Feature grid
The detailed options for reading, controlling and recording with Sightline. Browse 249 entries in 18 groups, including separate Stream Deck and OBS sections.
249 entries in 18 groups
What the availability labels mean
- Included
- Part of the app or named companion. The stated requirements still apply.
- Optional
- Enable, configure or download the feature.
- Dependent
- Needs external software, hardware or a service.
- Limited
- Read the material qualification beside the feature.
- Not included
- Outside this build. Availability is not a passed hardware test.
Product, platform and installation
Back to filtersRead more: Getting started · Policies
| Capability | Availability | Options and behaviour | Dependencies and limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Product type | Included | Desktop teleprompter with a translucent script overlay, voice control and production metadata. | A separate recording application or camera supplies the production video. |
| Price and account | Included | Sightline Prompter is free to download and use, with no required Sightline account or subscription. | Optional third-party services can have their own charges and accounts. |
| App source and licence | Included | Public GitHub source under the MIT licence; adapted from Electron Teleprompter. | Preserve applicable copyright and licence notices when redistributing. |
| Desktop platforms | Included | Windows, macOS Apple silicon and Intel, and Linux distribution targets. | Physical hardware validation varies by platform; macOS hardware and VoiceOver checks remain outstanding. |
| Local desktop operation | Included | Ordinary reading, editing and steady prompting run on the computer. | First downloads, updates, linked documents and online services require connectivity. |
| Packaged installation | Included | Downloadable desktop packages; Windows installer and app branding. | Signing and operating-system security prompts are described in the installation guide. |
| Windows process identity | Included | Short Sightline Prompter name in packaged Windows metadata. | Existing installed releases need an updated build to change their process description. |
| Optional components | Optional | Component checks and setup for the offline speech model, AI agent kit and external integrations. | Detecting a component does not validate its hardware, permissions or complete configuration. |
| Missing dependency feedback | Included | Dependent controls explain missing components and offer the relevant setup route. | Available functions still depend on connection and permission state. |
| Update and compatibility checks | Included | Version information and app/plugin compatibility feedback. | A detected version is not automatic installation or a passed acceptance test. |
Prompting, pace and navigation
Back to filtersRead more: Scrolling and voice · Recording a take
| Capability | Availability | Options and behaviour | Dependencies and limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mode selection | Included | One Notes/page, Voice or Scroll choice in Mode and pace; relevant controls follow the selected mode. | Switching modes retains response, pace and countdown values; Voice requires enabled speech and microphone input. |
| Steady scrolling | Included | Automatic scrolling at a chosen words-per-minute pace. | Timings are estimates and depend on the script and delivery. |
| Voice following | Optional | Advances through the script as recognised speech matches the words being read. | Requires microphone access and a configured local or online speech engine. |
| Page and talking-point mode | Included | Notes mode displays pages of talking points; headings or explicit page breaks divide them. | Pages advance through navigation controls rather than continuous speech alignment. |
| Start, pause and resume | Included | Toolbar, keyboard, voice and enabled remote controls. | Recorder behaviour is separately configured in the OBS section. |
| Current-section status | Included | Yellow section/total pill on the persistent recorder status row. | Explicitly paged Notes shows page/total. Follows script navigation and retakes, including when the toolbar hides. |
| On air reading view | Included | A separate On air state changes the operator/reading presentation and configured backing. | On air describes the prompter view; use the confirmed recording pill to check the recorder. |
| Restart and return to top | Included | Return to the beginning; reset can also restore normal pace and clear the pacing clock. | Returning to top and starting a fresh timed run are distinct actions. |
| Section navigation | Included | Previous, next and numbered section jumps; section retakes. | Section boundaries come from the script structure. |
| Speed and responsiveness | Included | Change steady WPM or voice-following responsiveness during use. | Recognition accuracy and responsiveness are different concerns. |
| Start countdown | Optional | Set a countdown before Scroll mode starts moving. | Does not delay Voice or Notes/page mode, and does not itself start an external recorder. |
| Section targets | Optional | Per-section WPM and target duration, plus script-wide pacing instructions. | Targets guide delivery; they do not guarantee the final running time. |
| Pace feedback | Included | Pacing light, elapsed time, progress and estimated time remaining. | Speech-derived figures require useful recognition data. |
| Sentence and reading position | Optional | Reading-line marker, sentence highlight and focus band. | These are reading aids rather than a measure of eye contact. |
| First spoken line at start | Included | Long preparation notes are removed from the delivery view and the first spoken line is positioned for reading. | Use production comments for long instructions and pause to inspect them. |
Speech recognition and voice commands
Back to filtersRead more: Speech engines and command phrases
| Capability | Availability | Options and behaviour | Dependencies and limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Offline speech recognition | Optional | On-computer recognition with a downloadable local model. | Initial component download and microphone permission are required; results depend on voice and environment. |
| Recognition language | Limited | The supplied offline Zipformer model and current recognition configuration use English. | Do not assume multilingual recognition because the external provider offers other languages. |
| Online speech recognition | Dependent | Optional Deepgram engine with the user's API key. | Requires internet access, a Deepgram account and its service terms; audio leaves the computer. |
| Microphone choice | Included | Select the input used for voice following and command recognition. | Device availability, drivers and operating-system permissions apply. |
| Listening modes | Optional | In voice mode, Always listening, or Off. | Always listening keeps microphone recognition active while prompting is stopped. |
| Wake word | Optional | Prompter, Computer, Teleprompter or Director. | Wake-word recognition is speech recognition, not guaranteed keyword detection. |
| Reading and display commands | Optional | Go, pause, slower, faster, bigger, smaller, back, next and return to top. | Enable command listening; several phrases have documented aliases. |
| Retake and edit commands | Optional | Again, marker, back to marker, keeper and scrap that. | Ratings and markers describe the take log; they do not cut video automatically. |
| Spoken section selection | Optional | Select numbered sections, including natural spoken numbers. | A section number can act as a spoken slate and a retake instruction. |
| Explicit recording commands | Dependent | Record take, finish recording, and record on, off, pause or resume; explicit recorder commands are a included in 1.2.0. | OBS integration and recording-control permission must be enabled. |
| Head-guide voice commands | Optional | Guide on and guide off request a definite visible or hidden state. | Controls the manual guide; it does not detect a face. |
| Voice recovery and resync | Included | Listener health/recovery events and a resync command to find the reading position. | Noise, silence, paraphrasing and lost recognition can still require intervention. |
| Recognition corrections | Optional | Personal word corrections and sound-alike handling for script alignment. | Corrections do not retrain the speech engine or guarantee command recognition. |
| Heard report and tracing | Optional | Inspect recognised words for troubleshooting; separate optional command-word tracing. | Tracing can capture nearby conversation while listening; it is off by default. |
| Command help | Included | Grouped What can I say window and contextual help. | Recording commands are shown only when the relevant OBS controls are enabled. |
Script files, editor and library
Back to filtersRead more: Writing scripts
| Capability | Availability | Options and behaviour | Dependencies and limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Markdown and plain text | Included | Open .md, .markdown and .txt scripts. | Markdown structure provides the richest control over sections and directions. |
| Word and rich text | Included | Import .docx and .rtf documents. | Conversion creates a reading script; it is not a full word-processing layout editor. |
| PDF import | Included | Extract readable text from PDF files. | Image-only scans need OCR elsewhere; complex columns and layouts can require cleanup. |
| HTML import | Included | Open .html and .htm script files. | Imported content is for prompting, not a complete browser application. |
| Google Docs links | Dependent | Import accessible Google Docs content. | Sharing and internet access must permit retrieval; private account access is not implied. |
| Built-in Markdown editor | Included | CodeMirror editor, preview toggle, save, Save as and unsaved-change prompts. | The app does not replace a full collaborative document suite. |
| External editing | Included | Watch an opened file and refresh when it changes externally. | Watching pauses during built-in editing to avoid conflicting edits. |
| Script slots | Included | Nine quick-access slots, recent files and switching controls. | A slot points to its script; clearing a slot is separately confirmed. |
| Slot clearing protection | Included | Confirmation before clearing an occupied slot. | Keep source files backed up independently of slot assignments. |
| Sample scripts | Included | Twelve shipped samples; Start here is a twelve-stop core/RC feature tour. Focused voice, framing, recording, Notes and handover demos use separate setup comments and short cues. | Protected originals: save a copy to edit. Recording actions are opt-in exercises. The formatting diagnostic intentionally contains one unknown tag. See [Demo guide](DEMO-SCRIPTS.md). |
| Recording preview sample | Included | Preparation, Continuous and linked recording, explicit commands and handover walkthrough. | Exercise recorder controls only with the intended test setup connected. |
| Exact recording script | Included | Preserve the source actually used, including section IDs, slide cues and directions, in the edit pack. | The export is the recording snapshot, which can differ from a later file edit. |
Script directions and production notes
Back to filtersRead more: Script directives · AI script brief
| Capability | Availability | Options and behaviour | Dependencies and limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ordinary scripts | Included | Read a script without adding compulsory application directives. | Optional directions add workflow control when needed. |
| Sections and IDs | Included | Structured headings organise navigation, takes, targets and handover. | Stable section identity helps an editor match the recording script. |
| Short delivery cues | Included | Square-bracket notes such as [smile], [think] or [point] remain available inline. | Unquoted direction words are excluded from spoken word counts and alignment. |
| Quoted spoken cues | Included | [Say: "Section one"] distinguishes words intended to be spoken. | Quoted words are included in the spoken script; do not use this form for silent instructions. |
| Long production comments | Included | HTML comments hold preparation instructions; visible while paused and hidden during delivery. | All comment contents, including quoted words and directive examples, are excluded from speech tracking and command execution. |
| Direction display | Optional | Normal, dimmed or hidden bracket directions; quoted spoken words remain visible. | Long production comments follow the separate paused/delivering rule. |
| Manual script stops | Included | {stop} or {pause} holds prompting until the user continues. | Continuous recording keeps OBS running; linked recording changes that behaviour explicitly. |
| Timed pauses | Included | {pause: 3s} provides a timed beat. | In voice mode it is a visible pause cue rather than a forced timed scroll. |
| Named markers | Included | {marker} or {marker: Setup} creates a navigation and edit reference. | Marker positions are timing references, not verified frame-accurate cuts. |
| Off-script passages | Optional | {listen: off} and {listen: on} hold following and voice commands during ad-libs; manual continuation is required. | Enabled scratch audio and production recording can continue independently; this is not a whole-microphone privacy switch. |
| Script sound checks | Optional | {soundcheck: room} and {soundcheck: voice} request the appropriate check. | Measurement uses the selected input and the current acoustic conditions. |
| Script control commands | Optional | {prompter: ...} supports documented display, pace and marker actions. | Only documented commands are supported. |
| Script recording commands | Dependent | Optional {record: on}, {record: off}, {record: pause} and {record: resume}. | Require enabled OBS recording controls; loading a script never executes them. |
| Pace, notes and page directives | Optional | Section WPM/targets, script pacing, {mode: notes} and {page}. | The script checker documents supported values and catches unknown directives. |
Theme, typography and reading aids
Back to filtersRead more: Layout and display · Settings
| Capability | Availability | Options and behaviour | Dependencies and limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Theme settings | Included | Reading > Theme and background contains four built-in palettes and named custom reading themes. | Soft cream has a configurable light backing; existing cream profiles retain their prior colours until changed. |
| Colours and themes | Included | Independent script, heading, inline-direction, production-note and background colour pickers; per-item Use theme reset. | Palette changes preserve custom colours; Use theme restores inheritance. Colour is separate from opacity and brightness. |
| Script view preview | Included | Dedicated right column with Paused/Reading examples; compact windows use a Preview dialog. | Example controls never start prompting, microphone capture or recording. |
| Portable reading themes | Optional | Save current appearance under a name; restore, import or export reading-theme JSON. | Stores typography and reading background only, excluding controllers, recordings, windows, scripts and credentials. |
| Text and heading fonts | Included | Four complete text targets: Segoe UI, Atkinson Hyperlegible, OpenDyslexic and Verdana, with Follow script for non-script text. | Fonts are installed/bundled locally; preference is not an accessibility certification. |
| Script text size | Included | Toolbar and settings adjustment, with remote and voice size actions. | Available reading area depends on window dimensions and margins. |
| Heading size | Included | Heading scale independent of the body text. | Long headings can require rewording or a smaller scale. |
| Inline direction appearance | Included | Independent font, size, colour, bold, italic and line spacing; Normal/Dimmed/Hidden visibility. | Visibility no longer changes size. Explicit spoken quotations retain script styling and tracking. |
| Production note appearance | Included | Independent font, size, colour, bold, italic and line spacing for HTML production notes. | Notes remain silent, show paused and hide during delivery. Existing note size remains independent of heading containers. |
| Independent line spacing | Included | Separate script, heading, inline-direction and production-note spacing from 100–250%. | Each percentage is relative to that text type’s font height; paragraph gaps remain as written. |
| Alignment and margins | Included | Left or centred text; side, top and bottom margin controls. | Extreme settings can reduce the usable reading area. |
| Background and text visibility | Included | Editable backing colour, off-air/on-air opacity, text opacity and brightness. | The appearance preview does not change the content behind the prompter. |
| Text edge | Optional | None, outline or shadow to separate words from a busy background. | Preview against the intended slides, call or camera picture. |
| Focus band | Optional | Dim spoken text away from the reading line; adjustable strength. Production comments and inline directions keep their own appearance; preview patch. | Strength appears only while enabled and is retained when off. Margin fading still applies to comments. No text is removed from the script or edit pack. |
| Reading marker and progress | Optional | Reading-line position and marker, sentence highlight, progress and time-left display. | Display aids can be configured separately from the script content. |
Windows, screens and capture
Back to filtersRead more: Layout and display · Remotes and screens
| Capability | Availability | Options and behaviour | Dependencies and limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transparent content overlay | Included | Read over a video call, slides, camera/projector preview or other desktop content. | Sightline does not supply or embed the underlying call or presentation. |
| Always on top | Optional | Keep the prompter above ordinary application windows. | Operating-system window rules and other topmost windows can affect stacking. |
| Windowed and fullscreen use | Included | Size and position the prompter, or use a fullscreen reading view. | Multi-window arrangements need checking on the intended display. |
| Horizontal and vertical mirror | Included | Separate mirror controls, including toolbar icons. | Set the flips appropriate to the physical teleprompter glass or monitor. |
| Prompter monitor | Optional | Explicit display selection opens full screen. A manual cross-screen drag restores a centred normal window at 75% of the destination work area; preview patch. | Windows drag handling clears eye-line mode and the pinned monitor choice. Same-display moves retain the chosen size. Requires a connected display. |
| Eye-line strip | Optional | Compact reading strip with configurable screen height and reading-line position. | Lens alignment is a manual setup task. |
| Click-through | Optional | Let pointer interaction reach content beneath the overlay. | Use the documented shortcut or remote control to regain interaction. |
| Operator window | Optional | Separate upright controls and script/session status while the reading window is mirrored. | A second monitor is useful but not required. |
| Toolbar hiding | Included | Toolbar retreats when the pointer moves away; faster distance-based hiding is included in 1.2.0. | Keyboard focus keeps controls available while they are in use. |
| Pointer visibility | Included | Mouse pointer stays visible when the toolbar hides. | Click-through remains an independent preference. |
| Utility windows | Included | Separate Settings, help and command windows, with movable positioning. | Window stacking must still be checked in the user's chosen fullscreen arrangement. |
| Capture protection | Limited | Request that supported capture paths exclude Sightline utility/reading windows. | Platform, capture method and compositor determine the result; verify the actual recording. |
| Capture override for testing | Optional | Debug control allows capture of Sightline windows for demonstrations and diagnostics. | This intentionally removes protection; inspect every captured output before recording. |
| Small-screen layout | Included | Expanding area list, fixed named sections and compact Area/Section selectors with Preview action; no automatic pagination. Getting started alone scrolls its guidance in the centre pane. | Native checks cover 560 × 500 content and larger frames. Physical display/zoom and fullscreen stacking still require acceptance checks. |
Head positioning and framing reference
Back to filtersRead more: Prepare to record · Head guide and controls · Production handover
| Capability | Availability | Options and behaviour | Dependencies and limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Floating head guide | Optional | Separate transparent framing window above a camera/projector view and below the prompter. | The underlying camera picture comes from another application. |
| Ideal and Actual outlines | Included | Distinct target framing and manually aligned actual framing. | Actual is a user-set reference, not a camera measurement. |
| Eye-line anchoring | Included | Set centre and eye level before adjusting the shape around the eyes. | Manual alignment must be repeated if camera framing changes. |
| Head-edge adjustment | Included | Adjust top, bottom, left and right independently. | Changes the outline, not the camera crop or the person's image. |
| Move and scale | Included | Horizontal/vertical position, overall size, width and height controls. | Shape adjustments are separate from moving the guide window itself. |
| Guide visibility | Included | Stateful Show/Hide; bottom toolbar with hover-recoverable Head guide tab, Pin controls, lock/unlock, fullscreen, Move guide, Adjust and Guide off. Colour, opacity and Show Ideal remain in guide settings. | Small toolbar surface stays above the prompter while the outline retains its bounds. Guide off removes the controls and releases a hidden picture feed. Appearance and eye lock use Apply. |
| Session framing reference | Included | Keep the guide pose, appearance and saved Ideal across scripts. Preparation and Ctrl+Shift+H share draft adjustments, optional detection and the recording position. | Target stays fixed as the person moves. Guide window/projector placement is manual; no automatic window fitting is claimed. |
| Guide placements | Included | Centred and beside-prompter saved placements, plus window positioning and sizing; accessible from Settings and adjustments. | Placement/fullscreen actions act immediately; beside prompter means alongside the reading area. |
| Fullscreen and chromeless guide | Included | Toggle the guide into and out of fullscreen; lock the adjustment view when ready. | Test stacking with the OBS projector and prompter on the chosen monitor. |
| Adjustment panel | Included | Movable controls; bottom placement avoids the main top toolbar by default; preview refinement. | Dense small-screen combinations still have the separate known toolbar issue. |
| Save Ideal | Included | Save the preferred target outline for repeatable framing. | This is distinct from saving an Actual reference for a recording. |
| Save and restore recording reference | Included | Save Actual position, dimensions and eye lock from Settings or adjustments; restore without overwriting Ideal. | Restoring the shape does not restore the physical camera, body or guide window. |
| Guide export metadata | Included | Record Ideal/Actual information, recording reference and guide window geometry in the edit pack. | Metadata describes the configured guide, not proof that it was absent from the video. |
| Keep guide out of output | Limited | Capture protection and a camera-source recording workflow keep the guide on the operator's screen. | No universal automatic guarantee; verify the recorded file and chosen capture source. |
| Local position feedback | Optional | Bundled local face/eye detection, fixed target and red/amber/green feedback in preparation and Ctrl+Shift+H. Distance includes overall Size, Width and both side adjustments, with a live target-size percentage and consistent mirrored arrows. | One well-lit face; grey means unavailable. Apparent width is not physical distance. Same scene/crop and manually matched guide bounds are required. No identity or gaze correction. |
| OBS calibration scene | Dependent | Choose an actual scene from the connected OBS instance and read its preview frames for local detection. No programme-scene switch or recording command. | OBS integration must be enabled and available; camera choices remain when disabled. Sampled, centred 16:9 preview; does not test the production recording encoder or lip sync. |
| Temporary calibration feed | Dependent | Explicitly start an OBS virtual camera for calibration, stopping it afterwards only when Sightline started it. | An existing virtual-camera session is retained. Connection loss may require manual confirmation/cleanup in OBS. Does not reconfigure the output or recording route. |
| Pre-record workflow | Optional | Camera alignment, manual fallback, audio check, actual short test recording and reviewed reference save. Calibration in Guide adjustments starts its shared service invisibly; only the explicit Prepare to record action opens the workflow. Inputs and retry remain available. | Explicit camera/microphone enable. Changing an input while capture is off keeps it off. A busy physical camera may require a virtual feed. Does not start OBS or production recording. |
| Lock current framing | Optional | Use detected eye centre and apparent size as a draft target while preserving custom guide proportions. | Does not replace the recording reference until the reviewed setup is explicitly saved. Out-of-range positions require guide adjustment before locking. |
| Return after a break | Optional | Restore the fixed target, match framing and recheck audio. | Same camera and resolution; original target/test retained. No silent recalibration. |
| Local test recording | Optional | Up to eight seconds of selected camera/microphone, actual WebM playback and picture/sound confirmation. | Local profile storage; manual review and hardware UAT required. No guide is burned into the camera clip. |
| Persistent test outcomes | Included | Settings and the main prompter retain recording, review-required, passed, failed or check-again status. | Saving a clip alone is not a pass; the user must review picture and sound. A saved earlier pass is labelled as previous. |
Keyboard, clickers and controllers
Back to filtersRead more: Remotes and screens · Shortcuts
| Capability | Availability | Options and behaviour | Dependencies and limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Keyboard control | Included | Start/pause, sections, markers, display actions and documented shortcuts. | Some shortcuts depend on focused windows; documented global shortcuts cover specific actions. |
| Presentation clickers | Dependent | Navigate using compatible keyboard-like presentation remotes. | Button codes vary by device and may need mapping. |
| Pedals and gamepads | Dependent | Map supported input events to prompter actions. | Hardware, drivers and device-event support vary. |
| Learn and customise input | Optional | All keyboard/clicker and game-controller assignments appear in scrollable lists, with editable action and Remove on each row. | Driver/device support varies. No assignment is hidden solely by the selected row or window height. |
| Editing input safeguards | Included | Reading-oriented mappings are suspended where editing requires ordinary input. | Check unusual remotes against the editor before live use. |
| Common action model | Included | Navigation, display, take and framing actions are shared across applicable control surfaces. | Available buttons and feedback depend on the surface and enabled features. |
Floating pad and phone remote
Back to filtersRead more: Pad and phone setup
| Capability | Availability | Options and behaviour | Dependencies and limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Floating control pad | Optional | Separate touch/mouse window with configurable buttons. Settings shows the complete ordered list with drag, Earlier/Later and Remove. | Enable under Connections > Pad and phone. Longer lists scroll within Settings; presets replace the draft selection. |
| Interface enable switches | Included | Speech, microphone, pad, phone, custom keys, game controller, Stream Deck, OBS and local API each have an enable switch. | Off hides configuration, preserves saved values and omits disabled actions/help. Dependencies remain a separate readiness check. |
| Separate input mappings | Optional | Keyboard/clickers and game controllers have distinct setup homes and enable switches. | Disabling custom mappings retains core shortcuts. Resetting one type preserves the other type. |
| Select and reorder actions | Included | Choose the supported actions and drag to arrange their order. | The layout uses a defined action catalogue, not arbitrary third-party plugins. |
| Pad column count | Included | Two, three, four or six columns. | Choose a count suitable for the available pad width. |
| Layout presets | Included | Compact, Reading, Studio, and Framing & checks presets. | Applying a preset replaces the current selected layout. |
| Reading buttons | Included | Start/pause, top, previous/next, pace, text and other supported reading actions. | State and button availability reflect the current session. |
| Production buttons | Dependent | Marker, keeper, scrap, sound check and recorder controls. | OBS actions need OBS permission; other actions follow their own microphone/session requirements. |
| Framing and listening buttons | Included | Guide visibility, fullscreen, available framing adjustments and listening controls. | No dial hardware is required to use equivalent button actions. |
| Phone browser remote | Optional | Open the supplied local-network URL or scan the QR code. | Phone and computer need network reachability; this is a browser controller, not a native phone app. |
| Shared phone/pad layout | Included | Phone uses the same selected actions and order as the desktop pad. | Change the shared configuration in Sightline. |
| Portrait and landscape | Included | Responsive button layout for phone orientation and screen size. | Long layouts can need scrolling; browser chrome reduces the usable height. |
| Live state and reconnect | Included | Prompting, section/progress and confirmed recorder status; connection recovery feedback. | A disconnected client cannot confirm current state; network delays can affect response. |
| Finish recording safeguard | Optional | Hold Finish recording for one second on pad and phone. | This safeguard applies to those surfaces, not every external control route. |
| Remote access security | Included | Token-based local-network access rather than an open public control page. | Treat a pairing URL/token as a control credential; this is not an internet relay service. |
Stream Deck companion
Back to filtersRead more: Stream Deck installation, permissions and profiles
| Capability | Availability | Options and behaviour | Dependencies and limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Companion plugin | Dependent | Sightline Stream Deck 0.2.0, paired with the app's supported control contract. | Requires Elgato Stream Deck software; the companion is an optional installation. |
| Supported desktop hosts | Dependent | Plugin host support for Windows and macOS. | The Linux app does not imply an official Elgato Linux host. |
| Keys, Mobile and Pedal | Included | Ready-made profiles for supported Stream Deck models, including Mobile and Pedal. | Requires the corresponding Elgato hardware/software entitlement where applicable. |
| Stream Deck + dials | Included | Dial-based controls for supported reading and framing adjustments. | Requires Stream Deck + and the appropriate action configuration. |
| Prompting and slots | Included | Play/pause, navigation, script slots, speed and display actions. | The companion controls loaded scripts; its restricted key does not grant script-file access. |
| Take and recording keys | Dependent | Record take and Finish recording, markers and take ratings. | OBS recording keys require app integration plus explicit recording-control permission. |
| Head-guide controls | Included | Show/hide, fullscreen and supported position/size/reference actions. | Adjusts the manual guide rather than a camera source. |
| Session listening controls | Included | Supported command-listening actions from assigned keys. | Microphone permissions and selected engine remain app responsibilities. |
| State on the keys | Included | Play/pause, On air, selected slot, section/time and confirmed recording state. | Unknown/disconnected recording state must not be treated as stopped. |
| Recording profiles | Included | Separate OBS recording layouts alongside ordinary prompting profiles. | The Pedal recording layout's last pedal finishes the whole recording file. |
| Discovery and pairing | Included | Enable once under Controls > Stream Deck; local discovery avoids manual token entry. | Preview pairing is separate from the normal installed app's discovery. |
| Permission separation | Included | Dedicated restricted companion credential, separate from general AI/API access. | No arbitrary settings, recording-file access or broad AI permission is granted. |
| Version compatibility | Included | App/plugin version reporting and required-feature compatibility feedback. | Use a matched app/plugin pair; successful installation is not hardware validation. |
| Distribution and source | Limited | Installer available with the app release; source repository remains private. | Elgato Marketplace submission is pending review, not an approved live listing. |
OBS connection, recording and setup
Back to filtersRead more: Recording with OBS · OBS setup assistant
| Capability | Availability | Options and behaviour | Dependencies and limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standalone OBS connection | Dependent | Connect through OBS WebSocket with address, port and password. | Requires OBS with a compatible WebSocket server, enabled and reachable. |
| OBS connection test feedback | Included | Separate connection and recorder status; retained running/pass/fail test result in Settings and on the prompter. | Apply connection changes before testing. A connection pass is not a picture/sound recording pass. |
| Optional integration | Optional | OBS support is off until enabled; dependent help and controls follow that state. | Ordinary prompting works without OBS. |
| Credentials | Included | Save the OBS password using supported operating-system protection; remove it from settings. | Operating-system credential protection availability and user profile apply. |
| Status versus control permission | Included | Observe recorder state separately from permission to start, stop, pause and resume. | Connecting alone does not authorise recorder commands. |
| Confirmed recording pill | Included | OFF green, RECORDING red, PAUSED orange and UNKNOWN grey; persistent included in 1.2.0. | Text accompanies colour; OBS-disabled mode hides it. |
| Record take | Included | Confirm OBS recording before starting the prompter. | Needs a healthy connection and recording-control permission. |
| Finish recording | Included | Finish the prompter session and request the end of the OBS recording. | Verify the acknowledged state and resolved file before handover. |
| Continuous recording | Included | Keep one OBS recording running through prompting holds, section stops and retakes. | Default behaviour; a prompter pause is not an OBS pause. |
| Linked recording | Optional | Link recording to prompting: confirmed start/resume, pauses with holds, finish at final stop/end. | Enable with OBS stopped; requires recording permission and a pause-capable recording format. |
| Explicit recorder actions | Included | Record on, off, pause and resume through supported controls, voice or optional directives. | OBS/format limitations apply; script loading alone cannot trigger recording. |
| Recording reminder | Included | Visible recording state and start/finish controls help distinguish prompting from recording. | A reminder or On air display is not proof of a running recorder. |
| Recording file and clock | Included | Log OBS recording starts/stops, pause/resume/restart events, file identity and reported time references. | File names and offsets remain unknown where OBS has not supplied enough information. |
| Take-to-file references | Included | Section starts, takes and markers link to OBS recording segments and clock positions. | Estimated timing and discontinuities are retained as such; inspect the media for precise edits. |
| OBS chapters | Optional | Send section starts and named markers as recording chapters. | Requires support from the OBS version, output format and recording state. |
| Recorded slate source | Optional | Prepare a browser-source picture/tone route for a reference in the recorded output. | Add it to the recorded scene and include the routed audio track; confirm it in a test file. |
| Setup assistant | Optional | Review and apply a separate OBS profile/scene collection using selected existing camera, mic and presentation sources. | Does not guess hardware; source types must be supported and configured first. |
| Output presets | Optional | Choose a 1080p or 3840 × 2160 4K canvas/output at 30 fps and an output folder. | A 4K canvas does not prove native 4K capture or adequate encoding performance. |
| Generated scene layout | Included | Camera and presentation layouts with selected microphone routed to tracks 1 and 2. | No head-guide/prompter capture source is added; track 2 in MKV is not a separate WAV. |
| Preserve existing OBS setup | Included | Review named changes, use a separate profile/collection and check setup results. | Restoration and recording quality must still be verified on the actual workstation. |
| Simultaneous clean-camera master | Dependent | Documented separate camera/microphone route using the Source Record filter. | Requires an additional OBS plugin and configuration; separate filenames are not discovered automatically. |
| Unprocessed mic master | Dependent | Preserve the mic before processing using the documented separate route; extract PCM to WAV as appropriate. | A composed OBS track or Sightline scratch WAV is not automatically an unprocessed production master. |
Audio measurement and sync
Back to filtersRead more: Sound check and scratch audio · Production handover
| Capability | Availability | Options and behaviour | Dependencies and limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Microphone level display | Optional | Live sound-level information during applicable microphone use. | Measures the input as Sightline receives it, before another tool's later processing. |
| Room and voice checks | Optional | Separate background-noise and speech checks; the prompter meter appears automatically during measurement. | Previous meter visibility returns afterwards. Preparation relays existing measurements without opening a second microphone stream. |
| Advisory low-level handling | Included | Explain quiet/noisy/clipping conditions and allow Continue anyway. | Increasing gain can also increase background noise; the user decides the compromise. |
| Per-take loudness | Optional | Voice-mode-only, Always during prompting, or Off. | Always mode opens the microphone during prompting; monitoring is not a mastering process. |
| Logged audio measures | Included | Loudness LUFS, peak dBFS, background noise, voice-above-noise and warnings. | Available only when measured; accepted warnings are retained with the session. |
| Scratch recording | Optional | Independent local microphone WAVs for timing and edit checks. | Scratch audio is a reference, not a guarantee of production quality or a replacement for the clean mic master. |
| Local take slate | Optional | Off, Flash and beep, or Flash only; visible choices in this preview. | A flash seen only on the operator display does not prove recorded camera/audio sync. |
| Recorded sync reference | Dependent | Slate IDs and known picture/tone routing into OBS, logged against takes. | The selected recorded scene and audio track must actually contain the reference. |
| Physical camera lip sync | Limited | Use visible/audible claps and inspect camera/mic recordings; compare later references for drift. | No automatic verified camera latency estimate or universal sync correction is claimed. |
| Sync adjustment | Dependent | Apply verified offsets in OBS or in the external edit workflow. | Sightline metadata is a timing aid; validate the result by looking and listening. |
Takes, logs and production handover
Back to filtersRead more: Take log and edit pack · Production handover
| Capability | Availability | Options and behaviour | Dependencies and limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Session and section log | Included | Section/take IDs, start/end times, durations, UTC times and completion state. | Keep the recording media alongside the matching session export. |
| Retakes and restarts | Included | Record reruns, section restarts, skipped or stopped takes and edit markers. | A logged restart is not automatically the point an editor should cut. |
| Keeper and scrap choices | Included | Rate takes and preserve a preferred-use choice per section. | Choices are reviewable metadata, not destructive edits to media. |
| Take summary | Included | Review pace, target difference, completion and available sound/recognition feedback. | Results depend on the information captured for that take. |
| Saved recording browser | Included | Revisit saved sessions and export reports/edit packs. | The log browser is not a video editor or media-management system. |
| Core log exports | Included | take-log.json and takes.csv. | Field availability can differ between older and newer sessions. |
| Timing qualifications | Included | timing-quality.json and TIMING-NOTES.md explain unverified alignment, caption and pace estimates. | Original production brief and existing schemas are retained. Clock observations do not verify camera lip sync. |
| Word and sentence detail | Optional | words.csv and sentences.csv retain live voice-following estimates. | Word times can lag or bunch; unmatched words do not prove an omission. Use recorded-audio transcription for cuts and captions. |
| Edit marks | Included | edit-marks.csv and edit-marks.json, including markers, pauses and rereads where available. | Suggestions and recognition-derived boundaries need editorial review. |
| Draft captions | Optional | captions.srt and captions.vtt, built from available aligned speech/script data. | Review text and timing before publication; not a guaranteed verbatim transcript. |
| Script snapshot files | Included | script-snapshots.json plus numbered source snapshots tie words, IDs and cues to the recording. | Later edits to the source file do not replace the captured version. |
| Recorded sync export | Included | recorded-sync.json preserves reference IDs, routing and take/recording links. | Reference metadata does not certify the physical camera/microphone path. |
| Head-guide export | Included | head-guide.json includes Ideal, Actual, saved reference and window geometry. | Reference save/restore is included in 1.2.0. |
| Rehearsal export | Included | rehearsal-coach.json provides the available coaching report. | No performance score or automatic keeper reassignment is produced. |
| Scratch WAV handover | Optional | Include available independent mic recordings with their session/timing references. | Audio exists only when scratch capture was enabled and succeeded. |
| External recording collection | Limited | Main OBS filename is resolved when reported; collect video, clean camera and clean mic masters separately. | The edit pack does not automatically locate or bundle every external recording file. |
| Automatic finished video | Not included | Logs and edit packs support a human or an external editing agent. | Sightline does not render a finished promotional film or automatically edit the production master. |
Script review and rehearsal coaching
Back to filtersRead more: Script health · Rehearsal coaching
| Capability | Availability | Options and behaviour | Dependencies and limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Script review | Included | Local review of script structure, reading load and supported directions before recording. | Rule-based feedback; no external generative AI is required. |
| Directive checking | Included | Check known directives and values, including sample scripts and AI-generated drafts. | A syntactically valid script still needs a delivery rehearsal. |
| Non-destructive suggestions | Included | Inspect findings and make deliberate edits in the script editor. | Review does not silently rewrite the script. |
| Rehearsal pace | Included | Compare speaking pace, overall pace and section target times for finished takes. | Speaking and overall WPM include pauses differently. |
| Coverage and rereads | Optional | View matched, partly matched, not matched and outside-range text, plus logged rereads. | These are aligner findings, not confirmed mistakes; steady takes can lack alignment. |
| Filler/repetition feedback | Optional | Count recognised um, uh, erm, er and adjacent repeated-word candidates. | Explicit opt-in; recognition can omit fillers or count intentional/scripted repetition. |
| Coaching data minimisation | Included | Filler feedback saves aggregate counts without starting an extra listener. | The selected engine's local/online processing still applies. |
| Current and saved reports | Included | Open rehearsal reports from the current take summary or an earlier recording. | Reports identify the session; unavailable measurements are not invented. |
| Performance grading | Not included | Feedback assists the speaker's own judgement. | No emotion, confidence, acting-quality or universal delivery score is claimed. |
AI assistance and local automation
Back to filtersRead more: Working with AI and the local API · Setting up your AI
| Capability | Availability | Options and behaviour | Dependencies and limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| AI-optional workflow | Included | Write and run scripts yourself or work with a preferred external AI assistant. | No built-in cloud AI account is required for ordinary prompting. |
| AI script brief | Included | Copy documented instructions for sections, targets, cues, stops and optional control directives. | The chosen assistant generates the script; check its output before use. |
| Assistant choice | Dependent | ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Copilot or another assistant can prepare a compatible script. | Assistant capabilities, costs and privacy terms are external. |
| Local control API | Optional | Enable token-protected local endpoints to load scripts, select slots and issue supported commands. | Off by default; intended for authorised local tools, not public web pages. |
| Local MCP connection | Optional | Seven stdio tools in the AI kit; Connections > MCP, AI, and API includes a Configure MCP guide beside the switch. | Node.js 22.16+, local API/MCP enabled and applied. Separate grants; read-only by default. No cloud MCP endpoint. See [client configuration](guide/17-configure-mcp.md). |
| MCP permission grants | Optional | Script, prompting and OBS recording grants are enforced by the app; turning MCP off revokes active clients. | No settings edits, arbitrary file reads or recording deletion. Prompting requires the recording grant whenever OBS controls are enabled. |
| Live automation feedback | Included | Status and event updates expose supported state and app/control-contract versions. | Clients need to handle connection loss, permissions and unsupported capabilities. |
| Configure through an agent | Optional | An authorised local agent can change supported settings and control prompting. | General API access is separate from the restricted Stream Deck credential. |
| Recording-data access | Optional | Authorised tools can retrieve saved-session and edit-pack information for editorial work. | Data access is not equivalent to an integrated video-editing engine. |
| Agent kit | Optional | Install the local command-line/helper kit and use its documented commands and reports. | Node.js is for the optional kit; packaged Sightline does not require a separate user Node installation. |
| Dependency checks | Included | Show whether required local components are available before offering dependent operations. | A detected runtime does not establish that an AI agent has been configured or authorised. |
| External AI edit assistance | Dependent | An editing agent can interpret takes, keeper choices, markers and timing exports. | Selecting or rendering a final edit depends on that external tool and human review. |
| Built-in generative AI/video editor | Not included | Sightline provides prompting, control and structured handover. | Script generation, synthetic narration and video rendering are external services/tools. |
Settings, onboarding and help
Back to filtersRead more: Settings · Screenshot gallery · User guide
| Capability | Availability | Options and behaviour | Dependencies and limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grouped settings | Included | Top-level task groups and focused subtabs separate prompting, appearance, recording and controls. | The detailed settings guide describes the current placement of each tool. |
| Stable settings panel | Included | Eight task areas; 32 navigation homes with two additional OBS subviews. Controls and Components merge into Connections. | Approved navigation/control/sample composition is retained. Longer setup/result panels scroll centrally above a fixed footer; settings never migrate on resize. |
| Settings example preview | Included | Inline example when width permits; movable non-modal companion on narrow windows. Both follow the same draft. | Settings remains usable while the companion is open. Examples never start prompting, a microphone or a recorder; the guide diagram is manual. |
| Settings draft consistency | Included | Appearance previews; Apply persists, Save and close persists/closes, Cancel restores the last applied look. | Component installation, theme-library save/import, pairing reset, device tests and guide visibility/placement/reference saves are explicit actions. |
| Numeric controls | Included | Slider/number pairs share whole-number or five-point increments; fine readouts have at most two decimals; preview patch. | Display rounding preserves stored precision until the control is adjusted. |
| Named section navigation | Included | Sidebar search and visible button subtabs for Text, Screens, Reading aids, Head guide, add-ons and the single OBS entry. | OBS Connection, Recording control and Profile and scenes share one sidebar home. Disabled OBS/speech subviews remain unavailable. |
| Live Tools groups | Included | Prepare, Adjust and During take share saved values with Settings through separate controls. | Live changes are immediate; a short prompter uses a utility window instead of clipping the menu. |
| Contextual explanations | Included | Small question-mark pills beside options explain purpose and consequences on hover, keyboard focus or click. Both Reading aids groups have explanations for every control. | Escape closes the explanation. Help follows the selected mode and enabled components. |
| Apply, save and cancel | Included | Review changed settings, apply them and keep or cancel the dialog changes. | Some setup operations and permissions have their own explicit controls. |
| Onboarding and components | Included | First-use setup plus Getting started at the top of Settings, showing the current script, mode, text appearance and optional-tool guidance; preview patch. | Components remain optional. Opening guidance does not enable devices or integrations; changes use Apply. |
| Restore defaults | Included | Getting started > Restore defaults returns preferences to the initial setup after confirmation. | Does not uninstall add-ons or delete scripts and recording media. |
| Settings transfer | Optional | Import/export supported settings in JSON or XML, including structured pad layouts and word lists. | Secrets and sensitive opt-ins are not a way to bypass explicit permissions. |
| Settings access | Included | Toolbar settings control and a Settings item in the hamburger menu. | The menu remains an accessible route when toolbar icons are less obvious. |
| Grouped help | Included | Tabbed shortcuts and commands; relevant help follows enabled modes/features. | Disabled OBS features do not need to display unusable recording keys. |
| Built-in user guide | Included | Illustrated guide, settings screenshots, samples and recording acceptance walkthrough. | The shared source guide is canonical; a separate GitHub wiki is not enabled. |
| Credits and attribution | Included | Product credits and attribution grouped in About. | Third-party licence notices still accompany their relevant distributions. |
| Accessibility support | Limited | Keyboard access, readable fonts, contrast themes, contextual explanations and consistent panels. | Manual screen-reader/magnification checks remain; no full accessibility-conformance claim. |
Privacy, diagnostics and review qualifications
Back to filtersRead more: Privacy and accessibility policies · Acceptance walkthrough
| Capability | Availability | Options and behaviour | Dependencies and limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local-first operation | Included | Scripts, settings and logs are held locally; local speech avoids a cloud recogniser. | Deepgram, document links and chosen external AI tools have their own network behaviour. |
| No required telemetry account | Included | No Sightline sign-in is required to prompt or create local take logs. | Elgato, online recognition and AI providers can have independent accounts/telemetry. |
| Local recording information | Included | Keep script snapshots, recognised timing, take choices and optional scratch audio for handover. | These files can contain personal or confidential content; manage them as production material. |
| Diagnostic logging | Optional | Debug > Status and recovery shows listening health, Restart listening and a speech-settings link. Recovery events help investigate failures. | Uses applied speech/microphone settings. Recognised-word tracing is separate and off by default. |
| Optional word tracing | Optional | Enable recognised command-word logging to investigate actual mishearings. | May include nearby speech; only enable it for the intended diagnostic period. |
| Recording-state honesty | Included | Confirmed stopped/recording/paused states are distinct from unknown/disconnected. | UI state cannot certify that the resulting picture/audio is usable. |
| Hardware acceptance | Limited | Walkthrough covers real camera, mic, controls, clean tracks, sync and output inspection. | Local automated tests do not replace camera/mic and physical-control testing. |
| Release and reference basis | Included | This grid describes Sightline 1.2.0 and companion 0.2.0, with versioned source and downloadable references. | Platform/device acceptance and the listed feature limits still apply. Historical RC notes are archived separately. |
| Reviewer comparison scope | Included | Compare prompting, control, scripting, production handover, privacy and setup effort separately. | No competitor feature, price, performance ranking or endorsement is asserted here. |
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