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Fetch Media Tools Docs

Tips & Best Practices

Network Setup

Section titled “Network Setup”

Use Wired Connections:
WiFi isn’t reliable for NDI® monitoring with multiple sources. Use Gigabit Ethernet minimum, 10 Gigabit preferred for high-source-count monitoring.

Separate NDI® VLAN:
If possible, put NDI® traffic on a dedicated VLAN to avoid contention with control/intercom/file transfer traffic.

Switch Configuration:
Use managed switches with IGMP snooping enabled for multicast efficiency. Disable spanning tree on NDI® ports if experiencing slow discovery.

Test Discovery Before Show Day:
Validate that all sources appear in Laika from your monitoring position at least 24 hours before critical productions.

Layout Design

Section titled “Layout Design”

Keep It Simple:
More viewers = smaller tiles = harder to see detail. Don’t exceed 16 viewers unless you have a massive display or operators with excellent eyesight.

Prioritize Critical Sources:
Put Program and Preview in the largest viewers, in the upper-left where operators naturally look first.

Group Related Sources:
Cameras in one row, graphics in another, replay machines in a third. Logical organization reduces cognitive load during fast-paced shows.

Use Consistent Numbering:
If Camera 1 is always Viewer 3, keep it that way across all pads and layouts. Muscle memory matters.

Pad Organization

Section titled “Pad Organization”

Create Pads for Show Phases:
Pre-Show, Live, Break, Post-Show at minimum. Add more for complex shows (Rehearsal, Standby, Emergency Backup).

Name Pads Clearly:
“Studio A - Morning Show - Live” is better than “Config 3”.

Test Pad Switching:
Practice switching between pads before going live. Verify all sources reconnect correctly after pad loads.

Facility-Wide Deployment

Section titled “Facility-Wide Deployment”

Configuration Distribution:

For consistency across multiple workstations:

  1. Configure one “master” Laika installation (layouts, pads, preferences)
  2. Export custom layouts as JSON
  3. Copy configuration files to other machines:
    • fetch-laika-config.json (main configuration)
    • layouts/*.json (custom layouts)
    • pads/*.json (pads)

Paths:

  • Windows: C:\Users\<Username>\AppData\Roaming\FetchMediaTools\Laika\
  • macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/FetchMediaTools/Laika/
  • Linux: ~/.config/FetchMediaTools/Laika/

Licensing for Multiple Machines:

Each workstation needs its own license. Contact https://fetchmedia.tools/contacts for volume licensing discounts.