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Looking for Ideas for Video Wall Programming

[Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 0
in NetLinx Studio
Hello all, I am new here so let me start off saying thank you, I think this forum will be a great way to make all of us(especially me) better programmers.

I am looking for ideas on a user friendly way to control a video wall with three displays. Sources will be 1 HDTV sat, 3 standard sats, a Escient music server, DVD, VCR, and Cable.

I am trying to come up with an intuitive(sp?) way to select sources for the displays, switch (Flip) sources w/audio to and from the main display, etc.

The displays are a 61" Plasma and 2 21" LCD's. I am using an AMX AS-16 for switching audio and AMX PLH-VS8's for Video. Also a MVP-7500 for control.

Thanks in advance for any help you can give! I am looking forward to hearing any ideas.

Thanks,

Mike

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    Thomas HayesThomas Hayes Posts: 1,164
    Hi Mike
    I started this yesterday but got called away to help remove a client head from his @#!. Myself I would maybe use a Matrix switcher for the routing of the video/audio signals for the standard video and a DA for the HDTV. This way there is only two input selections required on the displays.( less cabling to them also) Extron makesa 8x4 that sounds like it would just right with the amount of infomation that you have give. What type of "flash" are you looking for?
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 0
    Hey Thomas, thanks for the reply! I know what you mean, it makes you wonder how they made millions of dollars sometimes.

    I am good on the hardware, I designed it exactly as you said, Matix for the standard video and a DA for the HDTV.

    I need ideas for the user interface, I am having a hard time figuring a way to make it user friendly. I would like to do it with as few button pushes as possible but the user needs to be able to select source for all three TV's, select control for any source, and be able to swap video between displays. It seems like too many options to be "easy".

    I know there is a slick way to handle this functionality. Every idea I have had so far though requires allot of pushing buttons. Just looking to see how better programmers than me did it, looking for inspiration.

    Thanks,

    Mike
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    Thomas HayesThomas Hayes Posts: 1,164
    Hi Mike
    Depending on what your client considers alot of buttons you could get away with 11-12 buttons to handle all the switching. Let me look around my office for a design I made up awhile ago.
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    Thomas HayesThomas Hayes Posts: 1,164
    Hi Mike
    Here is a sample design I did some time ago. I changed the buttons to match your job info. Best of luck.
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    Thomas HayesThomas Hayes Posts: 1,164
    Opps it didn't attach.
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 0
    Thanks Thomas! Thats what I was looking for. I think that idea will work out just fine.

    I really appreciate the time you spent helping me out!

    Thanks again,

    Mike
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    Thomas HayesThomas Hayes Posts: 1,164
    Glad to help out.
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 0
    just an idea . . .

    It may be more intuitive for the user if you displayed a graphic representation of the video wall, selecting a single cube would then popup a popup with the sources available to route to it. With a couple of titles on the popup and page it would be very easy to use. If you are doing more advanced configurations (using mulitple cubes for a single source you could make smaller icons below the main screen for those special "modes". I used a similar technique on video wall job and the client seemed quite pleased, it was for a retail store and the turnover in was quite high, training would be an issue so it needed to be very easy to operate. If this seems confusing I can build a quick mockup for you.
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    maxifoxmaxifox Posts: 209
    I agree with graphic representation idea...

    Have attached a shot that I use for a videowall. It requires a bit more supporting logic (Netlinx code) behind, but the customer does not need to figure out which SAT he should try in order to get SkyNews, for example.

    I am stronly in favor of action-centric design, where technical implementation is hidden from the customer. By the way, can anyone share their view on the design subjects?
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    Thomas HayesThomas Hayes Posts: 1,164
    maxifox: In regards to design I try it make the TP's as easy to use as posible. Whenever possible I use simple universal icons. I try to keep the number of buttons and page flips to a bare minimun. When I first decided to move from text based design to more GUI's I used my son who was 5 at the time. I figured that if he could understand how to use it then a PHD might also be able with a little training. I started changing all the rooms on campus and to date 98% of the users find it much easier to use. Our department was also informed from someone at a conference we were hosting that was one of the easiest system to use they had used. Unless your client is very technical advanced then I use the KISS rule for design. The big draw back to this is often all the extra coding to keep the system simple for the user.
    BTW : your page seemed very clean and logical to follow.
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    maxifoxmaxifox Posts: 209
    Thank you, Thomas. You outlined the principle which I would like to always follow...

    Can you recommend some reading on visual interface design? I am going to get into "Usability Engineering" by Jakob Nielsen and "The Design of Everyday Things" by Donald A. Norman.

    Just wondering, may be someone has already found something worse to read and use?
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