Playout v.5 Important Notes
- Georg Deisting
- Manuel Grund
- 1 Customers using an INTEL-based Mac who would like to use macOS 14 Sonoma
- 2 Customers using an INTEL-based Mac who would like to use SRT or UDP streaming out
- 3 General Notes
- 4 For Customers Updating from previous versions to v.5.x
- 5 Customers using TeamViewer to access the Mac running Just Out
- 6 Version 2.x features which are not available in Version 5
- 7 Codecs and Container Formats supported
- 8 Using v.2.x Channels in v.5.x
- 9 Renamed User Interface Application
- 10 Poster Frames in v.5.x
- 11 SMB issues using some versions of macOS
- 12 For Customers with more than 5,000 Video files in a single Folder
Customers using an INTEL-based Mac who would like to use macOS 14 Sonoma
Playout of realtime GFX templates may encouter failure, due to an inconsistency in macOS Sonoma. We recommend that all customers who utilize an INTEL-based Mac and realtime GFX continue to utilize macOS 13.6.x Ventura until Apple resolves the issue.
Customers using an INTEL-based Mac who would like to use SRT or UDP streaming out
We recommend all customers using an INTEL-based Mac to reduce the data rate used for the H.264 compression to 1500kbps or less. Using a higher data rate will result in dropped frames and an automated restart of the Just Out application, once too many frames have been dropped.
General Notes
Before upgrading to v.5.x of our playout applications, please be aware of the following changes.
All customers using v4.x or lower - a new activation code is needed to use v.5 of just:live and just:play.
The MacMini6,x and MacMini7,x are not supported any more, and we strongly recommend all customers using such a Mac mini model to update to a new Apple silicon-based Mac mini M1 (Macmini9,1) or Mac mini M2 (Mac14,3, Mac14,12 (M2 Pro)).
There are new documents available for version 5, and we recommend all new and existing customers updating from a previous version to consult the new user guides.
We kindly request that all users upgrading from a previous version adhere to our update guide, which can be found here:7. Software Installation - Initial and Update (v.5.x) | Installing a new Version over an existing Version
Date and Time Format
Please verify that your macOS Date & Time settings are compatible with the Gregorian Calendar format (Gregorian date formats include the following: ddmonyy, ddmonyyyy, mm/dd/yy, or mm/dd/yyyy). Using the Gregorian calendar ensures consistency and accuracy in the Date header, avoiding misinterpretation, synchronisation and activation errors. This is crucial for our Playout solutions to fetch and process the correct Start/Stop Date and Time information.
For Customers Updating from previous versions to v.5.x
All customers upgrading from a previous version require a new v.5 activation code to be able to play out using Just Out without a watermark applied on the SDI, NDI®, SRT, UDP or ST-2110 output.
Customers using TeamViewer to access the Mac running Just Out
If you’re planning to use TeamViewer to access a machine running Just Out, please verify that you have the following settings deactivated in the “Remote control” panel of the TeamViewer client (the machine you use to connect to the machine running Just Out).
Failing to do so will switch the audio output away from the video device at the same time you connect to the machine running Just Out using TeamViewer.
Version 2.x features which are not available in Version 5
Specific features that were available in Version 2.x are no longer available in Version 3 and higher. The comparison table below shows some of the features that may become available again in future releases, while others had to be removed permanently.
Not available in v.5 | Will be available in a future version |
|---|---|
GPI Out via JL-Cooper eBox | ❌ |
MOS Integration | ❌ Possibly, a different approach |
REST API Request and on:Core Workflows | ❌ |
Summary & Performance in Just Connect | ❌ |
Movies in GFX Compositions and/or playing on a GFX track | ❌ |
Custom Script | ❌ Possibly, a different approach |
Video Input Device for On Air window | ❌ Possibly as a stream |
Contour Shuttle Pro, (Euphonix) Avid MC Transport | ❌ Possibly with other devices |
Web interface to control GFX | available with v.4.1 and higher |
Ability to save and load window layouts and positions | ❌ |
Undocking of windows and Master TC in just:live | ❌ |
Poster frame Mode in just:live | ❌ Possibly, a different approach |
Built-in RTMP Streaming OUT only Note: NDI®, SRT and UDP support IN and OUT | NDI® support available in v.5.x SRT and UDP support available in v.5.5 |
just:next | Not a separate application any more, but the group function in the Multi Viewer provides the same function |
TOA Log Analyzer application | ❌ Possibly, a different approach |
MIDI TC out of the Just Out engine | ❌ |
720p24 and all 4K formats | ❌ Full Ultra HD support provided |
FAB | Native OP-47 support available |
Hardware based Up/Down Conversion on the input and output and different output formats |
❌ |
Import of Final Cut Pro compatible XMLs | ❌ |
Codecs and Container Formats supported
Due to macOS changes, we cannot support legacy codecs and container formats any more.
Container Formats not available using v.3 and higher: .3gp, .avi, .dv, .f4v, .mkv, .mpegts
Codecs not available using v.3 and higher: Apple Animation (.mov)
If you rely on these codecs, please keep using v.2.x (or a previous version) and contact us. Some codecs/containers can also be added to the system by installing Apple's Pro Video Formats. Please find more information about Codecs and Containers in section 2.4 Supported Video Containers & Video Codecs (v.5.0) and how to install support for additional Containers and Codecs using the Apple Pro Video Formats.
Using v.2.x Channels in v.5.x
When updating from version 2.x, we strongly recommend backing up existing channel(s) using the backup feature of Just Connect (see Advanced Settings) or by copying the channel from /Library/Application Support/ ToolsOnAir/Just Connect to an external storage, before performing the update.
Please → contact ToolsOnAir in case you have any questions regarding the migration from v.2.x to v.5.x.
Renamed User Interface Application
With v.3.x we introduced a unified control application for all ToolsOnAir applications called Just Control. During the setup, the administrator can define which one of the two available solutions/user interfaces, namely just:live or just:play should be used for a specific channel.
Poster Frames in v.5.x
In version 5.x, the Poster Frames are generated compressed, as it was the case in version 2.x. Even so, please make sure to save them on a fast and big storage, that is not the same storage you use as the repository of your movies. The internal SSD or another fast internal disk is perfect for storing Poster Frames.
SMB issues using some versions of macOS
We have experienced performance issues with shared storage connections using older versions of the SMB protocol. If you encounter such issues, please contact your storage provider for assistance. Alternatively, you might try using the following macOS Terminal commands, on all Macs running TOA software, to disable the SMB 1 protocol, which may improve the faulty behaviour:
echo "[default]" | sudo tee -a /etc/nsmb.conf
echo "protocol_vers_map=6" | sudo tee -a /etc/nsmb.conf
For Customers with more than 5,000 Video files in a single Folder
Whenever a video file is added/removed or changed, the content of the whole folder has to be scanned to update the Library. During our tests, we have observed that this can take a few seconds when there are more than 5,000 files in a folder. Because of this, we recommend limiting the amount of video files in a single folder to a maximum of 5,000.