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The Basics of Overlays

Overlays are the graphic components that are available in Production Truck to display information to your viewers. These include score banners, statistics, starting lineups, and much more. Almost all the overlays operate with the same information such as team names, scores, and logos. Due to this, it's very important to understand how overlays go about getting the necessary information they need.

Layout

Before getting into how specific overlays work it's important to understand the areas of Production Truck that deal with overlays.

A. This button opens the Overlay Manager Window where you go to open, download, and update overlays. All overlays are accessible through this window.

B. Input information and adjust all settings and controls for overlays. An overlay will appear here when opened.

C.Preview overlays before placing them in a broadcast. The only alteration or change that can be done here is the moving of certain overlays.

D. When ready to place an overlay into a broadcast, click the Overlay button. This will place the currently selected overlay into the broadcast.

E. The Clear button will remove ALL overlays from view in the broadcast.

Overlay Manager Window

Download and open all of your overlays with the overlay manager window. Overlays are hosted on a server so that they can be easily updated and maintained by BlueFrame. This means that before using them they must be downloaded first. I

Learn how to download and open your overlays.

  1. Go to the Download tab at the top of the window.

  2. Under Filter choose your sport.

    All the overlays for your specific sport should be displayed.

  3. Click the check box next to each of the overlays you would like to use and then click Download in the bottom right of the window.

  4. Go to the Open tab.

    The filter for your specific sport may need to be chosen again, but the overlays downloaded should be available here now.

  5. Check the box again to open the overlays. Click open in the bottom of the window.

  6. Close out of the Overlay Manager Window

    • Overlays are now represented by different tabs in the Overlay Editor
    • The Update tab will give notifications if there are updates that are available for any overlays. Just like downloading and opening overlays, click the checkboxes and click Update in the bottom right corner.

Control Panel

The Control Panel is the most important overlay and should be opened at all times because it holds nearly all the information that will be needed for the rest of the overlays. It is also a crucial part of using the score banners as all of the game information is inputted into the Control Panel.

Learn the layout of the Control Panel.

1. Game Tab. Access to game time information. Change the team scores, period, clock, and timeouts. All changes made in the Control Panel will be reflected live in the other overlays.

2. Away Tab. Includes all of the information for the Away Team.

3. Home Tab. Includes all the information for the Home Team.

In the Home and Away tabs fill out the respective team information including team name, location, mascot, abbreviation, and logo. When using different overlays, such as the team stats overlay, the information will be pulled from the Control Panel to avoid having to input the data more than once.

4. Game Information. Change any of the game information. The types of information will change based on the sport that you are doing.

5. Tabs. Each overlay is represented by a tab. Click and drag the tabs to rearrange them or click the X to remove the overlay. Click on the title to rename it.

6. Show/Hide option. Some information can be hidden from view on the score banners. Typically these are items like clocks or Downs and Yards to Go in Football. Clicking the box will reveal an "eye" and will make the information visible on the score banner.

Using Other Overlays

Any overlays, excluding the control panel, need to be dragged over to the Overlay Preview Window before they can be used.

  1. Click and hold on the overlays tab, then drag the tab over to the Overlay Preview Window

    The overlay should now show a preview All the information being displayed can be seen. Any changes made in the Control Panel will appear live in the overlay.

  2. Place the overlay onto the broadcast and click Overlay.

    • Any changes made in Control Panel will appear live in the overlays.
    • This process is the same for all overlays. All overlays need to be dragged over to the Overlay Preview Window - except the Control Panels (sport, team, and network).

If you have any additional questions, contact our support team here.