feature request Feature Request ? Post here

[borovayz]

I'd love the ability to have a window within the Watchout interface that would give me live feedback regarding what MIDI cue number is coming in. 

 

As we all know, Watchout can be driven via MIDI from a lighting console to take cues. If your control cue matches the incoming MIDI cue, it'll make your cue fire. So for example, if I have a control cue labeled 4 and another labeled 7, cue 4 will fire when the LX console sends MIDI cue 4. Nothing will happen when the LX console sends cues 5 and 6, and then it'll trigger cue 7 with MIDI cue 7.

 

It would be great to have feedback as to what number the incoming MIDI cue was so we could keep track of where the lighting console is in the Watchout interface without having to use alternative software outside of Watchout or a monitor showing the cue stack from the console.

 

Thanks!!

[robertsec]

Hi,

 

a little request. It would be nice to have a color that labeled a file in the timeline, if free run or loop is enabled.

 

best regards

[nikolai]

I'd love the ability to have a window within the Watchout interface that would give me live feedback regarding what MIDI cue number is coming in. 

 

As we all know, Watchout can be driven via MIDI from a lighting console to take cues. If your control cue matches the incoming MIDI cue, it'll make your cue fire. So for example, if I have a control cue labeled 4 and another labeled 7, cue 4 will fire when the LX console sends MIDI cue 4. Nothing will happen when the LX console sends cues 5 and 6, and then it'll trigger cue 7 with MIDI cue 7.

 

It would be great to have feedback as to what number the incoming MIDI cue was so we could keep track of where the lighting console is in the Watchout interface without having to use alternative software outside of Watchout or a monitor showing the cue stack from the console.

 

Thanks!!

We use an external app (running on the production machine) for exactly that. PM me if you are interested

[orfischer]

A test patterns bank, including patterns to align displays and color matching.

[TomT]

Playing out 2 - 4 Displays with Production-Computer.

[alexbright]

I'd like if the Production Computer Protocol command "gotoControlCue" could be used for relative time jumps in addition to absolute time jumps.

 

For example "gotoTime +1000" would jump one second forward in the main timeline.  setInput has a similar command structure. 

 

Thank you,

Alex

[jfk]

I'd like if the Production Computer Protocol command "gotoControlCue" could be used for relative time jumps in addition to absolute time jumps.

 

For example "gotoTime +1000" would jump one second forward in the main timeline.  setInput has a similar command structure. 

 

Thank you,

 

Alex

 

A functional equivalent exists if your control system is versatile enough.

getStatus will provide the current time, have the control system add the relative jump,

then execute a gotoTime

 

just the same, in essence, I agree, I would want it  for cluster protocol,

relative goto time jumps might be better implemented in gotoTime

[rebvdo]

Maybe the right click...  

 

More seriously what i would like the most is : to improve keyframing and working with tweens in watchout. Maybe a special tab for the tween with some sliders and boxes for setting everithing up. Something very much like the effect tab in Adobe after effects.

 

Maybe using some UV maps for warping particular clips or layers would be super cool.

 

And by the way : the ability to remove the dataton splash screen on the display would be nice too.

 

 

[alexbright]

A functional equivalent exists if your control system is versatile enough.

getStatus will provide the current time, have the control system add the relative jump,

then execute a gotoTime

This is actually my current work around for a control system , but I came across a situation where this wouldn't work a few days ago with a less sophisticated control environment.

 

Alex

[Mike Fahl]

the ability to remove the dataton splash screen on the display would be nice

FYI, this can be done already using the -NoLogo command line option to the WATCHOUT Display software.

 

Mike

[jfk]

FYI, this can be done already using the -NoLogo command line option to the WATCHOUT Display software.

Mike

 

And the version 5.5.1 watchpoint implementation changed a bit,

the best version of this function yet. 

On start up, before a show is loaded, you get a black screen, there is no logo,

but the informational text portions of the logo screen remain.

 

As always with this switch since v2, once a show is loaded, as long as you maintain full screen mode,

you will never see any of the logo screen again, update or go online, with this switch enabled,

the show simply freezes where it is, instead of jumping to the logo screen

 

For reference, pre-5.5, you would still see the full logo screen on initial load until a show was loaded.

 

BTW More information on this, including other methods of achieving similar results, are found in an existing thread,

Hide Watchout logo + progress bar while updating show.

[rafalmysliwiec]

Blur filter perhaps, please

[Myngus]

feature request:

a stop que that has a drop down box. in this drop down you can select which timelines you want it to stop, giving you the ability to stop multiple timelines from the 1 cue.

this would be awesome.

[Vollmers]

I'd like to have a scripting interface, and preferably in one of the general languages, VB script, Pearl etc. And also a capability to work with templates. This means you could have some one outside the Watchout environment, produce and generate content, that could be changed dynamically during an event. I know that you could probably achieve something similar with Flash, and then import a Flash project in to Watchout, but I think that's to complicated.

 

Cheers Christian

[maccalder]

A copuple of feature requests:

 

Right-Click context menus inside the media and task panes - the media one to basically display the contents of the media toolbar, the task one to give the option to edit timeline options etc.

 

Some form of "treatments" pool - operates similarly to Ctrl-c Ctrl-v but perhaps has the option to "apply to start" "apply to end" or "apply at cursor" as part of the treatments options - for storing pre-built tween track components (fade in, fade out etc)

 

Ability to put layour lines on the stage - that snap points snap to.

[Alex Ramos]

1 - Possibility to create groups/folders on the task window
2 - Select a media from media windows, click mouse right and select find it on the Aux time lines
3 - Mute Aux time lines layer playback on displays, without the need to update.
4 - Select witch displays to update, possibility to arrange displays in groups
5 - Midi support, "active layer" mode. Meaning that midi command will be linked to the Tween and not to the layer.
So that the Tween will only actuate on the select layer at the moment, this makes possible to use the same
Midi input in any layer.
6 - Midi feedback to motorised faders. ex Behringer B-Control BCF2000
When using midi to control Tween track, and playing the Aux timeline, Tween track will send feed back to the faders.
7 - Possibility to move displays on stage with cursor keys.
8 - Keep showing media information (Tween track) when clicking out of the Aux time line window.
9 - Stage ruler and guide lines, same as in photoshop.
10 - Possibility to pause live video and keep the last frame as a still, until play again.

[jfk]

Some comments that may provide an equivalent function for now

 

3 - Mute Aux time lines layer playback on displays 

 

If this is important, you could make the aux timelines all conditional layers and control it that way.

 

4 - Select witch displays to update, possibility to arrange displays in groups 

 

Kind of the concept shows and clusters accomplishes.

Using the new computer name / cluster addressing handily arranges the groups.

But it is designed to accommodate one show file per group (cluster).

 

Cluster allows you to use the same display names within multiple groups,

aiding in moving shows from one group to another.

 

5 - Midi support, "active layer" mode. Meaning that midi command will be linked to the Tween and not to the layer.

      So that the Tween will only actuate on the select layer at the moment, this makes possible to use the same

      Midi input in any layer.

 

Having a little trouble following that,

there are three kinds of midi command supported by WATCHOUT,

note and controller input types or MIDI Show Control.

(I doubt you are talking about MSC, but to be complete ...)

Notes are often used to trigger tasks, but can have other uses.

Controller is often used to control live tweens.

Inputs used in live tween formulas are linked to the tween not the layer.

I do use the same controller input over and over again in tweens,

so I am not certain i follow what you are asking.

You may be able to accomplish something more specific with a little planning.

For example, create a midi note input or a generic input

with a way to set its value to either 0 or 1

and for example, name it ConditionA.

Then use it in conjunction with your live tween.

i.e. tween formula might look something like

myLiveInput * ConditionA

 

 

[Alex Ramos]

Thanks for the reply,

 

 

If this is important, you could make the aux timelines all conditional layers and control it that way.

The mute function should  be done without updating the screens, so conditional layer is no good, as requires you to update the screens and this will result in black screens.

 

And this is where my point 4 comes in.

Some times I need to add a new video to a certain screen or screens during the presentation (Live TV show), and I can't afford to get all the screen black.

So if I can select witch screens to update I can minimise the damage by switching to a different camera and not showing the screen being updated.

With the new 5.5.1 I can use the "Use this screens" function, but I can't do this for 50+ displays, when I have only a few second to do this.

See the picture for an example of a show.

 

 

About point 5.

 

Lets say we have 35 time lines and each time line 15 layers and each layer 1 movie.

If I need to control live Colour, Bright and Contrast individually for each video, I will need 1575 knobs on the MIDI control surface, and will need to create 1575 different Input commands.

 

Because if I use the same knob for all the videos, when Im adjusting one all the other will be adjusted as well.

 

So my request is: 

We create an Input command to control Colour, not assign to a specific media. Only when we select a media in a time line the Colour control will be activated, but only for that specific media.

As soon as you click on a different media the Colour control will be released from the previous and only active on the new click.

 

I believe the is called "contextual MIDI" Midi commands only work on the select media.

[PierreLucB]

I have been using Watchout since the first launch and for most parts I'm very happy with the product. But it is the small and sometimes so frustrating little things that make me pull my hair out in the middle of the night. So instead of fancy new features that might be nice things to demo at a trade fair like real time 3D objects, I would like to see improvements in making the every day bread and butter show programming faster.

 

I couldn't agree more! 

 

I just saw your page talking about "A new approach" at ISE 2014. I'm excited to see what this will bring!

[Thomas Leong]

Request:

An automated way for Watchout to create multiple Aux Timelines each with the same settings (position, scale, etc), but auto inserting similar type media files from a specified folder. A pop-up window to enter parameters may do it.

 

Problem I have tonight is 100+ Award receipients to create Aux Timelines for. This is so that I can trigger each call up to the stage. Can't use Powerpoint as there is a 3-screen pano animated background on-screen at the same time. Moreover client wants each receipient to blend in with the pano background. What we've done so far with the Powerpoint supplied is to extract each ppt slide, knock out the rectangular white background, and re-save into 2 .png files (with alpha channel) - one for the text info, one for the picture which has a soft-edged border.

 

Now I have to put them into Aux Timelines, rename, and align picture and text, etc. An automated way of doing this would be very helpful for such repetitive tasks - making use of the auto-processing features of a computer for repetitive work. I know I can copy & paste Aux Timelines, but the laborious work of inserting each picture image, align, inserting the text and align for each of 100+ Aux timelines could be discarded if Watchout has such a feature. Therefore the request for a pop-up window to define parameters which Watchout could then carry out in the blink of an eye!!

 

Thomas Leong

Malaysia

[matkeane]

@Thomas. I agree with your request for an easier way to create/duplicate Aux Timelines. If, when creating a new timeline, the dialogue box at least remembered the settings from the last time, that would already be a step forward.

 

But for your 100 timelines problem, there might be a slightly easier way: If you select your original 'Award winner' timeline in the 'Task' panel and copy, you can paste the clipboard into Notepad. Find the Aux Timeline name and change it. While you're still in Notepad, search for your media filename, and change it from 'winner001.png' to 'winner002.png' (or whatever). Now, select all the text and paste it back into the Task window - and you will have a new, cloned, Aux Timeline linked to a new media file. It's not ideal, but probably still quicker than doing it through the Watchout UI. For 100 entries, it might even be worth writing a script to create the text files for you, assuming the media names conform to a pattern.

[Walter]

Why not use PPT with the background keyed out or additive blendmode? Works like a charm and makes things much less complicated... (That is if you don't like complexity).

(Personally, we normally do awards with animated graphics for categories / winners and for animating stills I prefer the animation possibilities of WO over those in ppt or keynote. Also, you normally only have to do a good animation once and then replace the content in its copies... )

[Thomas Leong]

Thanks for the suggestions, guys. Two runs of the show are over (2 regions covered. 3rd and last run will be on March 8 for the eastern region, for which I will not be available. However, am going for an overnight trip for setup and mapping the 3 screens with overlap projection over the stretched lycra screen, and quick re-training of Watchout operations to the young guy who I had operate Watchout for the 2nd run. (I've said this years ago, and I repeat it here: "Thank goodness for Watchout's short learning curve" where basic operations are concerned).

 

Each picture of Award recipient had to be re-sized and re-positioned to fit the space on the lycra screen after it was stretched at 4-5 points top and 4-5 points bottom. Sides as well. The look is such that the 4 linear borders of the screen has curved segments cutting down the available projection space. Looks nice and non-linear. Total length of screen is 100' x 22' using 3 x 20K Panasonics with 424 pixels overlap. I digress.

Likewise with the name, title, etc - i.e. the text. Therefore both pix and text could not be on one 'slide'. Tedious, but necessary, as the award recipients were the stars of the event, apart from the client company giving the rest of the staff an annual dinner and lots of entertainment and lucky draws for iPad minis and smart phones.

 

The individual Aux Timelines came in useful for the adjustments plus the fact we had last-minute non-attendees on the Award list, which, being on its own Aux, could be skipped, easily.

 

Back to the original request before i get off-topic again -

1. A pop-up to auto create multiple Aux Timelines with media from a specified folder would have made such initial tasks less tedious. Granted each element must eventually be tweaked to fit, but copy&paste and creating multiples of, is the bread and butter of PCs. My request is to automate the task.

2. Included in this pop-up should also be a Naming option - to be able to name the resultant list of Aux Timelines rather than just Timeline 1, 2, 3, etc.

3. Also an option to auto-include a Control Cue which Stops the preceding Aux Timeline on the Task List Order.

 

These would save a lot of production time and repetitive drag-and-clicks of the mouse and keyboard work.

 

Thomas Leong

[jfk]

Passing this suggestion along from a freelance programmer.

 

With the advent of display computer names,

it would be helpful to automatically open the Network Window

on startup and show load like the Main Timeline, Stage, Media, (Task). 

The Network Window size and position is remembered,

but you have to re-open it from the Windows menu.

Having it available without looking for it would provide a 

gentle and useful reminder of this new capability.

 

---- along the topic of computer names ----

I would find it useful when a cluster name is used,

that it appear in the display dialog much the way the IP Prefix appears now.

It is just to obscure that the show's cluster name

only appears in File - Preferences - General

Will eliminate a fair amount of confusion.

[alexbright]

I'd like a way to change how Stereo wav tracks get mapped across multiple outputs.  

 

For example, sometimes clients deliver 5.1 as three stereo tracks wav files, and I would to make the second file playback out discrete outputs 2 and 3, and the third play out of discrete outputs 4 and 5.  Then the first one would default to 0 and 1.  Sometimes you don't have the time to create the proper file out of what you get handed.

 

This could be adjustable though a tween track, or the advanced tab of the inspector window.

 

Also, sometimes they hand you a single track that they want you to replace.  Or they ask you to make one track slightly quieter or louder.  So discrete volume control of specific audio tracks through tweens would also be nice, rather then general volume.

 

This comes up and lot on cooperate events.

 

Alex