Display setup

Display setup

Use TitleDriver > Settings > Display windows tab to name, configure and place Display Windows.

An additional video output device is generally required for each additional Display Window, however it is possible to place two (or more) Display Windows in a single video output.

You will want to be familiar with the System Settings utility, which is accessed via the Apple menu at the left of the menu bar.


Installing and configuring video cards:

Use System Settings> Displays to configure the desktop area in which your Display Windows will appear. 

In TitleDriver's Setting>Display windows tab, a button is provided to instantly open that system preferences panel.

In the Displays Settings panel you choose the pixel resolution desired for each video output card. Generally, video outputs should be configured at the native resolution of the destination video projector. 


Use the Arrangement tab of the Displays System Settings panel to configure the relative positions of each of your display outputs on the desktop. 

NOTE: After changing resolution or the arrangement of your display area (via the Arrangement tab), you will need to go back to TitleDriver's Settings >Display windows and use the "Update Display Window locations" button, which is equivalent to cycling the "Lock to screen..." function for each display window. This assures that your Display windows are matched (in size and location) to their desired video outputs.

The Operator's window will appear in monitor number zero. The system assigns each video output a number. A button is provided to momentarily display the number of each video output. The operating system creates a virtual desktop which spans all of your connected monitors/display devices. In other words, if you move the mouse around you will see it move across all of the video outputs. 


Configuring TitleDriver Display Windows:

The Settings > Display windows tab allows you to set where the Display Windows appear on the desktop. This is where a Display Window is assigned to a video output.

In the Display Windows tab, use the checkbox "Lock Display Window to screen number" to automatically match the Display Window's size to the resolution and location of the video output. If you un-select that checkbox, a set of individual parameters will appear allowing you to place and size the Display Window however you choose. 


Determining the optimum text size:

Decide the maximum number of letters per line that will be acceptable for your system (i.e.: that still renders readable text for all locations). It is difficult to state an exact number of letters per line, because most typefaces today allow a different width for each letter.  

As a general rule,  text should be as large as possible. We have found that two lines of text, with each line having about 45 characters, is optimal for audience comprehension. Since the width of single character can vary, there is no fixed ideal number of characters per line. Create a test title with your maximum desired number of letters on one line, then set TitleDriver's text size so that the text is large enough to completely fill the width of the Display window. 


Configuring your computer for performance:

It is important that your computer does not have many other programs running during a performance.  Turn off any automatic functions such as disk indexing, internet connections, or power saving functions that will dim a display or put the computer to sleep after a certain period of time.


If your supertitle computer is used for any other task, it is recommended that you setup a user account which is specifically configured for performance, with screen saver and energy saver (auto sleep) disabled, keyboard shortcuts disabled, etc.  You may still require network access for LiveTitles connectivity.


Use the System Settings > Keyboard & Mouse >Keyboard Shortcuts panel to disable keyboard commands that would disrupt performance. On some Mac models such as the Mac Book, the F7 key will cause displays to mirror and un-mirror. To disable this potentially disruptive function all of the F-key functions must be disabled. On those models, un-check the option in the Keyboard Settings panel "Use F1-F12 keys to control software features" (Your version of MacOS may have a different wording of this preference).


The setup menu:

The Setup menu contains two functions: Setup box and Focus grid.

The Setup box draws a line around the default text area, with a mark on the centerline. 

The focus grid places some fine lines in the text area to aid focusing.

These functions are also available on the Settings window Display windows tab.

Next: Hotkeys