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[benn600]

How difficult would it be to get MC running campus wide "television" screens?  the key is that there will be a great distance between each screen.  I was thinking running VGA or DVI cables but it could be several hundred feet.  Or possibly over the network with a computer at each screen?  I'm just thinking if MC could run it with a playlist then it would be easy to incorporate audio, video, and images all in a single presentation that can repeat.

I'm helping set these up around campus and I think MC may be a great choice for this.

[JimH]

If the screen is a television, a UPnP box could be used and you could choose content from MC's library by using the UPnP server in MC.  The UPnP box would be connected to the PC running MC via network (wired or wireless).

But you might get a better answer if you can describe what you expect to happen.  What is the purpose?

[benn600]

It's still somewhat in the early phases and I'm open to ideas.  However, I picture some simple text pages explaining upcoming campus events--ideally with some animation.  So perhaps a simple video editing program will be used to create small video snippets that can be queued up.

It may evolve into videos, too.

Of course I don't know what else is out there, either, but MC is what I'm used to and it seems like it could handle running the system quite well.  What I picture would be a powerful computer with dual monitors.  One would show the desktop & MC and the other would show the signal that is being sent to all the monitors around campus.  I think a single video feed would be fine.  At that point, the question is what is the easiest way to send high quality video around campus?  If a computer was not required at each screen that would help costs a lot.  The main computer doesn't even have to be that powerful.

Perhaps sound could be ran as well.  What are my options for running video several hundred feet?  I doubt VGA cable can be that long.  Or perhaps some box that would send it over the network.  I think fiber is between buildings so that may be able to handle large streams.  I just know that a VGA cable would give the best picture.

I'm really hoping to use MC as much as possible.  Now as far as licensing, would the price to my college still be $40 or do you have a larger organization license?

[benn600]

As I think about it: it needs to be setup very efficiently and easy to change what shows on the screens.  So some sort of auto advance option with timings.  I think MC can handle it, though.  Perhaps I'll run into a problem or two once we start and I think we will.  I have a few issues in mind that will be troubling for whoever actually runs the device.

Key is: I want the displays to easily display audio, video, and images in an easily manageable method without showing Windows stuff and other junk.  MC worked great for another project a few months back.

[JimH]

Ben,
We'll donate a license to your college.

So, I think you're thinking of it as a distributed poster around campus.  Right?

If so, you could take a look at glynor's Great Wall of Video.  He did something similar, but his screens were all in one place.  He used zones to display different information on all the screens.  Try a search here to read more.

The problem you will have (and I don't know the solution) is how to get the output to the locations.  Long cables are possible.  I believe there are also video to network to video solutions available.  Try google.

Should be an interesting project.  You're "lucky" to have it.

[benn600]

That is quite exactly what it will end up being.  We are looking to get 2-3 screens around to start.  There are 7+ core buildings that could all use a screen but obviously we will start small.  When we sit down and start thinking about the possibilities of such displays, I'm sure we'll come up with lots of ideas.  In this case, we're not necessarily going for premium quality like Glynor's wall of video---which I examined closely in the forum.

Since we're in Iowa we end up getting cancellations from time to time.  We've already had an entire day off and two half days (evening classes).  In fact, my evening class tonight was canceled.  That would be a perfect opportunity to show white on red BG text explaining the situation.  I'll really start getting excited once I see what we can do with them.  And of course there is a lot of issues to get them running right.

The funny thing is that I'm not sure who came up with the original plan but without careful planning, managing such a system could be a nightmare!

We're still several weeks out for planning and such but I'll be doing some research until then.

And of course we may have issues with audio.  Perhaps built in speakers.  Of course then we'll want creative commons/student produced pieces to show.  In fact, we can use these to showcase Campus news, Campus events, Student artwork, Sports events clips, etc.  Of course doing one would be a piece of cake.  Just a single monitor with computer.  Dealing with monitors, we really want the biggest possible I would think.  The good news is that I know most of the staff and can see if they have suggestions on this setup.

It just seems like the ideal setup would be a single computer with a single monitor output.  If we need more we can add them later.  And yes, MC can handle it.  I can't help but think we need Super-Smartlists.  Essentially custom playlist with lots of extra abilities--such as multiple zone control and timings.  The issue would become we want background music while images display but then it needs to silence for the video parts.  Again, it will be more apparent when I start playing around but timing will be crucial.  Oh, and I know split views will be useful.  Can show Playing Now on the left and content on the right.  Then, just drag a new piece of media to playing now in the correct spot.

Oh and I'd feel very compelled to add a short "Powered By J River Media Center" screen to cycle from time to time.  I'd want to anyway.

[benn600]

I thought something like this existed:

http://www.amazon.com/Video-Extender-Extend-over-CAT5/dp/B000I97N7G

It lets you extend VGA cables over inexpensive CAT5 cable up to 430 feet.  I will need to check but that may be long enough.  And I wonder if they could be strung together twice for double the length?

Ben,
We'll donate a license to your college.

Would be interesting if you officially created a high-end commercial license for a large price ($200) and then I could say you are offering me a free license.

[brentk]

Any chance your campus is covered by ubiquitous wifi? Or at least wifi in the buildings you want the TVs in? X10 has the solution if they do. Also, while MC is by far my favorite program, isn't what you're trying to do basically the domain of PowerPoint? My high school did the same thing as what you're talking about 8 or 9 years ago and it was all powerpoint. And if my high school could do it, it doesn't get much easier.

[benn600]

We have wifi where the screens will need to be.

I don't want to deal with PowerPoint.  It wouldn't do what we want, would it?  Can you on the fly modify the presentation and quickly and easily add video, images, and pictures in?  Seems like MC will be able to handle the stuff easier. MC has transitions for images, etc.

[brentk]

Seems the x10 thing I was thinking about isn't exactly what I thought it was. It MIGHT still work, but I'm not sure if you can add a network in between it or if it has to be direct from sender to receiver.

A wifi media center extender would do the job. http://www.amazon.com/Linksys-Dual-Band-Wireless-Extender-WMCE54AG/dp/B0002ZUZVW/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1202805218&sr=1-2 this one for only $116 wouldn't be too bad.

As for powerpoint it would do exactly what you want. On the fly editing I guess you'd need two instances open, one running the presentation, the other to edit. You'd create the slide as a new presentation then just pause your running presentation, copy the slide in and restart it. Maybe not as perfectly seamless as MC would be. Making a video only slide is of course incredibly simple. Overlaying music to a text slide is simple. Images can go wherever you want them. Transitions is basically what the program is.

In media center the only way I see to get text up while playing music would be to make a video with a static image file with music playing. That seems like a lot of work. You'd need a video editor. Or, ironically, powerpoint. It's possible I don't know MC well enough, because I don't have any images in my library, maybe music behind a slideshow is easier than I think it is.

Anyway, it's up to you and I'm not really trying to convince you one way or the other. Frankly, I like JR a lot more than MS. If it was me doing it I'd use PP though.

[benn600]

Those wireless media players are always junk.  I have purchased way too many of them and always end up regretting it and reselling it.  For once, just once, I'd like full MC theater view in a set top box.  That's why I always end up building full systems for HTPCs instead of trying to make these ultimately convenient and inexpensive boxes work.

[newsposter]

if the only tool you have is a hammer, then every problem looks like a nail....

As enamored as you are with MC, there are any number of other tools that will do the job better.

Have you decided on the resolutions of your display devices?  That alone could be the determining factor on whether or not you can actually use 'remote' screens or if you will need an actual PC in each location.  Just because a Cat6 cable can carry 1 gbs data does not mean that it is capable of moving around high-res video no matter what kind of 'extender' you find.

And if you need a PC, then by all means investigte the WM-based thin clients sold by just about everyone.

[brentk]

Seems you've already committed yourself then to each of these posters cost two to three grand between the HTPC that's going to have to sit at the TV and the TV itself. Your dream of running DVI or HDMI all around campus would probably actually cost more than having a separate HTPC at each TV. Of course I don't much see a way to control that centrally. Remote desktop I suppose but at this point I think newsposter is right, you're just looking for things to be a nail. It'd probably be cheaper and easier to do this the old fashioned way, setup a station and closed circuit broadcast and just turn the TVs to the right channel, than the way it seems you want to go.

[benn600]

Good point.  I could just run it over coax.  The problem is what resolutions can be run over coax?  I'm still baffled you can send many HD signals down one cable.

I understand ethernet is not necessarily capable of high resolutions.  DVI appears to be capable of 1.6Gb/second.  I thought it was higher.  May have found a bad article.

Anyway, several better solutions?  Name one if you wouldn't mind.  Powerpoint is not even an option.

I suppose some dedicated software for running a television channel would do wonders for the project but I doubt that would be $40 or less.  I still need to figure out what sizes everyone is thinking about on the screens.

So want to start naming some other possible software options?  If MC evolves to include more remote control of the program, perhaps it would handle this even better.  And I'm sure it's on their list.  If secondary MC's could be setup as zones on the first PC, then perhaps all I'd need is a PC and then it could access the network address on its own.

[brentk]

I'm not positive, but since it's coax that provides cable I'm going to go with it's at least 1080p capable, which if you're using a TV rather than a monitor would be about as high as you could possibly go. What resolutions are you really expecting? Are you planning on putting up 3008WFPs everywhere?

As for other options there's the one you say is not an option. (Might I ask why?) Also I'm not sure why the 'under $40' is a concern. This is a real university right? It's budget isn't comprised of paperclips and bits of string is it? It seems like you're getting wrapped into a $10,000 project and expecting the software to come in at .4% of the budget. (Of course that's not really true is it, because if you're going to insist on a PC at every station you're gonna chunk out just a bit for an OS in each place now aren't you?) But if it must be so, I'd recommend Impress. Maybe KPresenter.

I'm going to need some reasons and details of what you want if I'm going to be helpful. At this point I just don't see what you're even open to.

[benn600]

I guess I was so impressed with the flexibility I had when running our last theatrical production that I think MC could handle what is needed.  I'm not worried about costs.  And as far as Microsoft licensing I know my college has a huge package of software and gets pretty much anything they want.  A couple PCs is a peanut or two.

I can see what the people who dreamt up this idea have in mind.

1080p would be overkill but acceptable.  The last thing I would want to suggest we do is go overboard and waste tons of money without seeing if these things would even be a benefit to the campus.

Powerpoint is junk because then we'll be running just that, a powerpoint presentation.  I'm hoping for something a notch higher.  I do not want any boring text pages.  Like I said, we'll create a nice template in Adobe Premiere (or whatever) and simply drop in text.  Then, we can have a moving, blended background (like news stations use) or something relating to the college.  When I started this thread I knew I would get lots of people saying other solutions may work better.  The key it seems is to get a screen or two around campus that can all be hooked up to the same PC in a central location.  If this was achieved, software is irrelevant and can be easily changed as needs change.  Otherwise, we will end up using a PC at each station and that could be okay but that's just one more thing that has to be managed!  I'm having a hard time figuring out how to "secure" these so they can't be stolen.  They might need to be in some big secure box on the wall.  Then where would the PC go?  Running cable between buildings is a piece of cake for us.

[newsposter]

thin clients.......  you can even get mounts for them that bolt on the back of flat panel screens.

[brentk]

Alright, I got a better idea now. From the beginning reading it seemed like doing it on the cheap was important. Kinda felt like you were trying to get to the point my HS was at. My mistake. I went to college at UW-Madison, and they had what you're talking about--sort of-- in the caf's. Not sure why I didn't think of that sooner. I guess I just never ate in the caf after freshman year and even rarely then. Of course that was 5 years ago before plasmas and lcds were everywhere. There it was indeed a closed circuit thing. If there was nothing going on they just pumped CNN in, something worthwhile going on and you'd see it on the monitors, but it would switch without any input at the monitor. I would assume they were using something like premiere as well, or even more likely something well beyond. There were never any slide transitions to speak of. No videos or music that I can remember either, although I think that was probably just that University air of 'professionalism.' Of course they had a broadcasting school to handle all of this. You sure it wouldn't just be easier to tell your school they need a broadcasting program and let them worry about it?

My recommendation would be to go CCTV. I guess good enough for UW is good enough for me. As you said though who knows how much it'll cost. But then, if you're going to expand it out to a lot eventually it's probably the most cost effective. CCTV surveillance is apparently $500-$1000 per camera, (google) I would assume you could just reverse that same system for monitors rather than cameras.