Support

Raptor software subscriptions

Here’s a PDF document to download for information about Raptor software subscriptions and the computers you might use.

Download this HTML page for Raptor64 prerequisites and instructions to set up your computer for a Raptor software subscription.

The Raptor update server contains all current and older Raptor updates.

Raptor64 update v2026.6

Release highlights

  • NOTE: Raptor updates now distributed in a single-EXE setup program (the current update is called Setup_Raptor64_v2026.6.exe) to ease installation of updates.
  • Per-viewer streaming watermarks now available! Each Raptor Monitor viewer can now be assigned unique watermark text, which is shown on all it’s video streams. Watermark position, size, rotation, and opacity can be set with the “Configure watermarks” button on the “Streaming” tab. Raptor Monitor v2026.6 required to support this feature.
  • Raptor Monitor for Android now available on the Google Play store!
  • Fixed a problem in Raptor Monitor that caused a few frames of additional latency to be added to stream #1.
  • Raptor Monitor now automatically re-connects to Raptor after Wi-Fi goes away and reconnects.
  • Raptor Monitor version numbers now align more closely to Raptor version numbers. Current iOS version is v2026.6, MacOS is v2026.6.2, and Android is v2026.6.2.
  • Fixed problem where Raptor Monitors would not connect to Raptor64 if “Configure Raptor Monitors” window was open.
  • (Quad 2 and Dual 2 decks)Fixed occasional error message after “File” / “Restart deck” or “Shutdown deck” clicked.
  • Files with 32-bit float audio now correctly report audio format.
  • Fixed problem that caused some decks to not recognize they could stream until the day after a Raptor update was installed.
  • Verified that the Mackie Onyx Producer driver v5.75.0 works with Raptor software subscriptions.
  • Notes about occasionally clearing the EdgeRouter-X (ER-X) DHCP lease list moved from a button on the streaming tab to a menu item on the “Help” menu.
  • General performance and stability enhancements
  • For more details on these and other enhancements, please see the complete list of changes available here.

Notes

  • This update is for installation only on Raptor software subscriptions, On-Set Monitor, Raptor Quad 2 and Dual 2 decks.
  • This is a complete release, so it can be installed over any other Raptor version.
  • (Software subscriptions) Blackmagic Desktop Video v15.3 is supported in this release for software subscriptions. You may download the “Windows x86” driver from the Blackmagic website and install it on your computer.

Download update ZIP file, copy setup program inside to a flash drive

  • Click this link (Setup_Raptor64_v2026.6.zip) to download the update file.
  • (Quad 2, Dual 2 decks) Ensure deck is powered by a UPS (uninterruptable power supply) before performing an update.
    • (Quad 2, Dual 2 decks) If deck power is lost during the update process, deck could require repair at our office. Do not update firmware while in the middle of a job!
  • Open the downloaded ZIP file, and copy the setup file inside to your freshly-formatted flash drive, and eject drive from your computer.
  • After trashing or ejecting the USB drive from your computer, please don’t remove drive until the activity light on the USB drive stops blinking.

Run Setup_Raptor64_v2026.6.exe

  • With the computer or Raptor deck running, plug in the USB flash drive.
  • If this is a subscription computer with external SDI I/O, power on the SDI I/O devices and attach them to the computer.
  • If you own a Stream deck XL, plug it into the computer, so our profile can be correctly loaded.
  • Launch Windows Explorer on the flash drive by pressing <Windows key> + “e”, then clicking the new drive letter representing your flash drive, probably “D:” or “E:” or “F:”, on the left side of the window.
  • Double-click on the Setup application, whose icon is a blue triangle on a gray square. Raptor decks will restart, but subscription computers generally will not.
    • Do not interrupt Raptor decks during this restart.
  • After installing an update, if Stream deck control is available on the computer, a checkbox will be presented to copy the Raptor stream deck profile to the computer. You only need to install this once, if you want our profile (button layout) for your Stream deck XL.
  • Subscription computers will also offer a checkbox that pauses Windows Update, to reduce the chance of your computer getting updates when you’re not ready for them.
  • To verify that the update completed, please check that the title bar (at the top of the Raptor application) reports the updated version number, then remove the flash drive.

Raptor64 software subscription information

Recent Raptor64 changes

  • (Subscriptions, Quad 2 and Dual 2 decks with i7-8700K CPU) Added 13 new Stream Deck buttons. Ten “Router Tab 1” through “Router Tab 10” buttons recall the first ten Videohub preset tabs, and display the currently selected Videohub preset in blue. Also, three more buttons toggle the Rehearsal, Pickup, and Print Take checkboxes, and also show a blue icon when the checkbox is checked and a gray icon when unchecked.
  • The first Raptor startup of each calendar day is now significantly faster because of filter verification optimization.
  • Raptor startup is now ~2 seconds faster when a Blackmagic Videohub is not already connected.
  • (Subscriptions, Quad 2 and Dual 2 decks with i7-8700K CPU) Added Elgato Stream Deck support, including pre-built profile for 32-button Stream deck XL. Stream Deck buttons respond to the current status of the Raptor, so they show gray icons when Raptor is not running or when a button is not applicable to the current state (e.g., Play grays out while recording).
  • Pressing Play (GUI or Stream Deck) when no clip is selected now auto-selects the last clip in the sourcelist, cues its in point, and begins playback. Similarly, pressing Seek In, Home, End, PgUp, PgDn, or the Stream Deck clip navigation buttons when nothing is selected in the sourcelist now auto-selects the first or last clip in the sourcelist.
  • Added keyboard shortcuts and Stream Deck buttons for navigating between in/out points on a clip.
    • Shift+I/O goes to the previous in/out point. Stream Deck icons are -1i, -1o.
    • Ctrl+Shift+I/O goes to the next. Stream Deck icons are +1i, +1o.
  • Fixed newly recorded clips sometimes not appearing at the top of the sourcelist when sorted by date (newest first).
  • Fixed video windows going gray after changing the number of active video inputs, and fixed the VFX window showing gray on the first VFX enable after application startup.
  • Improved video window appearance during Raptor startup
  • Comprehensive GUI resizing improvements for small displays (e.g. 1440×900). The VFX tab, main video windows, and plate controls now share space more intelligently.
  • Renamed playback UI labels from “Stop” to “Pause” — the Play button now shows “Pause” during playback, and the end-of-clip options read “Pause after element” and “Pause after clip plays”.
  • Smoother transition when changing the number of active video inputs.
  • Enabling or disabling VFX is now approximately 1 second faster.
  • New feature: Independent playback windows!
    • Independent playback windows let you easily keep a pre-viz looping on an unused SDI output, or just play a clip for someone who walks up at any time, regardless of what else your deck is doing.
    • Just right click on a sourcelist entry, hover over a filename shown at the bottom of the popup menu, and it will offer to play that file on an unused SDI output device (if one is available).
    • You can be recording or playing back with the main (ganged) outputs, and as long as you’ve got an unused SDI output, it can create an independent playback window.
    • The independent playback window looks similar to the background plate playback window, providing a timeline showing ins, outs, and bookmarks along with motion control buttons.
    • If the independent window is playing back the first or only file in a clip set, any changes made to the ins, outs, and bookmarks will be used the next time that clip is played with the ganged controls.
    • Independent playback windows are always right-justified in the monitor area at the top of the Raptor window, keeping them visually set apart from the main (ganged) windows.
    • With their “L” for “Loop playback”, and “A” for “Play all in-to-out subclips” buttons, you can loop a single subclip, or all subclips, or turn off loop to just play something once and stop.
    • The “Close” button in the upper right corner closes the window, returning control of that SDI output to the main controls.
    • Once an independent playback window is using an SDI output device, that device cannot be used by the “main” (ganged) controls, until that independent window is closed, so some options on the “Ins” menu might now be grayed out.
    • Independent playback windows play their audio via embedded audio out.
  • Revised Raptor streaming server to Raptor Monitor communications to improve compatibility with more Wi-Fi devices.
  • If “File” / “Import clips” / “Import video for playback” is selected, but a still frame file is chosen, it will now be imported as a background plate, since the clip list can’t play stills.
  • Missing keyboard shortcut keys added to list at “Help” / “Keyboard shortcuts”. List now displays in two columns so all entries are visible without scrolling.
  • Added “Apply” button to “Manage Raptor Monitors” window, so changes can quickly be made visible.
  • Improved problem where recorded VFX files are missing frames, so they appear to play back overly quickly. If you discover this problem, you could route the VFX output into an unused SDI input to record the VFX on a main input channel, so it records normally.
  • Fixed problem where after a while of looping playback of multiple channels of video, playback could slow dramatically.
  • Updated numbers displayed on timeline to make more sense with multiple in and out points in a clip. Now, the number on the left counts up toward zero, when the in point is the current frame, then it continues counting up till the next out point becomes the current frame, where it again goes negative, and starts counts up. The number on the right always counts down toward the next out point or the end of the clip. This way, it’s possible to easily know how far into a clip the playback currently is. These timeline display improvements were added to both forward and reverse playback. Similar numbers display during recording, with the left number showing the time since the last in point was dropped, and the right number showing the time since the last out point was dropped.
  • New feature: “Export video + audio in reverse” and “Export video in reverse” are new items on “File” / “Export clips” / “Export settings” menu. These render backwards files for adding to a playlist, or other uses.
  • New “Bitrate same as current recordings” menu item on “File” / “Export clips” / “Export settings” menu, for higher quality exports, where the exported file bitrate will match current recording bitrate.
  • Timecode track is now included in most (forward direction) exported files.

Updates for older decks

The final updates for older decks can be found by clicking the links below, choosing the file you want, then clicking the “Download” button.

Raptor updates are always available on the Raptor update server or on the “Support” tab on the RaptorDDR.com website

Wi-Fi equipment notes

Ubiquiti UniFi Wi-Fi 7 or 6 access points and UniFi UCG-Ultra

This is our favorite on-set Wi-Fi solution for 2026.

If your idea of the perfect Wi-Fi setup includes one or more access points mounted on stands positioned around the set, then you will like this Ubiquiti UniFi system. UniFi offers Wi-Fi 7 and Wi-Fi 6 access points, which are managed by the UniFi Cloud Gateway (UCG-Ultra), and powered by PoE (power over Ethernet) injectors.
This setup allows your access point(s) to be positioned right by the Director, Script Supervisor, or other clients who need your Wi-Fi. Since they’re powered by PoE in your cart, each access point requires only a single Ethernet cable back to your cart.
This UniFi network is managed by the UniFi app on your phone or tablet.
As with the Alien routers, multiple UniFi access points can be configured to work together in your Wi-Fi network, and they support a wired backhaul for maximum performance.

➡️ Click here to download our setup instructions for a Ubiquiti UniFi UCG-Ultra and UniFi Wi-Fi 7 or 6 access points.

Ubiquiti AmpliFi Alien router

If you want Wi-Fi gear for Video Assist streaming that offers Wi-Fi 6, performs well, is easy to configure and use, and comes in a single piece, the Ubiquiti AmpliFi Alien router might be a great choice. Unfortunately, it runs from AC power, and you can’t disable the Wi-Fi on the unit at your cart, if you only want Wi-Fi out at the director’s cart.
It powers on in about 60 seconds, and has an LCD front panel showing a progress bar as it’s starting.  It includes 4 gigabit Ethernet ports on it’s back for attaching wired Ethernet devices, like your Raptor and Videohub.  Its initial setup and on-set monitoring are done from an app on your iPhone, iPad or Android phone or Android tablet.
The Alien router is a good choice if you want an “all-in-one” device that will live on your cart, and you have room on top of your cart for something 10″ tall and about 4.5″ across that looks like a swollen Pringles can.  It’s internal antennas are built into the top of the router, so works best sitting somewhere up high.  It’s powered by 120V AC, has an internal power supply, and comes with a removable 2-pin AC power cord like a Mac Mini.
If you need to cover more space, multiple Alien routers can be used together in a single network.  It also supports a wired backhaul for maximum performance.

➡️Click here to download our setup instructions for an Alien router.

Ubiquiti UniFi Wi-Fi 6 access points, UniFi cloud key, and EdgeRouter-X router

This is still a good on-set Wi-Fi solution, but the EdgeRouter-X is a little difficult to deal with. If you’re setting up a new system, use the UCG in the first instructions above, rather than this solution.

If your idea of the perfect Wi-Fi 6 setup includes access points mounted on stands positioned around the set, then you might prefer UniFi Wi-Fi 6 access points managed by a UniFi cloud key, and powered by PoE (power over Ethernet) injectors.  This setup also requires an EdgeRouter-X router, and could require a gigabit Ethernet switch.
This setup requires more gear in your cart — the cloud key, PoE injectors, router, and switch will live in your cart — but the access points can be positioned right by the Director, Script Supervisor, or other people who need the Wi-Fi signal.  Since they’re powered by PoE in your cart, each access point requires only a single Ethernet cable back to your cart.
A UniFi network like this isn’t as easy to setup or manage as a network based on an Alien router.  You’d manage the Access Points through the Cloud Key from a mobile browser, and if you need to manage the EdgeRouter-X, that’s also done from a mobile browser.
As with the Alien routers, multiple UniFi access points can be configured to work together in a single network, and they support a wired backhaul for maximum performance.

➡️ Click here to download our setup instructions for a Ubiquiti UniFi Wi-Fi 6 access points, UniFi cloud key, and EdgeRouter-X router.

Ruckus R710 and EdgeRouter-X

NOTE: We no longer recommend the use of the Ruckus R710 AP, as it is no longer competitive with many other Wi-Fi access points. Before finding the Ubiquiti Wi-Fi 6 products, we liked the Ruckus R710 access point and EdgeRouter-X as a Wi-Fi (not Wi-Fi 6) solution for streaming.  We believe that either of the previous Wi-Fi 6 solutions are better than using the Ruckus R710.
Click here to download our setup instructions for the Ruckus R710 and EdgeRouter-X.

➡️Click here to download our setup instructions for the Ruckus R710 and EdgeRouter-X.

FAQ


• How do I control a Videohub with my Raptor?

With the Smart Videohub series (the ones with AC power and a LCD monitor on the front panel), Blackmagic changed the way they’re controlled.  These Smart Videohubs can only be controlled over a LAN connection — the USB connection is there only for firmware updates.

Hook your deck and Smart Videohub together with a gigabit router (our suggested method), or by just plugging a LAN cable between them (if you have nothing else to connect to a LAN), and give them both time to get up and running.

Look in the “Info” panel at the bottom left corner of the Raptor’s GUI, and note it’s IP address.

Using it’s front panel, assign the Smart Videohub an IP address where the first three octets (first three numbers with dots between them  — like 192.168.1, or 169.254.200) match the IP address of your deck.  Then just pick any number between 10 and 250 for the last octet that’s different from what your deck has (I’d suggest using something between 200 and 250).

The subnet mask should remain “255.255.255.0”, and the gateway IP address doesn’t matter.

After doing that, I would power cycle the entire cart a few times, to ensure the deck controls the Smart Videohub each time it comes up.


• Raptor networking and streaming

For streaming to work, a Raptor must be hooked up (via wired ethernet) to a WiFi Access Point or WiFi router.

A DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) server assigns IP addresses to all the devices on a network. By using DHCP, you’re able to easily ensure that your TCP/IP addresses will not conflict, and that all of your devices will be able to talk to each other.

NOTE: there can be only one DHCP server on any network.

Raptors, iPads, and most other networking devices support DHCP.  However, Videohubs can’t get their IP address from a DHCP server, so they must have an IP address assigned manually to work on a network.  For video assist needs, the big difference between a router and a switch or hub is that a router has a DHCP server in it.  A Ruckus R710 access point can also be configured to enable it’s internal DHCP server.

If you need to hook two of your carts together making a single network for file sharing, you must ensure there’s only one DHCP server (router) on the entire network.  If each cart has it’s own gigabit router, you should replace one of the routers with a gigabit switch.


• External drive formats

If you need to use an external disk on both a Mac and a Raptor, all Quad and Dual decks come with MacDrive software so they can read and write (non-RAID) HFS+ disks. Older, single-channel decks would need to use exFAT (which isn’t as robust as HFS+).

Also, if a drive isn’t being recognized, try plugging it into both the blue USB3 ports and the non-blue USB2 ports, and be sure to use the drive’s power supply, if it came with one.

If a disk will only be used with Raptors or other Windows devices, NTFS is a great drive format.

NOTE: APFS (Apple File System) is currently not recognized by any operating system other than MacOS, so Raptors cannot read APFS disks.


• Raptors and external drives

When a Raptor looks for files to add to the sourcelist, it first looks on the internal disk (in the E:\RXVideo folder), then it looks in the RXVideo folder on any USB-attached hard drives.  If it finds clips only on an external drive, it shows the camera ID for that clip as a lowercase letter, indicating that it will be played from an external disk.

If you’ve used “File” / “Backup or restore deck” to back up all of your files to a USB hard drive, and then deleted the original files from the internal disk, the deck will find and play your backup files directly from the USB hard drive, with all of the bookmarks, ins and outs, and other metadata.

So, you could back up a few files (or all the files) from the internal disk, disconnect the USB hard drive (so the files on the USB drive can’t possibly be deleted), and click “File” / “Delete all clips from this deck” to clear everything off the internal disk, to give yourself lots of room.

Before you delete any files, however, you should triple-check that you see an asterisk (*) in the “B” column on all of your files in your sourcelist.  That “*” indicates that a file is backed up.

Plus, I’d do a test delete of a few files, just to make sure there are no problems playing the files from the USB hard drive.  And, it’s smart to back up all of the files to a second USB hard drive before deleting any originals from the deck.
Get backup disks large enough to hold everything you expect to need.  Drives are always getting bigger and cheaper, but right now, there are 8TB and 10TB USB hard drives for a few hundred dollars.

If you get a WD external hard drive that works with their “Drive utilities” software, you can install it onto another computer, and use “Drive Utilities” to set the drive to never go to sleep.  That’s very important!  If your external drive goes to sleep, there will be a delay of a few seconds every time you try to play anything from the drive.

This same mechanism lets you back up all of the files on one deck, then move the USB hard drive to another deck, and have instant access to all of those files.

Tech notes

Raptor Quad, Dual, 3D and HD+

Raptor HDx

Raptor X and Raptor 50