MediaShout 7 for Windows
These instructions will guide you through the entire process of setting up Windows Display Settings and MediaShout 7 properly. If you are having issues configuring the screen layout in MediaShout after you have followed these steps, please email Support@mediashout.com.
Using MediaShout 6? Click here to see instructions.
If you are having trouble with screens going to black after launching MediaShout 7 or firing a cue, see this article.
Windows 10 & 11:
- Make sure that MediaShout is completely closed.
- Right-click on your desktop and left-click Display Settings from the drop-down menu.
- Under Multiple Displays, there will be a selection box that should be set to Extend these displays. It should NOT be set to Duplicate these displays.
- Click Identify and note which number physically shows up on the screen that the audience sees (write this information down because we will need it later)Click on the numbered box in your screen resolution window that corresponds with your audience screen.
- At this point, you will need to determine what size your physical TV or projector screen is:
- 4:3 ratio (looks more like a square) = 1024x768
- 16:9 ratio (looks more like a rectangle) = 1280x720
- 16:10 ratio (looks like a rectangle as well but just a little taller) = 1280x800
- Once you have determined which resolution you have, change the resolution for your audience screen to one of the resolutions listed in step 5.
- Click Apply (if needed) and choose Keep Changes.
- Make sure that the Windows Wallpaper or background color spans the entire screen. If you see black bars on the top and bottom or left and right, you have chosen the incorrect resolution. Go back to step 7 and try again.
- Under the numbered boxes, you will see the Scale and Layout section and Change the size of text, apps, and other items. Make sure that every numbered screen is at 100%. If you have changed any of these to 100%, please restart the computer, then continue on in these instructions.
- Open up MediaShout 7. Left-click Settings to open the Settings Window then go to Display Settings.
- Under Select Video Output, click the Drop-down list for Main Display to choose the correct screen number for the main presentation screen.
- Do the same for the Stage Display as well so they both show the correct Screen Number.
- While on the page, change your Display Resolution (for both Main and Stage) to the resolution that you set in Windows.
- To the right, make sure you have it set to Resize.
- Click Save Changes.
- On the right side of MediaShout 7, click the Viewers Tab to pull up your Viewers. Double-check to make sure the Main Resolution and Stage Resolutions match what you just put into the Settings Window
Note: This secondary Screen Resolution in the Viewers section is for the Screen Resolution of the current Script. (It is saved to the script). This allows you to easily build services for different presentation systems (Youth Room Projectors and Main Sanctuary Screens).
17. Click the Blue Fire Button on the cue you want to Fire and it will go to your screens. If the output covers your Control Screen, you can tap the F2 key (Function + F2 on a laptop) to enable/disable the screen output, then go back into Settings to try a different selection for your Main Display. Keep trying different options (there should only be 2 or 3 max) until you find the output goes to the right display. The F2 key can always be used to toggle the output on or off for the Main Display, and the F3 key toggles the Stage Display on or off.
Disclaimer: Mac's system settings frequently update and the steps below may depend on the OS your Mac is currently on...
If you're using MediaShout 6 for Mac and you're having difficulty showing your presentation, the process is slightly different.
- Close MediaShout.
- Click on the Apple Menu > System Preferences > Mission Control.
- You will need to make sure that Displays Have Separate Spaces is unchecked.
- Once unchecked, log out of your computer and log back in.
- You may also need open the Apple Menu > System Preferences > Displays then check the Arrangement tab and make sure that "Mirror Displays" is NOT checked.
- Open MediaShout.
- Click on the Settings Tab.
- Set your Displays dropdown to 2 Displays if you have a Control and Presentation Screen, or 3 Displays if you have those plus a Stage screen.
- If you find that the Main and Stage screens are flipped, then use the drop-down boxes corresponding to them over the Displays area in the Settings tab, to flip them to your different monitors, refiring a cue to test, until they show correctly.
- If you are seeing the picture isn't fitting the frame, or you have performance issues, you may need to go to the Settings > General Settings > Cue Setup area, and under Main Display, pick the resolution that has "Current" next to it (and do the same for Stage Display if you have it), and then press OK. You may need to go to File, Repaginate then refire a cue, and it should fit.
- If you have performance issues or it still doesn't fit the frame, you may need to tell Mac OS which resolution to use instead of letting it pick the best on its own. To do that, close MediaShout, then go to the System Preferences and Displays area on your Mac again.
- Click Gather Windows to bring all the windows representing your individual displays into view.
- There will be a bullet point to select Resolution, and it will be set on "Default for display." Change this to "Scaled."
- To see all available resolutions, you may need to hold down the OPTION key, and then click the "Scaled" bullet point again.
- With all resolutions in view, pick 1280x720 for a widescreen/rectangle projector screen, or most any TV screen. If your screen is a square instead, pick 1024x768. Then exit the window.
- Open MediaShout again and then go to the Settings, General Settings, and Cue Setup area. Select the resolution settings that say "Current" next to them. Then click OK again, go to the File menu and press Repaginate, then fire something to the screens again and you should be good to go.