Getting Started with Tribute Director

00:00 — Welcome and workspace

Welcome to Tribute Director 1.1.4. In this tutorial, we’ll prepare a service, check its media and outputs, rehearse the running order, and connect an iPhone remote.

The Mac runs all playback. On the left is your running order, with Section Media below it. The centre shows Programme. On the right are the next cue, standby preview, output status and audio levels. Along the bottom are the main controls you’ll use during a service.

00:35 — Service details and holding screen

We’re starting from scratch. Choose File, New Funeral. You’ll see five starter sections, with no media attached yet. Later, you can reopen your saved service using File, Open, or Open Recent.

Open Funeral Settings and check the name, service date, time and venue. Let’s set this tutorial example to ten a.m. Configure the default holding screen here, too. Choose a styled layout or a full-screen image, then check the preview and save your changes.

The service-start countdown uses that date and time. It helps the operator keep track of the schedule; it doesn’t start playback or appear on the audience screen.

01:29 — Build the running order

Click the plus button to add a section. Give it a clear name and choose Audio, Video, Image, Slideshow, Spoken segment or Lyrics. Add a short operator note when helpful, such as “Wait for the celebrant’s nod.”

Drag sections into the agreed order. Right-click a section to edit its type, attach media or change its options. New media sections begin unverified. Ready means their media and settings are valid. Standby identifies the section that will run on the next GO. Missing or Invalid means there’s something to resolve before the service.

02:13 — Add and verify local media

For an Audio section, use Add Songs or Manage Music Playlist to choose local audio files and arrange their order. For a Video section, use Add Video or Replace Video. A Slideshow section uses a prepared slideshow movie.

For Lyrics, open Edit Lyric Screens, add and order the cards, and choose a song if required. During playback, each GO advances one lyric screen; after the final screen, the next GO advances the running order.

03:18 — Check sound and screens

During your pre-service setup, you can open Sound and Screen Check. Choose Programme Audio Out and Preview Audio Out separately, and confirm where each route goes.

Assign your programme display and, if needed, a presenter-facing confidence display. Start the intended output and check it at the actual screen. Green output tiles are live; red tiles are off.

Use the picture tests to calibrate your projector or screen and use audio tests to set the perfect volume. You can check left and right channels, watch the meters, and adjust lip sync, if needed, with the actual tribute video. Finish the tests and return to the holding screen.

04:03 — Rehearse and prepare for live

Open Pre-Service Check and ensure every Action has the expected item. Confirm the media, saved file, audio routes and display outputs.

Use Rehearsal mode to practise cue starts, lyric changes and fades. Rehearsal uses real playback, so check the routing first. Its run-through progress is separate from the live service.

When practice is complete, stop playback and turn Rehearsal off. Put the first required cue on standby, lock the approved service and save.

04:45 — Playback and emergency controls

Confirm the audience screen before your first GO. Preview lets you check the standby presentation without making it live. When you’re ready, press GO, or Space with the default shortcuts, to start the standby section.

If the order of service doesn’t go as planned, as it sometimes happens during a live event, use Pause and Resume on the current media. Fade Out fades the sound and returns to the holding screen.

Holding Screen covers the programme while current audio continues. In case of an emergency you have the option to set a Black Screen, which pauses playback. Clear Black, then press Resume when playback should continue.

If a section is set to loop, Tribute Director will loop the section until the operator advances to the next section. Check Loop and Auto-advance settings before the service.

05:50 — Connect the iPhone remote

To use the remote control feature from your phone, ensure your phone and Mac are on the same local or Wi-Fi network. Open Remote Control and turn it on. Scan the QR code or open the local address, then enter the six-digit pairing PIN. Internet access is not required.

The remote shows Programme, standby, the running order and transport controls. Tap a cue to place it on standby, then use GO when ready. Protected controls require a three-second hold, and master volume is available below.

The Mac remains in charge of playback.

06:48 — Save, transfer and finish

When transferring a service to another Mac, use Export Portable Package. It includes the service file and copied linked media. Open the packaged file on the destination Mac and run the audio and video output checks again.

After the service, stop playback and programme output, disable remote control, and save.

07:26 — Help and closing

For more detail, open Help, Operator Manual. You’ll find guidance on holding screens, hotcues, MIDI, audio routing and recovery.

Prepare your media, check the actual outputs, and practise the service before guests arrive. Tribute Director brings the running order and playback controls together so you can run each service with confidence.