Best PC based lighting control software

[Matt Fiscus]

I'm Looking for a free PC based lighting control software that is compatible with the Enttec USB PRO dongle
right now I'm using Q Light Controller Plus and I work at a venue that brings in lots of different bands with diffrent styles of music and I need an easy way to create custom chases and beable to control the speeds on the fly and havent found how to do that with my current software.

Thanks,
Matt

 

[Crisp image]

Well Matt, Free is a tall order. That said there is Chamsys magicQ which has a PC version that has 64 universes fully enabled. Not sure if you can use it with your Enttec USB Pro. Find it here and let us know if it works for you.
Rgards
Geoff

 

[TimMc]

I'm Looking for a free PC based lighting control software that is compatible with the Enttec USB PRO dongle
right now I'm using Q Light Controller Plus and I work at a venue that brings in lots of different bands with diffrent styles of music and I need an easy way to create custom chases and beable to control the speeds on the fly and havent found how to do that with my current software.

Thanks,
Matt

If you're working commercially, you should be using commercial-grade products and the VENUE should be paying for them or you need to be an independent contractor with your own liability and work comp insurances. And you should still be using a commercial grade product.

/posting before coffee

 

[Crisp image]

If you're working commercially, you should be using commercial-grade products and the VENUE should be paying for them or you need to be an independent contractor with your own liability and work comp insurances. And you should still be using a commercial grade product.

/posting before coffee

Agree fully with you. The right tools for the job. How many times have we got something free only to complain about it when it does not do what we want it to do.

Geoff
/Posting during coffee.

 

[Matt Fiscus]

The theatre is owned by a personal friend and is trying to get off the ground unfortunately the theatre is in a small town near a larger town so ticket sales are not there at the moment and so he does not have large amounts of money to be spending on software, he is barely in the black month to month. There is just enough interest and sales that he's not going to close the doors anytime soon.

 

[CraigV]

I know it's been months since this was asked, but I am hopeful the project has lasted...

I used QLC+ a plus a few years ago with an ENTTEC USB interface, until I was running a show and the USB cable slightly disconnected right before doors, causing the entire opening number to have work lights. I always recommend going with a locking option (ArtNet or sACN) since it's not that much more costly.

Shortly after that, I switched to ETC Nomad. For a small set up, it's pretty affordable (assuming you already have the computer). It's also very adaptable to your needs, and scalable (you can expand your outputs, add fader wings, and/or a control surface or stream deck over time).

You may also have luck finding a used console, at least for the time being. Hard to recommend without knowing how you work on a console.

That said, the best PC software is the one you are most familiar with, and fastest at.

 

[StradivariusBone]

Not free, but relatively inexpensive and quite powerful is LightFactory.

Chamsys MagicQ for PC is free to use with 64 universes as stated, but I believe the output is limited to ArtNet and you'd need a gateway to output DMX. I don't think it would work unlicensed with an ENTTEC dongle.

 

[kenact]

"I used QLC+ a plus a few years ago with an ENTTEC USB interface, until I was running a show and the USB cable slightly disconnected right before doors, causing the entire opening number to have work lights. I always recommend going with a locking option (ArtNet or sACN) since it's not that much more costly."

QLC+ does support ArtNet and sACN. I recently did a show in a facility using sACN with 10 Universes, using QLC+ 4.12.7. Everything worked perfectly.

 

[CraigV]

QLC+ does support ArtNet and sACN.

Which is why I recommend a network connection rather than a USB connection.

 

[dbaxter]

Although the Cue Player software we use at Blackfriars will accept either USB or ArtNet, I keep us connected via the network. Probably not as much an issue these days, but early on I got tired of USB problems figuring connection speed, parity, stop bits, and all. D2XX takes care of a lot of that, but my tummy just feels better with the future of network connecttivity rather than serial. (Who remembers RS232?)

 

[Mac Hosehead]

Chamsys MagicQ for PC is free to use with 64 universes as stated, but I believe the output is limited to ArtNet and you'd need a gateway to output DMX. I don't think it would work unlicensed with an ENTTEC dongle

I have been playing around with a recent download of MagicQ PC. The USB Enttec Pro works with universe 1 in Windows. I could not get it to work on a Mac. Ethernet protocols work with Mac and Windows on multiple universes. I could not get USB 'Open DMX' interfaces to work. It was stable on both Windows 11 and Mac Sonoma.

 

[Tim Hite]

I have been playing around with a recent download of MagicQ PC. The USB Enttec Pro works with universe 1 in Windows. I could not get it to work on a Mac. Ethernet protocols work with Mac and Windows on multiple universes. I could not get USB 'Open DMX' interfaces to work. It was stable on both Windows 11 and Mac Sonoma.

MagicQ works just fine for me with various Macs intel and M1 along with Entice ODE mk3. I'm just using a couple universes, but it's been great for our needs. I have macs on a 5GHz WLAN and can walk around to various spots at events and program from where I can see the fixtures. That has been a really handy feature as several weddings and other events where FOH is back stage but I needed to aim a couple spots before the show.