Introduction
This document discusses how you can transmit a render machine's output to the control machine in a Multi-Machine environment.
This is useful when
- the studio operator cannot see the monitors of the render machines,
- OR the render machines do not have monitors,
- AND the studio operator needs to see the output (usually the Preview output of the camera compound) of the remote machines on the control machine's monitor.
NOTE: While this can make setting up a multi-machine environment easier, it may also be a necessity during production type depending on the production requirements (e.g. when a Matrix view of a multicamera, multi-machine system is required).
IMPORTANT: It is important to differentiate between Preview and final Outputs (names highlighted according to the output pin names used in Aximmetry-provided camera compounds). While technically both outputs require the same technical solutions to be shared, the Preview is used only by the production team (and therefore its quality can be lower), and the final Output is the production outcome itself (and therefore it requires the highest possible quality).
NOTE: Screenshot of the Preview and Out pins highlighted on a camera compound.
Transmit Methods
You can choose any of the supported video input/output formats and methods to transmit the render machine's output to the control machine.
However, every method has some unique characteristics.
Transmit via Video Cables
If your production requires high-quality, reliable video connections between the render and control machines, then you can choose to use a traditional video output (via i.e. SDI or HDMI cables from the render machine's capture card or GPU) and video input (via cable to the control machine's capture card) method to achieve your goal.
NOTE: This method requires available capture card/GPU ports on your computers depending on the video cable type of your choice and the use of additional cables in your studio setup.
Transmit via Local Network
You can choose to use NDI or SRT to stream the video output (from the render machine) to the control machine (received as a video input) to achieve your goal.
This method does not require additional hardware, but it requires a certain amount of bandwidth on your local network to stream the video(s).
NOTE: NDI is designed for low-latency, high-quality video streaming, while SRT focuses on reliability on unpredictable networks.
NOTE: If you choose this method, make sure that your local area network has enough bandwidth to stream the videos.
NOTE: If the network is used for multiple purposes, then make sure that streaming videos on it does not negatively impact the other activities.
NOTE: Consider using a dedicated local area network to stream your videos (used only for this purpose) if necessary.
Using the MultiMach_Transmit_Video Compound
The MultiMach_Transmit_Video compound is for viewing remote-rendered videos on the control machine. It opens an NDI video output at the specified machine (Source Machine) and then receives said output on the Target Machine. Any video material can be sent from the source to the target machine.
You can find this compound in the Common Library at:
[Common_Studio]:Compounds\Tools\MultiMach_Transmit_Video.xcomp
IMPORTANT: Since in a Multi-Machine environment the same flow graph runs on every computer, you only need to make adjustments on your control machine.
Setting Up the MultiMach_Transmit_Video Compound
After adding the compound to your project, make the following connections:
IMPORTANT: Make sure to always use a new channel to expose the MultiMach_Transmit_Video compounds video output to avoid altering your already existing video output configuration.
NOTE: Example of the MultiMach_Transmit_Video compound connected to a TrackedCam_3-Cam camera compound's Preview output pin, and exposed on a new channel (Out 2) to avoid altering the studio setup/video output configuration.
Connect a video source of your choice (usually the Preview output pin of the camera compound) to the MultiMach_Transmit_Video compound's Video input pin.
Expose the MultiMach_Transmit_Video compound's Out output pin on the right edge of the Flow Editor.
Select the MultiMach_Transmit_Video compound and specify the following Pin Values:
Source Engine
The index number of the source engine (also the index number of the chosen remote engine)
NOTE: #1 = Remote #1
Source Machine Name
It has to be the actual name of the machine and not its IP address.
You can see the machine's name at the Startup Configuration window's Remote Renderers menu:
NOTE: Only the name is needed, the IP address is not considered a part of the name, so the name of Remote #1 is "Axi-Renderer-01".
Target Engine
The index number of the target engine
NOTE: The control machine is always labeled as "Local".
NDI Channel Name
The name of the NDI channel. You can leave this parameter at the default value ("MultiMach Transmit 1") or customize it in case of multiple outputs.
NDI Quality
Here you can specify the resolution and framerate of the NDI video source.
NOTE: The use of NDI video streams on your Local Area Network does require a certain amount of bandwidth.
NOTE: For preview purposes, it is recommended to limit the use of this feature to the necessary to avoid causing loss of data on the network, especially during show time.
Unified Multi-Machine Setup
Head to the Edit\Preferences\Channel Matrix and make sure that the Unified multi-machine setup is turned on:
