DMX DMX Software Thread

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Tyrone Blue

DMX professional & Retired Police Officer
Oct 31, 2006
250
266
Central - Northern MN
I have been using "ShowXpress" for several years, and am willing to share my knowledge on this thread. I am not familiar with "freestyler", other than that it is MUCH [edit... I think... in my opinion, with very little knowledge of what I'm talking about. Freestyler may very well be as powerful - sorry if I offended anyone] less powerful than ShowXpress. I did have a stint with one or two others, but came back to ShowXpress.

I'll get more into the topic later... questions and comments about software...
 
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When I was first introduced to DMX, it was with Ben, up in Bemidji, while he was working with the "Beavers" hockey team. I was totally overwhelmed! I can now say that I am glad I continued learning it, and now use it exclusively at the hockey arena I work for. The videos I've posted of my show is with this program, and I have no desire to use any of the others.

I implore anyone who wants to use software, to learn programming with hardware first. The learning curve for software is much greater... but knowing it intimately, I can program a show in minutes, that would take hours with hardware.
 
The videos I've posted of my show is with this program, and I have no desire to use any of the others.

I pretty much use Show Xpress exclusively now as well. I did in the last year purchase Luminaire which is a VERY cool DMX software completely programmed on and controlled by an Ipad. No computer involved. You just need an Artnet to DMX converter , a wireless router, and an Ipad and that's it. While this software is powerful , extremely portable , and has some great features i just don't like it nearly as much as ShowXpress for large shows. For Small shows with Just a couple of fixture types, it is cool to have an incredibly fast to set-up option with powerful control of the lighting
 
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I have been using "ShowXpress" for several years, and am willing to share my knowledge on this thread. I am not familiar with "freestyler", other than that it is MUCH less powerful than ShowXpress. I did have a stint with one or two others, but came back to ShowXpress.

I'll get more into the topic later... questions and comments about software...

I would challenge you in regards to Freestyler being MUCH less powerful. You just stated you're not familiar with it, so how would you know? Please don't make assumptions you can't confirm. As for myself, I've used both. They both have their pros & cons and you have to evaluate those to determine your true needs.
 
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I've edited them to show the proper titles Hardware and Software, and I stickied this one also
 
No. You can change the beat by tapping the drum in the "live" page.

There is a REALLY cool thing that can be accomplished with ShowXpress, however, that will choreograph the lights exactly to the music, and that is in the "Timeline" page. You can set your music on the timeline, then set your programmed scenes in 1/10 second increments. After you have a song programmed, it will run exactly the same every time... imagine the symbol and drum crash on a "Thunderstruck" song exactly on que every time!
 
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Is there a way to get ShowExpress in the sound/chase mode? I can't find it.

Thanks!
You need to make sure you have an External Microphone hooked up to have the Auto BPM feature work through the software itself. If you are trying to access the individual fixtures Sound active mode it depends on the fixture itself. What i usually do is program a sequence of color change scenes than i set a manual BPM based on the song i'm playing or the band is playing and it will simulate a sound active mode basically. Works pretty well actually
 
Can anyone tell me if freestyler will save programmed shows (songs with choreographed lights attached) or is is solely a "live" presentation, where you have to continue pushing buttons?
 
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Thanks Lone... I've never used sound active on anything, so I appreciate your feedback. I wasn't aware you could do that in ShowXpress. I was aware of the "auto BPM" on the live page, but never used it. Can you describe the procedure?

Have you ever used the "Timeline"? Sounds like what you are doing, but the Timeline allows you to push one button, then, walk away. I just re-read your comments... your using the live page with a band... gotcha!
 
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Thanks Lone... I've never used sound active on anything, so I appreciate your feedback. I wasn't aware you could do that in ShowXpress. I was aware of the "auto BPM" on the live page, but never used it. Can you describe the procedure?

Have you ever used the "Timeline"? Sounds like what you are doing, but the Timeline allows you to push one button, then, walk away. I just re-read your comments... your using the live page with a band... gotcha!

Honestly i've never actually used the Auto BPM feature myself either. BUT , i remember watching a video awhile back that explained it and said that feature becomes active when it senses an external mic. Then it works the same as the manual BPM except it sets it by itself automatically
 
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You need to make sure you have an External Microphone hooked up to have the Auto BPM feature work through the software itself. If you are trying to access the individual fixtures Sound active mode it depends on the fixture itself. What i usually do is program a sequence of color change scenes than i set a manual BPM based on the song i'm playing or the band is playing and it will simulate a sound active mode basically. Works pretty well actually
Have you tried setting a page of activation buttons and switching them throughout the song? Like you hit the strobe button in live mode, and when you push it again, it turns off, but the background display remains playing?
Running a light show in "Live" with a band requires more work and paying attention, but you still only have to hit your que buttons. And, you can set them to loop or stay on one push... or simply use them as "bump" buttons
 
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Have you tried setting a page of activation buttons and switching them throughout the song? Like you hit the strobe button in live mode, and when you push it again, it turns off, but the background display remains playing?
Running a light show in "Live" with a band requires more work and paying attention, but you still only have to hit your que buttons. And, you can set them to loop or stay on one push... or simply use them as "bump" buttons
When i run for a band every fixture in Live Mode has 3 Buttons for every color. For example : Red - I have a Red On button ; I have a Red Fade in Fade out button ; and then i have a Red Flash Button for those quick hits. Then i love using the pause feature and selecting all of the scenes i want to select and unselect , then when i hit play again it fades the entire stage to the next set of scenes and colors that i wanted. I also love the ability to layer my scenes at will in the Live Window. So 1 movement programmed on my movers turn into almost infinite combinations of colors and Gobos that i can activate easily and quickly
 
When i run for a band every fixture in Live Mode has 3 Buttons for every color. For example : Red - I have a Red On button ; I have a Red Fade in Fade out button ; and then i have a Red Flash Button for those quick hits. Then i love using the pause feature and selecting all of the scenes i want to select and unselect , then when i hit play again it fades the entire stage to the next set of scenes and colors that i wanted. I also love the ability to layer my scenes at will in the Live Window. So 1 movement programmed on my movers turn into almost infinite combinations of colors and Gobos that i can activate easily and quickly
That's the way I do it now. Back when I first began, I tried to set an entire display that had lots of movement, but was the same exact display every time I hit that button. Now I simply set short individual scenes, and "Layer" all the scenes and just play with the buttons. I set up some of the buttons to turn off the previous button automatically, and some of them can layer on top of others. Once you learn the "ins and outs" of the system, anything is possible. I love the program!
 
I think it is a plus if you use a program that allows you to layer scenes. I know some do and some don't. I can only imagine what is possible with a program that will allow layering.
 
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I have been using "ShowXpress" for several years, and am willing to share my knowledge on this thread. I am not familiar with "freestyler", other than that it is MUCH [edit... I think... in my opinion, with very little knowledge of what I'm talking about. Freestyler may very well be as powerful - sorry if I offended anyone] less powerful than ShowXpress. I did have a stint with one or two others, but came back to ShowXpress.

I'll get more into the topic later... questions and comments about software...

My original experience with DMX was with Martin LightJockey software, I ran that until Windows went with x64 software in windows Vista, Had it working maybe 5-6 years. I wasn't ready to spend another grand on it's replacement from them, so that is when I switched to
Freestyler DMX. I've been able to do everything I once did on LightJockey, with Freestyler, including setting up a virtual room for a virtual visual display with the Sunlight Magic 3D Viewer. I can't say anything about ShowExpress, as I have absolutely no experience with it at all. I only assume that LightJockey was once higher ranking, but again, I stress, I have no experience with your selection. I can only say that from my experience, I would rate Freestyler in it's current incarnation, a pretty close match to LightJockey 2.

As for Martin software, I can no longer speak of anything since LightJockey 2, as I have nothing more to do with them since switching.
 
Can anyone tell me if freestyler will save programmed shows (songs with choreographed lights attached) or is is solely a "live" presentation, where you have to continue pushing buttons?
Honestly, I don't know that it can, but then in my case, not having communication with the Playback software to get the track info, and also setting up scenes for every track in my library, it doesn't seem to be a feasible option anyhow. I can handle manually operating what scene and when live.