Software

[andyjw]

Hi

I do the lighting for a small am-dram society, we're looking to get a DMX software that will also run sound cue's and currently we're thinking about PCStage. Are there any others at around the same cost, or even better, cheaper?

I've looked at MagicQ but cant get to grips with it, and I dont think it will run audio.

Cheers

[Gerry]

I'm in a similar situation to you.

I have used PCstage to control lighting, sound cues and more.

It's the best I have found so far, for our needs.

For our recent production of Blithe Spirit PCstage controlled the lighting, sound, cue lights for tabs and special effects, a fan for the wind as Elveria enters in fact almost everything except the actors.

Cheers

Gerry

[JohnJarvis]

Hi

 

For sound have a look at AVD Multiplay. Its free, available on this site and in my view very good. Used it last week for similar Amdram production. Only wish there was there was something simple and similar for lighting. I too have magic Q but reaaly its much too complicated for our needs.

[dbuckley]

Niether of JohnJarvis's suggestion address the OP's request, which is control of both sound and light.

 

The only PC packages that I know of that do both are PCStage (of which I am a user) and ShowMagic, the latter being expensive when you get a version that does both sound and lights.

 

Hi Gerry, yeah, I do cue light using a DMX driven relay board, mine being thge 8 channel jobbie from Northlight Systems. You?

 

Just done a bunch of updates to the powerpoint slave software with its iunagural outing this wednesday, will put them up publicly soon!

[paulears]

In 1978 I installed some of the new fangled sound to light gadgets that flashed lights in time with the bass, middle and treble. Sweet were the band who we used it on first. I hated it. Ever since then I have never needed to use the sound inputs that many of my old controls had. I am a very happy MagicQ user and simply can't see any reason to even consider using a sound input. While I can see that people who need music in clubs can find linking chases to the thud thud and ting ting - I don't see it as a very useful feature in theatre at all.

[smalljoshua]

Paul, I think you've gotten the wrong end of the stick.

 

I read it as the OP wanting to have Sound and Lighting cues in a single cue list allowing operation by a single operator.

 

 

Josh

[Gerry]

Paul you have totally misunderstood the OP question.

He wants some software that can control, I.e program and run, lighting and sound cues.

PCstage does that in an easy to understand and use way.

Cheers

Gerry

[andyjw]

Thats right, its not sound input but controlling both sound and light cues from the same program.

Looks like we bite the bullet and get PCStage. We've been mulling it over for about 6 months now and checked out loads of DMX offerings but nothing else seems to fit the bill

Thanks for your replies.

[spotblaster]

If the original poster is prepared to consider two computer programs one controlling the other then this may be of interest. A single cue stack will control both sound and lighting cues. Both the sound and lighting cue programs are free as is the program that links them.

 

I have found a useful free program called "Datasnip - Serial to keyboard redirection program". This allows one piece of software running on one computer to control another piece of software running on another via a serial link. It basically presses a keyboard key on the second computer when a code is sent from software running on the first.

 

It may be possible to run both pieces of software on one computer using virtual com ports but I haven't tried this.

 

 

Background:

 

For some time I have used serial cues available on SCS (Show Cue System) to control Strand 500 and 300 series lighting consoles. Cues in the SCS stack can be sound only, lighting only or both at the same time using SCS's cueing options. Strand ASCII control codes are available in the GeniusPro manual.

 

I also set up on SCS hotkeys the basic Strand console functions such as "cue", "go", "at", "full", "on", "1", "2", "3" etc. This enables SCS to function as a basic Strand console remote.

 

The original poster is I think looking for an economical solution so SCS and a Strand console are seemingly low on the list.

 

 

Solution:

 

I wanted to see if I could replicate the above using free software.

 

After some research I found AVD Multiplay for sound and Chamsys MagicQ for lighting. Both of which are free and have already been mentioned in replies to this post.

 

AVD Multiplay in addition to controlling sound like SCS can also generate serial cues so it is possible to control other equipment such as a lighting console in the same way as mentioned above. A single cue stack controlling lights and sound is what is required so where do we go from here?

 

I needed to see if MagicQ could be controlled by Multiplay using serial cues.

 

 

Aside:

 

The poster mentioned MagicQ and like many including myself at first sight did not like it. It is indeed a complicated and overwhelming piece of lighting software when first seen. However if you strip away all the things you do not need and concentrate on what you do it is quite capable of being used in a simple way to control stage lighting for theatre productions large and small. When I started with it I allowed myself a whole day with the software and the manual. Every time I had to refer to the manual I printed out that page and put it in a folder. Since then very good video tutorials have been made available. I now have a starting point show with my console set up and macros that I load before beginning to plot anything. It works well for me and in my humble opinion is well worth spending the time getting to know.

 

 

Solution/continued:

 

I did indeed find that MagicQ PC running in demo mode could be controlled by AVD Multiplay using the Datasnip program mentioned above. Serial control cues sent by Multiplay can press any keyboard key in MagicQ. If MagicQ is set up in playback shortcuts mode then all you need to send from Multiplay is the ASCII code for the space bar as the "go" button. For more accuracy in any of the keyboard modes send the cue number and then the enter key.

 

It works well but I have found it takes time to set up. The two computers need to be connected by a serial crossover cable. With modern computers that have no serial ports USB to serial adaptors are required. Various free serial test programs are available including AVD's "serial buttons" and another called "RS232 monitor" to assist in this.

 

One advantage is that it is possible to keep control of lighting and sound separate for as long as necessary only connecting the two together in late rehearsals.

 

Would this arrangement satisfy the original posters needs?

 

 

 

 

 

Spotblaster

[Gerry]

That idea had occurred to me and I've had a little play around along those lines.

In fact often one piece of software can issue a midi command which can be used as a trigger in the other piece of software.

The big negative, for me , that there are 2 pieces of software running such as if I need to do changes on the fly it can get a bit messy.

I prefer to just use one piece of software and make changes in just one place.

Cheers

Gerry

[dmxlights]

I have used the DMX MP3 Player from Milford instruments LTD. http://www.milinst.co.uk/

 

Its controled via DMX from the lighting desk or software. I have used it for sound effects in plays. The best effect I have used it for is lighting & thunder as both are on time and it makes it seem so real.

 

I know it not software but its one way off using one pice of software

[Gerry]

 

Hi Gerry, yeah, I do cue light using a DMX driven relay board, mine being thge 8 channel jobbie from Northlight Systems. You?

 

 

Hi David a have 2 X 8channel relay boards from Milford Instruments, http://www.milinst.co.uk/

They do a range of DMX contolled boards.

Have been known to use most of the 16 channels during one show.

Cheers

Gerry

[andyjw]

wow, spotblaster. Thanks for the time and effort to reply. I would love to give it a go, and I think I will.

 

However there are times when I will have to hand over control to others once I have the plot and cues done, so I want to keep everything as simple as possible. Still going for PCStage (cheers Gerry)

[paulears]

Indeed I didn't just totally misunderstand, I had no understanding whatsoever - if that's possible!

 

Sounds a dreadful way to do things unless your first names Walt, or you are on a ship with people who only know how to push a single button - this kind of stuff I shall leave to you all! Sorry.

[Gerry]

Paul

It might not be your way or even the ideal way of doing things but sometimes, in amateur theatre, one has to try and do what is easiest in the situation.

I have never, yet, worked with an amateur theatre where a SM calls the cues.

Lighting, sound,video, tabs operator all following the script and take their own cues.

On some shows this can be a timing nightmare.

PCstage lets me control all of these functions, all correctly timed with each other.

I would love it if someone else was following the script and cueing me as lighting operator so I could concentrate on what I see onstage but it isn't going happen.

Cheers

Gerry