Program tally indicates a camera is currently live on-air — shown in red. Preview tally indicates a camera is queued up as the next source — shown in green. These two states are the core of any multi-camera tally system.
This camera is the active source — it's being broadcast, recorded, or streamed right now. Talent should be "on." Camera operators should hold their shot.
This camera is loaded in the preview bus — it's next to go live. Talent can prepare. Camera operators can reframe before the cut.
The terms "program" and "preview" come from video switcher terminology. A video switcher has two buses: the program bus (what's currently on-air) and the preview bus (what's queued up next). Tally lights mirror these two states back to the cameras and talent.
Cue Light maps these states directly to its four buttons:
Unlike hardware systems where program and preview are automatic from the switcher, Cue Light uses manual director input — tap Live when you cut to a camera, tap Preview when you load the next one. Keyboard shortcuts 1/2/3/0 keep this fast alongside any switcher workflow.
Any phone as display. Works over the internet. 30 seconds to live.
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