New in H2R Gear v2.12
A rewritten cable engine that routes around your gear, plus cable shortcuts and a long list of fixes.
Read more →Making an AV diagram in draw.io
draw.io (also known as diagrams.net) is a free, general-purpose diagramming tool. It runs in the browser and as a desktop app, saves to your own storage, and does not need an account. For a lot of AV people it is the default: open it, draw some boxes, join them up, export a PDF.
For a small rig, that is fine. A typical draw.io signal flow uses rectangles for devices, text for port names, and coloured connectors for cable types. With some effort you can build a tidy set of shapes and reuse them.
The problems show up as the show grows:
- The diagram does not know what anything is. A connector can join an SDI output to an XLR input without complaint.
- Every device is hand-built. You draw the box and type every port, for every model, unless you maintain your own shape library.
- Paperwork is separate. Cable counts, lengths and the patch list live in a spreadsheet you update by hand, and it goes out of date the moment someone moves a camera.
draw.io signal flow vs H2R Gear
H2R Gear is built only for AV and live production plans. You search a community gear library for the actual model (switchers, cameras, consoles, converters, routers and more), drop it on the canvas, and drag a cable from a real output to a real input. Cables only connect between compatible port types, with a per-plan override for the odd adaptor situation.
Each cable has a type (25 built in, from HDMI and SDI to XLR, Ethernet, fiber and DMX, plus 5 you can rename), a label like "V01", and a length. From that, H2R Gear builds a packlist of gear and cables that you tick off as you pack, and on Pro a patch list you can sort, filter and export to CSV. Change the plan and both update.
Tips if you stay with draw.io
If draw.io is the right call for now, a few habits make AV diagrams in it much easier to use on site:
- Pick one colour per cable type and add a legend, so SDI, HDMI and audio runs are obvious at a glance.
- Label every connector with a short ID (V01, A01, N01) and match it on the physical cable. Our cable label generator helps.
- Keep a patch list next to the file and update both together. The AV cable schedule template is a good starting point.
- Estimate lengths before you pack. The cable length calculator covers the maths.
Who each tool is for
draw.io suits anyone who needs a free, flexible drawing tool for lots of diagram types, wants to work offline or keep files in their own storage, or only needs a quick sketch of a small setup.
H2R Gear suits people planning real shows repeatedly: freelance AV techs, live streamers, church volunteers and staff, production companies and touring crews who want the diagram, packlist and patch list to agree.
Pricing comparison
draw.io is free to use. That is a genuine advantage and worth saying clearly.
H2R Gear has a free Starter plan (2 active plans, community library, packlist). Personal is $5/month or $50/year and adds sharing, PNG/JPG/PDF export and shapes. Pro is $15/month or $150/year and adds patch lists, zones, projects and Left to Right mode. Team plans start at $25/month with 3 members. A $12 one-time pass gives 10 days of Pro for a single job. See pricing for the full details.
draw.io vs H2R Gear feature comparison
| Feature | H2R Gear | draw.io |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free tier, paid from $5/month | Free |
| Any kind of diagram | No (AV and live production only) | Yes |
| AV gear with real, named inputs and outputs | Yes (community library) | No (generic shapes) |
| Cables only connect to compatible ports | Yes | No |
| Built-in AV cable types | Yes (25 plus 5 custom) | No |
| Cable colours and line styles | Yes | Yes |
| Cable bumps where lines cross | Yes | Yes |
| Automatic packlist from the diagram | Yes (all tiers) | No |
| Automatic patch list with CSV export | Yes (Pro and Team) | No |
| Desktop app and offline use | No | Yes |
| Save files to your own storage | No (cloud plans) | Yes |
| Account required to create plans | Yes | No |
| Team gear library and team plans | Yes (Team plans) | No |
| Read-only share link, no login to view | Yes (Personal and up) | Partial (depends on storage) |
| PNG and vector PDF export | Yes (Personal and up) | Yes |
Comparison based on publicly available information as of September 2026. "Partial" means the feature exists in a limited or different form. Custom shape libraries and plugins can extend draw.io.
When draw.io is the better choice
- You need it free, with no limits on the number of diagrams.
- You draw lots of different diagram types, not only AV.
- You want offline editing or to keep files in your own storage.
- It is a one-off sketch of a small setup and nobody needs a packlist or patch list.
When H2R Gear is the better choice
- You want to pick real gear with real ports instead of drawing boxes.
- You want the packlist and patch list generated from the diagram, not typed separately.
- You plan many shows and want each one dated, tagged with a Job ID, and filed under Active, Upcoming, Past or Archived.
- Your team shares a gear library, plans and projects with riders and call sheets attached.
- Crew and venue staff need a read-only link that opens without signing in.
Switching from draw.io to H2R Gear
There is no draw.io import, so you redraw the plan. It is a good moment to tidy it up:
- Sign up free and create a plan.
- Choose Top to Bottom or Left to Right (Pro) orientation and a grid size.
- Press G to add gear from the community library. Hold Option/Alt while dragging a cable to drop a connected placeholder item when you have not picked the exact model yet.
- Add cable labels (L) and lengths, then check the packlist (P).
- Share a link or export a PDF with the cable legend.
New to signal flow? Read the signal flow diagrams guide, then try recreating our ATEM Mini setup diagram as a first plan.