Production Computer

The production computer is the heart of your WATCHOUT show. Collect all the source material – media – for your presentation here and create your show using WATCHOUT production software. 

The production computer talks to the media servers over a network, transferring files for you as required, as well as controlling the playback of the show. It can also be used for audio playback while running the show. 

WATCHOUT software is available in several languages to ensure a smooth user experience.

A typical production computer setup:

* 15” laptop (able to run Windows 7)
* NVIDIAQuadroM2000MGraphics
* 16-32 GB RAM
* 256-512GB SSD solid-state drive (operating system and WATCHOUT)
* Additional disk for media (up to 4TB depending on show requirements)

Stage window

This is where you organize displays and projectors to reflect their expected position in real-life. The Stage window gives you a preview of the end result, and lets you manipulate the position and movement of images. You can also render a visualization of the show to share with colleagues or clients.  

Main Timeline

Media files are dragged into a timeline window where they appear as cues. You determine timing and duration by adjusting the position and length of these cues. The layers in the timeline represent the back-to-front stacking order of overlapping content. Apply tweens to adjust and control the dynamic behaviour of the cues.

Auxiliary Timelines

You can add an infinite number of auxiliary timelines to your show. These are started and run independently of the main timeline. As the content on an auxiliary timeline only consumes resources when it is active, it gives you the flexibility to both produce exciting content and reduce the overall load on the system.

Media Management

Media files appear in the Media window as you drag and drop them to the show. The Media window is the central repository for all the media used in your presentation, providing information about each media file, and enabling easy access to files for editing or other purposes.

Cues and Tween

Cues can be enhanced by applying tween tracks which control the dynamic behaviour of media on stage, such as position, scale or transparency. WATCHOUT sports a variety of tween track types, all providing real-time effects that can be programmed or even controlled live using external inputs.

System Overview

In the illustration below, a laptop is used as the production computer. This connects to a network switch, which is then connected to a WATCHPAX media server.