Setting up projector displays
Which URL to open on each screen, how to go full-screen, and what to do if the projector shows the wrong event or asks for a PIN.
For: Venue owners, technical staff
Your projector displays are how the audience, performers, and backstage crew all see the same live information — the current act, the timer, director messages, and sponsor images. This guide walks you through opening the right URL on the right screen and making sure everything looks great before the show starts.
The three displays
NextSet gives you three separate displays for different parts of the venue. Each one is a different URL you open in a browser.
| Display | URL | Who sees it |
|---|---|---|
| Main projector | nextset.ca/<venue>/<event>/projector |
Audience — the big screen at front of house |
| Backstage monitor | nextset.ca/<venue>/<event>/backstage |
Performers in the green room — rundown, who's on next, changeover clock |
| Onstage monitor | nextset.ca/<venue>/<event>/onstage |
The current performer on stage — large timer, director cues |
Replace <venue> and <event> with the slugs from your event's director page. You can also copy the link directly from the director controls.
Step-by-step: opening a display
- On the device you want to use as the display (a laptop, TV stick, mini PC, or tablet), open a browser.
- Type or paste the projector URL for your event — for example,
nextset.ca/rockvault/thursday-open-mic/projector. - Once the page loads, press F (or F11 on some keyboards) to go full-screen.
- The display will show the current timer state immediately and update live as the director runs the show. You don't need to touch it again.
That's it. Leave the browser open full-screen and the display takes care of itself from there.
Going full-screen reliably
A few tips that make full-screen more dependable across different devices:
- Dedicated browser tab — close other tabs on that device so the browser has full resources for the display.
- Disable screen savers and sleep — on Windows, go to Power & Sleep settings and set sleep to "Never." On a Mac, set Screen Saver to "Never" in System Settings.
- Disable auto-updates and notification banners — a system notification popping up over the projector is distracting. Turn on Do Not Disturb or Focus mode.
- Raspberry Pi / dedicated display device — launch Chromium in kiosk mode (
chromium-browser --kiosk <url>) so the browser fills the screen automatically at boot and nothing can accidentally exit it. - TV overscan — if the edges of the display are cut off on an older TV, look for an Overscan or Picture Size setting in the TV's menu and set it to "Full" or "1:1 Pixel."
Themes
The main projector supports four visual themes. Add ?theme=<name> to the URL:
| Theme | URL parameter | Look |
|---|---|---|
| Default | (no parameter needed) | Clean dark design |
| Neon | ?theme=neon |
High-contrast glow |
| Minimal | ?theme=minimal |
Stripped-back, text-forward |
| Punk | ?theme=punk |
Bold, high-energy |
For example: nextset.ca/rockvault/thursday-open-mic/projector?theme=neon
Sponsor and welcome displays
When the show hasn't started yet (the timer is in Idle mode), the main projector shows your event's welcome or sponsor content. You set this up in the event settings — upload a sponsor logo or welcome image, and it appears automatically while the director hasn't started the first item.
Once the director taps Start on the first set, the projector transitions to the live display.
Private events and access links
If your event is set to private (common for corporate events, private parties, or Fan Pro events), the projector URL will show a PIN prompt when someone opens it without access.
To let a projector TV load without typing a PIN every time:
- In the director controls, find the Access link for the projector.
- Use that link — it includes the access code in the URL and the display will open directly.
- Once the browser has accepted the code once, it remembers for that device. The TV won't ask again unless you clear the browser cookies.
Directors and venue owners bypass the PIN gate automatically when they're logged in.
OBS and streaming overlays
If you're streaming the event, use the OBS overlay URLs instead of the full projector page. These load a transparent timer layer you can add as a Browser Source in OBS:
- Timer only:
nextset.ca/obs/<eventId>/timer - Lower third:
nextset.ca/obs/<eventId>/lowerthird - Full overlay:
nextset.ca/obs/<eventId>/full
Find the eventId in your event's settings or in the URL bar when you're on the director page.
Common problems
The projector shows the wrong event. Double-check the <venue> and <event> parts of the URL. Each event has its own unique URL — if you copy the link from last week's show and the event slug is different, you'll see old data. Get the current link from the director page.
A PIN prompt appears and I don't have the PIN. The event is set to private. Ask the venue owner or event director for the access link — it opens the display directly without typing a PIN. If you're the owner and the prompt appears even when you're logged in, make sure you're signed into the right NextSet account.
The display is slightly behind the director. A second or two of difference right after the director taps a button is normal — it corrects itself automatically. If a screen is stuck far behind for more than a few seconds, reload that tab. It will re-sync immediately and pick up the current state.
The timer stopped updating. Check the internet connection on that display device. The projector reconnects on its own, but a quick page reload forces an immediate refresh. The director's actions are still being recorded — the display just needs to catch up.
The screen went to sleep mid-show. Disable sleep and screen saver settings on that device before the show (see the full-screen tips above). If it happens during a show, wake the screen and the projector will reload and re-sync.