PC for Capture - Diagram

The idea behind this setup is I can do multiple video and audio capture of my entire work area. I wrote a CLI frontend (lidim, unpublished) for launching recordings and providing a quick overview. It is largely focused on ffmpeg, but can really run any command. Ultimately it would get MIDI events, do the appropriate switching, and start/stop a recording process.

Second, I would like it to be livestream capable. This might mean abstracting out the switching control, or having separate switching control inside OBS.

TODO Reminder

Look at ~/documents/video capture notes/. Need to move those into pkb.

Some brainstormed lists of everything

The computer

My capture setup is built around a Intel Skull Canyon NUC (wing). The main benefits of it are:

small (although the heatsink mod hurt that a bit)
i7 6th gen CPU does decent video encode †
Thunderbolt 3 expansion
Decent number of USB ports
Cool wall mount plate (part of Crestron UC-Engine kit)

† Intel has a good reference on their hardware capabilities at Media Capabilities Supported by Intel Hardware. There's a PDF version as well. I'm not aware of a good reference for AMD GPUs, and I don't have Nvidia hardware.

Rack things

Orei HDS-808 HDMI matrix switcher (8-in 8-out)
ThinkPad Thunderbolt 3 Dock
DataVideo DN-300 (DV and analog capture)
Hosongin USB Audio interface
DataVideo TLM-404H Quad composite LCD display
Patch Panel

The patch panel has 24 ports:

4x telephone from PBX. Maybe hybrid lines, or a mix of hybrid/digital/single.
USB 3.0 from ThinkPad Dock
HDMI from ThinkPad Dock
Rear IO from DataVideo DN-300
- RCA Audio (left and right)
- BNC composite video
- S-Video
- Maybe 6-pin Firewire
4 HDMI from Orei matrix switcher (2 in, 2 out)
5 RJ-45 (Four to 1G switch, One to 2.5G switch)

That's 19 ports occupied. If I decide to use the Saffire Pro audio I can also put it's 2 rear channels in the patch panel.

A wall mounting and cable solution

Wall things:

Akitio Thunder Dock (Firewire 800, extra USB 3.0)
Several Inogeni USB capture devices
Atlona AT-HD500
5-port network switch?
8-port USB 2.0 hub?

I wanted to get some things out of the rack, but not take up desk space. I also was expecting more cables to be running around so I wanted a nice way to secure them.

First I considered some type of pegboard. Ikea's skådis looked attractive.

slotted holes would be easy to pass zip ties through
lots of accessories
seemingly a rich 3D printer library for more custom stuff

I also thought about getting a second Crestron UC-ENGINE bracket (UC-BRKT-100, UC-BRKT-200). These are aluminum plates. They have varying threaded holes and slots or holes. It is easy enough to drill and tap them for custom mounting.

Then I was poking around and came across the holy grail. The Variera Shelf Insert.

This thing is amazing:

☑ Steel sheet metal (magnetic, rivet nut for thread holes)
☑ Decorative hole pattern (multitude of holes for zip ties, nice to look at)
☑ Flatten the shallow edge, and you can even pass ethernet cables behind it
☑ Mix the two sizes to fill any space (12.6x11" and 12.6x5.1")

Displays

Dell 2407WFP (Old CFL based, but lots of input variety)
15" portable LCD
Maybe a second 15" portable LCD
TLM-404 (3 displays, 4th is for DN-300)
Maybe a tiny display for lidim

I wasn't happy with my previous monitor mount. I tried using one of my tablet stands to hold the second 15" display, but that was also a fail.

The Variera Shelf Insert is so versatile that I decided to build a dual portable monitor stand out of them.

Capture

2x Inogeni DVIUSB
Inogeni 4K2USB3
MacroSilicon HDMI USB 2.0
Inogeni SDI2USB3
Inogeni VGA2USB3

HDMI Cameras and Converters

Imichi Microscope
Canon Vixia HG20 (bench)
Canon Vixia HV30 (tripod, maybe swap with samsung hmx)
Samsung HMX-R10 (desk)
Tongveo NV3HB3B
Atlona AT-HD500
Chameye C410 (may not use HDMI)
ELP 4K camera/modules

After trimming the list a bit that is 6 outputs, and maybe 6 inputs. That leaves 2 of each free on the matrix switcher. They can be routed to the patch panel for temporary setups.

I forgot about the TLM-404 display. That makes things a bit more limited on the outputs. Currently only have 2 HDMI to CVBS adapters, and the 4th display is dedicated to the DN-300.

orei hds-808 ports

Input
1. Canon Vixia HG20 (bench)
2. Tongveo NV3HB3B
3. Samsung HMX-R10 (desk)
4. Imichi Microscope
5. Atlona AT-HD500
6. NUC's Mini DP out
7. Patch panel / Canon Vixia HV30 (tripod)
8. Patch panel
Output
1. Dell 2407WFP
2. dviusb 1
3. dviusb 2
4. tlm-404 1
5. tlm-404 2
6. vokensu 15" portable monitor
7. Patch Panel
8. Patch Panel

Other cameras I might use sometimes

Okiocam document cam
ELP global shutter USB webcam
Apple iSight
Sony XCD-V60
Various other IIDC or iSight compatible cams

USB Port bandwidth

How many high bandwidth USB devices can I support?

Ideally we limit to each controller to 1 device, but depending on capture type sharing might be feasible.

NUC
- 2 Rear ports
- Front charging port (yellow)
- Front port
- Internal USB 3.0 header
Thinkpad Thunderbolt 3 dock
- 3 rear ports (yellow dot)
- front and rear ports (white dot)
Akitio Thunder dock
- 2 ports

That leaves us with 6 unshared ports (7 if I break out the internal header). I think it is enough (5 inogeni devices, 1 USB 3.0 camera). That also leaves the shared ports for attaching USB 2.0 devices/hubs.

Serial control devices

May need a multiple serial adapter. I have a 4 or 8 port. None of the permanant stuff really needs it though. I may just hook the 4-port up to have it ready.

Orei (also has network)
Chameye (RS-485, also network VISCA, and maybe PELCO)
Tongveo (RS-485, also network VISCA, and maybe PELCO)
DN-300 (RS-422)

TODO Physical

Check power strip under load with thermal cam
Resecure desk to wall
test phone and network ports
Vixia HG20
- attach mount
- attach feelworld monitor
- attach camera
- hdmi and power
build monitor mount
Dell HDMI and power
Audio
- monoprice usb mic
- desk mic setup, either gooseneck or samson
Power
- tongveo camera power
- canon 8.4v adapter
- 12V power supply devices
  - dn-300
  - orei (threaded, but probably doesn't matter)
- 5V devices (usb adapters probably)
  - control network switch
    - need a short USB DC lead
    - or switch to a separate supply + splitter
  - portable monitor 1
    - pull power from tb hub spare ports
  - portable monitor 2
    - pull power from tb hub spare ports
- poe adapter for chameye
Cover obnoxious LEDs
- Probably on the network switch
Add ethernet jack to Tongveo
Somewhere to store remotes
- Tongveo
- Chameye
- Canon Vixio HG20
- Orei HDS-808

TODO Configuration

Set up static IPs on the control network
See if I can force the Orei to scale 1080 inputs to 4:3 on the TLM-404H outputs
Make wing turn on when power is restored, or find some other remote power on method
get remarkable's restream working for capture

TODO Power concerns

I need to do some measurements to make sure various things aren't drawing too much current.

Peak wall power draw so far has been: 190W

The Dell monitor is a big draw, nearly 80W.

Device	Voltage	Current	Power	Wall Power
Orei	12.15	0.608	7.39
TLM-404H	12	0.436	5.23	8.4
Akitio	12.10	0.784	9.49
Whole Hub	5.068	2.863	14.5	13.4
Samsung	4.74	0.42	1.99
Atlona	4.91	1.063	5.22
Nicgiga	5	0.07	0.35
DN-300				10.9
Wing				40
Dell				80
Tongveo				10.2

Whole power strip with all devices on, and CPU load
- workbench cameras/field monitor
- dell
- both portable monitors
The USB Hub (5V 4A), also limitations of individual USB ports
- whole hub (2.86A peak so far)
- Atlona HD-500 (1.059A)
  - this one is on the high side, maybe worth considering a 5V supply
- HDMI to BNC adapters (hard to measure, HDMI provides power)
- USB Audio (with both mics populated)
- Samsung HMX-R10 charging + power-on (0.42A just power on)
- Control network switch (0.13A startup, 0.07A idle)
12V 5A supply
- Orei HDS-808 (0.61A only a few inputs/outputs active)
- DataVideo TLM-404 (0.436A)
- DataVideo DN-300
12V 4A supply (to be purchased, using a temporary 5A for now)
- Akito Thunder Dock + 1 Inogeni DVIUSB + Firewire 800 Hub (0.79A