When you first connect to the Iris Studio Desktop App and join a studio, the app automatically sets that computer as the studio’s bridge. If you later need to migrate that bridge to a different studio, sign in with the account that owns that studio and link the computer to it in the Studio Picker. There’s no separate unlink step. You can also move a studio onto a new computer, for example when you’re replacing an old one. This is useful when repurposing a machine for another show, production, or studio environment.
Step-by-Step Guide
1. Prepare for migration
The target studio can already exist or can be created automatically during the linking process. If that is your intention, Iris can create the studio for you as part of linking. New studios go in your default organization.
2. Launch the Desktop App and link to a new studio
On the machine you want to assign as the bridge, launch the Iris Studio Desktop App.
Sign in with the account that owns the studio you want the machine to link with. You need an Owner or Admin role on that studio.
Iris opens the Studio Picker, a one-time setup screen marked BRIDGE SETUP with the heading "Looks like you're on a new machine" and the text "This computer's bridge isn't linked to a studio yet. Create a new one, or link it to a studio you already have." Under Or connect to an existing studio, select your studio’s card.
If the card shows Not linked, Iris links this computer right away (the card shows "Connecting [computer name] to [studio name]…") and opens the studio.
If the card shows Linked to and another computer’s name, an Unlink Bridge dialog appears: "A Studio can only be linked to one Bridge at a time. To link this Studio to a new Bridge, you must first unlink [computer name]." Confirm to link this computer. The other computer is unlinked from the studio, its session there ends, and the next time Iris opens on it, it shows the Studio Picker. If you cancel, close the dialog, click outside it, or press Escape, nothing changes.
Important: Confirming takes the other computer offline from that studio right away. Don’t do this while a live production is running on that computer.
3. Confirm the bridge is linked
Once the studio opens, click the Bridge icon in the upper-right corner to open the bridge tray.
You’ll see the machine listed under Bridges, along with performance data such as CPU usage, RAM usage, and available disk space, indicating it is now functioning as the bridge for the new studio.
How It Works and What to Expect
A computer becomes a studio’s bridge when you link it to that studio in the Studio Picker. Migrating a bridge simply means signing in with the account that owns the new studio and linking the computer to it. There’s no unlink step. If another computer is already linked to that studio, the new computer takes over and the other one is unlinked. Once linked to a new studio, the machine stops acting as the bridge for the previous studio. The bridge tray helps you monitor performance, restart the bridge, or rename it for clarity.
Tips, Limitations, and Best Practices
Tip: Plan migrations during downtime to minimize workflow interruptions.
Limitation: Each studio supports only one bridge at a time.
Best Practice: Rename your bridge in the tray to reflect the studio or environment it supports.
Tip: Use the bridge tray to monitor CPU, RAM, and Disk usage to confirm everything is running smoothly after migration.
Limitation: Migration can only be done through the Desktop App, not the web interface.
Best Practice: Confirm the target studio’s settings and configuration before linking the bridge to ensure a smooth transition.
FAQs
1. Do I need to manually unregister and re-link the bridge?
No. There’s no unlink step. To move a bridge to a different studio, sign in with the account that owns that studio and link the bridge to it in the Studio Picker. If another computer is linked to that studio, confirm the Unlink Bridge dialog and the other computer is unlinked for you.
2. Can the same bridge connect to two studios at once?
No. A bridge can only be linked to one studio at a time. When moved to a new studio, it is automatically removed from the previous one.
3. Can a studio have more than one bridge?
No. Each studio supports only one bridge at a time. Linking a new computer to the studio replaces the current one.
4. What happens to the previous studio after reassignment?
The previous studio will no longer have a bridge. You can link another machine to that studio at any time.
5. Does the bridge need to stay on the same network during migration?
Yes. The machine should remain on the same local network as your studio’s devices to function correctly.
6. Will the app go offline during this process?
There may be a brief interruption while Iris links the bridge and opens the studio.
7. What if my machine doesn't appear as a bridge after linking?
Ensure you're signed into the correct account and studio, and confirm that the studio has opened. The bridge tray will display its status once active.
Use Cases
A user reassigns a bridge computer from a completed production’s studio to a new studio by selecting the new studio and linking in the app.
A team replaces an aging bridge computer: they install Iris on the new machine, pick their existing studio in the Studio Picker, and confirm the Unlink Bridge dialog.
A venue repurposes a dedicated bridge machine to a new studio configuration for an upcoming show.
A technician logs into a staging machine on the same local network, selects a studio, and links that computer as the bridge in preparation for setup.