ChazHS Posted January 1, 2011 Share Posted January 1, 2011 Hi everyone, Like a lot of you (I'd imagine!) I've got a Chamsys MagicDMX USB interface, I didn't go for the £10 5 hour limited one, I decided that £60 wasn't much to pay for the full featured setup! The only problem I'm having is I've never programmed a Chamsys desk, but I can't find any documentation for MagicDMX, what do I need to get me started? Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smalljoshua Posted January 1, 2011 Share Posted January 1, 2011 Start Here Josh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulears Posted January 1, 2011 Share Posted January 1, 2011 The manual is huge, but does feature a nice getting started section. It's part of the package you downloaded, and is also available from the help menu - prod the help button. Probably best to create a simple dimmer based patch first, so you can get acquainted with basic operation, then add some movers and try those out. I fund just half a dozen lights that actually lit up for real were enough to get the basic concept right. Have a go and if you get stuck, ask specifics. What you'll probably find is that getting the hang of the programmer is first job - then fill up a few playbacks and fiddle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wol Posted January 1, 2011 Share Posted January 1, 2011 Documentation for the MagicDMX interface itself is pretty minimal as there's very little setup you need to get it working! Plug it in, run MagicQ and it should just start outputting. The main FAQ is on the page on the magicdmx.com website after you register your interface which should give you most of the information you need. For actual MagicQ prorgamming guidelines, the link that Josh posted above is a good start, along with our Quick start guides as Paul mentioned. If you do get stuck or have any questions, feel free to email us (support@chamsys.co.uk) or give us a call (02380 238 666)! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
d&bhead Posted September 12, 2011 Share Posted September 12, 2011 I have a question for the last poster, is it possible to use it with sound to light with preprogrammed scenes/steps or would I have to buy a different solution. Client wants a DMX solution that's sound to light but is on a budget for a nightclub. Thanks guys Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
themadhippy Posted September 12, 2011 Share Posted September 12, 2011 for sound to light you need to buy the audio interface about £400 I think last time I looked Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
d&bhead Posted September 12, 2011 Share Posted September 12, 2011 That's not too bad, gonna be giving this stuff to a club, How user friendly is the software for doped if everything is already programmed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peza2010 Posted September 12, 2011 Share Posted September 12, 2011 You can use the execute window for dj's / non techs to push buttons and see things happen. The one thing I'm not sure on is the ability to lock the rest of the software to stop anyone messing around with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smalljoshua Posted September 12, 2011 Share Posted September 12, 2011 Once you have a piece of Chamsys hardware (not the MagicDMX dongle though) you can password protect the lock screen in full size and boot into the software in that mode. Josh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
collism Posted September 14, 2011 Share Posted September 14, 2011 Have to say its been a long time since I've seen anyone using sound to light in a club environment - has anyone actually tried this with the Magic Q interface? as I can't imagine it being much use with moving heads.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard CSL Posted September 14, 2011 Share Posted September 14, 2011 Moving heads work well on sound to light but only shutter and colour changes. Movement should not be attempted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew Robinson Posted September 14, 2011 Share Posted September 14, 2011 Or, as a friend calls it, sound to sh*te. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greenalien Posted September 16, 2011 Share Posted September 16, 2011 Moving heads work well on sound to light but only shutter and colour changes. Movement should not be attempted. Although it's not a good idea to directly modulate pan and tilt channels on a moving head with audio, 'cos they will bang around all over the place, there's no reason not to use audio to bump a movement chase - the secret is to use small steps for each cue. Or, as a friend calls it, sound to sh*te. What a strange attitude - audio modulation is a very useful tool in lighting design, and almost essential if you're designing a stand-alone installation. You can use audio for far more that just the cheesy disco effect of modulating dimmer channels, although that does have its place - far more useful is using sound to bump cues in a cue stack, and to alter FX size and speed. for sound to light you need to buy the audio interface about £400 I think last time I looked Earlier versions of MagicQ had the option to use a PC sound card as an audio source, but this was removed when the Chamsys audio interface became available. MagicQ still supports Winamp, and there's a Winamp plugin that lets you use the sound card inputs, so you can do crude audio modulation without having to fork out £400 - however, the Chamsys audio interface is much more advanced in its capabilities. Another possible audio-triggering route is to use the DMX-out from a cheap audio-modulated desk, and feed the input into MagicQ. Could be a good use for an old Pulsar Replay unit, which has a very capable 4-band sound to light engine included. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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