Viz Vectar Plus User Guide
Version 1.2 | Published April 12, 2022 ©
Input Connections
Connecting a Video Router
Viz Vectar Plus responds to your changing requirements by removing the traditional boundaries of media formats, I/O, channels and delivery. It is a one-size-fits-all digital media environment for content creation to Internet, mobile and television distribution.
With the appropriate software installed, your system can control and access output from router models supporting NDI matrix router, DeltaCast, Bluefish444, Matrox, Black Magic Design®, Grass Valley® Native Protocol and many more.
To set up a router
A basic setup with any of the above supported cards would be as follows:
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Connect the ethernet controlled router to the same network as the system, then connect one (or more) of the router’s video outputs to external SDI inputs with matching numbers, using suitable video cables. (For example, by default router output number 3 would be connected to Input 3 for control communication between the devices to be properly linked).
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Click the Shutdown icon on the Home page (Launch Screen) and click the Administrator Mode at right.
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In the Administrator Mode panel, click Exit to Windows.
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Navigate to the appropriate folder below by model:
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C:\ProgramData\vizrt\Vectar\Configuration
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Open the file named router_setup.xml by double-clicking it (it opens in Notepad). This file is where you add the routers you wish to connect. Each router is identified by an entry you insert between the starting and closing “config” tags, as explained in the file comments.
Example entry:
<grassvalley ip="10.28.1.128" port="12345" name="AJA KUMO"/>
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Save the file after editing and re-launch the system.
Note: The system communicates with routers using individual IP address and port numbers, allowing multiple routers to be connected simultaneously. File comments explain how you can bypass the default 1:1 mapping of router outputs to inputs when required and prevent accidental changes to inputs that are displayed on Program output, along with other extended configuration options. If you assign names to router inputs or outputs in this file, make sure the names for each are unique.
Some routers allow each router input to be provided with a unique name. In such a case, Viz Vectar Plus may be able to access that name and use it for Switcher buttons as appropriate.
To enable this behavior, check the Use External (name) switch in the Input Configuration panel. See Input Configuration for more detail.
Connecting a Control Surface
Please refer to Connection and Configuration for a discussion of connecting and configuring control surfaces.
Black Magic Design® Auto-Detection
For backwards compatibility reasons, these routers are auto-detected by default using a network connection for control. (Black Magic® routers may use a USB control connection, rather than a network connection. The router’s firmware should be up to date. If detection fails, please contact BMD support for assistance.)
You can, if you wish, disable auto detection by editing the XML configuration file discussed above. (You might do this to avail yourself of the extended configuration options that are provided by doing so.) To do this, simply add the line below to the <config> section of the file.
<blackmagic_config discovery="false"/>