Recommendations and tips when configuring or upgrading your projection hardware projector - TV - screens - NDI - wireless - cast - smart - network

Applicable SongShow Plus Versions: 
This article applies to all versions of SongShow Plus

 * Ensure that you are using the most current build of SongShow Plus from the Download page for the best experience. *   

A crucial component to consider when using SongShow Plus is the target device(s) that your projected output will be displayed on.  The quality of your audience experience can rely heavily on this component. 

While the Support Team cannot make specific product brand recommendations, we do want to share some things to consider when selecting your display devices and configuring your overall setup.

NOTE: This is only intended as general guidance and not an endorsement of any particular technology.  You should consult local resources (your IT department or local vendor) to make a final decision.  

Technology
Projector and Display (TV) technology is changing all the time.  While new leading-edge tech can be interesting, it can also be costly and in some cases, difficult to implement. Take into consideration your current projection environment as well as any budget restrictions when selecting a base technology for your update. In most cases, using proven solutions that are compatible with your current setup will be the easiest to implement.

Resolution
The display resolution used for the projected output can affect other areas of your setup. For 95% of implementations, 1920 x 1080 HD is sufficient.  While 4K is great for up close living room viewing, once your viewing distance goes beyond 25 - 30 feet, the benefits of 4K are negligible. We are not saying that 4K is unsupported or useless, but as a factor to consider for the overall setup, 4K displays and supporting hardware can be more expensive and harder for your PC to render.  Even if you get devices that are 4K natively, you should consider running your setup configured for 1920 x 1080 HD.

Connection (cables)
The connection between the PC and your display devices is critical to consistent and lag-free viewing. There are several factors to consider regarding your display setup:

• Connector/Display technology types - Modern Graphics solutions may have more than one Connector/Display type.  While there are some adapters available, it is best to have the output of the PC and the input of the Display Device use the same Connector/Display type.
• Physical distance between the PC and your display device - Each Connector/Display type may have different signal strengths and therefore distance can be a huge factor.  Some are designed for longer distances while other can have limits as short as 2 meters.  Resolution also comes in to play here as 4K limits are much shorter than HD.  It pays to do a little research on this before purchasing new equipment. 
• Quality - Connecting cable/device quality will be important to the overall stability of your setup.  It makes little sense to ruin a projection experience costing thousands by using $5 cables. Use high quality shielded cables as well as powered devices when using switches or splitters.

Connection (wireless)
The connection between computer and display can be wireless, though we do not recommend it.

• Connection technology types - Modern Smart TV solutions in particular may have more than one way to connect.  Even non smart TVs with HDMI connections can have "Casting" devices connected to them. These technologies may include direct connection to smart TVs, wireless adapters, ChromeCast or similar devices.  Windows 10 and higher also has a process to connect displays wirelessly.  
  • Whichever wireless display technology is used, it MUST appear in Windows as a display for SSP to be able to "see" it.
    **NOTE** - SSP Support cannot assist with setup of any wireless display technology.  
• Physical distance between the wifi connections,  PC  and/or your display device - Each wireless connection technology may have different signal strengths/bandwidth and therefore distance can be a huge factor.  Some are designed for longer distances while other can have limits based on bandwidth or your WiFi network.  Resolution also comes in to play here as 4K limits are much shorter than HD.  It pays to do a little research on this before purchasing new equipment. 
• Quality - Device connection quality will be important to the overall stability of your setup.  It makes little sense to ruin a projection experience costing thousands by using low bandwidth/quality connections. Use high speed WiFi as well as dedicated channel if possible. 
• Use Case - Using wireless displays can be convenient but may also be less reliable.  This may be a good solution for Workstations to more easily add a second display for testing or training since reliability here is less important.

Quantity
If you are replacing a single large screen with multiple smaller screens/display or simply increasing the coverage with multiple displays, you should consider a powered splitter.  This will allow the exact same content from SongShow Plus to be shown on multiple targets without having to increase the complexity of the SSP Display Settings or deal with the added resource overhead of your PC generating the same content multiple times.

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 you have any questions regarding the use of or issues with SongShow Plus, please contact the Support Team.

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