The Windows app¶
Moonshine runs in any browser, so the Windows app is optional. It exists for one reason: it shows the live video preview without any certificate setup.
In a browser, the preview needs an https:// address and a certificate this device trusts — see will the video preview work here?. The app connects directly to the show machine and skips all of that. Everything else is identical to the browser.
Download it from download.moonshine.software.
Installing¶
The download is an installer. Run it and it puts the app on the machine and adds it to the Start menu — no options to choose.
An installer rather than a single portable file because a portable copy cannot update itself: replacing a running .exe needs something to hand the new bytes to, and a loose file has nothing. Installed, the app updates in place when a new version ships.
Windows will warn you the first time
The installer is not code-signed yet, so SmartScreen interrupts a copy downloaded through a browser. Choose More info, then Run anyway. A copy taken from a USB drive or a network share usually skips the warning.
When it opens, it asks for the show machine's address:
Type the address of the computer running Moonshine. All of these work:
| What you type | What it connects to |
|---|---|
192.168.1.50 |
http://192.168.1.50:9980 |
showbox |
http://showbox:9980 |
10.0.0.5:9980 |
that address exactly |
https://showbox:9443 |
that address exactly, over TLS |
Port 9980 is assumed unless you type one. Press Connect.
The app remembers the address, so it goes straight there next time.
Changing the address¶
Start the app with --forget and it asks again:
That is the only way to change a remembered address — there is no setting inside the app.
Finding the show machine's address¶
On the show machine, the address is shown in Moonshine's own interface. Failing that, open a terminal there and run:
Use the IPv4 Address of the adapter that is on the same network as you — usually something like 192.168.x.x or 10.x.x.x.
If it will not connect¶
Work through these in order:
Is the show machine running Moonshine? The app connects to a machine that is already serving. Start Moonshine there first.
Are you on the same network? Both machines must be on the same LAN. A guest Wi-Fi network is often isolated from the wired network the show machine is on, even in the same building — that is the most common cause.
Is the address right? Start the app with --forget and re-enter it. A typo is remembered as faithfully as a correct address.
Is a firewall in the way? The show machine needs inbound TCP on 9980 and 17351. See what you need.
What the app does differently¶
Nothing, apart from the certificate story. Same interface, same features, same sign-in, same shared session as everyone in a browser. You can mix freely: some of the crew in the app, some on phones and tablets in a browser, all driving the same show.
The app does not hold a license. Licensing belongs to the show machine, and everyone connecting to it is covered by that one license — see the FAQ.