Tech Thursday: Elgato Stream Deck

One look at the Elgato Stream Deck, and most people would never guess the powerhouse behemoth contained within this small, roughly 4.6” by 3.3” black plastic box. For us non-technical types, the Stream Deck is a customizable control pad that can control multiple machines – think of it as the ultimate remote control - and for the techies among us, it’s a now essential piece of equipment that can make life easier on a show site.

Events By Image’s Director of Creative Development, Jesse Cole Guthery, first encountered the Companion software running on the Stream Deck while managing one of EBI’s international events in Spain. Although Elgato originally developed the Stream Deck for live streaming and it remains very popular with gamers, it was being utilized in a production setting and Guthery quickly realized the potential for the equipment to be used in a scalable fashion for all types of live productions.

Thanks to the open source software and a community of developers, the Companion software is constantly being updated and improved, allowing the Elgato Stream Deck to work seamlessly with a wide variety of presentation and playback software, as well as professional broadcast and event equipment.

“There’s a great community of open-source developers that is building and adding to Companion all the time,” said Guthery. “If Companion didn’t exist, we wouldn’t be able to use Stream Deck in the capacity that we do for our production purposes. When I saw it being used in Spain, I knew that it was a tool that I wanted to test out and incorporate into our existing workflow.”

For a live production, the Stream Deck replaces or expands multiple control surfaces or “desks” and allows technicians the ability to have one panel to control multiple devices at the same time or create a chain of action from multiple devices with one button push. Prior to introducing the Stream Deck into EBI’s toolbox, the manufacturer control units or surfaces were still used during event productions. These were master controls for individual pieces of equipment, but not an “umbrella” solution that allowed networked items to be managed simultaneously from one control unit.

Now, whether it’s a massive production or scaled back show with a minimal footprint, the Stream Deck allows teams to minimize mistakes and eliminate redundancies. It’s user-friendly as well, currently coming in 6, 15 and 32 LCD keys configurations that can be pre-programmed and customized for almost any piece of equipment and any situation. And as the software is open-source anyone with some programming skills can build their own extensions to a previously uncontrolled device.

“It offers such a high level of flexibility,” Guthery said. “I can customize buttons, colors, settings, program-pages, etc. For example, I can turn off all the projectors in a room at the end of a day just with one touch of a button. And when you’re in the middle of a live show, you’re also minimizing the chance for mistakes when you’re simply looking for a color on a button versus numerous keys on a standard keyboard.”

Our team is always on the lookout for equipment that can streamline processes without cutting corners or increasing costs. The Companion software integrated with the Elgato Stream Deck is a perfect example of using a cutting-edge piece of technology in a unique way to bring our clients the very best in production technology.

Customizable buttons on the Elgado Stream Deck.

Installed Audiovisual Systems at the Venue: What to Consider

Installed Audiovisual Systems at the Venue: What to Consider

It might seem appealing to use the venue as a one stop shop – food and beverage, rentals and linens…and audiovisual.  Your venue might even offer you a discount for using their installed equipment.  But before you sign that contract, consider these three things to avoid surprises on event day.

System Capabilities

The first, and arguably most important, question to ask yourself is: Is this system capable of achieving the tasks that my event requires?  Not all equipment is created equal and permanent installations come with their own set of limitations.  Perhaps you have a keynote speaker, but the audio system was designed only to support music for a cocktail party. Maybe the screens that are installed aren’t oriented appropriately for the layout of the room that your group requires. Or possibly, your event space is configured with airwalls and you will lack the ability to control all aspects of your audiovisual elements.  In addition to the possibility of the equipment just not being the right fit for your event, it’s also possible that it’s simply outdated technology or was installed incorrectly.

Be sure to consult an audiovisual professional who can answer these questions for you and provide guidance about limitations or advantages of the installed audiovisual system.  Perhaps there are ways to boost or supplement the venue’s installed equipment that will meet your event requirements and budget.  A trusted audiovisual production partner can review your event program with you and ensure that you have everything you need for a successful event.

Staff & Technicians

The next question to ask yourself is: Will there be a professional on site who is adept at the technology on which we’re relying?  It’s your event and you’ve got a job to do, so will you have time to read instruction manuals or spend time on the phone with tech support?  Is your audiovisual knowledge sufficient enough to track down inputs and outputs or to decipher between different basic items such as varying computer port options? Something as simple as having a widescreen PowerPoint on an old square screen can effect the perception of preparedness. Subtle things such as video frame rates and aspect ratios from international presenters can cause unforeseen consequences. A thin margin separates failed events from successful ones, so don’t leave anything to chance – be sure to have knowledgeable audiovisual team on site to solve these problems for you or eliminate them to begin with.

On Site Problems

Another question you should ask yourself is: What if something goes wrong?

The reality of live event production is that things can go wrong, from a presenter who wants to add last minute content to possible equipment failure.  Unfortunately, technology is inherently flawed and can fail.  That is why, despite testing our equipment regularly and thoroughly, EBI utilizes redundancy of important equipment in our event productions.  But in the case of installed audiovisual systems, what are your options if something fails? If you are using an audiovisual production partner to supplement the venue’s audiovisual system, who is responsible for what in the event of failure?  These are important questions to consider in advance of your event, so open a dialogue with your trusted audiovisual production team and with the venue to have responsibilities communicated and a plan in place for a successful event.