Viz Video Wall ER Administrator’s Guide• NVIDIA Gsync II • Matrox card (if video-in is...

Viz Video Wall ERAdministrator’s Guide

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Last Updated

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Contents1 Introduction .............................................................................................. 1

1.1 Video Wall Control Application ...................................................................11.2 Video Wall Distributor Server ......................................................................21.3 Configuration Options ................................................................................2

1.3.1 Using a Dedicated Wall Controller ...................................................................... 21.3.2 Deployment Options .......................................................................................... 3

1.4 General System Architecture .......................................................................41.5 Hardware Requirements .............................................................................4

2 Software Installation.................................................................................. 5

3 Workbench Description ............................................................................. 63.1 Machines ....................................................................................................73.2 Parameters .................................................................................................7

3.2.1 Main Parameters ................................................................................................ 83.2.2 Output Parameters ............................................................................................. 8

3.3 Setup and Analysis Tabs .............................................................................83.3.1 Machine Setup Tab ............................................................................................. 83.3.2 Debugging and Analysis Tab .............................................................................. 9

3.4 Viz Control Panel ......................................................................................113.5 Status Bar .................................................................................................123.6 Saving Data and Reconnecting ..................................................................12

4 Setting Up a Video Wall ........................................................................... 134.1 Opening Video Wall Control ......................................................................134.2 Configuring the Viz Engine .......................................................................13

4.2.1 Configuring the Viz Engine Video Version ........................................................ 144.2.2 General Viz Engine Configuration ..................................................................... 164.2.3 Sharing the Graphic Assets .............................................................................. 18

4.3 Configuring the Graphics Card .................................................................194.4 Configuring the GSync Card .....................................................................214.5 Connecting Video Wall Control to the Distributor Server ...........................234.6 Video Wall Control Configurations ............................................................24

4.6.1 Connecting the Viz Engines to the Video Wall .................................................. 244.6.2 Defining Output Parameters ............................................................................. 254.6.3 Setting Machine Parameters ............................................................................. 264.6.4 Setting Layout Parameters ................................................................................ 274.6.5 Configuring Stereo Mode ................................................................................. 28

4.7 Saving Settings .........................................................................................294.8 Configuring the Control Application .........................................................30

4.8.1 Viz Content Pilot Configuration ........................................................................ 304.8.2 Advanced Viz Content Pilot Configuration ........................................................ 31

4.8.3 Optional Setup Solutions .................................................................................. 314.9 Backup and Redundancy ...........................................................................32

4.9.1 Defining Backup Viz Engines for Redundancy ................................................... 334.9.2 Setting Up Backup Distributor Servers for Redundancy ..................................... 35

5 Detecting GSync Problems....................................................................... 37

6 Using Video-in with DVI Output .............................................................. 38

7 Networking Issues................................................................................... 427.1 Communication Types Between Video Wall Processes ...............................427.2 Setting Ports .............................................................................................42

8 Taking the Video Wall On-Air .................................................................. 44

9 Scene Design........................................................................................... 459.1 Aspect Ratio .............................................................................................459.2 Performance Optimization ........................................................................459.3 Playing Clips ............................................................................................46

10 Interactivity ............................................................................................. 4710.1 Prerequisites for Video Wall Interactivity ...................................................4710.2 Designing Interactive Scenes for Video Wall ..............................................4710.3 Enabling Interactivity ................................................................................4810.4 Simulating Touch Events ..........................................................................48

11 Command Line Arguments and Keyboard Shortcuts ................................ 50

12 Troubleshooting...................................................................................... 5112.1 Problems Connecting Video Wall Control to the Distributor ......................5112.2 Viz Engine Connection Problems ..............................................................5212.3 Failure To Send Real Time Command ........................................................5212.4 Animation Speed on One of the Viz Engines is Too Fast ............................5412.5 Interactivity Problems ...............................................................................5412.6 Graphic Synchronization Problems ...........................................................5512.7 Not All Commands Executed ....................................................................5612.8 Black Screen in One of the Viz Engines .....................................................5612.9 Graphics Do Not Split Correctly on Screens ...............................................5712.10 Scenes Do Not Appear on Video Wall as on Viz Engine ..............................5912.11 Graphics Not Laid Out Correctly On The Video Wall ..................................5912.12 Debugging the Layout Viz Command .......................................................60

1 IntroductionViz Video Wall is a technology that allows the use of two or more Viz Engines to drive a multi-screen video wall. The solution features a 1600x1200 pixel resolution per Engine, and the possibility to further enhance resolution with additional Engines. Viz Video Wall takes advantage of the full resolution that modern projectors and flat panels can deliver.

A key advantage of the Viz Video Wall solution is the consistency of workflow: everything works like a standard Viz Engine system. The control clients, the newsroom system integration and playout management work just like everyone is used to. Designers, journalists and control room operators can continue to work in a familiar environment, whether a graphics scene is played out on a Video Wall or a normal Viz Engine is just a matter of choosing the right output channel in the playout client.

Viz Video Wall has two main roles in the video wall broadcast production line:

• Configure the size and position of different parts of the video wall.• Receive commands from external control applications (Viz Content Pilot, Viz

Trio, Viz Weather), and distribute the commands while making sure that they are issued at the exact same time on all the machines that participate in the Video Wall.

The Viz Video Wall includes two applications:

• Video Wall Control Application• Video Wall Distributor Server

This section contains information on the following topics:

• Video Wall Control Application• Video Wall Distributor Server• Configuration Options• General System Architecture• Hardware Requirements

1.1 Video Wall Control ApplicationVideo Wall Control is a front-end application to control and manipulate the Video Wall parameters. The application is used only in the configuration stage, so there is no need to run it during normal operation. The Video Wall Control communicates with the Video Wall Distributor Server. The Video Wall Control cannot communicate directly to Viz Engine machines, and will not work without correct communication with Video Wall Distributor Server.

Chapter 1: Introduction 1

1.2 Video Wall Distributor ServerThe Video Wall Distributor Server is a special gateway process that makes several Viz Engines appear as a single engine from the Control application’s point of view. To trigger and send commands to all Viz Engine machines simultaneously, the Video Wall Distributor Server keeps track of the internal clock of every Engine in the setup. When commands are sent from the Control application, Video Wall Distributor Server compensates for any clock differences, so that all machines get the correct execution time based on their own clock.

1.3 Configuration OptionsWhen building a Video Wall, there are a number of considerations to take into account. The first one is how many actual screens will make up the Video Wall. The number of Viz Engines required to power the screens is then calculated accordingly.

The number Viz Engines required to power a Video Wall is determined based on the following criteria:

• How many screen will make up the Video Wall• The required resolution (higher means more Engines)• Input formats and resolution limitations of the screens (DVI, SDI, HD, etc.)• Whether or not a hardware controller will be deployed

Each Viz Engine is capable of delivering up to 1.9 million pixels. These pixels can be spread overs the screens either directly (for example 2 x 1024 x 768 or 1600 x 1200, etc.) or via a wall controller that can spread them differently across the screens, depending on the available input formats. Depending on the required resolution of your Video Wall, you will need to decide on the number of Viz Engines to use.

1.3.1 Using a Dedicated Wall Controller

An optional third party wall controller can be used in some cases. In this scenario, the output of the Viz Engines does not go directly to the screens. Instead, it is fed into the wall controller, which then spreads it and across the Video Wall. The wall controller can integrate other video sources into the Video Wall as well. A wall controller can be used:

• When more types of inputs beyond Viz applications are required. These can be PowerPoint presentations, direct video, and so forth.

• If you want to power more than two screens with a Viz Engine.

2 Chapter 1: Introduction

1.3.2 Deployment Options

For a Video Wall of 12 screens (4 x 3), the following table summarizes the deployment options.

Table 1: Video Wall Configuration Options for a 4x3 Wall

1 12 Controller required.



6 2 Dual output.No controller required.

12 1 No controller required.

Assuming each Viz Engine can produce either 2 x 1024 x 768 pixels (1.6 million pixels) or 1600 x 1200 (1.9 million pixels) these numbers can represent the basic number of pixels available from each Viz Engine in DVI format.

When a controller is needed (due to many video-in signals, among other reasons) the above options are available. When a controller is not used, you can deploy six Viz Engines with dual output as a feed. This can provide a resolution of 1024 x 768 for each screen.

No. of Viz Engines

No. of screens fed by each Engine

Screens fed by single Engine

Comments

Chapter 1: Introduction 3

1.4 General System Architecture Figure 1: Architecture

1.5 Hardware Requirements• Screens• Viz Engine machine(s)

• NVIDIA 4600 video card• NVIDIA Gsync II• Matrox card (if video-in is required or video-out is an output format)

• Video Wall Control PC - running control application (Trio, Pilot, Weather)• Wall controller (optional - depends on configuration)

4 Chapter 1: Introduction

2 Software Installation

IMPORTANT! The control machine will be referred to as control. The Video Wall machine will be referred to as vwall. See the Architecture diagram.

To install Video Wall software1. Install the Viz Engines on the requisite machines. Use only Viz Engine 2.8 pl2

and up, or 3.2.2. and up (viz-3.2.2.xxxx.exe). Ensure that each machine has its own separate IP address and machine name.

2. Ensure that the Viz Graphics Hub is common for all the machines, including the Control PC (control). For more details on how, refer to the Viz Engine documentation.

3. Install the Viz Video Wall software package on both the vwall machine and the control machine (VizVideoWall_2.7.1.exe).

4. Install the control application (Trio, Pilot, Weather, etc.) on the control machine.

5. For greater convenience, install Synergy software for keyboard and mouse sharing.

Chapter 2: Software Installation 5

3 Workbench DescriptionThis section provides information about the Video Wall Control user interface. When starting Video Wall Control, the window has the following appearance.

Figure 2: Video Wall Control

This interface enables you to set up a Video Wall and define the necessary parameters, as detailed in Setting Up a Video Wall. Once the Video Wall is set up, the Video Wall Control application can be used for monitoring the system in real-time.

The user interface allows you to define and monitor the computers taking part in generating the graphics for the Video Wall. The graphic scenes are rendered by a

6 Chapter 3: Workbench Description

few Viz Engines with each rendering the relevant part of the scene according to their location in the Video Wall.

The Video Wall Control user interface has the following main panels:

• Machines• Status Bar• Parameters• Setup and Analysis Tabs• Viz Control Panel• Status Bar• Saving Data and Reconnecting

3.1 MachinesThe Machines panel is positioned in the middle of the window.

Figure 3: Machines

The Machines panel shows a matrix of the machines that make up the Video Wall. When selecting a cell in the matrix (refers to a screen in the Video Wall), the settings belonging to this machine becomes modifiable in the Machine Parameters panel. Use the machines panel for monitoring the Video Wall or changing any parameters as necessary.

The parameters are configured to reflect the role of each Viz Engine on the complete Video Wall, i.e. which part of the graphic scene is rendered by that particular Viz Engine.

3.2 ParametersThe Video Wall parameters are set in the main screen of the Video Wall Control application. They consist of the following:

• Main Parameters

Chapter 3: Workbench Description 7

• Output Parameters

See Also• Machine Setup Tab

3.2.1 Main Parameters

The main parameters panel is located in the upper left portion of the window.

Figure 4: Main Parameters

To configure these parameters, see Connecting the Viz Engines to the Video Wall.

3.2.2 Output Parameters

The output parameters panel is located in the upper right portion of the window.

Figure 5: Output Parameters

To configure theses parameters, see Connecting the Viz Engines to the Video Wall.

3.3 Setup and Analysis TabsThere are two tabs for configuring and troubleshooting:

• Machine Setup Tab• Debugging and Analysis Tab

3.3.1 Machine Setup Tab

The machine setup tab contains the machine parameters.


Figure 6: Machine Parameters

To configure theses parameters, see Setting Machine Parameters.

3.3.2 Debugging and Analysis Tab

This tab provides useful data to debug performance and synchronization problems on the Viz Engines. The main part of the tab shows performance graphs for each defined Viz Engine. Each Engine automatically gets a unique color, and a legend is displayed in the right panel.

There are two performance axes.

• Max. performance (in FPS)• Current performance (in current FPS)

The horizontal axis for both is stage seconds. However, as long as there is no animation running, the graphs will not progress.

If everything is functioning properly, the current FPS, in the lower graph, should be 50 Hz for PAL and 60 Hz for NTSC.

In the event of performance problems, the current FPS will drop lower than 50/60 Hz. In addition, an LED will be displayed on the relevant machine in the Machines panel.


Graph Display Control

In the right pane, you have a number of options to configure graph presentation:

• Fit to window - Squeezes the graphs to fit inside the viewable area.• Follow graph - As the graphs show live data arriving from the Viz Engines,

data accumulates on the right side. Press the Follow Graph button to scroll the graphs to always display the most recently arrived data.

• Show last X secs -Enter a value from zero upward. This affects the range of the graph and how much history is displayed.

• Zooming on the graph - On the graph itself, clicking a rectangle zooms the graph to that rectangle. To re-zoom to original view, press the fit to window button.

Note: The graphs clear themselves whenever the animation stage time in Viz goes backwards, i.e. when restarting the animation, starting another animation, or changing scenes, etc.

Note: Data to the graphs arrives from each Viz Engine via the UDP feedback message PERF. If information does not arrive, this can indicate network issues.

Stage Control Bar

At the top of the tab, the Stage Control bar allows you to control the stage of all Viz Engines.

Stage control buttons are useful for resetting graphs (by going back to the start), as well as starting, stopping and continuing animations. A specific time in the stage may also be entered; this causes all Viz Engines to jump to that stage point.

Use the scroll bar mainly to see the stage time of given points. Manual scrolls are not advised as Viz may perform differently when scrolling manually as opposed to running automatically.

The range of the scroll bar changes with the range of the graphs. The scroll bar and the graphs always show the same time range.


Jump to Problem Bar

In the bottom portion of the tab, you will find the Jump to Problem bar. This bar helps you find the cause of performance issues. If your performance LED blinks and a performance problem occurs at any point in the stage the Jump to Problem bar can help you find the exact location in the graphics where the performance drop happens.

• Set the MAX threshold to the value beneath which you would consider a problematic point. Theoretically this should be 50/60 Hz, but in reality performance drop can occur at higher rates as well.

• Jump to next problem (arrow down) - Stops at the next problematic point. Runs the stage forward and all Viz Engines stop when one of the Viz's maximum performance goes below the max threshold value.

• Jump to previous problem (arrow up) - Stops at the previous problematic point. Runs the stage backward and all Viz Engines stop when one of the Viz's maximum performance goes below the max threshold value.

• Continue and ignore any problems (FF button) - Stop debugging performance problems. Ignores the threshold and does not stop the stage.

3.4 Viz Control PanelThe Viz Control panel is used to send synchronized messages to Viz Engines, individually or collectively.

Figure 7: Viz Control Panel

To send commands to Viz Engines1. From the Command combo box, select a command. The standard options are:

• REND*STAGE SHOW 0• REND*STAGE START• REND*STAGE CONTINUE• REND*STAGE STOP• MAIN RESTART

Note: In addition to the above, any command may be typed into the text field to be sent. A history is kept throughout the session.

2. From the Send To combo box, select the desired Viz Engine. You can select a single machine or all machines.Commands to All Machines are sent synchronously to all defined machines.

3. To permanently add commands to the drop down list, edit the file vizCommands.txt in VizVideoWall folder.


3.5 Status BarThe Status bar is positioned at the bottom of the window, and has the following appearance.

• Show Commands: Shows commands in the Video Wall Distributor Server console window and in each of the Viz Engine machines.

• Show Performance: Tests performance while the Video Wall is active.• Message Area: Displays messages. • Connection Status: Indicates if Video Wall Control is connected to the Video

Wall Distributor Server.

Tip: Right-clicking the connection indicator causes the system to attempt to reconnect.

The GSync LED at the bottom-right corner of the Video Wall Control interface indicates the status of the GSync across all machines. The GSync LED can show one of three possible statuses:

• Green - Sync is OK• Yellow - Status not detected • Red - Sync is wrong.

The most likely reason for errors indicated can be seen in the LED’s hint. For more information, see Detecting GSync Problems.

3.6 Saving Data and Reconnecting• Save Data: Saves the parameters entered up to this point. Stored as

Distributor.ini in C:\Program Files\vizrt\VizVideoWall.• Reconnect: Reconnects to all Viz Engine machines. • Auto Reconnect Viz: If a Viz Engine machine gets disconnected for whatever

reason, checking this box will cause the Video Wall Distributor to continuously attempt to reconnect.

Figure 8: Save and Reconnect Buttons


4 Setting Up a Video WallThis section contains the procedures on how to set up a video wall consisting of three Viz Engine machines, controlled by Viz Content Pilot.

IMPORTANT! The three Viz Engine machines will be referred to as viz1, viz2, and viz3. The control machine will be referred to as control. The Video Wall machine will be referred to as vwall.

The content for the Video Wall can be sent via Viz Content Pilot, as well as Viz Trio, Viz Weather, etc. Some settings may vary between applications. Consult the relevant application’s documentation for further details.

The procedures below assume that the Viz Video Wall Control is installed on the control machine and the Viz Video Wall Distributor is on the vwall machine. While this is the standard setup, theoretically, you can run both applications on the same machine. See Optional Setup Solutions for details.


• Opening Video Wall Control• Configuring the Viz Engine• Configuring the Graphics Card• Configuring the GSync Card• Connecting Video Wall Control to the Distributor Server• Connecting the Viz Engines to the Video Wall• Video Wall Control Configurations• Saving Settings• Configuring the Control Application• Backup and Redundancy

4.1 Opening Video Wall ControlThe Video Wall control application resides on its own machine.

To open Video Wall Control• Do one of the following:

• Double-click the icon on the desktop, or• Select the program from the Start menu: All Programs > vizrt >

VizVideoWall > VideoWall Control.

4.2 Configuring the Viz EngineViz Engine configuration differs depending on your intended output types. Graphics can be output from Viz Engines in two main ways:

Chapter 4: Setting Up a Video Wall 13

• Using the video board in SDI format (SD or HD)• Using the graphics board in DVI format

In addition, there is also the option to have video-in, which requires another configuration.

Depending on your needs and hardware, you will have a different version of the Viz Engine installed on each machine. If the machine has a video card, you will install the video version, enabling video-out and video-in. Otherwise, you will install the standard PC version. The Viz Engine installation package automatically detects which version to install on each respective machine. Furthermore, configurations are different according to the selected output format.

To run Viz Config• Run Viz Engine in Config mode by clicking Start -> Programs -> vizrt -> Viz

Config.The Viz Configuration window is displayed.

This section also contains information on the following topics:

• Configuring the Viz Engine Video Version• General Viz Engine Configuration• Sharing the Graphic Assets

4.2.1 Configuring the Viz Engine Video Version

If your intended output is SDI and/or you are using video-in, configure the Viz Engine parameters below. Otherwise, proceed directly to General Viz Engine Configuration.

To configure input and output formats1. In the Viz Config window, in the left pane, click Video Output.

14 Chapter 4: Setting Up a Video Wall

2. In the right pane, if your intended output is DVI, set DVI Out (Video Wall) to Active. If your intended output is SD/HD, set it to Inactive.

3. In the left pane, click Video Input.

4. In the right pane, select the input formats. If you have no video input, select Inactive.

5. In the left pane, click Video Board.


6. In the right pane, set Videout Ringbuffer to Off.7. If you are using video-in with DVI, follow the procedure in Using Video-in with

DVI Output.

4.2.2 General Viz Engine Configuration

To configure basic Viz Engine parameters (all versions)1. In the Viz Config window, in the left pane, click Communication.2. Click UDP & Multicast.

3. In the left pane, click Render Options.


4. Set Force Sleep to Inactive.5. For OnAir Resolution, click and select Desktop Resolution.

This means that when Viz is set to on-air mode its render window size will match the resolution of the desktop as was set in the graphics card.

6. Set Use NVIDIA Frame Counter to Active.This will synchronize the graphics to the signal from NVIDIA GSync card.

7. In the left pane, click Output Format.

8. Select the required output size and format according to the required resolution.

IMPORTANT! If you are using video input, ensure that the output dimensions match the size selected in Configuring the Viz Engine Video Version Step <XREF>4.


See Also• Setting Ports

4.2.3 Sharing the Graphic Assets

How the database connection is created depends on which version of the Viz Engine you are running.

For Viz 2.8, create the database on one of the machines, and then mount it from the other machines by setting the database path in the Data Root Directory menu of the Configuration menu.

For Viz 3.x, you must share the Graphics Hub between all machines.

For further details, consult the relevant Viz Engine documentation for your version.


Figure 9: VizDB settings for version 2.8

Figure 10: Viz Graphics Hub settings for version 3.x

4.3 Configuring the Graphics CardThis section is relevant if you are using DVI output.

To configure the Viz Engine machine’s graphics card1. On the Viz Engine’s machine, navigate to the NVIDIA control panel.


2. In the left pane, click Manage 3D settings.3. In the right pane, set Vertical sync to Force on.4. On the Windows desktop, right-click and select Properties; click the Settings

tab.

5. Set the screen resolution according to the input required by the Video Wall screens (if feeding directly to screens), or according to the input required by the Controller or DVI Router.

6. If the configuration assumes an engines feeds two screens, enable the dual output option on the NVIDIA panel, by clicking Set Up Multiple Displays.


4.4 Configuring the GSync CardThe GSync card ensures that all screens making up the Video Wall are synchronized. Therefore, you must verify that all the GSync cards are connected in a chain via an ethernet cable. When there are several Viz Engines at work, one is defined as the master and all the others as slaves.

Figure 11: GSync II card

To configure the GSync card on the master1. On the Viz Engine’s machine to be the master, navigate to the NVIDIA control

panel.

2. In the left pane, expand the Workstation node and click Synchronize displays.3. In the right pane, for the timing server, select the On this system radio button.4. Under the displays to lock to the server, check to make active all that appear in

the field below.

You also have the option of using a genlock (house sync) signal from the studio as an input to the GSync card. In this case, once connected, you can verify the signal in the View system topology screen, under the Workstation node.


House sync signal is not present means that no external genlock is connected and that the pulse is generated internally. If you are not using an external genlock, there is no reason for worry if you see this message.

Figure 12: House sync signal is not present. Nothing to worry about.

To configure the GSync card on the slave(s)1. On the Viz Engine’s machine designated to be the slave, navigate to the

NVIDIA control panel.


2. In the left pane, expand the Workstation node and click Synchronize displays.3. In the right pane, for the timing server, select the On another system radio

button.4. Under the displays to lock to the server, check to make active all that appear in

the field below.

To verify Gsync status1. On each machine in turn, navigate to the NVIDIA control panel.2. In the left pane, expand the Workstation node and click View system topology.3. On the slave system(s), ensure that Frame lock sync pulse is present figures in

the GSync status portion on the lower part of the screen.

4.5 Connecting Video Wall Control to the Distributor Server

To enable Video Wall Control and Video Wall Distributor Server communication• In Windows Explorer, browse to C:\Program Files\vizrt\VizVideoWall

and open the VideoWallControl.ini file on the control machine, and then edit the file so that machine=vwall.This notifies the Video Wall Control application that the Distributor Server is running a different machine.


4.6 Video Wall Control ConfigurationsThe following parameters and settings are configured in the Video Wall Control application.

• Connecting the Viz Engines to the Video Wall• Defining Output Parameters• Setting Machine Parameters• Setting Layout Parameters• Configuring Stereo Mode

4.6.1 Connecting the Viz Engines to the Video Wall

The Main Parameters panel is positioned in the top left corner of the window. Changes made in this panel require restarting the Video Wall Distributor, by clicking the Save and Restart button.

Figure 13: Video Wall Main Parameters

To connect the Viz Engines to the Video Wall1. On the vwall machine, click Start -> All Programs -> Vizrt -> Viz Video Wall -

> Viz Video Wall Distributor.2. On the control machine, click Start -> All Programs -> Vizrt -> Viz Video Wall

-> Viz Video Wall Control.3. In the Status bar of the Video Wall Control window, make sure that the

Distributor Connection Status is Connected.4. On the vwall machine, set the width and height of the Video Wall.

This number is determined according to the way in which the Viz Engines are powering the actual screens. Refer to Configuration Options for details. • Width: Sets the number of screens/Engines horizontally.• Height: Sets the number of screens/Engines vertically.

5. Define the connection protocol.• Connect by: Sets the connection protocol between the Distributor and Viz

Engines. Options are TCP, UDP and Multicast. See also Networking Issues.


6. Define the Video Wall’s geometry.• Type: Determines whether a Video Wall will be flat or circular.

7. If you have selected a circular Video Wall, define the following parameters:• Default Overlap: Enter the number, in degrees, that is needed for

overlapping between screens.• Total FOV (Deg): Enter the size, in degrees, of the entire circular Video Wall.

8. Click the Save and Restart button.

4.6.2 Defining Output Parameters

The Output Parameters panel is positioned in the top right corner of the window.

Figure 14: Output Parameters Panel

To define output parameters to the Viz Engines1. In the Video Wall Control, change the following parameters, as needed by your

particular configuration.• Refresh Rate: Sets the refresh rate of the video wall output in fps. For PAL

the value is 50, and for NTSC the value is 60.• Requested Frame Rate: Modify this number if you wish to force a lower

frame rate than provided by the Viz Engine.

Note: This option is only available when using DVI output and GSync without external genlock.

• Frame Delay (TCP): Number, in fields, used for synchronizing the various Viz Engines. Once the external command is received, sets after how many fields it will be sent to the Viz Engine. Modify this number in accordance with the amount of network traffic you expect.

Note: The larger the number the more latency you will get. The smaller the number the bigger the chance that you might lose sync, since the command may arrive after the time to execute has passed.

• Send Command Offset (UDP/Multicast): Number, in milliseconds, used for synchronizing the various Viz Engines. Modify this number in accordance with the amount of network traffic you expect.

Note: This is needed to make sure all computers receive the command in the same field. When using DVI out it should be 5. When using video-out it should be 0.

• Aspect Ratio: Per Viz Engine.2. If you have defined a circular Video Wall, you can also define the following

parameters.• Offset Y: additional offset to be applied to all Viz Engines (cameras)


• Offset Pan: additional offset to be applied to all Viz Engines (cameras)

4.6.3 Setting Machine Parameters

To set the machine parameters1. In the Video Wall Control, double-click the first machine’s label.

You are prompted to enter the machine name and port number in a pop-up dialog.


2. Set the machine Name to viz1.3. Ensure that the port number is the same as the port in the config of the

respective Viz Engine. This is for communications between the Video Wall Distributor and the Viz Engine.

Note: If the setup in Optional Setup Solutions is used, and the Video Wall Distributor Server is running on a different Viz Engine machine, there is may be a need to change the Viz Engine port on viz3.

Note: If you use UDP or Multicast protocols, the UDP port number must defined in the Distributor.ini file, located at C:\Program Files\Vizrt\VizVideoWall.

4. Click OK.5. In the Machines panel, make sure that the Machine Status is Connected.6. Repeat for each Viz Engine machine.

4.6.4 Setting Layout Parameters

These parameters are set for each Viz Engine. This ensures that each Viz Engine renders the correct portion of the graphics according to its defined location in the Video Wall.

The settings in the Machine Parameters panel becomes available once a machine has been selected in the Machines Setup tab. The position and size values are by default set according to the number of machines in the Video Wall. These settings should only be modified if the video wall is not equally divided between the different machines. If there is a need to change the default settings, follow the procedure below.

To set layout parameters for a flat video wall1. Define the following parameters as necessary.

• Position X: Sets the position as a percentage of the whole Video Wall for the X value of the selected machine.

• Position Y: Sets the position as a percentage of the whole Video Wall for the Y value of the selected machine.

• Width: Sets the width as a percentage of the whole Video Wall, for the selected machine.

• Height: Sets the height as a percentage of the whole Video Wall, for the selected machine.

• Overlap left: Sets the left overlap, as a percentage, of the selected machine.• Overlap right: Sets the right overlap, as a percentage, of the selected

machine.2. Repeat for each Viz Engine machine.


Figure 15: Flat Wall Machine Parameters

Tip: To reset a value, click the R button next to the text box.

To set layout parameters for a circular video wall1. Define the following parameters as necessary.

• Pan: Sets the pan, in degrees, for the selected machine. • Pos Y: Sets the position, as a percentage, of the Y value of the selected

machine. • FovX: Sets the X axis field of view, in degrees, of the selected machine. • FovY: Sets the Y axis field of view, in degrees, of the selected machine.• Overlap left: Sets the left overlap, in degrees, of the selected machine.• Overlap right: Sets the right overlap, in degrees, of the selected machine.

2. Repeat for each Viz Engine machine.

Figure 16: Circular Wall Machine Parameters

Tip: To reset a value, click the R button next to the text box.

4.6.5 Configuring Stereo Mode

Using stereo mode, each Viz Engine renders the whole scene, but at a different angle to fit the stereographic display. The first computer is taken to be left eye, the right computer is taken to be right eye.

Only two computers are supported in this mode.

To use the Video Wall Distributor in Stereo Mode1. In the Main Parameters, select Type = Stereo.

In the Machine Setup tab, sliders for setting Eye Distance and Convergence Plane are enabled.

2. Set these parameters once.


See Also• Viz Artist Manual, Cameras chapter, Stereoscopy Best Practices.

4.7 Saving SettingsClick the Save Data button to save the Video Wall configuration. The data is stored as Distributor.ini in C:\Program Files\vizrt\VizVideoWall.


Figure 17: Save Data Button

4.8 Configuring the Control ApplicationViz control applications (Viz Trio, Viz Content Pilot, Viz Weather) communicate with the Viz Engine through TCP on port 6100.

When a Video Wall is used, multiple Viz Engines require control, and are controlled by the Video Wall Distributor, rather than the control application directly. The Video Wall should be configured as if it were the on-air machine. The control application should communicate all messages to the Video Wall, which will in turn pass them to all relevant Viz Engines. The Video Wall thus “impersonates” a Viz Engine by opening port 6100 and intercepting all messages that were sent by the control application.

As a sample, a Viz Content Pilot Configuration to work with Video Wall is shown ahead. Similar configurations should be used when using other control applications. If you are using another application, consult the relevant documentation.


• Viz Content Pilot Configuration• Advanced Viz Content Pilot Configuration• Optional Setup Solutions

4.8.1 Viz Content Pilot Configuration

Viz Content Pilot must be configured so that during design mode in Viz Template Wizard, it will communicate directly to a Viz Engine machine. During design mode, there is a lot of communication between Viz Content Pilot and Viz Engine. As such, having the Video Wall Distributor Server in between slows down the communication. During On-air mode, Viz Content Pilot communicates directly with the Video Wall Distributor Server.

To configure Viz Content Pilot for Video Wall1. In Windows Explorer, browse to C:\Program Files\Vizrt\Viz Content

Pilot and open the ContentPilot.ini file.2. Edit the Machine section of the ContentPilot.ini file:

machine1=controlmachine2=viz1machine3=viz2machine4=viz3machine5=vwall

3. During design mode, select viz1, viz2 or control to avoid communication through the Video Wall Distributor Server.

4. During run mode, select vwall.


4.8.2 Advanced Viz Content Pilot Configuration

This advanced configuration is optional. However, it can optimize system resources.

During run mode, icons should not be communicated through the Video Wall Distributor Server. Instead the Viz Content Pilot group system should be used.

To perform advanced configuration of Viz Content Pilot1. In Windows Explorer, browse to C:\Program Files\Vizrt\Viz Content


machine1=controlmachine2=viz1machine3=viz2machine4=viz3machine5=vwall[GROUP distributor] machine1=controlmachine2=vwall

3. During On-Air mode, select the Distributor group that consists of the control and the Video Wall Distributor Server. Since the control machine is first in the group, all the icon communication will go directly to this machine, and not through the Video Wall Distributor Server.

IMPORTANT! The control machine must have a Viz Engine Preview license.

4.8.3 Optional Setup Solutions

The solution used throughout this configuration process assumes a dedicated machine for the Video Wall Distributor (vwall). This machine can later be used for handling Interactivity and ensures optimal performance. However, if there is a need to save on a machine, there are two alternative setup options for running the Video Wall Distributor.

Option 1: Running the Video Wall Distributor on the control machine1. In Windows Explorer, browse to C:\Program Files\Vizrt\Viz Content


machine1=controlmachine2=viz1machine3=viz2machine4=viz3

The Video Wall Control can still run on the control machine. 3. In Windows Explorer, browse to C:\Program Files\vizrt\VizVideoWall

and open the VideoWallControl.ini file. 4. Ensure that the VideoWallControl.ini file points to the control machine

(Video Wall Distributor Server):machine=localhost

5. During run mode, select control (Video Wall Distributor Server).


Note: When this option is enabled, the Video Wall Control will start the Video Wall Distributor Server automatically.

Option 1 has two main disadvantages:

• The local preview option is disabled.• The icon communication goes through the Video Wall Distributor Server (see

Advanced Viz Content Pilot Configuration).

Option 2: Run the Video Wall Distributor Server on a Viz Engine machine

Note: This option shows how to use the viz3 machine as a host for the Video Wall Distributor.

1. In Windows Explorer, browse to C:\Program Files\Vizrt\Viz Content Pilot and open the ContentPilot.ini file.

2. Edit the Machine section of the ContentPilot.ini file: machine1=controlmachine2=viz1machine3=viz2machine4=viz3

The Video Wall Control can still run on the control machine. 3. In Windows Explorer, browse to C:\Program Files\vizrt\VizVideoWall

and open the VideoWallControl.ini file.4. Edit the VideoWallControl.ini file to point to the viz3 machine (Video Wall

Distributor Server).machine= viz3

5. On the viz3 machine, open Viz Config and the change the port number of the Viz Engine to be 6101, as described in Setting Ports.

6. In the Video Wall Control, double-click the viz3 machine’s label and change the port number to 6101. The Video Wall Distributor will now talk to the Engine on viz3 through this port, as 6100 is taken by the Distributor.

7. During run mode in Viz Content Pilot, select viz3 (Video Wall Distributor Server).

The main disadvantage of this setup is that viz3 cannot be externally controlled, since the machine port has been set to 6101.

4.9 Backup and RedundancyYou can create redundant Viz Engines and Distributor Servers for backup purposes.

• Defining Backup Viz Engines for Redundancy• Setting Up Backup Distributor Servers for Redundancy


4.9.1 Defining Backup Viz Engines for Redundancy

When working with multiple Viz Engines, for redundancy, it is possible to define backup machine(s) in the event that one Engine ceases to function as expected. When backup machines are defined, you can swap them manually.

This option requires that a DVI router be used between the machines and the Video Wall screens.

Note: SDI Router is not implemented yet.

Upon switching to a backup machine, the layout parameters are automatically sent to the replacement, and the routing command is sent to the router to ensure that the backup machine takes its right place in the Video Wall.

Tip: In a configuration that includes backup machines, it is recommended that you use the UDP or Multicast protocols. This will ensure that when switching back to a machine that was down, its content will up to date.

To define backup machines1. In the Video Wall Control application, in the Main Parameters, enter the

number of backup machines you wish to make available.

2. Click the Save and Restart button.The backup machines will appear on the right side of the window.

3. For each backup machine defined, follow the procedures for:• Setting Machine Parameters• Configuring the Viz Engine• Configuring the Graphics Card• Configuring the GSync Card

To configure the router1. On the vwall machine, ensure that the Video Wall Distributor is not running.2. In Windows Explorer, browse to C:\Program Files\Vizrt\VizVideoWall

and open the Distributor.ini file.


3. If the input number on the router is not a default number, you must modify the routeID parameter(s) for each machine.

Machine5 VideoWallHost-5Port5 6100UdpPort5 6100DataPoolPort5 7124RouteId5 5

4. If the output number is not a default number, you must modify the router (matrix) parameters.

################# DVI Matrix ######################RouterOutput1 1RouterOutput2 2RouterOutput3 3

To put a backup machine into service1. Right-click the machine that you wish to replace.

2. From the pop-up menu, select Switch to Backup -> the desired backup machine.

To revert to the original source machine1. Right-click the machine that you wish to replace.


2. From the pop-up menu, select Original Source.

4.9.2 Setting Up Backup Distributor Servers for Redundancy

In case you want to have redundancy for the Video Wall Distributor Server, there is an option that allows to manually switch off a Distributor Server.

To set up a backup Video Wall Distributor1. Install Video Wall Distributor and Video Wall Control software on an additional

machine.2. In Windows Explorer, browse to C:\Program Files\vizrt\VizVideoWall

and open the VideoWallControl.ini file.3. Edit the VideoWallControl.ini file on both vwall machines, ensuring that

the line for globalbackup reads globalbackup=1

A new button appears in the GUI.


4. In the Video Wall Control application for the Distributor Server machine you wish to disable, select the machine and click the Deactivate button to disable the current Distributor Server, disconnecting it from its Viz Engines.

5. In the Video Wall Control application for the backup Distributor Server machine, select the machine and click the Activate button to enable the backup Distributor Server.


5 Detecting GSync ProblemsAll Viz Engines must be synchronized through GSync card in order to show synched output. The LED at the bottom-right corner of the Video Wall Control interface indicates the status of the GSync across all machines. When all Viz Engines are connected and a valid scene is loaded, the LED can show one of three possible statuses are:

• Green - Sync is OK• Yellow - Status not detected • Red - Sync is wrong.

The most likely reason for errors indicated can be seen in the LED’s hint.

Gsync problems can only be analyzed if the Viz Engines are running in real time scenes. The following are some common hints.

Yellow

• Not all hosts real time - Only when all hosts are running in real time can it be confirmed that Gsync is working properly.

• Not all hosts running - Only when all hosts are up and running can it be confirmed that Gsync is working properly.

Red

• Frame time too long - Replies should show frame time of 50/60 Hz.• Same host replies in FN - Replies should be interlaced among Viz Engines

Tip: Load a “light” scene to the Viz Engines to test the hardware and configuration of the GSync.

Chapter 5: Detecting GSync Problems 37

6 Using Video-in with DVI OutputThe following are the required configurations to be performed on all Viz Engines when the required configuration invloves DVI output and SDI video-in.

To configure sample settings for PAL video (50 Hz)1. Video-in PAL signal (genlocked) 2. Viz Config->Output Format = PAL 3. Viz Config->VideoOutput->DVI out = active4. Viz Config->Video Board->Videoout Ringbuffer = Off5. Add a custom resolution frequency in the NVIDIA panel to have 50Hz option

and select it.6. With the Viz Engine down, edit the Viz Config file ( *.cfg ) on each of the Viz

Engines and set the cutout_system flag in the Section Video of the config file for the preferred video standard. In Videowall mode, this setting is used only to determine the system frame group. Sample setting:

SECTION VIDEOcutout_system = 576I_5000_SMPTE259_PAL

Possible values are:480I_5994_SMPTE259_NTSC576I_5000_SMPTE259_PAL 720P_5000_SMPTE296720P_5994_SMPTE296720P_6000_SMPTE2961035I_5994_SMPTE2601035I_6000_SMPTE2601080I_5000_SMPTE2951080I_5000_SMPTE2741080I_5994_SMPTE2741080I_6000_SMPTE2741080PSF_23976_SMPTE2741080PSF_2400_SMPTE2741080PSF_2500_SMPTE2741080P_23976_SMPTE2741080P_2400_SMPTE2741080P_2500_SMPTE2741080P_2997_SMPTE2741080P_3000_SMPTE274

7. In Synchronize Displays, select house sync signal, and connect a 50Hz signal.8. Verify refresh rate is really 50Hz.

The Viz Engine performance should be between 49.x and 50.x. If it goes down to 47 or lower something is wrong.

9. Verify that a normal Viz animation runs smoothly and the performance is as expected.

10. If the outcome is not as expected, check the following:• Does the video input look alright if you configure the Viz Engine as a

“normal” Engine with video out (output resolution set as equal to input resolution and disable DVI out)?

• Are there messages on the Viz Console if the problem shows up?

38 Chapter 6: Using Video-in with DVI Output

To configure sample settings for NTSC video (60 Hz)1. Configure your monitor to a lower resolution than your native output

resolution (e.g. 1600x1200).

2. Click Add Resolution 3. Check the Enable resolutions not exposed by the display check box. 4. Click OK.5. Click Create a custom resolution.

6. Enter your resolution (e.g. 1920x1200); • Refresh rate = 59 • Color depth = 32

7. Expand the Timing panel8. From the Standard combo box, select Automatic in order to get good default

values.

Chapter 6: Using Video-in with DVI Output 39

9. Again from the Standard combo box, select Manual and change the refresh rate to 59.94 Hz.

10.Test the configuration. The new resolution should figure in your resolution list.

11. In the NVDIA Settings panel, go to the Workstations ->Synchronize displays section, and configure the server with the following settings:• The synchronization pulses are based on - An external house sync signal

40 Chapter 6: Using Video-in with DVI Output

• Sync signal detection - Composite Auto-detect• Trigger sync pulses from the frame start signal using - Leading edges• Outgoing sync interval - 0• Sync delay - 0

Note: The GSync Server Refresh Rate is 59.94 and not 60!

Chapter 6: Using Video-in with DVI Output 41

7 Networking IssuesThis section contains information on the following topics:

• Communication Types Between Video Wall Processes• Setting Ports

7.1 Communication Types Between Video Wall ProcessesThere are several types of communication protocols used in the Video Wall environment, as illustrated below. Depending on your machine configuration, some ports may need to be modified to ensure proper data flow.

Figure 18: Communication Between Video Wall Processes

7.2 Setting PortsIn Viz Config, under the Communication section, there are a number of parameters that may need to set for each Viz Engine machine, depending on your Video Wall configuration.

42 Chapter 7: Networking Issues

The port number must match the value entered when Setting Machine Parameters in the Video Wall Control application. This is absolutely essential when the Video Wall Distributor is running on a Viz Engine machine to avoid both applications from using port 6100.

Note: If you change to port number on a Viz Engine machine, other external controls will now not be able to access that Engine directly.

Note: If the suggested setup is used, and the Video Wall Distributor Server is running on a different computer, there is no need to change the Viz Engine port on the Viz machines.

If you are using the UDP protocol ensure that the UDP port number in the Viz Config is the same as the UdpPort value for that machine in the Distributor.ini file, located at C:\Program Files\Vizrt\VizVideoWall.

##################### Machine 3 #####################Machine3 VideoWallHost-3Port3 6100UdpPort3 6100

IMPORTANT! Ensure that the Video Wall Distributor is not running before modifying the Distributor.ini file.

Depending on your configurations, the port numbers may need to be changed. One such case is if using Option 2 in the Optional Setup Solutions. The Video Wall Control application will run on the control machine to configure the Video Wall Distributor Server that will run on viz3. Since the default TCP Port Number is 6100, viz3 is also a Viz Engine machine for external control applications. Viz Engine and the Distributor cannot open the same port on the same machine, so the port that Viz Engine opens must be changed.

Chapter 7: Networking Issues 43

8 Taking the Video Wall On-AirTo take the Video Wall On-Air1. Start Viz in On-Air mode on all the machines. 2. Start Video Wall Distributor Server on vwall. 3. Start your control application.4. In the control application select vwall to be the On-Air machine.

Tip: For monitoring, use the Video Wall Control application.

44 Chapter 8: Taking the Video Wall On-Air

9 Scene DesignScenes to be displayed on the Video Wall are designed in Viz Artist as graphics for any other Viz application. The following are some best design practices for Viz Video Wall scenes.

• Aspect Ratio• Performance Optimization• Playing Clips

9.1 Aspect RatioThe aspect ratio for the scene should match the ratio on the complete wall, meaning the number of pixels in width divided by number of pixels in height. Set the aspect ratio within the Viz Artist scene (and not in Viz Config) to make sure it is displayed correctly on the wall.

Note: Some plug-ins may not work well on the video wall. These are plug-ins that are either related to screen size, or have a random number that might not be the same on all viz engines. The following plug-ins are currently not supported in a Video Wall environment: Ticker3D, realFX, Dynamic Images, Winmask, WindowMask, FrameMask, SoftMask, ImageMask.

9.2 Performance OptimizationSince the Video Wall (typically but not always) uses DVI out and not SDI, there is no ring buffer support. Therefore all scenes need to be built with this in mind and thoroughly tested. You do not want to be right on the performance edge with Video Wall graphics, because if only one renderer drops a frame, the Video Wall will look less than optimal. If the scenes are properly constructed, and the renderers initialized before on-air use, there should be no problem.

Chapter 9: Scene Design 45

To test performance while the Video Wall is active, use the show performance button in the status bar in the Video Wall Control application.

9.3 Playing ClipsBear in mind the following points when you want to include clips in the scenes planned to be played on a Viz Video Wall.

1. There are no limitations that are specific to Video Wall regarding size limitation or codecs.

2. Anything on Texture works fine.3. DVE does will not be displayed correctly on a Video Wall.4. Clips need to be played using keyframes.5. You must play the clip using animation that is controlled by the stage - i.e not

auto-play. This is the only way to ensure synchronization.6. A good plug-in to use is imageClip (with animation mode) or softClip (with

frame number). MoViz is also useful.7. The entire clip gets loaded on all machines. Regardless of the real-estate size,

they are displayed on each machine with no optimization to not load the clip if it is out of a viewport. Take this point into account when checking performance and memory usage.as

46 Chapter 9: Scene Design

10 InteractivityThis section contains information on the following topics:

• Prerequisites for Video Wall Interactivity• Designing Interactive Scenes for Video Wall• Enabling Interactivity• Simulating Touch Events

10.1 Prerequisites for Video Wall InteractivityGraphics in the Video Wall may also be interactive. In order to have an interactive Video Wall, two things are necessary:• Screens that support touch events (or add-on to screens to allow touch

events)• Interactivity written into the scenes in Viz Artist that will define the behavior of

the scene upon touch events.

10.2 Designing Interactive Scenes for Video WallWhen designing interactive scenes in Viz Artist for Video Wall, you must ensure that you only use 6DOF-based events. Use scripting to define the behavior of your graphics upon user interaction.

• OnButtonDown6DOF(..)• OnButtonUp6DOF(..)• OnMove6DOF(..)• OnMoveRelative6DOF(..)

To configure Viz Engines for interactivity1. Open Viz Config.2. In the left pane, click Global Input.

Chapter 10: Interactivity 47

3. In the right pane, for Role, select Slave.4. Repeat for each Viz Engine.

10.3 Enabling Interactivity

To add interactivity to a Video Wall1. Make sure the Video Wall Distributor down.2. In Windows Explorer, browse to C:\Program Files\vizrt\VizVideoWall,

and open the distributor.ini file in the text editor of your choice.3. Edit the Mouse Device Advanced section, changing the UseMouseDevice

value to 1.4. Edit the MouseDeviceName value to the DLL name that will be used.

# ################ Mouse Device (Advanced)###################### # Enable a mouse device to send 6DOF events:UseMouseDevice 1# Viz Multicast Group to sent to:VizMulticastGroup 1# Mouse device dll name:MouseDeviceName UdpMouse.dll# Data to send to mouse device:MouseDevicedata

10.4 Simulating Touch EventsBefore actually testing out interactivity on a Video Wall, you can simulate the interaction using the SendUdpMouse application, which is bundled with the Video Wall software.

To simulate touch events1. Perform the procedure for Taking the Video Wall On-Air.2. Perform the procedure for Designing Interactive Scenes for Video Wall to your

Video Wall by browsing to C:\Program Files\Vizrt\VizVideoWall and

48 Chapter 10: Interactivity

editing the distributor.ini file to allow interactivity and define the.dll file to be used.

3. Launch an interactive scene.4. From the vwall machine, browse to C:\Program Files\Vizrt\VizVideoWall

and double-click the SendUdpMouse.exe file.A white screen opens that represents the Video Wall.Mouse clicks in the appropriate locations in the white screen trigger the same events that would be triggered with the actual touch-screen hardware.

Chapter 10: Interactivity 49

11 Command Line Arguments and Keyboard Shortcuts

The Video Wall Control application has various command line arguments and keyboard shortcuts.

Command Line Arguments

The following command line arguments can added to the Video Wall Control application:

• -c: Start without console.• -R [file]: Start with a different configuration file (default distributor.ini).• -P [port]: Use different port for external control (default 6100).

Keyboard Shortcuts

The following keyboard shortcuts + <Enter> can be used in the Video Wall Distributor console:

• e: Exit • c: Connect to all Viz Engine hosts • l: Locks console on top• u: Unlocks console • p: Sends continue command • r: Sends reset command • s: Sends stop command• g: Sends start command

Debugging Commands

The following keyboard shortcuts +<Enter> can be used in the Video Wall Distributor for debugging:

• 1: Stop debug printings.• 2: Debug internal communication with Viz Engines.• 3: Debug printings of Feedback messages from all Viz Engines. Includes

timestamps, realTime, etc. This is a good way to know if all Viz Engines are connected and running in real-time.

• 4: Debug communication with external control application (port 6100).

Additionally, in Video Wall Control application, at the bottom left of the window, click the Show Commands button to show the console window for all Viz Engines, and the console for the Viz Distributor Server, debug the communications between the processes.

50 Chapter 11: Command Line Arguments and Keyboard Shortcuts

12 TroubleshootingThis section contains some common problems you may encounter when running a Video Wall.

• Problems Connecting Video Wall Control to the Distributor• Viz Engine Connection Problems• Failure To Send Real Time Command• Animation Speed on One of the Viz Engines is Too Fast• Interactivity Problems• Graphic Synchronization Problems• Not All Commands Executed• Black Screen in One of the Viz Engines• Graphics Do Not Split Correctly on Screens• Scenes Do Not Appear on Video Wall as on Viz Engine• Graphics Not Laid Out Correctly On The Video Wall• Debugging the Layout Viz Command

12.1 Problems Connecting Video Wall Control to the Distributor

ProblemConnection Status is Disconnected in the Video Wall Control application.

Possible Cause 1Incorrect machine definition in the Video Wall Distributor Server.

• Check that the machine name of the Video Wall Distributor Server in the ini file is correct.

• Check that the Video Wall Distributor Server is running on that machine.

Possible Cause 2Network Issues.

Check if the Connection Status is still Disconnected. If so:

• Use the IP address instead of the machine name in the ini file. • Make sure that both machines are on the same network.

Tip: Right-click the connection indicator when the error is likely to have been fixed. This will make the system try to reconnect.

Chapter 12: Troubleshooting 51

12.2 Viz Engine Connection Problems

ProblemThe Machine Status in the Video Wall Control application is Disconnected.

Possible Cause 1The Viz Engine is not running on the defined machine.

• Check that the machine name is correct.

Note: The IP address can be used instead of the machine Name, but this is not recommended, as it is more difficult to keep track of the machines this way, and IP addresses may change if DHCP is used.

• Ensure that the Viz Engine is running on the defined machine. • Ensure that the Viz Engine on the defined machine is in On-Air mode.

Possible Cause 2Port number mismatch between the Video Wall Distributor and the Viz Engine.• Check that the same TCP port number is defined in the machine parameters

(Setting Machine Parameters) and in the respective Viz Engine config (Configuring the Viz Engine).

Possible Cause 3The Viz Engine does not send appropriate feedback to the Video Wall Distributor. This may be because:

• Viz Engine is iconized (does not render).• Viz Engine on the defined machine is not in On-Air mode.

Possible Cause 4There are network problems between the Viz Engine and the Video Wall Distributor.

If the problem has been fixed (for example by starting Viz Engine), click the Connect button in the Machine Parameters panel. This will reconnect the selected machine.

12.3 Failure To Send Real Time Command

SymptomError Message: Fail to send real time command.

52 Chapter 12: Troubleshooting

Debugging1. In the Video Wall Distributor console, press 3 + <Enter> to start debugging.

Press 1 + < Enter> to stop.2. Check which machine is not in realtime in the debug line.

Host Vwall-isr1 RealTime=1 LastFrameTime=16 time=310479Host isr_studio2 RealTime=1 LastFrameTime=100 time=310482Host Vwall-isr1 RealTime=1 LastFrameTime=17 time=310496

Possible Cause 1UDP not working.

• Check if the Video Wall Distributor machine has more then one network card. If yes:• Disable wireless on one of them; or• In the Windows Control Panel, under Network Settings, rearrange them in

the correct order according to the network configuration (check which is the correct IP address).

Possible Cause 2Scene consumes too many machine resources.

1. Optimize the scene in Viz Artist (see Scene Design).2. In the console of the problematic Viz Engine machine, press CTRL and right-

click on the X in the Viz Engine window to turn Performance to On.

3. You can also test performance while the Video Wall is active using the show performance button in the status bar in the Video Wall Control application.

CTRL + right-click


4. Lower the requested frame rate when Connecting the Viz Engines to the Video Wall (only possible when using DVI-out).

Possible Cause 3A Viz Engine is not On-Air or scene is not loaded. Feedback commands are not sent, resulting in a machine not being present when you press 3 to debug in the Video Wall Distributor.

• Check that a scene is loaded into the Viz Engine.• Check that the Viz Engine is in On-Air mode.

12.4 Animation Speed on One of the Viz Engines is Too Fast

Possible Cause 1NVIDIA card not set to Vertical Sync.

• Configure NVIDIA as described in Configuring the Graphics Card.

Possible Cause 2GSync cards are not configured correctly.

1. Go to Configuring the GSync Card and check the settings.2. Check that one machine is set as Master, and the rest as Slaves3. Check that the network cable connected between all GSync cards

Possible Cause 3Viz Engine Render Options setting is not correct.

• See Configuring the Viz Engine, and check the Render Options tab.• If using DVI output, go to Configuring the GSync Card and verify that Use

NVIDIA Frame Counter is set to Active.

12.5 Interactivity Problems

ProblemInteractivity is not working fully.

Possible Cause 16DOF is not turned on.

• In Viz Config, ensure that Global Input is set to Slave.


Possible Cause 2Scripts are not written well or scene not designed well.

• Check one 6DOF script with a simple scene.• Review and optimize scene and/or scripts

Possible Cause 3Multicast protocol not working.

• Check the network.

Possible Cause 4Interactivity hardware not functioning as planned.

• To isolate the problem, test the interactivity with SendUdpMouse as described in Simulating Touch Events.

12.6 Graphic Synchronization Problems

ProblemGraphics are not synchronized on all screens.

Possible Cause 1NVIDIA GSync not configured properly.

• See Configuring the Graphics Card

Possible Cause 2One of the Viz Engines is not in realtime mode.

1. In the Video Wall Distributor console, press 3 + <Enter> to start debugging. Press 1 + <Enter> to stop.

Host vwall-isr2 RealTime=1 LastFrameTime=17 time=18764Host localhost RealTime=1 LastFrameTime=17 time=18765Host localhost RealTime=1 LastFrameTime=16 time=18782Host vwall-isr2 RealTime=1 LastFrameTime=17 time=18782

2. See which machine does not appear, or have RealTime=0.3. In the Video Wall Control application, at the bottom of the screen, click the

Show Commands button.

The Viz Engine console will appear on each of the Viz Engine machines in your configuration.

4. Check the console of the problematic machine.


If your selected protocol is TCP:

Working properly, when a command is sent, at first you should see a line that looks like this:

Rec(External) <A142862371 RENDERER SET_OBJECT>

Shortly followed by:

Rec(Delayed) <-1 RENDERER SET_OBJECT>

5. Try to restart the Viz Engine on the problematic machine.6. If this does not resolve the problem, follow the procedure in Failure To Send

Real Time Command.

12.7 Not All Commands Executed

ProblemSome commands seem to be executed, and others are not. This may happen if attempting to use UDP protocol, without defining it properly, since some commands are always sent via TCP. In the problematic case, only the TCP commands are sent successfully, and the UDP commands are not.

Possible CauseUDP is not turned on in the Viz Engine machine or is using the wrong port number.

• In Viz Config, ensure that Communication -> Additional Communication is set to UDP & Multicast. Port number should match the one defined in when Setting Machine Parameters.

12.8 Black Screen in One of the Viz Engines

Possible Cause 1No rendering on the Viz Engine.


1. Verify that Viz is running on that Engine.2. Verify that Viz is in On-Air mode.3. Verify that a scene is loaded into Viz by pressing <Esc>, and checking the

loaded scene and entering send REND GET_OBJECT in the Viz Engine console.

Possible Cause 2Screen-saver is turned on.

1. Try to move the keyboard/mouse on that Viz Engine machine.2. Turn off any screen-saver option.

12.9 Graphics Do Not Split Correctly on Screens

ProblemGraphics are not laid out or do not split as expected on all screens in the Video Wall.


Possible Cause 1Layout was not set correctly.

• Verify the layout settings configured in Setting Layout Parameters (computer names, overlap, positions, etc.)

Possible Cause 2Numbers not sent or wrong calculations about sizes were done in the Video Wall Distributor or Viz Engine.

Sizes are sent from distributor to each Viz Engine via the following command:1 MAIN*CONFIGURATION*SCREEN_LAYOUT*1 SET 720 576 720 0 0 0 1440576 0.000000 0.000000 vid1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.000000 0.000000 0.0 0.0 0.0

Note: Numbers change according to the specific configuration.

1. In the Video Wall Control application, at the bottom of the screen, click the Show Commands button.

The Viz Engine console will appear on each of the Viz Engine machines in your configuration.

2. Check the console of the problematic machine.

3. Check if the following lines figure when changing the scene on the Control PC (control).

Working properly, the console of a Viz Engine that is receiving all layout. parameters correctly should look like this:

Rec(External) <-1 MAIN*CONFIGURATION*SCREEN_LAYOUT*1 SET 720 576 720 0 0 0 1440576 0.000000 0.000000 vid1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.000000 0.000000 0.0 0.0 0.0>answer (not sent) <-1 >Rec(External) <-1 REND*LAYOUT*TYPE SET USE_LAYOUT>answer (not sent) <-1 >Rec(External) <-1 REND*LAYOUT*NUMBER SET 1>answer (not sent) <-1 >


Note: Numbers may vary.

4. Check if the console shows the lines above when modifying the layout in the Video Wall Control application, by Setting Layout Parameters.

5. Check the numbers that are displayed. If they do not provide an obvious solution, contact Vizrt CA.

12.10 Scenes Do Not Appear on Video Wall as on Viz Engine

Possible Cause 1Some Viz Artist plug-ins do not work in the Video Wall environment.

• RealFX• Ticker3D• Dynamic Images• WinMask

Possible Cause 2Aspect ratio not set correctly in scene.

• See Scene Design for best practices.

Possible Cause 3Layout not configured correctly in Video Wall Control application.

• See Graphics Do Not Split Correctly on Screens.

12.11 Graphics Not Laid Out Correctly On The Video Wall

Problem

Graphics are not displayed as expected: not the correct sizes or do not connect well on the border lines between screens.

Possible Cause 1

Layout was not set correctly.

• Verify the layout settings configured in Setting Layout Parameters (computer names, overlap, positions, etc.)

Possible Cause 2

Aspect ratio is set incorrectly.


• Verify the aspect ratio in Viz Video Wall Control is set to the correct values according to the number of displayed pixels for width/height. See Defining Output Parameters.

• In versions before 2.7.0, when the Aspect Ratio setting was not sent from Video Wall Control application, the aspect ratio in the scene or in each config needs to be checked.

Possible Cause 3

Incorrect settings are sent by Video Wall to the Viz Engines.

• See Debugging the Layout Viz Command on how to check and understand the numbers sent in the layout command.

12.12 Debugging the Layout Viz CommandThe layout command is sent to each Viz Engine in the following events:

• Startup of Video Wall Distributor application• Change of Video Wall layout in the Machine Setup Tab • Change of scene by control application (Trio, VCP, Weather)

To debug the layout message1. In the bottom left corner of the Video Wall Control, press Show Commands.2. In the console of the problematic Viz Engine, look for the SCREEN_LAYOUT

command.


Assumed configuration• Each screen is 1280x1024• Each viz renders 1280x2048

// sample for a left screen (50%) out of 2 screens.MAIN*CONFIGURATION*SCREEN_LAYOUT*1 SET 1280 2048 0 0 0 0 2560 2048 0.000000 0.000000 vid1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.000000 0.000000 0.0 0.0 0.0>

Sequence of numbers are• width of my screen (pixels)• height of my screen (pixels)• my starting X position (which pixel of the scene Viz Engine starts to render)• my starting Y position• 0• 0• total width of wall (pixels) - (of all Viz Engines together)• total height of wall (pixels)• fPan, 0.0f,


• vid1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0• iGeomType,• fFovX,• fFovY,• 0.0 0.0 0.0"

Additional examplesRight Computer

MAIN*CONFIGURATION*SCREEN_LAYOUT*1 SET 1280 2048 1280 0 0 0 2560 2048 0.000000 0.000000 vid1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.000000 0.0000 00 0.0 0.0 0.0

Right Computer With X OffsetMAIN*CONFIGURATION*SCREEN_LAYOUT*1 SET 1280 2048 1292 0 0 0 2560 2048 0.000000 0.000000 vid1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.000000 0.000000 0.0 0.0 0.0>

Left Computer With X Offset And OverlapMAIN*CONFIGURATION*SCREEN_LAYOUT*1 SET 1280 2048 73 0 0 0 2534 2048 0.000000 0.000000 vid1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.000000 0.000000 0.0 0.0 0.0

• In sum, check your numbers and verify they are what is expected. If they do not provide a so


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