How to: Create a Multiview on MXNet 10G SDVoE System
What is Multiview?
In the Pro AV industry, Multiview refers to a display that shows multiple video sources simultaneously on a single screen. It is commonly used in live event production, video conferencing, and other applications where multiple video sources need to be monitored or displayed at the same time.
A Multiview typically consists of a hardware device that takes in multiple video inputs, such as cameras, computers, or other sources, and outputs a single video stream that shows all of the inputs on one screen. The Multiview can be customized to display the sources in different configurations, such as split-screen or picture-in-picture layouts.
Multiview Application Scenarios
Multiview is commonly used in applications such as live sports broadcasts, where multiple camera angles need to be monitored at the same time, or in video conferencing, where participants need to see multiple remote attendees on one screen. They can also be used in control rooms, where multiple sources such as security cameras or computer displays need to be monitored simultaneously.
Multiview Examples
Creating a 2-by-2 Quad View Multiview in Mentor
1. In the Mentor Web UI, go to the Video Wall Multi-View page and select the videowall list dropdown menu, then select add vw.
2. Enter in the videowall name, number of rows and columns, and the layout name. Then select the save videowall array button.
3. Mentor will then generate the "tiles" of the video wall layout with the previously created array now appearing under the Display Setup and Video Wall Configuration window, highlighted in orange. Select the multi-view button under the Layouts dropdown menu to enter the Multiview Page.
The picture resolution and grid size can be set by using the dropdown menus located on the right.
4. Select the source by clicking and dragging the source's thumbnail located under the Encoders List dropdown menu and dropping it onto a tile. Then select the save and generate button to activate the Multiview layout.
5. Right-clicking on a tile brings up more options:
Bring Tile to Front:
Moves selected tile to the topmost layer position of the Multiview layout.
Moves selected tile to the topmost layer position of the Multiview layout.
Send Tile to Back:
Moves selected tile to the last layer position of the Multiview layout.
Bring Tile to Forward:
Moves selected tile one position forward in the layers of the Multiview layout.
Send Tile Backward:
Moves selected tile one position backward in the layers of the Multiview layout.
Tile Properties:
Opens the Tile Size and Position menu with fields for entering in Multiview layout coordinates.
Input Cropping
Opens the Input Source Cropping menu with fields for entering in cropping coordinates on a specific
source within the Multiview layout.
To see the Multiview configuration using the API, enter in the command vwid list, as shown in the
example below:
Creating a Multiview with Cropped Input Source
Input source cropping can be used to remove (or crop) parts of the image out and show only what is specified in the Multiview layout. This feature can be accessed by using Step 5 from the previous section above, once the Multiview layout has been created within Mentor. Each tile shows its own information in the top-left corner:
WindID:
Identification number assigned to the tile when the Multiview layout was created.
TX:
Source input currently assigned to the tile.
Layer:
The tile's location within the Multiview stacking order, starting with 1 as the bottom layer and all other
numbered layers are viewed in ascending numerical order.
Position:
Starting point coordinates of the tile's top-left corner within the Multiview layout.
Width, Height:
The total size of the Multiview tile that will be viewed.
(Note: each Multiview window tile that is using the same source must have the same width and
height)
1. Right-click on one of the tiles in the Multiview layout and select Input Cropping.
2. This will open the Input Source Cropping menu. Enter in the Source Size X and Source Size Y coordinates for the part of the image you wish to crop out. Then uncheck the Keep Aspect Ratio box option.
3. The information entered in from the previous step will now appear in the top-left corner of the tile with the cropped parts of the source's image now removed from the Multiview layout.
4. Offset source cropping can also be done from the Input Source Cropping menu from Step 2 of this section. Simply enter in the starting coordinates of where you want the image to start into the X Start Position and Y Start Position fields.
Creating a 32:9 Aspect Ratio Multiview Window
The 32:9 aspect ratio is often used for ultra-wide monitors or displays that provide an extended horizontal view. It is equivalent to two standard 16:9 monitors placed side by side, or to single screen that is twice as wide as the standard 16:9 display.
This can be done with Mentor's EDID management feature by uploading an EDID containing a 32:9 aspect ratio and 3840x1080 video resolution (as HEX codes), then adding it to the Multiview layout. See attachment at the bottom of this page for the EDID file.
1. In the Configure (Inputs/Outputs) page within Mentor, navigate to the EDID MGMT column for the source you wish to created a 32:9 aspect ratio for, then select the User_EDID option from the dropdown menu.
2. This will open the USER EDID menu. Simply copy and paste the EDID with the 32:9 aspect ratio into the main body of the window (as HEX codes)
Below shows the User EDID information from the API after enabling the User EDID in Mentor.
3. The source's resolution now shows as 3840x1080p within Mentor.
4. Create a new Multiview Layout by selecting the one previously made in the Creating a 2-by-2 Quad View Multiview in Mentor section. Then select the Copy To option and enter in a new name for the layout.
5. The newly created Multiview Layout will now appear under Layouts below the previously created layout.
6. Select the source by clicking and dragging the source's thumbnail located under the Encoders List dropdown menu and dropping it onto a tile. Then select the save and generate button to activate the Multiview layout.
7. The Multiview layout now shows the source input with a 32:9 aspect ratio.
Using the API to Activate the Multiview Layout
Command format (remove the brackets):
vwid layout Multiview active [videowall_name] [layout_name] [indexid]
Example Command:
vwid layout multiview active 1monitor ultrawidemv 1:1
Description:
videowal_name = 1monitor
layout_name = ultrawidemv
indexid = 1:1
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