In addition to the output of the two playlist channels, PLAYDECK provides a very convenient view for the director or other crew members: A preview of a single or both playlist channels including the various countdown timers is available for output via a playout card, via an output of the local graphics card or for playback via NDI. In connection with a remote connection to a connected Blackmagic ATEM video mixer, a vMix system or NDI, the tally state (Preview/Program) is also displayed in the preview window.
Director View: Two-Channel view with clock, clip and block timers and tally lights activatedDirector View: One-Channel view with clock, clip and block timers and tally light activatedDirector View: One-Channel full-screen view with clip and block timers and tally light activated
Settings for Production Window / Producer View
Use the radio buttons to set whether you want to use the two-channel view or the one-channel view with time, or whether you prefer the full-screen variant. Use the radio buttons in the bottom line to set the audio output of the Director View.
The settings for Device Output, Desktop Output and NDI Output correspond to those for Channel 1 and Channel 2.
PLAYDECK supports both Internal and External Keying, given that the Output card supports it too. You can also output the key or fill signal seperatly.
Internal Keying
In Internal Keying mode, PLAYDECK will superimpose the video over an incoming signal on the same card:
Lets take the Decklink Duo 2 for example: It has 4 SDI Ports. We need to tell the Card, which 2 Ports will be used for Internal Keying with the help of Desktop Video Setup (Blackmagic’s own Setup-App):
The Decklink will now operate like this:
If we start PLAYDECK now, the INTERNAL Option becomes selectable as Device Output:
Once you activate the Device for Keying, PLAYDECK will automatically change your Background to TRANSPARENT and your Color Space to ARGB32 (to support Alpha Channel):
The Image shows PLAYDECK Overlays Sample: Create Overlay > HTML > Screen-Title.html.
External Keying
In External Keying mode, PLAYDECK generates both Fill and Key signals and the keying is made by an external keyer:
Lets take the Decklink Duo 2 for example: It has 4 SDI Ports. We need to tell the Card, which 2 Ports will be used for External Keying with the help of Desktop Video Setup (Blackmagic’s own Setup-App):
The Decklink will now operate like this:
If we start PLAYDECK now, the EXTERNAL Option becomes selectable as Device Output:
Once you activate the Device for Keying, PLAYDECK will automatically change your Background to TRANSPARENT and your Color Space to ARGB32 (to support Alpha Channel):
The Image shows PLAYDECK Overlays Sample: Create Overlay > HTML > Screen-Title.html.
We basically support all cards of the following manufacturers, since we always include the latest drivers. But because of the vast amount of cards out there, we only tested the most common ones.
RustDesk is a free Remote Destop Software, which we use to login to remote systems. The main advantage of RustDesk over other Remote Desktop Connections is, that is does interfere with installed GPUs (eg. installing a Virtual GPU), therefore not interfering with PLAYDECK during Remote Access.
1. To get started, download our customized RustDesk from our website. This version will use our private RustDesk server (and not the public server) to protect your data and improve the connection speed. https://get.remote-joy-event-media.de/
2. Once you start RustDesk for the first time, you will need to install it. Please deactivate “Install virtual display driver”, which might interfere with PLAYDECK.
3. After re-starting RustDesk, you will not need to activate “Start Service”. This is important to elevate priviliges to e.g. open the device manager. After that you need to setup a permanent password: Click on the Edit Icon next to “One-time Password”.
4. Then click on “Unlock Security Settings” and scroll down.
5. Please send us your ID together with your permanent password to [email protected]
6. (Optional) If possible, please start RustDesk on a secondary PC (No need to install) and test the connection to the System you have setup for remote support. Now thru this remote connection, on the secondary system, please try to:
– Open Device Manager – Open Task Manager – Open NVidia Panel – Copy any File to this Folder: c:\Program Files (x86)\JoyEventMedia\Playdeck\
These tests make sure, that all needed support actions can be done remotely. If is likely, that any Anti-Malware or other Protection software breaks the connection. In that case please de-activate those Tools temporarily for the remote support session.
PLAYDECK support 32 Audio Channel per Output Channel. You can pass-thru Audio Channel (via SDI, NDI, Streams, ASIO), Mix-down to Stereo/Mono or Mix-up to Multichannel. Please note, that we have a sperate Post for Dante Virtual Soundcard.
Pass-thru
Enable Multichannel Audio by simply setting more than 2 Audio Channel in your Output Channel Settings. In this example we set 16 Audio Channel, as this is the native number of Audio Channel for SDI Output Cards:
Now you are good to go already. Your VU Meter will switch automatically to 16 Audio Channel:
Multichannel Audio is not also active for all Inputs and Outputs: SDI, NDI, Streams. You can check, if you click PREVIEW after activating your Device. All Previews have VU Meter as Overlays:
Here is another Example for Input Preview:
Mix-down
If you have Multichannel-Audio Content (or SDI Inputs) and want to Mix-down your Audio to MONO/STEREO, you would also need to increase the Audio Channel. In this case we use 16. This is important to tell PLAYDECK to process 16 Audio Channel (from Source eg SDI), otherwise all Audio Channel above 2 would be CUT/SILENT:
You can now select different ways to Mix-down your Audio. Please note, that there are seperate Settings for CHANNEL (Clips, Input Streams) and INPUTS (Device Input):
More Mixing / Mix-up
For more advanced Mixing, you can click EDIT under MIXING SETTINGS. In this example we Mix-down 16 incoming Audio Channel to 4 outgoing Audio Channel. Please note, that there are seperate Settings for CHANNEL (Clips, Input Streams) and INPUTS (Device Input):
You can refine your Mixing even more by moving to the Content Level: Right-click any Playlist Item and select AUDIO CHANNEL MAPPING:
The best way to connect OBS with PLAYDECK (both ways) is NDI. Multichannel Audio is also fully supported.
Since OBS does does not deliver NDI out of the box, you need to install an additional PlugIn, which is a quick and easy process. Download the PlugIn here (scroll down and click on “distroav-6.0.0-windows-x64-Installer.exe”). It is installed like any other Windows application via Installer.
Send Video from OBS to PLAYDECK
The NDI PlugIn inserts a new Option into the Tools Menu. Pick NDI Output and activate it:
Send Video from PLAYDECK to OBS
Activate NDI Output in PLAYDECK. The OBS NDI PlugIn inserts a new NDI Source, which you can add to your OBS Scene like this:
PLAYDECK supports most Amazon EC2 server instances and the NVidia GPU Power they provide. This allows you to setup a cloud based infrastructure for NDI transport or other purposes.
We assume, you have a Amazon AWS Account and basic knowledge of EC2.
A typical instance would be “Windows 2019 / g4dn.xlarge” – It has a Tesla virtual NVIDIA GPU and good enough Specs to run PLAYDECK: 16 vCPUs (Intel Xeon), 64GB RAM, 1 vGPU (NVidia T4) with 16GB GPU RAM.
Now install the Instance via those Links or your EC2 Management Console.
To connect to the instance via RDP you first have to open Port 3389 in the Instance Security Settings.
Once connected, you find yourself unable to download anything via the Browser. Therefore enable Downloads like this: START Menu > Server Manager > Local Server > IE Enhanced Security Configuration > Off
The user interface of PLAYDECK is divided into three main areas: Control Section, Playlist Area and Overlay/Action Buttons
Menu Bar
The menu bar takes you to the basic settings of PLAYDECK.
Under the menu item File you will find the commands for creating, opening or saving a playlist, the functions for importing and exporting a playlist as well as for generating a clip run log file.
The menu item Settings takes you to the sub-menu All Settings, where you can make the most important settings. You will find more detailed information in chapter 2.1. Furthermore, you will find the menu item Scripting, where you can extend and individualise the functionality of PLAYDECK with the help of various Java Script files. In addition, you can define keyboard shortcuts for almost every command via the sub-item Keyboard Shortcuts to adapt PLAYDECK perfectly to your usual workflow (see chapter 2.2).
Under the menu item View, you can adjust the visual appearance of the user interface to your personal preferences. For example, you can adjust the line height of the playlist, show thumbnails of all playlist clips or hide the overlay and action buttons.
The menu item Streams lets you start and stop the streaming playback for the two playlist channels and the Production Window and displays the stream status.
Under the menu item Helpyou can check for available updates, get access to the license manager and get in contact with our support team.
Control Section
In the upper area of the user interface you will find a preview window of the currently output video signal including audio level for each channel, the buttons for controlling the playout, and a number of time specifications for the playlist (end of playback of the current block, remaining time of the current block and the current clip, countdown to blocks for which the Schedule Block function has been set). Furthermore, between the two playlists you will find the button to start recording and open the edit window, as well as the button to activate the synchronous operation of both playlist channels.
Playlist Area
The largest area of the user interface is available below the control section for the playlist and its configuration. Here, you will find all entries that you have prepared for playback with PLAYDECK, clearly arranged in the respective playback blocks. A playback block consists of the block header with block name and information about scheduled start times, one or more lines of media (videos, still images, audio tracks, Youtube clips) or live inputs with the associated information, and a block end that defines the behavior of PLAYDECK when reaching the end of a block. To keep track of longer blocks, the view of the playlist can be customized in many ways. For more information about working with playlists, please refer to chapter 3.
Overlay and Action Buttons
Below the playlist you will find the buttons for controlling the overlays and the actions. Overlays can consist of videos or graphics (with or without transparency), text, scrolling text, web pages or HTML code, which you can show manually or automatically over the output video signal during playback from the playlist. Actions are individual media files in direct access. Pressing an action button interrupts the current playback and starts the stored media file. You can define how PLAYDECK should behave after the action file has finished playing. Please refer to chapter 4.2 Working with Actions for more details.
PLAYDECK can be controlled remotely via a number of different methods, but can also send out control commands itself. To control PLAYDECK from outside, the following methods are available:
TCP Commands
Auto-play via NDI Tally Light
Auto-play via GPI / COM-Port
Auto-play via Blackmagic Design ATEM Series Live Production Switcher
Auto-play via vMix Live Video Streaming Software
Auto-play via TSL UMD Protocol (v. 3.1 or 5.0)
You can remote control both playlists from PLAYDECK via TCP/IP commands from a remote control computer. You can use any tool you like for this, as no special format is required (no special encoding, no line ending command necessary). You can send several commands simultaneously.
Bitfocus Companion and Universe Show Control have already integrated extensive libraries for controlling PLAYDECK, which makes control particularly convenient.
A detailed explanation of the individual commands, together with examples, can be obtained by clicking on the button Show Commands.
When PLAYDECK’s NDI output is activated, PLAYDECK receives tally signals from the connected NDI receiver via a return channel. As soon as PLAYDECK is switched live on air there, PLAYDECK starts playing the clip that is currently in the CUE state.
You can connect both playlists to almost any video mixer and have playback start automatically as soon as the corresponding channel of the mixer goes on air. For this purpose, the tally signal of the mixer is registered at the chosen COM port. As soon as a clip is in CUE state, PLAYDECK performs a simple loopback test on the corresponding COM port: If a galvanic connection between pin 3 (Transmit Data) and pin 2 (Receive Data) is registered for at least 50 ms, playback starts immediately. If you need a corresponding tally-to-USB interface, please contact our support team.
Playback can be automated particularly conveniently if you have connected PLAYDECK to a Blackmagic ATEM Series live production switcher. As soon as a clip is in CUE state, PLAYDECK listens to the connected ATEM mixer. If the corresponding channel is switched live, playback starts immediately. In order for PLAYDECK to communicate with your Blackmagic ATEM device, you need to install the ATEM Control software on your PLAYDECK computer. It is NOT necessary to start the software. PLAYDECK only requires access to the appropriate drivers and libraries. Enter the IP address of the mixer (it must be in the same address space as your PLAYDECK system) and click Connect. Then you can select from the two drop-down fields which input channel of your ATEM device PLAYDECK should listen to. Finally, please activate the checkbox on the left.
PLAYDECK can also be remotely controlled very conveniently when you connect it to vMix. The operating philosophy of vMix is that you can assign a source to several inputs. Enter the IP address of the vMix PC and fill in all vMix inputs for the two playlists to which PLAYDECK is to react with an auto start (separated by comma).
Finally, remote start via TSL UDP Tally protocol is available. PLAYDECK supports versions 3.1 and 5.0. You can freely select the number of the port to be used for communication. Enter the TSL ID to which Playlists 1 and 2 are to respond in the corresponding fields (some manufacturers call this ID “Screen ID”, “Channel ID” or “Device ID”). If PLAYDECK is to respond to more than one TSL ID, please separate the IDs with commas.
PLAYDECK expects the signal for Preview on Tally 1 and the signal for Program on Tally 2.
