TouchCast Functional Specification for GA (General Availability) Product Suite
Revision History
Version | Done | Author | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
2.0 | 25/08/15 | A. Witt | Updated - ready for distribution |
2.1 | 26/08/15 | A. Witt | Updated to reflect change in vApps |
2.2 | 17/09/15 | A. Witt | Updated to reflect iframe, Combine options and content display during playback. |
2.3 | 20/11/15 | A. Witt | Updated to reflect the changes to the delete option for shared touchcasts. |
2.4 | 27/01/16 | A Witt | Updated for inclusion of Edit vApp and mobile Safari support |
2.5 | 15/06/16 | A Witt | To reflect new feature and product releases |
2.6 | 31/01/17 | A Witt | Branding update |
2.7 | 15/06/17 | A Witt | Updated to reflect 1.18.6 release – Live/Auto Green Screen |
2.8 | 20/10/17 | A Witt | Updated to reflect 1.19.2 release of TouchCast Studio |
2.9 | 12/03/18 | A Witt | Updated to reflect 1.20 of TouchCast Studio |
3.0 | 11/06/18 | A Witt | Updated to reflect release of Fabric Portal, Fabric Authentication, TouchCast Pitch for Windows 10 |
4.0 | 17/09/18 | A Witt | Updated to reflect release of Studio 2.0 and Pitch for Mac OSX |
4.1 | May 13, 2019 | @Alison Witt (Deactivated) | Updated to reflect App updates (Studio 2.3 and Pitch 1.15x) |
Contents
- 1 Contents
- 2 Introduction
- 3 TouchCast Smart Video Suite
- 4 TouchCast Fabric Portal
- 4.1 Navigation
- 5 Administration
- 6 Sharing
- 7 TouchCast Pitch Windows 10x and Mac OSX application
- 7.1 Prepare Mode
- 7.2 Pitch Mode
- 7.3 Edit & Share
- 7.4 TouchCast Projects
- 8 TouchCast Studio iPad application
- 8.1 Authoring
- 9 Live Streaming
- 10 Camera Tools
- 11 Effects
- 12 Titles
- 13 TouchCast vApps
- 14 My Materials tray
- 15 Editing vApps within a project
- 16 Projects and Sharing
- 17 TouchCast .TCT
- 18 My TouchCasts
- 19 Kaltura Integration
- 20 TouchCast Remote (iPhone app)
- 21 TouchCast External Camera (iPhone app)
- 22 TouchCast (iPhone app)
- 23 TouchCast Fabric Player
- 24 Player and SDK support matrix
- 25 Player Customization
- 26 TouchCast Architecture
- 27 TouchCast Data Collecting & Handling
- 27.1 Authentication
- 27.2 Authoring a touchcast
- 27.3 Viewing a touchcast
- 28 Appendix i
- 29 Appendix ii
- 30 Appendix iii
Introduction
This document outlines the functional details for the GA (General Availability) TouchCast Smart Video Suite. It is revised as new products are released for GA or existing products updated.
TouchCast Smart Video Suite
The TouchCast Smart Video Suite is a group of products and services providing the tools necessary to create a rich visual experience that packs all the information they need to share a broadcast-quality video presentation that is as authentic as it is engaging.
With Smart Video, there is no limit on what can live inside a video – PDF documents, images, other videos and web content. This is why it is the most powerful medium of communication and collaboration.
The suite of products enables the creation by ‘Authors’ and the viewing by ‘Viewers’ of smart video, which incorporates interactive elements or content. One unique feature of the platform is that viewers may interact with different elements or content independently from others in the video without leaving the video.
The TouchCast Smart Video Suite of products include:
Product | Description |
|---|---|
Fabric Portal | End-to-end secure video management, analytics, hosting and distribution portal. |
TouchCast Pitch | Desktop: Windows 10x and Mac OSX smart video authoring tool. |
TouchCast Studio iPad application | iPad authoring tool for creating broadcast-quality smart video via an iPad. |
TouchCast Stock | A free-to-use library of over 300,000 premium stock videos, photos, illustration and audio tracks accessible from within the Pitch and Studio applications. |
TouchCast iPhone application | Authors using the iPhone app can create and upload short form video with a piece of content. |
TouchCast Remote iPhone application | The TouchCast Remote iPhone app is a companion app for the Studio iPad app and can used for controlling the iPad app during the authoring process. Authors do not need to have the TouchCast Remote iPhone app to create a TouchCast. |
TouchCast Ext Camera v1.0 | The TouchCast External Camera app v1.0 is a companion app for the iPhone & iPad and can be used as an external camera when used in conjunction with TouchCast Studio 1.17 or later. |
TouchCast Academy | Browser based collection of courses from the world’s top communications instructors. |
TouchCast Pitch, Studio for iPad and TouchCast iPhone applications are known as the authoring tools. Customers hold a license/subscription which enables the secure creation and sharing of Smart Videos.
The TouchCast Fabric platform is the engine powering the Smart Video experience for viewers. It provides single sign on, secure hosting, analytics and streaming.
The TouchCast Studio application can be downloaded onto an iPad via the Apple App Store. TouchCast Pitch is available for Windows 10x and can be downloaded from the Windows Store. Pitch for Macintosh OSX can be downloaded from the Apple App Store.
A touchcast is created using the TouchCast smart video suite using inputs from the camera, microphone, local storage of the device on which it is created, supported cloud storage services, and TouchCast vApps. Inputs from local or supported cloud storage services may include video, PDFs, audio and images.
TouchCast Fabric Portal
The TouchCast Fabric Portal is an online video platform (OVP) where your organization can securely manage videos and content. The Fabric Portal works in a web browser across all devices (including mobile) running the TouchCast Fusion Player which supports the interactive .tct format in all modern browsers. All TouchCast applications create .tct files and upload directly to Fabric for managing and sharing.
The Fabric Portal includes Channels (gallery or playlist) which are curated lists of videos managed by members of your organization. Videos and Channels have numerous privacy settings to ensure control over whom may access and share the content.
Navigation
The Fabric Portal user interface has three panels. Running from left to right:
Column | Description |
|---|---|
Navigation Panel | This is where you can jump between channels, your files and files shared with you. The navigation panel can be opened and closed with the hamburger menu (icon with 3 horizontal lines in the top left corner of the interface). |
Content Panel | Depending on the area you have navigated to, the middle area of the interface is reserved for content. This could be the video player or a list of videos in a channel. |
Dynamic Panel | This panel will open to display information relating to the content being explored. Including listing the interactive content in the touchcast, file information or who your content has been shared with. |
To open a video, you must select the video thumbnail and this will launch the video player view (which automatically closes the navigation and dynamic panels). The Fusion Player navigation is straightforward since common interface elements of video players will be found here, like playing or pausing the video or jumping to a new point in the timeline. Under the video player is a place to make comments on the video that can be viewed by other portal members.
Administration
The Fabric Portal has the concept of administrator and members.
The administrator’s role is to determine how the security of the portal is managed and how members join including:
Feature | Description |
|---|---|
How members can join | Private - users with [domain.com] email domain can join by invitation only. |
| Closed - anyone with the [domain.com] email domain can find and join. |
| Private extended - users with any email domain can join by invitation only. |
| Public - users with any email domain can find and join. |
Invite new users | Option to allow any group member to invite new users. |
| Option for only group owner or admins to invite new users. |
Featured Channels | Select the channels that members will follow automatically. |
Default Channel | Select the default channel for your members. |
Privacy Controls | Disable external sharing and publishing for files. |
Administrators can | View active or invited members. |
| Invite new members. |
| Revoke invitations. |
| Disable members. |
| Change roles of existing members. |
| Apply subscription/entitlement to a user. |
| View high level analytics for the department. |
Sharing
With Fabric Portal TouchCast has significantly enhanced the security for how content is shared. During the upload process or once the content is uploaded to the Portal an author can choose or edit one of the following sharing permissions:
Share | Description |
|---|---|
Specific email address or domain | This permission will allow the author to add specific email address or domain for those people who should have access to view the content. Once the viewer/s receives the link they will need to authenticate with their email address and then input an activation code to view the content. |
Members of the Organization with the link | With this setting, anyone within the organization will be able to view the content. Once the viewer receives the link to the video they will need to authenticate. Alternatively, during the configuration TouchCast can create IP Address ranges. So anyone viewing from an approved IP range can view the touchcast without needing to authenticate. |
Anyone with the link and password | Anyone with the link and password will be able to view the content. |
Anyone with the link | No password required, anyone with the link can view without having to authenticate. The touchcast can be embedded on a webpage. |
TouchCast Pitch Windows 10x and Mac OSX application
TouchCast Pitch is a desktop application for both Macintosh OSX and Windows 10. The detail here is based on the Windows 10 version, Pitch Windows v1.15x. The key differences between the Macintosh and Windows version are highlighted.
Pitch is a tool that integrates video and interactive elements to create compelling, high quality smart video directly from the desktop. The power of Pitch lies in the interactive elements. On playback, the viewer can browse documents, watch videos, and browse websites in full screen without leaving the video.
Pitch Projects can be created using themes and virtual set templates. Each template provides scene layouts. Layouts include content placeholders for users to insert vApp objects.
The author prepares each scene in advance and has them queued up to appear during a presentation or recording. Post recording, scenes can be edited to remove any unwanted segments or pauses.
TouchCast Pitch is organized into three modes: ‘Prepare’, ‘Pitch’, ‘Edit’.
Mode | Function description |
|---|---|
Prepare | The Author plans the presentation, including inserting scenes, adding additional content (Media, Images, PDFs etc.), creating text and using basic drawing shapes and where required creating build in/out animations for objects. |
Pitch: Present and Record | This is where the Author presents and or records their presentation. Ability to annotate using drawing tools with Microsoft Inking. Teleprompter script and controls for size and speed On request, enterprise customers have the ability to display realtime subtitles in English, Arabic, Chinese (Simplified, Traditional) Hebrew, Hindi, Dutch, French, Italian, German, Russian, Swedish, Spanish, Turkish, Japanese. |
Edit & Share | When the Author has recorded the presentation, Edit is used for: Adding transitions between clips Cutting, trimming, duplicating and deleting recorded video clips and uploading and sharing via Fabric Portal. Downloading a .tct or MP4 file to share. |
Prepare Mode
Prepare is the mode where authors build their presentation using scenes. Scenes are organized similarly to slides, but unlike traditional presentation tools, Pitch allows authors to incorporate engaging visual resources including websites and documents, images and text.
Prepare mode provides the opportunity to flush out the presentation, much like building a slide deck. Instead of planning slides, Pitch breaks up the presentation into easily digestible scenes. Each scene can have interactive content added to the scene layout. Additionally, the author can add a script to the scene so that when they present they can read from a teleprompter.
In Prepare Mode, there are many options available in the ribbon. It is broken up into the sections as outlined below:
Green ScreenMode:
Menu | Ribbon | Function description |
|---|---|---|
File | Project Settings | File Properties including creation and modification. Project resolution settings. Here an author can set the resolution for the presentation between HD 1280x720 and Full HD 1920x1080. The author would be expected to have a powerful laptop with HD camera and separate supported video card to record in Full HD. |
| New | Provides themes and virtual sets. Ability to Open an existing project. |
| Open | Open existing TouchCast Project (.tcp) from local files |
| Save Project / Save Project As | Options to: Save Project as a new file Save Project as a Pitch Template Option to include ay record clips in the Editor |
| Finalize TouchCast Video | Option to export your touchcast to Fabric, desktop or third party (Kaltura, if applicable) |
| Global Settings | These settings are for the application including: View logs Licenses Account settings Performance - Light mode. This will be enabled if the device performance is impacted when using heavy video backgrounds. |
Insert | Cut, copy and paste | Standard editing functions |
| New Scene | Selecting this option will insert a new scene. Selecting the dropdown arrow will display the available scenes designs. |
| File | By selecting the File icon, the author can navigate to local files that may be required within the presentation. TouchCast Pitch supports, PDF, JPEG, PNG, MP4. |
| TC Stock | TC Stock – (Enterprise customers) access to over 300,000 images, illustrations and video. |
| Web | Add web URLs to introduce web pages to your presentation. |
| Text | The text option will provide the author with a text box for entering and styling text. |
| Shape | Provides drawing tools for enhancing and annotating. |
| Zone | This will place a zone area for choosing content to display. |
| Camera | This will place the camera feed on the scene. |
| Record | Will start recording the active scene after a 3,2,1 countdown. |
Design | Set as background | Here it is possible to place a piece of content and set it as the background to the scene. |
| Solid colour | Choose a solid colour for your scene background. |
| TC Stock | Using the TC Stock, the author has the option to replace the background of the scene using one of the 300,000 rights cleared content. (Available to Enterprise customers). |
| File | Using the File icon, it’s possible to import content to use as the background. |
| Alignment guides | When enabled, vApps can be arranged on the scene in relation to other vApps’ placement. Smart guides will appear as an object is moved. |
Camera | Select Camera | Camera selection can be changed from the system default to an external camera. |
Green Screen | Green Screen | For the setting of manual or auto green screen. |
| Mode | On Manual |
| Sensitivity/ smoothness | Controls for green screen. |
| Chroma Key | Chroma key picker. |
Audio | Audio | Microphone selection can be changed from the system default to an external microphone. |
| Gain | Microphone audio level can be changed using a slider. To mute the microphone the level needs to be taken to the lowest level. |
Teleprompt Script | Teleprompt Editor | Provides a window where a script can be added to a scene. |
Animations | Scene Animation | Options include: None, Fade to Black, Fade to White, Wipe Bottom, Wipe Top, Wipe Left, Wipe Right. If no object is selected the animations are based on the transition from scene to scene in Present mode. Show Preview will show the animation selected. Apply to all, will apply the animation to all scenes. |
Animations | With an object is selected | Set the in and out animations for a selected object. Options include: None, Appear, Fade, Scale, Scale Big, Move In, Fade and Move, Fade and Scale. Show Preview will show the object animation. Build Order, show all the object builds for the selected scene. From within the Build Order the author can preview the effect for that scene. |
Pitch Mode
The Pitch activities combine a camera view (of the presenter) with one or more scenes to communicate a complete story or create an educational resource. Authors control starting and pausing the recording and the scene list and teleprompter script are linked so they may choose to record parts or entire scenes multiple times.
Only available on devices running Windows 10 Anniversary update or later.
Menu | Ribbon | Function description |
|---|---|---|
Present |
| Takes the author to presentation mode. |
| Record | Starts recording the presentation |
| Show/Hide teleprompter | If a script has been added to a scene, it will be displayed at the top of the screen under the camera. |
| Drawing/annotation | Draw or annotate as you present. |
| Scene list | Allows the presenter to move between scenes |
| Subtitles (Enterprise Customers) | If enabled, realtime subtitles can be enabled in the following languages: English, Arabic, Chinese (Simplified, Traditional) Hebrew, Hindi, Dutch, French, Italian, German, Russian, Swedish, Spanish, Turkish, Japanese. |
Record |
| Opens the recording screen. |
| Scene List | Scene list navigator & keyboard arrow support |
| New take | Retake current scene |
| Teleprompter | Disable/enable the rolling teleprompter |
| Teleprompter ON | Scroll Speed, option to change the speed font, size of teleprompt |
|