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Media Module

The Media module is 7CG's comprehensive solution for video, audio, and image playback. It provides professional-grade media management with support for transitions, seeking, looping, and real-time monitoring of active playback.

Overview​

The Media module allows you to:

  • Browse and search media files from your CasparCG server
  • Preview, cue, and load media to background layers
  • Play, pause, and seek through video and audio
  • Configure transitions (fade in/out) for smooth playback
  • Monitor active producers with real-time progress tracking
  • Add media to rundowns with all configured settings

Interface Components​

Active Producers Panel​

At the top of the media module, you'll see a live display of all currently playing media across channels and layers.

Features:

  • Real-time playback progress bars
  • Current time and remaining time display
  • Channel and layer indicators
  • Loop status badges
  • Pause/play status icons
  • Quick stop buttons for each active producer

Empty State: When no media is playing, displays "No active media playing"

Media Browser​

The main section displays your media library in a hierarchical tree structure:

Tree View:

  • Organized by folder structure
  • Expandable/collapsible directories
  • Thumbnail previews for video and image files
  • File type icons (video, image, audio)
  • Green highlight for currently selected item

Lazy Loading: Thumbnails load only when items become visible in the viewport for optimal performance.

Search and Filter​

Search Box:

  • Real-time search as you type
  • Searches file names across all folders
  • Case-insensitive matching

Filter Menu:

  • Video - MP4, WebM, Matroska video files
  • Audio - Audio format files
  • Image - PNG, PSD, and other image formats
  • Multiple filters can be active simultaneously
tip

Use Ctrl+F (Cmd+F on Mac) to quickly focus the search box and find media by name.

Playback Controls​

Load Controls (Top Toolbar)​

Preview (Currently disabled)

  • Preview media before loading

CUE - Next Frame icon

  • Load media to foreground (paused, ready to play)
  • Appears as "cued" in player state
  • Press Play to start instantly

CUE BG - Upload icon

  • Load media to background layer
  • Pre-loads content without displaying
  • Useful for seamless transitions
Cue vs. CUE BG
  • CUE: Loads media in a paused state, ready for immediate playback
  • CUE BG: Pre-loads media in background for smooth transitions

Playback Controls (Middle Toolbar)​

Play - Filled play icon

  • Start playing selected media
  • Applies configured transitions
  • Applies saved volume setting automatically

Pause/Resume - Pause/Play icon

  • Toggle between pause and resume states
  • Icon changes based on current state

Rewind (-5s) - Rewind icon

  • Seek backward 5 seconds

Stop - Stop icon

  • Stop current media playback
  • Applies transition out if configured

Fast Forward (+10s) - Fast forward icon

  • Seek forward 10 seconds

Add to Rundown - List icon

  • Adds selected media to rundown with all current settings
  • Includes transitions, delays, loop, and advanced options
  • Notes field shows configured parameters
Quick Workflow
  1. Select media from browser
  2. Configure transitions and settings
  3. Click "Add to Rundown" to save configuration
  4. Execute from rundown during live production

Settings and Configuration​

Transitions Button​

Opens the Transitions dialog to configure fade in and fade out effects.

Transition In (Fade In):

  • Applied when media starts playing
  • Smooth entrance effect

Transition Out (Fade Out):

  • Applied when media stops
  • Scheduled immediately after play command
  • Creates professional fade-outs

Available Transition Types:

  • Mix (crossfade)
  • Wipe
  • Slide
  • Push
  • And more CasparCG-supported transitions

Transition Parameters:

  • Duration (in frames)
  • Direction (for wipes and slides)
  • Easing functions
Best Practice

Configure both transition in and out for polished, professional-looking broadcasts. A 20-frame (0.8s at 25fps) mix transition works well for most content.

Advanced Settings​

Click the Advanced button to access detailed playback configuration:

Channel & Layer:

  • Channel - CasparCG output channel (default: 1)
  • Layer - Video layer within channel (default: 1)
  • Higher layer numbers appear on top

Timing:

  • Delay (ms) - Delay before playback starts (milliseconds)
  • Duration (ms) - Auto-stop after specified duration
  • Useful for timed sequences

Video Control:

  • Start Frame - Begin playback at specific frame number
  • In Frame - Trim in point (start frame of clip)
  • Length (frames) - Play only specified number of frames
  • Filter - Apply FFmpeg filters (e.g., color correction, effects)

Playback Options:

  • Loop - Repeat media continuously until stopped
Advanced Features

Frame-accurate control (In Frame, Length) requires understanding of your media's frame rate. Check your video properties in the CasparCG INFO system.

Player Settings (Gear Icon)​

Access global media player settings:

Volume Control:

  • Master volume slider (0.0 to 1.0)
  • Applies to CasparCG mixer
  • Saved preference, applied to all media playback
  • Real-time adjustment affects currently playing media
note

Volume setting is global and persists across application restarts. Set your preferred broadcast audio level here.

Workflow Examples​

Simple Video Playback​

  1. Select video from browser
  2. Click Play button
  3. Media plays on default channel/layer

Smooth Fade In/Out​

  1. Select media
  2. Click Transitions button
  3. Configure:
    • Transition In: Mix, 20 frames
    • Transition Out: Mix, 30 frames
  4. Click Play
  5. Media fades in smoothly
  6. Click Stop - media fades out

Prepared Cue for Live Show​

  1. Select media
  2. Click CUE button
  3. Media is loaded and paused
  4. At the right moment, click Play
  5. Media starts instantly (no load time)

Loop Background Video​

  1. Select looping video (e.g., motion background)
  2. Click Advanced button
  3. Enable Loop checkbox
  4. Click Play
  5. Video loops continuously until stopped

Delayed Playback​

  1. Select media
  2. Click Advanced button
  3. Set Delay: 5000 (5 seconds)
  4. Click Play
  5. Command is sent immediately, playback starts after 5s

Adding to Rundown with Configuration​

  1. Select media
  2. Configure transitions, loop, timing, etc.
  3. Click Add to Rundown button
  4. Entry appears in rundown with all settings
  5. Execute during show by triggering rundown entry

Seeking During Playback​

  1. Media must be playing
  2. Use Rewind (-5s) or Fast Forward (+10s) buttons
  3. Playback jumps backward or forward
  4. Useful for replaying segments or skipping ahead

Active Producers Monitoring​

The Active Producers panel shows real-time information for all playing media:

Display Information:

  • Clip Name - Full media file path
  • Channel-Layer - Output routing (e.g., "1-1")
  • Loop Badge - Indicates looping media
  • Play/Pause Icon - Current playback state
  • Progress Bar - Visual playback progress
  • Current Time - Elapsed playback time (MM:SS)
  • Remaining Time - Time until end (-MM:SS)

Actions:

  • Stop Button - Immediately stop specific producer
  • Stops playback on that channel/layer
  • Removes from active producers list

Use Cases:

  • Monitor multiple media playing simultaneously
  • Quick stop of specific layer without affecting others
  • Visual confirmation of what's currently on air
Multi-Layer Production

Use Active Producers to manage complex shows with multiple videos, graphics, and audio playing across different layers and channels simultaneously.

CasparCG Integration​

Commands Sent​

The Media module sends the following CasparCG AMCP commands:

LOADBG CLIP

  • Pre-loads media in background

LOAD CLIP

  • Loads media (cued, not playing)

PLAY [channel]-[layer] [clip]

  • Starts playback with optional transition

PAUSE [channel]-[layer]

  • Pauses current media

RESUME [channel]-[layer]

  • Resumes paused media

STOP [channel]-[layer]

  • Stops playback

CALL [channel]-[layer] SEEK [frames]

  • Seeks to specific frame (relative)

MIXER [channel]-[layer] VOLUME [value]

  • Adjusts audio volume (0.0 to 1.0)

Transition Support​

Transitions are applied using CasparCG transition parameters:

PLAY 1-1 video.mp4 MIX 20 EASEINSINE
  • MIX - Transition type
  • 20 - Duration in frames
  • EASEINSINE - Easing function

Volume Control​

Volume is applied before playback:

MIXER 1-1 VOLUME 0.8
PLAY 1-1 audio.mp3
info

Volume setting is saved to preferences and automatically applied to all media playback going forward.

File Format Support​

7CG supports all media formats that CasparCG can handle:

Video Formats:

  • MP4 (H.264)
  • MOV (ProRes, Animation)
  • AVI
  • WebM
  • Matroska (MKV)
  • DV
  • HAP codec

Image Formats:

  • PNG (supports transparency)
  • JPEG
  • TGA
  • PSD (Photoshop documents with layers)
  • BMP

Audio Formats:

  • WAV
  • MP3
  • AAC
  • FLAC
Performance Tip

For best performance, use:

  • Video: HAP codec or DNxHD in MOV containers
  • Images: PNG with transparency
  • Audio: Uncompressed WAV at your channel's sample rate

Keyboard Shortcuts​

While the Media module is active:

  • Space - Play/Pause selected media
  • Enter - Play selected media
  • Ctrl+Space - Stop playback
  • Left Arrow - Rewind 5 seconds
  • Right Arrow - Fast Forward 10 seconds
  • Ctrl+F - Focus search box
note

Keyboard shortcuts may vary based on your operating system and configuration.

Troubleshooting​

Media Not Appearing in Browser​

  1. Verify CasparCG server is running and connected
  2. Check CasparCG casparcg.config media-path setting
  3. Ensure media files are in CasparCG's media folder
  4. Click refresh or restart 7CG to reload media list

Playback Not Starting​

  1. Check connection status (Configuration > Connection)
  2. Verify channel and layer numbers are valid
  3. Ensure media format is compatible with CasparCG
  4. Check CasparCG server logs for errors

No Thumbnails Showing​

  1. Thumbnails generate on-demand when scrolling
  2. Scroll to item to trigger thumbnail load
  3. CasparCG thumbnail service must be running
  4. Check that media files aren't corrupted

Volume Not Changing​

  1. Verify saved volume setting in Player Settings
  2. Check that channel/layer numbers are correct
  3. Ensure CasparCG mixer is responding
  4. Test with: MIXER 1-1 VOLUME 0.5 in CasparCG CLI

Transitions Not Working​

  1. Verify CasparCG version supports transitions
  2. Check transition parameters (duration, type)
  3. Ensure framerate is correctly detected
  4. Some older CasparCG versions have limited transition support

Active Producers Not Updating​

  1. Check OSC connection (Configuration > Connection > OSC Port)
  2. Verify CasparCG is sending OSC feedback
  3. Restart 7CG to reinitialize OSC listener

Best Practices​

Production Workflow​

  1. Pre-show Setup:

    • Load all media into rundown with transitions
    • Test each entry before going live
    • Set global volume to appropriate broadcast level

  2. During Show:

    • Use rundown for primary playback control
    • Use media module for ad-hoc content
    • Monitor Active Producers panel

  3. Emergency Playback:

    • Keep media module visible for quick access
    • Use CUE for instant-start media
    • Know your emergency graphics locations

Performance Optimization​

  • Use appropriate codecs: HAP for alpha channel, DNxHD for quality
  • Organize folders: Group related content for faster browsing
  • Pre-cue key media: Load important clips to CUE before needed
  • Monitor Active Producers: Don't run unnecessary loops

Channel and Layer Strategy​

Typical Layout:

  • Layer 0-9: Background media and videos
  • Layer 10-19: Lower thirds and static graphics
  • Layer 20-29: Full-screen graphics
  • Layer 30+: Emergency messages and overlays

Multiple Channels:

  • Channel 1: Main program output
  • Channel 2: Preview/monitor output
  • Channel 3: Multiviewer or return feed
tip

Document your channel/layer strategy and share with your team for consistent operation.

Integration with Rundowns​

Media added to rundowns becomes a Command Block with the following properties:

Stored Configuration:

  • Media file path
  • Channel and layer
  • Transition in/out settings
  • Loop, delay, duration settings
  • Advanced parameters (in frame, length, filter)

Execution:

  • Triggers instantly when rundown entry is executed
  • All settings applied automatically
  • Can be grouped with other commands
  • Supports keyboard shortcuts and companion triggers

Benefits:

  • Repeatable sequences
  • Consistent timing
  • Pre-configured transitions
  • Team collaboration (shared rundown files)

Summary​

The Media module is the foundation of 7CG's content playback capabilities. Master it to:

  • Efficiently manage large media libraries
  • Create smooth, professional transitions
  • Monitor multiple simultaneous playback streams
  • Build reliable, repeatable rundown sequences
  • Execute flawless live productions

For advanced usage, combine the Media module with Lower Thirds, Bible, and Lyrics modules to create comprehensive broadcast graphics workflows.