Event video and screens: content, sizing and signal paths

Start with what each audience area needs to see

Mark the stage, columns, tables and screens on the floor plan. Next to each screen, write what it will show: slides, cameras, videos, branding or visuals. For example, the backdrop behind a panel can keep the session title on screen while side screens show the person speaking. That requires separate outputs and content.

Test the most demanding slide from the seat with the poorest view. For camera images, check that faces appear at a useful size and that image delay is acceptable. For visuals, review contrast, widescreen content and lighting together. A video that looks good from the center can conceal a table that is unreadable from the side.

Use the examples below to compare functions and placement. Viewing distances and sightlines matter as much as attendance. Before approving the proposal, review dimensions, pixel matrices and connections with the provider.

LED, projection or monitors: compare them by use

You can combine technologies. In a hotel, two monitors can bring the presentation closer to tables with a poor view of the main screen. At a trade show, an LED screen can carry branding while a nearby monitor shows product details. Ask for image width, height and placement: a diagonal measurement or the phrase “giant screen” leaves too much undefined.

For projection, check the lens, image size and available throw distance before placing the projector. Include the speaker’s movement: crossing the beam can obscure the presentation. Epson explains the relationship between throw and position and provides model-specific calculators. Use the one for the proposed lens. Epson: throw distance and positioning.

Pixel pitch and distance: keep criteria and units separate

Pixel pitch is the distance between the centers of adjacent LED pixels, measured in millimeters. Over the same area, a smaller pitch provides greater pixel density. Planar distinguishes visual acuity distance—the distance at which a person with 20/20 vision no longer resolves individual pixels—from estimated comfortable viewing distance. Content and individual eyesight also affect the result. Planar: viewing distance.

In Planar’s table, a 2.50 mm pitch corresponds to 8.60 m for visual acuity and 4.30 m for estimated comfortable viewing. These are different criteria; neither requires placing the front row at 8.60 m. Check the units too: the document’s abbreviated 10×pitch rule gives feet, not meters.

Compare the pitch with the closest audience position and the actual content. A table still needs sufficiently large text even when individual pixels are no longer visible. Camera banding requires a separate test. Ask for a sample and view it from the event’s planned distance before choosing.

Physical size, pixels and files: three dimensions to coordinate

Request width and height in both physical units and pixels. For LED, the matrix depends on the number of modules or cabinets and their pixel counts in each direction. Give that information to the content designer, along with the input map if the processor will receive a different canvas.

For example, an ideal 4 × 2.25 m surface with an exact 2.5 mm pitch would have 1600 × 900 pixels: 4000/2.5=1600 and 2250/2.5=900. Actual cabinet dimensions and pixel matrices may prevent that exact combination. A 3840 × 2160 input does not make this a native UHD screen.

Build a template showing visible areas and space for speakers, branding and subtitles. Decide what happens to a file with a different aspect ratio: empty bands, cropping or a new composition. If filling the LED screen requires stretching a face or a slide, revisit the design.

Map sources and outputs before opening Resolume

Draw the path: presentations, playback and cameras → switching or mixing → processing and distribution → screens. For each connection, note resolution, frame rate, connector and destination. An adapter may change the connector without converting resolution, refresh rate or content protection.

In Resolume, Advanced Output distributes parts of a composition across outputs, scales content for LED processors and aligns projections. Some functions require Arena; check the edition and version before building the map. Save the installation preset, then reopen it to verify it. Resolume: Advanced Output.

The Resolume help center covers outputs, mapping and playback in more detail. Also decide who controls each type of content: a speaker may need their usual presentation software while the visuals operator uses a different system. Rehearse who triggers each cue and what stays on screen during a source change.

Rehearse content, cameras and lighting together

Request presentations with embedded fonts and media, finished videos, durations and the running order. Play every video through to the end and listen to its audio: there may be silence at the start, the wrong mix or an unexpected ending. Also practice opening files and leaving the player without showing the desktop to the audience.

With a person standing in front of the LED screen, test show lighting, screen brightness and camera settings together. Check the face, background and movement in the camera feed, then save the chosen settings. An image that looks stable to the eye may show bands in a recording.

For image magnification, coordinate screen placement and size with camera coverage. For streaming, prepare graphics and a composition for the remote audience; they may need a different version of the in-room content.

Checks before doors open

Check every source and destination. Work with the installation team on supports, power and indoor or outdoor site conditions; those checks depend on the equipment and venue.

1. Draw the layout and record the pixel matrix

   Measure placement and sightlines. Record physical dimensions, pixels, the input signal and what each screen receives.

2. Prepare content and backup

   Open the final files, check fonts and audio, and keep a working copy and a holding image ready.

3. Set up with the crew responsible for the system

   Check supports, power, cable routes and access, including indoor or outdoor conditions. Label every signal path.

4. Check every source and destination

   Show slides, videos and cameras on every screen. Check framing, proportions and any cropping.

5. Rehearse the running order

   Test small text, complete videos, audio and source changes with cameras and lighting operating.

6. Assign operation and recovery responsibilities

   Save settings, assign tasks and test the holding image, recovery procedure and shutdown.

What helps us prepare a proposal

Send the date, venue, floor plan and setup and rehearsal schedule. Add audience distances, seating or standing arrangements and a sample presentation or video. If the event includes cameras, panoramic backgrounds, streaming or recording, describe what each destination needs to receive.

The proposal should identify screen area and pixel matrix, sources, processing, cable runs, supports and crew. Include the planned tests and the time available for them. This information lets us review the system; models, availability and pricing are confirmed for the specific event.

Two video faults to include in rehearsal

Include two checks in the ATEM rehearsal: a desktop that captures its own program return and a display receiving an incompatible format.

When a presentation captures its own program return

If you see windows repeating into the distance, trace the signal before changing cameras. Separate the speaker’s content, the meeting control window and the program return. If that return is visible inside the desktop sent to the switcher, it is captured again in its own image.

On a Mac with an external display, open System Settings → Displays and check Use as: are you extending or mirroring the desktop? Send only the presentation to the switcher and keep the meeting and its return on the operator’s display. Then test switching between camera and computer with the video call connected and someone watching at the remote destination.

A separate computer is an option when the workflow still combines content and program return; two computers are not required for every event. Record which display each application opens on, and check the speaker’s view, the room and the remote feed separately.

For these functions, see Apple: extend or mirror the desktop and ATEM Mini Pro: inputs and USB output.

The screen reports “Out of range”

Record the monitor model and the switcher’s output resolution, frame rate and scanning format. A monitor accepting a direct camera connection does not prove it accepts the ATEM’s current output. HDMI identifies the connection; you still need to check the signal carried by it.

Save the configuration and check the operating standard in ATEM Software Control. Find a format supported by both the ATEM Mini Pro and the monitor. Test a direct cable first; once the image appears, add distributors and extenders one at a time to find where the problem returns.

Use that format only if every destination supports it. Then test the presentation, multiview and program feeds required for the event. Record the working standard in case an update or replacement changes it.

The setting is described in ATEM Mini: Changing Switcher Settings; model-specific formats are listed in ATEM Mini Pro: output standards.

Keep notes with the speaker and slides on program

Before sending slides to the screen, connect the entire chain and write down what each destination should show: notes for the speaker and slides for the audience. In PowerPoint for Windows, start the slide show and check the feed reaching the switcher or screen. If the views are reversed, open Display Settings in Presenter View and choose Swap Presenter View and Slide Show. Use the equivalent labels in your installation’s language.

Next, check which display or window the video call captures. Swapping the PowerPoint views does not verify what the remote audience receives. Have someone watch that destination while you change slides and play a test video. The speaker should also confirm that their notes and controls are visible.

Close and restart the slide show during rehearsal. Microsoft notes that some versions restore the previous display configuration when the show ends, so repeat the check after a file or equipment change.

The controls are described in PowerPoint: Presenter View and swapping displays; behavior when closing the show is covered in PowerPoint: presenting on multiple monitors.

Choose playback for the outputs you need

Before choosing a computer or dedicated playback server, list the destinations that need different content, each output format, cue controls and audio routes. Test with the client’s actual files. Connector count and simultaneous video playback capacity need separate checks.

For example, the preliminary CorePlay Tetra data sheet describes four DisplayPort 1.4a outputs, custom resolutions and EDID management. For HDMI or SDI destinations, also check the required conversion and the next device’s supported formats. If control comes from the switcher system, confirm the protocol, driver and versions on both devices.

Check which functions are available in the offered firmware. The referenced preliminary data sheet lists genlock and video input for firmware 2.1. That does not establish the version installed on a particular unit. If the show depends on either function, request the version and test it before finalizing the design.

Prepare the switch to backup playback: files ready, output connected and a way for the operator to select it. Rehearse the change and check picture and sound at the destination. Specify which failures the backup must cover—power, application, files or signal path—and verify what remains available in each case.

Example reference: CorePlay Tetra: preliminary data sheet Rev1 06/2026, p. 3. Compare the functions with the manufacturer’s specifications and the version of the unit you will use.

Throw distance changed: reassess the lens, screen and room lighting

Throw distance alone does not determine the brightness an event needs. To compare a projector at 65 ft with one at 15 ft, you also need image size, projector, lens, screen surface and room lighting.

Compare setups at the same image size and request the projector, lens and screen surface model in each proposal. Record the room lighting planned for the slides. Besides checking whether the image fits the screen, test readability from the audience’s seats.

1. First check whether the lens can produce the required image

   Use the table for the proposed projector and lens. For example, Epson distinguishes model, lens, aspect ratio and zoom in its 16:10 table for the EB-PU1008B with ELPLM08. That range applies to that combination; do not transfer it to a different short-throw or long-throw lens.

2. Choose the screen surface for the audience positions

   Request a surface intended for front or rear projection, as appropriate. Da-Lite explains the relationship between gain and viewing angle: a surface that appears brighter from the center may appear dimmer from the sides. Test those seats too.

3. Compare a real slide under the event lighting

   Use the smallest text, a dark image and the lighting scenes that accompany the speaker. Check the center and sides. If text loses clarity, record the seat, projector, lens, surface and lighting used for the test. Take those details to the provider before selecting the system.

Build a video map the crew can follow

When several computers, cameras and screens are involved, use an input and destination list. Share it with the crew making the connections. Use identical names on cables, the list and the processor, so everyone identifies the same source when you request “main presentation.”

For each row, record source, physical connector, destination, agreed format and test status. Distinguish “connected” from “tested”: a plugged-in cable may still carry the wrong image. If you change a destination during setup, update its row before marking the connection complete.

The Aquilon v6.2 manual describes renaming inputs and outputs in their settings. Blink LED helps identify the selected physical input or output connector on the rear panel. Check these controls in the version you are using. Aquilon: v6.2 manual.

Before rehearsal, verify what each destination shows. Aquilon’s multiviewer displays inputs and Program and Preview views, but also inspect the final screen. Ask another crew member to follow one row of the list: an unclear instruction there can become a show-time mistake.

Focus or zoom does not respond: check controls, lens and calibration

If the projector shows an image but focus or zoom does not respond, record the projector and lens models and the control being used. Test adjustment from the panel and remote as described in the manual. This helps distinguish a control lock from a problem that also occurs at the projector.

On the Epson EB-PU1008B, Lens Lock can block Focus, Zoom and Lens Shift on the remote. Check Settings > Lock Setting > Lens Lock and confirm lens compatibility.

The Rev06 guide places calibration under Extended > Operation > Lens Calibration. Follow its procedure when reseating a lens: turn off and unplug the projector, and wait at least 30 minutes after shutdown before removing the lens.

Return to the test pattern and a real slide to check sharpness and framing. Compare the center and edges from the audience area. Record each result. If calibration still fails after the specified procedure, stop using the projector, unplug it and contact Epson.

Two VX1000 units for one screen: map each unit’s area

Before connecting the processors, draw the screen in pixels. Record each cabinet’s resolution and mark the area each unit will drive. Include the source format and frame rate. Physical dimensions help production planning; distributing the image requires the pixel layout too.

For the standard VX1000, the V1.5.0 manual lists a capacity of up to 6.5 million pixels per unit. Its HDMI inputs are version 1.4; the table supports 3840 × 1080 at 60 Hz or 3840 × 2160 at 30 Hz. Check custom-format limits separately: adding processors does not make every input format compatible.

For Image Mosaic, define the total horizontal and vertical pixel counts, each unit’s area size and its starting position. The manual requires synchronization on every unit and the same input source as their sync reference. While Image Mosaic is active, full-screen scaling and pixel-to-pixel layer display are unavailable.

Send a numbered grid from the source and inspect the boundaries between areas for repeated columns, gaps or cropping. Then test the event’s videos and text. Save the approved map and configuration together so a cabinet change does not go unchecked.

The laptop appears on a monitor, but the switcher stays black

If a laptop works directly into the switcher but fails after adding an HDMI distributor, isolate that section of the path. Use a presentation or your own file, record the output format and compare the same source with and without the distributor. Even when the monitor has an image, check the switcher input separately.

On the Crestron HD-DA-2, the EDID DIP switches and HDCP Keys selector serve different purposes. The rotary selector sets the number of HDCP keys; turning it does not select resolution. Check the EDID received by the laptop and which output is being copied before changing settings.

Photograph the initial settings. This model’s guide requires a power cycle to apply changes made while powered on; schedule that test outside the show. If the image stays black, provide support with the complete route, formats and connection-by-connection results without assuming HDCP is the cause.

Between cues, test the shutter and the return of the image

If projection is used for only part of the show, rehearse the pause and return. Sending black video, closing the shutter and turning off the projector create different states. Choose the one that allows the next cue to happen on time.

For the PT-RQ25K, the DPQP1406ZE/X1 manual for firmware 4.00 or later, pp. 105 and 170–171, describes two settings: MECHANICAL SHUTTER set to ENABLE closes the physical shutter; DISABLE leaves it open and turns off the light source when the shutter command is used. Do not change this setting solely to reduce operating hours: the mechanical shutter also protects against strong light entering the lens.

Test the command from the show control position with the intended signal. Confirm that the image returns on cue and no menu appears on screen.

If the plan uses standby and network control, check STANDBY MODE: ECO disables network operation during standby. Plan how the projector will be brought back.

Blacks turn gray after an output change: check RGB range

If blacks turn gray when switching outputs, test the same image containing black, white and gray areas. Compare the direct path first, then the full chain. Adjusting brightness or contrast may hide the problem without resolving it.

For an NVIDIA RGB output, the control panel help describes Full (0–255) and Limited (16–235) for the selected display. Full requires a compatible destination. Choose the range appropriate for the chain and restore the previous setting if the image gets worse.

Save the original settings and also check capture and recording. Look for detail in shadows and highlights: deeper-looking black alone is not enough to complete the test.

Marks on a projection screen: check handling and storage

Set up the screen and inspect it with light from the side before adjusting focus. If the mark is on the surface, notify the provider early enough to inspect it before rehearsal.

For a Monoblox 32/64, the 08CX manual specifies retaining the original fold pattern, placing protection between fasteners and the surface, and using the surface’s separate bag. A frame component resting on the fabric can leave a mark visible in the projected image.

If the surface arrives cold, let it regain flexibility at room temperature before unfolding, as that manual specifies. For another screen, request its care instructions: steam, an iron or a heat gun requires the manufacturer’s express approval.

Before keystone, check placement, optics and screen format

With a projector positioned to the side, test small text and a grid before adjusting the corners. A movie may look acceptable while a spreadsheet becomes hard to read.

For an Epson EB-L630U, the CPD-61218R2 manual advises correcting placement first and using lens shift before keystone. Check that the model and lens support the required adjustment.

Set Screen Type before adjustment: changing it resets Geometry Correction on that family. If digital correction is still needed, check the resulting image size and actual content from the back row.

Prepare a content worksheet for each screen

Name every screen and record what it shows at each point: slides, camera, video or branding. Identify who supplies and approves that content.

Add the delivery date, filename and status: draft, approved or pending. When a presentation changes, identify the screen using it and who receives the new version.

Share the worksheet with the content designer and video operator. Before rehearsal, review which files have arrived and which are missing, so the equipment request follows the same running order.

VX1000: test port backup before calling it ready

The VX1000 V1.5.0 manual, section 5.8.2, describes Ethernet Port Backup Test for testing backup without removing cables. Confirm that the unit has the function and redundancy is configured.

During rehearsal, Disable Primary tests whether the backup port or device takes over; Disable Backup checks the primary output. Finish with Enable All to enable the unit’s Ethernet outputs. Coordinate these actions with the operator before doors open.

Record which area kept its image and through which route. A port test does not prove the system can survive playback or power failure; test those separately. Save the result with the map.

Resolume: check whether two screens share a physical output

If one screen stops outputting when another is assigned, compare Device settings in Advanced Output. The Resolume Screens manual explains that a physical output supports one screen; assigning it to another changes the previous screen to Virtual.

If several areas share a connector, place their slices under the same screen. For separate outputs, confirm that the computer recognizes them before assigning them. Test each destination and save the preset. A Virtual screen can be part of the map, but it does not send an image through that connector.

VX1000: HDMI monitoring can also affect LED output

Before adjusting the monitor, record the VX1000’s operating mode. The V1.5.0 manual states that, in LED controller mode, HDMI OUT is used for monitoring at 1920 × 1080/60 Hz and instructs users not to change its resolution manually.

During rehearsal, compare slides and cameras on both the monitor and LED screen. If a different HDMI format is needed, review the operating mode with the person responsible: the change can affect Ethernet output.

PowerPoint: set the aspect ratio before handing over the file

In PowerPoint for Windows, open Design → Slide Size in a copy of the file. Choose 4:3, 16:9 or custom dimensions; the choice affects the whole presentation.

Maximize may place elements outside the canvas; Ensure Fit reduces content to make it fit. Review text and graphics. Microsoft: slide size (Spanish source).

PowerPoint: check videos before handing over the copy

In Windows, File → Info may show Optimize Compatibility when PowerPoint detects media that needs adjustment. Work on a copy: the process removes alternate audio tracks and embedded subtitles.

For linked videos, View Links → Break Link lets you embed them when the source file is available. Play the entire copy on the show computer. Microsoft: media compatibility (Spanish source).

VX1000: compare the internal pattern with the laptop

During rehearsal, open Display Control > Test Pattern on the VX1000 and choose Grid. The pattern is unavailable while Freeze or FTB is active; check those states.

Return to Normal and test the presentation from the laptop. Record what the LED screen shows in each case. A correct internal pattern does not verify the HDMI input or its signal path.

PT-RZ120: record the signal received by the venue’s projector

For main firmware 2.00 or later, open PROJECTOR SETUP → STATUS on the PT-RZ120 with the venue technician. INPUT identifies the selected input; SIGNAL INFORMATION shows the received format and frequency.

Record those readings during the test. Some fields depend on the signal; a missing field does not by itself establish loss of video. Panasonic: DPQP1239ZF/X1, pp. 143–144.

VX1000: test input backup and return to the primary source

For individual sources using the same connector type, check Advanced Settings > Input Backup, Status On and the configured pair. Ethernet Port Backup applies to outputs.

In rehearsal, simulate signal loss and recovery. With Primary Source Preferred On, the unit returns to the primary input when its signal recovers; Off keeps the backup selected while it remains available. Record what reaches the LED screen.

Video Assist 12G HDR: check the input and format

Tap Source and choose HDMI or SDI to match the connected cable. Under Standard, record the received resolution and frame rate. Do this while monitoring the show source and comparing the image.

Skin tones look too orange on the LED screen

Compare the same signal in the file, on a monitor and on the LED screen before adjusting the camera. On Tessera SX40/S8, 14-way Colour Correct adjusts hue, saturation and brightness by color. Test it off program.

SX40/S8: prepare Ultra Low Latency

Properties → Size → Custom/Ultra Low Latency... provides the ULL settings. Use HDMI with a source that follows EDID; ULL does not support SDI. The signal is twice the canvas height, with content in its upper half. Check capacity limits and Genlock set to Active Input before rehearsal.

QLab and IMAG: compare camera signal paths

Record the QLab version, capture device and signal formats before comparing delay. A delay measured on another setup is not a specification for yours.

In QLab 5, Camera Cues → I/O, Video Input selects the input and Video Output assigns a stage. Audio Input and Audio Output identify the audio patches; with NDI input, audio comes from that source. Record these assignments before comparing routes.

Compare the camera through the full path with a compatible switcher-to-projector output while retaining the room’s sound system. Rehearse off program and save the previous settings. If titles or backgrounds are required, check how they reach the alternative path as well.

Use the worksheet to record observations from each position. Review picture and sound synchronization to prepare comparable samples, and video processing to coordinate the event’s signal paths.

vMix: identify the output feeding the room’s screens

Identify the PA signal path separately from the video path and record equipment models and software versions. A test in another room does not establish the cause or confirm a solution for this setup.

In vMix 29, Performance, Display Method affects Preview/Output and graphics-card Fullscreen, but not External, recording or streaming. Low Latency Capture has a different scope and may increase GPU load and dropped frames. Test the result rather than enabling an option based on its name.

In External Output in vMix 29, identify External Renderer, device, port, resolution and frame rate. Compare these with the formats supported by the exact output device and TV. Changing Fullscreen does not prove that the DeckLink output signal changed.

Test the room screen with the PA heard at that position, and remote playback with its own audio, separately. Record samples and routes in the worksheet. Before delaying the PA, check with the sound team what the speaker and front rows hear.

XF305: send the sound mix to a TV in an overflow room

The Canon DIM-0957-000A NTSC manual, pp. 93–94, specifies AUDIO IN set to EXT and XLR input set to LINE for a line-level signal. Do not use MIC+48V for a console output that does not accept phantom power. Check XLR Rec Channel: CH1/CH2 copies CH1 to both channels and ignores the CH2 input.

Page 146 describes HDMI carrying picture and sound. Monitor Delay on p. 148 applies to AV/headphone monitoring; do not assume it compensates HDMI. Check your camera variant and manual.

Listen to each channel on the TV and play back a clip recorded in the camera. Record the observations in the worksheet; also compare picture and sound synchronization.

Micro Converter SDI to HDMI 3G: check the audio reaching the room

The Blackmagic July 2024 manual, p. 13 describes SD/HD/3G-SDI to HDMI conversion with embedded audio. This model has no analog audio output. If the room uses an amplifier with an analog input, identify the device that will perform that conversion.

In the Micro SDI to HDMI 3G specifications, compare supported input and output formats with the event signal. Embedded audio alone does not establish that the receiver plays the desired six channels; check its manual and the source channel mapping.

Play a channel-identification signal one channel at a time and note which speaker is heard. Record the receiver mode and signal path in the worksheet. To plan this distribution, see video processing and event sound.