Edition Comparison

VenueMagic uses a timeline-based approach for show design that is similar to audio or video editing software.  Audio clips can be dragged onto multiple audio tracks (note: Express has only 1 audio track per timeline).  Likewise, lighting and control effects can be dragged onto control tracks and lined-up with audio for perfect synchronization.

With the exception of VenueMagic Express, all VenueMagic editions allow an unlimited number of audio tracks per timeline.

All editions support 1 universe (512 channels) of DMX.  DMX2+AV and SC2+ support 2 universes (1024 channels).

Control tracks are tied to DMX and other outputs and can be filled with control "clips" to control lighting, props, animatronics, etc... All VenueMagic editions support unlimited control tracks.

If a fixture you want to use is not included in the fixture library, you can add it to VenueMagic using a custom fixture profile editor.

Programmable sliders can be use to control volume and lighting levels of timelines while they are playing.

VenueMagic accepts MIDI messages from any MIDI device like keyboards, control surfaces, etc...

Lighting and audio levels can be controlled by MIDI devices like keyboards and control surfaces.

VenueMagic includes a library of over 2000 commonly used lighting fixtures from a variety of manufacturers such as Chauvet, Elation, American DJ and others.

If a fixture you want to use is not included in the fixture library, you can add it to VenueMagic using a custom fixture profile editor.

VenueMagic includes a collection of over 40 built-in lighting effects that instantly provided effects like lightning, candlelight, sparks, camera flashes, fires, sun rise/set and others.  Simple moving head patterns are also included.  Built-int effects can be dragged onto lighting/control tracks and then adjusted to get the behavior you want.

VenueMagic includes a selection of over 100 chaser sequences that can be added to timeline lighting/control tracks.

You can design your own lighting and control effects by graphically editing a profile using the envelope editor.  This “dot-to-dot” approach lets you specify levels at specific times and then fill the in-between with constant, linear or smooth curve types.

You can design your own custom chaser effects to augment the existing library of over 100 chasers.

Set global scaling and min/max levels of all lighting and control outputs individually.  A third “Mid” level lets you adjust the linearity of light level controls to visual preferences.  This tool is also perfect for setting min and max ranges for animatronics and other motor controls.

Route inputs (like MIDI, DMX, Joysticks, etc…) to outputs (DMX, etc…) for direct control of the output.  Multiple DMX merging modes are supported so that outputs can be controlled manually while simultaneously being controlled by timelines.  Also used to control channel “scaling” so that a slider can be used as a “master” level control for one or more DMX outputs.

Channels across all project fixtures can be group together for simultaneous control or scaling.  One thing this feature gives you is the ability to create a “master” level control for groups of lights that can be controlled on the fly.

VenueMagic offers a single track of video playback.  File formats accepted depends on what codecs have been installed.  The K-Lite codec pack is recommended.

Artnet is a standard for broadcasting DMX over Ethernet.  Requires DMX devices that have this feature.

ASIO is a standard interface for many high-end, multi-channel audio output devices.  This is different from WDM, which is one of the audio interfaces included in Windows.

Multi-channel audio is supported over ASIO or WDM technologies.

Create your own custom user interface screens with buttons, sliders, lamps, number displays and more.  Supports multiple monitors.  Optional plug-in also provides unlimited video windows.

Click on the beat tapper as needed to manually adjust light chaser speed.  This lets you use the same chaser timeline for different music with different beats.

Timelines can send MIDI messages (such as program changes, starts, stops, etc…) to MIDI devices such as keyboards and control surfaces at specified times in the timeline.  Use this to trigger MIDI sequences, etc…

VenueMagic supports most X-Key input devices from Pi Engineering (www.xkeys.com).

Automatically detect the beat of a music clip on a timeline track and use it to control the speed of chaser clips in the same timeline.

DMX input lets you record DMX from other sources, or to use your existing lighting control consoles to control lighting and audio levels in VenueMagic.

VenueMagic includes a full-featured teleprompter.  Control scrolling with foot switches or other MIDI devices.  Great for displaying lyrics to timelines.  LRC files can be inputted into timelines for automatic music lyric display during playback.

Sync timeline playback to an external MIDI clock or LTC signal from an MIDI sequencer, etc…

Add rehearsal markers to timelines.  Quickly advance to markers from a pop-up list.  Very useful for rehearsals of live performances.

Input from up to 15 PC joysticks.  This can be used to manually control moving head spotlights.

VenueMagic supports most X-Key input devices from Pi Engineering (www.xkeys.com).

Timelines can send MIDI messages (such as program changes, starts, stops, etc…) to MIDI devices such as keyboards and control surfaces at specified times in the timeline.  Use this to trigger MIDI sequences, etc…

VenueMagic supports the Capture lighting design and visualization software (www.capture.se).

VenueMagic includes a full-featured teleprompter.  Control scrolling with foot switches or other MIDI devices.  Great for displaying lyrics to timelines.  LRC files can be inputted into timelines for automatic music lyric display during playback.

Input control from up to 15 PC joysticks.  This can be used to manually control moving head spotlights.

VenueMagic supports most X-Key input devices from Pi Engineering (www.xkeys.com).

Timelines can send MIDI messages (such as program changes, starts, stops, etc…) to MIDI devices such as keyboards and control surfaces at specified times in the timeline.  Use this to trigger MIDI sequences, etc…

Timeline event tracks let you drag and drop events that perform functions such as:

  - Start, stop, pause playback of other timelines

  - Output MIDI messages

  - Control user interface screens

  - Send commands over serial RS-232 or UDP

  - Set variables in the variable table

  - Open a built-in browser and display HTML

Schedule an event (such as in Timeline event tracks) to be triggered at a specific date and time.  This is great for scheduling automatic playback of shows, etc…

DMX input lets you record DMX from other sources, or to use your existing lighting control consoles to control lighting and audio levels in VenueMagic.

Record input from any supported device (joysticks, MIDI, DMX, etc…) and use it to control lighting, animatronics, etc…. Recorded profiles can be graphically edited to adjust time, intensity and to apply smoothing.  You can record multiple channels while other, previously recorded channels are playing back.

UDP is  network protocol for sending information to hardware and other devices that support it.  VenueMagic will send and receive text commands via UDP.

VenueMagic will send and receive text data across a serial ports, including USB to RS232/485/422 adaptors.  This allows communication with hardware that supports this capability.  This includes customized Arduino-based devices.

Sync timeline playback to an external MIDI clock or LTC signal from an MIDI sequencer, etc…

Variable tables store numerical data that is used to control events.  This is part of VenueMagic’s “logic control” capability and can be used for things like counting how many times a timeline has been played or how many times a button has been pressed in a haunt in an escape room.  Variables can also be set to random values used to choose from a selection of timelines to play at random.

The event table contains events (such as those used by timelines) that wait for certain conditions to trigger.  For example, you can use the table to run a timeline based on conditions like:

  - A button gets pressed

 - A sensor has detected 10 people in the room

 - Another timeline is running for the 3^rd time

 - A slider is moved to be above a certain value.

 - 20 seconds has elapsed since the last trigger

The event can also be setup to trigger on a combination of multiple conditions.  This is all part of VenueMagic’s “logic control” capabilities.

This tool will let you record a complete DMX universe at once.  Recorded data can be edited and used on timeline lighting/control tracks.

If you have VenueMagic running on multiple computers on a standard network, one instance of VenueMagic can tell another to run a timeline or perform other actions.  You can also synchronize timeline playback between multiple computers.

Sync to SMPTE timecode.  This requires a device that will convert a SMPTE audio signal into an ASCII serial stream.  Such devices are available at www.ese-web.com.

Use Telnet clients to run timelines and perform other actions.  Send Telnet commands to trigger action in other software.  Great for interfacing with other game systems for laser tag, etc…

Channel expressions lets you setup outputs (DMX, etc…) to be mathematical functions of inputs (Joysticks, MIDI, etc…) and other outputs.  This has a large variety of applications especially with animatronics control.

Various logic control capabilities enable you to program VenueMagic to respond to certain combinations of inputs.  These capabilities include conditional events (such as in the Event Table) and the variable table.

VenueMagic includes several powerful features for advance animatronics control, including:

Acceleration control – setup max accelerations for output channels.

Mouth movements from dialog - Control mouth movements from dialog stems.  Globally adjust generated profile to accommodate character’s mechanical dynamics.

Coordinated channel control – control multiple, coordinated motion channels from a single input.  Use this when multiple movements are required for a single character effect.  Great for easy control of facial expressions in high-end articulated animatronics characters.

Channel expressions – control animatronic movements using mathematical expressions.