Asset Manager Settings
The Asset Manager Settings dialog controls how assets are optimized, which output codecs are used, the quality level, and the transfer rate to Runners. Changes apply to every future optimization. They set the file size, visual quality, playback performance, and alpha channel support of new assets.
Open the dialog from the Assets window menu: choose Asset Manager Settings....
These settings can also be changed from the Asset Manager Web UI, using the cog button. See Web User Interface.
When to Change Settings
Most shows work with the defaults. Change them when:
- The Runner GPUs have specific decode support. For hardware HEVC decode, switching from HAP to HEVC cuts storage and transfer size.
- You need to keep alpha channels. Confirm the codec mapping routes alpha sources to an alpha output (for example, ProRes 4444 Alpha to Notch LC Alpha).
- Storage or bandwidth is limited. A lower quality level reduces file size. The bandwidth limit stops transfers from saturating a shared network.
- Your pipeline delivers a specific format. If all source arrives as HAP, the pass-through mapping avoids re-encoding.
Bandwidth Limit
The Bandwidth Limit caps the transfer rate to Runners, in Mbit/s. The field accepts 0 to 10000.
| Setting | Behavior |
|---|---|
| 0 (default) | Unlimited. Transfers use all available bandwidth. |
| Positive value (for example, 500) | Transfers are capped at that rate. |
Set a limit when WATCHOUT shares the network with other traffic (lighting control, audio, show control, internet). On a dedicated WATCHOUT network, leave it at 0 for the fastest transfers. See Asset Transfer.
The limit applies to the Asset Manager's network traffic in general, including web interface uploads, not only Runner downloads. If browser uploads feel slow, check this setting.
Track Management
The Track Management (Audio/Video) section controls how the Optimizer handles source files with both video and audio tracks (for example, an .mp4 with a stereo audio track). The Composition Logic dropdown has four options.
| Mode | What happens | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| Skip Audio | Only the video track is optimized. Audio is dropped. | Audio is handled separately or not needed. |
| Skip Video | Only the audio track is optimized. Video is dropped. | You need only the audio from a video file. |
| Composition | Both tracks are kept together as one composition asset. | Video and audio must stay in sync as one cue. |
| Individual Assets | Video and audio split into two separate assets. | You need separate control of video and audio on the timeline. |
This setting applies to all newly imported assets. It does not change assets that are already optimized.
In Composition mode, the Optimizer creates a composition folder in the Assets window. It holds the video and audio sub-assets, linked by a composition file. The composition plays on the timeline as one asset. Inspect its parts in the Assets window. See Asset Types.
Output Properties (Quality Level)
The Output Properties section sets the Quality Level. Only Notch LC (opaque and alpha) exposes this setting. Other codecs appear with no dropdown. The level trades visual quality against file size.
| Level | Visual quality | Relative file size | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good | Lower, with visible artifacts in fine detail. | Smallest. | Rehearsal previews, tight storage. |
| Very Good | Minor artifacts in demanding content. | Moderate. | General production content. |
| Excellent | Artifacts only visible up close. | Larger. | Final production with important visuals. |
| Optimal | Very high, with negligible artifacts. | Large. | Prominent content, close-up screens. |
| Best | Maximum the codec supports. | Largest. | Final mastering and archival. |
The default Notch LC quality is Optimal.
Quality differences show most in fine detail, soft gradients, and saturated colors. Test with real show content. A level that looks identical on a white-field test can differ on real media.
Codec Mapping
The Codecs (in → out) section shows the codec mapping: the rule for what the Optimizer converts each source codec into. Each row maps a source codec (In) to an output codec (Out).
| UI element | Description |
|---|---|
| In column | The source codec detected in the imported file. Read-only. |
| Out dropdown | The output codec the Optimizer will produce. |
| Arrow | Colored when the row differs from its default. Grey when default. |
| Restore icon | Hover a non-default arrow to reveal a button that reverts that one row. |
| Reset All button | Reverts every row to its default. Shown only when a row is non-default. |
The default mapping targets fast GPU playback for each source codec. See Formats & Codecs for the full default table and a comparison of file size, decode method, and alpha support.
The output options offered for each row depend on the source codec. Alpha sources show alpha outputs, and some uncompressed formats appear only for certain source types. Still images appear as Raw rows (for example RGB8 or RGB16). To change how an image is optimized, adjust the matching Raw row.
Codec mapping changes affect future optimizations only. Assets already optimized are not re-processed. See Formats & Codecs to re-optimize them.
How Settings Interact
The settings operate independently but combine in effect.
- Codec mapping sets the output format and the base file size.
- Quality level fine-tunes the file size for Notch LC output.
- Track management sets whether a multi-track source produces one asset or two.
- Bandwidth limit sets how fast the output transfers to Runners.
For example, mapping ProRes to Notch LC at Best quality produces larger files than at Optimal. Larger files take longer to transfer. With a bandwidth limit set, the transfer time grows in proportion.
Saving Changes
Click Save to apply the settings. Save is enabled only after a change. Click Cancel to discard changes and close the dialog.
Best Practices
- Set codec mappings before importing content. The mapping applies to future optimizations only. Setting it first avoids re-processing.
- Keep Notch LC at Optimal for most content. The step up to Best is often invisible in show conditions (audience distance, ambient light, motion), but the file grows.
- Keep a per-show settings record. Document codec mappings, quality level, and bandwidth for each show. This matters when reproducing a show on different hardware or handing off to another operator.
- Use Composition mode for sync-critical content. When video and audio must stay frame-accurate, keep them as a composition. Individual assets can be edited apart on the timeline and lose sync.
Related
- Formats & Codecs — default codec mappings and the full codec comparison.
- Web User Interface — the same settings from the Asset Manager Web UI.
- Asset Transfer — how the bandwidth limit affects transfers to Runners.
- Asset Manager Issues — troubleshooting optimization, transfer, and asset problems.