System Requirements

The specific system requirements for EXAPLAY vary significantly based on the type of content you intend to play and your target output resolution.

For optimal performance, we advise equipping your system with a robust CPU, a minimum of 16 gigabytes of RAM , and a GPU from NVIDIA. This configuration ensures smooth operation and enhances the overall experience, particularly for tasks that demand significant computational power and graphics processing capabilities. EXAPLAY works best on systems, that have a hardware synced multi-GPU output, based on NVIDIA’s professional GPU range (RTX, RTX A series, etc.). When run on a Mosaic, ideally supported by an NVIDIA Quadrosync, highest resolutions and framerates can be achieved.

Welcome to EXAPLAY 2!

Thank you for choosing EXAPLAY for your projects!

Why Choose EXAPLAY?

• User-Friendly: Designed for ease of use, perfect for a variety of settings like shows, digital signage, immersive spaces, permanent AV setups, and multi-screen setups.

• Versatile: Whether you need to display content across multiple screens, create timelines, or manage projects for different clients, EXAPLAY has you covered. It works wonderfully in settings that require playing media simultaneously or separately.

• Simplified Control: Avoid the headache often seen with multimedia servers. EXAPLAY focuses on what's important - playing your media smoothly and reliably, no matter the scale.

This guide aims to help you get the most out of EXAPLAY. If you run into any issues, this manual has got your back. For a quick start- > go ahead and visit the following introdcution videos

Before using the software, an acitvation key needs to be activated. This works best if the PC is connected to the internet.

1. After an order is placed, the activation key is created by VIOSO according to the order specification and transmitted to you typically via E-mail.

2. At the first start of EXAPLAY, the License Wizard shows up:
3. Choose Activate Your License and then Activate Online:
4. Klick “Activate your license” and enter the activation key. We recommend to “copy and paste” from a text source to avoid typos: If everything is entered correctly, press the button “Activate”.
5. The activation key now is verified on our license server and locked on the PC. This takes only a few moments until “Your license is activated” is shown:
6. Click Finish to close the the Activation Wizard.

7. The application automatically starts up. With such an activated license, the Licence Wizard is not shown anymore.

Good to know:

• Hyphens or whitespace don’t matter when handling activation keys. So however you are handling an activation key, just copy&paste – the licensing system will clear any hypphen, whitespace and probably other characters.

• “Your license failt to activate – the key […] expired on […]…” – this message indicates, that the license wasn’t a permanent license, but a license e.g. for extended testing. Please contact us to get this resolved

You're looking for a quick and effortless beginning- and we 100% understand. To kickstart your journey with EXAPLAY 2 effortlessly, dedicate just 8 minutes of your time to watch this informative video.

After downloading EXAPLAY 2 please run the installer and check the licnese agreement During the setup, you'll encounter a second window offering the option to install an additional VNC. Installing it is advisable if you plan to use Exaplay in a remote setup. Despite Exaplay's remote capabilities, having direct access to the machine via VNC can be invaluable for certain tasks.

After installing EXAPLAY, the Exaplay service is implemented in the Windows Autostart routine. The service takes care of the autostart behaviour of EXAPLAY and can be used to remote control and watch over the operation of the playback. The service and its configuration is available in the Windows systray: EXAPLAY Service

• Monitoring Process: Tracks the progress of video rendering and playback in real-time.

• Restarting: Offers capabilities to restart EXAPLAY

• External Access: Enables remote access to the PC if wanted

EXAPLAY

• Video Playback Engine / Output control

• Provides Interface

Both programs are started in the task bar as servcies, with a rigth click you can access more options

EXPLAY GUI is completely webbased, so opening the AI will open a webrowser shoing the GUI.

Continue with Getting Started

Exaplay 2.2

Exaplay now provides live input for NDI, DirectShow and Desktop capturing and introduces a new audio engine enabling multichannel audio hanlding via Dante and ASIO. Various realtime editing and rendering features are added as well.

Exaplay 2.2.7

Exaplay 2.2.6

Exaplay 2.0

Initial release of the new Exaplay. Completely rewritten to be used for demanding fixed installations and professional playback needs.

Exaplay 2.0.1

Exaplay 2.0.0

Versions available

EXAPLAY comes in two versions available, that differ in the fact that one version contains VIOSO Autocalibration functionality s

EXAPLAY Web-Based GUI

EXAPLAY's fully web-based GUI allows for easy remote access through a web browser (we recommend Google CHROME) ! This eliminates the need for a physical control screen, enabling control from any device by entering the system's IP address. Users on the host machine can access it via localhost,. To open the GUI, either click the EXAPALY 2 icon or open a web browser on an external system and enter the IP address . For example, to access a EXAPLAY GUI service running on a PC with IP 192.168.1.100, you can use type 192.168.1.100:80 in your webbrowser. On a local system, "localhost" can be entered as an alternative.

Composition Area

This area allows you to create timelines or cue lists, composing and organizing media files and cues efficiently in multiple tracks

Property Area

This section displays the properties of selected elements. To view multiple property windows simultaneously, click the small [+] icon.

Medias and Targets

Here, you can manage your local media files and view the available screens and screen fields for organizing your content.

This page is currently under construction.

This page is currently under construction.

In the header bar of the interface, you have access to multiple options. On the left side, you will see your project name, which can be selected with a simple click on the disk button. To the right, there are options to completely mute/unmute audio/video across all tracks and to display guidelines for screen configuration. On the very right, you will find the application's menu.

In the Media and targest area you can browse and view contents

The "EXAPLAY" folder always directs you to the installation directory of EXAPLAY, providing easy access to its structure. The Videos, Pictures, and Audio categories default to your local documents path. However, you can navigate to any folder on your hard drive using the displayed folder structure. While navigating the application, you'll see thumbnails for media files. On the right-hand side, options are available to adjust the view scale and organize the thumbnails in either list or column layout.

To add new content, you have two options: either copy it to the local system's hard disk via a network or an external hard disk, or upload files remotely through a web browser. Navigate to the desired folder and click here:

You can upload multiple files simultaneously and immediately see the visual progress.

While a timeline arranges multiple contents in multiple layers depending on time, a cuelist simply puts the media files in a list. Both options can be very useful for certain scenarios, and we implemented both ways that can even be combined, e.g., a cuelist playing media on top of a timeline in a certain area! To add a timeline / cuelist chosoe one of the option:

You can add as many compositions as you like; they will be arranged in tabs. Using the [+] button, you can add more timelines.

Video summary: How to Synchronize Timelines and Queue Lists in ExaPlay

1. Introduction

• This guide explains how to synchronize multiple timelines or queue lists in ExaPlay, a useful feature for setups where coordinated media playback is needed, such as in museums or multi-screen displays.

2. Creating Multiple Timelines

• Start ExaPlay and create your main timeline, referred to as “Timeline 1”.

• Add a second timeline by selecting to add another composition. Name this “Timeline 2” and add videos or other media to it as needed.

• Position your media within each timeline according to your project requirements. Remember, by default, each timeline operates independently.

3. Understanding Independent Playbacks

• Play each timeline to observe that they function independently. For instance, Timeline 1 might have a total duration of 4 minutes and 19 seconds, while Timeline 2 runs for 11 minutes.

• This independence allows for versatile control over different content areas and scenarios within the same setup.

4. Synchronizing Timelines

• When you need both timelines to play simultaneously:

  • Select Timeline 2 in the ExaPlay interface.

  • On the configuration panel on the right, locate and check the box labeled “Client” to designate this timeline as a client to another timeline.

  • Choose “Timeline 1” as the master timeline to synchronize with.

  • You will notice an icon change indicating that Timeline 2 is now linked with a clock symbol, showing synchronization status.

5. Verifying Synchronization

• Verify that the timelines are synchronized by observing the playback time on both timelines. They should display identical times and remain in sync even when jumping to different positions within Timeline 1.

• This synchronization ensures that both timelines are 100% frame-synced, allowing for seamless media playback across different outputs and devices.

6. Conclusion

• Using ExaPlay’s synchronization feature, you can effectively manage multiple media timelines in a coordinated fashion, ideal for complex displays or installations where precise timing is critical.

This short video will give you a quick intro off how to add content to a timeline.

Video Transcript / Summary: How to Add Media to a Timeline in ExaPlay

1. Starting ExaPlay

• Upon launching ExaPlay, you will notice the workspace is initially empty. At this stage, you have the option to create a new composition. You can choose between a queue list and a timeline.

2. Creating a Timeline

• To create a timeline, click on the designated area. A new composition will be created automatically.

• You can rename this composition for clarity; for example, name it "Main Timeline".

• Optionally, change the color of the timeline to distinguish it from others.

3. Adding Media

• Navigate to the media browser located below the main interface.

• This browser provides access to your local hard disk, public document folders, and the ExaPlay installation folder.

• It’s important to remember that these are local resources if you access from remote

4. Browsing and Importing Files

• For demonstration, go to the ExaPlay folder where videos are stored.

• Thumbnails of videos will appear; note that loading might take longer for folder with many files

• Drag and drop the desired media files directly into your timeline.

• You can adjust the placement and duration of the media within the timeline, including extending the video to loop automatically.

5. Managing Timeline Content

• The timeline allows for real-time arrangement of content.

• Define transitions such as fades between clips.

• Manipulate the positioning of the content.

• Additional effects, like picture-in-picture, will be covered in future tutorials.

6. Utilizing Queues

• Insert a queue at a desired point in the timeline by adding a que and name it "start"

• Set up loops by creating a 'Jump to Queue' at specific points to return to "start".

• Queues can also be used for various actions like jumping to a specific time, pausing, stopping, or sending TCP commands.

7. Uploading Media from External Devices

• If you’re connected to an external server via a laptop, you can upload files directly.

• Files will be uploaded to the current folder, facilitating file transfer from remote locations.

• Alterntively you can of course store local files

8. Review

• After adding and arranging your media and queues, review the timeline to ensure everything is set up as desired.

Video summary / instrcutions extracted: How to Create a Queue List Composition in ExaPlay

1. Introduction

• This guide will focus on setting up a queue list composition in ExaPlay. If you are familiar with creating timelines from our previous videos, you’ll find this process somewhat similar yet distinctively structured for different uses.

2. Starting a New Queue List

• Begin by launching ExaPlay and navigate to the area where new compositions are created.

• Click on the specified button to start a new composition and name it “Queue List”.

3. Understanding Queue Lists

• A queue list is essentially an organized collection of media files that can be played in sequence.

• It is designed to facilitate easy playback of media, making it ideal for on-demand video playbacks or background media in presentations.

4. Adding Media to Your Queue List

• Locate the media browser which allows you to access media from various sources including your local network, hard disk, public documents, and the ExaPlay folder.

• In this example, navigate to the ExaPlay folder where sample videos are stored.

• To add media to your queue list, simply drag and drop files from the browser directly into the queue list composition.

5. Playing Media in Queue List

• Once media is added, you can play videos directly from the queue list.

• Transition seamlessly from one video to another, which is particularly useful for quick changes during presentations or exhibits.

6. Customizing Playback

• Customize how your media plays within the queue list:

  • Define fades between media files, such as cross-fades or fade-to-blacks, to enhance transitions.

  • Set actions for the end of each track, such as automatically proceeding to the next video, which is the default behavior.

7. Comparing Queue Lists and Timelines

• To illustrate the difference, create a new composition and select “Timeline”.

• In a timeline, media files are arranged on layers across a timeline based on time, offering a more granular control over the playback and positioning of media.

8. Conclusion

• Both queue lists and timelines offer valuable features depending on your project needs. Experiment with both to determine which best suits your specific media playback requireme

EXAPLAY supports a wide range of compressed video contents (H.2634, H.265, ProRes, etc.). In addition, it provides a very capable implementation for GPU accellerated codecs: HAP-family (HAP, HAP_alpha, HAP_Q, HAP_Q Alha) and NotchLC. We recommend using HAP as it perfectly encodes on even waker machines and provides a great image quality.

Selecting and Viewing Media Elements

1. Accessing Media Information:

   • Click on any media element listed on the right side of the ExaPlay interface.

   • Detailed information about the selected element will appear, allowing you to view its properties.

2. Opening Multiple Windows:

   • You can open multiple windows within ExaPlay to view and work with different media elements simultaneously.

   • This feature enables you to compare or edit multiple items without switching back and forth between elements.

Adjusting Media Settings

1. Color Visibility:

   • For visual media like videos and images, adjust the color settings to ensure they are visible according to your preference.

2. Setting Screen Field:

   • Below the color settings, you can choose a specific screen field for the media element to occupy.

3. Custom Size and Position:

   • Define the size of the media element by percentage (e.g., 30%) or in pixels (e.g., 200 pixels).

   • Position the media element anywhere on the screen using the alignment tools.

4. Scaling Options:

   • Choose how the media element should fit the screen:

     • Original Size: Keeps the element at its original dimensions.

     • Fill: Expands the element so that one dimension fills the screen.

     • No Scaling: Displays the element without any size adjustments.

     • Cover: Stretches the element to cover the entire screen area.

Applying Settings to Screen Fields

1. Navigating to Screen Fields:

   • Go to the 'Targets' menu and select 'Screen Field'.

   • Choose 'New Field' to create a new screen area.

2. Configuration:

   • Apply the same sizing and positioning settings to the screen field as you would to a media element.

   • Assign the configured screen field to a track, composition, or specific media.

Options for Application:

• You can apply settings either directly to individual media elements or to screen fields, offering flexibility depending on your project needs.

How to Set Up Auto-Start in ExaPlay

1. Introduction

• ExaPlay's auto-start functionality is designed to automatically launch a specific show or presentation when the software starts, which is especially useful for installations that require consistent playback, like museum exhibits.

2. Saving Your Project

• Begin by creating and arranging your timeline or queue list according to your exhibit needs.

• Once you are satisfied with the setup, save your project. For example, name your project "Startup Now".

• Use the small disk icon to save your project at any time, ensuring all changes are recorded.

3. Configuring Auto-Start

• To set up your project to auto-start upon launching ExaPlay, navigate to the main menu at the top right of the interface.

• Click on 'Settings', then locate and select the 'Startup' tab.

4. Setting Auto-Start Preferences

• Within the Startup tab, you'll find options to configure how the software behaves at startup:

  • Choose the desired project to start automatically. This could be the timeline or any specific composition within your project.

  • Use the second option to define the current project as the startup project if you haven’t already set one.

  • Specify any particular composition within the project that you want to auto-start. Additionally, you can set a cue point and a delay for when the project should start playing.

5. Saving Startup Settings

• After configuring your startup preferences, make sure to press 'Save' to apply the settings.

• Upon saving, ExaPlay is configured to launch this project automatically the next time the software starts, ensuring your installation begins running without manual intervention.

6. Conclusion

• With the auto-start feature set up, ExaPlay becomes a reliable tool for ensuring that your exhibits or presentations run smoothly and consistently, providing an automated, hassle-free experience for both operators and viewers.

Configuration

Go to the Settngs menu and choose the Comm tab.

OSC Prefix:

Set this value to establish a message filter, so all incoming messages must have this first item in the address to be valid.

Example:

OSC Prefix = exaplay 
Messages = exaplay/a/b/c

OSC Listen

This field contains all the ip addresses and ports the OSC module will be listening to, each line represents an ethernet IP followed by a port, separated by a colon :.

Use an asterisk * as a wildcard to specify all Ips in the host.

Example:

• Listen to adapter with IP 192.168.1.229 on port 8000: 192.168.1.229:8000

• Listen to all local adapters on port 4500: *:4500

OSC Clients

Configure the destination IPs and ports to send OSC messages to.

OSC IN (Receive)

Each message address should have the first level as configured in Exaplay, by default this value is exaplay. The following value should be the address of the object inside Exaplay.

Example:

/exaplay/comp1

The last value should be a command, the parameters are the values in the OSC bundle, and vary depending on the context of the object.

For tmeline compositions:

For cuelist compositions

Examples

OSC OUT (Send)

If configured, each Exaplay compositions will emit OSC bundles with their current status.

The output address will be similar to what is used for input, beginning with the default address prefix exaplay, followed by the address of the Exaplay’s object.

Example:

/exaplay/timeline1

The contents of the bundle are described as follows:

Out scripted

It is possible to send arbitrary OSC messages at certain events, configured as cue commands in Exaplay. The format structure is as follows:

The value types can be integers i or floats f.

Example command to send a message with address ‘exaplay/test/’ with an integer value of 10 and a float of 0.5 to 192.68.50.10 listening at port 8000:

OSC>192.168.50.10:8000,exaplay/test/,i:10,f:0.5

Configuration

Go to the Settngs menu and choose the Comm tab.

TCP Listen

This field contains all the ip addresses and ports the TCP command module will be listening to, each line represents an ethernet IP followed by a port, separated by a colon :.

Use an asterisk * as a wildcard to specify all Ips in the host.

Examples:

• Listen to adapter with IP 192.168.1.229 on port 7000: 192.168.1.229:7000

• Listen to all local adapters on port 2500: *:2500

TCP

Once configured, Exaplay can be controlled via TCP, and can send commands via TCP as well.

TCP IN (Receive)

Exaplay will listen for TCP text line messages, ending with a CR. The return messages are sent ending with CRLF.

Each section of the message, as well as the parameters, should be separated by commas ,. The main format structure should be as follows:

Available commands

TCP OUT (Send)

It is possible to send arbitrary TCP text line messages at certain events, configured as cue commands in Exaplay.The format structure is as follows:

Example:

• To send the message ‘hello’ to the address 192.68.50.10 listening at port 5000: TCP>192.168.50.10:5000,hello

UDP

UDP Out

It is possible to send arbitrary UDP text messages at certain events, configured as cue commands in Exaplay. The format structure is as follows:

Example:

• To send the message ‘hello’ to the address 192.68.50.10 listening at port 5000: UDP>192.168.50.10:5000,hello

Exaplay accepts the configuration of single line variables at a global level or per project.

These variables can hold IP addresses with their ports, i.e.: laptop-tcp=192.168.1.217:8100.

Variables can be used in the scripted network commands, such as OSC> or TCP>.

Example:

• To send a play via TCP to laptop-tcp: TCP>$laptop-tcp,play,timeline1

Use $ followed by the variable name to access the value.

Global Variables

Can be set in the Settings menu under the System tab:

Project Variables

Can be set in the project inspector in the Variables section.

It is possible to send a network message via OSC, TCP, or UDP to an arbitrary destination by configuring a custom action in a cue item on the timeline or as action (on enter/on leave) for cue lists.

Timeline

In timelines, create a new cue by right-clicking on the cue track (above the media tracks):

Then set it to Action=custom and add the network command. Use variables (global or project variables) to keep the command adjustable.

Playlist

A playlist item always provides two actions:

• Action On Enter: exectuted when starting the playback

• Action On Leave: executed after playback is finished

You can choose to execute commands on enter, on leave and on both events.

Set Action=custom and add the network command. Use variables (global or project variables) to keep the command adjustable.