Visualisation software

[chris512]

hi all,

 

just hoping for so more insightful views from the forum. we're currently looking at getting some new visualisation and design software for our school. my first choice is WYSIWYG after playing about with the demo and having read information about it from other forums and can see how big the user base is and how powerful the software is.

 

is this the package to go for? anyone who uses the program, can you suggest positives/negatives about it? someone has just handed me a brouchere of martin show designer (MSD) is this any good? (from what I'm reading here WYSIWYG would be much better for us, in terms of price and flexibilty)

 

if anyone is wondering what purpose we will use it; I think it will help students learn how to use CAD programs which are becoming much more common place and its another good tool which many people (well up to 10) can use to experiment with their ideas! especially useful as h&s doesn't believe in letting us (legally) rig up heights and so can't experiment as often as we would like.

 

help you can help!

[Stu]

Hi

 

Have a look at the prices of the software on AC - the educational edition (does this apply to schools or single users?) is £400ish for a years license. Is this a worthwhile expenditure of the space's funds? Obviously you can buy alot of spare lamps, gel, lx tape etc with £400.

 

And if your looking to learn how to use CAD, you could always play with TurboCAD LE, which is free! :D

 

Something to think about

 

Stu

[martinw]

Have a look at Capture. It probably isn't as powerful as Wyg from a cad point of view, but in combination with a decent cad package it is very useful. The licensing terms are quite flexible, and may work out much cheaper in the long run.

If I was going to buy a visualiser at present, I'd probably go for this, as its much cheaper if you don't get an education discount, and does everything I need.

 

Martin

[andystone]

You could also take a look at Compulite's CompuCAD, it's not on the same level as WYSIWYG, but we sell a lot to schools as it is pretty cheap at £240 and is therefore ideal for schools to learn CAD and lighting design.

 

Andy

Stagetec

www.stagetec.co.uk

[JohnMcConnell]

I've just lit a show from a design using capture 3.0 and I think it really provided everything I needed for a school show. You can use it to give you :-

a list of what gels to cut

a list of which dimmers to soft patch to which channels on your lighting boards

and it will produce a rig plan.

 

Only thing I really miss from WYSIWYG is that capture doesn't give you a very good idea of what a certain gel looks like in a lantern :D e.g. 136 pale lavender in real life looks almost white in colour, while on capture it is bright purple :P

Other than that, can't fault it.

 

As Stu says, if you really want to use it for CAD designing, get turbocad LE as well, together with capture I think it will do everything you'll want :huh:

[merlin24]

Chris,

You should have had an email from me this afternoon, regarding Wysiwyg.

 

I've only just seen the PM you sent me via the Blue Room, You left me your Phone No, so I will try to contact you Tomorrow and go through any details with you it is easier to talk than email, and the blue room isn't the best place to discuss this as it will probably get classified as advertising.

 

Kind Regards

*****

[merlin24]

Hi

 

Have a look at the prices of the software on AC - the educational edition (does this apply to schools or single users?) is £400ish for a years license. Is this a worthwhile expenditure of the space's funds? Obviously you can buy alot of spare lamps, gel, lx tape etc with £400.

Stu,

In response to your comments and questions, Wysiwyg LEARN is available Exclusively to Educational establishments only and consists of a multiple user networkable dongle, The number of licences vary depending on the School/College/University, generally people opt for the 10 seat dongle however some people go up to the 40 seat. The basic 10 seat dongle is £348.00, and the subscriptions do NOT apply once the original purchase is made you are entitled to free upgrades for the life of the product

 

Wysiwyg LEARN can only be distributed by Companies who have a member of staff that has completed an intensive training course run by CAST Lighting. These individuals are known as AWT's or Authorised Wysiwyg Trainers. In the UK the only two companies that have this status are AC Lighting (ME) or Stage Electrics.

 

In response to your comment (which made me smile) If you were using Wysiwyg you wouldn't be running your real lamps half as much as you would be able to completely pre-cue your show in Wyg thus saving lamp hours and Gel etc etc.

 

One of the biggest bonuses of Wysiwyg in schools is that it gives the students the ability to play with fixtures they would NEVER normally be able to get their hands on.

 

I hope this answers your questions

 

Regards

Andy

 

Authorised Wysiwyg Trainer.

[Stu]

Andy,

 

Sorry, I think I got mixed up on the one year license bit. I'm pretty sure there is an educational WYSIWYG product out there on a 1yr license? Am I right, or am I barking up completely the wrong tree?

 

I see your points about playing on WYG - I did rather rush my post before popping out to work, so I don't think I explained myself quite as well as I should. My only bugbear about a secondary school buying something such as WYG is that it can't replace hands on experience, things like putting up with lanterns quirks, using and complementing both new and old, etc etc. Obviously essential when starting out.

 

Of course, it does also mean, as you rightly say, that they can play with things that would otherwise be near impossible to do so on.

 

I think as normal there is two good arguements, one for each side of a purchase such as this! :D :P

 

Warm Regards,

Stu

[merlin24]

Stu,

There are single user licences of Wysiwyg Educational. They come in the form of Wysiwyg Report and Wysiwyg Design, They are dramatically reduced in price for the needs of students, however they are aimed at final year college/uni students and therefore there is no real subscription thing going on. Yes when you buy the product of course you are entitled to the years worth of subscription upgrades however after that year it is assumed that you will probably have graduated and are (hopefully) working in the proffession and so therefore are not a student and should upgrade to the non student editions of Wyg.

In short after the first year you CANNOT get a new subscription without upgrading to the Non Educational edition. That is why it is way better for a school if interested in Wyg to purchase the full networkable Program as per my post above.

 

Kind Regards

Andy.

 

Authorised Wysiwyg Trainer.

[colinmonk]

Andy, you can get a new subscription for Wyg Report Student or Wyg Design Student after the first year cant you?

 

I had one of my copies of Report Student renewed and one upgraded to full design this year

[merlin24]

Colin,

You cannot get a subscription for a Student Edition Renewed, You can get around this as you have done by upgrading Student Report to Student Design, However after this point you would have to upgrade to the non student package to keep the subscription going.

 

 

Regards

 

Andy

Authorised Wysiwyg Trainer.

[colinmonk]

I upgraded one to Full Design and renewed one Student Report at the beginning of the year, but intend to upgrade the other to full design next year anyway.

But the company I bought through did renew report student

 

Maybe I got through? or Maybe its something that ETC have just decided as I have the ETC paperwork for the Dongle Codes that they verified the renewel on. Dont know...

 

( im not trying to cause an arguement, just saying that I got a renewal )

[merlin24]

You may have been one of the very few lucky ones, but I can catagorically say that there is no such thing as subscription renewal for Student editions of the program. Only Upgrades to non student editions. I deal with both ETC and CAST Lighting on a daily basis and have discussed this point on numerous occaisions.

 

As I say you may have been lucky, but don't be disapointed if it doesn't work next time it was never meant to happen.

 

Regards

Andy.

[colinmonk]

Ok Andy, thanks for clarifying that.

[Stu]

Thanks Andy for answering my queries!

 

Cheers

Stu