Show Properties
Show properties are global settings that affect all timelines, displays, and output behavior.
Open them in the Properties panel with nothing selected, or choose File → Show Properties. The panel is titled Show Properties.
Frame Rate
The Frame Rate sets the temporal resolution for all timeline operations. It controls how precisely cues are positioned in time. Available presets:
| Rate (FPS) | Use |
|---|---|
| 23.98 (24/1.001) | Film |
| 24 | Film |
| 25 | PAL / SECAM |
| 29.97 (30/1.001) | NTSC |
| 30 | Video |
| 48 | High-frame-rate film |
| 50 | PAL high frame rate |
| 59.94 (60/1.001) | NTSC high frame rate |
| 60 | High-frame-rate video |
| 120 | Ultra-high-frame-rate video |
| Custom | Define a rate with the Frequency and Clock Divisor fields |
For Custom, set the Frequency (numerator) and the Clock Divisor: 1 for integer rates, or 1.001 for NTSC-compatible fractional rates.
Frame rate changes affect how timeline positions are calculated. Changing this mid-production can shift the timing of existing cues.
Eye Point
The Eye Point sets the default viewer position in 3D space, used for perspective calculations across displays. Set it with the X, Y, and Z fields:
- X — horizontal position of the viewer.
- Y — vertical position (height) of the viewer.
- Z — distance from the stage plane.
Genlock SDI
Genlock SDI locks SDI video output timing to an external reference signal. Enable it for synchronized multi-display setups built on SDI infrastructure with genlock input. Leave it off for standard software-timed output. For the reference-signal wiring and setup steps, see SDI Output.
Render Placeholders on Runners
Render Placeholders on Runners controls whether Runner nodes draw placeholder graphics for cues whose media is missing or not yet available.
Hardware Sync Groups
A Hardware Sync Group frame-locks the output of several nodes so they present the same frame at the same instant. Use it for edge-blended projection and LED walls driven from more than one node — anywhere tearing between panels must be eliminated.
Set up NVIDIA sync first. Every node in a sync group needs an NVIDIA sync board (such as NVIDIA RTX PRO Sync / Quadro Sync), and the boards must be daisy-chained through their framelock connectors — one node as the timing server, the rest as timing clients. Configure this in NVIDIA's tools before you create the group in WATCHOUT, following NVIDIA's sync setup documentation. A node whose NVIDIA sync is not valid stalls on the frame barrier and stops presenting frames.
On WATCHPAX units, configure the sync boards with WATCHPAX Config. See Accessing WATCHPAX Config in the WATCHPAX 64 guide.
WATCHOUT detects which node is the timing server and which are clients automatically — there is no per-node role to set in the show.
A sync group switches the timing source from NTP to the frame counter on the sync boards. Every board counts the same frames, so the nodes render and present in lock-step.
The sync boards' frame counter is 24-bit, so it wraps about every 3 days at 60 FPS (3 days 5 hours). WATCHOUT resets the counter just before it overflows, which causes a brief one-time glitch of about 4 frames at 60 FPS. On installations that run non-stop, expect this momentary glitch at that interval.
Without a sync group, nodes align playback using NTP (see Time Synchronization), typically within a millisecond. That is enough for most setups. But on genlocked hardware such as LED processors, even a sub-millisecond offset can shift the output by a frame and tear between panels — hardware sync removes it.
To create a group:
- Click Add Group.
- Enter a name.
- Add member nodes from the chip selector. Nodes are identified by their host reference names on the network.
Audio Bus
The Audio Bus section sets the number and names of audio buses. Count sets how many buses are available. Each bus is listed and can be renamed by clicking it. The default buses are Left and Right.
You cannot remove a bus that is in use. Before reducing the count, remove any Audio Device, audio cue, or NDI® capture audio route that references the bus you want to remove.
Default
The Default section controls the default behavior of newly created cues.
- Image Duration – default duration for new image cues.
- Use Last Fade – when on, new cues inherit the fade in and fade out from the most recently created cue. When off, the explicit Fade in / Fade out values are used.
- Fade in / Fade out – default duration and transition curve for new cues. Disabled when Use Last Fade is on.
Default Anchor
The Default Anchor sets the reference point for newly created media cues. Choose it from a 3×3 grid selector. The default is Center.
| Position | Reference |
|---|---|
| Top Left | Upper-left corner |
| Top | Center of top edge |
| Top Right | Upper-right corner |
| Left | Center of left edge |
| Center | Center of the media (default) |
| Right | Center of right edge |
| Bottom Left | Lower-left corner |
| Bottom | Center of bottom edge |
| Bottom Right | Lower-right corner |
Warp
The Warp section sets defaults for warp geometry editing.
- New Warp Handles Should Have Fixed Length – new warp control handles are created with a fixed pixel length. Set the length in pixels.
- New Warp Points Should be Smooth – new warp points are created with smooth (continuous) tangent handles.
Wake-on-LAN
The Wake-on-LAN section sets the Delay Between Nodes (in milliseconds) used when powering on nodes over the network.
NDI® Extra IPs
A list of additional IP addresses for NDI® source discovery. Use it for any NDI source the Producer does not discover automatically. Add, edit, or remove addresses with the buttons next to the list.
Show Info
The Show Information section at the bottom of the panel is a read-only overview of the show. See Show Information.
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