GLMedia guides based on Resolume documentation. Find the symptom, follow the checks and test the workflow with the equipment and software version planned for your event.
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Questions and practical guides
Playback and cues
How can a video finish on a still image for 10 seconds and then restart?
Use a sequence with a video and a separate still rather than stretching the video to create a pause. Autopilot can advance when the video ends, give the still a timed interval, and return to a chosen clip. Agree on whether audio stops, continues, or restarts during that interval. A fixed sequence should be rehearsed separately from cues that depend on a presenter.
What to check
Place the approved video and final still in two clip slots on a dedicated layer, and save a working copy of the composition.
Enable the layer Autopilot in the required direction. Let the video advance using Clip Transport, and set the still's Autopilot duration to Seconds: 10.
Assign the still an action that returns to the first or a specific video clip. Check transitions and avoid unrelated clips entering the sequence.
Trigger the video and rehearse several cycles, including the intended audio, the return to the start, and a manual stop or override.
Test the result
On the actual output, check the last video frame, the still interval, the first frame after restart, and audio throughout the change. Record the tested settings.
Conditions to consider
Play Once and Hold alone holds the last frame; it does not add a 10-second timer or restart. Video Duration changes playback speed. Autopilot options and transition behavior depend on the installed version; composition or group Clip Transport requires a Master Layer. Automation does not determine whether the event needs an operator.
Why does a BPM-synced clip wait before starting, and which Beat Snap setting should I check?
A trigger that waits for a beat or bar can look like slow media loading. Beat Snap schedules when a clip starts, while BPM Sync determines how playback follows the composition’s tempo. Check both the clip’s value and the composition setting it inherits before changing codecs or transport modes. Compare the same cue at several points in the musical cycle, then choose quantized or immediate triggering according to the show.
What to check
Save a composition copy and record Arena/Avenue, exact version, OS, the tested media and its transport mode. Describe the delay between requesting the cue and seeing the clip begin. Use a known loaded clip and a recognizable first frame; keep the file and processing unchanged for the first comparison.
Select the clip with its name handle, rather than triggering its thumbnail. Inspect Clip > Beat Snap and Composition > Beat Snap separately. If the clip is set to Composition determined, record the composition value it inherits; an explicit clip value must be checked on its own. Note the current BPM and the intended beat/bar boundary.
With the same clip and transport mode, request the cue at several points before and after a beat/bar boundary. Observe whether its start consistently waits for the configured musical boundary. Record the request and start separately; selecting a clip or receiving an input message is not evidence that playback has begun.
If the intended cue should start without beat quantization, disable Beat Snap for the test clip using the option actually available in the installed menu, and repeat the same comparison. Keep BPM Sync unchanged so you test trigger timing separately from playback speed. Before changing the composition setting, review the other clips that inherit it; they will follow that broader change.
Restore or approve the intended quantization policy and rehearse the actual clip/column cues with the show’s input method. Compare several phases again and save the tested settings. If a delay remains with beat quantization disabled, document the remaining symptom and investigate media loading, processing or input timing separately instead of treating this check as a complete performance diagnosis.
Test the result
The same cue follows the intended trigger policy at several musical phases: it waits for the chosen boundary when quantized, or no longer waits for that boundary when quantization is disabled. Its BPM-synced playback still uses the intended tempo and beat duration. Record any residual delay and confirm the saved clip/composition inheritance before approving the cue.
Conditions to consider
Beat Snap and BPM Sync have different roles; changing transport to Timeline is not required to remove trigger quantization. Disabling the composition value affects clips that inherit it, while individual clip settings can override it. Check the disabling option’s label in the installed version; None was reported in a historical setup, not established here as a universal current label. Removing a musical wait does not guarantee zero input, decoding or display latency. Quantization may be deliberate for the show. These are proposed comparisons, not hardware tests or a universal explanation for delayed playback.
FPS collapses while an SSD is busy: how do I isolate the cause?
Measure storage, memory and decoding under the same playback conditions. A benchmark or a successful run on a different computer does not identify the bottleneck in this show.
What to check
Record the clip codec, dimensions, frame rate, file size, duration, DXV quality/alpha, drive connection and Resolume version. In a copy of the composition, play one fully local clip without effects; note the first pass and repeated loops separately.
Watch FPS alongside disk activity, read throughput, response time, memory and CPU/GPU usage. In Windows, Performance Monitor can correlate disk-read latency with per-process I/O. Record which process is active when the freeze occurs; a busy-disk percentage alone does not establish file throughput or its cause.
Copy the same file to another local drive on the same computer and test a duplicate clip pointing to that copy. Keep composition, outputs and other settings fixed. Comparing another computer changes multiple variables; label first-play and repeat-play results rather than treating either as a benchmark.
Use Alley to make a separate short DXV Normal Quality sample at the required size. Retain alpha if needed. Compare it with the same segment and duration of the original under identical conditions. High Quality increases file size and is intended for visible gradient banding; converting is a proposed test, not proof that the original drive is defective.
Repeat with the real layer/output load and record when stalls return. If the isolated test still fails, send the sample and version/configuration/results to Resolume support. A media-player comparison can help locate a file issue, but other software does not provide the same DXV GPU acceleration as Resolume.
Test the result
Record reproducible FPS and disk-response results for the same clip and workload before and after each single change. Stable repeated loops alone do not verify reliable first playback or the complete show.
Conditions to consider
SATA versus NVMe is not a diagnosis. Caching, concurrent I/O, memory and decoding can alter observations; these are hypotheses to test. Keep originals and avoid re-encoding a whole library, disabling protection or buying a drive based on one percentage.
How can I keep an Autopilot sequence available while switching decks to browse other clips?
Changing decks changes the clip grid you are browsing, so first identify what Autopilot is advancing to. Persistent Clips can carry a prepared sequence into the same slots of each deck while you browse elsewhere. Test the whole sequence, not just the playing clip, and protect destination content. Specific clip actions and transition timing need separate checks; persistence preserves access across decks rather than guaranteeing an uninterrupted show.
What to check
Save a composition copy and record the installed version, origin deck, layer and slots of the intended sequence. Enable View > Show Autopilot and inspect its direction, duration, loop count and clip actions. Note any group/composition Autopilot or Master Layer that also controls the sequence. Write down the expected next clip and transition before changing the setup.
In the copy, start the sequence in its original deck, then select another deck without triggering its thumbnails or columns. Observe both the currently playing clip and the next automatic advance. Repeat without switching decks as a comparison. A clip’s name handle selects it without triggering; selecting a deck exposes its grid, while triggering another clip is a separate action.
Select the clips needed for the continuing sequence and mark them as persistent through the Clip menu before changing decks. Check that they appear in the same slots in each destination deck; retaining only the playing clip may not keep all intended successors available. If a persistent clip covers destination content, use the small upper-left thumbnail to drag that covered clip into an empty slot in the test copy.
Inspect each sequence clip’s Autopilot action and timing again. Layer Determined follows the layer’s direction; a specific-clip action uses a deliberate target instead. Test the chosen approach through every planned deck change and record each actual successor, including the sequence end and any random choices used. Keep browsing tests separate from manual clip or column triggers, which can change the playing sequence. Compare any explicit target against the persistent layout rather than assuming they behave identically.
Show the transition controls from View and record the layer’s transition time/blend plus any Clip panel Transition override available in the installed version. If Compensate Transition is available, compare its behavior using the required non-looping clips and overlap; the 7.27 feature advances the trigger so the transition can finish at the current clip’s end. Rehearse several advances across decks, inspect outgoing/incoming frames and any required audio, then save and reopen the tested copy.
Test the result
Across the tested deck changes, each automatic advance reaches the intended sequence clip rather than unintended destination content. The clips needed for that sequence remain accessible, covered destination clips can be recovered, and the observed fades match the required timing. Record the deck/slot layout, Autopilot actions and transition settings; test deliberate manual cues separately.
Conditions to consider
Persistent Clips occupies the same slots across decks; it does not freeze a deck or suspend Autopilot. Do not assume next/random actions are limited to persistent clips. Manual triggers and other active Autopilots still require a cue test. Individual clip transitions were added in 7.25 and Compensate Transition in 7.27; check the installed revision and available controls. The 7.25.2 notes include a fix for custom transition times on persistent clips, so behavior cannot be inferred from a version number alone. This does not establish that every specific-clip action disables transitions. These are proposed checks, without a Resolume or hardware test by GLMedia.
How can I compare a deck in a clean composition when the same DXV stutters only in a transferred show?
If the same DXV plays smoothly in a new composition but stutters in a transferred one, compare composition state before converting it again. Import one deck into a clean test composition to retain prepared clips while narrowing the change. Keep the media, receiving computer and output conditions identifiable, then reintroduce processing deliberately. This comparison can locate a difference; it does not prove corruption or a permanent fix.
What to check
Preserve the original composition and media, and save a separate Advanced Output preset before testing. On the receiving computer, identify the exact DXV path, dimensions, file frame rate and duration. Record Resolume version/revision, OS, hardware and local storage path rather than assuming two computers match. Note whether the symptom affects one clip, the mixed output or the whole interface, and choose a repeatable playback section.
Create a named clean composition on that receiving computer and load the same local DXV directly into an empty slot. Record its defaults, then use Composition > Settings to compare resolution, FrameRate and Bit Depth with the transferred composition. Keep the intended output preset and test conditions identified. Observe visible playback and available FPS statistics over the same section; do not force 30 fps or change several settings together as a diagnosis.
Save the clean reference before adding anything. In the Composition browser, find the saved source composition and double-click the relevant deck to add it as a new deck in the test composition, rather than opening the whole source composition. Trigger only the suspect imported clip first. Verify its actual file reference, clip effects and transport: Timeline/BPM Sync, In/Out points, Speed/Duration or beat count. Prepared clip settings can travel with the deck, so this is a different test from loading the bare file.
Compare the bare-file reference, imported deck and original transferred composition under recorded conditions. If the imported clip also stutters, compare its clip settings and bypass one clip effect at a time. If it remains smooth, inspect differences in active layers, layer/group processing where available, composition effects and global speed. Reintroduce required processing into the test copy one stage at a time, preserving effect order and noting the first reproducible change. A difference is a lead, not proof of corruption.
Before relying on a rebuilt copy, restore and rehearse the required simultaneous clips, transitions, deck changes and cues with the real output load. Check media references, controller targets and Advanced Output separately; the screen setup is independent of the composition. Save and reopen the named test composition and output preset, then repeat the demanding section. Keep both files and a small reproduction record if the symptom persists; a smooth isolated clip is not a completed show test.
Test the result
The comparison records the same file and playback section in the clean reference, imported deck and transferred composition, with each changed setting identified. Any onset of stuttering can be reproduced when a recorded stage is introduced. The saved candidate is checked again with required cues, controllers and outputs; if it still fails, the reproduction retains the unresolved differences instead of declaring the composition corrupt.
Conditions to consider
The manual documents adding a deck with prepared clips and settings; it does not provide an exhaustive guarantee that every layer/group, composition, shortcut or output configuration is duplicated or reset by this operation. Inspect those scopes separately, and check controls available in the installed edition/version. Imported clip effects and transport can preserve the factor being investigated. Matching Resolume versions does not establish matching OS, hardware or workload. Composition FrameRate is a maximum, not a performance guarantee. Smooth playback in a clean composition does not prove the original is corrupt or that reconversion, rendering the show or rebuilding will solve it.
How can I place Cue Points on the intended video frame, and check why the controls are missing?
Prepare Cue Points from the intended clip with playback paused, then verify the stored position before using it in a show. First identify the media: a still image can have display timing without containing changing video frames. Use the available playhead adjustment controls and test their increments against recognizable content. Setting a precise source position is a separate check from display refresh, input timing or synchronized physical outputs.
What to check
Save a rehearsal composition and record the installed Resolume version, selected media type, video frame rate and required cue position. Use a video with an identifiable change or numbered frames for the first comparison. If Cue Points is missing, inspect the actual clip and its available panels rather than repeatedly changing visibility settings. A JPEG's duration can time Autopilot or Clip Position animation; it does not add changing source frames.
Open the Clip panel for the intended video and record its transport and In/Out range. Begin with a manual Timeline comparison in the test copy. Use the clip's Pause direction control, then drag the blue Transport marker near the required position. Confirm that the intended video image has stopped and that you are adjusting its playhead rather than a different selected clip or an effect envelope.
Where the installed interface offers a numerical playhead adjustment popup, inspect its position display and use its on-screen left/right adjustment arrows for fine positioning. The Parameters manual describes fixed increments for this interface element, without defining a universal one-frame step. Compare each increment with adjacent identifiable frames before calling the adjustment frame-by-frame. Keep these value-adjustment arrows separate from the backward/forward playback buttons; this procedure does not assume keyboard arrow shortcuts.
At the approved paused position, click the small setting section to the left of the chosen Cue Point button. Move the playhead elsewhere and activate the main part of that button to compare the recalled position. An unset cue uses the current playhead time when first activated, so distinguish creating a point from recalling an existing one. Overwrite a point by positioning the playhead and using its setting section again when needed.
Repeat recall from several other positions and compare the intended image and position display, first paused and then with the show's intended playback behavior. If a controller will recall the cue, rehearse its actual assignment and target separately. Restore the required transport and test the real cue route, including any external clock or automation. Save and reopen the tested composition, recheck the points and inspect final output before relying on the result.
Test the result
The stored Cue Point repeatedly recalls the intended identifiable image and position in the tested media and transport. Record the numerical format and actual step observed when using adjustment arrows; claim one-frame stepping only if that comparison establishes it. Confirm the result after reopening and through the real cue route. A correctly positioned source frame does not by itself prove the same physical display frame or timing on every output.
Conditions to consider
The current Video manual documents pause, playhead positioning and Cue Points; Parameters documents fixed UI increments, without specifying one frame per click for every playhead or version. Control availability and displayed units must be checked in the installed interface. A still's Timeline/BPM duration is distinct from a sequence of changing frames; the Stills page does not document Cue Points for a JPEG. Media timing, decoding, external control and the render/output chain require separate checks, and cue placement is not a hardware frame-sync guarantee. These are proposed checks, without a Resolume or hardware test by GLMedia.
How can I loop part of a BPM-synced clip and choose where playback continues with Catch Up?
Beat Looper repeats a section of a BPM-synced clip for the selected number of beats. Check the clip’s beat count and the loop lengths actually offered before interpreting a button as musical bars. Catch Up changes the position used when the loop is released. Compare exits with it on and off against a recognizable reference, then rehearse the intended triggers and final output.
What to check
Save a rehearsal composition and record the installed Arena/Avenue revision, test video, In/Out range, playback direction and speed. Choose content whose positions are easy to recognize, and record its ordinary progression without Beat Looper. Define the required loop length and whether leaving it should continue from the looped position or catch up to the progression that would have occurred without looping. Keep an agreed fallback image available.
Select BPM Sync in the clip’s Transport dropdown and use a known composition BPM for the comparison. Check the number of beats assigned to the tested clip against its intended musical phrasing; the automatic guess is not a measurement of its rhythm. Distinguish the clip’s total beat count from the Beat Looper length. Convert requested bars using the actual meter: in 4/4, four and eight bars mean 16 and 32 beats. Check whether those lengths are offered; a button marked 4 means four beats, not four bars.
Locate the Beat Looper section for the BPM-synced video and record the length options available in the installed interface. Start from the recorded reference, select one offered length and observe the actual repeated region and playhead. Count its cycles against the known tempo and inspect the visible boundaries. Test other offered lengths separately, including entries near the clip’s In/Out boundaries. If the requested length is absent, record that limitation instead of treating a different button as equivalent.
Rehearse leaving the loop with Catch Up inactive by clicking Off or the selected length again, and record the continuation from the looped playhead position. Repeat from matching starting conditions with Catch Up active and a comparable elapsed beat count. Compare that exit with the reference progression that would have occurred without the loop. Inspect any skipped content, wrap or end behavior and the final image; choose the exit policy according to the cue rather than assuming one mode is always preferable.
Repeat the planned entry, length changes and exit with the actual clip triggers and output route. If using keyboard shortcuts, assign the tested choice and Off only where the installed controls allow it, inspect the intended Target, leave shortcut editing and test repeated presses. Check a different panel selection as well. Recheck after changing BPM, clip beat count, trim, direction or speed; save and reopen the composition and repeat the important cues before accepting the setup.
Test the result
Record the actual repeated region, selected length, Catch Up state and exit position for each test. Confirm that supported lengths match the intended beat count, that the chosen exit follows the rehearsed reference, and that shortcuts affect the intended clip after changing selection. Repeat important cues after reopening and on the planned output route. A visibly repeating clip alone does not verify its musical length or continuation policy.
Conditions to consider
The current Video manual documents Beat Looper for videos in BPM Sync; do not infer the same feature for Timeline, SMPTE or live-camera input. Available lengths, panel visibility and shortcut controls require checking in the installed revision; an older menu label is not a verified current path. Bars and beats are different units. Changing the clip’s total beat count can change its playback timing and is not an independent way to obtain any desired loop length. Catch Up chooses the continuation position after looping; it does not establish automatic tracking of an artist’s loops, Link, LTC or Traktor compatibility, or frame-accurate physical output. Global BPM changes can affect other synchronized content.
How do Fader Start and pick-up affect a clip when I fade its layer down and up?
Fader Start acts on the clip already playing in the layer you fade up. It can restart that clip, while combining it with pick-up provides the documented pause-and-continue behavior called Fader Stop. Choosing which clip or layer to control is a separate task. First compare the playback behavior manually in a composition copy, then test the actual opacity and trigger shortcuts without assuming that selection alone prepares the intended clip.
What to check
Save a composition copy and preserve the relevant shortcut preset. Record the Resolume edition and version, intended layer, clip transport, In/Out range and playback options. Use a recognizable video with a visible playhead and two distinguishable clips. Start with a manual Timeline test so you can observe the intended restart or continuation before adding the console's commands.
Compare selection with triggering: clicking the name handle beneath a clip selects it for editing, whereas clicking its thumbnail triggers it. Inspect Clip Target and use Own Layer for this isolated comparison if that matches the intended test. Trigger the test clip into the layer with Layer Opacity down and confirm which clip is actually active; selecting another clip's panel does not replace it.
Inspect both Clip > Fader Start and Layer > Fader Start and record their settings. In the copy, establish an enabled and a disabled comparison using the controls available in that version. With the test clip active, fade Layer Opacity down and up and observe its playhead and first visible image. The documented Fader Start action is a restart from the clip's beginning when its playing layer is faded up; verify the actual effective settings rather than inferring them from the selected panel.
If the cue should continue from where you faded down instead of restarting, compare the clip's Playmode Away options. The manual documents pick-up combined with Fader Start as Fader Stop: the clip pauses when the layer is faded down and continues when it is faded back up. Compare against the option that starts from the beginning, repeating the fade mid-clip and near the In/Out boundaries. Check the chosen loop or end behavior separately.
Only after the manual behavior is understood, rehearse the actual shortcut sequence: trigger the intended clip, then control the opacity of the layer it plays in. In Arena with DMX, inspect the received channel history and the shortcut's Target and Range in Edit DMX; clip triggering and Layer Opacity are different controls. If a shortcut follows a selected target, change the panel selection deliberately and verify which layer responds. Test each real cue, repeated fades and save/reopen before adopting the mapping.
Test the result
For each cue, record the active clip, receiving layer, opacity change and playhead position before fade-down and after fade-up. Confirm the intended restart or pause/continuation in the rendered image as well as the panel. Repeat with another clip selected for editing and with the real controller sequence; correct manual playback alone does not validate the shortcut targets.
Conditions to consider
DMX shortcuts require Arena. Check the available Clip/Layer Fader Start controls and Playmode Away labels in the installed version; the proposed Timeline comparison does not establish the same behavior for every transport or media type. Fader Start does not select a new clip, choose a layer or provide a console's layer-browsing logic. The manual does not establish a universal DMX percentage step or trigger threshold for this workflow. Restart, pick-up, loop/end behavior and shortcut targeting need separate rehearsal.
Why does the Mac's second output appear on the main display?
Check the Mac's display arrangement and Resolume's output assignment before changing the composition. A mirrored desktop, the wrong output device, and an application assigned to one virtual desktop are different conditions. Resolume documents a specific overlapping-output case involving the Dock's desktop assignment. Separate Spaces is another macOS setting worth recording during diagnosis, but no single setting explains every similar symptom.
What to check
Record the Mac model, macOS and Resolume versions, and each cable, adapter and display. Confirm the second display is recognized in System Settings > Displays.
Set the show display to an extended desktop rather than mirroring. In Resolume, identify the displays and select the intended physical Device for the output screen.
Review Displays have separate Spaces in macOS Desktop & Dock / Mission Control. Record its current state and test any change outside the show, following macOS prompts.
If the application is assigned to a specific virtual desktop and outputs overlap, follow Resolume's conditional Dock > Options > Assign To > All Desktops remedy; another Space may be needed to expose that menu.
Retest the same output, then save the successful display arrangement and output assignment for that system.
Test the result
Check that the interface remains on the control display and the test image reaches only the intended show display. Reopen the saved setup and confirm assignments.
Conditions to consider
Labels and display capabilities vary by macOS and Mac model. Separate Spaces is not documented as a universal Resolume fix. The Dock remedy applies to a different, specifically documented desktop-assignment condition.
Can connecting or removing an HDMI or DisplayPort screen interrupt playback?
A display connection can change the computer's active display configuration. If a flash or interruption coincides with that change, compare the operating system's arrangement, modes and output assignment before blaming the clip. EDID describes display identity and capabilities; it does not identify every cause of flicker. Prepare the complete signal path and any planned reconnection before the event, with a fallback agreed by the video team.
What to check
Record the Windows or macOS version, GPU and driver, display modes, and the path through adapters, switchers, processors and screens.
Outside the show, reproduce the exact connection or power change. Note whether the operating system changes display identity, position, resolution or refresh rate.
Compare with a direct connection where possible, changing only one cable or device at a time. Check Resolume's assigned output after the operating system settles.
Connect and test the planned screens before starting Resolume. If reconnection is unavoidable, rehearse it and agree on the fallback instead of assuming uninterrupted output.
Test the result
Confirm whether the interruption also occurs outside Resolume, record the before-and-after display configuration, and test the required reconnection with the final chain.
Conditions to consider
This is a diagnostic comparison, not a confirmed cause or a universal Windows 11 cure. EDID overrides and retention depend on supported hardware and drivers; an INF override corrects descriptor data and does not by itself guarantee hot-plug continuity. Do not apply registry or driver recipes without evidence for the specific system.
The preview has an image, but the LED or projector is black. What should I check?
A preview proves that an image exists at that preview stage; it does not prove the physical output is receiving it. Trace the path from the composition to the assigned screen, then through the signal chain. A test card and display identification help separate content and routing from downstream equipment. Change one stage at a time so the result shows which part needs attention.
What to check
Confirm that the expected clip reaches the composition output, and check the composition's bypass and master opacity before changing hardware.
Check that the operating system recognizes and activates the intended output. Use Identify Displays to distinguish it from the control monitor.
In Advanced Output, confirm the screen is enabled and its Device is the physical output rather than Virtual. Check the slice input selects the required composition area.
Send the test card during preparation and trace the cable, converter, processor and display input. If the card arrives but the clip does not, return to content and routing checks.
Test the result
Observe the test card and then a known clip on the final screen. Confirm the correct region, resolution and display, and restore normal content after the test.
Conditions to consider
Advanced Output features depend on the Resolume edition. Resolume cannot assign a physical display the operating system does not recognize. A visible preview or test card at one stage is not proof that every converter and processor is configured correctly. Perform output tests before the show or during an agreed test window.
Should I use Fit, Fill or Stretch when the content and screen have different proportions?
Choose the scaling behavior according to what the audience must see. Fit keeps the whole image visible and may leave empty areas. Fill covers the slice but can crop content. Stretch changes its proportions to match the slice. These choices do not replace a correct pixel map. Check logos, text and faces on the actual layout before accepting a setting for the show.
What to check
List the source dimensions, composition dimensions and destination slice or screen geometry. Mark content that must remain visible.
For logos, slides or faces, compare Fit and Fill and inspect the crop. Use Stretch only when deliberate distortion is acceptable.
In Arena's Slice Transform, choose the intended scaling mode; separately check Input Selection and Output Transformation rather than compensating for a wrong map with clip scaling.
Use a grid and representative client content to check every destination. Save the mapping and the content scaling choice as distinct settings.
Test the result
Check that required text and logos are readable, faces and circles keep the intended proportions, and each mapped region reaches its destination without unintended crop.
Conditions to consider
The documented Slice Transform modes are Arena features; controls may differ by version and context. An irregular or multi-surface layout needs its actual geometry and routing. Scaling cannot recover detail absent from the original file, and a technically full frame may still crop an important message.
When should I use Spout, Syphon or NDI to move video between applications?
Choose the connection according to where the applications run. Spout on Windows and Syphon on Mac share textures between applications on the same computer. NDI can carry video between computers over a network. A source appearing in a list does not prove that usable frames arrive. Check the selected sender, dimensions and receiving image, then test the complete load instead of treating discovery as success.
What to check
Identify whether sender and receiver run on one machine or different machines, their operating systems, and which protocol each application supports.
Enable the intended sender output and select its named source in the receiver. Confirm whether you are sharing the main composition or an Arena Advanced Output screen.
For NDI, check the intended network path and permitted communication. If discovery works but the source is Offline or 0x0, investigate reachability and permissions with the network team.
Check actual frames, dimensions and alpha requirements, then rehearse with all expected senders, receivers and physical outputs active.
Test the result
Observe the received image throughout the intended sequence, check sender identity and format, and compare behavior when all production connections are active.
Conditions to consider
Protocol support, network permissions and resource use depend on application versions and the actual machines. Spout and Syphon do not provide a cross-computer network link. NDI discovery is distinct from delivery, and capacity or latency cannot be guaranteed from the source list alone. Coordinate network changes with IT.
Will a USB-C or Thunderbolt dock add enough outputs for several projectors?
A connector shape or a dock's socket count does not establish how many independent show outputs a computer can drive. Check the laptop, GPU, port protocol and dock specifications together with the required resolution and refresh rate. Resolume specifically warns about black outputs with DisplayLink docks; that warning should not be applied to every USB-C or Thunderbolt device. Validate the proposed signal path before purchasing or committing the setup.
What to check
List the exact computer and GPU models, operating system, usable video ports and dock model. Obtain the manufacturers' display-count, protocol, resolution and refresh-rate specifications.
Identify how each dock output is provided: native video, an MST arrangement, DisplayLink or another documented mechanism. Do not infer the mechanism from the USB-C connector alone.
Connect the intended displays during preparation. Confirm the operating system exposes the required independent outputs, then use Resolume's Identify Displays and Show Display Info to inspect assignments and rendering information.
Test the real composition on all required outputs through the final adapters and projectors. If a DisplayLink path gives black output, follow Resolume's specific warning and evaluate a supported alternative with the equipment provider.
Test the result
Observe distinct test images and representative playback on every final projector, with the control display still usable. Record the complete topology, modes, renderer and tested dock configuration.
Conditions to consider
Maximum outputs and bandwidth depend on the specific GPU, computer, dock, operating system and modes. MST does not bypass the GPU's supported output count. Resolume's DisplayLink warning is specific, not a general USB-C ban. A desk test with recognized monitors does not guarantee sustained show performance or synchronized projector refresh.
Does edge blending fix both projector overlaps and visible LED cabinet seams?
Edge blending addresses light from projectors that physically overlaps on the same surface. Arena fades the shared image region after the input overlap and projected geometry are aligned. A visible LED cabinet boundary is a different symptom: mapping, timing, panel appearance or a physical seam may need investigation. Identify the display technology and where the discrepancy appears before applying a fade or changing the pixel map.
What to check
Identify whether the surface uses overlapping projectors, adjacent LED cabinets or several processor outputs. Record the geometry, pixel map, output formats and the observed boundary during still and moving content.
For projectors, use Show Test Card to align the image geometry and make the slices' input overlap correspond to the actual optical overlap. Confirm matching pixels before enabling Edge Blending on the relevant slices.
Evaluate blend curves, color and black-level behavior on the real projection surface. Change one setting at a time and compare bright images, dark images and motion; this is a preparation test, not a guaranteed calibration result.
For LED, compare a grid, uniform fields and motion at the boundary. Inspect the processor map and output timing, and have the LED team assess any panel or physical discrepancy according to the specific system; document the findings before selecting a correction.
Test the result
Inspect the complete surface from representative audience positions using grids, gradients, dark scenes and motion crossing the boundary. Confirm whether the discrepancy is geometric, tonal, temporal or physical, and record the settings and hardware configuration tested.
Conditions to consider
Edge Blending is an Arena feature and its documented purpose is overlapping projection. Applying it to a physical LED cabinet seam is not an established repair. Black-level compensation raises non-overlapping projection areas; it cannot make projector light disappear. Shared timecode does not guarantee frame-synchronized outputs. Appropriate LED corrections depend on the actual panels, processors, mapping and installation.
A slice's vertical and horizontal borders have different thicknesses. Which mapping dimensions should I compare?
Uneven border thickness can come from scaling a slice differently across its width and height. Compare the region sampled in Input Selection with its size and shape in Output Transformation before changing the border effect. Matching aspect ratios preserves geometry for a rectangular slice without warping; matching pixel dimensions is not always required. Use a test pattern and the actual display to separate mapping distortion from content or projector alignment.
What to check
Save a copy of the Advanced Output preset and record the composition and output resolutions. For the affected slice, note both width and height in Input Selection and Output Transformation, plus any corner or point warping. A width change alone does not establish whether the scaling is unequal.
For a rectangular, unwarped slice, compare output width divided by input width with output height divided by input height. Different factors suggest different scaling along the two axes. Compare the affected slice with a working slice, keeping the intended content region and physical screen proportions in view.
Use Output > Show Test Card to inspect the grid through the output map, and compare a simple square, circle or equal-width border in the composition. Check the preview and the real LED screen or projection surface. The test card is a diagnostic pattern; it does not correct scaling automatically.
If the intended design calls for matching the output shape, right-click the slice in Input Selection and inspect Match Output Shape. It copies the output position and shape into the input map. Reposition the sampled region and scale proportionally, using Shift and Alt where appropriate. Check the resulting crop before accepting the change.
Restore the normal content and border effect, then compare all four sides at the required output size. If the composition is correct but projection remains uneven, inspect the actual surface and Output Transformation alignment separately. Keep any perspective correction required by the projection rather than removing it just to match pixel dimensions.
Test the result
Check that the intended content remains in each slice, circles and squares have the expected geometry, and border thickness is acceptable on the real display. Reopen the saved output preset and repeat with normal content. Record both input and output dimensions so the accepted result can be reproduced.
Conditions to consider
The scaling comparison is a proposed geometric check, not proof of the cause on another system. Match Output Shape changes the sampled input region and may alter an intentional map. Low output resolution, content, effects and warping can also affect visible borders. For projection, perspective alignment and the projector's own scaling or keystone settings require a separate check; this symptom does not establish a projector fault or validate a third-party effect.
Can I use a USB-DMX interface or an Art-Net node for DMX output from Arena?
Current Arena sends fixture data over Art-Net. A USB connector, pixel output or successful setup in an older Resolume release does not establish a compatible DMX output path today. Identify the node’s protocol, physical DMX OUT port and universe mapping before configuring the show. Test one fixture in a saved copy, matching its channel mode and profile, then verify the complete route from composition pixels to the intended light.
What to check
Save copies of the composition and Advanced Output preset. Record the Arena version, OS, node model and firmware, fixture model, channel mode and start address. Check the node manual for Art-Net reception and a physical DMX OUT port; a pixel-data connector or DMX IN port serves a different purpose.
Check the supported protocol before connecting an interface. Resolume’s current manual specifies Art-Net devices and states that Arena 6 and later do not support Enttec DMX USB devices. Connect the computer and node on the planned network, then select the corresponding Network Adapter in Preferences > DMX; coordinate network changes with the technician responsible.
In Advanced Output, add a DMX Lumiverse and select the fixture profile matching the light’s channel mode. If necessary, duplicate a profile in Fixture Editor before changing pixel dimensions, color order or required default channels. Position its Input Selection over the composition area that should drive that fixture.
Assign the Lumiverse to the detected Art-Net node, or use Target IP > IP Address with the node’s verified address. Match Subnet and Universe to the node’s DMX output port, checking its zero-based or one-based numbering convention. In DMX Output, match Start Channel to the fixture address and resolve overlapping channels.
Test the intended fixture with a simple static color and the Output test card in the saved setup. Check the physical DMX output port, fixture response, color order and pixel direction. If the node is detected but the light does not respond, inspect port mode, universe and channel mapping before rebuilding the video or purchasing another interface.
Test the result
The selected node’s intended DMX OUT port drives the addressed fixture with the expected colors and direction; other addressed fixtures behave as planned. Record the working Arena version, node settings, fixture mode and saved output preset. Discovery of a node alone does not verify the physical DMX route.
Conditions to consider
DMX output is an Arena feature. Advice about Enttec USB hardware in Arena 5 must not be applied to Arena 6 or later. An Art-Net pixel controller is useful for physical DMX only if its model, port and firmware support that output; color profiles, channel modes and universe numbering also vary. The Network Adapter setting affects both Art-Net input and output, so validate the change in the saved setup before the show. These are proposed checks, not a guarantee for every interface.
How can I prepare a still of a mapped Advanced Output screen rather than the composition canvas?
Choose the image stage you need before capturing it: a clip, the composition and a mapped screen can look different. Arena's monitors can display Advanced Output screens, while Copy Image captures the current monitor frame. A proposed native workflow is to copy the chosen screen, paste it into an empty clip and make a Snapshot of that still. Verify a recognizable pattern and the saved PNG's dimensions before treating it as a mapped-output deliverable.
What to check
Save a composition copy and the Advanced Output preset. Identify the intended screen by name, Device and final width/height. Use a test image with distinct corners, slice labels and asymmetric marks so you can tell the composition canvas from the mapped screen without relying on a black border.
Create a separate monitor by right-clicking an existing monitor and choosing duplicate. Use its cogwheel to select the intended Advanced Output screen, available in Arena. Confirm that this monitor shows the expected slice arrangement and transformations; compare it with the composition monitor before capturing.
At the chosen screen monitor, use the documented Copy Image action from the monitor cogwheel to copy its current frame to the clipboard. Confirm the source screen is still selected and the required frame is visible. This step uses Copy Image; it does not depend on an undocumented direct Snapshot command for a screen monitor.
Paste the image into an empty clip in the working copy. Inspect the resulting still's dimensions, transforms and appearance against the chosen screen. Use the clip's Snapshot option to save a PNG to the recordings folder and import it into the composition. Check the actual folder configured for recordings/snapshots when locating the file.
Inspect the saved PNG outside the mapped playback path, comparing its pixel dimensions, corner marks, slice positions and edges with the intended screen. Check for scaling, cropping or effects introduced after pasting. Record the screen, resolution, application version and capture stage; repeat the small test before capturing the approved visual.
Test the result
The saved PNG matches the tested screen's intended pixel size and recognizable mapped arrangement, rather than just resembling the composition canvas. Opening it as an ordinary image preserves those marks and edges. Record any difference between the copied monitor frame, pasted still and Snapshot before approving the file.
Conditions to consider
Advanced Output screen monitoring is documented for Arena. The proposed sequence combines documented monitor selection, Copy Image, pasting and Clip Snapshot; it is not a confirmed case fix or a documented direct screen-monitor Snapshot command. Output > Snapshot only describes an output PNG and does not specify every mapped screen. Clip transforms, effects and the capture stage can affect the saved result, so compare dimensions and pattern rather than promising pixel-exact capture. A still has no audio or moving-content continuity and does not prove the physical processor/projector result. No hardware test is claimed.
Why does the composition look weaker than the preview, and how should I check crossfader buses A and B?
A preview can show a different stage of the image from the composition sent to output. Check master opacity before investigating the crossfader, then identify which layers or groups belong to buses A and B. The crossfader mixes those buses according to its blend and curve; an empty bus does not establish the intended result. Compare explicit monitor sources and a simple layer arrangement before changing the show’s mix.
What to check
Save a composition copy and note the exact Arena/Avenue version. Select Composition and inspect its numerical master opacity, video fade and bypass, then the relevant clip/layer opacity and, in Arena, group controls. A layer at full opacity does not prove the entire composition is at full opacity. Record each value before changing anything.
Check the monitor’s source in its cogwheel menu. Compare Composition with the relevant Layer, Group or Preview, rather than treating every monitor image as the final mix. Note whether the view omits a fade or shows a different stage. Compare the actual output after the composition controls as well.
Record the A/B buttons beside the layer names and any group assignments. In the test copy, use recognizable content on A and B, and identify unassigned layers separately. Move the crossfader slider to both ends and intermediate positions; compare Crossfader A or B and Crossfader Mix monitor sources. Check Blend Mode and Curve before interpreting an intermediate position as a particular amount of either image.
If the cue uses the crossfader’s A/B buttons, inspect Behaviour separately from the slider: Jump, Jump & Return, Cut and Fade (Legacy) have different actions. In Arena, review parent-group assignments before testing a child layer on another bus. The global Crossfader monitor excludes layers inside groups; inspect the group or composition when checking those layers.
Inspect the layer stack in the copy: the crossfader composites assigned layers first and inserts that result at the first assigned layer’s position. Compare a test with the assigned layers adjacent if unassigned layers are interleaved, recording the visual change. Restore or approve the intended order, buses and controls, then rehearse the real cue and output before saving the production mix.
Test the result
The chosen monitor sources and the actual composition/output now explain the same visible mix. Both crossfader ends show the intended assigned bus content, intermediate positions behave according to the selected blend/curve, and unassigned layers and groups retain the intended order. Record which independent opacity or routing change affected the result; do not combine several changes into an assumed single cause.
Conditions to consider
Groups require Arena. An intermediate slider position is not a universal 50% brightness rule, and an empty bus does not guarantee that the other bus remains visually unchanged. Blend Mode and Curve affect mixing; Behaviour controls the crossfader’s A/B button actions. Global Crossfader monitor sources exclude group interiors. A confirmed composition-opacity issue would not by itself validate a crossfader change. These are proposed checks of the software mix, not measurements of display brightness, color calibration or a tested hardware output.
How should I check separate fill/key outputs when a hardware keyer shows mismatched levels or edges?
A hardware linear keyer combines a fill image with a separate grayscale key signal that determines visibility. Treat those as two defined video routes, not as an assumed alpha channel inside HDMI. Check each route before adjusting the keyer, then match its premultiplication setting to the prepared signals. Compare known patterns, edges and backgrounds so a routing or key-threshold change is distinguished from an unmeasured gamma or color-space explanation.
What to check
Record the exact computer, OS, Resolume version, output ports/adapters, video formats, switcher model and firmware/software version. Save the composition, Advanced Output preset and existing switcher settings separately before testing. Draw the two physical routes, including intermediate devices and the actual switcher inputs; identify the supported keyer and controls in that model’s manual.
Identify the prepared fill image and its separate grayscale key/cut signal. In Output > Advanced, inspect each Screen’s content and Device destination; one physical output can have only one Screen assigned. In the ATEM Mini downstream-key palette, where available, check Fill Source and Key Source against the actual inputs. Two connected displays or an alpha-bearing file do not by themselves establish the intended pair.
For a proposed route comparison, send the same known pattern with black, gray, white and color patches through each path and inspect it at the receiving input with the same observation method. Record differences before keying and change only one route element at a time if further isolation is needed. Restore the intended fill and key signals afterward. Review each Screen’s Opacity, Brightness, Contrast and RGB adjustments; a monitor impression alone does not measure gamma or prove an EDID problem.
Check how the fill was prepared: a premultiplied fill has already been multiplied by its key over black. Match Pre Multiplied Key, if the installed keyer offers it, to that signal rather than always enabling or disabling it. The ATEM Mini manual documents automatic Clip/Gain adjustment when premultiplication is enabled. When manual adjustment applies, use Clip for the key threshold and Gain for edge softness, recording each change rather than copying another system’s numerical values.
Test the restored pair over both light and dark backgrounds, using opaque areas, graded transparency, soft edges and recognizable movement. Check for unintended holes, halos, altered background brightness, geometric misalignment and timing differences between fill and key. Compare the switcher’s resulting program output, retain the tested settings and record any remaining symptom. Treat a successful comparison as evidence for that signal chain, not a guarantee for another adapter or switcher.
Test the result
Fill and key arrive at the intended separate inputs, and the chosen keyer mode matches how the fill was prepared. The composed program preserves the intended foreground, background and edge detail on both light and dark tests, with acceptable alignment and timing for the show. Record the input-pattern comparison and each independent setting change; do not infer gamma, EDID or color-space causation without an appropriate measurement.
Conditions to consider
This procedure uses separate video inputs and does not assume embedded HDMI alpha or automatic generation of a key/fill pair from file transparency. The cited June 2026 ATEM Mini manual describes particular keyers; verify controls and availability for the exact model and installed software instead of extending them to every ATEM. Clip/Gain concern key threshold and edge behaviour, not general gamma calibration. Resolume output adjustments and playback-card options also depend on the route; card playback requires Arena. No adapter, fixed Clip/Gain values or premultiplication setting is a universal remedy. These are proposed signal-chain checks, without hardware, colorimetric or synchronization measurements.
Why do RGB strip colors shift at a DMX universe boundary?
A color shift after a universe boundary can indicate a different channel layout in Arena and the receiver. Auto Span adds universes; Align Output keeps a pixel together. They solve different problems. Compare the actual boundary channels with the controller’s documented layout before changing either option, then test each primary color on both sides of the boundary.
What to check
Save a copy of the composition and Advanced Output preset. Record Arena version, controller model/firmware, pixel format, universe numbering, start channel and the current Auto Span/Align Output values. Duplicate a fixture preset before editing it; changing a shared preset can affect its other instances.
Create a channel table around the first incorrect pixel. With RGB starting at channel 1 and no extra channels, 170 complete pixels use 510 channels. The next RGB pixel needs three more channel values, so it cannot fit wholly into channels 511 and 512 of that universe. Include any dimmer or dummy channels when calculating your actual layout.
Read the receiver’s documented universe and pixel-boundary behavior. In Arena, inspect the Lumiverse’s DMX Output view and compare Start Channel, Subnet/Universe and fixture color order with that layout. Determine whether the receiver expects a pixel to remain whole in the next universe or accepts its channels split across universes.
Use Auto Span when the Lumiverse needs additional universes. Leave Align Output enabled for receivers that require complete pixels within a universe. Only compare it disabled in the saved setup when the receiver supports a split pixel and its patch matches that arrangement. Change one setting at a time and record the resulting channel layout; no setting creates a channel 513 in one universe.
At a suitable test brightness, send static red, green and blue separately and inspect the last correct pixel, the boundary pixel and several pixels beyond it. Then test white and a moving pattern through the full strip. If only later pixels change color, compare the channel offsets again; if all pixels swap colors, check the fixture’s RGB order. Save the matching receiver and Arena settings together.
Test the result
Every tested pixel shows each primary color correctly before, at and after the boundary, and the moving pattern follows the intended strip direction. Record both channel tables and the chosen options. Successful output on the first universe alone does not verify the remaining strip.
Conditions to consider
DMX output requires Arena. RGBW, RGBWA and fixtures with extra channels need different calculations. Disabling Align Output is not a universal fix: the receiver must accept the resulting split. Auto Span does not correct a mismatched receiver patch or RGB order.
How do I diagnose random flashes or blocky artifacts already visible inside Advanced Output?
When a random flash is visible inside Resolume as well as on the physical output, capture where it appears before changing the signal chain. A repeatable comparison with known media, a simpler composition and the saved output setup is more useful than changing several drivers and settings together. Use the documented NVIDIA troubleshooting option only when applicable, then test the actual show route again.
What to check
During preparation, save a test copy of the composition and a separate Advanced Output preset; the output setup is not tied to the composition. Record the full Arena/Avenue version and revision, OS, GPU and driver, capture/playback-card model and driver, physical connections, resolutions, media/composition fps and output formats or refresh rates.
Record whether the flash appears in the composition output monitor, the affected screen's internal preview, the physical output or several stages. Compare known local media with Output > Show Test Card. For connected displays, use Output > Show Display Info to record Gfx Card and Renderer separately; inspect the screen's Device and any playback-card port or Video Format.
Build a minimal test composition with one known clip and a simple output route, keeping the original show intact. Repeat the same trigger sequence for a stated duration, then add effects, layers and outputs one at a time. If the fault also occurs with physical outputs disabled, record that separate result; do not infer that a specific component is cleared or defective.
For an NVIDIA system with the matching blocky-flash symptom, the official troubleshooting article documents unchecking Use Custom Nvidia Profile in Preferences > Video, restarting Resolume and testing again. Record the original setting and compare this one change first. If evaluating a software or driver update, check the relevant official notes and test it separately; do not combine it with several profile changes.
Restore the required mapping, media and full show workload, and repeat both internal-view and physical-output checks. Log the versions, settings, duration and any recurrence for each comparison. If the issue persists, prepare a Resolume support report with reproducible steps, expected/observed behavior, short video and the log available through Preferences > Feedback.
Test the result
Confirm the required content and mapping reach the intended output, then record whether artifacts recur during the same sequence and stated test duration in each observed stage. A stable FPS counter or a short clean run does not establish artifact-free operation for a longer show. Keep the comparison result separate from any conclusion about its cause.
Conditions to consider
Seeing an artifact internally helps document its observed stage; it does not identify a universal GPU, driver, refresh-rate or playback-card cause. NVIDIA options and available output formats depend on hardware and version; playback-card output requires Arena. That does not establish which update or setting will fix another system.
Why does NDI work in Video Monitor on my Mac but remain missing or Offline in Resolume?
On macOS, an NDI source working in Video Monitor may still be missing or Offline in Resolume. Compare the same sender on the same receiving Mac, then check each application’s local-network permission and firewall rule separately. These are different controls. Record the signal and software versions while testing one change at a time; receiving an image in one program does not prove another program has the same access.
What to check
Save a composition copy and record macOS, Resolume and NDI Tools versions, sender/device or app, stream name and type, and the intended receiver network interface. Keep a known external sender active on the same intended LAN for a default-discovery comparison. NDI’s default mDNS discovery is local to a physical or logical LAN; identify any VPN, multiple interfaces or managed subnet arrangement with the network operator before changing it.
On that receiving Mac, open NDI Video Monitor, select the intended stream from its NDI menu and check actual moving images, not just a source name. Then inspect Sources in Resolume and, if present, add that same external source to a test deck as a live input. Record missing versus Offline/0x0 versus working frames. Resolume NDI inputs are already enabled; enabling its own output is not the receiving test. Avoid feeding the composition output back into itself.
In System Settings > Privacy & Security > Local Network, inspect the entries for the installed Resolume app and NDI Video Monitor separately. Enable local-network access for the intended app if it is listed and required for this route. After one permission change, quit and reopen that app and repeat the same-source test. If the entry or setting is unavailable or managed, record that condition and check the installed-version documentation or administrator instead of resetting privacy settings.
With Firewall protection active, inspect System Settings > Network > Firewall > Options. Review the intended application’s entry and allow its required incoming connections; add the actual app with the add button if needed. Record the original rule and retest that application after this single change. Local Network permission and a firewall exception are separate checks; apply the organization’s policy rather than turning the firewall off or granting unrelated apps access.
Repeat Video Monitor and Resolume checks with the same sender, then test the intended composition and final output for a stated duration. Record which app receives usable frames and whether the result persists after reopening it. If only Resolume still fails, compare another known compatible stream and the exact installed app/sender versions as separate tests; prepare those observations for support or the network operator. Do not combine reinstallations, updates and network changes into a claimed single-cause fix.
Test the result
The intended external sender provides usable moving frames in both Video Monitor and the selected Resolume input, and the planned composition/output shows the expected image during the recorded test. Document app-specific results after each permission or rule change. A visible source name or a working Video Monitor alone does not establish a working Resolume route.
Conditions to consider
macOS settings, managed permissions and sender/receiver support depend on installed versions and the network design. Default local discovery is not a guarantee across subnets or a complete test of stream delivery. That does not isolate permission, firewall or a specific installation as the fix. These are proposed comparisons, without an app or hardware test by GLMedia.
How should I route side and center IMAG layers to control Vignette without applying it to content?
When different camera clips carry their own Vignette and control mapping, first check which effect instance receives the cue. A reusable IMAG route can keep that treatment on named side-screen and center-screen layers, with their slices taking the intended inputs. Test the effect by hand before assigning DMX. Direct layer-to-slice output bypasses the composition mix, so also verify how the camera edges and underlying content combine on each screen.
What to check
Save copies of the composition, Advanced Output preset and DMX shortcut preset. Record the Arena version, camera inputs, content layer and each screen’s slices. In the test copy, identify separate IMAG layers for the side screens and center screen; keep the content outside these effect owners. Record whether each destination currently takes Composition or a specific layer.
Add the installed Vignette from Effects to the intended Layer panel. Temporarily bypass the old clip-level instances in the test copy to avoid processing the camera twice. Layer effects process whichever clip plays there, after its clip effects. Move the effect’s Opacity by hand and inspect the result: it mixes the treated image with the original, while Layer Opacity fades the layer itself.
In Advanced Output > Input Selection, inspect Input Source on every side and center slice and select the intended IMAG layer for a direct layer route. Check the source region and output placement. Record and test Input Opacity and Input Bypass/Solo deliberately. This feed retains clip/layer effects but omits layer blend modes and composition effects; compare a Composition input if the intended look depends on that finished mix.
With one changing desk channel, check reception and the input Lumiverse, then use Edit DMX Shortcuts to assign the intended layer effect parameter. Inspect its channel, Range, Target and duplicate assignments. Choose a deliberate fixed or By Position reference for the show; a Selected target follows the panel selection. Test each IMAG layer separately, comparing the parameter value under mouse and DMX control before linking one cue to multiple owners.
Run the planned song columns and camera/source changes in the copy. Observe each mapped screen with recognizable content underneath: the intended camera treatment should change, the content should remain untreated, and both side/center routes should respond as planned. Check transparency and slice order on the actual output, rather than assuming dark edges reveal the backing image. Save the tested composition, output preset and shortcuts together.
Test the result
The same layer-level Vignette parameter responds repeatedly across the tested camera clips and song columns. The intended side and center slices receive their correct layers, content remains outside the treatment, and the mapped output preserves the required camera/content combination. Record the selected owner, shortcut Target and slice options so the result can be reproduced.
Conditions to consider
DMX input requires Arena. Effect Opacity, Layer Opacity and slice Input Opacity are separate controls; none proves how the final mix will look. Direct layer routing does not include layer blend modes or composition effects, and a dark camera edge is not proof of alpha transparency. Groups are an alternative Arena design with their own blending/routing checks. Check available effect parameters and shortcut options in the installed version. These are proposed setup checks, without a Resolume or hardware test by GLMedia.
Does a 4K input give a 3×3 video wall native Full HD detail on every screen?
A controller advertised with one 4K input and nine Full HD outputs may send a Full HD signal to each display while scaling a smaller part of its input image. Count unique pixels before choosing the content canvas. An equal 3×3 split of UHD provides 1280×720 input pixels per cell; nine native Full HD cells require a 5760×3240 canvas. Check the actual signal path and processor mapping with a numbered pattern.
What to check
Save a composition copy and a separate Advanced Output preset. Record Resolume/OS versions, GPU connection, processor model and firmware, accepted input formats, active refresh rate and each display’s native resolution. In Screens, check the Device and resolution actually detected by the computer. One HDMI connection feeding an external controller is not nine separate GPU outputs; compare the observed topology with the exact manufacturer documentation.
Write down the pixel budget before mapping. If one 3840×2160 input frame is divided equally into three columns and three rows without overlap or cropping, each cell receives 1280×720 source pixels. A 1920×1080 output signal can scale that cell without adding captured source detail. Nine independent 1920×1080 cells in the same layout total 5760×3240. This is a geometric comparison, not evidence that the processor accepts that larger input.
Obtain the processor’s actual input layout, cell order, crop/scaling, rotation and bezel settings. Match the outgoing image to that layout in the test preset. In Arena, Input Selection chooses content regions and Output Transformation places them into the outgoing frame. A simple full-frame split may need only one whole-wall image; use named slices when separate content regions need placement. Nine slices do not create nine physical GPU outputs.
Use a pattern at the planned input raster with nine numbered regions, an asymmetric orientation mark, boundary lines and one-pixel detail. Compare the outgoing image with every final display. Check numbering, missing edges, repeated regions, aspect ratio and sharpness with the display’s scaling/overscan settings recorded. A thin-line pattern helps expose resampling or cropping; it does not by itself measure the processor’s resolution or latency.
Replace the pattern with the intended graphics and rehearse the required clip/column cues across the complete wall. Check small text, movement and per-screen content boundaries at the actual signal format and show load. Save and reopen the tested composition and output preset, then confirm the same mapping and devices. Record any observed delay separately through a repeatable end-to-end comparison rather than borrowing a figure from another controller.
Test the result
The record distinguishes the computer’s output raster, each processor output signal format and the source pixels assigned to each display. The numbered pattern reaches the intended screens with the expected crop, orientation and scaling; required cues reproduce that layout after reopening. Any claim of native detail is supported by the complete input/output path, not the output-format label alone.
Conditions to consider
The 1280×720 and 5760×3240 figures assume an equal, non-overlapping 3×3 layout using UHD 3840×2160 and Full HD 1920×1080. Other meanings of 4K, crops, bezel compensation or processor modes change that model. It is a calculation, not a specification or measurement of a particular controller. A larger composition cannot make a fixed UHD input carry nine native Full HD images simultaneously. Confirm supported formats, scaling and refresh rates for the exact processor and displays. Output Transformation requires Arena; check the installed version and available controls. These are proposed checks, without a Resolume or hardware test by GLMedia.
How do I route wall content through Virtual Screens before sending projector slices to a physical controller?
Virtual Screens can separate logical wall layout from projector geometry and the final controller raster. Build a named, one-way chain: content into a wall screen, wall screen into projector screens, then projector screens into the physical output. Choose Composition, layer or screen inputs deliberately; they are not interchangeable. Test numbering, masks, transparency and timing at every stage, then rehearse the complete output under the planned load.
What to check
Save separate, named copies of the composition and Advanced Output preset. Record Arena version, composition dimensions, each intended virtual raster, the physical output format and the exact controller input map. Draw the proposed chain with names such as WALL-A, PROJECTOR-A and OUTPUT. Identify which stage owns content arrangement, warping, masks and blending before changing it. Keep the route one-way: no downstream screen feeds an earlier stage. Do not assume the composition must equal the sum of every projector’s width.
In Advanced Output, create the wall screen, keep its Device virtual and set Width and Height deliberately. For its slices, inspect Input Source in Input Selection and choose Composition or an identified layer/group according to the intended image. A direct layer route keeps clip/layer effects but bypasses layer blend modes and composition effects; inspect Input Opacity and Input Bypass/Solo separately where offered. Use a numbered, asymmetric pattern and a moving marker to confirm what actually reaches this wall stage.
Create a named virtual screen for each planned projector image, with its own recorded Width and Height. In each projector slice’s Input Source, select the intended wall screen rather than accidentally selecting Composition or a layer. Check the selected region and orientation, then introduce the planned Output Transformation geometry or masks one change at a time. Compare the wall-stage image with the projector-stage result. Verify that a warp, crop or fade is not unintentionally applied twice; a screen input is a different route from a direct layer input.
Create the final screen and assign Device to the physical connection actually recognized by the computer, using the signal format accepted by the controller. Add named slices that take the corresponding projector virtual screens as Input Source, and place them in the controller’s documented input layout. Check the destination numbering against the actual projectors. If output masks are used, inspect slice order because a mask affects the slices beneath it. Packing several images into one physical connection does not create additional computer outputs or establish an edge blend.
Test the complete route on the final surfaces with the pattern and intended content. Check boundaries, overlays, transparency and any planned blending against the actual optical coverage; the blending input overlap must match physical projector overlap, not merely adjacent packed regions in a controller raster. Measure observed timing with a repeatable moving or timed reference, and recheck after changing stages or dimensions. Rehearse all required cues at the real output load, save and reopen both named files, then confirm sources, Device assignments, geometry and timing again.
Test the result
The saved preset records a one-way route and the exact Input Source at each stage. Identifiable content reaches the intended wall, projector image and physical destination with the planned boundaries and processing; the full cue sequence survives reopening. Timing and any blend are checked at the final surfaces under the planned load, with unresolved differences recorded instead of inferred from a virtual preview.
Conditions to consider
Output Transformation, edge blending and group routing require Arena; verify controls in the installed version. Virtual Screens add processing and can add delay: this chain does not guarantee zero latency, lower load than another design or enough physical outputs. Direct layer routing and screen routing have different scopes; do not assume every control or processing stage is preserved, bypassed or repeated without comparison. The output preset is separate from the composition. Dimensions and controller packing must follow the actual equipment. Masks and blends cannot create missing optical overlap or repair focus and surface limitations; a successful unusual blend in one installation is not a universal procedure. These are proposed checks, without a Resolume or hardware test by GLMedia.
What should I compare before updating Lumiverse fixtures after moving an Arena setup?
Treat the saved Advanced Output layout, custom fixture definitions and physical output patch as separate parts of the handover. Compare the source and destination before changing many fixtures. Preserve both setups, inspect the required local profiles and test one fixture in a separate output preset. A matching name or successfully loaded XML does not verify its channels, pixel order or receiver patch. Editing an existing definition can affect its instances, so duplicate it before experimenting.
What to check
Record the Arena revision on both computers and preserve the composition plus the source and destination user files. Save the Advanced Output setup as a separate preset. Use its preset dropdown and Reveal in Finder or Explorer to locate the actual saved file; keep an untouched copy. Record the original fixture names, input-map positions and output patch. The layout is independent of the composition, so moving only the composition does not verify that setup.
Compare the custom profiles in Fixture Library separately from the Advanced Output preset. Use Directory List to locate the correct product’s user Documents folder rather than assuming an old version’s path. Preserve the destination library before bringing over any needed custom profile copies; do not overwrite a different profile with the same name or replace another operator’s whole user folder. Check that the intended definition is actually available on the destination. Collect Media alone does not collect these associated settings.
Inspect one representative fixture in the copied layout. Compare its selected type with the source; the fixture dropdown selects a profile and its adjacent gear opens Fixture Editor. Check pixel dimensions, channel distribution, color order and any extra/default channels against the fixture’s actual operating mode. For a simple RGB profile, three channels per pixel is only the starting count; extra parameters add channels. Before editing a definition, duplicate its preset: the manual says changing an existing definition updates its instances in Input Selection.
Create a separate Advanced Output test preset with one or a few fixtures using the checked definition. In DMX Output, verify the actual channel footprint, Start Channel and nonoverlapping addresses. Match the receiver’s operating mode and the destination node/IP, Subnet and Universe. A changed profile may require a different footprint or additional universes; inspect the resulting patch instead of assuming the old addresses remain valid. Keep this test separate from the preserved full-show layout.
Send controlled red, green and blue tests for an RGB fixture, then black, white and a recognizable spatial pattern; adapt the test to other supported color modes. Compare the physical result with the selected input area and expected pixel direction. Save and reopen the test preset and repeat. Extend the comparison to each distinct definition and patch segment, then review the copied full layout. Record failures and retain the original files; one successful fixture does not validate thousands of transferred instances.
Test the result
Compare the same fixture on source and destination: selected profile, pixel/channel layout, occupied addresses, universe and final physical output. Confirm the test preset and definition remain correct after reopening, then check the full layout’s intended mappings and patch. If a required profile is absent or cannot be matched, retain the copies and record the installed versions and a minimal example for support before attempting large changes.
Conditions to consider
DMX output requires Arena. The current manual documents output-preset sharing, local custom profiles and propagation when editing an existing definition. It does not establish an automatic repair of every transferred fixture reference, a universal bulk-reassignment command or a safe XML regeneration recipe. Copying files or matching profile names alone does not prove compatibility, correct channels or receiver behavior. Shared-definition edits can affect existing instances; duplicate first and check their footprint. UI and storage paths depend on the installed product and revision.
How should I prepare DXV files, including graphics with transparency?
Prepare files for the agreed canvas, frame rate and transparency requirements, then test them in Resolume. DXV is designed for GPU decoding there; the file extension alone does not identify a codec. With Alpha preserves an existing alpha channel but cannot create transparency in an opaque source. Use the intended quality setting and inspect gradients instead of choosing the largest file automatically.
What to check
Confirm the source canvas, frame rate, duration and audio requirements with the content and playback teams before exporting.
Convert with Resolume Alley or a supported DXV export path. Choose With Alpha only when the source genuinely contains transparency.
Start with Normal Quality and inspect gradients; compare High Quality when visible artifacts justify it. Keep the original approved source.
Import the export into Resolume, place transparent graphics over contrasting backgrounds, and test normal playback plus any required seeking or looping.
Test the result
Check codec, dimensions, frame rate, edges, alpha, gradients and audio in the receiving composition. Verify the first and last frames and the required playback modes.
Conditions to consider
DXV uses 8 bits per channel and is not designed for a 10-bit pipeline; keep the approved original master. Its GPU acceleration in Resolume does not guarantee layers or fps. Export menus depend on application and plugin versions. Alpha and higher quality cannot recover missing source information; workload still depends on media, effects, hardware and storage.
What should I send when handing a Resolume composition to another operator?
A composition references media locations; sending the composition alone does not send those files. Collect Media creates a copied media package and a composition with updated paths. Treat the handover as a package with instructions, not just an attachment. Output presets, custom effects and controller settings need separate attention, and the receiving operator should open the package before relying on it for an event.
What to check
Save a clearly named handover copy and use Media Manager to identify missing files before collecting anything.
Run Collect Media into a new folder with enough space. Keep the copied composition beside its Media folder and preserve that structure during transfer.
List the Resolume version, required custom effects, output presets and controller settings. Package the relevant associated files separately and respect their licenses.
On the receiving machine, open the collected composition, reconnect any remaining paths, check the intended cues and save the verified receiving copy.
Test the result
Confirm that all required media resolves from the delivered folder, the correct versions of graphics play, and no cue depends on a file left on the original machine.
Conditions to consider
The documented Collect Media workflow copies media rather than deleting originals, but it does not automatically package every preset or custom effect. Media Manager may save the composition before use, and path changes must be saved afterward. Compatibility of third-party files, licenses and hardware remains a separate check.
Why can ProRes playback look uneven while FPS appears stable, and should I convert it to DXV?
A stable FPS reading does not by itself identify why motion looks uneven on the final display. Compare content cadence, composition settings and display refresh with the actual output chain. ProRes can support a higher-bit workflow, while DXV uses 8 bits per channel. A DXV comparison may help investigate playback behavior, but it changes the color pipeline and should preserve the approved original master.
What to check
Record the source codec, dimensions and exact frame rate, including fractional rates. Record the Resolume version, Composition > Settings, storage, GPU, driver and each display's resolution and refresh rate.
During preparation, compare the source's motion in the composition monitor and on the final display, then compare with Show Test Card's moving line. Note which path shows the uneven motion; a test card is a diagnostic comparison, not a codec test.
In a working copy, compare Auto and an appropriate fixed composition frame rate against the source cadence and display modes. Change one setting at a time and observe the result before accepting a cadence change.
If a codec comparison is useful, make a DXV copy at the same dimensions and frame rate while retaining the original ProRes master. Compare motion, gradients and show workload; assess a required 10-bit path separately using suitable content, 16 bpc composition processing and compatible output equipment.
Test the result
Observe motion and gradients on the final displays during representative cues. Record the exact configuration and which comparisons changed the symptom. Confirm the required bit depth through the complete signal chain before approving a replacement export.
Conditions to consider
These are proposed diagnostic comparisons, not a confirmed ProRes fault or a universal stutter fix. Frame-rate limits do not guarantee delivery cadence at every output. DXV is 8-bit and is not designed for a 10-bit pipeline. Rendering at 16 bpc increases workload and cannot make an unsupported GPU, cable, processor or display carry 10-bit video.
Required MP4 files freeze after a system or Resolume update. How can I check compatibility across venues?
When MP4 is a delivery requirement, investigate the file and playback configuration before replacing the format. The extension identifies a container, not its codec or complete encoding settings. Preserve the approved master and compare the same file under recorded conditions. An update preceding a freeze is useful context but does not establish its cause. Coordinate a tested delivery specification across the receiving systems and document any remaining differences.
What to check
Preserve the approved files and composition. Record the exact computer model, operating system, Resolume version and revision, storage and output configuration, plus the file's codec, dimensions, frame rate and audio details from the media supplier or a suitable file inspector.
As a diagnostic test outside the show, use a simple working composition with one copy of the file, then the required simultaneous playback. Record whether the image, audio, application interface or whole system stops responding, and which operation triggers it.
Where receiving systems are available, compare the same verified file copy and test sequence on each one. Record differences in versions, media storage and configuration instead of comparing independently re-encoded files or changing several variables together.
Agree the required MP4 encoding specification with the content and venue teams and test a representative export on each receiving system. A DXV copy can be a separate playback comparison or an agreed local alternative; it does not by itself satisfy an MP4 delivery requirement.
Review the official Video and Preferences documentation and the release notes relevant to the installed or proposed version. If the freeze is repeatable, prepare exact reproduction steps and relevant logs for official support, reviewing the material before choosing to send it.
Test the result
Run representative clips, simultaneous playback, transitions and required seeking on every receiving setup. Record the file version, test sequence, observed behavior and any configuration change. Approve the delivery format and each local playback setup only after those checks.
Conditions to consider
Resolume documents MP4 support, but codec handling can involve different playback engines or operating-system frameworks. These comparisons do not prove an operating-system cause or a universal re-encoding fix. DMA Textures is a documented transfer preference, not an established cure for this symptom. Available settings and relevant fixes must be verified for the actual version and hardware; one successful machine does not establish multi-venue compatibility.
Why does a Resolume recording stop after a few seconds, and what should I check?
First identify the application and operation: Arena/Avenue records an output, while Alley converts existing files through a queue. A short result may reflect a duration setting, an automatic stop, a conversion trim or an interruption that still needs diagnosis. Preserve the show and test a small, controlled example before changing several settings. Compare the recording state, elapsed time and saved file instead of assigning the symptom to a computer model.
What to check
Save a composition copy and record the exact application version/revision, OS, computer, RAM, source, dimensions, frame rate, codec/preset and destination. Distinguish a Record Panel stopping, an application closing and a saved file merely playing for less time. If using Alley's Convert > Queue, inspect the original duration and Trim instead of looking for Recorder controls.
In Arena/Avenue, open View > Show Recordings and inspect Source, Media, Preset, Start and Duration. Check any timed/beat-based duration and automatic stop when all playing clips end. For a controlled comparison, use manual start and stop with a source that stays active. After Recording controls what happens to the completed file, rather than setting the stop condition.
Check the actual folder in Preferences > Recording, available space and whether the application can write there. Make a short manual recording of a simple composition to a known writable local folder. Note the elapsed time, whether the record control changes state and any message; inspect the saved file's duration and playback.
Compare one variable per test: destination, an available recording codec/preset, or the source workload. In the composition copy, inspect Composition > Settings > Size and FrameRate before testing a reduced resolution or agreed cadence. Observe View > Show FPS & Stats where supported, then restore the required settings and repeat with the intended layers, effects and outputs.
If the stop persists, retain the minimal composition, exact reproduction steps, elapsed time, preset, destination and any message or crash report. Follow Resolume's Reporting a Bug instructions to prepare the relevant log via Preferences > Feedback for your support request. Review a pertinent release fix before testing an update outside the show.
Test the result
Manual recording lasts for the intended test interval, saves to the selected folder and produces a playable file of the expected duration. Repeat with the required show settings and workload. Record which single comparison changed the result; a short successful sample does not establish that hours of recording will work.
Conditions to consider
The dedicated Record Panel and expanded options are documented from 7.17; menus and available codecs depend on the installed version. Show FPS & Stats moved to View in 7.20. Alley conversion uses a different workflow. Recording capacity depends on the actual hardware, codec, storage and workload; free space or a fixed FrameRate does not guarantee sustained recording. These are proposed checks without a confirmed fix or hardware test, and they do not establish an M3-specific bug, memory threshold or universal reset/reinstallation remedy.
How can I check Google Drive media when a composition keeps loading or becomes unresponsive?
A file visible in a Google Drive folder is not sufficient evidence that its full media data is ready for playback. Record the actual Drive mode, path and download state, then compare the same media through an explicit local copy outside synchronization. Use a separate composition so its references can be checked independently. A different loading result narrows the investigation; it does not establish a universal Drive or Resolume fault.
What to check
Record Resolume, OS and Drive for desktop versions, the exact composition/media paths and the observed loading stage. Check whether the particular folder uses Stream files or Mirror files; a drive letter or visible filename does not establish its mode. On macOS, check whether streaming uses File Provider, indicated by Folder location is controlled by macOS in the streaming-location setting.
For streamed media, confirm download completion and available disk space. Use Offline Access > Available offline on Windows, or Available offline on macOS, for the chosen non-Google media and wait for its offline status. Mirrored My Drive files are already stored locally; verify the actual folder and file instead of changing modes as a first test. Record pending downloads or sync status.
Use an explicit Copy operation to place the chosen, fully downloaded test media in an ordinary local folder outside Drive synchronization. Confirm the original still exists and the copy is complete; keep the same file content and relative folder structure where practical. Avoid treating a streamed cache or a shortcut to Drive as an independent copy. On macOS File Provider, dragging out of Drive can move the original and trash its cloud version.
Save a named composition copy before opening File > Media Manager, which saves the current composition when it opens. For a missing file, use Relocate and select the exact local copy. If the original is still available, use the file’s Set Path action to point the test reference to the copy. Inspect the proposed references, including similarly named files, close Media Manager to apply and save the test composition separately.
Compare loading and playback of the same cues from the local test composition with the recorded original behaviour, keeping effects and output settings unchanged. Reopen the test and confirm its saved paths. Record whether the delay recurs and at which stage. If it persists, continue with media-format, software-version or support diagnosis using those observations; if it changes, retain both sets of evidence before deciding on a show-media location.
Test the result
The test composition references the explicit local copies and reopens with those paths intact; the original cloud files and composition remain available. Record download completion, loading time, cue playback and any repeated unresponsive stage for both routes. A repeatable difference isolates a path/availability comparison, while a persistent failure gives a reproducible symptom for further investigation.
Conditions to consider
Stream, Mirror and macOS File Provider have different availability rules. Streaming generally requires Drive running, but downloaded or locally created File Provider files can remain accessible when it is closed; pending downloads are different. Shared drives support streaming rather than mirroring. A Drive cache is not the independent test copy described here. Switching modes, quitting Drive or clearing its cache is not established as a fix for Resolume loading. A historical workaround does not diagnose the cause or prove a permanent remedy. These checks do not identify a specific codec, OS or Drive defect or constitute a hardware test.
Why do Chinese, Japanese or Korean filenames appear as boxes?
Interface language and glyph coverage are separate checks. Resolume documents an Arial Unicode preference for displaying non-Latin characters. Compare the same filename in the operating system and Resolume before changing media paths.
What to check
Save the composition and note your Resolume version, operating system and interface language. Choose one existing local file with the affected characters; preserve its filename and location for the comparison.
Inspect that exact name in Finder or File Explorer, then in Resolume’s file browser and clip label. Record whether it is unreadable, missing or simply abbreviated, and whether the clip still plays.
Open Preferences > General > Font and check the Arial Unicode option, shown as Use Arial Unicode MS in the referenced interface. Record its current state and compare it enabled.
Save your work and restart Resolume before checking the same labels again; the interface indicates that font changes take effect on the next application start. Compare the same characters in your normal interface language.
If characters remain unreadable, record both application views, the preference state and a minimal example for Resolume support. Treat missing-media paths separately; do not rename an entire library or edit GUI language files as an initial diagnostic step.
Test the result
The original filename is readable in the file browser and clip label after reopening the saved composition, and the same media still plays. Keep screenshots of the tested configuration.
Conditions to consider
An interface font preference does not establish which font a Text Block source uses, nor repair missing media or damaged filename encoding. It is a documented comparison to try, not a guaranteed fix for every CJK font or software version. If it fails, retain the evidence for support.
How do I export a trimmed clip with effects using Clip Renderer instead of a live recording?
Use Clip Renderer for an offline export of a supported clip, and inspect the resulting file before sharing it. It differs from recording a live output, where timing and frame drops need their own checks. Confirm the intended range, transport, frame rate, codec and transparency. A one-frame result requires diagnosis; starting the clip and Record together does not establish a clean or precisely trimmed export.
What to check
Save a composition copy and identify the source clip, effects and exact section required. For a Timeline clip, set and inspect its In/Out points, then preview the first and last intended frames. Changing Duration changes playback timing and does not move those points. If you only need to trim and convert the original file, Alley provides Trim controls; this is separate from exporting Resolume effects.
Check that the clip uses Timeline or BPM Sync transport and has a supported file or source. Live capture, NDI, Feedback and Video Router cannot be exported by Clip Renderer; audio-only clips and Composition/External FFT are also unsupported. Clip FFT is supported. For BPM Sync, record the current global tempo used by the render. Choose a different capture or production workflow when the material depends on an unsupported input.
Inspect composition resolution and frame rate, clip speed and Preferences > Clip Rendering before exporting. Choose an output directory, codec, quality and alpha format suited to the receiving application. DXV suits Resolume; MotionJPEG or ProRes are documented options for other software, whose compatibility still needs testing. Verify the actual format: a MOV extension alone does not identify its codec or guarantee usable transparency.
Right-click the intended clip and choose Render to File, then inspect the queue and preview the exported file. Reimport it into a test composition or open it in the receiving application. Compare its duration, beginning, end, resolution, motion, effects, audio and alpha with the intended result. If the export contains only one frame, preserve the source and settings, test a known moving clip with a clear nonzero range and document the installed revision; do not infer the cause from that symptom alone.
If you need a live mix or an output screen instead, use the Record Panel and choose the required Source, Media, Start and Duration settings. Recording can include live frame drops, so inspect the saved file independently. Assigning clip and Record to the same control may coordinate their start but does not establish clean cadence or exact end points. Deliver only the file that passes the recipient test; keep the original and record any unresolved export defect.
Test the result
Play the exported file from beginning to end in the actual receiving application. Check first and last frames, duration, dimensions, frame cadence, effects and any audio or transparency needed. Compare it with a known source at the same settings. A completed queue or successful button trigger alone does not verify the delivered file; document any one-frame output, extra frames or remaining frame drops.
Conditions to consider
Clip Renderer exports one supported clip offline; it is not a capture of a whole live mix. The manual documents composition resolution, clip speed and explicit composition FPS; Auto treats generated sources and files differently. Group/composition speed is ignored, and clip speed zero is treated as one. Verify all timing in the result. Record Panel can select a composition, layer, group, Crossfader or Advanced Output screen, and its current Start/Duration controls should be checked on the installed revision. That is a partial workaround, not confirmation of a clean export or of current Clip Renderer, Alley or editing software. GLMedia has not rendered or tested the user’s media.
Why does a plugin work on Windows or Intel but not on an Apple Silicon Mac?
A plugin must match the operating system, process architecture and supported Resolume version. A Windows build is not a Mac build, and native ARM Resolume cannot load an Intel-only x86_64 plugin. Check the developer's compatibility information before changing the show computer. Installation location and missing dependencies are separate checks; a plugin that appears in the effects list still needs a playback test.
What to check
Record the exact Resolume, operating system and plugin versions, and whether the Mac application is running as Intel or Apple Silicon.
Confirm the plugin is a supported 64-bit FFGL build for that system. For native Apple Silicon, ask the developer for ARM or Universal support.
Check the documented Extra effects or configured search folder, with the unpacked .dll on Windows or .bundle on Mac, then restart Resolume.
Test the effect in a copy of the composition. If it does not load or behaves incorrectly, send the developer the version and architecture details instead of installing unrelated dependencies.
Test the result
Check that the plugin loads after a restart, produces the intended image, and works at the actual composition resolution with its required controls and saved settings.
Conditions to consider
Resolume 6 and later require 64-bit plugins; the official FFGL SDK explains the ARM/x86_64 process limitation. Rosetta is conditional on the application offering that mode and does not guarantee plugin compatibility. An old redistributable fix for a specific Resolume release is not a general remedy for every missing effect.
Can Resolume remove a person's background without a prepared alpha channel?
Resolume 7.28 introduced a Background Removal effect based on human segmentation. It can produce or invert a mask and offers edge cleanup controls. That makes it a candidate for a particular visual treatment, not a guarantee that any camera shot will separate cleanly. Test the actual subject, lighting, movement and background, and decide what to show if the mask is not acceptable.
What to check
Check the installed Arena or Avenue version and confirm Background Removal is available before planning the effect into the show.
Test with representative footage or the actual camera framing, including movement, hands, hair, clothing and nearby people.
Inspect the generated mask, then adjust the available smoothing and boundary cleanup controls while checking the composite against contrasting backgrounds.
Rehearse the effect alongside the other show layers, compare frame-rate stability, and prepare an agreed alternative image or untreated feed.
Test the result
Check mask stability during representative movement, edge quality at the final screen size, and the performance of the complete composition with the effect enabled.
Conditions to consider
The documented introduction is version 7.28.0, not proof that the show system has it installed. Human segmentation is not guaranteed general object removal or a replacement for every keyed or pre-rendered workflow. Image quality and workload must be tested with the actual content and hardware.
How do I turn an effect reference into a useful brief?
Describe what changes in the image and when, rather than relying on an effect name guessed from a screenshot. The reference may combine footage, a mask, several effects and timing. Identify the required behavior and the content to which it applies. Resolume's effect order and placement affect the result, so compare a short test before committing a treatment to the complete show.
What to check
Provide a short reference with timecodes and describe the desired movement, color, distortion, reveal or transition in plain words.
Supply an approved representative clip and state whether the treatment applies to that clip, a camera, a layer or the whole composition.
Build a small test using supported effects, compare their order and scope, and distinguish any pre-rendered part from live controls.
Review the test at the intended output size and timing, then record the accepted preset, control method and any required plugin dependency.
Test the result
Compare the test with the agreed visual behavior and cue timing, and check that it affects only the intended content while remaining usable under the show workload.
Conditions to consider
This is a briefing workflow, not identification of a specific plugin from a reference. Available effects and presets depend on software versions and installed dependencies. A similar still image does not demonstrate the same animated behavior, and approval of a look does not establish its live performance.
Which show requirements need Arena, and when would I use Wire?
Choose the application from the required functions and control path. Avenue supports visual playback, live inputs, MIDI and OSC. Arena adds features such as projection mapping, edge blending and DMX control or fixture output. Wire creates custom sources, effects and mixers for compatible hosts, and can also run independently. List the actual requirements before selecting an edition or assuming that a custom patch replaces an Arena function.
What to check
List the required media and cameras, physical outputs, mapping geometry, projector overlaps and external control protocols. Distinguish a lighting desk controlling Resolume from Resolume sending pixel data to fixtures.
Check the official edition comparison for each requirement. Projection Mapping, Edge Blending, DMX Control and DMX Fixture Output are listed as Arena features; MIDI and OSC control are supported by Avenue as well.
If you need a custom visual tool, define whether the Wire patch is a Source, Effect or Mixer and which controls it exposes. Check the installed Wire and Arena/Avenue versions and the patch's compatibility.
As a preparation check, test the proposed application and patch with a small representative setup, then rehearse the required output and control functions before adopting the configuration.
Test the result
Confirm that the selected edition exposes every required function and that the patch loads and responds in the intended host. Observe the final outputs and test the actual control messages rather than approving from the software name alone.
Conditions to consider
Advanced Output exists in both Avenue and Arena; its full feature set requires Arena. Wire integration is documented from Arena/Avenue 7.4, but that does not guarantee every newer patch on an older host or enable Arena-only features in Avenue. Edition, patch, licensing and hardware requirements must be checked for the proposed setup.
Why is Video Router a Source, and why can a routed look affect more layers than expected?
Video Router supplies another layer's image to a clip; an effect processes the image at its assigned stage. These are different roles even when both participate in one visual treatment. Check the router's selected input, the effect's location and the layer's compositing settings. Alpha, Auto Mask and Mask Mode also serve different purposes, so preserve a clean reference and build the intended treatment one stage at a time.
What to check
In a working copy, identify the original image and where its alpha comes from. Load Video Router from Sources into an empty clip and select the intended input: a specific layer, layers below, preview, or an Arena group when appropriate.
Check Input Opacity and Input Bypass/Solo when using a specific layer or group. Confirm the input again after reordering layers, because the router selection refers to an index even when names are displayed.
Locate every effect on the clip, layer, group or composition. An effect added to an empty clip creates an Effect Clip that processes the layers underneath; use a regular routed source clip when that broader scope is not intended.
As a diagnostic comparison, bypass processing one stage at a time and inspect the routed image over contrasting content. Check Alpha blending and any Auto Mask or Mask Mode separately; restore the intended settings and test all affected layers.
Test the result
Confirm the selected input and which layers change when each stage is enabled. Test partial transparency and opaque details over different backgrounds, then check that the original and routed treatments remain independently controllable as intended.
Conditions to consider
Group routing requires Arena. The Input Opacity and Input Bypass/Solo switches operate only with a specific layer or group input. Alpha blending respects transparency; Auto Mask derives transparency from image values and can affect wanted dark detail. Mask Mode masks one or all lower layers. These checks do not establish a universal plugin or parameter recipe for a concert look.
What do Dashboard dials do, and how can one dial control several effect parameters?
Dashboard brings chosen parameters to the top of the Clip, Layer, Group or Composition panel. One dial can control several parameters, giving you a practical macro for a specific look. Build that relationship deliberately: identify the scope, add controls one at a time and limit their response ranges. Test the linked parameters while changing selection and playback so the dial’s label does not hide an unintended target or mapping.
What to check
Save a composition copy and choose the intended scope: Clip, Layer, Group or Composition. Identify the exact effect instances and parameters you want to combine. For the first test, use parameters in the same panel and confirm which clip, layer or group that panel currently displays.
Drag a parameter onto an available Dashboard dial, or choose Dashboard in the parameter’s animation menu and select the intended dial. Turn it while watching that parameter. Rename the dial by double-clicking its name so it describes the intended combined action.
Add a second parameter to the same dial and test again. Set each linked parameter’s In and Out points to the required subset of its values. Use Invert when a parameter should move in the opposite direction; use Dial Range when only part of the dial’s travel should control it.
If the response needs a curve or distinct switching points, inspect the linked parameter’s Envelope and adjust it in the copy. Compare the input and resulting output values. This shapes the mapping from dial movement; it does not itself supply a clock that continually turns the dial.
Sweep the dial through its start, middle and end positions, watching every linked parameter and the visible result. Select another clip using its name handle without triggering it, then test the relevant playback changes separately. Confirm the panel’s scope and intended target before relying on the macro during a show.
Test the result
At each tested dial position, every intended parameter reaches the planned value or state, including inverted and restricted mappings. Selection and playback changes affect only the planned scope. Keep a record of the dial’s linked parameters, ranges and envelopes so its behavior can be checked rather than inferred from its name.
Conditions to consider
The available parameters and panel behavior depend on the composition, effects and installed version. Toggles, dropdowns and color palettes can be linked, but they do not all respond as continuous sliders. Dashboard control and the target parameter’s Timeline or BPM Sync animation are separate control choices; do not assume a Dashboard dial has native BPM animation. If a link is wrong, use the parameter’s right-click Remove option in the copy. No single macro configuration is suitable for every show.
How can LED strips or mapped ceiling areas react to different audio frequency bands?
Start by deciding whether the look should follow musical beats or react to audio frequency content. BPM Sync and FFT solve different control problems. For a practical FFT prototype, use two or three simple native-source layers, give each a limited response to its chosen band and map them to the intended LED areas. Validate the audio route, slice routing and actual output workload before expanding the design.
What to check
Save copies of the composition and output preset, then identify whether the strips use a video processor or DMX fixtures. Choose BPM Sync for a beat-timed look or FFT for audio-driven response. For External FFT, select the intended Audio Input Device and its external FFT channels in Preferences > Audio.
Build only two or three test layers. Load a simple generator such as Gradient from Sources if available in the installed version. Use the native Transform’s Position and Scale controls, including separate width and height scaling, to make a simple bar or strip-shaped image. Confirm the static shape before adding audio control.
On one Transform Scale parameter per test layer, choose External FFT and assign different L, M or H bands or narrower frequency ranges. Limit the parameter’s In and Out points to the desired deformation. Adjust Gain and Fall while observing the spectrum; use direct value response when the aim is to change size rather than motion speed.
For mapped video outputs, select each target slice in Advanced Output > Input Selection and set its Input Source to the intended layer. Check the source region and physical placement, along with Input Opacity and Input Bypass/Solo behavior. For DMX strips, verify the Lumiverse, node and fixture-channel route separately rather than assuming a video slice sends physical DMX.
Test material with known low, middle and high-frequency emphasis, followed by silence, at a consistent input level. Observe each mapped area and adjust the band ranges and response limits. Then run the intended content with all outputs and effects active, checking frame rate and visible smoothness before adding more layers.
Test the result
The selected audio source reaches External FFT, each intended LED area responds mainly to its assigned band and the deformation stays within the tested range. Confirm the response during silence and source changes. Record the working audio channels, band ranges, Gain, Fall, output routing and observed performance with the full setup active.
Conditions to consider
FFT is an audio-reactive control source, not a calibrated level meter or automatic BPM detector. The prototype is a proposed starting point, not a fixed layer-count recipe. Direct layer-to-slice routing retains clip and layer effects but bypasses composition effects and blend modes; its opacity and bypass options can also change the result. Slice masks, Slice Transform and DMX output require Arena. Available sources, hardware and output resolution affect both routing and performance, so verify the installed version and real setup.
How do I make a font or style available to Text Block or Text Animator?
Check the exact font family and style at the operating-system level before changing the composition. A font may be installed for another user, lack the requested style or characters, or render differently at the show's scale. Compare a simple text source with an installed reference font, then test the intended font and output. Treat reopening the application as a controlled check, and repeat the comparison on any receiving computer.
What to check
Save a composition copy and record Arena/Avenue, OS, the exact Text Block or Text Animator source/effect, and the font file, family and requested style. Make a short test with the show's actual text, including accented characters, symbols and line breaks. Compare it first with a known installed font.
Confirm the font is installed and available to the user running Resolume. On macOS, install the approved file with Font Book and review its validation results and installation location. On Windows, inspect Settings > Personalization > Fonts; install the approved TTF/OTF file with Install, or Install for all users when that scope is required.
Preview the family and available styles in the operating system, including the required characters. In the composition copy, select that family and style in the text source's controls. If an installation has just changed and the font is missing, save and reopen Resolume as a proposed comparison, then inspect the list again. Record whether availability or rendering changed.
Compare text size and spacing with the clip/layer transforms and final output mapping. Test a small and a large size with the same characters; identify missing glyphs, unexpected style substitution, cropping or changed line breaks separately. Review a relevant version fix before testing an update outside the show; the 7.24 notes include variable-font style and font-change undo fixes.
For a handover, document the approved font family, file/version, style and required characters alongside the composition. Repeat installation/availability and the same text comparison under the receiving user's account and Resolume version. Verify the final canvas and mapped output before approving the typography.
Test the result
The intended family and style appear for the operating-system user and in the tested text source, and the actual show text renders with the required characters, line breaks and scale. Reopen the saved copy and compare the receiving computer where relevant. Record the tested font and application versions with the approved output.
Conditions to consider
OS installation does not guarantee that every custom, variable, bitmap or legacy font works identically in Resolume. Available styles and glyphs depend on the font, renderer, OS and application version. Preferences > General > Font concerns the interface, rather than selecting a text source's typeface. The 7.24 fixes do not establish the cause of a new font issue; Wire Text Render fixes concern a different component. Reopening is a proposed diagnostic check, not a confirmed fix or a requirement to restart the computer. No hardware/rendering test or case resolution is claimed here.
How do I check alpha interpretation when color processing creates bright edge halos?
Separate a real alpha channel from its interpretation and from the blending or effects applied later. Straight and Premultiplied describe different relationships between color and transparency, so changing Alpha Type can alter semi-transparent edges without creating missing alpha. Compare the same file or live source over dark and light backgrounds with a clean processing baseline. For a live source, check which controls the installed version actually exposes before proposing a setting change.
What to check
Save a composition copy and preserve the approved source. Record Arena/Avenue, exact version, OS and whether the image is a file or a live source. For a Spout feed, identify the sender, its application/renderer and the available library versions; for a file, record its export and alpha settings. Describe the edge artifact and the color-processing stage where it becomes visible.
Confirm that the source supplies the intended transparency, rather than only opaque black pixels. Compare a known semi-transparent edge over a dark and a light background with color effects bypassed. For a live feed, compare the sender and the receiving clip under the same conditions. The clip’s A toggle, when available, controls existing transparency; it does not generate an alpha channel.
Record clip and layer Opacity and Blend Mode before testing a controlled Alpha blend comparison. Inspect the clip’s Blend Mode because it can override the layer’s mode while that clip plays. Identify color effects on the clip, layer, group and composition separately, and bypass them for the clean reference. Keep the intended production settings available to restore after the comparison.
For a file, inspect the clip’s extended video properties for Alpha Type. For a live source, first confirm whether its Clip/source controls expose Alpha Type in the installed version; if they do not, record that limit rather than inventing a menu path. When the control is available, compare Premultiplied and Straight one at a time on the same frame and both backgrounds. Relate the result to the source’s actual alpha representation, rather than assuming all Spout senders or Processing renderers use one type.
Re-enable the intended color effects one at a time and compare the edges again at their actual clip/layer/group/composition stage. Test the same source and chosen interpretation through the final composition/output path, keeping the background and content recognizable. Record any remaining fringe, dark-detail loss or change after the live sender restarts. Preserve the source/version, selected setting and comparison images for handover or official support.
Test the result
The recorded alpha interpretation matches the tested source and gives the intended semi-transparent edges over both backgrounds, with and without the agreed color processing. Clip/layer blending and effect locations are identified, and the final path reproduces the approved comparison. Document any remaining artifact instead of treating a single better-looking frame as complete resolution.
Conditions to consider
Straight is not a universal halo fix: the suitable interpretation depends on the RGB/alpha representation supplied by the file or sender. Changing interpretation cannot recover missing transparency or remove a baked-in opaque background. The current Clips manual documents Alpha Type; its availability for a particular live source must be checked in that installed version. A historical Processing/Spout report identified different conditions for a P3D sketch and another OPENGL sketch, but it does not establish a current renderer rule or complete case resolution. Updating Spout or its control panel is not established as a fix here. No hardware test or guaranteed artifact-free output is claimed.
What do effect presets and copied stacks preserve, and can they recall selected settings across several clips and layers?
Saving an effect look and recalling a cue across several locations are different requirements. An effect preset stores that effect’s settings; Copy Effects transfers an ordered stack, including its settings and animations, to another owner. A clip’s color control and another layer’s opacity may belong to different scopes. List those targets before choosing a reusable preset, a copied stack or a separately designed cue-control route, and verify exactly which values change.
What to check
Save a composition copy and record Arena/Avenue, exact version and the intended cue states. For every value, identify its clip/layer/composition, source or effect instance, parameter and desired state. Distinguish an effect’s Opacity from Layer Opacity; a shared name does not mean they belong to the same object.
For a reusable single effect, set its complete look, then use its Preset dropdown > Save and name it in Manage Presets. Apply that preset from the Effects list to a separate test destination. Compare every relevant setting: the preset stores the effect’s settings, rather than a chosen subset spanning other clips and layers.
For an ordered set of effects, preserve a clearly named reference destination in the test composition. Right-click that clip, layer or composition and choose Copy Effects; use Paste Effects on a clean test destination. Check effect order, settings and animations, and compare the output at the new scope, where the incoming content or processing stage may differ.
Separate animation reuse from static cue values. The parameter’s cogwheel menu offers animation presets, but the manual excludes the parameter’s In/Out points from those presets. Check those points and the active animation after reuse. Also compare two instances that previously used an effect preset: editing the saved preset does not automatically update those existing instances.
Save and reopen the test composition, reapply the named preset and repeat the stack comparison. If the requirement is one cue that sets values on different owners, retain the target/state list and test a separate explicit control route for each required parameter. For shortcut-based controls, verify fixed versus Selected targets and any numeric Value assignment; do not approve the cue until every requested value and the resulting output have been checked.
Test the result
The reapplied effect preset reproduces the expected settings on its test instance, and the copied stack keeps the intended order and animation configuration. Values on unrelated clips and layers are checked separately, not assumed to have been captured. A multi-owner cue is accepted only after each listed target reaches its requested state repeatedly, including after reopening and any relevant selection changes.
Conditions to consider
The current manual documents effect presets, Copy Effects/Paste Effects and parameter-animation presets; these scopes do not establish a selective snapshot of arbitrary parameters across the composition. An Effect Clip processes playing content on layers below it, which is a different requirement. Dashboard links and shortcut assignments need their own target checks and do not make an effect preset a global cue snapshot. Check menus, parameter types and automation in the installed version. This is a proposed reuse and scope check, not a confirmed solution to multi-location scene recall.
Why does video remain visible when I trigger a Solid Color that should cover it?
A solid source on a lower layer is part of the background, so triggering it does not automatically cover video above it. For a full-color cover, test the Solid Color on an upper layer with ordinary Alpha blending and verify its actual coverage and opacity. Check clip overrides and the finished output before blaming transparency in the video. An opacity change alone cannot establish the cause of every layer-mixing problem.
What to check
Save a composition copy and record the active video layer, Solid Color layer, clip/layer Blend Mode and opacity values. Watch the combined composition, not only the source preview. Identify which final screen should receive the cover and note any group or Crossfader bus assignment before changing the layer order.
In the copy, locate the installed Solid Color in Sources and load it into an empty clip if a test source is needed. Inspect its properties in the Clip panel. Temporarily use Solo on its layer to check that the intended color fills the required image area without unintended scaling, masks or processing; then turn Solo off so the video is included in the comparison.
Place the color above the video in the layer stack. For a simple two-layer comparison, use the video on Layer 1 and the color on Layer 2: Layer 1 is composited first, below Layer 2. You can reorder layers by dragging their name handles. Confirm the active clip’s Clip Target so the source really plays in the intended upper layer.
On the upper color layer, choose the ordinary Alpha Blend Mode for this test and inspect the active clip’s Blend Mode for an override, which takes precedence over the layer. Compare the image while changing the color clip and layer Opacity separately, including a fully visible setting. If video still shows, inspect the source’s transparency, coverage and effects in the copy rather than changing several blend settings together.
Repeat the planned color triggers and release or clearing cues while the lower video continues playing. Check the full composition and the actual routed output: at the intended opaque setting, the color should cover the required region; fading or removing it should reveal the expected video. Restore other layers and bus assignments deliberately, then save the tested order, blends and cue behavior.
Test the result
With the color active above the video and the intended Alpha/opacity settings, no underlying video is visible in the required covered region. Reducing or removing the color reveals the expected moving video, and the final screen matches the composition route being tested. Record the working layer order, clip override and cue settings.
Conditions to consider
Opacity, layer order, source coverage and Blend Mode are separate checks. Alpha blending does not prove that the underlying video file contains an embedded alpha channel. Clip blend overrides, source transparency, masks, effects, groups and Crossfader buses can alter the final mix; a correct composition preview does not validate every output route. The cover’s trigger or clearing behavior must be tested separately from its blend. That report does not isolate every setting or establish a universal cause. The separate Ableton Link question was not resolved by that confirmation. These are proposed checks, without a Resolume or hardware test by GLMedia.
How do I check which layers a black-and-white mask affects and why a faint image remains?
Mask Mode uses the mask layer’s image to reveal or hide lower content, so layer order and scope matter. Compare One Below and All Below with clearly different test clips before tuning the image. Inspect black, white, grey and transparent regions, then isolate any Levels adjustment on the mask itself. Recheck the full stack and output; removing a faint overlay does not establish synchronized playback.
What to check
Save a composition copy and record the Resolume edition and exact revision. List the intended mask layer, each content layer below it and any group or composition processing. Identify the required reveal: one immediate lower layer or every lower layer in the tested stack. Use two visibly different content clips and a simple mask with recognizable black, white and grey areas; include a separate transparency comparison when relevant. Keep the original look and settings available.
In the test stack, place the mask layer directly above the intended content and inspect its Mask Mode options. Compare One Below with Disabled while keeping the same clips and other settings. One Below targets the layer immediately underneath; Disabled returns the mask layer to normal video behavior. Observe the intended content and the other lower layer separately. Change layer order only as a separate comparison, then confirm which content is now immediately beneath the mask.
Compare All Below on that same stack to see which additional lower content is masked, then restore the scope required by the cue. Inspect white, black, grey and transparent regions against the distinguishable content. Mask Mode uses the mask image’s black-and-white values, and the manual treats alpha as black. Record layer opacity and content blend settings separately; Alpha blending, Auto Mask and the 50Mask blend are different choices and should not be added together as an assumed correction.
If an unwanted faint mask image or grey reveal remains, preserve an unchanged reference and bypass existing effects on the mask one at a time. Inspect where each effect belongs and its order. If Levels is available, compare one instance on the mask clip or mask layer, using only the controls actually offered and changing one setting at a time. Check the mask and composite together, including edges and intended grey detail; restore any adjustment that removes wanted content. Do not treat Levels on the composition or an unrelated content layer as the same test.
Restore the intended content and repeat the comparison with the moving mask, actual cue sequence and final output route. Record visual scope and playback positions as separate checks, especially after retriggering or changing clips. Check any real group structure and output routing rather than extrapolating the simple stack result. Save, reopen and repeat the important cues. Accept the mask treatment only after the required layers and detail remain correct; keep unresolved timing or output differences recorded separately.
Test the result
Record Mask Mode, layer order, affected content and unchanged lower content for each comparison. Check black, white, grey and transparent areas, edge detail and any Levels change against the preserved reference. Repeat the saved setup with real cues and final output. Verify playback positions separately; a cleaner masked image alone does not validate synchronization, every output route or the complete show.
Conditions to consider
Check the installed controls and actual layer/group structure. Mask Mode, source alpha, Auto Mask, an effect’s blend and an Advanced Output mask belong to different scopes; this guide does not establish a routing or complementary two-video recipe. Effects on a clip, layer/group and composition process different stages, and changing their order can change the result. The Levels comparison is a proposed diagnostic, with no universal values, proven physical cause or guaranteed restoration of detail. GLMedia has not executed this procedure in Resolume or on hardware.
How should I check a live camera feed before applying color correction?
Start with the signal and capture format rather than trying to hide a mismatch with an effect. Check resolution, frame rate and supported color settings through the camera and capture chain. Resolume can process a live input as a clip, including effects and LUTs. Apply a camera-specific correction to the appropriate clip or layer, then compare it with the intended output and other content.
What to check
Record the camera's output format and the capture device, connection and driver. First check that the manufacturer's capture software sees the intended signal.
Match the capture settings to the source, including resolution and frame rate; review color space and range controls when the device exposes them.
Add the live source to a clip and compare its unprocessed image. Apply any agreed correction to that camera's clip or layer instead of changing the whole composition unintentionally.
If using a LUT, load a suitable .cube file for the source's color encoding and compare the result on the final display with the correction enabled and bypassed.
Test the result
Check skin tones, blacks, highlights and consistency with the approved reference on the final display. Confirm the correction affects the intended camera without altering slides or videos unintentionally.
Conditions to consider
Capture controls depend on device and driver. Resolume's included LUTs are documented for non-logarithmic content; they are not a universal conversion for log camera signals. These controls process an image and do not establish physical LED calibration. No particular external Lift/Gamma/Gain plugin is required or endorsed here.
Assess the whole camera-to-screen path, not just the capture device. Resolution, frame rate, connection, capture processing, the composition and display chain all belong in the rehearsal. Native capture support can reduce processing stages but cannot create zero latency. Compare a reference path with the proposed processing path and agree whether the visible delay is acceptable for the audience and the event's sound.
What to check
List every stage from the camera output to the final screen, with video formats and any converter, processor or buffering setting.
During preparation, establish a reference path where possible and use a visible common event, such as a timed display or hand movement, for a repeatable comparison.
Test the proposed Resolume capture and composition at the show format, then add required processing one stage at a time and compare the observed delay.
Evaluate the final camera image together with the live action and sound from audience positions. Record the configuration and agree any acceptable compromises before the show.
Test the result
Repeat the comparison under the actual show load and inspect visible motion and speech synchronization on the final screen. Record observations rather than treating an advertised device figure as the total delay.
Conditions to consider
The comparison method is a preparation recommendation, not a hardware test result. Delay varies with format, connection and equipment. Screen delay controls add delay; they cannot undo time already spent capturing or processing. Do not promise zero latency or a fixed millisecond value without measuring the complete configuration.
How should I route live-source audio when a capture-card video clip has no sound?
An incoming capture-card picture does not establish an audio path through that live clip. Resolume’s current Live Inputs manual states that audio capture is not supported. Identify the original audio and its destination separately from the captured video; incoming FFT or timecode activity is not proof of audible PA output. Plan an external route with the existing, verified source and sound system, then rehearse the full audio/video path and its synchronization before approving it.
What to check
Save a composition copy and record Arena/Avenue, exact version, OS, capture-device model/driver and the source’s video format. Define where the live audio is supposed to arrive: the PA, a separate monitor, a stream or a recording. Describe the observed state separately: picture in Resolume, audio at the original source, any analysis response and sound at the intended destination.
Confirm whether the original source actually supplies the required audio and whether it is embedded in HDMI/SDI or available through a separate output. Use the source/capture manufacturer’s documented checks when appropriate; close software accessing the capture device before testing the feed in Resolume. A successful video test or silence in its live clip does not establish that the original source has no audio.
Document two proposed paths: source video to capture device to Resolume/display, and source audio to an agreed, verified console/interface route to the PA or other destination. Identify the existing connectors, channels and routing with the sound operator. If audio is only embedded, confirm how the existing approved setup can make it available to the sound path before promising a route. Do not assume that selecting Audio Input Device attaches audio to the live video clip or provides automatic passthrough.
Rehearse picture and the proposed external audio path together at controlled levels using speech or a clearly identifiable visual/audio event. Compare what is seen and heard at the agreed viewing/listening positions, then record the observed offset and required tolerance. Any timing correction must use controls supported by the actual system and follow the measured direction of the mismatch; do not copy an untested fixed delay value.
Repeat the intended source switches and a planned reconnection outside the show. Verify the video returns to the intended capture clip and the external audio returns to the correct destination without relying on an FFT meter. Record the source, audio/video routes, device state, levels and synchronization result. Keep unresolved routing or timing questions with the sound/video teams before approving the setup.
Test the result
The intended live picture reaches the display and the independently routed audio is audible at the agreed destination. Both paths retain the intended channels and meet the tested synchronization requirement during playback, switching and the planned reconnection. Record separate evidence for video reception, audible sound and timing; an input meter alone does not validate the route.
Conditions to consider
The current Live Inputs limitation concerns audio capture in live video inputs; it does not mean that Resolume cannot play an audio file or a file clip with an audio track. Audio Input Device, External FFT and Arena SMPTE input serve different roles from routing live program audio to the PA. Extraction of embedded audio, channel compatibility and delay controls depend on the actual equipment and configuration. This guide prescribes no mixer purchase, automatic software route, zero latency or fixed sync delay. No hardware test or confirmed case outcome is claimed.
How can I check whether the computer will sustain the planned frame rate?
Test the show composition, not just a single clip or a hardware specification. Resolution, simultaneous layers, decoding, effects and bit depth change the workload. The composition frame-rate setting limits rendering; it cannot make overloaded hardware meet that rate. Use the intended media, storage and outputs, observe the demanding cues, and isolate changes before agreeing any reduction in image quality or cadence.
What to check
Record the composition dimensions, target frame rate, bit depth, media formats and final output arrangement, together with the computer and software versions.
Rehearse simultaneous clips, transitions and effects using the intended media storage and all required outputs. Observe FPS and available hardware statistics during the demanding moments.
In a working copy, compare one change at a time: effect bypass, active layers, media preparation or composition settings. Do not assume a low CPU reading identifies the bottleneck.
Agree any revised resolution, effects or frame rate with the content and video teams, then repeat the same cues and record the tested configuration.
Test the result
Check sustained cadence and visible motion on the final outputs throughout representative high-load cues. Record observations, media versions and settings; a selected frame-rate number is not a test result.
Conditions to consider
Performance depends on the actual content, hardware, storage, drivers and outputs. No fixed layer count or 4K/60 claim follows from these checks. Statistics menus vary by version; Resolume 7.20 moved Show FPS & Stats to View. Changing frame rate affects cadence and must be agreed rather than applied as a universal fix.
Why does one MIDI button trigger two actions or control the wrong item?
One MIDI control can affect unexpected functions when assignments overlap or target the currently selected item. Check incoming messages, then inspect duplicate shortcuts and their targets. Resolume can distinguish input devices and route feedback separately. Review unwanted assignments before removing them, because multiple shortcuts may be deliberate parts of a controller layout. Temporarily disabling feedback can help isolate an unexpected response.
What to check
Save a copy of the shortcut preset. Open Preferences > MIDI and use the monitor to check received and sent messages for the intended controller.
Enter MIDI shortcut editing, sort shortcuts by value, and inspect red duplicate assignments and Target settings.
Remove only an unwanted shortcut with Backspace or right-click > Delete; keep deliberate multiple assignments.
Check Input Device and Output routing. As a diagnostic comparison, temporarily disable the shortcut's MIDI output and test the same control.
Test the result
After leaving shortcut editing, test each affected control and confirm that it acts on the intended item. Check the saved preset with the show controllers connected.
Conditions to consider
Controller recognition, available options and MIDI behavior depend on software, drivers and device connections. Identical devices can change assignment when their detection order changes. Duplicates may be intentional. Disabling feedback is a diagnostic suggestion; unexpected behavior alone does not establish a MIDI return loop.
Why do joined screens show different frames despite receiving the same SMPTE timecode?
SMPTE in Resolume Arena controls a video's playhead from external timecode. It does not guarantee that separate outputs refresh together. A joined LED wall or blended projection may therefore show different frames across a boundary even when playback follows timecode. Verify SMPTE reception and clip settings first, then examine the actual output chain and its supported frame synchronization or genlock configuration.
What to check
In Preferences > Audio, select the SMPTE input and match its incoming timecode frame rate; inspect the SMPTE counter.
Confirm that the active clip uses SMPTE 1 or SMPTE 2 and the intended offset. Define how the clip will be triggered, because timecode reception alone does not launch it.
Trace GPU or playback-card outputs through the processors; check supported synchronization and output-format settings with the equipment documentation.
As a visual diagnostic test, play motion across the screen boundary and inspect both sides with the complete output chain active.
Test the result
Confirm expected timecode progression and inspect the physical screen boundary during playback through the complete signal chain. Record the timing and synchronization configuration tested.
Conditions to consider
SMPTE input requires Arena, is unavailable on clips containing audio, and does not trigger clips. Even one GPU does not guarantee frame synchronization. Genlock and output synchronization require compatible hardware and settings; the correct method depends on the processors, cards and surface design.
Arena or Alley closes when adding text or effects, or converting files. What should I record?
A crash during text, effect or conversion work needs a reproducible description before assigning a cause. Preserve the show files and record the precise action, application revision and system details. A small test can distinguish a composition-specific trigger from a broader problem. Resolume documents crash reports and log collection for support; prepare those records and review relevant release notes before testing an update outside the show.
What to check
Duplicate the composition and preserve the source files. In Alley, use copies of the relevant input files and record the conversion settings.
Record application version and revision, operating system, GPU and driver, relevant fonts, media and plugins. Describe the exact click or operation and whether it affects a clip, layer, source or effect panel.
As a diagnostic recommendation, attempt a minimal repeatable example outside the show, changing one variable at a time. Record the steps, expected behavior, observed failure and any short screen capture.
Keep any crash report and locate the application logs using Resolume's current Directory List or Preferences > Feedback. Review the material before choosing to send it to official support; test a relevant update only with backups and outside the show.
Test the result
Check whether the same documented action reproduces the failure in the working copy or minimal example. After a proposed change, repeat that action and representative show cues before adopting the setup.
Conditions to consider
A similar symptom does not establish a shared cause, a RAM fault, or a solved case. Log locations and reporting options depend on the application and platform. Updates should be assessed against the relevant release notes; reinstalling or deleting preferences is not established as a remedy by this checklist.
Resync restarts a Timeline clip that should keep playing. Which transport setting should I check?
When Resync unexpectedly sends a Timeline clip back to its start, check the composition's Global Transport scope as well as the clip's own transport mode. Resolume documents a choice between including Timeline in the global clock and controlling BPM Sync only. If Timeline playback should remain independent, that narrower scope is the setting to inspect. Save a working copy and rehearse the intended interaction before changing the show composition.
What to check
Save a working copy and record the installed Resolume version and revision. Confirm that the affected clip's transport is Timeline, and note its position immediately before pressing Resync.
Open Composition > Global Transport and record the selected mode. The official release documentation names BPM Clock and Timeline and BPM Sync only; check the labels available in the installed version.
If the show requires Timeline clips to continue independently while the BPM clock is resynchronized, select BPM Sync only in the working copy. Keep the broader mode when global control of Timeline is part of the intended show behavior.
Play the Timeline clip alongside representative BPM Sync content and press Resync at the intended cue. Check both behaviors, then rehearse any global play, pause, stop and parameter automation used in the show before saving the accepted composition.
Test the result
Check that Resync resets the intended BPM-synchronized content while the Timeline playhead follows the agreed behavior. Reopen the saved composition and repeat the relevant cues, including audio and parameter animations where used.
Conditions to consider
Global Transport scope is documented in the 7.22 release; available labels and behavior must be checked in the installed version and composition. The BPM manual describes Resync resetting BPM Sync elements, while the release explains the broader global clock. Changing scope also changes the intended relationship with Timeline controls and animations. This check does not establish every restart as a software bug or confirm a result on another system.
How can a Companion numpad trigger the Resolume column stored in a variable?
A numeric OSC argument does not change the column named in the address. To trigger the column chosen on a Companion numpad, build the column index into the path and send the connect value separately. First prove a fixed column command, then substitute the variable in a field that supports it. Check the resolved address before Go and confirm the received message in Resolume.
What to check
Save a copy of the Companion configuration and use a rehearsal composition. Record the Resolume, Companion and module versions. In Resolume, open Shortcuts > Edit OSC and click the column trigger to copy its address and inspect its Type Tag.
Enable OSC Input in Resolume Preferences. In Generic OSC, set the target IP and port to the Resolume computer and its incoming OSC port, using UDP. First test the fixed address /composition/columns/10/connect for an existing column 10, with the trigger argument and type shown by Resolume.
In the variable-enabled OSC Path text field, replace only the numeric column segment with the variable reference. Current Companion documentation uses $(custom:column) for a custom variable named column, giving /composition/columns/$(custom:column)/connect. Copy the actual reference from the installed Companion variable picker. Keep the connect argument separate.
Display the chosen number on the Companion button or check its current value on the Variables page before Go. Require a whole-number index for a column present in the intended deck. With value 10, the resolved address must be /composition/columns/10/connect; check the startup value as well.
Trigger Go in the rehearsal copy and inspect the OSC monitor in Resolume Preferences. Compare the received address and argument with the fixed-column test, then verify which clips started. Repeat with a second existing column to confirm that the variable changes the address rather than only the argument.
Test the result
Check two existing column numbers, the displayed choice, the resolved OSC address and the triggered clips. Restart Companion and rehearse the first Go again so the variable's startup or persisted value is included in the check. This is a proposed validation sequence, not a test performed on your system.
Conditions to consider
Variable substitution depends on the installed Companion and module version and on support in that specific field. This example uses Generic OSC's ordinary text field; expression mode has different syntax, and another module may expose a dedicated column option. Confirm the address and Type Tag in the installed Resolume composition. A correct-looking button label or connection status alone does not prove the final message or trigger result.
A copied DMX shortcut preset is missing from the list. How do I transfer it to another show computer?
Shortcut presets are separate files, so moving a composition is not the same as transferring its DMX or MIDI assignments. Save a named copy, identify the correct shortcut type and load it on the receiving computer. If a copied preset is missing from the list, first check its location and restart Resolume between rehearsals. Once it appears, verify targets and input routing before trusting it for the show.
What to check
Record the Resolume version on each computer and the preset type. On the source computer, open the matching shortcut editing mode, such as Shortcuts > Edit DMX. Use Save as... to preserve a named copy before editing; the manual notes that new assignments are automatically saved to the current preset.
Locate the preset XML in the application's User Documents > Shortcuts location. Check the correct application, user account and shortcut mode; sources, effects and Advanced Output presets belong to other locations. If the installed preset menu offers a reveal-file option, use it to identify the actual file rather than guessing a folder.
On the destination, open the same shortcut mode and load the XML using the method available in that version. The manual documents dragging the file onto the Shortcuts panel. If the valid file is already copied to the correct shortcut location but remains absent from the list, save your work, restart Resolume between rehearsals and check the list again before recreating assignments.
Select the transferred preset and inspect representative assignments. By Position depends on clip or layer order; Selected follows the selection; This binds a specific item. Compare the receiving composition's structure and test the intended targets rather than assuming a preset is interchangeable across different show files.
For DMX in Arena, check Preferences > DMX: Network Adapter, the input Lumiverse's Subnet/Universe and Channel Offset, plus each shortcut's channel. Use the Art-Net monitor to confirm the expected channel data, then rehearse the cues. For MIDI, check the enabled input device and shortcut device routing instead.
Test the result
After reopening Resolume, confirm the preset is listed and selected in the correct mode, its expected assignments are present, incoming DMX or MIDI values reach the intended controls, and the show cues behave correctly. Finding the XML in a file browser alone does not prove that it is loaded or that the input route is valid.
Conditions to consider
DMX shortcuts require Arena. Preset menu labels and loading methods can vary with version; the shortcut manual documents Save as... and drag-and-drop, so confirm any Load or reveal-file command in the installed interface. Restarting is a conditional check for a copied preset not listed, not a repair for a malformed or wrong-type file. A shortcut preset does not establish the receiving computer's network, device or show-structure compatibility.
A TouchOSC MIDI button advances a column once and stays pressed. What should I check on release?
When a TouchOSC MIDI button works once and then stays pressed, check whether a complete press-and-release pair reaches Resolume. Sending only the press can leave a button state active, but the monitor must confirm that condition. Review the actual MIDI message and the control's momentary settings in the TouchOSC version being used. Test repeated taps before changing the navigation assignment or its protocol.
What to check
Record the TouchOSC and Resolume versions and confirm that the connection sends MIDI. TouchOSC can also send OSC, but an OSC address is not the relevant setting for a MIDI button. Identify the configured note or CC, channel and destination connection.
Open the MIDI monitor in Resolume Preferences and press and release the button several times. For notes, check Note On with positive velocity on press and a corresponding release such as Note Off on the same note and channel. For a CC button configured for 0/127, check 127 on press and 0 on release on the same CC and channel.
If the release is missing, inspect the TouchOSC control in a layout copy. Current TouchOSC's BUTTON has Type: Momentary and Press/Release options. TouchOSC Mk1's Push Button instead exposes Send on 'Press' and Send on 'Release'. Check both phases in the installed version rather than copying labels from another generation.
In current TouchOSC, inspect the MIDI message's Enabled, Send, connection and Trigger settings. For a CC message following the button value, ANY can send both rising and falling changes, while RISE alone omits the return. For notes, configure a matching release message according to the layout's mapping; do not assume every existing Note On message generates Note Off automatically.
After both phases reach Resolume, review the navigation shortcut. If the incoming message is CC used as a button, inspect Mode: Button. Test Next/Previous with repeated taps and confirm one intended action per tap. Use Piano only when its held-and-released behavior is intended for that specific control.
Test the result
Confirm complete press-and-release messages in the MIDI monitor, the button returning to its resting state, and reliable repeated navigation with both quick and slow taps. Test the saved layout after reconnecting. A lit or unlit control on the tablet is separate from whether Resolume received the release message.
Conditions to consider
Missing release is a hypothesis to verify, not the cause of every one-shot response. TouchOSC Mk1 and current TouchOSC use different editing interfaces. Release values and message types must match the chosen Note or CC mapping; 0/127 is a specific CC-button example. Piano is not a universal navigation fix because its release behavior can restore a previous state for some controls. Changing to OSC is not required to diagnose this MIDI path.
OSC reaches Resolume, but an opacity fader does not follow. How do I check its envelope and animation?
If OSC messages arrive but an opacity fader does not respond as expected, inspect both the address and the parameter's envelope. Resolume applies envelopes to OSC input as well as mouse, MIDI and animation input, so an incoming value and the final output value can differ. Compare known values on affected and unaffected parameters, then isolate animation and the envelope in a working copy before deciding what the show needs.
What to check
Save a working copy and record the Resolume and sender versions. Identify the exact layer and parameter. Open Shortcuts > Edit OSC, select that control and copy the address and Type Tag; distinguish a fixed layer address from a selected-layer address.
Inspect incoming messages in Preferences > OSC while moving the sender's fader. Check the complete address, type and value rather than only the presence of traffic. For a normalized opacity control, test known values such as 0.0, 0.5 and 1.0 in the working copy, following the Type Tag shown by Resolume.
Observe the parameter as well as the rendered image. When an envelope is applied, Resolume shows an input marker and a smaller output marker for the value after the curve. Compare the affected parameter with an unaffected one, and note whether the input changes while the resulting output stays limited or follows a different curve.
Open the parameter's cogwheel menu and record any active Timeline, BPM Sync, Dashboard or FFT control. Inspect the Envelope curve and its keyframes. Envelopes also transform direct OSC input; a flat section or nonlinear curve can intentionally make the final value differ from the incoming fader value.
Preserve the original curve as an Envelope preset. In the working copy, compare with a temporary linear envelope and pause any running Timeline or BPM Sync parameter animation for the isolated test. Repeat the same OSC values, then restore the original settings. Use the comparison to choose the intended direct-control or shaped-control behavior.
Test the result
Check known OSC values against the correct input marker, envelope output marker and visible opacity. Repeat after restoring the intended curve and animation, then reopen the saved composition. Test outbound feedback separately if the sender must display Resolume's state; input reception alone does not verify that return path.
Conditions to consider
An envelope is documented value shaping, not proof of an OSC bug. An envelope-related condition identified in an older setup does not establish the corrective action or current-version behavior. Parameter menus vary with scope and version, and a curve may be essential to the show. A monitor message proves reception only; incorrect addresses, types, selected targets and active parameter control still require comparison. This procedure is a proposed diagnosis, not a confirmed result on your system.
Resolume says no more dongles can be registered on this serial. Which license details should I check?
A dongle-capacity message needs a license check before another registration attempt. Confirm the installed edition, the serial being used and how many licensed seats have already been allocated to dongles. Resolume allows one dongle per primary licensed computer; its additional backup remains in the cloud. Review the official account and existing registrations, then ask support to clarify an unexpected allocation. Signing in from another computer alone is not a documented universal fix.
What to check
Record the exact message, installed product and version, and the Registration tab's license details. Confirm that the intended serial belongs to that product and account. Keep the full serial within your own records or the official support exchange.
Sign in to the license owner's official Resolume shop account and compare the product, primary seat count and listed computer registrations with your records. Identify any previous dongle transfers. If the account does not clearly show the allocation, ask Resolume support to check that serial rather than assuming which device consumes it.
Separate cloud computer activations from dongle capacity. The manual allows one dongle for each primary licensed computer, while the additional +1 backup cannot be moved to a second dongle. Owning another empty dongle does not by itself provide another licensed seat.
Identify a retired computer registration before considering Unregister. The manual documents removing a specific computer locally or through the account; that operation does not reverse a permanent dongle transfer. If the capacity message is unexpected, resolve the allocation with support before removing registrations still needed for a show.
After the correct entitlement and intended transfer are confirmed, follow the official dongle registration process. It requires a compatible version and an Internet connection for the transfer. Review the permanent transfer decision, then verify the license details in Preferences > Registration on the intended show computer with that dongle connected.
Test the result
Check the product and registration state on the intended show machine, with the expected dongle connected, and rehearse the output before relying on it. Keep a record of the accepted seat allocation. This guide proposes checks; it does not confirm any account change, license transfer or result on your system.
Conditions to consider
The official dongle workflow requires Resolume 7.16 or later and a compatible license. Transferring a primary license to a dongle is permanent and cannot be moved back to the cloud; the backup remains separate. A login on another computer does not establish the cause of a capacity error. The appropriate next action depends on the account's actual allocation and support's confirmation, not on indiscriminately unregistering machines.
Why does my NDI video appear while its audio does not drive External FFT?
Seeing an NDI video in Resolume does not confirm an audio route for External FFT. In a Windows setup, NDI Webcam Input can expose a selected network stream for applications, but Resolume must also see an appropriate audio input device and its channels. Test that separate route with one source before switching between feeds. This checks audio-driven parameter control; it does not establish embedded audio playback in the NDI video clip.
What to check
Save a composition copy and record the Resolume version, Windows version, NDI Tools version, sender and required audio channels. Confirm that the selected NDI stream actually contains the intended audio. Keep the video source and the audio-analysis route identified separately.
For a Windows setup using NDI Webcam Input, select the intended sender and stream from its system-tray menu. Check Audio Settings for level and channel grouping, particularly with a multichannel feed. Verify the selected source again whenever changing between senders.
In Resolume’s Preferences > Audio, select the virtual audio input supplied by this route under Audio Input Device only if it appears among the available devices. Then select its intended external FFT input channels. Choosing an audio device alone does not select the analysis channels; if the device is absent, resolve that compatibility question before proceeding.
On a simple test parameter, open the animation menu and choose External FFT. Inspect the spectrum and parameter response with the intended signal. Compare the selected L, M or H band, frequency range, Gain, Fall and value-versus-speed mode. Composition FFT instead analyses audio playing in the composition.
Switch to another intended NDI source in NDI Webcam Input and repeat the channel and response checks. Record whether the feed changes, stays on the previous sender or becomes silent. Validate source switching and recovery in the saved setup before using it during the show.
Test the result
The External FFT spectrum and test parameter respond to the currently selected sender and intended audio channels, including after changing sources. Record the actual device name and working versions. Check any required audio/video timing separately; a responsive FFT display does not measure synchronisation or end-to-end latency.
Conditions to consider
This proposed route uses the Windows NDI Webcam Input workflow documented by NDI. Device availability and audio-driver compatibility depend on the installed versions and configuration; it does not prescribe a Mac equivalent or guarantee ASIO interoperability. Resolume’s Live Inputs manual currently states that audio capture is unsupported. External FFT input does not automatically attach audio to an NDI video clip, route it to the composition’s audio output or extract a reliable BPM. Native clip audio requirements need a separate verified workflow.
Dante Virtual Soundcard is running at 96 kHz, but External FFT receives no audio. Which settings should I compare?
Separate the Dante subscription, the computer’s audio interface and Resolume’s FFT selection before changing hardware. DVS uses ASIO or WDM on Windows and Core Audio on macOS; its official format table includes 96 kHz. That does not confirm the configuration of every receiving application. Record the installed versions, driver mode, sample rates and receive channels, then compare the signal at each stage. A missing FFT response alone does not identify a rate limit or establish a need for a physical conversion interface.
What to check
Record the computer and operating system, Resolume and DVS versions, DVS edition and interface mode, selected network adapter, sample rate and channel count. Identify the exact Dante transmitter and receive channels carrying the intended feed. Save the current configuration before a rehearsal comparison.
Confirm that DVS is running with a mode supported by the receiving audio client. Windows ASIO and WDM expose devices differently, while macOS uses Core Audio. In ASIO mode, DVS being absent from Windows Sound settings is expected; check its availability within a compatible application rather than treating that absence alone as a failure.
In Dante Controller, check the transmitter-to-DVS receive subscriptions and any status tooltip. Compare the actual transmitter and receiver sample rates and DVS channel count. For Windows WDM Shared Mode, check that Default Format matches the DVS rate as Audinate documents. Plan any rate change outside the show: it interrupts audio, can reduce available channels, and connected clients may prevent settings taking effect.
As a diagnostic comparison, test the intended receive channels in another audio client that supports the configured DVS mode, then close that test client before rechecking Resolume. In Preferences > Audio, select the available Audio Input Device and the intended External Audio FFT Input channels. Compare the selected channels with the Dante routing instead of assuming that a device name or a subscription status proves audio is reaching FFT.
On a test parameter, choose External FFT and inspect the spectrum with a representative feed and a quiet interval. Verify signal delivery before adjusting FFT gain. Compare the spectrum and parameter response, then restore any required animation or envelope and rehearse with the full show configuration. Record which comparison changed the symptom.
Test the result
Confirm the intended receive-channel mapping, signal in the compatible client and Resolume’s External FFT spectrum, then check the parameter’s response during representative show cues. Record the actual mode, rates, channels and versions. This is a proposed diagnostic sequence, not a hardware test or a confirmed resolution of another setup.
Conditions to consider
DVS format support does not prove that a particular application opened its intended driver or channels. Channel capacity depends on DVS edition, mode and sample rate. These checks do not establish that Resolume rejects 96 kHz, that DVS always requires an additional audio card, or that automatic sample-rate conversion occurs in this route. Do not apply another system’s driver or rate recipe without checking the installed client and network configuration.
Why did Arena stop receiving SMPTE timecode on my Mac?
If another application reads timecode but Arena does not, investigate the input path inside Arena before changing the show. Confirm the interface routing, application audio permission, input device and SMPTE channel. A recent macOS change is useful context, but does not by itself prove a software bug. Separate an input that is not decoded from a running clock whose video clip has not been triggered.
What to check
In a saved test copy, record Arena, macOS and interface driver versions, the LTC source, physical input and channel. Check the interface routing and signal independently; another application reading LTC does not prove Arena uses the same channel.
For macOS Ventura or later, quit Arena and inspect System Settings > Privacy & Security > Microphone. Check access for Arena, including external interface inputs, then reopen it. Older macOS versions use System Preferences > Security & Privacy > Privacy. This is a diagnostic check, not a confirmed cause.
In Arena Preferences > Audio, select the actual Audio Input Device and the channel carrying SMPTE. Check the incoming timecode frame rate. Keep music and LTC routing clearly identified; disabling FFT alone does not establish or repair an input problem.
Open the SMPTE panel from View and watch for an advancing clock. If it remains blank, continue with permission, interface routing and device compatibility checks. If it advances, test an active video-only clip assigned to that SMPTE input and verify its offset separately.
Repeat the test with a known signal and one documented change at a time. Save screenshots of the input settings and SMPTE panel with versions and reproduction steps for support if it still fails. Keep the working show configuration available.
Test the result
Identify where the signal stops: interface input, application capture, Arena SMPTE display or clip playback. Record a decoding result separately from a successful clip test.
Conditions to consider
SMPTE input requires Arena; it does not trigger clips and is unavailable on clips with audio. A macOS update, a successful external monitor or a failed FFT test does not establish a bug or its fix. Device support and menu labels depend on the installed versions.
Why does MIDI from another Mac drop out or repeatedly start and stop Resolume?
If notes, controls or transport messages from another Mac arrive inconsistently, separate the network MIDI session from Ableton Link before changing the composition. A manually entered peer address is one way to check whether discovery is selecting the intended computer. Confirm the current address, session connection and messages at each end, then repeat the show sequence. This diagnoses the route; it does not establish a general Link failure or guarantee stable timing on every network.
What to check
Save a composition copy and record the Resolume, Live and macOS versions, both Macs' active network interfaces, current addresses and session names. Identify whether the intended route carries notes/CC, MIDI Clock or Link tempo and phase; test those functions separately.
On each Mac, open Audio MIDI Setup > Window > Show MIDI Studio > Configure Network Driver. Select the intended session under My Sessions, or create one if needed; enable it and check its local/network name and port. Use a session type both endpoints support. Configure Live routings only if you also need to route connected MIDI devices through that session.
If discovery does not connect the intended peer reliably, add a directory entry with the other Mac's actual host/IP and session port. Select that entry, click Connect and confirm the intended computer appears among the connected peers or participants. Compare this route with discovery without changing several network settings at once.
In Live's MIDI settings, select the network session as the intended destination: Track Out carries notes/CC and Sync Out sends MIDI Clock. In Resolume > Preferences > MIDI, enable Input for that session; enable Clock Input only when receiving clock. Inspect the MIDI monitor while sending a known note/CC or an intentional transport start and stop.
Repeat the planned play/stop and clip sequence, then reconnect the session and repeat. Check for missing notes, duplicate messages and unexpected Clock Start/Stop. Review return routes and Live's Sync In/Out if a feedback loop is suspected. For MIDI Clock, verify Resolume's Start/Stop versus Switch to Manual setting; check Link independently using its peer count and BPM response.
Test the result
The expected peer remains connected and Resolume receives the intended notes, CC or clock messages during repeated starts, stops and reconnections. Confirm that one deliberate action produces the intended response without an unexplained duplicate. If Link is also used, verify its tempo/phase behavior separately. Keep the tested addresses and route in the show notes.
Conditions to consider
Apple's network MIDI labels and available session types depend on macOS; select the manual version matching the installed system and a protocol compatible with both endpoints. An IP entered manually must remain the peer's current address, including after DHCP changes. This is a proposed diagnostic checklist, not a measured latency or hardware result. Resolving a MIDI session connection does not prove the cause of a separate Link, router or application-version problem.
Why does Resolume's Link button show no peers from the other computer?
An empty peer count means Resolume has not joined another Link participant; it does not identify which part of the route is failing. First confirm that both applications have Link enabled and can communicate on the same local network. Then check the relevant app permission and multicast path, using a small repeatable test. Link synchronizes musical tempo and phase. It does not make an arbitrary video follow a song's exact playhead.
What to check
Save a composition copy and record both applications' versions, operating systems, active network interfaces and peer counts. Decide whether the show needs shared BPM/phase or a video tied to a particular track's playhead; those are different requirements.
In Resolume, reveal View > Show Ableton Link and enable the toolbar Link button. Enable Link in the other application as well. Observe both peer counts; a visible button alone does not establish a connection. Use the installed Live version's Link settings rather than assuming every version has the same preferences label.
Test the two computers on a known local network, with a clear Ethernet or Wi-Fi route and minimal competing traffic. Link needs multicast communication and does not work over a VPN. Ask the network operator whether guest/client isolation separates the peers and whether multicast reaches both interfaces. A ping response checks reachability, not successful Link discovery.
Review the relevant application's network access. On macOS versions offering it, check System Settings > Privacy & Security > Local Network for each listed app. Check the application's firewall rules and Link port 20808 with the network operator. Compare one permitted app/route change at a time and record the peer-count result.
Once peers appear, change BPM deliberately in one application and verify the other follows; repeat after leaving and rejoining Link. In the composition copy, test a visible parameter in BPM Sync with BPM Phase Lock enabled to compare musical phase. Resync and Pause for the BPM are disabled while Resolume uses Link; that behavior alone is not a stalled-clock symptom.
Test the result
Both applications discover the intended peer and follow a controlled tempo change after reconnection. The BPM-synced test behaves in the expected musical phase. Record the route and versions that passed. If the count stays empty, send the application developer the two-endpoint setup and the results of individual checks rather than labeling the whole network or Link as the cause.
Conditions to consider
These are proposed diagnostic checks, not a confirmed fix or a timing measurement. App permissions, interface selection and Link features depend on OS and application versions. Ableton's Start Stop Sync and Link Audio documentation does not establish Resolume support for those features. A successful peer connection shares tempo/phase, not an identical song timeline. For track-specific video playhead control, assess an appropriate documented timecode or DJ integration separately.
How do I trace CDJ sync when players appear but BPM or prepared video does not follow?
Detecting a player, sharing tempo and following a particular track are separate checks. Arena's native Pioneer integration uses Pro DJ Link Bridge or ShowKontrol to link prepared video to a DJ track. A Link peer appearing on the network does not establish that a bridge is publishing DJ tempo. Start with the chosen provider and interfaces, confirm incoming player data, and test only the synchronization mode that the show actually needs.
What to check
Save a composition copy and record Arena, OS, player/mixer models and firmware, and the exact Bridge or ShowKontrol product/version. Choose the required result: global BPM/phase for rhythmic visuals, or a prepared video's playhead following one track. Check the installed provider's compatibility and features for that result.
Trace the physical player/mixer network to the computer. In Bridge, inspect PRO DJ LINK INTERFACE and TCNET INTERFACE using the actual interfaces for the chosen topology; check INFO and DEVICES on both sides. If using ShowKontrol, follow its documented network path and edition requirements. Keep one known route during the test and record which stage receives data.
In Arena, select Preferences > General > Pioneer DJ Network Interface for the intended TCNet route and reveal Pioneer DJ TCnet through View. Load and play a known track; verify the player number, track name, play/pause state and time remaining update. Check mixer Fader Opacity where available. Resolve missing or stale player data before changing clip timing.
For BPM-only operation, verify the existing provider's documented tempo output and the protocol configured at the receiving end. Compare a controlled DJ tempo change with the provider's outgoing value and Resolume's master BPM, then test a clip or parameter in BPM Sync. A connected Link peer alone proves neither a changing tempo value nor an automatic Bridge-to-Link route.
If the goal is track-specific playback, drag the player from Arena's toolbar onto its corresponding prepared video, or select Pioneer playback and enter the exact track title. Use video without audio and with the track's full duration. Test Player, Fader and Offset for that cue. If using Player Layer Target, set Clip Target to Pioneer Player Determined and verify the intended layer when the track is loaded.
Test the result
Player metadata responds to the real deck, and the chosen synchronization branch passes its own test: Resolume's BPM follows the documented tempo sender, or the matching video follows the track's playhead in the intended layer. Repeat a load, start, pause and cue change in the composition copy. Record missing data at its specific stage instead of calling every symptom a Link or switch failure.
Conditions to consider
Native Pioneer track playback is documented for Arena from 7.12; verify the current player/mixer, firmware, provider edition, OS and Arena combination. The current Resolume and Bridge model lists differ, so neither is a universal compatibility promise. Track identification uses the player's title, with filename as fallback; a linked layer is held while that track plays. The sources reviewed do not establish a global-BPM SYNC button or automatic Bridge-to-Ableton-Link publication. These are proposed checks, not a confirmed fix or hardware test.
How do I check APC Mini MK2 pad colors when MIDI input works but LED feedback does not?
A pad triggering the correct action verifies the input route; its LED needs a separate return route. Start with one shortcut and two unmistakable states before copying a layout across the grid. Resolume can send different feedback for simple controls and clip triggers, while brightness also depends on the version used with the APC Mini MK2. Record the actual model and mode rather than borrowing another APC's setup.
What to check
Save a copy of the MIDI shortcut preset. Record Arena/Avenue and OS versions, the controller's exact Mini MK2 model, active hardware mode and connected port names. Use one controller and one known pad for the first test.
In Preferences > MIDI, enable MIDI Input and MIDI Output for that controller. Open the MIDI monitor; press and release the pad, then change the mapped control with the mouse. Compare incoming messages with outgoing feedback.
Enter MIDI shortcut editing from Shortcuts. Select the pad's shortcut and check its Input Device and Output destination. Route feedback to the intended controller, including when its input and output ports have different names; check that output is enabled.
For a simple Toggle or Value shortcut, choose distinct Off and On feedback values and test both states. For a Clip Trigger, configure the applicable five clip states separately. Use the color controls available in the installed version and verify the actual pad response.
If feedback arrives but brightness or behavior remains unexpected, compare the installed version with the Mini MK2 brightness change in 7.17 and MIDI fixes in 7.17.2. Test any applicable update with the saved preset away from the show, then repeat state changes and reconnection.
Test the result
The mapped action and pad color agree after both pad presses and mouse changes. The monitor shows feedback on the intended output, and reconnecting preserves the tested mapping. Expand the layout only after this small test passes.
Conditions to consider
The 7.17 brightness change specifically names APC Mini MK2 and removes the earlier need to use Drum mode for maximum brightness. The 7.17.2 input/feedback fixes are general MIDI fixes, not a guarantee for this controller. Do not transfer modes, ports or color tables from APC Mini MK1, APC40 MK2 or APC64. Available color controls and messages must match the installed version and actual device. This is a proposed diagnostic sequence, without a confirmed case fix or hardware test.
How do I prepare a backup when a SMPTE clip stops after timecode pauses or disappears?
Compare a stopped timecode source with a lost LTC input before deciding how the show should continue. Resolume’s Video manual documents a backup with two copies of a clip: one follows SMPTE, while the other uses Timeline and relative pick-up. Switching to that copy is an action to prepare and rehearse, not proof of automatic freewheel. Agree what the audience should see during the interruption and when the operator should return to timecode-controlled playback.
What to check
Save a rehearsal composition and record Arena’s version, the timecode source and interface, input channel, frame rate and clip offset. Confirm normal decoding in the SMPTE panel and playback of the intended active video-only clip before testing an interruption.
Outside the show, compare pausing the source with interrupting the LTC input path as separate tests. Observe the SMPTE display, clip playhead and final output at each stage, including when the source resumes. Record the actual behavior rather than assuming a signal stop and a lost connection have the same recovery.
Prepare two copies of the approved clip in the intended playback layer. Keep the primary on SMPTE and set the backup to Timeline with relative pick-up, following the Video manual. Check matching media, duration and In/Out points, then compare speed, direction and playback options. Keep the original show copy available.
Rehearse manually triggering the backup after the test interruption. Inspect Clip Target, Beat Snap, Fader Start, trigger style and transition settings that could alter the switch. Compare the position it picks up and the visible output, then let Timeline continue for the required interval. Agree the operator’s cue and an alternative image if the switch is unacceptable.
Restore a valid timecode signal and compare its current position with the backup’s playhead before returning to the SMPTE copy. Rehearse that return at an agreed cue and inspect any jump or transition. Repeat loss and recovery at representative show positions, then save the tested composition and record the manual procedure.
Test the result
Check the visible handover to the Timeline backup and the return to the intended SMPTE position, including the planned interval and relevant show cues. Record source behavior, clip settings and operator actions separately. A moving SMPTE counter alone does not verify clip triggering, audience-visible continuity or synchronization with the rest of the show.
Conditions to consider
SMPTE input requires Arena, does not trigger clips and is unavailable on clips with audio. Relative pick-up takes the previous clip’s relative position; different media or ranges require a separate comparison. This guide proposes a manual backup, not an automatic signal-loss timeout or guaranteed seamless resynchronization. Continued Timeline playback can diverge from the external show clock. Any controller or watchdog automation needs its own state logic, false-trigger checks and rehearsal; no universal delay or recipe is established here.
Which audio-output checks should I make when startup or composition loading appears stuck?
Check whether the intended audio device exists and is available before treating stalled loading as a damaged composition. Device discovery can depend on the connected hardware, operating system and driver. Inspect Resolume's Audio Output Device and output channels, then compare loading and a known audio clip as separate tests. A successful device check can narrow the diagnosis; it does not establish that every empty deck, loading delay or silent clip has this cause.
What to check
Record Arena/Avenue, exact version, OS and the intended output hardware. Describe the stage that fails: application startup, opening the composition, loading a deck, opening Preferences or playing sound. Save a working composition copy when the application is responsive; record the connected-device state before changing anything.
Check the intended device and connection in the operating system. On Windows, inspect the available sound outputs and the actual speaker, headphone, USB or HDMI connection; confirm that the intended device is enabled and identifiable. Compare the device list with the expected hardware connected, recording any change. If the output appears only with a particular connection, record that observed condition rather than assuming every PC behaves that way.
When Preferences is accessible, open Audio and inspect Audio Output Device. Select the intended available device for an audio show and record its exact name. If an already planned ASIO device is selected, its additional settings are available there. Distinguish the application's selected device from the operating system's default output; changing one does not establish the other.
Check Master Output Channels against the physical destination, and inspect Preview Output Channels separately when the device has channels for that purpose. In the composition copy, trigger a known clip with an audio track; check its Audio Properties, clip/layer volume and composition master volume. Compare main playback with preview monitoring at a controlled level, without treating incoming FFT activity as proof of audible playback.
Outside the show, reopen the saved copy with the same intended hardware connected. Record separately whether the composition/decks finish loading, Preferences opens and the known clip reaches the expected output. If the block persists, prepare the exact action, version and device state for official support. Review relevant release fixes before testing an update with a backup; a device-related fix does not identify the cause of this machine's failure.
Test the result
The intended device is available to the OS and selected in Resolume, and the main/preview channel assignments match the tested destination. The saved copy finishes loading and a known audio clip reaches the expected output in separate checks. Record any difference after reconnecting or reopening, including a remaining loading failure even if sound works.
Conditions to consider
These are proposed checks, rather than a universal repair for startup or composition loading. Device availability, visual-only operation, channel count and ASIO behavior depend on the version, OS, driver and hardware. The official 7.17.1 notes describe an audio connection startup fix, and 7.17.3 describes a crash fix when no audio device is available; neither proves a new case has that fault. Preview audio requires suitable available channels. Audio Input Device, FFT and SMPTE settings have different roles from audio playback output. No hardware test or exact case selection sequence is claimed.
How should I test an installation's startup, first clip and Autopilot sequence?
Treat startup as a chain of separate stages: launching Resolume, opening the intended composition, triggering the starting content and advancing its sequence. The current layer option Trigger first clip on play requires the composition to finish loading and its transport to be in Play. Autopilot then follows the configured scope and timing. Test those stages manually with a saved copy before assessing a planned restart with the installation's real displays, media and audio devices.
What to check
Save a composition copy and a named Advanced Output preset. Record the exact Arena/Avenue and OS versions, composition file, intended first content, media locations, screen/device assignments and required audio route. Define a recognizable first frame and the expected next cue so the test can distinguish an open application from a playing installation.
Launch the application and open the intended saved copy manually. Let loading finish, confirm the media is available and inspect the composition transport. Record which composition actually opens on a new launch: preferences store the last composition, but that alone does not document a complete OS startup or a guaranteed file-opening procedure.
On each layer that needs a starting clip, inspect the current Trigger first clip on play option and the first clip in that layer. With the composition loaded, test setting the composition transport to Play and observe exactly what triggers. Check the installed version's label and behavior; a layer's first-clip action should not be assumed to be a trigger of a particular whole column.
Enable View > Show Autopilot and inspect the intended Composition, Group, Layer or Clip scope. Set the tested direction, duration and loop behavior for the actual sequence, then trigger its starting clip or column as appropriate. Follow at least one full cycle, checking empty positions, the last cue and any clip actions that affect the planned sequence.
In the working copy, test global Stop followed by Play and record the first-clip retrigger. Then perform a planned restart outside operating hours, starting manually with the intended hardware connected. Recheck the exact composition, transport, sequence and physical screen assignments; select the saved Advanced Output preset and correct its Device assignments if they changed. Document the observed recovery steps before relying on an OS startup arrangement.
Test the result
The intended composition opens, its first content triggers under the tested Play condition, and the sequence completes and repeats as specified. Stop/Play and a planned restart produce the recorded behavior with the actual outputs and devices. Keep the approved composition and output preset identified alongside any manual recovery steps and the version used for the test.
Conditions to consider
Current Layers documentation calls the option Trigger first clip on play; an older on-load label should not replace its documented loading-plus-Play condition. Global Stop followed by Play retriggers the first clip in configured layers, which can alter a cue in progress. Autopilot scope, duration and overrides require their own test. Advanced Output presets are independent of compositions, and device assignments need checking after a restart. This guide does not establish OS autologin, automatic file opening, remote access or uninterrupted 24/7 operation. No installation or hardware test and no confirmed case outcome are claimed.
How can I trigger a clip by MIDI without changing the clip selected for editing?
A MIDI cue can start the intended clip while moving the Clip Panel away from the clip you are editing. Resolume separates external triggering, panel updates and shortcut targets. Check the global preference that makes the panel follow external triggers, then verify the cue’s MIDI mapping separately from any effect controls that follow the selected clip. Rehearse both actions together so playback and editing stay on their intended targets.
What to check
Save a composition copy and record Arena/Avenue, the exact version, controller and current General preferences. Choose clip A for editing and clip B as the MIDI cue. Record B’s intended playback layer and visible result; keeping A selected does not by itself keep A playing or preserve its layer’s current output.
Select A with the name handle below its thumbnail, which selects without triggering. Open Preferences > General > Clip Panel and record the current value of Update clip panel on external triggers. Uncheck it for this comparison so external cues do not replace the clip shown for editing; confirm the label in your installed version.
In Preferences > MIDI, enable input from the intended controller and inspect the MIDI monitor while sending the cue. Record the device, channel and Note/CC message actually received. If no message arrives, check the input route first; if messages arrive, continue to the shortcut mapping instead of treating panel selection as an input failure.
Open MIDI shortcut editing from the Shortcuts menu and inspect the shortcut on B’s trigger. Use This Clip when it must follow that specific clip, or By Position when it should address a fixed slot. Check other mappings on the same control. Review Selected Clip targets on effect controls separately: they follow the clip shown in the panel. Exit editing with Escape.
Select A again and trigger B several times from MIDI. Confirm B’s playback and that the Clip Panel still shows A; test an intended edit or Selected Clip effect control on A. Repeat with another editing selection and the actual cue sequence. Save the tested composition and shortcut preset as appropriate, and record the global preference for the show computer and handover.
Test the result
The MIDI cue consistently triggers B on its intended playback route while A remains in the Clip Panel. The tested edit or Selected Clip effect control affects A, and intentionally selecting another clip changes that editing target. Record the global preference, shortcut target and any remaining playback or routing symptom separately.
Conditions to consider
The documented control is a global General preference for panel updates on external triggers, not a Clip-menu setting with composition inheritance. The current manual’s screenshot shows the quoted label, but check the installed version and localization. Clip Target controls the playback layer; this preference does not prevent a cue from replacing output on that layer. A This Clip shortcut disappears if its clip is deleted. This comparison does not establish third-party effect behavior or solve unrelated timing and output problems.
Why does a layer seem to reappear when I switch decks, and how should I check its removal?
A layer that appears again after a deck change needs a check of the composition’s deck contents and the exact operation used. Closing a deck, ejecting playback, clearing clips and removing a layer have different effects. Inspect open and closed decks in a saved test copy, then observe what one deliberate change actually removes. Confirm the result after saving and reopening, including controller targets and the show’s intended output.
What to check
Save a separate composition copy and record Arena/Avenue, exact version, OS and the file you are testing. Note the deck names, layer name and stack position, occupied slots and the action that precedes its return. Capture the before/after state so an empty row, returning content and a still-playing clip can be compared separately.
Use the deck menu beside the deck scroll controls to inspect both open and closed decks. Closing a deck only hides it; its contents remain in the composition. Visit each relevant deck and record where the row and clips appear. If a clip follows deck changes, check its Persistent setting separately rather than inferring persistence from the layer’s appearance.
Identify the exact command previously used. The layer’s X ejects its playing clip; Clear Clips empties content while leaving the layer; Remove deletes the layer and its content. Check that you are acting on the intended layer rather than the deck. Decide whether the intended result is an empty layer or removal of that layer.
In the test copy, apply the intended Layer operation once to the identified row after recording its contents. Immediately revisit the other decks, including previously closed ones, and compare their rows and clips. Observe the scope in this installed version; do not assume that one Remove affects every deck or repeat destructive operations across decks before checking what they contain.
Save the changed copy, reopen that exact file and repeat the deck sequence. Rehearse the required cues and output, and check controller mappings that use By Position or This Layer after the stack change. If the row still returns unexpectedly, retain the original and record a small reproducible deck sequence, screenshots and version details for support.
Test the result
The saved and reopened test copy matches the intended layer and clip inventory in every inspected deck, including reopened decks. Required cues, controller targets and output still address the intended content. If the row returns, the record identifies which deck, command and save/reopen sequence reproduces it; an empty row alone is not evidence of restored clips.
Conditions to consider
The current manual documents the differences between closing decks, clearing clips and removing layers, but does not specify a global Remove-across-all-decks procedure. Check the installed version and actual composition before deciding the change’s scope. Persistent Clips concerns clips that follow deck changes; it is not an established cause of a returning layer row. Removing an entity can delete its This Layer shortcut, while position-based mappings must be checked against the resulting stack. This procedure proposes diagnosis, not a confirmed universal fix.
Why does Art-Net reach the DMX monitor but fail to trigger clips?
Seeing network activity does not establish that a shortcut listens to that universe. Trace one changing channel from the desk through the input Lumiverse to its assigned control.
What to check
Save a test copy and record Arena version, desk software and patch. Use one local test clip and one desk channel; keep the comparison separate from a running show.
In Preferences > DMX, inspect the monitor on the selected Network Adapter. Note the exact Subnet, Universe and channel whose value changes when you operate the desk.
Compare those numbers with the input Lumiverse. Create it with New Input if needed, and check Channel Offset. Compare actual addresses because applications may number universes differently.
Enter Edit DMX Shortcuts. Assign the test control through DMX Learn or Create DMX Shortcut; inspect its channel, Lumiverse and target. Send changing values for learning, then leave shortcut editing with Escape.
Test the intended control repeatedly. A layer Clip Trigger group uses channel values to choose clips; an individual button is a different assignment. Verify the target after moving clips or switching decks.
Test the result
Record the monitor address and matching shortcut. Confirm that each desk action triggers the intended clip, including release and retrigger behavior.
Conditions to consider
DMX input requires Arena. This checks mappings after signal reception; it does not establish desk licensing or output permissions. If no activity reaches the monitor, investigate the sender and network first. The procedure remains a test to perform on your setup.
MIDI stopped working after a Windows 11 update: what should I check?
Separate device detection, incoming controls and outgoing LED feedback. Windows MIDI Services changes can affect drivers or saved port names; a driver change is conditional, not a universal permanent fix.
What to check
Save the composition and shortcut preset. Record the Windows version/build, Resolume version, controller model, USB port or hub, current driver and whether input, output feedback or both fail. Compare one controller in an empty composition.
Check the current Microsoft Windows MIDI Services documentation and the installed update history. In Resolume MIDI preferences, compare the available input/output port names with those saved in the shortcut. Two identical controllers need separate identification; Any device can create cross-triggering.
For a known class-compliant USB MIDI device, consult Microsoft’s driver-switch guide. Close MIDI applications first. If you do not have the MIDI Troubleshooting and Repair app, use Device Manager: select the physical hardware under Sound, video and game controllers, rather than MIDI Endpoints or Software Devices. A manufacturer-specific device may require its own driver.
If the official instructions apply, compare USB Audio Device with USBMidi2-ACX using the compatible choices offered. If a choice is absent, recheck the hardware and manufacturer requirements instead of forcing it. Follow the documented unplug/restart/reconnect sequence, then reopen Resolume.
Restore the intended input/output ports and test controls and feedback separately. Repeat after restarting Resolume and Windows with the same USB wiring. If the failure remains, send the recorded configuration and reproducible steps to the relevant support channel; compare a copy of the preset before changing mappings.
Test the result
A successful check requires the correct controller to trigger the intended targets and receive the intended feedback across restarts. Record the result for each device, not just whether its name appears.
Conditions to consider
Driver compatibility depends on the device and Windows build. USB topology or updates can change device identity or driver selection. Review current official instructions; do not treat an old update rollback, registry edit or disabled updates as a general repair.
Resolume opens with a black or inaccessible interface on Windows. How can I recover the window?
First identify whether the Resolume interface window is inaccessible or a fullscreen output is covering the control display. Windows window controls can help recover access, but do not establish why the screen turned black. Record what happens when switching applications and whether the problem returns. Treat successful window recovery as a temporary workaround until the same setup passes repeated tests of interface access and the required show output.
What to check
Test during preparation or an agreed interruption. Record the Windows build, Arena/Avenue version and revision, GPU and driver, connected displays and the exact action before the interface becomes black. Note whether the desktop and other applications still respond, whether Resolume opens this way or changes after switching windows, and whether it also happens with only one display.
Select the intended Resolume interface window with Alt+Tab or the taskbar, then try Windows key + Left Arrow or Right Arrow one at a time to snap it to a visible side. Windows key + Up Arrow can maximize the active window. Record which action restores access and whether menus respond. These are Windows window-management controls, not a diagnosis or guaranteed repair.
Check the separate fullscreen-output condition once access is available. If Resolume output was assigned to the control monitor and covers its controls, the manual documents Ctrl+Shift+D to disable all outputs; this interrupts show output, so use it only in the test window. Review the intended output assignment before reenabling it. Do not assume that this explains a black application window or solves a recurring interface failure.
Once access is recovered, save a test copy and reproduce the same application-switching sequence several times, noting each return of the black window. Compare reopening the same saved setup without changing several settings together. If multiple displays are involved, record their recognized arrangement; a failure on one display alone does not establish an extended-desktop issue. Stop treating repeated manual recovery as evidence of a stable show system.
If the interface still becomes inaccessible, prepare a reproducible report for Resolume support: exact version/revision, Windows platform, steps, expected and observed behavior, short screenshots or video, and the recovery key used. Include the Resolume log through Preferences > Feedback when accessible. Keep the recovery result separate from the output test and document the show fallback until the recurrence is resolved.
Test the result
Confirm that the intended interface window and its menus remain accessible across the tested window changes and reopening, while the required output reaches the intended display. Record repetitions and any recurrence separately. A key combination that restores access once establishes a recovery result, not lasting stability or correct video output.
Conditions to consider
Windows shortcuts act on the active window and may behave differently in some applications. Ctrl+Shift+D is documented for output covering the control monitor and was not confirmed as the remedy for that case. This guide addresses interface access; a visible preview with a black LED/projector output and overlapping macOS outputs require their separate routing/display checks.
How do I compensate an audio/video delay when Arena already decodes LTC correctly?
An advancing SMPTE counter confirms timecode reception, not that the audience hears and sees the same moment. First establish whether audio leads or follows the final image, where the comparison is made and whether the media already contains an offset. Test the SMPTE panel's signal-flow compensation separately from a clip's starting timecode. If Ableton supplies audio and LTC, evaluate Track Delay only as a separate, measured routing adjustment.
What to check
Save rehearsal copies of the Arena composition and, if applicable, the Ableton Live Set. Record versions, the music and LTC destinations, interface/mixer processing, video-output route, incoming timecode rate, sample rate and buffers. Confirm an advancing SMPTE counter and the intended active video-only clip/input. Note existing clip Offset, SMPTE compensation and track delays before changing anything.
Use a known matched audiovisual cue to compare the final image and sound at the agreed viewing/listening position. Record whether audio arrives before or after video and the measurement method's resolution. Compare the original media for an embedded offset first. A software meter or local monitor is a different reference from the audience position; do not infer a few-millisecond correction from an inconclusive observation.
Open the SMPTE panel through View and locate Delay Fr beside the relevant input, checking the label in your installed version. Test a small signal-flow compensation change, record its direction/value in frames and repeat the same cue. Keep the clip's Offset, which sets its starting timecode, unchanged during this comparison. Revert an adjustment that worsens alignment rather than assuming a universal sign.
If Ableton is the source and a track-specific comparison is needed, test Track Delay separately in a saved Live Set. Live 12 exposes it through Track Options and offers milliseconds or samples. Identify whether the track carries music, LTC or both; delaying a track carrying both moves both signals together. Verify both routes: a negative Track Delay can delay other tracks and increase Overall Latency. Do not combine this test with an Arena adjustment.
Repeat representative start cues, seeks and a longer playback segment with the actual output and audio processing active. Recheck the audience reference and other affected tracks/clips after each single change. Record the acceptable result and restore the required show settings. If the error varies or grows over time, document that behavior separately; do not treat it as a constant offset corrected by one value.
Test the result
Verify the same matched cue at the specified audience reference with the tested signal chain, and record whether sound and image meet the agreed tolerance. Check clip starting cues and other affected tracks separately. A running LTC clock, a low buffer setting or a changed offset value is not evidence of successful audiovisual alignment.
Conditions to consider
SMPTE input requires Arena, does not trigger clips and is unavailable on clips containing audio. Its signal-flow compensation is expressed in frames; this guide does not establish subframe adjustment or sample-accurate synchronization. Labels and Track Delay access depend on version; Live disables these controls when Delay Compensation is off. Ableton cautions against track-delay changes on stage because clicks or pops may occur.
How can an effect envelope follow a SMPTE-controlled video, including seeks and scrubbing?
Keep the video's transport and the parameter's animation source separate. In Arena, the video can follow SMPTE while a parameter on that clip uses Clip Position to follow its playhead. An Envelope then shapes the parameter's value at different relative positions. Build and test this relationship in a rehearsal copy, checking actual cue positions instead of assuming that a percentage keyframe is an absolute SMPTE timestamp.
What to check
Save a rehearsal composition and choose the intended video-only clip and a visible parameter on that clip, such as a clip-effect control. Record the clip's duration, In/Out range, SMPTE input and starting Offset. Set its transport to the intended SMPTE input, match the incoming timecode rate and confirm that the active clip follows the received position.
Open that clip parameter's animation menu using its cogwheel and choose Clip Position. Start with a simple response and inspect the parameter at the clip's beginning, middle and end. This mode follows the clip playhead; a separately running parameter Timeline is a different control source. Check the Clip panel's owner if the option is not available.
Enable Envelope from the parameter's right-click menu. Add keyframes by double-clicking the curve and shape the required values. Enter keyframe Phase and output values numerically where useful, then compare the envelope's input and resulting output markers. Use a simple linear or deliberately chosen interpolation first so the curve's effect is easy to inspect.
Identify each desired cue in the actual clip, accounting for its SMPTE starting Offset. Phase is relative, rather than a seconds/frames timestamp. If the full untrimmed clip is the reference range, 100 × elapsed clip time / clip duration gives a starting percentage estimate; verify the cue in the running clip. Recheck the mapping after a trim, media replacement or offset change instead of treating the estimate as guaranteed timing.
During rehearsal, seek the LTC source forward and backward to representative positions and repeat them while watching the clip, parameter and final image. In a separate transport test where scrubbing is available, scrub the clip and compare again. Return to the real SMPTE route, repeat the intended cues, and save the tested composition and envelope settings.
Test the result
At each tested source position, confirm that the video reaches the intended point and the parameter reaches the planned envelope value; repeat after returning to an earlier position. Check the visible result at important cue boundaries, including after seeking. A following playhead alone does not verify the curve, cue placement or final-output timing.
Conditions to consider
Clip Position is available on clip parameters only, not as a general Layer/Group/Composition animation source. SMPTE input requires Arena, does not trigger clips and is unavailable on clips containing audio. Phase placement depends on the actual clip/range being tested; this procedure does not guarantee frame-accurate keyframe timing or synchronized physical refresh.
How can I fade an SMPTE clip in and out over a background that keeps playing?
A timecoded clip can follow LTC correctly and still finish with an abrupt change to the background. Build its entrance and exit on the clip’s Video Opacity, driven by Clip Position and shaped with an Envelope. First prove that reducing this control reveals the intended lower layer. Then place the fade within the usable clip range and rehearse the end, seeking and column triggers with the background running.
What to check
Save a composition copy. Keep the background running on a lower layer and activate the timecoded video on a separate layer above it. Check Clip Target so the foreground does not replace the background. If you use column cues, inspect Ignore Column Trigger for the background clip or layer and test that the cue leaves it playing.
Open the foreground clip’s extended Video properties and move Opacity manually between zero and the intended visible level. Watch the combined composition. For an ordinary transparency fade, compare Alpha in the clip’s Blend Mode in this copy; a clip override takes precedence over the layer setting. Black picture content is not itself an alpha channel: verify what the selected blend actually reveals.
For a video without an audio track, select the required SMPTE input in its transport and check its starting Offset against the cue. On the clip’s Opacity parameter, open the cogwheel menu and choose Clip Position, then enable Envelope. Keep the clip active in its layer: arriving LTC controls its playhead but does not trigger it.
Draw an opacity curve that starts at zero, rises to the required level, stays there for the visible section and returns to zero before the usable video ends. Set keyframe Phase positions against the actual clip range and cue; inspect the resulting Opacity value. Choose linear or eased interpolation deliberately and leave a zero-opacity tail rather than relying on a fade that completes only at the final boundary.
Rehearse with the intended LTC: run the entrance, seek into the middle, seek into the exit and continue through the end. Confirm that the background keeps moving and that opacity reaches zero before a missing frame or next cue changes the picture. Test column cues separately, decide how the foreground is replaced or cleared afterward, and save the tested composition.
Test the result
At the entrance and exit, the foreground’s visible opacity follows its clip position while the lower background continues moving. Seeking into a fade reproduces the expected mix, and the exit reaches zero before the end without an unintended black flash or background restart.
Conditions to consider
SMPTE transport is Arena-only and unavailable on clips with an audio track. Clip Position is a clip parameter animation; it does not provide a composition-wide opacity envelope. Envelope Phase describes position in the animation, not an absolute timecode or a guaranteed output frame. Recheck the curve after changing clip range, cue Offset or content. Blend overrides, layer controls, effects and routing can change the visible result. Zero clip opacity does not create a channel of embedded alpha in the file. Clip replacement, clearing and background continuity require their own tested cue plan. These are proposed checks, without a Resolume or hardware test by GLMedia.
How can some controller pads keep clips playing while others play only while held?
Choose the trigger behavior on each clip when a controller layout needs both continuing loops and momentary clips. Use Trigger Style > Piano on the clips that should stop when the pad is released, while checking Normal and Loop separately for the continuing clips. Test the mouse first, then the real MIDI press and release. The clip’s Trigger Style and a shortcut’s Piano option are different settings; changing one does not diagnose every mapping.
What to check
Save a composition copy and preserve the controller shortcut preset. Choose one continuing clip and one momentary clip as test cases. Record their intended layers and the controller mapping. Select a clip by its name handle without triggering it, and check Clip Target so the test activates the intended layer rather than replacing an unrelated clip.
For only the selected momentary clip, right-click its thumbnail and choose Trigger Style > Piano. Set the comparison clip to Trigger Style > Normal if it should continue after release. Keep these choices on the individual clips; a composition-wide default would affect the intended scope differently. Check the continuing video’s Playmode > Loop separately: trigger style and repeating the media are different controls.
Outside shortcut editing, press and hold the Piano clip’s thumbnail with the mouse, then release it. Compare the Normal clip after a press and release. Observe the active clip and combined output. Normal starts a clip and restarts it when triggered again; Toggle instead starts it and turns it off on the next trigger. Record the result before adding controller-specific changes.
Enable the intended device’s MIDI Input in Preferences and open the MIDI monitor. Press and release its pad; record the Note or CC, channel and both phases. Review the shortcut’s actual clip target and duplicate assignments. For a CC used as a button, inspect Mode > Button when applicable to that mapping. A Piano option on other shortcut controls, such as Opacity or Bypass, governs those controls; it does not replace checking the clip’s Trigger Style.
Retest repeated taps and long holds from the controller, including release before and after a loop boundary. Test continuing and momentary clips in the intended cue order, watching which layer remains active after release. If simultaneous clips are required, plan their layer allocation and rehearse it separately. Save the composition and shortcut preset only after the intended press-and-release behavior is repeatable.
Test the result
The selected Piano clip plays while its control is held and stops when released. The intended Normal clip continues after release with its own Loop setting. The MIDI monitor receives both phases, the correct clip and layer respond, and other clips retain their assigned behavior.
Conditions to consider
Trigger Style is distinct from the video’s Loop setting, the composition default and Piano on a MIDI shortcut. Available shortcut options depend on the control and message type. Momentary behavior requires a matching release to reach the intended mapping; a missing Note Off or equivalent release, a latching hardware mode or an unsuitable CC mapping needs its own diagnosis. This guide does not prescribe one release value for every device. Clips sharing a target layer can replace one another; releasing a Piano clip does not establish that a previously replaced loop resumes automatically. Beat Snap, transitions and other cue settings require rehearsal if used. GLMedia has not tested this procedure in Resolume or on hardware.
Why does a keyboard shortcut appear briefly during assignment and then fail to trigger a column?
A key label appearing during assignment does not establish that the intended column shortcut is registered and works. Check the active keyboard preset, the assignment list and the chosen control, then leave editing and test with Resolume focused. Preserve the original setup while comparing one key at a time. If the symptom persists, restarting after saving and outside a show can be a comparison; it does not identify the cause.
What to check
Save a composition copy and preserve the active keyboard shortcut preset with Save as... before editing. Record the Resolume and operating-system versions, keyboard layout, intended column and exact key/modifiers. Keep the original preset identifiable; assignments are automatically saved into the current preset, so changing a mapping changes that preset.
Open Shortcuts > Edit Keyboard. Select the intended assignable column trigger and press the test key once. Inspect the entry in the Shortcuts panel, which is visible during editing: record its control name and assigned key. A column trigger starts its clips; clicking a clip’s name handle only selects that clip. Check the actual control instead of relying on a briefly displayed label.
Check that the same keyboard preset remains selected. Sort the assignment list by value to inspect duplicates marked in red; multiple assignments may be intentional. Record the shortcut’s available options. If a Target option is offered for the chosen control, inspect whether it addresses a position, a specific item or the current selection; verify the intended owner before changing it.
Exit shortcut editing with Escape. Finish any active text or value edit, bring Resolume into focus and test repeated presses and releases against the intended column and visible output. Re-enter Edit Keyboard and inspect the same preset and entry again. Record separately whether the entry is absent, remains registered but unresponsive, or operates a different control. Focus is a comparison to perform, not an established cause.
If the symptom remains, preserve the observations. Only outside a show, after saving and with time for system maintenance, consider a computer restart as a separate comparison. Reopen the same composition and keyboard preset, check the entry and repeat the cue test. Record any intervening system changes and whether the result persists; keep an unresolved case’s versions and reproduction steps for support.
Test the result
The intended key remains listed in the same keyboard preset when editing is reopened, and repeated tests outside editing trigger the intended column with Resolume focused. Inspect the actual cue and output, not just the assignment label. If a restart was performed, repeat the same checks and record persistence separately from any suspected cause.
Conditions to consider
Available shortcut options depend on the assigned control and installed version. A missing label, a missing assignment and an unresponsive registered shortcut are different observations. Focus, keyboard layout, modifiers or macros require separate comparisons; this guide does not diagnose a keyboard fault or prescribe a system setting. A restart is conditional and does not guarantee repair or durable operation. These are proposed checks, without a Resolume or keyboard test by GLMedia.
How can a DAW vary layer transition times with MIDI CC while triggering columns?
Use a MIDI CC shortcut for a layer’s transition time, with a bounded range and a separate column trigger. Note velocity changes with a note event; it is a different control. First prove that scheduled CC messages reach Resolume when the DAW playhead passes them, then check the duration before each cue and the visible transition. A message sent only by clicking an event leaves timeline automation unverified.
What to check
Save a composition copy and preserve the MIDI shortcut preset with Save as... before editing; new assignments automatically modify the active preset. Record the Resolume, DAW and OS versions, intended layer, existing column triggers and MIDI route. Choose a dedicated CC number/channel for the time control, keeping the original assignments identifiable.
Enable MIDI Input for the intended receiving port in Preferences > MIDI. Send known CC values from the DAW and inspect Resolume’s MIDI monitor: record the input, message type, channel, controller number and changing values. A click-based preview can check this route initially, but does not prove scheduled playback. If no matching messages arrive, investigate the DAW’s documented output route before changing the shortcut.
Enable View > Show Layer Transition Controls and locate the intended layer’s transition-time control. In Shortcuts > Edit MIDI, select that assignable control and send the chosen CC. Use Absolute mode and set a bounded Range for the required durations. Verify the target offered by the control: This Layer follows a specific layer, By Position follows its stack position, and Selected Layer follows selection. Exit editing and compare minimum, intermediate and maximum CC values against the displayed seconds.
Keep the column trigger separate from the duration mapping. Inspect the incoming clips’ Transition settings: Layer Determined lets their duration follow the layer; a custom clip duration can override it. In the copy, send a CC value before a deliberate cue, inspect the resulting time and trigger the next clip or column. Observe the actual transition; receiving a duration value alone does not start a new cue.
Program several timed CC events in the DAW, using the same channel/controller and distinct values within 0–127. Logic documents Ch, Num and Val in its Event List; use the installed DAW’s manual for routing and event playback. Run the timeline without clicking events and confirm each arrival in Resolume. Rehearse the duration update before each column cue, with a tested lead time; repeat from the start and intended seek/restart points, checking unexpected resets and the final output.
Test the result
During DAW playback, the MIDI monitor shows the scheduled CC values without event clicks, the intended layer’s time control reaches the recorded durations before each cue, and the output transitions as rehearsed. Repeat after changing selection and at the intended restart points. Check these three stages separately: received message, parameter value and actual cue/output.
Conditions to consider
Controls, targets and clip Transition options depend on the installed version. CC values and a configured Range do not establish smooth interpolation, sample-accurate cue order or how an already-running fade reacts to a time change. Test each layer and clip override; there is no universal CC number, duration or lead time. This guide does not prescribe Logic reset/chase settings or a virtual-MIDI utility. These are proposed checks, without a DAW, Resolume or hardware test by GLMedia.
Why does the same DMX blend cue choose a different Blend Mode on another Arena computer?
Matching a DMX channel or preset does not prove that two Arena computers select the same blend. A shortcut on a dropdown distributes input across its available choices, while the resulting image also depends on the target and clip overrides. Build a small cue-to-name comparison on both systems, record their versions and installed custom mixers, and validate the actual output before carrying the lighting cues into the show.
What to check
Preserve each system’s existing composition and DMX shortcut preset; make a test composition copy and use Save as... for a separate preset before editing. Record the full Arena revision, operating system, custom mixers/plugins used by that composition and the active preset name. Identify the exact blend control: a layer Blend Mode, a clip override or the Crossfader’s blend controls different parts of the image.
On both test copies, load the same recognizable foreground/background material and match layer order, opacity and any bus assignments. Open the actual Blend Mode dropdown on the intended owner and record the names and available choices. Select each blend needed by the show manually to establish a visual reference. Custom mixers can be made in Wire, so compare what is actually installed rather than assuming a stock list.
Confirm the test cue’s actual received channel value in Arena’s Art-Net monitor. Enter Edit DMX Shortcuts and inspect the shortcut assigned to that blend control: preset, Lumiverse, channel and duplicate assignments. Record Range, inversion, bit depth and Target only where the chosen control offers them. A Selected target follows panel selection; a position or specific owner addresses something different.
For every required blend cue, compare a table of cue, received DMX value, displayed blend name and resulting image on each system. The manual distributes values over a shortcut group’s available choices; it does not supply a universal value-to-name table for every installation. If a layer’s named blend appears correct but its output differs, inspect the playing clip’s Blend Mode override, which takes precedence over the layer.
Adjust only the test preset or the relevant lighting cues against the destination computer’s verified choices, keeping the originals available. Replay the required cue values, intended clip changes and selection changes, then save and reopen the tested setup. Confirm the displayed blend and final routed output each time. Handover should include the tested revision, custom-mixer inventory, preset and cue-to-name table, rather than only numeric cue values.
Test the result
Every required cue selects the documented blend name on the intended owner and produces the expected image with the same test material. The comparison distinguishes a wrong selection from the right named blend altered by opacity, clip override or routing. Record the received values and working configuration; repeat after any change to the destination’s software or available mixers.
Conditions to consider
DMX input requires Arena. Available shortcut options depend on the assigned control and installed version. A transferred preset or the same Arena version alone does not verify the destination’s mixers, target, input values or cue behavior. The official sources reviewed do not establish an alphabetical ordering rule or a particular version that universally reordered blends. Do not replace another operator’s Documents folder to perform this comparison. Matching a blend name also does not prove identical custom-mixer implementation or final output. These are proposed checks, without a Resolume, lighting-desk or hardware test by GLMedia.
What does Lock Content protect when I import or switch decks?
Lock Content protects the clip currently playing in a layer against accidental eject or replacement, while its parameters remain editable. Deck persistence and the alignment of imported clip slots are separate questions. First identify whether a playing clip changes or the deck grid itself moves. Test lock behaviour, column cues and deck changes in a saved copy, then inspect imported rows rather than assuming a lock or naming rule preserves their structure.
What to check
Save a named composition copy and preserve the relevant Advanced Output preset. Record the installed edition/version, source and receiving decks, layer names/order and occupied clip slots. Distinguish a playing clip being replaced from a slot moving after import. If a triggered clip plays in an unexpected layer, inspect Clip Target separately: Own Layer, Active Layer, Free Layer or the composition setting. Use identifiable clips on the intended test layer.
Start the clip you want to protect, enable Lock Content on that layer using the control available in your version, and check its lock icon. In the test copy, attempt to trigger another clip into that same layer and use its X eject control. Compare the active clip with the unlocked state. Then adjust a clip/layer parameter and restore it: the manual permits parameter changes while content is locked. A faded or bypassed image alone does not show that the clip was ejected.
Rehearse the columns that should keep or replace that layer’s content, recording the active clip before and after each cue. If a cue must load another clip into the layer, plan the deliberate unlock and test that replacement. When the requirement is specifically to leave a background unchanged on column triggers, inspect Ignore Column Trigger and any clip override as a separate option. It does not have the same scope as protection against eject or manual replacement.
Check deck persistence separately in the copy. If the requirement is access to the same prepared clip across decks, Persistent Clips places it in the same slot in each visited deck. Inspect any destination content it covers and recover it through the small upper-left thumbnail when needed. Test the intended column combinations after switching decks. Persistence is not a documented layer-import alignment rule, and should not be enabled across the library simply to avoid investigating row changes.
For the structural import symptom, record the existing grid, then add one saved deck through the Composition browser in the test copy. Compare layer order and clip slots in the imported and pre-existing decks, including closed decks accessible from the deck menu. Record the actual result without assuming a match by layer names or a universal layer-count rule. Rehearse controller targets and output cues, save and reopen the tested copy, and verify its grid and required lock state before relying on it.
Test the result
The tested lock state prevents the intended replacement/eject while the identified clip remains active and parameters stay controllable. Required column cues deliberately keep or change content as planned. Deck persistence, imported grid placement and controller/output targets are recorded separately; after reopening, verify the required state instead of inferring it from a familiar layer name or an unchanged image.
Conditions to consider
Lock Content is documented for the clip currently playing in a layer; it is not a documented pin of every library clip to a row or a guarantee that imports preserve deck structure. It does not freeze playback parameters, and hiding an image with opacity or Bypass is different from eject. Persistent Clips carries slots across decks, while Ignore Column Trigger filters column actions; neither establishes an import-matching algorithm. The manual does not specify universal matching by layer names or what every mismatch in layer count does. Check the installed version, import result and cue requirements in a copy. These are proposed checks, without a Resolume or hardware test by GLMedia.
How can I rehearse DMX control recovery when a lighting desk restart sends zeros to my video layers?
When a desk restarts, it may send new zero values to mapped opacity or playback controls. That differs from receiving no Art-Net. Rehearse a handover using a separate shortcut preset that omits the affected assignments, plus local controls for the intended look. Test both isolation and the first values received when restoring the original preset. This is a recovery procedure to validate on the installed setup, with no guarantee of uninterrupted output.
What to check
Preserve the working composition, Advanced Output setup and current DMX shortcut preset; use a separate test composition and named preset copies. Record Arena revision, desk software, active preset and the channels controlling levels, clip triggers or playback. Identify any Art-Net output, NDI or other show traffic sharing the connection. Schedule the following restart rehearsal outside the running show.
With the original preset selected, establish a recognizable test look. In Preferences > DMX, compare the Art-Net monitor's Subnet/Universe activity and channel history with desk output and the actual mapped controls. Record each relevant Lumiverse, Channel Offset, shortcut channel, Range and Target where offered. A received zero is a value, while a stored channel value alone does not prove that new packets are arriving. Check duplicate assignments as well.
Use Save as... to prepare a separate DMX shortcut preset without the assignments that must be isolated; remove those bindings only from the copy. Switch to it and send controlled zero/nonzero test values. Check whether the intended controls stop following the desk even if monitor activity continues, and whether switching presets itself changes the look. Prepare and test local mouse controls or Keyboard shortcuts in Value mode for the specific sliders needed for recovery, with the intended targets.
Select the tested isolation preset before the planned desk restart. Rehearse both loss of data and the desk's return; observe routed output, running clips and parameter animations throughout. Leave the Network Adapter and shared connections unchanged during this comparison. If the look has already changed, use the tested local recovery controls. While the affected assignments remain isolated, restore the desk's intended cue, levels and trigger values using its own display and controls.
Restore the original DMX preset deliberately only after the desk's expected values are prepared. Watch the first received updates, clip triggers and final routed image, then test the next required cues. If unwanted values or actions return, select the tested isolation preset and use the local recovery controls again. Repeat the complete rehearsal, document its limits and save the working presets; successful console boot alone is not the handover check.
Test the result
Record the reference look, incoming values, selected preset and resulting controls before isolation, during restart and at rearming. Confirm which assignments are blocked, that local recovery reaches the intended targets, and that returning DMX updates produce the expected routed image and cues. Monitor activity can continue with a preset that lacks the affected assignments; assess reception and control separately. Validate the handover on the actual installed setup.
Conditions to consider
DMX input requires Arena. The reviewed manual documents shortcut presets and their selection, but does not establish a universal Freeze DMX control, a global input-disable toggle, hold-last behavior or a seamless first update after rearming. An input switch offered by a particular version would require its own reversible rehearsal; the Lumiverse X is not documented here as a temporary bypass. Network Adapter affects both Art-Net input and output, and disconnecting a shared link can interrupt other traffic. Removing assignments does not freeze playback, animations or other control sources, undo zeros already applied, or create a snapshot of the full show state. These are proposed checks, without a Resolume, desk or hardware test by GLMedia.
How should I design OSC actions at video times, or a rehearsal jump to the last 30 seconds?
Separate seeking within a clip from sending an event to another system when playback reaches a time. Cue Points store seek positions; OSC output can report interface values, and a Custom Address changes the OSC message address. A timed event or a dynamic jump from the end needs defined targets and tested control logic. Start with a rehearsal copy and logged messages, then verify seeks, retriggers, loops and audio handling.
What to check
Save a rehearsal composition and list the requested actions separately: recall a stored Cue Point, send an external cue at a timeline position, or jump to N seconds before a clip's end. Define which currently playing clips or layers each action may affect. For a main video over a looping background, explicitly exclude the background if it must keep playing. Record each target's In/Out range, transport, speed, loop/end policy and whether audio is embedded. Specify what should happen when target clips have different durations.
Use Shortcuts > Edit OSC to inspect the intended controls and copy their actual addresses, Type Tags and ranges from the installed interface. Distinguish an address for a particular clip or layer from a relative address for the currently selected item. Test one playhead command against recognizable content and change panel selection to expose an unintended target. In OSC Preferences, inspect the sent/received message history and the receiver's actual IP address and input port. Keep the first comparison within the rehearsal setup.
For an external timed event, save a copy of the OSC shortcut preset and enable only the feedback items your receiver needs. A Custom Address forwards the item's value to another address; it does not itself define a timeline threshold or a once-per-play cue. Design and test that event decision in the receiving control system, or in a separate show timeline. Specify whether crossing a time after a seek should fire, how retriggering rearms it, and how loops, repeated values and stale feedback are handled. Initially log the proposed event without operating the external cue.
For a dynamic last-N-seconds jump, verify that the control system can obtain the actual playing target's identity, relevant duration/range and position with known units. Define whether N means source time or remaining playback time, including trim and speed. Calculate a valid position using verified data; do not assume a negative seconds argument or a ready-made controller command. Compare the result with View > Show Clip Time; click the clip time display to switch to remaining time. That panel does not establish an OSC address for remaining time. If instead using a timecoded master, first prepare Arena's supported video-only playback and a separate audio route, and arrange clip activation independently.
Rehearse normal playback, pause, seeks across the event in both directions, retrigger, looping, end-of-clip and a change of the playing target. Include clips shorter than N, unavailable feedback and multiple main layers while the excluded background continues. Compare logged commands, resulting positions, audio and final images; check existing feedback clients for interference. Only then rehearse the external cue with its operator and the intended routing. Save and reopen the tested composition and presets, and keep a tested manual recovery path.
Test the result
For each test, record the playing target, position or remaining time, messages and actual action. The intended main video must seek to the approved point without moving the excluded background; a timed external cue must follow the agreed crossing and rearming policy without duplicates. Verify audio behavior, changed selections and feedback clients separately. Receiving playhead values, or recalling a Cue Point, alone does not prove a timed external event or a working last-N-seconds control.
Conditions to consider
The OSC manual documents control addresses, interface-value output, selective presets, Custom Address and destinations; it does not establish the requested threshold scheduler or a universal remaining-time jump command. This is an implementation and rehearsal brief, not a supplied control file or tested controller module. Inspect available data, units and controls in the installed Resolume and receiver versions; do not assume a fixed current Cue Point limit from an older discussion. SMPTE input is Arena-only, is unavailable on clips containing an audio track, and does not trigger the clip itself. An embedded-audio clip therefore cannot simply be switched to that route unchanged. Feedback loss, receiver logic, audio timing and physical output need separate validation. GLMedia has not executed this setup or tested its hardware.
My MIDI fader does not reach zero. How can I test its minimum and an Envelope workaround?
Check the incoming MIDI value separately from the parameter’s input and its value after any Envelope. A small nonzero minimum can leave the controlled parameter above its intended endpoint even with an otherwise correct mapping. A tested low-end curve may compensate that control range, but it does not repair the controller or change its raw messages. Verify the zero image and any playback behavior separately before using the workaround.
What to check
Save a composition copy and preserve the active MIDI shortcut preset before editing. Identify the exact device, fader, layer or clip and parameter that should reach zero. Record the Resolume revision and controller mode. If testing opacity, use a recognizable image and inspect the combined output rather than only the source preview; for another parameter, define its intended zero result. Record any existing Envelope, parameter animation and intended Fader Start behavior so the comparison can be reversed.
In Preferences > MIDI, open the MIDI monitor for the enabled input device. Move the fader through its range several times, then leave it at the bottom and record the lowest values and any changes while it remains there. Confirm the channel and CC or other message actually assigned. Standard MIDI CC uses values from 0 to 127; verify that this is the message type in your setup. Receiving a small nonzero value differs from receiving zero while the displayed parameter stays above it.
In Shortcuts > Edit MIDI, inspect the actual assignment, Input Device, Target, Mode, Range and Invert where available. For a standard positional CC fader, compare the documented Absolute mode; do not use an encoder’s Relative mode without matching its messages. Check that the intended range includes zero and the correct upper value. In the test copy, isolate duplicate assignments and running parameter control. Leave editing, compare the same fader with a temporary linear Envelope, and record the parameter input and resulting output markers.
If the mapping is otherwise correct but its measured low input remains above zero, test a parameter Envelope as a local workaround. Preserve the original curve as a preset, right-click the intended parameter and choose Envelope. Add or adjust keyframes to make a short flat output at zero across the observed low-input region, then rise to the required upper value. Use the parameter’s measured input/Phase and output units, not an assumed percentage copied from another controller. Keep the rest of the usable travel controllable and compare its result with the linear reference.
Repeat slow fades, stops at the bottom and upward movements through the curve boundary, checking the MIDI monitor, input/output markers and final image together. Compare the shaped zero with a direct zero under the linear reference, without claiming their internal behavior is identical. If Layer Opacity also governs Fader Start, playback, Bypass or feedback in the show, rehearse those functions separately. Check other inputs to that parameter because the Envelope also transforms them. Save and reopen the tested setup, repeat important cues and retain the original mapping as a fallback.
Test the result
Record the raw message minimum, parameter input, transformed output and final image for each comparison. The tested curve should reach the intended zero repeatedly while preserving usable control above its boundary. Verify playback transitions, bypass and feedback separately where required; a black image or zero output marker alone does not prove a raw MIDI zero or the same trigger behavior. Repeat after reopening with the actual controller and cue route.
Conditions to consider
An Envelope shapes the input to a parameter, including mouse, MIDI, OSC, FFT and animation; it is not a repair or calibration of the physical fader. The useful curve depends on measured values, shortcut mode/range, parameter units and the installed revision. It can change resolution and response near its flat region and also affect other control routes. The Clips manual documents Fader Start when fading a layer up, but does not establish that every Envelope-shaped zero is equivalent to a received zero for bypass, playback triggers or feedback. Controller faults, message generation and multiple assignments need their own diagnosis. GLMedia has not executed this workaround or tested the controller.
Why does an effect animation restart when I trigger a column, and how do I check its Start Settings?
A parameter's animation has its own start conditions, separate from the video's transport and the animation's loop or end behavior. A column or clip cue can therefore restart an effect that you expected to continue. Identify the exact parameter and panel, inspect every enabled Start Settings condition, and compare changes in a saved rehearsal copy. Starting on composition load is one possible policy, not the right choice for every cue.
What to check
Save a composition copy and record the Resolume edition and exact revision. Identify the effect instance, animated parameter and its owner: Clip, Layer, Group or Composition. Distinguish an effect's Opacity from Clip/Layer/Group Opacity even when their controls have similar names. Write down the intended behavior: begin when the composition loads, begin with a particular cue, or keep running while unrelated columns change.
Open the animated parameter's cogwheel menu and inspect its Timeline or BPM Sync controls and Start Settings. Record every enabled Composition Load, Clip Trigger or Column Trigger condition where offered, rather than only the one you want. Inspect duration, In/Out range, direction and loop/end behavior separately. A play-once/hold or continuation setting does not by itself exclude a new start event. Available choices depend on the parameter's panel; inspect a Group parameter's actual controls instead of assuming a documented default for another owner applies.
In the rehearsal copy, keep the animation range and playback mode unchanged while comparing one start condition at a time. If column cues should leave the existing animation running, compare disabling the column-trigger condition where offered. If the intended start is composition loading, enable that condition where available and review any remaining clip/column conditions: the manual permits multiple conditions at once. Current documentation excludes composition-load and column-trigger conditions on Clip parameters; do not move the effect to another owner without comparing its visual scope.
Trigger the same column before, during and after the test animation, observing its playhead or phase, parameter value and combined image. Also trigger an individual clip and an unrelated column to separate the actual events. Compare whether the animation restarts, continues or remains at its end as intended. For BPM Sync, inspect BPM Phase Lock separately: disabling it changes phase alignment while retaining tempo sync; test that choice only when the cue requires it, rather than using it as a general reset fix.
Save and reopen the rehearsal copy to test composition loading, then repeat the real clip/column sequence at the intended output. If you instead need manual starts, the manual allows disabling the automatic conditions and starting the parameter animation manually; rehearse that action separately. When reusing a parameter-animation preset, recheck its stored Start Settings and Animation Settings and the destination's In/Out points, which the preset does not store. Retain the original settings as a fallback until the tested start policy matches the show.
Test the result
Record which event starts or restarts each intended parameter: composition opening, individual clip trigger, column trigger or manual start. Repeat the actual cue order while checking phase, value and final image, including after the animation reaches its end and after reopening. Confirm unaffected parameters and content remain correct. Removing one visible reset does not validate every enabled condition or the complete show sequence.
Conditions to consider
Check the installed revision, owner and available menu labels. The current manual specifies Composition, Layer and Clip start-setting defaults but does not list a Group default; the general animation menu varies by panel. Clip parameters do not offer composition-load or column-trigger start conditions. Start Settings governs parameter animation, not video transport, Beat Snap, physical output timing or a global scene recall. BPM Phase Lock is a separate tempo/phase choice. GLMedia has not executed these checks in Resolume or on hardware.
How can I fade video without lowering audio when Master affects both?
First identify whether the control belongs to a clip, layer or composition. A layer’s Master combines audio and video, while its Video Opacity and Audio Volume provide separate level controls. The composition also has distinct Audio and Video sections. Rehearse with the appropriate control at the intended scope, checking the final image and main audio output. This changes level control, not the clip’s transport or audio driver.
What to check
Save a test copy of the composition and note the installed Resolume revision. Use a known audiovisual clip and identify the layer actually playing it. Record the controls you currently move and whether they belong to Clip, Layer or Composition. In Preferences > Audio, confirm Audio Output Device and Master Output Channels. Listen to that main output while observing the final composition; preview audio may use separate channels.
Open the selected owner’s properties and identify Common, Audio and Video where available. A layer’s M/Master controls both media; its A/Audio Volume and V/Video Opacity are separate. For a single clip, inspect its Audio properties and the Opacity in its extended Video properties. Clip Audio properties require an audio track. If controls are hidden, consult the View options in your installed revision; displaying controls is not an unlink operation.
For one layer, keep the relevant Master controls at their normal open level in the test copy and leave Audio Volume fixed. Fade the layer’s Video Opacity/V down and back up while checking the image and listening to the main audio output. Compare with Audio Volume/A at fixed video level if you need an audio-only fade. Use M/Master when an intentional combined fade is required; do not mistake it for the video-only control.
For the whole composition, use the Opacity in its Video section to rehearse a visual fade, keeping its Audio volume fixed. Use the composition’s Audio section for a separate overall audio fade. For adjustment of only one clip, use that clip’s individual Video Opacity or Audio volume instead, then check the layer and composition levels above it. Record the owner and parameter so a local adjustment is not confused with a show-wide change.
Compare manual operation with the show controller, checking which parameter actually moves and whether another assignment or animation also changes Master or Audio Volume. Rehearse fades with the intended clips and other layers present. Check Fader Start and any pause, eject or bypass actions separately: level controls do not guarantee uninterrupted playback. Save and reopen the test copy, repeat the important cues and retain the previous assignments as a fallback.
Test the result
At the chosen scope, record the video-only fade with Audio Volume unchanged and check the actual main output, then reverse the test for an audio-only fade. Confirm that the controller moves the intended owner’s parameter and that upstream Master controls remain as expected. Repeat after reopening and with the real cue sequence. A visible slider position or sound in preview alone does not verify the final output.
Conditions to consider
These are separate level controls, not a documented switch that unlinks every Master relationship. A clip adjustment affects that clip, a layer adjustment its playing content, and a composition adjustment the combined output. Upstream Master attenuation, routing, effects and other control assignments can still affect the result. Separating levels does not separate audio/video transport, remove Fader Start behavior or repair an audio driver. View menu labels and control visibility depend on the installed revision; an old menu suggestion is not proof of its current layout.
Which MIDI mode should I test when a rotary stops at a limit, jumps or turns a parameter the wrong way?
An encoder’s physical movement does not identify its MIDI messages. Compare incoming values before choosing Absolute, Relative or Fake Relative, then test direction, step size and endpoint behavior on one intended parameter. Keep the shortcut target and parameter limits separate from controller output and feedback. A finer software increment can improve the tested response, but does not prove higher message resolution or a particular controller configuration.
What to check
Save a composition copy and preserve the MIDI shortcut preset with Save as... before changing assignments. Record the Resolume revision, controller model, configured controller mode and connected ports. Choose one parameter with a recognizable result, identify its Clip, Layer, Group or Composition owner, and note its current value, units and required lower/upper limits. Keep the original mapping available; use a numeric reference value where the parameter allows direct entry. Record any animation, Envelope or Dashboard link that also controls the result.
In Preferences > MIDI, enable the intended input and inspect the MIDI monitor. Turn the control slowly in both directions, reverse direction and continue through its physical or reported endpoint. Record the port, message type, channel, controller number and sequence of values; compare one movement with faster turns separately. The manual describes standard CC values as 0–127. Do not interpret a parameter’s displayed range as the raw message range, or infer a relative format from an endlessly turning knob. If no matching messages arrive, investigate the documented controller route first.
In Shortcuts > Edit MIDI, inspect the matching assignment, Input Device and Target where offered, and isolate unintended duplicate bindings in the test preset. Compare Absolute for positional CC values, Relative for an actual relative rotary, or the documented Fake Relative option for a physically endless knob that sends absolute values. Choose from the options actually offered in the installed revision; do not invent additional relative variants or treat Fake Relative as a hardware specification. Exit editing and compare the same small movement from several starting parameter values before accepting a mode.
For the Relative or Fake Relative comparison, inspect the available Steps and Step Size controls. The manual links them: a smaller Step Size gives a smaller value change and more Steps. Change one setting, repeat the same slow movements and reversals, and record the displayed parameter change. Compare Invert only when testing direction. Test Loop separately if wrapping from the upper endpoint to the beginning is required; otherwise retain the intended bounded behavior. Observe raw messages at the endpoint as well as the parameter, including any Dashboard range that constrains the result.
Repeat slow turns, fast turns, reversals and endpoint tests through the planned cue sequence, including after changing panel selection and reopening the saved composition/preset. Compare incoming messages, parameter values and final image separately. If the intended controller configuration uses MIDI feedback, inspect the actual outgoing shortcut device/routing and verify its response against the controller’s official documentation; enabled output alone does not prove it receives or applies feedback. Keep the tested increment and bounds in the show notes. If stopping or jumps persist, preserve the observations rather than claiming a resolution increase or a successful controller configuration.
Test the result
For each tested mode, record the incoming message sequence, direction, parameter change per movement and behavior at both endpoints. Repeat from different starting values, after changing selection and after reopening. The chosen owner should respond with the rehearsed increments and bounds without unwanted jumps; verify feedback separately if used. A smoother displayed value does not establish more raw MIDI resolution, correct operation of every controller mode or a hardware repair.
Conditions to consider
The current manual documents Absolute, Button, Relative and Fake Relative for CC shortcuts; its Relative illustration shows a closed dropdown and does not establish further named variants. Available options, parameter units, controller messages, firmware and feedback behavior require checking in the actual setup. Fake Relative is a documented software mode, not proof of any controller’s endless behavior, bit depth or compatibility. Steps/Step Size and Loop change the tested parameter response, not the source message resolution. A Dashboard or Envelope can add another mapping stage. These proposed checks prescribe no controller utility profile and were not executed by GLMedia in Resolume or on hardware.
Why can Arena receive timecode while a clip’s Transport offers no SMPTE option?
A working timecode display verifies reception, while SMPTE eligibility belongs to the selected clip. Arena does not offer SMPTE transport for clips containing an audio track. In a saved composition copy, identify a video clip with audio and remove only its clip audio track, preserving the original media and planned audio delivery. Then check the transport choice, input, offset and separate clip activation before rehearsing playback.
What to check
Save a separately named composition copy before changing the clip and keep the original media file and composition available. Record the installed Resolume edition/revision, intended clip, source file and observed symptom: timecode in the viewer but no SMPTE choice in that clip’s Transport. SMPTE input requires Arena. If the embedded audio is needed for the show, document and preserve its planned delivery path; do not remove its only usable copy or assume the video’s timecode mode will deliver sound.
Select the intended clip by its name handle so you can inspect it without triggering it. Expand its Audio and Video properties, checking that it actually has a video track and whether Audio Properties are present. The manual exposes Audio Properties only for a clip with audio. Compare the selected clip with the clip you intend to play; a working SMPTE display does not establish the selected clip’s eligibility. Changing Audio Volume is a level adjustment, not the documented operation for removing the track.
Only on the test video clip that also has audio, use the X inside Audio Properties to remove that audio track. The manual also documents Strip options for audio and video; if using that menu in the installed revision, choose the audio option deliberately. Keep the video track and confirm that Audio Properties disappear while the intended picture remains. Do not use the layer’s large eject X, clear the entire slot or strip Video. If there is no video track, stop this procedure instead of removing the clip’s only content.
Reopen the test clip’s Transport/Timeline dropdown and check for the required SMPTE 1 or SMPTE 2 choice. In Preferences > Audio, verify the incoming SMPTE signal and its source frame rate for that input; compare the SMPTE display with the intended source. Set the clip’s starting Offset to the planned cue. Receiving timecode and selecting clip transport are separate checks. Keep the timecode input configuration separate from the removed program-audio track. If the choice remains absent, preserve the edition, track state and observations rather than removing more content.
Activate the test clip in its intended layer separately: SMPTE controls the playhead but does not send the clip trigger. With the planned timecode source, rehearse the cue start and a seek to an identifiable point; record the clip position and final picture. Check required program audio through its preserved delivery path independently. Save and reopen the test composition, then repeat the track-state, transport, input, Offset and activation checks. Keep unresolved timing or audio-delivery questions separate from the result that the SMPTE choice became available.
Test the result
In the saved test copy, the intended video remains, its clip audio track is absent and the required SMPTE transport choice is available. Record the selected input, source frame rate and Offset, then activate the clip separately and compare playhead movement and final picture with the planned cue. Repeat after reopening. Verify required sound through its preserved path independently; an available mode or moving timecode display does not establish end-to-end synchronization.
Conditions to consider
The current manuals restrict SMPTE input to Arena and exclude clips with an audio track. The Audio Properties X removes clip audio; the layer eject X and video-strip controls have different purposes. This procedure changes the test clip in a saved composition copy and preserves the original media; it does not prescribe conversion, deletion of the source file or removal of the timecode input. It is unsuitable for an audio-only clip. Clip activation, offsets, cue timing and sound require their own checks. These proposed checks were not executed by GLMedia in Resolume or on hardware and guarantee no universal timing or seamless playback.
Send the date, venue and what each screen should show. Include the equipment your team provides so the proposal can define preparation, testing and operation.
