ANALOG WAY Picturall Pro Mark II 16K Modular Media Server User Manual

Picturall series
Picturall Media
Servers Changelog

Picturall Pro Mark II 16K Modular Media Server

Before updating the server firmware and Commander UI, please remember to

• save your show in Commander UI, see user manual 11.1
• save configurations in configurator, see user manual 5.1.11
• After updating to firmware version 3.4.0 or newer, the later updates can be done (to any newer version) with the Firmware management tool, see user manual 5.4

Release 3.5.6 – February 22, 2024
This release contains some fixes and improvements.

Server

• Fixed: media playback not advancing to the next media when seeking to the end of a media (#6592)
• Fixed: resuming input playback after a lost signal could display image from different input channel (#6760)
• Fixed: reliability of cue sync between multiple servers (#6646)
• Fixed: virtual display modes when used together with display signal splitters, such as DPH104. (#6648)
  • Please note that the virtual display division is applied to signal splitter input, not individual outputs.
• Fixed: a timecode trigger failing to work under specific conditions when using wallclock as source (#6577)
• Fixed: playback not advancing to next cue when wallclock advances past midnight (#6609)
• Fixed: a single media drive server referring to RAID modes when formatting the media drive (#6694)
• Fixed: an error that could prevent formatting media drives (#6709)
• Fixed: a playback error with specific PNG picture files (#6507)
• Fixed: a cue macro not executing when the cue has no other content (#6572)
• Fixed: a brief flash of layer underneath when using media with mismatching audio and video stream lengths and with specific end actions (#6588)
• Fixed: LTC configuration missing from configuration overview and pending configuration page (#6740)
• Fixed: using web media manager preventing the use of the media drive formatting tool (#6765)
• Fixed: custom display resolution edit button not directly opening the resolution edit page (#6781)
• Fixed: media file synchronization with filenames using multibyte characters (#6550)
• Fixed: specific display refresh rates causing playback to freeze or increase in playback speed after a long period of time (#6684)
• Fixed: creating an unsupported streaming display configuration is now prevented in display configurator (#6782)
• Fixed: framelock status queries are now only performed when frame lock status page is open (#6810)
• Added: Display a warning when importing configuration file with unsupported content (#6476)
• Added: Configurator validates that given manual IP-address is not already used in the local network (#6404)
• Added: Option to disable performance optimizations for troubleshooting purposes (#6700)
• Improved web media playback reliability (#6602)
• Updated: NDI to version 5.6 (#6813)

Commander

• Added: Native MacOS Commander for Apple M-series CPUs. (#5473)
  • Please note that you will need to use the Commander version specific to your MacOS CPU-type. For all recent MacOS computers, use Commander for Apple M-series CPUs.

Release 3.5.5 – August 8, 2023
This is a hot fix release.

Server

• Fixed: Genlock not working properly after a reboot (#6598)

Commander

• No changes.

Release 3.5.4 – July 7, 2023
This is a bug fix release.

Server

• Fixed: An audio glitch with play-next or loop-collection end actions (#6574)
• Fixed: Network driver related Dante issues on Picturall Mark 2 servers (#6558)
• Fixed: Audio not working at the beginning of the media (#6417)

Commander

• No changes.

Release 3.5.3 – May 10, 2023
This release contains some fixes and improvements and adds support for disabling NDI discovery on selected network interfaces.

Server

• Added: Support for manually disabling NDI discovery on network interfaces (#6467)
• Updated: NDI to version 5.5.4 (#6494)
• Fixed: Certain network issues caused by IPv6 (#6412)
• Fixed: Enabling Dante can cause playback freezes under specific conditions (#6417)
• Fixed: A deleted media file on a stopped layer can decrease playback performance (#6414)
• Fixed: SPX settings being accessible to users with restricted access (#6427)
• Fixed: Error image displaying on stopped layers (#6424)
• Fixed: Looping collection trying to play a deleted media file (#6409)
• Fixed: Changing media end action from media library not taking effect on layers currently playing the media (#6411)
• Fixed: An issue when changing media end action while crossfade is in progress (#6482)
• Fixed: NDI config file can break configuration (#6419)
• Fixed: A visual glitch at the end of a radial crossfade transition (#6483)
• Fixed: A visual glitch on media change with play mode Next (#6459)
• Removed: Identify-button from Network configuration (#6403)

Commander

• Fixed: macOS hotkeys not working (#5586)
• Fixed: in some conditions a reset macro reappears (#5590)

Release 3.5.2 – December 19, 2022
This release contains some fixes and improvements and adds support for multiple simultaneous Vioso calibration files.

Server

• Added: Support for multiple simultaneous Vioso calibration files (#6338)
• Added: Now possible to configure NDI network settings (#6384)
• Fixed: Only one network connector appearing on Twin Compact Mark II configuration (#6386)
• Fixed: MTC pause not working correctly (#6390)
• Fixed: A situation where the front panel IP address would not update (#6374)
• Fixed: Cases where formatting media drives could fail (#6388)
• Fixed: Setting layer crossfade to Disabled can skip a media (#6358)
• Fixed: NDI stream stuck to 60Hz (#6345)
• Fixed: A server crash related to media linesize (#6380)

Commander

• Added: Support for multiple simultaneous Vioso calibration files (#5582)

Release 3.5.1 – October 18, 2022
This release contains support for Vioso autocalibration and SPX graphics.
Note: Due to new hardware drivers the update installation process can take 2-3 minutes longer than usual and includes an additional system reboot. Do not force shut-down the server or unplug from a power source until the update is ready.

Server

• Added: Vioso autocalibration support for displays (#5870)
• Added: SPX graphics (#5993 #5956)
  • SPX graphics can be enabled or disabled in configurator on “SPX graphics” page. By default, SPX graphics is enabled. When enabled, SPX media files can be used, and SPX controller is publicly accessible at server IP at port 5656.
• Improved time synchronization with NTP (#5666)
  • New “Rapid synchronization” mode can be used with custom NTP-servers. This mode is only recommended with local and non-public NTP-servers. When enabled, the server attempts to query the configured NTP-server more frequently and applies all changes faster. Using the mode with public NTP-server on the Internet is not recommended.
• Improved Display Stream and destination configuration (#6004 #6030)
  • Display stream and destination configuration have been updated to better accommodate multiple destinations for a single stream.
  • Please note that display configuration for streams and destinations created with 3.5.1 or newer will not be fully compatible when used in previous server firmware versions.
• Improved network bandwidth detection (#6205)
• Added audio support for UDP streams (#6268)
• Added: Extended language support for displaying web content. (#6231)
• Added: Display more status messages during installation and first boot (#5199)
• Added: New firmware version can be downloaded by the server from a given URL. This can be useful when the server is connected to a high-speed network, but the operator PC has only low-speed connection available. This feature can be found in the “Tools”, “Firmware” -page. (#5952)
• Added: support for performance monitoring network bandwidth (#5936)
• Added: a warning on audio configuration if configured audio device is disconnected (#6320)
• Fixed: high CPU usage on paused web media (#6177)
• Fixed: playback quality issue when using display with uncommon refresh rate (#6125)
• Fixed: display grid and selected grid test images (#6148)
• Fixed: audio playback quality issue with Presonus audio cards (#6076)
• Fixed: the issue which prevented playback of high resolution .tga image sequence. Previously the playback was limited to 16384-pixels of width or height. Now .tga sequences up to 65535-pixels of width or height can be played. (#5901)
• Fixed: audio playback quality issue with streams when network conditions are less than optimal (#6057)
• Fixed: Fix system info test image not displaying fractional refresh rates (#6254)
• Fixed: some cases where audio could drift from the video (#6268, #6332)
• Fixed: audio device disconnect can cause playback to halt (#6279)
• Fixed: server failing to start without configured audio devices (#6341)
• Fixed: NDI not finding streams immediately after a reboot (#5800)
• Fixed: layer draw priority not working correctly (#6354)
• Fixed: media end action Next not working correctly (#6355)

Commander

• Vioso autocalibration support. (#5540 #5579)
  o Vioso panel can be found from Windows menu and active connection node when connected to a server with Vioso calibration support.
  o Existing Vioso calibration file can be downloaded or uploaded. Uploading a new Vioso calibration file will replace the existing file.
  o The Vioso calibration file is also automatically included in the showfile (if available, can be deselected)
  o Vioso calibration can be enabled or disabled.
  o Vioso calibration cannot be started from the Commander, but if the calibration is running, it can be stopped with the Commander.
  o If a display is calibrated and the calibration enabled, the display will use special icon in display list and “(VIOSO)”-prefix to indicate that the display is using Vioso-autocalibration.

• SPX graphics can be used as a media. (#5544)
  o To play SPX content, add SPX graphics from Server files Generators folder to the media library.
  o Specify resolution for SPX playback. Full HD is most compatible but 4K and custom resolution can also be used. Please verify that the SPX templates you will be using are compatible with the selected resolution. All built-in SPX templates are compatible with common resolutions.
  o SPX webplayout layers setting can be used to display only specific SPX layers.
  o Please refer to SPX controller for SPX layers used by SPX templates. In most cases, default setting of all SPX layers is recommended.
  o SPX preview can be used to create a dedicated SPX preview display. SPX preview previews the SPX template currently selected in the SPX controller.

• Cue and cue stack macros can be created for SPX graphics. (#5551)
  o Macro dialog contains new wizards for generating SPX graphics macros.
  o “Control SPX rundown item” can be used to send play, continue, or stop command to specific SPX template item on a specific rundown and project.
  o Project and rundown can be selected from the dropdown and item id must be checked from the SPX controller.
  o “Invoke SPX template function on a SPX layer” can be used to invoke a custom javascript function on a SPX template. Instead of project and rundown, webplayout layer in which the SPX template is running on must be specified. Only one function argument can be used, but custom format can be used to combine multiple values into single string.

• Performance monitor contains RX (receive/download) and TX (transmit/upload) counters for each enabled network interface on the connected server (Server #5936).
  o Note that enabling or disabling server network interface requires manual server reboot for the change to be visible in the performance monitor.

• Fixed error when loading a showfile with GPU pixel space data (#5566)

NOTE: Due to new software and driver requirements, the following Picturall Media Server models are no longer supported with 3.5. firmware.

PREVIOUS
VERSIONS

Release 3.4.1 – June 6, 2022
This release contains some fixes and improvements and adds support for non- keyframed UDP streams.

Server

• Added: Support non-keyframed UDP streams. (#6083)
  o To enable support, add suffix ?show_all=true to udp stream url.

• Improved error handling when connection is lost (#6097)

• Fixed: Unexpected noise when using Fireface UFX II audio card (#6181)

• Fixed: Playback quality degradation with specific display refresh rates (#6125)

• Fixed: Incompatibility with specific video files (#6098)

• Fixed: Error image customization (#6086)

• Fixed: Sync service disabling cue database access even when cue sync wasn’t enabled (#6085)

Commander

• No changes

Release 3.4.0 – April 5, 2022
This release contains support for NDI™ streaming displays, firmware update with the web configurator, synchronizing layer timecode over network and automatic backup synchronization.

Server

• Added: configurable audio channel routing with support for multiple concurrent audio cards (#5767)

• Added: support for updating firmware through web configurator (#5605)
  o NOTE: Firmware manager tool can only be used to install firmware version 3.4.0 or newer

• Added: support for output streaming using NDI (#5437)
  o NOTE: Using streaming display requires at least one physical output to be enabled

• Added: synchronizing layer timecode over network (#5520)

• Added: synchronizing media files, media library, exported show and cue data to other Picturall servers. (#4431)

• Added: support for DPH104 firmware 2.0.1 (#5876)

• Added: fade at loop point option to media fading settings in media manager (#5714)

• Added: reload webpage for sending reload command to playing web media from text protocol or from cue macro. (#5717)

• Network interfaces now support IPv4 Link-Local addresses. (#5753)
  o When a network interface is configured to auto mode, it will self-assign an IPv4 address from 169.254.0.0/16 range when DHCP lease is not acquired.
  o This will improve compatibility with various network configurations when using automatic network mode and Dante setups without DHCP server.

• Updated NDI libraries to NDI 5 (#5603)

• Fixed: first boot can fail to complete with specific server models (#5837)

• Fixed: spurious warning when media drive is full (#5825)

• Fixed: Commander fails to connect to a server with a control model related error message (#4135)

• Fixed: Inverse display output order in some conditions (#5854)

• Fixed: more stable performance with genlock option in use (#5970)

• Fixed: compatibility issue with UDP streams containing PTZ data (#6006)

Commander

• Other Picturall servers in a network can be used as sync source and timecode provider. (#5482)
  o Four net items are supported.
  o Net items can be connected to specific sync/timecode item on another server from net item contextual menu.
  o Any available remote item detected by the connected server will be selectable on the contextual menu. If none is selected, net item has no effect.

• Sync source and timecode provider offsets can now also be adjusted from contextual menu. (#5335)
  o When selecting sync/timecode item, open contextual menu and select Edit offset to adjust offsets.

• Layer audio mixer now uses new mixer configured in the server web configurator. (#5532)
  o Each mixer channel now connects to adjustable device channel. If mixer channel is not connected to an active device channel, this will be indicated in the mixer.
  o Mixer row represents mixer channel and column represents media audio channel.
  Previously, rows were used for media channels and columns mixer channels.
  o When loading a showfile with old mixer settings, the Commander will notify user and adapt the mixer settings to the new mixer format if user accepts.

• Cue stack entries can now be moved with drag and drop (#5501)
  o from cue stack in cue stack list
  o from cue stack in playback into another cue stack in cue stack list, or in playback
  o Previously using a drag and drop would cause source cue of the entry to be added to the target cue stack as a new cue stack entry.

• Displays can be named. (#5522)
  o To rename a display, select display on the Display list of the Display tab, open contextual menu and select rename action from the menu.

• Default display name includes display resolution and refresh rate when available. Output identifier is also included. (#5522)

• Fixed scheduling time could be unexpectedly rounded when closing scheduling dialog. (#5502)

• Fixed an issue which caused programmer to clear when saving to a cue while holding down ctrl or cmd key. (#5519)

• Fixed change sync source and select timecode provider dialogs not remembering selected item. (#5513)

• Fixed Edit offset action for LTC not remembering current value (#5514)

• Fixed blank property view for cue stack entry trigger event summary when no event type is selected (#5518)

UPDATE 3.4.0 notes & known issues:
Customers using LTC:
After 3.4.0 update: Input channel 1 is channel 1 in audio device. Channel 0 is no longer a valid value. Previously in LTC configuration input channel 0 was channel 1 in audio device.
There is known compatibility issue with 3.4.0 and specific audio devices. If you are using PreSonus 192 Studio or Presonus 192 Studio Mobile, please ensure they have been manually configured to 44100 Hz sample rate before using them.

• For example, connect the audio card to a Windows 10 PC. Right-click on task bar audio icon and select Sound. From this menu right-click on the connected audio card and select Properties. From device properties, select Advanced tab and from there set the bit rate to 44100 Hz and select Apply.

Known issues

General

• Disconnecting and reconnecting a server’s Dante network interface can cause an audible beep for a few seconds.
• Various operations may slow down significantly while the GUI is transferring large files over FTP. This is due to the fact that the file transfer consumes the network bandwidth required for interacting with the server. For best results avoid transferring large files during the show or while making significant changes to the configuration, e.g. while loading a show file.
• Using both Dante audio and NDI ip stream via the same network interface can cause performance issues in some situations.
• Picturall server supports 32 channels of audio, but only 16 channels can be enabled to one media file / media layer. For more than 16 audio source channels use two layers in sync.
  WARNINIG: audio sync between two files (and output devices) is not sample accurate and can cause distortion.

Server

• Please note that whenever the server front panel is displaying at framelock information page, playback performance can be reduced due queries performed. For optimal playback performance, do not leave server front panel at framelock page.
• Appearance of Test images on cropped displays might not represent the effective cropped area for media playback.
• Audio volume does not fade in or out during a media crossfade. If audio change is required during a media crossfade, cues can be used to program desired audio volume fade.
• When installing a new firmware version from a USB drive on Picturall Twin or Picturall Twin Compact, any existing firmware version installer is removed, even if an option to keep existing firmware installers is selected during the installation.
• Factory reset animation on the server output might not appear when performing the factory reset.
• Virtual NDI display output cannot be used to perform VIOSO calibration. To perform a VIOSO calibration, please use a display output from a physical display connector.
• Media end action next can fail to be performed when using media files with a duration of around a second. As a workaround, use slightly longer or shorter media.
• Reconfiguring cue synchronization multiple times can lead the cue synchronization failing to start. As a workaround, reset synchronization setup with factory reset on all servers involved, and perform synchronization setup again.
• Media autostart does not occur when server is operated with DMX and Artnet offset is 10
• When the media file has audio in it, the FPS control appears enabled, even though it is not possible to adjust this value.
• It is not recommended that you overwrite files that are playing on the server through an FTP connection as this is not supported and might result in the server crashing.
• Using multiple display devices with different refresh rates is not recommended as this may cause stuttering.
• DPX image sequences support only 24bit and 10bit rgb (gbrp10le) colors. Playback of other color spaces can lead to unspecified behavior
• Seeking and frame stepping with paused video only seeks / steps to closest keyframe.
• ProRes implementation does not support alpha channel.
• 10-bit colors only work when display is configured for auto mode.
• Forcing Dual-Link DVI resolution from 4xHDMI or 4xDP connectors can cause system to become unstable.
• If a DisplayPort is disconnected and reconnected from display, or if display loses the DP signal, a manual display refresh must be done to reconnect the display. This applies to servers without genlock.
• Note that the server has an adjustable maximum layer size. Media files that have larger resolution than the configured maximum size is automatically downscaled to the maximum size. This does not apply to AWX media files or when using replace draw mode. The maximum layer size can be adjusted in Configurator → Server configuration → max layer width and max layer height.
• Playback of some specific combinations of audio formats and sample rates can produce unexpected crackling noise when using USB audio device.

Commander

• The server supports multiple concurrent Commander connections, but only one instance of Commander can run by default on a single PC or Mac.
  o To run multiple instances of Commander on a same PC or Mac, each instance requires separate folder to store user preferences.
  o To specify non-default folder, add –userdir parameter and folder to use to Commander shortcut. For example –userdir “C:\Users\my_user\secondcommander”. → Please note that shortcut must be updated if a new Commander version is installed.

• Commander can fail to start on Mac models with Apple M -chips with following error message: o If this error appears, please manually install Rosetta (run Console command softwareupdate –install-rosetta) or run some other program which triggers Rosetta installation.

• Please note that Commander for MacOS is available from 3.5.6 version onwards as two separate versions based on Mac chip type. For current Mac models with Apple M -chips, please use “Picturall Commander for macOS with Apple M chip”. For older Mac models with with Intel CPUs, please use “Picturall Commander for macOS with Intel CPU”.

• On Windows, the system requirement is Windows 10 or Windows 11 x64. On Arm-based Windows computers Commander UI will not start properly.

• Display graph area for cropped display doesn’t correctly display the area of effective cropped display.

• Adjusting display cropping X/Y causes display area in display graph representation to shift. Please follow server output when making adjustment to display cropping to ensure expected results.

• Performing multiple repeated resync genlock actions can cause server playback to stop.

• On Layer Advanced options, the Frame blending option has no effect.

• Use of Seek to outpoint -action with a media collection that contains audio only media can lead to use incorrect media end action stop being performed. As a workaround, please double click next media instead of using seek to outpoint -action.

• Commander on MacOS can fail to display contents of a specific folders. As a workaround, please try using a different folder.

• Commander on Windows can fail to display contents of a special folders, such as mounted network drive. As a workaround, please try using a different folder.

• Attempting to rename a media in Layers Media Control panel causes layer to be renamed instead of the selected media. As a workaround, please use Media library to rename media.

• Changing “Stop repeating after” value with keyboard in Cue scheduling dialog can cause unexpected Start date to change due dialog preventing end date from being before start date.

• Help button in Server info can be clicked, but has no functionality associated.

• Copy keyboard shortcut cannot be used to copy multiple media files. Please use contextual menu action instead.

• Auto is only permitted target file value for sequences. This setting appears in transfer local files dialog.

• Remember last server browser path option does not work with Inputs folder.

• When dragging media in Media Library, media must be dropped into slot and not between slots.

• Macro name is not permitted to contain dot character

• Font sizes smaller than 10 and larger than 18 are not supported. Some fonts can render text non-visible. If font selector preview does not show valid preview, do not use the font. Font style settings (bold, italics) is not honored by all texts.

• Changing display resolution or type on the computer running the Commander while the Commander is running, can cause unspecified behavior. Please make any required changes to local display resolution or type before starting the Commander

• On Windows, updating to Commander 2.9.3 or newer version resets Commander saved connections, Commander options and layer macros made with any previous Commander version. Also, any connection, option or layer macro made in Commander 2.9.3 and later will not be visible with older Commander versions. This behavior is specific only to Windows version of Commander.
  o To keep existing connections, options and layer macros: before updating to Commander 2.9.3 (or newer version), please manually copy folder
  C:\Users\\AppData\Roaming\.picturallcommander to the folder
  C:\Users\\ ( is the username of the Windows user)
  o If C:\Users\\.picturallcommander folder already exists, it can be removed before copying the old .picturallcommander folder à Notice: if you have saved connections, options and layer macros with Commander 2.9.3 (or newer) they will be removed

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