Ai V8 BETA is ready for public release.

First topic message reminder :

Hi Everyone

I'm thrilled to announce that Ai V8 is now ready to begin public BETA testing.  Please find the link below:

http://www.avolites.com/ai/Ai_V8_0_1_296_RC3_Win7.exe

Here's a web page with the full details (which includes some screen shots and the text below)

http://www.avolitesmedia.com/?page_id=4330


‘Everything you always wanted’

That is the tagline that our development team has been using to describe the feature set of Ai Version 8.

We’ve spent 12 months listening carefully to what our users felt they needed from Ai V8. The results of this user led development process are illustrated in an impressive feature set and a more unified workspace that delivers ‘everything you always wanted’ in a media server. It’s truly a game changer.

Winner of Live Design’s ‘Projection Product of the Year’ and the PLASA ‘Innovation Award’, Ai servers combine 36 years of engineering design and world-class show production experience in a unique “Production based Workflow”. Ai offers the tools for faster delivery of even the most complex shows.

These are some of the remarkable features that allow the award winning Ai media servers to enable such breath-taking visual environments.

Output Configuration Page

The new Output Configuration page allows the user to configure all parameters of their outputs using a unique UI for each Fixture Group tailored to the requirements of the Fixture. All of your video outputs and Artnet output can be configured on this page. It includes simple yet powerful tools for LED screen configuration, a navigable mapping editor for projection mapping and an all new Artnet Pixel mapping system. You can also apply soft edge blends and use Ai’s Auto Map feature from this page.
Surface Modelling Page

Surface Modelling Page

This new page gives the non 3D application user the capability to create and edit 3D stage sets. It combines the best bits of Max, Maya, Blender etc. But with easy access to features designed specifically for our market like linear and radial repeat for object geometry. The user can flip between the new Surface Modelling Mode and Stage View Mode to instantly see how the screen you’re designing fits with the rest of the stage.

System Wide Visualisation and Control

The new Virtual Network Fixture Module allows the user to visualise and control fixture groups on other networked systems in their UI as though they were stored locally. The VNF system provides intuitive control of complex networked media server setups. It combines its network control functionality with Ai’s stage visualisation capabilities which allows the operators system to show an entire show visualisation whilst the rendering is done on multiple systems.

Multiple users can login to systems on the network simultaneously to control any aspect of the project. For example multiple users can edit a systems video mapping or output configuration whilst another user builds a projects media banks.

[We're still ironing out a couple of issues with this feature in this BETA release]

Patch Editing Page

The journey to allow novice to intermediate users to configure their show without using the node based environment is now complete. Acknowledging that there is unrivalled power and flexibility in the node based capabilities of Ai, the node based interface has been refined to allow users to feel more comfortable using it.

The Node based interface is now shown within the Ai User Interface window rather than in many sub windows. It is displayed in a pseudo 3D style which animates to zoom in when you enter a sub patch. We have also added the capability to zoom into modules giving you the option to work as small or large as you require.

CITP MA & HOG4 Compatibility

Ai Version 8 significantly advances the implementation of the CITP video control protocol. Thumbnails will now be visible for media when you are controlling Ai from an MA or Hog4 lighting console.

[We're still ironing out a couple of issues with this feature in this BETA release]

Performance Improvements

The Ai developers have made a massive improvement in the performance of Ai V8, optimising the render engine again to offer around a 50% improvement in video throughput using our AiM Superstream codec. Performance whilst live compositing high resolution background layers with low resolution foreground layers has also been much improved.

Camera based automated warp and blend

Ai V8 offers a revolutionary new camera based warp and blend feature. This allows the user to configure a large projection screen surface across all available video outputs on the system using our recommended webcam or Ethernet camera and custom software to automatically calculate the required warping and blending of the outputs.

Multiple servers are also supported in the automated warp and blend process using an IP camera. This allows blends across huge surfaces. Curved surfaces, domes and flat screen arrays are all supported and this feature is optional in the price of Ai V8.

Native HD SDI Input and Output

Support has been added for up to 8 x 1080p HD SDI inputs or up to 8 x 1080p outputs or 2 x 4k outputs as an option on the Ai S series systems. The same cards can be used as input or output (in groups of 4). The outputs are frame synchronised so four 1080p outputs can be used as a single 4k feed on four HD/SDI cables.

Editable Scene Triggers

Ai V7 introduced Scene Triggers which allowed you to store a pre-set state of all layers and attributes that could be recalled at the touch of a button. Ai V8 makes the scene triggers editable so that you can configure or remove triggering elements. This allows the user to decide exactly which aspects of the system the scene trigger will control.

Performance units

V8 introduces the notion of ‘Performance Units’, allowing you to gauge how hard you’re pushing the system. The user interface will show the user a power bar style meter which will indicate the load that the system is under. As you add more layers and more outputs the power bar will decrease according to the capabilities of the system.

The Performance Units indication system will tie in with the marketing of the systems so that when you buy an Ai server you will know how many performance units the system is capable of. We will also publish a corresponding guide to what a performance unit is.

In summary, for those who are technically minded, one Performance Unit is equal to one Million pixels of data being transferred over the PCI express bus twenty five times per second. Our Third Generation systems such as the S4, S8, S6 and the EX4 & EX8 will support an absolute maximum of thirty two performance units when running V8. That is almost 1 Billion pixels per second.

New User Customizable Effects

V8 has a brand new Effects system (SVFX) which allows users to use the node based programming system to create their own effects and add them into the system. These effects can utilise the Salvation set of tools and input/output modules along with GLSL, Java script, MIDI, the list goes on and on. In fact, pretty much any of the other features of Ai can be plugged into your own customizable effects. This new effects system has proven to be so efficient that we have re-written our entire effects library for V8 using this approach. We have also added some new effects to spice up your video shows.

User Customizable Blend Mode system

Using the same new Effects system (SVFX) support has been added for user customizable blend modes. We have re-written the current set of blend modes to use this approach and there will be a template available for any user who wishes to use this system to make their own blend modes.

Layer Reference Module

A new module that can reference a texture from a fixture and layer. This offers significant performance improvements when a user needs to play the same media out onto multiple screen surfaces or onto multiple layers.

AiM multithreaded Encode

The AiM Quicktime encoder now supports multi-core compression. This means that the AiM conversion process can now be done in faster than real time for HD footage and close to real time for 4k media on high spec systems.

Progress bar scrub on layer

V8 improves on its hands on function by adding the capability to scrub media on a layer by clicking and dragging the progress bar.

This BETA release is fairly mature.  It has been used on a few shows already including:

• Coldplay ‘Ghost Stories’ in L.A & London ( lots of SDI output ).
• EPIC 3.0 at Madison Square Gardens in New York. ( Did you see this video? Awesome! )
• Cisco Corporate Event in Las Vegas. (Thanks to DMD Studios in Miami)
• Arcadia at Boom Town.

Please let me know if you have any issues and we will endeavor to get them resolved ASAP.

Thank you and best regards.

Dave & the Ai Team

awesome news!

is there an eta on fade/transition times being restored to scene triggers?

thanks!

Hey Leo

We are hoping to do that for an 8.1 release. There is no date for this but I would expect this to be around March.

See you soon

Any news on the update v8 at all?

We're hoping to have a small point release update out this week.

Speak soon

Dave wrote:We're hoping to have a small point release update out this week.

will that have fades in scene triggers restored?

Hi Dave,

I'm not a real player with AI and my hole experience is in a few projects but I want to put my experience using the software and a few thoughts that can be useful for you guys.
BTW if the is a way for do that, in advanced I ask for forgiveness.

1. When firing up the software I rather have a blank page instead the recent project open. or an option to be able to choose whats is better for me. Specially if your last project is crashing or heavy. Makes sense for me. An introduction with the list of the recent project or a new project would be great.

2. When I import a 3DS, the first thing I have to do is rotate the X to -90, why the software don't bring the setting from the 3D software? it knows the x and y position, why it doesn't import this value and let us edit it. Like I had it in a specific PSR inside 3D software for a reason but in AI I would like to reset it. If I had the value imported with the fixture I would reset it easily.

3. I'd would like to use TAB key to go along the settings, but when I change to the next value it could be selected and ready to get the new value.

I have many more simple things like that that can optimise the process a lot and I'll put them down in a next opportunity.

Cheers
Davi

hi;

you should check out v8 for starters....

1) "blank project on startup" could be a nice option - i like that idea.

2) this is down to an inconsistencies between 3d softwares - many of them flip the Z and Y axis, but there is no consistency or way of knowing from the file itself ( i know blender even gives the option to flip axis on saving! ) - you may even be able to change your world axies within your 3d ap.

3) v8 does this.

1) Personally I like that the system defaults to the last saved show file, in a live show situation force quitting Ai and re-launching takes only seconds, while having to wait for an "open>file>choose..." process would literally kill me, specially if I happen to double click or select the wrong file in the heat of the moment.

As a User, I have learned to create my own startup project file just like I do for lighting consoles, that already carries all my startup settings.

2) XYZ values are different between softwares: Vectorworks, Blender and AI all share the same defaults for position but not for rotation. However, Cad Sketch-up and C4D are completely different not only on their positioning but on the way objects rotate along those axis.

3) Tabbing between fields has been there for a little while now, and theres a lot of new features you might have not yet seen since the last version you may have played with, that includes earlier releases of Ai8.

As a user, I have to say I am very thankful to the fact that the Ai team is always listening to suggestions and practices of us out in the field. and most of us here love to hear and answer questions... nowadays media servers are capable of so much and in so many different ways, you'd be a fool to assume that everyone is doing the same thing in every scenario, specially with a software as feature rich as Ai.

Best of luck out there, hope to see you around the forums more...

Cheers,

RL

Good to now your point friend, everything is about matter of opinion and I still believe this setting should be an option than can adapt in best way for every user.
We always run 2 servers with a click away to swap btw then, plenty time to select the file and make sure the crash won’t happy again.

But the truth is, a software should be reliable during the whole show.

TAB problem is on AI7 I will try AI8 soon.

PSR is a problem I know I used to have this problem when exporting from Max to Maya 2008…. Nowadays they all work fine. I believe AI has a goo reason for that.

I'm designer and I only produce content, maybe my only view is to optimise my work.

Davi

Hi All

Heres a new Ai Build ready for you guys to test.  Theres lots of updates listed below.

www.avolites.com/ai/Ai_V8_0_2_155_Win7.exe

I recommend you remake your project files to get the most out of this new version.

Please let me know if there are any issues. We're hoping to get this up as an official release version soon.

Thanks and best regards


Ai_V8_0.2.155

DONE - Added Layer Render Options Configuration tools to allow user to remove un-used functionality from the layer render engine using a group of simple buttons. Can significantly improve performance depending on show requirements.
DONE - Moved Automatic Output Assignment button to the General section of the System Settings Page.
DONE - Improved font spacing. Space character was too small.
DONE - Artnet Control Roller Cue Triggering Mode: Out of range Folder/File selection needs to trigger black.
DONE - Auto-Blend changed the display numbering according to the display key-string of the windows installation.
DONE - Auto-Blend configuration window which shows the green dots often appears zoomed in until the user moves the window with the title bar.
DONE - Auto-Blend the exported warp and blend files should always be saved to '~/Distrib/System/Auto Blend/Calibration' regardless of where the Blend Settings are saved.
DONE - Auto-Blend - Load blend file on autoblend does not work
DONE - Auto-Blend - Manually loaded warp and blend files are lost after saving, exiting and restarting Ai
DONE - Auto-Blend - Added a "No Blend" file into the '~/Distrib/System/Auto Blend/Calibration' folder.
DONE - Fixed insert patch file crash.

Ai_V8_0_2_101

DONE - Added Drawing Primitives/Path Draw module to draw a path from a text file containing X,Y coordinates.
DONE - Added AiTextureReference Module

Ai_V8_0_2_97

DONE - Added TC Generator to System Settings. Allows user to generate an internal TC Signal for testing
DONE - Output Page Swivelling the source and destination on regions
DONE - Output Page Highlight selected regions
DONE - Output Page Shows border on selected regions - border is 2px
DONE - Output Page 'shift + left click on output number' moves selected regions to that output
DONE - Output Page Numerical entries have been changed to be integer based
DONE - Output Page Numerical entries for RGBA Adjust of regions, not knobs - decimal based

DONE - Added Keyboard Shortcuts to Output Page:
- S = Select
- D = Draw
- T = Translate
- R = snap Rotate (90')
- F = Free rotate
- - Shift + F = reset rotation on source & destination
- X = mirror X
- Y = mirror Y
- M = incremenet Mask
- - Shift + M = clear mask
- H = toggle Highlight
- - Shift + H = turn off ALL highlights
- B = toggle Border
- - Shift + B = turn off ALL borders
- Z = swivel
- - Shift + Z swivels all regions

DONE - Improved Stability when loading a model without UV co-ordinates
DONE - Improved Stability when using a LED Pixel fixture, the original screen was disappearing sometimes

Ai_V8_0_2_92

DONE - Added Fader Touch ports to the Ai Controller ports which show the time since the fader was last touched.

Ai_V8_0_2_84

DONE - Added 'NON AIM MOV' warning to multi layer widget when the user plays a movie which is not in the AiM format.
DONE - White rectangle appears in the layer preview instead of the Live input preview
DONE - 3D scene in main visualiser window has strange jaggies on or missing surfaces from certain angles / zoom levels
DONE - Sample Texture Region modules connected to a screen fixture render black
DONE - Embed button not working in Texture module
DONE - Random Playmode Fixed (selectable via Artnet playmode parameter value 21)
DONE - New Colour Adjustment Modes, RGB Last & Hue Clamp. Accessible via Artnet channel 83 on each layer.
DONE - Fixed Audio patch output
DONE - Added Pixel Accurate Fade Region System Patch

Ai_V8_0_2_46:

DONE - Fixed Crash on media bank change from the lighting desk whilst clip properties were open.
DONE - Fixed Scene triggers misbehaving not loading parameters such as blend modes / play modes / positions

Ai_V8_0_2_9:

DONE - Region Selection window not appearing on output page on some older projects.
DONE - Timeline Page not showing timeline correctly when a project has structure or human fixtures in it.
DONE - Further Improvements to CITP.
DONE - Published Blend Mode select ports on the Ai Controller module (for Sapphire Media and MSC-1).

Ai_V8_0_2_0:

DONE - Added Auto Blend functionality to Output Page
DONE - Added Colour routing matrix to Modular LED Fixture on the Output Page
DONE - CITP Multi client streaming (Major improvement for MSEX Video streaming on MA)
DONE - Decimate function for modular LED fixture on Output page (press D) Separates multi pixel regions into multiple individual regions
DONE - Fixed lost model on Modular LED Fixture on Output Page
DONE - Fixed CITP Thumbnail Frame not matching selected thumbnail frame
DONE - Fixed CITP Refresh of thumbnails when new media added
DONE - Fixed CITP Memory Leaks
DONE - Added 'Import/Fixture Canvas Texture' Module
DONE - Added 'Output Mouse Location' System Patch
DONE - Added some new blend modes / transitions

Ai_V8_0_1_306_RC4:

DONE - Added FPS Counter to the Title Bar
DONE - Auto Map on outputs other than output 2 not functioning correctly
DONE - Auto Map output resolution restricted - i could only access 1280 x 720 of 1920 x 1080
DONE - Auto Map vertex selection intermittent
DONE - channel offset not saving / loading on the Modular LED fixture on output page

Hi Guys

We've been working on trying to get a final V8 build finished of Ai.

We're hoping this is it:

www.avolites.com/ai/Ai_V8_0_2_199_Win7.exe

Let me know if you have any problems with it as we're hoping to make it an official release build next week.

The change log since the last official release is below.

We've already started on V9 and we're very excited about what's going to be in it. The first V9 builds should be available in the Autumn.

Thanks!



Ai_V8_0.2.199

DONE - Added RGB Delayed Feedback Effect
DONE - Added Effects Chain patch to system Patches

Ai_V8_0.2.197

DONE - Added Primeshot as a template project (Touch Screen Live Camera Mixing Feature)
DONE - Updated Primeshot to complete integration with multiple fixtures and layer control
DONE - Fixed aspect ratio of preview of live inputs (and other 16:9 patches) in the multi layer widget
DONE - Added TriggerFileOnLayer module for triggering specified files onto specified fixture[s] and layer[s] from within patches.
DONE - Added RenderReference Module, works like Texture Reference except on modules which inherit their properties from SVGLRender, ie modules with a yellow output port.
DONE - Added Default Cross Fade presets system patch

Ai_V8_0.2.181

DONE - Added FadeIn X, FadeOut X, FadeInOut X Y follow on actions.
DONE - Fixed movies playing from timeline are reported as non aim in the layer widget.
DONE - Fixed bug where timeline would not appear after project file was changed / loaded.
DONE - Fixed sample region copy and paste rotation bug on output page.
DONE - Fixed white square of doom on Layer Texture Reference patches.
DONE - Improved bug where repeated loading of many different projects would cause memory leak.

Ai_V8_0.2.156

DONE - Added Timecode Readout Effect.
DONE - Added Alpha Mask Effect.
DONE - Added Audio EQ Effect.
DONE - Added Waveform Custom Effect.

Ai_V8_0.2.152

DONE - Added Layer Render Options Configuration tools to allow user to remove un-used functionality from the layer render engine using a group of simple buttons. Can significantly improve performance depending on show requirements.
DONE - Moved Automatic Output Assignment button to the General section of the System Settings Page.
DONE - Improved font spacing. Space character was too small.
DONE - Artnet Control Roller Cue Triggering Mode: Out of range Folder/File selection needs to trigger black.
DONE - Auto-Blend changed the display numbering according to the display key-string of the windows installation.
DONE - Auto-Blend configuration window which shows the green dots often appears zoomed in until the user moves the window with the title bar.
DONE - Auto-Blend the exported warp and blend files should always be saved to '~/Distrib/System/Auto Blend/Calibration' regardless of where the Blend Settings are saved.
DONE - Auto-Blend - Load blend file on autoblend does not work
DONE - Auto-Blend - Manually loaded warp and blend files are lost after saving, exiting and restarting Ai
DONE - Auto-Blend - Added a "No Blend" file into the '~/Distrib/System/Auto Blend/Calibration' folder.
DONE - Fixed insert patch file crash.

Ai_V8_0_2_101

DONE - Added Drawing Primitives/Path Draw module to draw a path from a text file containing X,Y coordinates.
DONE - Added AiTextureReference Module

Ai_V8_0_2_97

DONE - Added TC Generator to System Settings. Allows user to generate an internal TC Signal for testing
DONE - Output Page Swivelling the source and destination on regions
DONE - Output Page Highlight selected regions
DONE - Output Page Shows border on selected regions - border is 2px
DONE - Output Page 'shift + left click on output number' moves selected regions to that output
DONE - Output Page Numerical entries have been changed to be integer based
DONE - Output Page Numerical entries for RGBA Adjust of regions, not knobs - decimal based

DONE - Added Keyboard Shortcuts to Output Page:
- S = Select
- D = Draw
- T = Translate
- R = snap Rotate (90')
- F = Free rotate
- - Shift + F = reset rotation on source & destination
- X = mirror X
- Y = mirror Y
- M = incremenet Mask
- - Shift + M = clear mask
- H = toggle Highlight
- - Shift + H = turn off ALL highlights
- B = toggle Border
- - Shift + B = turn off ALL borders
- Z = swivel
- - Shift + Z swivels all regions

DONE - Improved Stability when loading a model without UV co-ordinates
DONE - Improved Stability when using a LED Pixel fixture, the original screen was disappearing sometimes

Ai_V8_0_2_92

DONE - Added Fader Touch ports to the Ai Controller ports which show the time since the fader was last touched.

Ai_V8_0_2_84

DONE - Added 'NON AIM MOV' warning to multi layer widget when the user plays a movie which is not in the AiM format.
DONE - White rectangle appears in the layer preview instead of the Live input preview
DONE - 3D scene in main visualiser window has strange jaggies on or missing surfaces from certain angles / zoom levels
DONE - Sample Texture Region modules connected to a screen fixture render black
DONE - Embed button not working in Texture module
DONE - Random Playmode Fixed (selectable via Artnet playmode parameter value 21)
DONE - New Colour Adjustment Modes, RGB Last & Hue Clamp. Accessible via Artnet channel 83 on each layer.
DONE - Fixed Audio patch output
DONE - Added Pixel Accurate Fade Region System Patch

Ai_V8_0_2_46:

DONE - Fixed Crash on media bank change from the lighting desk whilst clip properties were open.
DONE - Fixed Scene triggers misbehaving not loading parameters such as blend modes / play modes / positions

Ai_V8_0_2_9:

DONE - Region Selection window not appearing on output page on some older projects.
DONE - Timeline Page not showing timeline correctly when a project has structure or human fixtures in it.
DONE - Further Improvements to CITP.
DONE - Published Blend Mode select ports on the Ai Controller module (for Sapphire Media and MSC-1).

Ai_V8_0_2_0:

DONE - Added Auto Blend functionality to Output Page
DONE - Added Colour routing matrix to Modular LED Fixture on the Output Page
DONE - CITP Multi client streaming (Major improvement for MSEX Video streaming on MA)
DONE - Decimate function for modular LED fixture on Output page (press D) Separates multi pixel regions into multiple individual regions
DONE - Fixed lost model on Modular LED Fixture on Output Page
DONE - Fixed CITP Thumbnail Frame not matching selected thumbnail frame
DONE - Fixed CITP Refresh of thumbnails when new media added
DONE - Fixed CITP Memory Leaks
DONE - Added 'Import/Fixture Canvas Texture' Module
DONE - Added 'Output Mouse Location' System Patch
DONE - Added some new blend modes / transitions

Ai_V8_0_1_306_RC4:

DONE - Added FPS Counter to the Title Bar
DONE - Auto Map on outputs other than output 2 not functioning correctly
DONE - Auto Map output resolution restricted - i could only access 1280 x 720 of 1920 x 1080
DONE - Auto Map vertex selection intermittent
DONE - channel offset not saving / loading on the Modular LED fixture on output page

Hi Guys

I just updated the V8 release build links to the latest version:

http://www.avolites.com/ai/Ai_V8_0_2_247_Win7.exe

Heres the change log since the last post below.

We're mostly working on V9 at the moment, but a few tweaks have muscled their way into this V8 update.

Thanks and best regards


Ai_V8_0.2.247

DONE - Added support for BlackMagic Decklink Quad YUV 422 modes.
DONE - Added LiveVideoBlackMagicDecklinkQuad-CH1..CH4 patches.

Ai_V8_0.2.245

DONE - Converted Sync Groups to use different method to improve accuracy (should now be frame accurate providing machines are sync'd with AMD Catalyst).
DONE - Added System Seconds module.
DONE - Added 'Net Time' installer and installation instructions to 'Distrib/System/Net Time'. Required for frame Accurate Sync Group playbacks across networked systems.

Ai_V8_0.2.225

DONE - Added support for 'Optimal Speed = 1.0' mode whilst using 'Sync Groups' in Listening mode.

Ai_V8_0.2.224

DONE - Added System Settings/General/Sync Group Ethernet Configure window to allow users to change properties of Sync Group Ethernet settings such as Adapter, IP, broadcast etc.
DONE - Added Broadcast option to Ethernet Send and receive modules.
DONE - Added Time/Clock Smoother module, can be used to smooth clocks passing through blue controller ports in Seconds.

Ai_V8_0.2.219

DONE - Added support for sync groups

quick question, I have a custom server with the right requirements. 6 core i7,AMD w7000, data path SDI input card.
If I use the old version .137 or .134 I think it was, Live inputs work fine.
I just installed the latest beta version, I have the same problem that I had with .199 when I doble click on live input or right click and open file. the software will freeze and close the software. It will also do it with any live input patch, data path ch1, ch2, etc.
Even If I trigger a live input file from my console, it will do it.

Thanks!
Yamil

Hi Yamil

OK Thanks for letting us know. We will look into this and report back asap.

Please send bug reports like this to support@avolitesmedia.com to ensure a prompt response.

Thanks and best regards

Thanks, I will from now on!

Yamil, I had exactly the same issue the other day. Dave finally solved it - and this is what he wrote:

Dave wrote:So I uninstalled the Datapath driver and re-installed it.  This time I selected 'Kernel Mode Streaming' which is usually the default setting. For some reason it was defaulting to 'User Mode Streaming' which does not work with Ai.

I could think this solves your issue, too.

Best, Sebastian

Cool! I'll try it.
Thanks a lot