Disguise media files: availability, versions and proxies

Identify the affected file, machine and cue

Copy the full warning and record which workstation displays it. Note the name shown in the project and the file production expects to see. If the difference occurs at a particular moment, identify the cue and part of the show.

Include the Designer version, server models, each machine’s role and the open project. If you have checked the files and the image is still different, continue with the Disguise-to-LED output guide — in Spanish.

Build a machine list before distributing content

Complete one row per machine with the operator who can check it. Use the rows below as a template and enter the actual show details. Distinguish information supplied with the delivery from information checked on the machine.

Compare the documented controls with the installed version. If a screen or control name differs, record the difference and consult the relevant documentation before acting. Also record who delivered the file and when it was approved for the show.

Disguise: identify the server missing the file

A red layer may indicate Missing media; its tooltip identifies the file and machine. Check for the file on that machine’s disk as well. See Missing Media.

On the Director, open Media Distribution to review missing files and destinations. After an agreed copy operation, record whether it reports Success or Failed. See Media Distribution.

Then rehearse the cue at each intended output and record the result.

Disguise: check the content version used by the cue

When closing_v2.mov is added as a new version of closing.mov, Designer recognizes the clip’s stem name and replaces older versions wherever the clip is used on the timeline. The new version can play immediately, so agree on the change outside the live program. See Content Versioning.

In the Video layer, open Media, right-click the thumbnail, expand Versions and right-click the VideoAsset. Compare the file with the approved version.

Record the cue, expected version and file observed, then rehearse every cue that uses that clip.

Disguise: record which proxy you are previewing

Proxies are lower-resolution copies. Disguise identifies them with _proxyXYZ; higher numbers indicate lower resolutions. The visualizer chooses the level according to the camera position in Stage view or the view position and zoom in Feed view. See Proxy Management.

In Project Settings → User Interface, check Maximum visualiser proxy. It limits the detail shown in interface views across the session; displays mapped to that machine’s feed outputs are outside this limit. See Maximum visualiser proxy.

During rehearsal, compare the same cue in the operator’s view and at the actual output. Record the file, proxy, version and differences. Preserve the original media.

Review the delivery with the content and playback teams

Choose a recognizable reference from the approved delivery with production: a title card, a phrase or a moment in the video. Record what you expect in each cue. This makes a difference easier to describe when files have similar names.

If a correction arrives after rehearsal, identify what changed and who approves another check. The wide-format LED presentation guide — in Spanish helps organize file delivery, approval and testing. Keep the previous delivery while you agree on the change.

Test the cue at its intended destinations

Agree on a test window outside the show and preserve the starting configuration. Run the same cue against the approved reference. Watch the beginning, the relevant section and the end, and listen to the audio when applicable. Record which machine and destination were checked, with the expected workload for that part of the show.

If the warning continues even though the file is present, keep the message, version and path details for further investigation. Identify what remains untested. Alongside a copy status or an image on the operator’s workstation, record what was actually seen at the destination.

Leave a delivery record another operator can follow

Download the Disguise media-by-server checklist. Record the approved delivery, expected file, machines, reported status, rehearsed cue and open checks. Keep a record of the configuration before and after changes so the next operator can repeat the comparison.

Connect the backup files to the show continuity plan. Define which part of the show they can replace and who confirms the test. Share the delivery status with the content team, playback operator and show caller.

Use the ingestion and image-sequence checklist to record names, numbering and frame rates. Complete only what you have checked.

Disguise: look for naming differences in the history

Right-click d3 state and open Media Ingestion History. Its fuzzy search helps locate similar names and errors that affect versioning. See Media Ingestion History.

Compare the approved delivery with the name found and save both before changing the project. A search match alone does not identify the cause of a missing file.

Clear Ingestion History triggers a new scan when the project opens. The manual places this step before running the project; schedule it outside the live show.

Disguise: check how the image sequence is organized

The image-sequence manual requires a folder ending in .seq, a number at the end of each image name, numbering from 0 with no gaps, and a single image format. Supported formats are TGA, TIFF and DPX.

Compare all names with the delivery and record any differences. Test an agreed working copy outside the live program.

Disguise: compare sequence frame rate and duration

The ingestion section explains that playback FPS can be changed in the clip properties. Compare the observed frame rate with the approved delivery, then rehearse the entire cue.

Calculated example: 240 frames, played once with no trims or speed changes. Duration = frames ÷ FPS. These figures are calculations, not measurements from a show.

Disguise: gather the details if the file still does not appear

The support request guidance asks for the warning, time, steps, hardware setup, resolution and show deadline. Also record the file name, path and codec to describe the issue.

Record both the release and build: builds can differ within one release. The version guide gives the path: right-click d3 in the Dashboard, then select About d3.

Complete the support checklist with observations and pending tests. Leave the cause unconfirmed until you have evidence.