Uploading Seamless Backgrounds in CablecastCG
If you're using one of the free CablecastCG channel templates — or creating your own custom CablecastCG channel — you may want to upload your own seamless background. A seamless background is a single image that CablecastCG splits into sections to match the zones for the channel. Each section becomes the background image for the corresponding zone's bulletins, creating the appearance of one continuous background image across the entire channel.
Before You Begin
We recommend that your background image match the resolution of your CablecastCG channel. For example, if your channel is 1080p, your image should be 1920×1080 pixels.
If you're replacing the background on an existing template, read the Design Considerations section below before uploading. Templates often contain spacers and color blocks that are part of the background image — understanding where those are ahead of time will save you extra work.
Uploading the Background Image
Go to Settings → Cablecast CG Settings.
Select Channels from the menu.
Select the Upload Seamless Background button to the right of the channel you want to update. If you have multiple CG channels, make sure you're uploading to the correct one.
A prompt will open. Drag and drop your background image, or navigate to where it is stored on your local machine.
Choose whether to upload the image to all channel zones. Enabling this option pushes the split images to their respective zones automatically.
Choose whether to set the image as the default standby graphic. When enabled, the background image will display in any zone that has no bulletins, rather than showing a black screen.
Select Upload to complete the process.
Applying the Background to Bulletins
After uploading, you'll need to update the background image in each zone's bulletins.
Navigate to the bulletins for each zone in the channel.
Select Edit on the bulletin.
In the Content tab, locate the background image field and select the magnifying glass icon to change it.
The section of your seamless background that corresponds to that zone will already be sized and available. Select it from the Seamless Background upload.
Repeat for each zone.
Your new Seamless Background should now be active on your CG channel.
Design Considerations
Before uploading a seamless background to an existing template channel, there are a few things worth knowing — especially if you're using one of the free CablecastCG templates.
Many templates include design elements such as spacers (to create visual separation between zones) and semi-transparent color blocks (to make text and graphics stand out in certain zones). These elements are part of the background image itself, not separate overlays. You can browse available templates at Cablecast CG Channel Designs.
If you upload a plain background image without replicating these elements, those zones may look cluttered, or the text may get lost against the background. For example, in the City Living template, the event and social media zones use color blocks to make text pop, and the bottom zone uses a gradient to keep that area readable. A plain image uploaded without those elements will look noticeably different from the original template design.
To check where spacers and color blocks are placed in a template:
Go to Settings → Cablecast CG Settings → Channels.
Select the edit/pencil icon next to the channel.
Select each zone to view its dimensions and pixel placement.
Once you know where the spacers and color blocks are located, use a graphics editor to add matching elements to your new background image in the same positions. When CablecastCG splits the image for each zone, your design elements will land in the right places.
To help with this process, we provide two resources:
CablecastCG Adobe Illustrator Templates — Source files for each CG channel template, for use in Adobe Illustrator.
CablecastCG Zone Overlay Images — Overlay images showing zone layouts, dimensions, and pixel placement for each template. Useful if you don't have Illustrator but want to design a background image that matches an existing template.
Summary
A seamless background lets you apply a single custom image across all zones in a CablecastCG channel. Upload it through Settings → Cablecast CG Settings → Channels, then apply the split image sections to the bulletins in each zone. If you're customizing an existing template, review the zone layout first and replicate any spacers or color blocks in your new image before uploading.
