Specifications

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Io Express Installation and Operation Guide — Using the AJA Control Panel
Who is Controlling
Io Express?
There are times when you might have several Quicktime applications open at one time, and
each of these might want to output their video thru the Io Express video output. Io Express is
very flexible and most applications perform the necessary housekeeping so they work correctly
when they're active and when they're not. This means that the application that is “active” (in
front) will be granted control of the Io Express video output. Generally, when you switch to a
different application, the previous application lets go of the video output and the new
application gets control.
Io Express/AJA Control Panel Control Message
The AJA Control Panel in-use message will tell you the “active” application that has control of
Io Express (see in-use message above) and what the format selections are. If you click on another
supported application that is running such as Adobe Premiere Pro or AJA TV, the AJA Control
Panel in-use message will report the change by displaying the new application in control. If no
in-use message is displayed, the AJA Control Panel is in control of Io Express. If no QuickTime
applications are running, the board’s state is determined by the AJA Control Panel’s settings.
QuickTime Application Format Selection
If a running QuickTime application uses Io Express for capture or output, it controls the Primary
format via its own menus and settings. For example, when Final Cut Pro 7 is active (it’s the front-
most application) and has Io Express as its “A/V Device”, then the Io Express's Primary format is
determined by Final Cut's “Video Playback” submenu (under the “View” menu) or its “Audio/
Video Settings...” dialog under A/V Devices. These format selections are reported in the AJA
Control Panel block diagram.
QuickTime applications can start and stop and change modes—even while they are running.
And the behavior of different QuickTime applications can vary: some applications take control
of the interface as soon as they are launched and don't give it up until they quit, while other
applications take control of the interface only when they are the “front-most” running
application and then relinquish control when they’re not. Final Cut Pro 7 is one of the latter type
QuickTime applications. Even these QuickTime applications may not relinquish control until
capture or output operations are completed.
Note: Final Cut Pro 7 does not release the board if it is in capture mode. The Control Panel “in-
use” message will still say Final Cut Pro 7 has control even if the front application changes.
Control Recommendations
We recommend you have the Control Panel running and visible at all times. When the Control
Panel is running in the background (not front-most) you can see what the interface is doing and
who has control of it.