Settings

Details the options available through the configuration and setting panels within the Audience Display software.

Accessing Settings

Accessing Settings

To access the settings panel, with the Audience Display open and running (see About) use the hotkey combination of CTRL-SHIFT-F12 (or, alternatively, CTRL-SHIFT-C). This will trigger the upper portion of the Audience Display (or Lower, depending on the Vertical Position setting) to flip to the settings pane as shown in the graphic. See "Shortcuts Tab" for more information regarding Keyboard Shortcuts.

To close the settings panel, either click the 'Close Config Panel' button or use the Quick menu by right-clicking on the application icon in the Taskbar. Note that all changes are immediately applied (with a few exceptions) and so changes are reflected as they are updated.

The settings panel (or Configuration Panel) is broken up into several Tabs which break out individual settings:

  • General - Provides access to basic settings, such as the current Language, Resolution, and the ability to check for updates.
  • Graphics - Provides most of the traditional settings for configuration of the graphics display of the Audience Display. This controls the current Preset level, Chroma, options for the Real-Time Display, and the Awards Display.
  • Video - Provides configuration of Animation Rendering (video rendering) and OBS Remote Audience Display Control.
  • Sounds - Provides the ability to play sounds either once or in a loop for configuring/testing audio systems.
  • NDI - Provides settings for NDI streaming of Audience Display video.
  • Shortcuts - Provides a list of all the keyboard shortcuts for the Audience Display

General Tab

General Settings allow for the change of global options such as Language and Display Resolution, and allows the Audience Display to query the local FMS for updates.

Language - Use this option to change the current language on the Audience Display (Please note that the config screen is ALWAYS in English). If you'd like to get the Audience Display to support a new language, contact FMS Support.

Resolution - The Audience Display only supports 720p and 1080p resolutions. This option allows you to select the desired resolution to use.

Check for Updates - This shows the current version of the Audience Display. Note that Audience Displays MUST match the exact version of FMS. Click "Check for Updates" to ask the Audience Display to query the local FMS server to ensure that the version of the Audience Display matches the version of FMS. If a new version of the Audience Display is available, this will allow the Audience Display to download and install the latest Audience Display installer provided on the local FMS server. At no time does the Audience Display access outside network resources (other than the FMS network).

Graphics Tab

The Graphics Tab provides localized graphics configuration settings for the Audience Display.

Presets

Presets allow for pre-configured mass settings changes. Selecting a Preset modifies specific configuration settings in specific ways. The following Presets are currently available:

  • [Default] Main Display - These are configurations settings for a Main Display. These settings are desirable for an Audience Display configured to serve the main display at a FIRST Robotics Competition event.
  • [Alternate] Web Display - These settings are for an Audience Display configured to display directly to the Web. This uses the web version of the Real-Time Scoring display as well as the web version of the Awards displays.
  • [Alternate] Champ Center Display - Do not use this setting unless directed by FIRST Staff. This preset may set additional internal settings that are not compatible with standard uses on Audience Displays.
  • [Alternate] Custom Settings - This will be used when specific settings have been altered from their preset state. It is completely allowed to change settings manually even when Presets are used, but this Preset setting will indicate that the current options no longer match Preset values.

Display Chroma

Display Chroma settings control what is done with any areas of the Audience Display that are reserved for the Chroma color, as well as setting the Chroma Color of the display. These settings are global to the application.

  1. Graphics Background Style - There are two primary options for this setting, and this setting only controls the Chroma shown on the Real-Time Scoring. When this setting is set to "Ranking Display", all Chroma settings are hidden.
    • Chroma Background - This is the default setting to allow all areas reserved for the Chroma to contain chroma elements.
    • Ranking Display - This option allows a Ranking Display to be shown in the main Chroma area of the Real-Time display. Primarily used for offseason events or for Audience Displays shown in the Pit. When Ranking Display is selected, the Alliance Hybrid View will show a FIRST LOGO in the chroma box instead of a chroma patch.
  2. Background Chroma Color - When the Chroma is used, this setting allows you to select the Chroma. The default Chroma is Fuchsia, also known as "Magic Pink", with the RBG values #FFFF00.
  3. Alliance Hybrid View Chroma Display Mode - The Hybrid Alliance Selection screen contains a Chroma, and this option allows the Chroma to be used or simply hide the chroma
    • [Default] Show Chroma - This option allows the Chroma to be shown on the Hybrid Alliance View.
    • [Flipped] Hide Chroma - This option removes the Chroma, and allows A/V production to place their own picture-in-picture box on the Audience Display in this location without using a Chroma.

Real-Time Display

These options change the look and feel of the Real-Time Display.

  1. Real-Time Score Type - There are two types of Real-Time score displays, and this setting chooses which one to show on the Audience Display. One is the default Full Width Display, and MUST be used on all in-house Audience Displays at a competition - this is non-negotiable. For web streaming, the alternate Web view may be used.
    • [Default] Full Width - This selects the default Full-Width bottom-third view of the Real-Time Display.
    • [Web] Center Third - This selects the Web-only version of the Real-Time Display bottom-third.
  2. FIRST Championship Center Screen - This is a check-box to indicate that this Audience Display is being used to display a special "Center Screen" for the FIRST Championships. Nobody knows what this does, but I promise it doesn't do what you think it does. Please don't use this option without first consulting FIRST HQ Support.
  3. Real-Time Score Horizontal - This setting allows you to indicate which side of the Real-Time display should have the Red Alliance shown. This option has NO EFFECT on elements of the Audience Display where red and blue are stacked, such as the Match Preview and Center Third Web display.
    • [Default] Red on Left - This option causes the Audience Display to display red elements on the Left-Hand side of the display.
    • [Flipped] Red on Right - You guessed it, this causes the Audience Display to display red elements on the Right-Hand side of the display.
  4. Real-Time Score Vertical - This setting allows you to select whether to show the Lower-Third on the Bottom of the display or the Top of the display.
    • [Default] Bottom of Screen - This option shows the Lower-Third elements on the ... lower-third ... of the display.
    • [Flipped] Top of Screen - You guessed it again, this causes the Lower-Third elements to be shown on the TOP of the display. This is used primarily at events where the lower elements of the screen might be occluded from view by some participants who may wish to see it (usually because of placement of the Audience Screen).

Awards Display

These options change the look and feel of the Awards Display lower-third.

  1. Award Display Type - This setting allows you to use one of the standard displays or the Web lower-third at events. The Web Display is ONLY recommended for use on web streams, it is not optimized for use on an LED or projection display.
    • [Default] FullScreen - This uses the Full-Screen Awards display. This is full-screen, and is the recommended view to use at Events.
    • [Alternate] Web Display - This uses the Web version of the Awards Display. This is a chroma display suitable for viewing on monitors on the web. This may NOT be used on the Main Display at Official Events.
    • [Alternate] Chroma Background - This uses a modified version of the Awards Display to contain the Awards Results within a chroma'd lower-third. This version has been optimized for use on LED and Projection displays.

Video Tab

The Video Tab provides options for rendering and controlling video sources on the Audience Display.

Animation

This option controls the video rendering capabilities of the Audience Display, primarily for displaying Match Results Animation cut-scenes. If using NDI, please refer to the NDI Tab documentation for limitations with these options.

  1. Animation Rendering Optimization - This setting controls what video rendering engine is used for playing videos with the Audience Display.
    • [Default] Minimize CPU Utilization - This setting uses a rendering engine which plays the video on a Windows Form layer above the Audience Display window, which allows the rendering to use extremely low processor utilization. This allows the video playback to be smooth even on lower-end systems. However, this does not allow applications such as VMix or OBS to capture the animation if application/window capturing is being performed.
    • [Alternate] Allow Window Capture - This setting uses a rendering engine which plays the video in a native WPF context within the main application space. This engine is compatible with VMix, OBS, and NDI rendering/capture/streaming, but uses significantly more CPU.

OBS Communication Support

No, this option doesn't do what you think it does. Do not use these options without explicit approval from FIRST HQ Support, as the improper use of this option can cause issues with Field Networking (which is a BAD THING).

  1. OBS Integration - This checkbox enables options for use with the FIRST Web Streaming Units. Do not use these options without explicit support from FIRST HQ.

Sounds Tab

You asked, we listened. The Sounds Tab provides a Sound Test feature to help test audio for A/V compliance. Each sound available to the Audience Display is listed in the drop-down, and can be played either a single time or in a loop. The buttons in the Sound Test area are self-explanatory, we'll not document these.

However, there are a few interesting elements to note:

  • Test Melody - In the drop-down is an option that is not available anywhere This is a fast-paced melody that plays without a break in the audio, and is intended to be played using the "Play Looped Sound" button.
  • SILENCE! - Yes, that's right, there's a few seconds of silence. Don't think about this too much, but it's probably not practical to use as a sound test. It's mostly used to immediately clear audio buffers within the Audience Display.

NDI Tab

This tab controls the NDI streaming settings within the Audience Display. With NDI Streaming enabled, NDI-compatible receivers can receive/view NDI streams with little impact to network performance and with very little CPU utilization on the receiver. NDI Tools can be found at https://www.newtek.com/ndi/applications/ and these include the NDI Studio Monitor (for previewing local NDI streams) and the NDI VLC Plugin to view NDI streams using VLC.

It is important to understand that NDI streaming involves scraping the rendered video output of the Audience Display and sending it over the network. This is an incredibly CPU intensive operation, and can only be done with the WPF native video renderer. Hence, when the NDI Output Mode is Enabled the Animation Rendering Optimization within the Video Tab is forced to  "[Alternate] Allow Window Capture". If any other setting is selected, NDI Output Mode is disabled. This also means that the CPU will be doubly taxed while video animations are playing. DO NOT enable NDI Output on a computer with limited CPU resources.

NDI Streaming Configuration - This controls NDI streaming settings.

  1. NDI Output Mode - This allows for enabling/disabling NDI streaming. NOTE: If this setting is Disabled when the Audience Display is launched, fully Enabling video streaming may require setting the mode to "Enabled" and then stopping and restarting the Audience Display.
  2. NDI Progressive Frame Rate Numerator - This controls the progressive streaming frame rate provided by NDI. NDI will stream the last grabbed frame at a specified rate calculated by dividing the Numerator provided by 1000. This is the rate that NDI will provide video updates to connected receivers. In order to set a rate of 59.94fps, for example, the numerator should be set to 59940. Consult with your A/V expert to determine the frame rate that should be output by NDI.
  3. NDI Frame Grab Interval - In order to not overwhelm the CPU, frames are allowed to be grabbed from the Audience Display at a specific interval (in ms). These frames are then provided to NDI to be streamed at the rate specified by the Numerator. A setting of 200 indicates that frames should be captured every 200ms (or 5fps). The lower the interval, the more frames per second, but the higher the CPU utilization. For the Audience Display, a high interval is acceptable EXCEPT in the case of displaying animations. Users of NDI may want to experiment with this to find the proper balance of CPU-induced-choppiness versus Low-Frame-Grab-Rate-choppiness in their resultant output.

Shortcuts Tab

This tab displays all of the keyboard shortcuts provided with the Audience Display. Now you can look up keyboard shortcuts from within the software!

Jump Menu

The Audience Display has a Jump Menu, accessible by right-clicking the Audience Display icon in the Taskbar. The Jump menu provides additional functionality not accessible anywhere else in the Audience Display. The Jump Menu may not be enabled if you're using Windows 10 Home Edition (a quick Google search on "Enable Jump Lists on Windows 10 Home" can help locate instructions), Ask HQ Support for help if you need additional help using the Jump Menu.