Download ShowMagic AV Series User Manual - SIRS-E

Control Events
Control commands can be sent and received via IP (EXPERIMENTAL) using the network port, via
RS232 using serial port(s), and MIDI via MIDI port(s), which enables ShowMagic to control
external IP and RS232 controllable devices such as projectors, audio / video switchers etc. and
MIDI controllable devices such as audio effects units, audio mixing desks etc.
Video files, ‘live’ captured video, digital signage containing pictures and text, and PowerPoint
Slideshows can also be stored and played as control events.
Video Events
With a ‘Windows Direct Capture’ compatible video capture device installed in the PC, ShowMagic
AV can play ‘live’ captured video in any ‘Virtual Window’ on any selected monitor output(s) of a
multi-head card or interface.
Video files can also be played off hard disk by ShowMagic AV to any virtual window. If you are
running ShowMagic AV on Windows XP, Vista or Windows7, avi and wmv files can be softwaredecoded and also played out to any virtual window.
Please Note:
Windows Media Player has to be correctly set up to play (software-decode) .avi and .wmv files this initialises the software CODECS (COders-DECoderS). If Windows Media Player can’t play
these files, then ShowMagic AV can’t either!
Mpeg2, Mpeg4 and DivX files can also be software-decoded by ShowMagic AV and played out to
virtual windows provided that the appropriate CODECS are installed on your PC. Most modern
laptops, or desktop PCs, are supplied with CODECS for playing mpeg (DVD) files. If not, you must
install compatible CODECS to enable this functionality.
ShowMagic plays video files using the ‘Microsoft v9.0 Video Mixing Renderer’ (VMR9) and using
any video codecs that you have installed on your PC.
Problems with Activemovie windows appearing
If you are trying to play video files in ShowMagic virtual windows, but they are appearing on a
pop-up ‘Activemovie’ window instead, then you need to disable the automatic Windows
‘Activemovie’ feature. This can usually be done by running Windows ‘Media player’, selecting
Options from its Tools menu, clicking on the Performance tab, clicking on the Advanced button,
ticking any Use video mixing renderer options and un-ticking any Use overlays options. Apply
these settings, close Media Player then re-start the PC for the changes to take effect.
DISCLAIMERS:
• Processing Power - software-decoding of video files and digital signage can use a lot of a
single-processor PCs processing power. PCs / laptops with Core 2 Duo processors are
therefore required for running multiple video files and signage in ShowMagic AV as they are
far more efficient. The video codecs that you are using on your PC also determine how
efficiently video files are played.
•
Poorly Encoded Files - If there are decoding problems with video files that you are trying to
Section 2 - Events
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