Video · Practical guide

Disguise media files: availability, versions and proxies

The file has arrived, but you still need to check where it is and which content appears in the cue. Match the content delivery with the playback log: file name, machine, Designer version and point in the show. This guide helps you make that comparison before the show.

Proposed example: a revision reaches two servers

Production approves opening_v2.mov for the opening cue. In this scenario, the preparation workstation shows a preview, one server still has the previous delivery and the copy on the second has not been confirmed. These are three separate states to check, even when the cue name matches.

Before copying

Save the project and previous reference, record who approved the revision and agree on a change window with the operator. Versioning can update uses of the clip on the timeline; check other cues that share it.

Check each machine

Compare the full filename, size, duration, resolution, frame rate and path against the approved delivery. If a delivery hash is available, compare it as a file identity check; it does not prove that the cue uses that file or plays correctly.

Separate three questions

Is the file missing? Check distribution.
Is the correct delivery selected? Check versions.
Does the difference appear only in the preparation view? Check proxies.

After the change, rehearse the start, a representative section, the ending and audio at each destination. Record production approval separately from the observed result. If a check is pending, agree whether to retain the previous version or defer the revision.

Record the version before proceeding

Official notes identify Designer r32.4.21 Full (Pro), build 270590, and Starter, build 270591. This is a specific release reference, not a recommendation to update the show. Record the release, build, edition, Windows version and role of each machine. The media web manual does not assign a build to each procedure: compare its controls with that installation. Identify the version · r32.4.21 notes.

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.

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.

Media checks by machine
Machine and role	Expected file and cue	Path and version found	Observation and open check
Operator workstation	Confirm with production	Complete during the check	Reference viewed and item not yet checked
Output server 1	Enter the show setup	Check on this machine	Reported status and cue result
Output server 2, if used	Enter the show setup	Check on this machine	Reported status and cue result
Backup machine, if used	Follow the agreed backup plan	Check on this machine	What was rehearsed and what remains untested

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 panoramic LED presentation guide 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.

Before running the project, right-click its file in d3Manager and select Clear Ingestion History. Disguise will rescan the media when the project opens. Schedule this outside the live show and preserve a project copy before the change.

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 manual states that image sequences are initially ingested at 30 FPS. 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.

Calculated duration of a 240-frame sequence
Frames	FPS	Calculated duration
240	24	10 seconds
240	30	8 seconds

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.

Frequently asked questions

What should I record if a file is missing or looks different on another server?

The expected file, machine, path, Designer version, project and cue. Save the complete warning and the reference production approved for that moment.

How should I record a correction received after rehearsal?

Identify the file, change, delivery time and person approving it. Agree with the operator on when to compare the cue, and preserve the previous state.

What should I watch when testing the cue?

The expected reference, beginning, relevant section, ending and audio when applicable. Record the machine, destination, workload and portion actually observed.

What if the warning remains but the file is on the machine?

Keep the message, version, file name and path to investigate the discrepancy. Record what you checked on the machine and which playback checks still need to be run.

What does GLMedia need to review these files?

Tell us which file you expected to see, where and what warning appears. If available, add the Designer version, each server’s role and the cue. A photo or sketch is enough to start; the remaining details can be gathered during the review.

Does a red layer prove the file is missing?

Read the warning and compare it with the file on the specified machine’s disk. Record any discrepancy.

Does adding _v2 affect only the open cue?

The version is replaced wherever that clip appears on the timeline. Review every cue that uses it.

Does the preview confirm final image quality?

Check the file and the image at the actual show output.

Where can I check similar names if a video does not appear in Disguise?

Open Media Ingestion History. Compare the result with the approved delivery; a fuzzy-search match alone does not establish a cause.

What should I check if Disguise does not recognize an image sequence?

The folder’s .seq suffix, numbering from 0 without gaps, file names and image format. Record any differences.

Does a shorter sequence mean that frames are missing?

Not necessarily: the manual specifies an initial ingestion rate of 30 FPS, which may differ from the delivery rate. Compare the clip’s frame count and FPS with the approved reference. Record both and rehearse the full sequence before concluding that frames are missing.

What should I prepare for support if a video does not appear in Disguise?

The warning, time, steps, project, hardware setup, resolution, deadline, release and build. Add the file name, path and codec, separating observations from pending tests.