Ford Video Control at NAIAS 2004
Creative Technology (Los Angeles) contracted Digital Antics to design, develop and install a video control system on behalf of their client Imagination for the Ford Motor Company at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS).
CT project manager Herb Brandt was keen to develop a control system for multiple video screen control which would be flexible enough to handle multiple trigger conditions, play listing of content and would allow for quick and easy modifications as it toured around the other major auto shows (New York, Chicago, etc..).
See our photo gallery for this job.
Solution
A bespoke software application was developed which was capable of accessing a selection of multi-channel video clips running across six screens based on a pre-defined play list order, with the ability to break out to breakout video sequences based on button pushes from various presenters located on turntable positions.
The system integrated closely with the control systems provided by the audio department. Simultaneous to the synchronous start of the multiple video players we were also triggering multi-channel audio.
Platform Choice
Microsoft Visual Basic .NET running on a standard PC was chosen as the development platform of choice due to stability in operation as well as the rapid development ability it provides us in respect of ethernet IP communications.
Arcom input/output and multi-port serial PCI cards were installed into the main and backup controller PCs to allow the software to communicate with the contact closures for the RF trigger buttons and the serial requirements of the audio multi-track and Alcorn McBride hardware.
Technical
Devices under control included:
- 8 x Doremi V1U MJPEG DDR (via ethernet)
- 2 x Alcorn McBride V16 show controller (via RS232)
- 12 x Contact Closure Inputs from RF and hard-wired presenter buttons (via internal PCI card)
Customisation of the system on the road by CT technician Chad Williams was provided through the editing of text files formatted in a basic programming syntax defined especially for this project.
A full user interface was provided showing status of all devices as well as debug information including any error messages as well as script progress.