Common problems and how to fix them. If none of the fixes below help, the Logs are the next place to look.
No sound when a slot plays
| Likely cause | How to fix |
|---|
| No audio device selected for the mixer | Open Configuration → Audio. Select the mixer and check that Output Device has an Audio Backend and Device chosen. A mixer with no device selected produces no sound. See Audio and mixers. |
| Slot not routed to a mixer | Open the slot's settings (Edit Slot → Media tab) and check the Output mixers list. If it is empty the slot has nowhere to send its audio. See Audio and mixers. |
| Master volume turned down | In Configuration → Audio, select the mixer and check the Volume (dB) slider under Master Volume. |
| Mixer marked as PFL | A mixer marked Pre-Fade Listening (PFL) carries monitor audio only and does not appear in the Outputs panel. If your main speakers are on a PFL mixer, untick Pre-Fade Listening (PFL) in its General settings. See Audio and mixers. |
A canvas isn't showing on a screen
| Likely cause | How to fix |
|---|
| Canvas is hidden | Check the Canvases menu (labeled Outputs in the current build) in the menu bar — a tick next to the canvas name means it is shown; no tick means it is hidden. You can also toggle it with the eye icon on the canvas tile in the preview strip. See Canvases & venue mode. |
| Display not assigned to the canvas | Open Configuration → Video, select the canvas, and check the Displays list. If the screen you expect to use is not listed, select Assign to display… and choose it. See Canvases. |
| Display marked absent (not connected) | In the Displays list the screen shows as absent when it is not detected. Check the cable and display power. Once the screen is detected the status changes to present and the canvas appears on it automatically. |
| Canvas shown but display not yet connected | ArenaDirector opens the canvas in a floating window instead. Connect the assigned display and the floating window closes; the canvas moves to full screen on its own. See Canvases & venue mode. |
A controller key does nothing
| Likely cause | How to fix |
|---|
| Controller is disabled | Open Configuration → External Control and select the controller in the list. Check that the Enabled toggle is on. See External control. |
| Controller not connected or not detected | Check the USB cable. In Configuration → External Control, select Add Controller… then Rescan to re-detect the device. See External control. |
| Key has no assignment | Click the key in the controller layout view. If the Assign key dialog shows no action, assign one and select Save. Unassigned keys are dimmed in the layout. See External control. |
My license can't be verified
| Likely cause | How to fix |
|---|
| No internet connection at the venue | ArenaDirector keeps running through a grace period even without connectivity. The License Manager (via Help → License) shows how many days remain. No action is needed — it revalidates automatically when a connection is available. See Licensing. |
| Grace period has expired | Restore internet access and launch ArenaDirector. It will prompt you to sign in again. Your configuration and show data are not affected. |
| Wrong account or machine | Open Help → License and check the Account shown. If you need to reassign the license to this machine, select Unassign License on the old machine first, then sign in here. See Licensing. |
| Likely cause | How to fix |
|---|
| Folder not added or not scanned | Open Configuration → Library. Check that the folder containing your files is listed. If not, select Add Directory and point it at the folder, then select Scan. If the folder is listed but shows Never scanned, select Scan on that row. See Media library. |
| File type not supported | ArenaDirector imports audio, video, and image files — see the supported formats on the Media library page. Files in other formats will not appear after a scan. |
| Scan still in progress | A progress bar appears in the toolbar while scanning runs. Wait for it to finish and then search for the file in the Library view. |
Still stuck?
Open the Logs pane (Configuration → Logs) and look for any WARNING, CRITICAL, or FATAL entries around the time the problem occurred. Use the Level and Module filters to narrow the view.
When reporting a problem, share the exact text of any WARNING or higher entries — they are the most useful starting point for diagnosing what went wrong.