Viz Precut Guide 6.2

Viz One - Precut
Version 6.2
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Created on
2019/11/21
Viz One - Precut - Version 6.2
Contents
1 Overview.................................................................................................... 7
2 Getting Started .......................................................................................... 8
2.1 Precut Highlights ............................................................................................... 8
2.2 Prerequisites...................................................................................................... 9
2.3 Availability of Features....................................................................................... 9
2.4 Logging in and out ............................................................................................ 9
2.5 Changing the Language in Precut..................................................................... 10
3 Precut User Interface................................................................................ 12
3.1 Main Window ................................................................................................... 12
3.2 Menu Bar ......................................................................................................... 14
3.2.1 File Menu.................................................................................................................... 14
3.2.2 Options Menu ............................................................................................................. 15
3.2.3 Help Menu .................................................................................................................. 15
3.3 Video Window .................................................................................................. 16
3.3.1 Setting the Screen Resolution...................................................................................... 16
3.4 Video Clip Timecodes and Play Rate Indicator .................................................. 17
3.4.1 Video Timecode .......................................................................................................... 17
3.4.2 Clip Timecode............................................................................................................. 17
3.4.3 Play Rate Indicator ...................................................................................................... 17
3.5 Timeline sliders ............................................................................................... 18
3.6 Source Tools.................................................................................................... 19
3.6.1 Audio Level Meter ....................................................................................................... 19
3.6.2 Video and Clip Buttons ............................................................................................... 19
3.6.3 Zoom Buttons ............................................................................................................. 20
3.7 EDL (Edit Decision List) .................................................................................... 22
3.7.1 EDL Tools ................................................................................................................... 23
3.8 Create Buttons ................................................................................................. 24
3.9 Status Bar ........................................................................................................ 24
3.10 Conform Dialog ............................................................................................... 24
3.10.1 Title Bar ...................................................................................................................... 26
3.10.2 Description View......................................................................................................... 26
3.10.3 Main View ................................................................................................................... 26
3.10.4 Tab Navigation Area ................................................................................................... 26
3.10.5 Advanced Settings ...................................................................................................... 26
3
3.10.6 Buttons ....................................................................................................................... 29
4 Changing the Interface Window................................................................ 30

4.1 Precut Window Always on Top.......................................................................... 30
4.2 Multiple Precut Windows .................................................................................. 30
4.3 Enabling Multiple Precut Windows .................................................................... 31
4.4 Disabling Multiple Precut Windows................................................................... 31
4.5 Arranging Multiple Precut Windows Side by Side .............................................. 31
4.6 Placing Multiple Precut Windows on Top .......................................................... 32
5 Opening and Closing Precut..................................................................... 33
5.1 Starting Precut ................................................................................................. 33
5.2 Closing Precut ................................................................................................. 33
6 Working with Files ................................................................................... 34
6.1 Opening .EDLP Files ......................................................................................... 34
6.2 Saving .EDLP Files ............................................................................................ 34
6.2.1 To save a .edlp file with the same name...................................................................... 35
6.2.2 To save a .edlp file with another name, do the following ............................................. 35
7 Creating Stories ....................................................................................... 36

7.1 Creating an Item in Viz One as a Story ............................................................. 36
7.2 Posting a Story to a Rundown........................................................................... 39
8 Creating Clips .......................................................................................... 40
8.1 Sending Clips to a File Share or NLE ................................................................. 40
8.1.1 To transfer selected clips to a file share ...................................................................... 40
8.1.2 To transfer the selected clips to an NLE ...................................................................... 43
9 Creating Images....................................................................................... 44
9.1 Creating an Item .............................................................................................. 44
9.2 Transferring an Item to a File Share ................................................................. 45
10 Playing Videos in Precut ........................................................................... 47
10.1 Full Screen Mode ............................................................................................. 47
10.2 Normal Screen Mode........................................................................................ 47
10.3 Playing a Video with Jog or Shuttle Mode ......................................................... 47
10.4 Playing a Video Forward................................................................................... 48
10.4.1 Frame by Frame .......................................................................................................... 48
10.4.2 Slower than Real Time................................................................................................. 48
10.4.3 Real Time ................................................................................................................... 49
10.4.4 Faster than Real Time ................................................................................................. 49
4
10.5 Playing a Video Backward................................................................................. 49

10.5.1 Frame by Frame .......................................................................................................... 49
10.5.2 Slower than Real Time................................................................................................. 49
10.5.3 Real Time ................................................................................................................... 50
10.5.4 Faster than Real Time ................................................................................................. 50
10.6 Stopping or Pausing a Video ............................................................................ 50
10.7 Moving to Specific Frames ............................................................................... 50
10.7.1 Setting the Video Timecode to a Specific Frame .......................................................... 51
10.7.2 Moving the Red Position Bar to a Specific Frame.......................................................... 52
10.7.3 Using the Zoom Buttons to Move Video Frames........................................................... 52
10.7.4 Moving Video Frames with Hot Keys Commands ......................................................... 53
10.7.5 Moving Video Frames by Scrubbing............................................................................. 53
11 Working with Audio Tracks ...................................................................... 54

11.1 Audio Track Status........................................................................................... 54
11.2 Muting Audio Tracks........................................................................................ 54
11.3 Switching Audio Tracks On .............................................................................. 54
12 Working with Clips................................................................................... 56
12.1 Adding a Clip to the EDL .................................................................................. 56
12.1.1 Adding a Clip by Setting the In-point and Out-point .................................................... 56
12.1.2 Adding a Clip by Setting the In-point and Duration...................................................... 57
12.1.3 Adding a Clip by Setting the In-point and Using the End of the Video .......................... 58
12.2 Deleting a Clip from the EDL ............................................................................ 58
12.3 Previewing a Clip from the EDL ........................................................................ 59
12.4 Printing an Overview of All Clips in the EDL...................................................... 59
12.5 Playing All EDL Clips ........................................................................................ 60
12.6 Moving a Clip Up and Down in the EDL ............................................................ 61
12.7 Updating a Clip in the EDL ............................................................................... 61
12.8 Setting the Duration for a Clip in the EDL ......................................................... 61
12.9 Working with Subtitles ..................................................................................... 62
12.9.1 Viewing a File with Subtitles........................................................................................ 62
12.9.2 Changing the Subtitles Language ................................................................................ 64
13 Hot Keys .................................................................................................. 65

13.1 Working with Hot Key Mappings....................................................................... 65
13.2 Using Hot Keys ................................................................................................ 65
13.2.1 To use hot keys .......................................................................................................... 66
14 Advanced Topics...................................................................................... 70
5
14.1 Working with EDLs ........................................................................................... 70

14.1.1 Restoring Saved EDLs.................................................................................................. 70
14.2 Warn on Mixed Formats Feature....................................................................... 70
15 Installation and Configuration.................................................................. 72
15.1 Requirements .................................................................................................. 72
15.1.1 Software ..................................................................................................................... 72
15.1.2 Hardware .................................................................................................................... 72
15.2 Installing Precut ............................................................................................... 73
15.2.1 To install Precut.......................................................................................................... 73
15.3 Configuring Precut........................................................................................... 73
15.3.1 Precut.ini .................................................................................................................... 73
15.3.2 User.ini ....................................................................................................................... 73
15.3.3 DestWizard.ini ............................................................................................................ 74
15.4 Editing the .INI Files ......................................................................................... 74
15.4.1 Precut.ini - PreCut ....................................................................................................... 74
15.4.2 Precut.ini - Server Group ............................................................................................. 76
15.4.3 Precut.ini - AGL ........................................................................................................... 76
15.4.4 Precut.ini - Logs .......................................................................................................... 77
15.4.5 Precut.ini - User .......................................................................................................... 77
15.4.6 Precut.ini - Conform Buttons ....................................................................................... 78
15.4.7 DestWizard.ini - Menu Options .................................................................................... 78
15.5 Uninstalling Precut........................................................................................... 78
15.5.1 To Uninstall Precut...................................................................................................... 78
6
Viz One - Precut - 6.2
1 Overview
Precut is a Windows-based low-resolution video viewer and editing tool, designed for cost-effective
browsing and editing on a standard PC.
Precut is an optional feature of the Vizrt Media Asset Management (MAM) system, Viz One.
This document contains information on the following topics:
• Getting Started
• Precut User Interface
• Changing the Interface Window
• Opening and Closing Precut
• Working with Files
• Creating Stories
• Creating Clips
• Creating Images
• Playing Videos in Precut
• Working with Audio Tracks
• Working with Clips
• Hot Keys
• Advanced Topics
• Installation and Configuration
Copyright © 2019 Vizrt Page 7

2 Getting Started
This section contains information on the following topics:
• Precut Highlights
• Prerequisites
• Availability of Features
• Logging in and out
• Changing the Language in Precut
2.1 Precut Highlights

Precut is a rough-cut editor for editing video sequence files. It is designed for newsroom
operations and management, where video material must be created quickly. Precut
requires no complex professional Non Linear Editor (NLE) stations.
Precut’s main features are:
• Play Video Files: Forward, backward, step-by-step or rapidly.
• Scan: Rapid scan through a video file or to jump to a specific part of the video.
• Handles Low Resolution Versions of Media Files: Low resolution files display and edit faster
then the original high resolution files. Multiple users can simultaneously play and edit the
same material.
• Edit Decision List: Users can open video files and add sections or parts of them to the Edit
Decision List (EDL).
• EDL Timeline: The EDL timeline is used to specify a result. The EDL can then be sent back to
the archive or to an NLE station, for futher editing.
• Create Buttons:
• Create Story button is used to create high resolution video files that consist of all the
clips that are currently listed in the EDL.
• The Create Clips button is used to perform advanced editing on clips from Precut
using an external NLE system.
• The Create Image button is used to create a single frame image. It is also possible to
create still images and send them to the archive or to file shares.
 Note: All these operations involve adding metadata to make the created
material searchable in Viz One.
• Preview Videos (Import and Ingest): It may be necessary to preview material that is still in the
process of being imported or ingested into the system. This type of file is referred to as a
“growing” file. One of the advantages of Precut application is that it lets the user preview
files that are still growing without needing to reload the whole file. A user can use the Precut
application for browse editing. Users can quickly view, browse and search for a file then
rapidly edit it using the Precut application.
• Hot Key Mapping: A user can view and change hot key settings (mappings).

• Printing EDL: A user can print an overview of all the items in the EDL list.
• Changing the Language in the Precut User Interface: A user can select a language for the
user interface or easily change from one language to another.
• Viewing Subtitles: A user can view subtitles and change the language of the subtitles.
• Always on Top: A user can always have the Precut window be on top of other windows.
• Multiple Precut Windows: A user can open and work on multiple Precut windows and even
move them around and place them side by side.
 Note: When the term video is used in this manual, it usually refers to the low-resolution
(proxy) version of the video file.
2.2 Prerequisites
A Viz One system needs to be installed and configured before using Precut.
2.3 Availability Of Features

Precut is configured individually for each installation, so the available options and functions vary
between sites. Some of the topics covered in this manual might not be relevant to all installations.
2.4 Logging In And Out

There are two ways a user can access Precut:
• To start Precut from Viz One
• To log in to Precut as a standalone application
To start Precut from Viz One

1. Log in to Viz One.
2. Locate a clip by searching.
3. At the foot of the selected item page, click the Precut button.
To log in to Precut as a standalone application

1. From the Precut File menu, click Login.

2. In the Precut Login window that opens, select the server that will be used from the Login
to list.
3. Enter valid login credentials in the Username and Password text boxes.
4. Click the OK button.
The Status Bar indicates that Precut is connected to a particular server.
To log out of Precut

• From the Precut File Menu, click Exit.
2.5 Changing The Language In Precut

The display language in Precut can easily be changed to another language.
To change the language of the Precut user interface
1. From the Precut Options Menu, click Language.

2. The Choose language menu opens.
3. Select a language from the Choose display language list.
4. Click the OK button.
The Precut user interface displays in the selected language.

3 Precut User Interface

This section is a quick guided tour of Precut. It presents:
• Main Window
• Menu Bar
• File Menu
• Options Menu
• Help Menu
• Video Window
• Setting the Screen Resolution
• Video Clip Timecodes and Play Rate Indicator
• Video Timecode
• Clip Timecode
• Play Rate Indicator
• Timeline sliders
• Source Tools
• Audio Level Meter
• Video and Clip Buttons
• Zoom Buttons
• EDL (Edit Decision List)
• EDL Tools
• Create Buttons
• Status Bar
• Conform Dialog
• Title Bar
• Description View
• Main View
• Tab Navigation Area
• Advanced Settings
• Buttons
3.1 Main Window

Precut is a bare bones, fast video editor. Here is what you see when you start a typical editing
session.


• Main Window
• Menu Bar
• Video Window
• Video Clip Timecodes and Play Rate Indicator
• Timeline sliders
• Source Tools
• EDL (Edit Decision List)
• Create Buttons
• Status Bar
3.2 Menu Bar

You direct your editing session from the Menu bar:
• • File Menu
• Options Menu
• Help Menu
3.2.1 File Menu

Selecting File from the menu bar opens the File menu.
The File menu has following options:

• Login: Opens the Precut log-in window. Required when working with a saved EDL.
• New: Clears the workspace (by clearing the clip list). Only a loaded source clips remains.
• Open: Open an .edlp format video file in Precut.
• Save: Save current clip.
• Save As: Save the current clip with a new name.
• Exit: Cose Precut.

The File menu also lists the four most recently used files. They can be opened from the File menu.
3.2.2 Options Menu

• Mapping: Allows a user to view and change the hot key settings (mappings).
• Print EDL: Allows a user to print an overview of all the clips in the EDL.
• Language: Allows a user to change the current language in the Precut interface.
• Subtitles: Allows a user to view subtitles and change the language of the subtitles.
• Audio settings: Allows a user to switch between stero or surround output.
• Linearized Timecodes: Allows a user to toggle between the source timecode and a zero
based timecode.
• Always on top: Allows a user to make the Precut window always be the top window.
If your system has been customized to allow multiple Precut windows, the Options menu will
contain:
• Allow multiple Precuts: Allows a user to open multiple Precut windows simultaneously.
• Arrange Precuts side by side: Allows a user to arrange the multiple Precut windows side-by-
side.
3.2.3 Help Menu

Select Help from the menu bar.

The Help menu contains the following options:

• Help Topics: Displays this help.
• About Precut: Displays details about the currently installed Precut version.
3.3 Video Window

The Video window is where the low-resolution videos are played. You can have a dedicated, stand-
alone display, see Full Screen Mode .
There are some methods for controlling playing a video by moving the mouse over the video
window in certain ways - see Playing a Video with Jog or Shuttle Mode .
3.3.1 Setting the Screen Resolution

The size of the video window in Precut depends on the Aspect Ratio (AR) and the recording format
of the video as shown in the following table:
Browse Video Size (width by height)
Aspect Ratio Standard Definition (SD) High Definition (HD)
4:3 384 x 288 480 x 360
16:9 512 x 288 640 x 360
These values may differ depending on the system configuration. To be able to view videos
properly in Precut, the screen resolution should be set to at least the following values for SD and
HD:
• SD: 1024 x 768
• HD: 1024 x 768

3.4 Video Clip Timecodes And Play Rate Indicator

• • Video Timecode
• Clip Timecode
• Play Rate Indicator
3.4.1 Video Timecode

On the timecode bar, the yellow number on the left is the Video Timecode.
The figures hh:mm:ss:ff, indicate timecode of the current frame. This field can also be used to
jump to a frame with a specific timecode.
 Note: By default, you see a linearized (zero-based) timecode. Alternatively you can display
the actual, or source timecode, in the options.
3.4.2 Clip Timecode

On the timecode bar, the white number on the right in Video timecodes is the Clip Timecode.
The number has the format hh:mm:ss:ff, and indicates the length of time from the set in-point to
the current frame.
If there is no set in-point, then no clip timecode is displayed.
3.4.3 Play Rate Indicator

The white text in the center is the Play Rate Indicator. It is only shown when a video is playing. The
indicator shows the speed at which Precut is currently playing the video, and the direction of play:
• yX where y is 2, 4, 8, or 16: Indicates faster than normal speed forward

• 1X: Indicates normal speed forward
• -1X: Indicates normal speed backward
• yX where y is -2,-4,-8, or -16: Indicates faster than normal speed backward
When the video is not playing, the play rate indicator can be used to display the current state of
the player. For example, the program can be busy loading a new source clip.

3.5 Timeline Sliders

The two timeline sliders in the Precut main interface are used for changing the part of the video
that is being viewed. They are known as the Upper Timeline Slider and Lower Timeline Slider.
There is a red position bar on each timeline slider. It indicates on each timeline slider where the
current video frame is located.
Upper Timeline Slider
Lower Timeline Slider
The Upper Timeline Slider indicates which part of the whole video is shown in the Lower Timeline
Slider.
Relationship between the upper and lower timeline sliders
The total length of the upper timeline slider corresponds to the total length of the video. The part
of the upper timeline slider that is blue indicates the section of the video that is represented by the
Lower Timeline Slider.
The red position bar in the upper timeline slider shows where the current frame is in relation to
the whole length of the video. The red position bar in the lower timeline slider show where the
current frame is in relation to the part of the video represented by the blue section of the upper
timeline slider.
There are various ways to change which part of the video the lower timeline slider represents. To
do this, change the size of the blue box in the upper timeline slider.
This can be done in any of the following ways:
• Click the Zoom buttons.
• Place the pointer over either end of the blue area. Press the left mouse button and hold it
while dragging the mouse to the right or left until the blue area reaches the desired size.
 Note: The edges of the blue area will stop moving if they reach the red position bar. To
move the blue box, move the red position bar first!

3.6 Source Tools
The Source Tools area contains the following:
• • Audio Level Meter

• Video and Clip Buttons
• Zoom Buttons
3.6.1 Audio Level Meter
The Audio Level Meter gives a visual representation of the volume of the being played for a video,
and also allows the user to silence (or mute) specific tracks.
Each row in the Audio Level Meter represents one audio track. There can be up to eight audio
tracks associated with a given video.
Tracks that have a dark grey background are active, whereas light grey tracks have been muted.
As a video plays, green and red bars in each row are used to indicate the volume level for that
audio track: more green bars indicates a higher volume, and red bars indicate that the volume is
above a threshold (usually 3dB or 6dB). So in the Audio Level Meter example above, the first track
has the highest volume at the instant shown in the Audio Level Meter, and the volume is also
above the threshold.
 Note: The Audio Level Meter display is only used as a listening reference when playing a
video in Precut. Any changes made with the Audio Level Meter do not affect the audio
setup of the clip if a conform request is sent to Viz One.
3.6.2 Video and Clip Buttons
These buttons are used to control the playback of the video loaded in Precut, and the creation of
clips.
 Note: Most of the buttons have hot keys assigned to them, which are displayed in the tool
tip for each button.
Video and Clip Buttons

Button Name Description
Rewind Plays the video backward at 1, 2, 4, 8, or 16 times the normal rate.Click

this button repeatedly to increase the rewind speed.
Frame Plays the video one frame back.

back
Play Plays the video forward at normal speed.This button is only visible when
a video is paused. The Play button turns into a Pause button when a video
is playing.
Pause Pauses (stops) the video.This button is only visible when a video is
playing. The Pause button turns into a Play button when a video is
playing.
Frame Plays the video one frame forward.

forward
Fast Plays the video forward at 2, 4, 8, or 16 times the normal rate.Click this
forward button repeatedly to increase the speed of play.
Set in- Sets the clip in-point where the red position bar is placed on the timeline
point slider.
Set out- Sets the clip out-point where the red position bar is placed on the
point timeline slider.
Add to Adds a clip to the EDL with the currently set in-point and out-point.
EDL
Preview Plays the clip between the in-point and out-point.

clip
 Note: The Play and Pause buttons are displayed in the same space in the Source Tools area.
Initially the Play button is visible. However, when the Play button is clicked, the Pause
button is shown instead.
3.6.3 Zoom Buttons

These buttons are used to adjust the part of the video that is represented by the lower timeline
slider. The zoom feature can enlarge or reduce the timeline slider.
Zoom Buttons
Zoom in Allows a user to select to view the timeline slider in more detail. It will
display a smaller but enlarged section of the total video.
Zoom out Allows a user to select to view the timeline slider in less detail. After
zooming in it will go back towards the normal setting. It will display a
larger section of the total video.
Zoom full Allows a user to select to view the timeline slider in its normal state. It
will display the original and entire timeline of the total video.
Below is an example of a frame with the timeline sliders at Full Zoom and what happens when the
Zoom In button is clicked two times.
Zooming in twice from full zoom
Zooming out would be the reverse process. Zoom Full would reset the timeline sliders to the first
image.
Using the Zoom Buttons to Move Video Frames

There are different ways to use the Zoom buttons in combination with the position bars and Video
Control buttons.to move specific frames in the video.
To zoom in
1. Click on the click the Zoom In button, see table Zoom Buttons above
2. Another way to use the Zoom In button is to position the mouse cursor over the blue section
of the upper timeline slider. A symbol consisting of four arrows appears. Go to one either
side of the time line and press the left mouse button and hold it down while moving the
mouse to the right from the left side or from the left side to the right to Zoom in or until the
video reaches the selected area.
 Note: The zoom in function will stop at the red line.

To move to a specific frame

1. Play the video one frame at a time until reaching the preferred frame.
2. Position the mouse cursor over the red position bar in the lower timeline slider. Press the
left mouse button and hold it down while moving the mouse to the right or left until the
video reaches the desired frame.
3. Scrub through the video.
To zoom out
1. Click on the click the Zoom Out button.
2. Another way to use the Zoom Out button is to position the mouse cursor over the blue
section of the upper timeline slider. A symbol consisting of four arrows appears. Go to one
either side of the time line and press the left mouse button and hold it down while moving
the mouse towards the timeline on either side to Zoom out or until the video reaches the
selected area.
 Note: The zoom in function will stop at the red line.
To Zoom Full
1. Click the Zoom Full button.
2. Perform one or both of the following tasks:
• Position the mouse cursor over the red position bar in the lower timeline slider. Press
the left mouse button and hold it down while moving the mouse to the right or left
until the video reaches the desired location.
• Scrub through the video.
3.7 EDL (Edit Decision List)

The Edit Decision List (EDL) is a list of video clips.

The following clip information is displayed:

• Clip: The name of the clip. The name of the clip can be edited and changed to another name
or number.
 Note: As an option, each time a clip is added, a sequential number can be appended
to the clip name (For example zipClip-001, zipClip-002, zipClip-003 etc). Talk to your
administrator to activate this feature.
• In point: This option is used as the starting point of the clip.

• Out point: This option is used as the end point of the clip.
• Duration: This is the amount of time between the in-point and out-point of the clip. It
specifies the entire time the clip takes to run.
The currently selected clip is highlighted.
At the bottom left corner of the EDL, the total number of clips in the EDL and the total duration of
all the clips in the EDL is displayed.
3.7.1 EDL Tools

The EDL tools are used to manage the clips in the EDL. The EDL tools are described below.
Move clip Moves the selected clip downward in the EDL.

downward
Move clip Moves the selected clip upward in the EDL.

upward
Update in- Updates the currently selected clip with the in-point and out-point that
point and are currently set on the timeline slider.
out-point
Set clip Moves the out-point of the currently selected clip on the timeline slider
duration according to the duration set in the Set Clip Duration dialog.
Delete Deletes the currently selected clip from the EDL.

marked
clip from
EDL
Preview Plays all clips in the EDL in order.

EDL

3.8 Create Buttons
Use the Create buttons for instructing Viz One to create the following:
• Stories: A new high-resolution video file consisting of all the clips currently in the EDL.
• Clips: For advanced post-editing of clips from Precut using an external NLE.
• Images: Create a single-frame image.
 Note: The button names may vary from the examples shown here.
Create buttons start a Conform dialog, which controls rendering requests performed in Viz One.
3.9 Status Bar

When Precut is running, the Status bar indicates the status of the connection between Precut and
Viz One.
If Viz Video Preview is also connected, the name of the server is also given.
Status; connection to a server
Status; no connection to a server
The Status bar also shows the status of some of the operations that are performed by Precut, for
example, the status of conform requests.
3.10 Conform Dialog

The Conform Dialog is used to send requests to Viz One to perform conform jobs such as creating
new images, clips or stories from current material. The Conform Dialog is used in this way in
various Vizrt applications, including Precut, Shotcut and Easycut.
The examples in this section show the Conform Dialog being used from within Precut. The
examples would appear the same if the Conform Dialog was used from another application, except
that the title bar of the window would contain the name of that application, instead of saying
Precut.
 Note: The Conform Dialog behaves differently depending on the specific site installation.
Therefore some of the topics covered in this section may not be applicable to the actual
system in use.
Destination wizard example

The Conform Dialog is designed as a wizard, that is, it is a type of user interface that leads the
user through a series of steps that are necessary to perform a specific task. These steps are
presented as a sequence of dialog boxes where the user is prompted to enter the necessary
information. The Conform Dialog is therefore sometimes referred to as the Destination Wizard.
The operations that are supported by the Conform Dialog are Create Story, Create Clips, and
Create Image. When this new material is created, it can be archived in Viz One in different ways.
The Conform Dialog lets the user choose to submit the material to an Item, a Rundown or a
Project.
 Note: In some installations the material can be submitted to other customized locations.
The Conform Dialog Destination Wizard consists of the following items:
• • Title Bar
• Description View
• Main View
• Tab Navigation Area
• Advanced Settings
• Buttons

3.10.1 Title Bar

The Title bar of the Conform Dialog Destination Wizard shows the name of the host application
and the type of operation that is in progress.
3.10.2 Description View

The Description Type view contains the description of the task the user needs to perform on the
destination Type page.
3.10.3 Main View

The Main view is where the user enters the information that is necessary for the next task. This
view will look different depending on the type of input required for the current step. For instance,
the Main view might display a list of options for the user to choose from or a metadata form that
the user should fill in.
3.10.4 Tab Navigation Area

The Tab navigation area contains a list of tabs, one for each of the steps needed to perform the
desired operation. The tab for the step that is currently active will be highlighted. For example,
“Metadata” is the active step in The conform dialog destination wizard.
A green check mark next to a tab indicates that the step has been completed.
To return to an earlier step, select the tab for the previous step. This is useful if any information
needs to be changed in the Destination Wizard.
3.10.5 Advanced Settings

The Advanced Settings tab allows the user to enter additional settings for the material. The
settings that can be entered vary depending on the operation that has been selected.
The Create Story wizard showing the Advanced Settings tab

The example below shows the Advanced Settings tab for a Create Story operation where the user
can manually override the settings such as the aspect ratio, mix matrix, type of media (video,
audio or both), Timecode Options, and Start timecode.

Create Clips Wizard - Advanced Settings Tab

The Advanced Settings tab for a Create Clips operation allows the user to override a limited range
of the settings available for a Create Story operation.

Create Image - Advanced Settings Tab

Below is an example of the settings that can be changed through the Advanced Settings tab for a
Create Image operation.

3.10.6 Buttons
The area below the Main view at the bottom of the page of the Conform Dialog there are a variety
of buttons for navigating between the steps in the conform process. The buttons that are available
vary depending on the step that is currently active.
The buttons are:
• Previous button - is used to return to the previous step in the process if any changes need to
be made.
• Cancel button - is used to cancel the current request operation and close the Conform
Dialog.
• Next button - is used to move to the next or step in the process. This button is only active if
all the input that is necessary for the current stage has been entered.
 Note: ALT + Right/Left arrow can be used as shortcut keys for the Next and Previous
buttons respectively.
• Send button - is used to finish the process and send the conform request to Viz One.

4 Changing The Interface Window

Precut can be minimized or restored from the taskbar. There is also an option that will cause
Precut to be displayed on top of other windows. If another window is active, the Viz video preview
window will still be displayed over the active window.
• Precut Window Always on Top

• Multiple Precut Windows
• Enabling Multiple Precut Windows
• Disabling Multiple Precut Windows
• Arranging Multiple Precut Windows Side by Side
• Placing Multiple Precut Windows on Top
4.1 Precut Window Always On Top

To enable the Precut Always on top option
From the Options menu, make sure that the Always on Top option is enabled.
 Note: The Always on top setting is available to Precut users.

To disable the Always on top option
• From the Options menu, make sure that the Always on Top option is disabled.
4.2 Multiple Precut Windows

A user can also work with multiple open Precut windows. Check to see if Precut has the multiple
windows option.
 Note: This section only applies to Viz One installations that have been configured to
support multiple Precut windows.

To check if Precut has been configured to use multiple windows

1. From the menu bar, select Options.
2. Check to see if the Allow multiple Precuts option is visible.
• Visible: If this option is visible in the Options menu then Viz One supports the
multiple windows option in Precut.
• Not Visible: If this option is not visible in the Options menu then Viz One has not been
configured to support multiple windows.
4.3 Enabling Multiple Precut Windows

If Viz One has been configured to support multiple windows and the option needs to be enabled.
To enable multiple Precut windows
1. From the Menu bar, select Options.
2. Check to see if there is a check mark in front of the Allow multiple Precut windows option.
The options are:
• Check Mark: If it is checked then this option is already active.
• No Check Mark: If there is no check mark, in the Options menu, select the Allow
multiple Precuts option. A check mark should appear next to the Allow multiple
Precuts option. If the check mark is displayed then the Allow multiple Precuts option
has been enabled.
4.4 Disabling Multiple Precut Windows

The option to have multiple Precut windows can be disabled.
To disable multiple Precut windows
1. From the Menu bar, select Options.
2. Check to see if there is a check mark in front of the *Allow multiple Precuts *option. The
options are:
• Check Mark: If it is checked then this option is already active.
• No Check Mark: If there is no check mark, in the Options menu, select the Allow
multiple Precuts option. The check mark should disappear next to the Allow multiple
Precuts option. If the check mark is not displayed then the Allow multiple Precuts
option has been disabled.
4.5 Arranging Multiple Precut Windows Side By Side

If the option to have multiple Precut windows is configured in Viz One and the option is enabled, it
is possible to arrange multiple Precut windows side by side.

4.6 Placing Multiple Precut Windows On Top

If the multiple windows option is enabled in Precut then the Always on Top option can be set for
each window.
To set the Always on top option on all the open windows
• From the Options menu of each window, make sure that the Always on Top option is
enabled,
To allow one or more of the Precut windows to not always be on top, then disable the Always
on top option for the selected window.

5 Opening And Closing Precut

• Starting Precut
• Closing Precut
5.1 Starting Precut

There are two ways to start the Precut application:
To start Precut from Viz One
1. Locate a clip in Viz One using Search.
2. At the foot of the selected item page, click the PreCut button.
To start Precut from a Windows Start menu
• Select Start > All programs > Vizrt > Precut > Precut.
Precut will then start with no open media file.
5.2 Closing Precut

To close Precut using the file menu
• From the File menu, select Exit.

6 Working With Files

Precut uses a file that has an .edlp suffix. If an .edlp file contains subtitles then it is necessary to
log into Viz One in order to then view the file in Precut.
• Opening .EDLP Files

• Saving .EDLP Files
6.1 Opening .EDLP Files

To open a file
1. From the File menu, select Open.
2. In the Open window that appears, select a file.
3. Click the Open button.
To open one of the most recently viewed files in Precut
• From the File menu, select the name of the file.
6.2 Saving .EDLP Files

The Save and Save as options are used to save the browse file on a local computer in
a .edlp format.

6.2.1 To save a .edlp file with the same name

1. Add at least one clip to the clip list.
2. From the File menu, select Save or Save as.
3. A Save As dialog opens. Use the .edlp extension.
4. To save the file with the same name, click the Save button.
6.2.2 To save a .edlp file with another name, do the following

1. Add at least one clip to the clip list.
2. From the Menu bar, select File > Save as....
3. A Save As dialog opens. Use the .edlp extension.
4. To save the file with a different name, enter the new name in the File name field, then click
on the Save button.

7 Creating Stories
A story can be sent to Viz One in the following ways:
• Creating an Item in Viz One as a Story

• Posting a Story to a Rundown
• If the material is being posted to a Rundown or Project, then the user needs to know the
details of the Rundown or Project that should be used.
 Note: With a Create operation you will always be prompted to add metadata.
7.1 Creating An Item In Viz One As A Story

1. Prepare the material and open the Conform Dialog window.
2. Prepare the material that will be conformed in the current application.
3. In the application, click on the Create Story button.

4. The Conform Dialog window will open on top of the application window as shown in the
following illustration.
5. Select the Destination Type.

6. Select Create new Item.
7. Click the Next button. The Destination view will be skipped when creating a new item.
8. Select Options. The Options view should not be visible for most installations. If it is shown,
select the appropriate options, then click Next.
9. Enter all the mandatory Metadata into the following fields:
• Title
• Rights Code
• Rights
• Description
10. Click the Send button.

 Note: The Metadata view shows all the possible metadata fields that can be filled in
but only the mandatory fields need to be completed in order for the conform request
to be sent.
11. Click the Close button to close the Conform Dialog window. The Confirm/Status view reports
the progress of the conform process. If the user does not want to see the status messages
as the conform process progresses, the user can close the window before the conform
process is completed.
The Status window displays the following information:
• Summary of the conform request that was submitted.
• List of the tasks that Viz One needs to perform in order to complete the request.
• Progress bar indicating the percentage of the process has been completed.
Each of the tasks have the following color codes:
• Gray: Indicates that the task has not started yet.

• Yellow: Indicates that the task is currently in progress.

• Green: Indicates that the task finished without errors.

• Red: Indicates that something went wrong and that it was not possible to complete the task.
This usually means that the conform request will fail.
Conform Status Window
 Note: As soon as one conform request has been submitted in the Conform Dialog window,
the user can continue working in the original application and submit another conform
request. This will open another Conform Dialog window which would be active while the
previous Conform Dialog window displays progress of the first request.
7.2 Posting A Story To A Rundown

Please refer to the Rundowns section of the Studio User’s Guide.

8 Creating Clips
There are several methods for sending clips to Viz One or other NLE storage areas. This section
explains:
• • To transfer selected clips to a file share

• To transfer the selected clips to an NLE
• When sending material to a folder or NLE, you will need to know some details about the
naming of the directory where the folder is located or of the NLE workstations in use. Talk to
your administrator if unsure.
 Note: With most Create operations, you are prompted to add metadata.
8.1 Sending Clips To A File Share Or NLE

A file share is simply an area of storage on your network, that has been set up as a place to which
you can send your media files. Once transferred there, your media is then accessible by other
users, provided they have been granted suitable access rights.
An NLE is a non-linear editor. This is a generic name for programs like Adobe Premiere and Avid
NewsCutter.
8.1.1 To transfer selected clips to a file share

1. Rough-cut your clips in Precut.

2. Click the Create Clips button. A Conform Dialog appears, as shown below.
3. Select File share.
4. Click Next.
5. Navigate to choose Destination.

6. Either double-click on the specific file share location or click Next.
7. On the Options tab, enter the number of frames for the file handles.

File handles are the number of extra frames to be added at the beginning and end of a clip.
This value is optional, with a default of 0 frames.
 IMPORTANT! If your clips are being sent to Avid, you must make the handles number
greater than or equal to the number of frames used by the largest of your cross-fade
effects.
8. Enter or select the other options as appropriate, these vary depending on your chosen
operation. Some might be:
• Base name- This value is used as the prefix on the file name of exported clips. It is
optional, the system will otherwise create a name based on the original file.
• Export format- This value specifies the media format of exported clips. It could be
Apple ProRes, XDCAM HD etc. This is as optional setting, by default no conversion is
performed and clips are exported in their original format.

9. Click Next.
10. Enter all mandatory metadata (the fields are marked in yellow) and any other metadata that
you need.
11. Click Send.
12. You can close the dialog menu, when the process has finished, by clicking on the Close
button.
8.1.2 To transfer the selected clips to an NLE

The procedure is very similar to the one above.
1. In the Conform Dialog menu with destination alternatives, select NLE.
2. See the previous procedure for further guidance with the dialog menus. Pay particular
attention to the Options menu.
3. When ready, click Send.
4. You can close the dialog menu, when the process has finished, by clicking on the Close
button.

9 Creating Images
To send an image to Viz One use one of the following procedures:
• Creating an Item
• Transferring an Item to a File Share
 Note:
• With a Create operation you will always be prompted to add metadata.
• If the material that is being posted to a Rundown or Project, or transferred to a File
Share, then the user needs to have detailed information about the Rundown, Project
or File Share that will be used.
9.1 Creating An Item

1. Prepare the material that will be conformed in the current application and open the Conform
Dialog window.
2. Click the Create Image button in the application. The Conform Dialog window will open on
top of the application window as shown in the following illustration.
3. Select the Destination Type tab.

4. Select Item - Create new Item.

5. Click the Next button.
6. The Destination view is not shown if the user is creating a new item. In this case,
the Conform Dialog window will proceed directly to the next step.
7. Select the Options tab.
The Options view appears for most installations. If it is shown, select the appropriate
options then click on the Next button.
8. Enter all the mandatory metadata and enter any other metadata that is required.
10. Close the Conform Dialog when the process has finished by clicking on the Close button.
11. Click the Close button to close the Conform Dialog window. The Confirm/Status view reports
the progress of the conform process. If the user does not want to see the status messages
as the conform process progresses, the user can close the window before the conform
process is completed.
9.2 Transferring An Item To A File Share

1. Prepare the material that will be conformed to the current application and open the Conform
Dialog window.
2. In the Precut application, click the Create Image button. The Conform Dialog window will
open on top of the application window.
3. Select the Destination Type tab.
4. Select File share - Only transfer result to a file share.
6. Select the Destination tab.
7. Select the preferred file sharing destination in the Destination View.
Transferring an Item to a File Share folder

1. Select the Options tab.
(The Options view will not be visible in most installations. If it is displayed, select the
appropriate options).
3. Enter all the mandatory metadata and ny other metadata that is required.
5. Close the Conform Dialog when the process has finished by clicking on the Close button.

10 Playing Videos In Precut

Precut can be used to play videos in different ways. Videos can be played:
• Forward or backward
• At different speeds (fast forward)
• Inside the video window
• Taking up the whole screen (full screen mode)
• Full Screen Mode

• Normal Screen Mode
• Playing a Video with Jog or Shuttle Mode
• Playing a Video Forward
• Playing a Video Backward
• Stopping or Pausing a Video
• Moving to Specific Frames
10.1 Full Screen Mode

In Precut the video window can be resized by dragging the panel borders. You can also select Full
Screen mode.
To switch to full screen mode
1. Press the ALT + Enter keys. To escape from this mode press the ESC button.
2. The size of the window can be adjusted and increased by clicking on the window and
dragging the borders of the Precut window.
10.2 Normal Screen Mode

If a video is being previewed in full screen mode it can be reduced to normal screen mode.
To reduce the full screen mode window to normal size
1. Press the ESC key.
2. The size of the window can be adjusted and decreased by clicking on the window and
dragging the borders of the Precut window.
10.3 Playing A Video With Jog Or Shuttle Mode

A user can use the mouse pointer to control the speed and direction of a video.
The two different ways to play a video are:

• Jog mode: This mode is used to move through the video frames and used to play a video
one frame at a time.
• Shuttle mode: This mode is used for playing videos at speeds from half normal speed up to
16 times real time speed.
To activate jog mode
1. Hold down the left mouse button while dragging the mouse cursor to the right or to the left
over the timeline or video.
2. To jog through the timeline or video one frame at a time, hold down the CTRL key.
Technically the Jog mode does not really “play” a video because the video stops moving
through the frames as soon as the mouse stops moving.
To activate shuttle mode
• Hold down the right mouse button and drag the mouse over the video window in the
direction the video will be played. The speed of the video being played will depend on how
fast the mouse moves. When the right mouse button is released, the video will continue
playing.
10.4 Playing A Video Forward

In Precut there are three different ways to forward a video:
• Frame by Frame
• Slower than Real Time
• Real Time
• Faster than Real Time
10.4.1 Frame by Frame

To play a video forward one frame at a time
1. Click the Frame Forward button once.
2. Position the mouse cursor over the Video window. Press and hold both the CTRL key and the
left mouse button down, and drag the mouse very slowly to the right in the Video window.
Each little “step” with the mouse will move the video one frame forward. (This is
using Jog mode.
3. Position the mouse cursor over the Video window. Scroll the mouse wheel upwards slowly.
Each little “step” with the wheel will move the video one frame forward.
4. To use the Frame Forward hot keys, see Hot Keys.
10.4.2 Slower than Real Time

To play a video forward at a slower than normal (real time) speed
1. Position the mouse cursor over the Video window. Press and hold the right mouse button
down, and drag the mouse slowly to the right in the Video window. When the video has
started playing at the desired speed, the right mouse button can be released. (This is
using Shuttle mode.
2. To use the Slow Forward hot key, see Hot Keys.

10.4.3 Real Time

To play a video forward at normal (real time) speed
1. Click the Play button once. (The Play button is only available when the video is paused or
stopped.)
down, and drag the mouse slowly to the right in the Video window. When the Play Rate
Indicator says 1X, the right mouse button can be released. (This is using Shuttle mode.
3. To use the Play Forward hot key, see Hot Keys.
10.4.4 Faster than Real Time

To play a video forward at a faster than real time speed
1. Click the Fast Forward button repeatedly until the desired speed is reached. The speed will
double each time the button is clicked, up to a maximum of 16 times normal speed.
down, and drag the mouse quickly to the right in the Video window. When the desired speed
is reached, the right mouse button can be released. (This is using Shuttle mode)
3. To use the Fast Forward hot key, see Hot Keys.
10.5 Playing A Video Backward

In Precut there are three different ways to play a video backward
• Frame by Frame
• Slower than Real Time
• Real Time
• Faster than Real Time
10.5.1 Frame by Frame

To play a video backward (frame by frame)
1. Click the Frame Backward button once.
2. Position the mouse cursor over the Video window. Press and hold both the CTRL key and the
left mouse button down, and drag the mouse very slowly to the left in the Video window.
Each little “step” with the mouse will move the video one frame backward. (This is
using Jog mode).
3. Position the mouse cursor over the Video window. Scroll the mouse wheel upwards slowly.
Each little “step” with the wheel will move the video one frame backward.
4. To use the Frame Backward hot key, see see Hot Keys.
10.5.2 Slower than Real Time

To play the video backward at a slower than real time speed

down, and drag the mouse slowly to the left in the Video window. When the video has
started playing at the desired speed, the right mouse button can be released. (This is
using Shuttle mode).
2. To use the Slow Rewind hot key, see see Hot Keys.
10.5.3 Real Time

To play the video backward at normal (real time) speed
1. Click the Rewind button once.
down, and drag the mouse slowly to the left in the Video window. When the Play Rate
Indicator says -1X, the right mouse button can be released. (This is using Shuttle mode).
3. To use the Rewind hot key, see see Hot Keys.
10.5.4 Faster than Real Time

To play the video backward at a faster than real time speed
1. Click the Rewind button repeatedly until the desired speed is reached. The speed will double
each time the user clicks on the rewind button. A user can reach up to a maximum of 16
times normal speed.
down, and drag the mouse quickly to the left in the Video window. When the desired speed
is reached, the right mouse button can be released. (This is using Shuttle mode).
3. To use the Rewind hot key, see Hot Keys.
10.6 Stopping Or Pausing A Video

• Click on the Pause button or use the Pause hot key, (see Hot Keys). In Precut, there is no
distinction between stopping and pausing a video, so Pause is used in both instances.
10.7 Moving To Specific Frames

There are several ways to move to specific frames in a video without playing every frame in
between the current frame and the destination frame. There are also different methods that can be
used for jumping to a known frame and for rapidly searching through the video to find the specific
frame.
• Setting the Video Timecode to a Specific Frame
• Moving the Red Position Bar to a Specific Frame
• Using the Zoom Buttons to Move Video Frames
• Moving Video Frames with Hot Keys Commands
• Moving Video Frames using Jog and Shuttle Mode
• Moving Video Frames by Scrubbing

10.7.1 Setting the Video Timecode to a Specific Frame
To set the video to a specific frame within the timeline

• Enter the timecode of the destination frame in the video timecode location. The frame with
the specified timecode will be displayed in the video window and the timeline sliders adjust
to the specified position automatically.
 Note: If the timecode that was entered is too large and it is after the end of the
actual video, the last frame of the file is displayed instead.

10.7.2 Moving the Red Position Bar to a Specific Frame

The red position bar on the timeline can be moved to a specific frame. The red position bar will
jump to the specific frame that was selected.
To move the position bar to a specific frame within the timeline
1. Place the mouse cursor at the desired position on the lower timeline slider and click once.
The cursor will stop at the selected frame.
2. Place the mouse cursor on the position bar on the lower timeline slider, press the left mouse
button and hold it down while dragging the mouse to the left or right until the bar reaches
the specific frame.
3. To scrub through the video.
10.7.3 Using the Zoom Buttons to Move Video Frames

There are different ways to use the Zoom buttons in combination with the position bars and Video
Control buttons.to move specific frames in the video.
To use the Zoom Full button

1. Click the Zoom Full (<->) button.
2. Perform one or both of the following tasks:
• Position the mouse cursor over the red position bar in the lower timeline slider. Press
the left mouse button and hold it down while moving the mouse to the right or left
until the video reaches the desired location.
• Scrub through the video.
To zoom in
1. Click on the click the Zoom In + button.
2. Another way to use the Zoom In + button is to position the mouse cursor over the blue
section of the upper timeline slider. A symbol consisting of four arrows appears. Go to one
either side of the time line and press the left mouse button and hold it down while moving
the mouse to the right from the left side or from the left side to the right to Zoom in or until
the video reaches the selected area.
 Note: The zoom In function will stop at the red line.
To move to a specific frame

1. Play the video one frame at a time until reaching the preferred frame.

2. Position the mouse cursor over the red position bar in the lower timeline slider. Press the
left mouse button and hold it down while moving the mouse to the right or left until the
video reaches the desired frame.
3. Scrub through the video.
10.7.4 Moving Video Frames with Hot Keys Commands

Different hot key commands can be used to move video frames from one area to another. Some of
these hot keys are:
• One frame forward
• One frame back
• Ten frames forward
• Ten frames back
• To the start of the video
• To the end of the video
For more information about hot keys, see Hot Keys.
10.7.5 Moving Video Frames by Scrubbing

Video scrubbing is the direct manipulation of video by playing the video either forward or
backward.
To scrub a video
1. Place the mouse cursor anywhere on the lower timeline slider, as shown in the following
illustration.
2. Press the left-hand mouse button down and keep holding the button down and move the
mouse cursor to the desired direction of play (left for backward and right for forward).
3. To stop the video, release the mouse button.

11 Working With Audio Tracks

• Audio Track Status

• Muting Audio Tracks
• Switching Audio Tracks On
11.1 Audio Track Status

In the Precut application a user can view a tracks in an Audio Level Meter. The green bars indicate
the volume.
The current status of the audio track is indicated by the following factors:
• Active Track: If the background in the Audio Level Meter row is dark grey and there are
green bars indicating the volume, the sound track is active.
• Active - No Volume: If the background in the row is dark grey and there are no bars, the
sound track is active, but does not have any volume for the current part of the video.
• Not Active or Muted: If the whole row is light grey, the sound track is not active or muted.
11.2 Muting Audio Tracks

In Precut an audio track can be muted while a video is playing.
To mute and audio track
1. In the Audio Level Meter box, place the mouse cursor over the track that will be muted.
2. Click on the left mouse button once. The audio track column that was selected should
change color to light gray.
11.3 Switching Audio Tracks On

This can be done while a video is playing or while it is stopped.
To start a particular audio track playing after it has been muted

1. In the Audio Level Meter area, place the mouse cursor over the track in question.
2. Left-click once.
3. The row for that sound track should now be dark gray, possibly with some green and red
bars indicating the volume.

12 Working With Clips

• Adding a Clip to the EDL

• Deleting a Clip from the EDL
• Previewing a Clip from the EDL
• Printing an Overview of All Clips in the EDL
• Playing All EDL Clips
• Moving a Clip Up and Down in the EDL
• Updating a Clip in the EDL
• Setting the Duration for a Clip in the EDL
• Working with Subtitles
12.1 Adding A Clip To The EDL

• Adding a Clip by Setting the In-point and Out-point
• Adding a Clip by Setting the In-point and Duration
• Adding a Clip by Setting the In-point and Using the End of the Video
12.1.1 Adding a Clip by Setting the In-point and Out-point

To add a clip by setting the in-point and Out point
1. Move the red position bar on the lower timeline slider to the desired start frame for the clip.
2. To set the in-point marker, click the Set In-point button.
3. Move the red position bar on the lower timeline slider to the desired end frame for the clip.
4. To set the out-point marker, click the Set Out-point button.
5. To add the clip to the EDL, click the Add to EDL button.

12.1.2 Adding a Clip by Setting the In-point and Duration
To add a clip by setting the In-point and duration

1. Move the red position bar on the lower timeline slider to the desired start frame for the clip,
for more information.
2. To set the in-point marker, click the Set In-point button.
3. Left-click the Set Clip Duration button. A Set Clip Duration window will appear. Set the
preferred duration and check that it is within the time range of the video, otherwise no out-
point marker will be set on the bottom timeline slider. To set the duration click on the OK
button.
4. To add the clip to the EDL, click the Add to EDL button.

 Note: To prevent the in-point from being set after the out-point, the out-point is
automatically moved to the end of the clip. In a similar way, to prevent the out-point
from being set before the in-point, the in-point is automatically moved to the
beginning of the file.
12.1.3 Adding a Clip by Setting the In-point and Using the End of the
Video
A clip can be added to the EDL by using the red position bar as a marker.
To add a clip by setting the In-point and using the end of the video
1. Place the red position bar on the desired location for the in-point.
2. Press the Add to EDL button, an in-point should be set at the position of the vertical marker,
and an out-point should be set at the end of the video.
The clip is then added to the clip list.
12.2 Deleting A Clip From The EDL
To delete a clip from the EDL

1. Select a clip in the EDL, or select several clips by holding down the CTRL key.
2. To delete the selected clips, click the Delete Marked Clip From EDL button.

12.3 Previewing A Clip From The EDL
To preview a clip from the EDL

1. On the timeline slider, set an in-point and an out-point or select a clip in the EDL.
2. To play the clip, click the Preview Clip button.
It is also possible to preview a specific clip in the EDL.
To preview a specific clip in the EDL
1. To load a clip from the EDL, double click on the clip.
2. To play the clip click on the Preview clip button.
12.4 Printing An Overview Of All Clips In The EDL

To print an overview of all the clips in the EDL
• From the Menu bar, select Options > Print EDL...
The information will be presented as an HTML document as shown in the following
illustration, where extra information, such as contact information and additional
information, can be added before printing the document.

12.5 Playing All EDL Clips

To play all clips in the EDL in the video player
• Click the Preview EDL button.

12.6 Moving A Clip Up And Down In The EDL
To move a clip up in the EDL

1. Select a clip in the EDL by clicking on it.
2. Click the Move Up Clip in List arrow button.
To move a clip down in the EDL
1. Select a clip in the EDL by clicking on it.
2. Click the Move Down Clip in List arrow button.
12.7 Updating A Clip In The EDL

To update a clip in the EDL
1. Select a clip in the EDL.
2. Set the in-point and the out-point at respectively new desired positions.
3. Click the Update in-point and out-point button to update the selected clip in the EDL.
12.8 Setting The Duration For A Clip In The EDL

To set the duration for an EDL clip
1. Click the Set Clip Duration button.
2. To open the Set Clip Duration dialog, mark a clip in the EDL.

3. Specify the desired length of the clip. The out-point is adjusted to the set in-point. If no in-
point is set, the in-point for the clip will be at the same as the red position bar.
Click the OK button. Precut updates the out-point marker according to the duration that was set.
 Tip: It is also possible to set clip duration when creating a new clip. In that case, if no in-
point is set, the in-point for the clip will be at the same as the red position bar.
12.9 Working With Subtitles

Precut can optionally support video subtitles. This section presents:
• Viewing a File with Subtitles
• Changing the Subtitles Language
 Note: You can only display subtitle files that have .stl format
12.9.1 Viewing a File with Subtitles

You can either launch Precut from Viz One, or continue work with a locally stored EDL. See also
the Studio User’s Guide.

To view a video with subtitles

1. If a video has subtitles, to view the video and see the you must be logged-in to Viz One.
2. After logging in, start the Precut application.
 Note: If you start Precut from the Start menu (or if the editing session has timed-out)
then it may be necessary to log into Viz One again.

3. From the menu bar, select Options > Subtitles > On/Off.

4. The subtitles will appear and be visibly enabled on the video.
12.9.2 Changing the Subtitles Language

To change the subtitles language
1. From the menu bar, select Options > Subtitles > List.
2. A Subtitles dialog menu opens, with a list of subtitle languages that are available for the
current clip.
3. In the box that displays the preferred language, click Select.

In the video, the subtitles change to the new language.

13 Hot Keys
There are two different sets of hot keys or mappings, known as Mapping A and Mapping P. Each
mapping contains the same short cut keys as a specific NLE (Non-linear Editor). Mapping A
matches the hot keys used in Avid and Mapping P matches the hot keys in Pinnacle.
• Working with Hot Key Mappings

• Using Hot Keys
13.1 Working With Hot Key Mappings

To find the current hot key mapping
1. From the main Precut interface, select Options > Mapping
2. The current mapping (Avid hotkey mapping or Pinnacle hotkey mapping) is listed under Hot-
key settings.
To change the current hot key mapping

1. From the main Precut interface, select Options > Mapping
2. In the Hot-key settings drop-down list, select the desired mapping.
3. Click OK.
13.2 Using Hot Keys
 Note: When working in multi-language environment, as a general guideline, default

keyboard shortcuts adopt the physical position on the keyboard, not the character written
on the key. For example, the four keys immediately next to (on the left of) the right-side
SHIFT key, will always control Frame Back/Forward and 10 Frames Back/Forward
operations.
The following illustration shows the North American keyboard layout.

13.2.1 To use hot keys

1. Check what the current hot key mapping is (see above).
2. Change the hot key mapping if desired (see above).
3. Find the desired Precut function, from the table below and note the key strokes for the
current mapping.
4. Enter the combination of keys for the short cut. The function should operate as it normally
would if started via the menu options.
Precut Hot Keys
Functionality Mapping A Mapping P Description
Play Space Space Plays the video. Note: Click on the L button
several times to increase the speed.
L L
Pause Space Space Pauses the video.
K K
Fast forward L L Plays the video in fast forward mode. Note:

Click on the L button several times to increase
the speed.
Rewind J J Plays the video in rewind mode. Note: Click on

the J button several times to increase the
speed.
Slow forward K(hold) + L Shift + L Plays the video in a slow forward motion.
Slow rewind K(hold) + J Shift + J Plays the video in slow rewind motion.
Frame forward Right arrow Right arrow Moves one frame forward in the video.

K (hold) + L X
(once)
. (point)
Frame backward Left arrow Left arrow Moves one frame backward in the video.
K (hold) + J Z
(once)
, (comma)
10 Frames / (slash) Shift + right Moves ten frames forward in the video.
forward arrow
Shift + X
10 Frames M Shift + left Moves ten frames backward in the video.

backward arrow
Shift + Z
Go to start Home Home Goes to the start of the video.
Go to end End End Goes to the end of the video.
Zoom in Arrow down Arrow down Zooms in on the timeline slider. Use this to
obtain a more detailed time scale.
Zoom out Arrow up Arrow up Zooms out on the timeline slider. Use this to
have a greater overview of the timeline slider.
Set in-point I I Sets a clip in-point to the current position in

the video.
Set out-point O O Sets a clip out-point to the current position in

the video.
Clear in-point D CTRL + I Clears the in-point from the timeline slider.
Clear out-point F CTRL + O Clears the out-point from the timeline slider.

Clear in- and out- G CTRL + G Clears both the in-point and the out-point from
point the timeline slider.
Go to in-point U Shift + I Goes to the in-point of the selected clip.
Go to out-point P Shift + O Goes to the out-point of the selected clip.
Add clip to EDL B B Adds current clip to the EDL.
Shift + B Shift + B
Update clip in V V Updates current clip in the EDL

EDL
Delete clip(s) Delete Delete Deletes the selected clips in the EDL.
Preview EDL 0 0 Previews all clips in the EDL.
Mute/Unmute 1-8 1-8 This controls the 8 channels and can be used
for mute/un-mute. Click on the channel
column to mute (gray). Click on it again to un-
mute (green).
Preview Clip 9 9 Previews the clip from the in-point to the

outpoint
Load next clip S W Loads the next clip in the EDL in the Video
window.
CTRL + W
CTRL +
Right arrow
Load previous A Q Loads the previous clip in the EDL in the Video
clip window.
CTRL + Q
CTRL + Left
arrow

Create Story CTRL+1 CTRL+1 Opens the Create Story form in the Conform
dialog.
ALT+S ALT+S
Create Clips CTRL+2 CTRL+2 Opens the Create Clips form in the Conform
dialog.
ALT+C ALT+C
Create Image CTRL+3 CTRL+3 Opens the Create Image form in the Conform
dialog.
ALT+I ALT+I
Full Screen ALT+Enter ALT+Enter Toggles the screen to Full screen mode. Click
on the ESC button to exit.
CTRL+F CTRL+F
Save EDL CTRL+S CTRL+S Saves the EDL to a local file.
Next button CTRL + CTRL + Shortcut for pressing the Next button in the
Right arrow Right arrow Conform dialog.
Previous button CTRL + Left CTRL + Left Shortcut for pressing the Previous button in
arrow arrow the Conform dialog.
 Note: If enabling audio mute/unmute functionality to 5-8 it will override the previous
functionality for hotkey 6 = Preview clip and hotkey 7 = Preview EDL. These hotkeys have
been moved to 9 and 0 instead. Hot keys 1-8 now control audio channel mute.

14 Advanced Topics
• Working with EDLs
• Warn on Mixed Formats Feature
• Working with Templates
14.1 Working With EDLs

After creating a timeline, users have the option of locally saving their timeline (EDL) to their
workstation.
A user can also do a manual save while still working with the EDL.
A description of how the saved EDL can later be restored, enabling work to be picked up again on
the saved timeline is included below.
14.1.1 Restoring Saved EDLs

Resume working in Precut with a timeline saved in Viz One by locating it (as an item) using search
features.
If conformed items on the selected EDL were originally created with Precut, all editable items are
automatically restored for working with.
 Note: EDLs recently worked with appear as selectable items in the File menu (see
Overwriting Saved EDLs).
14.2 Warn On Mixed Formats Feature

The optional Warn on Mixed Formats feature can present a warning when a user tries to conform a
clip comprising different formats (for example HD and SD).
The message alerts that the clip contains differing formats. It is only a warning, the user must take
further action to either continue with the conform, or make changes on the timeline.

 Note: Precut is designed to handle different formats, but not different frame rates.
Conform jobs comprising different frame rates will not complete successfully, and log an
error code.
The appearance of this option is controlled by a setting in the program’s configuration file (usually
residing at Program Files > Precut > Precut.ini). Contact your support organization or system
administrator for further assistance.

15 Installation And Configuration

• Requirements
• Software
• Hardware
• Installing Precut
• To install Precut
• Configuring Precut
• Precut.ini
• User.ini
• DestWizard.ini
• Editing the .INI Files
• Precut.ini - PreCut
• Precut.ini - Server Group
• Precut.ini - AGL
• Precut.ini - Logs
• Precut.ini - User
• Precut.ini - Conform Buttons
• DestWizard.ini - Menu Options
• Uninstalling Precut
• To Uninstall Precut
15.1 Requirements
15.1.1 Software
• Windows 7 SP1 or later, 32 and 64 bits
• Windows 8.1, 32 and 64 bits
• Windows 10, 32 and 64 bits
• Most recent Microsoft .NET Framework with latest service pack.
15.1.2 Hardware
• CPU: 2.0+ GHz and 2+ physical cores
• 16 GB RAM recommended, 8 GB is sufficient
• 200 MB of free disk space (not including low resolution cache)
• External graphics card with OpenGL 2.0 support and pixel shader support NVIDIA is
recommended (There are known issues with Intel onboard chip set cards).
• 1000 Mbit/s Ethernet card.

15.2 Installing Precut

Viz One deliveries include an MSI folder with an installer for Precut.
15.2.1 To install Precut

1. Locate the MSI folder.
 Tip: Ask your local System Administrator for details.

2. In the MSI folder, double-click the _VizPreCut-<version number>.msi _file. A standard
Windows Installer appears.
3. If Precut is already installed on the work station, you will be prompted to repair or remove
the current version.
4. Select Remove, the old Precut must first be removed from the workstation.
5. Click the Next.
6. Once the old version is gone, start the installation procedure again from step 3.
A standard installation requires little more user action than clicking the Next button.
 Note: The installation procedure will associate file extension .edl with Precut.
15.3 Configuring Precut

Precut uses the following ini files for configuration:
• Precut.ini
• User.ini
• DestWizard.ini.
15.3.1 Precut.ini
This file is created during the installation and located in the program directory, for example, C:
\Program Files\Vizrt\Precut.
The Precut.ini file must not be changed by an end-user.

This file contains basic program configurations like default MessageBus hosts, voice-over paths
and default user settings. An administrator can edit the file in a text editor.
15.3.2 User.ini
This file is created the first time the Precut starts. The file is located in the specific user application
data directory, usually, C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\Vizrt\Precut\Settings.
The initial values of User.ini are copied from the User section of Precut.ini. The values in
User.ini then overwrite any similar value set by Precut.ini.
The User.ini file is mainly used for setting AllowMultiplePreCuts values.

15.3.3 DestWizard.ini
This file is created during the installation and located in the program directory, for example, C:
\Program Files\Vizrt\Precut.It contains values that affect the look and content of user dialogue
menus.
 Some registry values are written by the Precut Installer. These values must not be changed.
15.4
Editing The .INI Files
The Precut.ini file contains a number of settings that alter the behavior of Precut. The greyed
settings are not included in a standard installation, but an administrator can add these settings if
they are required. The tables listed below describe these settings, separated according to their
sections.
 Note: In Microsoft Windows 7 a user must have administrator and write privileges to edit
the Precut.ini file.
1. Precut.ini - Precut
2. Precut.ini - Server Group
3. Precut.ini - AGL
4. Precut.ini - Logs
5. Precut.ini - User
6. Precut.ini - Conform Buttons
7. DestWizard.ini - Menu Options
15.4.1 Precut.ini - PreCut

Key Possible Values Description
ClipListHeight Can be 1 or Reserves the height of the clip list panel in the UI. While
greater any height is possible, this value is selected for
optimizing screen size and resolution
3 (default)
Config DEFAULT "siteid" (default) This setting is used in special cases

when a version of Precut with customer based settings is
required.
RunLocal 0 or 1 When set to 1, the application will not try to

communicate with a backend server. This mode should
0 (default)
only be used in a demo setup.

LanguageList en_US, nl_BE, The list contains all the languages supported in the
es_ES, zh_TW, installation. The first language at the list will be the
cs_CZ, de_DE, language that is used when Precut is started for the first
ru_RU, sv_SE time (otherwise it will check in User.ini language
setting)
LinearizedTimec 0 or 1 1: Linearized (zero-based) timecode is displayed in the

odes player. This timecode is based on the first frame in the
1 (default)
timeline having a timecode of 00:00:00:000: The actual
timecode (source timecode) of the media is displayed
SaveSourceClipL 0 or 1 0 will disable the source clips from the .edlp at

ist Save.Source file clips can disturb the user, especially
1 (Default)
when loading a saved timeline which includes clips that
are not relevant to the current source clip task (but all
source clips still get displayed on the screen)
ShowAllowMultip 0 or 1 When set to 0 the application will not allow you to set
lePreCutsSettin the multiple Precut windows option in use.
g 0 (default)
When set to 1 the application will allow you to set the
multiple Precut windows option in use.
UseConsecutiveN 0 or 1 Add an index (for example name.1, name.2, name.3 etc)

umbering after each clip name in clip list, when multiple clips are
0 (default)
created
UseLocalSave 0 or 1 Enables the ability to save EDLs locally

1 (default)
UseRemoteSave 0 or 1 Enables saving EDLs remotely

0 (default)
WarnOnMixedForm 0 or 1 Presents a warning message if a user tries to conform a

ats clip comprising two different formats (for example HD
1 (default)
and SD).The user can proceed with further actions
(continuing the conform), or make changes on the
timeline. 1 = Clicking the Create Story button or trying to
add to the timeline presents a Warning Message.
Note: Precut is designed to handle different formats, but
not different frame rates. Conform jobs comprising
different frame rates will not complete successfully, and
log an error code

15.4.2 Precut.ini - Server Group

MessagebusServe hostname:port Hostname: The name of the host where the MessageBus
r is running. Port number: The port that the MessageBus is
<app_server>:
listening to.
6555 (default)
MessageBusTimeo 1500 (default) Timeout (in ms) for MessageBus messages.

ut
PostMethod Messagebus Use the soap postapi. Is also default if no key at all is
found or if the key has unrecognized value.Use the
SOAP (default)
message bus to post conforms to back end (This
preserves backward compatibility with older back ends
still using edlbackend for conforms)
A note about site-specific settings:The post method can
also be set site-wise, the site value then always
overriding any local values. To set the post method, add
a child tag called <postmethod> to the <settings> tag of
the invoker. The tag can have the same values as the INI
file key above.
For example:
...
<settings>
...
<postmethod>messagebus</postmethod>
...
</settings>
...
SoapServer hostname:port Hostname: The name of the host where the SOAP server
is running. Port number: The port that the SOAP server is
<web_server>:
listening to.
80(default)
SoapTimeout 10000(default) Timeout (in ms) for SOAP messages.
15.4.3 Precut.ini - AGL

AGLLang en, sv, nl etc. Language id for the language to display AGLs (metadata
forms) in.
en (default)

15.4.4 Precut.ini - Logs

LogFilePath C:\Documents Path to all the log files for Precut.

and
Settings\<userna
me>\Local
Settings\Temp\V
izrt\<application
name>\Logs\
(default)
KillLogsAfter 7 (default) All log files older than this number of days will be
removed
LogLevel 0-15 Log level for the Precut log file.

6 (default)
ArdWinAPILogLev 0-15 Log level for ArdWinAPI log file.

el
0 (default)
ArdPlayerAPILog 0-15 Log level for ArdPlayerAPI log file.

Level
6 (default)
15.4.5 Precut.ini - User

Keyboard A or P Different keyboard mappings (see Precut User’s Guide).

A (default)
VideoAspect 4:3,16:9, AUTO A list with possible video aspect ratios. The first aspect
ratio in the list will be the default. Can be changed using
16:9 (default)
the properties window. AUTO means it will resize/stretch
to the maximum aspect ratio.
DefaultLanguage sv_SE, ar_EG, Sets default language for the user interface
de_DE,es_ES,
tr_TR,
nl_BE,en_US
en_US (default)

SavePath Any valid path The path used by the open dialog the first time a user
saves an EDL.
"My
Documents" (def
ault)
15.4.6 Precut.ini - Conform Buttons

ShowCreateStory 0 or 1 When set to 1, the Create Story button is visible.

1 (Default)
ShowCreateClips 0 or 1 When set to 1, the Create Clips button is visible.

1 (Default)
ShowCreateStill 0 or 1 When set to 1, the Create Still button is visible.

1 (Default)
15.4.7 DestWizard.ini - Menu Options

EnableTemplates 0 or 1 Switches on template feature so user can create own

metadata templates
0 (Default)
SizeDelta Variable Font size in the options step and metadata step
15.5 Uninstalling Precut
15.5.1 To Uninstall Precut

1. From the Start menu, select All Programs > Vizrt > Precut.
2. Select and click on Uninstall Precut.
3. The Uninstall Wizard opens, follow the standard Windows procedure.

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Viz One - Precut

3.10.6 Buttons ....................................................................................................................... 29

4 Changing the Interface Window................................................................ 30

7 Creating Stories ....................................................................................... 36

10.5 Playing a Video Backward................................................................................. 49

11 Working with Audio Tracks ...................................................................... 54

13 Hot Keys .................................................................................................. 65

14.1 Working with EDLs ........................................................................................... 70

Copyright © 2019 Vizrt Page 7

This section contains information on the following topics:

2.1 Precut Highlights

Copyright © 2019 Vizrt Page 8

2.3 Availability Of Features

2.4 Logging In And Out

To start Precut from Viz One

To log in to Precut as a standalone application

Copyright © 2019 Vizrt Page 9

To log out of Precut

2.5 Changing The Language In Precut

Copyright © 2019 Vizrt Page 10

2. The Choose language menu opens.

3. Select a language from the Choose display language list.

Copyright © 2019 Vizrt Page 11

3 Precut User Interface

3.1 Main Window

Copyright © 2019 Vizrt Page 12

Copyright © 2019 Vizrt Page 13

3.2 Menu Bar

3.2.1 File Menu

The File menu has following options:

Copyright © 2019 Vizrt Page 14

3.2.2 Options Menu

3.2.3 Help Menu

Copyright © 2019 Vizrt Page 15

The Help menu contains the following options:

3.3 Video Window

3.3.1 Setting the Screen Resolution

Aspect Ratio Standard Definition (SD) High Definition (HD)

4:3 384 x 288 480 x 360

16:9 512 x 288 640 x 360

Copyright © 2019 Vizrt Page 16

3.4 Video Clip Timecodes And Play Rate Indicator

3.4.1 Video Timecode

3.4.2 Clip Timecode

If there is no set in-point, then no clip timecode is displayed.

3.4.3 Play Rate Indicator

• yX where y is 2, 4, 8, or 16: Indicates faster than normal speed forward

Copyright © 2019 Vizrt Page 17

3.5 Timeline Sliders

Lower Timeline Slider

Relationship between the upper and lower timeline sliders

Copyright © 2019 Vizrt Page 18

3.6 Source Tools

The Source Tools area contains the following:

• • Audio Level Meter

3.6.1 Audio Level Meter

3.6.2 Video and Clip Buttons

Video and Clip Buttons

Copyright © 2019 Vizrt Page 19

Button Name Description

Rewind Plays the video backward at 1, 2, 4, 8, or 16 times the normal rate.Click

Frame Plays the video one frame back.

Frame Plays the video one frame forward.