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System requirements

Hardware, OS, and network for the TouchDesigner host and operator workstations.

Moonshine runs on two kinds of machines: the TouchDesigner host that drives the projectors, and the operator workstations (any modern laptop or tablet running a browser). The TD host has real hardware demands; the operators don’t.

TouchDesigner host

This is the machine plugged into the projectors. It runs TouchDesigner and the Moonshine extensions.

Operating system

  • Windows 10 / 11 (validated)
  • macOS support is on the roadmap but not currently supported

TouchDesigner

  • TouchDesigner 2023.30000 or newer (Commercial or Pro license; the Non-Commercial license works for evaluation but limits output resolution)

GPU

  • NVIDIA RTX-class GPU recommended for live preview encoding
  • Minimum 8 GB VRAM for moderate shows; 16+ GB for shows with many large assets
  • For the high end (8× 4K outputs, heavy compositing), an RTX 6000 Ada or equivalent

CPU and RAM

  • Modern multi-core CPU (Intel i7/i9, Ryzen 7/9 class)
  • 32 GB RAM minimum, 64 GB recommended for asset-heavy projects

Storage

  • NVMe SSD for project files and assets — sequential read matters during playback

Outputs

  • Up to 32 HD outputs or 8× 4K outputs through Decklink or equivalent
  • Higher output counts are supported but become GPU-bound — measure before committing

Operator workstations

Each operator opens Moonshine in a browser. There is no install step on the operator side.

Browser

  • Chrome, Edge, or any modern Chromium-based browser
  • Firefox and Safari should work but are less tested

Hardware

  • Any laptop or tablet from the last five years
  • The browser handles the UI, vertex math, and a sub-100ms WebRTC preview stream — neither demands much

Network

  • Operators must be on the same LAN as the TouchDesigner host (or a routed VLAN that allows WebSocket + WebRTC traffic)
  • Wireless is fine for operator workstations as long as latency is reasonable. The TD host should be wired.
  • No internet connection is required for normal operation. The control plane is LAN-only.

Network ports

  • WebSocket control: TCP port 9980 (configurable)
  • HTTP asset upload: TCP port 9980 (same listener)
  • WebRTC preview: UDP, dynamically negotiated through standard ICE — opens ephemeral ports

Behind a firewall, allow operator → TD-host on 9980 and the negotiated UDP range. Most office and venue LANs need no changes.

Projectors

Moonshine is renderer-agnostic about projector make/model — anything TouchDesigner can drive over Decklink, NDI, or display output works. The product was developed against Christie, Panasonic, and Barco workhorses but you don’t need a specific brand.

For monitoring (lamp hours, temperature, signal status), Moonshine reads PJLink. Projectors without PJLink will still output correctly; they just won’t appear with live stats in the monitoring dashboard.