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Not sure yet whether Bitfocus Companion fits your setup? See Bitfocus Companion on visualradioassist.live. The VRA Core module for Bitfocus Companion turns a Stream Deck, or any other Companion surface, into a control panel for the Core. It uses the Core API v2 and reads the Core’s state about once a second, so buttons show tally, on-air status and values.
  • Studio and Core: on air, recording, off air; Core activate, deactivate and reload configuration.
  • Signals, Audio Director, Camera Assist and macros, with state feedback. Automations show their state.
  • Cameras: cut, preview and angles, with program (red) and preview (green) tally.
  • Output Player v2: scenes, rundown, items, clip and graphics banks, playout take out, return and hold.
  • Station variables: set and toggle.
  • Presets made from your studio: a button for every signal, macro, camera, angle, output, bank and variable, updated when the studio changes.

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Before you start

  • Companion 5.0 or later.
  • A Core with the Core API v2.
The module is under review for the Companion module store. Until it is listed there, install it from the download below. The steps are the same for a Companion machine without internet.

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Download the module

Download VRA Core for Companion

vra-core.tgz, the newest stable version.
This link always serves the newest version. Earlier versions and the release notes are on the releases page. Keep the file as it is: Companion imports the .tgz itself, you do not unpack it. Does the Companion machine have no internet? Download the file on another computer and copy it over, for example on a USB stick.

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Import the module in Companion

1

Open the Modules page

In Companion, open Modules in the menu on the left.
2

Import the package

Click Import module package and pick vra-core.tgz. VRA Core appears in the module list.
The Modules page with the Import module package button

The Modules page. Screenshot: Bitfocus Companion documentation.

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Add the connection

1

Add VRA Core

Open Connections, search for VRA in Add New Connection and click Add next to VRA Core. Give the connection a label and choose the version you imported under Module Version.
Add Visual Radio Assist: VRA Core, with the module version
2

Connect to the Core

Does Companion run on the Core machine itself? Then keep the settings as they are: Core address 127.0.0.1, Port 3002, no token. The connection turns green within a few seconds.
The VRA Core connection settings
Companion on another machine:
  • Core address: the IP address or host name of the Core machine.
  • Device token: create a device in VRA Cloud under Studio settings → Core API → Devices and paste its token. Not needed when Access without a token lets this machine in. See Authentication and LAN access.
  • Station: optional. With a station set, the buttons only act while that station holds the studio. See Station safety.

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Use the presets

Open Buttons, then the Presets tab, and pick your VRA Core connection. Drag a preset onto a button. The presets are made from your studio, so you see your own signals, macros, cameras, outputs and variables.
VRA Core presets for the studio and its signals
The colours follow the studio: The module’s help in Companion lists every action, feedback and variable: click ? next to the connection.

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Update the module

Download vra-core.tgz again and import it on the Modules page. Companion keeps the earlier version until you switch over: open the connection, click the pencil next to Module Version, choose the new version and click Save. The connection restarts with it.
The Change Module Version dialog

Change the module version of a connection. Screenshot: Bitfocus Companion documentation.

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When something does not work

A button that does nothing writes the reason to the connection’s log in Companion, for example 409 station_mismatch. On the Core machine, http://localhost:3002/api/v2/requests lists the last calls with their status. See Errors and status codes. Prefer to build your own buttons with Companion’s Generic HTTP module? See Bitfocus Companion Control over Visual Radio.