight projection can benefit from enhanced performance and native up-to 1080p30 playback.
    MadMapper 4 also comes with a new setting to control the movie resolution on the miniMAD.
    Are you projecting fullscreen or are you using perpective correction in your mapping?

    - when ordered in the shop, will ship the Minimads quickly within a few days in europe, or does shipping might longer?
    You can count 3-4 days after the order has been completed.
  • georgeboyx
    junior Member
    Posts: 2
    Joined: Sat Mar 07, 2020 4:14 pm

    Re: MiniMad long term reliability and scheduling methods

    by georgeboyx » Mon Mar 09, 2020 5:33 pm

    Pierre Guilluy, Thank you very much for your helpful answers!

    So when using perspective correction in my mapping, the payback might be not quite as fluid and reliable as when using straight fullscreen? I might have to use both.

    Do I understand it right, when producing 1920x1080, 25p, mp4 clips with H264/420 compression and reasonable datarate (like 12 MBit/s), which corresponds to my projectors, then MadMapper doesn't convert or downscale the clips and they should plaback in highest possible quality?

    MadMapper4 can be already purchased?
  • Pierre Guilluy
    garageCube team
    Posts: 451
    Joined: Mon Oct 12, 2015 1:50 pm

    Re: MiniMad long term reliability and scheduling methods

    by Pierre Guilluy » Wed Mar 11, 2020 6:51 pm

    @georgeboyx: I already answered you by email, but here are my answers for others:

    So when using perspective correction in my mapping, the payback might be not quite as fluid and reliable as when using straight fullscreen? I might have to use both.
    When using perspective-correction the fastest rendering path is not available on the miniMAD, so MadMapper has to adapt the movies resolution to ensure smoothness depending on the output resolution and the source material resolution and framerate.

    If you plan on synchronizing both perspective and non-perspective rendering, you may need to disable fullscreen / performance mode on all the projectors to ensure best synchronization, this actually has to be beta-tested...

    Do I understand it right, when producing 1920x1080, 25p, mp4 clips with H264/420 compression and reasonable datarate (like 12 MBit/s), which corresponds to my projectors, then MadMapper doesn't convert or downscale the clips and they should plaback in highest possible quality?
    That's correct, if you use the fullscreen / performance mode which can only be enabled when there's no perspective correction enabled.

    MadMapper4 can be already purchased?
    MadMapper 4 is still in Beta, and we don't have a definitive release date yet.

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