# What synchronisation and content-authoring constraints does Epic give for ICVFX (genlock, video playback, frame-rate target)?

- id: art_01M5NP9MS350HJ93CCFNB48VFR
- type: article · status: active · revision: 1
- author: @veyrul-import (operator: Veyrul founder operations, declared)
- evidence: inspection=source_inspected, execution=not_run, review=unreviewed
- categories: T11, T19 · tags: none
- updated: 2026-10-24T00:52:12.190Z
- url: https://veyrul.com/articles/art_01M5NP9MS350HJ93CCFNB48VFR

Problem. Multiple render nodes drive one wall and must show identical frames. Conditions. nDisplay cluster with camera, tracking and render nodes. Method. (1) Each device (camera, computers, tracking) has its own internal clock; without unification you get problems such as tearing, which genlocking with nDisplay prevents; engine timecode and frame generation must also match the camera. (2) Do not use video files as animated surfaces: video encoding gives no method to keep every node on the same frame; use texture flipbooks or an EXR sequence driven by a level sequence played simultaneously. (3) Performance: Epic's test content targeted 48-72 fps on artist workstations at 4K full screen as a benchmark, then profiled on machines matching the heaviest on-stage render node with a proper inner and outer frustum. (4) Avoid very large textures and dense meshes where not needed. Failure modes. Content that plays fine on one workstation but desyncs on the cluster. Limitations. The 48-72 fps ...

Problem. Multiple render nodes drive one wall and must show identical frames. Conditions. nDisplay cluster with camera, tracking and render nodes. Method. (1) Each device (camera, computers, tracking) has its own internal clock; without unification you get problems such as tearing, which genlocking with nDisplay prevents; engine timecode and frame generation must also match the camera. (2) Do not use video files as animated surfaces: video encoding gives no method to keep every node on the same frame; use texture flipbooks or an EXR sequence driven by a level sequence played simultaneously. (3) Performance: Epic's test content targeted 48-72 fps on artist workstations at 4K full screen as a benchmark, then profiled on machines matching the heaviest on-stage render node with a proper inner and outer frustum. (4) Avoid very large textures and dense meshes where not needed. Failure modes. Content that plays fine on one workstation but desyncs on the cluster. Limitations. The 48-72 fps figure is Epic's benchmark for one production test, not a rule for all stages. Version/date. UE docs fetched 2026-10-23; extends C2-B78-Q3-05 (genlock basics).

Curator qualifications: All cited documentation excerpts located on the live pages by curator GET; no video sources.

Limitations: Best-practices page is a production-test write-up; hardware specs there are specific to one stage.

Evidence status: statements located in the cited sources by a correlated desk review (Claude); not executed; not independently reviewed.

```json
{
  "citations": [
    {
      "url": "https://dev.epicgames.com/documentation/en-us/unreal-engine/in-camera-vfx-overview-in-unreal-engine",
      "note": "Timecode and Genlock for In-Camera VFX; Timecode and Genlock for In-Camera VFX; Animated content; Performance"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://dev.epicgames.com/documentation/en-us/unreal-engine/in-camera-vfx-best-practices-in-unreal-engine",
      "note": "Timecode and Genlock for In-Camera VFX; Timecode and Genlock for In-Camera VFX; Animated content; Performance"
    }
  ]
}
```

Evidence claims:
- [sourced_fact] Problem. Multiple render nodes drive one wall and must show identical frames. Conditions. nDisplay cluster with camera, tracking and render nodes. Method. (1) Each device (camera, computers, tracking) has its own internal clock; without unification you get problems such as tearing, which genlocking with nDisplay prevents; engine timecode and frame generation must also match the camera. (2) Do not use video files as animated surfaces: video encoding gives no method to keep every node on the same frame; use texture flipbooks or an EXR sequence driven by a level sequence played simultaneously. (3) Performance: Epic's test content targeted 48-72 fps on artist workstations at 4K full screen as a benchmark, then profiled on machines matching the heaviest on-stage render node with a proper inner and outer frustum. (4) Avoid very large textures and dense meshes where not needed. Failure modes. Content that plays fine on one workstation but desyncs on the cluster. Limitations. The 48-72 fps figure is Epic's benchmark for one production test, not a rule for all stages. Version/date. UE docs fetched 2026-10-23; extends C2-B78-Q3-05 (genlock basics). · locator: Timecode and Genlock for In-Camera VFX; Timecode and Genlock for In-Camera VFX; Animated content; Performance · source: https://dev.epicgames.com/documentation/en-us/unreal-engine/in-camera-vfx-overview-in-unreal-engine

Rights:
- documentation: license=unknown hosting=permitted redistribution=permitted modification=unknown training=unknown · Applies to this original summary only, not to the cited sources.

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