The Episode Playout is designed for managing recurring programs based on live scheduling. While it functions similarly to the Manual Playout, it offers additional features and layout-customization options. The Episode Playout allows you to control the first five upcoming scheduled programs.
Episode Playout
The Episode Playout is designed for managing recurring programs based on live scheduling. While it functions similarly to the Manual Playout, it offers additional features and layout-customization options. The Episode Playout allows you to control the first five upcoming scheduled programs.
All the scheduled programs in Scheduling are episodes, as they are typically recurring and will air again at a later time. Their rundown generally remains the same, including presenters, show-related visuals, and other predefined elements.
Episode Rundown list
The rundown list forms the basis of a Episode, containing all the graphics that can be shown on the Playout Preview and Program Signals.
Live control
All the changes (including in preview) you make in the Episode Playout are live on playout-episode-basis; this means that changes you make will directly be visible for other users in the same playout. You have control over two Playout busses; the preview and onair program bus.
PVW – Preview
The preview bus is an exact stream from the Output Player, meaning that what is looking great in Preview will be exactly the same when it is airing in PGM. By selecting items in the Rundown List you activate them in Preview, with a live-showcase of your modifications of the rundown item.
The Preview bus also allows you to check out the rundown items of upcoming (up to 5) programs in the future and make last minute modifications. When you want to prepare items for future shows the Composer is a perfect place to preview and modify your epsiodes.
PGM – The Program Onair
The onair bus is responsible for the final output signal of the Playout’s Output. The Rundown item that you Take Onair is 1:1 visible on this signal. The Program signal is always connected to the activated Onair Episode. When multiple programs are onair you can activate the right Episode manually.
When a program reaches T-5 minutes before airing, you can start dragging items from the upcoming episode into the current live episode, ensuring a smooth transition between shows.
Archive
In the Playout, you can either remove or archive items from the rundown. Archiving allows you to temporarily remove an item without permanently deleting it. Unlike removed items, archived items will still be available the next time you edit the same episode in the future. This ensures that any temporarily unused visuals or graphics remain accessible when preparing for the next broadcast of that specific program.
By default, items cannot be archived. To enable this feature, go to the Playback Settings under the Variables tab and activate archiving.
Additional options include:
- Manual Archiving – Select and archive items to temporarily remove them from the rundown while keeping them available for the next time the episode is edited.
- Auto-Archive – When enabled, items will be automatically archived after they have been played, making them available again for the next instance of the same episode.
This feature is useful for recurring programs where certain graphics or media elements might not be needed every time but should still be available for future edits of the same episode
Configure Episode Playouts
In order to use the Episode Playout you should create a Playout Composition in the Composition Editor. The Composition of a Playout contains all the
Composition EditorThe Composition is then connected to an Output in Manual mode, see 
Output Editor for more details on Manual Outputs.
Output Editor for more details on Manual Outputs.Playout Customization via Preferences
The customization menu, accessible via the preferences button in the top right corner, allows you to adjust the Episode Playout interface to fit your workflow.
- Disable the PGM Player – If you’re working in a physical studio where the Program (PGM) output is already visible on external screens, you can disable the PGM player in the interface for a cleaner workspace.
- Switch Layouts – You can change from the Default Layout to the Three Column Layout, which may better suit users who, for example, prefer a split-screen workflow.
- Adjust Column Sizes – All columns can be resized within certain limits, giving you control over the interface layout based on your preference.
Episode Composer: Prepare for future shows
The Episode Composer, accessible through the top bar of the Episode Playout interface, allows you to prepare episodes in advance for future programs. While the Episode Playout focuses on managing live scheduling for the next five programs, the Episode Composer provides the flexibility to select and configure any scheduled program in the future.
This feature is especially helpful for preparing, enabling you to organize and pre-load rundown items specific to a program. The tool includes a simulated live preview, giving you a clear view of the prepared visuals and ensuring everything is set up correctly before going on air.