Configuration Files > Software Initialisation File Keywords >
VideoPreviewDevice

The VideoPreviewDevice keyword specifies the device used for the graphics-to-video display.

Specify entries for the resolutions of the projects on which you will be working as well as the resolutions supported by your hardware configuration.

The init.cfg file contains all supported tokens for the VideoPreviewDevice keyword. The project configuration file will determine which one of these should be enabled for a given project.

VideoPreviewDevice is also used in conjunction with the VideoPreviewWindow keyword in the project configuration template files; VideoPreviewWindow specifies the width and height of the window and the refresh rate. See VideoPreviewWindow.

When the application is started and a project is selected, the VideoPreviewWindow must match one of the VideoPreviewDevice entries. If no match is found, graphics-to-video output is unavailable.

The VideoPreviewDevice keyword applies to workstations configured with either a Miranda DVI-Ramp external device, a NVIDIA SDI card, or graphics readback (SD timings only) if the hardware is not available.

The VideoPreviewDevice uses the following syntax

VideoPreviewDevice <description>, <device>, <channel_number>, <xsize>, <ysize>, <refresh>, <syncsource> [, <xoffset>, <yoffset>

Where: | Is:
--- | ---
<description> | A string describing the resolution and sync configuration of the video preview device: ntsc, pal, or an HD resolution and timing.
<device> | The graphics-to-video configuration for your system. Set to dviramp (if you are using a DVI ramp), nvidia (if you are using a NVIDIA SDI card), or readback.
<channel_number> | The channel on which the signal is output.
<xsize>, <ysize> | The width and height of the area of the image window output to the graphics-to-video display.
<refresh> | The refresh rate of the corresponding resolution.
<syncsource> | The reference sync. Set to 601sync when you are using NTSC or PAL timing and you are connected to an external sync generator. Set to DTVsync when you are using HD timing and you are connected to an external sync generator. Set to freesync when you are not connected to a sync generator.
<xoffset>, <yoffset> | The horizontal and vertical offset of the video sent to the broadcast monitor relative to the graphics display. These parameters are required for some resolutions to display accurate field dominance during playback. Use these optional parameters with NTSC.

Examples of use

VideoPreviewDevice ntsc, dviramp, 1, 720, 486, 30, 601sync, 0, 1

VideoPreviewDevice pal, nvidia, 1, 720, 576, 25, 601sync

VideoPreviewDevice 1920x1080@50i, nvidia, 1, 1920, 1080, 50i, DTVsync

When working with variable framerate material, enable the video preview device token corresponding to the 720p timings, for example:

VideoPreviewDevice 1280x720@5994p, nvidia, 1, 1280, 720, 5994p, 601sync

#### Topics in this section

- Configuring Readback Mode