syncVUE help

help and known issues

If you need some assistance with setting up or using syncVUE, you have a few options. You can probably find what you're looking for using the links below, but if you're really in a pickle and need some help quickly, send an email to support@syncvue.com. We'll get back to as soon as possible.

You may also leave us a Skype voice message with details of your problem at:

syncVUE Voice Mail
Technical Support:

Click the links below for more information:

When I click a media file in the play-list that has an associated "FTP hint", syncVUE thinks for several seconds then times out, claiming it "cannot find the media URL"
I can't hear any audio when using syncVUE.
On my Windows version of syncVUE, the window frame and title-bar have disappeared! I can't even figure out how to quit the program! What can I do?
I can't seem to export FCP markers from the Mac version of syncVUE
When I click the INVITE button in syncVUE, I can't see the people I wish to collaborate with
When I turn "sync" OFF as a client in a session, the MASTER is still able to move my playhead when he/she snaps to locators
syncVUE always displays "This copy of syncVUE is unlicensed"
I can't see the locators other people are adding, and they cannot see mine
When syncVUE launches, it says "Skype is not installed on this computer"
Setting up Skype for use with syncVUE
If I hang-up a Skype call while in a syncVUE session, syncVUE performance sometimes slows down
If I shutdown Skype before syncVUE, syncVUE seems to "hang" for a few seconds
Cannot connect to another syncVUE user who appears OFFLINE even though they're really ONLINE
Using the syncVUE License Server
When I run syncVUE, it say "This copy of syncVUE is unlicensed"
Media file problems

Got a bug to report?
You can easily report a bug you've found WHILE syncVUE is running by clicking SYNCVUE-->REPORT A PROBLEM. This will take you to our web based bug report form where you can send us all the pertinent data to help us track down and fix this issue.

When I click a media file in the play-list that has an associated "FTP hint", syncVUE thinks for several seconds then times out, claiming it "cannot find the media URL"
Things to look for if this occurs:

Is the media referred to still present at the FTP location? It may have been deleted.
Was the QuickTime media properly encoded with "Fast Start" streaming data options turned 'on'? (this is the term referred to in QuickTime Pro during Export, but refer to the encoder software you use, which may call it something different).

I can't hear any audio when using syncVUE.
We've been getting a lot of calls regarding new users who are unable to hear audio playback through syncVUE. We'll take the blame for this because it appears we made the audio volume level control a wee bit too subtle! In fact, the problem occurs because the syncVUE volume level is set too low or is turned off. To adjust it, left-click on the "ski-slope" next to the loudspeaker icon on the lower right hand side of the main window, then drag the mouse cursor over the "slope". This will adjust the volume level up or down.

On my Windows version of syncVUE, the window frame and title-bar have disappeared!
The Windows version of syncVUE is "skinned" in a similar fashion to Windows Media Player, meaning, the normal Windows "frame" and title-bar can be turned off if desired. To toggle the frame ON or OFF, press "CONTROL + M". FYI, you can always RIGHT-CLICK anywhere on syncVUE's grey interface to call up any of the drop-down menus.

I can't seem to export FCP markers from the Mac version of syncVUE
Some users are reporting that they cannot export FCP markers from the Macintosh version of syncVUE. We have identified this problem and have determined that it occurs with certain point releases of OS-X Tiger. An update fixed this issue on 12/15/2006. Please download the latest version of syncVUE here.

When I click the INVITE button in syncVUE, I can't see the people I wish to collaborate with
Anyone who wishes to participate in a syncVUE session MUST be included in ALL the participants CONTACT LISTS inside SKYPE. If the person you wish to collaborate with is not in your SKYPE list, they will not appear in your syncVUE INVITE list either. To add someone to your SKYPE CONTACT list:

From the SKYPE CONTACT menu, select ADD A CONTACT
Enter the SKYPE name of the person you wish to add and click SEARCH
When their name appears in the search list, click on the name, then click the ADD CONTACT button on the lower right
Click OK when prompted to send a message to that person. They will receive a message from you asking permission to "see you online". Once they click OK, you will be added to each other's contact list.

When I turn "sync" OFF as a client in a session, the MASTER is still able to move my playhead when he/she snaps to locators
This was a bug in V1.0 and was fixed in the v1.1 release. Please download and install the latest updates here: Updates

syncVUE always displays "This copy of syncVUE is unlicensed", even though I've registered my SKYPE name into the License Manager
Some OS-X Panther users (10.3.x) were having this problem in v1.0. This bug was fixed in the v1.1 release. Please download and install the latest updates here: Updates

I can't see the locators other people are adding, and/or they cannot see mine
The locator display option defaults to "show my locators only", so if you're not able to see locators from another person in a session, please perform the following for all connected users:

Open the syncVUE "preferences" menu, and select "locator display options"
Make sure the "Show all locators" radio button is selected.

We will fix the default setting in the next point update.

When syncVUE launches, it says "Skype is not installed on this computer"
syncVUE uses Skype as it's communication "highway" so to speak, so it checks for Skype each time it is launched. If it cannot find a valid Skype installation, it will prompt with this message. You can download the latest version of Skype at: http://www.skype.com/download/

Setting up Skype for use with syncVUE
You don't need to make any modifications to Skype to use syncVUE. The ONLY rules you must observe are:

Skype must be running (syncVUE should ask to run Skype for you upon launching syncVUE).
All the participants in the syncVUE session must have the people they wish to "syncVUE" with in each other's Skype contact list.
Everyone MUST be logged into Skype and connected in any of the following modes marked YES in the last column:

Skype Symbol	Meaning	syncVUE connection?
	Online	Yes
	Skype Me	Yes
	Away	Yes
	Not Available	Yes
	Do Not Disturb	Yes
	Invisible	Yes
	Status Blocked	No
	Status Pending	No
	Offline	No

If I hang-up a Skype call while in a syncVUE session, syncVUE performance sometimes slows down
This is a Skype bug and we're trying to get it resolved. It occurs when you are in a simultaneous syncVUE/Skype voice call session, and you hang-up the voice call while continuing the syncVUE session. In this case, latency is introduced between syncVUE commands to/from other syncVUE users. There are two workarounds:

Make another Skype call, which will return performance to normal
Shutdown both syncVUE and Skype, and relaunch

If I shutdown Skype before syncVUE, syncVUE seems to "hang" for a few seconds
If you shutdown Skype before syncVUE , syncVUE needs a few seconds to release from Skype's communication services. To avoid this, always shutdown syncVUE first, then Skype.

Cannot connect to another syncVUE user. They claim they're ONLINE but Skype shows them as OFFLINE
In some rare cases, someone may be ONLINE in Skype, but they appear OFFLINE to other people. This is a Skype bug and normally resolves itself after Skype has been running for about three minutes. However, syncVUE cannot make a connection if this occurs, so here is a work-around:

Send the person who appears OFFLINE a Skype chat message, then their status will return to normal.

Using the syncVUE License Server
syncVUE licenses are "tied" to Skype log-in names. The license server allows you, the owner of syncVUE licenses - to assign those licenses to other people (like your clients) for windows of time. For example, a rental house or a post facility may want to allow certain clients to use some of their syncVUE licenses freely for a certain project, then re-assign those licenses at any time. The license server gives you control over your licenses and who can use them. For more information, click on the syncVUE-->License manager menu while running syncVUE, or point your browser to http://license.syncvue.com. You MUST have a log-in rights to use this service, which you will receive when you buy syncVUE.

When I run syncVUE, it says "This copy of syncVUE is unlicensed"
If this happens, it means that syncVUE could not verify that your Skype log-in name with the license server. If YOU are the owner of the syncVUE license, log-in to the license server with your user name and password and make sure your Skype name is activated, or that you didn't set an expiration date that has passed. Your log-in info was included in an email from us with the subject heading :syncVUE LICENSE Confirmation. If you lost this information, you must contact us to receive a new log-in.

Media File Problems
If you're having a problem loading a media file into syncVUE, check the following:

Make sure you're attempting to load a QuickTime compatible file. A list of compatible file types is included with the User's Guide in the syncVUE installation folder.
If the file plays, but playback is stuttered, make sure your computer meets the minimum requirements listed in the User's Guide.
If CANNOT LOCATE MEDIA FILE appears while in a syncVUE session, syncVUE cannot find the matching media file asset. If you loaded the file AFTER the syncVUE session started, shutdown syncVUE, then restart the session, or "force-load" the file by clicking FILE-->LOAD ASSET.