showstack / software / hippotizer
Hippotizer
Windows media server software built from swappable components (DMX, Timeline, PixelMapper, Notch, CITP) around Green Hippo's FlexRes playback engine. Standard kit for large-format video, blending and LED pixel-mapping on tours and corporate shows.
Protocols it speaks
| Protocol | Direction | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| art-net | bidirectional | In: the DMX component takes Art-Net from a lighting desk to control layers, mixes and viewports, with auto-patch tooling. Out: PixelMapper sends Art-Net to LED fixtures. |
| sacn | bidirectional | Accepted by the DMX component for desk control and available as a PixelMapper output protocol. |
| ma-net | in | The DMX component accepts MA-Net alongside Art-Net and sACN, and there is a dedicated MA-Net3 component; 4.9.0 release notes add MA-Net3 networking support. |
| kinet | out | KiNET is one of the PixelMapper output protocols, alongside Art-Net and sACN. |
| citp | out | CITP component pushes media thumbnails, media names and low-resolution streaming previews to lighting consoles and visualisers; requires the DMX component to be running. Documented as Hippotizer-to-console only. |
| psn | in | PosiStageNet controller receives position, velocity and acceleration for multiple tracked objects, with axis interpolation smoothing. Docs say new projects should use the Automation Reader. |
| rttrpm | in | BlackTrax is listed among MultiController automation readers; the manual names the product rather than the RTTrPM protocol version, so the exact wire format is not confirmed in vendor docs. |
| ndi | bidirectional | NDI can be received on a layer, and each Mix can send an NDI feed at a configurable resolution and framerate, optionally with alpha. Docs warn NDI sending costs real GPU/CPU load above HD. |
| midi | in | MultiController maps MIDI controllers (and Stream Deck) to Hippotizer pins. Feedback capability is referenced but not documented in detail, so outbound MIDI is unconfirmed. |
| osc | in | MultiController maps OSC (and raw TCP) to pins. As with MIDI, outbound OSC feedback is referenced but not documented in detail. |
| ltc | in | Sync Manager receives LTC from an audio input (left channel), a factory-fitted Alpermann+Velte card, or USB interfaces (Rosendahl Mif4, CB Electronics TC-5, Adrienne Electronics USB-LTC). |
| mtc | in | Sync Manager receives MTC via the Rosendahl Mif4 or CB Electronics TC-5 USB interfaces. |
What to watch for
Media encoded in 4.9 uses FlexRes V2, which the release notes state is not compatible with earlier versions. Encode a show on a 4.9 machine and any server in the rig still on 4.8 cannot read it.
CITP is listed in the 4.9.0 known issues as not yet functional, and even when working the manual warns it loads the network enough to hurt playback and recommends it for programming only, not live.
Notch playback is licensed separately from Hippotizer. V4+ systems can play the bundled stock Notch effects; any third-party Notch block needs a Notch Playback dongle.
Licensing splits by tier: V4, compatibility mode and Play are software-licensed, while V4+ and Prep are dongle-licensed. Software licences are non-transferable and drastic hardware changes stop the software running.
Hippotizer Play is genuinely free but crippled on purpose: two mixes of 16 layers, one watermarked output, no MPEG encode or playback, and PixelMapper output flashes green periodically. Fine for pre-programming, not for a show.
Ownership has changed hands: Green Hippo was acquired by Spitfire Creative Technologies on 1 October 2018, and Green Hippo now describes itself as an ACT Entertainment brand.
Typical use
- Large-format video playback, blending and mapping for touring concerts and corporate shows
- Media-server layers patched to and cued from a lighting console over Art-Net, sACN or MA-Net
- Pixel-mapping LED and fixture arrays from video content over Art-Net, sACN or KiNET
- Playing Notch blocks for real-time generative and IMAG effects
- Timecode-chased playback distributed across multiple servers via Sync Manager
Sources
- Hippotizer V4 manual 4.9.0 - Components — Green Hippo primary
- Hippotizer V4 manual 4.9.0 - Release Notes (FlexRes V2, MA-Net3, CITP known issue) — Green Hippo primary
- Hippotizer V4 manual 4.9.0 - Sync Manager (LTC / MTC sources) — Green Hippo primary
- Hippotizer V4 manual 4.8.3 - CITP — Green Hippo primary
- Hippotizer V4 manual 4.8.3 - Notch Licensing — Green Hippo primary
- Hippotizer V4 manual 4.7.1 - Licensing Tab — Green Hippo primary
- Hippotizer Play Quick Start Guide - Welcome to Play — Green Hippo primary
- Spitfire Creative Technologies Announces Acquisition of Green Hippo Ltd and Green Hippo Media Technology Inc. — Green Hippo primary
Understand the mechanism
Something wrong, or missing?
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