- This page intentionally left blank -

2 Chyron.com
 Chyron - Since Day One!
Chyron is driving the next generation of storytelling in the digital age. Founded in
1966, the company pioneered broadcast titling and graphics systems. With a strong
foundation built on over 50 years of innovation and efficiency, the name Chyron is
synonymous with broadcast graphics.

We developed the character generator and defined the category. Even today, text and graphics
broadcast over live video is referred to as a “chyron,” whether it is produced by our technology
or an imitator.

Chyron continues that legacy as a global leader focused on customer-centric broadcast

solutions. Today, the company offers production professionals the industry’s most
comprehensive software portfolio for designing, sharing, and playing live graphics to air with
ease.

We offer a full range of tools for any live video production, including news, sports, venues,
eSports, corporations, houses of worship, and education. Our products are scalable,
cloud-ready, reliable, software based, HTML5 and IP ready. Chyron products are increasingly
deployed to empower OTA and OTT workflows and deliver richer, more immersive experiences
for audiences and sports fans in the arena, at home, or on the go. Chyron encompasses three
divisions:
● chyron.com: Graphics Production Platform
● hego.tv: Live Production Services
● tracab.com: Sports Tracking and Data Visualization

Chyron provides a full slate of services, including Creative Services, Production Services,
Solutions Engineering, Commissioning and Training, and Support.

The Chyron Community

To get the most out of your Chyron experience, we encourage you to take advantage of all that
we have to offer.
● To keep in touch and gain product and industry insights, as well as event invitations,
please subscribe to our mailing list.
● Unique in the industry, Chyron Academy provides self-guided training and professional
development for Chyron designers and operators, culminating in the award of a Black
Belt for completion of a course.
● Chyron enjoys a wide user base in the industry. Experienced operators and designers
can join Chyron’s freelancer database.

Chyron. It’s even in the dictionary.

3 Chyron.com
Audio Director User Guide
Publication Date: October 29, 2021

Limitation of Liability
This document describes, explains, and offers step-by-step instructions for many of the
features and functionality of Audio Director. As any software may contain undiscovered bugs,
may be updated frequently and may function differently in different environments, this
document offers no implied or explicit warranty of the performance of this or other Chyron
products.

Disclaimer
Our products are subject to continual development and improvement. Therefore, while the
information in this document was complete and accurate when it was written, additions or
modifications to the products may cause changes to the technical and functional
specifications. No rights can be derived from this document.

Copyright
All Rights Reserved

© 2021 Chyron

4 Chyron.com
 Contents
Chyron - Since Day One! 3

Contents 5

Chapter 1: Welcome to Audio Director! 11

Introduction 11

About This User Guide 11

Installation Notes 12

Chapter 2: Audio Overview and Concepts 13

Workflow Overview 13

Main Concepts 14

Audio Input 14

Audio Input Overview 14

Audio Director Installation Options 15

Session 15

Rule 16

Activation/Deactivation Events 16

About the Default Settings 17

Chapter 3: Session Operations 19

Session Overview 19

Open Audio Director 20

Connection States 22

Connect an Audio Director Session to PRIME Switcher 23

Connect Multiple Audio Director Sessions to PRIME Switchers 24

Set Audio Director to Automatically Reconnect the Session to PRIME Switcher if

Disconnected 24

Disconnect an Audio Director Session from PRIME Switcher 25

Open a Previous Session 26

5 Chyron.com
 Active Rules Area Closeup 27

Create a New Session 29

Reload a Session 30

Save a Session 30

Save a Session to a Different Name (Save As) 30

Save All Sessions 30

Close a Session 31

Override Audio Director 31

Close Audio Director 31

Chapter 4: Create/Edit Rules 33

Rules Overview 33

Edit Rules Mode 34

Add, Rename, Delete a Rule 36

Add a Rule 36

Rename a Rule 38

Delete a Rule 38

Import Rules 38

Rule States 38

Rule State Overview 38

Idle 39

Attack 39

Active 41

Activated 41

Release 41

Deactivated 43

Edit a Rule 43

Select a Rule to Edit 43

6 Chyron.com
 Rule Details 44

Overview 44

Attack Time 44

Force 44

Release Time 45

Cycle Mode 46

Minimum Delay, Attack Time, Release Time, Force and Cycle Mode Hierarchy 48

Set Activation and Deactivation Events 48

Activation/Deactivation Event Overview 48

Add an Activation or Deactivation Event 49

Delete an Activation/Deactivation Event 53

Set Audio Input Parameters 54

Add an Audio Input to a Rule 54

Delete an Audio Input from a Rule 56

Threshold and Activation 57

Decay 59

Apply/Discard Rule Edits 60

Apply Rule Edits 60

Discard Rule Edits 60

Chapter 5: Troubleshooting - Set/Review Log, Common Issues 61

Set and Review the Log 61

Common Issues 62

Audio Input Level Does Not Display 62

Cannot Access Combo Boxes 62

Log Shows that Switcher State Cannot Be Retrieved 63

Log Shows that Command Cannot Be Sent 63

Switcher Switches Sources, and then Quickly Switches Again, Part 1 63

7 Chyron.com
 Switcher Switches Sources, and then Quickly Switches Again, Part 2 64

Glossary 65

Audio Director Terms 65

Activated 65

Activation 65

Activation Event 65

Active (Audio Input) 65

Active (Rule) 65

Attack 65

Attack Time 65

Attack Timer 66

Audio Input 66

Audio Input Level 66

Connected 66

Cycle Mode 66

Deactivated 66

Deactivation Event 67

Decay 67

Disconnected 67

Event 67

Force 67

Idle 67

Inactive (Audio) 67

Invalid 67

Log 67

Minimum Delay 68

Release 68

8 Chyron.com
 Release Time 68

Release Timer 68

Rule 68

Session 68

Source Audio 68

Source Audio Level 68

Threshold 69

Valid 69

PRIME Switcher Terms 69

Active Transition 69

Auto Transition 69

Bank 69

Bus 69

Source 69

Transition 69

9 Chyron.com
- This page intentionally left blank -

10 Chyron.com
 Chapter 1: Welcome to Audio Director!
Introduction
Audio Director, a separate application that is included with PRIME Switcher, provides PRIME
Switcher with a powerful tool that brings a new level of automation to your production. Audio
Director’s smart switching triggers PRIME Switcher to automatically switch the program
sources, graphics, and clips, while applying preset transitions. You can customize rules to
control PRIME Switcher, based on the microphone levels, specified audio thresholds, time
delays, and more.

For example, when an anchor conducts an interview, then Audio Director can trigger PRIME
Switcher to automatically switch between the anchor and the interviewee, based on the audio
level thresholds specified in the rules. If both are speaking, then Audio Director can instruct
PRIME Switcher to switch to a wide shot if the interview is in person, or to a 2-box if the
interview is remote. You can script custom behavior for precise control of the automation, and
even introduce randomness for more of a live switcher feel.

About This User Guide

This User Guide provides instructions on how to configure Audio Director rule set. This rule set
defines, together with the specified audio input level thresholds and other parameters, the API
commands sent to PRIME Switcher to automatically switch the live show. The User Guide also
contains a Troubleshooting chapter, as well as a Glossary.

See the PRIME Switcher User Guide for information on configuring/operating PRIME Switcher.

11 Chyron.com
Installation Notes
You can download Audio Director from the link provided by Chyron, and then follow the
installation instructions.

The license may be either a software license or a dongle. Contact Chyron Support for further
details.

You can install Audio Director on a PRIME Switcher system or an external system. See Audio
Input for additional details.

12 Chyron.com
 Chapter 2: Audio Overview and Concepts
Workflow Overview
Audio Director can monitor up to 64 audio inputs. By monitoring the inputs and checking the
rules applied to these inputs, Audio Director automatically selects and sends commands to
PRIME Switcher.

The following is an overview of the Audio Director workflow.

1. Ensure that PRIME Switcher and Audio Director are both open. See the PRIME Switcher
User Guide for information on configuring and operating PRIME Switcher.

2. In PRIME Switcher, enable the WebSocket automation connection.

3. In Audio Director, click Connect, and then open or create a session.

4. Create a rule set.

13 Chyron.com
Main Concepts

Audio Input
Audio Input Overview
An Audio Input is an incoming audio signal from Source Audio that is input to an internal or
external, user-provided third-party audio card, using the Audio Stream Input/Output (ASIO)
protocol. ASIO bypasses the normal audio path through various Windows operating system
layers, so that Audio Director connects directly to the audio card, thereby reducing latency. The
audio card should have an ASIO driver for compatibility with Audio Director.

The audio card accepts hard-wired audio via XLR connection, or in the case of an audio card
such as the Dante card, network audio. Regardless of the type of card, if audio originates from
mixed sources, e.g., microphone over XLR, embedded, network, etc., then the audio must be
converted to the type of audio accepted by the audio card.

Audio Director monitors all enumerated (numbered) inputs and displays their levels at the top of
the Audio Director interface. The strength of the Audio Input signal is measured in decibels
(dB).

The Audio Input Level stores the last Source Audio Level. How the Audio Input Level
changes when the Source Audio Level drops, is determined by the Decay specified for an
Audio Input. See Create/Edit Rules, and Set Audio Input Parameters for additional information
on Decay.

If you are unsure as to which input number is assigned to which microphone, then touch the
mic and watch which input reacts.

NOTE: If an Audio Input Level does not display, then ensure that the audio source is
connected to the audio card and operating properly.

NOTE: The microphones used as Source Audio for the Audio Director Audio Inputs can
be the same microphones that feed the Audio Mixer that outputs audio for a show. The
audio signal would be split between Audio Director and the Audio Mixer. It may be
advantageous in a particular situation, however, to use separate sets of microphones to
act as Audio Inputs for Audio Director and to input to the Audio Mixer, e.g., a different
type of microphone may be better suited for Audio Director monitoring, or to
accommodate room acoustics, sensitivity and/or directionality.

14 Chyron.com
Audio Director Installation Options
Audio Director and the audio card can reside on a PRIME Switcher system or an external
system. Regardless of the location of Audio Director and the audio card, the Audio Director
Audio Inputs are not dedicated to a specific PRIME Switcher. The distribution of the Audio
Inputs among multiple PRIME Switchers is completely flexible, and is set within the rules for a
specific session. As such, you can install Audio Director:

● On a PRIME Switcher system that is the sole PRIME Switcher system controlled by
Audio Director. The audio card that accepts the Source Audio can reside either
internally in the system, or externally, connected to the system.

● On a PRIME Switcher system that is one of multiple systems controlled by Audio

Director. The audio card that accepts the Source Audio can reside either internally in
the PRIME Switcher system, or externally, connected to the PRIME Switcher system.

● On an external system that controls one or multiple PRIME Switcher systems. The audio
card that accepts the Source Audio would reside either internally in the external
system, or externally, and connected to the external system.

Audio Director can independently monitor each Audio Input, apply rules based on individual
Audio Input Levels, and trigger Activation/Deactivation Events for any PRIME Switcher. For
example, if Audio Director and the audio card are installed on PRIME Switcher A:

● Session “News” rules can use Audio Inputs 0 through 8 to control PRIME Switcher A.

● Session “Noticias” rules can use Audio Inputs 9 through 15 to control PRIME Switcher
B.

● Session “Sports Wrap-up” rules can use Audio Inputs 16 through 23 to control PRIME
Switcher C.

The sessions can operate simultaneously. Note that the Audio Inputs need not be contiguous
for a specific PRIME Switcher, although it is a best practice to dedicate contiguous blocks of
Audio Inputs to specific PRIME Switchers.

15 Chyron.com
Session
A session represents a connection to a specific PRIME Switcher. For each show that you run
on a PRIME Switcher, you can create a different session. You can also run multiple sessions
simultaneously, with each session connecting to a different PRIME Switcher device.

In a session, you enter the configuration settings and a rule set. The configuration settings,
derived from PRIME Switcher’s configuration file, comprise host address, host port, and
optionally, the username/password of the PRIME Switcher connection.

A session can contain one or more rules.

Rule
A rule defines how PRIME Switcher reacts to user-set audio levels and timing parameters.
User-configured Activation and Deactivation Events, i.e., API commands, are assigned to
rules and sent to PRIME Switcher.

Activation/Deactivation Events
Each rule can include one or more Activation and Deactivation Events, i.e., API commands,
such as selection of a Bank/Bus, Source, or selection of an Active Transition that are sent to
PRIME Switcher upon the activation or deactivation of the rule.

An Activation or Deactivation Event contains at least one set of Audio Input parameters that
specify the conditions required to trigger the event..

● You can specify Activation Event(s) to set the Main Bank Active Transition to
Dissolve, and to perform an Auto Transition. When the rule becomes Activated, then
the switcher performs a Dissolve.

● In the same rule, you can specify Deactivation Events in a similar manner, so that
when the rule becomes idle, then the switcher performs the Deactivation Event.

A rule’s Deactivation Event(s) can also trigger when another rule takes precedence, for
example, when a rule with Force enabled becomes activated, or Cycle Mode activates
a different rule.

NOTE: In most Audio Director use cases, it is advisable to set only Activation Events or
Deactivation Events in rules for a specific session, to reduce or eliminate conflict
between the Deactivation Event(s) of the currently activated rule and the Activation
Event(s) of the next rule to be activated.

See Set Activation and Deactivation Events for additional information.

16 Chyron.com
About the Default Settings
The default Session, Rule, and Activation/Deactivation settings provide a good starting point
for setting up Audio Director. Once you have created a few rules and Activation/Deactivation
Events, and gain an understanding as to how Audio Director works, then you can experiment
with modifying settings.

17 Chyron.com
- This page intentionally left blank -

18 Chyron.com
 Chapter 3: Session Operations
Session Overview
A session represents a specific connection to PRIME Switcher. For each show that you run on
a PRIME Switcher, you can create a different session. You can also run multiple sessions
simultaneously, with each session connecting to a different PRIME Switcher device.

In this chapter, you will learn to/about:

● Open and close Audio Director.

● Connection States

● Connect an Audio Director session to PRIME Switcher, connect multiple Audio Director
sessions to multiple PRIME Switchers, set Audio Director to automatically reconnect if
the connection is broken, and Disconnect an Audio Director session from PRIME
Switcher.

● Open a previous session, create a new session, reload a session, and close a session.

● Active Rules Area.

● Save, Save As, and Save All sessions.Override Audio Director.

19 Chyron.com
Open Audio Director
To open Audio Director:

● Double-click the Audio Director icon on your desktop or taskbar, or the

executable file in the Audio Director folder. Audio Director opens in Session Mode,
displaying the session(s) that were last open when Audio Director was closed. The
previous Log information is also displayed.

The following shows the default empty session open in Audio Director:

20 Chyron.com
The following shows a session that has just been opened in Audio Director.

21 Chyron.com
Connection States
There are three Audio Director-to-PRIME Switcher connection states:

● Not Yet Connected. This is the state of a session when it is first opened. The Session
tab does not display a connection icon.

● Connected: The session is connected to a PRIME Switcher. The Session tab displays

the Connected icon .

● Disconnected: The session had been connected, but has been disconnected, either

deliberately or not deliberately. The Session tab displays the Disconnected icon .

22 Chyron.com
Connect an Audio Director Session to PRIME Switcher
To connect the Audio Director session to PRIME Switcher:
1. Configure the following Session settings:

● Address: The IP address of the system running PRIME Switcher, and the
configured WebSocket connection Port number, with “/Runtime/Switcher”
appended to the Address. The address format is as follows:
ws://<address>:<port>/Runtime/Switcher
● Authorization: The Username/Password for the WebSocket connection
(optional). To view and set:
a. Click the Advanced button.
b. Click Authorize, and then enter Username and Password.

● Minimum Delay: A global setting that sets the minimum length of time that must
elapse before switching from one rule to another. Minimum Delay overrides
Cycle Mode and Force.

2. Click the Connect button . When connected, the following occurs:

● The Log indicates that Audio Director is connected to PRIME Switcher.
● PRIME Switcher responds to commands sent from Audio Director.

● The session tab highlights in gray, displays the red Close Session icon , and

displays the connected icon :

● The Connect button turns into a Disconnect button .

● The Sessions settings gray out and you cannot modify them. To modify the
Sessions settings, you must disconnect Audio Director from PRIME Switcher.

23 Chyron.com
Connect Multiple Audio Director Sessions to PRIME
Switchers
You can create/open multiple Audio Director sessions, and connect each to a different PRIME
Switcher. Session settings and connection state are specific to that session, and do not affect
other open sessions.

Set Audio Director to Automatically Reconnect the Session if

Disconnected
The Audio Director session can automatically reconnect to PRIME Switcher if the connection is
broken while the session is open. To set:

● Enable (check) the Reconnect checkbox.

You can set each individual session to enable/disable Reconnection. The Reconnection
setting is saved with the session settings.

For example:

● Four sessions A, B, C, and D, are open in Audio Director.

● Reconnect is enabled for sessions A, B and D.

● Reconnect is disabled for session C.

● If the connection is lost between Audio Director and the PRIME Switchers associated
with sessions A, B and D, then Audio Director will automatically connect the sessions
with their respective PRIME Switchers.

● If the connection is lost between Audio Director and the PRIME Switcher associated
with session C, then Audio Director will not automatically reconnect to its PRIME
Switcher. To connect, you must initiate the connection to PRIME Switcher, i.e., click the
Connect button.

NOTE: Audio Director does not automatically connect to PRIME Switcher upon opening,
even if Reconnect is enabled. Audio Director reconnects with PRIME Switcher only when
the session is already open and there is a loss of connection. When you open Audio
Director, you still must initiate the connection to PRIME Switcher, i.e., click the Connect

button .

24 Chyron.com
Disconnect an Audio Director Session from PRIME Switcher
To disconnect the Audio Director session from PRIME Switcher:

● Click the Disconnect button . The Session tab displays the

Disconnected icon .

Note that when you manually disconnect an Audio Director session from PRIME Switcher, in

order to reconnect, you must do so manually, i.e., click the Connect button ,
regardless of whether Reconnect is enabled or disabled.

25 Chyron.com
Open a Previous Session
To open a previous session:

1. Press Ctrl+O, or from the Session menu, select Open.

2. Browse to and then double-click the desired session file (*.audiodirector). The session
opens.

3. If not already connected to PRIME Switcher, then Click Connect.

The following figure shows an open, connected session:

Note that when a session is open, but Audio Director is not connected to PRIME Switcher, the
log still displays activity, even though the commands are not reaching PRIME Switcher. This is
deliberate, and shows that the rules are operating.

26 Chyron.com
Active Rules Area Closeup
The Active Rules Area displays horizontal bars representing activated, active, and idle rules.

● A rule highlighted in green indicates that the rule is active, i.e., all Audio Input Levels
meet the requirements to be an activated rule. More than one rule can simultaneously
be active, but only one rule can be activated at any time.

○ An arrow at the left of the rule indicates that the rule is activated.

○ When the Attack Time progress bar reaches full width, then the rule meets all of
the conditions required for it to become activated.

● A rule highlighted in gray indicates that the rule is idle, i.e., one or more Audio Input
Levels do not meet the requirements for the rule to be active/activated, or the rule is in
the process of becoming active/activated, i.e. the Audio Input Levels are active, but
the Attack Time has not yet elapsed.

27 Chyron.com
The Audio Input Level color indicates whether it is active or inactive:

● Green indicates active Audio Input Level .

● Red indicates inactive Audio Input Level) .

The order in which the rules are displayed, from top to bottom is as follows:

● Activated rule

● Active rule(s).

● Idle rule(s)

Within the Active and Idle groups of rules, the most recently activated is at the top of its group,
and the oldest activated at the bottom.

The exception is that a rule that is about to become, but is not yet, activated, may display at
the top of the Active Rules list.

See Rule States and Rule Details for additional information.

28 Chyron.com
Create a New Session
To create a new session:

1. Click the new session tab.

2. Configure the following Session settings:

● Address: The IP address of the system running PRIME Switcher, and the
configured WebSocket connection Port number, with “/Runtime/Switcher”
appended to the Address. The address format is as follows:
ws://<address>:<port>/Runtime/Switcher
● Authorization: The Username/Password for the WebSocket connection
(optional). To view and set:
a. Click the Advanced button.
b. Click Authorize, and then enter Username and Password.

● Minimum delay: A global setting that sets the minimum length of time between
switching rules. Minimum Delay overrides Cycle Mode and Force.

3. From the Session menu, select Save as and enter a name.

4. Click the Connect button to establish a connection with PRIME Switcher.

To set Audio Director to automatically reconnect to this session if the connection is broken:

● Enable (check) the Reconnect box.

29 Chyron.com
Reload a Session
To discard changes to the current session:

1. Press Ctrl+R, or go to the Session menu, and then select Reload. The Session altered
message appears:

2. Click Discard to discard session changes and reload the session, or Cancel to return to
the session without discarding changes.

Save a Session
To save the edits to the currently displayed session:

● Press Ctrl+S, or go to the Session menu, and then select Save. If the session is new,
then enter a name for the session.

Save a Session to a Different Name (Save As)

To save the currently displayed session under a different file name:

● Go to the Session menu, select Save As, and then enter a name for the session.

Save All Sessions

To save all sessions:

● Press Ctrl+Shift+S or go to the Session menu, and then select Save All.

30 Chyron.com
Close a Session
To close a session:
1. Click the tab of the session that you would like to close, and the click the Close icon
in the tab.

The Session altered message displays:

2. Click Save to save and close the session, or Discard to discard the session changes
and close the session, or Cancel to return to the session.

Override Audio Director

You can override Audio Director at any time by manually operating PRIME Switcher; however, if
a rule becomes active, then it will automatically trigger PRIME Switcher. If you need to
manually control the switcher, then it is advisable to disconnect the session. To do so:

● Click the Disconnect button.

When you would like Audio Director to take over switching then reconnect to PRIME Switcher.

Close Audio Director

To close Audio Director:
● Press Ctrl+Q, or click the Close icon at the top right of the interface, or go to the
Session menu and then select Quit.

31 Chyron.com
- This page intentionally left blank -

32 Chyron.com
 Chapter 4: Create/Edit Rules
Rules Overview
A rule defines how PRIME Switcher reacts to user-set audio levels and timing parameters. You
configure the commands that specify the events that you assign to rules.

● A session can contain multiple rules.

● Each rule contains at least one Activation or Deactivation Event. A rule can contain
multiple Activation/Deactivation Events.

● Each rule contains settings for at least one Audio Input. The settings specify a
Threshold at which the Audio Input becomes active or inactive, specifies whether the
conditions for activation are met at or above, or below the Threshold, and the length of
the Decay. The rule’s state can then trigger Activation or Deactivation Events.

In this chapter, you will learn to/about:

● Edit Rules Mode.

● Add, Rename, Delete a rule.

● Import Rules.

● Rule States.

● Edit a Rule, including: Rule Details, set Activation and Deactivation Events, set Audio
Input Parameters.

● Apply/Discard Rule Edits.

33 Chyron.com
Edit Rules Mode
When in Edit Rules Mode, the following interface displays. Audio Director must be in Edit
Rules Mode in order to add, rename, delete, or edit rules. To enter Edit Rules Mode:

● At the bottom right corner of the Audio Director interface, click the Edit rules button

. The following interface displays.

34 Chyron.com
Rule Details, Inputs, Activation Events, and Deactivation Events are grayed out until a rule
is added or an existing rule is selected.

When you add a new rule, or select an existing rule, the Rule Details, Inputs, Activation
Events, and Deactivation Events become available for editing.

NOTE: If an Audio Input Level does not display, then ensure that the audio source is
connected and operating properly.

35 Chyron.com
You can add and edit rules regardless of whether or not Audio Director is connected to PRIME
Switcher. If you have opened the session, and have not yet connected the session to PRIME
Switcher, however, then you will not be able to access the combo boxes that allow you to
select items such as Bank, Bus, Source and Transition. Instead, you must enter (type in) the
settings.

● Once you connect the session to PRIME Switcher, then the combo boxes become
available, even if you subsequently disconnect from PRIME Switcher.

● If you close the session and reopen it, then you will need to connect the session once
again to access the combo boxes.

See Set Activation and Deactivation Events for details.

NOTE: If, when you access Rules Editing Mode, you do not see all of the rules editing
areas, i.e., Rule Details, Inputs, Activation Events and Deactivation Events, and/or part of
the right side of the window is missing, then drag the window’s top, bottom, left or right
borders to expose the missing areas. If there is not enough room to display all of the
Events within the Activation Events or Deactivation Events areas, then scroll bars will
appear that enable you to access all Events.

Add, Rename, Delete a Rule

Add a Rule
To add a rule:

1. If not already in Edit Rules Mode, then at the bottom right corner of the Audio Director

interface, click the Edit Rules button . Audio Director displays Rules Mode.
2. In the Rules panel, click “+” (the Add Rule icon) or double-click anywhere else in the
Rules list.

36 Chyron.com
3. A new rule appears. Double-click the new rule and enter a descriptive name.

4. Press Enter or click elsewhere in the list.

37 Chyron.com
Rename a Rule
To rename a rule:

● Double-click the rule, enter a new name, and then press Enter or click elsewhere in the
list.

Delete a Rule
To remove a rule:

1. If not already in Edit Rules Mode, then at the bottom right corner of the Audio Director

interface, click the Edit rules button .

2. Click the minus sign at the right of the rule that you would like to delete.

The list no longer displays the rule.

Import Rules
To import rules from another session:

1. Go to the Session menu and then select Import rules.

2. Locate and then double-click the desired session.

Rule States

Rule State Overview

A rule changes from state to state, depending upon the Audio Input Levels, Attack or Release
Time, and other rule parameters.

The general order of rule states is as follows:

● Idle: Rule does not send Activation Events or Deactivation Events to PRIME
Switcher. One or more Audio Input Levels are inactive.

● Attack - Idle, in Attack State: Audio Input Levels are active, but the Attack Time has
not yet elapsed.

38 Chyron.com
 ● Active: Audio Levels are all active. Attack Time has elapsed, but another rule is
currently activated and has precedence.

● Activated: Rule sends its specified Activation Event(s) to PRIME Switcher.

● Release: Rule is activated, but one or more Audio Input Levels have become inactive,
and the Release Time has not yet elapsed. Once the Release Time elapses, then the
rule sends the specified Deactivation Event(s) to PRIME Switcher, and the rule
becomes Idle.

Note that Release Time is not the only condition that can trigger Deactivation Events.
A rule’s Deactivation Events can also trigger when another rule takes precedence, for
example, when a rule with Force enabled becomes activated, or Cycle Mode activates
a different rule.

● Deactivated: Rule is no longer activated, but may be either active or idle. A rule that is
deactivated, but still active, may have been overridden by another rule that has Force
enabled, or has been made inactive due to Cycle Mode activating a different rule. Upon
deactivation, the rule sends its Deactivation Event(s) to PRIME Switcher.

The states are described in detail in the following sections.

Idle
An Idle rule does not send Activation or Deactivation Events to PRIME Switcher. When a rule
is Idle, and not in Attack state, one or more of the Audio Input Levels are inactive. A rule in
the Idle state displays in gray. Active Audio Input Level(s) display in green; inactive Audio
Inputs Levels display in red.

NOTE: If an Audio Input Level does not display, then ensure that the audio source is
connected and operating properly.

39 Chyron.com
Attack
Attack is a transitory state in which the rule is Idle, all audio inputs are active, but the Attack
Time has not yet elapsed.

The Attack state acts as a buffer against rapid changes between Audio Input Level active and
inactive states, by requiring that a user-set length of time pass before changing the rule state to
active or activated, therefore preventing unnecessary switching between sources.

When all inputs become active, then the rule is considered valid, and the Attack Timer starts.

● If the specified Attack Time elapses, and all of the Audio Input Levels are still active,
then:

○ The rule becomes active or activated.

○ Audio Director sends the rule’s Activation Event(s) to PRIME Switcher.

● If the specified Attack Time elapses, and one or more of the Audio Input Levels are no
longer active, then the rule remains idle, and is considered invalid, until conditions are
met to restart the Attack Timer.

A rule in the Attack state displays in gray in the Active Rules list. The Attack Time progress
bar is partially filled. The Audio Level(s) display in green. The following figure shows:

● The Activated rule in Release state.

○ One of the Audio Inputs is inactive, and displays as red.

○ The Release progress bar has not yet reached its specified duration.

● The Idle rule in Attack state.

○ All Audio Input levels are active.

○ The Attack progress bar has not yet reached its specified duration.

40 Chyron.com
The Audio Input levels are reflected in the Audio Monitors:

Active
A rule becomes Active at the point at which the Attack Time elapses, i.e., all Audio Inputs
Levels must be at or Above, or Below (depending on the Activation settings) their
Thresholds, based on the session’s Minimum delay in ms.

A rule in the Active state displays in green in the Active Rules list. The Attack Time progress
bar is completely filled. The Audio Level at the right displays green.

NOTE: A rule can change state directly from Idle to Activated, if no other rule takes
precedence.

Activated
A rule becomes Activated when it meets all requirements to become Active, and there is no
other rule that takes precedence at that time (e.g., due to Force or Cycle Mode). Upon
becoming Activated, the rule sends its Activation Event(s) to PRIME Switcher. Only one rule
can be in Activated state at any time.

A rule can change state directly from Idle to Activated, if no other rule takes precedence.

A rule in Activated state displays in green in the Active Rules list, and an arrow displays at the
left of the rule. The Audio Level(s) at the right displays green.

At the point when the rule becomes idle, Audio Director sends the rule’s Deactivation Events
to PRIME Switcher.

41 Chyron.com
Release
Transitory state in which one or more Audio Inputs are no longer active, and the rule’s Release
Timer has not completely elapsed.

The Release state acts as a buffer against rapid changes between Audio Input Level active
and inactive states, by requiring that a user-set length of time pass before changing the rule
state to idle, therefore preventing unnecessary switching between sources.

When one or more inputs become inactive, then the rule is considered invalid, and the Release
Timer starts.

● If the specified Release Time elapses, and one or more of the Audio Input Levels are
still inactive:

○ Then the rule becomes Idle.

○ Audio Director sends the rule’s Deactivation Event(s) to PRIME Switcher.

● If the specified Release Time elapses, and all of the Audio Input Levels are active,
then the rule is considered valid, and remains activated, until conditions are met to
restart the Release Timer.

A rule in Release state displays in green in the Active Rules list, and the arrow continues to
display at the left of the rule.

● The Activated rule in Release state.

○ One of the Audio Inputs is inactive, and displays as red.

○ The Release progress bar has not yet reached its specified duration.

● The Idle rule in Attack state.

○ All Audio Input levels are active.

○ The Attack progress bar has not yet reached its specified duration.

42 Chyron.com
Deactivated
Rule is no longer activated, but may be either active or idle.

A rule that is deactivated, but still active, may have been overridden by another rule that has
Force enabled, or has been made inactive due to Cycle Mode activating a different rule.

When a rule becomes inactive, then it sends its Deactivation Event(s) to PRIME Switcher.

Edit a Rule

Select a Rule to Edit

To select a rule for editing:

1. If not already in Edit Rules Mode, then at the bottom right corner of the Audio Director

interface, click the Edit rules button .

2. In the Rules list, click the rule that you would like to edit. The rules edit settings display.
The settings are as follows:

○ Rule Details
■ Attack Time
■ Force
■ Release Time
■ Cycle Mode
○ Audio Input Parameters
■ Threshold
■ Decay
■ Activation
○ Activation Events
○ Deactivation Events

Each is described in the following sections.

43 Chyron.com
Rule Details
Overview
Rule Details specify the Attack, Force, Release Time and Cycle Mode, Min and Max.

Attack Time
Attack Time defines the length of time that it takes for the rule to become active. This means
that ALL Audio Input Levels and their respective settings must be active, i.e., all Audio Input
Levels must be Above or Below (depending on the Activation settings) their specified
Thresholds. Note that the Minimum delay is a global setting for the session, and is not
rule-specific.
The Attack Timer acts as a buffer against rapid changes between Audio Input Level active
and inactive states, preventing unnecessary switches between cameras.

The Attack Timer starts when all Audio Input Levels meet the Threshold.
● If all Audio Input Levels remain active at the point when the Attack Time elapses, then
the rule becomes active or activated. If the rule becomes activated, then Audio Director
sends the rule’s Activation Event(s) to PRIME Switcher.
● If, however, one or more of the Audio Input Levels become active before the specified
Attack Time elapses, then the rule remains idle, and the Attack Timer resets.
In addition, if the Attack Time has elapsed, and Audio Input Levels are still active, but the
Minimum Delay has not yet elapsed, then the rule becomes activated once the Minimum
Delay has elapsed.

Force
Force specifies that when this rule becomes active, it takes precedence over any other rule
that is already activated.
● When Force is enabled on a rule, the rule immediately becomes the activated rule when
the rule meets the requirements to become active.
● A Force-enabled rule that meets the requirements to become active, overrides all other
rules, even if one or more of those rules meet the requirements to become activated.
● Once a Force-enabled rule no longer meets the requirements to remain activated, then
it becomes idle.

44 Chyron.com
A typical use case is to enable Force on the presenter’s mic, to specify that when the presenter
is speaking, the rule that commands the PRIME Switcher to switch the presenter’s camera to
Program when the presenter is speaking takes priority over any other activated rule.

NOTE: Do not enable Force and set Cycle Mode to either Random or List in the same
rule. For example, if Rule A is activated due to having Force enabled, but its Cycle Mode
activates Rule B, then Rule A’s Force setting quickly reactivates Rule A. The result is that
PRIME Switcher performs the Activation Event(s) for Rule B, and then immediately
performs the Activation Event(s) for Rule A, as Force takes precedence. Visually, it may
appear that there is a switcher glitch. If Rule A cuts to Cam1 and Rule B cuts to CAM2,
then PRIME Switcher would quickly cut from CAM1 to CAM2 and back to CAM1. If Force
is enabled, then set Cycle Mode to Hold.

Release Time
Release defines the length of time that it takes for the rule to become idle when one or more
Audio Input Levels become inactive.

The Release Timer starts when one or more Audio Input Levels no longer meet the
Threshold.

● If one or more Audio Input Levels remain inactive at the point when the Release Time
elapses, then the rule becomes idle, and Audio Director sends the rule’s Deactivation
Event(s) to PRIME Switcher.
● If, however, all Audio Input Levels return to an active state before the specified
Release Time elapses, then the rule remains activated, and the Release Timer resets.

The Release Timer acts as a buffer against rapid changes between Audio Input Level active
and inactive states, preventing unnecessary switches between cameras.

45 Chyron.com
Cycle Mode
To provide more of a “live” feel to a show, Audio Director can introduce randomness to rule
activation. For example, the rule that switches PRIME Switcher Program to a talk show host
camera is probably the most frequently activated rule. Audio Director’s Cycle Mode can ensure
variation in rule activation, so that the switching appears more natural.

The Cycle Modes are as follows:

● Hold: No other rule is activated based on Cycle Mode parameters, i.e., Cycle Mode is
disabled for this rule.

The following shows the appearance of Activated and Idle rules with Cycle Mode set
to Hold.

● Random: Audio Director randomly selects the next rule to be activated from the list of
currently active rules in the Active Rules list.

The following shows the appearance of Activated and Idle rules with Cycle Mode set
to Random. In the Activated rule, the progress bar shows that the Cycle Time has not
elapsed.

● List: Audio Director selects the next rule to be activated from the top of the list of
currently active rules in the Active Rules list.

The following shows the appearance of Activated and Idle rules with Cycle Mode set
to List. In the Activated rule, the progress bar shows that the Cycle Time has elapsed.

46 Chyron.com
When Cycle Mode is set to Random or List, you can define min(imum) and max(imum) times
to define a time frame in which Audio Director automatically activates the rule that it has
selected. Once the selected rule is activated, then the Cycle Time starts again, with a new
timeout within the time frame.

The currently activated rule remains at the top of the Active Rules list until it becomes idle or is
otherwise overridden by Force or Cycle Mode.

The rule to which the activated rule is cycles displays a separate indicator at the right of the
Active Rules list. The following shows the currently activated rule and the next rule to become
activated.

NOTE: Do not enable Force and set Cycle Mode to either Random or List in the same
rule. For example, if Rule A is activated due to having Force enabled, but its Cycle Mode
activates Rule B, then Rule A’s Force setting quickly reactivates Rule A. The result is that
PRIME Switcher performs the Activation Event(s) for Rule B, and then immediately
performs the Activation Event(s) for Rule A, as Force takes precedence. Visually, it may
appear that there is a switcher glitch. If Rule A cuts to Cam1 and Rule B cuts to CAM2,
then PRIME Switcher would quickly cut from CAM1 to CAM2 and back to CAM1. If Cycle
Mode is set to Random or List, then disable Force.

47 Chyron.com
Minimum Delay, Attack Time, Release Time, Force and Cycle Mode Hierarchy
The specified Minimum Delay takes precedence over the Attack Time, Release Time, Force,
and Cycle Mode. For example:

● If an Attack Time for Rule B or Release Time for Rule A has elapsed, but the
Minimum Delay has not, then Audio Director waits until the Minimum Delay has
passed prior to activating Rule B.

● If Force is enabled for Rule A, and the Audio Inputs for Rule A become active, but the
Minimum Delay has not elapsed, then Audio Director waits until the Minimum Delay
has passed prior to activating Rule A.

Force takes precedence over Attack Time, Release Time, and Cycle Mode. Note, however if
a rule has Force enabled, and has Cycle Mode set to Random or List, then if Cycle Mode
activates a different rule, then the rule that has Force enabled will immediately become
activated again, resulting in what may appear to be a switcher glitch. As such, do not enable
Force and Set Cycle mode to Random or List in the same rule.

● If you enable Force, then set Cycle Mode to Hold.

● If you set Cycle Mode to either Random or List, then disable Force.

Set Activation and Deactivation Events

Activation/Deactivation Event Overview
Events are the API commands that Audio Director sends to PRIME Switcher. There are two
types of Events:

● Activation Events: When a rule becomes activated, then Audio Director sends the
rule’s Activation Events (API commands) to PRIME Switcher.

● Deactivation Events: When a rule becomes idle or changes from activated to active
(e.g., another rule takes precedence due to Force or Cycle Mode), then Audio Director
sends the rule’s Deactivation Events (API commands) to PRIME Switcher.

You can add and edit rules regardless of whether or not Audio Director is connected to PRIME
Switcher. If editing while disconnected, however, the combo boxes that allow you to select
items such as Bank, Bus, Source and Transition are not available, and you must enter (type
in) the information.

After you add one or more Activation or Deactivation Events, then set the Audio Input
parameters for Audio Input.

48 Chyron.com
NOTE: A rule need not have both Activation Events and Deactivation Events. In fact, it is
best to plan rules so that they all send either Activation or Deactivation Events, so that a
rule’s Deactivation Events do not conflict with the Activation Events of the subsequent
rule. Generally, it is best to set Activation Events.

Add an Activation or Deactivation Event

To add an Activation or Deactivation Event:

1. In the Activation Events or Deactivation Events panel, click “+” (the Add icon) or
double-click anywhere else in the Activation Events or Deactivation Events panel.

A new event appears. By default, it is Switcher Bank Cut:

49 Chyron.com
2. You can select from the following built-in commands, plus you can enter custom
commands.

● If Audio Director is connected PRIME Switcher, or was connected to PRIME

Switcher during this session, but then disconnected, then:

a. Select a command from the Command drop-down list.

b. Select the parameters from the combo box(es) specific to the command.

c. Press Enter.

In the following, the Command dropdown list is expanded to show the available
commands.

● If Audio Director has not yet been connected to PRIME Switcher during this
session, then:

a. Select a command from the Command drop-down list.

b. Type the name of each parameter into its combo box. For example, to set
the Main Bank Preset Source to CAM1:

■ Type “Main” in the Bank combo box.

■ Type “Preset” in the Bus combo box.

■ Type “CAM1” in the Source combo box.

c. Press Enter or click another event in the list.

50 Chyron.com
The commands and their parameters are as follows:

● Switcher Bank Auto Transition: Triggers a transition using the Auto Transition set in
PRIME Switcher.

Parameter:

○ Bank: Select the PRIME Switcher Bank that will perform the Auto transition.

■ Main
■ ME1 (if configured on PRIME Switcher)

Example: In the Main Bank, perform the transition set as the Auto Transition.

● Switcher Bank Cut: Triggers a Cut transition.

Parameter:

○ Bank: Select the PRIME Switcher Bank that will perform the Cut transition.

■ Main
■ ME1 (if configured on PRIME Switcher)

● Switcher Bus Select Source: Selects a PRIME Switcher source based on the specified
Bank, Bus and Source.

Parameters:

○ Bank: Select the PRIME Switcher Bank from which the Source is selected.

■ Main
■ ME1 (if configured on PRIME Switcher)

○ Bus: Select the PRIME Switcher Bus from which the Source is selected.

■ Preset
■ Program
■ Key1
■ Key2
■ Key3
■ Key4

51 Chyron.com
 ○ Source: Select the Source.
■ Black (BLK)
■ Any configured Video Inputs, typically CAM1, CAM2, etc.
■ Any configured Clips (CLP1, CLP2)
■ Any configured Graphics (GFX1, GFX2)
■ Mix Effects, if configured (ME1)

Example: In the Main Bank Program Bus, select CAM3.

● Switcher Bank Set Active Transition: Specifies the Transition Type that PRIME
Switcher performs when Switcher Bank Auto Transition is triggered.

○ Bank: Select the PRIME Switcher Bank from which the Source is selected.

■ Main
■ ME1 (if configured on PRIME Switcher)

○ Transition: Select the Transition Type.

■ DISS: Dissolve
■ WIPE: Wipe
■ Any other custom transitions.

Example: In the ME1 Bank, set the Active Transition to Dissolve.

● Switcher Custom: Send a custom command to PRIME Switcher.

○ Request: Enter script.

Example: Mute first Audio Fader in the Main Audio Bus.

{ "Type": "set", "Method": "AudioBuses(0).IsMuted", "Params": [ true ] }

For an overview of available commands please refer to the PRIME WebSocket

Automation Interface Reference Guide.

52 Chyron.com
Example of a Rule’s Typical Activation Event:

1. Set Main Bank Preset Bus Source to CAM1.

2. Perform Main Bank Cut Transition.

NOTE: When planning Activation and Deactivation Events, it is best practice to program
the transitions in either the Activation Events or the Deactivation Events - not in both;
otherwise, a double transition will be performed. For example:

● If a Wipe is a Deactivation Event for a rule, and a Wipe is an Activation Event for
the subsequent rule, then PRIME Switcher will perform a Wipe, and then
immediately another Wipe.
● If a Wipe is a Deactivation Event for a rule, and a Dissolve is an Activation Event
for the subsequent rule, then PRIME Switcher will perform a Wipe, and then
immediately a Dissolve.

Delete an Activation/Deactivation Event

To delete an Activation/Deactivation Event:

● Click the minus sign at the right of the Activation or Deactivation Event that you would
like to delete.

The list no longer displays the event.

53 Chyron.com
Set Audio Input Parameters
Add an Audio Input to a Rule
Audio Director triggers a rule based on the parameters set for specific Audio Inputs. For
example, Audio Director can switch to the anchor’s camera when the anchor’s microphone
level is at or above a specific Audio Input Level, and the guest’s microphone is below a
specific Audio Input Level. This boundary level is called the Threshold.

To set up the rule, you must add each of the Audio Inputs to the specific rule.

To add an Audio Input to a rule:

1. Select (click) the rule to which you would like to add the Audio Input.

2. At the top of the Audio Director interface, click the Audio Input that you would like to
add to the rule. For example, if the guest’s microphone is Audio Input 1, then click the
Audio Input labeled 1.

54 Chyron.com
The Audio Input appears, and displays its Threshold, Decay and Activation
parameters and a visual representation of the Audio Input Level and the specified
Threshold.

55 Chyron.com
To add an additional Audio Input to the rule:

● At the top of the Audio Director interface, click the Audio Input that you would like to
add to the rule.

To display the visual representation of the Audio Input Level and Threshold for a specific
Audio Input:

● Click the Threshold, Decay or Activation field in the row that displays the settings for
that Audio Input.

Delete an Audio Input from a Rule

To delete an Audio Input from a rule:

● At the top of the Audio Director interface, click the Audio Input that you would like to
delete from the rule. The Audio Input no longer appears in the rule.

56 Chyron.com
Threshold and Activation
Threshold defines at which dB value the Audio Input is active or inactive. This is determined
in conjunction with the Activation setting.

Activation specifies at which point the audio input is considered active, i.e., Above (or at) or
Below the Threshold.

● If the Activation is set to Above, then the audio input is considered active if the signal
is equal to or above the specified Threshold.

57 Chyron.com
● If the Activation is set to Above, then the audio input is considered inactive if the
signal is below the specified Threshold.

● If the Activation is set to Below, then the audio input is considered active if the signal
is below the specified Threshold.

58 Chyron.com
 ● If the Activation is set to Below, then the audio input is considered inactive if the
signal is equal to or above the specified Threshold.

To set Activation:

1. Double-click the Activation field for the audio input, then click the drop-down arrow.

2. From the Activation drop-down menu for the rule, select Above or Below.

To set Threshold, do one of the following:

● Enter the threshold in the Threshold field.

● In the Audio Level/Threshold display at the right, drag the Threshold indicator up or
down to the desired position.

59 Chyron.com
Decay
Decay defines the length of time, in ms, in which the Audio Input Level decays to silence.

The Audio Input Level stores the last level from the Audio Source (e.g., discrete AES from the
microphone, embedded audio, etc.).

● If the Source Audio Level rises above the last stored Audio Input Level, then the
Audio Input Level immediately raises to match the Source Audio Level.

● If the Source Audio Level drops below the last stored Audio Input Level, then the
Audio Input Level immediately drops to match the Source Audio Level. Depending on
the specified Decay, however, the Audio Input Level takes time to reach the lower
level. As such, it provides a buffer for silence, preventing unnecessary switching.

○ If the Decay value is set high, then the Audio Input Level slowly decays, even
after a short peak. As such, speech that is spaced out or halting will not cause
the audio to become inactive.

○ If the value is set low, then the Audio Input Level decays much faster and
requires a sustained peak to maintain a higher dB value. As such, speech that is
spaced out or halting may cause the audio to become inactive, as the Source
Audio must be continually maintained at a higher level, in order for the Audio
Input Level to remain active.

Apply/Discard Rule Edits

Apply Rule Edits
To exit Edit Rules Mode and apply edits made to rules:

● At the lower right bottom of the Audio Director interface click the Apply button .
The rules edits are applied and Edit Rules Mode closes.

Discard Rule Edits

To exit Edit Rules Mode and discard edits made to rules:

● At the lower right bottom of the Audio Director interface click the Discard button

. The rules edits are discarded and Edit Rules Mode closes.

60 Chyron.com
 Chapter 5: Troubleshooting - Set/Review
Log, Common Issues
Set and Review the Log
To troubleshoot Audio Director:

● Review the Log files that are created by Audio Director.

Via the Log menu, you can define the following settings:

● Location: Where to store the log files.

● Size limit: When the log file exceeds this value, a new log file will be created.

● Count limit: When the number of log files exceeds this value, then the oldest existing
log file is removed.

● Open log directory: Opens the log file directory, from which you can select and open a
log file.

Log Messages

Log format Event Arguments

NOTE: “NA” indicates that
there is no argument.

parsed %1 rule(s) session loaded successfully number of rules

rule "%1" attack rule valid, attack timer starts rule name

rule "%1" idle rule invalid during attack rule name

rule "%1" active rule activated after attack rule name

rule "%1" releasing rule invalid during active, release timer rule name
starts

rule "%1" active rule activated during release timer rule name

rule "%1" released rule released after release timer rule name

selecting new rule on the basis of '%1' cycling to next rule cycle mode
cycle mode

next cycle time: %1 after cycle shows next occurrence next cycle time

activating rule: "%1" rule activated (sending commands) rule name

61 Chyron.com
deactivating rule: "%1" rule deactivated (sending commands) rule name

Connected switcher connected NA

Disconnected switcher disconnected NA

Received error for request %1 %2 switcher command returned error command, error

Received error from unknown request: switcher command returned error error
(unknown command)

Could not send commands because switcher state is missing NA

Switcher state is missing

Could not send command %1: %2 command could not be created (e.g., command, specific
bank not found) error

Reconnecting... trying to reconnect after disconnect NA

Common Issues

Audio Input Level Does Not Display

If an Audio Input Level does not display, i.e., there appears to be no audio input signal, then
ensure that the audio source is connected to the audio card, and is operating properly.

Cannot Access Combo Boxes

You can add and edit rules regardless of whether or not Audio Director is connected to PRIME
Switcher. If you have opened the session, and have not yet connected the session to PRIME
Switcher, however, then you will not be able to access the Activation/Deactivation Event
combo boxes that allow you to select items such as Bank, Bus, Source and Transition.
Instead, you must enter (type in) the settings.

● Once you connect the session to PRIME Switcher, then the combo boxes become
available, even if you subsequently disconnect from PRIME Switcher.

● If you close the session and reopen it, then you will need to connect the session once
again to access the combo boxes.

62 Chyron.com
Log Shows that Switcher State Cannot Be Retrieved
The log indicates that the PRIME Switcher state cannot be retrieved. Example:
Received error for request 'call GetState' Could not find object: This.GetState

To remedy, ensure that:

● Audio Director is connecting to the correct PRIME Switcher address; and,
● “/Runtime/Switcher” is at the end of the URL, as shown in the following:

Log Shows that Command Cannot Be Sent

The log indicates that the command cannot be sent to PRIME Switcher, i.e., the command is
addressing a non-existing entity on PRIME Switcher. Example:
Could not send command Switcher Select Source 'ME2.Preset = BLK': Bank ME2 not
found

To remedy:
● Ensure that you correctly configure the Bank, Source and Transitions on PRIME
Switcher.
● If you are setting up Activation/Deactivation Events while not yet connected to PRIME
Switcher during a session, then ensure that you enter the Bank, Bus, Source, and
Transition names exactly as they are spelled, and that you do not enter Bank, Bus,
Source, and Transition names that either do not (because they are not configured) or
cannot (e.g., Bank4, Key5) exist on PRIME Switcher.
● If you entered a Custom Activation/Deactivation Event, then ensure that the syntax is
correct, and that it correctly references the Bank, Bus, Source, and Transition names.

Switcher Switches Sources, and then Quickly Switches Again, Part 1

If PRIME Switcher switches from Source A to Source B, and then quickly switches back to
Source A, it may be due to the rule having Force enabled, and Cycle Mode set to either
Random or List. When Cycle Mode triggers the switcher to switch Source A to Source B, the
Force setting in Source A causes it to immediately switch back to Source A.

To remedy, you can do one of the following:

● Keep Force enabled, and set Cycle Mode to Hold. This disables Cycle Mode.
● Disable Force, and keep Cycle Mode set to Random or List.
● Disable Force and set Cycle Mode to Hold.

63 Chyron.com
Switcher Switches Sources, and then Quickly Switches Again, Part 2
If PRIME Switcher switches from Source A to Source B, and then quickly switches again, it
may be due to the rule’s Deactivation Event triggering a transition, and the subsequent rule’s
Activation Event triggering a transition. The result is that when the first rule triggers its
transition upon deactivation, then the subsequent rule then immediately triggers another
transition upon activation.

To remedy, it is best to set the transitions for all of the rules in the session to trigger from the
Activation Events or all of the rules in the session to trigger from Deactivation Events,
preferably Activation Events.

64 Chyron.com
 Glossary
Audio Director Terms
The following terms apply to Audio Director. See PRIME Switcher Terms for definitions of
PRIME Switcher-specific terms.

Underlined term headings link to additional content.

Activated
A rule whose Audio Input Levels meet the rule’s Threshold and Activation requirements,
whose Attack Time has elapsed, and is not overridden by another rule. When a rule becomes
activated, it sends its Activation Events to PRIME Switcher.

Activation
The boundary that defines the Audio Input Level at which an Audio Input is determined to be
active or inactive.

Activation Event
An API command that is sent to PRIME Switcher upon a rule becoming activated. Each rule
can include one or more Activation and Deactivation Events, i.e., API commands, such as
selection of a Bank/Bus, Source, selection of an Active Transition, or execution of a
transition, that are sent to PRIME Switcher upon the activation or deactivation of the rule.

Active (Audio Input)

An Audio Input Level that meets a rule’s Threshold and Activation requirements.

Active (Rule)
A rule whose Audio Input Levels meet the rule’s Threshold and Activation requirements, and
whose Attack Time has elapsed.

Attack
A transitory state in which the rule is Idle, all audio inputs are active, but the Attack Time has
not yet elapsed.

Attack Time
The user-specified length of time that the Release Timer must run before the rule becomes
Active or Activated.

65 Chyron.com
Attack Timer
A timer that starts to run when an idle rule meets the requirements to become active, i.e., the
Audio Input Levels meet the rule’s Threshold and Activation requirements and are therefore
active. If the Audio Input Levels remain active for the entire specified Attack Time duration,
then the rule becomes Active or Activated.

Audio Input
An incoming audio signal from Source Audio. Audio Director monitors all enumerated
(numbered) inputs and displays their levels at the top of the Audio Director interface.

If you are unsure as to which input number is assigned to which microphone, then touch the
mic and watch which input reacts.

Audio Input Level

The strength of the Audio Input signal, in decibels (dB).

Connected
Specifies that Audio Director is connected to the PRIME Switcher specified in the Session
Address field.

Cycle Mode
To provide more of a “live” feel to a show, Audio Director can introduce randomness to rule
activation. For example, the rule that switches PRIME Switcher Program to a talk show host
camera is probably the most frequently activated rule. Audio Director’s Cycle Mode can ensure
variation in rule activation, so that the switching appears more natural.

Deactivated
A rule that had been activated, that no longer meets the requirements to remain activated, or
has been overridden due to Force or Cycle Mode. A deactivated rule can be either active or
idle.

66 Chyron.com
Deactivation Event
An API command that is sent to PRIME Switcher upon a rule becoming deactivated. Each rule
can include one or more Activation and Deactivation Events, i.e., API commands, such as
selection of a Bank/Bus, Source, selection of an Active Transition, or execution of a
transition, that are sent to PRIME Switcher upon the activation or deactivation of the rule.

Decay
The length of time, in ms, in which the Audio Input Level decays to silence.

● If this value is high, then the Audio Input Level slowly decays, even after a short peak.

● If the value is low, then the Audio Input Level decays much faster and requires a
sustained peak to maintain a higher dB value.

Disconnected
Specifies that Audio Director is not connected to the PRIME Switcher specified in the Session
Address field.

Event
Activation or Deactivation Event.

Force
A setting that specifies that when a rule becomes active, it takes precedence over any other
rule that is already activated.

Idle
A rule that is not active or activated.

Inactive (Audio)
An Audio Input Level that does not meet a rule’s Threshold and Activation requirements.

Invalid
A state in which the rule’s Audio Input Levels are inactive, i.e., they do not meet the conditions
for the rule to become active/activated.

Note, however, that when an activated rule becomes invalid, then the Release Time and
Minimum Delay must elapse before the rule becomes idle.

Log
A continually updating set of messages that communicate the state of Audio Director.

67 Chyron.com
Minimum Delay
A global setting for the session that defines a minimum length of time before the next rule can
become activated. Minimum Delay overrides Cycle Mode and Force.

Release
A transitory state in which the rule is Activated, but:

● One or more Audio Input Levels have become inactive.

● The Release Time has not yet elapsed.

Release Time
The user-specified length of time that the Release Timer must run before the rule becomes
Idle.

Release Timer
A timer that starts to run when an activated rule no longer meets the requirements to remain
active, i.e., one or more of the Audio Input Levels does not meet the rule’s Threshold and
Activation requirements to remain active. If one or more of Audio Input Levels remain inactive
for the entire specified Release Time duration, then the rule becomes Idle.

Rule
A rule defines how PRIME Switcher reacts to user-set audio levels and timing parameters.
User-configured Activation and Deactivation Events, i.e., API commands, are assigned to
rules and sent to PRIME Switcher. Also see Create/Edit Rules.

Session
A session represents a specific connection to PRIME Switcher. For each show that you run on
a PRIME Switcher, you can create a different session. You can also run multiple sessions
simultaneously, with each session connecting to a different PRIME Switcher device. Also see
Session Operations.

Source Audio
Audio source to Audio Director, using the Audio Stream Input/Output (ASIO) protocol. ASIO
bypasses the normal audio path through various Windows operating system layers, so that
Audio Director connects directly to the audio card, thereby reducing latency.

Source Audio Level

The audio level from the Audio Source, that is processed as an Audio Director Audio Input.

68 Chyron.com
Threshold
The specified dB value at which the audio input is active or inactive. This is determined in
conjunction with the Activation setting.

Valid
A state in which the rule’s Audio Input Levels are active, i.e., they meet the conditions for the
rule to become active/activated.

Note, however, that when the Audio Input Levels in an idle rule become active, then the
Attack Time and Minimum Delay must elapse before the rule becomes idle.

PRIME Switcher Terms

The following terms apply to PRIME Switcher. See the PRIME Switcher User Guide for
information on configuring and operating PRIME Switcher.

The commands involving these terms are set in the Activation and Deactivation Events.

Active Transition
In the PRIME Switcher Transition Area, the currently selected transition. For example, if the
Active Transition is a Wipe, then when Audio Director triggers an Auto Transition, PRIME
Switcher performs a Wipe. Also see Transition and Auto Transition.

Auto Transition
The command that triggers the Active Transition. Also see Transition and Active Transition.

Bank
A PRIME Switcher bank (Main or ME1). The PRIME Switcher Bank comprises the Program,
Preset and Key Buses.

Bus
A PRIME Switcher bus. Buses include Program, Preset, Key1, Key2, Key3 and Key4.

Source
A PRIME Switcher video input. Sources can include black, camera or other video feeds, clips,
graphics, and the Mix Effects (ME1) bank output.

Transition
The visual effect applied when PRIME Switcher switches Program from one source to another.
Transitions include Cut, Dissolve, Wipe, as well as Custom transitions that have been
configured in PRIME Switcher. Also see Active Transition and Auto Transition.

69 Chyron.com