Liveheats has built a user-friendly priority management toolkit that allows your priority judge to use a tablet to manage live priority, which is displayed in real time to athletes in the water via an LED screen, as well as to judges, head judge, spectators, and live stream viewers. 

Here's a quick introduction to this feature:

The below article contains:

• How to activate priority on an event
• How to use the priority judge tool
• How to display priority to the athletes on a large screen
• Frequently asked questions

How to activate priority on an event

1. Click Event settings and select Judging
2. Scroll down to Priority judge and select Yes
3. Click save on the event. This will now enable the Priority judge tool, see the next section for how to use this

How to use the Priority judge tool

1. You'll need a dedicated device for the Priority judge - the interface is designed to use a tablet, but you can also use a laptop or smartphone. Be sure that the device has a strong internet connection at the event site.
2. On this device, go to www.liveheats.com and login using a Director account
3. Navigate to the Event dashboard and click Priority judge from the left hand side navigation (as long as priority is activated, see above)
4. Once another Director has started the heat, the priority judge can begin to manage priority
5. When an athlete uses their priority, the priority judge can press the "X" icon to remove it from a row / position
6. When an athlete is deemed a priority position, the priority judge can press the relevant colour from the colour grid, to add it to the position
7. As they make edits, the live priority will be visible on all live outputs (like the large screen, the head judge, the judges, public, and live stream viewers)

How to display priority to the athletes on a large format screen

1. To display live priority on a large format screen, you'll need:

• a large format screen with high brightness (usually a LED panel is required), and the ability to display a webpage from another device via HDMI
• a dedicated device like a laptop with HDMI (recommended) or a tablet that will be connected to the display screen. Ensure this device has a strong internet connection at the event site

2. On the device connected to the screen, login to www.liveheats.com as a Director, go to the Event dashboard and scroll down to the Links section
3. Click the LED Priority or copy the url
4. Open that URL in the web browser on the device which should be connected to the large screen
5. Use the appropriate display settings required by the screen to show the web page, and set it the browser to Full screen. Adjust the browser's window size so the priority positions all fit on the screen and are clearly visible to athletes in the water
6. Ensure the laptop is connected to the internet, and the display will update in real time as the Priority judge makes edits

Here's a test layout for your large format screen: https://liveheats.com/events/65684/priority-display

Frequently asked questions

Is priority free?

Yes! Priority is included in all plans.

Can I add suspended priority?

Yes! This is now available in the interface.

What sort of screen should we buy?

You'll need an LED panel with the following requirements:

• is portable and weather resistant
• has HDMI input, so it can be an external display for your laptop, so you can show our priority webpage
• is at least 5000 Nits
• size wise should support around 25-30cm (9-12 inches) minimum of screen width per colour (e.g. so with 4 athletes, you'd want a screen at least 100cm - 120cm (40- 48 inches) width)

To source an LED panel, you'll need to find an Audio Visuals provider in your area. Search "AV LED Signage Solutions", and give the sales person your brief. This is an example provider in Australia.

Do we still need a manual priority board?

We recommend having a back up option incase the internet connection fails on the laptop connected to the large format screen, or the priority judge's tablet, fails.

How do judges and head judges view the priority?

A priority column will appear on their scorecards when the heat is live.

How do spectators view the priority?

Priority positions will appear on all public facing live score pages (e.g. when accessed on www.liveheats.com, embedded in your website, or on the live streaming graphics).

Does it work in double banking?

Yes! Liveheats now supports priority in double banks.

Updated on: 21/07/2025