Resolume Forum

Hi everyone!

I'm working on a new hardware build for a flexible event space, where we do a variety of setups and mapping configurations. Part of why I love Resolume is because I can map to new surfaces very quickly (usually under an hour or two), be it odd screen shapes, drape, or even dance floors. I currently run from a mid-2015 MBP, which has been fantastic but limits me to 2 screens, hence the new build.

I'm looking to achieve 6-8 (or more) outputs while maintaining the quick mapping times I need. 4K outputs into a Datapath Fx4 sounds ideal, but what is their software like in terms of getting things done quickly? I know I could just beast out a bunch of discrete signals with a beefy GPU + a second GPU, but does that give any real advantage in terms of having the outputs directly available in Resolume? I'm often mapping to odd shapes and need detailed control of the input/output transformations and masking inside Resolume, so would I lose any of that precision by using the Fx4?

I hope that's clear enough to understand. The other bits of the build will be pretty self explanatory for a high-end machine - i7, x99 MB, M.2 drive, secondary internal SSD, 64Gb RAM, all the good stuff. Probably a Decklink card as my capture for Wirecast and live feeds.

Thanks!

Why not just run your MBP through the Datapath? You could have a lot of screen real estate very quickly!

Empyfree wrote:Why not just run your MBP through the Datapath? You could have a lot of screen real estate very quickly!

I would like nothing more! However, there are a few reasons why I'm looking at doing a fresh build instead:

1. The money for this is coming from an IT budget, so the way it's earmarked means that the primary purchase needs to be a computer, not just the Datapath.

2. There is a good chance that I may need the MBP for other tasks simultaneously, such as video playback or as a graphics source. I use a lot of computing power during events!

3. The projections I use are usually very large, up to 16ft h x 50 ft w, and guests are often able to get very close to them, even within a few feet. Therefore, high-resolution content is a must - in order to push a Datapath it would have to be 4K output or more, which could clog up the MBP pretty quick with more than a few layers (the Excel doc of benchmarks shows a similar MBP testing at 2 layers of 4K for a single 1920x1200 output).

Anyway, who wouldn't jump at the chance to build a beast of a PC if the money was made available? I'll be using it as an After Effects/Premiere/Photoshop workstation as well, so it certainly won't be sitting around gathering dust.