blaide13
Is there such a thing? I'm going LED and want a computer based controller. It would be great if everything could be done through VDJ.
Posted Tue 17 Feb 09 @ 6:22 pm
tayla
there is only one unit that does that just now, you will have to put a search out as i've forgotten the damn name of it, lol. i think sky was the guy who knew about it, sorry couldn't be of much more help to you, but at least it's a start....
Posted Tue 17 Feb 09 @ 7:11 pm
tanzi
How about giving Freestyler a try?
It runs flawless side by side to VDJ and you can use nearly Interface you want.
A short switch with "ALT-TAB" and you have everthing you need.
AND .... its free :=)
look here
Tanzi
It runs flawless side by side to VDJ and you can use nearly Interface you want.
A short switch with "ALT-TAB" and you have everthing you need.
AND .... its free :=)
look here
Tanzi
Posted Wed 18 Feb 09 @ 4:59 am
djsynystr
i agree, i run freestyler on a small toshiba touchscreen laptop i got for like $175 at a pc show and it works great. i have also ran it from my gig machine but i am a firm believer in dedicated machines for dif things. ie lights, dj, etc. all you need is a dmx to usb convertor which you can find for a few bucks. i run with an entec open it cost $50 shipped from ebay. i use mine at weddings, the clubs, anywhere i need to controll my lighting.
Posted Wed 18 Feb 09 @ 7:37 am
blaide13
Thanks for the info. guys. I really appreciate it. I was also told by a fellow DJ to look into Elations software based controllers and the $500.00 one by Chauvet. Anyone familiar with any of these and can offer some insight?
Posted Wed 18 Feb 09 @ 3:08 pm
DGee
I have tried both the software controllers and the hardware ones and software is definitely the way to go. I just did my first gig using Freestlyer this past Saturday night. WOW! What a difference over a hardware based unit. You have so much more control at your finger tips as you can see everything on one screen. Much easier to program as well. I was running 6 LED PAR cans, a REVO III and a Microhbar II. They all were going to the beat of the music or running their internal macros as I saw fit just by hitting a few onscreen buttons. What could be easier and it's free. I have presets for Full On, Strobe, Sound Sync etc., etc. I ran Freestyler on a second PIII laptop with Windows XP with a USB audio interface connected to my mixer that VDJ was fed into from another laptop.
Here's a tip for all the freestyler users that don't already know about this. The sound to BPM implementation of Freestyler is terrible. It just does not work well enough or consistent enough to use for a professional gig. Download the application Audiobox from http://www.patchbox.net/. Then download MIDI Yoke http://www.hitsquad.com/smm/programs/MIDIYoke_NT-XP/.
MIDI Yoke provides a conduit between the Audibox program and Freestyler. You setup your audio interface, open up Audiobox and select the audio interface from the list. You tell it to go through channel one of the MIDI Yoke. Select the 44100 sample rate. Tick the Tempo box and press the sample button. If your music is playing. you will see the software start to extract the BPM info and start outputting MIDI notes to the beat. You open up Freestyler and its MIDI setup page and tell it to get the MIDI info from the MIDI Yoke then select the Tap Tempo button as the parameter getting the MIDI info. Save and your good to go. Every bass beat is sent as a MIDI note that now triggers your chases to go to the beat. It will follow the beat as you switch between songs with different BPMs. If the song does not have a defined BPM, such as during a break, the BPM will drop down to about half, then pick up again when the beat returns. It is just so cool the way this works.
Try it, you'll like it!
-DGee
Here's a tip for all the freestyler users that don't already know about this. The sound to BPM implementation of Freestyler is terrible. It just does not work well enough or consistent enough to use for a professional gig. Download the application Audiobox from http://www.patchbox.net/. Then download MIDI Yoke http://www.hitsquad.com/smm/programs/MIDIYoke_NT-XP/.
MIDI Yoke provides a conduit between the Audibox program and Freestyler. You setup your audio interface, open up Audiobox and select the audio interface from the list. You tell it to go through channel one of the MIDI Yoke. Select the 44100 sample rate. Tick the Tempo box and press the sample button. If your music is playing. you will see the software start to extract the BPM info and start outputting MIDI notes to the beat. You open up Freestyler and its MIDI setup page and tell it to get the MIDI info from the MIDI Yoke then select the Tap Tempo button as the parameter getting the MIDI info. Save and your good to go. Every bass beat is sent as a MIDI note that now triggers your chases to go to the beat. It will follow the beat as you switch between songs with different BPMs. If the song does not have a defined BPM, such as during a break, the BPM will drop down to about half, then pick up again when the beat returns. It is just so cool the way this works.
Try it, you'll like it!
-DGee
Posted Thu 19 Feb 09 @ 10:35 pm
blaide13
Ok, I've checked out freestyle on youtube and it looks pretty good. A little complicated looking, but it seems to do the job. The next thing I need suggestions/info on is what DMX USB dongle box to use. I've seen several online and it sounds like some only work with purchased software, others are limited on the amount of channels, others have computers inside that can store whole shows that you program from your computer and can operate in stand alone mode without being hooked up to a computer. The prices are also all over the place, from $ 100.00 to $ 1,000.00.
I'm looking to program shows for my light truss which includes 12 Chauvet color splash jr.s, 4 mighty scans, 4 swivel beams, a revo 3, 2 tri led sunrays and also about 10 top 20 Chauvet colorsplash 200b's when I do uplighting around a room. Any suggestions or guidence would be greatly appreciated.
I'm looking to program shows for my light truss which includes 12 Chauvet color splash jr.s, 4 mighty scans, 4 swivel beams, a revo 3, 2 tri led sunrays and also about 10 top 20 Chauvet colorsplash 200b's when I do uplighting around a room. Any suggestions or guidence would be greatly appreciated.
Posted Fri 20 Feb 09 @ 10:06 pm
DGee
I'm using the Enttec USB Pro which works great with Freestyler www.enttec.com/, but with the number of lights you plan to control and the number of channels that will be involved, you might want to consider going with the Martin Lightjockey software and it's assoiciated interface. I'm not sure that the freeware programs and their supported interfaces could keep up with the demands you might place upon them. I certainly will defer this to others who are more experienced with controlling large numbers of lights with DMX.
-DGee
-DGee
Posted Fri 20 Feb 09 @ 10:32 pm
SBDJ
DGee wrote :
Here's a tip for all the freestyler users that don't already know about this. The sound to BPM implementation of Freestyler is terrible. It just does not work well enough or consistent enough to use for a professional gig. Download the application Audiobox from http://www.patchbox.net/. Then download MIDI Yoke http://www.hitsquad.com/smm/programs/MIDIYoke_NT-XP/.
Hopefully I'll get my MIDI clock plugin out soon which will allow you to track the BPM directly from VirtualDJ (via MIDI Yoke as obviously you need to send it somewhere!).
Posted Sat 21 Feb 09 @ 4:21 am
musicalcheers
Can definitely vouch for lightfactory. I have used it for many years - the product is great and their support is second to none. Its a bit of a learning curve to get sorted - like anything - but you can get the basics working in no time and most reasonably well known brands are already in the fixtures list. The sound to light using the program is ok but I would prefer to send timecode from vdj since it knows the bpm and control lightfactory that way. Looking forward to the plugin - let me know if you need a tester ;)
www.lifact.com
www.lifact.com
Posted Sun 22 Feb 09 @ 2:54 am
blaide13
Thanks to everyone for your help and suggestions. I've decided to go with Freestyler and the Entec pro box. Light Jockey would be nice, but I can afford a $ 1,000.00 purchase at this time. I read on another forum from someone that uses both programs that the interface on the software and functionality of Freestyler is almost a direct copy of the Martin software. Another reviewer went on to say that after purchaseing 4 of the paid software programs out there, including Sunlite, Chauvet and 2 others, that Freestyler actually had more features and was more user friendly that the software that he paid money for. I'll give freestyler a shot. I have a month until my next big show and if it can't handle all my truss fixtures and my uplighting fixtures, then I'll just get another Entec Pro box and set up my uplighting on another laptop as I have 2 spare laptops available. Thanks again guys. This forum really is a great community of individuals helping each other.
Posted Sun 22 Feb 09 @ 4:38 pm
CMBDJ
I recommend Lumidesk. Very easy to use and is DJ friendly. www.lumidesk.com You need to run it on a 2nd pc for best performance.
Posted Thu 26 Feb 09 @ 8:52 am
juanisthebigdog
Dumb Question
In order to use the software and the Entec box you have to have a DMX conroller?
Or does this alleviate having a controller?
In order to use the software and the Entec box you have to have a DMX conroller?
Or does this alleviate having a controller?
Posted Tue 03 Mar 09 @ 9:32 am
DGee
The computer acts as the controller through the software interface.
-DGee
-DGee
Posted Tue 03 Mar 09 @ 12:09 pm
juanisthebigdog
muchas gracias
thank you
thank you
Posted Tue 03 Mar 09 @ 12:33 pm
hippydog
DGee wrote :
Here's a tip for all the freestyler users that don't already know about this. The sound to BPM implementation of Freestyler is terrible. It just does not work well enough or consistent enough to use for a professional gig. Download the application Audiobox from http://www.patchbox.net/. Then download MIDI Yoke http://www.hitsquad.com/smm/programs/MIDIYoke_NT-XP/.
SBDJ wrote :
Hopefully I'll get my MIDI clock plugin out soon which will allow you to track the BPM directly from VirtualDJ (via MIDI Yoke as obviously you need to send it somewhere!).
Hopefully I'll get my MIDI clock plugin out soon which will allow you to track the BPM directly from VirtualDJ (via MIDI Yoke as obviously you need to send it somewhere!).
sooo..
in one of the other threads it says VDJ now has a midi tempo out!
does this mean we can sync Freestyler directly with VDJ?
or do we still need some in-between software?
Posted Fri 18 Dec 09 @ 11:59 am
Martin FourS
Nope, you don't. With the latest versions there's a S2L-module included that does the job pretty well. At the moment I use 2 laptops, so Freestyler has it's own. I'm not sure how it works if you run FS on the same PC as VDJ. If not, a cable (line out to line in) is enough to let it run smooth.
Posted Fri 18 Dec 09 @ 1:44 pm
hippydog
Martin FourS wrote :
Nope, you don't. With the latest versions there's a S2L-module included that does the job pretty well. At the moment I use 2 laptops, so Freestyler has it's own. I'm not sure how it works if you run FS on the same PC as VDJ. If not, a cable (line out to line in) is enough to let it run smooth.
the S2L module thing is a built in beatfinder..
I was talking about using the MIDI time code to set the speed DIRECTLY.
The S2L works very nice, but it can never be as consistent as pulling the BPM directly from VDJ.
Posted Fri 18 Dec 09 @ 3:52 pm
Martin FourS
I understand. The reason I would prefer the S2L-module is that I want my lights to respond to breaks in the music. I expect that it wouldn't if control depends on the MIDI-clock.
FS is atm not capable of using a timecode signal. There is a post on the FS-forum where this has been discussed (http://www.freestylersupport.com/fsforum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=1740)
I guess for now S2L is the only option.
FS is atm not capable of using a timecode signal. There is a post on the FS-forum where this has been discussed (http://www.freestylersupport.com/fsforum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=1740)
I guess for now S2L is the only option.
Posted Sat 19 Dec 09 @ 5:51 am
hippydog
Martin FourS wrote :
There is a post on the FS-forum where this has been discussed (http://www.freestylersupport.com/fsforum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=1740)
I guess for now S2L is the only option.
I guess for now S2L is the only option.
yet I have read a couple of threads that say FS CAN be triggired by an external source..
Posted Sat 19 Dec 09 @ 11:24 am
