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Audiovisuals vs Designations

Audiovisuals and designations both involve media playback, but are used in different situations.

Audiovisuals​

A general category for any audio or video file you want to play in OnCue that isn’t tied to a transcript.

Examples:

  • Accident scene footage
  • Surveillance video
  • Animations or demonstratives
  • Audio recordings (911 calls, interviews, etc.)

How it works in OnCue:

  • Plays from start to finish, or from start/stop points you define.
  • No transcript linkage — it’s just a media clip.
  • You can create clips by setting cue in/out points in the preview window.
  • Supports common formats like MP4, WMV, MOV, MP3, WAV, and more.

When to use:

Use Audiovisuals for any media that doesn’t need to be synced with a transcript or displayed word-for-word while playing.

Designations​

Video synchronized to a transcript so the video and highlighted text appear together as it plays.

How it works in OnCue:

  • Load both the transcript file (PTX, CMS, etc.) and the synchronized video (often MPEG-1 or MP4 with matching timecodes).
  • Create clips directly from transcript text.
  • When a clip plays, OnCue shows the corresponding video and highlights the transcript in sync.
  • Quickly edit to skip objections, make callouts, and export for court.
  • OnCue uses sync data to instantly jump to the exact testimony you select.

When to use:

Use designations when you need the jury or judge to see both the deponent speaking and the transcript text.