I need a windows alternative. I searched the forums for Windows QLab alternatives, but only found sound related posts. I need a piece of Windows software with the same video functionality as QLab for the price of a 4 week QLab video rental or less ($84 or less).
Sample software set up This software has been around for a while, so I decided to give it ago. I was looking around at software for Windows that worked in a similar way to Figure 53’s QLab. I stumble across this offering, and since they had a free version I thought I would try it out on a small production I was doing.
Well I have been putting it through its paces.Now have used for two productions and it works well. The free version is not really limited and you can actual achieve a very sophisticated show using this version. Obviously if you pay money you then unlock a whole raft of extra features. You do need to read through the instructions in the first instance as you put together your first show. But it does not take long before you have a decent soundtrack for your show up and running.
It has a good number of features available. Such as: Easy to use and read cue-list system Insert and delete cues at any point in cuelist, at any time Send cues in order, standby, jump cues or recover any position, any time Intuitive, modular based workspace Building a show can start with simply building your cue list and as you obtain the sounds you need you just add them to the cue you need. In the free version you can have up to 8 sound playing in each cue, you can position them where you like, with fades etc. You also have the ability to loop effects and define the in and out positions of the loops. Once you have built your soundtrack you can then nuance each effect, with start and end points, loops level changes.
If it is a multi- sound cue you can move each of the tracks start positions and levels, and pan to create a cue that works. This can be changed at any time. There is a wave viewer that allows you to set these loops and start and finish points. If you need to rearrange your cues that is pretty easy.
As with most software packages the more you use it you more you you find out how versatile it is. It does not take long to build complex soundtracks that complement your production.
You can also vary levels of the sounds within a cue while operating the show. This is great feature especially if some other element in your show has changed.
If you upgrade by purchasing the various licenses you find you can even control digital mixing consoles etc. The implementation of the midi part is available with purchase of the full package. I was not able to test this, but on reading the instructions it seems that this is a worthwhile addition to the software.
According to the website MIDI control is supported in the form of standard MIDI messages, MIDI Show Control, MIDI Machine Control and customizable strings of System Exclusive commands. MIDI Sequences can be recorded to enable capture of modern digital mixing desk’s fader movements, or for live recording of sound effects sequences using samplers and keyboards. Also from their website it mentions all the ways events can be triggered. Events can be triggered by remote control button boxes, MIDI commands, TCP/IP network messages, and triggers can even be based on the system time clock. Multiple computers can be networked together to track a master and send network chat messages to each other.
The External trigger list allows 4 additional cuelists to be constructed allowing event triggers such as switches in props or MD click track start buttons to be integrated into the system with ease. All events are safeguarded to occur at the correct time only through the use of cue regions. So my thoughts on this software? Well it is a great package to use. It works exceptionally well. I have had two other technicians operate it and they also very impressed. It is easy to use and very easy to make quick changes to your show file on the fly.
In fact I have a theatre interested in buying the software. It is certainly cheaper than buying a MAC to use QLAB.
So leap over to the website and download a copy and see what you think, as you will be able to use the free version as long as you like. This gives you the opportunity to do a few shows and when you are read go ahead and buy a copy. For more information and to download go to. Frankfurt, Germany: Avolites will launch two software updates and showcase its trailblazing new developments in lighting and video integration at this year’ s Prolight + Sound 2017 in Frankfurt. The British manufacturer will launch the full capabilities of its much-anticipated Ai version 10 media server software, developed through real-world testing and the latest Titan update, V10.1, which boasts a plethora of end user-centric new features that will ensure Avolites stays resolutely ahead of the lighting control curve.
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Avolites will be in Hall 3 Level 0 Stand E80 throughout the four-day event. Ai V10 has been developed alongside some of the top names in the live event and installation sectors including the Director of Video Production at Hakkasan, Ed Shaw, Vice President of Entertainment at Hakkasan, James Algate, and Knight of Illumination award-winning video designer for Coldplay, Ben Miles.
The update includes the integration of real time effects generator Notch and video sharing feature Spout, both of which were developed alongside Miles and video programmer Leo Flint for Coldplay’s ‘Head Full of Dreams’ tour. ‘BPM Sync’ is a new Ai V10 feature born from developing the custom integrated control system for the lighting and visuals at Hakkasan Group’s JEWEL Nightclub in Las Vegas.
A new projection mapping tool, MeshWarp – features in the update. Born from the combination of Projective Keystone and Grid Warp – the feature enables users to quickly warp their content to match projection surfaces. This feature, in addition to auto map and auto blend, puts a powerful array of mapping tools in the hands of every user. Lastly, Timeline is a major addition for Ai V10, providing precise control of video in a timecode environment, whilst still allowing live control simultaneously. Head Ai Software Developer Ciaran Abrams commented: “Ai V10 represents a change in the media server in the way that our users will interact with the software. The extensive UI overhaul is just the start along with a list of easy, quick and intuitive controls, that make operating the software simple and fun.” Titan v10.1 – total creative control Far more than ‘just a point-release’, Titan V10.1 offers significant new functionality as well as many fixes and improvements.
Scene Master mode introduces a new and more refined way to use the console live. Avolites’ live palette time feature has been a favourite among users since the Pearl days, with Scene Master expanding its capability.
The mode allows multiple palettes, playbacks and time information to be executed together, with either a fader or a chosen fade time. Another key feature of the update is BPM Master, which now ensures all chases and effects attached to them remain not only at the same tempo, but also in synchronisation with the beat and each other. Effects, including key frame shapes, can now be assigned a number of beats per cycle, allowing for more creative control when performing. Not only that, effects can now also be linked to the group used to make them. In this way, when the number of fixtures in a rig changes – as with festivals – the original group can be updated, and the effect will then run with all the fixtures in that group, greatly increasing flexibility and efficiency. Avolites Sales Director Koy Neminathan comments: “Avolites has recently gone through some exciting changes which have allowed the company to adapt and change the way we create, produce and deliver world class products.
The releases of Ai V10 and Titan are just the beginning with more focus on reliability. Users and non-users have told us that they have seen and heard that Titan and Ai have taken huge strides forward in delivering what they require. So, it is clear that our training programme is working efficiently and deploying that through our vast distribution network is paying dividends. With a sustained increase in demand and currently having the largest order book in the company’s history, it is clear to say that our new strategy is clearly going to create some positive shock waves. Prolight + Sound in Frankfurt is the best place to demonstrate this to everyone. The Adelaide Convention Centre has chosen Meyer Sound’s LEOPARD compact line array for their new 3,500 seat Plenary Hall, set to open in mid-2017. The ACC considered audio quality, size, aesthetics, and technology in the selection process, ultimate choosing the Meyer Sound solution as the best product for the job in a centre that prides itself on its industry technology leadership.
The Plenary will be covered by a left-right hang of 10 elements of LEOPARD per side, with low-end extension from three complementary 900-LFC subwoofers per side, rigged in cardioid pattern. Not just a simple, static hall, The Plenary will be able not only to split in half, but add two banks of 300 pax each raked seating on circular revolves the rear of the auditorium, which rotate independently and bring in their own walls to form separate break-out spaces. If that wasn’t enough, the main auditorium’s 2,900 seats can retract into the ceiling, forming a banquet space or independent meeting rooms underneath. The ACC didn’t just need something powerful, they needed something flexible, easy to adjust, and intelligent as well. The ACC need to support many different configurations in the Plenary, but didn’t want to have to continually physically adjust and reconfigure PA boxes.
The LEOPARD system will be flown and installed, and different configuration settings will be loaded remotely via Meyer Sound’s Compass software or Compass Go iPad app. This system design has avoided unsightly ground stacks, often a cause of customer complaints, and vastly reduces ongoing labour costs and equipment wear and tear.
“We’ve designed the system so the ACC don’t have to constantly fly the system in and out,” said Meyer Sound Australia’s Chris D’Bais. “We will run individual signal and power feeds to every box, and through our Galileo GALAXY processing, the ACC will be able remotely load whichever preset suits the room configuration – if they’re only using the front half of the room, for example, they can turn the top of the array off so there’s no extra SPL bouncing around the empty space. Each independent space will have its own independent processor, so separate users can control their sub-systems.
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Then in full mode, the main processor collates all the data and controls the combined system.” Front fill, and under balcony fill in the Plenary will be covered by Meyer Sound UPM-1P and UPJunior compact wide coverage speakers respectively, while the rotating meeting rooms and lower meeting rooms will be benefit from Meyer’s IntelligentDC technology, which enables multiple installation speakers to receive power and signal from a single multiconductor cable, saving cabling and labour costs. In the near future, the ACC will also have the option to distribute signal and control via AVB with Meyer’s new Galileo Galaxy processors.
Rounding out the full system in the Plenary will be 16 units of Meyer’s low profile MJF-208 self-powered stage monitors; low-profile dual 8” compression driver wedges weighing in at just 21 kgs. Well Mackie may have delivered a game changer in the audio field. The new Mackie DL32R is the new piece of gear that only requires an iPad to complete the mix. The DL32R is a 32 channel digital mixer that is completely controlled wirelessly from Mackie’s Master Fader iPad app. It comes in a 3U Rackmount unit with 32 Onyx+ mic pre-amps. It also has 14 fully assignable outputs.
When you look at the specs of this product it seems that it will be very popular and it seems to be very versatile. I certainly would love to get my hands on this beast to give it a work out. The only thing that would worry me is if your iPad died or lost connection part way through the gig. How would you control it then? But there is also a lot of benefits, like the fact individuals can adjust their own foldback.
The fact you can allow access to the device, but you can limit how much access. The fact that you have no multicore to worry about running around the room. Love the idea of a virtual soundcheck – but other brands have this option. Being able to access a hard drive for backing tracks, or interval music sounds great – but I can imagine using it on small musicals where there are sound effects etc to play back. The should be available shortly from iTunes app store. I think it will be interesting how well this will be recieved by the industry, which sectors will embrace this. I have also included some video from Mackie in regards to the DL32R.
These are the specs of the DL32R. Elation Professional’s powerful Emulation DMX lighting control software has been updated with new features and software updates that make programming easier, more effective and more intuitive. Among the new features included in the new Emulation Pro are a Pixel Mapper engine, Timeline Editor, and user-friendly Command Line interface. Emulation PRO is powerful DMX control software that runs on iOS (MAC), Windows or Linux operating system computers. Designed to control medium to large lighting installations in architectural and live-entertainment situations, it outputs control using Elation’s ART SSC and ART IO solid-state hardware control interfaces and is capable of running up to 20 DMX universes. It supports external trigger devices like UDP, Art-Net, OSC, RS232 and works with Midi Time Code, Smpte Time Code and DMX-in. Emulation Pro software is available for download with a license included in the ART SSC (each ART SSC interface unlocks 2 universes in the Emulation Pro software.) Pixel Mapping Emulation Pro is equipped with a pixel mapper to control LED matrix arrangements.
The pixel mapper contains algorithms for creating 2-dimensional effects and can also render external images and video files. Multiple layers can be used to blend effects or to independently control multiple matrix setups. Programming ART SSC Emulation Pro is the ideal programming tool for the Elation ART SSC. Users can create lighting scenes and dynamic effect and pixel mapping and then easily upload them to the standalone memory in the ART SSC. For multiple ART SSC setups, Emulation Pro will spawn the data across the devices. Also, Emulation Pro will automatically create seamless loops when uploading a dynamic effect, i.e.
A pan/tilt shape or a matrix effect. External Triggering Because the Emulation Pro lighting control system is likely to become integrated with systems such as audio, video, laser or special effects, it supports many open protocols to allow users to interface with other hardware or software. Users can respond to incoming signals via DMX, Art-Net, MIDI, OSC, UDP, RS-232, contact closures and SMPTE and MTC time-codes. Users can also send out signals via any of those protocols (except for SMPTE, which is only an input).
Fixture Library Emulation Pro comes with a large collection of personality files, profiles that describe the DMX traits of the fixtures. Thousands of fixtures are included in the library, and even more different operating modes.
Requesting new personality files is easy. Either post a request on the Elation forum or download the eBuilder, Elation’s graphical editor for creating and modifying fixture personalities. For more information, contact: Elation Professional US 6122 S. Eastern Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90040 USA Tel: (866) 245-6726 (toll free) Tel: (323) 582-3322 [email protected] Elation Professional EU Junostraat 2. 6468 EW Kerkrade The Netherlands Tel: +31 (0)45 546 85 66 [email protected]. Jands guys have done it again.
A LED Calculator to help you work out the power consumption of LED fixtures in relation to conventional. Now you can prove to the bean counters how much money you will save. So give it a go.
Since the release of their popular Shure Frequency Calculator they have been working on another exciting calculation tool. Enter the Jands LED Calculator! This simple interactive tool will you help to quantify the electricity savings by comparing conventional fixtures to their LED equivalent. A dollar figure is produced to compare the savings both on a yearly basis and across a period of 10 years. The essential part of the Jands LED Calculator is that it also takes into account the relative purchase price of LED fixtures (which is usually significantly higher) and can make an estimate as to the time required to pay for the initial investment.
This is a calculation that is often forgotten in the discussion between LED and Conventional. The LED Calculator has been designed to be simple to use, all you need to do is select your location (state/territory) in order to determine the average electricity price. Then you must input operational data for both Conventional and LED fixtures – you can add multiples of both Conventional and LED fixtures to create a complete real world rig. This data is then calculated against the electricity cost to produce a series of results of the combined operational savings reaped by using LED over Conventional. The LED Calculator is officially being launched at the CX Summer Roadshow this week. If you happen to be attending the show please visit our stand for a live run through and question opportunity with Eddie Welsh or Tim Kennard. Unsure about changing to LED?
Let us do the justification for you! Access the LED Calculator here today. There seems to be a whole range of lighting software on the market that you can use to control your lighting system with by just connecting a DMX dongle between your PC and a bunch of dimmers or movers. Some of this software is free and you just purchase a dongle from the relevant Software Company. Now a lot of the software is wonderful and you can control a multitude of moving lights from a whole host of manufacturers. Supposing you only want to drive dimmer racks and the occasional DMX intelligent light.
Most of the software out there is really geared to the moving light market but there is one piece of software that I have been using over the last 2 years that should fit the bill for those that want to control dimmers as their primary focus. The software in question is called PCStage. This is a PC lighting software solution that works with its own USB to DMX device, the software is designed to work only with its own device. The software is available online for free.
So once you have downloaded you can give it a try it out, and if you like it you can then purchase a PCStage USB to DMX Device that outputs a single universe of DMX. Now some of you may have heard of this software, as it has been around for a while. There is also a large group of people that are active in supporting the software and writing a variety of plug-ins to make the software even more versatile. This software does not require much in the way of resources from your pc. It runs on most windows platforms. It has a very simple install and auto detects the device. If you are using a 64-bit system you will need to download additional drivers for the dmx device to be recognised.
Now once you have installed the software you will notice that it is rather old fashioned looking and The software is in fact quite versatile and the more you explore it the more you realise how powerful it is. One of the neat features of this lighting program is that you can also get it to play all of your shows audio files. In fact you can play up to four sound files simultaneously. Great for those shows with only one operator.
So how does it perform? Well once you have got your head around how it operates it actually works quite well. The major huddle that might crop up if you are coming from MAXIM style lighting is desk is that when you have set up the lighting state that you want it stores the information as a cue and a preset. The preset is essentially a snapshot of the desk output and the cue recalls that and adds things like timing, audio triggering and any other function you may want to control. Now the benefit of this becomes more apparent the more you use it.
With some shows you are likely to re-use a lighting state, well with this software that is really a very easy thing to do. All you need to do is tell it. When making a cue you even have the ability to make complex split cues. You can also record chases, have sub-masters do your normal soft-patch functions.
It has all of the features of a normal lighting desk. As with any software it takes time to get familiar with how it works, but the more you use it and experiment with the more you can achieve. This software is ideal for those productions that only have one operator, as they can at least control audio and lighting with the press of the space bar. Ideal for touring type shows.There is support available from the manufacturer and there is an active community of users willing to help. There is also a range of plugins that are available that extend the capability of the software. Plug-ins that can control CD-audio, ASIO sound cards, multi-track playback, and executable commands for PowerPoint shows.
So with a little bit of work this software package is very suited to small venues, schools, touring shows and the like. In fact you are more and more likely to see this system being used in professional situations, Bob Weatherly, Production Manager, for Patch theatre (internationally recognised children’s theatre company) uses this system for all of their shows, whether touring Australia or the rest of the world. They are not the only ones using this software professionally. Would I recommend it? It is very reliable and does not a very powerful pc to run the software. It takes some time to get familiar but it works well.
Great for schools(every student can have a copy to learn on), community theatre groups, and even professional companies. The average lighting techie should be able to get a show up and running in no time, and the beauty of this software is that you can play with it without having the DMX box. PLEASE NOTE: This software and the USB to DMX device are now no longer available.
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