PRG Mbox Studio Manual 3.8 - Manual (Page 35)

MBOX ® STUDIO USER MANUAL 27
Grouped Content
Description
The Mbox applications support the use of "content grouping" in order to allow servers to have content for all servers
stored on their hard-drive, but to allow each server to play only the content desired for its own output(s). In this
manner, content synchronization can ensure that all show content is on all servers (allowing for one server to take over
for another). When programming, selecting a folder and file will cause content (with the matching folder.file index) to
be played from within the server’s corresponding group folder only.
To facilitate keystone, warping, and projection mapping setups, each output of each server can be given a numerical
"Identity" value (between 0 and 255). The Identity property is also used for content group designation. In the content
database indexing system for Mbox, the content group is a prefixed 8-bit value - i.e. Group.Folder.File, which each
element being a number 0 - 255. (This concept essentially extends Mbox's content indexing system to be 24-bit
rather than 16-bit as prior to v3.6 software.)
If content is not assigned a group number, then it will always be played when a particular Folder and File are selected.
Standard rules for file conflicts (repeated Folder.File indices are conflicts) will apply. If content is assigned a group
number, then there may be multiple Folder.File indices with the same values. But since each will have a unique Group
number, there are no conflicts. The playback of content with the matching group index is automatic and no parameter
on the controller (console or Mbox Director) selects this value. Users will preset the Identity of each output of each
server in order to dictate what content is played.
Usage
The typical usage for grouped content will be when more than one Mbox server is used as a portion of a multi-server
(widescreen, matrix, etc.) setup with coordinated outputs. Often these setups will make one larger image with each
server supplying one or two sections of the larger image. The content grouping scheme allows the programmer to
select the same Folder and File values for all servers and get the appropriate portion of the larger image to play on
each server.
Note: Content Grouping does not chop up or distribute content automatically to the relevant server. It merely causes
the server's designated group's content to play when a folder.file is selected.
Usage is not limited to multiple servers making up one larger coordinated raster. Grouped content can be used as a
tool for content organization even when disparate content is used on multiple servers.
Example:
Imagine a system with three servers, each having two outputs in Dual Independent mode. This system has six total
outputs, and for a wide blend, each output will display 1/6th of the total image. For best playback results, the user
may choose to supply six unique pieces of content each being approximately 1/6th of the final image (plus overlap as
required).
Prior to Mbox v3.6 the user could place all six pieces of content into the same folder and give each piece a unique file
number. (e.g. 001.001, 001.002, 001.003 and so on…) When programming the show, the user would have to select six
different pieces of media for playback, a different file on each server.
Now, the user would first designate the Identity number for each output in the system (e.g. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6). Then
the user would create six different content folders (one for each group identity) on each of the three servers, labeling
them uniquely (see below for details) with numbers to match Group 1, Group 2, Group 3, etc. but each having the
same folder index number. Inside each folder the user would place the content (1/6th of the final content image) that
matches that output's position in the overall scheme. The individual content files that make up one larger image would
all be given the same file index number.
With the identity set in this way the user could then select folder 001 and file 003 for playback on all the servers. The
output designated as Identity 1 would play Group001.Folder001.File003, and so on…