Live Production: Surface App

If the ACS website is the virtual back panel of the system this is the studio control room, monitors, vision, and audio mixer along with graphics and intercom (talkback). The Surface app is designed to be used on an iPad as the control surface and used on an iPhone for Intercom.

Starting the Surface App will display the Cloud ID that is used to add it to Atomos Cloud Studio, and the Cloud ID is displayed until it is added to a live show. When added to the show, then when the show is started, you will see a message on the Surface app to indicate the show is beginning soon.

Finding your way around the Surface App, as there is a lot going on here!

• In the top left corner, the dots below the Atomos logo will display the estimated ‘quality of service’ of the local connection. Tapping on the logo displays more information on the connection to the surface app, obviously important when you are controlling a Live show.
• Below on the left is the menu to select the different elements for the control surface:
  • Home: the main production pace.
  • Sound: raises the audio mixing surface from the base of the window.  
  • Intercom: Select the intercom channel.
  • Intercom Config: set up the intercom groups and the surface channel.
  • More: for access to additional controls for system, Multiview, sound source and intercom.
  • Up: Displays additional audio controls.

You can see the Program Output and Preview as the top two monitors in the main monitor area, remember you can configure this layout in the ACS Live website.

In the next row you can see the inputs 1-4 which could be your cameras or other sources.

On the third row you get Graphics, Picture in Picture 1 and 2 and then Image 1.

At the bottom of the Surface are controls for audio channel selection, intercom selection controls and a switch to pick surface area B.

On Surface area B you can see different items on the second row, Pip 3, 4 then Image 2, 3. Then you see on the third row Color 1, 2, Black and Image 4.