Using E1.31 streams to control PC software

David_AVD

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I've been mulling over the idea of writing some PC software that can be controlled by E1.31 data. The source of this E1.31 data would be LSP, LOR (maybe!), or one of the other sequencers.

The PC being controlled could be a spare one that hasn't got enough grunt to run the actual show, but is fine for power point slides or video playback to a screen in your window or maybe even a projector.

Running a simple LAN cable (or wireless) to the remote PC would be easier than a long VGA or HDMI cable from show PC to screen. Offloading these other jobs to a remote PC also means your show PC can devote all of its CPU power to the primary talk of flashing your lights!

So, a video playback application could have a list of video clips. You could remotely start and stop a specific clip (one at a time) just by setting the relevant channel in LSP (or whatever) to over or under 50% level. Maybe one clip is a countdown to show time and the others are titles for the various show songs, show times, virtual Santa, etc.

Anyway, it's just a thought. Comments, questions and application suggestions welcomed. :)
 

Bevo

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I like the sound of that David.
I am interested in adding video to my display in the future. :)
 

angus40

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1+ for this idea , would be nice have this for hls also . need some way to run Virtual Santa at various times rather than iin a loop.
 

pixeldigger

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I'm about 40% done with a similar app.
I am reading an E1.31 stream, and using that to control a DIO card on a separate PC.
 

David_AVD

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AussiePhil said:
angus40 said:
1+ for this idea , would be nice have this for hls also . need some way to run Virtual Santa at various times rather than iin a loop.

Angus
LFP will do this obviously

Phil, that would still be using the show PC as the video player though?
 

fasteddy

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I like this, for me i havent done video due to the distance the show computer is away fom where i would put my screen
 

David_AVD

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As more people increase the complexity of their displays, many are upgrading to a new show computer This means there will often be a spare PC available for more menial tasks. There's also plenty of lower end PCs on eBay at cheap prices.
 

David_AVD

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Long VGA cables can certainly work. My point was that a cheap slave PC can also take load off the show computer. A run of CAT5 from LAN to slave PC is also much cheaper than a high quality VGA cable.
 

jhinkle

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David - not to hi-jack your thread - but I've been considering something similar.

I will ask for interest below because it is similar to your intent.

I'm thinking of a new capability for HLS that may help people doing synchronized displays (like neighbors, multi-media, etc).

HLS could have one or more control channels that would identify when other computers (running HLS) would play a specific sequence.

Communication between HLS computers would be via the Internet (Point-to-Point TCP/IP) communication.

One example ... three or four neighbors have displays - all want to play and synchronize to the same song. One could be the master and tell the other HLS machines what sequence to play and when.

Another example ... you have a computer that does video, water, whatever ... and you want those effects to be part of your sequence.

Does this interest anyone?
 
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