This article will go over how to use Notch Blocks in PIXERA and the various workflows involved, along with some other quality of life knowledge such as how to create a simple block and some example blocks.

How to Prepare and Expose Parameters in a Notch Block for PIXERA

Pre-Preparations

Requirements:

• A PIXERA Manager, Creator License (watermarked), or other License.
• Notch Builder Installed on the Server.
• Notch VFX Player License/or Trail (watermarked) to play Notch Blocks (Manager or Client).
• Notch VFX Learner License or Second Player License to see Notch Blocks in Preview in a Manager-Client setup (Manager).
• See more information on Licensing: https://www.notch.one/pricing.

An example PIXERA project will all the Notch Blocks and their Notch Project files can be found here.

The examples for this article were created in Notch VFX Version 0.9.23.253 and ran in PIXERA 2.0.65.

Create Your Own Notch Block with Notch VFX - “IMAG_PIXERA_SHOWCASE”

This section will show how to quickly create a simple Notch Block to be used in PIXERA, the same block is included in the project bundle.

Start with a blank project. For the block, just the necessary steps will be tackled to get simple IMAG FX with exposed parameters working in PIXERA.

Add a "Video Loader” to use later as a Texture Slot inside PIXERA. Next, add some FX, in this case “Edge Detect” and “Glow”. Finally, to see it on the screen, add a “Image 2D" Node. All settings are at default.

Expose Parameters (Parameters, Limit Range Values, Grouping)

For Notch documenation on this subject see: https://manual.notch.one/0.9.23/en/docs/blocks/exposing-values/.

Next some parameters must be exposed to allow PIXERA access for changing them.

First, expose the “Video Loader” video so some sources (live cam, video) can be piped in from PIXERA.

Select the “Video Loader” node. In the parameters panel there is a question mark at the left side of “Video”. If you click it, a dialog box will open. Now select “Expose Property” and PIXERA will now be able to see the “Video Loader” as a Texture Slot in the Timeline.

Next, expose “Blend Amount” parameters from “Edge Detect” and “Glow” to control those effects in PIXERA's Timeline. To make things easier for the operator, add an “Exposed Name”, an “Exposed Group Name” and a "Value Range" for the exposed parameters.

Export IMAG Notch Block

To export the Block: Click “Project” - “Compile Block for Media Servers” - enter a name and the desired path for it to be saved to,. This block is now ready to be imported into PIXERA.

How to use Notch Blocks in PIXERA

Notch Blocks require a Notch License to be attached into/loaded onto the Manager for the Block resource to be placed onto the Timeline. If using a Manager - Client setup with only enough dongles for the Clients, the Notch Learning License can be loaded onto the Manager allowing the Notch Block to be seen Preview, albeit with a Watermark.

https://www.notch.one/pricing/

If a Learning License is not available, or the Preview is not needed, you can plug the licensed Dongle into the Manager and then drag the Block onto the Timeline. After restarting PIXERA, unplugging the dongle from the Manager and plugging it into the Client, you should then see the Block load on the Client while the Manager Preview stays black.

Import a Notch Block as Custom Effect (Deprecated)
 

This will create an Effect similar to the other GLSL Effects in PIXERA and can be stacked with other Effects on the selected Layer. This workflow is Deprecated due to limitations.

To Import a Notch Block, unfold the “Effects” folder in “Resources” and right-click on “Custom”. Under “Add Resources” add the desired Notch Block file. This will add the file under the “Custom” tree. In order to apply the Block, just drag and drop the Effect onto an existing Layer, which contains either a video or a live cam.

Import a Notch Block as Compositing Layer

This will create a dedicated Layer for your Block to run on.

To do so head to the Compositing Tab and hit the “VR” button in the resource panel. Now import the “COMP_LAYER_PIXERA_SHOWCASE” Block by selecting it and hit “Open” to add it to the Resources tab. From here it can be dragged and dropped onto the Timeline.

If using multiple Notch Layers in a Block, PIXERA 1.8 and 2.0 handle this differently. In 1.8 a single Notch Layer will have to be chosen and then loaded. In 2.0 there is the option to choose one Notch Layer to load or all of the Notch Layers can be loaded at once.

Adding all Notch Layers allows the user to select which should currently be loaded by selecting the Notch Layer in the dropdown. All parameters for each Notch Layer can be seen at all times and can be changed no matter what Notch Layer is selected.

Keyframing what layer appears when is supported, as well as being able to changed “Shared Parameters” if multiple Notch Layers use the same exposed parameter.

Going back to a Notch Block with one Notch Layer, unfolding the parameter shows the exposed parameters in the predefined groups. For the "IMAG_PIXERA_SHOWCASE" Block, there are the “FX” and the “Video Loader” groups.

Notch Block Input Resolution

On the Notch Block resource, there are a few settings that can be changed.

The first will be the Output Resolution the Notch Block should render its texture into.

The second will be the Input Resolution which decides what resolutions inputted video or images will be set to for the Notch Block to then use.

The third will be the FPS the Block will be rendered in, by default it will be whatever the Timeline is set to.

Last is the Max Update Time (ms) which decides how fast the communication between the Notch Block and PIXERA will be for value changes and other messages.

Control “IMAG_PIXERA_SHOWCASE” via Compositing Layer

This section looks at how to control the "IMAG_PIXERA_SHOWCASE" Block via a Composite Layer.

Since the Block has its own Timeline, and is therefore independent of PIXERA's Timeline, the user can choose whether it should play in "Free loop" or “Lock to Time”. This example uses "Free Loop" so the simulation runs regardless of PIXERA's Timeline state.

With no content being given to the block, nothing appears. In order to add content, drag a source onto the container in our Timeline. This can be a live cam or a video. In this instance, a Live Input from the Resource tab is dragged onto the “Video” Slot of the “IMAG_PIXERA_SHOWCASE” Layer.

To keep the Notch Block loaded at all times, select “Preload Effects Permanently”. This option can be found by selecting the Layer, then on the right-hand side select “Setup” and scroll down to “Preload Effects Permanently”.

There will also be a lock symbol on the Layer which the setting can be toggled on and off.

Taking a look at the “FX” tab in the Inspector, the parameters will be hooked up to sliders allowing more smooth changes to the values. If the name is cut off due to its length you can hover over it to see its full name.

Control 3D Scene “COMP_LAYER_PIXERA_SHOWCASE” via Composite Layer

You’ll find the Block and the Project file in the download package.

For this example, a scene called “COMP_LAYER_PIXERA_SHOWCASE” is prepared which contains:

1. A scene with a 3D Camera where “posxyz” and “rotxyz” are exposed, and which contains three predefined positions.
2. Two exposed “Video Loader" nodes for the wall and floor video content.
3. Some Image adjustments for the wall.
4. An effect called FX1.

The two “Video Loaders” for the floor and the wall are now available to pipe content in.

UV Notch Block to PIXERA Setup

You’ll find the Block and the Project file in the download package.

To export a scene for UV mapping, ther must first be a 3D model with correct UVs. In this example, the Dodecahedron provided by PIXERA is used.

For this 3D File, the Y Axis of the texture in Notch must be flipped, but you might not need to do this for your own 3D model depending on how it is prepared.

In this case, the UV Camera Node displays the UV content correctly.

In order to output the scene, the  “UV Camera” must be selected as the “Current Camera” in the Root node.

Control UV Notch Block in PIXERA

In PIXERA, add the Model via the "Screens" Tab. At the very bottom left hit the “+” Symbol and select the Dodekaeder. Now in the Screen's "Custom Tab" drag and drop the imported object into the scene.

Select the object and make its “Role in Venue” in the Inspector under “Render Settings” set to “Screen”

Next, we add a Projector to the scene via the "Mapping Live Tab". Select an output of your graphics card and drag and drop it to your scene.

By default, the Feed Areas are set to “None” that’s what we want so the projector only projects what it sees. 

Now we can advance to the "Compositing" tab where you can drag and drop the “UV_PIXERA_SHOWCASE” Notch Block onto the Dodekaeder. This will add our Notch UV Camera Feed back onto the Dodekaeder with the correct perspective.

Multiple Screens and Inner Compositing

By default, the Notch Block will be created as “Compositing Layer Screen Aligned”. This means the Notch Block texture will only be visible on a single screen. If you jump into Inner Compositing, then the Notch Block texture will take over the entire visual. This setting will also create the same visual as if the layer itself was set to “Screen Aligned”.

If you want the texture to show up on more than one screen, you must click the Notch Block in your library, and in the inspector, you will see a checkbox for "Create Compositing Layer Screen Aligned”. If you uncheck this option and re-drag the Notch Block onto the screen, in Inner Compositing the texture can now be resized like any other media loaded into PIXERA.

Controlling the Notch Block

Effects on Notch Block Layers

Notch Block Layers can use any PIXERA Effect, this can include basic effects like “AddColor” and more advanced Effects such as “Perspective Layer Mapping".

Muting Notch Block Layers

Muting a Notch Block Layer will unload the block even if “Load FX Permanently” is on. So, when the layer is unmuted, the notch block will not immediately appear, instead it is recommended to change the Opacity of the layer to make the Block appear and disappear if it will be needed on the fly.

Change Notch Parameters with Control

In the “Control” tab you are able to change the exposed parameters of a Notch Block using whatever control setup you see fit. Whether it be manually inputting values, using a built UI, or using an outside control system such as a Loupedeck.

To change a Notch Block's exposed parameters, you must navigate in the PIXERA module to:

PIXERA.Timelines.Node.getInst()."[The Timeline name the Block is on].[The Layer name the Block is on].[Name of the Layer in Notch]".getParameters()

Opening this section will show all of the exposed parameters in the Notch Block, opening any of these parameters will allow you to get info about the parameter or set the values of the parameter.

DMX/Artnet Control Via Lighting Desk

You can patch the Notch Block parameters to DMX Artnet and sACN for control from a lighting desk. The article "Timeline Output Patching Artnet / sACN DMX" goes into how to accomplish this with Timeline parameters.

Known Issues and Limitations

There are a variety of known issues which are being worked on.

Changing the Notch Block on a Layer

You are unable to change the Notch Block being used on a Notch Block Layer. To use a new Notch Block, you must create a new Notch Block Layer and delete or mute the other Layer.

Performance

The best practice for Notch Blocks in PIXERA is to include as much in a single Block as possible. This is due to a combination of the Opacity limitation as well as the performance needed to run multiple Notch Blocks at a time. It is especially recommended if the design can handle using nodes which will switch between visuals in the Notch Block itself.  

An example of this would be exposing the Type parameter on the Fractal Noise node. This would allow you to change the type of noise created using the node. A less performant way to accomplish this would be to load a Notch Block for each noise type and attempt to switch between these Blocks.

If multiple Notch Blocks are unavoidable, then making sure only one is running on a Timeline at the same time will help performance and avoid opacity/loading complications.  

Feature List
 

This Excel sheet gives a list of various features which are currently implemented in PIXERA for Notch Blocks and what features are not implemented.

https://static.helpjuice.com/helpjuice_production/uploads/upload/image/9741/direct/1717179634399-Notch_Feature_List.xlsx

See Also

• Notch Manual
• Notch Learning Course 
• Notch Youtube Channel
• Notch Resources
• Timeline Output Patching Artnet / sACN DMX 

PIXERA 2.0.65 | 07 July 2024