Instant Replay

Captivate now includes Instant Replay which can be controlled within your current video switcher workflow or within Captivate's new Video Switcher panel. 

Important: Instant Replay does not currently work with Audio Sources.

• Basic Project Setup
• Configure Instant Replay
• Control Instant Replay Live

• Resource Use Cases

Basic Project Setup

1. Ensure your Live Video Switching Panel is open by clicking the Switcher icon in the top Menu bar so that it highlights in blue or go to View > Video Switcher, so there is a check visible. 
   
2. Add a new live video source by going to one of the following:

   • File > New > Live Audio/Video > choose video source from the options connected.

   • Anywhere in the Project List > Right-click > New > Live Audio/Video > choose video source from the options connected.

   • In the bottom of the Project List panel, click Add New Live Audio/Video > choose video source from the options connected.
     Note: Available sources include NDI, SDI, any USB connected video device, or a live feed via Zoom, etc.
     

3. The Live Video source/s will now be visible in the Live Video Switcher panel and a Live Video/Audio tab will open when the layer is selected.  Click each to Preview. 
   

4. Choose a Stinger or Transition to enter and exit Instant Replay by going to the Library > Stingers or any folder with a Transition and drag into your Project List.
   

Your project is now set up to configure Instant Replay from within the Video Switcher panel.  Please continue to the next section.

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Configure Instant Replay

Captivate uses a circular buffer to record throughout your broadcast that can be set between 15 and 90 seconds.  Follow the steps below to set up your Instant Replay Settings for broadcast.

1. In the Video Switcher panel, select Instant Replay on the bottom right.
2. Within the Instant Replay Options Window, select your Replay Buffer Length. The memory required is dependent upon the buffer length you have selected, as well as, your project frame rate and resolution.
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3. Set your Stinger or Transition: On Replay Start and On Replay Stop.
4. If you are using an external switcher, make sure to click the box to Not use Captivate as a Switcher.
5. Under Recording Sources, toggle to Arm all the Video Feeds you plan to utilize for Instant Replay clips.
6. Click Enable Instant Replay to start the Buffer Recording.

You are now in the Recording Mode indicated by the red button in the lower right and you can see the buffer is running.  See the next section to Control Instant Replay Live when you can enter Playback mode.

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Control Instant Replay Live

You will now see a new set of controls available at the bottom of the panel after Configuring your Instant Replay Options.  The Buffer Feed will visually be filling up to the set timeframe, then will restart recording over the previous buffer feed.  The Replay Recording Button will be showing Red to indicate all the cameras armed, are currently being recorded. 

A clock icon appears on each of the Video Sources being recorded for Instant Replay.  

1. You will be able to select a clip for Instant Replay when the Replay Ready indicator changes from red to green in the bottom right corner after the original buffer. 
2. To select a segment to show as an Instant Replay clip, scrub along the Buffer Feed to the exact moment you would like your clip to begin.  Release the mouse to set the start point.
   
   Note: The smaller window in each Video Source is showcasing the Live Feed of the Camera.  The Larger Window is the start of the recorded buffer.
3. Choose the speed you would like to play your Instant Replay clip ranging from 0.25x to 2x speed.
   
4. Click the Video Source you would like to go live with as an Instant Replay clip and the pre-selected Stinger or Transition will automatically play to in with the recorded clip.
   
5. During playback, you can switch to any of the Armed Video sources, indicating selection by highlighting in green.
6. Use the cog on the far left bottom of the panel to change the Stinger/Transition Start or Finish, as well as, to Mute graphics during replay. 
   
7. To Show a Freeze Frame, click the Play Button and choose between your Armed Video Sources to show different angles.  There is also the ability to scrub to find a new Freeze Frame playback. 
   
   
8. Press the Play Button to Resume Playback.
9. Select the Live Video source or Click the Instant Replay button to exit Instant Replay mode and enable the pre-configured exit transition.

Important Tip: If you run into an emergency where you need to stop Live Video feeds for any reason, you can utilize the Stop All panic button in the upper right Menu bar by double-clicking.  This will allow you to cease and restart any video feeds you might need to.  Just a note, that we added a fail-safe mode where if you click it once it will bring up a pop-up window indicating you must double-click to activate.

Resource Usage Scale

Below are examples of estimated RAM usage scaled based on number of camera sources and buffer time.  This RAM usage is additional of any other RAM usage required by the Captivate software, additional software being utilized, or the system in general.  We recommend not to have Instant Replay use more than 60%-70% of the RAM available to the system.  A higher percentage of RAM usage may result in potential performance or stability issues.

Project Settings of 1920x1080 30p/i:

• 2 sources w/ 30s buffer - 5.6 GB
• 2 sources w/ 60s buffer - 11.2 GB
• 4 sources w/ 30s buffer - 11.2 GB
• 4 sources w/ 60s buffer - 22.4 GB

Project Settings of 1920x1080 60p/i:

• 2 sources w/ 30s buffer - 11.2 GB
• 2 sources w/ 60s buffer - 22.4 GB

Note: Resource usage scales linearly regardless of the variable changed.  Also, if the project is using a progressive or interlaced frame rate is irrelevant.

Here is a link to our Instant Replay Tutorial for a visual reference.  If you have any further questions or issues, please submit a Support Ticket here.

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