A Theatrical Challenge - slightly O/T

In article , Alan wrote:
The singers will see a delayed version of what the MD is doing , by
perhaps 2 video frames, and end up with 'lip sync' timing problems with
respect to what the band is doing


Cheap option: £15 web camera into a computer/laptop and a couple of
computer monitors. Probably equipment your cast already have in their
computer junk piles as often they have little second hand value.

Anything that involves any digital processing is going to result in some
delay, and a computer will have to do some processing to turn the output
of a webcam into a video signal. The best arrangement would be a video
camera with a video output feeding into video monitors, the way it used to
be done before any digital stuff was invented.

Rod.
--
Virtual Access V6.3 free usenet/email software from
http://sourceforge.net/projects/virtual-access/

"Owain" wrote in message
et...
Chas Gill wrote:
The band are on a raised rostrum (around 2.5 metres high) at the back of
the stage - facing the audience. That's the way the stage is set. The
MD stands in front of them on the same rostrum, facing the band, i.e. his
back to the audience. The cast needs to be able to see the MD
conducting - he conducts singers as well as band members. They can't do
that out of the corners of their eyes. The visual feedback needs to be
in more-or-less direct line of sight when they perform to the audience.

If this is a hall, rather than a theatre, projection onto the rear wall of
the hall, above the audience's heads, might be an alternative. I don't
think a couple of small LCD screens is going to be big enough to see
stick-waving.

A local telly shop might be willing to loan a couple of screens for a few
evenings for a mention in the programme - isn't that how props etc are
usually sourced?

Owain


Nope - it's a theatre - no back wall to project on to. As far as
sponsorship goes, this little surprise (to me, anyway) came too late for the
programme - it all has to be acquired, wired and up and running by Sunday
week :-(

Chas

"Roderick Stewart" wrote in
message .myzen.co.uk...
In article , Alan wrote:
The singers will see a delayed version of what the MD is doing , by
perhaps 2 video frames, and end up with 'lip sync' timing problems with
respect to what the band is doing


Cheap option: £15 web camera into a computer/laptop and a couple of
computer monitors. Probably equipment your cast already have in their
computer junk piles as often they have little second hand value.

Anything that involves any digital processing is going to result in some
delay, and a computer will have to do some processing to turn the output
of a webcam into a video signal. The best arrangement would be a video
camera with a video output feeding into video monitors, the way it used to
be done before any digital stuff was invented.

Rod.
--
Virtual Access V6.3 free usenet/email software from
http://sourceforge.net/projects/virtual-access/


I think I have already come to that conclusion - thanks for the push,
though.

In article ,
Chas Gill wrote:
Also are they really going to be bright enough to be visible with stage
lighting as well? Whenever I've been on stage I can hardly see anything
in the audience area because I'm blinded by the lights.

D'you know I think you're right! I don't think the off-axis issue will be
too problematic - as long as it's a TV and not a computer monitor - but
light in the eyes of the performers will almost certainly be a problem.
Having said that I've seen TVs used in the professional theatre for exactly
the function I want. Might they have been plasma (brighter than LCD) or
even CRT?

It's a case of looking at the stage lighting design and see what is
being used, really. It's probable that if the monitors are kept low, in
the footlights area, and there are no footlights, then they will be OK.

I've seen this same problem sometimes when our orchestra does concerts
- the lighting at the side of the stage ends up right behind
the conductor as far as some of the 1st violins and cellos are
concerned. Most stage lighting technicians should be aware of the
issue but unfortunately they're not always.

In article , Chas Gill wrote:
A local telly shop might be willing to loan a couple of screens for a few
evenings for a mention in the programme - isn't that how props etc are
usually sourced?

Owain


Nope - it's a theatre - no back wall to project on to. As far as
sponsorship goes, this little surprise (to me, anyway) came too late for the
programme - it all has to be acquired, wired and up and running by Sunday
week :-(

A long time ago in a galaxy far away I recall dealing with a company called
Savilles for hire of audiovisual equipment, sometimes with, and sometimes
without somebody to set it up (depending on what it was). The look of their
website suggests that they are in the big league now and wouldn't be interested
in anything less than a fully crewed multicamera rock concert, but it might
still be worth an enquiry. Failing that, just Google "video equipment hire" and
you'll find dozens of other possible candidates. If all you want is a couple of
day's hire of a couple of monitors and a locked-off camera with cables, you'll
probably be able to find somebody who can do it.

They won't do it for nothing of course, but you knew that.

Rod.
--
Virtual Access V6.3 free usenet/email software from
http://sourceforge.net/projects/virtual-access/

Try MAC Sound 0161 969 8311 ask to speak to Dave.

There are hundreds of AV Hire companies but they charge the earth, MAC are a
damn good company.

I've used this company for years.

Easiest thing to do is put the monitors (CRT) on the front of the stage,
angled up, mst likely the 'turns' best eye line here. Don't try and hang
them or put them in the same line as the lighting FOH, they just wont see
them - blinded by the lights.

Don't use a camcorder it will mosy likely have to go miles away to get the
MD in view. Use a proper CCTV camera with a small ish lens and this will
allow you to get the camera closer to the MD.

I've never used Colour monitors always B&W always worked better allowing you
to address the contrast etc.

Dave - Not the one whom you'll speak to if you phone them and I'm not
cinnected to them just a happy client.

"Alan Pemberton" wrote in message
rve.co.uk.invalid...
Chas Gill wrote:
A monitor that accepts a BNC AV input should also be able to loop it
through to a second monitor. So you'd want 1 x 50M + whatever the
distance between the monitors is. It may be the case the the output
stage in the camcorder is not capable of driving a 50m cable correctly
and so you'd need a DA to do that. But you're not looking for super-fi
HD quality, are you? Just need to see the white stick.

Just turn the contrast up.

Bill

"Dave H" wrote in message
...
Don't use a camcorder it will mosy likely have to go miles away to get the
MD in view.

They all have zooms these days, and will go quite wide.

Bill

Don't use a camcorder it will mosy likely have to go miles away to get
the MD in view.

They all have zooms these days, and will go quite wide.

I'm sure they will, but why add the hassle of having to use those god damn
awful output connectors that you have convert to something decent like BNC.
Watch it as someone leaves it in Auto Iris etc.

Knowing they way clumsy crew are and the 'turns' someone will pull the 3.5mm
jack out after they trip falling over the cable !!

Just advising with my knowledge in these things, like you do else where

Dave

In article 1ipy32j.s51qkp1rpaxwaN%
lid, Alan Pemberton wrote:
A monitor that accepts a BNC AV input should also be able to loop it
through to a second monitor. So you'd want 1 x 50M + whatever the
distance between the monitors is. It may be the case the the output
stage in the camcorder is not capable of driving a 50m cable correctly
and so you'd need a DA to do that. But you're not looking for super-fi
HD quality, are you? Just need to see the white stick.

If the impedance of the cable is the same as the output impedance of the
camera (75 Ohms is usual for video), it doesn't matter what its length
is, and a distribution amplifier would make no difference. An infinite
length of cable would be electrically the same as a 75 Ohm resistor.

For the stated purpose, i.e. watching a conductor waving a stick, as
long as the cable is the correct impedance, you could safely run several
hundred metres of it without bothering with equalisation.

Rod.
--
Virtual Access V6.3 free usenet/email software from
http://sourceforge.net/projects/virtual-access/