Autocue QMaster User Manual

QMaster

Prompting Software and QBox

Installation and Operation Guide

Contents

Latest additions ................................................................................................................................................................... 3

Getting started ..................................................................................................................................................................... 4

Equipment you will need ............................................................................................................................................... 4

Install the QMaster software ........................................................................................................................................ 4

Prepare and connect to your QBox ............................................................................................................................ 6

Connect and configure your scroll controller ......................................................................................................... 11

Create and prompt scripts ......................................................................................................................................... 12

Make the most of your software ................................................................................................................................... 14

Customising the QMaster user interface ................................................................................................................. 14

Import, write, edit and save scripts .......................................................................................................................... 14

Format your scripts ....................................................................................................................................................... 16

Manage multiple scripts in a rundown .................................................................................................................... 19

Working with multiple rundowns ............................................................................................................................... 24

Working with more than one presenter .................................................................................................................. 25

Dividing long scripts .................................................................................................................................................... 28

Control scrolling of your script................................................................................................................................... 29

Other QMaster configuration options ...................................................................................................................... 43

Adjust your QBox configuration ..................................................................................................................................... 57

Select different QBox video settings ........................................................................................................................ 57

Alternative network connections to a QBox ........................................................................................................... 60

Wireless operation ....................................................................................................................................................... 65

Load scripts directly onto a QBox ............................................................................................................................ 68

Upgrading Autocue products ........................................................................................................................................ 72

QMaster software upgrades ..................................................................................................................................... 72

Hardware upgrades .................................................................................................................................................... 73

If you need to contact Autocue or QTV ....................................................................................................................... 75

Build number

Release date

Changes

787

12 July 2011

Windows 7 Compatibility

Remove references to QBox Prompt engine no longer appear if the API is not installed

psiglueVC6.dll was missing from the setup program

Added support for the r2 QBox

Resolved an issue with script updates on the r2 QBox

Resolved an issue with User Message buttons not working

Created a ―First Run‖

wizard for QBox configuration

Added the option to configure different types of controllers on the QBox via QMaster

Added the option to

change the ―Not Captioned‖ colour on

the r2 QBox

Latest additions

This document was written for build 787 of the QMaster software, released on 12 July 2011.

Any changes since that point have been referenced below.

Revision history

Getting started

This section is designed to get your system setup as quickly as practical so that you can get on with writing and prompting your scripts. It is written to reflect the most common package that Autocue supplies to customers: QMaster software, QBox and Contour Design‘s ShuttlePRO scroll controller.

If you are interfacing with a newsroom computer system (NRCS) it is essential that

you also have the correct NRCS API manual.

Equipment you will need

Check that the following items have been received:

 QMaster software CD  Hardware licence dongle  QBox prompt engine  ShuttlePRO scroll controller

In order to install and operate QMaster you will also need either a desktop computer or a laptop. You will also require a separate USB or PS2 keyboard to perform initial configuration of your QBox.

If you have an alternative dedicated scroll control device refer to the ―Control scrolling of your script‖ section later in this manual for information about configuring them for use with QMaster.

If you have also purchased an teleprompter or conference stand to use with the software, refer to the documentation received with these items for guidance on assembling them.

Different ways to connect the equipment

1. 2. 3.

A s p a r t o f a c o r p o r a t e v i a E t h e r n e t H u b D i r e c t P e e r t o P e e r

n e t w o r k

The Getting started section will deal with connecting your computer to a QBox via an Ethernet switch.

Install the QMaster software

1. Insert the software CD into your computer

Note: Do not insert the hardware licence dongle until after the software has been installed.

2. Click Install software on the QMaster installation window

Note: If you are re-installing or upgrading your software, refer to ―Upgrading Autocue

products‖ for further information.

3. Select Install Software. The Welcome to QMaster Setup dialogue box is displayed.

4. Click Next. Your licence information is on the installation CD and the Licence

Agreement will be displayed.

The license information is stored in a folder named ―License‖ on the installation CD.

If the license file cannot be found, a dialog box is displayed that asks you to locate a valid license file.

5. Click Browse… to locate the folder containing your licence key. Press OK to proceed.

If a valid license file is found, the License Agreement dialog box is displayed.

6. Read through the license agreement and click Accept. The ―Select the components

you wish to install‖ dialog box is displayed.

7. Select QMaster to install the software.

Note: If you purchased other licensed options, such as robotic conference stand control

integration, these will also appear in the component list. Select them and continue the installation.

Refer to the ―Automation‖ section for further information about configuring the interface to such devices.

8. Click Next. The Select Program Installation Path dialogue box is displayed.

Note: Autocue strongly recommends that you use the default location of C:\QMaster.

9. Click Next to use the default location.

10. Various messages are displayed indicating that the installation is in progress and

the QMaster files are being copied, extracted and downloaded from the CD.

11. When the installation is complete, a message is displayed indicating successful

setup. Click OK.

You should now follow the steps to ―Prepare and connect to your QBox‖ before running the QMaster software.

Prepare and connect to your QBox

Attach either a USB or PS2 keyboard to your QBox so that you can access the configuration and information windows. (If you use a PS2 keyboard you will have to reboot the unit for the keyboard to be recognised.)

Attach a teleprompter

A QBox has both composite and VGA signal outputs. When QBoxes are shipped they are configured to use the composite video output (BNC connection). The video format is set to NTSC when shipped to the Americas and to PAL when shipped to other regions of the world.

Note: If you wish to use alternative settings or a different output mode, refer to the

―Changing the QBox video settings‖ section.

Configure your network connection

After connecting your QBox to your computer via an Ethernet switch you must configure the Ethernet port on the rear of the unit. This port is referenced as lan0 by the QBox firmware. (You may need to refer to your IT support team to get the IP configuration details you need to use.)

Note: If you are linking QMaster to your QBox using any other connection method, refer to

the ―Alternative network connections to a QBox‖ section.

1. Press the F8 key on the QBox keyboard to bring up the configuration menu.

2. Use the Down arrow key to select Configure QBox and then press Enter.

3. Press the Down arrow to highlight Network Configuration and press Enter.

4. Press Enter and then use the arrow keys to highlight the lan0 Wired Network

Connection and then press Enter.

5. Use the left and right keyboard arrow keys to select the IPv4 Settings tab.

6. Press the Tab key to highlight the Manual Configuration option and press the

spacebar to select it if is not already.

7. Use the Tab key to highlight the IP Address field.

8. Enter the chosen IP address. Press the full stop/dot key to move to the next block of

the IP address.

IP addresses of the computer and QBox should be in the same range. For example, if the address of the computer is 192.168.50.5 you might assign 192.168.50.10 to the QBox. As long as the first three blocks of numbers are the same, the two devices will be able to communicate.

9. Press the Tab key to highlight the Subnet Mask field. QBox stores this value as a

two-digit number. The most common Subnet Mask is 24 which corresponds to a Mask address of 255.255.255.0

Note: Further information about subnet mask numbering can be found in the section

―Assigning static IP addresses‖ later in the manual.

10. In a direct connection via an Ethernet Switch a Default Gateway should not be

necessary.

11. Press the Tab key to highlight the OK button and press Enter.

12. Press F10 to close the network configuration interface.

13. Use the arrow keys to select Return to Prompt Mode and press Enter.

You can now start the QMaster software and connect the software to your QBox and start prompting your scripts.

Connect QMaster to your QBox

Plug the dongle into your computer and double-click on the QMaster icon on your computer desktop to display the primary QMaster user interface.

Note: It is recommended that the licence dongle is always inserted into the same USB port.

Depending on the hardware and software configuration of your computer, it may be necessary to re-install the Sentinel drivers for each USB port.

When you start QMaster for the first time you will be prompted to configure the connection to your QBox. A connection wizard will guide you through this process.

1. The dialog box below will be displayed. Press Next if you wish to configure the

connection.

12. Enter the name of your QBox.

The default value is the QBox hostname based on the serial number of the device you have.

Note: The serial number is shown on the printed label attached to the bottom of your

QBox.

13. Enter the IP address of your QBox.

The IP address will be the value you assigned in the previous procedure.

14. The default Port number is recommended but you can change this to an alternative

one if your network requires it.

15. Press Next to display a summary of the information entered.

16. Press Connect to establish the link. A progress indicator will be displayed.

17. Messages will be displayed to show whether the connection has been established

or not.

If the connection has been successful, select Prompt >> QBox Status Panel from the main menu bar of the QMaster interface.

The QBox Status Panel displays all your QBox connections. Your QBox will show as Master as illustrated in the example below.

Connect and configure your scroll controller

1. Plug the supplied Contour Design ShuttlePRO controller into your computer.

Note: Do not try to install any software that comes with the ShuttlePRO.

18. From the main menu bar select Tools >> Options...

19. On the QMaster Configuration window, double-click on QBox Prompt Engines or

click the [+] sign next to that entry.

20. Click on Scroll Controls to display the Configure Scroll Controls tab.

21. Highlight Contour ShuttlePRO and click OK.

This will install the scroll control device with its default configuration.

If you have to change the configuration of the buttons or use an alternative

controller please refer to the ―Control scrolling of your script‖ section later in this

manual.

Create and prompt scripts

QMaster can be used to create scripts. Multiple scripts can be combined into rundowns. Multiple scripts are useful where more than one presenter will be reading the script or if you are preparing a broadcast with several stories.

Using a single script is better for solo presenters. Also it allows whoever is editing the script to focus on the words that go into the script rather than the script itself, allowing for more accurate script writing.

Import a script

1. Position the cursor where you want the imported text to be placed in the script.

22. Either hold down the [Alt] key and press [F] >> [I] or select File >> Import... from the

QMaster main menu bar.

23. Choose the file you wish to import. You may have to navigate to where the file is

located.

24. Select the appropriate file type.

25. The Select Import Settings dialog is displayed.

26. Make your choices from the options on the various tabs. You can select such

settings as the default font to use on importing, specify a particular code page if you use a specific language or override the Locale associated with the imported file.

Note: If you are going to regularly import the same type of file you can enable the

―Automatically use these settings‖ parameter so that they are applied each time a

file is imported.

27. Click OK. The text from the imported file will be formatted and placed in your script.

You can also write your script directly into the QMaster Editor window, ‗cut and paste‘ from an existing script or any other source.

Prompt your script

When you have prepared and saved your script, you can display it on a monitor for a speaker or presenter to read.

Start prompting

You can begin prompting by selecting Prompt >> Begin Prompting from the Script Editor menu bar or click the Begin Prompting button on the button bar.

Stop prompting

Press the Stop Prompting button on the QMaster button bar

Make the most of your software

QMaster allows you to quickly and simply create, edit, format and prompt the scripts you write.

If you are planning to use multiple scripts as part of a broadcast program or for a conference, refer to the section ―Managing multiple scripts in a rundown‖ later in this manual.

If the appropriate license options have been purchased you may also interface to newsroom systems and other broadcast equipment, robotic conference stands and Microsoft PowerPoint presentations.

Customising the QMaster user interface

The controls on the toolbars are used to edit and control the scripts you create.

Using the mouse to click buttons on the toolbars provides quick access to commonly used commands and tools.

Standard toolbar

Formatting toolbar

To display or hide a toolbar

1. On the menu bar select Tools >> Toolbars.

28. From the sub-menu select the toolbars to be displayed.

The selected toolbars will have a check mark () next to them.

Import, write, edit and save scripts

New script creation

Follow the steps outlined below to create a new QMaster script.

1. To open a new script file, either:

 select File >> New…from the menu bar  click the New File button on the toolbar  hold down the [Alt] and press [F] >> [N]

29. The Select New File Type dialog is displayed.

30. Select Simple Script File.

31. An Untitled Simple Script file will appear inside the QMaster Client window.

Note: For information about using the Simple Rundown File type, refer to the section:

Managing Multiple Scripts.

32. Type the text of your script into the Script Editor window. The pink line denotes the

bottom of the script so you can only type above it.

33. When you have finished entering the text, save your work.

To save your script, either

 select File >> Save from the menu bar  click the Save button on the toolbar  hold down the [Alt] and press [F] >> [S]

A standard Save As dialog is displayed.

Note: The default QMaster file type is the Simple Script File with the file name

extension.WSS

Editing a script

Format alteration

Key sequence

When amending, updating or correcting a script, you can either enter new text directly or insert text from other sources. You can also edit scripts using the search and replace function.

Note: It is a good working practice to regularly save your changes by pressing the Save

button or the keyboard shortcut sequence [Ctrl] and [S].

Direct entry

In the Script Editor, enter text directly using a keyboard.

Cut and paste

To copy text from an existing script:

1. Select the text in the source file by dragging the cursor to highlight the required text

or press Ctrl and A to select all the text.

34. Press Ctrl and C to copy the text

Ensure the cursor is at the point at which the new text is to be inserted in the script you are editing.

35. Press Ctrl and V to paste the copied text.

Note: You can also drag and drop selected text to any other open script file.

You can also perform these actions by using the cut, copy and paste buttons on the standard toolbar.

Search and replace

You can locate text to be changed in a script using the search and replace method.

1. Press Ctrl and H to open the Replace dialog.

36. Enter the text you are searching for and the text it is to be replaced with in the

appropriate fields.

37. Click Find Next to highlight the next occurrence of the search string and then click

Replace.

38. Each time you click Replace the next occurrence of the search string is highlighted.

39. Click Replace All to automatically replace every occurrence of the search string.

Note: When importing script files from certain external applications, some control

characters may be misinterpreted and displayed as unusual letter forms or numbers. QMaster allows you to search for these random characters and replace them with a blank space or some other character that you choose.

Format your scripts

A script can be formatted to meet the requirements of the person who will be reading the script. For example you can set the typeface, colour and size of the words that appear on the prompter monitor. The following table indicates the available formatting options and the corresponding control keys.

Format alteration

Key sequence

Underline

[Ctrl] and [U]

Italic

[Ctrl] and [I]

Bold

[Ctrl] and [B]

Select alternative font

[Ctrl] and [F]

Inverse

[Ctrl] and [E]

Change text to the default colour

[Ctrl] and [0]

Change text colour to red

[Ctrl] and [1]

Change text colour to green

[Ctrl] and [2]

Change text colour to blue

[Ctrl] and [3]

Change text colour to yellow

[Ctrl] and [4]

Justify text to the right

[Ctrl] and [Shift] and [R]

Justify text to the left

[Ctrl] and [Shift] and [L]

Justify text to the centre

[Ctrl] and [Shift] and [C]

Format all text

[Ctrl] and [Shift] and [A]

Select all text

[Ctrl] and [A]

The formatting changes shown above may also be made using the corresponding button on the Script Editor button bar:

or by selecting them from the Format option on the Script Editor menu bar:

Choose a different font

Choosing Format >> Font from the Script Editor menu bar opens the Select Font dialog.

Example

Description

Original text

Text highlighted

Inverse selected

Choose a different typeface and then select the required size for the text. An example of the appearance of your chosen settings is displayed in the lower display panel of the dialog.

When you are satisfied with your selections, click OK.

Inverse

Default QMaster scripts are written as white text on a black background.

Inverse changes any highlighted text to be black text on a white background.

40. Highlight the text you wish to change.

41. Select Format >> Inverse from the main menu bar of the Script Editor interface.

If the highlighted section has already had a different colour applied to the text, selecting Inverse changes this to be black text on the coloured background.

Format All

The Format All dialog allows you to change more than one attribute of the text in your script. The parameters of the Format All dialog apply to the whole script.

From the main menu bar of the QMaster Script Editor select Format >> All Text...

The Format All dialog is illustrated below.

The default settings are to leave any formats as they are currently set. Each of the parameters may have three states applied to:

 Leave: retain formatting already applied to the selected text.  On: apply the formatting to the selected text.  Off: clear the formatting from the selected text.

Click the Font button to alter the typeface and size for all the text in the script.

Manage multiple scripts in a rundown

QMaster allows you to manage more than one script via rundowns. You can create multiple scripts and create your own rundown or import and control one or more rundowns via an interface to an electronic newsroom automation system.

Autocue uses the term rundown to refer to the sequence of items in a news broadcast. Other common terms which mean the same include running order, runorder, slug list and queue.

A QMaster rundown is a collection of script files. Using a rundown is a way to manage and prompt multiple scripts. Editing individual scripts is carried out in the same way as using a simple script file editor.

QMaster Rundown window

The QMaster Rundown window consists of the QMaster Rundown and the Script Editor. The rundown displays a list of the stories, which will be displayed for the presenter. The stories are then prompted in the order they appear in the rundown list. The Script editor is used to create the text attached to each of the stories.

To create a new rundown:

1. Choose File >> New... from the QMaster menu bar.

42. Select Simple Rundown File from the displayed options.

A blank rundown will be displayed in the Rundown Editor with a blank script open in the associated Script Editor.

Rundown window column identifiers

Field

Description

This provides a unique number for all stories in the rundown and is not connected with the running order.

Story Title

Simply a title to identify the individual stories.

Words

The number of words in the script displayed in the Script Editor.

Link

This is the time for this script based on the set read rate. (Default read rate 180 words per minute).

Modified

This is used in the QMaster news system and it indicates the time when the script was last changed.

Status

This is used in the QMaster news system and it indicates whether a script is missing or when a script has received an update over a network.

Script Editor window column identifiers

Field

Description

Story Title

The name of the script shown in the rundown.

The ID number of the script as shown in the rundown window

Words

The number of words in the script displayed in the Script Editor.

Time

The estimated duration of the script based on the number of words and the set read rate

The Script Editor window

A script is created or edited in the Script Editor window. When you click the Start Prompting button on the QMaster toolbar the text of your script will be displayed on all connected display monitors. The default appearance for text in the Script Editor is white on a black background. You can also import scripts for editing in the Script Editor window.

The Script Editor window displays the Story Title at the top of the window. Below the title are three display fields.

Adjust window size

The size of the Script Editor window can be adjusted. As you move the pointer onto the border between the Rundown and Script Editor windows the cursor will change shape. When the cursor changes, click the mouse button and drag to the desired width.

Managing scripts in a rundown

After creating a new rundown you can add one or more scripts.

Creating scripts

To create a new script:

1. Select Story >> New from the QMaster menu bar.

43. From the sub menu that appears select either Single-column Script or Single-column

Break.

If you choose Single-column Script, the New Item Title dialogue box appears.

44. Enter the script name in the text box and click OK.

The name should be very concise description of the script.

Break items

Choose Single-column Break if you wish to split the rundown into sections.

Breaks are used for example if you have commercial segments in a broadcast or refreshment periods between speakers at a conference.

The total word count and duration for each section are displayed in the bar at the bottom of each section.

Editing scripts

To edit the text of a script using the Script Editor, double click on the item in the QMaster Rundown window. The entry in the rundown is highlighted in black to indicate the script you are currently editing. The Story Title will be shown at the top of the Script Editor window. The cursor is automatically placed in the Script Editor window and you can type in the text for the story. The text written in the Script Editor will appear on the prompt output monitor.

To quit the Script Editor, press the Esc (Escape) key on the keyboard.

Moving scripts within a rundown

The stories within a rundown can be reordered very easily using the drag and drop facility in QMaster.

1. Select the script you want to move by clicking on its title and holding down the left-

hand mouse button.

45. When the drag and drop pointer appears, move the dotted insertion point to the

new location

46. Release the mouse button to drop the script in its new place in the rundown.

Renumbering stories in a rundown

The stories within a rundown can be renumbered at any stage when lines are added or deleted. Choose Rundown >> Renumber from the main Rundown menu bar.

Access editing commands from the rundown

It is possible to edit the rundown and the attached scripts in the rundown window. It is often quicker and more convenient to use the rundown context menu accessed using the right-mouse button rather than the pull down menus.

Right-click once on the script you wish to edit. A menu appears next to the cursor. This section describes the commands available from this menu.

New story

Selecting this option adds a new story to the rundown. Refer to Managing scripts in a rundown >> Create scripts for information about different types of script file.

Edit Story

Select Edit Story from the context menu. The item opens in the Script Editor where it can then be edited.

You can also edit the attached script by double-clicking on the item and the text will appear in the Script Editor window.

View Story

Select View Story from the context menu. Viewing the text allows you to read the relevant script but does not allow you to make changes to it.

The item can also be viewed by selecting it from the rundown list and using the menu commands. Choose Story, and then View from the menu.

Finally, you can view the associated script by double-clicking on the item and the text will appear in the Script Editor window.

Delete Story

It may be necessary from time to time to delete stories from the rundown. Select Delete from the context

menu. A dialog box will appear asking the question ―Sure you want to delete this item?‖ Click Yes to delete.

The item will be deleted from the rundown and the text will disappear from the Script Editor.

The item can also be deleted by selecting it from the rundown list and using the menu commands. Choose

Story, then Delete from the menu. A dialog box ―Sure you want to delete this item?‖ will appear. Click on Yes

to delete.

Edit Field

The unique title field in the rundown simply identifies each individual story. The title field should contain a brief description of the story. To do this click once with the right mouse button on the description you wish to edit. Choose Edit Field from the menu. The title field will now appear white indicating that the text can be edited. Make the required changes and then press the left-hand mouse button or press Enter.

Note: If you have a three-button mouse click on the title you wish to edit with the middle

mouse button. To edit the field directly with a two button mouse press Ctrl on the keyboard and press the right hand button on the mouse to edit the field directly.

Toggle Hold State

Toggle Hold State allows you to put an item on standby. The selected item will not be prompted and will not be included in any timing calculations.

1. Highlight the item to be placed on hold

2. Select Story >> Toggle Hold State from the main Rundown menu bar

3. The item becomes highlighted in blue

You can also highlight an item and right-click on it to display a context menu from which you can select Toggle Hold State.

Rundown prompting commands

When you are prompting a rundown, you can rearrange the order in which items are sent to the prompter. To access the following commands QMaster must be in Prompt mode. Select Prompt >> Begin Prompting from the menu bar.

Prompt From Here

The Prompt From Here command allows you to begin prompting from anywhere within the rundown. To enable this, right-click once on the line at which you wish to begin prompting. Select Prompt From Here on the context menu. The Cue Marker on the prompter moves to the start of the selected item and the entry in the rundown is highlighted in yellow.

Move Next to Air

You can physically rearrange the sequence of items while a rundown is being prompted. To move an item so that its script will be the next one shown to the presenter, right-click on the item and select Move Next to Air on the context menu. The rundown sequence is changed so that the selected item appears under the item currently being prompted. You can also drag and drop the item within the rundown by left-clicking on the item and moving it below the item currently being prompted.

Deleting more than one script

It may be necessary to delete multiple items from the rundown. This removes the highlighted lines and the related text contained in the Script Editor.

Hold the Ctrl key on the keyboard and click once on each of the stories you wish to delete from the rundown.

Choose Story, then Delete from the menu. A dialog box will appear asking the question ―Sure you want to delete this item?‖ Click Yes to delete.

Alternatively, hold the Ctrl key on the keyboard and click once on each of the stories you wish to delete from the rundown. Right-click with the mouse on any highlighted story. A menu appears next to the pointer.

Choose Delete from the menu. A dialog box will appear asking the question ―Sure you want to delete this item?‖ Click Yes to delete.

Saving scripts and rundowns

It is good practice to save the rundown and scripts regularly to ensure no information is lost accidentally.

To save rundowns

1. Choose File >> Save As from the menu bar.

47. Enter the name of the rundown in the Save As dialogue box that is displayed. Enter

the name of the Rundown in File name text box and click Save.

You can also use the Save button on the toolbar to save your work.

To save individual scripts

To save changes made to a script choose File >> Save from the menu bar. The script changes will be added to the existing file.

Working with multiple rundowns

QMaster allows you to have a large number of rundowns and Script Editor windows open at the same time. However, to limit the confusion it is best to have only one open at a time.

QMaster provides a number of standard tools to help organise multiple rundown windows. The rundown windows currently opened are displayed on the window bar.

Arranging rundown windows

Tiling windows

When windows are tiled the operator can see part of all the rundowns on one screen. The way in which the windows are tiled depends on how many are open.

If you wish to see only the Rundown windows, then close all the Script Editor windows. Choose Window, then Tile Horizontally or Tile Vertically from the sub-menu. To make a window active choose the corresponding Rundown name from the window and click on it.

Cascading windows

Cascading windows arranges all the open windows one behind each other with their titles visible. The top window is the only one that can be seen complete.

If only the Rundowns are to be cascaded, close all the script editor windows. Choose Window >> Cascade from the menu bar. All the open windows are stacked so their titles are visible.

To bring a chosen rundown to the front, choose click on the rundown name in the stack or click its title on the status bar.

Arranging icons

All the open windows can be minimised to icons. These icons can become disorganised and difficult to quickly locate.

To tidy the layout of your story icons, choose Window >> Arrange from the menu bar. All the icons will be arranged neatly at the bottom of the QMaster window in the Status bar.

Moving stories between rundowns

Stories can be moved between rundowns very easily using the ―drag and drop‖ facility in QMaster.

1. Select the story you want to move by pointing to it and hold down the left-hand

mouse button.

48. When the drag and drop pointer appears, drag the dotted insertion point to the

new location.

49. Release the mouse button to drop the story in its new place in the rundown.

Working with more than one presenter

If more than one person will be speaking from your script you can insert each person‘s name at appropriate points in a script to indicate who is supposed to be speaking.

Individual speakers may have their own preferences for typeface, text size, colour and style. You can build a list which contains the personal preferences for each of your speakers. This list can also contain their individual read rates. When you insert a defined name into your script their settings will automatically be used.

The personal preferences for each person are saved as a Presenter Profile.

Create Presenter Profiles

Presenters Profiles may be created either for scripts or for rundowns. Profiles are created under the File Based Queues in the QMaster configuration interface.

1. Select Tools >> Options... from the main menu bar.

50. On the System Options dialog that is displayed, click on the [+] next to File Based

Queues

If you select Simple Script File Defaults, all profiles created will only be available for files created as Simple Scripts.

If you select Simple Rundown File Defaults the profiles you create will be available to scripts created within a rundown.

Follow the steps outlined below to a create a set of parameters for an individual presenter.

Note: Presenter Profiles that are created will only be available to include in new scripts or

rundowns. They will not be available for any scripts previously created.

1. Click the Presenter Settings tab to specify which parameters may be set for an

individual presenter.

Parameters that are not selected are fixed for all presenters and may not be edited.

51. Click the Presenters tab to display a list of presenters currently available for

inclusion in scripts.

52. Click Add to create a new Presenter Profile.

53. Enter the name of the Presenter and then select the parameters you wish to apply

to all scripts written for that presenter.

From the Presenters tab of the QMaster Configuration interface you can also change the profile of an existing Presenter by clicking Modify or remove a particular Presenter profile by clicking Delete.

After making all the additions or changes to Presenter profiles, click OK.

Note: Presenters created as a Simple Script File Default will only be available to files

created as Simple Scripts. If you import such a script into a rundown, the name of the

Presenter will appear in the script but all other formatting relating to that Presenter‘s

profile will be lost.

Adding a Presenter to a script

Ensure the cursor is at the position in the script where you wish to place a presenter name.

1. Choose Insert >> Presenter from the menu bar. The Select Presenter dialog box is

displayed.

54. Click on the presenter name you wish to insert.

55. Click on OK.

A yellow rectangle containing the presenter name appears in the script.

Note: If a presenter profile includes a specific colour, style or other setting, all the text after

the point where the name is inserted will change to match the parameters of the presenter profile.

Modifying or deleting presenter profiles

Follow the steps outlined below to amend or remove a particular presenter profile. Remember that presenters can be associated with either a script or a rundown so you must select the appropriate File Based Queues defaults to display the appropriate list of profiles.

1. Select Tool >> Options... from the menu bar.

56. On the System Options dialog that is displayed, click on the [+] next to File Based

Queues

57. Click the Presenters tab to display a list of presenters currently available.

58. Select the name of the required Presenter.

 If you wish to change the profile, click Modify.  If you want to remove the profile, click Delete.

59. After making your changes, click OK.

Dividing long scripts

When prompting a long script it is sometimes useful to be able to jump to specific points in the text without having to scroll through the whole script. You can do this by adding special markers or flags at points where you may need to jump to.

Adding position markers to a script

1. Place the cursor at the point where you wish to jump to.

60. Choose Insert >> Marker from the menu bar.

A flag is inserted and displayed at the location.

Moving between markers in a script

There are several commands and short-cuts that control jumping to markers within a script.

When using the Script Editor

While editing a script you can use the following key combinations:

 [CTRL] - [M] insert a Marker  [CTRL] - [0] to go to the Next Marker  [CTRL] - [9] to go to the Previous Marker

When prompting

While prompting, you can use the CTRL-N key combination to advance to the next Marker.

Inserting Block markers

A Block Marker can be used to move or copy a block of text from one location to another.

1. Place the cursor where you want the block to start and press [Alt] and [B] to add a

Block Marker.

61. Then move your cursor to where you want the block to end and add another Block

Marker.

62. Place your cursor at the position you wish to move the marked text.

63. Press [Ctrl] and [T] and the Block Transfer dialog box will be displayed.

64. Click on the option you want to use.  If you select Transfer then the text between the Block Markers will disappear and

appear at the cursor position

 If you select Copy then the Block Markers will disappear and a copy of the text

between the markers will be placed at the cursor position

Control scrolling of your script

Scroll controls are used to control prompting of scripts. They can be connected to either the computer running the prompting software or to your QBox. The connection can be either a physical cable or wireless.

Prompting can be controlled using hand or foot devices that use either the USB or serial interfaces of a computer.

Controls range from simple devices providing basic start, stop and speed control to complex multi-button controllers that can be individually configured to perform tasks that are specific to your prompting environment.

Supported scroll controllers

Autocue software is designed to work seamlessly with a range of scroll control devices.

Autocue devices

 Two-button Serial Controller  Serial Multi-button Controller  Serial Foot Controller – wired and wireless

Scrolling can also be controlled by:

 standard keyboard number keys  standard keyboard arrow keys  computer mouse

Third-party devices

 Contour Design ShuttlePRO  Contour Design ShuttleXPress

For optimum performance it is recommended that a dedicated scroll control is used when prompting, but devices such as a standard computer mouse may be used if no alternative is available.

Hardware and software such as the Virtual Spider Box allow you to have several scroll controls attached at any time so that if one device fails you can simply select an alternative from the QMaster menu options.

Selecting a scroll control device

Scroll control devices are selected via the System Options interface.

1. From the main menu bar select Tools >> Options...

65. On the QMaster Configuration window, double-click on QBox Prompt Engines or

click the [+] sign next to that entry.

66. Click on Scroll Controls to display the Configure Scroll Controls tab.

67. The Available Control Types lists all the scroll controls that are currently licensed for

your software.

68. From the list, select the type of control you wish to use.

After a scroll control has been selected for operation with QMaster, you can configure it so that the various buttons and wheels perform specific actions.

Note: You cannot configure scroll controls when you are in Prompt mode.

Assigning a default controller

When you either click OK or choose an alternative option in the QMaster Configuration dialog the device that was last selected from the Scroll Controls list becomes the default scroll controller.

If the default controller is disabled or unplugged during a prompting session, you can rapidly swap to an alternative controller by selecting Prompt >> On-Screen Scroll Panel from the menu bar.

If you have purchased the option to have more than one scroll controller attached to you computer, you will be able to select and configure the Virtual Spider Box as the default controller.

Access scroll control configuration

Highlight a scroll control device in the list of available controllers and click the Setup button. The appropriate configuration screen for the type of controller will be displayed.

Swapping button functions

To prevent you accidentally assigning the same action to more than one button, when an action is selected it is removed from the available action list.

It is recommended that you first assign the action (Nothing) to a button so that the action previously assigned becomes available to another button.

Two-button Serial Controller

Autocue‘s standard scroll control has one programmable red button, a forward/reverse button and a knurled

wheel that controls the scrolling speed.

Configure a Two-button Serial Controller

Select your controller from the list and click Setup.

On the Settings tab, you can set stop zones and button actions according to your scrolling requirements. It is also possible to change the speed at which the text moves using the Rates tab.

If your computer has one serial port, the serial port menu shows as COM1 only.

To change to a different serial port from the one selected, unplug the scroll control from the serial port and plug it into another one. (This may require you to restart your computer.)

End Stop Mode

The knurled wheel of the controller can be rotated through approximately 270 degrees of movement. One end of this travel is referred to as the End Stop and has a scroll rate of zero applied to it. As the wheel is turned, the speed steadily increases to a maximum speed at the opposite end of the movement of the wheel.

Centre Stop Mode

The Centre Stop Mode is a setting that allows you to control the direction and speed of the scrolling text using the knurled wheel. As the wheel passes the designated stop point, the movement of the text will slow down and then change direction.

 To enable this feature, select the Centre Stop Mode box.

Stop Point

To select a Stop Point, enter a value in the Stop Point field. This is a point during the turn of the scroll wheel where scrolling stops. Values range from 0 to 63. By default, the value is 63, which corresponds to a position approximately half way around the movement of the scroll wheel.

The value you select depends upon your needs as an operator. If you are an operator who is likely to be moving backwards and forwards in the same script such as during a rehearsal, or is making last-minute changes, you might want to set a lower Stop Point value. On the other hand, if you are an operator that is likely to be scrolling continuously, and is less likely to be moving backwards and forwards in a script, you may consider setting a higher Stop Point value.

Red button actions

To select an action for the red button, click on the arrow to the right of the field and select the required action from the displayed list. Available actions include:

 Move to different points in the script  Control real time clock and cue timer settings  Manage runorders  Add user messages  Set remote interface triggers  Show a blank screen

Scroll rates

The scroll rate is the speed at which the script moves up the prompter screen. As the control wheel is turned, the speed of the script increases according the value specified for the distance the wheel is moved. The default values are set so that when the wheel is turned approximately halfway, the script is moving at an average reading speed.

 To modify scroll rates, click on the Rates tab. A list of Scroll Values and rates is

displayed.

Update scroll rate setting

1. Select a scroll value.

2. In the field next to the Update button, enter a new scroll rate.

3. Click the Update button.

The new scroll rate is displayed for the scroll value.

To save the scroll rates as a profile

1. Click the Save As Profile button.

2. Enter a profile name in the Profile Name field.

3. Click OK.

Note: It is also possible to use a profile created for an Autocue Serial Multibutton scroll

controller.

Autocue Serial Multibutton Controller

The Serial Multibutton Controller has one 9-way D connector which is plugged in to a serial port on your computer.

Configure a Serial Multi-button Controller

Select your controller from the list and click Setup.

On the Settings tab, you can set stop zones and button actions according to your scrolling requirements. It is also possible to change the speed at which the text moves using the Rates tab.

If your computer has one serial port, the serial port menu shows as COM1 only.

To change to a different serial port from the one selected, unplug the scroll control from the serial port and plug it into another one. (This may require you to restart your computer.)

End Stop Mode

Centre Stop Mode

 To enable this feature, select the Centre Stop Mode box.

Stop Point

Button actions

Each of the 12 buttons on the controller can have an action assigned to it.

1. Click the Buttons tab.

In this menu you can configure the function for the 12 buttons of the controller.

2. Click on a button and the action currently assigned to it is displayed in the Button

Function field.

3. Click the arrow at the end of the field to display the list of available functions.

4. Choose a function or action for the button from the list.

Note: Once a button function has been chosen, that function will not be available to assign

to any other button.

Scroll rates

 To modify scroll rates, click on the Rates tab. A list of Scroll Values and rates is

displayed.

Update scroll rate setting

1. Select a scroll value.

2. In the field next to the Update button, enter a new scroll rate.

3. Click the Update button.

The new scroll rate is displayed for the scroll value.

To save the scroll rates as a profile

1. Click the Save As Profile button.

2. Enter a profile name in the Profile Name field.

3. Click OK.

Once the profile is saved, you can then load it again the next time you wish to use the settings in the profile. You can do this by clicking the Load button and selecting the profile from the dialogue box. It is also possible to use a profile created for an Autocue Serial Multibutton scroll controller.

Contour Design controllers

ShuttlePro

The controller is designed for one-hand access to the buttons and jog/shuttle knob. The inner 'jog' control rotates through 360 degrees and provides precision forward and reverse scrolling. The outer black ring or 'shuttle' is rubberized and spring-loaded. The controller is connected via a USB port.

The ShuttlePRO has 15 fully programmable buttons, nine of which have removable key caps for easy labelling and referencing.

ShuttleXpress

The ShuttleXpress has five fully programmable buttons.

Connect a Contour Design controller to a USB port on your computer. The operating system will detect the device and install it as a ―USB Human Interface Device‖.

Note: Do not install the software from the mini-CD that is supplied with the Contour Design

controllers.

The Contour Design controllers include independently assigned wheel and button inputs on the unit to perform scrolling and other prompting actions, such as moving from one script to the next in a runorder.

The ‘shuttle’ and ‘jog’ controls

The shuttle is the rubberised outer wheel. Turn the shuttle to the right to start forward scrolling and to the left for reverse scrolling. The shuttle is spring loaded, so that when it is released it returns to the original prescrolling position. The shuttle delivers a smooth scrolling action.

The inner wheel is the alloy-based jog control. This is not spring loaded making it suitable for controlling movement between stories in a script. Turn the jog to the right to jump to the next story and to the left for the previous story.

Default action assignment

Scroll speed is assigned to the shuttle and previous/next story jump is assigned to the jog.

The shuttle and jog controls can operate at the same time. For example, if you are scrolling with the shuttle and turn the jog, the script will jump to the next story and continue scrolling from that point.

Configuring the shuttle and jog controls

The shuttle and jog controls may have the following actions assigned to them:

 Scroll  Previous/Next Story

If you wish, you can also choose to assign no action to either control.

Note: If you assign an action to one control you will not be able to assign the same one to

the other control.

Follow the steps outlined earlier in this section to select a controller.

1. Click Setup.

2. Click More Settings to display the dialog illustrated below.

3. Select an action for the shuttle from the list in the Shuttle Wheel Action field.

4. To adjust the speed of the shuttle from the default, enter values in the seven boxes.

Each box represents the desired speed at the various wheel positions.

5. Select an action for the jog control from the Jog Wheel Action list.

6. Click OK to return to the Configure Scroll Control dialog.

7. Click OK to save and implement the changes made and return to the QPro primary

interface.

Scrolling with the shuttle

Different scrolling speeds can be set for each of the speed increments. The speed increments reflect how far the scrolling wheel is turned. For example, when the scroll wheel is turned fully to the right, typically for fastforwarding through a script, the scroll wheel is on speed increment 7. A slight turn would be a lower speed increment of 1 or 2.

The values displayed in the screen are default values. 45 and 50 at speed increment 5 and 6 represent the average reading speed. Typically, the scroll speed increases as the wheel is turned further.

Using the shuttle for controlling scroll speed is particularly advantageous if you have to scroll through long scripts, and where there is the need to thoroughly check the content of the same script, particularly during a

rehearsal. The shuttle allows you to scroll backwards and forwards, as well as ―fast-reverse‖ and ―fastforward‖ to different points of a script.

The speed increments allow you to alter reading speeds, where you can set low and high values at the different speed increments. Changing speed increments is particularly useful as it allows you to synchronize your reading speed with the reading speed of the presenter.

Removing your hand returns the shuttle to the centrecenter position and stops scrolling.

Scrolling with the jog control

If you assign to scroll control to the jog, you can also choose one of the following settings:

Function

Description

PREV ITEM

The scroll position will reset to the beginning of the previous story.

NEXT ITEM

The scroll position will reset to the beginning of the next story.

FWD/REV

This changes the direction of the scroll. The cue marker will change direction to indicate the scroll direction.

RESET ITEM

The scroll position will reset to the beginning of the current story.

RESET R.O.

The scroll position will reset to the beginning of the runorder.

 Sensitive jog speed allows scrolling to take place at relatively high speed as

soon as the jog is moved to the right. Turning the jog back to the left lets you return to the original position at relatively high speed.

 Normal jog speed allows scrolling at a normal speed to take place as soon as

the jog is moved to the right. Turning the jog back to the left lets you return to the original position at normal speed.

 Insensitive jog speed allows scrolling to take place at a relatively slow speed

when the jog is turned to the right. Turning the jog back to the left lets you return to the original position at a relatively slow speed.

The sensitive setting is best suited for more experienced operators who are familiar with rapidly pinpointing information in a script. It is also suitable for performing operations quickly such as during a time-constrained rehearsal.

The insensitive setting is suited for scripts with fewer lines of text, where performing tasks at speed is not essential.

Story jumps with the shuttle

Story jumps can be assigned to the shuttle. By turning the wheel slightly to the right, it is possible to jump to the next story in the runorder. Turning the wheel slightly to the left will jump to the previous story in the runorder. The following subsections describe user suitability for the shuttle and the procedure that needs to be followed to set story jumps.

This is particularly useful for operators that have many smaller scripts in their runorders, and need to check multiple scripts quickly. Using story jumps is particularly useful during a rehearsal.

Story jumps with the jog

By turning the jog to the right, you jump to the next story. Turning the jog to the left will jump to the previous story in the runorder. Using the jog wheel for story jumps is particularly useful for those users that need to jump quickly from one script to the next, such as when scripts need to be changed quickly during a rehearsal.

Assign actions to the buttons of a ShuttlePRO

The most common functions when prompting are listed below. These functions are usually assigned to the first five buttons of a multi-button controller.

1. Highlight the name of your ShuttlePRO name from the Configured Controllers list

Function

Description

PREV ITEM

The scroll position will reset to the beginning of the previous story.

NEXT ITEM

The scroll position will reset to the beginning of the next story.

FWD/REV

This changes the direction of the scroll. The cue marker will change direction to indicate the scroll direction.

RESET ITEM

The scroll position will reset to the beginning of the current story.

RESET R.O.

The scroll position will reset to the beginning of the runorder.

2. Click Setup to display the following dialog

The illustration shows the default assignment of buttons.

3. Click on a button and the action currently assigned to it is displayed in the Button

Function field. Click the row at the end of the field to display the list of available functions.

4. Select an action from the list.

If you want to change the functions assigned to other buttons, click on each and select an action from the list.

5. Click OK.

Assign actions to the buttons of a ShuttleXpress

The most common functions when prompting are listed below. These functions are usually assigned to the first five buttons of a multi-button controller.

1. Click Setup to display the following dialog.

The illustration shows the default assignment of buttons.

2. Click on a button and the action currently assigned to it is displayed in the Button

Function field.

3. Click the arrow at the end of the field to display the list of available functions.

4. Select an action from the list.

5. If you want to change the functions assigned to other buttons, click on each and

select an action from the list.

6. Click OK.

Using more than one controller

If required, you can have more than one serial scroll controller attached to the computer running the prompting software. This allows for an alternative controller to be used if two or more presenters are working with the same script or if one is damaged.

Note: Multicontroller functionality is an optional feature. Autocue can supply the necessary

equipment for you to install and the necessary licence upgrade or it can be preinstalled if requested when you order your QMaster system.

Multiple controller hardware

There are two recommended ways in which you can attach multiple controllers to your system. These are:

 a multi-connector serial cable with multi-port PCI SCSI card

 a USB-multi-port serial convertor

Attach the hardware you have for connecting multiple serial devices to your prompting system and then

install any device drivers. Ensure that the device is recognised by your operating system‘s device manager

function.

Virtual Spider Box software

To use more than one serial scroll controller with QMaster you will need to have the optional Virtual Spider Box application installed and configured.

Virtual Spider Box appears as a separate type of scroll controller that can be selected when adding controllers to your prompting software.

Configure the Virtual Spider Box

1. Open the Configure Scroll Controls dialog using the procedure given earlier.

The Available Control Types panel lists all the scroll controls that are used in QMaster.

69. Highlight Virtual Spider Box and click Setup to display the configuration dialog for

the VSB.

70. To add a new controller to the VSB click Add and enter the required details.

71. Each type of device you add to the Virtual Spider Box can be configured using the

procedures described above.

72. If you want to modify or delete an existing serial controller associated with the VSB,

click the appropriate button.

73. Select the required mode of operation.

The most common mode is Active Controller Wins which means that the controller currently active has control of prompting. If none are being used, the first to be operated takes control.

74. Click OK

75. Click OK on the QMaster Configuration dialog to save the changes.

Other QMaster configuration options

After you have installed QMaster you can configure the parameters that apply to the general operation of the software. This chapter provides an outline of the steps to take to set the parameters so that QMaster performs to your requirements.

Open the QMaster Configuration interface by selecting Tools >> Options from the menu bar.

Parameters set using the configuration interface will be available every time you start the QMaster software.

The following sections give an overview of the parameters that can be enabled and edited to change the performance and operation of your QMaster software.

Access Control

If you want to restrict the actions of people using QMaster you must create a user ID for them and assign to them specific user rights.

Security

Add user names to the QMaster system. These names must match logon names that people use to log on to the computer or your network. Click Add and then fill in the required information.

Default Settings

The list of privileges that a user can have assigned is shown below.

Automation Services

The Automation Services option will only be available if you have specifically requested it. Automation for QMaster refers to the integration of Microsoft PowerPoint presentations and for control of the PC90 conference stand from Autocue. Each automation service is a chargeable option. For detailed information about setting the various parameters, refer to the separate QMaster Automation Integration manual.

Typeface

Available Font Styles

Typeface

Available Font Styles

Arial (default font)

Regular, Bold, Italic, Bold Italic

Raavi

Regular Comic Sans MS

Regular, Bold

Shruti

Regular

Estrangelo Edessa

Regular

Simhei

Regular

Note: Automation Services are different to the separate newsroom computer system

(NRCS) integration options available within QMaster.

Data Converters

This section explains the settings that can be used to handle the conversion of non-native files that are imported into QMaster.

In the QMaster Configuration dialog, click on [+] next to Data Converters and select a file type from the options available.

Microsoft® Word files

Select Microsoft Word Files and click on the displayed tabs and enter values for the various parameters to specify how QMaster converts this type of file when importing.

Common

If you do not want to see the import dialogue box then tick this setting.

Select Default Font

This setting is used when you import a file that contains fonts that are not available on your computer. By selecting a font from the list and clicking on the tick box, QMaster will automatically replace the non-valid font with the one you selected.

The following fonts can be selected in QMaster to appear on the output. When these fonts are selected in QMaster, the same fonts are shown in the output on the prompt monitor. However, if any other fonts besides this set are selected, QBox will substitute Arial, which will be displayed on the prompt monitor.

Typeface

Available Font Styles

Typeface

Available Font Styles

Franklin Gothic Medium

Regular, Italic

Sylfaen

Regular Gautami

Regular

Symbol

Regular

Impact

Regular

Tahoma

Regular, Bold

Kartika

Regular

Times New Roman

Regular, Bold, Italic, Bold Italic

Lucida Sans Unicode

Regular

Trebuchet MS

Regular, Bold, Italic, Bold Italic

Import Overrides

If you have to change the character set or locales that are used when importing word files then you can change this here.

Code Page

This is used to specify the default code page for imported files. The Unicode code page specifies the language type.

Importing RTF files

Translate Carriage Returns to Spaces

If this setting is selected carriage returns will be converted into spaces. Without this setting being selected QMaster will convert the single returns into double returns.

Combine Multiple Spaces into Singles

When this setting is selected large spaces within the imported text will be reduced to a single space.

Strip Leading Spaces from Lines

If this setting is selected spaces at the start of lines will be removed.

Dot Space Converts to Carriage Return

If this setting is selected then any spaces after a full-stop will be converted into a new line.

Check For Special Character

An example is /M =Marker When this option is selected, any occurrences of the character are detected within the imported text file, a marker will be placed in the script.

Automatically use these settings

If this setting is selected then whenever you import one of these file types it will use the settings that have been selected without giving you the opportunity to change them.

Select Default Font

Import Overrides

If you have to change the character set or locales that are used when importing word files then you can change this here.

Code Page

This is used to change the default code page for imported files.

Options for text files

Translate Carriage Returns to Spaces

If this setting is selected carriage returns will be converted into spaces. Without this setting being selected QMaster will convert the single returns into double returns.

Combine Multiple Spaces into Singles

When this setting is selected large spaces within the imported text will be reduced to a single space.

Strip Leading Spaces from Lines

If this setting is selected spaces at the start of lines will be removed.

Dot Space Converts to Carriage Return

If this setting is selected then any spaces after a full-stop will be converted into a new line.

Convert String to Marker

Enter a word or character in the box below this setting. On import, any occurrence of the word or character within the imported text will be converted into a Marker.

Automatically use these settings

Click the Automatically use these settings checkbox if you want to prevent this dialogue box appearing again.

File Based Queues

In this section you can configure the appearance for all QMaster script files.

Simple Script File Defaults

This is used to set up the appearance of your QMaster script files.

Presenter Settings

There are two ways of adding presenters to a script.

On opening a script file you can add presenters by selecting Properties from the file menu. Any presenters created or settings changed using this method are only available to that specific script file.

By adding Presenters using the Tools >> Options >> File Based Queues method any presenters or settings changed here will apply to all QMaster files.

Although there are different ways to add presenters to a script the set-up for this is the same.

Presenters

Presenter's settings allow you to customise settings for individual presenters. The font, colour, style and read rate can be allocated for individual presenters. These settings will be automatically applied to the script when the presenter is selected.

There is always a DEFAULT presenter in QMaster that is used to set the default script file settings. For detailed information about presenter profiles, refer to section 7.5.

General tab

If you find that your script font is too small then you can set the default font type here. The font style and size that you set here will be used as the default for all of your scripts.

Simple Rundown File Defaults

This is used to set up the appearance of your QMaster rundowns. The options are similar to those of a simple script file.

Padding

Increasing this value will make your banner thicker.

Trailing Gap

Increasing this value will put a larger gap between the banner and the first line of text.

Fields to Display

This control changes the order of the Item Title and the Item Number.

Presenter Settings

There are two ways of adding presenters to a script.

By adding Presenters using the Tools >> Options >> File Based Queues method any presenters or settings changed here will apply to all QMaster files.

Although there are different ways to add presenters to a script the set-up for this is the same.

Presenters

There is always a DEFAULT presenter in QMaster this is used to set the default script file settings. For detailed information about presenter profiles, refer to section 7.5.

General tab

If you find that your script font is too small then you can set the default font type here. The font style and size that you set here will be used as the default for all of your scripts.

Banners

This tab is used if you want to change the colour or font style used for the prompter banner. The prompter bannere is the information shown at the start of each script when it appears on the teleprompter.

Multilingual Support

QMaster can be used in many different languages but you must install the correct language fonts for the language that you would like to use. This is set-up from within Windows. QMaster does not support Complex Languages, such as Arabic, If you have a requirement to use a Complex Language please contact the Technical Support team at Autocue.

Select the required language you would like to use for your scripts from the drop-down list.

News Interfaces

QMaster can interface with the newsroom computer systems (NRCS) from most of the leading manufacturers. All NRCS interfaces are optional items which must be purchased. If an NRCS has been enabled in your licence file the QMaster Configuration interface will show an entry labelled News Interfaces as illustrated below.

Click on [+] next to the entry to expand the list of newsroom automation products with which your QMaster is licensed to work. An example is illustrated below.

Note: For detailed information about configuring a newsroom integration interface, refer to

the separate NRCS API guide for your particular newsroom system.

QBox Prompt Engines

Click on [+] next to the entry to expand the list of QMaster interfaces relating to prompting control.

Auto Captioning

QMaster has been designed to work with a caption generator so that prompted scripts can be transmitted as part of a broadcast so that viewers with hearing impairment can read what is being spoken.

Auto Captioning controls the settings for the sending a script to a caption generator.

Parameter

Description

Show Prompt Monitor on Prompt

This automatically opens the onscreen Prompt Monitor whenever you start a prompting session.

Click Size & Position to specify how big you want the Prompt Monitor to be and where on your screen you want it located.

QMaster will set a size that maintains the 4:3 aspect ratio that is closest to the size you draw.

The maximum width is set to one-third of your screen width.

Check for Reconnect on Open

When you start the QMaster software, it will search the network for any configured QBoxes.

Display Markers on Prompt Output

The default setting is to not display markers on the teleprompters. Select this option if you wish to show markers on screen.

Select the port you wish to connect your caption generator to from the drop down list in the Serial Port panel.

Specify the Baud Rate for that connection from the drop-down list in the Baud Rate panel.

In the other four panels set the parameters to define the type of ―error correction‖ the interface will use. This allows the caption generator to continually check to make sure it is receiving valid data.

Prompt Settings

Settings

Use these parameters on this tab to define actions that you want to occur when working with a QBox.

Demo Mode: Loop Forever

This would rarely be used in a conference or studio situation.

This command is used when demonstrating the QMaster software. When the end of a script or rundown is reached, scrolling automatically starts again from the beginning.

Text/Ink colours

On this tab you can specify the colour for the background of the prompt output in addition to defining five colours that can be used for text.

It is necessary to restart the QMaster software for these changes to the configuration to take effect.

Scroll Controls

Click on Scroll Controls to display the list of available devices.

Select a device and click Setup to access the scroll control configuration dialogs.

For detailed information about configuring a particular device refer to the ―Control scrolling of your script‖ section.

System Log

The QMaster System Log is a diagnostic tool which records a variety of parameters that may be used by Technical Support staff to check on the performance of your system if a problem develops.

roup

Parameter

Description

Startup Options

Leave the screen empty

The QMaster will start without opening a file.

Automatically open the last Queue used

QMaster remembers the rundown that was being used when the software was shutdown.

Open the Queue Browser

When you start the QMaster software, the system automatically opens the list of rundowns on any connected automated newsroom system.

Start receiving downloads

Automatically download script files from authorised sources.

Invert Prompt Colours

On start-up the prompt output colours will be inverted. Most commonly, this will be black characters on a white background.

Queue Options

Automatically activate the

Activates a prompting session as

If your QMaster system stops performing at an optimum level, contact Autocue Technical Support to discuss the parameters that you need to set to record in the log.

User Preferences

Specify how your QMaster software behaves by setting the various parameters in the User Preferences configuration dialogs.

User Interface

The table below gives an overview of the actions of the selections you can make on this dialog.

roup

Parameter

Description

prompt on opening a Queue

soon as you open a rundown.

Automatically open the Queue Browser once the last Queue is closed

When connected to an automated newsroom system, this command automatically opens the browser when all current rundowns and scripts have been closed.

Main Window

Restore Main Window Position

If the main window has been resized then QMaster will remember the changed settings.

Group

Parameter

Description

Window Options

Maximize View Window

This will force the queue file to fit the main QMaster window.

Rundown Frame Options

MDI Frame Window

This function is only available with runorders; it will remove the preview window and only display the runorder. If you double click on an item in the runorder then the editor screen will open.

Splitter View

This will split the screen so that the runorder is on the left 70% of the screen and the editor in on the remaining 30% of the screen. The view area for this can be resized.

On Screen Trashcan

This is only available if you are using a news interface. This will show all deleted stories from the runorder.

Preview Next Prompt Item

When this is enabled the editor window will be resized and another window will appear below it, this will display the next item in

Windows

Group

Parameter

Description

the rundown.

Rundown Got Item

By Item ID

When you select the Goto Item command, you can indicate which identifier you wish to use as the key.

By Item Number

By Item Title

Rundown Editing Options

Require Conformation For Single / Multi Story Delete

Forces you to confirm that you wish to delete an item.

Select Twice Field Editing

This will allow you to edit an item name by double clicking on the item title.

Parameter

Description

Auto Follow On Prompt Item

This will force the editor to follow each item in the runorder.

Auto Jump To Editor On Speed Zero

When the scroll control has been moved to the stop position the editor will jump to wherever the prompt is.

Keep On Prompt Item Visible In List

The item that is being prompted is always highlighted yellow in the runorder.

Auto Follow Prompt Line By Line

The editor will automatically follow the prompted text a line at a time.

Automatically start Captioning when the Prompt is started

This command sends the script text to a caption generator every time you start a prompting session. This setting is saved when you close the QMaster software.

Prompt Tracking

Parameter

Description

Activate AutoCaptioning has a similar function but is cancelled when the QMaster software is shut down.

Prevent replacement of selections when entering characters

This will prevent you from accidentally deleting a section of highlighted text.

Enable Delete Mode Ctrl-D

This is used to quickly enable or disable the QMaster editor.

TAB spacing

Sets the number of spaces inserted when the Tab key is pressed when writing scripts.

Show Cursor in Script Lock Mode

This command automatically sets the teleprompter to show the script editor cursor position so that changes to the script text are shown as they are made.

This is a useful feature when scripts are being edited during rehearsal.

Use QCP Shortcut Keys

This option changes the keyboard mapping of various shortcuts to match that of an earlier software prompting product from Autocue. You should only select this parameter if the QMaster software is to be used by experienced QCP operators.

Live Update Text Input Timeout (Secs)

This control relates to how quickly amended text is shown on the teleprompter

Editor

Spell Check Settings

QMaster can perform spell checking using the any of the listed languages.

To enable support for a particular language, you must purchase a licence upgrade from Autocue.

If you have to use a specific language not currently supported, contact Technical Support to discuss your requirements.

Adjust your QBox configuration

Select different QBox video settings

A QBox has both composite and VGA signal outputs. Either video standard (PAL or NTSC) can be used for the composite output. A variety of resolutions can be selected when using VGA output.

Note: You should choose one output only as the quality of the scroll output will be

degraded due to the differences in display formats if both outputs are enabled.

To alter the video output settings use the procedures outlined below. (You must attach a keyboard to the QBox in order to access the configuration interface.)

1. Press the F8 key on the QBox keyboard to bring up the configuration menu.

76. Use the Down arrow key to select Configure QBox and then press Enter.

77. Use the arrow keys to select Display Settings.

78. Press Enter to view the configuration options for your monitor from which you can

choose the appropriate video output signal.

Video output

1. Use the Tab key to move through the list and use the Space bar to select the

appropriate setting.

79. If you have a composite monitor you must select either the NTSC or PAL standard

for the display mode.

80. When you have selected your display mode press the Ctrl and Page Down key to

display the Outputs page.

81. Press the Tab key to select OK and then the Space key or Enter key to confirm your

selections.

VGA output

1. Use the Tab key to move through the list and use the Space bar to select the

appropriate setting.

82. If you are connecting a VGA monitor check the screen resolutions of your monitor or

prompter and select the appropriate VGA setting.

83. When you have selected your display mode press the Ctrl and Page Down key to

display the Outputs page.

84. Press the Tab key to select OK and then the Space key or Enter key to confirm your

selections.

Note: If neither output is selected a warning message will be displayed because at least

one must be selected.

85. Press the Tab key to highlight OK and press Enter.

86. Press F10 to close the network configuration interface.

87. Use the arrow keys to select Return to Prompt Mode and press Enter.

Alternative network connections to a QBox

The number of QBoxes you plan to use will determine the type of connection required.

If you plan to deploy a single QBox system then you can use a direct connection.

If you plan to operate multiple QBoxes from a central control computer you will need to create or link to an Ethernet network.

Types of connection

You can indirectly link to your QBox by adding the prompting computer and QBox to an existing network. This connection can be made either using Ethernet cables or via a wireless access point.

You can also setup a direct, peer-to-peer connection using a variety of methods such as:

 a dedicated network switch

All connections require the QBox and the computer running the prompting software to use compatible IP addresses so that information can be passed between them.

IP addresses can be set automatically using data from a DHCP server or via the Zero Configuration (Zeroconf) protocol. Alternatively they can be set manually.

After connecting your QBox to your computer via an Ethernet switch you must configure the Ethernet port on the rear of the unit.

Access the network configuration interface

Whichever connection is used, configuration of the LAN port of the QBox is set via the QBox configuration interface.

1. Press the F8 key on the QBox keyboard to bring up the configuration menu.

Use the Down arrow key to select Configure QBox and then press Enter.

88. Press the Down arrow to highlight Network Configuration and press Enter.

89. Press Enter and then use the arrow keys to highlight the type of connection you wish

to configure. This will be either lan0 (a wired connection) or wlan0 (a WiFi connection).

90. Press Enter to access the network configuration interface.

IP address assignment

After selecting the type of connection you must set the IP addresses for the various parameters of the connection.

Assignment by DHCP

This method is most commonly used when you attach a device to a larger established network. These networks often have Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) servers set up on them to control the allocation of IP addresses in order to ensure that all devices on the network have unique addresses and avoid conflicts.

Single and multiple QBoxes can be connected to a computer on an existing network using Ethernet cables. Depending on the existing network setup, the physical connection would normally be established via a switch or switch.

Note: If your organisation has multiple networks, the infrastructure may include DNS servers

and gateway servers. In order for the DHCP server to obtain these settings, it must be properly set up. Make sure that a network administrator is available to set up DHCP.

A disadvantage of using DHCP is that the IP address of the QBox may be changed by the network after a period of inactivity, which would mean that the configuration of the controlling computers would also have to be updated to reflect the change.

Using DHCP, the IP address is automatically assigned by the DHCP server to a computer (the DHCP client) without user intervention.

1. Access the network connection configuration interface as outline earlier in this

section.

91. Press the keyboard arrow keys to select the IPv4 Settings page.

92. Select Automatic via DHCP

93. Use the keyboard arrow keys to select the DNS Settings tab.

94. Ensure that the Automatic Configuration option is enabled.

95. Press the Tab key to highlight OK and press Enter.

96. Press F10 to return to the main configuration options.

Assignment via ZeroConf

Access the network connection configuration interface as outlined earlier in this section.

7. Press the keyboard arrow keys to select the IPv4 Settings page.

8. Press the Tab key to highlight the Automatic via Configuration option and press the

spacebar to select it if is not already.

9. Press the Tab key to highlight OK and press Enter.

10. Press F10 to return to the main configuration options.

Assigning static IP addresses

Network Address Class

Address

Subnet Mask

255.255.255.0

A static IP address requires the user to manually enter a valid IP address as well as a Subnet Mask.

Note: Duplicate IP addresses will cause problems on the network. If static IP addresses are

to be used, it is very important to ensure that they are different from other addresses already in use.

1. Access the network connection configuration interface as outlined earlier in this

section.

97. Press the keyboard arrow keys to select the IPv4 Settings page.

98. Press the Tab key to highlight the Manual Configuration option and press the

spacebar to select it if is not already.

99. Use the Tab key to highlight the IP Address field.

100. Enter the chosen IP address. Press the full stop/dot key to move to the next block

of the IP address.

101. Press the Tab key to highlight the Subnet Mask field. QBox stores this value as a

two-digit number. The most common Subnet Mask is 24 which corresponds to a IP address of 255.255.255.0

102. Enter the 24-Bit Subnet Mask for QBox on the network and then press the Tab key.

103. The Subnet Mask is a two digit figure relating to the number of binary 1s in the

address of the mask.

The most common subnet masks and their equivalent numbers are in the table below.

255.255.0.0

16 A 255.0.0.0

Value

IP address

Value

IP address

Value

IP address

0.0.0.0

255.224.0.0

255.255.252.0

128.0.0.0

255.240.0.0

255.255.254.0

192.0.0.0

255.248.0.0

255.255.255.128

224.0.0.0

255.252.0.0

255.255.255.192

240.0.0.0

255.254.0.0

255.255.255.224

248.0.0.0

255.255.128.0

255.255.255.240

252.0.0.0

255.255.192.0

255.255.255.248

254.0.0.0

255.255.224.0

255.255.255.252

255.128.0.0

255.255.240.0

255.255.255.254

255.192.0.0

255.255.248.0

255.255.255.255

The other available subnet mask numbers are shown in the following list.

Note: If your network uses any other address, it is likely your organisation is using

advanced networking protocols. Contact your IT department to request the appropriate subnet mask figure.

104. In a direct connection via Ethernet Switch or peer-to-peer connection a Default

Gateway should not be necessary.

105. Press the Tab key to highlight OK and press Enter.

106. Press F10 to return to the main configuration options.

Managing network devices.

To assist in management of devices on a network, Autocue recommends the freely available Bonjour software which allows you to identify and locate devices on your network by name rather than IP address.

Bonjour software works in the background to automatically convert a name, for example ―Reception Printer‖,

into an IP address. When another device which has Bonjour installed searches the network for devices, the IP address is provided, but displayed as the name.

Bonjour is compatible with Windows 2000/2003 and XP.

If you wish to install Bonjour, go to the following web address and download the application:

http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/bonjourforwindows.html

The web site will give you the option to Run or Save the application. We recommend you select Run. The Bonjour application will automatically be installed on your computer.

The Bonjour file size is approximately 14 MB so you will need a good broadband connection to download the file within a reasonable timeframe.

Once installed, Bonjour runs as an automatic service, and is available when you turn on your computer. There is no requirement to configure the software so there is no GUI associated with the application.

If you are connecting QBox in a field situation, make sure that the Bonjour software has been installed on your computer beforehand, as you may not have access to a Broadband Internet connection.

Wireless operation

QMaster can be configured to operate via a wireless connection to an existing network or as a wireless peer-to-peer connection. Wireless connectivity means that QBoxes and computers running the QMaster software can be moved around to different physical locations without the constraint of trailing wires.

You can also use wireless capable scroll controllers to control prompting of a script or rundown on a remote QBox.

Wireless connectivity

QBoxes can be supplied with an optional interface which can be configured to locate wireless network access points to enable transfer of rundown or script information from a remote location.

To prevent damage in transit, QBoxes are shipped with the aerial detached. Before switching on the power to the QBox ensure the aerial is securely fastened to the socket on the front of the unit.

Note: The aerial must be attached when operating a QBox. Operation of the unit without

an aerial will result in damage to the wireless interface and will void your warranty.

Wireless connections can be either be via an access point to your existing network infrastructure or set up as a standalone network between a computer running the QMaster software and one or more QBoxes.

Wireless performance can be affected by many factors, including the nature of surrounding buildings, other networks in operation and atmospheric conditions.

Configure QBox for a wireless access point

Access the network connection configuration interface as outlined earlier in this 1.

section.

Use the arrow keys on the keyboard to select wlan0 and press Enter to display the 2.

tabs containing controls for setting the wireless network parameters.

Press the Tab key to highlight Infrastructure (via access point) Mode and press the 3.

Space bar on the keyboard.

Press the Tab key and enter the ESSID of your WiFi network. Contact your IT 4.

department to obtain the necessary information for your network.

Hold down the Ctrl key and press the Page Down key to open the WiFi Security tab. 5.

Press the Tab key and highlight the WEP option and press the Space bar on the 6.

keyboard.

Press the Tab key until the WEP Key field is highlighted and enter the required key. 7.

This is usually a string of 26 alphanumeric characters.

Note: Take care when entering the key as you must enter the same key for any device that

will be connected to the QBox.

Press the Ctrl and Page Down keys to select the IPv4 Settings tab and the DNS 8.

Settings tab.

The options selected for the IPv4 and DNS settings should match those entered 9.

when configuring the network connection of the computer running the QMaster software.

Press Return on the keyboard to save your wireless network access settings. 10. Close the configuration interface on your QBox. 11.

If the computer you are using to communicate with the QBox has already been configured you can begin loading information and prompting scripts remotely.

You will need to check in QMaster that the QBox connection has been established. Select Prompt >> QBox Status Panel and ensure that the QBox is connected and, if there are more than one, at least one appears as Master.

Configure QBox for wireless peer-to-peer connection

Access the network connection configuration interface as outlined earlier in this section.

1. Use the arrow keys on the keyboard to select wlan0 and press Enter to display the

tabs containing controls for setting the wireless network parameters.

107. Press the Tab key to highlight Ad-Hoc (peer-to-peer) Mode and press the Space

bar on the keyboard.

108. Press the Tab key and enter the ESSID of your WiFi network. Contact your IT

department to obtain the necessary information for your network.

109. Use the keyboard arrow keys to access the WiFi Security tab.

110. Press the Tab key and highlight the WEP option and press the Space bar on the

keyboard.

111. Press the Tab key until the WEP Key field is highlighted and enter the required

key. This is usually a string of 26 alphanumeric characters.

112. Take care when entering the key as you must enter the same key for any device

that will be connected to the QBox.

113. Use the keyboard arrow keys to access the IPv4 Settings tab.

114. Press the Tab key to select the Automatic via Zeroconf option and press the

Space bar on the keyboard.

115. Use the keyboard arrow keys to select the DNS Settings tab.

116. Press the Tab key to select the DNS Disable option and press the Space bar on

the keyboard.

117. Press Return on the keyboard to save your wireless network access settings.

118. Close the configuration interface on your QBox and you can begin loading

information and prompting scripts remotely.

Configure the wireless interface on a computer

You must also correctly configure the parameters of the wireless interface device on the computer running the QMaster software.

Open the configuration tool for wireless LAN device that you have installed on your computer.

Note: Autocue strongly recommend NOT using the Windows Network Configuration Wizard

to set these parameters.

The controls for setting the wireless LAN parameters vary from device to device and will be dependent also on the operating system your computer is using.

Ensure that the settings for parameters such as:

 encryption key  SSID  network name  type of network  address type  channel number

are the same for all devices on the network.

Contact your own IT department to confirm the required details.

Load scripts directly onto a QBox

Script files and rundowns are automatically stored on to your QBox while it is attached to an IT network by either a cable or wireless connection.

An advantage of QBox is that it can be operated in situations away from a studio environment. The rundown for a broadcast is stored on the QBox before the presenter and cameraman leave, but if changes need to be added or the presenter writes a special script while on location, this can be loaded onto the QBox.

Files can be loaded using a variety of methods. These include:

 from a USB memory device

 from the internal FTP server on the QBox

After a script has been loaded it can be prompted by any controller that is attached to the QBox.

Deactivate the connection to QMaster

If QMaster has an active connection to your QBox, you will not be able load or prompt any files stored locally on the QBox. To do this you can either shut down QMaster or disable the connection from the QBox Status Panel.

1. Select Prompt >> Stop Prompting from the QMaster menu bar

119. Select Prompt >> QBox Status Panel

120. Right-click on the name of the QBox and selecting Disable from the context menu

Transfer via a USB device

Files to be loaded on to your QBox must be stored at the root level of the USB memory device in a folder named ―scripts‖.

Format

Save the files as plain text files (with the extension .txt) and ensure that the encoding for the file is UTF-8. For example, if you write your script using the standard Windows application Notebook, when you save the file you are given the option of selecting the encoding, as illustrated below.

Upload and display files

1. Insert the USB memory device containing your new script file into one of the USB

ports on your QBox.

121. Press the F2 button on the keyboard connected to the QBox to open the QBox On

Screen Display menu. Alternatively, you can also press F1 to access the Select Data Source menu.

122. Select Load Runorder.

If no keyboard is attached, use the appropriate button on a connected scroll controller.

123. Select the USB option from the list in the Select Data Source menu.

If you have more than one USB device connected to your QBox, there will be additional USB Key entries in the Select Data Source menu.

124. Press Enter and the script will be copied to the QBox.

If any previous files were being prompted while you loaded new files onto the QBox, the new files will automatically start to be prompted using the same settings.

Transfer via FTP

Files to be prompted directly on your QBox must be stored in a folder on the internal FTP server of the unit.

1. Open an FTP client application or web browser.

125. Enter the appropriate information in the Address: field

This is the IP address or name of the QBox, for example: ftp://123.231.10.10. If your system uses software such as Bonjour to manage network addresses, you can also type in an identifier such as [QBox name].local

If you are using Microsoft Internet Explorer v7 you will need to select Page >> Open FTP Site in Windows Explorer to access the page.

126. Create a folder on the internal QBox FTP server for each of your runorders.

Runorder folders are single level directories and do not support nested folders.

127. Add your script files to the appropriate folder.

The order in which the scripts are displayed is determined by the name of each individual file.

Format

Select files to be prompted

1. Press the F2 button on the keyboard connected to the QBox to open the QBox On

Screen Display menu. Alternatively, you can also press F1 to access the Select Data Source menu.

128. Select Load Runorder.

If no keyboard is attached, use the appropriate button on a connected scroll controller.

129. Select the FTP server option from the list in the Select Data Source menu.

130. Select the required runorder folder name.

131. Press Enter and the scripts will be copied to the QBox. If you created folders to

store scripts for different runorders, select the required runorder name and press Enter.

If any previous files were being prompted while you loaded new files onto the QBox, the new files will automatically start to be prompted using the same settings.

The link to the internal FTP server is dynamic. If you add new script files to the runorder folder currently being prompted, they will automatically be inserted into the runorder in the position determined by their filename and any modified files that already exist will be replaced, even if they are on screen.

Upgrading Autocue products

You will need to upgrade your Autocue products, from time to time, especially when new features and enhancements are released for the software.

Follow the procedures outlined below and any additional steps that are contained in the notification email or letter.

After upgrading, ensure that the version numbers of your software and firmware are compatible.

If you have any doubts, contact Autocue Technical Support for assistance.

QMaster software upgrades

When upgrading QMaster, your existing License.dat can still be used.

If you have purchased additional functionality, a new license.dat file will be supplied.

The QMaster setup program updates the configurations in the QMaster folder.

Note: The upgrade application searches for QMaster at the locations assigned during

installation. If any program folders have been moved or deleted since installation the upgrade procedure will fail.

The setup program includes a wizard that allows you to perform the upgrade steps.

If you click the Cancel button when operating the dialogue boxes during the upgrade, the wizard terminates.

Before performing the software upgrade, make sure that you have the Winzip folder containing the upgrade files. The files are provided via email or are made available on our FTP site.

1. Extract the installation files from the Winzip folder.

132. Double-click Setup.exe.

133. Click Next. The Select Setup Mode dialogue box is displayed.

134. Click Upgrade Installed Components button. The QMaster Setup dialog box is

displayed confirming that you are ready to do the installation.

135. Click OK. Messages are displayed indicating that the upgrade is in progress as

the files are being copied, extracted and installed.

136. When the setup program has completed the upgrade procedure, a message is

displayed indicating that the upgrade was successfully installed.

137. Click OK to complete the software upgrade.

Upgrading from other Autocue software products

If you already have one of Autocue‘s other prompting software products, you can purchase an upgrade to QMaster.

Your current prompting software should be fully uninstalled before performing a fresh install of the QMaster software. If you have any issues or problems with this process contact the Autocue Technical Support team for guidance.

Hardware upgrades

If you wish to upgrade the size of your teleprompter or add functionality to a QBox contact the Autocue sales team to discuss your requirements. As all components are standard you may only need to replace the specific ones you require.

Upgrade QBox licence information

If at any time you need to replace your QBox license, for example if you add certain functionality, contact Technical Support to request the license file for your QBox.

1. Copy this folder to the root level of a USB memory device and plug it into your

QBox.

138. Press the F8 key on the QBox keyboard to bring up the configuration menu.

139. Use the Down arrow key to select Configure QBox and then press Enter.

140. Press the Down arrow to highlight License Upgrade and press Enter.

Upgrade QBox firmware

QBox firmware can be upgraded by downloading the required files from the our FTP site and copying them onto a USB memory device.

Upgrade from a USB device

Contact Technical Support to request the URL from which to download the appropriate upgrade files. They will also provide the appropriate password.

Download the ZIP file containing the upgrade information and extract them into the root of a USB key, this will create a folder called ―repository‖.

1. Press the F8 key on the QBox keyboard to bring up the configuration menu.

141. Use the Down arrow key to select Configure QBox and then press Enter.

142. Press the Down arrow to highlight Firmware Upgrade and press Enter.

The QBox will check if the information is valid and then install the upgraded firmware on to your QBox. Various progress messages will be displayed. When the upgrade has completed, click OK and reboot the QBox.

A warning message will be displayed if no appropriate information can be found.

If you need to contact Autocue or QTV

Support

Our hardware and software support is provided by in-house teams of experienced and dedicated staff.

We provide free telephone support for prompting customers during UK office hours (9am till 6pm GMT) and US office hours (9am till 5pm EST). When contacting the technical support teams, please provide as much detail as possible.

Check the FAQ section of the web site to see if the answer you need has already been provided:

http://www.autocue-qtv.com/faqs

Information we need

Whenever you make a support enquiry, the minimum information we will need is the name, version and build number of the software you are using. Click the About button to display the licence and serial number details for the software you have installed.

If you cannot find the answer on the web site, contact the Technical Support team.

International SoftwareSupport@autocue.com +44 20 8665 2992

HardwareSupport@autocue.com +44 20 8665 2992

Americas SoftwareSupport@autocue.com +1 704 377 1496

HardwareSupport@autocue.com +1 212 929 7755

Sales

If you require additional or replacement equipment, contact the Autocue sales team.

International sales@autocue.co.uk +44 20 8665 2992

Americas sales@qtv.com +1 212 929 7755

©2003-2011 Autocue Group Ltd. All rights reserved. All information about Autocue software, hardware and accessories—including company and brand logos—contained in this guide is protected under international copyright conventions.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any recording or otherwise, without prior permission of Autocue Group Ltd. All third-party software or hardware, including logos, referenced within this guide is copyright of the respective owners.

Disclaimer

Autocue Group Ltd reserves the right to revise this publication and to make changes in its content without obligation of Autocue Group Ltd to notify any person or persons of such revision.

Autocue QMaster User Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual