LightSync connection

Overview

In order for syncing to work there need to be 2 sync-related connections properly set up:

• Hardware sync: this is on the hardware level and is enabled by Quadro Sync card. This ensures all GPUs in the entire cluster have their render cycles synced. LightAct supports both frame-locking as well as Genlocking to external source, but see below for more info.

• LightSync: this is syncing on the level of LightAct software. It ensures the entire cluster is outputting the same frame on the timeline.

Good to know: the only way to ensure the entire cluster stays in sync even when one server fails and the Backup takes over, is to sync an entire cluster to an external genlock generator (House Sync). If you were to use frame-locking where one machine serves as a timing master, it wouldn't be possible to ensure Hardware sync if that machine failed.

Approved LightSync Topologies

At LightAct we focus on the following possible system topologies in order to ensure perfect sync between machines:

1. 1 Primary with outputs + 1 Backup with outputs

2. 1 Primary without outputs + Secondaries with outputs + Backups with outputs

Good to know: The number Editors are not limited by the software.

LightSync management

In LightNet Management window, this part gives you the information and the controls to manage LightSync connection. As you will see, LightSync green circles (lights) are lit all the time because LightSync messages are sent every frame.

Manually managing LightSync connection

You also have a few additional buttons and controls:

• Invite in/Kick out: allows you to manually invite into or kick a specific machine out of a Sync session

• Framelock: this checkbox determines whether Primary will wait for this machine to finish it's frame or not. Should be enabled only on genlocked machines. If Framelock is disable-ing automatically, it means that machine is not in Hardware sync.