User manual

Introduction : Introduction to VCube Essentials
Page 8
Introduction to VCube Essentials
For many years the Virtual Transport module in combination with the QuickTime® Video player and the Direct
Show Video Player, either sold as stand-alone options or included in certain Pyramix software bundles, has pro-
vided the opportunity to play back video clips efficiently, synchronized with Pyramix on the same CPU, with very
little encumbrance to the system itself. The combination of the Direct Show Player to handle playback of video
files encoded with Windows® based codecs and the QuickTime® Player for QuickTime® based files meant that users
had to either choose between the two groups of possible file formats when preparing Pyramix projects or had to
purchase both optional players in order to be able to accommodate the highest number of video file types. How-
ever, since the introduction of these two players, Merging Technologies has co-developed, released and contin-
ued the fervent development of the highly sophisticated stand-alone video player/recorder, "VCube". Now that
VCube has reached full maturity with its third software revision (as of July 2011) Merging is confident that the time
has come to gradually phase out the QuickTime® Video Player option and eventually to discontinue the Direct
Show Video Player altogether in favor of VCube. This is why we created the VCube Essentials Video Player option
for Pyramix.
What is VCube Essentials?
VCube Essentials is a full VCube HD player equivalent in functionality to a VCube LE system. It enables almost any
type of video file to be loaded and played out whether they are QuickTime® based or Windows® based and allows
for the addition of specialized decoder options like MXF, MPEG2-HD (Sony XDCam HD), DVCPro HD, VC-3 (Avid®
DNxHD) and AVC Intra (Panasonic P2).
VCube Essentials also allows for the optional addition of interchange formats from major video editing stations
like OMF, AAF and Apple FCP® XML.
Experienced VCube Users
Those of you already familiar with the VCube installation process, and general operation, loading video into the
VCube time line etc., will be happy to learn that the VCube Essentials user interface is identical to all other VCube
versions. So, you may wish to skip the following sections and go straight to the Managing System Resources of
VCube Essentials section to discover the built-in tools that may help you better manage your VCube Essentials
experience when pushing the envelope of your system's resources comfortably to the maximum in full HD.
Installing VCube Essentials
This section describes how to install the VCube Essentials for the first time on your Pyramix workstation.
Minimum requirements:
For a list of the IT hardware currently recommended by Merging please consult our website under the section: PC
Config - Recommended/ Required
http://www.merging.com/pages/pcconfig
Upgrading from Merging Technologies QuickTime® or Direct Show Players
For users who are migrating from Merging's QuickTime® Video Player or Direct Show Video Player to VCube Essen-
tials on an existing Pyramix workstation you must run the VCube installer that corresponds to your exact Pyramix
build number and import your VCube Essentials MT Security Key, (as you would with any other key) provided by
Merging through your reseller, to activate it.
1. Verify that Pyramix and VCube have exactly same installer versions prior to installing VCube Essentials.
• Begin by determining the exact version of your Pyramix 7 installation by carefully taking note of the
build number indication in the Pyramix splash screen as it launches, by noting the build number in
Help > About... or by looking at the build numbers indicated in the names of the Pyramix and
VCube installation files.