Video confidence monitor

[v27rjh]

Hi. We will shortly be doing our first show with Qlab with a fairly simple set up featuring lots of pre-recorded audio, and two video outs - one for the audience behind the stage in full view, and the second with a pre-recorded Musical Conductor seen only by the singers.  My question is, when running the show, I will not be able to see the video running the conductor (which is crucial for the cast on stage). What is the best way to get a confidence monitor feed that I can see? 

I have just bought a Mac Studio to run the show so I have extra video out capabilities if I can route the video cue to two places at once? or is there a better way?

Thank you all - this forum is so invaluable.

[Sam Kusnetz]

On Feb 8, 2023 at 2:01:56 AM, v27rjh <ric...@commissioned.uk.com> wrote:

What is the best way to get a confidence monitor feed that I can see? 

I have just bought a Mac Studio to run the show so I have extra video out capabilities if I can route the video cue to two places at once? or is there a better way?

Hi Richard

It’s hard to use the word “best” here… there are several ways, and one or more of them may work for you.

Easiest ways

If you’re using QLab 5, you can display a monitor window for each video stage (https://qlab.app/docs/v5/tools/monitor-windows/). That window is effectively a confidence monitor for that output.

If you’re not using QLab 5, you could mirror your surfaces’ output to syphon (https://qlab.app/docs/v4/video/video-surface-editor/#syphon-output) and then use the free Syphon app “Simple Client” to view it (https://github.com/Syphon/Simple/releases/tag/5)

Lowest-processing-overhead way

Use a video distribution amplifier to send a single video output from your Mac to two different display devices. So Mac Studio > whatever sort of video output cable you’re using > VDA > conductor’s screen & a monitor on your desk.

It’s possible some of the video hardware you’re using already has a “loop through” or duplicate output. If that’s so, this approach is even easier.

It’s useful (though not mandatory, if you’re careful or if you don’t care about it looking perfect) for all screens in a system like this to have the same resolution.

Simplest way

Plug in another monitor to the Mac and configure your video stage/surface to output to both screens. This will cost more processing power, but you have a Mac Studio so you have power to burn 🙂

Good luck!

Sam

—

Sam Kusnetz (he/him) | Figure 53

s...@figure53.com

[Richard Haley]

That’s great thank you

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