Remote Panels (RawPanel Mode)

RawPanel Mode allows you to connect SKAARHOJ panels to a Reactor instance running on a different Blue Pill device. Instead of running Reactor locally, the panel exposes its hardware over the network for external control.

Why Use Remote Panels?

Multi-Panel Centralized Control

When you have multiple SKAARHOJ panels across different locations (studios, control rooms, remote positions), you can manage them all from a single Reactor instance. This provides:

  • Unified configuration: All panel behaviors are defined in one place
  • Easier maintenance: Update configurations once, deploy everywhere
  • Consistent experience: Ensure all operators have the same interface

Third-Party Integration

RawPanel Mode opens your SKAARHOJ panel for control by external applications. Software developers can build custom integrations using the RawPanel protocol to:

  • Create specialized control applications
  • Integrate with broadcast automation systems
  • Build custom monitoring dashboards

Resource Optimization

Running Reactor requires system resources. For panels that only need to provide hardware input/output, RawPanel Mode allows them to operate with minimal overhead while a more powerful device handles the processing.

Enabling RawPanel Mode

RawPanel Mode is configured on the Blue Pill that has the panel hardware you want to make available remotely.

Step 1: Access System Settings

Navigate to the Settings page in the System Manager.

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Step 2: Enable RawPanel Mode (and Optionally Disable Reactor)

In the Raw Panel Mode section:

SettingDescription
EnableToggle on to activate RawPanel Mode
PortThe TCP port the panel will listen on (default: 9923)

When RawPanel Mode is enabled, the panel is disconnected from the local Reactor instance. After enabling RawPanel Mode, a confirmation dialog will appear asking whether you also want to disable the Reactor package.

Disabling Reactor is recommended for panels used exclusively as remote RawPanels, as it frees up system resources.

If you choose to disable Reactor, the package will be stopped or uninstalled automatically. Reactor can also be disabled manually at any time by navigating to the Packages page, locating the Reactor package, and stopping or uninstalling it.

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Warning

Enabling RawPanel Mode means the panel will no longer respond to local configurations.

Note

With Reactor disabled, you will only have access to the Packages and Settings pages in the web interface. The Home, Configuration, and Simulator pages will be unavailable.

Connecting to a Remote Panel

Once a panel is in RawPanel Mode, you can connect to it from another Blue Pill running Reactor.

Step 1: Add the Panel

On the Blue Pill running Reactor:

  1. Go to the Home page
  2. In the Panels section, click Add Panel
  3. The remote panel should appear in the discovery list if on the same network
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Step 2: Manual Configuration (if needed)

If the panel doesn't appear automatically:

  1. Click Add manually
  2. Enter the panel's IP address and port (e.g., 192.168.1.100:9923)
  3. Configure panel model and settings as needed
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Step 3: Verify Connection

After adding the panel:

  • Check the panel status indicator on the Home page
  • The panel should show as connected (green status)
  • You can now select configurations for this panel like any local panel
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Panel Configuration Options

When editing a remote panel's connection settings, you can configure:

SettingDescription
IP and PortThe network address of the remote panel
NameA friendly name for identification
ModelThe panel model (for topology information)
SerialFilter by specific hardware serial number

Connection Behavior

The RawPanel protocol includes several reliability features:

  • Automatic reconnection: If the network connection drops, Reactor will automatically attempt to reconnect
  • Failover addresses: You can specify multiple IP addresses (comma-separated) for redundancy
  • mDNS discovery: Panels can be found by their .local hostname on supporting networks

Troubleshooting

Panel Not Discovered

  • Verify both devices are on the same network
  • Check that RawPanel Mode is enabled and the port is correct
  • Ensure no firewall is blocking port 9923 (or your configured port)
  • Try adding the panel manually using its IP address

Connection Unstable

  • Check network reliability between devices
  • Consider using wired Ethernet instead of WiFi for critical applications
  • Verify no IP address conflicts exist

Panel Not Responding

  • Confirm RawPanel Mode is still enabled after any device restarts
  • Check that no other application is connected to the panel (only one connection at a time)
  • Verify the panel hardware is functioning correctly (LEDs, buttons responding locally)