Options for playing video backdrops synced to band performance

[ben@rippingales.com]

Hi, What are the options for sending the video from our laptop on stage to the sound desk? Video cables are generally not available in multicores

I have a rock band, and lot of venues we play at have options for playing video as a backdrop. They typically do this by loading USBs containing video or image files onto a laptop at the sound desk and playing from there. These videos of images are independent of the performance and are just for show - an animated band logo or similar.

I want to take it a step further and have visual elements synced to our performance. I have a MacBook Air running MainStage. Our drummer is in charge of the laptop during the performance, running a click and triggering samples as he plays. I want to set up some triggers for specific songs to play a video file for display on the screen behind us. Eg one of our songs features a gun cock and shot SFX partway through, and an explosion at the end. Ar present our drummer triggers the SFX. I want a video playing in the background with imagery synced to the SFX - Im going to create a full video for the song that will be triggered to start along with the rest of the track, with imagery of the gunshot and explosion timed to play at the point in the song where the SFX play ( eg at bar 125 and 179 respectively).

I want to make the whole video feed process as fuss free as possible for the soundperson. What wireless options are available for me to consider to send the video from my laptop to the sound desk laptop? Is MainStage the right tool or should I look elsewhere?

Thanks in advance \m/

Thank you!

[Dave71]

At home I often send video from my Apple devices wirelessly to a screen using an Apple tv, however I’d never rely on that in a live environment, copper every time. I’d look at the venues LAN and see if you could send the video over their network.

[sonics]

There is no reliable, cheap wireless solution that I know of.

I'd be looking into remote control of a video playback laptop instead.

[MOF]

You can buy video sender/wireless hdmi equipment but I can’t vouch for their reliability.

[shufflebeat]

I bet you could do this from Reaper (therefore - MainStage, if that’s normally possible) with the main screen set up as a second monitor for the drummer’s laptop.

Caveat - I haven’t tried this, just a shot in the half-light.

[James Perrett]

I'd be looking into remote control of a video playback laptop instead.

That's exactly my thought too. Use something like VNC or RDP to remotely control a laptop at the FOH position. Mind you, I know that there are people who visit this forum who are far more experienced at doing this than I am.

[Philbo King]

I've seen live bands feed video to a projector from a Windows PC running Winamp (using the awesome Milkdrop visualization plugin), with a mono input from the mix console using the line-in input option. The displayed content is controlled by the line-in audio. Of course you could substitute your own video content...

I liked it so much I started using it for jam parties in my studio (feeding a 50" TV screen behind the performers).

A sample:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bA65DF7NW ... 9ucw%3D%3D

I know your inquiry was more about video connectivity...
I suppose a heavy duty HDMI
cable and possibly an HDMI repeater amp (depending on distances involved) would be the most effective way to go.

[yeroc]

I've seen live bands feed video to a projector from a Windows PC running Winamp (using the awesome Milkdrop visualization plugin), with a mono input from the mix console using the line-in input option. The displayed content is controlled by the line-in audio.

This is neat! I like this

[MarkyC]

again I know this is a lot about connectivity and we do do this by just using a windows PC and HDMI cable to a projector (we do paly small gigs )

We play electronic music so syncing is not that big a deal although we do play in a "live" context i.e. go off on adlib jams.

To keep it all in sync we use Magic and scenes.
Using this you can use an audio out and then the images react to what you are playing on a live basis.
When you want to go to something dramatic you just go to the next scene i.e. your explosion.

We used this to overlay for the video below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpveGrLbpt8&t=4s

[sonics]

I've seen live bands feed video to a projector from a Windows PC running Winamp (using the awesome Milkdrop visualization plugin), with a mono input from the mix console using the line-in input option.

Wow, that takes me back to about 2004! I used to have that set up on my home media computer.

VNC control can work well. I've used that on many shows, mainly because I run PCs, but a more well-known professional solution would be a Mac laptop running QLab. There are a few remote apps to control that from an iPad.

WRT more recent visualisation tools, check out Imaginando's VS.

[shufflebeat]

For my understanding - why does the laptop stay with FoH? If the drummer is triggering audio (and video) but only audio needs to go to FoH it seems sensible to keep the source onstage and avoid connectivity issues altogether.

Happy to have it explained in small words.

[BigRedX]

For my understanding - why does the laptop stay with FoH? If the drummer is triggering audio (and video) but only audio needs to go to FoH it seems sensible to keep the source onstage and avoid connectivity issues altogether.

Happy to have it explained in small words.

Because the connection to the projector for the backdrop is normally at the FoH mixing desk.

[shufflebeat]

That makes sense, ta.

[DGL.]

I guess what you'll need is a HDMI AOC cable, this converts HDMI to optical and back again, with all the electronics in the HDMI connectors at either end. Thomann do some on reels, not exactly cheap but that it kind of understandable. There are also HDMI over Ethernet cable adaptors that may also work.