Playlist Ordering

The order of items in a playlist determines what plays first, second, and so on. Stratos gives you several ways to control the sequence.

Ordering Modes

Fixed Order

Items play in the exact order you arrange them. This is the default for manual playlists. Drag items up or down in the timeline editor to change the sequence.

Random

Items play in a random order each time the playlist loops. Useful for keeping content fresh without manual reordering. The randomization is re-seeded on each loop, so the sequence is different every time.

Weighted

Assign a weight (1–10) to each item. Items with higher weights play more frequently. For example, if Item A has weight 10 and Item B has weight 1, Item A will play roughly 10 times for every 1 play of Item B.

Scheduled Order

Some items can be pinned to specific positions and play only during certain time windows. This is useful for time-sensitive content like daily specials or announcements.

Transitions Between Items

You can configure transitions between playlist items:

Cut — instant switch (default).
Fade — crossfade over a configurable duration (0.5–3 seconds).
Slide — slide transition (left, right, up, down).

Transitions are set at the playlist level and apply to all items unless overridden on individual items.

Loop Behavior

When a playlist reaches its last item, it loops back to the first. You can configure:

Loop continuously — the default. The playlist repeats indefinitely.
Play once — the playlist plays through once and then stops. The screen falls back to its default layout or the next schedule.
Loop with pause — insert a gap between loops (e.g. show a “coming up next” slate for 10 seconds).

Creating a Playlist — build your first playlist.
Timeline Editor — the visual playlist editor.
Dynamic Playlists — auto-updating playlists.