Tutorial: Guide to Mobile Lighting: Software DMX Features

a guide to the various software DMX options and features.

Overview:

Try before you buy: all mentionned software can be downloaded before you buy it. Download cheap options and expensive to contrast.

Features:

Easy to learn: Is it easy to learn. Does it sacrifice features in order to be easy?

3D visualizer: What is the quality of the 3D Visualizer. Can it display all fixture types you want, are there any limitations (such as displaying lasers)

Live speed adjustments: Can you adjust the speed of a program in a live scenario.
-Sound Active: To the beat of the music?
-by tapping: by clicking the mouse, spacebar etc.
-manual slider: by percentage of the original speed

Transparent Cues: Can you setup multiple programs that effect specific elements of a fixture (gobo, color, strobe etc) In order to maximize flexibility in your light show.

Boundary Adjustments: Can you change the pan/tilt boundaries of any particular program to match the dimensions of the venue.

Color mixing: Does the software display a visual representation of the colors in your wash light fixtures

Timeline: Can you synchronize your light show to react at specific points in a music or video file.

Triggers: How many types of triggers can you use to trigger your light programs
-keyboard: by a keyboard key
-time: at a specific time
-MIDI: via MIDI commands inside the computer or externally
-Input DMX: Via DMX signals from external hardware controllers

Keyboard Grouping: Can you group fixtures together to make it faster to change common attributes across those fixtures (gobo, color etc)

Input options: Can you hook up an external controller to override the software or to re-route channels for flexibility of control.

Standalone mode: Can you upload a light program in order to leave your PC behind

Auto generator/effects: Does it have generators that will automatically create tedious elements of program such as movement patterns, or changing of gobos at x intervals.


Software Options:
Freestyler: http://www.freestylerdmx.be
Lightfactory: http://www.lifact.com
ADJ myDMX: http://www.americandj.com/ProductDetails.aspx?ItemNumber=1773&Category=
Daslight: http://www.daslight.com
Lumidesk: http://www.lumidesk.com
PCDJ DMX: http://pcdj.com/products/hardware/dmx/
Elation Compu Live: http://elationlighting.com/product.asp?ProductIDNumber=1396
Chauvet ShowXpress/Sweetlight: http://www.thelightingcontroller.com
Martin Light jockey: http://www.martin.com/service/service.asp?support=Martin&category=ALL&c

Discussion: http://start.prodj.com/viewtopic.php?t=45763&start=15&postdays=0&...

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• mobile
• dj
• lighting
• software
• dmx
• controllers
• features
• midi
• hardware
• external
• fullspectrumm
• showxpress
• mydmx
• light
• jockey

[fullspectrumm]

For software: freestyler + enttec dongle. Enttec Basic requires your computer to do all the DMX work (higher demand + slower response). Enttec Pro does the work for you (less requirements on your computer, + faster response time).

Hardware: Chauvet DMX-70 has some very nice features not found on other low cost DMX controllers (like ability to save specific times between scenes).

Though I do love my ShowXpress software ;)

[limelightstar]

canyou controll MAC intellgent Lights with the Chauvet ShowXpress? Im soon thinking about buying it, what one do you use and how much was it? many thanks

[fullspectrumm]

ShowXpress can control any DMX fixture. It's whether or not the software has the fixture in the visualizer. Most moving heads are fine. It's the effect lighting that usually are more limited. Take for instance the Revo/Vue Lines, none of the visualizers I know of can accurately create their effects.

I bought the BOX version ($499-512 channel). Great for portability, but the Rack mount ($899) is great for having 14 programs loaded into it.

[jingles8302]

Very informative! Nicely done!

[fullspectrumm]

I've haven't had a chance to go through all of the mentionned software, but will create a list accordingly:

Supports Transparent Cues:

Freestyler

Lumidesk

Elation Compu

ShowXpress

Light Jockey

Uncertain:

Lightfactory

PCDJ

[arseny]

what do you recommend for a total beginner that uses a MacBook?

[JS4M]

When he's talking I can just picture Niel from 'the Santa Clause' talking in his diagnoses voice!!!!! LOL! Anyways, Great Information for beginners! One thing to note; lighting software that runs your lights strictly from your computer (not a board that is software driven) is only good in smaller venues ( under 3,000).

[indosmokinesia]

which time line video trigger software that has it?

[freak123698745]

does any of you know witch 1 i need 2 get a sound active dmx soft.

gtz. DJ Rann

[termenatul]

thx

[Furin1]

Hi! I cant get the 3d visualiser to work, the button is not even light up. is here someone that can help me?

[elev8dity]

This would be much more helpful if there was a spreadsheet or chart that compares all of the DMX software features. So many of the sites don't have full descriptions of their features. The auto generator and boundaries are very useful features but so far I've only seen them in ShowXpress going through your list. I'm not sure if Freestyler or other software packages have that feature because most of the sites limit their software description/feature list.

[CoolDJTV]

Cool

[Tihirahi]

Man, thanks so much for posting this vid. It's so hard to know where to start when you're just STARTING out. This stuff is gold.

[woetertje3]

showXpress is free right now