Syncing 2 Macs

Greetings

The purpose is simple: For my live MUSIC/VIDEO performance, I push the CPU on my laptop to unbelievable extremes while running Apple's Mainstage, live inputs, and a bazillion MIDI devices. My idea is to use a secondary Mac for the purposes of video playback, simply because attempting to do this all on one machine is impossible. I need both Macs to be communicating to each other, because if I jump ahead in an audio sequence on the laptop, spontaneously switch songs, or stop the show all together, I need the video computer to know exactly where I am in the timeline and respond accordingly.
This is why I think I may need to be using SMPTE, or maybe some kind of MIDI machine control.
I have an older MOTU 828, and thinking maybe I need to upgrade to one of their new video/audio cards.

I am wondering if I need MIDI Machine control, or SMPTE? Any step by step instructions available?

Thanks for your help in advance, I know I am always guilty of attempting to achieve the impossible!


Cheers
Treatment

Not sure if this would work with your software but it may be worth getting protools as a main controller and then use one of the flavours of Video Satellite.

It's not impossible at all it just depends on how much you want to spend and what tools you are willing to use. I was just on a friends dub stage today where he is using 5 different Mac pro computers running Protools and Video Satellite, all locked up in perfect sync via ethernet cables, for mixing movies.

Hey Frank

Thanks for your reply!

Although Video Satellite is pretty freakin' cool, I'm not about to jump ships. I have been using Digital Performer for 15 years, and there is a whole heck of a lot of video programs I need to learn over learning a new DAW, and investing in the ProTools system.

But thanks again for the suggestion, much appreciated!

Treatment

I am sure there are ways to connect your 2 computers via midi but without knowing your exact set up and what all the software platforms (for audio, midi and video) you are using it's hard to say. Composers have been using different machines all synced together to score for picture for years so it is possible.