Server: Configuration

All configuration of CasparCG Server is done in the text file caspar.config which can be edited in any text editor. If you want to change the location (for example to a faster disk) you just change the paths in the casparcg.config file.

Use the \ character in front of any special character, so that C:\CasparCG\ is written C:\\CasparCG\\

At the bottom of the casparcg.config file you will find comments which document additional settings.

Paths Configuration

To tell the CasparCG Server where to look for media files, change the following paths in the configuration file.

You can change these paths to any path you'd like, for example a fixed path such as L:\\CasparCG\\ or \\\\my-server\\ or even a relative path (calculated from the Server's EXE file) such as Media sub-folder\\ Please note: All paths should be terminated with a backslash (meaning that it should be entered as \\).

We recommend that you place your media and templates files locally, on a fast disk that is not the same disk used for the operating system.

• log-path: Path to folder with all logs.
• media-path: CasparCG Server will look in the media folder (and its sub folders) for videos, audio and images files.
• template-path: CasparCG Server will look in the templates folder (and its subfolders) for Flash templates.
• template-host: Path to Flash TemplateHost files.
• data-path: Path to folder where "data" is read from and written to. CasparCG Server will look in the data folder (and its sub folders) for data loaded by Flash templates.

<configuration>
...
 <paths>
    <media-path>C:\\casparcg\\_media\\</media-path>
    <log-path>C:\\casparcg\\_log\\</log-path>
    <data-path>C:\\casparcg\\_data\\</data-path>
    <template-path>C:\\casparcg\\_templates\\</template-path>
    <template-host>cg.fth.20</template-host>
 </paths>
...
</configuration>

log

Available in version 2.1.0 onwards. Allows a remote client to monitor the Caspar CG Server log by connecting to the defined port, if added to the config file in the controllers section as shown below (other controllers not shown.

<controllers>
 ...
 <tcp>
  <port>3250</port>
  <protocol>LOG</protocol>
 </tcp>
</controllers>

Implemented by hellgore in this commit

log-level

Increase or decrease the amount of logging. Options are:

• error
• warning
• info
• debug
• trace

<configuration>
...
  <log-level>info</log-level>
...
</configuration>

diagnostics

The diagnostics window can be opened using the AMCP command DIAG

Graphs option determines whether the diagnostics window will display graphs or not.

<diagnostics>
 <graphs>true [true|false]</graphs>
</diagnostics>

See graph descriptions for more information about interpreting diagnostic graphs.

Auto-Mode

CasparCG Server 2.0 supports automatic real-time conversion of video-files encoded in other video modes than the channel is running.

Note: Auto-mode is highly dependent on that the clips are encoded correctly with frame-rate and interlacing meta-data.

 <auto-mode>[true|false]</auto-mode>

Buffering

buffer-depth

  <consumers>
     <buffer-depth>[2..]</buffer-depth>
  </consumers>

Buffer depth configures the depth of CasparCG Server's consumer buffers. Lower buffer-depth will decrease frame latency, however the software will be less tolerant to performance spikes.

Different consumers have different minimum buffer-depths to function properly. The buffer-depth setting should be set to the highest depth of any of the used consumers.

It is recommended (but not required) to use a buffer-depth of 2 frames over minimum.

Consumer	Minimum buffer depth
Bluefish	2
Decklink	3
Decklink + emb audio	4
Decklink + low-latency	2
Decklink + emb audio low-latency	3
Screen	2
Audio	3

pipeline-tokens

<pipeline-tokens>[2..]</pipeline-tokens>

The number of tokens that can be active in the rendering pipeline. Currently the pipeline has two parallel stages so for maximum performance you should have 2 tokens. Adding more than 2 tokens can provide buffering for hiding performance spikes. Each token causes a delay of 1 frame, so setting it to 25 causes the pipeline to render at maximum performance (since >=2) and then adds 23 frames of extra buffering.

Setting pipeline-tokens to 1 for a channel reduces the delay from input to output by 1 frame. Please note that reducing the delay/buffering can have impact on performance and spike tolerance.

Channels Configuration

The resolution and frame rate of the channel must be specified.

 <channels>
   <channel>
     <video-mode> PAL [PAL|NTSC|576p2500|720p2398|720p2400|720p2500|720p29.976|720p30|720p5000|720p5994|720p6000|1080p2398|1080p2400|1080p2500|1080p2997|1080p3000|1080p5000|1080i5000|1080p5994|1080i5994|1080p6000|1080i6000|2160p2398|2160p2400|2160p2500|2160p2997|2160p30] </video-mode>
     <consumers>
     </consumers>
   </channel>
 </channels>

Please note that the 4K (3840x2160) support requires CasparCG Server 2.0.4 or later.

Video Formats

These formats are supported in a channel, and can be configured either in the caspar.config file or via the SET command.

See also: Table of supported video cards

Video Format (Parameter)	Frame Rate	Field order	Resolution (square pixels)	Resolution (non-square pixels)	Notes
PAL	50i	Upper/Odd	1024x576	720x576
NTSC	59.94i	Lower/Even	720x540	720x486
576p2500	25p	Progressive	1024x576		Not supported by output cards from BlackMagic Design
720p2398	23.976p	Progressive	1280x720		Not supported by output cards from BlackMagic Design
720p2400	24p	Progressive	1280x720		Not supported by output cards from BlackMagic Design
720p2500	25p	Progressive	1280x720
720p2997	29.976p	Progressive	1280x720		Not supported by output cards from BlackMagic Design
720p3000	30p	Progressive	1280x720		Not supported by output cards from BlackMagic Design
720p5000	50p	Progressive	1280x720
720p5994	59.94p	Progressive	1280x720
720p6000	60p	Progressive	1280x720
1080p2398	23.976p	Progressive	1920x1080
1080p2400	24p	Progressive	1920x1080
1080p2500	25p	Progressive	1920x1080
1080p2997	29.976p	Progressive	1920x1080
1080p3000	30p	Progressive	1920x1080
1080p5000	50p	Progressive	1920x1080
1080i5000	50i	Upper/Odd	1920x1080
1080p5994	59.94p	Progressive	1920x1080
1080i5994	59.94i	Upper/Odd	1920x1080
1080p6000	60p	Progressive	1920x1080
1080i6000	60i	Upper/Odd	1920x1080
2160p2398	23.976p	Progressive	3840x2160		4K support requires CasparCG Server 2.0.4 or later.
2160p2400	24p	Progressive	3840x2160		4K support requires CasparCG Server 2.0.4 or later.
2160p2500	25p	Progressive	3840x2160		4K support requires CasparCG Server 2.0.4 or later.
2160p2997	29.976p	Progressive	3840x2160		4K support requires CasparCG Server 2.0.4 or later.
2160p3000	30p	Progressive	3840x2160		4K support requires CasparCG Server 2.0.4 or later.
2160p5000	50p	Progressive	3840x2160		HFR 4K requires CasparCG Server 2.1.0b2 or later.
2160p5994	59.94p	Progressive	3840x2160		HFR 4K requires CasparCG Server 2.1.0b2 or later.
2160p6000	60p	Progressive	3840x2160		HFR 4K requires CasparCG Server 2.1.0b2 or later.

Consumers Configuration

Consumer configuration lives within the consumers section of a channels configuration.

<channel>
 <consumers>
 ..
 </consumers>
</channel>

<decklink>

Please note: This applies to all supported cards from BlackMagic Design, not just their DeckLink product range.

 <decklink>
    <device>[1..]</device>
    <embedded-audio>false [true|false]</embedded-audio>
    <latency>default [normal|low|default]</latency>
    <keyer>external [external|internal|default|external_separate_device]</keyer>
    <key-only>false [true|false]</key-only>
    <buffer-depth>3 [1..]</buffer-depth>
    <key-device>device + 1 [1..]</key-device>
 </decklink>

From v2.0.7 Beta 2 onwards, it is possible to use a separate Decklink device (note that this could be a separate device on the same physical card) to produce a key signal if required, prior to this version, a Decklink card with a separate key facility (such as the HD Extreme) was required. To use another device as a key signal, set to the device to be used to output a key signal, and set <keyer> to external_serparate_device.

<bluefish>

 <bluefish>
   <device>[1..]</device>
   <embedded-audio>false [true|false]</embedded-audio>
   <key-only>false [true|false]</key-only>
 </bluefish>

<screen>

 <screen>
   <device>[0..]</device>
   <aspect-ratio>default [default|4:3|16:9]</aspect-ratio>
   <stretch>fill [none|fill|uniform|uniform_to_fill]</stretch>
   <windowed>false [true|false]</windowed>
   <key-only>false [true|false]</key-only>
   <auto-deinterlace>true [true|false]</auto-deinterlace>
   <vsync>false [true|false]</vsync>
   <name>[Screen Consumer]</name>
   <borderless>false [true|false]</borderless>
 </screen>

<name>

Allows the title bar label to be changed, if not, Caspar CG will generate one containing information about the channel and its format.

<borderless>

Windows title bar and border around the window will no longer be visible, this is most useful for developers writing applications to run on the same machine as Caspar CG Server where the screen consumer can then be embedded into the application.

<newtek-ivga>

Allows the NewTek TriCaster series of vision mixers to receive input from Caspar CG via network (note, from v2.0.7 Beta 2 onwards, driver also required, see System Requirements)

<newtek-ivga>
  <channel-layout>stereo [mono|stereo|dts|dolbye|dolbydigital|smpte|passthru]</channel-layout>
  <provide-sync>true [true|false]</provide-sync>
</newtek-ivga>

<file>

<file>
 <path></path>
 <vcodec>libx264 [libx264|qtrle]</vcodec>
 <separate-key>false [true|false]</separate-key>
</file>

<stream>

From v2.0.7 Beta 2 onwards. Renamed to <ffmpeg> since v2.1.x.

<ffmpeg>

The below is an example usage for the streaming consumer configuration, there are no defaults for this consumer

<ffmpeg>
 <path>udp://localhost:5004</path>
 <args>-codec:v libx264 -tune:v zerolatency -preset:v ultrafast -crf:v 25 -format mpegts -filter:v scale=240:180</args>
</ffmpeg>

NB: ffmpeg arguments must be provided in the form '-[parameter]:[stream]', eg. -codec:v, not -vcodec, -filter:v, not -vf. Incorrect syntax will yield an "Unused option" warning in logs.

Certain configuration elements applicable to multiple consumers are explained below in a little more detail.

<device>

Chooses which device to use if you have several of the same kind. Devices identified by Caspar are listed at the top of the console on start-up (not that this will not be displayed if Caspar is set to log warnings and above only) with a number in square brackets next to them. This number is the device number that should be used here.

<device>[1..]</device>

<embedded-audio>

Turning on embedded audio for a channel adds a delay of 1 frame. Default is false.

<embedded-audio>false [true|false]</embedded-audio>

<latency>

Setting latency to low for a channel reduces delay by 1 frame. Can have impact on performance and spike tolerance.

<latency>default [normal|low|default]</latency>        

<system-audio>

Enables output through the default audio device of your hardware. This should be applied to the section, not to an individual consumer, for instance:

<consumers>
 <screen>
  ..
 </screen>
 <system-audio>false [true|false]</system-audio>
</consumers>

Configuration Examples

How to enable the Screen Consumer

Open the casparcg.config in a text editor and use the following node for consumers:

 <consumers>
 	<screen/>
 </consumers>

How to enable the DeckLink Consumer

To get video in and key output, open casparcg.config in a text editor and use the following node for consumers:

<consumers>
	<decklink/>
</consumers>