Adding a time-of-day clock or a countdown timer are very similar processes.
Clock
You may want to overlay a time-of-day clock into your production. This can be done by opening the Create Custom Graphic and menu selecting the Clock option in the graphics overlay channel.
This will add a clock layer to the graphics channel. Click on the paintbrush icon to open the GFX Designer for that layer.
Click on the list icon for options of time fields to add. Consider checking the presets first to save the time needed to add individual fields.
Once you have added the time fields you need, click the arrow button to change each one’s font, size, color, etc.
Drag and drop the clock to where you want to have it appear. When you are done designing the clock, close out of the GFX Designer.
There are no additional settings for the clock layer other than deleting it. Click Back to return to the layer module. Then click the eye icon to ensure the clock layer is visible when you want to include it in your production.
Timer
To integrate a countdown or timer overlay into your production, open the Create Custom Graphic menu and select Timer in the graphics overlay channel.
Click the gear wheel icon to enter that layer’s settings.
The settings for that layer will appear on the left side, with the reflected timer displaying on the right.
Countdown to allows you to set a specific time and date for when the countdown should end. The countdown will update on the right side.
For a quick configuration, you can check Use start time of streaming event to automatically set the countdown to end at the start time of an event you have selected in the Stream tab.
Below the time/date setting are options for what the graphics overlay should do when the countdown completes.
Hide Layer + Push will keep GFX 1 in Program, but remove the timer GFX layer from being visible. Other layers in GFX 1 will remain in Program.
Pull from PGM will pull all layers under that GFX channel from Program when the countdown ends.
Transition can be used when the GFX channel is cued as a video source from the multiview instead of an overlay. It will take the Preview source once the countdown ends.
The transition type can be selected in the settings for that GFX layer.
Leaving all options unchecked will keep the completed countdown graphic in Program.
The next setting is Countdown from, where you set the time that the countdown will start. The format of this countdown can either be hours:minutes:seconds, or minutes:seconds.
Type in the time you want to count down from. Clicking Start will begin the countdown manually.
When the countdown has started, a Pause button will replace it. Click Pause if you want the countdown to stop but stay at the current time, allowing you to resume from that point.
Clicking Stop will both stop the countdown and reset it to the beginning.
Below the Start and Stop options, there are options for what the clock should do when pushed, pulled, or finished.
Scroll down further in the layer settings to find the hotkey option. Click the checkbox to enable it.
Click on the box that reads None. This will highlight it blue.
Once it is blue, use the buttons on your keyboard to create a hotkey (e.g., Shift+P).
It cannot be a hotkey command that already has an action in Livestream Studio assigned to it.
Now you can push your countdown graphic to Program like normal. Instead of pressing the buttons in the GFX module, you can use your keyboard to quickly and easily pause and continue your clock.
The last option for this layer is Timer, which gives you a clock that counts up from zero. As with the Countdown from option, you can set the format and start and stop the timer.
Below these controls are the actions the graphic will take when first pushed to and pulled from Program.
The Timer also includes the ability to add a hotkey command for pausing and resuming.
With any of the three options, be sure to click the paintbrush icon to enter the GFX Designer.
In the Timer layer, click on the list icon to add time fields. Check the presets first, as this may save time in designing the graphic.
Use the dropdown menu to customize how the clock looks.
When finished, close out of the GFX Designer, then click Back in the graphics layer settings. Your timer graphic can now be made visible and pushed to Program when desired.