Running video (live and pre-recorded) on a 2nd machine

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cmprvndncr
Posts: 126
Joined: Wed Mar 01, 2017 2:44 pm

Running video (live and pre-recorded) on a 2nd machine

Post by cmprvndncr » Thu Mar 23, 2017 11:08 am

Hey there pals,

So I'm looking at something like this for adding visual elements to a live set...

https://www.ableton.com/en/packs/rokvid/

But I'm wary of overloading one MacBook... So if I were to run a 2nd macbook, could I have Max running on a 2nd machine, synced via MIDI over USB or something, so I could have one cpu on audio, and one on video?

I know an Ableton Suite license seems to only cover one running instance at a time (two installs)...

So would I need to run Max MSP on the 2nd machine? Would it be a free license? Would I be able to run Max for live programs in Max on a machine without ableton? Should I just try it on one Macbook and see how I go?

Cheerrrrrrsss.

:)

Stromkraft
Posts: 7033
Joined: Wed Jun 25, 2014 11:34 am

Re: Running video (live and pre-recorded) on a 2nd machine

Post by Stromkraft » Thu Mar 23, 2017 2:36 pm

cmprvndncr wrote:Hey there pals,

So I'm looking at something like this for adding visual elements to a live set...

https://www.ableton.com/en/packs/rokvid/

But I'm wary of overloading one MacBook... So if I were to run a 2nd macbook, could I have Max running on a 2nd machine, synced via MIDI over USB or something, so I could have one cpu on audio, and one on video?

I know an Ableton Suite license seems to only cover one running instance at a time (two installs)...
Well, you can probably run a demo of Live Suite for 30 days on the second machine, on a second Ableton account at least. I would also like to see if I could run video in sync with Max only. I'd contemplate using Max rather than Max For Live. This would entail sending either a digital audio stream (to react to) or that and a sync signal. I'm not sure the latter is strictly necessary but that depends on how exact edits need to be and the latency.

Personally I'm very interested in audio over the network, but it would also be possible using digital streams between two supporting audio cards. There are costs involved in getting audio streams going, unless you already have what's necessary,

After the 30 days (I think Max also has a 30 day demo?) one would need to decide whether to get another Live Suite license or a Max license.
I suppose either could be picked up when deals are on or as second hand licenses. Standard and MFL separately would also work.
Make some music!

cmprvndncr
Posts: 126
Joined: Wed Mar 01, 2017 2:44 pm

Re: Running video (live and pre-recorded) on a 2nd machine

Post by cmprvndncr » Thu Mar 23, 2017 7:43 pm

Thanks for your advice on this :)

The audio could likely be a simple split of tbe main output, so shouldn't be too hard, but I guess I would need an audio input and I don't think Mac's have this built in?... Hmmm, so audio over Ethernet cable could be fresh as. Sync should be able to be midi over USB?


Ohh, that's gives me an idea... I wonder if iOS has much in the way of this kind of vj software... Cause ableton link is a thing that seems to work.

Stromkraft
Posts: 7033
Joined: Wed Jun 25, 2014 11:34 am

Re: Running video (live and pre-recorded) on a 2nd machine

Post by Stromkraft » Thu Mar 23, 2017 9:44 pm

cmprvndncr wrote: I guess I would need an audio input and I don't think Mac's have this built in?...
Yeah, thinking of it, just for video modulation the quality may not matter as much as for my other purposes — which involves sharing audio streams between different machines in the same studio — and actually I think if a mono signal would be acceptable the third ring on the audio socket should be a mic input I think, like on the iPhone in-ear plugs. Whether it also can accept line level I don't know. I have no idea what cable to use, but possibly worth exploring.
Make some music!

cmprvndncr
Posts: 126
Joined: Wed Mar 01, 2017 2:44 pm

Re: Running video (live and pre-recorded) on a 2nd machine

Post by cmprvndncr » Fri Mar 24, 2017 11:12 am

Stromkraft wrote:
cmprvndncr wrote: I guess I would need an audio input and I don't think Mac's have this built in?...
Yeah, thinking of it, just for video modulation the quality may not matter as much as for my other purposes — which involves sharing audio streams between different machines in the same studio — and actually I think if a mono signal would be acceptable the third ring on the audio socket should be a mic input I think, like on the iPhone in-ear plugs. Whether it also can accept line level I don't know. I have no idea what cable to use, but possibly worth exploring.
That's a good idea!

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