NewTek TriCaster Advanced Edition User Guide - Manual (Page 301)

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codecs, codec packs and the like downloaded from Internet sites, etc. For the sake of stability, if an AVI clip
does not play well in the DDR, please consider converting it to a ‘friendlier’ format. We can recommend
NewTek’s own SpeedHQ, or perhaps DV (for Standard Definition clips), M2T or MPG – please continue
reading for more information on file conversion.
R EMUXING C LIPS
Even when a specific AVI exists and can generally be considered ‘friendly’, the manner in which audio and
video data is multiplexed (or ‘muxed’, in the jargon) by some few applications can cause playback issues that
are only evident under stress. That is, a clip that plays back adequately in a typical player or NLE application
may not do as well when played in a DDR at times when many other concurrent operations are occurring
simultaneously.
In general, remuxing such files is all that is needed to obtain good performance. One approach is to use any
of a number of freely obtainable remuxing utilities. A quick Internet search for “remux avi” turns up several
applications you could use, some free. Installed on an external system, these will remux AVI files losslessly,
resolving the issue.
You may prefer one of several simpler approaches that can be performed right on your TriCaster. For
example, if the clip will play properly in a DDR when the system is not heavily loaded with other tasks, you
could simply put the DDR on Program output, click Record, play the clip, and stop recording. With a little
trimming of the recorded clip you’ll have a very usable file.
Or, you can use SpeedEDIT – its Convert to SpeedHQ feature (found in the Filebin’s context menu) can easily
convert a number of clips in a single operation.
F LASH (F4V)
F4V format files written by Adobe® Flash Media Encoder are incompatible with most video playback
applications (even those from Adobe). The developer has explained the situation as follows:
“Adobe Flash Media Server version 3.5 and later and Adobe Flash Media Live Encoder 3 can record content
in MPEG-4 (F4V) format using an industry-standard recording technology known as “fragments” or “moof
atoms.” Some MPEG-4 compatible tools and players do not support moof atoms, and therefore cannot
recognize files recorded by Flash Media Server. The F4V Post Processor tool aggregates the information
from all the moof atoms into a single moov atom and outputs a new file”
Unconverted F4V files imported will not play in TriCaster’s DDR either. Conveniently, TriCaster can automate
the conversion for you to a degree. If you locate the folder named Media\Clips\sessionname\SavedStreams
on your primary session drive, you will see the “raw” (unprocessed) streaming file(s) and a batch file (.bat)
that can be used to convert all files in that folder.
Simply double-click the .bat file to initiate processing. (Note that processing can take some time, so don’t do
this just before a production.) Output files will be placed in the same folder after conversion.
Hint: The .bat file supports several additional features if employed with command line switches. A readme file
located in the same folder provides details of these alternatives.
If you prefer to perform this post-processing on another computer, you can transfer the raw files to it and
use the Adobe F4V Post Processor tool, available from the URL below (requires an account to login):