Jonas Dannert

Missing key? No, I don' t think so. Normal way is: - save a copy or consolidate the Show in WO4. - open that Show (with content) in WO5. - let it cache everything - make sure that Preview is set to Best Quality. Export to a movie or going Online of course requires the WO5 key. /jonas

What has been changed recently on the system in question? Updates etc? Windows Media Center Features turned off? I highly doubt that WATCHOUT just suddenly seize to function, without a good reason. Especially if it been working for 3 years. /jonas

Yes. And Android 4.1.x and newer. /jonas

You need a balanced system, a K5000 is not necessarily needed, but something better than AMD HD7870 is recommended. AMD HD7970 or R9 280/290 or NVidia similar GTX670/680/770/780 maybe. Your hardware platform will be the strongest limiting factor here. http://forum.dataton.com/topic/734-watchout-5-technical-notes/ /jonas

Juvensius, I'm sorry, but there will be no fix for WATCHOUT 4. Re: other issue Running WATCHOUT 5 under Windows 7, on the hardware you describe, might be the issue here. A setup that worked well for WATCHOUT 4 under WindowsXP, will not be a good choice for WATCHOUT 5. Is this a single output or multi-output setup? Resolution on said outputs? file quicktime h.264 high quality Tried the same files at MPEG-2 encoding? display 1 : 768 x 288 (bitrate around 1500-3500 Kbps) display 2 : 240x160 (bitrate around 9000-15000 Kbps) Why this high bitrate on less resolution on the file? If the problem persists, please file a case at support@dataton.com, and include the show (.watch) and content. /jonas

Joaquin, please read above!! http://forum.dataton.com/topic/1225-sound-issue/?p=4842&do=findComment&comment=4842 /jonas

Re:transparency in video You can always try h264 and add a keying tween track in WATCHOUT. This will surely ease the load on the system. /jonas

Two comments here: Re: spacebar issue on 4.1/4.3/5.1 Use 5.5.1 Re: other issue What is the specs on your video file VS your available hardware? (Filesize in pixels, bitrate, processor, SSD etc) /jonas

Matthew, I was a bit wrong here, please see adjusted comment above. Hardware acceleration is ONLY supported with WATCHPAX graphics hardware, as of now. Sorry for that, /jonas

"you say Watchout does not use hardware acceleration" No, I did not say that, I said it primarily use the processor for decoding. By default hardware acceleration is on for any new video media. But this only works for WATCHPAX graphics hardware as of now. http://www.dataton.com/downloads/watchout/support/Release_Notes_5.5.1.html From above: - WATCHPAX provides hardware accelerated H.264 video playback, allowing you to play video in full HD format despite the small form factor. This feature is activated using a checkbox named "Enable WATCHPAX Hardware Acceleration", found in the settings for Video media items. NOTE: Although WATCHPAX doesn't support QuickTime video formats in general, it does support playback of QuickTime Animation as well as H.264 video in MOV files. "also it does not use Quicktime to play back MP4 nor WMP to playback WMV files" Our own codec and DirectX for .wmv. While QuickTime is not needed above mentioned file formats or for WATCHOUT to start, it is needed for playback ofother Apple specific codecs like ProRes or PhotoJPEG etc, as mentioned in our encoding guidelines PDF. /jonas

On this specific subject I reiterate what's been recommended above earlier, and also recently in this thread: http://forum.dataton.com/topic/1333-loading-a-video-crashes-watchout-displayproduction/?do=findComment&comment=5313 If your Display PC hardware is faster than your Production PC hardware, that's quite normal. Don't expect WATCHOUT to automagically fix the performance difference, in the Production PC software, though. Turning off Preview "Video as Best Quality" usually helps a bit. But if you need Full Preview when producing/running a show, you'll also need Display PC grade hardware or faster. I view it as a severe risc to run a live event/show with Preview "Video as Best Quality" ON, but your mileage and hardware resources may vary here, of course. /jonas

What version of WATCHOUT are we talking about? /jonas

I don't think this is a WATCHOUT issue, at all. I think it's purely a chosen content demand VS available hardware resources/supply issue. Your DisplayPC hardware is faster than your Production PC hardware, quite normal. Don't expect WATCHOUT to automagically fix this in the Production PC, though. Turning off Preview "Video as Best Quality" usually helps a bit. But if you need Full Preview when producing, you'll need DisplayPC grade hardware or faster. Same point as above. WATCHOUT does not make use of QuickTime at playback of h264. (or Windows Media Player for .wmv) On a sidenote: Both QTP and WMP are by default hardware accelerated in Windows, so if the files plays better there, is not quite the same thing, as playback in WATCHOUT which uses the processor primarily, and hardware acceleration to some extent. http://forum.dataton.com/topic/1204-tip-wmp-and-qt-%E2%80%94-disabling-hardware-accelerated-decoding/ What are the specs on your Production vs Display hardware? - Processor - Graphics card - SSD or HDD etc Unusual or very large resolutions, might need to be pre-split in order to play smoothly, depending on codec choice and available hardware resources. It also needs to be supported in WATCHOUT, and every codec type has it's restrictions. It might be 4096 pixels for h264, but others should chime in here. At what bitrate are these files, 1080x3840 and 1920x5400, encoded? Are the hardware up to the task for that?

Matt, It's thorough for a reason, to aid in creating a reliable and stable platform for playback. I've created it for Windows 7 and WO4.2. You have that file, I've sent it to you Oct 12'... /jonas

I second Jim's answer, and add this: Do not install any codec packs on WATCHOUT computers. Both these recommendations have been in our setup guidelines since WO5:s release /jonas

Interesting...did not know that, You learn everyday! /jonas

No, you can not. /jonas

As far as I know, Ctrl + click in the geometry IS the trick. /jonas

What power do you mean then? More expensive, yes. Less power, in practice, for WATCHOUT use, I don't think so. The price brings other advantages to the table, that I described, which may or may not suit everyone but are important. What performance do you mean then? I answered the question in relation to WATCHOUT performance, where video playback usually is a major part, not in general. There are other forums for that. We have built and test quite few systems with these cards too, and I do not totally agree with you on the stability part. I believe I'm not the only one either. The 2 to 3-slot space requirements of some these cards sometimes creates a problem to fit capture cards etc. Their heavy weight with all cooling required, is also a mechanical stability issue, when shipping equipment, too. We have primarily used the 6-output Radeons in demo- and test-machines, but they are increasingly harder to find in the market. Then FirePro is then the only remaining choice, without resorting to MST-hubs, that generates a lot of extra cabling etc. If only 4 outputs is required, then there are more choices of course, even NVidia solutions comes into play. BUT, one beauty with WATCHOUT being a software only, not a hardware PC box with software, is that you as a user can choose and verify every component yourself, to see what works best for you. WATCHOUT is not prohibiting this in any way. As as always to each his own, and usually your mileage will vary in these matters. This had nothing to do with my answer, as I see it. WATCHOUT is DirectX/Direct3D-based, as the W7000 or the other FirePro or NVidia cards. I'm glad that that WATCHOUT works well for you in these cases. This is WATCHOUT's normal network sync, and it's very good. Especially when you're doing projection and edge-blending, where some of the artifacts will be hidden. But it's NOT absolute frame-lock, and that is critical for certain cases, like LCD- or LED-walls, so it should be mentioned and taken into consideration.

Torbjørn, Please turn Windows Media Center Features OFF, as mentioned in our Tweaking guidelines, and here in FORUM multiple times. This is a requirement for stable WATCHOUT playback, as is the implementation of the full Tweaking list, on Display as well as Production computers. /jonas

Rob, You need to download the Show to be used from Production first, ie 2 keys needed. This is when a Shows folder is created on the Display computer/software. THEN, invoke/use file based control. /jonas

For pro WATCHOUT use, FirePro W7000, is more appropriate. For gaming, AMD Radeon HD7970 or R9 295x2 is faster. Radeon cards were the most economical way to get 6 outputs, now harder to find in the market. Higher benchmark scores won't help so much in video playback, WATCHOUT primarily use the CPU for decoding, not the GPU. Especially in a multiple video-files playback scenario Yes, it might have to to do with the title of the document: WATCHOUT-dpcspec rack 4U - 2013 mar SB-E LGA2011 AMD FIREPRO.pdf There is a similar document available: WATCHOUT-dpcspec rack 4U - 2013 mar SB-E LGA2011.pdf This includes a HD7970... Yes, it's a professional graphics card, built for stability. - 1-slot vs 2/3-slot for the Radeons. - lower weight. - frame-locking capabilities (with optional S400 sync card) Other options: W8000/W9000 (6 x +2K-outputs)/W9100 (6 x 4K-outputs) NVidia has a similar series, Quadro K5000/K6000 & QuadroSync card. Capable, but a bit more expensive, though. /jonas

No, we are not saying that. /jonas

You can install 5.5.1 over 5.5. /jonas

You're welcome! /jonas