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Beyond Fixed Layouts: A More Flexible Way to Control Your Command Centre Video Wall

Writer: Ellie Kemshall
Ellie Kemshall
5 hours ago
4 min read

A saved layout can be incredibly useful -until the situation changes...


Operator managing live inputs across a command centre LED video wall using PIPView+ video wall control software.

In a command centre, control room or operations environment, the information that matters most is rarely static. A camera feed that normally sits quietly alongside several other sources can suddenly become critical. A dashboard may need to be enlarged. Another input might need to be brought onto the wall immediately.

At that point, the question isn't which predefined layout comes closest to what the operator needs.

It's simply:

Can I put the information where I need it, right now?

That is the thinking behind PIPView+.


Command centres aren't fixed environments

Modern command centres bring together an increasing amount of visual information.


That might include:

  • CCTV and security feeds

  • Operational dashboards

  • Live camera inputs

  • Network monitoring systems

  • Maps and geographic information

  • Workstations and PCs

  • Broadcast or external video feeds


And the importance of those sources can change throughout the day.

During normal operations, an LED video wall might display several feeds alongside operational data. During an incident, one source may suddenly need to occupy a much larger area of the display while supporting information is repositioned around it.


The physical video wall hasn't changed.

But the information hierarchy has.

Your video wall control software needs to be able to respond just as quickly.


The command centre videowall limitation isn't saved layouts. It's relying on them for control.


Preset and saved layouts are valuable.

If an operator regularly starts their day with the same combination of feeds and dashboards, being able to recall that configuration instantly saves time.

PIPView+ supports this too.


The problem comes when predefined configurations become the only practical way of working with the wall.

A command centre isn't always predictable enough for that.

An operator shouldn't have to search through a library of layouts trying to find one that almost matches the situation in front of them.


Sometimes they simply need to:

Make this bigger.

Move this over here.

Bring that source onto the wall.

Remove this one.

And continue working.


Treat the video wall as a canvas


PIPView+ was designed around a different way of thinking about command centre video wall control.

Rather than treating the display as a collection of rigid zones, PIPView+ gives operators a visual workspace where content can be positioned around what matters at that moment.

Sources can be brought onto the display, moved, resized and arranged across the available canvas.

A critical feed can be enlarged.

Supporting information can be moved alongside it.

An input that is no longer relevant can be reduced or removed.

The operator controls the workspace rather than trying to fit the situation into a predetermined configuration.


Move, resize and prioritise information in real time

Not every piece of information deserves the same amount of screen space.

That sounds obvious, but it becomes particularly important on large-format LED walls where a significant amount of display area is available.

Consider a security operations centre monitoring multiple locations.

Under normal conditions, several camera feeds might share the wall equally.

An incident occurs.

One particular camera feed becomes the priority.

With PIPView+, that source can become much larger while the remaining feeds are repositioned around it.

When the incident is resolved, the operator can return to the previous configuration or reorganise the canvas again.

The wall adapts as priorities change.


Saved layouts when you need speed

Flexibility doesn't mean starting from scratch every time.

Frequently used configurations can still be saved within PIPView+ and recalled when required.

That gives operators the best of both approaches.

For repetitive workflows, open a familiar saved layout.

When circumstances change, modify it.

Move the sources.

Resize them.

Add another input.

Create an entirely different workspace.

And if the new configuration proves useful, save that too.

The layout becomes a starting point rather than a restriction.


Making complex video walls easier to operate

Behind a command centre video wall can sit a considerable amount of technology.

Capture devices. Multiple workstations. Different resolutions. Large-format LED displays. Video processors. Numerous live sources.

But the operator shouldn't need to think about that complexity every time they want to change what appears on the wall.

PIPView+ presents available inputs through a visual control environment, allowing operators to manage what they see rather than concentrating on the infrastructure underneath it.

For large control environments, PIPView+ can manage systems across up to 64 displays, support up to 4K capture, work with Datapath and Matrox hardware, and provide integration possibilities through its REST API.

The objective is straightforward:

Make a sophisticated display environment feel simple to control.


More display space shouldn't mean more complexity

Large LED video walls are increasingly capable of displaying enormous amounts of information.

But adding more pixels isn't automatically useful.

The real value comes from giving operators control over how that space is used.

A wide command centre display might need to show six or seven sources simultaneously during one workflow.

During another, almost the entire canvas might be dedicated to a single application.

There shouldn't need to be a completely different control system for each scenario.

The canvas remains the same.

The information changes.

PIPView+ allows the operator to decide how that space is used.


Video wall control should follow the operator

Good control-room technology should reduce friction.

If something important happens, an operator's attention should remain on the information in front of them — not on working out how to make the display system accommodate it.

That's why we believe control room video wall software should be designed around the operator's workflow.

The question shouldn't be:

"Which layout am I allowed to use?"

It should be:

"What do I need to see?"

And once that decision is made, changing the wall should feel intuitive.


Why we built PIPView+ this way

Command centres don't operate in fixed layouts.

Priorities change.

Incidents develop.

Different sources become more or less important throughout the day.

So while PIPView+ allows frequently used configurations to be saved and recalled, we never wanted those layouts to dictate how an operator could use their display.

We built PIPView+ around a simple principle:

The operator should control the canvas.

Bring a source onto the wall.

Move it.

Enlarge it.

Reduce it.

Position it alongside other information.

Save the configuration if it's useful — or change everything again when the situation demands it.

Because your command centre should adapt to the information in front of you.

Not force the information into a predetermined layout.


Discover PIPView+

PIPView+ gives operators a flexible way to manage multiple live inputs across command centres, control rooms and large-format display environments.

Your wall. Your sources. Your layout.



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