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iVGA is the proprietary NewTek utility supplied to let you use data directly from the interface of a networked computer. It has a tiny footprint, and can even be run from a USB thumb drive, without no need to install it directly on the hard drive of the remote client system.
iVGA client programs are supplied for both Microsoft Windows® and Apple OS X®. You will find iVGA installation files inside the C:\TriCaster\Extras\iVGA folder on your TriCaster system drive. There are several versions of iVGA, and you should select the one best suited to your host system. (Readme files found in the same location will help you determine which one is appropriate.)
The iVGA installation for OS X is supplied as a zipped disk image (.dmg) file. To install it, first copy this file to your Macintosh® Desktop (either using a network connection between your Macintosh® and TriCaster systems, or perhaps by using a USB thumb drive).
FIGURE 265
Double-click the Zip file to decompress it, and then double-click the .dmg file to mount it.
The NewTek iVGA icon shown above will be placed on your Desktop. Open it (by double-clicking, and you will see two files in a Finder window – the readme file, and the iVGA client program.
FIGURE 266
Drag the iVGA icon from the finder to your Applications folder.
Run it by double-clicking the icon, and in a moment or two the iVGA swirl will be placed in your Dock, and an onscreen dialog reporting ‘iVGA Ready and listening!’
When you roll your mouse over the Net 1 or Net 2 monitors in TriCaster’s All Monitors tab, a triangular button appears next to the Configure button (gear). The new source (your ‘Mac’ desktop) will be listed in the drop-down selection menu that opens when you click the triangle.
When iVGA is running, the icon in the (OS X) Dock has a menu you can access by right-clicking it:
Engaging Privacy Mode prevents the client display from appearing accidentally on the TriCaster display when you don’t want it to.
Keynote Mode allows the iVGA client to update the screen even if Keynote® is running. (This also can be used with some games, though the framerate will likely be only one frame per second.)
Hide the mouse cursor in output with the
Hide Mouse option.
FIGURE 267
Show either desktop monitor when you have more than one attached using the Monitor 1 or Monitor 2 options in the menu.
The Options list contains settings for Open at Login, Remove from Dock, and
Show in Finder.
The iVGA PRO™ installation for Microsoft Windows® systems is supplied as an executable (program) file. To use it, copy this file to the client system from its location in the iVGA folder (found inside on C:\TriCaster\Extras).
Run iVGA on the client computer by double-clicking its icon (iVGA PRO will run from anywhere you put it on the client system – even a thumb drive).
Note: iVGA PRO is for use with XD series TriCasters. Those with SD-only model TriCasters (or 32bit iVGA client computers) should use the earlier ‘iVGA’ application.
FIGURE 268
The first time you launch iVGA PRO you’ll be asked to accept an End User License Agreement.
Afterward, several things will occur: A small icon is added to the Windows® task bar notification area. The iVGA PRO control panel opens on your computer desktop. The control panel, Taskbar iVGA PRO icon (and its context menu) along with a marquee discussed momentarily provide all the settings and controls you need to configure and manage the application and its output. | FIGURE 269 |
THE CONTROL PANEL
Let’s begin our review of the tools provided by looking more closely at the iVGA PRO control panel.
DESTINATION
The default Destination setting is None, indicating that iVGA PRO’s audio and video output is not connected to a TriCaster on your local network.
When one or more TriCaster systems are detected, the drop-down menu will display their machine names (Figure 270). A given TriCaster may display more than one possible entry in the list depending on how many are currently free for iVGA selection.
Alternatively, TriCaster operators on the same
network can directly select your iVGA client as a network source for their Net 1 or
Net 2 inputs (see Section 10.1.2).
When a TriCaster you have not previously connected to selects your iVGA output, iVGA pops up a ‘connection request’ dialog. You can then authorize or decline the connection request (click the gear icon next to Destination and checkmark Accept All Connections in the menu if you prefer that this dialog not be shown).
Note: If you decline a connection request from a TriCaster with "Always do this" enabled in the dialog, future requests from that unit will simply be ignored. Turn on “Accept All Connections” if you later wish to view all incoming connection requests; alternatively, connecting to a given unit from iVGA to re-enable the dialog for that system alone.
RECORDING
The last entry in the Destination menu is always Record. Selecting Record redirects iVGA PRO output into a movie file instead of transmitting it across the network.
When you select Record a file window opens to let you set the path and file name for the clip that will be captured.
Note: You can choose between alternate file formats for recording by modifying the ‘Save as type’ setting (in the file path dialog).
Also, the Send button at the bottom of the control panel is re-labeled Record. As you would expect, clicking the button initiates recording of the current iVGA source. Press it again to end capture.
FIGURE 271
Hint: Changing the Video Source while recording will automatically stop and restart recording. The current file name is numerically incremented as required.
QUALITY (CONFIGURE)
Click the Configure (gear) button beside Destination to reveal a menu providing quality options. The setting here affects iVGA’s video compression parameters. You can use these options to improve performance when your local network connection lacks the bandwidth required to deliver the highest quality iVGA output to TriCaster.
Note: Gigabit network connection provides the best transfer rates and the best quality video output. Slower connections may cause dropped frames, and should be considered unsuitable, especially for HD sessions. In extreme cases, where network capability is low or unreliable because of other traffic, iVGA may still be useful for static displays.
VIDEO SOURCE
At the top, you will see all monitors connected to the system iVGA PRO is running on named. Selecting a monitor by name assigns its entire display as the current iVGA source.
Just beneath the list of monitors is the Region option. This refers to the portion of the screen that is inside a rectangular marquee that is shown when Region source mode is newly selected.
o Drag the cross-hair icon in the center of the marquee to relocate it on the screen or to a different monitor.
o Drag the mouse on any border of the marquee to scale it up or down. By default, scaling is constrained to retain a 16:9 marquee aspect. Hold down Ctrl
FIGURE 274
when dragging to release the aspect lock. To restore the marquee’s standard widescreen aspect, simply drag the border again without the Ctrl key depressed.
o The next Video Source option shown in the menu is Window. This is a particularly useful option, as it allows you to ‘snap’ iVGA to a
specific application window (or child window).
FIGURE 273
For example, you might designate just the video player pane on a browser page as the source; or perhaps you might want to snap to the video display pane in an application such as Skype™.
When you select the Window option in the Video Source menu, a new icon is shown at right (Figure 273). Click the mouse on this icon, and then drag it to the application window you want to assign as the source.
(The marquee updates as you drag the mouse around the screen from one application window to another. Note that it automatically disappears from view when the control panel is closed.)
Hint: Many application windows actually comprise a number of child windows grouped together. When you drag the marquee around in Window mode its borders snap to the current child window, showing what is currently selected.
o Finally, if you have any webcams or similar video input devices connected to the system, you’ll see these listed below the Window option in the Video Source menu.
AUDIO SOURCE
This menu allows you to directly select sound from available audio inputs and system audio devices (the latter may provide useful level and mixing options).
iVGA PRO transmits the selected sound to the Network inputs of TriCaster’s that support this feature. A nearby mute icon allows you to toggle sound output on/off.
Hint: Select None to mute audio output. (Privacy mode also temporarily engages Mute.)
OPTIONS
Hide Mouse Cursor –the mouse pointer will not appear on iVGA’s video output when this option is enabled.
Follow Mouse – the marquee tracks mouse movement when this option is enabled.
SEND/RECORD/STOP
A multi-function button at the bottom of the iVGA PRO control panel toggles output (or recording) on and off. The button label updates to display the action that will occur if you click it according to the current operation and state of the application. It may variously show Send, Record or Stop, as appropriate.
A ‘radio beacon’ icon (shown at left in Figure 275) is shown in the system taskbar when iVGA PRO is running. The icon shows a ‘radiating’ animation when connected to a TriCaster.
Click the icon to show the iVGA PRO Control Panel (and marquee, when enabled).
Right-click the icon to display its context menu (Figure
276) listing the following items:
Disconnect – releases the currently selected connection (equivalent to selecting None in the
control panel Destination
menu).
Setup – shows the iVGA PRO control panel.
Privacy – while engaged, iVGA PRO’s video output is replaced by a static privacy image (see hint below) and audio output is muted.
Privacy mode allows the user to check e-mail, or perhaps view or arrange something, without risk of the audience observing. The taskbar icon shows a red indicator when Privacy mode is engaged.
Hint: If an image named “privacy.bmp (or privacy.jpg) exists in the folder that iVGA is launched from, it will be sent. Otherwise the default privacy screen is used.
About – displays information about the application.
Exit (exits the iVGA application)
In Region mode, it’s possible to zoom the marquee to several preset sizes (150%, 200%, 400%) using the hotkeys Right Ctrl + number pad 1, 2 or 3 (these hotkeys enable Region mode).
Right Ctrl + (number pad) 0 selects the full screen for output. Pressing Right Ctrl + (number pad) 5 toggles the Marquee display on/off (even if the control panel is closed), while Right Ctrl + (number pad) 9 enables or disables the Follow Mouse option.
Tip: See Section A.1.14 for for information on troubleshooting iVGA issues.