What is the Cuez Automator Satellite?
The Automator Satellite is a helper application that is needed when using a ShuttleXpress (or now called Multimedia Controller Xpress) with the Automator or the Cuez Prompter via Automator. The Automator Satellite application discovers Automators running on the same computer or (VPN) network, as well as connected ShuttleXpress devices (multiple are possible), to make the connection between the two. This allows operations from the ShuttleXpress to be sent to the Automator or Automator Prompter.
For more information on how to use the Automator Satellite, you can continue reading this article and/or watch the video below:
How do I set up the Automator Satellite?
Download and installation
Download and install our Automator Satellite application, then open it to set it up.
Give your 'Satellite' a name, then click 'Discover' to have the application discover Automators on the computer or (VPN) network. An Automator can also be entered manually, this by typing the IP address and port of that Automator.
Next, make sure your ShuttleXpress device is connected - multiple devices are possible - which should then automatically show in the 'Select Prompter Controllers' section as 'Contour Design ShuttleXpress' devices.
Finally, in this list, select the ShuttleXpress devices you want to use with the Automator.
Satellites in the Automator
With the Automator Satellite application installed, Automators discovered and ShuttleXpress controllers added, we can now move to the Automator itself.
From either the initial overview with your list of Episodes or from within an Episode loaded in the Automator, you can find the purple Satellite icon in the top right corner. Clicking it reveals the connected 'satellites', being the Automator Satellite application(s) connected to this Automator.
How can I use the Automator Satellite?
Automator Satellite to control the Cuez Prompter via Automator
The most obvious reason to use a ShuttleXpress via Automator Satellite would be to control the Cuez Prompter that is served via the Automator. To do so, you can configure the different buttons available on the ShuttleXpress to perform specific actions.
From the screen shown above, click 'Setup satellites', or select 'Satellites' via the gear icon in the top right corner of the Automator. Next, you can start configuring the different buttons (or jog forward/backward).
By clicking the name of the button at the top, you can select from all the buttons available on the ShuttleXpress. Select the one you want to configure, then add the automation actions you want the button to do, either when the button is pressed, released, or both.
When adding an automation function, you have to select the device on which you want the action to happen. When setting up the ShuttleXpress / Satellite to work with the Cuez Prompter via the Automator, you have to select the device called 'Prompter' in the list of your devices.
With the 'Prompter' device selected, you can then choose from the available functions, such as going to black, going to next or previous Items or paragraphs, and more, in order to set up all the ShuttleXpress buttons the way you want.
Automator Satellite to control the Automator
Following the same principle as shown above, the ShuttleXpress can also be used to trigger Automator functions that have nothing to do with the Prompter. This means that you can use the ShuttleXpress buttons and/or jog wheel to trigger automations on any of your connected devices or the Automator's functions itself.
A couple examples could be to use the ShuttleXpress to :
Navigate to the Next or Previous Trigger or Step button
Run Macros you have created
Cut to a camera or other input, similar to how you would do this using a CuezDeck button
Toggle on/off certain overlays, depending on the device you are using
And more
The Automator Satellite requires a minimal version of Automator to be installed. All versions, Next or Stable, from March 2025 or newer contain the Automator Satellite functionality.