I need basic help

[ejgutierrez]

I have recently bought a little pub ( about 125 m2).

I play music as a amateur DJ.
I wanted to start some kind of VJ.
I have downloaded most of the software on Vjcentral.

Now i want to know what i need in order to send images to a projector.

- One laptop ?
- Minimum system requirements ?
- One or two monitors?
- Special Graphic Card? Any recommended
- Scan converter?
- Vido Mixer ?
- Projector cheap and effective recommended ?

My idea is not to spent a lot of money
and not make video-art.

I just want to play a video of Enrique Iglesias as it sounds in the pub and show
some spectacular images to mix with.
I don't want to play every song with its video. I just want some special songs with its videoclip. And project some images between the videos.
I need to sync video and audio.

Any ideas ? suggestions ?
Thanks a lot in advance.

Sorry for my bad english.

[DocSavage]

Well...in my mind it sounds like what you'd want to do is set up a system like what they got for MuchMusic dance parties, where they basically just play music videos up on the big screen, and occasionally wierd stock footage for songs with no video.

My recommendation would be to stay away from trying to do this on the computer and go for a 2 VCR + Video mixer combination. Record all your videos off your local MTV2 or equivilant and just mix between the apppropriate points on the two tapes.

If you're really looking to save money and can't afford a video mixer, simply buy a 2-Way video selector from your local rad shack and switch between the two sources that way. You might want to hook the audio from the vcrs into an audio mixer to create *some* semblance of smooth transition between videos.

That's about as ghetto as I can think of at this time in the morning ;-)

Ryan

[DocSavage]

Oh, as far as cheap yet effective projector, look into a LCD projection panel and an overhead projector.

[MoRpH]

Personally I would go for a VCR/DVD/VCD source for your clips, favouring a VCD as you can get sooo many VCD music clip compile discs on the market (although thats prolly moving to DVD now) and it also saves on ff/rew tapes.

For your static images and stock clips just use a simple full screen clip player (like Vjamm standard, etc...) and a desktop PC (no need for a laptop if its going to be stationary) with a video card with TV out.

Then mix the 2 video signals with a cheep secondhand video mixer like a MX1 or MX10/12 (see the mixer reviews on vjcentral)

Personally I use 2 laptops, VCD discman and a live camera for gigs (all nice and small and portable :) ) mixed with the nice little MX1 and run through a fairlight CVI for FX (which you wouldn't need)

[DocSavage]

Re-reading your post, I missed the point where you said you didn't want to do it with only videos.

In that case, the cheapest way to get this done is with a fullscreen/keyboard controlled visual program like resolume or VLight, and a video card with video out. Run the program of your choice full-screen, hook the video out into your projector, and voila, you got cheap affordable VJ equipment. You don't need a laptop if your rig is gonna stay stationary. My recommendation if you're doing movie files is a 800mhz+ system, or a 500mhz+ system if you're doing flash files.

And hey, if you want something you don't have to touch that'll run on it's own, resolume has chaos mode, or you could always just run a winamp plugin with line in:// for your audio/visual synch.

[MoRpH]

hehe... maybe read my post??? think I beat you to the punch by a couple of minutes.

If you want both videos/VCD (though you could play the VCD on the PC) the best way to go is both PC and VCR/DVD with mixer as its going to get the job done best..... also don't hook your video out from your software straight into the projector... always go through a mixer or atleast a switch, nothing looks worse than a crash and then a nice ugly system screen on the projection.... very UNprofessional

[ejgutierrez]

Thanks for your help.

I guess for your answers:

- One laptop ?
With one stationary computer is enough. One laptop will be smaller but more expensive.
- Minimum system requirements ?
800 mhz.
- Scan converter?
I don`t need it.

I have to say that i have a cd-writer
and a tv capture. So my first idea was
or getting videos from internet or connecting one video to my computer and save the videos in my hard disk . Then when i have
some videos burn them into a cd.
Then i will have a collection of videos
in cd's. So it would be easier for me to get the exact point of beginning of video instead of using a video-tape.

So i can play them in my PC ( with my cd-rom). And then
mix the videos with cool images with Vjamm, or Vlight.

it's a good idea ? I need anything else ? What program free ( if it`s possible suits this functions?

My problem is do i really need a mixer like videonics ?.

What graphic card is recommended ?
I have 3dfx banshee 32 mb and i can't view
at the same time tv and computer monitor. So it wouldn't help at all. (It has tv out.)

- Projector cheap and effective recommended ?

Remember: my goal is not to spent a lot of money


Thanks.

Sorry for my bad english.
:)

[LEVLHED]

First lets be clear about the fact that video projectors AREN'T cheap. Spend what you can. Shoot for 1,000+ lumens and you won't be dissapointed.
As for having your videos on CDRom, you might consider converting them to VCD and getting one of those cheap Apex DVD players from Walmart(down to $75). The newer generation of DVD players also play VCD. Then you'd have the hardware benefit of a VCR, but with the nonlinear access of a PC.
All the info you need to make VCDs is at www.vcdhelp.com.
Then you could almost get away with out using a PC at the club.
Although you want to be able to play "ambient" type stuff too, so I guess you'll want a computer there anyway.

[MoRpH]

Yeah VCDs are dead easy to make... read the FAQ over on vjcentral (personally I use TMPGEnc and Nero.... really simple).

As for your video card not out putting both @ the same time don't worry about it, as your mixed will have preview and you can see you PC output there.

Stick with a desktop PC if your not going to move the setup around much, cheaper and more upgradeable :)

Yeah vjamm will be the easiest thing for you to use for your non-VCD material.

As for projectors I dunno, I'm a performer not a raodie :p

[ejgutierrez]

Thanks for your help again. I almost have the idea.

I guess for your answers:

- I will have to make VCD's with my videos with my cd-writer using for example Nero.

- I will have to buy a VCD / DVD player in order to play the videos.
The PC DVD player would be useful or buy a Apex DVD player from Walmart.

- I?ll have to buy a projector with no less than 1,000 lumens.

- I?ll have to use Vjamm.

My dudes are:

- VCD`s as i read in vcdhelp.com are saved in mpeg. And Vjamm only works with avi. The solution is buying a DVD player machine ( not my computer DVD player) to play videos. Having a lot of avi samples in my hard disk and manage them with Vjamm. When i need to play a video use the DVD.
Is this correct ?

- How do i connect this ?
I connect my graphic card tv-out line with the projector , but what about the DVD player ?

- Projector cheap and effective recommended ? I don?t know anything about prices or marks.

Thanks again.

Sorry for my bad english.

[Awax]

Originally posted by ejgutierrez
I have recently bought a little pub ( about 125 m2).

I play music as a amateur DJ.
I wanted to start some kind of VJ.
I have downloaded most of the software on Vjcentral.


Do you plan to spend most of the time behind the beer tap or behind the mixer ?

If you want a fully automated system, like WinAmp playlisting but for video, then find a geek near you and ask him to write you a little soft. The soft will be able to play video and have a few basic transition fom one to the other, and if it's just a mp3, associate a WinAmp viz plug-in, random or specified. I think such a soft could be written in one WE in full-time or one week by working at night. It won't cost you much, cos I think such a prog is less than 3k lines and it's fun to write and good for experience and CV :p.

U'll need a 800MHz system, a good 3D card (like a GF2, very good and very cheap, but 3D is essentiel, it helps mixing video, really, no kidding : hardware alpha blending) with TV-OUT. Then rip your video on your HD (MPEG, AVI : don't care, just ask the geek that it should support any format) or CDs, stack them in the playlist and press PLAY.
Then, if you want to do a live session, do as they said before : cheap VCD/DVD + PC + MIXER and footage (videos) on burned CDs.

PS: If you want, I may write such a soft but I'm a bit busy right now ... it'll take like a month or less for me, maybe 2 weeks. I'll write it for just a few buck (like 50?) cos I want to put things on my curiculum.

[MoRpH]

Originally posted by ejgutierrez
- VCD`s as i read in vcdhelp.com are saved in mpeg. And Vjamm only works with avi. The solution is buying a DVD player machine ( not my computer DVD player) to play videos. Having a lot of avi samples in my hard disk and manage them with Vjamm. When i need to play a video use the DVD.
Is this correct ?

Yes use the DVD/VCD player for your music video VCDs you make and use the PC for your other stuff(E.G. still images, short clips, branding rubbish :p)

- How do i connect this ?
I connect my graphic card tv-out line with the projector , but what about the DVD player ?[/QUOTE]

get the video output from you TV-OUT and your DVD/VCD player and mix/cut it with a video mixer.

- Thanks again.

Sorry for my bad english. [/QUOTE]

You have better use of punctuation than most ppl I know.... myself included..... :p

BTW Awax's idea is cool and very interesting, definately could be worth chasing up.... even if it does involve using the most evil program on the planet (winamp....... swirly crap...... :p LOL)

[Awax]

Originally posted by MoRpH
[BTW Awax's idea is cool and very interesting, definately could be worth chasing up.... even if it does involve using the most evil program on the planet (winamp....... swirly crap...... :p LOL) [/B]

I didn't say "use WinAmp". I said : "do a soft that plays playlist of videos AND mp3". I talk about WinAmp viz too because you can easily reuse them in your own soft and it could provide a cheap/easy-to-implement way to add images on you mp3s.

[MoRpH]

Cool still a very interesting and note worthy project Awax :)

Still having all those reasonable rez longform music video clips on your HDD is going to take up quite a bit of space.... guess you could play them from the CD rom if you could tweek it I guess :)

[Awax]

You could play from what ever support you want !!! Floppy disk if you dare (but swapping floppy could be a bit exhausting :D).

Anyway, its not a real prob for me : I have 135 GB of HD ... In DivX, it could represent around 280 hours = more than 10 days without broacasting twice the same footage !!!!!!!! (I'm talking about DVDRip ... VCD-sized DivX could last even longer for the same size).

...

Jesus, I'm crazy :nod:

BTW, this project plez me ... I might start this WE. I'll post avancement on this forum :p This would be a real time project. Should be over by the end of the month. I hope :rolleyes:

[MoRpH]

Cool Awax get stuck in mate... would be good to see how it comes along...

As for HDD space I guess as time goes on, especially on desktop units you can really get a LOT of HDD for very little....

[ejgutierrez]

Thanks for your help again.
I guess for your answers:

My dudes are:

- Any video projector recommended ? ( any with good average price/quality ). Any place to buy it ?
- Any videomixer recommended ?, and minimum requeriments. Videonics MX1 seems to be the best for beginners.

Awax it would be very useful if you could make this program and i'd be very grateful.
It would be interesting to have an easy way to add different transitions and backgrounds videos ( when you only play mp3) like Winamp skins, and that users could make them and exchange. I will expect news from you.
As you say it has to use different movie clips ( avi, mpeg ...) and audio files ( wav, mp3, wma ....).
It would be interesting that as you said, you could associate one audio song to a video background, but it would be cool if you can associate a list of videos in order to show a variety of videos while the song is played,

Thanks again.

Sorry for my bad english.

[Awax]

Originally posted by ejgutierrez
It would be interesting that as you said, you could associate one audio song to a video background, but it would be cool if you can associate a list of videos in order to show a variety of videos while the song is played

At first, I planned to used Winamp vizualisation plug-ins (eye-candys). But as WinAmp is a sound app, there's not commun interface to gain control of the window generated by WinAmp viz plugins so it would end up havin windows poping in the middle of the screen without any control. So I give up WinAmp viz plugin support.

But the"list of videos" associated to a sound file (whatever format you want, as long as WindowsMediaPlayer can play it (wav, mp3, wma, ...)) is a great idea (still pictures too).