Specifications and Comparison of Softron Standalone Playout Solutions
| OnTheAir Video | OnTheAir Video DV | OnTheAir Video Express | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum System requirements (for one output per Mac) |
G5 Dual, OS 10.4.11, 4GB RAM (Minimum 6 GB RAM with Mac OS 10.6) | G4, OS 10.4.11, 2GB RAM | MacIntel, OS 10.5.6, 4GB RAM |
| Minimum System requirements (for DUAL output) |
MacIntel, OS 10.4.11, 8GB RAM | G4, OS 10.4.11, 2GB RAM | MacIntel, OS 10.5.6, 8GB RAM |
| Minimum System requirements (for QUAD output) |
MacIntel, OS 10.4.11, 10GB RAM | G4, OS 10.4.11, 2GB RAM | MacIntel, OS 10.5.6, 10GB RAM |
| Supported Graphic cards | Any | Any | Only the standard graphics card available by default. ATI Radeon HD 4870 is not supported |
| Monitor Required ? (DVI Monitor, Mini DisplayPort Monitor or a Switch with Active ports needs to be connected to the MacPro, XServe, Mac mini) |
✔ | ||
| Maximum Number of output per Mac | 4 (one license per output) | 2 with built in FireWire. More with FireWire buses added (option required for multiple out) | 2 on PCI bus + 2 with built in FireWire. More with FireWire buses added. Test with DEMO version to ensure it works fine with your system. |
| Video Outputs | PCI Video Cards (AJA, Blackmagic-Design, Matrox) | FireWire DV | FireWire DV, FireWire HDV or FireWire DVCPro HD, PCI Video Cards (AJA, Blackmagic-Design, Matrox) |
| Video Outputs Modes | 8 bit | 8 bit | |
| HD | ✔ (option required) | ✔ | |
| Codecs Supported | Most Quicktime i-frame Codecs (see list below - some codecs require to be installed in the Quicktime Component Library) | DV stream only | All codecs supported by Quicktime (see list below - some codecs require to be installed in the Quicktime Component Library) |
| MXF Files supported | ✔ (only with MXF Quicktime Component installed) | ✔ (only with MXF Quicktime Component installed) | |
| Still image support | ✔ (png, jpeg, pdf, psd, etc...) | ||
| ARGB support (for External and Internal Keying using medias with Alpha Channel) | ✔ | ||
| Reference Movie support | ✔ | ||
| Audio Destinations | All available for your Mac | FireWire | Same as Video output |
| Audio Fromat | Linear PCM, 48Khz, Stereo or Mono, 16 or 24 bit | DV stream only, Mono or Stereo | All formats supported by Quicktime |
| Multiple Audio Channels output | ✔ (option required for more than one stereo track output - only Stereo Quicktime tracks supported) | ✔ | |
| Video/Audio Buffering | ✔ (10 seconds) | ||
| TimeCode Sources | Mac Clock, RS422 (only with Adrienne Protocol - not for Schedule option) | Mac Clock, Device | Mac Clock |
| Metadata (read metadata from QT file) | Only Quicktime Title | ✔ (customizable) | |
| Logo overlay (on top of video clip - no additional video card needed) | ✔ (option required) | ||
| Schedulable (for 24/7 playout) | ✔ (option required - using Internal Clock only) | ✔ (option required - using Internal Clock only) | |
| Autostart with TimeCode in | ✔ (Adrienne Broadcast Protocol in RS422 port) | ✔ (Adrienne Broadcast Protocol in RS422 port) | |
| GPI output | ✔ (requires GPI Commander Box and Software) | ✔ (requires GPI Commander Box and Software) | |
| GPI input | ✔ (requires GPI Commander Box and Software) | ✔ (requires GPI Commander Box and Software) | ✔ (requires GPI Commander Box) |
| Controlable by MIDI | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Control Matrix Video Switchers | ✔ (using Actions) and OnTheAir Switch (see product page in Accessory products) | ✔ (using Actions) and OnTheAir Switch (see product page in Accessory products) | |
| Actions (secondary events) | ✔ | ✔ | |
| AppleScriptable | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Clip relative path (Clips Folder root) | ✔ | ✔ | |
| As-run-logs | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Cue Mode | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Trimming | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Edit playlist while playing | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ (but not in chain mode) |
| Seamless playback | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Scrubbing (position playout at given position) | ✔ | ||
| Options Available on order | HD, Logo Insertion, Schedule, Multilingual (more than one stereo track output) | Schedule, Multichannel (Video) | Multichannel (Video) |
Note: Product specifications are not contractual and subject to change without notice.
Hardware compatibility List
| OnTheAir Video | OnTheAir Video DV | OnTheAir Video Express | |
|---|---|---|---|
| AJA Kona 3 | ✔ | ✔ | |
| AJA Kona LHI | ✔ | ✔ | |
| AJA Kona LHE | ✔ | ✔ | |
| AJA Kona LSE | ✔ | ✔ | |
| AJA Io HD | ✔ | ✔ | |
| AJA Io Express | Not tested | Not tested | |
| AJA Io | Not tested | Not tested | |
| AJA Io LA/LD | Not tested | Not tested | |
| Blackmagic-Design Intensity | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Blackmagic-Design Decklink SDI | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Blackmagic-Design Decklink Optical Fibre | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Blackmagic-Design Decklink Studio | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Blackmagic-Design Decklink HD Extreme 3D | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Blackmagic-Design Decklink DUO | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Blackmagic-Design Multibridge | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Matrox MXO | |||
| Matrox MXO2 | ✔ (Drivers 1.7 minimum) | ✔ | |
| Matrox MXO2 Mini | ✔ (Drivers 1.7 minimum) | ✔ | |
| Matrox MXO2 Rack | ✔ (Drivers 1.7 minimum) | ✔ | |
| FireWire converters or Cameras (DV) | >✔ | ||
| FireWire converters or Cameras (HDV) | ✔ | ||
| FireWire converters or Cameras (DVCPro HD) | ✔ |
We have done extensive testing on the BMD Decklink HD Extreme, BMD Intensity, BMD Intensity Pro, the AJA LHe and AJA KONA 3 cards and the Matrox MXO2. Some other cards have been tested with our products by the manufacturer or users who confirmed it was working. Other cards from AJA, Blackmagic-Design or Matrox are tested by us as they become available but we do not have the resources to test all but the most popular. The results in this matrix for the other cards are based on feedback from users and reseller. Because our software is available on line as a free download, if you are using another card, please take the time run your own tests and be sure that our products meet your requirements before buying them. And please inform us of your results.
Supported Codecs
| OnTheAir Video | OnTheAir Video DV | OnTheAir Video Express | |
|---|---|---|---|
| AJA 8bit | ✔ (AJA Quicktime Component required) | ✔ (AJA Quicktime Component required) | |
| AJA 10bit | ✔ (AJA Quicktime Component required) | ✔ (AJA Quicktime Component required) | |
| Animation | ✔ (Alpha Channel not supported) | ✔ (With transparency on Alpha Channel) | |
| Apple Intermediate Codec | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Apple Pixlet Video | ✔ | ||
| Apple ProRes 422 Family | ✔ (Apple ProRes Quicktime Component required) | ✔ (Apple ProRes Quicktime Component required) | |
| Apple ProRes 444 | ✔ (Apple ProRes Quicktime Component required) | ✔ (Apple ProRes Quicktime Component required) | |
| Apple VC (H.263) | ✔ | ||
| AVC-Intra | ✔ (AVC-Intra Quicktime Component required) | ||
| Blackmagic 8bit (2Vuy) | ✔ (Blackmagic Quicktime Component required) | ✔ (Blackmagic Quicktime Component required) | |
| Blackmagic RGB 10bit | ✔ (Blackmagic Quicktime Component required) | ✔ (Blackmagic Quicktime Component required) | |
| DV-PAL | ✔ | ✔ (dv stream only) | ✔ |
| DV/DVCPRO-NTSC | ✔ | ✔ (dv stream only) | ✔ |
| DVCPro-PAL | ✔ | ✔ (dv stream only) | ✔ |
| DVCPro HD 1080i | ✔ | ✔ | |
| DVCPro HD 1080p | ✔ | ✔ | |
| DVCPro HD 1080i | ✔ | ✔ | |
| DVCPro HD 720p | ✔ | ✔ | |
| DVCPro 50 | ✔ | ✔ | |
| H.264 | ✔ | ||
| HDV 1080i | ✔ | ||
| HDV 1080p | ✔ | ||
| HDV 720p | ✔ | ||
| JPEG 2000 | ✔ | ✔ | |
| MPEG IMX (30/40/50) | ✔ (IMX Quicktime component required) | ✔ (IMX Quicktime component required) | |
| MPEG-2 | |||
| MPEG-4 Video | ✔ (i-frame only) | ✔ | |
| None | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Photo-JPEG | ✔ | ✔ | |
| PNG | ✔ | ||
| Uncompressed 10-bit | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Uncompressed 8-bit | ✔ | ✔ | |
| XDCAM EX 1080i | ✔ | ||
| XDCAM EX 1080p | ✔ | ||
| XDCAM EX 720p | ✔ | ||
| XDCAM HD 1080i | ✔ | ||
| XDCAM HD 1080p | ✔ | ||
| XDCAM HD422 1080i | ✔ | ||
| XDCAM HD422 1080p | ✔ | ||
| XDCAM HD422 722p | ✔ |
(OnTheAir Video DV only plays DV stream files with the .dv extension)
If you don't see the codecs you'd like to use in this list, send us an email to inquire about compatibility.
We have done extensive testing on different codecs and frame size. These results may vary according to your Setup, to the video board you are using, to the version of the drivers of this video board, and to the version of Quicktime. Refer to the minimum requirements to make sure you have the appropriate Hardware. Some codecs are not readyly available with your Mac. For example the IMX codec must be installed in the Quicktime Components Folder located in /Library/Quicktime/. Some codecs request high Bandwidth, such as Uncompressed 10bit HD will require you to have a performant RAID system in order to play it. Because our software is available on line as a free download, please take the time run your own tests and be sure that our products meet your requirements before buying them.