Docs — install

Install guide

From a fresh Mac to visuals on a screen in a few minutes. Everything lives in the one app — there is nothing else to install and no account to create.

What you need

• A Mac with Apple silicon (M1 or later), macOS 13 or newer.
• A network that the Mac and your camera phones share — Wi-Fi, or Ethernet for the Mac with Wi-Fi for the phones. Avoid venue guest networks — they often stop devices from seeing each other (see Troubleshooting).
• Cameras — optional. Phones, USB cameras, the Mac's own camera… or no camera at all: Demo Mode shows everything on bundled concert footage.

1 · Install

1. Unzip the download and drag to Applications, then open it. STAGEVIS is signed with a Developer ID and notarized by Apple; macOS still asks you to confirm the first open once. Click Open.
2. macOS asks for permissions when a feature first needs them: Local Network (macOS 15 and later; usually at first launch — allow it, or phones cannot connect), Camera (only when you add this Mac's camera or a USB camera; phone cameras never need it) and Microphone (only when you turn on Audio input or Audio out). If you clicked Don't Allow, open System Settings → Privacy & Security, switch STAGEVIS on under that permission, then quit and reopen the app.
3. The welcome tour opens on its own. To see visuals right away, click Try Demo Mode: it plays bundled concert footage, no setup.

2 · Add a camera

• Any phone's browser (including iPhone) — nothing to install. On the Mac scan the code in the preview (it is there while no camera is on the program and the preview is big enough; click it for the join link and certificate details), or open the Cameras card → pair a camera (the QR button). The code opens on Web. Scan the QR with the phone's own camera app, on the same network as the Mac. See “The security warning” below.
• Phone with the Android app — install the app (next section), then switch the pairing card to Native and scan that QR inside the app. The Web QR is for browsers; the Android app does not read it.
• USB camera — plug it in, then hit the cable button on the Cameras card.
• This Mac's camera — the laptop button on the Cameras card.

A camera's row turns green (Live) when its picture arrives. If it doesn't, the row shows what to do next. The Troubleshooting guide covers each case.

Free mode runs two live cameras at once. A third is refused with “Camera limit — enter a license to go beyond 2” on its row; a license removes that cap.

The security warning

The first time a phone opens the camera page, its browser says the connection is not private. That is expected: browsers only allow camera access on secure pages, and the Mac makes its own certificate for the page.

• Safari (iPhone): Show Details → visit this website → Visit Website.
• Chrome (Android): Advanced → Proceed to the address.

Then tap Go live and allow the camera. The warning appears the first time each phone opens this Mac's camera page, and again after the Mac's network address changes (another venue or router) or the phone's browser data is cleared. The page streams only while it is on screen, so turn the phone's auto-lock off (iPhone: Settings → Display & Brightness → Auto-Lock → Never).

Android camera app

1. You need Android 8.0 or newer. The APK is published with the first release. On the phone, open https://stagevis.app/download/StageVisCamera.apk in Chrome and download the file.
2. Android asks you to allow installs from this source — allow Chrome to Install unknown apps, go back, and tap Install.
3. Google Play Protect may warn that the app is unrecognized. Tap More details → Install anyway.
4. Open the app and scan the Native QR from the pairing card.

To update, download the new file the same way and install it over the old one; settings stay.

3 · Put it on the big screen

1. Hit DETACH above the preview — the output window opens.
2. Pick the target screen with the display button (top-right on hover); the choice is remembered.
3. ⌃⌘F for fullscreen. The cursor hides itself.
4. Use the checkerboard button for a test pattern while lining up the projector or LED wall.

The output is composed at the camera's resolution (720p or 1080p) and upscaled to the display, so a 4K wall shows an upscaled picture, not native 4K detail. If the Mac struggles, Settings → RENDER SCALE (Auto / 100 / 75 / 50) trades sharpness for smoothness; see Troubleshooting.

4 · Before the show

Read the Show-Night Runbook: a checklist that starts an hour before doors and catches the usual problems while there is still time to fix them.

· hello@stagevis.app · stagevis.app