Setup and Configuration Manual

Transcription

Viz Video Wall ER
Setup and Configuration Manual
Product Version 2.6.0
Copyright © 2009 Vizrt. All rights reserved.
No part of this software, documentation or publication may be reproduced,
transcribed, stored in a retrieval system, translated into any language, computer
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otherwise, without prior written permission from Vizrt.
Vizrt specifically retains title to all Vizrt software. This software is supplied under
a license agreement and may only be installed, used or copied in accordance to
that agreement.
Disclaimer
Vizrt provides this publication “as is” without warranty of any kind, either
expressed or implied.
This publication may contain technical inaccuracies or typographical errors. While
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that it contains accurate and up-to-date information, the publisher and author
assume no responsibility for errors or omissions. Nor is any liability assumed for
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Vizrt’s policy is one of continual development, so the content of this document is
periodically subject to be modified without notice. These changes will be
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Technical Support
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related products, visit the Vizrt web site at www.vizrt.com.
Last Updated
June 23, 2009 11:20 am
© Copyright Vizrt 2009
Table Of Contents
1 Setup and Configuration ............................................................................ 1
1.1 Overview .......................................................................................................2
1.1.1
1.1.2
1.1.3
1.1.4
1.1.5
Video Wall Control Application ........................................................................... 2
Video Wall Distributor Server.............................................................................. 2
Configuration Options ....................................................................................... 3
General System Architecture .............................................................................. 5
Hardware Requirements ..................................................................................... 5
1.3.1
1.3.2
1.3.3
1.3.4
Machines ........................................................................................................... 8
Parameters ........................................................................................................ 8
Status Bar .......................................................................................................... 9
Saving Data and Reconnecting ......................................................................... 10
1.4.1
1.4.2
1.4.3
1.4.4
1.4.5
1.4.6
1.4.7
1.4.8
1.4.9
Opening Video Wall Control ............................................................................. 11
Configuring the Viz Engine .............................................................................. 12
Configuring the Graphics Card......................................................................... 17
Configuring the Viz Engine Machine’s GSync Card............................................ 19
Connecting Video Wall Control to the Distributor Server................................... 21
Video Wall Control Configurations ................................................................... 22
Saving Settings ................................................................................................ 26
Configuring the Control Application................................................................. 26
Backup and Redundancy .................................................................................. 29
1.2 Software Installation......................................................................................6
1.3 Workbench Description .................................................................................7
1.4 Setting Up a Video Wall ...............................................................................11
1.5 Networking Issues.......................................................................................34
1.5.1 Communication Types Between Video Wall Processes....................................... 34
1.5.2 Setting Ports .................................................................................................... 34
1.6 Taking the Video Wall On-Air ......................................................................36
1.7 Scene Design ..............................................................................................37
1.8 Interactivity .................................................................................................38
1.8.1
1.8.2
1.8.3
1.8.4
Prerequisites for Video Wall Interactivity .......................................................... 38
Designing Interactive Scenes for Video Wall ..................................................... 38
Enabling Interactivity ....................................................................................... 39
Simulating Touch Events .................................................................................. 39
1.9 Command Line Arguments and Keyboard Shortcuts ....................................41
1.9.1 Command Line Arguments............................................................................... 41
1.9.2 Keyboard Shortcuts.......................................................................................... 41
1.9.3 Debugging Commands .................................................................................... 41
2 Troubleshooting ...................................................................................... 43
2.1
2.2
2.3
2.4
2.5
2.6
2.7
2.8
2.9
Problems Connecting Video Wall Control to the Distributor .........................44
Viz Engine Connection Problems .................................................................45
Failure To Send Real Time Command ..........................................................46
Animation Speed on One of the Viz Engines is Too Fast ..............................48
Interactivity Problems..................................................................................49
Graphic Synchronization Problems ..............................................................50
Not All Commands Executed .......................................................................51
Black Screen in One of the Viz Engines ........................................................52
Graphics Do Not Split Correctly on Screens .................................................53
2.10Scenes Do Not Appear on Video Wall as on Viz Engine................................54
Viz Video Wall ER Setup and Configuration
1 Setup and Configuration
This section contains information on the following topics:

Overview
Software Installation
Workbench Description
Setting Up a Video Wall
Networking Issues
Taking the Video Wall On-Air
Scene Design
Interactivity
Command Line Arguments and Keyboard Shortcuts
1
1
Overview
Viz Video Wall is a technology that allows the use of two or more Viz Engines to
drive a multi-screen video wall. The solution features a 1600x1200 pixel
resolution per Engine, and the possibility to further enhance resolution with
additional Engines. Viz Video Wall takes advantage of the full resolution that
modern projectors and flat panels can deliver.
A key advantage of the Viz Video Wall solution is the consistency of workflow:
everything works like a standard Viz Engine system. The control clients, the
newsroom system integration and playout management work just like everyone is
used to. Designers, journalists and control room operators can continue to work
in a familiar environment, whether a graphics scene is played out on a Video Wall
or a normal Viz Engine is just a matter of choosing the right output channel in the
playout client.
Viz Video Wall has two main roles in the video wall broadcast production line:

Configure the size and position of different parts of the video wall.
Receive commands from external control applications (Viz Content Pilot, Viz
Trio, Viz Weather), and distribute the commands while making sure that they
are issued at the exact same time on all the machines that participate in the
Video Wall.
The Viz Video Wall includes two applications:

1.1
Video Wall Control Application
Video Wall Distributor Server
Video Wall Control Application
Video Wall Control is a front-end application to control and manipulate the Video
Wall parameters. The application is used only in the configuration stage, so there
is no need to run it during normal operation. The Video Wall Control
communicates with the Video Wall Distributor Server. The Video Wall Control
cannot communicate directly to Viz Engine machines, and will not work without
correct communication with Video Wall Distributor Server.
1.2
Video Wall Distributor Server
The Video Wall Distributor Server is a special gateway process that makes several
Viz Engines appear as a single engine from the Control application’s point of view.
To trigger and send commands to all Viz Engine machines simultaneously, the
Video Wall Distributor Server keeps track of the internal clock of every Engine in
the setup. When commands are sent from the Control application, Video Wall
Distributor Server compensates for any clock differences, so that all machines get
the correct execution time based on their own clock.
2
1.3
Configuration Options
When building a Video Wall, there are a number of considerations to take into
account. The first one is how many actual screens will make up the Video Wall.
The number of Viz Engines required to power the screens is then calculated
accordingly.
The number Viz Engines required to power a Video Wall is determined based on
the following criteria:

How many screen will make up the Video Wall
The required resolution (higher means more Engines)
Input formats and resolution limitations of the screens (DVI, SDI, HD, etc.)
Whether or not a hardware controller will be deployed
Each Viz Engine is capable of delivering up to 1.9 million pixels. These pixels can
be spread overs the screens either directly (for example 2 x 1024 x 768 or 1600
x 1200, etc.) or via a wall controller that can spread them differently across the
screens, depending on the available input formats. Depening on the required
resolution of your Video Wall, you will need to decide on the number of Viz
Engines to use.
1.3.1
Using a Dedicated Wall Controller
An optional 3rd party wall controller can be used in some cases. In this scenario,
the output of the Viz Engines does not go directly to the screens. Instead, it is fed
into the wall controller , which then spreads it and across the Video Wall. The wall
controller can integrate other video sources into the Video Wall as well. A wall
controller can be used:

1.3.2
When more types of inputs beyond Viz applications are required. These can be
PowerPoint presentations, direct video, and so forth.
If you want to power more than two screens with a Viz Engine.
Deployment Options
For a Video Wall of 12 screens (4 x 3), the following table summarizes the
deployment options.
Table 1: Video Wall Configuration Options for a 4x3 Wall
No. of Viz
Engines
No. of
screens fed
by each
Engine
1
12
Screens fed
by single
Engine
Comments
Controller
required.
3
Table 1: Video Wall Configuration Options for a 4x3 Wall
Screens fed
by single
Engine
Comments
No. of Viz
Engines
No. of
screens fed
by each
Engine
2
6
Controller
required.
3
4
Controller
required.
6
2
Dual output.
No controller
required.
12
1
No controller
required.
Assuming each Viz Engine can produce either 2 x 1024 x 768 pixels (1.6 million
pixels) or 1600 x 1200 (1.9 million pixels) these numbers can represent the basic
number of pixels available from each Viz Engine in DVI format.
When a controller is needed (due to many video-in signals, among other reasons)
the above options are available. When a controller is not used, you can deploy six
Viz Engines with dual output as a feed. This can provide a resolution of 1024 x
768 for each screen.
4
1.4
General System Architecture
Figure 1-1: Architecture
1.5
Hardware Requirements

Screens
Viz Engine machine(s)
• NVIDIA 4600 video card
• NVIDIA Gsync II
• Matrox card (if video-in is required or video-out is an output format)
Video Wall Control PC - running control application (Trio, Pilot, Weather)
Wall controller (optional - depends on configuration)
5
2
Software Installation
Important! The control machine will be referred to as control. The Video Wall
machine will be referred to as vwall. See the Architecture diagram.
To install Video Wall software
1. Install the Viz Engines on the requisite machines. Use only Viz Engine 2.8 pl2
and up, or 3.2.2. and up (viz-3.2.2.xxxx.exe ) . Ensure that each machine has
its own separate IP address and machine name.
2. Ensure that the Viz Graphics Hub is common for all the machines, including
the Control PC (control). For more details on how, refer to the Viz Engine
documentation.
3. Install the Viz Video Wall software package on both the vwall machine and the
control machine (VizVideoWall_2.6.0.exe).
4. Install the control application (Trio, Pilot, Weather, etc.) on the control
machine.
5. For greater convenience, install Synergy software for keyboard and mouse
sharing.
6
3
Workbench Description
This section provides information about the Video Wall Control user interface.
When starting Video Wall Control, the window has the following appearance.
Figure 1-2: Video Wall Control
This interface enables you to set up a Video Wall and define the necessary
parameters, as detailed in Setting Up a Video Wall. Once the Video Wall is set up,
the Video Wall Control application can be used for monitoring the system in realtime.
The user interface allows you to define and monitor the computers taking part in
generating the graphics for the Video Wall. The graphic scenes are rendered by a
few Viz Engines with each rendering the relevant part of the scene according to
their location in the Video Wall.
The Video Wall Control user interface has the following main panels:

Machines
Status Bar
Parameters
Saving Data and Reconnecting
7
3.1
Machines
The Machines panel is positioned in the middle of the window.
Figure 1-3: Machines
The Machines panel shows a matrix of the machines that make up the Video Wall.
When selecting a cell in the matrix (refers to a screen in the Video Wall), the
settings belonging to this machine becomes modifiable in the Machine
Parameters panel. Use the machines panel for monitoring the Video Wall or
changing any parameters as necessary.
The parameters are configured to reflect the role of each Viz Engine on the
complete Video Wall, i.e. which part of the graphic scene is rendered by that
particular Viz Engine.
3.2
Parameters
The Video Wall parameters are set in the main screen of the Video Wall Control
application. They consist of the following:

3.2.1
Main Parameters
Output Parameters
Machine Parameters
Main Parameters
The main parameters panel is located in the upper left portion of the window.
8
Figure 1-4: Main Parameters
To configure these parameters, see Connecting the Viz Engines to the Video Wall.
3.2.2
Output Parameters
The output parameters panel is located in the upper right portion of the window.
Figure 1-5: Output Parameters
To configure theses parameters, see Connecting the Viz Engines to the Video
Wall.
3.2.3
Machine Parameters
The machine parameters panel is located in the lower portion of the window.
Figure 1-6: Machine Parameters
To configure theses parameters, see Setting Machine Parameters.
3.3
Status Bar
The Status bar is positioned at the bottom of the window, and has the following
appearance.

Show Commands: Shows commands in the Video Wall Distributor Server
console window and in each of the Viz Engine machines.
Show Performance: Tests performance while the Video Wall is active.
Message Area: Displays messages.
Connection Status: Indicates if Video Wall Control is connected to the Video
Wall Distributor Server.
9
Tip: Right-clicking the connection indicator causes the system to attempt to
reconnect.
3.4
Saving Data and Reconnecting

Save Data: Saves the parameters entered up to this point. Stored as
Distributor.ini in C:\Program Files\vizrt\VizVideoWall.
Reconnect: Reconnects to all Viz Engine machines.
Auto Reconnect Viz: If a Viz Engine machine gets disconnected for whatever
reason, checking this box will cause the Video Wall Distributor to continuously
attempt to reconnect.
Figure 1-7: Save and Reconnect Buttons
10
4
Setting Up a Video Wall
This section contains the procedures on how to set up a video wall consisting of
three Viz Engine machines, controlled by Viz Content Pilot.
Important! The three Viz Engine machines will be referred to as viz1, viz2, and
viz3. The control machine will be referred to as control. The Video Wall machine
will be referred to as vwall.
The content for the Video Wall can be sent via Viz Content Pilot, as well as Viz
Trio, Viz Weather, etc. Some settings may vary between applications. Consult the
relevant application’s documentation for further details.
The procedures below assume that the Viz Video Wall Control is installed on the
control machine and the Viz Video Wall Distributor is on the vwall machine. While
this is the standard setup, theoretically, you can run both applications on the
same machine. See Optional Setup Solutions for details.

4.1
Opening Video Wall Control
Configuring the Viz Engine
Configuring the Graphics Card
Configuring the Viz Engine Machine’s GSync Card
Connecting Video Wall Control to the Distributor Server
Connecting the Viz Engines to the Video Wall
Video Wall Control Configurations
Saving Settings
Configuring the Control Application
Backup and Redundancy
Opening Video Wall Control
The Video Wall control application resides on its own machine.
To open Video Wall Control

Do one of the following:
• Double-click the icon on the desktop, or
• Select the program from the Start menu: All Programs > vizrt >
VizVideoWall > VideoWall Control.
4.2
Configuring the Viz Engine
Viz Engine configuration differs depending on your intended output types.
Graphics can be output from Viz Engines in two main ways:

Using the video board in SDI format ( SD or HD )
11

Using the graphics board in DVI format
In addition, there is also the option to have video-in, which requires another
configuration.
Depending on your needs and hardware, you will have a different version of the
Viz Engine installed on each machine. If the machine has a video card, you will
install the video version, enabling video-out and video-in. Otherwise, you will
install the standard PC version. The Viz Engine installation package automatically
detects which version to install on each respective machine. Furthermore,
configurations are different according to the selected output format.
To run Viz Config

Run Viz Engine in Config mode by clicking Start -> Programs -> vizrt -> Viz
Config.
The Viz Configuration window is displayed.
4.2.1
Configuring the Viz Engine Video Version
If your intended output is SDI and/or you are using video-in, configure the Viz
Engine parameters below. Otherwise, proceed directly to General Viz Engine
Configuration.
To configure input and output formats
1. In the Viz Config window, in the left pane, click Video Output.
12
2. In the right pane, if your intended output is DVI, set DVI Out (Video Wall) to
Active. If your intended output is SD/HD, set it to Inactive.
3. In the left pane, click Video Input.
4. In the right pane, select the input formats. If you have no video input, select
Inactive.
5. In the left pane, click Video Board.
13
6. In the right pane, set Videout Ringbuffer to Off.
4.2.2
General Viz Engine Configuration
To configure basic Viz Engine parameters (all versions)
1. In the Viz Config window, in the left pane, click Communication.
2. Click UDP & Multicast.
3. In the left pane, click Render Options.
14
4. Set Force Sleep to Inactive.
5. For OnAir Resolution, click and select Desktop Resolution.
This means that when Viz is set to on-air mode its render window size will
match the resolution of the desktop as was set in the graphics card.
6. Set Use NVIDIA Frame Counter to Active.
This will synchronize the graphics to the signal from NVidia GSync card.
7. In the left pane, click Output Format.
8. Select the required output size and format according to the required
resolution.
Important! If you are using video input, ensure that the output dimensions match
the size selected in Configuring the Viz Engine Video Version Step 4.
15
See Also

4.2.3
Setting Ports
Sharing the Graphic Assets
How the database connection is created depends on which version of the Viz
Engine you are running.
For Viz 2.8, create the database on one of the machines, and then mount it from
the other machines by setting the database path in the Data Root Directory menu
of the Configuration menu.
For Viz 3.x, you must share the Graphics Hub between all machines.
For further details, consult the relevant Viz Engine documentation for your
version.
Figure 1-8: VizDB settings for version 2.8
16
Figure 1-9: Viz Graphics Hub settings for version 3.x
4.3
Configuring the Graphics Card
This section is relevant if you are using DVI output.
To configure the Viz Engine machine’s graphics card
1. On the Viz Engine’s machine, navigate to the NVIDIA control panel.
17
2. In the left pane, click Manage 3D settings.
3. In the right pane, set Vertical sync to Force on.
4. On the Windows desktop, right-click and select Properties; click the Settings
tab.
5. Set the screen resolution according to the input required by the Video Wall
screens (if feeding directly to screens), or according to the input required by
the Controller or DVI Router.
6. If the configuration assumes an engines feeds two screens, enable the dual
output option on the NVIDIA panel, by clicking Set Up Multiple Displays.
18
4.4
Configuring the Viz Engine Machine’s GSync Card
The GSync card ensures that all screens making up the Video Wall are
synchronized. Therefore, you must verify that all the GSync cards are connected in
a chain via an ethernet cable. When there are several Viz Engines at work, one is
defined as the master and all the others as slaves.
Figure 1-10: GSync II card
To configure the GSync card on the master
1. On the Viz Engine’s machine to be the master, navigate to the NVIDIA control
panel.
2. In the left pane, expand the Workstation node and click Synchronize displays.
3. In the right pane, for the timing server, select the On this system radio button.
4. Under the displays to lock to the server, check to make active all that appear
in the field below.
You also have the option of using a genlock (house sync) signal from the studio as
an input to the GSync card. In this case, once connected, you can verify the signal
in the View system topology screen, under the Workstation node.
19
House sync signal is not present means that no external genlock is connected and
that the pulse is generated internally. If you are not using an external genlock,
there is no reason for worry if you see this message.
Figure 1-11: House sync signal is not present. Nothing to worry about.
To configure the GSync card on the slave(s)
1. On the Viz Engine’s machine designated to be the slave, navigate to the
NVIDIA control panel.
20
2. In the left pane, expand the Workstation node and click Synchronize displays.
3. In the right pane, for the timing server, select the On another system radio
button.
4. Under the displays to lock to the server, check to make active all that appear
in the field below.
To
1.
2.
3.
4.5
verify Gsync status
On each machine in turn, navigate to the NVIDIA control panel.
In the left pane, expand the Workstation node and click View system topology.
On the slave system(s), ensure that Frame lock sync pulse is present figures in
the GSync status portion on the lower part of the screen.
Connecting Video Wall Control to the Distributor Server
To enable Video Wall Control and Video Wall Distributor Server communication

In Windows Explorer, browse to C:\Program Files\vizrt\VizVideoWall
and open the VideoWallControl.ini file on the control machine, and then
edit the file so that machine=vwall.
This notifies the Video Wall Control application that the Distributor Server is
running a different machine.
21
4.6
Video Wall Control Configurations
The following parameters and settings are configured in the Video Wall Control
application.

4.6.1
Defining Output Parameters
Setting Machine Parameters
Setting Layout Parameters
The Main Parameters panel is positioned in the top left corner of the window.
Changes made in this panel require restarting the Video Wall Distributor, by
clicking the Save and Restart button.
Figure 1-12: Video Wall Main Parameters
To connect the Viz Engines to the Video Wall
1. On the vwall machine, click Start -> All Programs -> Vizrt -> Viz Video Wall > Viz Video Wall Distributor.
2. On the control machine, click Start -> All Programs -> Vizrt -> Viz Video Wall
-> Viz Video Wall Control.
3. In the Status bar of the Video Wall Control window, make sure that the
Connection Status is Connected.
4. On the vwall machine, set the width and height of the Video Wall.
This number is determined according to the way in which the Viz Engines are
powering the actual screens. Refer to Configuration Options for details.
• Width: Sets the number of screens/Engines horizontally.
• Height: Sets the number of screens/Engines vertically.
5. Define the connection protocol.
• Connect by: Sets the connection protocol between the Distributor and Viz
Engines. Options are TCP, UDP and Multicast. See also Networking Issues.
6. Define the Video Wall’s geometry.
• Type: Determines whether a Video Wall will be flat or circular.
22
7. If you have selected a circular Video Wall, define the following parameters:
• Default Overlap: Enter the number, in degrees, that is needed for
overlapping between screens.
• Total FOV (Deg): Enter the size, in degrees, of the entire circular Video
Wall.
8. Click the Save and Restart button.
4.6.2
Defining Output Parameters
The Output Parameters panel is positioned in the top right corner of the window.
Figure 1-13: Output Parameters Panel
To define output parameters to the Viz Engines
1. In the Video Wall Control, change the following parameters, as needed by your
particular configuration.
• Refresh Rate: Sets the refresh rate of the video wall output in fps. For PAL
the value is 50, and for NTSC the value is 60.
• Requested Frame Rate: Modify this number if you wish to force a lower
frame rate than provided by the Viz Engine.
Note: This option is only available when using DVI output and GSync without
external genlock.
• Frame Delay (TCP): Number, in fields, used for synchronizing the various
Viz Engines. Once the external command is received, sets after how many
fields it will be sent to the Viz Engine. Modify this number in accordance
with the amount of network traffic you expect.
Note: The larger the number the more latency you will get. The smaller the
number the bigger the chance that you might lose sync, since the command may
arrive after the time to execute has passed.
• Send Command Offset (UDP/Multicast): Number, in milliseconds, used for
synchronizing the various Viz Engines. Modify this number in accordance
with the amount of network traffic you expect.
Note: This is needed to make sure all computers receive the command in the
same field. When using DVI out it should be 5. When using video-out it should be
0.
• Aspect Ratio: Per Viz Engine.
2. If you have defined a circular Video Wall, you can also define the following
parameters.
23
• Offset Y: additional offset to be applied to all Viz Engines (cameras)
• Offset Pan: additional offset to be applied to all Viz Engines (cameras)
4.6.3
Setting Machine Parameters
To set the machine parameters
1. In the Video Wall Control, double-click the first machine’s label.
You are prompted to enter the machine name and port number in a pop-up
dialog.
2. Set the machine Name to viz1.
3. Ensure that the port number is the same as the port in the config of the
respective Viz Engine.
This is for communications between the Video Wall Distributor and the Viz
Engine.
24
Note: If the setup in Optional Setup Solutions is used, and the Video Wall
Distributor Server is running on a different Viz Engine machine, there is may be a
need to change the Viz Engine port on viz3.
Note: If you use UDP or Multicast protocols, the UDP port number must defined in
the Distributor.ini file, located at C:\Program
Files\Vizrt\VizVideoWall.
4. Click OK.
5. In the Machines panel, make sure that the Machine Status is Connected.
6. Repeat for each Viz Engine machine.
4.6.4
Setting Layout Parameters
These parameters are set for each Viz Engine. This ensures that each Viz Engine
renders the correct portion of the graphics according to its defined location in the
Video Wall.
The settings in the Machine Parameters panel becomes available once a machine
has been selected in the Machines panel. The position and size values are by
default set according to the number of machines in the Video Wall. These settings
should only be modified if the video wall is not equally divided between the
different machines. If there is a need to change the default settings, follow the
procedure below.
To set layout parameters for a flat video wall
1. Define the following parameters as necessary.
• Position X: Sets the position as a percentage of the whole Video Wall for
the X value of the selected machine.
• Position Y: Sets the position as a percentage of the whole Video Wall for
the Y value of the selected machine.
• Width: Sets the width as a percentage of the whole Video Wall, for the
selected machine.
• Height: Sets the height as a percentage of the whole Video Wall, for the
selected machine.
• Overlap left: Sets the left overlap, as a percentage, of the selected
machine.
• Overlap right: Sets the right overlap, as a percentage, of the selected
machine.
Figure 1-14: Flat Wall Machine Parameters
Tip: To reset a value, click the R button next to the text box.
25
To set layout parameters for a circular video wall
1. Define the following parameters as necessary.
• Pan: Sets the pan, in degrees, for the selected machine.
• Pos Y: Sets the position, as a percentage, of the Y value of the selected
machine.
• FovX: Sets the X axis field of view, in degrees, of the selected machine.
• FovY: Sets the Y axis field of view, in degrees, of the selected machine.
• Overlap left: Sets the left overlap, in degrees, of the selected machine.
• Overlap right: Sets the right overlap, in degrees, of the selected machine.
Figure 1-15: Circular Wall Machine Parameters
Tip: To reset a value, click the R button next to the text box.
4.7
Saving Settings
Click the Save Data button to save the Video Wall configuration. The data is stored
as Distributor.ini in C:\Program Files\vizrt\VizVideoWall.
Figure 1-16: Save Data Button
4.8
Configuring the Control Application
Viz control applications (Viz Trio, Viz Content Pilot, Viz Weather) communicate
with the Viz Engine through TCP on port 6100.
When a Video Wall is used, multiple Viz Engines require control, and are
controlled by the Video Wall Distributor, rather than the control application
directly. The Video Wall should be configured as if it were the on-air machine. The
control application should communicate all messages to the Video Wall, which will
in turn pass them to all relevant Viz Engines. The Video Wall thus “impersonates”
a Viz Engine by opening port 6100 and intercepting all messages that were sent
by the control application.
As a sample, a Viz Content Pilot Configuration to work with Video Wall is shown
ahead. Similar configurations should be used when using other control
applications. If you are using another application, consult the relevant
documentation.
26
4.8.1
Viz Content Pilot Configuration
Viz Content Pilot must be configured so that during design mode in Viz Template
Wizard, it will communicate directly to a Viz Engine machine. During design
mode, there is a lot of communication between Viz Content Pilot and Viz Engine.
As such, having the Video Wall Distributor Server in between slows down the
communication. During On-air mode, Viz Content Pilot communicates directly
with the Video Wall Distributor Server.
To configure Viz Content Pilot for Video Wall
1. In Windows Explorer, browse to C:\Program Files\Vizrt\Viz Content
Pilot and open the ContentPilot.ini file.
2. Edit the Machine section of the ContentPilot.ini file:
machine1=control
machine2=viz1
machine3=viz2
machine4=viz3
machine5=vwall
3. During design mode, select viz1, viz2 or control to avoid communication
through the Video Wall Distributor Server.
4. During run mode, select vwall.
4.8.2
Advanced Viz Content Pilot Configuration
This advanced configuration is optional. However, it can optimize system
resources.
During run mode, icons should not be communicated through the Video Wall
Distributor Server. Instead the Viz Content Pilot group system should be used.
To perform advanced configuration of Viz Content Pilot
machine1=control
machine2=viz1
machine3=viz2
machine4=viz3
machine5=vwall
[GROUP distributor]
machine1=control
machine2=vwall
3. During On-Air mode, select the Distributor group that consists of the control
and the Video Wall Distributor Server.
Since the control machine is first in the group, all the icon communication will
go directly to this machine, and not through the Video Wall Distributor Server.
Important! The control machine must have a Viz Engine Preview license.
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4.8.3
Optional Setup Solutions
The solution used throughout this configuration process assumes a dedicated
machine for the Video Wall Distributor (vwall). This machine can later be used for
handling Interactivity and ensures optimal performance. However, if there is a
need to save on a machine, there are two alternative setup options for running the
Video Wall Distributor.
Option 1: Running the Video Wall Distributor on the control machine
machine1=control
machine2=viz1
machine3=viz2
machine4=viz3
The Video Wall Control can still run on the control machine.
3. In Windows Explorer, browse to C:\Program Files\vizrt\VizVideoWall
and open the VideoWallControl.ini file.
4. Ensure that the VideoWallControl.ini file points to the control machine
(Video Wall Distributor Server):
machine=localhost
5. During run mode, select control (Video Wall Distributor Server).
Note: When this option is enabled, the Video Wall Control will start the Video Wall
Distributor Server automatically.
Option 1 has two main disadvantages:

The local preview option is disabled.
The icon communication goes through the Video Wall Distributor Server (see
Advanced Viz Content Pilot Configuration).
Option 2: Run the Video Wall Distributor Server on a Viz Engine machine
Note: This option shows how to use the viz3 machine as a host for the Video Wall
Distributor.
machine1=control
machine2=viz1
machine3=viz2
machine4=viz3
The Video Wall Control can still run on the control machine.
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4. Edit the VideoWallControl.ini file to point to the viz3 machine (Video Wall
Distributor Server).
machine= viz3
5. On the viz3 machine, open Viz Config and the change the port number of the
Viz Engine to be 6101, as described in Setting Ports.
6. In the Video Wall Control, double-click the viz3 machine’s label and change
the port number to 6101.
The Video Wall Distributor will now talk to the Engine on viz3 through this
port, as 6100 is taken by the Distributor.
7. During run mode in Viz Content Pilot, select viz3 (Video Wall Distributor
Server).
The main disadvantage of this setup is that viz3 cannot be externally controlled,
since the machine port has been set to 6101.
4.9
Backup and Redundancy
You can create redundant Viz Engines and Distributor Servers for backup
purposes.

4.9.1
Defining Backup Viz Engines for Redundancy
Setting Up Backup Distributor Servers for Redundancy
Defining Backup Viz Engines for Redundancy
When working with multiple Viz Engines, for redundancy, it is possible to define
backup machine(s) in the event that one Engine ceases to function as expected.
When backup machines are defined, you can swap them manually.
This option requires that a DVI router be used between the machines and the
Video Wall screens.
Note: SDI Router is not implemented yet.
Upon switching to a backup machine, the layout parameters are automatically
sent to the replacement, and the routing command is sent to the router to ensure
that the backup machine takes its right place in the Video Wall.
Tip: In a configuration that includes backup machines, it is recommended that
you use the UDP or Multicast protocols. This will ensure that when switching back
to a machine that was down, its content will up to date.
To define backup machines
1. In the Video Wall Control application, in the Main Parameters, enter the
number of backup machines you wish to make available.
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2. Click the Save and Restart button.
The backup machines will appear on the right side of the window.
3. For each backup machine defined, follow the procedures for:
• Setting Machine Parameters
• Configuring the Viz Engine
• Configuring the Graphics Card
• Configuring the Viz Engine Machine’s GSync Card
To configure the router
1. On the vwall machine, ensure that the Video Wall Distributor is not running.
2. In Windows Explorer, browse to C:\Program Files\Vizrt\VizVideoWall
and open the Distributor.ini file.
3. If the input number on the router is not a default number, you must modify
the routeID parameter(s) for each machine.
Machine5 VideoWallHost-5
Port5 6100
UdpPort5 6100
DataPoolPort5 7124
RouteId5 5
4. If the output number is not a default number, you must modify the router
(matrix) parameters.
################# DVI Matrix
RouterOutput1 1
RouterOutput2 2
RouterOutput3 3
######################
To put a backup machine into service
1. Right-click the machine that you wish to replace.
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2. From the pop-up menu, select Switch to Backup -> the desired backup
machine.
To revert to the original source machine
1. Right-click the machine that you wish to replace.
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2. From the pop-up menu, select Original Source.
4.9.2
Setting Up Backup Distributor Servers for Redundancy
In case you want to have redundancy for the Video Wall Distributor Server, there is
an option that allows to manually switch off a Distributor Server.
To set up a backup Video Wall Distributor
1. Install Video Wall Distributor and Video Wall Control software on an additional
machine.
3. Edit the VideoWallControl.ini file on both vwall machines, ensuring that
the line for globalbackup reads
globalbackup=1
A new button appears in the GUI.
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4. In the Video Wall Control application for the Distributor Server machine you
wish to disable, select the machine and click the Deactivate button to disable
the current Distributor Server, disconnecting it from its Viz Engines.
5. In the Video Wall Control application for the backup Distributor Server
machine, select the machine and click the Activate button to enable the
backup Distributor Server.
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5
Networking Issues

5.1
Communication Types Between Video Wall Processes
Setting Ports
Communication Types Between Video Wall Processes
There are several types of communication protocols used in the Video Wall
environment, as illustrated below. Depending on your machine configuration,
some ports may need to be modified to ensure proper data flow.
Figure 1-17: Communication Between Video Wall Processes
5.2
Setting Ports
In Viz Config, under the Communication section, there are a number of
parameters that may need to set for each Viz Engine machine, depending on your
Video Wall configuration.
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The port number must match the value entered when Setting Machine Parameters
in the Video Wall Control application. This is absolutely essential when the Video
Wall Distributor is running on a Viz Engine machine to avoid both applications
from using port 6100.
Note: If you change to port number on a Viz Engine machine, other external
controls will now not be able to access that Engine directly.
Note: If the suggested setup is used, and the Video Wall Distributor Server is
running on a different computer, there is no need to change the Viz Engine port
on the Viz machines.
If you are using the UDP protocol ensure that the UDP port number in the Viz
Config is the same as the UdpPort value for that machine in the
Distributor.ini file, located at C:\Program Files\Vizrt\VizVideoWall.
##################### Machine 3 #####################
Machine3 VideoWallHost-3
Port3 6100
UdpPort3 6100
Important! Ensure that the Video Wall Distributor is not running before modifying
the Distributor.ini file.
Depending on your configurations, the port numbers may need to be changed.
One such case is if using Option 2 in the Optional Setup Solutions. The Video Wall
Control application will run on the control machine to configure the Video Wall
Distributor Server that will run on viz3. Since the default TCP Port Number is
6100, viz3 is also a Viz Engine machine for external control applications. Viz
Engine and the Distributor cannot open the same port on the same machine, so
the port that Viz Engine opens must be changed.
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6
Taking the Video Wall On-Air
To
1.
2.
3.
4.
take the Video Wall On-Air
Start Viz in On-Air mode on all the machines.
Start Video Wall Distributor Server on vwall.
Start your control application.
In the control application select vwall to be the On-Air machine.
Tip: For monitoring, use the Video Wall Control application.
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7
Scene Design
Scenes to be displayed on the Video Wall are designed in Viz Artist as graphcis for
any other Viz application.
The aspect ratio for the scene should match the ratio on the complete wall,
meaning the number of pixels in width divided by number of pixels in height. Set
the aspect ratio within the Viz Artist scene (and not in Viz Config) to make sure it
is displayed correctly on the wall.
Note: Some plug-ins may not work well on the video wall. These are plug-ins that
are either related to screen size, or have a random number that might not be the
same on all viz engines. The following plug-ins are currently not supported in a
Video Wall environment: Ticker3D, realFX, Dynamic Images, Winmask,
WindowMask, FrameMask, SoftMask, ImageMask.
Since the Video Wall (typically but not always) uses DVI out and not SDI, there is
no ring buffer support. Therefore all scenes need to be built with this in mind and
thoroughly tested. You do not want to be right on the performance edge with
Video Wall graphics, because if only one renderer drops a frame, the Video Wall
will look less than optimal. If the scenes are properly constructed, and the
renderers initialized before on-air use, there should be no problem.
To test perfromance while the Video Wall is active, use the show performance
button in the status bar in the Video Wall Control application.
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8
Interactivity

8.1
Prerequisites for Video Wall Interactivity
Designing Interactive Scenes for Video Wall
Enabling Interactivity
Simulating Touch Events
Prerequisites for Video Wall Interactivity
Graphics in the Video Wall may also be interactive. In order to have an interactive
Video Wall, two things are necessary:

8.2
Screens that support touch events (or add-on to screens to allow touch
events)
Interactivity written into the scenes in Viz Artist that will define the behavior of
the scene upon touch events.
Designing Interactive Scenes for Video Wall
When designing interactive scenes in Viz Artist for Video Wall, you must ensure
that you only use 6DOF-based events. Use scripting to define the behavior of your
graphics upon user interaction.

OnButtonDown6DOF(..)
OnButtonUp6DOF(..)
OnMove6DOF(..)
OnMoveRelative6DOF(..)
To configure Viz Engines for interactivity
1. Open Viz Config.
2. In the left pane, click Global Input.
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3. In the right pane, for Role, select Slave.
4. Repeat for each Viz Engine.
8.3
Enabling Interactivity
To add interactivity to a Video Wall
1. Make sure the Video Wall Distributor down.
2. In Windows Explorer, browse to C:\Program Files\vizrt\VizVideoWall,
and open the distributor.ini file in the text editor of your choice.
3. Edit the Mouse Device Advanced section, changing the UseMouseDevice
value to 1.
4. Edit the MouseDeviceName value to the DLL name that will be used.
# ################ Mouse Device (Advanced)######################
# Enable a mouse device to send 6DOF events:
UseMouseDevice 1
# Viz Multicast Group to sent to:
VizMulticastGroup 1
# Mouse device dll name:
MouseDeviceName UdpMouse.dll
# Data to send to mouse device:
MouseDevicedata
8.4
Simulating Touch Events
Before actually testing out interactivity on a Video Wall, you can simulate the
interaction using the SendUdpMouse application, which is bundled with the Video
Wall software.
To simulate touch events
1. Perform the procedure for Taking the Video Wall On-Air.
2. Perform the procedure for Designing Interactive Scenes for Video Wall to your
Video Wall by browsing to C:\Program Files\Vizrt\VizVideoWall and
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editing the distributor.ini file to allow interactivity and define the .dll file
to be used.
3. Launch an interactive scene.
4. From the vwall machine, browse to C:\Program
Files\Vizrt\VizVideoWall and double-click the SendUdpMouse.exe file.
A white screen opens that represents the Video Wall.
Mouse clicks in the appropriate locations in the white screen trigger the same
events that would be triggered with the actual touch-screen hardware.
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9
Command Line Arguments and Keyboard Shortcuts
The Video Wall Control application has various command line arguments and
keyboard shortcuts.
9.1
Command Line Arguments
The following command line arguments can added to the Video Wall Control
application:

9.2
-c: Start without console.
-R [file]: Start with a different configuration file (default distributor.ini).
-P [port]: Use different port for external control (default 6100).
Keyboard Shortcuts
The following keyboard shortcuts + <Enter> can be used in the Video Wall
Distributor console:

9.3
e: Exit
c: Connect to all Viz Engine hosts
l: Locks console on top
u: Unlocks console
p: Sends continue command
r: Sends reset command
s: Sends stop command
g: Sends start command
Debugging Commands
The following keyboard shortcuts +<Enter> can be used in the Video Wall
Distributor for debugging:

1: Stop debug printings.
2: Debug internal communication with Viz Engines.
3: Debug printings of Feedback messages from all Viz Engines. Includes
timestamps, realTime, etc. This is a good way to know if all Viz Engines are
connected and running in real-time.
4: Debug communication with external control application (port 6100).
Additionally, in Video Wall Control application, at the bottom left of the window,
click the Show Commands button to show the console window for all Viz Engines,
and the console for the Viz Distributor Server, debug the communications
between the processes.
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42
2 Troubleshooting
This section contains some common problems you may encounter when running
a Video Wall.

Problems Connecting Video Wall Control to the Distributor
Viz Engine Connection Problems
Failure To Send Real Time Command
Animation Speed on One of the Viz Engines is Too Fast
Interactivity Problems
Graphic Synchronization Problems
Not All Commands Executed
Black Screen in One of the Viz Engines
Graphics Do Not Split Correctly on Screens
Scenes Do Not Appear on Video Wall as on Viz Engine
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1
Problems Connecting Video Wall Control to the
Distributor
Problem
Connection Status is Disconnected in the Video Wall Control application.
Possible Cause 1
Incorrect machine definition in the Video Wall Distributor Server.

Check that the machine name of the Video Wall Distributor Server in the ini file
is correct.
Check that the Video Wall Distributor Server is running on that machine.
Possible Cause 2
Network Issues.
Check if the Connection Status is still Disconnected. If so:

Use the IP address instead of the machine name in the ini file.
Make sure that both machines are on the same network.
Tip: Right-click the connection indicator when the error is likely to have been
fixed. This will make the system try to reconnect.
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2
Viz Engine Connection Problems
Problem
The Machine Status in the Video Wall Control application is Disconnected.
Possible Cause 1
The Viz Engine is not running on the defined machine.

Check that the machine name is correct.
Note: The IP address can be used instead of the machine Name, but this is not
recommended, as it is more difficult to keep track of the machines this way, and
IP addresses may change if DHCP is used.

Ensure that the Viz Engine is running on the defined machine.
Ensure that the Viz Engine on the defined machine is in On-Air mode.
Possible Cause 2
Port number mismatch between the Video Wall Distributor and the Viz Engine.

Check that the same TCP port number is defined in the machine parameters
(Setting Machine Parameters) and in the respective Viz Engine config
(Configuring the Viz Engine).
Possible Cause 3
The Viz Engine does not send appropriate feedback to the Video Wall Distributor.
This may be because:

Viz Engine is iconized (does not render).
Viz Engine on the defined machine is not in On-Air mode.
Possible Cause 4
There are network problems between the Viz Engine and the Video Wall
Distributor.
If the problem has been fixed (for example by starting Viz Engine), click the
Connect button in the Machine Parameters panel. This will reconnect the selected
machine.
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3
Failure To Send Real Time Command
Symptom
Error Message: Fail to send real time command.
Debugging
1. In the Video Wall Distributor console, press 3 + <Enter> to start debugging.
Press 1 + < Enter> to stop.
2. Check which machine is not in realtime in the debug line.
Host
Host
Host
Vwall-isr1 RealTime=1 LastFrameTime=16 time=310479
isr_studio2 RealTime=1 LastFrameTime=100 time=310482
Vwall-isr1 RealTime=1 LastFrameTime=17 time=310496
Possible Cause 1
UDP not working.

Check if the Video Wall Distributor machine has more then one network card.
If yes:
• Disable wireless on one of them; or
• In the Windows Control Panel, under Network Settings, rearrange them in
the correct order according to the network configuration (check which is
the correct IP address).
Possible Cause 2
Scene consumes too many machine resources.
1. Optimize the scene in Viz Artist (see Scene Design).
2. In the console of the problematic Viz Engine machine, press CTRL and rightclick on the X in the Viz Engine window to turn Performance to On.
46
CTRL + right-click
3. You can also test perfromance while the Video Wall is active using the show
performance button in the status bar in the Video Wall Control application.
4. Lower the requested frame rate when Connecting the Viz Engines to the Video
Wall (only possible when using DVI-out).
Possible Cause 3
A Viz Engine is not On-Air or scene is not loaded. Feedback commands are not
sent, resulting in a machine not being present when you press 3 to debug in the
Video Wall Distributor.
1. Check that a scene is loaded into the Viz Engine.
2. Check that the Viz Engine is in On-Air mode.
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4
Animation Speed on One of the Viz Engines is Too
Fast
Possible Cause 1
NVIDIA card not set to Vertical Sync.

Configure NVIDIA as described in Configuring the Graphics Card.
Possible Cause 2
GSync cards are not configured correctly.
1. Go to Configuring the Viz Engine Machine’s GSync Card and check the
settings.
2. Check that one machine is set as Master, and the rest as Slaves
3. Check that the network cable connected between all GSync cards
Possible Cause 3
Viz Engine Render Options setting is not correct.

48
See Configuring the Viz Engine, and check the Render Options tab.
If using DVI output, go to Configuring the Viz Engine Machine’s GSync Card
and verify that Use NVidia Frame Counter is set to Active.
5
Interactivity Problems
Problem
Interactivity is not working fully.
Possible Cause 1
6DOF is not turned on.

In Viz Config, ensure that Global Input is set to Slave.
Possible Cause 2
Scripts are not written well or scene not designed well.

Check one 6DOF script with a simple scene.
Review and optimize scene and/or scripts
Possible Cause 3
Multicast protocol not working.

Check the network.
Possible Cause 4
Interactivity hardware not functioning as planned.

To isolate the problem, test the interactivity with SendUdpMouse as described
in Simulating Touch Events.
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6
Graphic Synchronization Problems
Problem
Graphics are not synchronized on all screens.
Possible Cause 1
NVIDIA GSync not configured properly.

See Configuring the Graphics Card
Possible Cause 2
One of the Viz Engines is not in realtime mode.
1. In the Video Wall Distributor console, press 3 + <Enter> to start debugging.
Press 1 + <Enter> to stop.
Host
Host
Host
Host
vwall-isr2
localhost
localhost
vwall-isr2
RealTime=1
RealTime=1
RealTime=1
RealTime=1
LastFrameTime=17
LastFrameTime=17
LastFrameTime=16
LastFrameTime=17
time=18764
time=18765
time=18782
time=18782
2. See which machine does not appear, or have RealTime=0.
3. In the Video Wall Control application, at the bottom of the screen, click the
Show Commands button.
The Viz Engine console will appear on each of the Viz Engine machines in your
configuration.
4. Check the console of the problematic machine.
If your selected protocol is TCP:
Working properly, when a command is sent, at first you should see a line that
looks like this:
Rec(External) <A142862371 RENDERER SET_OBJECT>
Shortly followed by:
Rec(Delayed) <-1 RENDERER SET_OBJECT>
5. Try to restart the Viz Engine on the problematic machine.
6. If this does not resolve the problem, follow the procedure in Failure To Send
Real Time Command.
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7
Not All Commands Executed
Problem
Some commands seem to be executed, and others are not. This may happen if
attempting to use UDP protocol, without defining it properly, since some
commands are always sent via TCP. In the problematic case, only the TCP
commands are sent successfully, and the UDP commands are not.
Possible Cause
UDP is not turned on in the Viz Engine machine or is using the wrong port
number.

In Viz Config, ensure that Communication -> Additional Communication is
set to UDP & Multicast. Port number should match the one defined in when
Setting Machine Parameters.
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8
Black Screen in One of the Viz Engines
Possible Cause 1
No rendering on the Viz Engine.
1. Verify that Viz is running on that Engine.
2. Verify that Viz is in On-Air mode.
3. Verify that a scene is loaded into Viz by pressing <Esc>, and checking the
loaded scene and entering send REND GET_OBJECT in the Viz Engine console.
Possible Cause 2
Screen-saver is turned on.
1. Try to move the keyboard/mouse on that Viz Engine machine.
2. Turn off any screen-saver option.
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9
Graphics Do Not Split Correctly on Screens
Problem
Graphics are not laid out or do not split as expected on all screens in the Video
Wall.
Possible Cause 1
Layout was not set correctly.

Verify the layout settings configured in Setting Layout Parameters (computer
names, overlap, positions, etc.)
Possible Cause 2
Numbers not sent or wrong calculations about sizes were done in the Video Wall
Distributor or Viz Engine.
1. In the Video Wall Control application, at the bottom of the screen, click the
Show Commands button.
The Viz Engine console will appear on each of the Viz Engine machines in your
configuration.
2. Check the console of the problematic machine.
3. Check if the following lines figure when changing the scene on the Control PC
(control).
Working properly, the console of a Viz Engine that is receiving all layout
parameters correctly should look like this:
Rec(External) <-1 MAIN*CONFIGURATION*SCREEN_LAYOUT*1 SET 720 576
720 0 0 0 1440
576 0.000000 0.000000 vid1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.000000 0.000000
0.0 0.0 0.0>
answer (not sent) <-1 >
Rec(External) <-1 REND*LAYOUT*TYPE SET USE_LAYOUT>
Rec(External) <-1 REND*LAYOUT*NUMBER SET 1>
4. Check if the console shows the lines above when modifying the layout in the
Video Wall Control application, by Setting Layout Parameters.
5. Check the numbers that are displayed. If they do not provide an obvious
solution, contact Vizrt CA.
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10 Scenes Do Not Appear on Video Wall as on Viz
Engine
Possible Cause 1
Some Viz Artist plug-ins do not work in the Video Wall environment.

RealFX
Ticker3D
Dynamic Images
WinMask
Possible Cause 2
Aspect ratio not set correctly in scene.

See Scene Design for best practices.
Possible Cause 3
Layout not configured correctly in Video Wall Control application.

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See Graphics Do Not Split Correctly on Screens.