Redundant Mac Minis & multiple video outputs

[ra byn (robin)]

So a client has decided they want to go the route of (2) Mac Mini's & KVM
sharing for their Qlab rig.

One of the desires is to be able to do video as well as audio so they are
looking at the Server version with more memory & (2) HDs.

http://www.apple.com/macmini/server/specs.html

The current Mac Mini has a HDMI output (includes a HDMI to DVI adapter) &
a Thunderbolt port which from what I can tell can be adapter to either DVI
or VGA. Not sure if it can also do HDMI.

In order to be able to see the screens to run Qlab & also output video to
a projector, we will need to use both outputs.

I would think that HDMI outputs make the most sense to feed a local
monitor but then how to switch between (2) Mac Minis via Thunderbolt /
adpaters?

It appears that a Thunderbolt port is backward compatible with the
minidisplay adapters that are already available:

http://store.apple.com/us/question/answers/product/MC913ZM/A?pqid=QP2YUHPCYXXCHDY4P9AAKDUFCUY4C47CTKTTJHFAK27FT97KP

If true, I guess our options are wide open.

Better to use Thunderbolt output & converted to VGA or DVI?

Either way it appears there are plenty of KVM A/B switchers in either case?

Assuming the house projector can do VGA & DVI, which one is better or does
it really depend on the resolution of the video? Length of cable run?

Recommendations for KVMs in either VGA or DVI?

Thanks,

ra byn

[dan howarth]

On Sun, Mar 4, 2012 at 8:38 PM, ra byn (robin) <ra...@rabyn.com> wrote:

http://www.apple.com/macmini/server/specs.html

The current Mac Mini has a HDMI output (includes a HDMI to DVI adapter) &
a Thunderbolt port which from what I can tell can be adapter to either DVI
or VGA. Not sure if it can also do HDMI.

yes i have some thunderbolt // mini-displayport to hdmi adapters .. they work just fine. 

does the mac mini support BOTH graphics outputs individually ?? ie, 2 screens that 

aren't just a mirror of each other ....... 

[dan howarth]

ugh nevermind --- says it on the specs page --- support for dual display or video mirroring

--

dan howarth

520 955 9434

[Drew Dalzell]

Read your specs carefully, the server edition assumes you aren't doing graphics, so it is not a very good video card in that one, the top end non-server model is a better bed, it has a Radeon card in it. I have 10 of them, they work great with Qlab and SFX. I've got half of them converted to run from SSD instead of HD.

If you want two drives, all of the Mac Minis can support the addition of another drive, you just need to get the internal cable for it.

Drew

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[ra byn (robin)]

On Sun, March 4, 2012 9:41 pm, dan howarth wrote:
> does the mac mini support BOTH graphics outputs individually ?? ie, 2
> screens that
> aren't just a mirror of each other .......

Quote:

Thunderbolt port with support for up to 2560-by-1600 resolution
HDMI port with support for up to 1920-by-1200 resolution
DVI output using HDMI to DVI Adapter (included)
Support for dual display and video mirroring

-----------------------------------------------------

It appears there is no such thing as a HDMI KVM switcher so I'll need to
convert either the HDMI output or the Thunderbolt output to DVI or VGA.
Yes?

[ra byn (robin)]

Thanks Drew!

What does it cost to add the internal cable & how difficult is it to add a
second drive? Heat issues if you use a platter drive?

This theater tends to land on the "stills / slide show" side of video but
I don't want to pigeon hole them into not having what they need to do more
in the future. Max out the ram on the high end non server model?

*

[dan howarth]

It appears there is no such thing as a HDMI KVM switcher so I'll need to
convert either the HDMI output or the Thunderbolt output to DVI or VGA.
Yes?

not as classy and a bit more to set-up, but how about a TV with two HDMI inputs, 

a remote control, one usb keyboard, and a software KVM like synergy ... 

.. don't listen to the peanut gallery .. the VGA KVM is great .. especially if the 

projectors are VGA already ---- 

someone recently pointed out the disadvantages of converting back and forth 

between analog video and digital video -- too many times -- in a signal chain ... 

something to consider .... 

[dan howarth]

On Sun, Mar 4, 2012 at 8:52 PM, ra byn (robin) <ra...@rabyn.com> wrote:

This theater tends to land on the "stills / slide show" side of video but
I don't want to pigeon hole them into not having what they need to do more
in the future. Max out the ram on the high end non server model?

has anyone been following the raspberry pi ?? --- 

http://www.raspberrypi.org/

we had a show come through a while back, the slide show was run from XBMC 

or something similar, got me curious about these things ..... 

[ra byn (robin)]

http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/shop_mac/family/mac_mini/select

So it's true that the Server version doesn't have the ATI video chip but
instead the same Intel video chip as the cheapest Mac Mini but it does
have an I7 processor. The non server versions have an I5. Not sure if that
makes up for the lessor quality video chip or not. The theater I'm working
with doesn't have a very nice or very bright projector & video function
will be nice no matter what it looks like. Currently they use mostly
Powerpoint & such.

Is there a balance between better processor (I7 versus I5) & better video
chip (Intel versus Radeon)? If so, how does one choose?

Chris, any idea of when Qlab 3 will be ready (if soon). If I can budget
for it in advance, they might be able to get it. If not, probably another
10 years before the next upgrade:(

Just an idea of what it might cost would be fine. If not, I'll just budget
for Qlab 2 & they'll figure it all out later.

ra byn

On Sun, March 4, 2012 9:47 pm, Drew Dalzell wrote:

[Lucas Krech]

As complexity increases the better graphics card becomes more important. In theory the video processing is happening mostly (all?) on the graphics card and with the video RAM. If you are just doing a slide show the difference is probably imperceptible. Same with most basic video playback. However, if you are using Quartz Composer, which writes directly on the graphics card and takes special advantage of that hardware to process in real time, you will want that to be as good as possible. As such, to allow maximum future flexibility, you are probably best off getting as good a graphics card as you can.

-L

Lucas Benjaminh Krech

Lighting and Video Artist

www.lucaskrech.com

646.263.8439

gChat: lucaskrech

Twitter: lucaskrech

Skype: lucaskrech

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"I think it's essential for artists to have a seat at the table for determining the future trajectory of technology" ~Golan Levin 

[ra byn (robin)]

And after my last post I noticed that the non server 2.5ghz mac mini can
be upgraded to I7 status & two harddrives can be added including an SSD
for the upgrade fees. No penalties.

ra byn