10-16 analog cameras + hardware choice...?
hi,
i am looking for an analog camera + hardware solution for approx. 12 live inputs + min. 3 outputs (projectors) for a theatre performance. the cameras will be used for surveillance in the scenery... plus additional video footage projected on the 3 screens...
anybody has experience with such setups..? i would be interested in recommendations for both camera and hardware.
- edit
do you want to process the videostreams in software (like Max) or are you searching for a hardware only routing setup to just route video inputs to projector outputs?
it is not sure yet - though additional video files (not real-time) also have to be implemented and routed to the projector outputs...
it is planned to split the screens in 4 when real-time - so that the projections imitate the typical surveillance look. and no spilt screen when other footage is projected...
so i guess, i will need to process in a software...?
For the surveillance look you would need a quad splitter for the cameras. This puts 4 cameras together on one screen.
The hardware that you find for this mostly takes composite video with bnc plugs as camera input. The output can be analog or digital (eg: http://www.ovation.co.uk/HD-Video-Quad.html ). That way you can use coax for cabling the cameras, which is good and available in theaters.
The not real time video can be played from your preferred player (could be Max of course). You can use one machine per video channel, which is probably the most stable situation although you can combine, and connect the output to switching/matrix hardware.
For instance, the above quad splitter outputs DVI. The most computer machines nowadays can output digital in the form of DVI as well.
With a DVI router like this ( http://www.kramerelectronics.com/products/model.asp?pid=2391&sf=236 ) you could do whatever you want the pro way. Mind you, these things can get expensive!
If budget is tighter you can have a splitter per projector, thus being able to switch between cam/video per projector (eg http://www.kramerelectronics.com/products/model.asp?pid=1712&sf=36 ).
(be aware that long DVI cabling can get pricy. If necessary all the above can be changed to analog VGA instead of DVI)