Glossary of show and projection terms
Short answer: Plain definitions for the words used across this help center, from "cue" and "curtain warmer" to "throw ratio" and "edge blending".
Software and show terms
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Access Key | A code Broadway Media emails to a collaborator so they can sign in to StagePlayer without their own account. |
| Act / Scene / Cue | The structure of a show in StagePlayer and Stage Studio. An act holds scenes; a scene holds cues. |
| Action video / Loop video | In StagePlayer each cue has an action video (a one-time moment) followed by a loop video that repeats until the operator advances. |
| Blackout | Removes the picture from the projection without ending the show. |
| Controls window | The operator's window, kept on the computer screen. The audience never sees it. |
| Output window | The window that shows scenery on the projector or LED wall. |
| Curtain warmer | An image shown before the show or between acts. |
| Crossfade | A gradual blend from one video to the next. StagePlayer's default is about 2 seconds. |
| Hard cut | An instant change with no crossfade. |
| Extended display | A computer setting that treats the projector as a second screen. Required for StagePlayer and Stage Studio (the opposite of mirroring). |
| Mirroring | The projector shows the same picture as the computer screen. Turn this off. |
| License period | The dates you may perform with rented scenery. Before it starts, scenery shows a watermark. |
| Rehearsal material | Watermarked scenery you can rehearse with before the license period. |
| Standard License / Professional License | Broadway Media scenery licenses. Standard plays in StagePlayer; Professional adds export to QLab. |
| Scenic Projections | Broadway Media's animated scenery packages made for a specific musical or play. |
| Digital backdrops | Individual animated backdrops from Broadway Media's library of 3,000+. |
| OSC | Open Sound Control, a network protocol show-control apps such as QLab use to trigger each other. |
| QLab | Show-control software from Figure 53, often used for sound, lighting and video. |
| Warping | Reshaping the picture so it fits an angled projector or an uneven surface. |
| Edge blending | Overlapping two or more projectors so they form one seamless, wider picture. |
| Virtual output | A StagePlayer setting that treats several projectors as one picture (in development in 2.x). |
| Watermark | A mark over the scenery shown before the license period, or in Stage Studio's free tier when using Pro tools. |
Projector and hardware terms
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Lumens | Brightness of a projector. 5,000 lumens or more is recommended for stage use. |
| Throw ratio | Distance from the projector to the surface compared with picture size (for example 1.5:1). Lower numbers give a bigger picture from closer. |
| Short throw / ultra short throw | Projectors or lenses with a throw ratio below 1:1. |
| Aspect ratio | Width to height. Broadway Media scenery is 16:9. |
| Resolution | Number of pixels. HD is 1920 × 1080. |
| Keystone / corner adjust | Projector menu settings that straighten a skewed picture. |
| HDMI | The usual cable between computer and projector. Keep runs to 50 feet or less. |
| CAT6 with HDMI adapters | A network cable with an HDMI adapter on each end, used for runs longer than 50 feet. |
| Front / rear projection | Projecting onto the front of a surface, or onto the back of a semi-translucent screen. |
| Cyc (cyclorama) | A large curtain or wall at the back of the stage, often used as a projection surface. |
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Still stuck?
Show Goods product help is self-service, with no live chat or phone support. Try these next:
- Pick your product in Which product do I have? and open its troubleshooting guide.
- Search this help center using the words you see on screen (button names or error messages).