15.2 The Multi Viewer Interface (v.4.x)

Owned by Georg Deisting
Last updated: Nov 10, 2022
6 min read

The Multi Viewer Interface of Just Control is a single interface for the Tools On Air applications Just In (Linux and Mac), Just Live and Just Play and provides the following functions:

  • It allows viewing and controlling multiple Channels available from one or multiple instances on the same network.

  • It provides Realtime Video and Audio Previews from the Channels.

  • It provides access to the dedicated playout interfaces Just:live and just:play.

  • It provides access restrictions based on user rights.

  • It provides different Interface Layouts which can be assigned to one or several Users.

  • It provides additional functionality like Groups and a tabbed Channel View.

Channel View Area and Inspector

There is the main Channel Viewer Area (1) and the Inspector (2) on the right hand side of the Multi Viewer Interface.

Channel Viewer Area Layout

The Channel Viewer Area (1) is layout can be user defined, which means it may look different on your machine. This depends on which grid layout you have selected and afterwards which 'splits' and 'joins' you were using to customize your grid.

The Inspector

The Inspector (2) has the following tabs.

Settings

Shows all the settings of the selected channel, which can be changed while the channel is On Air. Please refer to chapter 14. Just Control MultiViewer - Settings Tab for more information.

Groups

A group consisting only playout channels can be used, to execute the jump to next for all channels with a single mouse click.

  • Click Add Group to make a new Group.

  • Click on the name of the Group to rename the Group.

  • Add a channel to an existing Group by drag and drop of channel viewer onto an existing Group.

  • Add a Shortcut to a Group by clicking on “none” or the existing shortcut and press the keys you would like to use to select all channels quickly in this particular group.

  • Select the Group and press the Delete button on your Keyboard to delete the Group.

Connections

Shows all available Devices and Channels and their Status.

  • Double-Click a Device to open the Just Control Configuration window.

  • Double-Click a Channel (or select the channel and press the Disconnect button) to remove the channel from the viewer it is assigned to.

Markers

Allows to insert Markers into the recording file (Just In only).

Open and Close the Inspector

When the Inspector is closed, you see different icons (top to bottom: Settings, Groups, Connections, Markers). Click them to open the Inspector and to access the desired tabs directly. The last opened tab is marked.

When the Inspector is opened, click the x in the tab bar to close the Inspector.

Multi Viewer Grid

After the first launch of Just Control, you will see a single window showing the channel which has been generated using the Channel Wizard. But the Viewer can show up to 64 channels at the same time, it does not matter whether they are Ingest or Playout Channels. This can be done by simply splitting a single window into 4 windows, or by defining a complete new Grid Layout.

Selecting a Grid Layout

The dimensions of the grid defined here should match as close as possible the aspect ratio of the computer display you would like to use to control the channels.

Open the Just Control user interface and chose a Grid Layout. Use the mouse to select the appropriate number of Channel Viewers and then single click when you're done. Here are some examples:

Basic 2x2 Grid Layout

In this example we use a 2x2 layout. If the connection to your engine has already been established, you may now connect Channels from the Connections tab.

Splitting and Joining

Each Channel Viewer can be further split or joined.

Splitting

Select a Channel Viewer and use the keyboard shortcut command + shift + s to split the selected Channel Viewer to four new Channel Viewers.

Before Splitting

After Splitting

Splitting to Any

Use the keyboard shortcut command + option + shift + s to select a new Channel Layout for the currently selected Channel Viewer.

Joining

Join Channel Viewers by using the keyboard shortcut command + shift + j. Please note that joining is only possible for previously splitted Channel Viewers.

Before Joining

After Joining

Menus and Shortcuts

The following menus and shortcuts are available while using the Multi Viewer Interface:

Just Control

  • About Just Control shows the current version and credits.

  • Preferences (cmd-comma) opens the Just Control Preferences.

  • Log Out username (alt-cmd-Q) allows you to log out the current user and to log in with another existing user.

  • Quit Just Control (cmd-Q) Quits Just Control.

View

  • Disconnect (shift-cmd-D) disconnects the currently selected channel from the viewer.

  • Disconnect All And Reset Layout (alt-shift-cmd-D) disconnects all channels from all Viewers and allows defining a new Grid Layout.

  • New Multi Viewer Layout Template (alt-shift-cmd-T) allows saving the current Multi Viewer Layout using a certain name. The Layout will be automatically assigned to the current user.

  • Split to 4 (2x2) (shift-cmd-S) splits the currently selected viewer into 4 viewers.

  • Split To Any (alt-shift-cmd-S) allows defining a new Grid Layout for the currently selected viewer.

  • Join (shift-cmd-J) joins 4 viewers into one (in case only one is used and selected).

  • Markers show the currently available Markers (Just In only).

  • Groups show the currently available Groups.

  • Show Inspector (cmd-I) Opens or closes the Inspector window.

  • Show Settings, Groups or Connections shows the corresponding Inspector tab.

  • Clear All Warnings and Errors (ctrl-W) clears all warnings and errors also from the On Air window overlay.

  • Audio Monitor (alt-cmd-A) Allows listening to the outgoing audio.

  • Clear All Audio Peaks (shift-cmd-A)Audio Peaks shown for a certain channel can be cleared.

  • Enter Full Screen (ctrl-cmd-F).

Channels

  • Show Configuration Panel (alt-cmd-comma) opens the Just Control Configuration window.

  • Open Control Tab *1 (cmd-O) opens the dedicated user interface.

  • Jump to Next/Play Next *1 (alt-cmd-J) executes Jump to/play Next for the selected channel(s).

*1 Only available in case a playout channel is selected in the Multi Viewer Interface.

Window

  • Close (cmd-W) closes the selected window or tab.

  • Minimize (cmd-M) minimizes the selected window or tab into the Dock.

  • Zoom brings the window in the maximum size depending on the screen.

  • Tile Window tiles the selected window to the left or the right side of the screen.

  • Show Previous Tab shows the content of the previous tab.

  • Show Next Tab shows the content of the next tab.

  • Multi Viewer (cmd-O) opens the Multi Viewer Interface in case you closed it before.

  • Bring All to Front brings all open windows to the front.

Help

  • Just Control Help brings you to the ToolsOnAir User Guide Central.

→ Use the sidebar to navigate.