# Preview the video output port

*Applies to: Pearl-2, Pearl Mini, Pearl Nexus, Pearl Nano*

You can preview the video signal that is shared over your video output port by looking at the preview window at the bottom of the video output configuration page in the Admin panel.

The preview is updated every few seconds and always maintains the same aspect ratio as the source it is copying. It doesn't reflect black bars, the audio meter or actual aspect ratio/resolution on the display.

If the video output port is showing a source and that source has no signal, the source's no signal image is displayed.

If the video output port is showing a channel and that channel is unavailable or has no signal, a no signal message is shown for 2.5 seconds, then the display output is changed to a black screen.

You can also preview video output ports using the Epiphan Live control interface.

### Disable the video output port

You can use the Admin panel to disable a video output port so that even if a display is connected, nothing is shown.

**Disable the video output port using the Admin panel**
- Log in to the Admin panel as **admin**.
- From the Output ports menu, click the output port (**HDMI 1** or **HDMI 2** on Pearl-2; **HDMI** on Pearl Mini and Pearl Nexus). The video output port configuration page opens.
- In the **Source** field, select **none** to disable the video output port and then click **Apply**.

**Device differences**
- **Pearl Nano:** does not support the Epiphan Live preview method described above — Pearl Nano has no Epiphan Live dashboard, so use the Admin panel only. Pearl Nano's own source text also does not name a specific port label for the "click the output port" step above.
- **Pearl Nexus:** in Pearl Nexus's own guide, "Disable the video output port" is filed as its own top-level page rather than nested under "Preview the video output port" as it is for Pearl-2/Mini/Nano; the procedure content itself is the same.

> product: pearl-family · topic: specs-ports · source: pearl-family-common.md · updated: Oct 13, 2026