VGA over the Network

[fiza]

We have 4 x 42" screens dotted around the School that we want to display powerpoints, photos and videos on. The screens are in different buildings but each building is on the same IP network linked with fibre Optic Backbone. How could I distribute the same video Signal to all the screens from a central PC?

 

I have looked at Xibo and Concerto but now looking for a costed solution as neither do all that we need. System has to be easy to operate once set up.

 

Anyone with any experiences or tried any products?

 

I should say that the School is on one site but there are 2 buildings linked by a walkway.

Edited November 17, 2011 by fiza

[plexer]

Unless you are going to dedicate some of your fibre in order to use vga over fibre converters you are going to have to look into some form of active device in the form of an ip kvm or that type of device.

 

Or like th xibo and other commercial offerings each display is connected to it's own local pc/box that updates itself from a central location.

 

Ben

[fiza]

ip kvm? I thought that was to control multiple remote PCs from one place. I want to use 1 PC to display content on 4 screens.

I have never looked into this area before so sorry if I dont make sense.

[localzuk]

You have a couple of options. 1 - use VGA over Cat5e. This will not work via fibre though.

2. Use a VGA over IP solution such as Mediastar's Evolution product.

 

However, the latter will be pretty expensive. (I think its about £500 per device to plug into the TVs, then a controller which is a couple of grand).

 

3. You can get a system like OneLan or Sedeo, where you have a controller box on each TV, and then they all 'subscribe' to one of them.

 

None of the options are very cheap though!

[dhicks]

How could I distribute the same video Signal to all the screens from a central PC?

 

For displaying PowerPoint, photos and videos? It's not worth the bother - we simply bought some eMachines VESA-mountable PCs at £150-ish a time from eBuyer and screwed them to the wall / VESA mount on the back of the screen.

[fiza]

However, the latter will be pretty expensive. (I think its about £500 per device to plug into the TVs, then a controller which is a couple of grand).

 

None of the options are very cheap though!

 

Ok - Looks like we will be sticking with Concerto for now then!! Shame it wont do Video. I have found Concerto to be the easiest for a non-techie to use. Xibo proved too complicated for them.

[sted]

crappy old pc(s) auto booting into vnc display only mode plugged into tv

[dhicks]

Ok - Looks like we will be sticking with Concerto for now then!! Shame it wont do Video.

 

Our display PCs boot up, auto-login to a special user account, startup PowerPoint, load up a specific .PPTX file that various members of staff have edit access to on a shared folder somewhere and start a slideshow. I couldn't seem to find an auto-start-slideshow commandline switch for PowerPoint so I used AutoIt to make a quick script to it. PowerPoint, of course, handles photos and videos just fine. Any changes needed, the member of staff just edits the PowerPoint file on the network share.

[plexer]

I use the showpoint program if a change is detected on the shared powerpoint it auto reloads it.

 

Ben

[plexer]

Concerto, never heard of it before I'm guessing it's this Home - Concerto Digital Signage Project ??? looks interesting.

 

Any particular reason you wanted to move away from it?

 

Ben

[strawberry]

Our display PCs boot up, auto-login to a special user account, startup PowerPoint, load up a specific .PPTX file that various members of staff have edit access to on a shared folder somewhere and start a slideshow. I couldn't seem to find an auto-start-slideshow commandline switch for PowerPoint so I used AutoIt to make a quick script to it. PowerPoint, of course, handles photos and videos just fine. Any changes needed, the member of staff just edits the PowerPoint file on the network share.

 

If you save it as a pps(x) it should just run for you.

[dhicks]

If you save it as a pps(x) it should just run for you.

 

Our staff wouldn't get the hang of that (it is another thing you have to remember to do at the end of adding your bit to the slideshow) - the showpoint option mentioned above sounds good, though.