MagicQ PC

[Gerry]

Recently downloaded and installed MagicQ PC

I don't have any moving heads only conventional generic lighting.

I have used, in the past, a Strand MMS, Strand Galaxy II and more recently a Strand GSX.

I thought I'd try a PC based system particularly as an interface dongle available foe 10GBP.

However, MagicQ PC looks daunting. It isn't obviuos, to me, how to control generic lighting.

Is it suitable for a purely generic rig?

Cheers

Gerry

[SimonH]

Is it suitable for a purely generic rig?

 

Yes, definately - one of the things that attracted me to MQ in the first place was that it works well for both movers only, a mixed rig, and pure conventional.

 

From a blank theatre show, hit [Patch], (Choose Dimmer) (Patch It), enter the number of dimmer channels you have (assuming your first dimmer starts at DMX address 1), then Enter.

 

If you then hit [int] you'll see all your dimmers displayed with suitable handles. You can either move these with your mouse, select them and use the softkeys, or use the command line - type 1>5@50 Enter will turn channels 1 thru 5 on at 50%.

 

Hit [Rec] then pick a playback (the S keys above the bottom faders). Move some of the levels around, hit [Rec] and the same key again. You now have a cue list with 2 cues, the > keys will move between them at the default fade time.

 

Hope this helps!

 

S.

[gareth]

Gerry - yes, it's as suitable as any other PC-based software solution, and in fact more suitable than many. The 'quickstart guide' on the Chamsys website is very useful for getting up and running with the basics fairly quickly, so I won't go into any depth here. Suffice to say that you can pretty much configure MagicQ to work in whatever way you're comfortable with, and a little initial tinkering with the settings (mainly in the keypad/encoders section - the user manual is pretty good at explaining what they all do, and don't forget the online help too) you can make MagicQ behave more or less like a Strand console in terms of how you set levels and record cues. Pretty much the only thing you won't be able to mimic is the single-digit level entry syntax of MMS and Galaxy - and you'll have to remember that anything you enter on the keypad will become active in the programmer and will need clearing once you've recorded it if you don't want it stomping all over the output from your cue stack! (If you have any experience of Arri/ETC desks, just think of it as the equivalent of pressing the Release button after recording a cue )

 

Moderation: References to a deleted post have been removed, now that the reference isn't there any more.

Paul mods

[Wol]

Hi,

 

MagicQ can be used fine for a generic rig if your needs are more for theatre style programming.

 

If you patch everything as generic dimmers in the Patch window, you can configure the names, head numbers and gel numbers for each head and then auto-generate groups by name / gel number (Auto Groups > All in the patch window).

 

You can then either select the groups or heads in the Group window using a mouse or touchscreen and then using the encoder wheel on screen to set intensities, or can use the on-screen faders available in the Intensities window.

 

Alternatively you can use the keypad to program as you'd expect (e.g. 2** = select group 2. @5 = at 50%. 4>5@# = heads 4 thru 5 at full ...) It's definitely worth looking at the MagicQ shortcuts sheet available for download from the magicq.co.uk website which gives a lot of the keyboard shortcuts for programming. If you also start a new show in theatre mode, the cuestacks will default to cue timing rather than chase timing which is what you'll want. Once you've recorded into a cuestack, hit the S button to bring up the list of cues in the cuestack, where you can then set the timings for each of the cues using the spreadsheet and thats the basics of doing programming for generics.

 

As you've mentioned, for the £10 MagicDMX interface, you can get a DMX feed straight out of your PC so you can easily try MagicQ out to see if you get on with it with an actual rig. And if you do need any more universes and do have an art-net convertor to hand, you can use any of the 17 other universes from MagicQ to output Art-Net from, giving you over 9000 channels of control (if you desperately need that many!)

 

If you do have any specific questions, you can always email us at support@magicq.co.uk or drop us a call and we'll try and help you out.

 

Hope that helps!

 

Cheers,

 

edit: Geez. I took a while typing that it seems as theres 2 replies since I started!

[charl.ie]

OnStageLighting has some great tutorials for MagicQ as well. It's worth a look.

[simschr]

Slightly off-topic but still relevant for Strand users. I noticed in the DMX I/O screen there's the option to select ShowNet - does this mean if I bought a full Magic Q interface I'd be able to use a ShowNet node for a few extra universes?

 

Chris

[Gerry]

Hi,

 

 

 

If you patch everything as generic dimmers in the Patch window, you can configure the names, head numbers and gel numbers for each head and then auto-generate groups by name / gel number (Auto Groups > All in the patch window).

I know I'm dense, but where do I find the Patch window?

I tried looking at the Chamsys website but it seems to be down at the moment.

Cheers

Gerry

[Wol]

Yup the main website is down (topic on it currently in the crew room). The http://download.magicq.co.uk website is still up however where you can download the manual and other documents from.

 

The patch button is on the top right between the Setup and Macro buttons / underneath the TimeLine button. The window should look like the one here (click for bigger version).

 

http://wiki.magicq.co.uk/images/thumb/f/f0/Dimmersandled.jpg/800px-Dimmersandled.jpg

[DrummerJonny]

thanks for this thread guys, especially SimonH... I've been playing with MagicQ on and off all day, mostly focusing on intelligent fixtures, but now I know how to effectively program Generics as well.

 

Am I right in thinking that if I program something in Playback 1 and Playback 2, and hit > on PB 1, I can then hit > on PB 2 and that will go not affecting what is already up from PB1? what about if I have the same fixture controlled from PB 1 and 2?

 

Also, and OT, could the reason the Chamsys website is down be something to do with the extra traffic generated by releasing a stupidly cheap lighting solution?

[neilalexrose]

Am I right in thinking that if I program something in Playback 1 and Playback 2, and hit > on PB 1, I can then hit > on PB 2 and that will go not affecting what is already up from PB1? what about if I have the same fixture controlled from PB 1 and 2?

 

 

Simple answer: Depends how the fixture you are controlling is set up in the personality. Usually intensity is set up as HTP (highest takes precedence), and the other attributes (pan, tilt, colour, gobo etc), are set up as LTP (latest takes precedence.)

 

example: If your Mac 500 is at full in PB1 and pointing CS in Red, when you hit go on PB2 then any LTP channels will move, e.g. change position and colour to DSL and green respectively. If you were to release/drop PB2 fader, I think the Mac 500 would return to CS in Red, as PB1 has taken control. (assuming 'release on fader at 0' is enabled - live mode)

 

More complex answer: Depends how the cue stack itself is configured. If PB1 is designated as "High priority" in the advanced cue stack options, and PB2 is only "normal", then anything in PB1 will win.

 

Neil

[DrummerJonny]

Cool, so assuming a generic fixture is set as HTP as default, if PB 2 intensity is lower then it will do nothing, but if it is higher it will get brighter?

 

I need to leave my dad's house and go back to uni (and work!) so I can actually play with fixtures and get my mate to walk me through all this (he loves his MagicQ!)

[Gerry]

Thanks for all the help.

Started to get to grips with it now.

Part of the problem was I didn't have it displayed full screen so some of the key labels were abbreviated.

Cheers

Gerry