Appearance
Known Limitations
Current version limitations and planned improvements.
Alpha Version Limitations
Platform Support
- ✅ Web browsers - Full support
- ⚠️ Desktop app - In development
- ❌ Mobile apps - Not yet available
Browser support:
- ✅ Chrome/Edge (recommended)
- ✅ Firefox
- ⚠️ Safari (limited storage)
- ❌ Internet Explorer
Storage Limitations
Browser Storage
Typical limits:
- Chrome/Edge: 60% of available disk space
- Firefox: 50% of free disk space
- Safari: ~1GB hard limit
- Mobile browsers: More restrictive
Impact:
- Limits project size (~50-100MB typical)
- Large image collections may hit limit
- Safari users affected most
Workaround:
- Use manual save for large projects
- Reduce image sizes
- Use desktop app when available
Feature Limitations
No Video Export
Current: Can export images, EDL, PDF, Fountain Missing: Direct video/MP4 export
Workaround:
- Export EDL + Images
- Import into NLE (Premiere, Resolve, etc.)
- Render video from there
Planned: Native video export in future release
No Collaboration
Current: Single-user only Missing: Real-time collaboration, comments, version control
Workaround:
- Share
.emberboardfiles - One person edits at a time
- Use version numbers (
project_v1,project_v2)
Planned: Cloud sync and collaboration features
No Cloud Sync
Current: Auto-save is local to browser/device Missing: Sync across devices
Workaround:
- Save
.emberboardfiles - Store in Dropbox/Google Drive
- Open on different devices manually
Planned: Cloud sync in future release
Workflow Limitations
Aspect Ratio Lock
Current: Must choose aspect ratio upfront (16:9, 9:16, 1:1) Missing: Mix different aspect ratios in one project
Planned: Per-beat aspect ratio control
No Audio
Current: Visual and script only Missing: Audio tracks, voiceover, sound effects
Planned: Audio support in desktop app
Limited Image Editing
Current: Zoom and pan only Missing: Crop, rotate, color adjust, filters
Workaround:
- Edit images before importing
- Use photo editing software
Planned: Basic image editing tools
Export Limitations
PDF Layout
Current: 4 preset layouts (1-up, 2-up, 4-up, 6-up) Missing: Custom layout builder
Planned: Template system for custom layouts
EDL Format
Current: CMX 3600 only Missing: AAF, FCP XML, other formats
Workaround:
- Most NLEs support EDL import
- Use EDL + Images package
Planned: Additional editorial formats
No Annotations
Current: Images and text only Missing: Draw arrows, camera moves, notes on frames
Planned: Annotation layer in future release
Performance Limitations
Large Projects
Slowdowns may occur with:
- 100+ beats in timeline
- Large images (>5MB each)
- Complex script content
Workaround:
- Split into multiple projects
- Reduce image sizes
- Move unused beats to shelf
Browser Tab
Current: Must keep tab open during playback Missing: Background playback
Desktop app will solve this
Browser-Specific Issues
Safari
- Stricter storage limits
- May clear cache more aggressively
- Some keyboard shortcuts differ
Recommendation: Use Chrome or Firefox for best experience
Private/Incognito Mode
- Auto-save doesn't work
- Storage disabled
- Must use manual save only
Planned Improvements
See our roadmap for upcoming features:
Near-term (Next 3-6 months)
- Desktop application (Electron)
- Video export
- Audio support
- Annotation tools
Mid-term (6-12 months)
- Cloud sync
- Collaboration features
- Mobile apps
- Advanced export formats
Long-term (12+ months)
- AI-powered features
- Asset libraries
- Team workspaces
- Plugin system
Workarounds Summary
Storage limits → Manual save, reduce image sizes No video export → Export EDL, import to NLE No collaboration → Share files, version control No cloud sync → Use cloud storage for files No audio → Add in NLE after export No annotations → Use image editing before import