For many years, ArKaos has been very successful at producing video mixing software, including its VJ line of software. It combines real time video mixing technology with intuitive graphical user interfaces (GUIs), and it is widely used in nightclubs around the world and on tours such as The Prodigy in 2009. The MediaMaster is the company’s newest product in its line of video mixing software, but with two very substantial advancements: DMX512 control and hardware options. All of ArKaos’ software previously offered MIDI control, and they have never offered it in a hardware package. MediaMaster, however, signals a shift in a direction aimed more for the concert, touring and corporate lighting designers seeking to integrate a powerful and user-friendly media server into their show at an affordable price.
Hardware Specs
The MediaMaster is a stand-alone application that can be loaded onto a Mac or a PC. However, ArKaos is now offering a hardware package for the first time, and it comes in two flavors: the A5 Media Server (standard definition) and A10 Media Server HD. The A10 is a 4U industrial rack with two 500GB RAID I hard drives and another HD for the system. ArKaos guarantees smooth playback of eight simultaneous SD layers, six HD layers at 720p or three HD layers (1080p), all at full FPS. The A5 version has two playback outputs and one preview output while the A10 has up to three playback outputs and one for preview. With either version, all you need is in the box and nothing else. The systems are very reliable and seem to be designed for rough environments.
Playback
All the looks are programmed and recorded on a DMX512 lighting console. There’s no difference between programming a media server and programming a lighting fixture; it’s all done with channels and DMX512 values and stored in a cue that is triggered by an operator. Because each of the eight layers is manipulated as if it is a 42-channel fixture, you can use all of the on-board effects engines and programming tools in the console to create even more dynamic looks in real time instead of having to render a movie for each change. Link cues, flash buttons, even chase rates can all be used to create a virtually unlimited selection of images.
Software and New Features
One of the new features includes a straightforward interface displaying all of the parameters for each layer simultaneously, as well as a preview of all layers, which provides improved visibility and ergonomics. Other features include:
New Multi-threaded Video Engine: This allows the application to perform at very high frame rates and to deliver outstanding performance on practically any machine on which it is installed.
Efficient media management: You can store up to 40,000 visuals in more than 200 folders, and files can be deleted and moved at any time without having to re-scan the entire library each time a file is changed. Playback capabilities have been increased to include native decoders for many formats including (but not limited to) MPEG 2 and 4 and QuickTime photo JPEG.
Content: About 200MB of stock video loops from companies like MotionLoops.com and ShowFootage.com are included. The boxed version of the software contains a DVD-ROM with 4.1 GB of additional video footage in high definition and standard definition.
Audio Visualizers: Native support for Flash is now included. This enables faster performance and permits the use of audio visualizers — Flash animations controlled by audio input. It comes with a stock library of audio visualizers (.swf files), and each of these flash movies allows users to add their own imagery to create dynamic moving images and text.
Effects: All media on all eight layers can be manipulated via more than 60 visual effects and with controllable parameters like position, scale, rotate, transparency, colors, blending with other layers and more.
Thumbnails and Video Streaming: CITP protocol has been implemented to allow thumbnails of media and live streaming video to be displayed on any CITP-MSEX compatible lighting console (like ChamSys MagicQPro).
LED Mapper: MediaMaster is compatible with ArKaos LED Mapper, an LED pixel-mapping application that features keystoning and multi-screen support with soft-edge blending.
Live Video Inputs: Capture an unlimited number of live video inputs from DV, USB or PCI cards.
V1.1
In the soon to be released software v1.1 (currently in beta test stage), the software introduces Frame Blending playback mode. I tested this version and was very impressed with its ability to slow an image down to a crawl and watch the application interpolate between frames. This is an extremely powerful and important feature for any media server. It will also interface directly with the grandMA Ethernet protocol, which allows for simpler configuration using MediaMaster with a grandMA console. Plus, it can use Alpha channel information embedded into video images with codecs such as Quicktime PNG and Animation Millions+.
Operation
MediaMaster has a very intuitive GUI, and it’s easy to add content to the folders — just drag and drop — and you don’t need to pre-format it. It can be controlled via ArtNet. The biggest change to a user familiar with the VJ line of software is that MediaMaster is strictly DMX controlled. No cues are stored on the MediaMaster; instead, all cues are written on and called up from the console. Currently it has no MIDI implementation at all. This is great for LDs and programmers used to working with Media Servers already, but not so easy for a nightclub DJ/VJ to make the transition. However, the MediaMaster is designed for LDs and programmers in professional touring, theatre or corporate productions, not so much for the clubs.
Image blending across multiple display devices is currently limited to the number of video cards in the computer, so for a system with one video card, the maximum number of display devices is limited to a grid of 2×1 without any additional hardware. While it’s possible to configure more, a collage across multiple projectors takes a little time to set up and requires additional third party hardware. Certain resolutions are restricted when using third party hardware as well, thereby potentially limiting the output resolution from the ArKaos system.
Easy to Use
What has impressed me about MediaMaster from the first time I opened the application up to today is how user friendly and intuitive the application is. Any programmer with a basic idea of how to select a fixture and manipulate a channel can very quickly build a great look. Give that same programmer an hour or two with the software, and they can build many complicated looking images that would take hours in a video rendering software application. I specifically like that the software runs on just about any current Mac or PC, and that ArKaos now has a hardware solution for pro touring applications.
ArKaos MediaMaster is a powerful, easy-to-use and downloadable media server at an amazingly affordable price. The software has been completely redesigned so that lighting designers and productions of all sizes can utilize the power and flexibility of this media server when looking to incorporate video into a show.
ArKaos MediaMaster
What It Is: Media server software in a downloadable application for PC or Mac
Who It’s For: Anyone who wants to control video content from a DMX512 console
Pros: Lots of features, easy to use, downloadable, PC or a MAC version, very intuitive GUI, drag-and-drop content, direct ArtNet control, CITP/MSEX functionality and Frame Blending
Cons: No MIDI, limited image blending
How Much: MSRP: $3,049 (MediaMaster Software); $1,674 (LED Mapper Software); $9,796 (A05); $15,590 (A10).
ArKaos MediaMaster is distributed in North America by PRG Distribution North America. For more information, please visit www.prgdistribution.com and www.arkaos.net
