The Main Settings window is Pulsar's configuration hub — one scrolling panel where you set the default encoder format for new outputs, turn on Orbit and beta features, protect the rig with an operator PIN, and back up or restore your whole setup.
How to open it
Click the green gear button in the bottom bar (tooltip: Main Settings). A separate Pulsar - Main Settings window opens. Click Close at the bottom when you're done.
If the rig is locked with a PIN, unlock it first — the gear appears once you're in. See Security, PIN & Lock.
Most sections are reached by scrolling the window.
Common tasks
Set the default encoder format for new SRT outputs
These defaults apply to new SRT outputs. For per-output settings, see Encoding, Bitrate & Color and Outputs: SRT & NDI.
Scroll to Output Defaults → SRT.
Click a preset card for a one-click setup — Standard, High Quality, High Quality 10-bit, or 4K Broadcast — or
Use the advanced controls below: Codec (H.264 / H.265), Preferred Encoder, Profile, Bit Depth, Chroma Subsampling, Output Resolution, and Encoding Mode.
Changes save automatically. The options you see are filtered to what your encoders support, so 10-bit, 4:2:2/4:4:4, 2160p and the 10-bit/4K presets only appear if your hardware can do them. If a yellow warning box appears, your encoder doesn't support that combination — adjust it (you can still save, but it may not work).
Set the default NDI output resolution
Scroll to Output Defaults → NDI.
Under Output Resolution, pick Source, 720p, 1080p, or 2160p.
Resolution is the only NDI default here — NDI doesn't use the H.264/H.265 encoder settings.
Protect the rig with an operator PIN and auto-lock
Set a PIN using the padlock icon in the top header (the Security card points you there).
In Main Settings → Security, pick an Auto-lock after idle interval (Never up to 1 hour). Streams keep running while locked.
Use Change PIN to rotate it, or Remove lock to delete it (both need your current PIN).
Unlock the rig before reopening Main Settings. Full details in Security, PIN & Lock.
Turn on Orbit streaming with peer-to-peer and chat
In Main Settings → Orbit Streaming, turn on Enabled.
Tick RKT (Direct encode) in Orbit to allow Peer-to-Peer mode on access codes.
Tick Pulse Messenger Chat to allow chat with Orbit clients.
Turning the master toggle off stops all active Orbit streams immediately. See Orbit Streaming and Pulse Messenger.
Enable the Local API and create a key
On macOS, set up Secure storage first (the keychain button) so keys are stored encrypted.
In Local API, turn on Enabled.
Type a key name and click Create.
Copy the key from the amber box right away — it's shown only once.
Click Edit on the key to set its Scopes and Trust levels (low / medium / high), then Save.
Use the key against http://127.0.0.1:8802/api/v1 (localhost only) with header X-API-Key or Authorization: Bearer.
Set up NDI firewall protection (macOS)
This blocks external NDI traffic while still allowing localhost.
In Main Settings → NDI Firewall Protection, turn on Reveal Firewall Scripts.
Click Save Scripts as Zip and choose a folder.
In Terminal (with admin/sudo access),
cdinto the folder and run:bash ./ndi-firewall-enable.sh
Check with
bash ./ndi-firewall-status.sh; turn it off later withbash ./ndi-firewall-disable.sh.
Run the Pipeline Benchmark
In Main Settings → Diagnostics, turn on Enable pipeline benchmark.
From the menu bar, choose Tools → Pipeline Benchmark.
Never run a benchmark during a live broadcast — each run snapshots, deletes, and restores all of your rows. See Benchmark.
Turn on beta features
In Main Settings → Beta Features, turn on Enabled.
Tick the features you want: Colorimetry, GUI over Orbit, ML Detection (macOS only), FILE Source Type, or UE Source Type.
ML Detection adds an ML chip to SRT rows for reading burnt-in camera metadata — see ML Detection. FILE and UE add new source types — see Source: File and Source: Unreal Engine.
Back up, restore, or wipe your configuration
In Main Settings → Configuration Management:
Export Config — saves your settings to a
.plsrfile. SRT passphrases, API keys, and Orbit access codes are not included.Import Config — loads a
.plsrfile, replacing your current config and reloading. This also clears any stored SRT passphrases, API keys, and Orbit codes.Clear Config — resets Pulsar to a blank state (rows, settings, Orbit codes, API keys) after confirming.
For a deeper reset that also clears your PIN, use Factory Reset from the unlock screen (type WIPE to confirm).
The controls
Section | What you adjust |
Timecode | One master switch for all timecode features. Source and FPS selection live in the top-bar timecode control centre. |
Secure storage (macOS) | Grant keychain access so passphrases, your PIN, and API keys are stored encrypted. Without it, secrets are stored in plain text and you can't create a PIN or API key. |
Orbit Streaming | Master toggle plus RKT (Peer-to-Peer) and Pulse Messenger Chat. |
Minimise to Tray (macOS) | When on, closing the window keeps Pulsar (and your streams) running in the menu bar. |
VM Mode (Windows) | Turn on for virtualised Windows hosts to fix NDI jitter and glitches. Applies to new NDI connections — restart active NDI streams to apply. |
Security | Auto-lock interval, Change PIN, Remove lock (appears once a PIN is set). |
Output Defaults — SRT | Presets plus codec, encoder, profile, bit depth, chroma, resolution, and encoding mode for new SRT outputs. |
Output Defaults — NDI | Default output resolution for new NDI outputs. |
Beta Features | Master toggle plus the individual experimental features. |
Local API | Enable the REST API and create, scope, and revoke keys. |
Diagnostics | Enable the Pipeline Benchmark menu item. |
Configuration Management | Export, Import, and Clear Config. |
Tips & gotchas
Output defaults match your hardware. If you don't see 10-bit, 4:2:2/4:4:4, 2160p, or the 10-bit/4K presets, your encoders don't support them.
An unsupported SRT combination warns but still saves — the yellow box flags it, but won't stop you. Pick a supported combination to be safe.
Copy a new API key immediately — it's shown only once.
Backups skip secrets by design. Exported
.plsrfiles never contain SRT passphrases, API keys, or Orbit codes, and importing one clears any you already had stored.VM Mode only applies to new NDI connections — restart active NDI streams after enabling it.
Never benchmark live — a benchmark run touches every row.
See also: Security, PIN & Lock · Orbit Streaming · Encoding, Bitrate & Color · Outputs: SRT & NDI · Benchmark · ML Detection · Troubleshooting