Easily “Sync” Two or More Projectors With Video Editing Software

Learn how to create an illusion that appears to sync two or more projectors for digital decorating using a video editing software with this in-depth how-to! #atmosfx #halloween #digitaldecorating
Disclaimer: This method is a low-tech illusion intended for digital decorating beginners. This is not a true means of syncing multiple projectors.
Recommended Video Editing Softwares:
Adobe Premiere Pro, Adobe Premiere Elements ( Paid - Mac/PC)
DaVinci Resolve, Hitfilm (Free - Mac/PC)
Windows Movie Maker (Free - PC)
iMovie (Free - Mac)
Atmos FX Digital Decorations
(Witching Hour/Jack-O-Lantern Jamboree)
bit.ly/3jmfFIK
Projectors
Aaxa BP1 (Pumpkins)
amzn.to/3PyMkJN
Optoma GT1080 Short Throw Projector (Window)
amzn.to/33BsYwS (Updated version)
LED Flood Lights
amzn.to/3m5Q5at
Solar LED Spotlights
amzn.to/3xWumbw
Pumpkins
Fun-Kins (non-affiliate link)
funkins.com/
Amazon links listed above are Amazon Associate links. If you purchase directly from these links, I will receive a small commission which will help operate this channel.

[@123thebasics]

Thank you...I have five projectors and was looking for a new way to edit my digital decorations this year. Never considered synchronizing them. I'm not tech-savvy but, Your technique is no more complicated than the last time I made a family DVD movie using photos and adding music😆...just a few extra steps. I'll have to add this to my project list and definitely give this a test run. Thanks again❤.

[@andyt1313]

I have four projectors with a complex choreography of synchronized scenes using a Frightprops prop controller. Very complicated and tricky to pull off. My inactive windows fade to black. Thanks for the ambient scene idea instead. It's an excellent idea to create an ambient scene for the inactive window instead of just a black window.

[@ToilandTroublesDIY]

Glad you got something out of it!

[@fennec7906]

@@ToilandTroublesDIY Have you ever had a problem with the digital decoration dialogue not matching the animations? Playing Jack-O’-Lantern Jamboree 2, initially it's synched but after 20-30 seconds it isn't. Using a media player connected to the projector via HDMI. Tried swapping out 2x HDMI cables, 2x USB drives, 2x media players, deleting and re-transferring the files (which play fine on my PC). Any idea?

[@kylergeston]

@@fennec7906 Been thinking on how to solve this as well. I think what I am going to do is create my videos that will run the length of time of what is needed. For example if I am going to run the video display for 5 hours then I will make all my videos for 5 hours. Having a buffer of black video at the beginning for whatever it takes me to start the next video would have to be incorporated into the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc videos. If I could remotely start them all at the same time some way then that would be amazing and this step could be eliminated but I have not found a way to do that as of yet. If you know of a solution please let me know. At least this way everything would be matching and never be out of sync. Introducing a media server with multiple output video card(s) and all the cabling necessary would be very expensive.

[@enragedfenris2547]

Great tutorial!

[@ToilandTroublesDIY]

Thank you!

[@zachsurp]

all this just for halloween?

[@scottreyes17]

Ok...but not great. I tried this same method. It works on the first loop IF you manage to hit the play button at the CORRECT times for each projector. If you are not using the exact same projectors with the exact same software, you could have two different file systems, which results in different times to start up and different amount of time to loop from end to beginning. This means, by the 4th loop, no matter how perfectly aligned they were at the initial playthrough, they will continue to get further and further out of sync as the night goes on, so you have to run outside and pause one to allow the other to catch up, and try (and fail) to get them adequately aligned. Not a great solution.

[@PixPete]

Pahaha! This is NOT the way to sync anything. If your videos are set to loop, eventually over the course of the night (or even just within an hour or two) the internal clocks will start to drift enough that you will run into problems. This happens on all digital (and analogue) equipment. No, the correct way and easiest way to sync multiple projectors is to use a 'Media Server' software on a PC with a video card that has multiple HDMI outputs. Then you just run cables to projector locations and set video clips or channels to a specific output. Easy peasy. The professional way to do it would involve dedicated hardware media servers and playback devices locked to each other using Time Code. But anyways, I appreciate your efforts in this video. It was a nice idea.

[@ToilandTroublesDIY]

Not sure if you missed the part where this method was referred to as an illusion several times? This video is intended for digital decorating beginners.

[@gamingplant]

This would imply the projectors are all within cable running distance. If you have a complex enough setup this would never work and the solution proposed by toil and trouble is way better.

[@scotts9821]

Dude! Really with the sarcastic laugh? Zach said in the beginning this was a basic idea and an illusion. You are correct about syncing but most people aren't putting freakin media servers and a PC into their 2 projector haunts. I already do exactly what Zach suggested but I'm sure this video will be helpful to many others.

[@PixPete]

@@gamingplant You can quite easily run 50 feet of HDMI cable at 4k resolution before any signal degradation becomes an issue. Good quality cables will run 100 feet. But if it's really a problem just use a HDMI to Cat6 converter and then you can run miles of cable :)

[@gamingplant]

@@PixPete yeah but then you have cables running throughout your house and outside. I have 6 different projectors both inside and outside my house one in the third floor. You're suggesting a very ugly solution to a more complex setup. And most people don't want to run HDMI or any additional cables outside in their yard from their house.