Guide to becoming a media server professional – Part 5: Three dimensions

By David Aleksandersen 30. November 2019

Are you thinking about becoming a professional media server operator or user, but aren't sure which skills you need? This is blog number five in the series, and this time we're shining a light on 3D files, formats and projection mapping

These posts are based on recommendations from the fine people of the Media Server Professionals (Facebook) group.

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Temaer: projection mapping, tools, video pro, mediaserver, stereoscopy, professional, 3D

Guide to becoming a media server professional – Part 4: The images

By David Aleksandersen 10. November 2019

Are you thinking about becoming a professional media server operator or user, but aren't sure which skills you need? In the fourth instalment of this guide, we continue to explore content for media playback with a look at still-image formats. From compressed/lossy image formats to uncompressed/lossless formats to the age-old question, when do you need uncompressed?

As always, the content is based on recommendations from the fine people of the Media Server Professionals (Facebook) group.

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Temaer: tools, video pro, networking, mediaserver, professional, still image format

Guide to becoming a media server professional – Part 3: The bits

By David Aleksandersen 27. October 2019

Have you considered becoming a professional media server operator or user? Unsure of what technical skills you need? This is blog number three in our series on media server pros, and this time we’re digging further into the details of media server content (yes, video) for playback in media servers, based on recommendations from the fine people of the Media Server Professionals (Facebook) group.

Let’s pick up from where we finished in the last post!

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Temaer: tools, video pro, networking, mediaserver, professional

Guide to becoming a media server professional – Part 2: The tech

By David Aleksandersen 12. October 2019

Are you thinking about becoming a professional media server operator or user, but aren't sure which skills you need? I asked this as an open question to a Facebook group of Media Server Professionals, and the response was overwhelming. This is the second in a series of blogs inspired by their valuable recommendations on traits, tools, media server approach, content and technologies to know, with my own experience thrown into the pot, too. Keep an eye out for a full-blown eBook on the subject later on!

“Dear fellow Media Server Professionals, I am writing an article about things you should know or learn as a fresh media server operator. Like a small best-practice guide, both on soft skills and hardware to know.  

I would highly appreciate your input on this. What would an experienced professional like yourself say to a newbie?”

This second blog looks at media server philosophy and hones in on audio and video. Let's get going… 

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Temaer: audio, tools, video pro, networking, mediaserver, professional

Guide to becoming a media server professional – part 1

By David Aleksandersen 26. September 2019

Have you considered becoming a professional media server operator or user, but aren't sure which skills you need? After meeting with many keen students and fledgeling operators over the years at trade shows and in the classroom, I posed the question below to a Facebook group of Media Server Professionals and asked for their thoughts on the matter. This article is the first of two, presenting their valuable recommendations.

“Dear fellow Media Server Professionals, I am writing an article about things you should know or learn as a fresh media server operator. Like a small best-practice guide, both on soft skills and hardware to know.  

I would highly appreciate your input on this. What would an experienced professional like yourself say to a newbie?”

I was not surprised by the level of helpfulness in the media server community, but I was admittedly amazed by the sheer volume of responses. 

Here's an overview of what I will cover in this article. In a later post, I will tackle the technical stuff. And, because the feedback was so overwhelming and many topics deserve more than a few short sentences, don’t be surprised if there’s a more comprehensive eBook on the subject available at a later date!

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Temaer: event management, tools, video pro, networking, mediaserver, professional

Common audio formats: Which one to use?

By David Aleksandersen 28. February 2019

Audio comes in a wide range of formats and types, just like video and images. For a media server operator, knowing your way around the audio jungle is a real plus, potentially saving you time, effort and some sleepless nights. This blog looks at the three major audio categories, and gives media server programmers a hot tip on audio format!

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Temaer: audio, audio interface, audience engagement, mediaserver, wav, lossless, lossy

Inside a projection designer's mind – Robert Mallin

By Robert Mallin 4. October 2018

This week’s blog is by up-and-coming theatre projection designer Robert Mallin who shares his experience working on the award-winning video design and realization of “ENRON” at the University of Texas at Austin. Find out how he tackled the creative and practical aspects of the design which featured eight overhead screens, two projectors and a barrage of information.

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Temaer: mediaserver, theater, projection design

What are genlock, framelock, & timecode sync and when do I need them?

By David Aleksandersen 27. September 2018

In the world of professional video and audio production, maintaining a synchronized signal across multiple units, such as video cameras, screens, LED walls and multi-projector installations can be the difference between success or… disappointment (putting it mildly!).

So how can you synchronise the video signals coming out of different sources? In this blog, we take a look at genlock, framelock and timecode sync.

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Temaer: mediaserver, genlock, sync, timecode, framelock

What is MPCDI?

By David Aleksandersen 16. August 2018

We all love an acronym and here's one that seems to be popping up more and more. MPCDI is a standard format for multi-projector alignment systems, allowing full integration among a range of devices, programs and display systems. But what does that mean in reality, and why are industry standards important? 

In this article, we’ll cover the following topics related to Multiple Projection Common Data Interchange (that’s MPCDI to us!)

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Temaer: standards, video pro, mediaserver

Have you got what it takes to build your own media server?

By David Aleksandersen 2. August 2018

Getting ready to invest in a media server? Take your time, because choosing the right solution for your application requires careful thought and consideration. And before you do anything, you need to tackle the central issue: should you build your own media server or opt for a pro off-the-shelf unit? In this blog post, we take a look at some of the key factors to keep in mind before making the final call.

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Temaer: standards, video pro, mediaserver

About News & Views

This blog is created by Dataton, and is about multi-display software and surrounding technologies, media servers, content creation - basically anything within the AV industry that serves to enrich the audience experience! Since the 90s, Dataton has published News & Views, with content reflecting the world of multimedia communication. Views, info, and opinions expressed in News & Views are solely those of the individual authors!

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