QTake Integration with Flair¶

BOTH

QTake is a professional video recording and playback system widely used on film sets. It can be integrated with Flair to provide synchronised recording, playback, and frame-accurate browsing of clips alongside motion control passes. Three methods are documented here, ordered from most capable to simplest.

Method 1 — Native OSC integration (available from mid-2024)¶

QTake's native OSC integration with Flair, available from mid-2024, provides:

Automatic record and playback triggering based on Flair's run state
Synchronised clip browsing — frame-accurate, linked to Flair's browse mode
On-screen display of Flair's current frame number
On-screen flags showing Flair's run state (Camera XYZ, Target XYZ, Rig Frame, Rig State)

This is functionally equivalent to the HyperDeck VTR workflow but significantly less complex to set up and less finicky in operation. For anyone starting from scratch who has QTake as their VTR system, this is the recommended approach.

Reference: QTAKE and Flair — Setup Guide (PDF by Dan Gottesman / in2core, made available via the forum)

Step 1 — Network¶

Ensure both the Flair PC and the QTAKE machine are on the same network.

Step 2 — Configure Flair (data output)¶

In Flair, go to Setup > External Devices > Data Output.
Set the output type to OSC XYZ, UDP mode.
Enter the IP address of the QTAKE machine and a port number. Port 4725 is used in the reference setup but any free UDP port will work — just ensure it matches what you set in QTAKE.

Step 3 — Configure QTAKE (rig type)¶

In QTAKE, go to Preferences > Rig.
Set Rig Type to Marc Roberts.
Set the Port to match the port you entered in Flair (e.g. 4725).

Step 4 — Verify connection with OSD¶

In QTAKE, turn on OSD (On-Screen Display).
Add Flair-related data to the OSD Template: Camera XYZ, Target XYZ, Rig Frame, Rig State.
Run a test move in Flair — the OSD data should update in real time, confirming the connection.

Step 5 — Enable auto-recording (optional)¶

In QTAKE, set the auto-recording type to "Rig State".
This field is located on the flip-side of the RECORD toolbar (long-press or flip the toolbar to reveal it).
With this enabled, QTAKE will automatically start and stop recording based on Flair's run state — no manual record button needed.

Step 6 — Slave playback setup (QTAKE Pro HDx2 only)¶

Slave playback allows VIEW 2 in QTAKE to follow FLAIR movement during SHOOT or BROWSE mode — frame-accurately. This requires QTAKE Pro HDx2 with the COMP room active.

Make sure you are running QTAKE Pro HDx2 and the COMP room is active.
Record the first pass from motion control into VIEW 1.
Load the recorded clip into VIEW 2.
Long-click the "TC SLAVE PLAYBACK" button to switch it to "RIG SLAVE PLAYBACK".
Set the "INPUT" field to 1 — this controls VIEW 2 playback using data from INPUT 1 / VIEW 1.
Turn on the RIG SLAVE PLAYBACK button. The time slider knob will be hidden because playback is now controlled by the motion control rig.
Use SHOOT or BROWSE mode in FLAIR — VIEW 2 playback will now follow frame-accurately.

Understanding the OSC data stream¶

Flair streams a continuous bundle of UDP packets to QTake while active. Every packet contains a set of named values — QTake reads these silently in the background to drive auto-recording, browse sync, and OSD display. The two most relevant fields for a QTake operator are:

/flair/runstate — an integer that changes as Flair moves through its operational states. This is what QTake's "Rig State" auto-record watches to know when to start and stop rolling.
/flair/frame — the current move frame count. This increments as the move plays, and is what drives QTake's frame-accurate browse sync and the OSD frame number display.

Rig State values

Value	Flair state	What it means
1–2	HHB mode	Hand-held box is active; rig is in manual control
3	Ready to Shoot	Move is armed; waiting for the operator to press Shoot
6	Shoot triggered	Operator has pressed Shoot; move is initiating
7	Shooting	Rig is actively executing the move
8	Move complete	Move has finished; rig has stopped

State 6 vs 7

State 6 (shoot triggered) transitions to state 7 (shooting) almost immediately — the gap is the preroll. For practical purposes, treat both as "recording should be active." QTake's auto-record handles this automatically when set to "Rig State."

Community-verified values

The complete runstate enumeration is not publicly documented by MRMC. The values above are well-corroborated across multiple community scripts and forum posts (2020–2025). Simon Wakley (MRMC) confirmed in 2020 that additional states exist — including HHB modes (1–2) and a "running" state around 5 — but the full table was never published. If you need to trigger on a specific state not listed here, use Wireshark or Flair's Serial Tester to observe the live runstate value.

Method 2 — GPI Commander hardware trigger¶

The GPI Commander (by Softron) is a hardware device with 24 inputs and 8 outputs that connects to the QTAKE system via USB. It enables Flair to trigger QTAKE record/playback, or QTAKE to trigger Flair start, using hardware contact closure.

Hardware: Softron GPICommander — 24 in / 8 out GPI interface (available from B&H Photo and Softron resellers).

Setup steps¶

Connect the GPI Commander to the QTAKE machine via USB.
Configure GPI outputs/inputs in QTAKE — assign the appropriate GPI channel as a record or playback trigger within QTAKE's GPI settings. Refer to the Softron GPICommander documentation for the specific configuration within QTAKE.
Wire the GPI Commander output to the Flair Trigger Box input (or vice versa, depending on which system you want to initiate the trigger). The Trigger Box relay output can drive a GPI input contact directly.
Configure Flair triggers — in Flair, set the appropriate Trigger output to fire at the desired point in the move. If QTAKE is triggering Flair, set the Trigger Box input to the Flair start function.
Test the offset — there is a fixed hardware latency between the contact closure and the actual start of recording/playback. Measure and dial in this offset before shooting:
Typical offset: approximately 3 frames at 24 fps (this must be confirmed for your specific setup and shooting speed).
Run a test pass, check the resulting clip, and adjust the trigger frame until plate and move are aligned.
Verify repeatability — run several passes and confirm the offset is consistent. Once confirmed, the offset does not need to be re-measured unless shooting speed changes.

Limitations:

Only accurate for repeat plates at the same shooting speed.
Requires manual offset measurement and adjustment.
Does not provide frame-accurate browse sync (unlike Method 1).

Method 3 — USB relay / spacebar trigger (budget option)¶

A lower-cost alternative uses a USB relay or modified USB mouse/keyboard connected to the Flair Trigger Box output:

Components:

Cut up an old USB mouse or keyboard.
Remove the PCB with the USB lead attached.
Locate the two solder pads on the PCB that correspond to the left mouse button or spacebar.
Attach two wires to these pads so the Trigger Box output relay can close the circuit, simulating a button press.

How it works:

When Flair triggers the relay in the Trigger Box at the appropriate point in the move, the relay closes the circuit and sends a USB "spacebar" or "mouse click" signal to the QTake computer. The QTake operator configures their system so a mouse click or spacebar press plays the cued video file.

Limitations:

Requires manual offset calculation and testing to find the correct trigger frame for your playback speed.
Only works for repeat plates at the same speed.
Accuracy is generally sufficient for repeat-pass work but must be verified.

Timecode-based sync (alternative method)¶

Another approach, tested by some operators, is generating an audio file containing timecode on one channel and playing it back to both QTake and Flair simultaneously. Both systems can then trigger from the same TC reference point.

Comparison of methods¶

Method	Cost	Accuracy	Complexity	Use case
Native OSC (mid-2024+)	QTake software only	Frame-accurate (browse sync)	Low	Preferred for current QTake setups
GPI Commander	Hardware device required	~3 frames at 24fps	Medium	Established trigger workflow
USB relay	Very low (~DIY)	Requires testing	Low	Budget setups, simple repeat passes
Timecode via audio	Minimal	TC-dependent	Medium	Already have TC infrastructure

Source: QTake sync with Flair · Q-take integration tips · Qtake and Flair — talk.mrmoco.com