QLab 5 video: prepare cues, displays and show media

Identify the version, license and Mac

Reference: QLab 5.6.3, dated July 21, 2026. The official download requires macOS 11 or later. Record the Mac, OS, video license, connections and receivers. Manual sections cover QLab 5 and may evolve within that major version.

QLab 5 uses Stage for a video destination; review the correct manual before following QLab 4 Surface instructions. Also define embedded clip audio and its receiver. This guide covers video and its connection to that audio path.

Identify each stage from file to display

A Video cue needs a file target and assigned Stage. In Video Output, Stage regions send pixels to output routes, which connect to devices. Record that chain using your project’s names.

Preparation path: approved file → Video cue → Stage and region → Output Route → device → physical display. Define resolution, aspect ratio, crop and ending action per destination. A logical route does not create connectors or establish simultaneous playback capacity.

Prepare a handover another operator can open

Save a named workspace. In General → File Management, verify media copying into the project folder; do not assume it is enabled. Transfer the complete folder and open it on the receiving machine.

Compare every file with the approved delivery: filename, duration, dimensions, frame rate and audio. Preserve originals and record revisions with affected cues. Open the workspace from the delivered folder and check its file references; a backup alone does not guarantee recovery or ready outputs.

Audience and preview: define what each station needs to see

A Video Output Monitor Window shows the same picture as its Stage, allowing the operator to observe it. It is neither a separate independent video nor confirmation of the physical audience display.

If another destination needs different content, prepare an identified Stage and route for it, then assign the intended cues. First confirm licensing, Mac capacity and physical outputs. Label audience and preparation destinations, and rehearse that a review call stays off the audience display.

The output manual restricts output without a video license to one device. With a license, viable capacity also depends on equipment and the actual path; counting Stages alone is insufficient.

Three useful rehearsal checks

An active cue but no picture? Record the exact warning and follow file, Stage, region, route and device. Test an identified pattern followed by approved media, watching the final display.

Is the picture cropped or distorted? Compare file and Stage dimensions with the intended geometry. Decide whether the whole image must remain visible or fill the display before changing a setting.

Picture arrives but audio does not? Identify whether the file has audio and which patch is assigned to the cue. Agree on level, channels and receiver with the audio team; record that check separately.

Proposed scenario: awards, background and closing video

Propose a called cue list with opening video, holding background during the awards and closing video. Record file, Stage, ending action, call and approval state per cue. If independent preview is needed, label its destination so it cannot be confused with the audience output.

Rehearse the full opening, an extended award pause, interruption and a fresh closing call. Observe the final picture and expected audio each time. Save the reviewed workspace and outstanding checks. Check synchronization and performance with the intended media workload.

QLab 5 sources

Release 5.6.3 · Video Cues · Video Output · Monitor Windows · Workspace Settings / File Management. Consulted October 23, 2026. Confirm license features with the manufacturer for the intended project.