[v7 General Discussion] Output lyrics to two outputs with different formatting

Can I output a song's lyrics to a projector using the full space/resolution available and at the same time output those lyrics in a bottom thirds format to a NDI output?

I should explain what we are trying to do. Previously we were outputting 1024x768 via hdmi to a splitter for a 1024x768 vga FOH projector & a 1080 hdmi stage display. We have now reformated our EW output to a lower thirds style via a 1080 NDI stream to vMix for streaming the services during this covid pandemic and the stage display shows our live stream output. We would like to merge the two in preparation for normal services to resume. Ideally we'd like to output a larger font/full screen to the FOH projector and simultaneously a lower thirds format to vMix and leave the stage display showing our vMix output. For now, I'm going to try outputting the lower thirds format via 1080 hdmi to the projector and either use vMix's NDI screen capture or split the hdmi signal to another camera input in vMix. Any other ideas how to accomplish this nicely?
You would need to use 2 computers if I am understanding correctly.



Here is a link to an article that Dan wrote on how to use https://easyworship.freshdesk.com/support/solutions/articles/24000055129]Running Two EasyWorship Computers with One MIDI Controller

You would need to use 2 computers if I am understanding correctly.



Here is a link to an article that Dan wrote on how to use https://easyworship.freshdesk.com/support/solutions/articles/24000055129]Running Two EasyWorship Computers with One MIDI Controller


If I read that right, you would have to control both computers from the iOS device which IMO would be not ideal. Also, any changes during the service would not work.



I certainly hope that EW is working on a way to have more than one main output. I am currently setting up streaming and would love to have the additional lower third output. Instead we will PIP for the time being. With more churches streaming than ever before, this feature should be an EW priority.
Yep. Looking to do the exact same thing. Hope it's in the on deck circle for development. :wink:
With a church in lockdown due to Covid 19, we have been sending the lower third song text to vMix via green screen and more recently using no background for our livestream. This works fine as we have not been using the main screen - no audience in the church. However, with restrictions now allowing us to have some people back in the church we are again using the main screen - which is only showing the words as lower thirds on a black screen. We really need to have the ability to have different outputs so the many who are streaming can have the lower third song text for the stream and also regular text with nice backgrounds for the audience. We really also need the ability to show the audience screen as normal AND have an NDI output (with different formatting) at the same time. We are actually doing this using the vMix NDI utility but only have the same output as the main screen as there is no other option. It needs to be built into EW. Though I have not checked I am told that ProPresenter has these features.

Yes, you can use two computers as has been suggested but that is not really feasible in some situations and also as has been pointed out, requires another operator as the midi control is also not always feasible.
I haven't done it live yet, but in proof of concept I was able to use the foldback function to make something like this work. I sent the normal output to monitor 1 and then used the foldback to send a "squished" output to monitor 2. I could then use desktop capture to put this into vmix for lower thirds. I just used a dark gray for the outline vs. black so that it wouldn't get keyed out.

Here is what it looked like using just one computer to test. Technically this was down with V6, but I would have to expect V7 would function similarly.
[attachment=0]vMix_and_easyworship.png[/attachment]

I certainly hope that EW is working on a way to have more than one main output. I am currently setting up streaming and would love to have the additional lower third output. Instead we will PIP for the time being. With more churches streaming than ever before, this feature should be an EW priority.


I wholeheartedly agree with this. Throughout "lockdown" we have been streaming only. Now we are starting to plan for a return to in-person services with a small congregation in the church building and another congregation online watching a live stream. I really need to be able to deliver two sets of content, one "full size" to the projectors and a separate second output for the live stream with lower-thirds lyrics alpha blended over camera pictures with OBS. I know at least one of the EasyWorship competitors is able to do this, but now is not the time for us to be changing projection software for a whole variety of reasons.



In the meantime I am planning to try to abuse the foldback function to provide this similar to what @stpaultech has managed to get working.
Just had a play around with the suggestion above. Yes I do see it could work OK as an option for the lower thirds song text. Good idea/workaround - possibly.

I also see a couple of issues.

1. We also include the pastors PowerPoint slides in our stream. If you use the screen margins to force the text to the bottom, you would also make the PP slide smaller on the foldback which would be too small for the pastor to read from the front. You can do it though without adjusting screen margins too much - only at the bottom. There is no text box as there is on the main output where you can adjust the text as you wish so positioning is a bit limited.



2. The text on the foldback is very small when set up for lower thirds song text and for the singers on the platform, that text would not likely be large enough for them to read.



3. You lose the Next Line/Next Item Line of text and the clock. (you would not want these in your lower thirds song text) The singers and pastor/preacher/presenter make use of this information and may miss having it available



While this is a potential workaround, these are just a few of the issues I see that could be a problem.



What we really need is another NDI output in which we can format the text as we wish - for the lower thirds. I feel this should be a high priority for EW - like urgent- as pretty much every church using EW, and streaming, world wide is now in this situation.



I do know of churches looking at other software which can do this and have even had that suggestion put on me to make that change. Makes me sad as I have been using and promoting EW for around 20 years.
From what I've read on their Facebook Page this is something they are actively working on. No timeline on when it will be released or if it will be for those on the subscription plan only or those who paid outright for it would also be included. Or even if it would be added to EW7 or it would be part of the next version of EW (ie: EW8).



I doubt it would be a simple task to incorporate an additional output to the program so I wouldn't be looking for it to be released anytime soon.
I do know of churches looking at other software which can do this and have even had that suggestion put on me to make that change. Makes me sad as I have been using and promoting EW for around 20 years.

This is our situation as well. COVID-19 has changed so much about how we "do church", where our congregation is, and how they want to interact with a service.
stpaultech is right. Use the free VMix Desktop Capture on your EW computer. This allows you to capture the Live screen twice. We use a BlackMagic Intensity Pro capture card in our VMix computer. We send the second screen from EW into VMix this way via HDMI. The problem is you can't add the same capture card input twice in VMix. But with the NDI Desktop Capture running on the EW machine, you can add the EW Live view a second time, and in VMix apply special (e.g. lower thirds) formatting to just that input, leaving the original input untouched. And if you're only using the Desktop Capture, you can still add that as input twice. VMix provides great options here.



The catch is this, you must use a solid color for the background for VMix to make it transparent in the Input Settings > Colour Key section. So no in-house lyric image/motion backgrounds. Not a problem for minimalists out there I'm sure. For our church, our service director loves image backgrounds. So the other possibility would be to use the foldback display, which can use its own background. The problem here is there is no CCLI/Copyright info displayed in the foldback, so you can't really use that online. I made a post to request this feature https://softoucheasyworshipforums.azurewebsites.net/viewtopic.php?f=70&t=16388&sid=4f37ac9b3edb071fd6bc00613dcf1355]here, so if you agree post a +1 reply there!