Contents

1. Core principles
2. Create, open and save a service
3. Appearance
4. Operator screen
5. Running order and section types
6. Holding screens
7. Music playlists, hotcues and looping
8. Video, images and slideshows
9. Lyrics cards
10. External and confidence displays
11. Remote control
12. Audio outputs
13. MIDI
14. Checks and rehearsal
15. Live operation
16. Recovery and after-service tasks

Core Principles

• The Mac is the playback authority, even when a phone remote or browser display is connected.
• Use media stored locally on the Mac. Avoid cloud-only, streaming and removable files during a service.
• Use Rehearsal mode for practice, then turn it off before the live service.
• Lock the service once the running order is approved.
• Use Holding Screen, Fade Out or Black Screen deliberately; each has a different result.

Create, Open And Save A Service

1. Choose File > New Funeral, or open an existing .td file with File > Open... or Open Recent.
2. Open Funeral Settings and enter the deceased name, service date and time, and venue.
3. Build the running order, attach local media and configure the holding screen.
4. Use Save or Save As.... Tribute Director reopens the most recently used service at the next launch when the file is still available.
5. Use File > Export Portable Package... when moving a service to another Mac. Open the packaged .td file on the destination Mac and run the checks again.

Appearance

• On a clean installation, Tribute Director follows macOS Light or Dark appearance.
• If macOS changes appearance while no manual Tribute Director preference exists, Tribute Director follows it.
• Using the sun or moon icon at the top right creates a saved manual Light or Dark override.
• The override persists across launches even when macOS uses the opposite appearance.
• There is currently no Tribute Director control to return to Follow System after a manual override has been saved.

The Operator Screen

The left column is the running order. The centre shows programme, playback controls and Section Media. The right side shows the next cue, standby preview, external outputs and Audio Levels. The bottom transport provides Previous, Preview, GO, Pause or Resume, Fade Out, Holding Screen and Black Screen.

Drag the divider between Running Order and Section Media to give either panel more room. Section Media can also be collapsed. A red PROGRAMME AUDIO MUTED warning appears when programme audio is muted.

On first launch, the Getting Started guide introduces the main workflow. After an update, What's New highlights important changes. Reopen either guide from the Help menu.

Running Order And Sections

Add A Section

1. Click the + beside the running-order count.
2. Enter a section name and choose its type.
3. For supported types, choose Loop, Auto-advance and any fade overrides.
4. Add concise operator notes, then click Save.

Order, Status And Actions

Drag sections into order or use Move Up and Move Down. Click a valid section to make it Standby. Right-click a section for Rename or Change Type, media, screen image, playlist, lyric, loop, move and remove actions. A missing-media section opens its media actions when clicked.

Create And Use Holding Screens

Configure The Funeral's Default

1. Open Funeral Settings and choose Holding Screen.
2. Choose Centred Text, Portrait Left or Portrait Right.
3. Set the heading and subtitle, colours, optional background image and optional portrait.
4. For a portrait layout, adjust the portrait crop, scale and position, then save.

Insert A Planned Holding-Screen Cue

1. Add an Image section and give it a clear name such as Holding Screen.
2. Leave the primary image empty to inherit the funeral's default holding screen. Add a local image only when that cue needs different artwork.
3. Add optional background music, loop or auto-advance settings when required.

Show It Immediately

Click HOLDING SCREEN or press Command + Shift + H. The control changes to RESTORE OUTPUT while the holding screen is active. This does not itself stop current audio. Use Fade Out when the sound should fade while returning to the holding screen.

Music Playlists, Hotcues And Looping

Create And Order A Playlist

1. Add or select an Audio section.
2. Choose Add Song for a single track or Manage Playlist... for several tracks.
3. Use Add Songs, select local audio files, then use the up and down controls to set the playback order.
4. Remove an individual item or use Clear Playlist when rebuilding it.
5. Click Save. Section Media shows the numbered songs in playback order.

For a Video, Image or Slideshow section, use Add Audio or Manage Background Music... to add a separate music playlist.

Set And Use A Hotcue

1. Put the audio section on standby and select it so the STANDBY AUDIO waveform appears.
2. Click the waveform at the exact point where the song should be ready, then click Set.
3. Use Start and Hotcue to audition from either position, and Stop to stop the preview.
4. Choose Hotcue in "Choose where GO starts this song". Choose Start to keep the marker but begin from the start.
5. During playback, use Set hotcue, Play from hotcue or Jump to hotcue beside the live waveform.

Loop Music Or Video

Looping is available for Audio, Video, Slideshow and Image sections. Enable Loop this section continuously in Edit Section, choose Loop Section from the right-click menu, or use the repeat icon on the first or last cue. Audio and Image sections return to the first song after the final song; Video and Slideshow sections repeat until another section is triggered.

Video, Images, Slideshows And Spoken Segments

• Video: use Add Video or Replace Video for the primary local movie. Add Audio only when separate background music is required.
• Slideshow: attach the prepared slideshow movie, then add optional background audio.
• Image: attach a still image, or leave it empty to use the default holding screen. Optional background audio can play beneath it.
• Spoken segment: no media is required. Add a Screen Visual when the audience should see custom artwork or a screen video during the speech.
• Screen Image / Screen Visual: overrides the inherited holding artwork for that section. Clear it from the section action menu to return to the default.

Create And Run Lyrics Cards

1. Add a Lyrics section, right-click it and choose Edit Lyric Screens....
2. Type the first screen, add more screens, or use Import Lyrics from Clipboard.... Paste as Screens creates one screen for each paragraph separated by a blank line.
3. Use the up and down controls to order screens. Duplicate or delete screens as needed.
4. Mark repeated screens Chorus. The first screen is the title screen and automatically shows the section title.
5. Set font, lyric size, title size, alignment, colours and an optional background image.
6. Choose Choose Song... when the lyrics should play with local audio, then save.

During the cue, each GO advances one lyric screen. After the final lyric screen, the next GO advances the running order. The confidence display previews the next lyric page, while the browser remote shows labelled verse and chorus tabs that can jump directly to a chosen screen.

External Monitors And Confidence Screen

Connect Displays

1. Connect each HDMI, USB-C display adapter, AirPlay receiver or wireless display solution and ensure macOS sees it as an extended display.
2. Open Video Out from the top bar, Video Out menu, or File > Settings > Video Display Settings....
3. Choose the external display and click Present on Display. Use Refresh Displays after connecting a screen that is not listed.
4. In Output Status, click a display tile to turn that output on or off.
5. Press and hold a display tile to assign it as Programme or Confidence.

Use The Confidence Screen

Assign a presenter-facing display to Confidence. It shows the live programme view alongside the upcoming view. During a lyric cue, its preview follows the next lyric screen so the celebrant or singers can see what is coming. More than one external output may be active.

Browser Programme Display

1. Open Video Out > Enable Network Display. This also starts the local remote listener.
2. Open the displayed programme URL on the TV or browser device and enter the pairing PIN.
3. Keep the Mac and browser device on the same local network.

Network display can have different audio/video timing from HDMI. Prefer HDMI for the primary audience screen when timing is critical.

Connect And Use The Remote

1. Put the iPhone or iPad on the same local network as the Mac. Internet access is not required.
2. Open the top-bar Remote Control button and turn Remote Control on. It starts disabled on a fresh app launch for safety.
3. Scan the QR code with the iPhone camera, or open the local address. Use the direct IP fallback if the local name stalls.
4. Enter the six-digit pairing PIN. The Mac lists connected remotes by name.
5. Use Disconnect All / Rotate Access Code when an operator changes, a device is lost or access should be revoked.

Remote Controls

• Review the current section, elapsed and remaining time, programme thumbnail and standby preview.
• The holding-screen preview uses a phone-readable portrait and text layout. The status, preview and Holding button clearly show when HOLDING is active.
• Tap a running-order cue to place it on standby. Reorder cues by dragging only while editing is appropriate.
• Use GO, Previous, Skip Next, Stop, Fade Out, Holding and Black. Protected controls require a hold by default.
• Adjust master volume with the slider or step buttons.
• During lyrics, tap a labelled verse or chorus tab to jump directly to that lyric screen.
• Remote Safety & Device Settings changes the remote name and which destructive controls require a hold.

Audio Outputs And Levels

Tribute Director can send programme audio to multiple devices at once. Each visible output has an assignment, delay, volume fader, stereo meter and mute button.

• Right-click or press and hold an audio device to assign Programme, Preview, Programme + Preview or Idle.
• Use the sliders icon to show or hide devices. A hidden output is treated as muted.
• Drag a fader, or hover and use the mouse wheel, to adjust only that output's volume.
• Drag a delay dial, or hover and use the mouse wheel, to adjust that output from -500 ms to +500 ms.
• Headphone monitoring is unmuted by default. Other outputs start muted until the operator unmutes them.
• Master Mute silences all active outputs and later restores only those that were previously unmuted.

MIDI Control

1. Open MIDI Settings... from File > Settings, the MIDI menu or the top-bar button.
2. Click Find MIDI Devices and select the controller.
3. Click Learn beside GO, Pause, Fade Out or Black Screen, then press the required pad or key.
4. Use Test to confirm a command, Clear to remove one mapping, or Reset Mappings to restore the defaults.

Pre-Service Checks And Rehearsal

1. Connect mains power, displays, all audio paths and any MIDI controller.
2. Open Service > Sound / Screen Check... to test audio and programme output.
3. Open the top-bar Pre-Service Check, refresh it and resolve every item marked ACTION or REVIEW.
4. Confirm media is local, the file is saved, standby is correct, programme and confidence outputs are ready, remote access is intended, and audio safety is checked.
5. Enable Rehearsal mode. GO advances statuses and standby selection without starting playback.
6. Turn Rehearsal mode off, reset the run-through, put the first cue on standby, lock the service and save.

Live Operation

1. Start programme output and confirm what the audience can see.
2. Put the first required section on standby.
3. Use PREVIEW to check the standby presentation without making it live.
4. Press GO or Command + Space. Continue through the service one cue at a time.
5. Use Pause or Resume for the current media. Use Previous only when intentionally returning to the prior cue.
6. Use Fade Out to fade audio and return gracefully to the holding screen.
7. Use Holding Screen to cover programme with the safe fallback while audio continues.
8. Use Black Screen only for an intentional safety blank; showing Black pauses playback. Clear Black, then press Resume when playback should continue.

Auto-Advance, Fades And Notes

Auto-advance triggers GO when the section's audio or video finishes. Otherwise a natural finish returns to the holding screen. Per-cue fade values override normal transition timing. Operator notes should contain concise prompts such as "Wait for celebrant nod" or "Let final chord finish".

Files, Safety And Event Log

• Keep every service file and its media on the Mac's internal drive before the service.
• After linking media, save and reopen the service to confirm Tribute Director can regain permission to every file.
• Use View > Operator Event Log to review GO, pause, fade, standby, save, remote and warning events.
• Use File > Settings for Video Display, MIDI and Audio settings. Preferences contains app-wide timing values.
• Watch VU meters before raising room volume and check lip sync on every audio path used for video.

Help, Updates And Licence

Use Help > Operator Manual for the bundled guide, What's New and Getting Started for guided help, Check for Updates for the appropriate Direct or App Store route, and Licence Management... to manage licence status.

Recovery

Missing Media

1. Select the affected section.
2. Use its action menu to choose the correct local file.
3. Save the project and run the pre-service check again.

Remote Stops Responding

1. Keep operating from the Mac.
2. Confirm both devices are on the same local network.
3. Turn the remote listener off and on, then pair again if required.

Programme Or Confidence Display Fails

1. Use Holding Screen or Black Screen while recovering.
2. Check the cable and macOS Displays settings.
3. Stop programme output, refresh displays and start the required output again.

After The Service

1. Stop playback and programme output.
2. Disable remote control.
3. Save the service and retain any required event or pre-service report.
4. Create a timestamped backup before further editing.