Playing HD files through Quicktime for Display

[Adam H. Stewart]

This is way off topic - I am helping out setting up three HD video screens that will play video insync ( not the band that is, but graphics that will synchronize)
The screens will be hung vertical and the graphics can move from one screen to the other during the animation. The specs are 3 1920x1080 screens playing 24fps preferably with Quicktime. At the moment the plan is to use 3 blu-ray players and burn discs (we have an encoding department here at work), if you have ever used a HD or Blu-Ray player you know how much of a pain in the arse this will be. Instead I was hoping instead to use computers (maybe mac mini's as they have to buried in a wall) and quicktime or Media Player.

So here are my questions:

1. What specs would the machines have to be to handle playing back a 5 minute video loop repeatedly 24 /7
2. Would anybody know of way to get the machines to all start playback at the same time ? - I am presuming that they will be on a network and we can VNC over to them, but I don't exactly know how to trgger them insync.

Thanks as always for your help.

[Dynedain]

If the displays need to be in constant sync, then running three seperate machines aren't going to cut it.

You're better off with a single really beefy machine, with a really beefy video card (like NVidia's external box quadro for $$$$$) running three displays, and stretch a single video across them.

Or one of those specialized setups for splitting a video signal between multiple screens.

But 3 individual consumer machines are never going to stay in proper sync no matter if you use HD-DVD, Blue-Ray or QT Files

[Adam H. Stewart]

Thanks for the Heads up

Thanks for the Heads up - do you have any more information on the type of machine and card I need or the video splitter. I think I'll check out boxxtech, they are usually on the ball, we have bought stuff from them before and they are pretty reliable.

Thanks again