​Building Playback Scenarios with Tags

The VP320 and VP330 media players by Waves System allow you to create advanced playback scenarios using tags. These tags, added to folder or file names, enable fine control over the player’s behavior: jumps between folders, loops, volume management, activation of external devices, and more. This guide explains how to use these tags to design scenarios tailored to your needs (exhibitions, museums, interactive displays, etc.).

Overview of Tags

Tags are optional parameters, enclosed in square brackets [ ], that you can add to folder or file names to modify their behavior. They can be combined to create complex scenarios.

⚠️ General Rules:

• Tags are case-insensitive (e.g., [LOOP] = [loop]).

• Multiple tags can be added simultaneously (e.g., 001[LOOP][V50]).

• Tags can be placed in folder names or file names.

Complete List of Tags

Here is the exhaustive list of available tags, categorized for clarity, with their descriptions and usage examples.

Playback Control Tags

Volume Management Tags

Interruption Control Tags

Subtitle and Web Page Management Tags

Projector Control Tags

Relay Output Management Tags

RS-232 Communication Tags

Using Tags with Folders

Tags added to folder names define their overall behavior. Here are some common use cases:

1. Loop Playback

• Goal: Play a folder in a loop without re-executing tags on each cycle.

• Solution: 000[LOOP]
  → Ideal for continuous content playback (e.g., welcome video).

2. Jump to Another Folder

• Goal: After playing folder 001, jump to folder 002.

• Solution: 001[J002]

3. Return to Previous Folder

• Goal: Play a priority folder 100 (e.g., a message), then return to the initial folder (001 or 002).

• Solution:

  001[J100] 002[J100] 100[RET]

  \*→ After playing \`100\`, the player returns to the initial folder (\`001\` or \`002\`).\*

4. Play While Input is Active (VP330)

• Goal: Play folder 005 in a loop as long as input 1 is active. When the input is deactivated, the player enters STOP mode.

• Solution: 005[WHL]

5. Sequential Playback with Adjusted Volume

• Goal: Play folder 003 in sequential mode with volume set to 70%.

• Solution: 003[SEQ][V70]

Using Tags with Files

Tags can also be added directly to file names to apply specific parameters to an individual file.

Examples:

• 001[J367] my_message.mkv: After playback, jump to folder 367.

• 063[RS020] my_file.wav: Send RS-232 frame #20 at the end of playback.

• 845[V+12] my_file.mp3: Increase volume by 12% only during this file’s playback.

• my_song[NT].wav: Disable interruptions only during this file’s playback.

Note:

• Tags in files apply only to that file and do not affect the entire folder.

• If a tag in a file conflicts with a tag in the folder, the file tag takes precedence.

Advanced Scenario Examples

1. Volume Management Scenarios

• Goal: Increase volume for a priority announcement, then return to the initial volume.

• Solution:

  001[V+20][J002]  // Increase volume by 20% and jump to folder 002 002[V-20][J001]  // Decrease volume by 20% and return to folder 001

2. Projector Control Scenarios

• Goal: Turn on a projector at the start of folder playback and turn it off at the end.

• Solution: 007[PROJS ON][PROJE OFF]

3. Relay Output Scenarios (VP330)

• Goal: Activate outputs 1, 3, 5, and 7 at the start of folder 009 playback, then deactivate them at the end.

• Solution: 009[RES01010101][REE00000000]
  → 01010101 = outputs 1, 3, 5, 7 activated (left to right: 87654321).

4. RS-232 Command Scenarios

• Goal: Send an RS-232 frame (line 1 from serial.txt) at the start and end of folder 008 playback.

• Solution: 008[RSS001][RSE001]
  → The serial.txt file must be placed at the root of the storage media.

5. Subtitle Scenarios

• Goal: Play folder 001 with subtitles in English.

• Solution: 001[SUBS ENG]

6. Web Page Scenarios

• Goal: Open a web page (index 1) at the start of folder 001 playback and close it at the end.

• Solution: 001[WEBS 1][WEBE OFF]

7. Limited File Playback Scenarios

• Goal: Play 3 random files in folder 006, then stop.

• Solution: 006[NXT003][RND]
  → The player remembers already played files and does not replay them until all files in the folder have been played.

Special Cases and Best Practices

Combining Tags

• Tags can be combined to create complex scenarios.
  Example: 001[LOOP][V50][PROJS ON] → Loop playback, volume at 50%, projector turned on.

Tag Priority

• If a tag is present in both a folder and a file, the file tag takes precedence.

• Tags at the start of playback ([RSSxxx], [WEBS x], [RESxxxxxxxx]) are executed before the file.

• Tags at the end of playback ([RSExxx], [WEBE x], [REExxxxxxxx]) are executed after the file.

Tags and Empty Folders

• An empty folder with tags (e.g., 001[J002]) is played instantly, and the tags are applied normally.

Tags and Loops

• If a folder is played in a loop with [Jxxx] (e.g., 001[J001]), all tags (start and end) are re-executed on each loop.
  → To avoid this, use [LOOP] instead of [Jxxx].