Changes & Improvements in MediaShout 7.7.1
- NEW FEATURE - New integration with Unsplash media service
- Unsplash.com is a popular source for royalty-free images. We have added a way for you to search and insert content from their library directly within MediaShout! There is an article specifically dedicated to this subject which is available here.
- Unsplash.com is a popular source for royalty-free images. We have added a way for you to search and insert content from their library directly within MediaShout! There is an article specifically dedicated to this subject which is available here.
- NEW FEATURE - New integration with Pixabay media service
- Pixabay.com is a popular source for royalty-free images. We have added a way for you to search and insert content from their library directly within MediaShout! There is an article specifically dedicated to this subject which is available here.
- Pixabay.com is a popular source for royalty-free images. We have added a way for you to search and insert content from their library directly within MediaShout! There is an article specifically dedicated to this subject which is available here.
- NEW FEATURE - You can now Copy / Paste media content into cues from the Clipboard
- There many occasions where you find a picture of something that you want to add to your cue. Now you no longer have to save the image first and then import it, but instead you can simply Copy from the source application and then Paste into your cue! [NOTE: This only works with images. If you attempt this with content which is not supported, nothing will happen.]
- There many occasions where you find a picture of something that you want to add to your cue. Now you no longer have to save the image first and then import it, but instead you can simply Copy from the source application and then Paste into your cue! [NOTE: This only works with images. If you attempt this with content which is not supported, nothing will happen.]
- NEW FEATURE - New options to remap USB Remote buttons in a more flexible way
- We have always had the ability to link a USB remote control to MediaShout for control of the presentation, but now we've taken it one step further and have added a system where you can map individual buttons on your remote to the specific functions as you desire! Here is an article that explains how to do that.
- We have always had the ability to link a USB remote control to MediaShout for control of the presentation, but now we've taken it one step further and have added a system where you can map individual buttons on your remote to the specific functions as you desire! Here is an article that explains how to do that.
- IMPROVEMENT - Update Display numbers to match Windows Display settings better
- Windows uses a very complicated system to assign the numbers that you see in Windows Display Properties, and there have been many cases where those differed from the numbers that we are able get from Windows itself. We have now changed the way that we process and show display numbers so that--for example--you should not see displays 1, 5 and 6 as options to select from. Instead, that case will now show displays 1, 2 and 3 as the available options. There may still be instances where those numbers do not line up exactly with the Display Properties numbers, but the odds are a lot higher that they will now. The more displays that you have connected (four or more, for example) the higher the likelihood that the number will not match. Unfortunately, this is a very complicated function to work with, and Windows itself is often inconsistent in how the numbering takes place. But we're doing whatever we can to make the configuration process as easy as possible.
- Windows uses a very complicated system to assign the numbers that you see in Windows Display Properties, and there have been many cases where those differed from the numbers that we are able get from Windows itself. We have now changed the way that we process and show display numbers so that--for example--you should not see displays 1, 5 and 6 as options to select from. Instead, that case will now show displays 1, 2 and 3 as the available options. There may still be instances where those numbers do not line up exactly with the Display Properties numbers, but the odds are a lot higher that they will now. The more displays that you have connected (four or more, for example) the higher the likelihood that the number will not match. Unfortunately, this is a very complicated function to work with, and Windows itself is often inconsistent in how the numbering takes place. But we're doing whatever we can to make the configuration process as easy as possible.
- IMPROVEMENT - Improved the visibility of text menu options in the Light theme
- The text in the toolbar menus for Text Color and Highlight Color were very hard to read. So we fixed it!
- The text in the toolbar menus for Text Color and Highlight Color were very hard to read. So we fixed it!
- IMPROVEMENT - Changed default thumbnail point on video objects to 0:02 seconds
- When you insert a video into a cue, a thumbnail image is automatically generated for display in the cue and script. We used to always grab the first frame of the video, but we found that in a large number of cases that only provided a black screen due to the video beginning with a fade from black. We have changed this to now grab the first frame of second two (0:02) so that there is a higher likelihood of getting a useful thumbnail automatically. As always, you can still manually change the thumbnail if you would like to.
- When you insert a video into a cue, a thumbnail image is automatically generated for display in the cue and script. We used to always grab the first frame of the video, but we found that in a large number of cases that only provided a black screen due to the video beginning with a fade from black. We have changed this to now grab the first frame of second two (0:02) so that there is a higher likelihood of getting a useful thumbnail automatically. As always, you can still manually change the thumbnail if you would like to.
- IMPROVEMENT - Improved and Simplified the Export feature
- The Export function was previously a bit tedious to use for multiple reasons. We have now made the following changes:
- The three types of export are no longer 'side menus' off the main menu item, so now we have been able to add a keyboard shortcut (CTRL+E) to access this window. It was also tedious to click the File menu, then Export, then a side sub-menu to get there, so even if you don't use the shortcut it's still faster.
- All of the settings in the Export window are now saved as you modify them, so if you prefer a PNG instead of a JPG, you should only have to change that once and it will remember that. The same goes for the file path where you want those to be saved. And the same for the type of export you are doing. (And all the users said 'Hallelujah'!)
- The Export function was previously a bit tedious to use for multiple reasons. We have now made the following changes:
- IMPROVEMENT - Changed the default file type to be SC7 for new installations
- The two types of script files (SC7 and SC7X) each have different pros and cons. While SC7X files are more flexible since they save all of the media content of your script, if you always use the same computer to create and run your presentations, you don't need that--and it causes longer script saving and opening delays. We're changing the format that is used by default (on new installations only) to help new users have the best, quickest experience. As always, if you are a more advanced user who moves your scripts between systems, you still need to use SC7X files for that, and nothing should change for you.
- The two types of script files (SC7 and SC7X) each have different pros and cons. While SC7X files are more flexible since they save all of the media content of your script, if you always use the same computer to create and run your presentations, you don't need that--and it causes longer script saving and opening delays. We're changing the format that is used by default (on new installations only) to help new users have the best, quickest experience. As always, if you are a more advanced user who moves your scripts between systems, you still need to use SC7X files for that, and nothing should change for you.
- IMPROVEMENT - Changed the default tab in the Background window
- After giving a lot of thought to ways that we could make things easier and faster to use, we realized that the majority of the times when you go into the Background settings to change or set something, it's the background Image or Video and not the color. So we are now taking you straight to that tab when you go Background settings!
- After giving a lot of thought to ways that we could make things easier and faster to use, we realized that the majority of the times when you go into the Background settings to change or set something, it's the background Image or Video and not the color. So we are now taking you straight to that tab when you go Background settings!
- IMPROVEMENT - Changed the color of Browse button in Background > Image/Video tab
- In keeping with our pursuit of making MediaShout easier to use, we have had complaints that users found it difficult to figure out how to change the background. In looking at those settings, it became clear that the Browse button kind of got lost a bit, so we made it easier to identify and access with a splash of color!
- In keeping with our pursuit of making MediaShout easier to use, we have had complaints that users found it difficult to figure out how to change the background. In looking at those settings, it became clear that the Browse button kind of got lost a bit, so we made it easier to identify and access with a splash of color!
- IMPROVEMENT - Added a shortcut to access Background settings from cue right-click menus
- To make the Background settings easier to access--even if you don't have the Layers tab open--we have added Background to the right-click menu in the cues.
- To make the Background settings easier to access--even if you don't have the Layers tab open--we have added Background to the right-click menu in the cues.
- IMPROVEMENT - Adjusted the behavior and message when using Fire mode in Bibles
- There are a couple of infrequently used Splitting options which can make a Bible cue template unusable in Fire mode if it is set as the default. Our previous messages on that window were unclear about that, so it wasn't obvious why that would do nothing in that situation. We have attempted to improve that use case. (This will not affect very many users, but we're always on the lookout for ways that we can make things more clear and understandable.)
- There are a couple of infrequently used Splitting options which can make a Bible cue template unusable in Fire mode if it is set as the default. Our previous messages on that window were unclear about that, so it wasn't obvious why that would do nothing in that situation. We have attempted to improve that use case. (This will not affect very many users, but we're always on the lookout for ways that we can make things more clear and understandable.)
- IMPROVEMENT - Added options for failover between local and remote Lyrics databases
- We recently added advanced options which will allow users to configure an external Lyrics database if they desire. One facet to that use case that was missing, however, was the ability to 'fall back' to a local copy of the Lyrics in case the remote database became unavailable. This has now been addressed, but it's work in progress, so please let us know if you are using this feature and what further improvements we can make.
- We recently added advanced options which will allow users to configure an external Lyrics database if they desire. One facet to that use case that was missing, however, was the ability to 'fall back' to a local copy of the Lyrics in case the remote database became unavailable. This has now been addressed, but it's work in progress, so please let us know if you are using this feature and what further improvements we can make.
- IMPROVEMENT - Updated the default Bible database to include additional translations
- We have added both Swedish and Ukrainian localizations in recent releases, but previously there was no bible translation in those languages in the default bible database. We have corrected that oversight now, so new users who are trying out the software will have a bible available in their selected language.
- We have added both Swedish and Ukrainian localizations in recent releases, but previously there was no bible translation in those languages in the default bible database. We have corrected that oversight now, so new users who are trying out the software will have a bible available in their selected language.
- IMPROVEMENT - Remapped Vertical Tab characters during import into Lyrics
- We recently discovered a little-known side effect of importing text into Lyrics from a PowerPoint which causes problems. It seems that PowerPoint sometimes inserts a old type of formatting character, called a Vertical Tab, to keep track of text grouping. In those cases our app had no idea what to do with them, so we now map that to be a carriage return so that we can complete the text import successfully. [This is a pretty rare case, so it won't affect many users.]
- We recently discovered a little-known side effect of importing text into Lyrics from a PowerPoint which causes problems. It seems that PowerPoint sometimes inserts a old type of formatting character, called a Vertical Tab, to keep track of text grouping. In those cases our app had no idea what to do with them, so we now map that to be a carriage return so that we can complete the text import successfully. [This is a pretty rare case, so it won't affect many users.]
- IMPROVEMENT - Updated the installer to use the latest WebView package
- Some of our features make use of a built-in Windows web tool called WebView. We have added that to our installer so it ensures that the latest update to WebView is present on your system. If you watch the installer, it will appear toward the end. If everything is already up to date, it will only check that and then move on--but it should always be part of the installer process now.
- Some of our features make use of a built-in Windows web tool called WebView. We have added that to our installer so it ensures that the latest update to WebView is present on your system. If you watch the installer, it will appear toward the end. If everything is already up to date, it will only check that and then move on--but it should always be part of the installer process now.
- IMPROVEMENT - Updated the underlying files to .NET Framework 4.8.1
- Our entire application is built upon a very common set of Windows development tools call .NET Framework. Previously we were using a version of those which was current in the early days of MediaShout 7 but which has been superseded by newer and better versions. So as part of our ongoing maintenance of the foundation, we updated versions of .NET.
- Our entire application is built upon a very common set of Windows development tools call .NET Framework. Previously we were using a version of those which was current in the early days of MediaShout 7 but which has been superseded by newer and better versions. So as part of our ongoing maintenance of the foundation, we updated versions of .NET.
- FIXED - Thumbnails on the Welcome screen were cut off when not in Full Screen mode
- There were some cases when MediaShout was not being used full-screen where the script thumbnails in the Welcome screen were not displaying correctly. We have changed this, so you will probably noticed that they all look somewhat different now in most cases. Hopefully it's an improvement!
- There were some cases when MediaShout was not being used full-screen where the script thumbnails in the Welcome screen were not displaying correctly. We have changed this, so you will probably noticed that they all look somewhat different now in most cases. Hopefully it's an improvement!
- FIXED - Library folders had large gaps between them in some cases
- We noticed that sometimes there were big unsightly gaps between the folders in the media library that were not supposed to be there. So we fixed it!
- We noticed that sometimes there were big unsightly gaps between the folders in the media library that were not supposed to be there. So we fixed it!
- FIXED - Selected Comment cues were not shown as selected in Presenter view
- Comment cues can be really helpful to show notes for the user in the script. But there were some cases where they would not show as selected at all in Presenter view, and that could be confusing. So we fixed it!
- Comment cues can be really helpful to show notes for the user in the script. But there were some cases where they would not show as selected at all in Presenter view, and that could be confusing. So we fixed it!
- FIXED - Changed the error behavior when the Remote app has a port conflict
- The remote app for iOS uses a server which is built into MediaShout, and there could sometimes be a situation where the server could not function correctly if there was a network port conflict on the computer. The error message for this situation was very confusing, so we changed the behavior and the error message to (hopefully) make it more what is happening when that occurs. (It doesn't happen often, so if have never seen this error message you have nothing to worry about.)
- The remote app for iOS uses a server which is built into MediaShout, and there could sometimes be a situation where the server could not function correctly if there was a network port conflict on the computer. The error message for this situation was very confusing, so we changed the behavior and the error message to (hopefully) make it more what is happening when that occurs. (It doesn't happen often, so if have never seen this error message you have nothing to worry about.)
Hopefully this has helped you get started with the new fixes and improvements in MediaShout 7. If you have any questions about these, or anything else with the software, please reach out to our support team and they would be glad to assist!
(2026-05-28, DF)