DT Videolabs PlaybackPro Plus - Manual (Page 3)

PlaybackPro Plus User Guide
Page 2
Operation
Before You Begin:
PlaybackPro Plus is a multi channel player, with more extensive controls for
advanced operators than PlaybackPro.
In order to do Cuts and Transitions, a Preview clip must be pre-rolled while the
Program clip is playing. When a clip is placed in Preview it is automatically and
immediately pre-rolled, even if a clip is playing in Program. This is different than in
PlaybackPro. Subsequently, the operator must be aware of machine limitations
(especially disk bandwidth). When doing a mix transition, two clips are playing
simultaneously, which requires much greater computer resources. For HD playback, a
MacPro with an internal or external RAID array is recommended.
PlaybackPro Plus can be used with the SimpleSync application for easy and flexible
multiple machine synchronization (sync rolls). PlaybackPro Plus requires Mac OSX
10.5 (Leopard) or newer. 3GB of RAM or more is recommended.
PlaybackPro Plus scales to any hardware, but may be limited by the computer’s
processor speed, disk bandwidth and graphics power.
It is designed to run on a system with two outputs (or a laptop with an external
output). The primary screen (the one with menus) is for the interface. The secondary
output (which can be reordered under Displays, in the Hardware Section of System
Preferences) is for playback.
PlaybackPro Plus automatically adjusts to the aspect ratio of the external display. To
manually change the output resolution (or aspect ratio if no external display is
present), click Setup in the top right corner of the Program Screen.
When a Show File is opened, the application looks for the USB Enabler Key. If not
found, a dialog box will be displayed. If you have an Enabler Key, insert it and click
Okay. If you do not have a key, click Run As Demo. Demo mode is fully-functional,
except for a watermark that is displayed on the output. Demo mode is generally used
for setting up a show off-line, or learning the application.
PlaybackPro Plus saves shows as individual documents. Multiple shows can be
created and switched between.
Clips are not stored internally within the Show File, they are simply references of
clips on a hard drive or network. For best results, store on a drive other than where
the operating system and application reside. Virtually any file type can be played by
installing third-party QuickTime plug-ins.