Composition Sources

Composition Sources allow you to create complex canvases and arrays, using any interactive source or direct source, that are not bound by zones. There are four types of composition sources:

• Picture-in-Picture: It allows you to create inset sources over a background source.

• Multi-Window: It is a simple way to create fixed grids of sources.

• Shelf-Vision: It is a specialty derivative of Multi-Window intended for certain use cases that displays content only in the top row of a grid.

These three sources carry some conditions that are important to note:

1. They do not support audio

2. They make use of existing sources

3. They can not be used inside one another - you cannot create a Picture-in-Picture inside Multi-Window, for example.

Command & Control is a complete user GUI for dynamically and easily managing and manipulating content on a video wall. It has its own Source and Audio management interface and is described on its own page.

Picture-In-Picture

Picture-in-Picture allows you to set a background source, and then add one or more sources as insets.

Creating a Picture-In-Picture Source

1. Click on the New Source option. From the drop-down menu select Picture-In-Picture and give it a name.

2. Select an existing source that will play in the background. This source will automatically scale to fit the entire display or zone.

3. Set a resolution for the background content. This only applies to Interactive sources, Direct sources are automatically scaled

4. Click on the Add Source button to open the Configure Inset Source dialog window.

5. Select an existing source to be an inset.

6. Set the X and Y position of the source (measured from the top-left corner) relative to the total display canvas. For example, if you want to place an inset close to the bottom-right corner, the X and Y coordinates may each read 60.

7. Set Width and Height percentages for the inset source. This is measured as a percentage of the total canvas. If we follow the above example and want to have our inset appear in the bottom-right corner, but leave some space between itself and that corner, then we might set both values to 30%.

8. Set a Resolution for the inset content. This only applies to Interactive sources, i.e., setting the resolution of the session they can interact with. Direct sources are automatically scaled.

9. Click OK to add more sources as insets. If you are finished, click OK again.

An example Inset Source Configuration

Results of the above configuration

This will create a Picture-In-Picture source, while the source is playing, it will create a number of virtual displays representing the active sessions. Virtual displays running Interactive sessions can be interacted with using these virtual displays.

Clicking a Virtual Display opens this window, where you can access Interactive Viewer

This will open Interactive Viewer in a separate tab. Close the tab to stop the remote interaction with the source.

To Create Transparent Overlays

Users can create sources with images that have transparent backgrounds to create customized screens. This is extremely helpful in cases where signage requires custom text or a logo on top of the background or to brand a video. Create a Signage Player source and add in a PNG image file with a transparent background, then choose that source as an inset.

Multi-Window

Multi-Window allows you to create sub-bezel fixed grids of sources in a display or zone - placing a 2x2 of content on a single zone, or a 3x3 on a 2x2 zone, or just about any combination.

Multi-Window sources can take a few seconds to start. Please wait up to 10 seconds before you make any changes after assigning a display or starting a Zone in the Multi-Window source.

Creating a Multi-Window Source

1. Click on the New Source option. From the drop-down menu select Multi-Window and give it a name.

2. Click on the Add Source button and select from the existing sources.

3. Enter the number of Rows and Columns to specify your desired grid. For example, 3 rows and 3 columns will create a 3x3 grid of 9 sources.

4. Enter the Width and Height in pixels.

   This only applies to Interactive sources and setting the resolution of the session they can interact with. Direct sources are scaled automatically.

5. Click OK to complete the process.

If you have created a grid and not assigned enough sources to it, then the remaining displays will show a black screen. For example, when you create a 3x3 grid but only assign 8 sources to it the remaining one display will show a blank screen.

Interaction with a Multi-Window source

This option opens the Interactive Viewer in a separate tab.

Close the tab to stop remote interaction with the source.

Shelf-Vision

Shelf-Vision is a derivative of Multi-Window, allowing you to display content in a continuous row across multiple displays. Rather than sources being added in a set grid, they are added one by one, to the right of the previous display.

Shelf-Vision was developed for specific use cases, please consult with a Userful Sales Engineer before making use of this source in the production environment.

Creating a Shelf-Vision Source

1. Click on the New Source option. From the drop-down menu select Shelf-Vision and provide it a name.

2. Select the Shelf-Edge Video Strips model depending on the available hardware.

3. Click on the Add Source button to select multiple source(s).

4. Click OK to complete the process.