1. Settings

1.1 TACHYON Network

One of TACHYON’s great strengths is its ability to use networking technology to operate simultaneously and transparently on multiple servers controlled from a single unit. The first step in creating a Project is to establish a Server Group. Once servers are assigned in a group, TACHYON automatically creates a ring network to maintain communication between each server. Servers within a group will share media content, maintain communication and sync together.

1.1.1 Server Group Creation

Select {System > Settings} from the main menu or press [Alt+S] to open the Settings module. (Make sure the TACHYON tab is selected.)

Click on the [Create Network Group] button to open the Create Network Group window. A list located on the left side of the window will allow you to include or exclude servers from the group by checking or not checking their associated checkboxes.

If TACHYON has been launched on all of your servers, and if the servers reside on the same network, they should appear in the TACHYON Selection servers list located on the left side of the Settings window.

Select the servers you want in the group by checking the boxes next to their name. When selected, the servers will be identified by a green check mark.
Click on the [Apply] button to create a Server Group.

1.1.2 Removing Servers from a Server Group

Select {System > Settings} from the main menu or press [Alt+S] to open the Settings module. Make sure the TACHYON tab is selected.
Select the server you want to remove from your current group by clicking on its name in the TACHYON Selection servers list.
Click on the [Remove Selected Tachyon from group] button. A confirmation box window will appear in order to validate your selection. Click on the [OK] button if you still want to remove the server from the group.
Repeat this last operation until all of the servers you want to remove are not in the list anymore.

1.1.3 Remove and Shutdown TACHYON

This operation will remove a server from a group and shutdown TACHYON on the server.

Select {System > Settings} from the main menu or press [Alt+S] to open the Settings module. (Make sure the TACHYON tab is selected.)
Select the server you want to remove from your current Server Group and shutdown by clicking on its name in the TACHYON Selection servers list.
Click on the ON/OFF button. A confirmation box window should appear in order to validate your selection. Click on the [OK] button if you still want to remove the server and shutdown TACHYON.
Repeat this operation until all of the servers you want to remove are no longer in the Servers list.

1.1.4 Multiple Server Groups

Most projects will use a single Server Group. However, you might encounter situations where completely independent video installations co-exist within the same project. For example, a Server Group might be dedicated to a video installation in a theater lobby while a second Server Group runs the video projections on the main stage. It is under these circumstances that multiple Server Groups should be considered.

1.1.5 Monitoring and Troubleshooting

Once a Server Group is created or modified you should make sure the TACHYON Network is fully functional and that all of your servers are communicating properly.

Select {System > Network Monitor} from the main menu or press [Alt+M] to open the Network Monitor module. This module displays information about each server in your Server Group.

The Network Monitor module provides feedback regarding resource usage (CPU, disk, RAM, VRAM), GPU performance (megabits per frame and temperature) and shows the project’s current frame rate output.

If a server is missing from the list, if its feedback cells are blank, or if the connection state cell shows a warning sign, it means communication problems are affecting the network. If such problems arise, you should check the following:

Physical Network Connections

Make sure the Ethernet cables are in good working order and are properly connected to the appropriate physical network interfaces.

IP Addressing

Make sure your servers coexist on the same network. Their IP addresses should share the same network prefix and subnet number (the first 3 octets in the IP address).

Traffic Management

Some network switches can filter out traffic, or a VLAN might have been set up on one of your servers. Make sure there is no interference of this kind on your network.

Network Ports

TACHYON uses specific network ports to synchronize data and transmit Show Control commands through a Server Group. Make sure the network ports on the servers included in the Server Group match. For each server, select {Settings > Network tab} or press [Alt+S] and select the Network tab. The window will display the port numbers corresponding to Time Sync, Data Sync and Show Control. Each of these port numbers should be the same across your Server Group; with each port you should see the same number for Time Sync, Data Sync and Show Control. If the port numbers don’t match, you can reset them to Default by clicking on the [Reset] button or you can manually modify them by typing new values into their corresponding text boxes. If you change any of the port numbers, TACHYON will have to be restarted on all of the servers in the Server Group.

Once this problem is identified and corrected, the server’s state will automatically change in the Network Monitor.

1.1.6 Network Ports

TACHYON establishes Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and User Data Protocol (UDP) communication between servers in a group in order to allow multiple devices to act as a whole. Three different ports, each characterized by a specific function, are used by TACHYON.

Time Sync Port

This port is dedicated to TACHYON’s master clock. Current time (frame accurate) is sent from the primary server (either a Controller or a Display Master server) to the secondary servers (Display servers) so each device shares the same clock.

Data Sync Port

This port is dedicated to data exchange corresponding to project structures, configurations and saves.

Show Control Port

This port is dedicated to show related commands such as Cues. This port will be used by TACHYON to trigger events in the Server Group. This port might also be used by external devices or software for sending cues to TACHYON.

Access the Local Server Network Ports Configuration Tab

Select {System > Settings} from the main menu or press [Alt+S] to open the Settings module and select the Network Ports tab.

While it is possible to modify a local server’s Network Ports, doing so might isolate it from other servers included in the Server Group since the port numbers need to be shared across servers.

Modify the Network Ports across the Server Group

If for any reason you need to change the Network Ports, its is best to do so while creating a Server Group. New port numbers can be assigned simultaneously to all servers included in a group on its creation. Follow these steps to change port numbers for the whole Server Group:

Select {System > Settings} from the main menu or press [Alt+S] to open the Settings module and select the Tachyon tab.
Click on the server names in the Tachyon Selection list you want to include in a the Server Group.
Click on the [Create Network Group].
Modify the Network Port numbers from their dedicated numeric fields.
Click on the [Apply] button.

1.2 Server System Modes

TACHYON features different System Modes which represent the functions linked to the roles assigned to each server in the Server Group.

Access the Server System Modes Dropdown Menus

Select {System > Settings} from the main menu or press [Alt+S] to open the Settings module and make sure the Tachyon tab is selected.

1.2.1 Hierarchy

A TACHYON Server Group is organized around a primary server which maintains synchronization and control over the remaining secondary servers. The primary server will also communicate with external devices such as audio interfaces, MIDI controllers or lighting consoles. Secondary servers are used to display images through their graphics card output ports.

If for any reason the primary server is dropped out of the Server Group and another server isn’t set up to take its place, the server with the lowest number IP address will take care of the group’s synchronization and control.

Even though a Server Group is driven by a central primary unit, a complete copy of the show’s data resides on every server. Therefore, each server acts like a backup unit (with one notable exception; see Controller further on in this section).

1.2.2 System Modes

TACHYON servers feature different System Modes. These System Modes will affect how a server behaves in relation to others within a TACHYON network. System Mode attribution is based on the role that is assigned to each server.

Controller

The Controller is a primary server that controls secondary servers dedicated to media output. The Controller synchronizes the secondary servers and takes over their Timeline during playback. If there is more than one Controller in the Server Group (this situation might arise if you have a backup unit), the secondary servers will be driven by the Controller that has the IP address with the smallest number. Low-resolution versions of the project’s media will be stored on the Controller because servers using this System Mode have to render content for all Screens (Display Servers will only render content for Screens that are visible to them). While a Controller does not feature any video output, its physical graphics outputs can be used to extend the UI on multiple screens. Using a Controller makes programming and operations significantly easier and is essential for large projects.

Display

TACHYON Display Servers should be thought of as secondary units programmed and driven by a primary unit such as a Controller or a Display Master. While in Display mode, the server will store media at full resolution. Display Servers will only playback video content linked to Screens that are assigned to its outputs in the 3D Scene Objects Visibility list.

Display Master

The Display Master Server is a TACHYON Server mode that provides video content outputs while acting as a primary control unit at the same time. The Display Master mode should be viewed as a hybrid, combining aspects of the Controller and the Display Server modes. The Display Master Server will synchronize and control the Display Servers located on the network. The Display Master Server will also import and convert media in full resolution and will be able to output content for the Screens that have been assigned to it. While it would be tempting to see this mode as a practical replacement for a Controller, keep in mind that using a Display Master Server comes with drawbacks related to overall system performance. Primary servers set in Display Master mode are usually found in simple installations, not largescale productions.

1.3 I/O Control Assignation

The Settings module Control tab contains two dropdown menus that will help you determine which server has access to which control data stream. TACHYON can receive the following control data stream protocols:

MIDI
OSC
DMX (sACN & Art-Net)

By selecting specific servers in these dropdown menus, you will inform TACHYON to allocate resources on the appropriate servers to receive and treat incoming data control streams. Once these streams are acquired by the specified servers, all of the others included in the Server Group will be able to access the data and will work in sync. It is highly recommended to specify which servers are receiving control data streams in order to reach optimal performances.

The interfaces linked to the various types of control data streams can be accessed through the I/O Manager module. Select {System > I/O Manager} or press [Alt+I] to open the I/O Manager window so you can monitor the state of the following I/O Control Interfaces: MIDI, DMX, Network Protocol, OSC. (The I/O Manager module contains additional tabs related to external systems, software and devices.)

TACHYON can receive Timecode, both in MIDI and LTC format. Ingested Timecode will control the Timeline’s module Playhead. The I/O Control assignation dropdown menus do not have any effect on incoming LTC Timecode since it is encoded in an audio format. However, if you are planning to receive MIDI Timecode, you will need to specify to which server the stream will be sent.

Access the Control Assignation Tab

Select {System > Settings} from the main menu or press [Alt+S] to open the Settings module and select the Control tab.

This menu can be used to specify to which server will be routed the control data streams. Three different types of selection can be made with this menu.

{-default-}

If a server included in the Server Group is acting as a Controller, it will by default be designated to be in charge of the control data streams.
If there is no Controller in the Server Group, the server operating as the Display Master will be designated by default to be in charge of the control data streams.
If there are multiple Controllers (or multiple Display Masters and no Controller) in the Server Group, conflicts are avoided by selecting by default the server that has the lowest IP address.

{-inactive-}

If {inactive} is selected in the I/O Control dropdown menu, no server in the Server Group will listen to any control data stream.

{anyservername}

The selected server will be designated to receive the control data stream, including DMX if the {-default-} option is still selected in the DMX Control dropdown menu. Otherwise, DMX will be routed elsewhere apart from the rest of the control data stream.

This menu is strictly dedicated to specify to which server the DMX stream will be routed, apart from the other control data streams. . Three different types of selection can be made with this menu.

{-default-}

The DMX data stream will be assigned to the server which receives the other control data streams. (Therefore, the DMX data stream is not segregated from the other control data streams.)

{-inactive-}

If {inactive} is selected in the DMX control dropdown menu, no server in the Server Group will listen to any DMX data stream.

{anyservername}

The selected server will be designated to receive the DMX data stream. The stream will be sent to the specified server apart from the other control data streams.

1.4 Sync

The Sync tab located in the Settings module contains a wide variety of tools that allow the user to specify the sync signal offset tolerance in relation to various components such as timecode, audio, network events, etc. VYV advises not to modify the default values of these parameters. They are targeted for advanced users and should only be modified when severe sync problems are experienced.

1.5 Windowing for the User Interface (UI) and the Video Outputs

TACHYON will automatically draw windows across connected devices such as projectors and screens to display the UI and output video. This default configuration allows users to operate the software without a Mosaic configuration.

However, it is highly preferrable to run TACHYON on a server where a Mosaic configuration has been enabled. A Mosaic will create a single large openGL context containing all of the video outputs and the UI. Such a configuration offers better performance and flexibility than the default auto window creation behavior.

Many different options can be activated in order to modify how TACHYON handles windowing. Do the following in order to access those:

Select {System > Settings} or press [Alt+S] and click on the TACHYON tab to access windowing and display options, represented by toggles in the right side of the window.

1.5.1 Mosaic Mode (manual)

If you previously created a Mosaic display group using the NVIDIA driver (which is recommended by VYV for better performance), you have to enable this option to profit from the advantages provided by the Mosaic configuration.

Select the first server that features a Mosaic display group by clicking on its name in the TACHYON Selection servers list.
Activate the [Mosaic Mode (manual)] toggle to enable the option.
Repeat this operation with all servers in the Server Group that feature a Mosaic display group.

1.5.2 Set First Out as GUI

By default, TACHYON Servers always use the first video output on their graphics card to display their UI. The server’s System Mode has no effect on this. (A Display Server or a Display Master Server will feature the same behavior.)

If you wish to dedicate the first output to the UI and avoid displaying any other video content, you have to keep this option enabled.

If you wish to use the first output to display video content as well as the UI (which could turn a Display Server from a 3 or 7 video output device to a 4 or 8 video output device), you will have to deactivate this option on all of the targeted servers.

Select the first server for which you want to change the option by clicking on its name in the TACHYON Selection servers list.
Click on the [Set First Out as GUI] toggle to deactivate the option.
Repeat for the previous steps to change the options on any other servers.

1.5.3 Letter Boxed Window

This option is meant to compensate with a behavior found in some video projectors that crop a portion of the image content on the vertical axis. It should only be enabled if the projectors connected to the servers display this type of behavior.

Select the first server for which you want to change the option by clicking on its name in the TACHYON Selection servers list.
Activate the [Letter Boxed Window] toggle to enable the option.
Repeat for the previous steps to change the options on any other servers.

1.5.4 Anti-Aliasing (MSAA)

Multiple Sample anti-aliasing can be enabled to remove visual artefacts such as jagged lines and ensure a smooth appearance of the vectorial visual components displayed by TACHYON.

Select the first server for which you want to change the option by clicking on its name in the TACHYON Selection servers list.
Activate the [Anti Aliasing (MSAA)] to enable the option.
Repeat for the previous steps to change the options on any other servers.

1.5.5 Bit Depth Mode

A dropdown menu located in the TACHYON tab of the Settings module allows users to specify TACHYON’s framebuffer bit depth. Media produced in a 10-bits or 10-bits HDR format can be handled properly by the software if the corresponding bit depth mode has been selected.

Select the first server for which you want to change the option by clicking on its name in the TACHYON Selection servers list.
Select {anyoption} from the Bit Depth Mode dropdown menu to enable the option.
Repeat for the previous steps to change the options on any other servers.

1.5.6 Modify Resolution for Outputs and the UI

If the Mosaic Mode is enabled, it is possible to modify the resolution of the outputs and the UI. The content will be displayed in windows redrawn according to the selection made with dropdown menus. (The Mosaic will still be maintained and cover the full dimensions specified for each output.)

Output Resolution

Select the first server for which you want to change the Output Resolution by clicking on its name in the TACHYON Selection servers list.
Select the desired resolution from the Output Resolution dropdown menu.
Repeat for the previous steps to change the Output Resolutions on any other servers.

Controller Resolution

Select the first server for which you want to change the Controller Resolution by clicking on its name in the TACHYON Selection servers list.
Select the desired resolution from the Controller Resolution dropdown menu.
Repeat for the previous steps to change the Controller Resolutions on any other servers.

1.5.7 Hide/Show the User Interface Locally

Press the [Tab] key to turn the UI on or off, using the server that has keyboard control.

1.5.8 Hide/Show the User Interface Remotely

Select {System > Settings} or press [Alt+S] and click on the General tab, under UI Options. [Hide/Show Network UI] buttons will hide/show the interface remotely on all Display Servers and Display Master Servers. (A server set in Controller mode will ignore this command.)

1.6 Virtual Video Output Creation

Once the System Mode and the proper windowing attributes have been applied to all devices in the Server Group, you will have to create the TACHYON Project’s video outputs. These virtual video outputs are the virtual counterparts of the physical outputs on the servers’ graphics cards. They are associated with video media delivery and should be connected to a physical display device such as a video projector, LED processor or video monitor.

1.6.1 Virtual Video Output

Select {System > Settings} or press [Alt+S] and click on the TACHYON tab to access the Outputs window section.
Go to the TACHYON Selection servers list and select the first server that will be used to display video by clicking on its name (it will be a Display Server or a Display Master Server).
Once the server is selected you can add the virtual video outputs to it by clicking on the [+] button in the Outputs window section.

Whenever an output is created, a window titled Create Display will open and ask if you want to create a Projector or a LED Processor in the 3D Scene module and link it to this output. The physical video display devices connected to your outputs are represented in a virtual space called the 3D Scene, which corresponds to the real-life stage where your TACHYON Project will be presented.

The term “Projectors” applies to a wide variety of video displays, with the only exception being LED processors, which are represented by a different type of structure.

If you are starting your TACHYON Project from scratch, you should accept the creation of new Projectors or LED Processors so the 3D Scene will already be populated with virtual display devices. Click on the appropriate button to do so.
There are a few cases where you might want to add virtual video outputs without automatically creating projectors in the 3D Scene. Such cases would be the following:
- video outputs are connected to LED processors; or,
- projectors will be imported from another Project; or,
- the current Project is built over a Projection Study and already has projectors in the 3D Scene.
- The server mosaic has additional monitors plugged into the matrix but not being used for output. When in mosaic mode manual, every output represented in the mosaic must also be in the tachyon output list.

If these conditions apply to you, simply click on the [No, Let me link] button and repeat this operation with every server in the TACHYON Selection servers list.

1.6.2 Signal Routing Validation through Display Ident

Once the virtual video outputs have been created, you should make sure that signal routing and projector assignation are correct.

Make sure the Settings module is open. (Select {System > Settings} or press [Alt+S] and select the TACHYON tab to access the Outputs window section.)
Activate the [ID] toggle.
Once enabled this option will cause all video outputs to display a random solid color. Each generated image also features an inverted color border, 4 pulsating VYV logos, as well as the name of the output and the projector assigned to it. This will allow you to make sure the signal routing is OK.

Display Idents are rendered on top of everything and there is no automatic mechanism to disable them. Make sure you disable Display Indents manually when you are done with the signal routing testing procedure.

Each of the virtual video outputs listed in the Outputs window section has an Assignation dropdown menu next to it. This dropdown menu links the virtual video output to a representation in the 3D Scene.

If Projectors were automatically created while creating video outputs, the virtual video outputs listed in the dropdown menus will reflect the fact that they are already linked.
If you want to set the assignation of a video output to a corresponding 3D Scene virtual display, use the dropdown menu to select the desired virtual output Primitive.