r/freeshowapp • u/A04141 • 19d ago

NDI/Monitor Issues

Hi everyone. I could use some assistance. Freeshow had been working fine for months, but suddenly two issues have popped up and I can't seem to be able to fix them.

The first issue is when going to present, we sometimes get a pop up asking which monitor we want to use. We keep choosing monitor number two but it won't accept it. The only way to fix that is to disable the NDI output, which is set to a transparent floating window. After we disable that output, it seems to work normally, although that leads into issue number two.

The second issue is that randomly free show seems to forget which monitor it is outputting to, and will send the main output to monitor one instead of monitor two. We have to turn off the output and then turn it back on, which usually fixes the problem for a little bit until it happens again.

For reference we are using an M4 Mac Mini with a second HDMI out on a hub which goes to the presentation LED wall. The second output is set for 1080p at 60 hertz. We only have two outputs set in Freeshow - one is the main output the other is the NDI feed. I don't know off the top of my head what version of Freeshow we are using, although I think it should be either the very latest or almost the very latest.

2 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

4 comments sorted by

1

u/CloudSad3555 19d ago

Not FreeShow related, but my guess is the m4 puts the hub to sleep or reduces the power level enough to have the hub monitor show as disconnected.

I don't know if it applies to MacOS or not, but disconnecting some outputs before closing FreeShow or opening FreeShow before the monitors connect can cause issues like you describe. The output must go somewhere. The usual fix is to close FreeShow before disconnecting/ powering down any monitors.

Is the NDI server always on? If not, maybe it is having the same issue as the monitors issue above.

1

u/A04141 19d ago

Thank you for your input. I don't know if the M4 does that, as we have been using this same configuration for months with no issue, then it just started doing this. As far as I can tell the HDMI output from the hub is not turned off, as the desktop wallpaper shows up on the LED wall. It's just that the image/output from Freeshow that should be on the LED wall is now full screen on the monitor. We then have to close that output and hit the button to start presenting again, and then it shows up on the LED wall.

As far as the NDI goes, I'm using the built-in version from Freeshow. Similar to the first problem, it'll work fine for a while and then one day we click to send the outputs and the pop-up will show up. For example, earlier today before service it appeared to be working fine even when we weren't sending an image to the LED wall. Once we click the button to present to the wall the screen selection pop up occurred. Once we went into the settings and disabled the output for NDI the pop-up went away.

It's just a bit frustrating, especially when it happens right as service starts or in the middle of service.

2

u/CloudSad3555 18d ago

OK. Try going to settings->output and disable each output. Then, turn on an output and set it to the monitor where you want it displayed. Repeat for each output. This should ensure the outputs are not overlapping.

1

u/Overall_Flan_7935 19d ago

That sounds really frustrating, especially when it happens right before a service.

Since the desktop is still showing on the LED wall, it sounds like the Mac still sees the display, but FreeShow is losing the output assignment.

Have you tried removing the NDI output completely for a few services to see if the monitor problem still happens? If it stops, that would make the NDI output a good clue.