Showout

Docs

Getting started

Install

Download the AppImage from the download page, then:

chmod +x Showout-*.AppImage
./Showout-*.AppImage

If it fails to start, install FUSE 2:

sudo apt install libfuse2      # Debian / Ubuntu
sudo dnf install fuse fuse-libs  # Fedora

Requirements

  • Linux x86_64
  • Vulkan-capable GPU with current drivers
  • The packaged AppImage includes the audited GStreamer runtime and plugins; host plugins are not required.

Verify the download

sha256sum Showout-*.AppImage

Compare the output against the SHA-256 shown on the download page.

Activate

  1. Buy a license. Your key arrives in the Lemon Squeezy receipt email.
  2. Open the license panel in Showout, paste the key, and activate.

Until activation the app runs in unlimited watermark trial mode.

Move to a new machine

A license activates on up to 3 machines at a time. Deactivate from the license panel on the old machine, then activate on the new one.

Lost your key?

Recover your order at Lemon Squeezy's order portal, or email [email protected].

Showout Quick User Guide

Showout is a performance video mixer and projection output app. This guide covers the first actions to try before a show. For the platforms and hardware currently supported, see the download page.

1. Load media

  • Open Help / Quick Start and press LOAD SAMPLE to verify the app can decode and render bundled media.
  • Expand the pinned Sources dock, select MEDIA, and choose a folder of clips or still images.
  • Or drag a supported media file into the app window. External file drops go to the currently selected layer.
  • Supported still images: PNG, JPG/JPEG, and static WebP.
  • Packaged Linux builds use the bundled GStreamer runtime. This storefront currently distributes only the Linux x86_64 AppImage.

2. Build a performance deck

  • The performance matrix has four layer rows and eight clip columns per scene.
  • Select a target layer, then use Bank to Layer N or drag a Sources item into a specific cell.
  • PLAY launches a cell using its layer's current launch timing.
  • Each layer bus has mutually exclusive BEAT and BAR timing toggles. Click the selected toggle again to turn quantization off; both off means immediate launch.
  • Column launch controls start every populated cell in that column across layers.
  • The scene strip above the matrix keeps passive View, explicit Launch, rename, copy, clear, MIDI assignment, and beat/bar launch timing together.

3. Control playback

Each layer card exposes the core transport controls:

  • Play / Pause / Restart for immediate transport. To stop at the first frame, pause and then restart.
  • The scrub slider for seeking.
  • Layer-level BEAT / BAR toggles that set clip-launch timing.
  • Loop to keep clips cycling at end-of-stream.

For smooth scrubbing in show content, prepare HAP or short-GOP H.264/H.265 clips. Long-GOP camera/streaming files can take longer to seek because the decoder must start at the previous keyframe.

4. Mix layers

  • Use per-layer opacity, solo, and bypass from the layer rows.
  • Assign layers to crossfader bus XF A, XF B, or THRU.
  • Use the crossfader to transition between A and B while THRU remains direct.
  • Layer FX and overall effects are separate: layer FX affect one layer, overall effects affect the final program output.

5. Open projector output

  • Choose the desired output display in the Runtime / Output controls.
  • Press F or use the output controls to open the dedicated output window.
  • The in-app Output Monitor parks its duplicate live shader while the projector output is open; the projector window is the live program surface.
  • If the selected monitor disappears, the app marks output lost instead of guessing a different display.

Stop live output before bulk template restore, missing-media relink, or other large show-management operations.

6. Align projection

  • Use Advanced / Setup to choose or match the canvas size.
  • Enable the calibration overlay for setup-only grid/crosshair guides.
  • Per-layer transform controls handle position, scale, rotation, fit mode, and anchor presets.
  • Warp controls expose corner pinning and mesh warp for projection surfaces.

7. Save and restore shows

  • Templates save layer settings, clip banks, scenes, mappings, canvas state, and media references; use File → Open/Save/Save As Template.
  • Media files themselves are not embedded in templates.
  • If a template is moved to another machine and media is missing, use LOCATE FOLDER or per-cell RELINK from the missing-media controls.

8. Licensing and trial mode

  • Trial mode keeps the control UI usable but watermarks the program output.
  • Enter a license key in the License section to activate full output.
  • License activation/validation runs in retained background tasks and should not block live output.
  • If first activation happens while offline, the app keeps a pending retry intent but does not grant entitlement until activation succeeds.

9. Performance Monitor, Diagnostics and updates

  • Performance → Performance Monitor… opens local runtime measurements without adding a permanent panel to the show workspace. The compact view shows timing health, the current sample window, UI-update average/peak/budget, and active source paths; SHOW FRAME PHASES reveals engineering detail when needed.
  • Performance Monitor data is local and separate from crash-report upload consent.
  • Local crash diagnostics stay on your machine by default.
  • EXPORT REPORT writes a scrubbed support copy that redacts paths, hostnames, IPs, emails, URIs, and live-source identifiers.
  • Uploads require both a build with a crash DSN and explicit operator consent.
  • Update checks are signal-only: the app can tell you a newer release exists and open the download or release notes page, but it never self-installs.
  • Release downloads should include a SHA-256 checksum beside the AppImage so you can verify the file you downloaded.

10. Show-safety tips

  • Test the exact projector/display chain before a paid show.
  • Keep your media folder local to the show machine; network/USB paths can disappear or stall.
  • Prefer prepared media for performance: HAP/HAP Q or short-GOP H.264/H.265.
  • Run a short rehearsal with Performance → Performance Monitor… before a new venue or GPU driver update; use Help → Diagnostics… only for crash-report and support controls.
  • Keep a known-good template and a few still-image fallback cells in the deck.