What's New in V11.5?

ST 2110

Photon now has a new implementation of SMPTE ST 2110 streaming protocols. ST 2110 is a set of standards that allows for the transmission of professional media over IP networks, facilitating greater efficiency and flexibility in broadcast environments.

• Native support for SMPTE ST2110 uncompressed video (2110-20) input and output over IP using Deltacast IP Virtual Card API.

• Supporting standard resolutions and frame-rates (up to 4K DCI 60Hz) , as well as RGB 8/10/12 bit, YUV 444 8/10/12 bits and YUV 422 8/10/12 bits.

• Frame accurate synchronisation is supported using the PTP standard.

• Stream redundancy (2022-7) support.

• A maximum of 5 streams are currently supported (in or out) up to 4096x2160@60Hz RGB-10 bits per stream.

• ST2110 support requires a specific 2110 license and modern VYV hardware with dedicated dual 100Gb NICs.

The software significantly reduces processing overhead, enabling smooth and sustained output bandwidth. This release marks a key step in advancing our IP broadcast capabilities, ensuring reliable and high-performance streaming for professional media applications. For more details, please refer to the accompanying documentation.

RT-CALIB & SLAC

Overall

RT Calib integration into SLAC Workflow

There is now a step {RT Calibration} between the {Calibration} and the {Reconstruction} steps in the Calibration Workflow window.

RT Calib Cross Fade

The cross-fade value is now independent of the calibration one.

Copernic - Optitrack Tracker Exclusion

By using the camera Priors ID exclusion at the Copernic detection stage, it eliminates all Copernics within the defined ranges.

Improved feedback in the RT Calib User Interface

• The camera information in the Calibration Tool Window is now shown in the RT Calib UI (Calibration error, pose error, fps, residual, and camera count).

• Camera information is now always visible when paired with a projector.

• Enable/disable RT Calib is now accessible in the contextual menu in the pairing view.

RT-Calib Reset Pose Transformation

There is now a button in the automation properties to reset the pose transformation for both the projector and the camera.

SLAC

• We have added a port control UI.

• A SLAC port has been added in {Settings > Network}.

• We have significantly increased the speed of the SLAC’s reconstruction.

SLAC Workflow Simulation Mode

New features and updates in the SLAC Workflow simulation mode:

• Null Trackers are considered as decoded copernics in cameras.

• It enables the visualization of visible trackers in camera views and simulates the calibration ground volume, including Rt Calib and Albion Tracking.

• The Camera Prior represents the physical camera, and the calibration results are applied to the virtual camera. This enables us to observe calibration errors by measuring the distance between the prior and the virtual camera within the 3D scene.

• The acquisition simulation is now done within the prior view.

3D Scene

Overall

• Transformation Priors are now integrated into Primitives

  • The transformation priors are now fully integrated into any primitive derived from virtual cameras (such as cameras, projectors, and depth sensors). There is no longer a need to create a separate primitive for prior reference.

  • A new toggle has been added under primitive properties for the transformation prior, allowing users to show or hide the associated prior in the 3D scene. A combo box enables users to select and move the prior independently of the primitive's transformation.

  • Buttons have been added to update the prior transformation to match the primitive transformation, which can be useful after performing a calibration.

  • A migration step has been implemented to preserve data from older projects, updating the transformation priors to align with the new workflow.

• Decorative objects now appear black in texture rendering mode.

• Semi-transparent objects no longer appear white in wireframe rendering mode.

• We have resolved the issue where the 3D model does not appear after restarting Photon until it is re-synchronized.

• We have fixed the issue where manual calibration does not highlight the selected item while searching.

• Particle System Primitive

  • A toggle has been added in the Particle System primitive properties to switch to Graph V2.

  • Drop-down menus have been added to select a Graph V2 and an instance for rendering particles in the 3D scene.

Some DXF files from Leica were not loading anymore, but this issue has now been resolved.

Depth Sensors

Depth Sensor Primitives now have a pyramid to better visualize their position and orientation without the need to show the gizmo.

LED Mapper

Lock addresses editing + Edit icon

• DMX addresses are now locked and uneditable on the quad/screen.

• An Edit icon has been added to clearly identify edited pixels.

Edited addresses are preserved by default when changing quad configurations.

Timeline

Proxy Multiple Source Outputs

Allow the "Proxy" clip to specify which output will be used from the source layer. This feature is useful when sourcing a Graph V2 clip that has multiple texture outputs.

Timeline's control tab last state is now saved (i.e., Tools vs. Regions).

We have added a shortcut to switch between Tools and Regions tabs in the Timeline Module: [D]

Preview Programming

We have improved the Timeline Preview Programming by ensuring that exiting the preview no longer fast-forwards the controller's playhead, which had previously caused issues in multi-user environments. Additionally, we have fixed the synchronization issue that sent local time to the display for just a frame.

Timeline Markers

We have introduced a new marker clip type to enhance the workflow for show control and show navigation. Marker clips appear in beige in the Timeline and allow for external DMX transport control, enabling seamless integration of lighting and video cues for a single operator.

When a DMX command is sent, the Timeline’s Playhead jumps to the corresponding marker clip, triggering video cues. Markers can have unique IDs linked to commands from the lighting desk or mimicking the stage manager list, ensuring efficient cueing. Users can also add notes to markers for valuable reference.

• Marker Clip Type: A new Marker clip type has been introduced, which includes an ID, a Sub ID, and an Info field for better organization and reference.

• DMX Timeline Control: We have implemented new DMX timeline control types: marker ID and Sub marker ID. This feature allows for jumping to a marker's time when triggered from DMX. In case of duplicate IDs, the marker that appears first in time will be triggered.

• Shortcuts

  • [M]: Add marker clip.

  • [Shift+M]: Next marker.

  • [Ctrl-Shift-M]: Previous marker.

• Default Marker Clip Time: The default marker clip time has been set to 30 seconds in the settings.

Clip-Specific Properties Multi-Selection

• Multiple clips of the same type can be selected to edit specific properties for the following types: Media, Proxy, Input Device, Virtual Projector, and Cue.

• A list has been added above the specific properties in multi-selection, making it easier to see the selection, select the current clip, and remove clips from the selection if necessary.

New Editing Shortcuts

New Selection Shortcuts

• [ CTRL+ALT+SHIFT+; ]: Select all clips under Playhead in all screens.

• [ CTRL+ALT+SHIFT+' ]: Select all media clips under Playhead in all screens.

Copy/Paste of Shared Clip Properties

• [ CTRL+ALT+C ]: Copy shared clip properties of the current clip.

• [ CTRL+ALT+V ]: Paste all shared clip properties for the selected clips.

The clip contextual menu allows you to paste only a section (Geometry, Blending, Transitions, etc.).

Clip Distributor & Automatic Media Assignation to Screens

Create clips on multiple screens + Auto assign medias:

• A new tool to help create and distribute clips on multiple screens simultaneously with very few clicks. In the Timeline editor bar, select {Tools -> Create Clips on Multiple Screens} or click on the distributor icon in the new side Tools Panel of the Timeline.

• A new input box has been added to the Screen Properties for entering a screen media pattern. This same input box is also available in the clip creator widget for creating media clips. When a media file name matches the specified pattern, it is automatically assigned to the corresponding clip on the screen. If multiple media items match the pattern, the first media is assigned to the first clip, the second media to the second clip, and so on.

• A button has been added to the File Manager contextual menu for replacing selected media clips in the Timeline, using the screen pattern similarly.

• A button has been added in the File Manager contextual menu to auto-create media clips. It pops the Clip Creator widget with media clips, and assigns all selected medias that match a screen media.

• A toggle has been added to only create the clips on selected screens. Off by default, so all clips are created no matter the selection.

Events Editor + New Playlist Clip Type

Introducing the Events Editor, which can be accessed from the Show menu or by using the shortcut [Alt+E]. This tool allows users to create and edit Scheduler playlists. A playlist consists of a sequence of events that will be executed one after another. Currently, there are two supported event types: cues and media (which can be images or videos).

A new Timeline clip type using a Scheduler playlist. When the clip is activated, it will trigger the start of the playlist (with a free-run mode available). In the future, more triggering options will be added, such as specific times or DMX values.

Reorder Events

- Added the possibility to reorder (drag-and-drop) selected lines in EGLUI table.

Multi-Selection + External Drop

- Added the support of multi-selection in the Table.

- Allowed drops of converted media from the File Manager and cues from the Cue Editor to create events more easily.

Various improvements and fixes have been made to the Timeline, including resolving issues with item selection, DMX control, and stacking of duplicated clips. Offline layer render toggles have been removed for better management. Additionally, multi-user color correction issues have been addressed, ensuring Looks are applied correctly across multiple servers.

File Manager

YA16 Conversion Fix

• Fixed an alignment issue that was offsetting pixels in YA16 GPU conversion. The alignment issue was proportional to the ratio (width/height) of the content, hence more visible on very wide ratio content.

LUTs Support

• Better support of LUTs coming from Da Vinci Resolve.

Optimized performance of the File Manager

• New efficiency optimization of EGLUI & File Manager, and Photon startup time when the File Manager contains a lot of media.

• Transfers and conversions have been sped up and are now more stable.

File Sequences' speed transfer has also been vastly improved.

Graph V2

New Nodes

• Depth Sensor Node

• Signal Generator Node

  • The Node supports sine, cosine, triangle, and square signals, with a rescale value.

• New DMX 3D Mapping Node

  • The Node sends DMX control values based on the fixture information linked to the moving lights.

  • It supports moving light fixture control types:

    • color.

    • pan-tilt.

    • intensity.

    • zoom controls.

  • There are two rendering modes:

    • Position: Projects the moving light position in the input camera space and assigns the corresponding input texture color to the selected control type.

    • Target: Renders the input objects in the moving light viewpoint and assigns the target color to the selected control type.

• Audio Analysis Node

• Network Host Node

• Delta Time Node

  • It returns the number of seconds since the last graph evaluation. Useful for making framerate-independent animations through the graph.

• Blob Kalman Filter Node

• UDP Client/Server Nodes

• Slots and Nodes to manage binary data

• Implementation of the Video Node from the Graph V1 into the Graph V2

• Control Node: new node to fetch information under Settings->Control

Usability Features from V1 Ported to V2

Advanced Search

Can now list and search all nodes in the current graph.

Legend

Lists all the slot colors and types.

Align + Move selected Nodes shortcuts

• [L] to align the selection.

• [Up/Down/Left/Right] to move the selection.

Profiling

• Added profilers to the Nodes.

• Added a toggle to visualize the data flow, while using the profiling toggle to activate the graph profiling in the same fashion as with the Graph V1.

Nodes can now be selected by clicking on their content instead of just their header.

Shortcuts + Drag & Drop to create a clip

• Added the ability to drag-and-drop a Graph V2 onto a layer to create a clip.

• Added support for the [X] shortcut to find and select a graph from the timeline. It also selects the graph instance used in the clip.

• Added shortcut {W} to create a Graph V2 clip.

Improvement & New Features

Graph Nodes, also known as metaNodes, are now depicted with a contour. Double-clicking on the contour will open the graph.

Exposed slots now feature an icon instead of a dashed circle.

Snap to Source

Added support for "Snap to Source".

Implementation of Pass-Through

Disabling the Node without cutting data flow.

When you duplicate Nodes, the input connections will be maintained

Network Nodes now include a localhost selection option

The Network Nodes (monitor and host name) input combo box now provides the localhost option alongside all server names.

Value to List Converters

When a slot requires a list of values but the input is a single value, a converter will be added to create a single-element list containing that value.

The list slots now display the text values of their elements in tooltips

Add minimum and maximum slider values for Effects Nodes

Copying variable Nodes will now also create their associated variables when pasted into a new Graph

The default minimum and maximum values for the Graph V2 slider are now set to 0 and 1

Get Primitive Property now supports Input Device & Depth Sensor Device

Mapper Node is now split into two nodes: Get/Set

New 'Localhost' option in the Network Host Node & Network Monitor Node

Added Graph V2 particle Voxel support

(Voxelizer Node => Particle Cuda Texture => Particle Texture Locator)

blob ID offset parameter for the Voxelizer, Blob Tracking FX, and Particle Renderer.

This allows the starting blob ID for virtually generated blobs to be set to a value other than zero, preventing conflicts with Copernics and/or other instances of Nodes/FXs.

FX

New FXs

Scope FX

We have added an FX that displays a vector-scope rendering of the input texture.

Three modes are available:

• waveform.

• RGB waveform.

• RGB parade.

The samples parameter can be used to adjust the brightness of the scope.

Low Mid High FX

We have added an FX that allows adjustment of low, mid, and high intensities (not per color as currently in the CC module).

Improvements

The Fluid FX has been improved with several fixes, including addressing over-saturation in the 10-bit pipeline, ensuring timestep-independent simulations perform consistently at 60 fps, and reducing framerate dependence for better overall performance.

We have fixed the Time Code FX feature in the FX Stack.

We have deprecated some effects:

• Removed Noise Gradient FX; you should use Noise 3D FX.

• Removed Vector Flow FX; you should use Particle System.

• Removed Seascape FX; you should use Ocean FX.

Removed Noise Gradient requirement from Liquid Paint (now requires a second input as noise).

I/O

Input Devices

• Fixed feedback loop when using Test Card.

• Updated NDI to version 6.0.1.

• A warning is now displayed when an NDI sender uses an unsupported format.

DMX

SACN can now use unicast and multicast simultaneously

Unicast can now be enabled for specific universes; others will use multicast.

New DMX controls in the Timeline DMX Fixture Controls

• Sequence Tab selection.

• Enable/Disable Timecode.

OSC

• We have resolved the crash due to the OSC Client receiving a malformed packet.

Light Sensors

• We have disabled Yocto light sensors support; this feature is now deprecated.

Depth Sensors

• Depth Sensor Float Data Type: We have changed the internal data type, which reduces by three times the amount of data transmitted on the network.

• We disabled RealSense support because their depth sensors have been discontinued.

• We have implemented various optimizations related to lidars.

Albion

• Albion Virtual IDs now have a Vertical (Y) Offset.

Settings

Display Ident New UI and Features

New interface for Display Ident in the Settings module

• New option to select the outputs that will display the Ident.

• Contrast control per output.

• Ident color is now calculated using outputs instead of primitives. The colors are no longer affected by linked primitives.

• Ident works with output with no linked displays.

UI & Shortcuts

New shortcut to quit without saving: {Ctrl+Alt+Shift+Q}

Natural sorting (e.g., 1, 2, 10, 20, 100, ...) is now used in various lists of our software (file names, host names, device names, etc.). The original lexical sorting order (e.g., 1, 10, 2, 20, 100, ...) can be reverted using an Advanced Option.

The Log Manager now includes a scrollbar for the list of machines on the left side.

Profiler

Color thresholds:

• We have added two sliders to control the color interpolation thresholds of the profiler—specifically, the mid-point and maximum values (from yellow to red), measured in milliseconds. These adjustments can be found under {Settings > General > Profiler}. This enhancement will help users to more easily identify bottlenecks in their project setups. The thresholds apply to both Profilers V1 and V2, as well as Graphs V1 and V2.

We have made Profiler V2 indentation smaller to better see the labels.

Performance improvements

We have introduced the ability to disable the "FPS" and "Network Monitor" logs from being sent to the console. This adjustment addresses issues causing stuttering in high framerate scenarios. A new option in the advanced menu allows users to disable these console outputs.

Tachyon

Tachyon's Calibration UI has undergone several improvements.

An issue was fixed where some widgets would disappear when the tab was unpinned and the layout was altered, as not all widgets were present.

Additionally, the calculation for 3D viewport size has been corrected to account for the size offset of the calibration tools.

We have implemented the Marker Clip Feature.

Lastly, a problem was resolved where object transformations were not applied to calibration points in the reference object window.

VNA

• We have fixed an issue with installer dependencies, which would not install correctly.

• We have added the natural sort order to various lists.

• It should be noted that Windows 11 changed the way consoles are handled. As a result, the minimized console window is always shown in the TaskBar.

Advanced Menu

Advanced Settings options are now categorized to allow for a more compact layout.