HDSync

High Definition Syncstarter

HDSync provides synchronous playback of different HD videos on multiple screens. For video art, video wall, and dome installations, it provides realtime synchronized playback of audio and video, allowing consumer-grade HD decoders to synchronize playback using multiple devices connected via the local network.

For HD we intend 1080 video streams (interlaced or progressive) encoded in Mpeg2 up to 15Mbps quality, while the MPEG2 codec is used to store videos on usb 2.0 storage which makes this solution a full solid-state syncstarter as the video suits the size of a usb stick.

HDSync at the moment runs exclusively on WDTV HD Live devices (not “plus” or other models) modified using BRad’s firmware WDLXTV based on the original firmware version 1.02.21. We are interested in porting this software to more devices, please get in touch with us if you can help.

Each unit can play back one video channel syncing to other units via the local area network. LAN messaging is done using UDP signals, while the device state is governed using ad-hoc UPNP-AV transport messaging based on AVRemote.

HDSync negotiates units synchronization on the local network using PGM broadcast protocol and the ZeroMQ library, here below a diagram:

Downloads

File Downloads Sourcecode repository (Git) Usage manual

 

 

 

More documentation

ReadMe ChangeLog Authors License

 

 

Freecode project page Ohloh project page

 

 

 

Use cases

HDSync is being used by several artists and galleries around the world, for installations, video walls and dome projections.

Here below a video on the making of the Ambarella Video Wall, using HDSync to synchronize the playback of 37 channels.

We are happy to know about your creations! get in touch with our community via the mailinglist.

Discussion

Syncstarter mailinglist Web forum (WDLXTV)