For an art installation I need to set up a synchronized projection of 3 separate videos:
hardware
- 1 PC with Windows 7
- NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 with 4 simultaneous outputs
- 3 projectors 1920 x 1080 (I don't know the type yet)
- if necessary: 1 monitor 1920 x 1080 for user interface
video files
- 3 separate video files
- resolution 1920 x 1080
- all 3 videos have exactly the same length: 18 minutes
- one video has sound, the two other videos are without sound
I need to play the videos synchronized with one player software which controls all 3 videos. The videos will be looped over 8 hours. They need to stay in exact sync frame by frame even after 8 hours.
The presentation is for a major art event with a large number of visitors. Therefore I am looking for a very stable, professional solution.
After some research (e.g. How to set up a 3-screen video installation to sync correctly?) I see the following possibilities:
1. I could combine all 3 videos in one large video with a width of 3 x 1920 = 5760 and a height of 1080. Then I can play one single video (e.g. with VLC player).
advantages:
- I reduced the problem to showing one video. Everything will stay in sync.
problems:
- The player software has to able to show the video fullscreen without window borders on the complete desktop (3 monitors with 1920 x 1080). (However I can use NVIDIA's Surround to combine the 3 monitors to one single monitor with 5760 x 1080)
- If there is a slight shift in the player software or some processing/rounding errors in the projectors I might have some pixel lines of the center video show up in the other projections. (I had already experienced such effects with projectors before).
2. I could use a software which can show the 3 separate videos in sync.
So far I had a look at VJ software like Resolume Avenue (https://resolume.com/) or Arkaos GrandVJ XT (https://www.arkaos.net/).
problems:
- Will the videos stay exactly in sync even after hours?
- These software programs might to be to complex for the task.
Are there other possible solutions?
If someone has some experience on this field I would be nice to share his/her ideas.
regarding possible solution 2.: Are there other specialized professional software for playing the 3 videos in sync?
