Getting Started with CutServe

CutServe turns raw roundnet match footage into a condensed game with a live scoreboard, stats and highlight reels. You import the video, choose how to clip it, tag what happened on each point, and export. This guide walks you through the whole process, from download to your first export.

Step 1: Download and Install

Head to cutserve.app/download and download the latest version for your platform.

Getting Started

  1. Download CutServe for your platform from the Download page
  2. Mac: Open the DMG and drag CutServe to your Applications folder
  3. Windows: Run the installer and follow the prompts
  4. Launch CutServe and create your first project

CutServe automatically checks for updates. When a new version is available, it downloads in the background and prompts you to restart; no manual downloads needed.

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Windows first launch: If SmartScreen says the app is unrecognized, click More info, then Run anyway.

System Requirements

  • macOS 12 or later on an Apple Silicon Mac (M1 or newer), or Windows 10 or later
  • At least 4 GB of free disk space recommended for video processing and exports

Step 2: Create Your Account

CutServe uses a free account to track your plan and export usage across sessions.

  1. On first launch, you'll land on the sign-in screen
  2. Click Sign up to create a new account with your email and a password
  3. Check your inbox for a confirmation email and click the link inside
  4. Return to CutServe and sign in

Your account works on the web at cutserve.app as well as inside the desktop app, and the same login gets you both.

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Free plan: Every account starts on the free plan, which includes 3 exports total. You can tag stats, edit clips, and use every editor feature without limits. Exports are the only thing metered.
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No internet? Click Continue as Guest on the sign-in screen to review and tag clips offline. Exporting needs a signed-in account.

Step 3: Import Your First Video

From the dashboard, click + New Project and choose where your footage is:

New Project dialog asking where the game footage is, with From a file and From a link options
  • From a file: A file picker opens filtered to MP4 files. Select your match recording and click Open.
  • From a link: Paste a link to game footage you've uploaded (unlisted YouTube videos work well), pick a quality (up to 1080p, 720p or source quality) and where to save it. CutServe downloads it before continuing. You can also have the download deleted when you delete the project.
  • Drag and drop: Drop an MP4 straight onto the dashboard to start a project.
Import footage from a link dialog with a field for the video link

However you import, CutServe creates a new project named after your video.

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File format: Local files must be .mp4. If your footage is in another format (MOV, MTS, AVI), convert it to MP4 first using a free tool like HandBrake. Link imports are downloaded and converted automatically. Only import footage you have the rights to use.
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File location: A local video file stays exactly where it is; CutServe never moves or modifies your source footage. Link imports are saved to the folder you choose in the import dialog.

Step 4: Choose How to Clip

After import, pick a clipping mode for the project:

  • Auto detection: draw zones around the four serving positions and let CutServe find every point automatically, then review.
  • Manual clipping: skip zone setup and processing. Watch the game once, mark each point's start and end, and tag as you go. See the Editor Guide for the marking workflow.
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You can't change the clipping mode later for that project, so pick the one that fits the footage.

Step 5: Set Up the Match

Before you start tagging, CutServe asks for the match details. These drive the scoreboard, the serve rotation and every stat.

  • Teams and players: Team names and the four player names.
  • Who serves and receives first: CutServe tracks the rotation from here.
  • Serving style: Traditional or Equal serving.
  • Target score: The score the game is played to.
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Play the same teams often? Click Save these teams to store them as a preset, then use Load teams next time. You still choose who serves first for each game. You can change all of this later from Settings in the editor.

What Happens Next

With auto detection, the flow is:

StageWhat you do
Zone SetupDraw four trapezoids around the serving positions
ProcessingCutServe analyzes the footage in the background
Match SetupEnter teams, players, first server and serving style
EditingReview clips, trim timing, tag stats, add replays
ExportRender the game in Broadcast Studio or cut a highlight reel

With manual clipping, Zone Setup and Processing are skipped: you go from import to Match Setup and straight into clipping in the editor. Each stage has its own guide in the sidebar.