Launching WATCHOUT

Every WATCHOUT node runs WATCHOUT Manager. It makes the node discoverable on the network and starts whichever services Producer assigns to it — Asset Manager, Director, Runner, or any combination.

There are two ways to launch:

  • Start Producer. Producer starts WATCHOUT Manager in the background. Use this on the workstation where you build the show — including small single-node setups.
  • Start WATCHOUT Manager directly. The node appears on the network and waits for Producer to assign services. Use this on nodes that host services but are not used for authoring.

Starting Producer

Launch Producer from the desktop shortcut or the Start menu. WATCHOUT Manager starts automatically alongside it.

The Welcome screen

The Welcome screen appears on first launch:

  • NEW SHOW — create a blank show.
  • OPEN SHOW — browse for an existing .watch show file.
  • CONNECT — connect to a Director on your network and open the show it is currently running.
  • LEARN MORE — open the WATCHOUT User's Guide in an in-app viewer (the docs ship offline with WATCHOUT).
  • OPEN RECENT — list of recently opened shows for quick re-entry.

The Welcome screen also shows an embedded What's New view, highlighting new features and improvements in this release.

Layout presets

Producer can save up to 9 custom window layouts. Switch between them with keyboard shortcuts or the Window menu. Use Reset Layout from the Window menu to return to the default.

Starting WATCHOUT Manager

On a node that is not used for authoring, launch WATCHOUT Manager directly to make it discoverable.

  1. Open the WATCHOUT Manager desktop shortcut.
  2. A splash screen appears on connected displays. The node is now visible on the network and ready for Producer to assign services to it.
  3. WATCHOUT Manager must be running before Producer connects to the node.

Auto-launch on boot

For permanent installations, configure WATCHOUT Manager to start automatically so the node recovers after a power cycle.

From the tray icon:

  1. Launch WATCHOUT Manager.
  2. Click its icon in the Windows system tray.
  3. Check Auto Start.

To disable, click the tray icon again and uncheck Auto Start.

From the installer:

During installation, select the optional Auto Start component.

For unattended installations, also configure Windows to log in automatically without a password. Use the netplwiz utility.

Access control

The tray icon also opens Access Control, where you set what a remote Producer is allowed to do on this node:

  • Allowed folders — folders on the node that Producer can browse when importing assets.
  • Allow software updates — let Producer push WATCHOUT updates to this node.

Both are off by default. Open the tray menu, choose Access Control…, and add folders or toggle the update option as needed.

Troubleshooting launch issues

If WATCHOUT fails to start or reports a GPU driver error, see Common Issues in the Troubleshooting chapter.

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