Hello everybody,

for upcoming projects I want to build an Caspar Rack Server.

Here are the needs:
- It should be able to play 2x synchronized Key/Fill OR 1x FullHD synchronized Key/Fill + 2x FullHD Output OR 4x FUllHD Output with the the later option by changing the Decklink card to play 8x FullHD (but then no Key/Fill)
- Decklink card could be swapped with one or two Quadro P2000, for 8-12x DisplayPort Output for another usage
- max. Chassis length 480mm
- Budget 3-4k€

So here are my thoughts so far....
- Decklink Duo 2 for the beginning .... or should I go directly on the Decklink Quad 2? (but will then loose the SYNCED Ked+Fill?)
- Intel Core i7 5390K
- Nvidia Quadro P2000
- Raid 0 with 6-8x Samsung 850 Pro 256GB
- 1x Samsung M.2 128GB
- 1x IcyDock MB998SP
- Mainboard Asus X99-E WS
- 4x 16GB DDR4-2400 RAM (later upgradeable
- Chassis with one 5,25" like: Logic Case SC-32380

So what do you think? Where´s the bottleneck? Or is it a little bit oversized?

Thanks in advance!

Andreas

No one?

I quicly googled the CPU and motherboard. From this it should work as a Caspar CG machine. What is not easy to make a statement for, is, how it will perform, when you try to play 8 HD videoas at the same time. From the specs it could work, but if it does in reality is not sure. It's a bit a pitty that the motherboard only has x16 and x1 PCIe slots, so you end up using a x16 slot for the Decklink, as the Duo2 is x4 (Ouad2 x8). So that's what I can tell you from my experiance.

But then I will only use 8 lanes out of 16, shouldn't´t be a problem, or?

Anything about the synchronized key/fill on Quad2?

I have a duo2 and a quad2, both seem to be the same, except for the amount of outputs, same settings in the utility, "connector mapping, sdi1 & sdi2" gives fill and key in caspar on output one.

peteraellig wrote: ↑

15 Jul 2017, 14:37

I have a duo2 and a quad2, both seem to be the same, except for the amount of outputs, same settings in the utility, "connector mapping, sdi1 & sdi2" gives fill and key in caspar on output one.

Thanks Peter! Then I will go on the Quad 2 :-)

peteraellig wrote: ↑

15 Jul 2017, 14:37

I have a duo2 and a quad2, both seem to be the same, except for the amount of outputs, same settings in the utility, "connector mapping, sdi1 & sdi2" gives fill and key in caspar on output one.

Are you sure on that? I dont have one on hand to check, but all of the documentation I can find says that the connector mapping is to choose between full-duplex and half-duplex channels, to maintain compatibility with the original duo.

in this computer i have a quad2, i can either choose between 4 x fill and key, then the BM utility says NONE to port 5-8, or other combinations.
the card runs in a supermicro mainboard. i have no clue what half or fullduplex means in this case :-)
if caspar runs with a config of 2 x FILL/KEY and the BM utility is set to SDI1&2 / SDI3&4, Media express from BM sees the remaining 4 channels only.
please tell me, if i can help you, to test what you mean or need.

So your Config file only address one channel and you have synchronized key+fill out of the Quad2 card on two connectors, correct? Or are you telling Caspar two use two channels?

Yes, when i start caspar it gives 2 x Fill and Key.
with a single SDI setting in the BM Utility, caspar generates an error for the key channel.
all this is exactly the same with DUO2

Connection Drawing Quad 2

Ignore me. The official blackmagic docs make no reference to having internal keyers, but this forum has threads confirming the quad2 does. That is very useful to know, I will definitely be making use of that myself if the duo2 is the same.

THANK YOU very much Peter! That confirmes everything :-) It´s very good to know, cause as julusian said the blackmagic docs don´t reveal anything about it.
So I will definitly go on the Quad2...

Well....
something to be discussed.... Got this reply from BMD Support asking for Key+Fill Support before Peter showed up here:

"The DeckLink Quad 2 and DeckLink Duo 2 can both output an internal Key using our LiveKey software. It is possible to output a Synchronized Key/Fill using software like Casper, but you would need a reference input in the card, If no reference signal was present then the Key and Fill would not be synchronised."

Ref needed or not?

Well in a broadcast environment you always use reference input. So I never tried without. It always better to have a reference as, for instance, vision mixers don't need to stroe frames on input and so the latency of the whole video path goes down, or at least is reproductable.

I totally agree with that... I´t nothing new for me ;-)
I´m just wondering about the reply from BMD, cause with the Decklink 4K Extreme it works without the need of external sync.

So... ordered the first parts.... like Chasis, PowerSupply, CPU, Mainboard, GPU... the rest will take some more days to arrive....Will post some photos then...