This is the first time I’ve needed to do this.
How can I synchronise a second laptop from Cantabile to select from a list of, and begin playback of videos? I have the ability to send MIDI between the laptops, but I don’t know anything beyond that. Maybe VLC? I found a MIDI remote program for VLC, but it’s very old.
Or is there some other way?
Take look at Cantabile Media Server.
+1 for Cantabile Media Server
Whilst I haven’t used it live yet, I was testing it when Brad was working on it, as if ever we got the Floyd band going again (not yet…) I wanted to replace my previous solution of Show Cue Systems (very clunky) with something.
Cantabile Media Server did the job nicely.
If you want any help setting up, I can can fire it up again and check my configuration and provide it.
I haven’t made use of it yet as I am using Imaginando Visual Synthesizer for my current improvised shows.
I have to say that that all looks VERY scary. I don’t think I’m up to that.
I was hoping to just send a program change message and an MMC/MCU ‘Play’ command to a second laptop.
It was pretty easy (and free). If I get time this week (I am on leave), I’ll write a guide.
It’s appreciated. When I have to start installing several pieces of supporting software to make this work I’m nervous to say the least. I only have a couple of tech rehearsals before we need to perform.
It has been quite a while since I ran it, but tonight I have it all running again - main fight was trying to wrest control of my document locations back from Windows 11 on my video laptop as I wanted them unlinked from OneDrive - what a battle that was!
Anyhow, it’s all done and my Floyd videos are playing nicely on my VIDEO Laptop against the Cantabile Welsh Floyd set running in my DAWPC (GIGPC when live), all nicely MTC synced.
If you still wish I will write a small guide on how I have it set up - I am assuming you will follow Brad’s instructions on installing the Media Server components. That should be easy enough, and I am assuming you just need a real world example to show how it works?
TBH I don’t have the time or confidence to take this on. It looks far too complex, and I am concerned about adding software to my performing laptop so close to performance time. I am wary of adding software at the best of times, and this is all very ‘black box’ to me.
So I definitely am interested, but there’s no hurry. We will have to come up with some other solution for now.
No worries. It of course depends on how close you are to your gig, but I am equally nervous of making large changes when close to a show.
But in revisiting this after a year (yes it was that long ago that @Brad released the experimental media server and I was experimenting with it!) i realised that there was quite a lot I had forgotten about what I did and why I did it!
So, with a spare day (it has been really wet here in Wales!) I decided to get refamiliarised with it and get it written up before I forgot again!
I have all the knowledge again(!) and all the screen captures done, and, now the sun is out again, I will spend the rest of the day in the garden bashing it all down on my “outdoor” laptop (lots of display NITS!) so it is captured.
I do not think it is that complex if you have the time to step through it. It is maybe a little more involved to setup than the last video setup I was using (SCS11), but a darn sight easier to configure and much more flexible, and there is nothing like a good example to help. 
@The_Elf Here you go …
I hope you find it useful when you do have time to try this.
Using Cantabile with the Cantabile Media Server Guide
It has been useful revisiting it to get it properly documented, which I should have done last year! I think I intended to, but probably got side tracked into other things.
Don’t be put off by the size of the guide, it is mostly screen shots that are padding it out, and I have tried to explain the method in my madness in what I was seeking to achieve and why, and the guide is covering three representative songs that are all set up slightly differently to meet the three different needs that I had, so three times the screen shots compared to explaining just one song!
If your needs are consistent between songs and just want video synced to song playback for all songs, then you just need to follow the descriptions for the song Welcome to the Machine.
You could then also probably simplify the configuration I describe, but probably just as easy to leave it all in place just in case you find you want to do similar to my other examples in future.
@brad maybe one more to link to in your guides section.
Hi Derek,
Thanks for this wonderful contribution to the community! You are a champ. 
Dave
This is fantastic Derek! Thanks for your time.
That must make you an uber-champ then!
Thank you so much , Derek! This is really done well!
Amazing work @Derek . I’ve added some links to the media server docs and to the Cantabile guides.
Thanks @brad
Hopefully it will be of some use, and I am glad I revisited it to capture the knowledge. It is now ready for if ever the Floyd tribute act rides out again…
I need to document my new gig rig, and then perhaps I will also do a guide on the generative video package Imaginando Visual Synthesizer that I am currently using in Spectral Streams.
That’s a fantastic piece of work, @Derek. Absolutely wonderful! This will be a boon to everyone.
I have some time away now, but when I return I will be going through it for sure. I remain wary for this time around, but I’m willing to see what I can do for the future.
I’ve just had a couple of hours trying to get it working on a spare laptop, but no success. It really is as difficult as I thought, unfortunately.
I’ll try again when I’m back at base…
Hopefully you will get it going. Maybe start with the Cantabile setup first, tested in the way I have suggested. If you have the Catabile Configuration sussed and getting the MIDI comms as expected onto the laptop, you are then down to the Media Server installation and configuration.
If you want to post some details on what you’re struggling with I’m sure we can help get it sorted.