Q: How many SDI inputs and outputs can Composer handle?

A: The LE version supports two (2) scenes with outputs, and the full version of Composer has no limitations. However, there is always a limitation based on the capacity of the server or workstation.

Based on our experience, the baseline server (Dell 3939 with an i9-9900K CPU and an RTX4000 GPU) can manage 4-8 inputs and 2-10 outputs. The variation depends primarily on the complexity of the project. 

The average number of SDI inputs is 4, and the average number of outputs is 3.

Find more information on how you can optimize your setup: Tuning for maximum performance and Performance and optimization.

Q: Can I use Composer for multiple studios at the same time? For example, two roulette Studios and two BlackJack studios?

A: Yes.

Q: Can I upgrade from Composer LE to Composer?

A: Yes, you can.

Q: Can I buy a perpetual license for Composer instead of paying a monthly license fee?

A: Currently, Composer is only available as a monthly subscription.

Q: How many channels (inputs and outputs) can Composer manage?

A: The software has no restrictions. The number of channels you can run depends on the server hardware, the complexity of your project, the framerate, and the video resolution. Customers run 1 to 8 inputs and 4-20 outputs.

The only way to determine how many channels you can run on a specific hardware is to try it out.

Q: How many cameras can I connect to Composer?

A: Composer can connect to multiple cameras without a specific limit imposed by the software. The number of cameras you can connect is primarily determined by the hardware capabilities of your system, such as the CPU, GPU, and available memory. Composer supports complex multi-camera setups and allows seamless switching between camera feeds, making it highly suitable for professional, large-scale productions, including live events, game shows, and Live Dealer autonomous studios.

However, performance will depend on your system's ability to handle the data from multiple cameras feeds in real-time, especially when layering effects or performing real-time compositing.

Q: How often is Composer updated?

A: Composer typically receives four major annual updates, each adding significant features, optimizations, and improvements. For example, the R1 2024 release brought enhanced chroma keyers, new components, and support for ProRes file formats. These updates aim to address user feedback and keep the platform in line with the latest advancements in live video production.

Additionally, customers subscribed to Composer get free access to all new releases, ensuring that they can benefit from the continuous improvements without additional costs.

Q: Would an RTX 6000 be better than an RTX 4000?

A: It depends on what you mean by “better”, and your project. In general, the RTX 4000 is sufficient for most projects, and an upgrade to the RTX 6000 will not make a big difference. The reason is that the bottleneck of most setups/projects is the I/O between the CPU and the GPU rather than the compute capabilities of the GPU. 

Our reference system (2024-07) uses an RTX 4000 Ada generation GPU. 

Q: Can I run Composer on Linux?

A: Absolutely. Currently, around 50% of our customers use Linux in their production environment and use the Composer Runtime version. However, to create a new project, or edit an existing project, you must have the Windows Desktop version.

Q: Are projects created in the Linux version compatible with the Windows version?

A: Yes, with one exception: the Web Page Input (Chromium) component is incompatible with Linux. Use the Ultralight version for platform-independent web page input.

A project created in the Windows version can be run in the Linux version, with the exception of projects using the Web Page Input (Chromium) component.

Q: Do the Web Page Input components support capturing audio created by the web page?

A:  At the moment (2024-07), no.

Q: We are very new to Composer and are curious if our planned project can be run in Composer. Can we chat and get some advice?

A: Absolutely! We love to get involved in the early stages of new projects. We provide free support and advisory services for upcoming and new customers

Q: I see that you have four different keyers in Composer. Which one should I use?

A: Well, that depends on your use case, but in 99% of all setups, the HSV Keyer is the best choice. The HSV Keyer is flexible and suitable for live studios running 24/7. Your second option would be the IBK Keyer, which is more optimized for high-end Chroma Key in events that don't run 24/7.

Q: We would love to use Composer and have tried the evaluation version. However, we find it hard to get started and don’t know the best approach for our project.

A: First, check out the Tutorials and documentation, which may give you a good start. If you need further assistance or training, we provide 2 hours of free training for all customers.

Q: We are evaluating new hardware for our Composer setups. Can you give some general advice on what server capabilities are important for Composer in terms of performance?

A: This is a complex question to answer, but let us try providing a generic answer: Preferable, choose a server with the following characteristics:

CPU single-core performance: At least 2900, according to https://www.cpubenchmark.net/. Composer is a multi-threaded application, but some operations must be performed on a single thread because of the system design.

CPU multi-core performance: as high as possible. More CPU cores are always preferred, especially if you have many outputs requiring video encoding.

CPU PCI lanes: At least 24 lanes, preferably more. AMD Epyc/Threadripper and Intel Xeon processors generally provide the most PCI lanes.

RAM: The more memory channels there are, the better. 8/12 channels are better than two.

RAM: Choose single-rank memory when possible

RAM: Choose the highest possible memory frequency as possible.

Ensure your server has the required cooling (fans) for the GPU and a capture card.

Most setups' bottlenecks are either the GPU's memory copy engine or the GPU-accelerated encoder (NVENV).

A costly high-end server featuring tons of CPU cores might be slower than a high-end consumer-level workstation. This is usually caused by the server CPU's poor single-core performance.

Q: Do you have some baseline servers that you recommend?

A: Yes, we do. The specs for our baseline server vary over time. Please get in touch with us for the latest recommendation.

Q: What brands of capture cards does Composer support?

A: At the moment of writing (2024-07), Composer only supports the BlackMagic Decklink family of capture cards. The reason is that the Decklink Capture cards dominate the market by a margin.

Q: We currently use OBS for our live Studio. OBS is open-source and costs nothing, so why should we use Composer instead? What benefits does Composer provide?

A: OBS is a good alternative for some generic use cases. However, the video quality may be far from ideal.

Composer is professional software with 24/7 support designed for 24/7 operations. It offers 100% uptime and professional monitoring capabilities. The team behind Composer has 15+ years of experience designing, building, and monitoring setups featuring hundreds of live channels that run 24/7. 

Chroma Key setups/studios are one of our expert areas, and our keyer solutions are definitely different from OBS. You can expect the Chroma Keyers in Composer to be much better than the Keyers found in OBS.
Composer supports unlimited rtmp targets (outputs) with different content. This is a huge advantage in use cases with multiple branding (outputs) and chroma key, which is not possible using OBS.

Who do you call if you run into problems using OBS? How do you monitor hundreds of channels running OBS?

Composer is designed for professional environments requiring advanced video effects, scalability, and real-time interactivity. In contrast, OBS is more suitable for individual streamers or smaller productions due to its simplicity and ease of use.

Q: Can I use Composer to edit video clips?

A: No, Composer is not designed to edit video clips. Composer is a unique real-time system explicitly designed for live content, such as Live Dealer Games or events, and its capabilities set it apart from traditional video editing tools.

Q: Can I use Composer to create new graphics? Similar to what I can do in Photoshop?

A: Not really. Composer is primarily a compositing tool that imports assets created in third-party products such as Photoshop, 3D Max, Maya, Davinci, Logic Pro, etc.

Q: We currently use ffmpeg to encode our streams. What added value does Composer provide?

A: A more intuitive workflow, easier-to-use video effects, superior chroma keyers, Api:s, easier-to-monitor, and user support.

Q: What is spill balance?

A: Spill balance in Composer refers to correcting the color "spill" that occurs when green or blue from a chroma key backdrop reflects onto your subject. This reflection creates unwanted color contamination on the edges of the subject, making them appear less natural against the background.

Spill suppression techniques aim to neutralize this unwanted color, typically turning the spill into a neutral gray. However, due to variations in the backdrop's purity (it may not be perfectly green or blue), the result might not be fully neutral. Spill balance automatically adjusts these spill-suppressed areas to reduce any remaining color tint and ensure a more natural appearance. This balance can also be manually fine-tuned using red, green, and blue sliders to achieve the desired effect.

This correction helps create cleaner, more professional chroma key results, particularly in challenging lighting or backdrop conditions.

Q: Can I use Composer to process content from NanoCosmos?

A:  Yes, you can use Composer with NanoCosmos. Composer supports the RTMP (Real-Time Messaging Protocol) input, which NanoCosmos uses for streaming. By configuring an RTMP stream in Composer, you can directly integrate external live streams from platforms like NanoCosmos into your workflow. You can also use the RTMP Target component to send your content to NanoCosmos.

Composer allows you to subscribe to external RTMP streams for both audio and video, offering options such as automatic reconnect and buffering adjustments for smooth playback. This makes Composer compatible with NanoCosmos streams, allowing you to ingest live video and process it in real-time.

Q: What comes with the Extending Monitoring option?

A:  Extended Monitoring in Composer is an advanced monitoring plugin designed for large-scale operations and multi-instance environments. It provides detailed performance metrics, log analysis, and custom dashboards, offering deeper insights into your system's behavior. Here's an overview of its key features:

• Pre-built Dashboards: Extended Monitoring includes pre-configured Grafana dashboards, which allow you to quickly visualize important metrics, such as system usage, RTMP target performance, GPU processing, and errors across all Composer instances.
• Centralized Log Management: You can collect and filter logs from all Composer instances in one place, simplifying troubleshooting and performance tracking across multiple servers.
• Extended Metrics: The plugin adds over 25 metrics (e.g., GPU usage, processing times, alarm statuses), all available through the Prometheus endpoint. These extended metrics give more granular control over monitoring and alerting.
• Custom Tags: Metrics and logs are tagged with system labels, version numbers, and hostnames, enabling easier filtering and analysis within Grafana.

Extended Monitoring is especially useful when running Composer at scale, helping track issues, optimize performance, and manage multiple Composer instances from a centralized location.

Q: What is the license model?

A:  Composer operates under a subscription license-based model, typically charged monthly. Below is a summary of the different license levels:

• Trial License: Composer comes with a trial version for evaluation purposes. It has limitations such as watermarks, pop-up dialogs, and restricted uptime (ranging from 2 to 24 hours). The trial version is not allowed for production use.
• Evaluation License: This time-limited license is designed for in-depth testing before committing to a full purchase. It removes most restrictions but still expires after a certain period.
• Subscription License: This commercial license allows full use of Composer without restrictions and is typically valid for 12 months. It supports multiple instances and can include plug-ins for additional features.
• Extended Monitoring License (addon): For advanced monitoring, Composer offers an add-on license that enables extended metrics and centralized multi-instance monitoring via Grafana.

Each Composer license is tied to a specific host or can be a "floating" license that can move between different hosts. License management is done via a .lic file that is validated against a licensing server.

Q: Where can I find information on which license I have?

A: You can find information about your Composer license within the software itself:

• Help Menu: In the desktop version of Composer, you can view your license details by navigating to Help > License Information in the application menuThis will show details like license type, validity, and the features enabled for your instance.
• License File: Composer also uses a .lic file for licensing, typically located in the installation directory (e.g., C:\Program Files\Realsprint AB\Vindral Composer\license.lic). The content of this file will display details such as the license type, expiration date, and any associated plug-ins.

Additionally, you can access more details or troubleshoot your license by visiting the Realsprint Support Portal or contacting your Composer distributor.

Q: Can Composer embed a live source (from a camera or similar) in the background?

A: Yes. Content, or inputs, can be used in many different ways in Composer. Using one input as PIP (picture-in-picture) is straightforward in Composer.

Q: What is the most commonly used keyer in Composer, in live setups?

A: The HSV Keyer is your best choice and the most commonly used keyer for live content.