SSP Best Practices - Windows Display Settings for SongShow Plus
4/26/2024
Applicable SongShow Plus Versions:
This article applies to all versions of SongShow Plus
In addition to the other system settings noted in other articles, we make the following recommendations regarding the Windows system Display Settings for SongShow Plus:
- Enabling Windows Displays
- Ensure that in the Windows display settings, there are the correct number of displays enabled that you want to use with SongShow Plus. It is possible to have more displays connected to the Windows machine than are used in SongShow Plus (and that is OK) however, SongShow Plus will not recognize the displays you want to use unless they already exist in Windows.
- To set up the Windows displays:
- Start with the PC off.
- Connect ALL displays that you are going to use to the PC and ensure they are turned on.
- Turn on the PC and allow it to boot fully to the desktop and sign in as needed.
- Windows should detect the connected displays. Ensure that all connected displays are showing some Windows desktop content.
- Open the Windows Display Settings page -- right-click on desktop and select Display settings.
- There should be an indication of each connected display in the Rearrange your displays section.
- Click on the Identify button to temporarily display a number on each connected display.
- Ensure that you can see and recognize each distinct number of the connected displays (there should be no duplicates)
- If all displays are not automatically detected in Windows:
- Click on the Detect button to force a scan for each connected display.
- If you are not able to get all display connected and configured in Windows, DO NOT proceed to SSP setup - Consult your IT department or Hardware support resources for assistance.
- Start with the PC off.
- Configuring Windows Displays
- We recommend using the Recommended Display Resolution from Windows display settings for the best results. The exception to this is when devices have a large (4K) native resolution. In most cases this will make the content on the desktop too small to read. Adjusting the resolution setting (NOT the scaling) will correct this properly for use with SSP.
- ALL external display devices intended for use with SongShow Plus should be set to EXTEND the desktop (Extend these displays) in the Windows display settings to ensure availability to SongShow Plus.
- Ensure SSP is not running.
- Open the Windows Display Settings page: r-click on desktop and select Display settings.
- Scroll down and locate the Multiple displays setting.
- Click the drop menu and select the Extend option for ALL the displays you want to be part of the Windows desktop.
- Open SSP and ensure that all displays are detected.
- If you are not able to get all display connected and configured in Windows, DO NOT proceed to SSP setup - Consult your IT department or Hardware support resources for assistance.
- We recommend using the Recommended Display Resolution from Windows display settings for the best results. The exception to this is when devices have a large (4K) native resolution. In most cases this will make the content on the desktop too small to read. Adjusting the resolution setting (NOT the scaling) will correct this properly for use with SSP.
- Scaling Windows Displays
- We do not recommend scaling the Windows displays to anything other than 100%. SongShow Plus is expecting a canvas that matches the display resolution and changing the scaling will most likely disrupt the proper projection outputs from SongShow Plus. Scaling will also reduce the amount of desktop "real estate" you have for applications and the Presenter window.
- SongShow Plus and all of it's child windows are expecting the scaling to be at 100%. Deviation from this will adversely change the way SSP controls are displayed.
- IF there is a desire to adjust the size of the display (this usually happens with displays with a resolution higher than 1920 x 1080) to make some content more readable, we recommend decreasing the Windows Display resolution setting to 1920 x 1080.
- To set the Windows Scaling on all of your connected displays:
- Ensure SSP is not running.
- Open the Windows Display Settings page: r-click on the Windows desktop and select Display settings.
- Select the number 1 display.
- Scroll down and locate the Scale and layout setting.
- Click the drop menu and select the 100% option for scaling.
- Repeat as needed for all connected display devices.
- If you are not able to get all display connected and configured in Windows, DO NOT proceed to SSP setup - Consult your IT department or Hardware support resources for assistance.
- Open SSP and verify the interface appears as expected.
- Mirroring Displays in Windows (This should only be used in specific cases where Multi-display is not supported in SSP.)
- It is possible to use the Windows display settings to mirror (duplicate) content on two Windows displays if you have two or more display devices connected to your Windows machine. This would behave similarly to an external splitter device, showing the same Windows content on the selected Windows displays.
In the context of SongShow Plus, this can be used to have a local confidence display showing the same content as the projection output. - NOTE: While windows will allow you to use the Duplicate function with mismatched display resolutions, for use with SongShow Plus we strongly recommend against this. Set the resolution on the displays to be duplicated to the same resolution before proceeding to avoid unpredictable scaling and orientation issues.
- To enable this:
- Ensure SSP is not running.
- Open the Windows Display Settings page: r-click on the Windows desktop and select Display settings.
- Select the number 1 display.
- Scroll down and locate the Multiple displays setting.
- Click the drop menu and select the Duplicate option for the two displays you want to show the same Windows content.
- Repeat as needed for all connected display devices.
- Open SSP and present some content. Ensure it appears at both locations.
- NOTE: Obtaining the Ultra version will enable Multi-display in SongShow Plus.
- It is possible to use the Windows display settings to mirror (duplicate) content on two Windows displays if you have two or more display devices connected to your Windows machine. This would behave similarly to an external splitter device, showing the same Windows content on the selected Windows displays.
Following these guidelines for your SongShow Plus system should contribute to trouble-free use.
Training Videos - A video walk-through of this process may be available. Depending on your current subscription level, you can go to the GoFishMedia website training page and log in with the same Customer ID and password that you use to log in to the SongShow Plus site or activate SongShow Plus. Review this article for more details.
If this article does not resolve the issue, contact the Support Team.
(SSP124)