Lighting control software (Lightfactory vs Daslight)

[RoyS]

Hi All,

 

I am considering the purchase of some lighting controller software for a secondary school.

The software will be used to control 30ish channels of dimmers and 10+ 4 channels LED’s There are no movers but these might be hired in for specific occasions.

 

I’m looking at the SW option because to buy a desk with this many channels will cost a great deal more than the SW. Also It would be great for the pupils to used the SW offline, especially with the visualization program built into Daslight & others.

 

The current contenders are Lightfactory or Daslight. Do members have any opinions of the suitability of these two for the task or are there any other more appropriate applications available. I feel Daslight has a more straightforward user interface, but I can’t see how to add simple 6 channel dimmers…

 

One serious consideration is ease of use and support. Lightfactory is distributed/supported by Zero88 but I’m not sure about the support network for Daslight….

 

Thanks for all opinions on the subject…

 

Roy

[Ben]

This has been covered many many times n here before, please try the search box at the top before posting as there are some long and good threads on there that will help you. This is also covered in the Wiki.

 

Ben

[Chris Beesley]

Generally in daslight you would add generic fixtures (ie PAR64) - this way you can locate the fixture anywhere in the 3D visualiser, if you added a 6CH dimmer it would need to display the light coming from the dimmer.

[peter]

Hi Roy

 

If I can be of any assistance with LightFactory please let me know - we think it's a great option for systems like yours. You might like to consider the "Basic" licence which enables 50 devices (as opposed to a full 512 devices in the 1 Universe licence) for just £125. You can always upgrade from Basic to Full should you need more channels, or even use the Hire system to hire a 4 universe licence for blocks of 12 hours as you require them.

 

If internal visualisation is important to you, you can purchase Capture Console Edition for £249 with a LightFactory licence, which gives you a full visualisation system and lighting desk for less than £400!

 

I hope this helps - please let me know if I can be of any further assistance,

 

 

Peter

[boatman]

Peter,

 

Are there any plans to launch an intermediate version which would lie between the Basic and the Pro? A lot of new installations in schools and village halls now have 48 generic dimmer channels. This only leaves support for two additional devices in the Basic version of Lightfactory. A version supporting say 64 devices rather than 50 would be very desirable for many schools and am-dram companies.

[Paul Turner]

Hi Roy,

Have you looked at Jands Vista App? Vista Link

The software is a free Download, so all the students can have a copy on their PC's or Apple Mac (Vista is native Mac for those that use Macs) at home, then bring the show in on a memory stick.

A license dongle then un locks the required the amount of DMX channels. starting at 128ch, to unlimited universes.

you then add a USB- DMXor for physical faders either the M1 Wing or S1

 

This is the same software that runs the big T2 and T4 consoles, and is incredibly fast, powerful and intuitive to use

 

For more info and pricing, please contact me off forum.

[smalljoshua]

There is also the MagicQ software. Totally free to use, no licence dongles needed. A cheap USB-DMX adaptor is all that is needed. The software is available for Windows, Mac and Linux. IMO A very good piece of software and very easy to use.

 

Josh

[James]

Hi

 

I own both Daslight's 3D Visualiser and Lightfactory

 

I have got very frustrated with both products and would not recomend either of them.

 

The main frustration I have with the Daslight visualiser is that I can't add two conventional fixtures on the same dimmer channel. Also I can't find any way of adding scrollers (ie 1 fixture with two non sequential control channels).

 

Lightfactory I was impressed by online however using it in practice I have found it to be highly unstable and buggy

The problems I have had include, turning up to the theatre and finding your softpatch has dissapeared, unselected fixtures moving with selected fixtures, and crashing mid show which makes me less than satisfied.

 

 

 

James

[Richard CSL]

Hi Roy , I am currently using daslight for a full 512 channel DMX lightshow, as can be seen on youtube, just type in pink floyd tenerife and you will see what can be done with the software.

 

Whilst the software does have a few limitations, essentially it is very easy to learn and use, and unlike a lot of far more expensive products this comes with a very comprehensive 3D visualiser, which as somebidy has already said the students can take it home and use it.

 

There is limited support from the manufacturers , however the forum is constantly monitored by several advanced users, and advice is always on hand within 24 hours.

 

I have tried magic Q and found it cumbersome and very user unfriendly, I mean who writes dos style based programs these days.

 

Freestyler is a work in progress based on the Martin Light Jockey, but visualiser is very hard to set up.

Nicalaudie Sunlight is very much harder to use and seems to be more discotheque based.

 

I have installed this software on many customer machines , and they love it, because after programming it literally does what it says on the button.

 

So I would strongly endorse the product, even if others here do not.

Regards Richard.

[smalljoshua]

I, on the other hand, find command line entry the quickest way of programming on a PC. It is also what is still used day in day out by a large number of LDs.

 

Josh

[LampieManPro]

have a look at ShowMagic. Very popular software for your needs, and has great aftercare services. The software comes in many options and can run video aswell as motor controls.

 

showmagic.com

[martinw]

I mean who writes dos style based programs these days

What do you mean by that?

 

Martin

[gareth]

I have tried magic Q and found it cumbersome and very user unfriendly

I'm hoping you gave it a 'fair hearing' before you dismissed it :). I have to admit, though, I'm surprised to hear that you found it user-unfriendly. Anyone who's had any experience of programming any of the popular 'proper' lighting desks from the last decade or so (Hog, Avo, Strand, ETC, etc.) should find that they feel at home very quickly on the MagicQ - as someone with experience on Strand 500s, Hog 2s and Pearls I certainly found it very easy to pick up the basics and to dig further into the capabilities of the software to discover all the really clever stuff it can do. And with Chamsys's programme of ongoing software development, there's more and more clever stuff being added all the time!

[peter]

Peter,

 

Are there any plans to launch an intermediate version which would lie between the Basic and the Pro? A lot of new installations in schools and village halls now have 48 generic dimmer channels. This only leaves support for two additional devices in the Basic version of Lightfactory. A version supporting say 64 devices rather than 50 would be very desirable for many schools and am-dram companies.

 

Hi Boatman

 

We are currently finalising the options for licencing with LightFactory with regards the launch of Version 2 software etc - your thoughts have been added to the mix.

 

Hi

 

I own both Daslight's 3D Visualiser and Lightfactory

 

I have got very frustrated with both products and would not recomend either of them.

 

The main frustration I have with the Daslight visualiser is that I can't add two conventional fixtures on the same dimmer channel. Also I can't find any way of adding scrollers (ie 1 fixture with two non sequential control channels).

 

Lightfactory I was impressed by online however using it in practice I have found it to be highly unstable and buggy

The problems I have had include, turning up to the theatre and finding your softpatch has dissapeared, unselected fixtures moving with selected fixtures, and crashing mid show which makes me less than satisfied.

 

 

 

James

 

Hi James

 

Please contact me off forum - I'd like to hear about your experiences in more depth and try to work out if there is something specific about your installation causing problems. I too agree that crashing mid show would make me less than satisfied and this is something we'd like to address.

 

I look forward to hearing from you,

 

Regards

 

 

Peter

[boatman]

Peter,

 

Are there any plans to launch an intermediate version which would lie between the Basic and the Pro? A lot of new installations in schools and village halls now have 48 generic dimmer channels. This only leaves support for two additional devices in the Basic version of Lightfactory. A version supporting say 64 devices rather than 50 would be very desirable for many schools and am-dram companies.

 

Hi Boatman

 

We are currently finalising the options for licencing with LightFactory with regards the launch of Version 2 software etc - your thoughts have been added to the mix.

.

.

 

Thanks Peter. I look forward to seeing what you come up with.