Screens and sync problems

When something looks off on a screen mid-show — the projector is behind, the timer seems frozen, or the wrong event is showing — you can almost always fix it in seconds without leaving the room or touching any settings. Here's how.

How screens stay in sync

Every NextSet screen — the director's controls, the projector display, a backstage monitor — connects to the same live show state. When the director taps Next or starts a timer, every screen updates on its own, usually within a second or two. You don't set anything up to make this happen; it's automatic.

If a screen temporarily loses its connection (a venue Wi-Fi hiccup, a laptop going to sleep), it catches up the moment the connection comes back. The fix for almost every screen problem is a simple page reload.

Fixing a projector or monitor

Projector is behind the director

If the projector shows a different timer value or an older rundown item than what the director sees, the page has lost its live connection and is displaying stale data.

Fix: Reload the projector page in the browser. The page will re-connect and immediately show the current state. You do not need to restart anything else.

To reload:

1. Click into the browser window showing the projector page.
2. Press F5 (Windows/Linux) or Cmd + R (Mac), or tap the browser's reload button.
3. The page re-loads and picks up the live show state within a few seconds.

If the projector is connected to a dedicated display (TV or projector) using a laptop, you can also keep the browser window in the foreground so the browser doesn't throttle it.

Timer is frozen

A frozen timer almost always means the screen lost its live connection.

Fix (try in order):

1. Check that the device running the projector page has an active internet connection.
2. Reload the page (F5 / Cmd + R). This forces an immediate re-connect.
3. If the director's own timer appears frozen — not just the projector — confirm that the director actually started the item. An idle timer will sit at its starting time without moving.

After a reload the timer catches up to the server's current time automatically.

Projector shows the wrong event

If the projector is showing someone else's show, or an event that's already ended, the URL in the browser is pointing to the wrong event.

Fix: Check the URL in the address bar. A projector URL looks like:

nextset.ca/<venue>/<event>/projector

Make sure <venue> and <event> match your event, not a previous one. If you're not sure of the right link, find it from your event's settings page in the director controls, copy the projector link from there, and paste it into the browser on the display device.

Fixing the director screen

The director's controls follow the same rules. If your director page looks out of sync, reload it. Your session is saved on the server, so a reload picks up where you left off — the show keeps running on every other screen while you reload.

Tips to prevent sync problems during a show

• Use a wired connection on the display device running the projector page if your venue's Wi-Fi is busy.
• Keep the browser tab visible and active. Some browsers slow down background tabs. If the projector is on a separate display, make sure the browser is in the foreground.
• Open the projector link fresh at the start of each show. Using a bookmark from a previous event can sometimes pull up an old URL.
• Test before doors open. Run through a quick timer start and mode switch from the director page while the projector is visible, so you know everything is working before the audience arrives.

Common problems

The projector is a few seconds behind the director. Reload the projector page. It will re-sync to the current show state within seconds.

The timer stopped counting and won't move. Check the display device's internet connection, then reload the page. If the director's timer is also frozen, confirm you pressed Start for the current item — an item that hasn't been started yet won't count down.

The projector is showing the right event but a wrong mode (for example, "Idle" when a set is running). Reload the projector page to pull the latest state.

The projector page reloaded but still shows stale data. Wait a few seconds after the reload for the live connection to re-establish. If it's still stuck, check whether the display device's internet connection is active at all — a disconnected device can't receive updates.

The projector is showing the wrong event or an old event. The URL is wrong. Get the correct projector link from your event's director page and enter it in the browser on the display device.

The director page itself is unresponsive. Reload your director page. Your session is stored on the server and will resume immediately — the timer and projector keep running while you reload.

Everything looks fine on Wi-Fi but falls behind on busy show nights. Consider connecting the display device to your venue network with an Ethernet cable, or move it closer to the router. The projector page uses very little bandwidth, but a weak Wi-Fi signal can cause intermittent drops.