Page 1: Media Server
SOFTWARE VERSION 3.2 WWW.PRG.COM ® MBOX EXTREME MEDIA SERVER USER MANUAL...
Page 2 All other brand names which may be mentioned in this manual are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies. This manual is for informational use only and is subject to change without notice. Please check www.prg.com for the latest version.
Page 3 These servicing instructions are for use by qualified service personnel only. To reduce the risk of electric shock do not perform any servicing other than that contained in the operating instructions unless you are qualified to do so. ® MBOX EXTREME MEDIA SERVER USER MANUAL...
Page 4 Updated to include v3.1.1 and v3.2 changes. 02.9800.0001.32 February 15, 2010 Re-organized and updated the DMX512 Mapping Charts at the end of the manual. 02.9800.0001.32 A October 15, 2010 Updated book format. (No changes to technical information.) ® MBOX EXTREME MEDIA SERVER USER MANUAL...
Page 5: Table Of Contents
Chapter 1. Overview Description Features......................................4 Controllable Elements .................................. 5 Components Mbox Extreme Case Assembly ..............................6 Dual I/O Module ................................... 7 Auxiliary Input Panel ..................................8 Theory of Operation DMX512 Input Configuration: Single Media Server with DMX512 Devices ................. 9 Art-Net Input Configuration: Network Switch and Multiple Media Servers................
Page 6 Chapter 4. Operation Application Window Starting the Mbox Extreme Application............................32 Overview ..................................... 32 Setup ......................................33 Heads Up Displays (HUDs) Using HUDs ....................................38 Dual I/O Module Overview ..................................... 39 Connected Display Devices and EDID ............................41 EDID Capture....................................42 SDI Output (SD - Standard Definition &...
Page 7 QuickTime Streaming Capture Card ..........................102 USB/FireWire Input ................................102 Setting Video Input for Decklink Card ............................103 Configuring Video Input within Mbox Extreme......................... 104 Deinterlacing..................................... 106 Interlaced (i) vs. Progressive (p) Content/Input (Deinterlacing) ..................106 Guide to Deinterlacing............................... 107 Appendix D.
Page 8 Notes ® MBOX EXTREME MEDIA SERVER USER MANUAL...
Page 9: Introduction
Additional Documentation For more information on using the Mbox Extreme® Media Server with PRG consoles, refer to the following manuals: V676® Control Console User Manual (02.9814.0001.10) Virtuoso® Series Control Console User Manual (02.9651.0001) For more information regarding DMX512 systems, refer to the DMX512/1990 &...
Page 10: Customer Service
Customer Service Our comprehensive technical services department ensures you get the full benefit of being a PRG customer. Whether your needs are simple or complex, our full-time staff of experienced professionals are on-hand to provide support. For assistance, contact your nearest PRG office:...
Page 11: Chapter 1. Overview
OVERVIEW This chapter provides an overview of product features, components, and operations. DESCRIPTION COMPONENTS THEORY OF OPERATION FIXTURE DESCRIPTIONS...
Page 12: Description
3D objects are stored directly on the Mbox Extreme hard drive, allowing instant access to any file. The Mbox Extreme is a single server rack unit equipped with two video outputs that can be used to drive a variety of video display devices.
Page 13: Controllable Elements
Texture Object Texture Effect (2 per layer) Object Effect (2 per layer) Color Playmode and Playspeed Frame Blending Transitions (Type and Timing) X, Y, Z Position, Rotation, and Scale Sync (Timecode and Layer-to-Layer) ® MBOX EXTREME MEDIA SERVER USER MANUAL...
Page 14: Components
COMPONENTS Mbox Extreme Case Assembly The following illustrations show the case components for the Mbox Extreme v3 hardware. Auxiliary Input Panel ** Dual I/O Module * UPS Power Unit UPS Power Unit FRONT VIEW REAR VIEW ETHERNET LEFT RIGHT SMPTE IN...
Page 15: Dual I/O Module
VIDEO SYNC 2 DVI IN 2 A/C Input Connector DVI Inputs Video Sync Ethernet (Art-Net) (1 & 2) Ports (1 & 2) Ports (A & B) Figure 1-2: Mbox Extreme Dual I/O Module ® MBOX EXTREME MEDIA SERVER USER MANUAL...
Page 16: Auxiliary Input Panel
R - Y IN B - Y IN (COMPOSITE) BALANCED AUDIO OUT Ethernet SDI (SD/HD) B-Y Input SMPTE Port 2 Input R-Y Input Unbalanced Audio Out (3.5mm Mini Jack) Figure 1-3: Mbox Extreme Auxiliary Input Panel ® MBOX EXTREME MEDIA SERVER USER MANUAL...
Page 17: Theory Of Operation
In the following configuration, DMX512 control signal is distributed from one DMX512 console to multiple DMX512 devices and one Mbox Extreme Media Server. Data is then distributed from the Mbox Extreme Media Server to the other components as shown below.
Page 18: Art-Net Input Configuration: Network Switch And Multiple Media Servers
Art-Net Input Configuration: Network Switch and Multiple Media Servers In the following configuration, Art-Net control signal is distributed from one control console to one network switch. The network switch then distributes the control signal to all Mbox Extreme Media Servers. Art-Net...
Page 19: Output Configuration: Single Media Server With Plasma Display And Lcd Projector
Output Configuration: Single Media Server with Plasma Display and LCD Projector In the following configuration, a Plasma Display and LCD Projector are connected to a single Mbox Extreme Media Server. VGA IN PLASMA DISPLAY LCD PROJECTOR DVI 1 OUT MBOX EXTREME Figure 1-6: Single Media Server with Plasma Display and LCD Projector ®...
Page 20: Fixture Descriptions
Mbox Extreme Environment Concept In order to get the most out the Mbox Extreme Media Server, it is important to understand the overall concept of the Mbox Extreme environment, which is essentially a building platform for "virtual scenery." The final "look" of this virtual scenery can be comprised of backgrounds, 3D objects, camera angles, and lighting, all of which are controllable elements within the Mbox Extreme environment.
Page 21: Ambient Light And Spot Lights 1 - 4
If you are using arrayed display devices to create one larger image, Mbox Extreme can assist with edge blending and tiling. There are four independent edge blend controls and three blending curves that may be selected: steep, medium, and shallow.
Page 22: Texture + Object = Layer
(e.g. dissolves, wipes, bleeds) and a time for the Texture transition on each layer. If a layer’s transition time control is set above 0, Mbox Extreme will use the layer’s current transition mode to change from one image to the next in the time designated.
Page 23: Chapter 2. Installation
INSTALLATION This chapter provides instructions for unpacking the Mbox Extreme case, connecting to the system and powering up for the first time. SETUP GETTING STARTED...
Page 24: Setup
Step 4. At front of case, connect local monitor data cable to DVI Preview connector. Step 5. Connect local monitor power cable to UPS or to local AC power service. Step 6. Connect UPS power cable to local AC power service. ® MBOX EXTREME MEDIA SERVER USER MANUAL...
Page 25: System Connections
Therefore, this port on the computer and the two ports on the I/O module should not be used for any other purpose. If you want to network your Mbox Extreme servers together for the purpose of content distribution or remote monitoring, you must use the second Ethernet port located on the Auxiliary Input Panel at the rear of the rack (refer to "Auxiliary Input Panel"...
Page 26: Getting Started
GETTING STARTED Patching Fixtures The Mbox Extreme server is designed to work with moving-light consoles. Consequently, most of its features are not compatible with conventional consoles. If you are unsure about which consoles are compatible with Mbox Extreme, please contact PRG for more information. PRG can provide a console profile for your console if one is available.
Page 27 Martin Maxxyz™ console. Mbox Extreme v3 is not compatible with the High End Systems Hog® 2 or iPC consoles running Hog 2 software. Neither PRG nor High End Systems will support the use of Mbox Extreme v3 on any console running Hog 2 software.
Page 28: Layers
DMX512 universe per server for Single Output, Panoramic Wide, and Panoramic Dual modes, and two DMX512 universes per server for the Dual Independent mode. You are not able to patch more than one Mbox Extreme to a single universe. By default, Mbox Extreme is configured to respond to Art-Net universe 0. This allows the server to respond to DMX512 data via the DMX to Art-Net converter built into the I/O module.
Page 29: Dmx Mapping
All 16-bit values are in Big Endian format. For example, the value 23 would be presented as 0 in the first channel and 23 in the second channel. Note: In addition to the four modes outlined on the following pages, the Mbox Extreme software can be configured to operate in several legacy modes. See Appendix D on page 109 for more information.
Page 30 Layer 7 Layer 6 Layer 8 Layer 9 Layer 7 372 Total Layer 10 Layer 8 DMX Channels Layer 11 Layer 9 372 Total Layer 12 Layer 10 DMX Channels Layer 11 Layer 12 ® MBOX EXTREME MEDIA SERVER USER MANUAL...
Page 31 Keystone Control Keystone Control Layer 1 Layer 1 Layer 2 Layer 2 Layer 3 Layer 3 Layer 4 Layer 4 Layer 5 Layer 5 Layer 6 Layer 6 Total DMX Channels Total DMX Channels ® MBOX EXTREME MEDIA SERVER USER MANUAL...
Page 32: Powering Up
Powering Up To power up the Mbox Extreme Media Server, be sure the UPS is powered up, then press the power button on the front of the computer and allow it to boot. The Mbox Extreme application should start automatically. If it does not start automatically, click on the icon in the dock.
Page 33: Chapter 3. Media Content
MEDIA CONTENT This chapter provides instructions for managing media files which reside on the Mbox Extreme Media Server and for adding your own custom content. CONTENT SPECIFICATION CONTENT MANAGEMENT...
Page 34: Content Specification
3D Model Files (Objects) Custom 3D models can be added to the Mbox Extreme Media Server. The Mbox Extreme server supports the Alias Wavefront™ 3D .obj format. There are several third-party applications that can export files to this format, including Maya®, Poser®, Bryce®...
Page 35: Recommended Practices
92). If you change the file extension of a DV movie file from .mov to .vid, you can cause Mbox Extreme to deinterlace that movie on the fly. The results of de-interlacing on the fly are not as good as when using deinterlaced content, but this feature means that you can play interlaced content without it looking as noticeable.
Page 36: Content Management
Folder 000 in both the Media and Models folders is reserved and should not be used. You will find the stock PRG video and still images in Media folders 001 - 038 and 248 - 254. Media folder 255 is reserved for video inputs and layer copy functionality.
Page 37: Additional Media Organization Guidelines
Mbox Extreme scans for content at application startup. If new content is added while the Mbox Extreme application is running you must rescan the Media and Models folders to use that new content. You can rescan these folders while Mbox Extreme is running by pressing [ R] on the server's keyboard or from the console by using the control channel on the Camera fixture.
Page 38: Adding Content
Step 3. Copy model files into the new folder. Step 4. For each file, add a unique 3-digit index value to each file (between 0-254) along with a descriptive name that includes the file extension. For example, "001.man.obj", "002.hammer.obj", "003.airplane.obj", etc. ® MBOX EXTREME MEDIA SERVER USER MANUAL...
Page 39: Chapter 4. Operation
OPERATION This chapter provides instructions for setup and operation of the Mbox Extreme server. APPLICATION WINDOW HEADS UP DISPLAYS (HUDS) DUAL I/O MODULE...
Page 40: Application Window
While 3D models are preloading, the computer will not respond to any user input. Overview The Mbox Extreme application window allows you to view the Mbox Extreme Media Server output in either Window or Fullscreen mode on the local monitor. While in Window mode you can access tabs to change the information that Mbox Extreme displays.
Page 41: Setup
Deinterlace Video Inputs Pixel Map Enable/Disable Audio Playback Enable/Disable (requires restart to take effect) Refer to the following pages for in-depth explanations of each of the window settings. ® MBOX EXTREME MEDIA SERVER USER MANUAL...
Page 42 In the DMX Profile section of the Setup tab, you can set the operating mode for the software. As noted earlier, there are several modes that can be used with Mbox Extreme. Therefore, take care to match the operating mode to the console profile that you are using.
Page 43 The extra screen area outside the requested fullscreen dimension will be rendered in black. You are not able to place any content in that area. As in the prior case, the Mbox Extreme software has no control over the actual resolution that the operating system provides.
Page 44 Screen Selection (Screen Arrangement): When using the Single Output operating mode, you are able to select whether the Mbox Extreme application will enter Fullscreen mode on the Main (output 1 on the I/O module) or Alt (output 2 on the I/O module) screen. The other output will continue to display the Mac desktop.
Page 45 If you see "---" on one or both buttons, this would indicate that the Mbox Extreme application cannot find the I/O module circuit board in question.* These buttons also serve to identify which output section is which. If you press the left-hand button, the top I/O module output section should flash its LEDs rapidly.
Page 46: Heads Up Displays (Huds)
Program activity and timecode input can be monitored on the display. Since the screen may be programmed to go black at certain points in time, this provides an indication that Mbox Extreme is still running, and also provides an on- screen indication of current timecode.
Page 47: Dual I/O Module
Overview The Mbox Extreme v3 server rack includes a new version of the I/O module. This new Dual I/O module handles DMX and Art-Net input for the computer and also the video outputs from the computer. The unit receives two DVI outputs from the computer and uses these two signals to provide two separate output sections with DVI and SDI preview and DVI, VGA (RGBHV) and SDI (SD/HD) stage outputs.
Page 48 DVI IN 2 VIDEO SYNC 2 A/C Input Connector DVI Inputs Video Sync Ethernet (Art-Net) (1 & 2) Ports (1 & 2) Ports (A & B) Figure 4-2: Mbox Extreme Dual I/O Module (Rear View) ® MBOX EXTREME MEDIA SERVER USER MANUAL...
Page 49: Connected Display Devices And Edid
Mac. When you open this preference pane, each output of the server will show a window similar to that in the picture below. The header of each window will display the name (circled in red below) of the EDID set. e.g. PRG-MbE 60Hz or the name of the captured EDID.
Page 50: Edid Capture
If the custom EDID data in the Dual I/O module is no longer needed, you can revert that data back to one of the standard data sets. In this case, you should quit Mbox Extreme, have a monitor connected to both output sections, and have the Displays preference pane open prior to performing the following steps.
Page 51: Sdi Output (Sd - Standard Definition & Hd - High Definition)
In order to output SDI, you merely need to ask Mbox Extreme to use the appropriate Fullscreen mode setting and the Dual I/O module will automatically output SDI at that resolution and frequency setting (refer to "Connected Display...
Page 52 Step 3. Press the Detect Displays button on the Displays preference panel. Reset the desktop resolution/frequency of both displays to 1280 x 720 and 59.94Hz. Step 4. On the Mbox Extreme Setup tab (refer to page 33), in the Fullscreen mode section: select "Custom" in the mode pop-up menu, enter 1280 and 720 in the width and height fields respectively, enter 59 in the combo box for frequency, and 1.778 in the aspect ratio box.
Page 53: Genlock (Generator Lock)
To ensure that genlock input and output work successfully you must make sure that the devices you are attempting to synchronize are set to refresh at identical rates. If Mbox Extreme is set to output video with a refresh rate of 60Hz, then its output can only be usefully connected to another device that is set to refresh at 60Hz.
Page 54 Notes ® MBOX EXTREME MEDIA SERVER USER MANUAL...
Page 55: Chapter 5. Advanced Features
ADVANCED FEATURES This chapter provides instructions for using the advanced features available on the Mbox Extreme Media Server. OBJECTS AND DIGITAL GOBOS ANIMATED TEXTURES DRAWMODES DECAY TEXT FILES AUDIO OUTPUT SYNCHRONIZATION ALIGNMENT RECTANGLES THUMBNAILS EFFECTS AND TRANSITIONS...
Page 56: Objects And Digital Gobos
002.LargeObjects.preload Preloading a very large number of objects will cause Mbox Extreme to take longer to start up and should only be done if the models in question do not appear on screen as rapidly as desired. When models are preloaded, it is the vertex array file that is preloaded rather than the original .obj or .vle file.
Page 57 - 001.NewObject.pixels.obj In this case, an object that is 200 generic units tall will appear as 200 pixels tall in Mbox Extreme. And a piece of 2D content that is 200px high would fit exactly when applied to that object.
Page 58: Creating A Digital Gobo With Adobe Illustrator Cs3
Option 1 or Option 2. The texture applied to the gobo will fill the crop area when the gobo is used in Mbox Extreme. Note: It is not recommended that the crop area be sized or positioned so that any portion of an object fall outside the crop area.
Page 59: Animated Gobos
If you are saving as an AI file you need to make sure that "Use Compression" is not checked. Animated Gobos Mbox Extreme animated gobos are similar to SVG gobos, but they have built-in functions which have their own /Mbox/Models/002.Animated gobos controls.
Page 60 Texture Scale (on the same layer) will affect the size of the flakes and Z-rotation will affect the direction in which the flakes fall. ® MBOX EXTREME MEDIA SERVER USER MANUAL...
Page 61 Modifier A is the amplitude of the ripples and modifier B is the number of ripples. Ring Stripe (002/005) Animation Speed controls the scale. Modifier A is the segment thickness and modifier B is the number of segments (= value +1). ® MBOX EXTREME MEDIA SERVER USER MANUAL...
Page 62 Modifier B (default = 127) controls the rotation of the screen around its own Y-axis (rather than around the global Y axis of Mbox Extreme's 3D environment).
Page 63: Animated Textures
Scrub In Mirrored fan Mirrored L-R Scrub Out Bounce Bounce FWD Loop XF Once Once Rev Loop XF Scrub Scrub FWD Loop IPR Mirrored T-B Timecode sync Bounce Layer Slave Once Layer Master Scrub ® MBOX EXTREME MEDIA SERVER USER MANUAL...
Page 64: Layer Copy
When using the Raw copy mode, if a source layer makes a timed transition, any destination layers using that source will not receive the transition. Their content will change immediately. A layer cannot copy another layer that is already copying a third layer. ® MBOX EXTREME MEDIA SERVER USER MANUAL...
Page 65: Drawmodes
But you’re only using one layer not two. You can set the Drawmode back to 0 and try out the other lighting fixtures to see how they affect the gobo. ® MBOX EXTREME MEDIA SERVER USER MANUAL...
Page 66: Drawmode 16 - Orthographic View
Drawmode 16 causes 3D objects to be drawn using orthographic projection. Typically when 3D objects are drawn in Mbox Extreme, they all share one vanishing point, which is a fixed point at the center of the screen (assuming the camera is in its default position). Because of this, any object that has depth will show some amount of perspective shift as it is moved around the screen or as the camera moves.
Page 67: The Stencil
Here are the two together and then showing the holes being cut into the Stencil by the gobo: And finally, here is the Stencil on its own showing the holes cut into it: ® MBOX EXTREME MEDIA SERVER USER MANUAL...
Page 68 You can achieve very interesting results if you use a movie with a transparency effect applied to cut the Stencil. The left-hand illustration shows a movie playing on Layer 1 and on the right that same movie with the White Alpha Effect (056) turned on. ® MBOX EXTREME MEDIA SERVER USER MANUAL...
Page 69: Layer Blending Modes
For example, Drawmode "Draw thru stencil" has a value of 6. Blend Mode Exclusion has a value of 128. To use these two items together, set the drawmode channel to a value of 6 + 128 = 134. ® MBOX EXTREME MEDIA SERVER USER MANUAL...
Page 70: Decay
You cannot tell that the gobo is rotating from the picture, but it is. But you see no decay, as there is no "nothingness" behind it. However, if you reduce the opacity of Layer 1 behind the gobo, you can begin to see the decay. ® MBOX EXTREME MEDIA SERVER USER MANUAL...
Page 71: Fog
They look as if they are all the same distance from the camera. In this second picture the fog effect has been turned on. The object furthest from the camera is darkest. ® MBOX EXTREME MEDIA SERVER USER MANUAL...
Page 72: Text Files
Justification in the document is ignored, use spaces in the text instead. You can also display text by creating a .txt file. If there is more than one line of text in the file, Mbox Extreme will "play" that file line by line. Adjusting play speed will cause the file to play faster or slower. Text quality is quite low in comparison to that of RTF files.
Page 73: Audio Output
Audio Output Features In addition to movies, still, and 3D objects, Mbox Extreme can also play audio files. Audio can be played through the internal speaker on the Mac, through the XLR connectors (for balanced output) or 3.5mm jack (for unbalanced output) on the Auxiliary Panel, or through the Mac's SPDIF audio jack.
Page 74 Embedded Audio Tracks in QuickTime® Movies Mbox Extreme can also play audio that is embedded in a movie clip. To get Mbox Extreme to play the embedded audio in these files, you need to rename the file: a file named - would be renamed as - 001.MyMovie.mov...
Page 75: Synchronization
(Timecode Sync Playmode) Timecode Synchronization Mbox Extreme v3 allows you to synchronize movie playback to both external SMPTE or MIDI timecode as well as a simple internal clock. Timecode sync works with both 30 fps non-drop and 30 fps drop-frame timecode.
Page 76: Layer To Layer Synchronization
Layer To Layer Synchronization Mbox Extreme also offers the ability to synchronize playback of a designated master layer on one server to a layer on another server. You can have a layer on one server sync to the same numbered layer on another server or select one of 16 sync streams for both sync mastering and slaving.
Page 77: Alignment Rectangles
"Control Tab" on page 98 for more information on the Control tab of the Mbox Remote application.) Like many other settings for Mbox Extreme, the alignment rectangle settings are stored in a plist file. This file's default /Mbox/alignment/alignment.plist location is You can also create more complex rectangles with alternate colors, variable lineweight, no crosshairs, and adjustable opacity.
Page 78 Show Group 1 alignment rectangles w/ circle & X Show Group 2 alignment rectangles w/ circle & X Show Group 3 alignment rectangles w/ circle & X Show Group 4 alignment rectangles w/ circle & X ® MBOX EXTREME MEDIA SERVER USER MANUAL...
Page 79: Thumbnails
THUMBNAILS Creating Thumbnail Images Each Mbox Extreme server can create thumbnail images of the content on the machine. To create thumbnails on a server, press [ CAUTION: While thumbnails are being created, playback performance on the server will be severely affected.
Page 80: Effects And Transitions
. In order to enable Mbox Extreme to use these Image Units properly, a file must be created to define the parameters of the effect. These files are saved in the standard Apple Property List Editor format but with special file extensions – not ".plist".
Page 81 This is how the White Diagonal transition normally looks about halfway through the transition. It moves from top left corner to bottom right corner. The stripe at the transition point is white and has a particular thickness. This is what the plist information for this transition looks like: ® MBOX EXTREME MEDIA SERVER USER MANUAL...
Page 82 UserVisibleName properties. If you fail to use the correct type or an appropriate value for a property then it is likely that the entire effect or transition will fail when used with Mbox Extreme. It is best to start by modifying values to a small extent to examine the result of those changes.
Page 83: Pixel Mapping
PIXEL MAPPING This chapter provides a description of setup and operation for the pixel-mapping functionality of the Mbox Extreme Media Server. CONCEPT BASIC SETUP ADVANCED PIXEL-MAPPING...
Page 84: About Pixel-Mapping
Art-Net directly. When pixel-mapping, Mbox Extreme retains both the stage and preview outputs so you can still send a video signal to a display device.
Page 85: Basic Setup
LED fixtures, you may be better served by using an existing video pixel-mapping product rather than the Mbox Extreme pixel-mapping. You should strive to create a pixel-mapping context that is as small as possible while still allowing you to map your content to fixtures in the manner that you desire. Initially some trial and error may be ®...
Page 86 When you place a fixture on the context grid, an entry for that fixture is added to the table on the right of the grid. Mbox Extreme will automatically patch fixtures in order (as you place them) beginning with Art-Net universe 1.
Page 87 0, to allow all Art-Net levels to pass - settings of 254 or 255 will suppress some or all of the Art-Net output. ® MBOX EXTREME MEDIA SERVER USER MANUAL...
Page 88: Advanced Pixel-Mapping
The default slew rate is 0 seconds - Mbox Extreme will allow the fixture to change color as fast as it can. The other settings allow you to reduce the speed of the changes progressively, up to a maximum of 8 seconds.
Page 89: Sampling Areas
If you create numerous custom fixture profiles, save your patch file to an external drive and take them with you for the next show. PRG has the capability to create special fixture types that cannot be created by the on-board fixture creation tool.
Page 90 However you will probably not be using a video output if you are using Sample Areas. Outlines of sample areas Layers placed inside areas Previsualization ® MBOX EXTREME MEDIA SERVER USER MANUAL...
Page 91: Chapter 7. Maintenance
MAINTENANCE This chapter contains procedures for extended care of the Mbox Extreme Media Server. ROUTINE MAINTENANCE...
Page 92: Routine Maintenance
Step 3. Remove grill and air filter. Step 4. Clean filter with compressed air (or water, if allowed to fully dry). Step 5. Re-install. Air Filter Grill Screw (6) Figure 7-1: Air Filter Removal ® MBOX EXTREME MEDIA SERVER USER MANUAL...
Page 93: Removing The Computer
Step 2. At front of rack, remove grill and air filter. Refer back to Figure 7-1 on page Step 3. Carefully slide computer out of case (Figure 7-2). Step 4. Remove side brackets from computer. Figure 7-2: Computer Removal ® MBOX EXTREME MEDIA SERVER USER MANUAL...
Page 94 Notes ® MBOX EXTREME MEDIA SERVER USER MANUAL...
Page 95: Appendix A. Content Creation And Utilities
CONTENT CREATION AND UTILITIES This Appendix contains information on the proper formatting of content for playback on the Mbox Extreme Media Server, along with content management and conversion utilities. CONTENT CREATION GUIDELINES MEDIA UTILITY APPLICATIONS...
Page 96: Content Creation Guidelines
As discussed earlier in this manual, Mbox Extreme cannot play some QuickTime® movies as well as those created using preferred codecs. While Mbox Extreme will do the best job possible to play any movie, if you do not optimize your movie content specifically for Mbox Extreme you may experience poor results. There are many elements of movie files that need to be considered when creating content: file extension, codec, compression, frame rate, movie resolution, and audio.
Page 97 60 then the movie will play more smoothly; so 20fps, 15fps, and 10fps will look better than other frame rates. So if Mbox Extreme's output frequency is 50Hz, then it would be best to create content that is rendered at 25fps.
Page 98: Alpha Channel In Movies - The Animation Codec
Alpha Channel in Movies – the Animation Codec It is often very useful to be able to add areas of transparency to a layer when using Mbox Extreme. So as to see other layers behind, to create a "knockout" for IMAG, or for proper display of a movie that uses green-screen technology.
Page 99: Media Utility Applications
Mbox Extreme server. Before going any further, please note that you should never lock your original copy of any content. Once you lock content it can only be played on Mbox Extreme and not on any other computer.
Page 100: Mbox Extreme File Converter
The Mbox Extreme File Converter application has one additional function. It can apply pre-multiplied alpha to a TIFF or PNG file that was created using straight alpha. As noted above, this can help to reduce fringing around the edges of these files if they were created improperly.
Page 101: Mbox Extreme Plist Editor
Mbox Extreme File Convertor will accept file drops of more than one file at a time. It processes four files simultaneously and will queue additional files. The application creates new copies of the original file in the same location as the original file. The new files will have the same numerical prefix and name as the original, but will have either "_MbE"...
Page 102 ). The natively recognized movie and 2D file extensions are: mov, vid, jpeg, jpg, pct, pict, png, rtf, tga, tif, tiff, and txt. If you want Mbox Extreme to play additional file types, you can add the three or four character file extension to the appropriate category –...
Page 103: Appendix B. Mbox Remote Application
MBOX REMOTE APPLICATION This appendix provides operation instructions for the Mbox Remote Application. MBOX REMOTE OPERATION...
Page 104: Mbox Remote Operation
The Control tab allows you to change the setup or preferences of any connected server - Note: Some settings may not be available or may not take effect unless the Mbox Extreme application is relaunched on the remote server.
Page 105: Status Tab
Start Time - displays the start time for the internal clock (HH:MM:SS:FF). End Time - displays the end time for the internal clock (HH:MM:SS:FF). Note: In order to receive timecode that had been broadcast (via Ethernet) from another Mbox Extreme server, the Mbox Remote application does not need to be running.
Page 106: Control Tab
Fullscreen mode. Some settings may require the Mbox Extreme application to be relaunched before they can take effect. You can relaunch the Mbox Extreme application on remote machines from this tab by using the Commands popup menu.
Page 107: Example Setup Of Alignment Rectangles
Step 1. With the Mbox Remote application running, press the "Control" tab. On the popup menu at the top of the application window select the name of the Mbox Extreme server that you would like to create alignment rectangles on.
Page 108 Step 8. If you would like to change the lineweight of the rectangles, select "Alignment Line Width" on the settings popup menu and edit the value in the edit field below. The default lineweight is 1. Don't forget to press the "Set" button to apply your changes. ® MBOX EXTREME MEDIA SERVER USER MANUAL...
Page 109: Appendix C. Video Input
VIDEO INPUT This appendix provides setup instructions for the four video inputs. VIDEO INPUT SETUP...
Page 110: Video Input Setup
Overview The Mbox Extreme software allows for up to four video inputs to each server. Each input must be set up in advance for it to work properly with the video signal that is being used. The two types of supported video inputs are: QuickTime®...
Page 111: Setting Video Input For Decklink Card
Before attempting to use a video input from the Decklink card, you must configure the card for the type of video signal that it will be receiving. This configuration is done outside the Mbox Extreme application. Follow the steps below: Step 1.
Page 112: Configuring Video Input Within Mbox Extreme
Decklink card, Mbox Extreme needs to listen to the 720p/59.94 stream and not one of the others. Step 1. Start the Mbox Extreme application. Step 2. Make sure that no layer on Mbox Extreme is being told to display a video input. Send all fixtures to their default state on the console to be sure.
Page 113 Because the names of the streams are so long and get truncated, you need to be careful to select the correct stream. Remember that Mbox Extreme only supports 8-bit inputs; exactly half of the streams are 10-bit and cannot be used. The 8-bit streams come first in the list.
Page 114: Deinterlacing
Interlaced (i) vs. Progressive (p) Content/Input (Deinterlacing) Because Mbox Extreme outputs a progressive video signal from the MacPro, you will get the best results if you use progressive movie content. This recommendation also applies to the video input signal. When using a video input, you need to be especially aware of the difference between interlaced video signals and progressive video signals.
Page 115: Guide To Deinterlacing
However, if you have the option of using a progressive signal you will be rewarded with better looking results. If you must use an interlaced video input, you can force Mbox Extreme to deinterlace that signal by checking the "Deinterlace Video Inputs" checkbox on the Setup tab. The results are quite good, but you may want to test with both settings first.
Page 116 Notes ® MBOX EXTREME MEDIA SERVER USER MANUAL...
Page 117: Appendix D. Dmx512 Mapping
DMX512 MAPPING This Appendix contains tables for the combined DMX512 channel map, as well as additional controls such as play modes, tiling, shutter shapes, aspect control, blending control, texture effect, transitions, and built-in shapes. DMX512 MAPPING CHARTS...
Page 118: Dmx512 Mapping Charts
Mbox Extreme Control Channel Breakdown One Mbox Extreme Media Server running v3.2 software is made up of between 14 and 22 fixtures depending on the operating mode. For ease of use some consoles may split the Layer fixture into two separate fixtures. Previous operating modes have significant differences in the arrangement of DMX channels.
Page 119 Layer 7 Layer 6 Layer 8 Layer 9 Layer 7 372 Total Layer 10 Layer 8 DMX Channels Layer 11 Layer 9 Layer 12 Layer 10 372 Total DMX Channels Layer 11 Layer 12 ® MBOX EXTREME MEDIA SERVER USER MANUAL...
Page 120 Keystone Control Keystone Control Layer 1 Layer 1 Layer 2 Layer 2 Layer 3 Layer 3 Layer 4 Layer 4 Layer 5 Layer 5 Layer 6 Layer 6 Total DMX Total DMX Channels Channels ® MBOX EXTREME MEDIA SERVER USER MANUAL...
Page 121 Blur No function Pixel Map Intensity master for pixel- Level mapping Art-Net output Pixel Map Control functions for pixel- Control mapping Audio Level master for audio output Volume ® MBOX EXTREME MEDIA SERVER USER MANUAL...
Page 122 Corner 3X adjustment Shutter Rotation of shutters Top-Left corner U/D Rotation Corner 3Y adjustment Top-Right corner L/R Corner 4X adjustment Top-Right corner U/D Corner 4Y adjustment Keystone Rotation of entire keystoned Rotation image ® MBOX EXTREME MEDIA SERVER USER MANUAL...
Page 123 Second modifier Moves the layer towards and Object Z Position away from the camera (3D 3D effect applied to the layer Effect 2 objects only) Modifier 2A First modifier Modifier 2B Second modifier ® MBOX EXTREME MEDIA SERVER USER MANUAL...
Page 124 Camera Fog and Blur controls are mapped to Values Command Blend and Overlap respectively. These controls are used to Enable All make changes to the blend for use with the Wide Pan- Disable Masked oramic mode. Disable All ® MBOX EXTREME MEDIA SERVER USER MANUAL...
Page 125 Edge Blending Mode disappears. A round iris, scale is magnified to Values Mode Curve 30-39 Iris Mode enclose the screen. No other Eighth Order Steep controls. 10-19 Fourth Order Medium Second Order Shallow ® MBOX EXTREME MEDIA SERVER USER MANUAL...
Page 126 4x4 - 2 of 16 4x4 - 3 of 16 4x4 - 16 of 16 Tiling Positions are in row major order (rows are filled in order). For example, the 3x3 arrangement is laid out as follows: ® MBOX EXTREME MEDIA SERVER USER MANUAL...
Page 127 Layer to Layer Stream (default) Values Mode 1-16 Stream Number Square Points (default) Ratios scaling from 1:4 to 1-126 Frame Blending Control Values Description No Frame Blending (more accurately, blend time = 0) ® MBOX EXTREME MEDIA SERVER USER MANUAL...
Page 128 Local Video Input 1 transparent) underlying colors are subtracted Invert from layer’s colors (blacks appear Subtractive opaque) layer’s colors are inverted and are added to inverse of underlying Invert Additive colors (blacks appear transparent) ® MBOX EXTREME MEDIA SERVER USER MANUAL...
Page 129 Pointillize radius points dot patterned Dot Screen width angle geometric halftone screen Kaleidoscope angle distortion line patterned Line Screen width angle break up into halftone screen LED Wall dot size dots amount ® MBOX EXTREME MEDIA SERVER USER MANUAL...
Page 130 Color & Luma Horizontal Luma Lines Width Rows horizontal roll left speed pause block effect Roll Left Converts image revised black ASCII Art Scale Desat Black Alpha 2 intensity threshold to characters alpha effect ® MBOX EXTREME MEDIA SERVER USER MANUAL...
Page 131 Adjust overlap/ MultiKeyston default value for both additional controls is 127. Also, the Overlap Blend blend/keystone shape of the oval can be manually preset – contact a PRG representative for more info. Crop that can be # of Start Alignment...
Page 132 3d rotate effect on new object Rotate Center simple 3d rotate effect These elements require additional input files in order to Vertical obtain the desired result. Users will need to provide their own additional files. ® MBOX EXTREME MEDIA SERVER USER MANUAL...
Page 133 255: both screens crops 1>63 no content to alignment action, Crop to screen area Alignment rectangle 64>127 defined by Rectangle number center alignment content rectangle MbE: Y = Built-in, N = Supplementary File ® MBOX EXTREME MEDIA SERVER USER MANUAL...
Page 134 Notes ® MBOX EXTREME MEDIA SERVER USER MANUAL...
Page 135 Mbox Extreme® Media Server User Manual Version as of: October 15, 2010 PRG part number: 02.9800.0001.32...
Page 136 Production Resource Group Dallas Office 8617 Ambassador Row, Suite 120 Dallas, Texas 75247 www.prg.com...

PRG MBOX EXTREME User Manual

Introduction

Chapter 1. Overview

Chapter 2. Installation

Chapter 3. Media Content

Chapter 4. Operation

Chapter 5. Advanced Features

Chapter 6 . Pixel Mapping

Chapter 7. Maintenance

Appendix A. Content Creation and Utilities

Appendix B. Mbox Remote Application

Appendix C. Video Input

Appendix D. DMX512 Mapping

Quick Links

MEDIA SERVER

Need help?

Questions and answers

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Summary of Contents for PRG MBOX EXTREME

Table of Contents