Notable Differences Between Version 3 And Version 4
Differences Between Rivendell v3 and Rivendell v4
Rivendell v4 represents a major architectural and functional upgrade over Rivendell v3. Due to foundational changes, Rivendell v4 systems cannot coexist with v3 systems in the same deployment.
Core Technology Changes
- Qt Framework Upgrade
- Rivendell v4 migrates the entire user interface codebase from Qt4 (used in v3) to Qt5. This change enables long-term maintainability, better high-DPI display support, and dynamic window resizing across applications. [1](https://groups.io/g/Rivendell/topic/rivendell_v4_0_0rc1/95909272)
- Database Compatibility
- Rivendell v4 adds full compatibility with MySQL 8.x in default configurations, addressing incompatibilities present in Rivendell v3 with newer MySQL servers. [1](https://groups.io/g/Rivendell/topic/rivendell_v4_0_0rc1/95909272)
- Schema Evolution
- Rivendell v4 introduces new database schema versions (starting at schema 366 and continuing in later v4 releases), requiring mandatory database upgrades when migrating from v3. [1](https://groups.io/g/Rivendell/topic/rivendell_v4_0_0rc1/95909272)[2](https://github.com/ElvishArtisan/rivendell/releases)
User Interface and Usability Improvements
- RDAirPlay Redesign
- The RDAirPlay module in v4 is completely overhauled, with dynamic resizeability, modernized level meters, and improved visual feedback. In v3, window layouts were largely static. [1](https://groups.io/g/Rivendell/topic/rivendell_v4_0_0rc1/95909272)
- RDPanel Improvements
- In Rivendell v4, RDPanel supports dynamic resizing and scaling for touchscreen and high-resolution displays, improving usability in live-assist environments compared to v3. [1](https://groups.io/g/Rivendell/topic/rivendell_v4_0_0rc1/95909272)
- Date and Time Localization
- Rivendell v4 allows site-specific customization of date and time presentation formats, a feature not available in Rivendell v3. [1](https://groups.io/g/Rivendell/topic/rivendell_v4_0_0rc1/95909272)
Log Generation and Scheduling
- Grid Processing Bypass
- Rivendell v4 adds the ability to disable grid processing on a per-service basis in RDLogManager. This permits complete schedule generation by external music schedulers, which was not possible in Rivendell v3. [1](https://groups.io/g/Rivendell/topic/rivendell_v4_0_0rc1/95909272)
PAD, Podcasting, and Data Feeds
- PAD Data Enhancements
- Later v4 releases introduce extended PAD (Program-Associated Data) feeds, including additional XML feeds for "next" events. These enhancements expand metadata capabilities beyond those available in Rivendell v3. [3](https://lwn.net/Articles/969046/)
- Podcast System Improvements
- Rivendell v4 improves podcast provisioning by allowing automated RSS feed creation based on user or group membership, expanding functionality beyond v3’s more manual podcast workflows. [3](https://lwn.net/Articles/969046/)
Platform and Deployment Changes
- Operating System Targets
- Rivendell v4 targets modern Linux distributions such as Ubuntu 22.04 LTS and newer RHEL/Rocky releases, whereas Rivendell v3 supported older distributions. [4](https://www.paravelsystems.com/rivendell-broadcast-appliance)[1](https://groups.io/g/Rivendell/topic/rivendell_v4_0_0rc1/95909272)
- Incompatibility With v3 Systems
- Rivendell v4 workstations cannot coexist with Rivendell v3 or v2 systems in the same environment. All workstations must be upgraded simultaneously during migration. [4](https://www.paravelsystems.com/rivendell-broadcast-appliance)
Stability and Maintenance
- Bug Fixes and Modernization
- The Rivendell v4 series includes extensive bug fixes, regression resolution, and internal modernization that are not backported to v3, reflecting its status as the actively maintained major release line. [1](https://groups.io/g/Rivendell/topic/rivendell_v4_0_0rc1/95909272)[2](https://github.com/ElvishArtisan/rivendell/releases)
Summary
Rivendell v4 is a **mandatory upgrade path** for stations requiring modern OS support, MySQL 8 compatibility, improved UI scalability, and ongoing maintenance. While feature-complete, Rivendell v3 is considered legacy and lacks compatibility with current platforms and workflows. [1](https://groups.io/g/Rivendell/topic/rivendell_v4_0_0rc1/95909272)[4](https://www.paravelsystems.com/rivendell-broadcast-appliance)