You can directly Drag Drop any YouTube URL from your Browser to PLAYDECK:
To insert a new Stream into your Playlist, simply Drag Drop the STREAM Icon onto the Playlist. A new Popup will appear, where you can enter the Stream URL:
Your Stream will be scanned by PLAYDECK now. If the PLAYDECK could connect to your Stream successfully, the Text will be shown in WHITE. You can now play the Stream and/or can double-click the INFO icon to view more information about the Stream, like Video format and codec:
If the Stream can NOT be connected, it will appear in RED:
If you made a typo, you can quickly re-edit the URL by right-clicking and selecting CHANGE URL:
Insert YouTube Video
You can insert YouTube Links via Drag Drop or in the same manner as insert as Input Stream. See this article on more information about YouTube.
Insert Website Video
You can insert some Websites per Drag Drop directly into the Playlist or via the STREAM Icon. We use TWITCH in this example. Click SHOW HELP to get more info about what Websites can be used:
You can move your License via a simple Check-In/Out System. On the System with the active License, go into your License Manager:
First, we want to deactivate the current License: Select the TRIAL Edition and click ACTIVATE, then confirm the restart query:
After restarting PLAYDECK, we can now move the freed License back to your Online License Pool. Re-open the License Manager. Now login to your PLAYDECK ACCOUNT. Use the email address and password, which you used during CHECKOUT in the SHOP. Use the FORGOT PASSWORD button, if you need to reset your password:
We can now move the License from you LEFT Side to the RIGHT Side with a Button Click (CHECK LICENSE BACK INTO THE POOL). This means, that the License becomes UNAVAILABLE on the current System and becomes AVAILABLE on ANY other System:
The next Screen shows the OTHER PC after logging into the License Manager. You simply reverse the Process now: Select the License on the RIGHT Side and move it with the Button to the Left Side (CHECK LICENSE FROM POOL TO LOCAL PC). PLAYDECK will now offer to activate the License and restart:
USB Dongle License
Simply detach the USB Dongle and attach it to another PC, then start PLAYDECK on that PC. Please note, that if you detach the Dongle while PLAYDECK is still running, PLAYDECK will close immediately and without prior notice. It is recommended to close PLAYDECK regularly to ensure, that all Data is saved properly.
Offline License
The Offline License is bound to the PLAYDECK System ID and can NOT be moved to another System by the Customer. Please write us at [email protected] to receive a new Offline License.
Backup License
We have a separate article on how to use the Backup License.
This article will show how to use the Free Backup License, which comes with every PLAYDECK License. The Backup License functions as follows:
Can be used with ANY PLAYDECK License (Dongle, Shop, Offline)
Can be used on ANY PLAYDECK-PC in the same network
Multiple Clients are supported
24/7 operation is NOT supported (max 24h per session)
1. Setup
On your MAIN System (the one WITH the License), you don’t have to do anything: The BACKUP LICENSE SYSTEM is enabled by default. It will use the WebSocket Port 11411, so make sure this Port is not blocked:
On the CLIENT System (the one WITHOUT the License), you perform a regular PLAYDECK installation, nothing special here: PLAYDECK will not start in TRIAL MODE with the watermark:
Now we need to tell CLIENT PLAYDECK, where to find the MAIN PLAYDECK, by providing the IP address of MAIN. To receive the IP address of your MAIN, you can simply open the ABOUT BOX in PLAYDECK (Main Menu > License > About):
On your CLIENT, go to Application Settings, enter the IP address of MAIN PLAYDECK and click TEST IP NOW. The CLIENT now tests the Network connection and searches for a valid License on MAIN. If you don’t see the following INFO POPUP, please check your MAIN License and your Network connection between MAIN and CLIENT:
You can now enable the feature by clicking BACKUP-SYSTEM. PLAYDECK will restart now with the exact same License of MAIN. You can verify, the CLIENT is using the Backup License correctly in several Displays:
Note: If the CLIENT has a valid License itself, the License of MAIN will NOT be used.
2. Rules of Backup-License
The Backup-License is not meant for 24/7 operation, but to provide a fail-safe for immediate operation, e.g. in a live production, and without the need to buy a secondary license, just to have a backup system for some use cases.
For unattended 24/7 operation, you would need to purchase a secondary license. Please contact use at [email protected], if your next License is for Backup only, and we will provide you with a appropriate discount.
The MAXIMUM RUNTIME of your BACKUP LICENSE will be: – 2 hours, if the MAIN gets disconnected or closed – 24 hours, if then MAIN stays online
PALYDECK will terminate the CLIENT without prior warning. So please make sure, to bring the MAIN back online within the 2 hour window, or to restart both MAIN and CLIENT within the 24 hour window.
You can control the remaining RUNTIME in the Settings of the CLIENT:
This article will show how to create a Slideshow with Transitions and output on the same Monitor.
1. Creating the Show
Open the integrated File Explorer by clicking the right-arrow between the Playlists. The search for your images folder, select all images and add the to the Playlist by Drag Drop:
Select any Clip in the Playlist and press CTRL+A to select all Clips, then select the Icon for DURATION and enter a suitable duration for each image, e.g. 15 seconds:
While al Clips are still selected, click the Icon TRANSITION next and add any transition. In this case we use a smooth long Fade Transition:
At the bottom of the Playlist you can see the total duration of your Slideshow:
2. Playing the Slideshow
You simply double-click the first Clip (or use Buttons CUE+PLAY), then double-click the Preview Area (or right-click and select FULLSCREEN). Your Playout will now be maximized to your Monitor Size, at maximum Quality. And the Mouse Cursor will be hidden. Use ESC to exit Fullscreen.
Note: During Fullscreen, you can use the SPACE Key to pause/u-pause Playback.
You can also output the video signal on a second monitor, or send it to your TV. You could also send it via NDI to another PC and open the signal with PLAYDECK (use the free Backup License), or VCL Mediaplayer or any other 3rd party app:
We want to create an Action Button, which will CUE several Output Channel and PLAY them simultaneously (almost synced).
Create a new Action Button by clicking on it and select COMMANDS, then EDIT COMMANDS:
Add this Line under “COMMANDS – Internal”: <cue|1|1><cue|2|1><wait|1000><play|1|1><play|2|1>
This will CUE Channel 1 and 2 (1st Clip 1st Block), then wait 1000ms (for caching), then PLAY both Channel.
List of all Commands and where to add them
The List of all Commands can be quickly opened over PLAYDECK’s Main Menu:
Commands can be added to:
Action Buttons (Start, End)
Overlay Button (Start, End)
Clips (Any Time)
Blocks (Start, End)
Mostly via this Icon:
Send Commands from other Apps
We have a separate article on how to control PLAYDECK with Companion.
But what, if it is not Companion, but a different 3rd party App? First, you would need to enable TCP Commands. This will open PLAYDECK up to receive and execute Commands from external sources:
In your 3rd party app, connect to PLAYDECK via TCP and send one or multiple Commands. In this Sample we use Hercules to send a Command, which will start Streams 1 and 2:
Note: AMP Video Server (Settings → Incoming) is a separate protocol for Ross Carbonite and Generic DDR switchers (default port 3811). It is not the same as TCP Commands In (default port 11375). For AMP setup, see AMP Video Server.
This article will show how to use bitfocus Companion together with PLAYDECK. Companion has a ready-to-use module for PLAYDECK. This is the most comfortable way to connect PLAYDECK to your ATEM Mixer or STREAMDECK.
The Companion Module has been developed and is maintained by Nick Semonov. He is a Community Developer and also a great guy to work with.
For native clip-list and transport control from a Ross Carbonite panel, use AMP Video Server in Settings → Incoming instead of Companion. Companion remains the best option for Stream Deck and ATEM button workflows. See AMP Video Server.
4. You are done, if Companion shows a GREEN Checkmark for this Connection. If you cant get a Connection, please disable your Firewall or allow TCP Port 11411.
Button Page with Presets
We will use Companion Presets to quickly create a fresh Page of Buttons for a casual Playout Situation.
1. Create a new Page, then go to PRESETS and select PLAYDECK
2. For our Sample we specifically want to target Channel 1. You could also use LISTS, which are dynamic and use the visible Channel in PLAYDECK (Left and Right). You could also control your ASSETS (Streams, Recordings). Select CHANNEL 1 to continue
3. With Drag & Drop we create a simple Playout Solution: Play Control with some Overlays. The Buttons are added with FEEDBACKS, meaning: You will get a RED Button according to the PLAY STATE (CUE, Playing, Paused, Stopped).
4. The PLAY Button also shows the remaining Clip Time during Playout:
5. Some Buttons need more Information for you, like the START OVERLAY Button. It needs to know, which Overlay(s) should be started:
Custom Commands instead of Actions
We will add any PLAYDECK Command to a Companion Button. This is useful, if you are more of a “code” type of person or if there a new Commands in PLAYDECK, which are (not yet) available in Companion. Its also possible to add multiple Commands at the same time.
1. We create a new Button and add a new Action. We now select CUSTOM COMMAND and click DONE
2. In PLAYDECK we open the COMMANDS LIST to review, which Command we want to use
3. We decide that we want to start multiple Overlays on several Channel and after that start 2 Streams:
4. We wrap up all Commands into one Line and copy it into the COMMANDS Field. If we then press our Button, we start our Overlays and our Streams, as all Commands are executed in the written order.
5. Another good example is starting 2 Channel synchronized:
<cue|1><cue|2><wait|1000><play|1><play|2>
This will CUE both Channel, then wait 1 Second for CUE being ready (Clip Caching), then PLAY both Channel.
Custom Button Feedbacks
Instead of using the pre-defined Feedbacks (e.g. PLAY STATE), you can use Companion VARIABLES to use many more Feedbacks. In this example we will start a specific Block and show its remaining Time on the Button.
1. We add a new Block to Channel #1 in PLAYDECK and rename it “MAIN PROGRAM”
2. Now we add a new Button to Companion and assign the CONTROL PLAY FLEX Action to the Button.
3. The PLAY FLEX Action allows us to play a Block by Name (instead of ID). We use the PATTERN “b:main c#1” to start our Block, as described in the COMMANDS LIST (PLAYDECK > Main Menu > Documentation):
4. We now have a Block Play Button, but we also want the remaining Block Time to display, once the Block is playing. For this we need to add a custom Feedback to the Button, which will check “some” variable and do “something”:
5. We check against the current playing Block by searching for “block name” in the VARIABLE field and add our Block “Main Program” as VALUE:
6. We then add TEXT as new STYLE PROPERTY, since our intention is to show the remaining Block Time:
7. Add “$(Playdeck:channel_1_block_remain)” as BUTTON TEXT STRING, and our Button is finished:
8. But how did we receive our BUTTON TEXT STRING? Companion will show you all available VARIABLES you can use in PLAYDECK. You can then click the small COPY ICON to transport the Variable to your Buttons:
This article will show how to load and edit YouTube Videos.
1. Load YouTube into PLAYDECK
You can directly Drag Drop any YouTube URL from your Browser to PLAYDECK:
Or you can use the Stream Drag Drop Icon to paste/edit the URL:
Your YouTube Videos is ready to play out-of-the-box. The quality will be pre-selected dependent on your Playlist Video Format and the Formats provided from YouTube.
Note: Avoid using long YouTube Links with Playlists like “…?v=0oIIRc0zc_U&list=RD0oIIRc0zc_U”, as they might not work or cause Lag/Stutter. We recommend using short links like “…?v=0oIIRc0zc_U”.
2. Update YouTube Driver
Should the added YouTube Clip be shown as UNPLAYABLE/RED in PLAYDECK, please update the integrated YouTube Driver. Chances are, YouTube made changes to its platform and you need a newer driver from us:
3. Change Quality, Video and Audio
YouTube Videos are always available in different qualities. You can switch Video Tracks by right-clicking the YouTube Video:
Note: YouTube provides combined Video+Audio Tracks, which are much faster. If you switch to non-combined Video Track, caching can take much longer and seeking can desync video/audio.
Please use these guidelines to choose or build the right hardware for your PLAYDECK system. While PLAYDECK can play virtually any codec on any Windows machine, professional video playout requires robust hardware to guarantee zero frame drops.
Choose the production archetype below that aligns with your upcoming project requirements.
1. The “Set-and-Forget” Fixed Installation
Designed for: Stationary installations, corporate showrooms, medical facilities, schools, and digital signage.
If you need a compact, dedicated unit to seamlessly manage 1 or 2 channels of standard H.264 playback, look for small form-factor builds that do not compromise on hardware decoding.
Our Recommendation: A performance-tier mini PC like the ASUS NUC 14 Performance or ASUS ROG NUC. Avoid the standard baseline office NUC models. Ensure your chosen mini PC configuration specifically includes a discrete NVIDIA RTX GPU (such as an RTX 4060 or 4070 laptop chip) to guarantee stutter-free H.264 timeline performance.
2. The Mobile Video Director
Designed for: Event tech providers, traveling AV crews, festivals, and remote live streaming.
If you deploy temporary live setups, push video to regional LED walls, or broadcast from mobile command stations, a thermal-efficient mobile rig is mandatory.
Our Recommendation: High-performance, current-generation workstation or gaming laptops engineered for continuous maximum thermal load (such as the XMG ULTRA or Lenovo Legion Pro series). For broadcast environments, scale the laptop’s connectivity by pairing it with a Blackmagic UltraStudio capture and playback device via a high-bandwidth Thunderbolt interface.
3. The Broadcast & Studio Professional
Designed for: TV stations, multi-screen matrix setups, and 24/7 master control environments.
When your infrastructure handles simultaneous UHD/4K master outputs, heavily utilizes network protocols like NDI®, or handles deep layers of graphic lower-thirds, you require raw hardware overhead.
Our Recommendation: A custom-built rackmount or tower workstation pairing a multi-core processor with a desktop NVIDIA RTX 4070 / 4080 GPU or higher, paired with hardware-locked internal SDI I/O cards (such as the Blackmagic DeckLink series).
Legacy Systems & The CPU-Only Safety Net
If your team is working with an existing office computer or an older laptop running basic integrated graphics (like Intel UHD Graphics), you do not necessarily have a hopeless case. PLAYDECK can adapt to older architectures if you configure the processing pipeline correctly.
If you encounter stuttering, timeline lag, or stability problems on older office hardware, apply this configuration fallback inside the application settings:
Open your PLAYDECK settings.
Locate the Application configuration settings.
Switch the GPU Pipeline parameter to <CPU only>.
Switch the Decoding GPU parameter to <CPU only>.
Important Deployment Caveats for Legacy Hardware: When fallback mode is active, your system CPU takes over the entire workload. To ensure successful execution without frame drops, you must limit your project scope: restrict your playout to a single channel, downscale your timeline target to standard 1080p Full HD, and ensure your playback clips match a highly optimized, lightweight playback format.
Technical Performance Metrics (For Professionals)
If your engineering department is evaluating existing inventory or sourcing custom parts, use these performance baselines.
1. The GPU Decoding Hierarchy
While alternative graphics options exist, they are not architecturally identical for live broadcast workloads:
NVIDIA RTX Architecture (Industry Standard): Highly recommended. NVIDIA’s dedicated NVDEC/NVENC blocks provide optimal hardware decoding throughput for standard broadcast clip formats, specifically H.264 and HEVC video streams.
Intel ARC Systems: Suitable for secondary deployments. They handle modern AV1 streams effectively and offer competent DVB 4:2:2 encoding, but do not match the overall parallel decoding capacity of an NVIDIA workstation chip under multi-channel production loads.
Intel UHD Onboard Graphics: Strictly intended for lightweight, single-channel legacy fallback usage using the CPU-only adjustments outlined above.
AMD Radeon Platforms: Hardware-accelerated video decoding via AMD is not officially supported inside PLAYDECK.
2. Target PassMark Benchmarks
If you are unsure of your current hardware performance levels, you can check your system components directly on the official PassMark Software Benchmark Database.
Your system’s central processor handles severe system strain if your workflow requires any of the following processing types:
High-bitrate master formats that bypass GPU decoding pipelines entirely (e.g., Apple ProRes, HAP, or Avid DNxHD).
Multi-destination network routing using NDI® outputs, as these matrix encoders rely purely on your host processor.
Intense deployment of live-rendered HTML graphics, data-driven lower-thirds, or real-time alpha-channel video overlays.
Hardware Output Cards
To bypass operating system desktop layer interference, maximize color accuracy, and maintain a strict hardware-locked framerate control signal, offload your primary feeds to a dedicated PCIe or Thunderbolt video interface.
PLAYDECK maintains native compatibility with major broadcast hardware lines, including:
Blackmagic Design (DeckLink / UltraStudio)
AJA Video Systems
Deltacast & Bluefish444
Magewell, Osprey, and Stream Labs
ASIO & Dante Virtual Soundcard audio endpoints
Pre-Flight Troubleshooting Checklist
If you experience playback stutter, audio sync issues, or unexpected lag during configuration, run through this quick self-diagnostic checklist before contacting support.
Check the <CPU only> toggle: If running on an office laptop with integrated Intel graphics, ensure both GPU Pipeline and Decoding GPU are set to <CPU only> in the settings menu.
Verify Windows Power Plans: Laptops often throttle performance on battery. Connect your device to a power outlet and change your Windows power plan to High Performance or Best Performance.
Monitor the Playback Clock: Look at the integrated performance monitor in PLAYDECK during playback. If the frame counter drops or turns red, your hardware is hitting a performance bottleneck.
Match Output Refresh Rates: Ensure the refresh rate of your Windows display settings (e.g., 50Hz or 60Hz) exactly matches the output frame rate of your project settings in PLAYDECK.
Inspect the Clip Codec: If a specific video causes issues, verify its properties. High-bitrate 4K files or uncompressed formats will overwhelm basic system processors. Use an H.264 MP4 file for the safest baseline test.
Update the I/O Drivers: If using Blackmagic DeckLink or UltraStudio hardware, ensure you have the latest version of Desktop Video installed via the Blackmagic Design support page.
Welcome to the official PLAYDECK documentation. This comprehensive user guide is engineered to help you configure, automate, and operate your playout system flawlessly—whether you deploy on-site or in cloud-based remote production environments.
💡 Localized Production Workflows: To ensure flawless operation in high-pressure environments worldwide, the entire PLAYDECK software user interface natively supports 9 international languages.
PLAYDECK scales from simple single-channel setups to complex broadcast infrastructures. Before diving into the specific configuration chapters below, ensure you understand the core capabilities of your edition:
Multi-Channel Playout: Manage and route up to 8 completely independent output channels simultaneously. Organize your videos, graphics, audio tracks, live inputs, or IP streams instantly via our high-speed drag-and-drop playlist interface.
Real-Time Transcoding: Feed your playlist with almost any common video codec or container. The internal PLAYDECK engine automatically scales, converts, and transcodes all assets to match your global hardware output format in real time.
Flexible Signal Routing: Output your pristine feeds via professional hardware I/O cards (Blackmagic Design, AJA, Deltacast, etc.), native low-latency NDI® streams, secure SRT feeds, or the Windows extended desktop.
Advanced Control & Automation: Take absolute command of your production flow using rapid physical keyboard shortcuts, automated Tally interfaces, standardized network TCP/IP commands, or our native module built for Bitfocus Companion and Elgato Stream Deck systems. AMP Video Server: Native Generic DDR integration for Ross Carbonite and compatible switchers — browse clips and control playout from the switcher panel.
Studio Edition: Real-Time Ingest & Audio Power
If you are operating the PLAYDECK Studio Edition, you have access to expanded broadcast-grade workflows:
4-Channel Recording & Focused Edit-While-Ingest: Capture up to 4 dedicated recording streams simultaneously. One designated master channel can be utilized for active Edit-While-Ingest clip generation, allowing you to use high-speed keyboard shortcuts to trim, cut, and push highlight clips to your playlist instantly while the background recording continues uninterrupted.
Native ASIO & Dante Support: Route complex multichannel audio effortlessly with native, high-performance integration for ASIO devices and Dante Virtual Soundcard (DVS) managing up to 32 independent audio channels.
How to Navigate This Documentation
Please use the navigation menu in the left sidebar to access specific technical chapters. The menu automatically expands to guide you through our step-by-step guides on Hardware, Playlists, Routing, and Automation.
Sometimes, in Live Productions, you have to send the Audio delayed compared to the Video, to compensate for the processing Lag of huge LCD Screens (Lipsync). Or add a Limiter/Gate to the Microphone Input Audio.
This is actually pretty fast to implement in PLAYDECK. You add the ADELAY Audio Filter to the Channel like this. In this example we set 600ms Delay for Audio Channel 1 and 2:
This can also be set to INPUTS to compensate for any incoming Lipsync Issue.
Copy Audio and Delay
You can also COPY the Audio Channel 1 and 2 to Audio Channel 3 and 4 and delay those. The use case here is, that the Audio Mixer Person has Live Preview Audio.
This needs to be done on the Playlist Level, so clear any Audio Filter in the Settings.
First, make sure to increase the Audio Channel for your Output Channel, otherwise all Audio Channel above 2 will not be processed:
The Right-Click any Playlist Item and select AUDIO CHANNEL MAPPING:
This will copy Audio Channel 1 and 2 to Audio Channel 3 and 4:
Now right-click the Playlist Item again, select AUDIO FILTER and add the ADELAY Filter, but only for Audio Channel 3 and 4:
More Audio Filter
For a complete List of all Audio Filter, click SHOW SAMPLES. This will open a TEXT FILE with Examples.
