Resolume · media server / VJ and mapping software

Resolume Arena content management software

Arena is the fuller of Resolume's two products: alongside classic clip-based VJ mixing (layers, blend modes, effects, BPM sync) it offers built-in output mapping tools for projecting onto complex surfaces (projection, LED wall), output grouping and more robust output handling intended for professional use. It can be controlled over MIDI, OSC and DMX, and it natively supports NDI, Syphon/Spout and web/REST API integrations.

On LED wall projects, Arena typically comes up where the shape of the wall is not a regular rectangle (curved, modular, column-based layouts) and the content also has to be mixed and controlled by hand, live, during the event — so at concerts, exhibitions and live shows, rather than for playing back static, scheduled advertising content.

Where the Resolume Arena sits in the signal chain. Every stage of the diagram is clickable — it takes you to that category.

Where the Arena sits in an LED wall system

Arena stands at the start of the chain: the output of the machine's graphics card (HDMI or DisplayPort) goes to the LED processor's input, or the picture reaches the controller over NDI, across the network. Distributing the pixels is not Arena's job but the LED processor's — Arena's task is to output a continuous picture field matching the wall's full resolution. On the Advanced Output interface the output can be broken into slices, so separate pictures can be assigned to several processors or to several wall sections some distance apart. Its Art-Net and DMX outputs are also suitable for driving separate LED strips and pixel fixtures.

WHEN IT IS THE RIGHT CHOICE

At live events, concerts and installations, where the content going onto the LED wall has to be mixed and treated with effects in real time and fitted (mapped) to the wall's individual geometry.

WHAT TO WATCH OUT FOR

The main difference between Arena and the cheaper Avenue is the presence of built-in mapping tools (advanced output, input maps) — on an irregularly shaped LED wall this often justifies the more expensive Arena licence over Avenue.

The Arena in practice

The most important practical rule is the codec: Arena plays back most stably in its own DXV3 format, and the bundled Alley utility converts to it — with H.264 files at high resolution, dropped frames and stuttering appear. Content has to be rendered at the wall's native resolution: a 1920x1080 video made for a 384x256 pixel wall will look washed out when scaled up, and the caption unreadable. The licence is per machine and is put in place by online activation; before a tour it has to be settled whether the backup machine needs a separate licence or whether it can be transferred. The learning curve is short — putting together a clip-based show is a few hours' work — but there is no Hungarian interface or support.

Alternatives to the Arena

If the wall is a regular rectangle and no output slicing is needed, the cheaper Resolume Avenue is also enough. With irregular geometry, MadMapper or TouchDesigner's Art-Net output is the better choice. For long-running, scheduled, unattended playback (a museum, a permanent installation), WATCHOUT or PIXERA is the right tool, because those are built around timecode and redundancy. For scheduled advertising content, none of them: Xibo or Yodeck is the right category there.

Arena manual and datasheet

The documents live on the manufacturer's own site and open in a new window — so you always get the latest version. We do not copy or translate their contents.

Resolume Download The official download page for Windows and macOS, with the Arena and Avenue versions. Download in English · resolume.com · opens in a new window Difference between Avenue and Arena The official comparison of the functional differences between Arena and Avenue. Web page in English · resolume.com · opens in a new window

Arena on video

The player is only embedded on click — until then not a single request goes to YouTube.

Demonstrates Resolume Arena's projection mapping function as part of a tutorial series. Open on YouTube

A quick guide to LED display mapping with the Slice/Transform tool. Open on YouTube

On the manufacturer's official channel, demonstrates handling setlists in Arena. Open on YouTube

Arena: what users report

A concise summary of experiences published in public professional forums and communities. Not our opinion, and not a quotation — the source is always available.

On large, complex Resolume Arena compositions the control module re-requests the complete state through the web server API at every button press, which occasionally causes noticeable slowdown; alongside the official fix, one user also released their own community-patched version, and the slowdown occasionally returns after days of use.

GitHub — bitfocus/companion-module-resolume-arena (issue #146) — open the source

On the positive side, one commenter describes Resolume as the 'finished, packaged' control surface of VJ software: it is the program behind the live visuals seen at many concerts, in contrast to the freer but rawer 'toolbox' character of TouchDesigner.

Hacker News (id: 37706462) — open the source

Several users reported that the control module sometimes fails to connect or crashes on start-up, regardless of whether Arena is running at all; the problem improved with a version update, but similar complaints have resurfaced across several releases.

GitHub — bitfocus/companion-module-resolume-arena (issue #119) — open the source