Help & Documentation

Welcome to Broadcast Control — the all-in-one live production platform for managing show rundowns, teleprompter, voice communications, crew scheduling, live audience analytics, sponsor management, and digital signage. This guide covers every feature in detail to help you and your team get the most out of BC.

Quick Start Guide

Get up and running in just a few minutes:

1. Create Your Show

Click the + button in the top toolbar to create a new show. Give it a name, set the date and time, then start adding segments.

2. Add Segments

Click "+ Add Segment" to create segments for your show. Each segment can have:

• Title — The name of the segment
• Duration — How long the segment should run
• Type — Live, Package, Interview, etc.
• Notes — Separate notes for Host, Director, and Producer

3. Invite Your Team

Go to Settings → User Management and click "Invite Team Member". Enter their email and assign a role. They'll receive an email invitation to join.

4. Go Live

When you're ready to start your show, click "Go Live / Start Show" in the Quick Actions panel. This activates live mode and begins tracking time.

User Roles

Each team member is assigned a role that determines what they see and can do:

Crew Mode

Camera Operators, Production Assistants, and Crew members see a simplified mobile-first interface designed for quick reference during live production:

• Current segment — What's live right now with countdown timer
• Up next — What segment is coming next
• Show flow — Simple rundown showing all segments with live/next indicators
• Voice comms — Tap to connect, then tap again to toggle mute (green = muted/safe, red = live)
• Private messages — Tap Messages to see online team members and send direct messages
• Real-time notifications — Toast alerts appear when you receive a message
• Auto-reconnect — System automatically reconnects if your phone sleeps or loses connection

Private Messaging

All team members can send private messages to each other:

• On PC/iPad: Click any team member in the Connected Team panel to open a chat
• On Crew Mode (phone): Tap the Messages button, then tap any team member
• Message history: Messages are saved on the server and persist between sessions
• Notifications: Unread messages show a badge, and toast notifications appear in real-time
• During teleprompter: Hosts see a discreet alert when producers/directors message them

Audio Routing

Voice communications are routed based on role to minimize distractions for on-air talent:

• Producers & Directors: Can hear everyone, always-on mic, can mute others
• Hosts: Can ONLY hear Producers and Directors (not crew, not other hosts). When hosts speak, everyone can hear them.
• Crew: Can hear everyone, push-to-talk to speak

Switch between role views using the role buttons in the top-right corner of the app. This lets producers preview what hosts or directors see.

Show Rundown

The rundown is the heart of Broadcast Control — it's your master timeline for the entire show.

Rundown Panel (Left Side)

The main rundown panel shows all your segments in order. Each segment card displays:

• Segment number — Automatically numbered (01, 02, 03...)
• Title — Editable by Producers
• Type badge — Color-coded by segment type
• Duration — Planned length of the segment
• Estimated start time — Calculated based on previous segments
• Role-specific notes — Expandable sections for each role

Segment Status Colors

During a live show, segments are color-coded:

Timing Panel (Right Side)

The right panel shows real-time timing information:

• Elapsed Time — Total time since show started
• Total Duration — Combined length of all segments
• Remaining — Time left in the show
• Current Segment — Name and countdown for the active segment

Managing Segments

Adding a Segment

Click "+ Add Segment" at the top of the rundown. A new segment will be added at the end of your list.

Editing Segments

Producers can edit all segment fields by clicking directly on them:

• Click the title to rename the segment
• Click the duration to change timing (format: MM:SS)
• Use the type dropdown to categorize the segment
• Expand the notes sections to add role-specific information

Reordering Segments

Drag and drop segments to reorder them. Grab a segment by its header and move it to a new position. The rundown automatically recalculates all estimated start times.

Deleting Segments

Click the trash icon (🗑) on a segment card to delete it. You'll be asked to confirm.

Segment Types

Teleprompter

The built-in teleprompter displays host notes in a full-screen, easy-to-read format with industry-first voice-activated scrolling.

Opening the Teleprompter

Click the "Teleprompter" button in the top toolbar. The teleprompter opens as a full-screen overlay.

Teleprompter Display

• Current segment info — Shows segment name and number at the top
• Host notes — Large, readable text in the center
• Countdown timer — Time remaining in current segment
• Live status — Shows ON AIR when live
• Highlight bar — Blue highlight shows the current reading line
• Up Next panel — Preview of the next segment at the bottom

Voice-Activated Follow Along 🎤

The revolutionary Follow Along feature uses speech recognition to automatically scroll the teleprompter as you read. No foot pedals, no operators, no hand controls needed.

How to Use Voice Follow:

1. Click the 🎤 microphone button in the teleprompter toolbar
2. Allow microphone access when prompted
3. Start reading your script out loud
4. The teleprompter automatically follows your voice and scrolls to keep pace
5. Click the microphone button again to stop voice tracking

Voice Follow Features:

• Anticipatory scrolling — Advances to the next line as you finish reading the current one
• Pace matching — Speeds up or slows down based on your reading speed
• Pause tolerance — Waits when you pause to breathe or ad-lib
• Works offline — Uses your device's built-in speech recognition

Teleprompter Toolbar Controls

Keyboard Shortcuts

Mirror Mode

Enable mirror mode for use with a traditional teleprompter setup that uses a beam-splitter mirror. The text will be flipped horizontally.

Auto-Scroll

Auto-scroll automatically advances the text at your chosen speed. Adjust the speed using the + and - keys or the on-screen controls. Auto-scroll is automatically disabled when voice follow is activated.

Highlight Bar Toggle

Click the lightbulb button to show or hide the blue highlight bar. Some hosts prefer reading without the highlight — the voice tracking continues to work even with the highlight hidden.

Live Mode

Live mode activates real-time show tracking with timers, segment progression, and team sync.

Starting a Live Show

1. Make sure all segments are ready and your team is connected
2. Click "Go Live / Start Show" in Quick Actions
3. The first segment becomes active and timers begin

During the Show

• Current segment is highlighted in red with a countdown
• Next segment is highlighted in amber
• Completed segments show a green checkmark
• Click "Next Segment" or press Space to advance

Ending the Show

Click "End Show" in Quick Actions to stop live mode. All timers stop and the show returns to edit mode.

Voice Communications

Broadcast Control includes built-in voice communications — a professional talkback system that works through your existing devices. No expensive hardware required.

Plan Availability

How It Works

Voice comms uses WebRTC technology (the same as Zoom and Google Meet) to create direct audio connections between team members. Audio is transmitted in real-time with minimal latency.

Requirements

• A device with a microphone (phone, tablet, laptop)
• Microphone permission granted to the browser
• Producer or Teams plan subscription

Voice Controls

Connecting to Voice

1. Click the microphone icon (🎙️) in the top toolbar
2. Click "Connect to Voice" in the panel that appears
3. Allow microphone access when prompted by your browser
4. You're now connected and can hear your team

Understanding the Status Colors

Team member name bars use colors to show mic status:

• Green bar = Microphone is muted (safe, off-air)
• Red bar = Microphone is live (transmitting audio)

Muting & Unmuting

For Producers/Directors:

• Click any team member's name bar to toggle their mic on/off
• Click "Mute All" to mute everyone at once
• Click "Unmute All" to restore everyone's mic
• Press M to quickly toggle mute all (customizable in settings)

For Hosts/Crew:

• Use the Push-to-Talk button to speak
• Hold the button (or press Space) to transmit
• Release to stop transmitting

Volume Control

Use the volume slider in the voice panel to adjust how loud you hear your team members.

Voice Comms Pop-Out Window

The Voice Pop-Out is a separate floating window that mirrors all your voice comms controls. It lets you manage voice communications from a dedicated window while keeping the main app focused on your rundown, teleprompter, or other production tasks.

What the Pop-Out Shows

• Connection status — green dot with show name when connected
• Master controls — Mute All, Mute Self, Venue Mode, and Crew Only buttons
• Team cards — every connected team member with their role, mute state, and speaking indicators
• Per-peer volume sliders — expand each card to adjust individual volumes
• VU meters — real-time audio level bars behind each volume slider
• Per-person venue mode — 🏟 toggle on each team member's card
• Network quality dots — green/yellow/red connection quality per peer

How It Works

The pop-out communicates with your main app window in real-time using browser messaging. There is no duplicate voice connection — the pop-out is a remote control for the voice system running in your main app. All actions you take in the pop-out (muting, volume changes, venue toggles) execute instantly in the main app.

When to Use It

• Second monitor — put the pop-out on a second screen while the rundown stays on your main screen
• During live shows — keep voice controls visible without scrolling the sidebar
• Quick mixing — adjust per-peer volumes and venue mode without navigating away from your current view

Per-Peer Volume Sliders

Per-peer volume sliders let you independently adjust how loud you hear each team member. This is useful when one person's mic is much louder than others, or when you want to turn down a noisy crew member without muting them completely.

How to Use

• Expand — click the ▼ chevron on any team member's card to reveal the volume slider
• Drag the slider — adjust from 0% (silent) to 100% (full volume)
• Quick mute — click the 🔊 speaker icon to instantly set volume to 0%. Click again to restore the previous volume.
• Percentage readout — the current volume percentage is displayed next to the slider

How It Differs from Mute

Volume sliders adjust how loud a peer sounds to you only — it's a local listening level. Muting a peer (clicking their card) sends a server command that mutes their microphone for everyone. Use volume sliders for personal comfort; use mute for production control.

VU Meters

Each peer's volume slider has a real-time VU (Volume Unit) meter bar behind the slider track. This shows the actual audio level coming from that team member's microphone.

Reading the Colors

• Green — normal speaking level (below 50%)
• Amber — loud level (50–80%) — mic is quite hot
• Red — very loud (above 80%) — may cause distortion, consider asking the person to back off their mic or lowering their volume slider

Using VU Meters During Production

VU meters help producers quickly identify audio issues during a live show. If a crew member's meter is constantly red, their mic is too hot. If it's flat (no movement), they may be muted or their mic isn't working. The meters update approximately 12 times per second for responsive visual feedback.

Voice Troubleshooting

Connection Issues

• The system automatically tries to reconnect if connections drop
• If voice stops working, try clicking "Disconnect" then "Connect to Voice" again
• When your device sleeps and wakes, connections automatically repair
• A small green dot in the header shows your connection status

Can't hear anyone

• Check that your device volume is turned up
• Make sure other team members are connected to voice
• Check that their mic bars are RED (not muted)
• Try disconnecting and reconnecting to voice
• On mobile, make sure you haven't muted the browser tab

Others can't hear me

• Check that your mic bar is RED (not green/muted)
• If you're a Host, make sure you're pressing Push-to-Talk
• Check that your browser has microphone permission
• Try a different microphone if available
• Ensure no other app is using your microphone

Voice option not appearing

• Voice comms requires Producer or Teams plan
• Check your plan in Settings → Billing
• Contact your account admin to upgrade

Echo or feedback

• Use headphones or earbuds instead of speakers
• Mute yourself when not speaking
• Reduce speaker volume
• Keep devices apart to prevent audio loop

Audio Quality Issues

• Ensure you have a stable internet connection
• Close other bandwidth-heavy applications
• Use a dedicated microphone or headset for best quality
• The system uses echo cancellation and noise suppression automatically

Voice Stops When App is Minimized

• Keep the app in the foreground during shows for best results
• On Android: Don't switch to other apps while on voice - use split screen if needed
• On iPhone/iPad: Keep the browser tab active and screen on
• The app will automatically reconnect when you return, but there may be a brief gap
• Consider using a dedicated device for voice comms during production

AI Writing Assistant

Broadcast Control includes an AI-powered writing assistant to help hosts and producers create interview questions, talking points, and segment content.

Accessing the AI Assistant

1. Open any segment's Host Notes section
2. Click the "AI Assist" button
3. Enter what you need help with
4. Click "Generate Content"

What You Can Generate

• Interview Questions — Generate thoughtful questions for guests
• Talking Points — Create bullet points for any topic
• Segment Intros — Write professional opening lines
• Teasers — Create compelling coming-up copy
• Follow-up Questions — Prepare for different interview directions

Example Prompts

• "Generate 10 interview questions for the mayor about new road construction"
• "Write talking points about the local high school football championship"
• "Create a segment intro for our weather report"
• "Suggest follow-up questions if the guest mentions budget concerns"

Using Generated Content

After content is generated, you have two options:

• Insert into Notes — Replaces existing host notes with generated content
• Append to Notes — Adds generated content to the end of existing notes

AI Show Advisor

The AI Show Advisor is an intelligent assistant that monitors your live show and helps you stay on schedule by suggesting which segments to cut when running overtime.

How It Works

When your show is live, the AI Advisor continuously monitors:

• Current segment timing vs. planned duration
• Cumulative show timing
• Remaining segments and their priorities

When It Activates

The AI Advisor appears automatically when:

• A segment runs more than 30 seconds overtime
• The overall show is behind schedule

A purple "AI Advisor" button will appear in the bottom-right corner of your screen with a count of available suggestions.

Understanding Suggestions

Each suggestion includes:

• Segment Name — Which segment to potentially cut
• Time Saved — How much time cutting this segment would recover
• Priority Level — How safe it is to cut this segment
• Reason — Why this segment was selected for cutting

Priority Levels

What the AI Never Suggests Cutting

• The currently live segment
• Segments with live guests
• Breaking news segments
• Opening and closing segments
• High-priority content (score 75+)

Approving or Dismissing Cuts

For each suggestion, you can:

• Cut Segment — Marks the segment as CUT. It will be skipped, and all timing recalculates automatically.
• Dismiss — Removes the suggestion without cutting the segment.

Restoring Cut Segments

If you change your mind, cut segments display a "Restore" button. Click it to bring the segment back into the show.

Workflow Status

The Workflow Status system helps your team track the preparation state of each segment before going live.

Status Options

Changing Status

Producers and Directors can change a segment's workflow status by clicking the status dropdown in the rundown. The row will highlight with the corresponding color to give visual feedback on the show's readiness.

Visual Indicators

Each status adds a colored left border to the segment row, making it easy to scan your rundown and see which segments need attention:

• Gray border = Draft (needs work)
• Amber border + highlight = Awaiting (blocked)
• Blue border + highlight = Approved (ready)
• Green border + highlight = Finalized (locked)
• Red border + highlight = Rejected (fix needed)

Team Management

Manage your production team from Settings → User Management.

Inviting Team Members

1. Click "Invite Team Member"
2. Enter their email address
3. Enter their display name
4. Select their role (Producer, Director, Host, etc.)
5. Click "Send Invitation"

They'll receive an email with a link to set their password and join your team.

Managing Existing Users

• Change role — Click the role dropdown next to a user
• Remove user — Click the trash icon to remove someone from your team

Team Limits by Plan

Keyboard Shortcuts

Broadcast Control supports keyboard shortcuts to speed up your workflow. Many shortcuts can be customized in Settings.

Global Shortcuts

These work anywhere in the application:

Live Show Shortcuts

These work when your show is live:

Teleprompter Shortcuts

These work when the teleprompter is open:

Voice Communications Shortcuts

These work when voice comms are active:

External Display Shortcuts

These work with the external teleprompter display:

Customizing Shortcuts

You can customize many shortcuts to match your workflow:

1. Click on your name in the top-right corner
2. Select Settings
3. Go to the Keyboard Shortcuts tab
4. Click on any shortcut button
5. Press the new key you want to assign
6. Click "Save Shortcuts"

Resetting Shortcuts

To restore all shortcuts to their defaults, click the "Reset to Defaults" button in the Keyboard Shortcuts settings.

Billing & Plans

Available Plans

Annual billing saves you 2 months free compared to monthly pricing.

Feature Comparison

Accessing Settings

Managing Your Subscription

1. Go to Settings → Billing
2. Click "Manage Subscription"
3. This opens the Stripe billing portal where you can:
   • Upgrade or downgrade your plan
   • Update payment method
   • View invoices
   • Cancel subscription

Free Trial

All new accounts start with a 14-day free trial of the Producer plan. You'll need to enter payment details to start the trial, but you won't be charged until the trial ends. You can cancel anytime.

Mobile App

Broadcast Control works on any device with a web browser, but you can also install it as an app on your phone or tablet.

Installing on iPhone/iPad

1. Open Safari and go to broadcastcontrol.io
2. Tap the Share button (square with arrow)
3. Scroll down and tap "Add to Home Screen"
4. Tap "Add"

Installing on Android

1. Open Chrome and go to broadcastcontrol.io
2. Tap the menu (three dots)
3. Tap "Add to Home Screen" or "Install App"
4. Tap "Install"

Frequently Asked Questions

Can multiple people edit the rundown at the same time?

Yes! All changes sync in real-time. Producers have full edit access, Directors can edit Director notes, and Hosts can edit Host notes.

What happens if I lose internet during a live show?

The app will try to reconnect automatically. Your local timers continue running. Once reconnected, the app syncs back with your team.

Can I use Broadcast Control on multiple devices?

Yes! Log in on as many devices as you need. Many teams have the producer on a laptop, director on a tablet, and hosts on phones.

How do I save my show?

Click the save icon in the toolbar, or press Ctrl+S. Your shows are saved per organization and can be loaded from the Open Show menu.

Can I print or export my rundown?

Yes! Click the orange PDF icon in the header to download a professional PDF of your rundown with all segments, timing, and notes.

Is my data secure?

Yes. All data is transmitted over encrypted HTTPS connections. Voice communications use peer-to-peer encryption. We never share your data with third parties.

How do I contact support?

Click the 💬 chat bubble in the bottom-right corner to talk to the BC Assistant for instant help. For complex issues, use the Feedback button or email [email protected].

External Display (Multi-Monitor)

Open the teleprompter on a separate monitor or screen — perfect for talent displays near cameras, control room monitors, or studio floor screens.

How to Open on External Display

1. Click the purple external display button (monitor with arrow icon) next to the teleprompter button in the header
2. Click "Detect Displays" — your browser will ask for permission to see connected screens
3. Select the monitor you want to use from the displayed options
4. Click "Open Fullscreen on Selected Monitor"

What You'll See

• Each connected monitor appears as a card showing its name and resolution
• Primary badge indicates your main display
• Current badge shows which screen your browser window is on
• The system auto-selects the first external monitor for convenience

Controlling the External Display

• Hover at the top of the external screen to reveal the control bar
• Toggle Fullscreen — switch between fullscreen and windowed mode
• Close Window — closes the external teleprompter
• Press Q (default shortcut) from your main app to close the external display remotely

Browser Compatibility

Fallback Method

If your browser doesn't support multi-monitor detection:

1. Click "Open in New Window"
2. Drag the window to your desired screen
3. Press F11 (Windows) or Ctrl+Cmd+F (Mac) for fullscreen

Customizing the Close Shortcut

The default shortcut to close the external teleprompter is Q. You can change this:

1. Go to Settings → Shortcuts
2. Find "Close External Teleprompter"
3. Click the key and press your preferred shortcut

Teleprompter Setup & Tips

The Teleprompter helps hosts read scripts smoothly during live broadcasts. Here are the best ways to set it up for your production.

Recommended Setup for Hosts

Hosts typically use the teleprompter in one of these ways:

• iPad/Tablet on desk — Keep the rundown open during breaks, switch to teleprompter during live segments
• Dedicated teleprompter screen — Mount a monitor or tablet near the camera lens for eye-line reading
• Split setup — Rundown on iPad at the desk + separate teleprompter screen(s) by cameras

How to Use the Teleprompter

1. Click "Teleprompter" button in the header
2. The teleprompter opens showing Host Notes for all segments
3. Use arrow keys, scroll wheel, or J/K keys to scroll
4. The blue highlighter bar shows the current reading position

Teleprompter Controls

• Arrow Up/Down — Scroll line by line
• J/K keys — Scroll up/down
• Scroll wheel — Smooth scrolling
• +/- buttons — Adjust text size
• Number keys 1-9 — Quick speed presets

Producer Messages

Producers can send text messages that appear on the teleprompter screen. This is useful for time cues, breaking news, or quick notes to hosts without interrupting via voice.

Director & Producer Remote App

The Remote App gives Directors and Producers a mobile-optimized interface to manage shows from anywhere. Available with Pro and Teams subscriptions.

How to Access

1. Click your name in the top-right corner of the main app
2. Select "Director/Producer Remote"
3. The remote app opens in a new tab — bookmark it on your phone!

Features

• Full rundown view — See all segments with timing and status
• Segment controls — Go Live, mark complete, skip segments
• Real-time sync — Changes appear instantly on all devices
• Show timing — Elapsed time, remaining time, overtime warnings
• Voice comms — Built-in push-to-talk communication
• Mobile-optimized — Designed for phones and tablets

Why Use the Remote App?

• Stay mobile — Not tethered to your computer; take a bathroom break without losing comms
• Dual-screen workflow — Main app on computer, remote on phone for quick controls
• On-the-floor directing — Direct the show while walking the studio floor
• Backup control — If your main computer crashes, grab your phone and keep the show running

Crew App

The Crew App provides a simplified, mobile-first interface for camera operators, production assistants, floor managers, and other crew members. Available with Pro and Teams subscriptions.

How Crew Members Access the App

1. Producer invites the crew member via Team Management with a crew role (Camera Operator, Production Assistant, or Crew)
2. Crew member logs in at the main login page on their phone
3. They automatically see the simplified Crew Mode interface

Sharing the Login Link

To easily share the login link with crew:

1. Click your name in the top-right corner
2. Select "Share Crew App Link"
3. Scan the QR code or copy the link to send via text/email

What Crew Members See

• Current segment — Large, clear display of what's live now
• Countdown timer — Time remaining in current segment
• Up next preview — See what segment is coming
• Show flow — Simple rundown with live/next indicators
• Voice comms — Tap to connect, tap to mute
• Private messages — Receive messages from producers/directors

Why It's Useful

• No accidental edits — Crew can't change notes or segments
• Just what they need — No overwhelming information, just current segment and timing
• Works great on phones — Designed for one-handed use on the studio floor
• Stay connected — Voice comms and messaging keep everyone in the loop

Live Audience Integration

See your entire streaming audience in real-time. Track viewer counts, read comments, and interact with your audience across YouTube, Facebook, Twitch, and TikTok — all from within Broadcast Control.

What You Get

• Real-time viewer counts — See total viewers across all connected platforms, updated every few seconds
• Platform breakdown — View counts per platform (YouTube, Facebook, Twitch, TikTok)
• Live comment feed — See all comments from all platforms in one unified feed
• Question detection — Comments with question marks are highlighted for easy Q&A segments
• Send to teleprompter — One-click sends viewer questions directly to your host's prompter
• Session analytics — Review detailed analytics after your show including peak viewers and AI insights

Supported Platforms

• YouTube Live — Connect via stream URL (no OAuth required)
• Facebook Live — Connect via OAuth authentication
• Twitch — Connect via channel username
• TikTok Live — Connect via username

Connecting Streaming Platforms

Connect your streaming platforms to start tracking your live audience.

How to Access

1. Look for the "Live Audience" panel in the right sidebar
2. If you don't see it, make sure you're on the Teams plan
3. Click the gear icon (⚙) to open connection settings

YouTube Live

1. Start your YouTube live stream as normal
2. Copy the YouTube live stream URL (e.g., youtube.com/watch?v=xxxxx)
3. In Broadcast Control, click "Connect" next to YouTube
4. Paste the URL and click Connect
5. Viewer counts and comments will appear within seconds

Facebook Live

1. Click "Connect" next to Facebook
2. You'll be redirected to Facebook to authorize the connection
3. Select the Page you want to connect
4. Once authorized, your live video will be detected automatically

Twitch

1. Click "Connect" next to Twitch
2. Enter your Twitch channel username
3. Click Connect — viewer counts and chat will appear

TikTok Live

1. Click "Connect" next to TikTok
2. Enter your TikTok username
3. Click Connect — this uses TikTok's live data API

Live Audience Features & Controls

Once connected, you have several powerful tools to engage with your audience.

Viewer Count Display

• Total viewers — Large number at the top showing combined viewers
• Trend indicator — Shows if viewers are increasing or decreasing
• Per-platform breakdown — Each platform shows its individual count
• Last 5 min change — Shows how many viewers joined/left recently

Live Comments Feed

• Unified feed — Comments from all platforms appear in one list
• Platform indicator — Each comment shows which platform it came from
• Username display — Shows the commenter's username
• Timestamp — Shows how long ago the comment was posted
• Auto-scroll — New comments appear at the top automatically

Question Detection

Comments containing question marks (?) are automatically highlighted with a yellow/orange background. This makes it easy to spot audience questions for Q&A segments.

Send to Teleprompter

1. Hover over any comment (especially questions)
2. Click the "→ Prompter" button
3. The question appears on your host's teleprompter immediately
4. Perfect for live Q&A segments!

Filter Options

• All — Show all comments from all platforms
• Questions — Show only comments detected as questions

Pop-out Mode

Click the "Pop-out" button to open the Live Audience panel in a separate window. Great for multi-monitor setups where you want dedicated audience monitoring.

Session Analytics

After your show, review detailed analytics about your audience engagement.

Accessing Session History

1. Click the clock icon in the Live Audience panel
2. You'll see a list of past sessions with dates and peak viewer counts
3. Click any session to view detailed analytics

Session Data Includes

• Peak viewers — Highest concurrent viewer count
• Total unique viewers — Estimated unique viewers (where available)
• Duration — How long the session lasted
• Platform breakdown — Viewers by platform over time
• Viewer timeline — Graph showing viewer count throughout the show
• Comment count — Total comments received

AI Insights

Click "Generate Insights" to get an AI-powered analysis of your session, including:

• Performance summary
• Engagement patterns
• Recommendations for future streams
• Notable moments (viewer spikes, etc.)

Private Messaging

Send private messages to team members during the show without disrupting the broadcast.

How to Send a Message

1. Find the team member in the Team section of the sidebar
2. Click on their name or the message icon next to them
3. Type your message and press Enter or click Send
4. The message is delivered instantly and privately

Receiving Messages

• When you receive a message, a notification badge appears
• Click the notification or the sender's name to view the message
• Messages appear in a chat-style interface

Use Cases

• Time cues — "30 seconds left on this segment"
• Breaking news — Alert hosts to developing stories
• Quick coordination — "Skip segment 5, we're running long"
• Discreet communication — Messages that shouldn't be on voice comms

PDF Export

Export your show rundown as a professional PDF document for printing, sharing, or archiving.

How to Export

1. Make sure your show has at least one segment
2. Click the orange PDF icon in the header toolbar
3. Wait for the PDF to generate (usually 2-3 seconds)
4. The PDF automatically downloads to your computer

What's Included

• Show information — Title, date, start time
• Segment overview table — All segments with timing at a glance
• Detailed rundown — Each segment with all notes
• Host notes — Scripts and talking points
• Director notes — Camera cues and technical instructions
• Producer notes — Coordination and timing notes

Use Cases

• Backup copies — Keep printed rundowns as backup
• Client approval — Send rundowns for review
• Archive — Document your shows for future reference
• Offline access — Print for crew without app access

AI Support Assistant

The BC Assistant is your 24/7 support helper, ready to answer questions about any feature in Broadcast Control.

How to Access

Click the 💬 purple chat bubble in the bottom-right corner of the app.

What It Can Help With

• Feature questions — "How do I add a segment?"
• Troubleshooting — "My teleprompter isn't scrolling"
• Team management — "How do I invite my director?"
• Shortcuts — "What keyboard shortcuts are available?"
• Best practices — "How should I organize my show?"

Quick Actions

When you open the chat, you'll see quick action buttons for common questions:

• Add segment
• Invite team
• Teleprompter
• Shortcuts

Sponsor Portal — Overview & Access

The Sponsor Portal is a separate web application included with the Teams plan. It gives your organization a dedicated platform to manage sponsors, schedule content on venue screens, track fulfillment, and generate reports — all separate from the live production rundown.

How to Access the Sponsor Portal

As an org owner or admin, you access the Sponsor Portal directly — it is not inside the rundown app. Navigate to:

broadcastcontrol.io/sponsor.html

You will land on the Sponsors page. The portal has its own navigation rail with sections for Sponsors, Asset Library, Traffic Sheet, Reports, and Settings.

What the Sponsor Portal Includes

• Sponsors — Full CRM for managing sponsor contacts, contracts, tiers, values, and deliverables
• Asset Library — Upload and organize sponsor videos, graphics, and scripts
• Traffic Scheduler — Schedule content across venue screens with time-based playlists
• BC Bridge — Desktop app for NDI/HDMI playout that reads the traffic schedule and logs play counts automatically
• Reports — Generate branded PDF fulfillment reports per sponsor
• Portal Users — Invite external sponsors or partners to access the portal without BC rundown access

Setting Up the Sponsor Portal

Initial setup is done by the org owner or admin inside the Sponsor Portal Settings page.

Step 1 — Configure Sponsor Tiers

Go to Settings → Sponsor Tiers and define your tier levels (e.g. Title Sponsor, Presenting, Gold, Silver). These appear as colored badges throughout the portal.

Step 2 — Add Deliverable Types

Go to Settings → Deliverable Types and define what your organization offers sponsors — e.g. TV Commercial, Screen Ad, Live Read, Social Post. These become the options when adding deliverables to a sponsor.

Step 3 — Add Shows & Events

Go to Settings → Shows & Events to define the shows your organization produces. These are used when assigning sponsor deliverables to specific events.

Step 4 — Add Sponsors

Click + Add Sponsor in the top bar. Fill in the company name, contact details, tier, contract dates, and value. Add deliverables to track what you've promised each sponsor.

Step 5 — Upload Assets

Go to Asset Library and upload sponsor content. Videos are automatically normalized to H.264/29.97fps by BC Bridge on first play.

Step 6 — Set Up Screens and Schedule

In Traffic Sheet → Screens, define your venue displays. Then build playlists and schedule content blocks for each screen in the Schedule tab. BC Bridge reads this schedule and plays content automatically at the right times.

Inviting Sponsor Admins (Portal Users)

You can invite external users — sponsors, partners, or dedicated staff — to access the Sponsor Portal without giving them access to the BC rundown software. These are called Portal Users.

How to Invite a Portal User

1. Go to broadcastcontrol.io/sponsor.html
2. Click the Settings icon in the left rail
3. Open the Portal Users section in the right column
4. Enter the person's full name, email address, and select a role:
   • Sponsor Admin — manages sponsors, assets, schedules, and reports
   • Technical Admin — manages BC Bridge, outputs, and NDI/HDMI routing
5. Click Send Invite

The invited person will receive an email with a link to set their password. Once accepted, they log in at broadcastcontrol.io/login.html and are taken directly to the Sponsor Portal — they will never see the rundown app.

Managing Portal Users

All invited portal users are listed in Settings → Portal Users with their status (Pending or Active). You can remove a portal user at any time by clicking the Remove button next to their name. Only org owners and admins can see and manage the Portal Users section — portal users themselves do not see it.

Portal User Limits

Portal Users do not count toward your plan's team member limit. You can invite as many portal users as needed on the Teams plan.

Calendar & Scheduling

The Calendar page gives you a complete visual overview of all your scheduled shows.

Week View

The default view shows the current week with days as columns. Shows appear as colored blocks positioned at their scheduled time. You can see at a glance what's coming up each day and how shows overlap.

Month View

Click the Month tab to see the full month overview. Shows appear as compact cards within each date cell. This is useful for long-term planning and seeing your production schedule at a high level.

Show Status Indicators

• Blinking green border — the scheduled start time has arrived but the show has not been started yet
• Solid red border — the show is currently LIVE (Go Live has been pressed)
• Normal border — the show is scheduled for the future

Multiple Simultaneous Shows

On the Teams plan, you can run multiple shows at the same time. When shows overlap on the calendar, they display side-by-side in columns so you can see all concurrent productions. Each show operates independently — going live on one show does not affect any other show.

Creating & Managing Shows

Creating a New Show

1. Click the + New Show button on the Calendar page
2. Enter the show title, date, start time, and duration
3. Optionally add a location (this generates a Google Maps link for crew)
4. Assign team members with their roles and individual call times
5. Click Save — all assigned crew receive an email notification

Editing a Show

Click on any show in the calendar, then click Edit. All fields are pre-populated with the current values. When you add new crew members, only the newly added members receive an email notification — existing crew are not re-notified.

Cancelling a Show

Click on a show and select Cancel Show. All assigned crew members receive a cancellation email with the show details. Cancelled shows are removed from the calendar.

Crew Assignment

When creating or editing a show, you can assign team members with:

• Role — their position on the production (Camera Operator, Audio Engineer, etc.)
• Call Time — when they need to arrive (can differ from show start time)
• Location — the venue address (generates a Google Maps link)

My Schedule (Crew & Talent)

Crew members and talent see their personal schedule at My Schedule — this shows only the shows they are personally assigned to, not the full org-wide calendar.

What You See

• Show title, date, and time
• Your assigned role and call time
• Location with a Google Maps link
• Status badge — Pending (amber), Confirmed (green), or Declined (red)

Confirming or Declining

Each assignment card has Confirm and Decline buttons. Tap Confirm to let the producer know you'll be there, or Decline if you can't make it. Your status is visible to the producer on the main calendar.

Past Shows

By default, shows that have already passed are hidden. Click View Past Shows at the bottom of the page to reveal them. Your preference is saved in your browser.

Segment Types

Every segment in your rundown can be assigned a type. Types are color-coded for quick visual identification and follow industry-standard broadcast terminology.

Standard Types

Show Types

Production Types

Each segment row displays a 6px colored left stripe based on its type, making it easy to scan your rundown visually. Shows created before the type system was added default to OTHER.

Timing Dashboard

When your show is LIVE, a timing dashboard appears at the top of the rundown showing real-time show timing information.

Dashboard Fields

Per-Segment Over/Under Badges

After each segment is completed, a small badge appears on the segment row showing how much time it ran over or under its planned duration. -0:15 means 15 seconds under (good), +0:30 means 30 seconds over.

Venue Mode

Venue Mode optimizes all connected microphones for noisy environments like arenas, stadiums, conference halls, and outdoor events.

What It Does

When activated, Venue Mode changes the audio processing on every connected user's microphone simultaneously:

• Echo cancellation — turned OFF (prevents the algorithm from fighting venue PA systems)
• Noise suppression — turned ON (helps cut crowd noise)
• Auto gain control — turned ON (keeps volume levels consistent)

How to Use

1. Connect to voice comms as a Producer or Director
2. Click the amber 🏟️ Venue Mode button in the voice panel
3. The button turns solid amber when active
4. Click again to deactivate and return to normal audio processing

Who Can Toggle It

Only Producers and Directors can activate or deactivate Venue Mode. When toggled, it affects all users in the show — no individual user action is required.

When to Use It

• Live events with PA systems or loud ambient sound
• Outdoor productions with wind or crowd noise
• Venues where echo cancellation causes audio artifacts

Per-Person Venue Mode

Per-Person Venue Mode lets you apply venue audio processing to individual team members instead of everyone at once. This is useful when one specific person is in a noisy location (e.g. on the arena floor) while others are in a quiet production booth.

How It Differs from Show-Wide Venue Mode

• Show-wide Venue Mode (amber button) — changes audio processing for ALL connected users simultaneously
• Per-Person Venue Mode (🏟 icon per card) — targets only the selected team member's microphone

How to Use

1. Connect to voice comms as a Producer or Director
2. Find the team member who needs venue audio processing
3. Click the 🏟 icon on their team card
4. The icon glows amber when active for that person
5. Click again to deactivate

When to Use It

Use per-person venue mode when only some of your crew are in noisy environments. For example, your floor manager at a rodeo arena might need venue mode while your director in the production truck does not. Rather than changing everyone's audio, target just the person who needs it.

Crew Private Line (Crew Only)

The Crew Private Line is a separate voice channel that allows Producers, Directors, and crew to talk privately without talent/hosts hearing the conversation. This mirrors the IFB/party line system used in professional broadcast with hardware intercoms like Clear-Com and RTS.

How It Works

When a Producer or Director activates Crew Only, the system creates a show-wide private channel. All producers, directors, and crew in that show are automatically switched to the private line. Talent and hosts are removed from the conversation and cannot hear anything on the crew line.

Activating Crew Only

1. Connect to voice comms
2. Click the purple Crew Only button in the voice panel
3. The button changes to Crew Connected with a pulsing purple indicator
4. All eligible team members are automatically pulled into the crew channel

Deactivating

Click Crew Connected again. Everyone returns to the main channel and talent can hear the team again.

Important Details

• Crew Only is show-wide — when any Producer/Director activates it, everyone switches together
• If a new team member joins voice while Crew Only is active, they are automatically placed on the crew line
• Talent roles (Host, Anchor, Reporter, etc.) never see the Crew Only button and cannot join the crew line
• The Crew Only button also appears on the Director/Producer Remote App for mobile control

Emergency Join Links

Emergency Join Links allow a Producer or Director to quickly bring in a last-minute crew replacement during a live broadcast — no need for them to navigate through the normal show selection process.

Generating a Link

1. During a live show, click the link icon in the producer/director header toolbar
2. A URL is copied to your clipboard containing the show ID and emergency flag
3. Send this link to the crew member via text, email, or messaging app

What the Crew Member Experiences

• They click the link and log in (or are already logged in)
• They bypass the normal show selection and load directly into the live show
• The show's current state is preserved — they see ON AIR status, current segment, and timing
• The producer receives a toast notification that the crew member has joined

Network Quality Indicators

Every voice-connected team member's card displays a small colored dot showing their real-time connection quality. This helps you identify who might be having network issues during a live show.

Dot Colors

What Affects Quality

• WiFi signal strength — weak WiFi at a venue causes packet loss
• Cellular data — mobile data can have variable latency
• Network congestion — many devices on the same network
• Distance — international connections (e.g., England to US) have higher latency

Quality is checked every 5 seconds and the dot updates automatically. If someone shows a persistent red dot, they may need to move closer to a WiFi access point or switch to a wired connection.

Show-Scoped Voice

Voice communications in Broadcast Control are show-scoped — this means each show has its own separate voice room. People on different shows cannot hear each other, even if they are in the same organization.

Why This Matters

On the Teams plan, you can run multiple simultaneous shows. Show-scoping ensures that the crew on Show A only hears the crew on Show A. The director on Show B has a completely separate voice channel.

Important Requirement

How to Verify

When connected to voice, the voice panel header shows the name of the show you're connected to. If it shows your organization name instead of a show name, disconnect, open the correct show, and reconnect.

Talent App

The Talent App is a dedicated mobile-first companion for on-air talent — hosts, anchors, reporters, presenters, and other on-air roles. It provides a streamlined interface focused on what talent needs before and during a show.

Who Gets the Talent App

Users assigned any of these roles are automatically routed to the Talent App on login: Host, Anchor, Reporter, Correspondent, Presenter, Commentator, Narrator, Emcee, MC, Speaker, Worship Leader, Pastor, or Talent. Non-talent users who navigate to the Talent App URL see a message directing them to the Crew App instead.

Schedule Tab

• Quick stats — shows today, this week, and pending confirmations
• Assignment cards with show title, date, time, role, and location
• Confirm and Decline buttons for pending assignments
• Show Details modal with full crew count and Google Maps link

Live Show Tab

• Show header with LIVE/OFF AIR badge and current segment
• Full segment list with status indicators — LIVE (red), NEXT (green), DONE (gray)
• Tap any segment to open the script editing panel with host notes
• Floating format toolbar for Bold, Italic, and Highlight
• Private notes that save locally on your device (not synced to server)
• Pulsing red dot on the tab when a show is live

Field Teleprompter

The most powerful feature for talent in the field. Opens a full-screen prompter on your phone showing the current segment's script.

• Producer controls scroll speed and start/stop remotely (talent doesn't need to touch anything)
• Font size controls for readability
• Mirror mode for teleprompter glass setups
• Time warning borders — green (plenty of time), orange (under 1 minute), red pulsing (overtime)
• Auto-advances when the producer moves to the next segment

AI Writing Assist

Tap the AI button in the script panel to get AI help with your script. Quick options include Improve Flow, Add Transition, Shorten, and Add Emphasis.

Voice Comms

The Talent App includes voice comms. Select your show in the Voice tab, then connect. Remember: talent hears only Producers and Directors — this is by design to prevent crew chatter from reaching on-air talent.

Notify Producer

After editing a script, tap Notify Producer of Updates to send an instant notification to the producer's screen showing which segment you changed.

Traffic Scheduler

The Traffic Scheduler is part of the Sponsorship & Traffic Suite (Teams plan). It manages digital signage, content scheduling, and live source routing for venue screens, livestreams, and 24/7 channels.

Screens Tab

Define your display screens and zones. Each screen represents a physical display (e.g., "Outdoor Screen", "Lobby TV", "Doc Bar"). Screens can have multiple zones for split-screen layouts.

Playlists Tab

Build content playlists from your asset library. Drag and drop to reorder items, set duration per item. Playlists loop automatically during scheduled time blocks.

Schedule Tab

The daily programming grid. Create time blocks and assign playlists or live sources to screens and zones. The schedule tells BC Bridge what to play on each screen and when. Shows the current day with a "TODAY" badge and supports future date scheduling.

Each schedule entry card has four action buttons on hover: Duplicate (copy the entry to a new time), Activate/Deactivate (toggle without deleting), Edit (pencil icon — opens the entry pre-populated so you can change time, zone, or content without deleting and recreating), and Delete. The edit button is particularly useful during live events when you need to adjust a time slot quickly.

Live Sources Tab

Manage live video inputs — NDI streams from BC Bridge, RTMP feeds from OBS/vMix/Wirecast, HLS streams, and WebRTC sources. Each source gets a unique stream key for RTMP ingest. When a live source is active, it automatically overrides the scheduled playlist.

RTMP Ingest (Zero Download)

Any BC subscriber can stream live to their screens using standard broadcast software:

1. Create a Live Source and select "RTMP" type
2. Click "Generate Stream Key"
3. Copy the Server URL (rtmp://broadcastcontrol.io/live) and Stream Key into your encoder
4. Start streaming — player screens detect the stream automatically

BC Bridge Desktop App

BC Bridge is a Windows desktop application that runs on your venue laptop. It reads the Traffic Scheduler, captures NDI camera feeds, and delivers content to every screen automatically — sponsor playlists, live camera feeds, HDMI outputs, and simultaneous YouTube/Facebook streams. It also handles fallback graphics, content overrides, and zero-click recovery after power outages.

System Requirements

BC Bridge runs on a dedicated Windows venue laptop connected to your local network alongside your NDI cameras and BirdDog decoders.

Minimum laptop specs:

• Windows 10 or Windows 11 (64-bit)
• Intel Core i5 or i7 — 7th generation or newer (i7 strongly recommended for two or more simultaneous zones)
• 16GB RAM minimum
• 256GB SSD — sponsor asset cache uses 2–10GB depending on library size; HLS preview segments are negligible and constantly overwritten
• Available USB-C, HDMI, or ethernet port

Network requirements:

• No AP isolation between the venue laptop and NDI source devices. This is the single most common venue network issue — if NDI sources do not appear in BC Bridge, AP isolation is almost always the cause.
• NDI ports open: TCP and UDP 5960–5970 must be open on the venue network for NDI to flow between devices.
• Wired ethernet strongly preferred for NDI — a gigabit wired connection handles multiple zones of full 1080p NDI simultaneously with no issues.
• WiFi minimum: 150 Mbps local device-to-device throughput for full NDI. Note: your internet speed is not the same as local WiFi throughput — a "fast" venue WiFi may still be too slow for NDI between devices.
• iPhone hotspot fallback: If the venue network blocks NDI, iPhone personal hotspot works as a reliable alternative. Hotspot creates a local network with no AP isolation and supports NDI reliably — confirmed working at multiple real-world locations.
• Internet upload: Minimum 5 Mbps upload for YouTube streaming at standard quality; 10+ Mbps recommended for 1080p.

Storage notes:

• Sponsor assets are downloaded from the server once and cached locally — typically 2–5GB for a full sponsor library. Download before arriving at the venue if possible.
• House-format normalized copies (transcoded to H.264 + AAC 44100Hz) add roughly the same size again to the cache. This happens automatically on first download.
• HLS preview segments (~1MB per zone) are constantly overwritten — they never accumulate.
• Nothing is recorded or archived. BC Bridge plays live only.

Download & Install

1. Go to the Live Sources tab in the Traffic Scheduler
2. Click the Download for Windows button in the BC Bridge banner
3. Run the installer — Windows may show a SmartScreen warning; click More info → Run anyway
4. BC Bridge installs to your Programs folder and creates a desktop shortcut automatically
5. Launch BC Bridge and log in with your BC account credentials (same email and password as broadcastcontrol.io)

NDI Sources Tab

The NDI Sources tab automatically discovers all NDI sources on your local network. This includes cameras using NDI HX (iPhone NDI HX Camera app, Marshall, PTZ cameras), Tricaster program outputs, vMix, Livestream Studio NDI outputs, and any other NDI-capable device.

• Click Go Live on any source to begin bridging it through BC Bridge. A live source record is created automatically in your Traffic Scheduler with the correct NDI source name.
• If a live source record already exists for that NDI source name, BC Bridge reuses it — no duplicate records are created.
• Click Stop to end the bridge for that source.
• If a source is not appearing, confirm AP isolation is disabled and NDI ports 5960–5970 are open. NDI uses mDNS for discovery — some networks block mDNS between devices.

Screen Outputs Tab

The Screen Outputs tab is the main playout control panel. It shows all your zones, today's schedule, real-time playout status, HDMI output controls, and the streaming panel.

Starting playout:

1. Switch to the Screen Outputs tab
2. Click Start Playout
3. BC Bridge fetches today's schedule from the server and begins playing content on all configured zones immediately
4. NDI outputs appear on the network within a few seconds — visible in BirdDog Central and NDI Studio Monitor

Zone status cards show:

• Current content name and zone color dot
• FPS and cumulative frame count (updated every 5 seconds)
• Number of active BirdDog or NDI receivers watching this zone's output
• A pulsing red LIVE dot when playout is running

HDMI output: Each zone card includes a display dropdown. Select a connected monitor and click Output to open a fullscreen borderless window on that display with the zone's content playing at full quality and audio. Press Escape to close the output window.

Playout Log: The log panel at the bottom of the Screen Outputs tab shows real-time engine events — schedule switches, pipeline starts, fallback triggers, audio events, and errors. Use the Copy button to copy the full log for troubleshooting.

Today's Schedule: Below the zone cards, BC Bridge shows each zone's scheduled blocks for today with time ranges and content type badges (blue for PLAYLIST, red for LIVE). This updates automatically as the day progresses.

Per-Zone RTMP Streaming

Each zone can stream its content to YouTube Live, Facebook Live, Twitch, or any custom RTMP destination — simultaneously with NDI output and HDMI. The stream starts automatically with playout and stays connected all day through playlist changes, live source switches, and fallback graphic events.

To configure streaming for a zone:

1. In the Screen Outputs tab, click the Streaming button on the zone card
2. Enable the destination (YouTube, Facebook, Twitch, or Custom)
3. Paste your stream key from the platform's live dashboard
4. Optionally add a stream title
5. Click Save — the stream starts automatically next time playout begins

The RTMP restreamer reads BC Bridge's local HLS output and pushes to your destination using stream copy (no re-encoding), so CPU overhead is minimal. YouTube viewers see content within 10–15 seconds. The stream stays connected when BC Bridge switches between a playlist and a live camera — no reconnection needed.

Fallback Image

When a live NDI source drops — camera disconnects, iPhone NDI app closes, network interruption — BC Bridge switches to a fallback holding graphic on all outputs simultaneously: NDI to BirdDog decoders, HDMI displays, and the YouTube/RTMP stream. Viewers see a holding graphic rather than black or a stream end.

To set your fallback image:

1. In the Screen Outputs tab, find the Fallback Image section in Automation Settings
2. Click Browse and select a JPG, PNG, or BMP file
3. The path is saved and persists across restarts

Use a branded "Be Right Back" graphic with your event or sponsor logo. If no fallback image is set, BC Bridge shows solid black.

Fallback timing: BC Bridge detects a dropped source via a 30-second frame stagnation watchdog. Fallback appears on all outputs within 30–40 seconds of the source dropping. When the source returns, BC Bridge automatically reconnects and resumes the live feed within 15–25 seconds.

Override System

The override system lets you immediately switch a zone to a specific playlist regardless of what the schedule says — useful for unplanned changes during a live event.

1. In the Screen Outputs tab, select a playlist from the override dropdown on a zone card
2. Click Apply Override — the zone switches immediately
3. The schedule is paused for that zone until you clear the override
4. Click Clear Override to return to scheduled content — BC Bridge resumes the correct entry within 10 seconds

Outputs Tab (Traffic Sheet)

The Outputs tab in the Traffic Sheet provides a browser-based monitoring view of BC Bridge — accessible from any device on your network or remotely over the internet.

Zone card status badges:

• LIVE (red) — NDI bridge is active, live camera feed is playing
• PLAYLIST (blue) — sponsor/content playlist is playing
• STANDBY (amber) — fallback holding graphic is showing (NDI source dropped)
• IDLE (grey) — no pipeline running on this zone

Each card shows a live HLS preview window, health dots for the FFmpeg/NDI/HLS processes (green = healthy, red = issue), uptime, and current content name. Use the Monitor button to unmute a zone's preview audio — only one zone can be monitored at a time.

When a source drops, a red SOURCE DROPPED — showing fallback banner appears on the zone card and clears automatically when the source returns.

Auto-Recovery

Enable both automation settings for full zero-click recovery at venue deployments:

• Launch on Windows startup: BC Bridge opens automatically when the computer boots via a Windows Registry entry. Works reliably after Windows updates or unexpected reboots.
• Auto-start playout on launch: BC Bridge begins playing scheduled content 3 seconds after opening, using saved login credentials. No manual interaction needed.

With both enabled, the complete recovery sequence after a power interruption is: power on → enter Windows PIN → BC Bridge auto-launches → playout auto-starts → NDI outputs appear on network → screens are live.

BirdDog Central Integration

BC Bridge outputs named NDI sources on your local network — one per zone. For example: LOADEDTV-LAPTOP-1 (BC-Outdoor-Screen) and LOADEDTV-LAPTOP-1 (BC-Doc-Bar). BirdDog Central discovers these and lets you route them to BirdDog Flex or other NDI decoder hardware connected to venue screens.

Setup in BirdDog Central:

1. Open BirdDog Central on the venue network
2. In the Sources panel, locate BC Bridge's NDI outputs (listed as LAPTOP-NAME (BC-ZoneName))
3. Drag each source to the decoder for that screen
4. Done — the decoder receives full-quality video and audio over the local network

The NDI source name stays constant regardless of what is playing — playlist, live feed, or fallback graphic. BirdDog routing is configured once and never needs to change during the event. Only the content changes.

Live Source Management

Live sources are records in the Traffic Scheduler representing live video inputs — NDI cameras via BC Bridge, RTMP feeds from OBS or vMix, or HLS streams. Once a live source record exists, it can be scheduled like any other content block.

Creating a Live Source via BC Bridge (Recommended)

The easiest way to create a live source for an NDI camera is through the BC Bridge app:

1. Open BC Bridge → NDI Sources tab
2. Click Go Live on the camera you want to use
3. BC Bridge creates a live source record on the server automatically with the correct NDI source name and type
4. The source appears in Traffic Sheet → Live Sources with an NDI badge
5. You can now schedule it in the Schedule tab

Live source records persist permanently — you only need to create them once. On subsequent event days, press Go Live in BC Bridge and existing schedule entries will pick up the same source automatically.

NDI Source Naming — Critical Detail

The NDI Source field in a live source record must exactly match the name the camera or device broadcasts on the network — character for character including capitalization and spaces. If the name does not match, BC Bridge cannot reconnect when the source returns after a dropout.

Examples of exact NDI source names:

• IPHONE 3082 (HX Camera) — iPhone using the NDI HX Camera app
• TRICASTER-1 (Program) — Tricaster program output
• VSMITH-PC (vMix - Output 1) — vMix NDI output
• LOADEDTV-LAPTOP-1 (NDI - Program) — Livestream Studio NDI output

The display Name field (shown in Traffic Sheet) can be anything friendly — "Main Camera", "Balloon Cam", "Arena Feed". Only the NDI Source field must be the exact broadcast name.

Creating via Traffic Sheet (RTMP Sources)

For RTMP sources from OBS, vMix, or Wirecast:

1. Go to Traffic Sheet → Live Sources tab
2. Click + Add Live Source
3. Select type RTMP
4. Click Generate Stream Key — BC creates a unique key and displays the server URL
5. Enter the server URL and stream key into your encoder's streaming settings
6. Start streaming — the source automatically goes live in Traffic Sheet when your encoder connects

Editing a Live Source

To correct an NDI source name or update any live source setting:

1. Go to Traffic Sheet → Live Sources tab
2. Click the Edit button on the source card
3. Update the NDI Source name field and/or other fields
4. Click Save

Deleting a Live Source

Click the delete button on a live source card. Any schedule entries referencing the deleted source will show an error when BC Bridge tries to play them — update or remove those schedule entries after deleting the source.

Venue Deployment Checklist

A practical checklist for deploying BC Bridge at a live event venue.

Before You Arrive

• ✅ Confirm network with venue IT: no AP isolation, NDI ports 5960–5970 (TCP + UDP) open
• ✅ Get BirdDog decoder IPs for each screen and update playout_config.json with correct IPs and enabled: true
• ✅ Update schedule entry dates to actual event dates in Traffic Sheet → Schedule
• ✅ Set a branded fallback image in BC Bridge → Automation Settings → Browse
• ✅ Regenerate your YouTube stream key in YouTube Studio before every event
• ✅ Cache sponsor assets on fast home internet before going to the venue
• ✅ Test auto-recovery: restart the laptop, confirm playout starts automatically within 60 seconds
• ✅ Prepare iPhone hotspot as a fallback if venue network is unreliable for NDI

On Arrival — Setup

• ✅ Connect venue laptop to wired ethernet if available
• ✅ Open BC Bridge → NDI Sources tab, confirm cameras appear on the network
• ✅ If sources don't appear — check AP isolation; try iPhone hotspot fallback
• ✅ Start playout: BC Bridge → Screen Outputs → Start Playout
• ✅ Open BirdDog Central → drag each BC Bridge NDI output to its decoder
• ✅ Confirm video is appearing on physical screens
• ✅ Open Traffic Sheet → Outputs tab, confirm all zones show PLAYLIST (blue) with green health dots
• ✅ Confirm YouTube stream shows Excellent quality in YouTube Studio Live Control Room

Live Camera Test (Do This Before the Event Starts)

• ✅ Click Go Live in BC Bridge NDI Sources tab for your main camera
• ✅ Confirm schedule switches to live camera feed at the scheduled time
• ✅ Test fallback: close NDI camera app, wait 30–40 seconds, confirm fallback image appears and YouTube stays connected
• ✅ Reopen NDI app, wait 15–25 seconds, confirm live feed resumes automatically
• ✅ Confirm Outputs tab shows fallback alert banner when source is dropped, clears when it returns

Network Fallback — iPhone Personal Hotspot

If the venue network blocks NDI and IT cannot resolve it:

1. Enable Personal Hotspot on an iPhone (Settings → Personal Hotspot)
2. Connect the venue laptop and all NDI camera devices to the iPhone hotspot WiFi
3. iPhone hotspot has no AP isolation — NDI works immediately
4. BC Bridge's low-bandwidth mode activates automatically for WiFi sources

Post-Show AI Report

After ending a live show, Broadcast Control can generate an AI-powered analysis of your show's performance using data from the live session.

How to Generate

1. End your live show
2. Open the Show Analytics panel
3. Click Generate AI Insights
4. The AI analyzes your show data and produces a detailed report

What the Report Includes

• Overall Performance — summary of how the show went against plan
• Timing Analysis — which segments ran over or under, total over/under for the show
• Segment Analysis — which segments performed best/worst and why
• Recommendations — 3-4 specific, actionable suggestions for improving future shows
• Sponsor Value Note — if commercial breaks were included, analysis of viewership retention during sponsored segments

Using Insights

AI insights are saved to your session history and can be reviewed anytime. Use them in post-production meetings to discuss what worked, what didn't, and how to improve for next time.

Multi-Show Isolation

On the Teams plan, you can run multiple simultaneous productions. Broadcast Control ensures complete isolation between shows — nothing from one show leaks into another.

What's Isolated

• Rundown & segments — each show has its own segment list, completely independent
• Live status — going live on Show A does not affect Show B
• Voice communications — each show has its own voice room; crew on different shows cannot hear each other
• Teleprompter — each show's teleprompter displays its own scripts
• Live audience analytics — viewer counts and comments are tracked per show
• Timing — each show's timing dashboard runs independently

How It Works

When you open a show, you join that show's dedicated room on the server. All events — segment updates, voice audio, live status changes — are scoped to that room. Other shows in your organization operate in their own rooms simultaneously.

Installing on Mobile Devices

Broadcast Control works as a Progressive Web App (PWA) — you can install it on your phone's home screen for a native app-like experience with no app store download required.

Installing on iPhone / iPad

1. Open broadcastcontrol.io in Safari
2. Log in to your account
3. Tap the Share button (square with arrow) at the bottom of the screen
4. Scroll down and tap Add to Home Screen
5. Tap Add in the top right
6. BC now appears on your home screen as an app icon

Installing on Android

1. Open broadcastcontrol.io in Chrome
2. Log in to your account
3. Chrome may show an "Install app" banner — tap Install
4. If no banner appears, tap the three-dot menu and select Add to Home screen or Install app
5. BC now appears on your home screen and in your app drawer

Benefits of Installing

• Full-screen experience without browser chrome (address bar, tabs)
• Quick access from your home screen
• Works the same as the browser version — all features available
• Voice comms and teleprompter work in the installed app