Lighting Tools

Does anyone know any offline programs that you can create a complete light show on without actually connecting your pc to DMX. I dont want to actually control lights with it, i just want to create a light show with it.

 

what, like offline editors?
ETC has them on theyre website, so does GrandMA

 

i want something like grand ma but not grandma

 

HogPC is out there too, for the Hog family of consoles . . .

- Tim

 

WYSIWYG ... I think it's kinda supposto be the big fish in the pond for this kinda stuff, although I dont really dont know much about lighting. Last time I checked though, it was mondo expensive :-(

 

like VectorWorks Spotlight? http://www.nemetschek.net/spotlight/

which btw, has anyone tried? Its $394 with the education discount.

 

yeah we use vectorworks, its really great for lx plans, dimmer schedules, etc.
the visualisations pretty limited tho- as you cant just place a fixture on the plan and then see what it looks like in a 3d model. you have to create the 3d environment and then place a generic spotlight where you want the light to be, manually entering the beam angle, etc.
kinda cool though in that you have the full CAD fuctionality to create a 3d environment - so you can recreate your entire set in vectorworks then place some lights on it and get an idea of what it will look like

 

i use vectorworks, with lightwright for all my shows. Its a great combination. I have the demo for WYSIWG and its a fun little toy, but i'm not about to dropp $700 for the student edition.

 

i am now using grand MA 3D. But i kinda need a tutorial on how to use it. Does anyone know where i can find 1?

 

yea, read the actual manual to GrandMA. its on theyre website

 

GMA 3D has a cool online manual in the help section, their translation kinda sucks at times.

As for design, WYSIWYG, GMA3D, Vectorworks, Capture Sweden, Microlux and Martin Show Designer are the ones out of the top of my head. There always AutoCAD but its not specific to the task and involves a lot of training.
WYSI and VW are the big standards, and VW is only $195 with student discount.

 

Inaki2, VectorWorks is $195 but the Lighting specific program (Spotlight) is $394

Correct me if Im wrong.

 

You are! hehehe...the student package includes all 4 versions of VW and RenderWorks. The other Package you saw for that price includes training CDs, hard copies of the manuals and a VW T-Shirt.

 

Great! So with only $195 I can get everything.... You sir, just made my day

Does it still come with a digital manual?

 

i think i may investing in that in the next few months, or at least get my theatre too.

does anyone have a way(use i know thsi illegeal) to running wysiwyg? i have the demo version but it only lasted a week and i couldnt save anything. i just would like to play around with it for awhile to see if its worth tryign to get my school to get it.

 

No, WYSIWYG is essential un-hackeable. Its very well coded. The demo is the only option. WYSI is really expensive even for an educational facility, and you must take into consideration the type of computer you need for it, which must be pretty hefty.
VectorWorks is essential a lighting Plot program, the Pre-Viz section of it is called RenderWorks and is a separate program (but it IS included in the student bundle).
WYSi is an integrated Plotting and Pre-Viz program, so you get all in one program. Note though that there are 3 versions of WYSI:

Report (CAD and Paperwork)
Design (Also has Pre-Viz)
Perform (All the above plus real time pre-viz and more)

 

Does the demo version come with the USB key needed to run it? We got the software (version unknown) with our lighting equipment in our new school and it came with a USB key for it too. The only problem is I dont know what version I have, I can run it in demo mode fine, but I dont think I have a regestration number and I dont think the USB key does anything. I dont know what version was orderd with our system b/c I didnt spec it, or maybe I got a demo version with it. Does anyone have any experience with this? or know where I should look? (I dont have the software installed right now, but might be able to install it this weekend to check stuff out)

 

I don't get it. You have a copy of the soft with the USB dongle but its not recognizing it? What kind of dongle is it? If it says Wyg IT its a DMX inpt box, not the unlock dongle. I think that they've dropped the dongle for activation and use a cross-referenced number now.
Please explain it a bit more precisely (feel free to PM or Email me if you want) and I'll try my best to help you.

 

Hmm I might need to get the CD from school to fully explain it. I the dongle is not a DMX input box. It's jus a little tiny purple device with a usb plug one one end (looks like a small version of a USB "Thumb drive" storage device) When I plug it in, windows recognizes it and everything, but from what I remember about the software, even though I had that dongle in, I couldnt do anything excpet demo mode... I am REALLY tired now, and have a busy 2 days of shows ahead, but i'll try to explain it better and maybe I can try to install the software again this weekend, unforntuantly I dont remember too much about the software process to tell you exactly what all I was seeing.

 

Thats cool take your time. No prob!