FreeShow and Vies: A Free Projection Stack

Not every church has the budget for commercial projection software. FreeShow is an open-source presentation tool built specifically for churches, and it handles worship lyrics, slides, and media well. What it does not do is detect Bible verses from a live sermon. That is where Vies comes in.

By combining FreeShow for your main presentation workflow with Vies for real-time verse detection, you get a capable projection setup without paying for software licenses.

How the Two Connect

FreeShow supports direct REST integration. Vies can send verses to FreeShow over HTTP, either on the same computer or across the network. You can also use NDI or the floating overlay if you prefer. Here are the three approaches:

  1. Direct REST integration (recommended) — Vies sends verses directly to FreeShow’s API over HTTP. Simplest setup, works across devices.
  2. NDI overlay — Vies sends a transparent video feed over NDI that FreeShow (or your streaming software) composites on top of your slides
  3. Floating overlay window — Vies places a small always-on-top window on your projection display that sits above FreeShow’s output

The REST integration is the fastest to set up. The NDI approach is better for streaming setups. The floating overlay works if you just need verses on a single screen.

The simplest setup. Vies sends verses directly to FreeShow over HTTP — no NDI or overlay needed.

  1. In FreeShow, enable the API: Settings > Connection > toggle API on (default port 5506)
  2. In Vies, go to Scripture Listener settings > Presentation Target > select FreeShow
  3. If FreeShow runs on the same computer, leave the host as 127.0.0.1. If it runs on a different machine, enter that machine’s IP address.
  4. Start listening. Detected verses are sent to FreeShow automatically.

This works across devices on the same network. No NDI Tools installation required.

Option A: NDI Overlay Setup

What You Need

  • Vies installed (download here)
  • FreeShow installed on the same computer
  • NDI Tools installed (free from ndi.tv)

Vies downloads AI models on first launch (466 MB to 1.5 GB depending on your chosen quality tier). Complete this setup before your first service.

Steps

1. Configure the NDI output in Vies.

Open Vies, go to NDI Scripture from the home screen. This opens the canvas editor where you design your verse text layout. The canvas outputs at 1920x1080 with a transparent background.

2. Design your verse layout.

Use the canvas editor to position your text box where you want verses to appear. The lower third is a common choice. You can adjust padding, font weight, background opacity, and text color. What you see in the editor is what gets sent over NDI.

3. Start the NDI output.

Toggle the NDI send in the toolbar. Vies will begin broadcasting an NDI source on your local network. The source name will appear as something like “Vies NDI” in any NDI receiver on the same machine or network.

4. Receive the NDI feed in FreeShow or your compositor.

FreeShow supports NDI input. Add a new NDI source in FreeShow and select the Vies feed. Layer it on top of your presentation slides. Because the Vies output has a transparent background, only the verse text will be visible.

You can also receive the NDI feed in OBS or vMix instead. See the NDI streaming guide for that approach.

5. Start the Scripture Listener.

Go back to the home screen and open Scripture Listener. Start listening. When a verse is detected, it will appear on the NDI canvas you designed, which FreeShow is already displaying over your slides.

Option B: Floating Overlay

This is the simpler path if you do not want to deal with NDI.

1. Set FreeShow to output on your projector display.

Configure FreeShow’s output to your secondary monitor or projector as you normally would.

2. Enable the Vies overlay.

In the Scripture Listener, enable the floating overlay option. A small transparent window will appear that you can drag to any position on any monitor.

3. Move the overlay to your projector display.

Drag the Vies overlay window to the same display where FreeShow is outputting. Position it where you want verses to appear, typically at the bottom of the screen.

4. Start listening.

When Vies detects a verse, it appears in the overlay window on top of FreeShow’s output. The overlay has a semi-transparent background so it is readable without completely blocking the slide behind it.

The trade-off: the overlay is a separate window on the projector screen, so it will not be captured in a stream unless you use a screen capture source. For streaming, NDI is the better path.

Designing Your Verse Display

Whichever method you choose, spend a few minutes in the NDI Scripture canvas editor getting the look right. Use a large font size readable from the back row. Lower third positioning is standard, but move the verse box if your FreeShow slides have content there. A slight dark background behind white text helps readability against busy slides.

Practical Sunday Morning Workflow

Here is what a typical service looks like with this setup:

  1. Open FreeShow and load your service schedule (worship lyrics, announcements, sermon slides)
  2. Open Vies and configure your connection method (REST integration, NDI output, or floating overlay)
  3. Run through your pre-sermon content in FreeShow as normal
  4. When the sermon begins, start the Scripture Listener in Vies
  5. Detected verses appear automatically over your FreeShow output
  6. After the sermon, stop the Scripture Listener and continue with the rest of your service in FreeShow

Your FreeShow operator keeps full control of the main presentation. Vies just adds the verse layer on top.

Going Further

If your church live streams, you will want to read Live Streaming Bible Verses with NDI, OBS and vMix to get the verse overlay into your stream as well. And if you are just getting started with Vies itself, the Getting Started guide covers installation and microphone setup.