Theatre Design & Technology - Fall 2020 - 22

and 4K display devices, a 10-gigabit network may be desirable for speed and efficiency. That requires all components on
the network be equipped with 10-gigabit
network interfaces. These are becoming
more common in the live events industry
due to the demand for 4K.
If a managed network switch is necessary, correct configuration and settings
are extremely important. Also, energysaving settings don't work well due to
built-in intelligence that tries to say when
the network is engaged and when it isn't.
Turn off the energy saving settings for uninterrupted data flow.

8. Signal extenders

A wide variety of video signal extenders
are available to connect your media server to your projectors or other display devices. A signal extender is needed when
sending video signals farther than 1520 meters over a straight DVI or HDMI
cable run. Make sure you understand the
EDID functionality for your particular
type of signal extender and remember
that all devices in the signal path must be
configured for the same resolution and
frame rate. Compatibility along the entire
signal chain is required.
HDBaseT often is used for runs
up to 100 meters due to simplicity and
low cost, plus the ability to piggyback
control signals over the CatX cable carrying the video signal. Cat6a or higherrated network cable is important. Many
professional-grade projectors, as well as
other display devices, now have native
HDBaseT inputs, which is a good solution for low-latency point-to-point video
signal transport.
More costly fiber-optic extenders are
capable of very long runs, have strong
immunity to EMI and RFI, and can be
purchased with sheathed jackets for
mechanical durability in difficult environments. Fiber extenders are ideal for
arenas. Some fiber extenders can carry
HD signals up to 2.5 kilometers, and 4K
signals up to 0.6 kilometers.
SDI cables can also be used for longer runs. The SDI standard originated in
the broadcast industry and is relatively
cost-effective when dealing with HD signals, and it makes use of commonly available coaxial cable with BNC connectors.
This standard is referred to as 3G-SDI
for its 3 gigabit/second bandwidth. For
transporting 4K signals, the 12G-SDI

22 | THEATRE DESIGN & TECHNOLOGY | FALL 2020

standard involves more costly transmitters and receivers, and higher-grade coaxial cables. Or, four 3G-SDI cables can
be ganged to carry 4K signals as well.
Some projectors and display devices will
have native SDI inputs.
A few brands of moderately priced
HDMI fiber ribbon cables come in
lengths up to 100 meters, with the added
advantage of not requiring external power. They are convenient and lightweight,
but are relatively delicate, so be careful
with their handling and storage. A potential downside is that they pull their power
off the graphics card, which can be detrimental depending on system performance demands.
In the future, we will see AV-over-IP
solutions based on standards being developed by the SDVoE Alliance. Networkdistributed video (and audio) will be
feeding our display devices. But for the
time being, point-to-point connections
are required for getting video signals to
your displays.

9. Audio

You may also have audio tracks to accompany the video. There are several ways
to incorporate audio and it varies slightly
for different media server platforms and
for different hardware. The motherboard
may be equipped with analog audio and
S/PDIF outputs. While this may be cost
effective, it will typically require settings
and control via the operating system interface. For greater control and flexibility,
various other analog and network-based
audio options are available. Whatever the
audio requirements are, audio will utilize
some of the media server's resources as
well, so understand your audio needs up
front.
A low-cost USB audio interface/preamp box is often used for up to 10 balanced line-level analog outputs. Analog
PCIe audio cards can also be installed
in media server hardware for more integrated solutions.
Network audio has become very
popular and can also be integrated into
the server with PCIe Dante and AES67
cards, depending on the desired standard. External Dante and AES67 servers
are available as well.

10. Show Control

Lastly, consider your scheduling and control needs. Do you want to control media

cues from your lighting board? Do you
want your media server to be able to trigger a lighting cue? Do you want to have
a very simple interface for non-technical
staff to have manual control? Do you have
a device that outputs network IP commands to trigger a cue? As an example,
think about contact closures on a stage,
such as a switch. A performer opens or
closes a door or steps on a sensor on the
stage to trigger a media event at that exact moment. Many options are available
for show control, ranging from software
to hardware solutions. And some media
server platforms may have embedded
show control features.
Also consider remote access needs.
Will you need to troubleshoot or make
content changes or scheduling changes
remotely? This is sometimes desired in
permanent installations. Is it safe to have
your media server connected directly to
the Internet or do you need a different
way in to the system?
TeamViewer is a commonly used
app for this purpose, though other apps
are available that may provide greater
functionality for a cost. As noted earlier,
it's best to keep the media server network
isolated from the Internet, so be sure to
make remote connections through a separate network port. As always, perform
small scale tests, especially if operating
online, to make sure nothing goes wrong
on the display network side of the system.
Media playback systems are not a
network of black boxes that all do the
same thing. By understanding your specific needs and the relevant parameters,
you'll be better able to identify the system
solution best suited for your needs.
Marty Karp is the director of
marketing and business
development for Show Sage
LLC. Prior to starting with
Show Sage in 2014, Karp has
primarily held product management,
marketing, and sales roles in the technology
sector. He began his career as a field sales
engineer selling electronic test and measurement
equipment in Silicon Valley for HewlettPackard (now Keysight Technologies). During
his career he has held positions with Shure,
Knowles, and Richardson Electronics. Karp has
background in audio, RF, microwave, and
media servers. He holds a BSEE from
University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

Theatre Design & Technology - Fall 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Theatre Design & Technology - Fall 2020