Route Projectors and Displays to Outputs (Video Routing)

Last updated 28 July 2026

How to route projectors and displays to outputs (Video Routing)

The Video Routing window connects your scene's Projectors and Displays to physical and virtual outputs. Every Projector or Display must be routed to an output before it produces a visible signal.

[USER-ACTION-REQUIRED: Attach a screenshot of the Video Routing window here showing a typical multi-projector matrix with some routes active]

Before you start

  • At least one Projector or Display added to your scene
  • Physical displays or projectors connected to the server before launching Backstage (GPU outputs are detected at startup)
  • A Backstage project open with your scene loaded

Steps

1. Open the Video Routing window

The Video Routing window is a tab in the main workspace area, alongside the Scene View and Node Editor. Click the Video Routing tab to switch to it. If the tab is not visible, open it from the View menu.

2. Understand the matrix layout

Video Routing is a grid matrix:

  • Rows list every Projector and Display in your scene, organized by scene group hierarchy. Expand or collapse groups to find the device you need.

  • Columns list every output: GPU outputs, NDI outputs, DeckLink outputs, ST 2110 outputs, and others. Split outputs appear as nested columns beneath their parent.

  • Cells contain checkboxes. Check a cell to create a route. Uncheck it to remove the route.

3. Route a Projector or Display to an output

Find your Projector or Display in the rows on the left. Find your target output in the columns along the top. Click the checkbox at their intersection. A blue checkmark confirms the route is active.

The Projector or Display now renders to that output.

You can also route from Scene Objects: right-click a Projector or Display, select Video Routing, and check the desired output directly from the context menu.

4. Verify the route is active

A routed output shows a blue checkmark in the matrix cell. To confirm the signal is reaching the physical output:

  • Hover over the output column header to see a live preview tooltip of the rendered view.

  • Backstage highlights the corresponding physical output when you hover its column, helping you match cables to outputs during setup.

  • Check the eye icon in the column header — the output must be turned on (not blacked out) for the signal to be visible.

5. Route to a split output

When a GPU output has been split (for example, a UHD output split into 2x2 HD quadrants for a video splitter like a Datapath FX4), the parent output appears as an expandable column. Expand it to reveal the sub-outputs (e.g. 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4). Route your Projectors or Displays to these sub-outputs individually.

To split an output, select it in the Outputs panel and configure the split in the Inspector under the Split section. The Video Routing matrix updates automatically.

Split root outputs (the parent column before splitting) do not show routing checkboxes. You must route to the individual sub-outputs.

Options explained

Setting

Description

Values / Range

Routing checkbox

Connects or disconnects a Projector/Display from an output. Each output can be routed to one Projector or Display at a time.

Checkbox

Turn on / Turn off (eye icon)

Enables or disables the output signal. When turned off, the output produces no image. The route remains in place — the output is just blacked out.

Toggle button (in column header)

Mesh Warp (warp icon)

Opens the Output Warping window for the routed Projector. Only available when a Projector is routed to this output.

Button (in column header, Projector outputs only)

Row header (device name)

Click to select that Projector or Display in Scene Objects and show its properties in the Inspector.

Button

Column header (output name)

Click to select that output in the Outputs panel and show its properties in the Inspector.

Button

Hover preview

Hover over a column header to see a live preview tooltip of the Projector's rendered view, and to highlight the physical output on the connected display.

Tooltip (hover on column header)

Common Mistakes

  • No output columns appear — GPU outputs are detected at startup. If you connected a display or projector after Backstage launched, restart Backstage so it detects the new output.

  • Checkbox does not appear on a split output — You are clicking the parent (split root) column. Expand it and route to the individual sub-outputs instead.

  • Output is routed but the projector shows black — Check the eye icon in the column header and make sure the output is turned on. Also verify that a Sequence is playing content targeted at the Surface this Projector covers.

  • Warp icon is greyed out or missing — The Mesh Warp button only appears for outputs that have a Projector routed to them. Route a Projector first.

Tips

  • Connect all displays and projectors before launching Backstage. GPU outputs are only detected at startup.

  • Use color labels on your scene groups and devices to visually match rows to your physical installation. The colored indicator appears next to the device name in the routing matrix.

  • Hover output columns to trigger the physical output highlight during setup. This helps confirm which cable goes to which projector.

  • The right-click Video Routing menu in Scene Objects is a quick way to route a single device without switching to the full matrix view.

GPU Output — properties of physical GPU output slots (bit depth, color space, sync).

Visual Output Default Properties — shared output properties including split options, blend mask, and mirror.

Output Warping — mesh warping for keystone correction and blending alignment.

Audio Routing Window — routing audio streams to mixers and audio outputs.

NDI Routing Window — routing NDI input slots to NDI sources.