Dedicated tally hardware costs $200–$600 per unit, requires cabling or local WiFi, and can't signal remote guests. Cue Light turns any phone into a tally display — free, works over the internet, live in 30 seconds.
Before you buy, here's what the market looks like for dedicated tally hardware.
The hardware tally gap: Every dedicated tally unit requires your display devices to be on the same local network as your switcher. The moment a speaker walks to a different part of the building, a second shooter loses venue WiFi, or a remote guest joins via Zoom — hardware tally is blind. Cue Light has no local network dependency.
| Factor | Hardware Tally | Cue Light |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | $200–$600 per unit | Free |
| Display device | ✗ Dedicated hardware only | ✓ Any phone or tablet |
| Works over internet | ✗ LAN only | ✓ Built-in |
| Remote guests | ✗ Not supported | ✓ Share a link |
| Setup time | 30–60 min hardware config | 30 seconds |
| Venue WiFi dependency | ✗ Must be on same network | ✓ Works on cellular |
| New crew member setup | Configure new hardware unit | Scan QR code — 10 seconds |
| Switcher integration | ✓ Automatic | Manual tap (keyboard shortcuts) |
| Multi-site support | ✗ Site-locked | ✓ Works anywhere |
We're honest about this — hardware tally wins in specific scenarios.
Fixed infrastructure, dedicated hardware per camera, automatic switcher integration. Hardware wins here.
If you're cutting faster than you can tap a button, automatic switcher integration matters. Hardware wins here.
Large crews, dedicated AV staff, existing hardware infrastructure. Hardware is already there.
For everyone else — churches, wedding videographers, podcasters, live streamers, corporate video, event production — Cue Light covers the use case at zero cost with more flexibility.
Any phone. Works over internet. Live in 30 seconds.