vTally (wifi-tally) Alternative — No Hardware, No Soldering
vTally is an open-source project that turns an ESP8266 microcontroller into a WiFi tally light. It's impressively clever — and it requires buying hardware, flashing custom firmware, and wiring LEDs. Cue Light is a browser URL. Any phone, 30 seconds.
Try Cue Light free →What vTally (wifi-tally) requires
- Purchase an ESP8266 development board (NodeMCU or similar, ~$5–$10)
- Source LEDs, resistors, and a power supply for each unit
- Flash the wifi-tally firmware via Arduino IDE or PlatformIO
- Configure WiFi credentials and server IP in the firmware
- Solder components or use breadboard for prototyping
- Run a tally server (often Tally Arbiter) on the same local network
- Configure the server to send tally signals to each ESP8266 unit
This is a genuine maker project — well-documented on GitHub (wifi-tally.github.io) and popular with technically confident AV operators who enjoy building their own gear. The result is a sub-$15 physical tally light per unit. For the right person, it's excellent.
For everyone else — church AV volunteers, wedding videographers, podcasters — it's a soldering iron project before you can run a Sunday service.
Side by side
| Feature | vTally (wifi-tally) | Cue Light |
|---|---|---|
| Hardware required | ESP8266 + LEDs + resistors | Any phone (already owned) |
| Soldering required | ✗ Yes | ✓ No |
| Firmware flashing | ✗ Required | ✓ Not applicable |
| Cost per unit | ~$5–$15 components | Free (existing phone) |
| Works over internet | ✗ LAN only | ✓ Cloud-native |
| Remote guests | ✗ No | ✓ Share a link |
| Setup time | Hours (build + configure) | 30 seconds |
| Open source | ✓ MIT licensed | ✓ Free to use |
| Target user | Makers / electronics hobbyists | Anyone |
vTally's genuine advantages
vTally has real strengths that Cue Light doesn't replicate:
- Physical hardware — a dedicated LED unit that doesn't depend on a phone battery, browser tab, or Wake Lock API
- Extremely low cost per unit — if you're comfortable with electronics, $10 components beat any other option
- Automatic switcher tally — integrates with Tally Arbiter for automatic signal on switcher cuts
- Custom builds — you control the form factor, brightness, and enclosure
If you're a maker who enjoys this kind of project, vTally is worth exploring. The GitHub documentation is solid and the community is active.
No hardware. No soldering. No firmware.
Open a browser, share a QR code, tap Live. Any phone is a tally display.
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