Tinyblast Plugin v2.0.0-beta

Tinyblast is a custom playblast tool for Maya, designed to offer more flexible control over the output format, codec, and playblast settings than the default Maya playblast options.

New in v2.0.0-beta

• Removed the button from the Playblast Options window.
• Created a new custom window that contains options to choose the file format and codec.
• Added playblast options such as:
  • Quality slider
  • Resolution scalar
  • Frame padding

Known Limitations

• Windows Only: This release is optimized for Maya’s .avi file output on Windows. Future versions may extend support to other platforms and formats.
• Uncompressed AVI Temporary File: Tinyblast relies on Maya’s built-in playblast function, which still generates an uncompressed .avi file before converting it to the other format. This .avi file is temporary and will be deleted by Maya after a few minutes.

Known Issues

• The .mov format currently does not work with the DNxHD, DNxHR, or ProRes codecs.

Installation

1. Download and install Tinyblast.
2. Load the Plugin in Maya:
   • Navigate to Windows > Settings/Preferences > Plug-in Manager.
   • If Tinyblast.py is not listed, click Browse and locate the Tinyblast.py file.
   • Check the Loaded box to enable the plugin.
   • (Optional) Check Auto-load to automatically load the plugin every time Maya starts.
3. Access the Playblast Options window in Maya.

How to Use

Currently, there is no menu button to open Tinyblast. You will need to run the following command in Maya's script editor:

import maya.cmds as cmds
cmds.openTinyblastOptions()

Future Plans

• Further improvements to format and codec compatibility.
• Adding more formats and codecs if needed.
• Refining the UI for easier access and use.

Requirements

• Maya (tested on Maya 2025, but should work with any version that supports the same OpenMaya plugin version).
• FFmpeg bundled with the plugin.