2-output setup that keeps projector totally locked?

[Martini77]

I'm looking for some advice, please. I'm a filmmaker rather than VJ/AV person, so please forgive any dumbness...

I'm hoping there's something to feed my monitors/projector that keeps Arena from being able to disable the Full Screen Output whenever there's some glitch. Let me explain more...

I'm currently running a very simple, 2 monitor set up on Arena - big projector output that goes behind the band + a second output that goes to the stage and shows a view of Arena's Output Monitor window + timecode (more info on this below) on multiple monitors via an HDMI splitter. Basically, the band can see same image as is on projector + TC overlay.

It works fine but I have found that it leaves the main projector output vulnerable to being disabled by Arena when there is some disturbance to the stage video monitors or active HDMI splitter that feeds them (probably due to lighting and sound mains power fluctuations/buzzes). It's sometimes possible to get separate mains supply from sound but, in these cases, it's shared with lights. It's not realistic that I can expect a supply that isn't shared by either sound or lights.

Basically, what's happening is that after working fine for hours, there'll be something that causes Arena to Disable the Full Screen Output and we're left with the projector showing the desktop + Displays Preferences....

I've done lots of Activity Monitor assessment and there's no heavy lifting for the CPU and all clips are on the internal SSD which is playing fine without breaking a sweat, as it's only a single clip at a time.

Here's the setup in more detail:

Arena 4.2.1
MacBook Pro (retina 15" mid2015) 10.10.5
The dedicated HDMI output connects to the video projector (usually over fibre channel)
I use one (of the two) MBP Thunderbolt ports with an adapter to send another HDMI to a 1-in4-Out active splitter
The splitter feeds 3 x 15' TV monitors via HDMI (these also have VGA and composite available if reqd)
The image on the stage feed is a mirror of the laptop screen that shows Arena's interface with a large Output Monitor + TC window sitting across the top from the LTCReader app (which is reading LTC from the audio of the movie).
nb. I've tried a similar setup without relying on mirroring, but it had exactly the same vulnerability.


So I'd like a device that sits with the laptop and means Arena and the MacBook Pro don't need to panic - we can live with a glitch picture on the stage monitors, but can't with a 9m desktop image on the projector!
Or, maybe there's some software that could do it?

I considered the Matrox Dual or TripleHead but I'm worried this wouldn't change the fundamental problem - ie that Arena panics and disables the main output.

Any suggestions, please?
Cheers.

[jawbone]

If your problem is line surges or spikes, perhaps an Uninterruptible Power Supply with that keeps the electrical load to your devices at a constant sine wave and voltage.

[Martini77]

Thanks - I think that's definitely worth trying but I'm also hoping there's some option to increase the solidity of things at the MBP display end of things, too. Cheers.

[He2neg]

You also can read something about EDID and conside to use Edid Minder.

I guess it will be cheaper, but for sure lighter =), then the power supply unit.

Worst can happen with the Edid minders is a black image or at least as i know them.

[Martini77]

OK great, thanks - EDID sounds like a good way to minimize impact. I will research.