An affordable playout solution for live productions

Open playout solution for the Mac

Supports most file wrappers (QuickTime, MXF, ts)
Supports most video codecs (Apple ProRes®, Avid DNxHD®, DVCPRO HD, H.264, MPEG-2, XDCAM EX®, XDCAM HD®,...)
Output to SDI or NDI®
Still image playback
Supports clips with alpha channel
Control playback from production switcher

OnTheAir Video Express is an easy-to-use professional playout application. Create as many playlists as you want, and play them within seconds.

OnTheAir Video Express uses the same playout engine as OnTheAir Video and OnTheAir Node, but it does not have any graphic overlay feature, nor the smart resize (it has a "standard" resize though). Make sure to check the "Features" section to check the differences between each product.

OnTheAir Video Express for RTL-TVI TV show

See the M|62 and the M|44 in the production room of RTL-TVI tv show 'De quoi je me mêle' in Brussels

Main features

Mix-and-match multiple codecs

Play multiple codecs in the same playlist. Support for Apple ProRes®, AVC-Intra, Avid DNxHD®, H.264, XDCAM EX, XDCAM HD and many more codecs. (check the list in the Tech Specs section). You do not need to install any additional software or codec. You can even mix different resolution in the same playlist.

QuickTime, MXF and Transport Stream

You can play the standard QuickTime files (.mov), but also transport stream (.ts) or MXF (.MXF). The beauty is that you don't even need to install an additional software to read MXF files. They support for MXF files is built in the Smart Playout Engine.

Supports NDI® Output

NDI® is an open, low-latency, video-over-IP protocol developed by NewTek, Inc. It uses a simple gigabit ethernet cable to transmit video and audio over a local area network between multiple video systems. Now, thanks to NDI®, you can transfer HD and 4K video over a simple Ethernet cable. There is no need for additional routers or even SDI cables anymore, further demonstrating the ease-of-use and reliability of our products. NDI® opens the world to a different way of doing video production and to an ecosystem of devices supporting the protocol.

NDI® is a registered trademark of NewTek, Inc.

Playout multiple channels on one Mac (one license per output required)

With the Smart Playout Engine's unequaled efficiency, you can playout 4 channels of HD simultaneously on one Mac as the Smart Playout Engine (SPE) is optimized to take advantages of multiple cores. For that you will need the Quad version of OnTheAir Video Express, and to purchase one license of the software per channel you want to output.

Mix and Match different resolutions

You can drag and drop clips of different resolutions in the playlist and they will be scaled automatically to fit in the output resolution by choosing a resizing method (letterbox, pand&scan or fill). Note that the Smart Resize mode is not available in OnTheAir Video Express, only in OnTheAir Video and OnTheAir Node. Check the screenshots below to see the difference, or check this video (the difference can only be seen in the higher resolutions 720p and 1080p)

Play videos or still images

Play out movie files and still images in the same playlist. Set a play duration for your still images and they will play out for that duration just as if they were a standard video file.

Control from Video Mixer

Control OnTheAir Video Express from a video mixer. When pushing on a video mixer input button, playback can automatically start in OnTheAir Video Express. This can work through a simple network connection with Blackmagic Design's ATEM or NewTek's TriCaster® production switchers. For other brands, you will need to use the GPI/tally outputs of your production switcher (requires GPI Commander).

Buy Now or Try a fully functioning trial version!

Price

$ 995

Price per channel.

Available options

Dongle - Instead of a serial number, receive a dongle that do not require activation. Ideal when you want to move your license around. One dongle can be used for up to 8 licenses (if multiple applications run on the same computer).

Downloads

Download OnTheAir Video Express

OnTheAir Video Express 4
Pre-Release version (Paid upgrade)

OnTheAir Video Express 3
Version 3.8.6 - 17 July 2020

Useful Resources

Release Notes
System requirements: macOS or driver requirements may change between versions, so make sure to check.
Help Center: Includes a lot of useful information, sometimes not available in the user manual
User Manual
YouTube Channel

Installation instructions

Download the SINGLE version if you just need to play on one output, the Multi version to be able to play up to 8 streams on one Mac. Once downloaded, unzip the file, run the installer and select the number of channels you want to install.

Make sure also to download and install the drivers for your video device:

AJA,
Blackmagic-Design
Deltacast (For the M|Family).

DEMO Limitations

In DEMO mode OnTheAir Video Express outputs a blue DEMO frame at some intervals. That's the only limitation and difference. After your test, you will keep on using the same application, just with the demo mode unlocked

How to unlock the DEMO version ?

Purchase a license through one of our resellers or the Softron online store, then just activate your serial number in the License window or plug your dongle in the computer.

Upgrade/Update instructions

Just download the latest version and replace your previsous version. It is always recommended to run extensive tests with your specific workflow and setup before putting a new version in production. You can use a free demo version for that on a separate computer. Previous legacy versions are available from the general downloads page.

You do not need to deactivate and reactivate your serial number when updating your Softron software. Read the following article to know when to deactivate.

This software uses code of FFmpeg, licensed under the LGPLv2.1 and its source can be downloaded here.

Resources

Resouces

Introduction

Resources

Knowledge Base
Search the OnTheAir Video Express Help Center

Manuals & Quickstart

Resources

OnTheAir Video Express Quick Start Guide

OnTheAir Video Express Manual

Product Features

Features

Main Features

Main Features
Typical Use (not exhaustive)	Ideal for News production or Live Shows. Plays most codecs, mix-and-match resize, GPI triggers, Cue mode, seamless playback, multiple outputs on one Mac, clip trimming, clip end behaviours, scrubbing
Supported File formats	QuickTime, MXF Op1a, Transport Stream (.ts), png, jpg, tif, tga… Check the complete list in the Tech specs section
Supported codecs	Most i-frames and long-GOP codecs (Apple ProRes®, Avid DNxHD®, AVC-Intra, XDCAM,... Check the complete list in the Tech Specs section
Still logo overlay (png image)	No*
Dynamic Graphics Overlay support	No*
Automatic Restart/Resume	No*
Smart Resize (better quality with interlaced formats)	No* Standard resize applied (without deinterlacing)
Manual Resize (per clip user defined)	No*
"Global" gain control	No*
Per clip Audio gain control	No*
Number of audio channels per video output	Depends on the video card used
Closed Captioning	No*
Timecode output	No*
Virtual output	Yes*
Built-in IP Streaming (without additional card)	No*
Streaming WITH an additional card (input)	Yes* - Additional software required (MovieStreamer HLS)
Schedule for 24/7 unattended playout	No*
Client/Server Architecture	No*
Multi-User Control	No Can only be controled from the local workstation OR using Apple Remote Desktop
Integration with Video routers	No*
Advanced Categories and clip attribute inheritance	No*
Automatic Resize (automatically resize clips to fit the video output)	Yes*
Media Management (Clip validation in Media Browser)	No* Can only be controled from the local workstation OR using Apple Remote Desktop
Automatic reconnection to file when becoming online/offline	No*
Master/Slave mode (for completely automatic redundancy)	No*
A/B Roll	No*

Video & Audio

Video Features
Video Engine	Smart Playout Engine (without Dynamic Graphics Overlay, nor intelligent resize, nor streaming capability)
Seamless playback	Yes*
Video Outputs	PCI Video Cards (AJA, Blackmagic-Design, Deltacast)
Video Outputs Modes	YUV and ARGB (depending on the card)
External and Internal Keying	Yes* The video card must support external and/or internal Keying in the resolution desired
Scrubbing (move playout at Time position)	Yes*
4K capable	Yes*
Supported File formats	QuickTime, MXF OP1a, Transport Stream (.ts), png, jpg, tif, tga… Check the complete list in the Tech specs section
Supported codecs	Most i-frames and long-GPO codecs (Apple ProRes®, Avid DNxHD®, AVC-Intra, XDCAM,... Check the complete list in the Tech Specs section
Requires QuickTime codecs installation	No*
Still image output	Yes*
Still logo overlay (png image)	No*
Dynamic Graphics Overlay support	No*
Automatic Resize (automatically resize clips to fit the video output)	Yes*
Smart Resize (better quality with interlaced formats)	No* Standard resize applied (without deinterlacing)
Manual Resize (per clip user defined)	No*
Built-in IP Streaming (without additional card)	No*
Streaming WITH an additional card (input)	Yes* - Additional software required (MovieStreamer HLS)
Audio/Video buffering	Yes*
Maximum Number of outputs per Mac without Dynamic Graphics Overlay, nor intelligent resize	4 HD (one license per output)
Option Needed for multiple output	Dynamic Graphics Overlay and Smart resize not available
Maximum Number of outputs per Mac with Dynamic Graphics Overlay, and intelligent resize	One full license per output
Frame Grab	Yes* Coming Soon !
Audio Features
Audio Destinations	Same as video output
Audio Fromat	Linear PCM, MP3, AAC
Can play audio only files	Yes Available Q4 2013
Multiple Audio Channels output	Yes*
Audio auto-mapping (using QuickTime track languages)	No*
Number of audio channels per video output	Depend on the video card used

Playlist & Schedule

Playlist Features
Generate As-run-logs	No*
Cue Mode	Yes*
A/B Roll	No*
Edit playlist while it is playing	Yes*
Show/Hide Thumbnails	Yes*
Trim clips	Yes* In Inspector
Audio preview in Inspector	Yes* Not yet implemented. Coming soon.
Import ASCII playlists	No*
Cross vpls Playlist support	Open all vpls playlists (but can not save in .vpls, only in .xpls)
Scheduling Features
Scheduled Playout	No*
Event Fixed start time	No*
Import Schedules	No*
Live Events	No*
iCal Like Scheduling (Graphical Calendar UI)	No*
Dynamic Calendar Display Resize	No*
Event & Playlist Categoires	No*
Category Inheritance	No*
Hierarchical Playlists	No*
Repeat Events (Alias) by Day, Weekdays, Weekend days, Month	No*
Duplicate Events	No*
"Stick" Events to close gaps in scheduling	No*
Real-time display of overruns and underruns	No*
Create and control multiple Schedules for multiple outputs using one single application	No*
Detailed Report of all coming Offline Clips, Missing playlists, Overrun, Underrun in Schedule	No*
Generate As-run-logs	No*

Media Management

Media Management Features
Media Cataloging	No*
Media Validation	No*
Finder Label	Yes*
Clip relative path (Clips Folder root)	Yes*
Clip Trimming	Yes*
Clip Splitting	Yes*
Reference Movie	Yes*
MXF Files support	Yes*
Still image support	Yes*
Resize clip manually	No*
Position Clip in frame (when resized)	No*
Clip end Behaviors	Only normal = relative to playlist behavior (chain mode or not)
Create Offline Clip (to program a clip that is not yet present on disk)	No*
Create Live Clip	No*
Auto Detection of Offline Clips and auto-recovery (in Media List and Playlists)	No*

Other Features

External Devices Control
Remotely Controlable by Telnet	No*
Remotely Controlable by a REST API	No*
AppleScriptable	No*
Control Matrix Video Routers	No*
GPI output	Yes* (requires GPI Commander Box but doesn't require the extra software as support is built in)
GPI input	Yes* (requires GPI Commander Box but doesn't require the extra software as support is built in)
MIDI Controlable	No*
Secondary Events	No*
Integration with EAS encoders/decoders	No*
System Requirements
Minimum System requirements (for one output)	Mac Intel, OS 10.8.4, 4GB RAM
Minimum System requirements (for DUAL output)	Mac Intel, OS 10.8.4, 8GB RAM Not with Dynamic Graphics Overlay, only video playout
Minimum System requirements (for QUAD output)	Mac Intel, OS 10.8.4, 16GB RAM Not with Dynamic Graphics Overlay, only video playout
Supported Graphics Cards	All Graphic cards supported. If you use the Dynamic Graphics Overlay option or the Intelligent resize, you will need a higher end graphic card
Monitor Required ? (DVI Monitor, Mini DisplayPort Monitor or a Switch with Active ports needs to be connected to the MacPro, XServe, Mac mini)	No* monitor required for playout (Open GL not needed)

Codecs

Video Codecs
Animation	No*
Apple Intermediate Codec	No*
Apple Pixlet Video	No*
Apple ProRes 422 Family	Yes*
Apple ProRes 4444	Yes*
AVC-Intra (50 & 100)	Yes*
AVCHD	Yes*
Avid DNxHD	Yes*
DV-PAL	Yes*
DV/DVCPRO-NTSC	Yes*
DVCPro-PAL	Yes*
DVCPro HD	Yes*
DVCPro 50	Yes*
Flash	No*
H.264	Yes*
HDV	Yes*
JPEG 2000	No*
MPEG IMX (30/40/50)	Yes*
MPEG-2	Yes*
MPEG-4 Video	Yes*
None	Yes*
Photo-JPEG	Yes*
Uncompressed	Yes*
XDCAM EX	Yes*
XDCAM HD	Yes*
XDCAM HD422	Yes*
Audio Codecs
AAC	Yes*
Apple Lossless	Yes*
MP2	Yes*
MP3	Yes*
Linear PCM	Yes*
Video Wrappers
AVI	Yes*
DV	Yes*
M2T	Yes*
M2V	Yes*
M4P (From iTunes with DRM)	No*
M4V	Yes*
MP2	Yes*
MP4	Yes*
MPEG	Yes*
MPG	Yes*
MXF OP1a	Yes*
MXF OP-Atom	No*
QuickTime (MOV)	Yes*
Transport Stream (ts)	Yes*
Still Image Formats
BMP	Yes*
PSD	Yes*
GIF (only the first image)	Yes* Oly the first image
Dicom	No*
EPS	No*
IFF	No*
JPEG	Yes*
JPEG 2000	Yes*
PCX	No*
PDF	No*
Photoshop Raw	No*
Pixar	No*
PNG	Yes*
Portable Bit Map	No*
Targa	Yes*
TIFF	Yes*

Hardware Requirements and Specifications

Supported outputs

System Requirements

Compatible macOS	Version 3.0 and 3.1: macOS 10.8.5 until macOS 10.12.5 Version 3.2 and later: macOS 10.9.5 until macOS 10.12.5 (if you are using a dongle) Version 3.6 and later: macOS 10.10.5 until macOS 10.15.7 Version 3.8 and later: macOS 10.12.5 until macOS 10.15.7 Version 4.0 and later: macOS 10.13.5 or later* Warning: With macOS 11.0 or later, versions 3 may show UI glitches mainly in the playlist playback controls.
Supported Mac computers	Version 3.0 until 3.8: All should work provided the required macOS version above can be installed, and you have the appropriate resources for what you need to achieve. Don't do 4K on a 2010 MacBook Air... Version 4.0 and later: Additionally to the above, a graphics card that supports Metal is required for the SMART Resize and Graphics option (OnTheAir Video and OnTheAir Node).
Recommended macOS (for latest version)	macOS 10.14.6 or later*
Recommended RAM	4 GB for the first channel. Then add 2GB per additional channel.
Supported Graphics Cards	Version 3.0 until 3.8: A graphics card that supports Metal is recommended. Version 4.0 and later: Requires a graphics card that supports Metal for the SMART Resize and Graphics option (OnTheAir Video and OnTheAir Node).. Check the list of Macs that support Metal.
Supported Outputs	AJA, Blackmagic-Design, M\|Family, NDI®
Hardware acceleration to decode Apple ProRes	2019 Mac Pro, equipped with an "Afterburner card" and running macOS 10.15.2 or later and OnTheAir Video Express, OnTheAir Video or OnTheAir Node version 3.8 or later.
Hardware acceleration to decode H.264	With all Mac computers with i5 or i7 processors, running macOS 10.9.5 or later for one channel. macOS 10.13 or later is required for multichannel support. Macs with M1 chips or later can support multichannels as well.
Hardware acceleration to decode H.265 / HEVC	With all Mac computers with 6th generation of intel processors (2016 and later), running macOS 10.13 or later. Macs with M1 chips or later can support multichannels as well.
Compatible Storage	Most storage that can sustain the required constant read speed (depending on the number of channels, the codec and format). If you need to run tests, make sure to do long term tests.
Requires Monitor Connected	Yes. Even if it should behave fine in most cases, it is recommended to keep a monitor connected at all times for best performances. Or you should make the macOS think that there is a monitor connected. Beware of some KVM switches that can cause interrupts in the signal.
Number of license required	One complete license required per channel (source).

* We know that some of our users can not upgrade their macOS very often. This is why Softron tries to maintain compatibility with older versions of macOS as much as possible, but it is not always possible to achieve. Because Operating Systems are usually significantly improved over previous versions, Softron must use many of the more capable built-in functionalities inherent in Apple's latest OS releases. Failing to do so would mean that Softron software would essentially be blocked from using the new Frameworks provided in the OS. For this reason, Softron's free support is provided only on the current and previous macOS versions. Also, most of our tests will be done on these macOS versions, and only basic tests will be done on the previous OS. We will always try to help, but in some cases, the best solution is to upgrade your macOS to a more recent version.

Softron does not warrant that these recommended configurations will always meet specific user requirements. They are intended as guidelines and are based on extensive testing that Softron has done, they can be changed without notice. Hardware, drivers, software and operating systems change regularly and we advise users and prospective users to evaluate their requirements in their specific environment/workflow using Softron demo licenses that are available for downloading from Softron's web site.

** We indicate here the release year of the first supported model. We recommend though to use newly released computers.

*** The specifications above are valid for 1080i clips in the Apple ProRes (LT) codec. Changing the frame rate, resolution or codec may affect the system requirements. Also specifications may differ if you need animated graphics (with OnTheAir CG running on the same computer). As OnTheAir CG will also need to decompress video files, you should rather look at the 2 channels configuration. Make sure also to check the specs for OnTheAir CG if you need animated graphics. You can not have multiple channels of OnTheAir CG on one computer.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Softron does not warrant that these recommended configurations will always meet specific user requirements. They are intended as guidelines and are based on extensive testing that Softron has done, they can be changed without notice. Hardware, drivers, software and operating systems change regularly and we advise users and prospective users to evaluate their requirements in their specific environment/workflow using Softron demo licenses that are available for downloading from Softron's web site.

Supp. output: AJA

Compatibility chart - AJA drivers

MovieRecorder Version	First Supported Drivers	Last Supported Drivers
Version 3.0 until 3.1	10.5.2	10.6.1
Version 3.2.x	10.5.2	12.2.2
Version 3.3.x	12.1.2	14.3
Version 3.4.x until 3.6.x	12.4.2	14.3
Version 3.7 and later	12.4.2	latest
Version 3.8 and later	15.0	latest

Supported devices

Most AJA devices are supported. For more information on the supported devices, the number of possible outputs and wether keying is supported or not, check this Help Center article.

IMPORTANT NOTE: When using AJA cards, there are specific setups, things to do and not to do that you should know before using them. Please read the article in our knowledge base that gives recommendations on using AJA devices with our ingest applications. You may also want to check if we did not issue a Warning for some cards or drivers.

Supp. output: Black Magic

Compatibility chart - Blackmagic-Design drivers

Application Version	First Supported Drivers	Last Supported Drivers
Version 3.0 until 3.1	9.9.3	10.3.7
Version 3.2 and later	10.3.1	latest drivers
Version 3.6 and later	10.9.5	latest drivers
Version 3.8 and later	11.0	latest drivers
Version 4.0 and later	11.5	latest drivers

Warning: macOS 11 (Big Sur) requires Desktop Video drivers version 11.7 or later.

Supported devices

Most Blackmagic-Design devices are supported. For more information on the supported devices, the number of possible outputs and wether keying is supported or not, check this Help Center article.

Supp. output: Deltacast

Compatibility chart - Deltacast drivers

MovieRecorder Version	First Supported Drivers	Last Supported Drivers
Version 3.0 until 3.3.x	5.17	5.18
Version 3.4 until 3.5.1	5.21	6.01.01 (but not 6.0 nor 6.01)*
Version 3.5.4 and later	5.21	latest *
Version 3.8 and later	5.21	latest *

Supported devices

Deltacast cards are OEM cards that we use for some of our M|Family products. They are usually not available for end users. We only validate using the deltacast cards that we provide. Other models may work, but not all have been tested. Check the list of supported video devices in our Help Center article.

Other Supp. outputs

Compatibility chart - Other outputs

Other Supported Outputs	First Version to support it
NDI®	3.5

Supp. files/codecs

Video Codecs

Animation	No
Apple Intermediate Codec	No
Apple Pixlet Video	No
Apple ProRes 422 Family (Proxy, 422, LT, HQ)	Yes
Apple ProRes 4444 (4444, XQ)	Yes
Apple ProRes RAW	No
AVC-Intra (50, 100, 200)	Yes
AVCHD	Yes
Avid DNxHD	Yes
Avid DNxHR	Yes
Blackmagic RAW	No
DV-PAL	Yes
DV/DVCPRO-NTSC	Yes
DVCPro-PAL	Yes
DVCPro HD	Yes
DVCPro 50	Yes
Flash	No
H.264	Yes
HDV	Yes
HEVC	Yes*
JPEG 2000	No
MPEG IMX (30/40/50)	Yes
MPEG-2	Yes
MPEG-4 Video	Yes
None	Yes
Photo-JPEG	Yes
Uncompressed	Yes
XAVC	No
XDCAM EX	Yes
XDCAM HD	Yes
XDCAM HD422	Yes

* HEVC requires macOS 10.13 or later and a computer using a Intel Core processor Skylake or later (available in 2016 on the Mac)

Audio Codecs

AAC	Yes
AC3	No
Apple Lossless	Yes
MP2	Yes
MP3	Yes
Linear PCM	Yes

Video Wrappers

AVI	Yes
DV	Yes
M2T	Yes
M2V	Yes
M4P (From iTunes with DRM)	No
M4V	Yes
MP2	Yes
MP4	Yes
MPEG	Yes
MPG	Yes
MXF OP1a	Yes
MXF OP-Atom	No
QuickTime (MOV)	Yes
Transport Stream (ts)	Yes

Still Image Formats

BMP	Yes
PSD	Yes
GIF	Yes Only the first image
Dicom	No
EPS	No
IFF	No
JPEG	Yes
JPEG 2000	Yes
PCX	No
PDF	No
Photoshop Raw	No
Pixar	No
PNG	Yes
Portable Bit Map	No
Targa	Yes
TIFF	Yes

Important Note: Some of the codecs above such as H.264 or MPEG2 can have a lot of variants. This is why we always recommend to have a procedure on how to create the files you put on air. So you are sure it will always behave well. If you receive files from external sources and you don't know how they were generated, it's always a good idea to test them before putting them on air. You can even test them on a different computer with a demo version of one of our playout application.