NEW USER TIP: For additional instruction on Delta workflow, see Delta Workflow for New Users. That guide covers installing and setting up a control PC with DeltaGUI. |
A Delta Media Server system is comprised minimally of a 7thSense-supplied host PC ("the server") running our DeltaServer software component, connected via Ethernet to a separate user-supplied PC ("the control PC") running our DeltaGUI software component.
DeltaGUI is where the bulk of configuration, display alignment, and show programming is accomplished. However, the actual show files, media, and settings required for each DeltaServer to perform its programming are stored on the actual server. DeltaGUI just acts as a console. So, DeltaGUI does not need to remain connected beyond programming for a show to continue performing. You can optionally keep DeltaGUI connected for monitoring and dynamic control purposes.
Each server's hardware and license is configurable at the time of order, in order to provide tailored, cost-optimized builds suiting a great variety of project needs, from varied display output and capture types, quantities, resolutions, frame rates, bit depths, to layering & effects needs, to storage length, to different categories of display geometry management, to various audio output types and quantities, to various control inputs and outputs methods. DeltaServer is the overarching application that communicates with a server's local system resources, exposing them at a higher level to the show programmer via DeltaGUI.
Various network ports and protocols are utilized to communicate between the server(s), control PC(s), and often 3rd party devices. This data is generally time-sensitive, and sometimes high bandwidth. For this reason, all networked components must reside on a reliable switched Ethernet network, with minimum Gigabit connections recommended for typical systems. Basic switch management and endpoint IP & firewall configuration are critical skills for the installation of networked devices.
Extensive external control of DeltaServer is available through popular protocols like TCP, UDP, RS232, OSC, ArtNet, and SMPTE LTC Timecode. Similarly, DeltaServer has many features allowing it to be used AS a controller over other devices.
DeltaServer Sub-Components
DeltaAudio is sub-component of DeltaServer that handles audio device driver interfacing. It is a separate executable that launches automatically when DeltaServer is launched, and can be seen running as an icon (triangle w/ speaker image) in the Windows System Tray (lower right of the server's local Windows desktop). Users rarely need to interact with this application, because its operation is managed by DeltaServer. It simply needs to be running for audio to process. Its interface does contain diagnostics that could come in handy for audio troubleshooting (e.g. channel meters). This can be accessed by right-clicking its icon.
DeltaMonitor is a tray application which controls output to the front panel LED screen. The front panel will not update if this application is closed. (applies only to pre-R/P Series hardware platforms, i.e. Infinity, Nucleus, Proton, Nano, Duo).
Delta Web Service is a sub-component of DeltaServer that exposes a browser-based user interface (also known as "Stack Web Service") offering some control and status tools such as a server Overview, Backup and Restore tools, Preview, simple user-created show control front-ends, and event scheduling. This component runs automatically on startup as a system a hidden system service. The interface is accessed by navigating to the IP address of a server in a web browser.
Page edited [d/m/y]: 14/11/2024