Is using VPT to for live band video production possible? Syncing is required...

[Chris Simeone]

Before I really sink my teeth into VPT, I should find out if it will work for my U2 tribute band's live show syncing requirements...

Our Needs:

During live shows we use audio backing tracks as U2 does. 

The tracks also contain a click track and vocal cuesthat the band members follow in our in-ear monitors. 

10 - 15 song-specific videos must sync with the audio backing tracks.  

I will not embed backing track audio in any video. The reason... if a video goes down the audio backing tracks still function.

We will do projection mapping to three or four screens. Here is sample stage design that shows a 3-screen layout:

My Questions:

• Regarding syncing, I thinking I can use MIDI somehow. Do you agree? Or do you have a better idea?
  
  
• How would I create a "playlist" of videos?
  
  The thought here is we have a playlist of songs.  When a specific song's audio backing track is loaded, the related video is loaded as well.  And when the backing track is started, the video is started as well.
  

Our ultimate goal is our entire show will sync to the backing tracks - both DMX lighting and video.

Can we use VPT to sync our videos to backing tracks?

Thanks,

Chris

u2act.com

[hc]

Hi,
this is entirely doable with VPT, but I would spend a bit more time studying the manual and maybe have another look at the tutorial video.
You don´t need a project per video.
It´s very easy to trigger a new clip with incoming midi or OSC using the router, so basically you just need to have all your videos in a folder, select clip 1 for track 1, select clip 2 for track 2 etc.

[Chris Simeone]

Thanks HC, that is helpful and I will continue walking through the manual. 

A couple final questions regarding this topic:

• What I failed to mention is that one song can have three or more different videos playing at the same time ... one or more on each of the three screens ... that play for the entire length of the song. Not loops, but complete videos. 
  
  See this video for an example: http://youtu.be/q_f3ciFSZK8
  
  So can a run multiple clips/videos mapped to different areas of the screen per song? And if so how do I load the multiple clips for a specific song at once?
  
  
• Also, if I have let's say for 10 songs I use 17 videos that are 720p or 1080p, is there a concern with video size and loading them all into VPT 7 at once?
  

Thanks,

Chris

[Chris Simeone]

Sorry, I can be dense sometimes. I think I understand now...

• Each preset can contain multiple videos mapped to the screen however I want.
• Each preset can be assigned up to 8 sources.
• Each preset can be assigned to one song.
• MIDI can be used to trigger specific presets.

Correct?

If so that leaves only one question regarding video size? And I assume that depends on the amount of RAM available.

Any performance concerns loading so many large videos?

Thanks,

Chris

On Thursday, December 19, 2013 4:36:17 PM UTC-6, Chris Simeone wrote:

[hc]

On Friday, December 20, 2013 8:34:13 PM UTC+1, Chris Simeone wrote:

Sorry, I can be dense sometimes. I think I understand now...

• Each preset can contain multiple videos mapped to the screen however I want.
• Each preset can be assigned up to 8 sources.

+ syphon sources, live sources, solid sources

• Each preset can be assigned to one song.
• MIDI can be used to trigger specific presets.

Correct?

 
yes

for playback of HD footage you shoud check out the HAP codec (mac only). The graphics card and harddrive is as important as RAM.