How To

For cases, where NDI tally flag trigger or ATEM/vMix remote connections cant be used, you can setup a custom trigger at any given point.

Send trigger via TCP command

If your receiving side is able to understand any custom TCP command, you would setup the remote connection like this:

1. Setup and activate the Connection in the settings via “Remote Control > Outgoing > TCP Custom”.
2. You would then create a new Overlay of type “Remote Control” and insert your custom TCP command there.
3. (Optional) You would then add the Overlay to any point in the Playlist, e.g. on Clip 1 of a new Block via “Right Click Clip > Overlays”.

As a result the TCP command will be send at the given time in the playlist or when you press the overlay button.

Send trigger via JavaScript

If your receiving side is a custom API or needs special formatting, you would need to setup your own script for this:

1. Create a new Overlay of type “Webpage / HTML File”.
2. Use JavaScript in your HTML File to embed any custom command. A good examle would be a NodeJS server sending customized TCP commands.

Send trigger via API (WebSockets)

If you want the current PLAYDECK status in your script, you can use our API:

1. Create a new Overlay of type “HTML Templates”.
2. For an Introduction on how to use the API, click on “Main Menu > Settings > Scripting > How to create Scripts”
3. Modify any Sample (duplicate it) or create your own Script

The best way to connect vMix with PLAYDECK (both ways) is NDI. Multichannel Audio is supported.

Send Video from vMix to PLAYDECK

You only need to activate NDI as External Output like this:

Send Video from PLAYDECK to vMix

Activate NDI Output in PLAYDECK and add the NDI as new Source in vMix like this:

The best way to connect OBS with PLAYDECK (both ways) is NDI. Multichannel Audio is supported.

OBS doesn’t deliver NDI out of the box. You need to install an additional PlugIn, which is a quick and easy process:

1. Download PlugIn HERE (Select “obs-ndi…..Windows-Installer.exe”)
2. Close OBS and install the PlugIn like any other Windows App

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:

Sometimes the SYNC feature isn’t enough to have simultaneous playback and the operator wants to setup more complex ways of automation between the playlists. This can be done by setting PLAYDECK to remote control itself.

Sending Commands to anywhere in PLAYDECK via Overlays

To send a Command, you want to create a new “Remote Control” Overlay. You can now add one of the Custom Commands, that will be recognized by PLAYDECK. Basically you can CUE and PLAY clips, start Actions, show Overlays, etc..

Example: <cueandplay|2|1|1>
This will instantly play Playlist 2, Block 1, Clip 1.

A complete list of all commands can be found within PLAYDECK via “Show Commands”
Your overlay will look something like this:

Setup PLAYDECK events for automation

You add events to the playlist by adding the overlay with the commands to the clip. For example, if you want to start Playlist 2 (first clip) as soon as Playlist 1 starts playing, you would add the above Overlay to Clip 1 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.

Quick start instruction

1. There is a quick start guide by Amazon, where you can also select your instance:
   https://docs.nvidia.com/grid/qvws/latest/qvws-quick-start-guide-amazon-web-services-ec2/index.html
2. A typical instance would be “Windows 2019 / g4dn.xlarge” – It has a Tesla Virtual NVidia GPU and enough specs to run PLAYDECK: 16 vCPUs (Intel Xeon), 64GB RAM, 1 vGPU (NVidia T4) with 16GB GPU RAM.
3. Install the Instance, which will conclude in running it within Amazons EC2 instance manager.
4. To connect to the instance via RDP you first have to open Port 3389 in the Instance Security Settings.
5. 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
6. Now download and install PLAYDECK as usual:
   https://playdeck.tv/download/
7. Since NVidia driver are pre-installed, the GPU support in PLAYDECK will be enabled by default

Additional information

PLAYDECK can be installed on any Windows EC2 instance. Allthough GPU support isnt a requirement with PLAYDECK, it still is recommended for best performance. A list of all EC2 instances:
https://aws.amazon.com/ec2/instance-types/

If you decide to go with a clean installation of an instance (without a preselected windows image), you need to install the NVidia driver manually like this:
https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AWSEC2/latest/WindowsGuide/install-nvidia-driver.html

PLAYDECK also supports a multi-user environment and saves licensed for the whole server instance.

This can be achieved via any supported output card, which supports internal keying.
For this example we use the “Decklink Duo 2”. In PLAYDECK this sample will look like this:

Configure Decklink for Internal Keying

Open the Decklink setup utility “Desktop Video Setup” and set SDI 1+2 like this. This will be used for internal keying, where SDI 1 will receive the video signal from Playlist 1 and will key Playlist 2 over it and output the combined video via SDI 2.

Now you setup SDI 3 as standalone without keying. This will be used to send the video signal from Playlist 1 to Playlist 2 via SDI Loop.

Decklink SDI connections (Loop Cable and Output)

Use a short SDI cable and connect SDI 3 directly with SDI 1. We use this to feed the Playlist 1 signal via SDI 3 into the keying input SDI 1. Connect your final mixed output to SDI 2.

Setup PLAYDECK für Internal Keying

Channel 1 will send the video signal via SDI 3 to SDI 1 for mixing. Therefore you output Channel 1 like normal:

Channel 2 will receive the video layer on SDI 1. Now let PLAYDECK tell the Decklink to use Internal Keying to mix the Channel 2 signal over the one coming via SDI 1. Your final mixed output will be send to SDI 2.