V3

VenueMagic™ Show Control Software Version 3.0 Now Available as 90-day Beta Trial

VenueMagic Show Control Software V3.0 is now available as a public 90-day BETA trial. This trial is fully functional for all users within the 90 day period. To receive the link to download the new V3 Beta please contact us. Please note we do not advise using the V3 Beta on live projects – It is still in Beta an undergoing bug fixes from the Beta testers – Please continue to use 2.6.xx for live projects until V3 is fully released.

Following this 90-day trial, existing VenueMagic SC+ 2.6 customers will have the option to upgrade at a discounted price. Any customers who have purchased 2.6 licenses after 1st January 2015 will be grandfathered into this version at no additional charge.

New features include:

• New Dark Theme.  Many of the VenueMagic screens have been redesigned to provide a more modern look and feel.
• Timeline Page Tabs let you divide your timeline into multiple pages to make it easier to program timelines with a large number of tracks.  Pages can overlap so that the same tracks appear on different pages.  Play back one page at a time or all of them at once.
•  Collapsible Tracks allow you to show individual timeline tracks at different heights, depending on the level of detail you wish to see.  When fully collapsed, a track shows a minimal amount of information, allowing more tracks to be displayed on the screen at once.
• Group Tracks let you combine multiple timeline tracks into a single group track so that the tracks are only visible when the group is expanded.
• Audio Mix-down provides the ability to mixdown all of the audio tracks in a timeline to a single audio file.  Includes auto-attenuation feature to prevent saturation and clipping.
• Record DMX with Time code.  The DMX record feature no allows you to use and external time base while recording.  Includes SMPTE (over serial), ProCommander PHX (over UDP), ProCommander LTC (UDP) and MIDI time code.
•  New VenueMagic Plug-in Framework allows more flexibility for interfacing with hardware such as slider consoles, timeline shuttle controls, etc…  Plug-ins also add “specialized” features to VenueMagic including automatic channel and timeline setup.  Plug-ins will be announced as they become available.
• Enhanced DMX recording features and data capture improvements.
• Stability and performance enhancements.
• Control.ini external reference now available for all Weigl devices for advanced scripting via the Weigl ASCII protocol.

To receive the link to download the new VenueMagic Show Control Software V3 Beta please contact us. Please note we do not advise using the V3 Beta on live projects – It is still in Beta an undergoing bug fixes from the Beta testers – Please continue to use 2.6.xx for live projects until V3 is fully released.

At the International Attractions and Amusement Park Industry (IAAPA) tradeshow  VenueMagic™ 3.0 release was announced.

The VenueMagic™ Show Control Software has become the industry’s best kept secret for themed show design, programming and playback. By combining all of the aspects into a single easy to understand timeline based interface at an affordable price, VenueMagic™ is the first show control software to break out of the hardware centric model to allow programmers and designers to work independent of the chosen hardware solution.

VenueMagic™ 3.0 will feature a completely redesigned interface based on customer feedback and usability studies. Programming tracks can be collapsed and grouped together to make on screen presentation and use easier. This will allow show programmers and designers to have more tracks on screen at the same time and logically group them into sets which can be shown as needed. The new interface also sports a  more modern flat design, updated icons and colors which reduce eye fatigue while programming and overall screen brightness during performance playback.

Another important feature for the Attraction and Amusement Park market is the new audio mixdown feature which will allow for VenueMagic™ to mixdown the audio for output to hardware common in the install market. Previously the audio had to be mixed and output using a separate audio package prior to hardware upload even though VenueMagic™ has always supported the ability to do multi-channel audio mixing and distribution internally for live programming and playback.

Scripting capabilities made their debut in the VenueMagic™ 2.6 release of the software and have supported a number of custom processes over the last year in a variety of markets. The 3.0 release will feature general scripts which will support a wide range of products generally available in the marketplace. Scripts for specific hardware such as the Mackie Universal Control and and Weigl ProCommander are planned with more on the way. Scripts can be licensed separately to allow users at every price point to enjoy the additional features.

Additional feature information will be forthcoming with a planned general availability release date announced soon.

New Features in VenueMagic 2.6

Important Note: Because of significant improvements made in VenueMagic 2.6, the old “Check for Updates” function will no longer work with older versions of VenueMagic.  You must download and install VenueMagic from links below.

VenueMagic 2.6 Express
VenueMagic 2.6 Classic
VenueMagic 2.6 DMX+AV
VenueMagic 2.6 DMX2+AV
VenueMagic 2.6 SC+
VenueMagic 2.6 SC2+

New Features:

Scripts

Scripts are plug-ins that add features and capabilities to VenueMagic. Scripts may include:

• Macros for automatically configuring a project or timeline.

• Interfaces to hardware provided by other manufacturers.

• Special real-time playback effects.

• Keys to unlock additional VenueMagic features.

• Special customized functions.

Future versions of VenueMagic will allow users to create their own scripts using a built editor. For now, scripts are available for download only from the VenueMagic website.  More information on this will follow.

Monitor DMX Output Window

DMX output may now be monitored in a row-column format similar to the Monitor DMX Input window. The DMX Output Window also includes a new command line interface for DMX control.  DMX Command Interface allow you to Control DMX output manually using a simple command interface. Ideal for setup and debugging of DMX fixtures arrangements.

Precision Playback

The new Precision Playback Mode allows you to control lighting with a much higher degree of precision (30 fps +/- 2 ms).

(Not available in VenueMagic Express or Classic).

Audio Device Setup

The Audio tab of the Setup Devices window now allows more flexibility and features for setting up multi-audio outputs (not available in VenueMagic Express or Classic).

New DMX Devices Supported

VenueMagic has added support for the following DMX devices (not available in VenueMagic Express):

• Enttec USB Pro Mk2 (DMX only, MIDI not currently supported).

• DMXKing ultraDMX Pro (Note DMX2+AV or SC2+ editions required for 2-universe support).

Changes to Adjust Envelope Window

The Adjust Envelope Window now includes the additional settings: 

• Gain center – specifies a center point for raising and lowering gain.

• Smoothing filter now allows separate settings for rising and falling edges of envelope waveform.

Also added was the ability to import and export presets for sharing with other projects.

Cue List Column Settings

You can now specify which time columns are displayed in the Cue List window, as well as the format for the time (Secs, Mins:Secs, Hours:Mins:Secs, SMPTE and Measure/Beat.

Follow Merge Type

The new Follow merge type lets you setup an output channel to shadow another output channel.

Improved Lamp Chaser Time Scaling

An additional time scaling parameter was added to Lamp chasers to provide more flexibility when using the Beat Tapper to control chaser speed.

Edge Snap Override

Temporarily override the clip edge snap feature by holding down SHIFT key while dragging clips.

Override Merge Mode

The Override merge mode is now available in track channel settings. This allows a track to completely take over an output channel during playback rather than merge it with other tracks.

No Trigger Events

Events in the Event Table now have a “no trigger” mode that can be used for events that are only activated by an Event Table Event.

Track Lock Security

Greater security flexibility was added to the track locking feature, including:

• Track passwords.

• Optionally allow sliding/sizing or property/envelope editing in locked tracks.

Foreground Playback Levels

Increased number of foreground playback levels from 10 to 20.

Custom Chasers Stored in Project

You are no longer required to copy the VMLib.dat file when moving a project to a different computer in order to keep custom chasers. A duplicate of custom chaser sequences is now saved in the project file.

Additional Fixes

• Fixed freezing of timeline videos played by playlist.

• Fixed incorrect DMX input addresses in Select External control window.

• Serial devices can now output (but not input) [$00] character.

• Fixed problems associated with deleting and modifying variable table variables.

• Fixed “jerkiness” problem with real-time recording of multiple (>1) channels into level control.

• Lamp Calibration Reset button now sets Ease in/out to 100 rather than zero.

• Fixed Telnet server login problem.

• Fixed 2-Universe Artnet problem in DMX2+AV and SC2+.

• Various crashes and lockups.

Important Note: Because of significant improvements made in VenueMagic 2.6, the old “Check for Updates” function will no longer work with older versions of VenueMagic.  You must download and install VenueMagic from links below.

VenueMagic 2.6 Express
VenueMagic 2.6 Classic
VenueMagic 2.6 DMX+AV
VenueMagic 2.6 DMX2+AV
VenueMagic 2.6 SC+
VenueMagic 2.6 SC2+

VenueMagic adds Device Virtualization to its Classic, DMX+AV, and SC+ versions making swapping fixtures faster and easier.