How to Achieve Video Plate Playback with nDisplay

Development Cinematics & Media
, ,
1

How to achieve video plate playback with nDisplay

Article written by Trey M.

Introduction

Customers who wish to use video or plates for background for ICVFX LED productions can use the following steps to achieve video plate playback with nDisplay.

Steps

  1. Video/plate must be in an uncompressed EXR image sequence.
  2. Ensure that you have EXR sequence stored locally on a “fast enough” IO drive. Without being able to read the EXR files quick enough from disk the sequence will stutter.
  3. Enable Media Framework Utilities plugin (You may wish to work from the ICVFX project template for EXR with nDisplay to ensure you have all requisite plugins already enabled.)
  4. Create new Img Media Source (right click in content browser > media > ImgMediaSource)
    a. Set sequence path on Img Media source
    b. Set Frame Rate override (optional)
  5. Create Media Texture (right click in content browser > Materials & Textures > Media Texture)
  6. Create Unlit Material (or as appropriate)
    a. Add a texture 2d sample and assign the media texture
  7. Assign Material to appropriate mesh (Sphere with inverted normals for example)
  8. Create new level sequence and drop in Img Media Source
  9. Set the in and out points so the loop will be correct
  10. Set sequence to loop as appropriate
  11. Right click on media in timeline and under properties
    a. Assign the correct media texture
    b. Tick “Looping” as appropriate.
  12. Set correct cache settings (Plugins > ImgMediaSource)
    a. Suggested settings to try first (may require different settings based on your sequence):
[/Script/ImgMediaFactory.ImgMediaSettings]
DefaultFrameRate=(Numerator=24,Denominator=1)
CacheBehindPercentage=0.000000
CacheSizeGB=0.800000
CacheThreads=8
CacheThreadStackSizeKB=128
GlobalCacheSizeGB=1.600000
UseGlobalCache=True
ExrDecoderThreads=0
DefaultProxy=proxy
UseDefaultProxy=False

To control sequence during nDisplay session:

  • Add the level sequence to the level and set to auto play
  • Or operate the sequence playback over Multi User

Please note: Only perform one of these workflows to control playback. Doing both will result in stuttering playback.

Get more answers on the Knowledge Base!

3 Likes