VisTool Virtual Radio Studio Environment

Virtual. Reality.

RADIO PRODUCTION AT YOUR FINGERTIPS

 

The radio studio of today is not the future. But you already know that. You’ve used productivity tools on your tablet and smartphone, and thought, “This is so easy and natural. Why can’t we run our radio studios with an app like this?” Congratulations: now you can.

With VisTool, the optional virtual UI for studio or remote applications, your operators finally have single-point access to all the tools they use daily. VisTool’s rich graphical GUI is instantly understandable, because it works the same way tablets and touchscreens do — intuitively, with control right at your fingertips.

VisTool can control all of Lawo’s powerful mixing engine platforms, including Power Core, Compact Engine and Nova17. Total power is just a touch away.

Customizable, context-sensitive mixing tools for multi-touch displays.

VisTool Manual

Let your imagination rule! Visit the Lawo Download Center to get the VisTool manual, and see what’s possible with VisTool.

CONTROL FREAKS, UNITE

Another remote-control app? Nope, VisTool is much more. Imagine a custom on-air cockpit, with call screening info, codec commands, loudness meters, timers, alerts, and other essential information, all rolled into one beautiful screen. Then, add control. Control of content delivery systems. Mixing functions. Routing. Streaming. Even devices with Web browser interfaces are right at home.

THE POWER OF TOUCH

Why are touchscreens good for radio? One word: immediacy. Touch makes operations faster and more intuitive, reduces complexity and adds context-sensitive, predictive control. Aviation, IT, banking, logistics and other industries that require split-second control have all proven that touch interfaces are the perfect way to give operators the right tools exactly when they’re needed most.

THE POWER OF TOUCH

Why are touchscreens good for radio? One word: immediacy. Touch makes operations faster and more intuitive, reduces complexity and adds context-sensitive, predictive control. Aviation, IT, banking, logistics and other industries that require split-second control have all proven that touch interfaces are the perfect way to give operators the right tools exactly when they’re needed most.

CLEAN UP THE CLUTTER

 

You might have noticed: today’s studios are choked with displays. There’s a screen for console meters, one for delivery software, yet another for phone queues, chat and Web apps. Talent’s trapped in a pixelated jungle. What if we could help thin that forest?

VisTool can. It consolidates everything, giving talent the all tools they need without the multi-monitor clutter. Which means fewer distractions. Better sightlines. And smoother shows. Some forward-thinking customers are even using VisTool to build console replacements — which opens a universe of possibilities. Controls can be context-sensitive. The console follows the user. Complex operations become one-button commands. VisTool lets you build the console of your dreams.

EMBER+ OPEN LOGIC FOR ALL.

Ember+ is rapidly becoming the de facto standard for networked control in the broadcast community. Like AES67, Ember+ is truly free and open. Proprietary protocols let you control a few specific devices, but VisTool with Ember+ gives you command of a huge number of products from an ever-expanding coalition — all driven by VisTool’s insanely flexible drag-and-drop Boolean logic engine. Here’s a list of forward-thinking broadcast companies who are committed to open control standards.

BUILD ONCE, USE EVERYWHERE

VisTool’s stationwide Snapshot Management system takes the pain out of studio configuration. Craft the ideal workspace using any PC (even the one at home). Then load that workspace in your studio — or in all your studios. No files to copy, no parameters to edit; build it once and use it everywhere. Or build personal snapshots for talent. If they log in from different studio, the workspace remains consistent. Every operator gets the tools that you want them to have (and none of the ones you don’t).

WINDOW TO THE WORLD

Impressed yet? There’s more. VisTool frames the Web, so you can build a control interface with things like news feeds, social media channels, live video streams, Webcams — literally anything that’s on the Web or in the cloud is just a touch away. Critical controls and meters remain docked on-screen, so talent can stay informed and interact instantly with listeners — while remaining focused on their shows.

ALL-ACCESS PASS

VisTool is a Chief Engineer’s dream: the ultimate remote-control app. You can view and control every studio parameter, in every part of your complex, from any Windows computer or tablet. Control multiple studios at once: VisTool’s multi-screen capability and touch interface make it incredibly easy. So easy, in fact, that many broadcasters rely on VisTool to administer their entire facility.

MORE APPLICATIONS

GET OUTSIDE THE BOX

Think VisTool is great for Radio? You’re right. But it’s so versatile, you can use it to build touch-ready GUIs for any broadcast operation: off-site studios, radio and TV remote vehicles, remote video production suites — even TV Master Control Rooms, thanks to flawless integration with Lawo’s VSM video control / monitoring system.

THE ULTIMATE STATUS SYMBOL

VisTool’s usefulness doesn’t stop at the studio door. It’s a Chief Engineer’s dream — perfect in TOCs, Master Control, your office, or any other place you need information fast. Add VisTool to your station’s AES67 network. Then, build detailed info screens that monitor loudness, confirm router states, meter critical audio feeds, and warn of potential problems. It’s a Virtual Command Center. And you’re the Commander-In-Chief.

MORE APPLICATIONS

YOUR VISION, OUR TOOLS

Let your creativity run wild. Vistool’s screen editor and vector-graphic object library is filled with meters, faders, rotary controls, buttons, clocks, timers and more. Put them on-screen, then attach pre-made functions. Or, write custom scripts with VisTool’s powerful logic engine. Build custom screens for everything you do: morning shows, talk shows, interview segments, live performances. Your imagination is the only limit.

EVEN MORE TOOLS

VisTool’s toolkit is crammed with every kind of control you can think of. Button panels. Routing selectors. Audio shaping tools. HTML frames. Video windows. Every kind of meter, from loudness to PPM. Timers. Clocks. All scalable, so they look fantastic whether your touchscreen size is S, M, XL or OMG. Still not enough? Design and import your own graphics for the ultimate custom workflow.

GET INSPIRED.

VisTool 5.0 is a mature Virtual Radio environment relied on daily by broadcasters around the world. Browse through the gallery below to see a few of the ways Lawo clients are putting VisTool to work.

VisTool Solo

Talent Panel Software

VisTool Solo is the perfect add-on for ruby, crystal and Power Core mixing / distribution systems – a lightweight GUI-builder software that lets you create graphical software control panels for producers, studio guests, hosts and operators. In conjunction with your studio mixing console, VisTool Solo turns Windowsâ„¢ tablets into powerful touchscreen talent panels.

LET YOUR TALENT TAKE CONTROL

VisTool SOLO provides a vector-based GUI toolkit filled with buttons, meters, switches, faders, timers and other objects you can use to build touchsensitive control panels. No more hardwired button panels needed — VisTool SOLO gives on-air talent a responsive, intuitive control environment that helps shows run smoother. The basic license allows allows creation of two context-sensitive VisTool SOLO pages and two overlays. Imagine the possibilities: custom panels for hosts, guests, producers and news stations, with the tools they need most. Headphone source selection. Mic on/off/mute buttons. Programmable event timers. Countdown clocks. Even virtual faders for peripheral audio devices. Control is just a touch away.

 

TO THE MAX: VISTOOL SOLO PLUS

Power users need powerful tools. VisTool SOLO Plus gives you that power, with quadruple the capabilities of the standard VisTool SOLO licence. With SOLO Plus, you can build as many as 8 pages of controls with 8 overlays. Up to 24 onscreen faders, 128 control buttons, 8 LUFS meters, 8 stereo PPM meters, and more — a powerful, compact way to ease complicated workflows.

 

PERFECT FOR ENGINEERS TOO

Of course engineers love VisTool SOLO. Imagine: immediate access to essential system controls and monitoring, any time, from anywhere. Perfect for remote control of routing crosspoints or program feed selection, or for custom program status displays with loudness metering and silence alarms to keep you fully informed at a glance. And VisTool SOLO is portable: with a Wi-Fi connection, your tablet with VisTool SOLO makes fast work of routing changes or checking program channel status from anywhere on campus. No wires to run, cables to snag or workstations to log into — just easy, intuitive control.

 

Key Advantages:

  • Works on common Windows-based touchscreen tablets
  • Enables design of custom, single-page multi-touch control screens
  • Build personal control pages tailored to talent’s unique workflows
  • Perfect for confidence displays, meter panels or routing controllers
  • Use supplied vector graphic library, or import custom graphics
  • Connects to AES67 studio network via LAN or Wi-Fi

FEATURES  + SPECIFICATIONS

VisTool (for PCs)
Features:*

VisTool comes in Standard and Unlimited versions. A VisTool Standard license is included with all Lawo mixing consoles and includes a number of standard, preset controls. VisTool Unlimited unlocks the full potential of VisTool and allows creation of custom GUI control screens to suit your specific needs.

VisTool Standard features include:

  • Real-time visualization and control of broadcast audio devices for single- or networked multi-studio applications
  • Intuitive, context-sensitive touch-enabled GUIs
  • Dynamically switch between a full-screen GUI, or docked / windowed mode
  • Networked device control via Lawo DMScontrol protocol
  • Global snapshots for recall of saved settings & screens from any studio
  • Multi-level user rights-management system tied to Windows login
  • Control elements include:
    • Input source selection and parameter controls
    • Meters (VU, PPM, Loudness, Channel, Gain Reduction)
    • Faders, sliders and rotary encoders
    • Comprehensive routing matrix source / destination controls
    • SDI group / stream selectors
    • Clocks and event timers
    • Monitor, PFL and Talkback controls

VisTool Unlimited includes all of the capabilities above, plus:

  • The ability to build context-sensitive custom control screens using Lawo’s extensive supplied graphics library
  • Allows use of imported custom graphics and controls
  • On-screen display of video thumbnails supplied by Lawo V_Line products
  • Internet modules for display of Web-based software / hardware controls and Web pages within custom screen layouts

For even more advanced applications, these feature modules may optionally be added to VisTool Unlimited at extra cost:

  • Sophisticated Boolean logic engine enables building of single-button, multi-step commands
  • Open-source Ember+ control of networked devices
  • Connect to and operate buttons on Lawo VSM control panels

*List shows all available features. Actual number of GUI elements available simultaneously is dependent upon PC resources.

 Software Requirements:

Download our Specifications document to see sample configurations and hardware requirements.

 

VisTool SOLO and VisTool SOLO Plus (for Windows tablets)
Features:*

VisTool SOLO comes in standard and SOLO Plus versions, each of which feature multi-touch enabled control and an intuitive GUI optimized for fast-paced radio workflows.

VisTool SOLO controls and displays:

  • 2 pages
  • 2 overlays
  • Large time-of-day clock + 3 event timers
  • 10 generic elements (Background, Graphics, Text)
  • 32 buttons (Box, Button)
  • 4 level controls (Fader, Slider, Rotary)
  • 2 stereo meters (PPM, PPM2, EmBER+ peak meter, EmBER+ PPM, EmBER+ VU
  • 2 correlation meters
  • 2 loudness meters
  • 2 loudness value labels
  • 2 LUFS value labels
  • 2 PPM value labels
  • 1 advanced element (web view)

VisTool SOLO Plus controls and displays:

  • 8 pages
  • 8 overlays
  • Large time-of-day clock + 3 event timers
  • 40 generic elements (Background, Graphics, Text)
  • 128 buttons (Box, Button)
  • 24 level controls (Fader, Slider, Rotary)
  • 8 stereo meters (PPM, PPM2, EmBER+ peak meter, EmBER+ PPM, EmBER+ VU
  • 8 correlation meters
  • 8 loudness meters
  • 8 loudness value labels
  • 8 LUFS value labels
  • 8 PPM value labels
  • 4 advanced elements (web view)

*List shows all available features. Actual number of GUI elements available simultaneously is dependent upon PC resources.

Software Requirements:

Runs on Windows tablets meeting these specifications:

  • Intel Atom® x5 4-core CPU with benchmark of 1,250 points minimum (based on mobile CPU ratings from www.cpubenchmark.net)
  • 16:9 full-HD screen resolution or better recommended
  • 64-bit Windows® 10 operating system
  • 4GB RAM or greater 64GB storage or greater
  • Network connection (LAN or Wi-Fi).

ASSOCIATED PRODUCTS

crystalCLEAR

crystalCLEAR

Virtual Radio Mixing Console.

Power Core

Power Core

Meet the Super Audio Node.

Compact Engine

Compact Engine

AES67 Audio Node with onboard DSP.